Skulls and Crossbones

[Alecros]

Eastern Sacae was far different than Lycia. The land was flatter, and the climate was much hotter. Fortunately for Alecros, he always traveled in light clothes. The young pirate had separated himself from his inferior crew only three days prior. He was rested against a tall stone wall, the view of a town meeting his gaze. He had been wandering the eastern coast for three days without any sleep or food. Needless to say, Alecros was fatigued, yet also determined. There likely wasn't much to plunder here in this little town, so why not make the best of this little rest stop?

Alecros decided that he'd better rest at an inn before he departs. It was broad daylight, but that didn't matter. After wandering the town in search of a place to rest his weary body, his efforts were ultimately futile. As far as Alecros could tell, there was no inn in sight. There was, however, a small pub. Maybe an ale will awaken my senses, Alecros thought with a chuckle. He knew he was being delusional, but he'd do anything to energize his mind.

The first thing Alecros noticed about the pub was its lack of a door. A simple white curtain in the doorway took the place of one. Secondly, there were only three tables, two seats on each one. Alecros ignored these abnormalities and began looking for the bartender, who wasn't present behind the counter. Upon closer inspection, the bartender was actually hiding behind the bar counter.

The bartender nearly shrieked as a young man wearing a bandana peered over the counter. "Gah! W-w-what d-do y-y-you w-want?" he stammered.

Alecros could tell something was unusual. The town seemed peaceful, but he could be completely wrong. "I'd like a glass of ale, if your hands aren't so shaky that they can't grip the glass."

The bartender was taken aback by Alecro's request. "O-of course! Anything for you pirates..."

Alecro's mind froze at the word "pirates". Although he once was proud to be one of them, he didn't feel like that title suited him anymore. "I prefer the term 'adventurer'. Now stop shivering and get me some ale. I'm not going to harm you, alright?"

The bartender was relieved by Alecros's reassurance. "Ah, my apologies. Pirates have been plundering this town for quite some time now. We're trying to make it look deserted, but then you showed up..." Turning to the barrel, he took out a shot glass. He filled it up halfway with rich Sacaean ale. "What's your name, son? And where are you from?"

Alecros accepted the ale curiously. "My name is Alecros, and I'm from Lycia. Santaruz, actually. I was once a pirate, but I didn't feel like drinking myself to death and singing sailor songs was right for me. So, I'm what you might call a 'loner pirate' or an 'adventurer'. I came to Sacae in search of treasure and riches. My family has always been rich. Got to continue that tradition, ya know?"

The bartender simply nodded in reply. "I see. Well, my name is not that important. It's Swenson, but I'm not a fighter or a treasure hunter. I'm merely a man who serves drinks at a small tavern. You're my first customer ever since the pirate crew attacked us."

Alecros took a small draught of ale, then replied. "Ah, yes. That was my former crew. Ignore them, they're probably the thickest people you'll ever meet. I personally hate every single one of them. They were only in my way. I bet if you asked them a simple history question, they'd be stuck on it for days."

Swenson laughed. "Well, I'll keep that in mind. What do you think of this ale? It's one of my specialties."

Alecros spoke between gulps. "Actually, it's really satisfying. I'm not usually one to compliment someone, but this is truly an amazing ale. I've never tasted anything like it."

It was true. The Sacaean ale was a rich blend of other ales, each of them imported from all across Sacae.

Swenson grinned. "Thanks pal, I've been working on this blend for years."

Alecros took one final gulp of his ale. "Don't mention it. Anyway, I'd better get going. Treasure doesn't find itself, you know. Thank you for your time. Never thought I'd actually find someone decent enough to talk to."

Swenson waved. "Aye, glad I'm up to your standards, then. Take care, now. Sacae can be a dangerous place."

Alecros gave one final nod before exiting the small pub and emerging into the scorching sunlight once more. Dangerous, huh? Sounds fun. I'd better watch myself, though, if Swenson was telling the truth. Either way, I think I'm going to have a great time here... heh.

