Captured Chapter

Senestra sat on her bed with three other women who clung to each other. All the women were below decks in their quarters or hers for protection from the creatures that were attacking the Lessiiv. Her room was pitch black dark with not a single candle or lamp lit that would draw the attention of anything outside. The older women kept the younger girls as quiet as possible ensuring them the creatures attacking would be dealt with soon enough. Some girls had their mouths covered with hands, and pieces of cloth tied around their mouths. These methods kept them shut.

Their Medryn Emissary was the only female to even see where they had gone. She told them nothing about the possible dangers that lurked on this island. It would only scare them even more, not that they were frightened anyways. Each of them would see or have a glimpse of what was attacking them once the Sailors, Hoplites and warriors were done fending off whatever the island was throwing at them. The young Emissary herself was frightened from hearing the creaking sounds of the creatures climbing onto the Lessiiv.

At first they just heard the attackers landing on the ship’s top deck with a series of thuds as though multiple attackers jumped on at the same time. The idea of something unknown to them wanting to harm the Lessiiv’s hull was a nightmare for all of them. What became more unnerving for the women was hearing these attackers constantly coming aboard with no sign of stopping.

Senestra stared into the dark with her hands in her lap silent as the grave. No one could tell if she was scared or not there was hardly any light in her quarters except for the light that shined through the small windows. She was too focused on where Evnar and Ilkabad came from. They had to be from another ship that was nearby otherwise they would be torn to pieces or died of starvation at sea. Despite the amount of creaking the attackers were making she pondered over the two warriors that came aboard. Once the creaking stopped it came to her.

Ilkabad and his cousin Evnar came from another ship that was not too far away from their position. It was likely those Angoths were searching for them and may have followed their vessel to this island. She wanted to thank the gods out loud, but that would give their hiding place away. No one had to say anything about the silence. To each ear in the room the silence meant the battle was over. The only questions remained in their minds concerned with who won.

Some time passed before that question was answered. They heard footsteps on the boards of the cabin as multiple figures moved into the cabins. Boards creaked, cracked and moaned underneath a mass multitude of footsteps that walked in the cabin. There seemed to be more footsteps than there were crew members aboard the Lessiiv. Voices could be heard in the distance in the upper cabins. Those voices grew louder as whoever was aboard drew near. As the footsteps and voices drew closer it sounded like chatter of monkeys and humans along with arguing about something in a language they did not understand. Olga’s voice was heard in the hall as the door to her quarters burst open with a bang. From the sounds in the hall there was a skirmish between Olga and those aboard. One body fell to the floor as the others seemed to struggle to seize her.

“Get off me you vile hairy creature! I’ll kill you dead like yer friend here!” Olga sounded as though she were giving them a tough fight. Another body fell to the floor followed by a third. “Ha! You couldn’t even kill a woman if she-“ Olga’s voice fell silent. There came the sound of a sword sticking through flesh then twisting out. Another voice emerged in the hall.

“You apes can have her as a feast if you like. Just remember the rest are not to be harmed even if they resist. The Order wants its prize unharmed, untouched and alive. Is that clear monkey man?” The voice snapped.

Growls followed, but no other conflict ensued in the hall. Whimpering of women emerged as lighter footsteps were heard. The same voice that spoke came up again. “Now ladies please help us find who we are looking for. Where is Medryn Emissary Senestra? It would be nice if one would say where she is. I mean I could change my mind about earlier and let these beasts-“

Senestra had heard enough from the start. She stood up and marched straight to the door. Her mind was made up already. It was better to be captured now than to allow more harm come to the innocent aboard this vessel. The Emissary unlatched the door and swung it open.

“Here I am what does that damned Order want?” She stood before a group of monkey-man like beings led by a dark hooded figure in a black cloak armed with a scimitar. Five serving girls sat on their knees cowering at the sight of such creatures. At the feet of this dark cloaked figure were three corpses of the intruders Olga killed and Olga’s corpse at the door. He held it against the chin of Desin whose lips trembled and she shook with fright. The serving girl looked up at the one who killed Olga.

“PLEASE DON”T HURT TRIAUNES!” She blurted, but the figure slapped her across the face.

“Silence whore!” the dark clothed figure roared. He turned to the monkey-men beings and commanded them to take the five captives up to the top deck. Each one was grabbed by the arm and snagged up to the upper levels. The hooded figure turned to Senestra and other women who peered through the doorway. Behind her Senestra hear two bodies fall to the floor. A couple of them took their own lives. This dark hooded figure smiled with his eyes. “Ah the Medryn Senestra a little bird told me you were headed your way to find help. A task deemed unnecessary when a Kingdom has submitted to the Cren Order. There are decrees for all members of the King’s court to return home and attend to the Order’s desires and wishes.”

