25 Ymiden 721
Balthazar made it a few steps across the deck towards Osmond before he heard the sound sound of wooden planks striking the railing of the ship. Trills later men with swords drawn were charging onto the deck of the ship. Balthazar reached for his blade but before he could draw it, one of the armed pirates reached him with a pointed thrust of his blade. Balthazar was faster, sidestepping the outstretched metal and seizing the pirate's wrists to take control of his arm. It was no contest of strength. As soon as Balthazar's grip was secured, he wrenched downward pushing the cutlass blade into the deck of the ship. The pirate tried to pry his blade free but before he could Balthazar's fist cracked across his face and the pirate fell backwards.
The Raskbuck had latched onto the trap when they collided. It seemed they had some spike on the front that had driven into and through the hull of the merchant ship. They'd stay afloat as long as the Raskbuck was connected and as soon as they broke free the water would pull the ship under. The pirates were coming aboard the ship using wooden planks to bridge the space but they were unaware of the mer beneath the waves who'd been laying in wait. Elements who weren't caught in combat, including Balthazar, moved quickly to knock the boarding planks off the railing. Some like Balthazar were lucky because they reached the plank and managed to heave it out of place, sending the pirates trying to cross toppling down into the water where the mer would secure and detain them.
Others were not lucky. They reached the planks just as the pirates reached the end and were met with a blade or axe into some vital place. In the heat of the battle Balthazar couldn't gauge a real tone. He couldn't feel the cry of the Raskbuck realizing that they'd just walked into a trap. The Elements aboard the ship fought back better than any merchants would have, but it seemed like the end result was more bloodshed than progress. Speaking of bloodshed, shortly after dislodging the boarding plank nearest to him, Balthazar caught a glimpse of a familiar face standing on the deck of the Raskbuck.
Skal had landed quickly and tried to trample some of the pirates with her scalvwing's hooves but she'd dismounted by the time Balthazar saw her and the steed was back in the sky, circling around as it was trained to do by the people who provided the Elements with their mounts. When he saw her, Skal was locked in combat with the man who'd been tying the rope to the rock- Hector Barrow. The exchanges were quick and the back and forth seemed relatively even. He couldn't get enough distance to really use his sword but he was doing an excellent job of keeping her from cutting through him with her axe. Balthazar decided he would go and help her take control of the Raskbuck. If they did that, the pirates would have no avenue of escape. However when his eyes scanned for a boarding plank he could use to cross the divide, he saw something that shifted all his priorities.
Henry Kenway had just crossed onto the merchant vessel with his cutlass in hand and covered in blood. In two moves he cut down a trooper- a upward parry and a swift downward slice. The Captain's eyes scanned the surface of the ship for goods, loot, anything to indicate this wasn't what he thought it was and instead his eyes found Balthazar's. The eye contact did not hold on the first pass. Henry just kept looking for loot but on his second pass he noticed Balthazar staring at him. Kenway began walking towards him, crossing the ship for what felt like an eternity.
A pirate came between them, swinging at Balthazar who caught the pirate's hand high in the air and then jabbed him under the armpit. The pirate's arm tensed and he dropped his sword before Balthazar swept his feet out from beneath him and stomped on his chest to get over him and back on the path to the Captain. Balthazar unsheathed his faldrunium katana, the red hot blade glowing in the dark of the night as he crossed the ship. He could see Kenway's eyes light up when he saw the blade. If nothing else, it looked like a fitting reward for the cruel Captain's effort. He wanted it... he could come get it.
"Henry Kenway!" Osmond's voice pierced the noise of the battlefield and the Captain turned an irritated eye towards Osmond who stood not far from him with his sword drawn. "Surrender now, it's over. You can't escape this." Osmond wanted to bring an end to all the violence with words but Balthazar did not stop moving towards Kenway. He saw a small smirk cross over Kenway's face before he turned and began advancing towards Osmond. He said something. Balthazar saw Henry's lips moving and he heard a bit of his voice but he could not hear what the man said. He was too far away and now beginning to move a little faster.
Kenway reached Osmond. He swung his sword in a downward, diagonal slash, and Osmond parried it upward with a pained expression on his face. Balthazar remembered his arm and cursed under his breath. He was running across the deck now but suddenly the ship lurched again. The Raskbuck was moving again. It was trying to disconnect from the merchant ship. Kenway turned a confused eye towards his ship and that confusion escalated quickly into furry as he realized what had happened. A house divided could not stand and the Raskbuck was nothing if not a house divided.
