#SampleSunday: Fezariu's Epiphany
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This #SampleSunday post is taken from Chapter 20 of Fezariu's Epiphany. Fezariu, now a fully trained mercenary, is ready to take on his first assignment but being a mercenary means more than glory and rewards: it means risking your life for a cause you may not even believe in.
No sooner had the merchant ships homed in on the burning city of Redemption than Mattias' crew surrounded him and began demanding to know what course they should take. Fezariu retreated from the exchange as Mattias tried to ease the rising wave of fear amongst his crew.
'Listen up, we all need to just keep calm,' Mattias said, his hands held out before him, palms down, creating a comfortable distance between himself and his anxious crew. 'We don't know why the city is ablaze. If it is to do with valkayan rebels then these mercenaries are here to quell such insurgence. It is our job to get them safely to their destination. Archangel University paid me handsomely for this venture. I have never failed in my duties before and I am not prepared to start now.' Mattias looked along the coastline at the inferno engulfing large sections of Redemption. It was too distant to hear but Mattias already knew the raging flames would be unable to disguise the inevitable sounds of clashing weapons and screaming men, women and children.
[image error]While disorder continued to reign throughout the merchant ships, General Bayard emerged above deck, took one look at Redemption and pushed his way through the growing crowd of mercenaries and ship's crew until he was side by side with Mattias on the prow.
'What course are you taking?' General Bayard demanded.
'I have ordered my ships to divide and remain on course for the harbour,' Mattias replied. He pointed towards the west side of the burning city where a group of ships lay anchored and unharmed. 'We'll get your mercenaries safely into the harbour and after that you're on your own. Sorry to leave you in the lurch but I have my men and my ships to consider.'
'Don't worry, Mattias. We're used to being abandoned in the thick of a hostile environment. This will be a good test for my new recruits.' General Bayard turned from Mattias and looked for the largest gathering of mercenaries. 'Hold your ships steady, Mattias, and make sure your men don't panic. I had best prepare my mercenaries for battle.'
'Understood. Good luck to you, General.'
General Bayard left Mattias to deal with his frantic crew who were still insistent on forfeiting their pay, turning the ships around and retreating to safety. Mattias stood firm and ordered them back to their positions. The crew only abided by Mattias' instructions when he warned them that any man who refused to obey would be seeking a new ship to sail on in future.
General Bayard made his way to the centre of the flagship and gathered the mercenaries together. He nodded to the senior members of the gathering and smiled as they allowed the new mercenaries to come forward.
'Some of you will be afraid, others ready to fight,' General Bayard said. 'We don't know what to expect once we land at the harbour but have your weapons at the ready. Before we have even landed we are sure to come under enemy fire so move quickly, find cover and await further instructions. We have commanders on each ship so there will be ample authority to refer to if you find yourselves unsure of our next move. Be prepared for anything in the city, watch the backs of those with you, fight hard and may all of you see another dawn.'
[image error]General Bayard
General Bayard turned from the new mercenaries who now looked around uncertainly. Some drew their weapons immediately, others couldn't take their eyes from Redemption whose flaming buildings were now clear in their vision and the sounds of fierce fighting echoed throughout the smoke-filled fiery skies above.
Fezariu stood with his sword in both hands and his heart racing. He had moved to the stern of the flagship away from the largest cluster of mercenaries and crew. Tessera, Vintaro and Arshea soon joined him; all of them were armed and expectant of conflict any second.
'This is fantastic,' Vintaro said, racing to the edge of the ship. 'Our first real battle and on our first assignment as well. What an opportunity this is to show those valkayan rebels what we're made of.'
'I wouldn't be so eager to enter the city, Vintaro,' Fezariu replied. 'With the extent of the fire burning inside those walls I would say the tide of battle is very much in favour of the valkayans right now.'
'The slaves certainly seem organised,' Arshea said. 'Are we ready for this?'
'We'll know soon enough,' Tessera replied. 'If we all stay close together we're sure to be okay. Isn't that right, Fezariu?'
'Definitely,' Fezariu said. 'Arshea, Vintaro and I will be facing the valkayans up close. We'll find you a useful platform to cover us with your bow, Tessera. We just need to watch out for each other.'
The merchant ships, having sailed far apart from one another, were now drawing closer together as they closed on the harbour of Redemption, which appeared unblemished by the fierce fighting behind the towering walls encircling the city. On the tips of the walls stood the varied forms of the valkayans who were now waving their arms and pointing towards the sea. It quickly became apparent that they had spotted the merchant ships.
It happened so quickly that no word of warning could be issued by anyone before it was too late. The valkayan slaves, in the ascendancy in their fight for freedom, had seized a group of small catapults and now pointed them directly towards the ocean. With eager but ferocious cries of revolt they fired the first projectile – an enormous rock – that struck a merchant ship close to Mattias' flagship. The missile smashed through the base of the mast, crushed a group of startled mercenaries and crew before leaving a large tear in the hull that crippled the ship and caused it to soon gather water.
[image error]Vintaro
With the increased frequency of projectiles hurtling from the city walls towards the ocean, Mattias found himself in the midst of a mutiny on his flagship. His crew, consumed by terror, began steering the ship away from the harbour, prompting the other vessels to change course. By the time the flagship had turned only three vessels were still afloat. Those that had sunk had seen the bulk of those on board drowned but a small group of adept mercenaries had shrugged off the obstacle of the ocean and were now swimming towards the quiet cover of the harbour before beginning their assault on the city.
From the stern of the flagship, Fezariu observed the mercenaries in the ocean closing on the harbour and immediately sheathed his sword.
'Over the side,' he said to the nearby mercenaries.
'What do you mean over the side?' Vintaro asked, incredulous. 'They're abandoning the city. There's nothing we can do about it.'
'We still have an assignment here and I am not going to let the cowardice of these merchants prevent me from fulfilling my duties. These ships won't survive the night but we will if we abandon them now.'
'I'm with you, Fezariu,' Tessera said, securing her bow over her shoulder.
Together, Fezariu and Tessera leapt from the stern of the flagship and began swimming towards Redemption leaving behind a gathering of indecisive mercenaries.
'He must be mad,' Vintaro growled, before a projectile flew narrowly past the flagship and struck another merchant vessel, causing irreparable damage and a mass exodus of mercenaries into the ocean. Vintaro grimaced and looked back at the fading forms of Fezariu and Tessera before puffing his cheeks. 'Madness has never seemed more appealing.' With that, Vintaro secured his axe by his side and abandoned the flagship as well.
Arshea watched Vintaro initially struggle in the cold water before finding his rhythm and swimming quickly away from the flagship. To his left another of the merchant ships was struck by the valkayans' projectiles and immediately capsized in the face of the mortal wound inflicted upon its hull.
'This may be foolish,' Arshea said, looking up at the fiery skies and thinking of Melea, 'but I love you too much to see our story ended on this night.'
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