[Alecros]

Alecros silently paced around the town once more, replaying in his mind what Swenson had said. The bartender seemed cautious of Alecros, but that was to be expected. As midday arrived, Alecros made his way out of the town and back onto the beaten path. His axe was still sheathed, resting on his back. Alecros honestly thought that the axe was hard to wield, due to his inexperience with combat. However, he had killed someone once with that axe.

Gazing up at the sky for a moment, Alecros began walking aimlessly once again, determined to find something valuable.

[Alecros]

Alecros had already established that this town was completely devoid of anything worth mentioning. Taking to the path once more, Alecros hiked several miles. By the time the Sacaean sun was setting, Alecros had sat down on a tree stump, his legs aching. This journey is pretty rough... maybe I should camp out here for the night.

Gathering some logs and dead branches for kindling, Alecros ignited them, creating a small fire. Although Sacae was warm enough, Alecros felt a certain sense of security by lighting a fire.

His eyelids becoming heavy after a while, Alecros decided to extinguish the fire and get some sleep. Tomorrow was another day, after all. The soft soil would be the perfect bed in this wilderness, even if it meant smelling horrific. Laying down on the ground, Alecros closed his eyes and immediately drifted into a deep sleep...

[Alecros]

The bandit's axe swing had connected, beckoning blood to bleed from Alecros's side. His head was spinning in a massive blur. He gripped his axe and swung again, missing the bandit. Alecros didn't have the speed or the energy... he was too weak. The bandit laughed, bringing his axe over Alecros's head. The young adventurer was too slow, and his head was smashed to pieces...

Alecros woke up, breathing heavily. It was merely a dream. Groaning, he noticed the morning sun beaming on his face. He sat up, still shaken from his nightmare. His axe lay sheathed on the ground next to him, just as he had left it the previous night. Alecros begrudgingly retrieved it, preparing for the trail ahead of him. Today was going to be a long day.

For the duration of the morning, Alecros wandered along a straight path that seemingly led to nowhere. The flat plains were endless, at least to Alecros. He needed a map of some sort. Navigation without a map was nigh impossible. Alecros couldn't comprehend the angle of the sun, or the wind direction.

It was nearly midday when Alecros heard the wooden wheels coming up behind him. Turning his head, he noticed that the wooden wheels belonged to a merchant caravan. A tall man wearing a silver cloth robe jumped out of the caravan. As soon as he looked at Alecros, he screamed.

"Gah! Bandit! He has an axe!"

Alecros moved closer to the terrfied merchant. "Oh, now that was just plain rude. I'm a treasure hunter... big difference. What, just because I have an axe means that I'm automatically a bandit? Do I look anything like those ugly brigands? Anyway, that's not important. My name's Alecros."

The merchant cautiously responded. "Oh, I-I'm sorry! Please don't hurt me!"

Alecros facepalmed. "I promise I won't hurt you. Now, where's the next town? I need somewhere to stay."

"The next town? That'd be due west of here. It'll take you until about sunset if you plan on going on foot. I'm heading over there right now. If you need to rest, you can travel there with me on this caravan."

Alecros pondered his response, then replied, "Alright, I'll come with you. No sense in killing my ankles anymore."

Climbing into the caravan's wagon, Alecros stretched himself out. He was fully prepared for the long journey ahead.

[Alecros]

The caravan ride was long and arduous, but Alecros finally reached his destination. Hopping out of the wagon, he nodded at the merchant. "Thanks for taking me here. Now, I must be off."

Without a word, Alecros headed into the town's boundaries, determined to align himself with whatever treasure it could offer.

[Alecros]

At least this town has an inn, Alecros thought. He was standing in front of a stone building, large in perimeter. He hadn't found anything of interest yet, but he still had yet to scour the town thoroughly. Nodding to himself, Alecros opened the door leading into the inn.

The innkeeper looked up at him with a cold gaze. "10 gold," he said, as if he already knew that Alecros was going to spend the night.

Sighing, Alecros dug into his pockets, pulling out ten gold pieces. The innkeeper nodded, then pulled out a key. "Take this, you'll need it. Your room is number 17, located on the far right. Have a good night, sir."