“I have been summoned without my knowledge?” She asked in disgust.

“I wouldn’t say without your knowledge since I have a little letter just for you.” The figure said pulling out a letter from his cloak.

“Burn the damn thing and forget it. There will never be a day when this daughter of Etras will bow to the likes of Cren’s descendants!” She spit in his direction.

“My name is Kazeed a demon from the distant lands. You’ve never heard of them so why bother mentioning them.” Kazeed ignored Senestra’s spitting and introduced himself instead. He turned to the monkey-men and commanded them. “Ipama bring these up to the deck, but let me handle the Medryn.”

These Ipama creatures passed Senestra and seized the screaming women behind her leaving her alone with the demon spawn of the Cren Order. Each one was taken up to the upper decks while Senestra was left alone with Kazeed. When they were all gone to the upper deck Kazeed stretched out a hand.

“Make this easier on yourself and your crew.” He said glaring at her.

Senestra complied weakly and followed the demon up the steps to the open deck of the Lessiiv. When they exited the cabin of the Lessiiv she was shocked at the sight she witnessed. Senestra covered her mouth and tried to hold back tears. Bodies of the Ipama did litter the deck of the Lessiiv, but that was not why she wanted to cry. Members of the Lessiiv’s crew and most of her Groviscian bodyguards lay dead and mangled in a heap of corpses. Each body was stabbed numerous times, cut up and piled in the center of the Lessiiv’s deck. Many of them were men she came to know some had known her since childhood. Others were young just starting their service to the Etrasian nobility.

She was even heartbroken at the sight of Merx, and Jeskr’s bodies impaled on spears with no limbs. She mistook one of the corpses to be Captain Olverd, which caused her to drop to her knees in despair. Kazeed yanked her up and turned her towards the side of the ship where a platform rested on the ship connecting it to the land. All around them stood Ipama staring at her, the prize. Her despair turned to relief as she looked beyond the platform and saw forty survivors. A dozen Groviscians were left and the rest of the survivors were the crew. Seeing Olverd startled her, she nearly jumped at the sight of him. He had survived the battle for the Lessiiv, but it was a loss to the savages under Cren control.

As she was brought forward the two Angoths were bound to trees and had knives against their throats. Senestra turned to gaze upon those who survived. Not one of them were unscathed from the battle. Cuts were on arms, shoulders, faces and legs. Blood covered every man, splattered on their faces, limbs, torsos, and clothing. It was the blood of the Ipama they killed in the fight for the Lessiiv. The blood around their cuts was their blood and oozed out slowly from the deeper cuts.

Scores of Ipama warriors kept the prisoners under guard as the dark hooded servants commanded their new friends on the island. Senestra and her fellow captives were surrounded by what must have been a thousand Ipama warriors with a few Cren servants here and there next to the scores of guards, or against a tree. There were a few perched on top of a rock or stump hidden behind the brush. As Senestra was brought forth to a Cren warrior perched on a rock a few score of Cren warriors rushed out of the jungles and into the clearing next to the river. The Cren warrior perched on a rock turned to the leader of the few scores of warriors.

“Take that vessel and sail it down the river. Two hundred Ipama will join you and help navigate through the island. Be quick about it, and keep this ship on the move as the others come in from behind you.” The leading servant ordered the Lessiiv’s new captain. Senestra watched him turn his head down the way the Lessiiv came in search of familiar vessels. His eyes widened at the sight of something in the river.

“Kazeed bring that one to me! Someone is coming to your stations! Get those prisoners up and forward into the jungle! QUICKLY!” the leader shouted.

All the prisoners were dragged to their feet and dragged into a path cut through the jungle. The women were tied up and gagged so they run away or make any sounds. Each one were lifted over a shoulder and carried down the jungle path. Kazeed and another Cren warrior nabbed Senestra off her feet the proceeded to follow the captives and their prisoners into the jungle. She turned her head and saw only Ipama following them as they took them through the jungle path.

There was no telling where they were being taken as they traversed the jungle path. Senestra did not know this island nor did she want to explore it by herself. She had seen enough danger this island held particularly the Ipama who attacked their ship without warning. These creatures knew this island well, being the inhabitants of this Kruskor Island. The servants of the Cren Order were also new to the island, but believed these savages were their new loyal pets. It was assumed the Cren Order hadn’t been here for very long otherwise they would not rely on the Ipama to guide them through these jungles. The prideful Cren Order believed themselves to be masters of the world. Any tribe, kingdom, or race of peoples who bowed to them they believed them loyal to the Cren Order itself. Many servants treated them like their own slaves, and servants to command at their will.

