Thirty years before Charlie was born…
She lay there breathing heavily, sea air assaulting her nostrils. Staring down into the bucket of salt water, she moved her gaze upwards to see several men in white armour, with large black quills painted on their chest plates. In silence they stared down at her. Despite the irons masks that covered their faces, she stared to where she knew their eyes to be.
“What was her name again? Cluppyte?” Cluupyte?” Once man said, gesturing towards her with his rifle.
“Last one,” the second man responded.
“Bastards!” Nolkonoe barked at the men. She as well was forced onto her knees, and her arms bound behind her back by these attackers. Both of the two sat in their human forms, their eyes full of defiance.
Before they had simply been sailing at sea, doing their best to escort some merchants they had found while sailing back to their tribe for safety. There were never any fish in this part of the ocean, but for one reason or another these merchants had been there. When they found them, they were in a state of hysteria and panic, and now they saw why.
“Oi! Shut it savage!” one of them men yelled down to Nolkonoe, as he pointed his gun towards her.
“Tell us where those merchants are, or we’ll have to continue this for longer!” the first man yelled, getting laughs from the twenty or so more men on the ship. Each also wore the same armour and paint of the first three men.
Spitting at the feet of the men, her eyes narrowed. Seeing this look of defiance, the first man walked side. Grabbing her hair, he forced her head down into the bucket of water.
“I’ll count to five,” he said as several men helped him to hold her still as he secured her head under the water.
“Five,” the man began, “four, three, two….one,” lifting her head from the bucket, he recoiled as she spat water into his face.
“Our boss wants those men, so unless you give them up willingly, I am afraid we’ll have to get a little more violent,” leaning forward, the man placed his gun against the leg of Cluupyte.
“Tell us, where are they?” Cluupyte looked to Nolkonoe for answers to the strange language of these people.
“Sorry, but what exactly is this?” a voice came from off to the left side of the boat. Both women turned to look. A boat had pulled up along side them. A white sail with a black quill gave away that they were related to this team.
A man in a long black cloak stood on the edge of the boat. His hair was a bright red, and his eyes a deep emerald green. The clattering of feet filled the air as the men moved to stand and salute this man.
“Sir, we ha,” before the first man could continue, the man in the black cloak had already passed him.
“You aren’t merchants, right?” he said, staring down blankly at Nolkonoe.
“No sir,” Nolkonoe said, the eyes causing a feeling of dread to creep over her. A cold feeling caressed her neck, like the scythe of a reaper. Turning to the three men, he narrowed his eyes.
“I thought I had said to not get any innocence involved. Now I have to kill them as well,” The man said, sounding almost bored.
Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he turned back to Nolkonoe.
“Are you harbouring the merchants?” the man said as he reached into his coat. Silently Nolkonoe watched as he brought out a large box of cigars. Flicking open the lid he pulled out a cigar. Placing it to his mouth, he placed his index finger of his gloved hand over the end of the cigar. Widening his eyes for a second, he looked from his cigar to Nolkonoe. Quickly taking the cigar from his mouth, he sneered at her.
“Sorry, but are you by any chance from the Desert Ghost tribe? I recognise those markings you have,”
“Yes,” Nolkonoe responded silently. A smile spread across the man’s face.
“Would you like to make a deal?” he said, placing his hand against the floor.
In a blur of movement, he brushed the wooden floor of the boat. A small spark was created. Bright embers of blue and black ignited onto where his hand had been. In a slow, monotonous movement, the flame nestled into the palm of his hand. The flames of the deck of the boat seeped into the glove as he raised it to her face. Reaching around behind her, he grabbed the rope. Blue and black flames flowed over the rope.
She could feel the searing heat, yet the flames did not touch her. The restraints that held her slipped away.
“Magic bindings? Fuck, you must be strong?” he said with a grin as he placed a hand onto the top of her head. Grabbing her hair. He lifted her to stare into his eyes. Cluupyte’s eyes widened. Tears rolled down the cheeks of Nolkonoe as she became transfixed with his emerald eyes.
“But I am far stronger,” for the first time, Cluupyte saw Nolkonoe cry. Letting go of her hair, he stood back.
“So, would you like to make a deal?” he said, taking his cigar and placing it to his lips, he used the flames to light the cigar. Taking in a deep breath, he then took the cigar from his lips. Breathing out, the black smoke filled the air.
“So, deal or no deal?”
“Deal?” Nolkonoe muttered, her voice shaking, her breathing broken, and her eyes darting around as if staring at some unseen force.
Turning to one of the three men, he smiled.
“Take off your mask,”
“Sir?”
“Don’t make me ask again,” the man said calmly.
“In fact, that goes for all of you, I would like to see the faces of the men who helped me find such a good deal here today,”
“But sir, the contract said we weren’t allowed to have anyone find out our identities?” the first man argued but was quickly silenced as his emerald eyes fell onto him.
