16 Prey (1/2)

”Damnit, which one of you numb skulls didn't put their stuff below deck!?”

Animated by the oncoming storm, buckets, brooms and brushes tumbled all across the ship's forecastle. At the same time, the howling winds, blowing through the overhead rigging with worrying force, threatened to swallow Atau's voice, just like the seas threatened to swallow their entire ship. Although he was right at the heart of the problem, right atop the forecastle, it was a surprise that the sailors at fault for the mess could hear him at all. Luckily, the cultivator was large, and could elicit a volume to match his size. Thus, the men looked over as their first mate walked up the stairs with annoyance chiseled deep into his face. They didn't need this kind of trouble, not now.

”What are you doing, you bastards!? Stop standing around and get to work!”

Though at first some attempted to step up, not convinced by Atau's authority, it took only one look at their first mate for them to shrink away. Though Atau wasn't a monster like Fadelio, he was still massive compared to ordinary men. So they bent in submission. With their bodies lowered, the sailors were in prime position to clean up the hazards they had so carelessly left on deck. As the slack-offs got to work, Atau looked out to the ships, the Delahlia's bow, while he leaned on the railing.

The blue water had turned to white before them as the waves crashed against the submerged cliffs. Here, the two major streams of southern Arcavia would clash under the watchful eyes of ragged cliffs. Unpredictable weather, raging oceans, invisible reefs made of the hardest rock. The most dangerous place in the world. The Cape of Tears.

Worried, Atau observed the chaos as best as he could. Rocking and swaying like a punch-drunk fighter yet unperturbed their ship pressed on, up to the gates of the underworld, ready to face the destiny the World would present them. He really didn't like being trapped here. Atau would have preferred to be at his proper place, atop the quarterdeck, under the captain's instructions.

Over there he could have seen how a real sailor would use all his experience to navigate his way through the colossal dangers ahead. Instead, the numb skulls behind him had forced Atau to come all the way to the ship's bow, just so they would do their jobs.

In the end, the first mate wasn't only worried about their course. Over the past few days, the previous signs of insubordination had disappeared without a trace, so their return at the most critical point in their journey didn't bode well for any of them. The sliding equipment had been hard to overlook, so clearly, they had refused to do their duties before their first mate had shown up, almost as if it had been done on purpose.

”Big Guy!”

As his worries mounted like the dark clouds did over his head, a terrified voice ripped the first mate out of his thoughts. He turned to find one of the men close in on him, crouched down in a widened stance. The knife in his hand glittered in a dangerous light.

Atau's eyes ripped open, from shock and anger, as the exposed sailor rushed over to finish the deed.

*Wrong choice, buddy.*

The captain held onto the railing with his left as he bent his knees. Though the man's rush was ferocious, the unstable ship made his charge wild, uncontrolled. Keeping his balance with the railing's help, Atau slipped his right arm under the sailor's knife hand and pressed it up, high over the attacker's head. For a short second, the two fighters stood opposed, face to face. In the man's eyes, Atau could read a unique mix of fear, rage and determination. However, he wouldn't care about the thoughts of a traitor. A short slip of his waist and a quick grab and pull of his right hand where enough to help the hapless attacker's momentum. With a scream, he sailed over the railing and into the roiling waters below.

*One down.*

Atau barely took note of the desperation in the dead man's eyes before he turned to face the rest. Built up in a semi-circle around himself stood another four men. In the back, a fifth held onto Rallo, the cabin boy who had warned Atau of his impending doom. Though they held knives and sabers in their hands, they seemed unwilling to come closer for now, afraid to be the next man jumping ship early. With a further deepening frown, Atau looked past the attackers, to find the entire ship sunken into chaos, to reflect the stormy sea around them.

All across the main deck, fights and tussles had broken out between the sailors. Who was fighting whom, and why, was all but impossible to tell, but Atau still knew what was going on.

”So, who's been planning a mutiny?” he sneered as he asked the surrounding sailors. Not a sliver of fear was present in his voice. In the end, they were just mortals, and he himself a mighty warrior.

”Shouldn't have been so greedy, footlicker. Shoulda let someone else move up,” one of them answered. Toldo, Atau remembered. He had always gotten along quite well with the simple sailor, even after most of the reverers on board had turned against their new first mate.

”That's it? That's the reason?” Disbelief tinged Atau's voice, but no surprise. In war, there was no place for emotion.

”That not enough for ya?” Toldo showed his yellowed teeth as he lowered his stance. Just as Atau was about to answer, the first mate could feel something bump into his right boot. A quick look down revealed the same bucket he had seen before. Behind his back, the bastards hadn't even pretended to work. Somehow, this was far worse to Atau than their actual betrayal. He decided to beat it into them, both the loyalty and the work ethic. First he steadied his stance again. Falling to the ground now would be akin to a bull losing his feet in front of hyenas. Once his footing was secured, Atau bent down, slowly, and picked up the bucket. Solid oak, reinforced with iron. Not a great weapon, but it would do.

”Nah, it's enough,” he answered Toldo's question. ”Let's get to work.”

With the final words spoken, the first mate of the Delahlia had gone and left behind the great warrior of Medala. With his body lowered like a puma on the prowl, Atau rushed towards the attackers. It was a bad position for normal combat, since height would bring all sorts of benefits, but on deck, a low point of gravity, and with it a good balance, would be more important than reach or angle.

*First goal, the left one. Easy Target.*