Getting off Kruskor Island Chapter

Olverd followed close behind Ilkabad with the Cat like creature named Jethaam and the Champion Leothrad in the lead. Seven of the Cren servants whom Leothrad let live were on his heels, keeping up with the group. Seventeen of the Cren warriors and servants who survived the sacrifice rituals were executed, most of the humans were given their lives, while two of the demon spawn were taken as prisoners to inform them of other Cren movements.

Oross clung to Olverd like any monkey would; he looked around with his little head as they rushed through the same path they took in the jungle. His new companion liked him enough to leave the island of Kruskor and his own family of monkeys. He was pleased to see most of his crew made it through the fight with the Ipama and lived even though they were a heartbeat away from being sacrificed to some god under the reefs of the island. They were probably at the Lessiiv now waiting for their captain to return to them.

According to Leothrad some of Olverd’s men were still alive hiding in the deck of the ship. A few others were kept as prisoners in one of the lower decks. Olverd did not bother to ask how many men were alive, he was contempt with the number of men he had left under his command. That did not keep him from grieving for the losses he suffered. His losses started out at sea when they first fought the sea serpents. Those losses increased when they came to the nightmarish island of Kruskor. He lost thirty members of his crew before the Ipama overwhelmed them with numbers.

In the battle for the Lessiiv most of the Groviscian Hoplites died as they defended the ship. Each one was overwhelmed and jumped by the overcrowding Ipama. There was no doubt in Olverd's mind that those Ipama lost more of their brethren than they did. It surprised him the most when the Ipama betrayed the Cren order before they were attacked themselves. He recalled a moment in the battle when they were defending the ship when he believed the Ipama were under the influence of the Cren Order. It was the way they took orders from the Cren Servants that made it appear the Ipama now served the false god's descendant. Groviscian Hoplites fell like flies when the Ipama jumped down from the yards and the mast of the ship. He couldn't believe only a handful of Hoplites were left after the battle was over.

That did not matter now what mattered most was getting back to his ship and getting off this island. The way they took in the jungle felt shorter than the one the Ipama dragged them on. As they came out of the jungle and into the clearing Olverd grew exited at the sight of the Lessiiv. He had been gone for so short a time, but it did seem like an eternity for the captain. Olverd looked at the skies and saw it was getting dark again. Leothrad took them to the bank of the river where some boats and canoes came up to bring them in. Olverd saw the Lessiiv loaded with what remained of the passengers and the crew waiting for its captain.

Olverd stood on the bank of the river as a canoe rowed up to pick up the rest. It was one of his crew who survived and hid in the lower decks of the ship. He saluted Captain Olverd and tossed a line that was tied to the canoe.

"Hello Captain, are you reclaiming your command over the ship? The Lessiiv is waiting for you." He said to the Captain as he stretched out a paddle. Olverd did not say a word he took the sailor's paddle and climbed down on to the canoe. Leothrad and two others joined them as other vessels came in to pickup the rest.

"I will accompany you on this part of our voyage to steer your ship out of this island. Will you allow me to steer your craft while you command her?" Leothrad asked. The Angoth Champion turned around and waved at the other ship. Olverd turned to the Delkyr Hunter and saw two women and a bald man standing at the bow of the ship waving back at Leothrad.

"As long as you can get us off this damned island you have my permission master Leothrad. Who are those three?" Olverd asked Leothrad, as the canoe came up to the Lessiiv. He looked at one of the women closely. The taller one was younger and held some resemblance to Leothrad. To her right was an older woman who seemed to be the wise old woman there to lecture the young woman. Olverd looked at the other figure who was bald and dressed in Crowsian garb.

Leothrad looked back as the canoe came up to the Lessiiv. "That is my sister Levanna who is a Mage of the Angoth council. Next to her is her mentor the Crone Visdiar. The bald one is a Battle Mage from the Crowsian Isles named Ceinius. He has two pupils aboard with us on the Delkyr Hunter."