Looking to the others, he saw they already had their helmets removed. Swiftly, he and the other two men did the same. A warm smile spread across the face of the man as he turned to look at Nolkonoe, and then Cluupyte.
“Call me Mr Black Quill,” Turning back to the first man, he stared into his eyes, “and what is your name?”
“Charlie, sir,” the man said.
“Charlie? That is a good name boy, I think I may call one of my sons that. How do you spell it?” As the first man began to spell out the word, Mr Black-Quill reached into his jacket.
Blood splattered across Cluupyte’s face. Her pupils widened as she saw the first man fall dead to the floor. Before the second and third could react, two more bangs filled the air, which were quickly accompanied by the sounds of their lifeless bodies falling to the ground. None moved as they all stared at the smoking gun in the hand of Mr Black-Quill.
“Shit, I was just joking at first, but Charlie might actually be a good name for a kid,” Nolkonoe sat in silence, her head hung as herself and Cluupyte only listened as the man placed his cigar into his mouth. Taking in a deep breath, in hailing the smoke, he then puffed out a cloud of the thick, musky gas.
“Oh well,” he said before casually turning towards the remaining men.
“Sir,” a man tried to plea, but before his words for mercy could continue, more gun shots rang out. Three more shots were fired, before all again fell silent. Looking to the boat over, Mr Black-Quill gave a gesture to the men.
“Pirates attacked this boat, we saved you. Now to the part of the deal. We saved you, and now you are going to get us a meeting with your leader so she can thank me by giving the people I work for the trade rights to your lands,” Mr Black-Quill said as he lowered his hand. Gun fire rattled the air, followed closely by the screams of soldiers as his own men were gunned down by his own ship.
Flicking his wrist, flames of black and blue flooded from his hands. The flames scorched over the bodies of his soldiers, cleaning the mark of the Black-Quills family from their armour.
“Remember, pirates,” he said with a smile as he leant down to look Nolkonoe in the eyes.
“Mrs Nolkonoe, you shouldn’t go out on the water so much. After all, this is my territory,” Not once the entire time in that encounter had Nolkonoe given him her name. Only as he left and climbed back onto his own boat did Nolkonoe say what she had seen in his eyes.
“It was a magic ability. Like my eyes, but his showed something. It started in a field of emerald grass, but the second I blinked, I saw thousands of dead bodies piled into mounds. I’m not sure, but I have feeling it was all done by him. An emerald eyed devil,” Nolkonoe said.
Have actually got an image for this one, just give me a little while and I'll upload it.
Thirty years before Charlie was born…
She lay there breathing heavily, sea air assaulting her nostrils. Staring down into the bucket of salt water, she moved her gaze upwards to see several men in white armour, with large black quills painted on their chest plates. In silence they stared down at her. Despite the irons masks that covered their faces, she stared to where she knew their eyes to be.
“What was her name again? Cluppyte?” Cluupyte?” Once man said, gesturing towards her with his rifle.
“Last one,” the second man responded.
“Bastards!” Nolkonoe barked at the men. She as well was forced onto her knees, and her arms bound behind her back by these attackers. Both of the two sat in their human forms, their eyes full of defiance.
Before they had simply been sailing at sea, doing their best to escort some merchants they had found while sailing back to their tribe for safety. There were never any fish in this part of the ocean, but for one reason or another these merchants had been there. When they found them, they were in a state of hysteria and panic, and now they saw why.
“Oi! Shut it savage!” one of them men yelled down to Nolkonoe, as he pointed his gun towards her.
“Tell us where those merchants are, or we’ll have to continue this for longer!” the first man yelled, getting laughs from the twenty or so more men on the ship. Each also wore the same armour and paint of the first three men.
Spitting at the feet of the men, her eyes narrowed. Seeing this look of defiance, the first man walked side. Grabbing her hair, he forced her head down into the bucket of water.
“I’ll count to five,” he said as several men helped him to hold her still as he secured her head under the water.
“Five,” the man began, “four, three, two….one,” lifting her head from the bucket, he recoiled as she spat water into his face.
“Our boss wants those men, so unless you give them up willingly, I am afraid we’ll have to get a little more violent,” leaning forward, the man placed his gun against the leg of Cluupyte.
“Tell us, where are they?” Cluupyte looked to Nolkonoe for answers to the strange language of these people.
“Sorry, but what exactly is this?” a voice came from off to the left side of the boat. Both women turned to look. A boat had pulled up along side them. A white sail with a black quill gave away that they were related to this team.
A man in a long black cloak stood on the edge of the boat. His hair was a bright red, and his eyes a deep emerald green. The clattering of feet filled the air as the men moved to stand and salute this man.
“Sir, we ha,” before the first man could continue, the man in the black cloak had already passed him.
“You aren’t merchants, right?” he said, staring down blankly at Nolkonoe.
“No sir,” Nolkonoe said, the eyes causing a feeling of dread to creep over her. A cold feeling caressed her neck, like the scythe of a reaper. Turning to the three men, he narrowed his eyes.
