In
these waters if a man was found floating out at the edge, dangerously close to
the storms; sailors were given one single guideline by the government. If they
know where they are, pull them aboard and get them to dry land, if not, throw
them back like an unwanted catch. It was a
simple line intended to remove outsiders from whispering rumours about this place to the
wider world, those that were indented to be killed and hapless citizens whose
own stupidity had got them closer to a death worse than a mere drowning. It was
also in these waters that the carcases of ships, and planes floated before
being finally dragged down by stormy waves. The danger, crossed with a bounty;
untold, unknown and unvalued was waiting to be scooped up by more daring
captains and their crews and one such had found the wreckage of a burnt up
ship.
"This
is all going to be worthless. The lightning has burnt that mast and then those tempest
ladies supercharged the fire or something. That mast has smashed most of it up
and the fire's pretty much burnt anything that was carrying something heavy.
There's no point, I'm not risking another storm so that miss high and mighty
can go play in port. We're not pirates, you know that, I know that, we all do.
This is all meant to be a stupid mask for it all but she's enjoying herself too
much. You couldn't tell she was a spoilt little brat when she was younger. That
was when her father...what the heck is that? Ah this is going to be good. Get
the rope now!" Men scrabbled aboard deck, rope passed hands and into the
sea. A net was thrown and hauled back in. The man stomped his foot four times
of the deck "Now what do you want to ask this one?"
From
under the deck a distinct heavy boot marched its way to up. The crew fell silent,
and the man standing over what looked like a drowned man, smiled. "Alright
boys, you know the drill. Someone grab me my vials please, and the
needle." Moments later a gold
adorned dark wooden box was presented. Inside luxurious dark green velvet with
inlay room for three tubular vials and a syringe and needle. One of out three
vials had seemed to be missing for a while as its spot had slightly faded. The
other two looked as though they had never been touched. A fresh glass vial was
brought out and the syringe assembled. The metal tip was held in a flame and
then held under a crystal fragment that cast a white shadow over the device.
After a few seconds a length of cloth was tied around the now exposed arm of
the drowned man. A vein was tapped for and she preceded to draw blood. The vial
was filled, the rest of the blood thrown into the sea and the captain withdrew
under deck. The towering man, nodded to the rest of the crew and kicked the man
in the stomach.