Alecros simply nodded. He was far too tired to speak to anyone. He silently followed the hallway, eventually finding his room.

[Alecros]

The room, at best, was spacious. It was merely composed of a small wooden nightstand with an old wax candle rested on it, a medium-sized bed with white cloth sheets, and a small window. Most of the room's volume was empty.

Still, Alecros didn't mind. He was too tired to judge his resting place. Without a word, he propped his sheathed iron axe against the wall and jumped into the bed, not even bothering to undress. Closing his eyes, deep sleep found him momentarily.

The bandit's low growl caused Alecros's ears to recoil in disgust. He kept his axe raised, anticipating the bandit's strike. However, Alecros couldn't match the bandit's abnormally swift speed, and felt the bandit's axe collide with his neck, staining the landscape with blood and bone fragments.

Alecros awoke with a jolt, his heart pounding. He had experienced the same dream the previous night. Was there perhaps a pattern to these nightmares?

Glancing around the room, Alecros was relieved to be in the security of the inn. Still, in times like these, anything could happen. Lines would be crossed, treaties would be bent and broken. A simple adventurer would never understand the mechanics of warfare.

[Alecros]

Morning came quickly. Before he knew it, Alecros was out on the trail again, having eaten a brief breakfast at the inn. He had been told that there was a large city close by, which was about half a day of walking. Alecros could already see it in the distance.

Grunting, he began the short trek, the sun gradually climbing over the clouds.

[Alecros]

As the day wore on, Alecros felt his stamina gradually deplete. As if the heat and humidity weren't enough, his legs were paining him from the excessive walking. Nonetheless, he pressed onward.

The large city was in Alecros's line of sight, but still far off. Grunting, the young adventurer carried himself further.

About a mile away from the city, a strange hooded man stopped Alecros.

"If you seek treasure, you shall not pass. The greedy are never rewarded."

Alecros snorted. "Well, you've got no choice. Let me pass."

The strange hooded man simply repeated his previous statement, in the same tone of voice.

"Alright, you're starting to freak me out now. I'm warning you, I'm armed."

The man repeated the statement once again.

"You son of a..." Alecros drew his axe, his temper raging. Swinging it blindly yet strategically, Alecros attempted to behead the man.

The man sidestepped Alecros's axe with inhuman speed. "You... disobey..."

A ball of darkness appeared in the man's palm. The ball struck Alecros squarely in the chest.

The impact was virtually painless. The only thing Alecros felt before he blacked out was the taste of his own blood, which was accumulating in his mouth.

[Alecros]

The first sense Alecros regained was his sense of smell. The bitter scent of herbs found his nostrils, causing him to recoil back into whatever state he was in. He soon realized that he was in a comfortable bed piled high with blankets. As his vision slowly returned, he noticed that he was in a small cabin rather than a hospital. He couldn't recall anything that had happened, but he still knew he was in Sacae.

"Ah, you're awake. How do you feel?"

A calm, soothing voice met Alecros's ears. The voice was female, as far as he could tell. Turning his head, he realized he was face to face with a beautiful red-haired cleric.

"Nngh... I'm alright... what happened?"

"You were brought here unconscious by another traveler. Said his name was Swenson. Do you happen to know him?"

Alecros's sat up immediately. "Yes, but I thought he was only a bartender. Was he armed?"

The cleric studied him for a moment. "Now that you mention it, he was carrying a sword. Iron, by the looks of it."

Alecros felt his mind catapult into oblivion. "He told me back at the bar I went to that he wasn't a warrior. Are you saying he was lying to me?"

"Well, I certainly have no idea what happened at the bar you went to, but I could tell that he was concerned about you when he brought you here. He said 'Watch over him, I want to speak to him when he wakes up.'

Alecros sat motionless, attempting to comprehend what the cleric had said. "Where is he now?" he asked curiously.

"At the city's main square, I think. If you're well enough, you should go speak to him."

Alecros jumped out of the bed, albeit a little unsteadily. "I will", was his response.

Opening the door, Alecros set off towards the main square, scanning the area for Swenson.