Ropes were tossed down to the canoes with passengers and the last of Leothrad's search party. As the last of the survivors were behind them Olverd, and Leothrad climbed to the quarter deck. Captain Olverd turned around and waited for the others to come aboard the Lessiiv before he put them to work. Jethaam and his Vah Shir came up then made room for others. Second and last came the Cren servants who were spared for the service of the Lessiiv's Captain. When the new members were on the quarter deck of the Lessiiv Captain Olverd looked at all of them.

"I am reclaiming my command over this ship. I may have lost her in the battle but she is mine again. Those of you who allied themselves with those Ipama beasts will work in the lowest deck and that is where you shall sleep. Our Medryn is quartered near the lower decks and will acquire my own quarters while Leothrad and I will sleep in hers to keep you in line." He turned around looking for a crew member who didn't seem occupied at the time. Near the main mast Olverd spotted Triaunes leaning against it.

"Trianes!" He hollored as the Lessiiv started to move forward slowly at its own pace. When the young sailor looked at his direction Olverd motioned for him to come over to the quarter deck. Triaunes rushed past other crewmen and rushed up to the Captain and the new crew mates.

"This is Triaunes, Triaunes these are our new members of the crew. We will make further introductions later Triaunes take these Cren slaves down to the lower decks and get them to work." Olverd said as he glared at the former slaves of the Cren Order. Triaunes led the Cren servants down to the decks of the ship and descended the steps. Olverd's gaze followed them as they went down to the lower decks of the Lessiiv's hull.

When they disappeared in the lower deck Olverd turned to the Vah Shir aboard the ship. He observed each one seeing they were fit to help sail the ship.

“Have each of you been out at sea long enough to sail her without instructions?” Olverd asked them.

The one named Jethaam stepped forward. “Captain Olverd, our kind were recently enslaved to work the oars of their galleys. Some of us learned how the vessel works and had sailors teach us how to sail one before being captured. Those skills were put to the test by the Cren Slavers. We are under your command Captain Olverd.”

Olverd looked to Leothrad who was already at the wheel steering the ship through the river that cut through the Island of Kruskor. Leothrad was allowed to steer the ship since he knew the island better than most of the people aboard the Lessiiv. He had the Angoth navigate the Lessiiv through the island’s only river to the sea.

“This is why I am accompanying you, Olverd.” Leothrad said as he navigated the vessel through the island’s river coming across reefs as the river widened. They came to the estuary of the river opening up the way to the seas. Olverd felt a great sigh of relief escape his lips when he saw the ocean from where he stood. The Lessiiv was still in the river and entering the estuary as it came past the jungles of Kruskor Island. Trees became more like brush and grass as the Lessiiv led the Delkyr Hunter towards the estuary. Olverd looked around as the Angoth Champion drove the Lessiiv through the estuary. The Delkyr Hunter followed close behind them as Leothrad took Olverd’s vessel out to the sea and out of Kruskor’s estuary. Leothrad knew more about this half of the island than most of the Angoth warriors who were onboard the Delkyr Hunter. Olverd turned around and watched them leave the island with the Delkyr Hunter and estuary in his view. The island had more people killed than the Cren Order itself in the eastern half of Auxmire, there the kingdoms would rise up in rebellion against the proclaimed deity.

“Master Olverd, you are in good hands now, we Angoths will protect you and your vessel, let us lead the rest of the way.” Leothrad proposed to Olverd. Leothrad was the right choice for navigating them through the island’s inner river. As the Lessiiv exited the estuary the Delkyr moved to the left and sailed up alongside her as she gained speed from more sails released to increase the ship’s speed. Senestra came out of the cabin to see if they were finally out of the island. She joined the two navigators at the quarter deck of the vessel.

She wore diplomatic clothes this time hoping to speak with the leaders of the Angoth group. As she came up the steps her eyes never left Leothrad while he steered the Lessiiv with the Angoth vessel on their right and the island getting smaller behind them. They were not a great deal away from the island, but it was obvious they were leaving it behind to the Ipama and the Makool.