“I thought I had said to not get any innocence involved. Now I have to kill them as well,” The man said, sounding almost bored.
Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he turned back to Nolkonoe.
“Are you harbouring the merchants?” the man said as he reached into his coat. Silently Nolkonoe watched as he brought out a large box of cigars. Flicking open the lid he pulled out a cigar. Placing it to his mouth, he placed his index finger of his gloved hand over the end of the cigar. Widening his eyes for a second, he looked from his cigar to Nolkonoe. Quickly taking the cigar from his mouth, he sneered at her.
“Sorry, but are you by any chance from the Desert Ghost tribe? I recognise those markings you have,”
“Yes,” Nolkonoe responded silently. A smile spread across the man’s face.
“Would you like to make a deal?” he said, placing his hand against the floor.
In a blur of movement, he brushed the wooden floor of the boat. A small spark was created. Bright embers of blue and black ignited onto where his hand had been. In a slow, monotonous movement, the flame nestled into the palm of his hand. The flames of the deck of the boat seeped into the glove as he raised it to her face. Reaching around behind her, he grabbed the rope. Blue and black flames flowed over the rope.
She could feel the searing heat, yet the flames did not touch her. The restraints that held her slipped away.
“Magic bindings? Fuck, you must be strong?” he said with a grin as he placed a hand onto the top of her head. Grabbing her hair. He lifted her to stare into his eyes. Cluupyte’s eyes widened. Tears rolled down the cheeks of Nolkonoe as she became transfixed with his emerald eyes.
“But I am far stronger,” for the first time, Cluupyte saw Nolkonoe cry. Letting go of her hair, he stood back.
“So, would you like to make a deal?” he said, taking his cigar and placing it to his lips, he used the flames to light the cigar. Taking in a deep breath, he then took the cigar from his lips. Breathing out, the black smoke filled the air.
“So, deal or no deal?”
“Deal?” Nolkonoe muttered, her voice shaking, her breathing broken, and her eyes darting around as if staring at some unseen force.
Turning to one of the three men, he smiled.
“Take off your mask,”
“Sir?”
“Don’t make me ask again,” the man said calmly.
“In fact, that goes for all of you, I would like to see the faces of the men who helped me find such a good deal here today,”
“But sir, the contract said we weren’t allowed to have anyone find out our identities?” the first man argued but was quickly silenced as his emerald eyes fell onto him.
Looking to the others, he saw they already had their helmets removed. Swiftly, he and the other two men did the same. A warm smile spread across the face of the man as he turned to look at Nolkonoe, and then Cluupyte.
“Call me Mr Black Quill,” Turning back to the first man, he stared into his eyes, “and what is your name?”
“Charlie, sir,” the man said.
“Charlie? That is a good name boy, I think I may call one of my sons that. How do you spell it?” As the first man began to spell out the word, Mr Black-Quill reached into his jacket.
Blood splattered across Cluupyte’s face. Her pupils widened as she saw the first man fall dead to the floor. Before the second and third could react, two more bangs filled the air, which were quickly accompanied by the sounds of their lifeless bodies falling to the ground. None moved as they all stared at the smoking gun in the hand of Mr Black-Quill.
“Shit, I was just joking at first, but Charlie might actually be a good name for a kid,” Nolkonoe sat in silence, her head hung as herself and Cluupyte only listened as the man placed his cigar into his mouth. Taking in a deep breath, in hailing the smoke, he then puffed out a cloud of the thick, musky gas.
“Oh well,” he said before casually turning towards the remaining men.
“Sir,” a man tried to plea, but before his words for mercy could continue, more gun shots rang out. Three more shots were fired, before all again fell silent. Looking to the boat over, Mr Black-Quill gave a gesture to the men.
“Pirates attacked this boat, we saved you. Now to the part of the deal. We saved you, and now you are going to get us a meeting with your leader so she can thank me by giving the people I work for the trade rights to your lands,” Mr Black-Quill said as he lowered his hand. Gun fire rattled the air, followed closely by the screams of soldiers as his own men were gunned down by his own ship.
Flicking his wrist, flames of black and blue flooded from his hands. The flames scorched over the bodies of his soldiers, cleaning the mark of the Black-Quills family from their armour.
“Remember, pirates,” he said with a smile as he leant down to look Nolkonoe in the eyes.
“Mrs Nolkonoe, you shouldn’t go out on the water so much. After all, this is my territory,” Not once the entire time in that encounter had Nolkonoe given him her name. Only as he left and climbed back onto his own boat did Nolkonoe say what she had seen in his eyes.
“It was a magic ability. Like my eyes, but his showed something. It started in a field of emerald grass, but the second I blinked, I saw thousands of dead bodies piled into mounds. I’m not sure, but I have feeling it was all done by him. An emerald eyed devil,” Nolkonoe said.
Have actually got an image for this one, just give me a little while and I'll upload it.
