Ben's NaNoWriMo Log

Chapter 43 added Sep 23, 2005
It was nearly noon, but the heavy storm clouds had kept them in a perpetual twilight. The rain was falling harder now, lashing across the deck in sheets. There was no longer any need for weapons; every hand on deck was holding a rope. The Just Reward rose and fell on the swells as it sped westward into the wind. Sarah looked aft; the Scourge pursued them still, following like a shadow. Sarah turned back to Mordial, who gripped the wheel with both hands. "Don't get too far ahead of them. If they turn back now all of this will have been for nothing." "I'll do my best," replied the first mate through gritted teeth. "Do you really think he'll follow us in?" "He has faith in the Bright Lord's ability to protect him from the dangers of the sea. I've seen enough orphans and widows to know that he's wrong." She looked down toward the center of the main deck, where Carathix kneeled just aft of the main mast. "I have more than prayers on my side." Alec came running back from the bow, "Land ho!" he cried. Sarah peered ahead through the rain. She could just barely make out a pair of islands up ahead through the rain. There were more beyond them, she knew. The Twelve Sisters were a small group of islands along the passage from Jal Kufri to Moril, best known as a hiding place for the most desperate of pirates. The passage through them was treacherous at the best of times, and nearly suicidal in weather such as this. She looked back down at Alec. "Pass the word to Carathix. It's time." She watched as Alec ran to tell Carathix of the islands' approach. The wizard replied with little more than a nod. Even through the rain Sarah could see the shimmering of air around him as he began to draw power to himself. Slowly, a soft golden glow began to spread out from him, creeping along the deck like a hundred grasping fingers. The glow began to intensify, and Sarah could feel their speed increasing. She gave the order to reduce sail and went to look down over the aft rail. The narrow wake that spread out behind them was a testament to Carathix's abilities: he was lifting the entire ship, allowing it to ride higher in the water. While this would allow them to go faster, that was not her primary goal. The passage through the Twelve Sisters was full of rocks and reefs that had been the doom of countless ships over the years. She looked back at the broad hull of the Scourge and hoped that her luck would hold long enough for Ignatius's to fail. The shadowy bulk of the two islands loomed on either side of them now, and the profiles of the other islands were coming to view. The Scourge was still behind them; both ships were now fully committed to their course. Watching the other ship would do no more good now, so Sarah went down with the rest of the crew to do what she could to keep them afloat. Though he was no longer the captain, Mordial was still a far more experienced pilot than Sarah and so his hands were the ones on the ship's wheel. Lookouts posted around the rails called back the locations of rocks and other visible hazards, allowing Mordial to adjust course to avoid them. Even with the shallower draft provided by Carathix's continuing enchantment, Sarah could hear rocks scraping along the hull more than a few times. As they weaved through the islands, Sarah began to wonder what would happen if both ships managed to miraculously make the journey unharmed. It wasn't a scenario she had given much thought to. Her thoughts were interrupted, however, by a loud cry from the aft rail. A jubilant sailor was waving his arms in the air, shouting, "She's hit! She's hit!" Sarah raced to the stern, looking back through the rain. Indeed, the Scourge was listing heavily to one side. The nigh impenetrable Kuning hull could apparently only take so much punishment. As she watched, the slewing ship struck another large rock that stuck up through the waves. Even across the hundred yards that separated the two vessels, she could hear the sound of splintering timber. The impact stopped the Scourge dead in the water, but the winds that howled through the narrow passage kept their hold on her sails, slowly toppling the ship over on its side. A cheer went up from the crowd gathered at the Reward's stern. Before they had time to do any more, however, the entire ship lurched as it crashed down into the churning water. Sarah ran forward to see Carathix sprawled on the deck, the glow of his magic rapidly fading. A deep grinding noise could be felt through the hull as the keel struck some invisible rock below the water's surface. "All hands to your stations!" shouted Sarah. She grabbed the sleeve of one of the men still standing on the poopdeck. "Get me a damage report," she ordered as she propelled him toward the stairs to the main deck. She ran down to check on Carathix. Molly was already there, picking the limp wizard up in her arms. "He's alive, just out cold." She staggered as the ship was rocked by another collision. "Though we may all be dead soon enough." The sailor Sarah had sent below climbed back up from below decks. "We're holed and taking on water, Captain. We might be able to repair it in calmer weather, but..." He shrugged and shook his head. Sarah growled. She looked about through the rain, then ran back up to Mordial at the wheel. She pointed out across the waves. "I think I see a beach over there. We're taking on water; we'll have to run her aground there." Mordial frowned. "What if we don't have enough wood on board to make repairs? I don't think there's any trees on these islands." "Our only other option is to go down with the ship." "Aground it is, then." He turned the wheel. There were several more small collisions as the Reward limped toward the beach, but she managed to make it to shore mostly intact. The keel lodged in the rocky shelf with a long scrape. The ship finally ground to a halt, leaning heavily to starboard. The cheer that had been cut short earlier went up again. They were stranded on a remote island with a heavily damaged ship, but they were still alive. Even more, they had managed to do something that was widely regarded as impossible. Whatever the future held for them, the present was a time to celebrate.
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