These Ipama seemed to make it look like they are serving the Cren Order since they are aiding the servants of Cren. They rushed deeper and deeper into the jungle. As a whole they followed the path that snaked around the jungle with various turns here and there. Senestra was propped up on the shoulder of an Ipama. She was turned around and could see the other prisoners behind her. Among them she spotted Captain Olverd who had his head low not daring to look up from the jungle floor. The young Emissary could still make out his face under his hair that hung over his bowed head. He looked pitiful, regretting his decision to come here.

“Olverd!” she called out to him. He didn’t answer her; she thought he might not have heard her the first time so she called his name again. This time he responded to her and rose his head up slightly to see who had called him. He couldn’t tell who was there because his face was covered in blood, and his hair dangled over his eyes. Olverd did hear her the first time he just didn’t want to respond, over shocked at the idea that he lost much of his crew, got most of the Hoplites killed, and his cargo captured. Not to mention he lost his own ship to the Cren Order who were in command of these Ipama.

The former Captain of the Lessiiv looked to see who was speaking to him, but couldn’t make out who it was due to the blood over his eyes and hair dangling in front of them. He heard the voice again and recognized it as Senestra’s who called his name out a third time. Olverd turned away not wanting to look at the Emissary he failed to protect from capture. He tried to block out her voice but was unable to as she called his name again.

“Captain Olverd! This is not your fault! Speak to me!” she demanded of him.

“I have failed the kingdom of Etras and those opposed to the Cren Order. They may have been conquered, but our mission was still active until now. We failed.” He said to her still not making eye contact with Senestra.

“Captain our mission is not over! We may have been captured, but there is still hope! I know there is.” She said with confidence.

“I let my men die and be captured, led us into this island and allow your life to be in danger.” He responded.

“That may be true, but you did not know this island at all.” Senestra said reassuring none of this was his fault.

“I should have listened to Ilkabad. We warned me not to stop here but I did. I never believed he was right until this moment.” Olverd said with showing regret on his face.

“Ilkabad did know about the dangers of this island. He did warn us about this island and the creatures here. You cannot blame yourself for not listening to Ilkabad’s advice. There is help on the way!” Senestra told Olverd. Olverd shook his head at this.

“There is no help coming that ship may have gone home and allowed this fate to fall upon us. That ship is never coming for us. Even if they were searching for their missing Angoths none of them would bother with us.” Olverd bowed his head still thinking of how his crew were slaughtered at the hands of the Ipama. He watched Merx be ripped to pieces. Jeskr was cut down by nine Ipama who overwhelmed him. Gallis was beheaded by the time he submitted to the attackers’ will. Each one of those men took dozens of Ipama to the graves with them in the fight over the Lessiiv. Much of his crew were slaughtered once the battle progressed and more Ipama poured on board. His first mate Hrothar was killed by one servant of Cren who entered the battle to intervene.

As he fought to keep his vessel out of the hands of the Ipama Olverd was witness to the Groviscians holding on to their lives as the enemy piled up against them. Each Hoplite killed as many as he could before the Ipama battered them to the ground. Some jumped on their shields in groups of ten shoving one part of the phalanx down exposing the other side of it to the slaughter that commenced before everyone surrendered. He was surprised to see the two Angoths gave in after killing so many of them. From the way Ilkabad fought most would believe he would keep on fighting.

Like his cousin Evnar, Ilkabad was surrounded and jumped from above. Two Ipama leaped from the quarter deck and forced Ilkabad to the floor and proceeded to kick him into submission. When their fight for the Lessiiv was over servants of the Cren Order emerged out of the jungle and ordered for twelve of the Groviscians remaining to be killed and the rest of the captives bound. He and the survivors believed the Cren Order had a foothold in the islands beyond the Crowsian seas. The way the Ipama obeyed made it seem these monkey men had new masters.

Their beliefs about this were questioned when the group swerved off the trail through the jungle. The Ipama led them off the path and into the unmarked jungles of Kruskor. None of the Cren servants bothered asking why the Ipama took them off the trail. One thought they had given that order and believed himself to be clever. Olverd was close to believing there was someone coming after them. He could tell from the way the Ipama drove them off course, but he still doubted their rescuers would catch up with them.