"Your crew abandons you, stand down!" Osmond shouted confidently despite clearly being on the defensive. His verbal offer of peace did little more than draw the now rampaging captain's attention back to him. Kenway struck at Osmond again, two swift strokes of his sword that knocked Osmond's sword aside and a second that cut deep across Osmond's chest. Blood hit the deck and Osmond stumbled backwards. One hand found the open wound on his chest while the other held his sword out in a weak middle guard.
Henry Kenway lunged forward to drive his blade through Osmond when Balthazar finally reached them. He struck Kenway's sword aside with a fast sweep and the captain retreated a few steps to measure his new opponent with the glowing blade. "Drop your weapon." Balthazar did not have as much heart in the command as Osmond did. Kenway listened to him just about equally as well- his eyes locked on the sword more than Balthazar.
"I'll be keepin it, and taking yours, lad." Kenway said with a smirk before lunging inward to attack. He was fast. His steel flashed into Balthazar's vision and the Flame Trooper brought his blade up just in time to catch the captain's and block it. Kenway's second swing struck only the air because Balthazar had pulled back slightly. Kenway pressed forward with a quick series of slashes. His hand moved in a circular motion almost as if he were spinning a lasso over his head, but with each forward flick the metal cutlass blade nearly took out Balthazar's eyes. Balthazar was good enough to keep up a defense but he was running out of space to retreat.
The ship lurched again. The Raskbuck finally disconnected and water began to fill the hole in the hull where the pirates had rammed the merchant vessel, but that mattered little to the duo in battle atop the deck. Some of the pirates had realized what was happening and looked to abandon ship, but those who did were swiftly taken by the Water Troops. Those who made it so far as to reach Immortal's Tongue were apprehended by the Land Troops waited there as well. As for the Raskbuck itself, it's population was equal parts Elements and pirates still fighting for control. Someone had taken the wheel and begun moving, but they did not have control yet.
When the ship had lurched, Henry's perfect offense slipped. He stumbled forward just a little bit too much on a swipe and Balthazar was able to counter. He parried the sword up into the air before grabbing for Kenway's sword hand. As soon as he had the captain's wrist in his grasp, another piece of steel flashed low in Balthazar's view. The dagger cut across his stomach but not deep. Henry was fast but daggers were a range that Balthazar excelled with. Not quite unarmed, but not nearly as long as a sword. Balthazar released Kenway's hand to escape further cuts from the dagger and took his hammer into his left hand. Kenway smirked at him and Balthazar hurled his hammer at the pirate, promptly wiping the smirk away and replacing it with surprise.
Kenway dropped his shoulder back and the hammer flew just wide but when he came upright into his guard, Balthazar was on him. A single swing of his glowing hot blade sent sparks off Kenway's sword that blinded him for long enough for Balthazar to deliver a second, more aggressive slash downward at Kenway's wrist. The sword cut through and seared flesh at the same time. Kenway screamed and dropped his sword, dagger, and guard. Balthazar struck him in the chest with the hilt of his katana and the feared pirate captain felt backward onto his rear. Henry cradled his hanging hand close to his chest and shouted foul curses from his place on the ground but he did not try to rise.
~ 26 Ymiden 721 ~
It ended fairly shortly after that. The merchant ship was effectively retaken when Henry Kenway was disarmed. Any pirate who'd been there fighting for him lost the will when they saw him defeated. The Raskbuck did not get far either before Skal and the Elements managed to take control of it. The whole crew of the Raskbuck wasn't accounted for, but all the important members were. Kenway was given medical treatment for the injury on his wrist but he lost the hand. All of the crew who'd been part of the attack were sitting in holding cells while a more lasting solution was put together. Sadie Goodwin wasn't among those taken but everyone else was. Hector Barrow, Henry Kenway, Jack Thatch and a dozen other bastards who deserved to sit in a cell for the rest of a conventional person's trials.
Skal wasn't happy with the loose end. She wanted to pursue Sadie Goodwin further and Osmond agreed but with Kenway gone the Raskbuck itself was dealt with. The seas and all who sailed on them would be a little bit safer now than they'd been before thanks to the effort of the Elements. Loose ends could be dealt with later. Goodwin seemed the least threatening of the crew. No one made it out of the fight unscathed but there weren't any Element death's either. The Elements were prepared for injuries and as soon as the fighting ended, medical help was brought to those who needed it.
Balthazar spent practically all of the twenty sixth filling out paperwork with Osmond and Skal in the Element Hall. It was never his favorite part of the job, but after the fighting and the death, it felt good to sit down for a while.
Typical.