Chapter 76: Chapter 19
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***
Corina Tilly.
Nine days had passed since that night battle.
Yesterday, they had left Cintra. Stopping only for twenty-four hours for a small welcome to the royal family of Cintra, for to Tilly's surprise, Damian had made friends with Prince Danni, Pavetta, King Aist and some of the nobles of that kingdom.
Everyone welcomed him and his men to Cintra, and even after the native Skellijan had heard about how they had defeated and "countered" the Tordarroch clan of Undvik he had grown to respect him even more and even praised him for his resourcefulness and prowess. After all, Eyste himself was from another clan, which had been feuding with these islanders for some time. So there was no resentment on his part. Moreover, he reassured him of his personal friendship.
And after the feast, the Sith were joined by seven more of Aest's fellow clansmen that had come to visit a relative. They had hoped to find good and lucrative service in Cintra, but after the recent news and Aest's words they changed their minds and decided to join the mercenary squad. They were joined by two dozen other young men who had been fishermen before, but who wanted to become famous, like Damian Blackheart. A dozen other stout lads who had also decided to try their luck, but they were from Verden.
Blackheart, of course, accepted them, but divided them between two trophy drakkars, one of which he made Bella captain and sent all the former young men there.
He gave the other to Miro the Turtle and made him captain. The latter had the newly arrived Skelligans under his command, as well as a dozen more people. So these two ships were no longer in tow, but were travelling on their own under the red and black flag of their squadron. On the black field was a scarlet octopus with an equally red skull instead of a head.
Corina noted that when Damian had drawn it, everyone had approved of this design for the squad's banner. And when Baldur joked that now they could reach any enemy with those tentacles, Damian smiled again in his own strange way and quietly said "Hail Sith!".
No one noticed it, but Tilly once again felt it had its own significance. But she just didn't understand it.
Time, as time went on, they floated. And Corina watched Blackheart closely when she had free time and realised that Damian was quite responsible when it came to certain things and people.
He trained his men to the best of his ability without sparing his personal time and effort.
At the same time, she noticed that he even used innovative ideas for training. For example, Corina had seen him train his youngsters with rocks on their outstretched arms, one leg, and on their heads. He had them twirl in different directions on command without losing the stones. They did this in different directions, with different order, strength and speed. They practised dexterity and precision. All this was accompanied by caustic comments and whole lectures about really important aspects of human psychology. Then he trained their flexibility, strength, tried to make them almost circus acrobats at every lesson. And he taught them not to be afraid.
"Fear is a known loser, no matter how many you are or how many people your opponents have. It doesn't matter how strong you or your opponent are, how armed and how many mages the sides have. Fear is the foundation for losing!" - he echoed them every time.
And she was probably in agreement with that.
Then came the traditional exercises she'd seen before and classes on swords, spears, axes, shields, bows, crossbows, and, of course, drill.
Their journey had been quite successful, so many thought, and so far, quiet.
The latter pleased her personally and gave her time to think or do her research.
After Cintra, Corina began to spend a lot of time in the company of the elf Spark, Marty and her teacher Jennyfair. The four ladies drank heavily, partied and mocked the young boys, embarrassing them with their talk, their looks, or just their behaviour. Damian's squire, Mika, had the hardest time.
The sorceress and the elf did not fool him. Sometimes Korina was even ashamed of it, but she couldn't do anything about it.
The holiday was over quickly, though, after Damian transferred the boy to Bella to work on his axe skills, and she needed a helper.
Another week passed and they arrived in Mettina. Where they stayed a little longer on land than they intended. Specifically four days while the merchants went about their business and made new contacts.
During this time, too, Damian wasn't herding sheep, but tending to his men and exercising himself.
Corinne was already beginning to admit that she was attracted to him as more than just a person. Marty, even slightly jokingly suggested she have a threesome. But Tilly had dismissed it as a silly idea. Still, she kept the suggestion in mind.
At the end of the fourth day it was time to leave Mettina.
It was then that she witnessed the conversation between Damian and the head of the "expedition".
- I assure you, Ser Damian. It's a good offer.
- With all due respect, Honourable Albert, I decline. I want no part in this adventure, and I certainly won't send any of my men on it.
- But...
- No buts! I will not send my men to hunt a ghoul, which is not a ghoul as far as I can tell. I've been hired to protect you and my mum and my old friend's cargo. It's actually helping him. We're bailing him out, not you. You and him may be partners in some respects. But I'm not really interested in money. Besides, it's such a pittance.
