The Storm of Sea and Sky: A Portal-Hopping Epic Fantasy (The Sunstone Saga Book 4) by Nicolin Odel

Author:Nicolin Odel [Odel, Nicolin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2024-08-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter twenty

Death

The massive tri-colored Xamidian ship turned to meet The Mamba’s Mouth head-on. Above the golden sunburst figurehead, a giant contraption was on the vessel’s foredeck. It was similar to a ballista that could swivel and move but more tube-like. Simon stared in awe at the odd thing, wondering at its mechanics. A massive metal cask lay on its side behind the apparatus. Pipes connected to and from the drum. He saw a man hold a torch up to the end of the long swiveling part of the device. Flames burst forth in an arcing geyser of death directly at The Mamba’s Mouth.

“Hard to port!” Kai bellowed beside him as he called back to the helm.

Silas, the helmsman, was already franticly spinning the wheel. But the turn needed to be faster.

Afléotan. Simon flew into the air to meet the oncoming flames. Windan! He fired half a dozen blasts of the cutting air projectiles at the oncoming spew. It slowed the liquid-like flames and even redirected some fire aside, but too much of it kept coming.

Lind.

The fire engulfed him.

Simon disappeared into the flames, which continued through him and crashed into The Mamba’s Mouth’s rear deck. Kiana watched as the fire swallowed the burly helmsman. Then, he was suddenly stumbling, his flesh burning and hissing as he screamed inaudibly. He fell to the deck in a pool of flames that seemed to spread like water, his spasming, kicking, and writhing going suddenly still.

“Silas!” Captain Kai cried in despair.

“Skrull, take us.” Kiana had never seen such a horrible sight.

Suddenly, there were the heavy twangs of multiple arbalests firing in unison. The Xamidian ship had come broadside to The Mamba’s Mouth. Row upon row of ballistae bristled from the side of the enemy vessel. The sharp steel three-pronged bolts drilled into the hull of The Mamba’s Mouth or burst through the railing with unchecked power behind their shots. Ropes attached pulled taunt, and the two vessels crashed together, sending people tumbling to the floor.

Kiana managed to keep her feet deftly. One massive projectile burst past her by a hair’s breadth. She instinctively sheared through the cord line that trailed the bolt in a quick-flowing sidestepping slice of her blade.

Corsairs with bows perched in the rigging returned fire on the Xamidian ship, and Kiana heard the cries as shafts struck true.

The scene was electrifying as soldiers adorned in pointed silver helms and scaled armor fearlessly propelled themselves onto the pirate vessel. Their stunning bright blue, golden-yellow, and jade-green tunics and under-armor attire boldly displayed the distinctive tri-colors of the Xamidian military. With spears, tulwar swords, and crescent moon shields in hand, they let out a thunderous battle cry as they confidently set foot on the deck.

“Stop! We don’t want to fight you!” Kiana shouted, but the battle drowned out her cries, overwhelming in the chaos. We can’t die here. We must defend ourselves. She watched a handful of pirates immediately cut down with the martial precision of soldiers. Kiana breathed and stepped forward into the dance.

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