[Alecros]

Alecros was not content to scan the entire square in hopes of catching a glimpse of Swenson, so he simply leaned against a building, his arms crossed.

Soon enough, a familiar figure approached.

"So, the sleeping lion awakens!"

Alecros felt his head turn to the left. Sighing, he answered to the man that uttered the previous statement, who just so happened to be Swenson. Just as the cleric described, Alecros spied a sheathed iron sword resting on his back.

"It was a bit rough waking up, I'll tell you that." Alecros felt the words roll off his tongue. each of them slurred and dry.

Swenson nodded. "Aye, it's hard to recover sometimes. How are you feeling, anyway? Are you alright?"

Alecros pondered his response. He certainly wasn't feeling "alright". But he couldn't risk worrying Swenson. "Nngh... yeah, I'll be fine. I don't remember what happened, though", was his answer.


Swenson exhaled sharply. "I suppose I owe you a few explanations. First of all, I'm not only a bartender. That's simply a secret identity of mine. Now, before I go on, you must promise to keep this information confidential. Do you accept these terms, son?"

Alecros nodded. He was used to secrecy. After all, the code of a pirate had to be kept discrete at all times. "Yeah, I accept."

Swenson's voice dropped to a low whisper. "Great. I knew I could count on you, son. You see, I'm really a mercenary hired by a company headed by a retired Sacaean general. His name is Selwyk. He founded the company with the sole purpose of accepting jobs in return for treasure and wealth. He believes that each member deserves riches of some kind. After I heard your story at the bar, I knew I had to follow you here. I won't bother explaining how you were knocked unconscious, since you wouldn't have a clue anyway. The company will take anyone who knows who to fight and has a lust for wealth. Don't worry, we're not a pirate or bandit group. We're much more sophisticated than that. Long story short, I think you'd be a good addition to the company."

Alecros stood motionless against the wall, attempting to soak in everything Swenson had said. He surely did not need a company's moral code to worry about, nor have anyone in his way. Still, if Swenson's description was true, he might consider the offer. "Alright. I'm not a huge fan of large groups, but if this organization is generous enough to get me wealthy, then I'll accept your invitation."

Swenson nodded. "You made a wise choice, boy. This group is actually smaller than you think. Also, we're not based in Sacae. Our fort is in Ilia, which is north of here. It's a lot colder there, and because it's primarily a mercenary nation, we get work easily. Anyway, we'll leave here at first light tomorrow. You better be sure you're up for this, since you won't be coming back here for a while."

Alecros nodded confidently. "I'm definately up for this. See you tomorrow morning."

Swenson nodded. "Aye, I'll see you tomorrow. There's an inn right over there." He pointed to a sandstone building.

Alecros waved at Swenson one last time before walking towards the inn. Ilia would be an entirely new adventure. Looting the rest of Sacae would have to wait for now.

[Alecros]

Alecros lay sprawled out on the bed. He was tired, but eager to explore the new lands. He had never been to Ilia before, nor was he ever planning on going there. However, he was more than ready to experience new opportunities. His mind was racing furiously. So, this company was created for the sole purpose of gathering wealth for each member. I trust Swenson, even though it seems like I shouldn't. He might just be a valuable partner.

Exhausted, Alecros closed his eyes and waited for sleep to overtake him.

[Alecros]

Alecros awoke abruptly the next morning, excited for the trek to Ilia.

Swenson was waiting patiently outside the inn. "Good morning, Alecros. Are you ready to go?

"Yeah, I am. Thanks for coming with me, Swenson. It's rare that I'm grateful for someone else's service."

Swenson waved his hand. "In that case, we shall leave immediately. I know of a route that will get us safely inside the borders in only three days time. After that, it's another three days to the fort."

Alecros nodded, and began walking towards the Sacaean city's gate, which signified the beginning of the long trail to Ilia.


OoC: I'm going to timeskip to where Swenson and Alecros are crossing the border to Ilia. Nothing significant happens during the three day hike. The next board will be in Ilia, which will be much longer than this.

Skulls and Crossbones - FIN