- I can negotiate a raise with the mayor. - the merchant grasped at straws.
- What the hell do I want? I don't want it! I can't! I won't give the men! Bad weather! Religion doesn't allow it! No time! Choose any of the above statements and leave me alone.
The merchant left with nothing.
Damian continued cleaning his sword and then, as she wanted to leave, she heard his voice:
- Eavesdropping is not good. You can lose your ears and nose for it.
She shuddered.
- I wasn't eavesdropping, you were screaming like a slaughterer, so I thought I'd see who was being slaughtered. But luckily for the merchant, you didn't hurt him.
- Well, I told you before, I'm a peaceful and kind man. - He shrugged his shoulders and went back to his work.
"Jarl Harold will attest to that. - ran through her mind. - As will all those you've mauled, no worse than your berserkers."
Despite her reluctance to talk to him now, she still crouched down next to him and watched him closely.
- What did he want to offer and why did you refuse? I never fully understood.
- There's a True Vampire wandering around here, not a ghoul as they've tried to paint me. Killed some upstarts, I mean, golden youths. I don't know why, but it's not very interesting. The merchant decided to take advantage of the moment and reduce the duty on the goods at my expense, so he's trying to induce me and my men into this adventure.
- A true vampire is very hard to kill. - Corina said thoughtfully, remembering Philippa's lecture. - Only a really powerful sorcerer or an equally powerful individual. Those are the two most likely ways. Of course there are also dragons and curses. But that's a lot harder to organise.
- If you find a dragon under your skirt who wants to help us, speak now, before we set sail. - he smiled.
- I doubt that if I look down there now, it will be there. - Tilly returned his smile.
- Eh! Then there will be no peace of mind and no vengeance for the fallen fools. - "Blackheart's sad."
- Hey, lovebirds! - Sparkle called out, coming closer to them. - How long are you going to make nice? Bella's out there tearing and marking.
- Did she mark a lot? - Damian asked. - I just hope it's not my ship, or it's going to stink, and our galley smells like roses, and now it's going to smell like hers.
- I don't know, you'll have to figure out the pressure of her jet. The thing is, she wasn't allowed to--
- Well, after she threatened to mark the place, I don't feel like giving it to her either.
- Listen to the end. - snorted, smoothing her hair. - She's mad at Marty for not letting her drink properly. She'd kept a dry law for herself for four days while her boys went on a rampage. And on the last day, she decided to have a little drink before she left. And the red-haired, dyed-in-the-wool bitch drank all the Toussaint in one go.
- Let her have my supply of Est-Est. - the blond waved it away.
- So she doesn't drink it.
- Est-Est is from Toussaint, too, so don't fuck around. Well, if you want extra headaches and haemorrhoids, pour it into the same barrel, I assure you neither she nor anyone else will notice the difference.
- I doubt it. - The pixie was sceptical of his words. - You know that Bella has been addicted to Toussaint since we met.
- Let's not talk in riddles. She's a drunk, like most people. It's just that her urges are a bit pretentious and she takes a long time to break. It's basically the same old story.
- All right, but if she figures me out, I'll sell you out.
- She'll lick you when she does. You guys need to take your drinking to the horizontal, cos I don't have enough lesbians in my squadron to get them into a threesome.
- Fuck you.
- You're the one who should be there, my dear Sparky.
- Then fuck you!
- Is that an official invitation to your arse? - Damian smirked.
- It's an official invitation to go to someone else's arse without touching me or suffering bullshit.
- I can't help but suffer bullshit. After Jarl Harold, I'm just itching for new things to do. And I haven't.
- Wank off. - she snorted. - You'll scratch your hands and your cock will rest from Sodergren's vagina. Although in both cases your organs should have tired and rested from each other.
- Don't be jealous. I'm always here to help you. I'm always here to scratch. You'll do anything for a mate.
Spark was amused, so she continued the verbal altercation between them. This made the oneiromancer's ears curl, so Corinna went back to the ship
Already there she lay down to rest and... fell into a dream.
She found herself in a spacious bright room, where at the desks sat a dozen and a half young men in the same black uniform, and at the blackboard, stood a tall man who reprimanded the young man.
- You fucking little arsehole! - he yelled at him. - How the fuck did you even get here?
- Excuse me, sir.
- Sit down, you oligophobe!
He quickly sat down in his seat under sympathetic glances and stuck his nose into the desk.
- Who did they send me? To get me to agree to help you again Martin with your cadet children, I'll eat my boots!
