Chapter 8 - Chapter Seven: From the Brink, Unto Varos

Sol lay in the hammock and studied the map in his hands. It was almost dawn and almost time to pull up the anchor. He'd moored in the shoals, as he'd been doing for weeks, months. He'd practiced his magic, whispered through circles to Raine, and his parents; sexy whispers, comforting whispers. He was maybe one or two days from the outer markers of the Varos 'political' waters. 

Sol hadn't seen so much a fishing ship on his way out though, and that had worried him. His vessel seemed larger than one man to handle but with spells and the ship itself, there was plenty enough to do, but not so much to exhaust him.

"It'll be nice to see some more people though." He muttered, not in English but in Varogo, the language used by most of the races as a 'merchant' language. The weeks had given him time to pick up the language through conversations with the Felwoods, of course the context of those lessons was of a lewd nature, Sol wasn't going to complain.

He rubbed the trim beard he'd grown out and ran a hand through his long hair. He looked a little wilder, and couldn't wait till he was on dry land, where he could summon Raine and let him get a good long look at him.

He yawned as something popped in the distance. He turned his head. The sound hand't been of the waves rolling over the shoals or into the ship. Surely it wasn't what Sol thought it was, right?

The sounds of Civilization hit Sol like a cannon. Not surprising as they were actually cannons firing. He jolted upright and out of the hammock. He muttered a spell to protect his eyes as he stepped out of the cabin and into the sunlight. What he saw was something out of a pulp film. A small ironsided vessel was chugging along, smoking as two massive sailing ships, many levels tall and bristling with cannons unleashed volley after volley into it.

And the three ships were coming straight for Sol's.

"Nope." Sol shook his head and ran for the wheel that held the anchor chain. He whistled the spell with each step and when he laid his hand on the spool it turned of it's own accord, and the anchor rose. Thankful, he patted the winding mount and ran for the wheel. He patted the mast on the way there and the sails slid down and in full. 

He felt the ship lurch forward as he took the wheel and spun it hard to the port and out of the arc of the maritime assault. He flew no colors other than a bland flag of peace and hoped that would be enough to deter any of the vessels from taking interest in him.

As he sailed past the battle, he could see the occupants of one of the massive sailing ships. Beings nearly twice as tall as himself, if his vision served. They wore crisp uniforms and carried long guns of war. They weren't shouting to each other, there was clear order and purpose in their movements; and they were forming a line, not on the side of the ship facing the iron vessel, but rather pointed toward Sol. 

He slammed his foot down on the deck and a second set of sails unfurled and the ship lurched ahead.

"HOLD!" A voice roared from the vessel. Sol turned and saw another group of armed and uniformed beings, still too far to get a good bead on them beyond they had horns, and perhaps tails. They were being lowered in a launch, one standing while the others sat, ready. It was being lowered into the water and Sol could only imagine they meant to board. 

Sol considered his options. His vessel was armed with magic cannons, but they were shock-backs. Meant for killing small craft and boarders, not capital ships. 
He had his magic, and a sword, and a mage pistol.
He also had his wits, his ingenuity, and no reason to run other than to avoid the fight.

So what was he going to do?

(Okay, let's try this again. What's Sol gonna do? Thanks go to Asurnalsane for finally commenting on an East West choice. Anyone who sees this in their favs comment under the chapter. I'm not Daruak, I can't promise I'll be able to make a chapter EVERY DAY, because he's awesome. But I'll try and see if this gets me into a writing mood for my more SFW stuff.) 