Oross jumped out of Olverd’s shirt and onto his shoulder to see the world around him. To the little monkey the sea was a new environment. He turned his little head observing the waves and the skies above them, which were full of clouds. Oross saw Senestra who was still looking at Leothrad steering the ship. He leapt from Olverd onto Senestra’s shoulder. Oross chattered as he played with her hair with his small hands. Senestra laughed as the little monkey climbed to the other shoulder and clung to her arm as she stretched it out.

“Where did you find this little friend Olverd?” she asked the Captain still glancing at Leothrad from time to time with her eyes.

“He found me when we were drug through the jungle by those cousins of his!” Olverd said staring back at the island of Kruskor.

He took another long look at the island he was leaving. It seemed to stretch out like a very small continent in the middle of the ocean. The jungles covered most of the island with beaches on both sides and the cliffs towering over the trees like a mountain. The reefs could also be seen stretching from the island to smaller islands of sand and a few rock formations. Olverd saw figures on the beach emerging from the water invading the island of Kruskor.

Olverd turned around to face the sea not wanting to look back at the island that almost killed him. He saw another island in the ocean where three more ships sat in waiting. On the island was a natural tower with four different banners flying over the island. There was a Green one, a blue one and an orange one, which was the same as the one on the Delkyr Hunter. The fourth one was a purple flag with what looked like a triangle with a spear and a sword through it. Olverd spotted three other vessels with different banners approaching them. Amongst them was a Crowsian Trireme without the multiple oars a vessel usually had. It seemed to be powered by Mages who were controlling the single set of oars and proving wind for the waves. Senestra turned her head to see the three vessels approaching them. All three vessels had someone waving a peace banner at the bows to show they were friendly and not hostile. One of the vessels did have a banner set up which signaled enemies were nearby. None of the crew knew what enemies were there until they all turned the other way and saw a squadron of Cren Order galleys emerge out of the reefs.

Olverd wanted to dart past the three vessels approaching them, but realized Leothrad had control over the Lessiiv. He wanted to evade contact with them but Senestra placed a hand on his shoulder.

“No, let them come to us we should see what they want. Don’t you see that Crowsian Trireme with them?” Senestra asked as another island appeared in their view of the ocean. It seemed to have hidden itself behind the ships they saw. The three vessels hailing them stopped to let the two vessels approach them instead. Olverd ordered his crew to raise the sails and slow the speed of the Lessiiv. The Delkyr Hunter also slowed its speed down slowly coming up to the three vessels waiting for them.

Olverd clearly saw the light blue lines on the Crowsian sails, which sat next to an Angoth vessel teeming with what looked more like warriors than sailors for a crew. The other vessel was a green colored sail with an owl for a symbol. To the green sailed vessel’s left was the smaller island. In the distance Olverd could see more vessels gathering just beyond the small island.

“Captain Olverd have someone hail them back and we will meet them where they choose.” Senestra commanded.

“As long as it is not on that island behind us, I will have someone hail them back. Jeskr, Jeskr!” Olverd summoned Jeskr, who appeared at the base of the cabin when Olverd came to the steps.

“Aye, Captain?” Jeskr asked saluting him. “What do you need me to do?”

“Go get the hailing peace flag from my quarters and wave it at the bow of the vessel.” Olverd commanded. Jeskr rushed into the cabin to fetch the hailing flags.

As Jeskr went inside the cabin Olverd looked over and saw the Angoths had three flags set up, a hailing flag, one for enemies, and another that he did not understand its meaning. He looked at Leothrad was too busy keeping the ship on course even though it was sitting in the ocean. Leothrad waved at the other vessel and it stopped right next to the Lessiiv.

“Let’s go meet the other leaders Captain Olverd, and Medryn Senestra.” Leothrad escorted Senestra and the Captain to the side of the ship where a life boat was waiting for them.