The teacher rubbed his face for a while, and then went to the window and spoke:
- "Fuck you 'sea-cats', for fuck's sake. Take the sheets, or better, write on your bellybutton, make tattoos on the record, so they know that Damian Blackheart was famous not only as a land commander, but also as a sea commander he was good. Though he had no taste for the sea, as such....
- Mr Marshal, may I ask you a question? - One of the cadets stood up.
- Permission granted. What is it?
- Do you want to talk about the Battle of Mettin Beach?
- Certainly. The battle off Tsidaris with the Skelligians is the first major naval engagement of Blackheart's career, but only in terms of defence of his charges and cargo. He had no men in large numbers to mount a full-scale counterattack, nor did he have any ships of his own. At the Battle of Mettin's Shore he had doubled his crew and had two ships of his own, as well as five ships whose captains trusted Blackheart. And it was in that battle that the Sith finally gained fame as some of the most deadly and fearless warriors, who were not afraid to go into unequal combat against any opponent. But more on that later. Given that you're Marines, I should still tell you how the battle was fought that day. After all, it was thanks to him that our homeland got regular marines. So, on that clear day, with only two drakkars, and five merchant ships, with some of Blackheart's men and the merchantmen that helped in the battle. He was able to go up against the pirate Mettin squadron of ten ships, which was giving trouble even to the Usurper's Imperial fleet...
A sharp jolt brought the Oneiromancer out of her sleep, and she fell to the wooden floor.
The jolt was repeated.
Half-dressed again, she jumped out onto the deck, where she had deja vu with the same people and the same actions that had been off the coast of Tsidaris recently. Only then it had been night and now it was day and she could see everything perfectly.
They were on the high seas. Their ships had been travelling in a single column until eight ships with black and white flags that depicted a hanging skeleton appeared on the horizon.
And the tremors were magical attacks that shattered the defences that the son and mother of Wengerberg had put up. Tilly recognised that somehow they possessed very good defences and magic that she hadn't seen from Eilhart either. But she didn't say those words aloud.
- "This is a squadron of Hanging Captains." - The youngster who was next to Corinne spoke with fear.
- Who?
- The most notorious pirates that hang many prisoners, besides, they're not afraid of anything at all. They even hanged the cousin of the Emperor of Nilfgaard for preventing them from raping his daughter. Trying to save her. But they... We have to get out of here!
The next thing he knew, he was getting a slap from Spark.
- Back to your seat, little boy, before I kick your arse right here in front of everyone for talking like that.
The boy scurried away.
- Get ready to help, sorceress. - Spark tossed to her and rushed towards the group of armed Sith. - We need to sink eight of the insolent ships that will come against us.
- Eight? - Tilly was surprised. - But... no, there aren't eight!
Spark glared at her, "Do you think I'm blind?!"
- There are eight, look closely, I'm an elf after all, I have better eyesight.
- There are ten! There are two more ships. But I don't know where they are. There's definitely two more! I've seen them in my dreams, I'm an Oneiromancer, so I know what I'm talking about.
Spark looked at her differently now, with a touch of respect and gratitude, though she swore afterwards.
- ... Then can you determine where the other two ships are?
- I'll try.
- Try, because Blackheart's decisions depend on it, and our lives depend on his decisions. He gives the orders and he acts. Blackheart! - she shouted to a nearby ship, where Damian's figure with a flaming sword could be seen.
She began to show him something on her fingers, accompanying all the signs with mate. After which he flew towards them through the air.
- What's wrong? Something wrong with our drakkars?
- No, fuck, there's something wrong with the two enemy ships. There must be two more than we can see. That's what the dark one said. - and poked her in the chest with her finger.
Damian changed his angle of observation and looked at the oneiromancer who squirmed involuntarily in front of him.
- Is that it? Did you see that?
- Yes," Corinna nodded. - There must be ten ships. But after Spark's words, I looked with magic vision, even cast a special spell, but I didn't see any other ships. But... there must be ten.
- I believe you. - He smiled approvingly and suddenly kissed her on the lips. - You'll help teleport the people, just as Spark says. Leave the medical care to Marty and the ship's doctor.
- But...
- Spark!
- Yes.
- We need to get Osmund to Miro the Turtle. He's on the Drakkar with Bella and Baldur. The brother and sister should be on the same ship. But their uncle should be on his mate's ship. As the wise man said, "This world needs balance!"
- It won't be enough for a successful battle if.....
