The Broken Mast of Shattered Silver [Red Morning]

[Persell]

A mist rolled across her body as she stood at the center of nothing. Fine vapors of water swept upward to blur her vision, hiding only the blackness that had surrounded her now for hours. Unnaturally did that mist waft its way around her. There was no smell except the salt of Western water to the mist, no feel except for bitter coldness that was so familiar to Skullstone. Only the sound of lapping waves against a shore that she could not see was heard by her ears. There was nothing here except the damnable mist. Of course when she finally knew that she was not alone, the feeling might not have given her much comfort.


Shapes pressed against the mist as if it proved a barrier to her. Faces that meant little to her and images which could be anything fleetly passed around her. Then the water she stood on heaved upward as a ship of that looked to be a cutter passed by her. Explosions tore against its hull spraying her with immaterial debris and bodies slammed into the water around her. Screams of silence rang from their mouths as a battle unseen waged on that ship. This misty battle grew sharper and more in focus, dull colors becoming apparent while on the deck two figures stood. Both alike but neither one the same as the other they stood each other down. A bow stretched taunt in familiar hands while the stranger grasped a weapon of sleek steel. The pair glowered and spoke whispered words.


Another explosion and the archer was dislodged. Her body flailed into the air toward the legendary Queen of Shattered Silver. This one would issue no screams besides, this figure gave no pleasure to her adversary in crying out. As the face drew near she faded into the mist but already the Queen knew whom she saw as it was herself that plunged into the water. Another explosion tore quietly through the air and that ship was gone, her body thrown down to the water while it rolled upward with such violence. Hands clawed against water that soon became think and dense. Rolling water stilled into an expanse of thickened ground that now held her in place.


Whispers reached around her mind now. Words of wisdom and dissonance mixed together as if spoken by a maddened dreamer. Laughter echoed to her from somewhere, cutting through the dizzying whispers and racing through her mind. Children laughed and memories burned her heart with a passion that burned her cold heart. A chorus of giggles and pounding feet across sandy shores much as her years had been spent so long ago. Seagulls squalled from high above and the ocean, so familiar to her life, roared not far away. Darkness still existed around her but slowly she knew that it was only the blackness of closed eyes.


At her fingertips was a familiar sensation of wet sand. Clumps of the tiny crystals bunched together beneath her nails and formed anew at her mouth and face. She could feel their touch in unwelcome places along her body along with the weight of wet leather and armor tightening on her body. Pain radiated from every joint and inch of her body. Aching pain that told her she had been floating in the water too long for her body’s comfort. A mental once over gave her enough information to know the aches were superficial and something on high had deemed her worth enough to live another day. Salt crusted at her eyes, burning them like the sun when she opened them to the world around her. White replaced black but still there was nothing to see. In her stomach something rolled to life and salt water came pouring outward with violent force from her mouth. Cramps tearing over her abdomen while she sprayed the sand with food, water and there was the smell of wine as well.


A scream touched her ears, childish and bold with curiosity. Eyes focused to form a face from the white expanse around her. Dark skin and chubby features reaching her eyes where a small figure crouched with a sticky in hand. Somehow she knew that the child had been poking her with that appendage. Those small eyes were wide with both fear but also wonder at what might happen next. The image reminded her of when her own twins discovered a crab for the first time, walking haphazardly on the beach. They had spent hours poking and prodding the creatures, giggling as it snapped and spun around at them.


“Are you dead?†That little voice whispered with hushed awe.

 

[Valkyrie1]

The last she remember was the crashing waves against the deck of one of the black ships that she had commandeered from the Prince’s army. It was a foolish idea, she knew it even when she was summoning a host of the dead to assist her in piloting the wicked vessel. Still, she couldn’t serve that monster any longer, she had been tainted by his evil, a hint of his own darkness was sealed inside her body now. She could feel it, a nagging little pit of nothing that demanded that she consumed and destroyed. Yet, even in her new monstrous state, she was a creature with free will. She threw his shackles to the side, as soon as she seen what was going on, on that wretched island.


So, the young woman cast aside the identity that had been crafted by the undead monster and became something different. The power that had been granted to her would one day be the undoing of the dark one, it would take time, ages perhaps, but she was immortal unless death took her. So, it was that very thought process that led her too the dock’s where her former master kept his navy. She did not have much time, but, she did manage to get one out of the bay, but, it did not survive long against the barrages of her pursuers.


She knew not how long she floated amongst the rubble, clinging to the drift wood that had brought her once more to shore. A bit of her was almost disappointed to realize that she still lived, yet, fate must have decided to keep her head above water long enough to keep her alive. She was not yet outside of fate grasp yet, she was no monster in the eyes of the unconquered sun… yet, how far she would fall in her march of vengeance was not yet known even to her.


The Queen pushed herself to her feet looking down at the child with a grin, she reached out a hand stopping just before she ruffled the child’s hair. Instead she merely shook her head a bit.


“No, I am not…†It was a half truth, but, the child would be incapable of understanding that she hovered somewhere between death and life. “Though, you should run home to your parents€¦â€

 

[Persell]

The child did not move away from but instead remained on the beach. Whereas many of Creation’s minions shied away from her kind, he seemed more intent on remaining close at hand. Small feet padded without shoes along the wet sand, circling her as it went about picking through the debris. She could see black curls around the small one’s face, the features muted so that gender was hard to place. Meaty cheeks and a round body were all that could describe the figure while it moved amongst the wreckage, searching for treasure only the young could find.


“We must hurry so that you stay alive! Come, we have to build your boat again so you can sail away. This place isn’t good for you. No good at all, you can’t stay here.†Sourly she might note the small child was testing what floated and did not float as the wide began to roll into the island. “Hurry before they find me here with you.â€

 

[Valkyrie1]

She looked down at the child, one of her finely sculpted eyebrows lifted into an arch. Something about the youth seemed odd, it was either an excess of knowledge and maturity or just outright madness. All and all it was hard for the Queen to tell. Instead, she focused on the youth… holding back the urge to move closer. She wanted to touch that soft skin, the silken hair to remind herself of just what she had lost. Yet, she realized that by doing so, it would only open up the possibility of the poor child to be punished for her own sin. Her mothering instincts held her back from making such a foolish choice.


“Please, child… just leave. I can manage just fine on my own.†She said looking at the youth with her crimson colored eyes. “I am strong, and…†She took a deep breath. “I do not need an innocent being caught up in my wake. Go to your mother and father, now, they need you more then you can ever know. Please, for them… allow me to do this on my ownâ€â€

 

[Persell]

There was a sad shake of his head while he heard the woman’s refusal again. Black curls twisting around the figure’s head before little hands reached down for another chunk of wood and tossed it into the waves. Chubby fingers moving to grasp the wood as it came back with a splash of the waves. There was no giggle from those lips as many his age might; instead there was a grave seriousness to his tasks. Something warned that this scene had been played out before.


“Many say that, many don’t come back to say it again. Please, just leave before they come. My ma and da will come with them and then it will be done. Then it is too late.†As if to reinforce the cue he had given her, a thin stream of smoke slipped upward from the lush jungle before her. Yet it swayed against the wind and in her direction as opposed to what was natural.