- So Jorvet and his sharp-eared friends, the Red Men, and Kirk and his ten will go on the drakkar to Bella. - he covered his eyes and walked to the side of the ship. - She has more skirmishers and less trained fighters. And half a dozen crossbowmen went to Miro as well. Let him and our sweet Bella take the enemy on the left flank. You send three ships with most of our remaining men and half of Jocardi's men straight down the centre of the enemy formation. Strike the centre. Keep the other two in the rear with Marty, Corina and Mum in charge.
- And the right flank? - Spark was surprised. - Have you forgotten about it?
- Don't worry about the right flank.
- Will you go there? - She smiled understandingly.
- No, I'll go underwater. - he answered with a smile and opened his eyelids. - The two ships are led by mages. They've created bubbles, and from the looks of it, they want to come at us from the rear and fuck us. I didn't expect it to be possible, but I guess they have good mages that control the water element. It's gonna be tough, but I've got to deal with them before you fight them. If I'm delayed, send one of the ships to the right flank, it'll give you some time. And don't worry about the central one, by that time our guys on the drakkars will have to either deal with their enemy or not let the left flank stop you from fighting.
- What about that... Wildfire? You used magic last time and sent flames into a Drakkar from a distance!
- It's not a reusable tool, alas, but meteor steel is rare, and so pure. - he pulled out the dagger and they saw that the blade was slightly melted. - I can only use it once, against one ship. Next, I'll dive into the sea and fight there.
- Wildfire over here, for fuck's sake! - Spark gave the command.
-...and while I'm busy in there, you'll be on your own. - Damian continued, removing his breastplate. He called out to several of the commanders of the dozens, among whom were Yorvet and Kirk. - I won't leave you, but if I can't handle these two ships, we're all dead. - he sighed and placed that dagger in the centre of the deck, and then looked at Corina with indignation. - Corina Tilly, for fuck's sake! Why the fuck are you standing there kicking dicks? Didn't you get a command to move people?
The Oneiromancer didn't interrupt and swallowed the hurtful, though fair words, then went about what Blackheart had told her before. There was no time to think or take offence.
As she finished throwing men onto the drakkars, one of the enemy's ships burst into flames right in the centre. The same nasty green and dangerous Wildfire, as Damian had nicknamed it.
It was time to return to the ship she should be on.
On the same ship stood a disgruntled and rather angry Yennyfair, who didn't even cast a glance at the young oneiromancer.
Following her, Marty emerged from a different portal.
- Mistress Yennyfeather! Damian told you to use your green serpent only as a last resort. And yet you were on this ship, not on the front lines.
Tilly watched as Damian's figure hovered over the five ships that were going into battle and dived into the water. Two of the drakkars went to the left flank, and the trio of others went straight ahead.
- But wouldn't it be better if the glorious sorceress was in the front line? - One of the frightened merchants raised his voice.
- Who's going to protect you idiots? - she snorted. - Yoongs and marquettes in your quarters? Most of the brave and skilful warriors are on those five ships. There are three sorceresses here, and I am the only one with enough experience in combat, the two sorceresses next to me are not so experienced. So we'll be more useful here.
- And the wounded? - Timidly asked still the same merchant.
- Marty and Corina will go get them and bring them here.
There were no more questions.
In less than a minute, the sea beneath the ships on both sides began to boil and foam.
Light blue, white flashes, red flashes, and even lightning could be seen as it erupted with a hiss and steam from the watery abyss.
Drakkars were the first to engage two pirate ships, a trio of merchant ships also clashed with three other ships, and the last two tried to come at them from the rear. Just as they were making a U-turn and coming in behind them to try to surround them, a great pile of wooden debris came up from where Blackheart was diving. Followed by a young warlock.
He soared through the sky, and after a few seconds, he set that entire pile of debris on fire with one powerful scarlet-coloured flame and sent it flying into one of the enemy ships.
- One less ship! - Marty sighed happily. - Oh!" Sodergren pointed her finger at the "signal-fireworks". - We got a signal from the Spark ship. We need to move the wounded here, or treat them right there. Here! - and slipped the Oneiromancer some kind of vial. - It'll take the edge off your fatigue and give you strength. You look a little pale. - and immediately opened a portal to that ship. - Follow me!
Tilly followed her and found herself in the middle of a fight, she even had to kinetically send five or six corsairs flying to keep them from hacking her down.
- What's going on here? - Marty shouted, launching a fireball at a couple of nearby pirates with Spark, which blew the head off another.
- There were more cattle than one might expect. There's a dozen and a half wounded in the hold. Take them and go.
A wall of fire swept over their heads and into one of the enemy ships. And lightning bolts struck the newly arrived pirates on the merchant ships. On all three. Damian soared through the sky and struck from there every enemy he could reach at altitude, all over the area.
Corinna turned towards the hold and almost tripped over a torn carcass, judging by the garb and trappings it was the mage who had been mauled by Night, which in turn was also already in a dead state, charred and torn in half.
"I guess Damian doesn't kill all the mages!" - The sorceress's mind raced again and she and Marty headed downstairs.
There they began to ferry the wounded from the ship to their own. And when the last one was in the rear. There was another call from the other ship with a firecracker signal.
- I don't have enough power. - Tilly moaned.
- Drink what I gave you. - advised Marty again. - Jennyfair and the ship's doctor will take care of these wounded. We'll bring in the new ones. Hurry up.
Corinna had no choice but to take an obscure tincture or elixir and... felt the fatigue go away and she thought more clearly. Marti opened a new portal to the allied ship and stepped through first, followed by the Oneiromancer.
The other ship was in a similar situation. Only here was Baldur, who in his berserker state was helping his men to deal with the enemy, and from the Drakkar came help in the form of a dozen young men from the Cintrian kingdom.
Once again she did not make it straight to the hold.
She was knocked off her feet by a corpse that was thrown away by Baldur, but as she got up another corsair came at her, she had no time to defend herself, but Tilly was saved by Damian, who was now dashing like lightning through the enemy ranks and blowing the pirates' heads off.
A fountain of blood poured down on the frightened sorceress, who could not free herself from the dead carcass.
Damian came to her aid again.
- You need to be careful. - he said calmly and thrust one of his swords at her. - Marty!
- Marty! What?
- Throw another drug in here.
- But you've already had three of them! You're not gonna get poisoned by the fourth one?
- Well, I'm sorry if I'm asking for what it takes to win. But there's a lot of mages out here, and I've been fighting in deep water, using magic to speed things up, and I'm just fucked. One more minute and I'm gonna fall off my feet.
- All right, here you go. But don't say I didn't warn you.
- I won't be able to say a word when I'm in withdrawal. - He snorted and drank the vial that Corinne had been drinking shortly before. - Why are you lying down? Hurry up and get in the hold!
Once again she obeyed that tone. But without resentment.
"I never want to be in this kind of situation again!" - the Oneiromancer pledged. - "It's not for me!"
As they finished carrying the wounded, a signal was given from the third ship.
Tilly sighed tiredly and desperately, but she was stopped by Blackheart's already mother.
- Take care of the wounded here, I'm going to that ship.
The former Eilhart apprentice was only grateful for these words, for she could not stand the strain any longer. To add to the pressure, the wounded were moaning, screaming, swearing and threatening to do things to the sorceresses. Everything was falling apart for Tilly. It was only after the third or fourth slap from Marty that she pulled herself together and continued to treat the wounded.
Some of them were dying on the operating table, they simply didn't have time to save them all. There were too few skilled hands.
At some point, new wounded stopped coming in. That made it easier for the spellcasters.
Then the more familiar and important faces from the Sith began to arrive: Borchis with no left hand and new scars on his chest, his son who died shortly after they began operating on him. The leader of that seven from Skellige also died on the operating table, and half of his men in combat. Only three of the badly wounded survived and would return to action a little later. Osmund was also badly wounded in the chest and with broken legs. Even the thick-skinnedness of the berserkers did not save him from such wounds. But he survived.
When they had rescued those they could, Tilly went out for some fresh air and realised that there was no fresh air left outside as there was cinders, corpses decomposing in the sun, burnt or torn bodies. There was just death and pain in the air. And in the water there were scraps of wood and bodies, the latter of which were prey for the sharks, of which there were many.
On the bow of the ship they were on, leaning against the wooden surface, sat a pale and newly wounded Damian, assisted by a tired and even paler than usual Jennyfair.
- Corina. - Blackheart beckoned to her.
She came over.
- You did well. - He smiled. - If it hadn't been for your prediction, we'd have a lot fewer people left. And it was harder.
- I always do what I'm supposed to do. - Tilly grinned. Trying to be cool.
- Yeah." He nodded. - I'd like to talk to you... alone tomorrow. By then I'll be fully recovered, and we'll get to the bottom of what happened.
Tilly nodded and went about her business back downstairs.
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