It's time for the next chapter! I don't want to say any sort of preview for this one... Just enjoy.
Chapter Twenty-Two
True Conviction
The day after their meeting with the Council, Sitri enjoyed a delicious breakfast of eggs and ham in Granye’s home. Rasta was already at work, but they also shared Link and Tetra’s company. The three of them had stayed in town for a day to rest after the nightmare they experienced in Whittleton. As she gulped down a glass of freshly-pressed orange juice, she kept stealing nervous glances at her two new friends.
It’s kind of awkward... After how long we spent being at odds, we’re friends now. I’m still not used to it... B-but I want to be. I never really had friends my own age before...
Whenever Sitri caught Link’s gaze, he would smile cheerfully. He always seemed to radiate kindness and positivity. She found it easy to get along with him. On the other hand, she and Tetra both had a hard time maintaining eye contact with each other. She was going to be a more difficult case. But she still wanted to try.
Granye seemed to be more bubbly than all of them put together, even Link. The three had stayed with her the night before, and though Sitri didn’t want to be a bother, she was surprised at how much the kind woman enjoyed the extra company. She hummed to herself as she poured Tetra a cup of coffee.
“Thanks. I gotta say, you brew a mean pot.” Tetra said gratefully.
“Isn’t it? I don’t mean to brag, but Rasta always says he can’t start a day without it!” Granye said pridefully.
“Can’t say I blame him. It hits nice.” Tetra agreed. “Thanks again for letting us stay here, by the way. It’s much appreciated.”
“Yeah, thank you!” Link said between mouthfuls of ham.
“Don’t mention it! I just love having company over! Sitri stays here every now and then, too, so I’m used to having guests! I bet it beats spending money on an inn, huh?”
“Heh, you said it.” Tetra grinned.
“You’re always so kind, Miss Granye... Thank you.” Sitri said softly.
She continued to eye Tetra, trying to be subtle about it. They were the same age, but she was able to drink coffee like it was nothing. The first time Sitri tried a cup, it was so bitter it made her gag. She felt awful that Granye went to the trouble of brewing her something she couldn’t even drink. Link didn’t seem to want any, either. She wondered how Tetra was able to down it so easily.
The pirate captain also seemed a lot more amicable today than she was used to seeing. Every conversation she ever had with her until yesterday was thorny and aggressive. Then again, she didn’t exactly greet her peacefully, so maybe that was what she deserved. Perhaps Tetra was perfectly willing to be reasonable and polite, provided whoever she was speaking to offered her the same courtesy.
I feel like such an idiot... I hope being friends with her isn’t hopeless. They both said they’ll support me in becoming the next Hero of Spirits, and they also promised not to try to build their kingdom here. I really want to get along with them... Alphonse had his own group of friends that he saved the world with, so maybe they can be mine...?
“So, I heard from Rasta that you’re going to be assisting Lady Mikhaeyla. That’s a big responsibility. You’re going to get started today, right?” Granye said, sitting down at the table with her own cup of brew.
“Yeah, we’ll pack our stuff and get out of your hair in an hour or two. First thing we gotta do is go see our crew in Great Bay, find out how they’re getting on.” Tetra said.
“I hope everyone’s fine.” Link said.
“Eh, those bozos can handle anything. That dog Linebeck is the one that worries me.” Tetra frowned.
“I guess I’ll go with you guys, s-since we’re gonna be working together now!” Sitri said earnestly.
“Yeah!” Link said, sharing her enthusiasm.
“Huh? Uh, y-yeah.” Tetra said awkwardly.
“Hehehe. I’m so happy you’ve made some new friends, Sitri! You’re all welcome here any time you like!” Granye said, her face shining like the sun outside.
“Miss Granye... Thanks.” Siti said, her cheeks turning a little pink.
Suddenly, they heard rapid tapping on the window overlooking the streets. Granye walked over and found a round little dove pecking on the glass, as if it were asking to be let inside.
“Oh my! What do we have here? This dove has something around its neck.” Granye said curiously.
Sitri’s blood froze. She shot out of her chair and looked over to the window. It was exactly as she feared.
“That’s Chino! Let him in!” she said urgently.
“Oh? He’s a friend of yours?” Granye said, pulling the window open.
“Uh oh. That’s the bird that brings you news, right?” Tetra said, also rising to her feet.
Link gulped nervously as Chino fluttered inside. He landed on Sitri’s arm and allowed the girl to remove the canister he was wearing. She couldn’t fumble with it fast enough. Her heart sank when she read what was on it.
“Guys, it’s Great Bay! It’s being raided again!”
“What?! Come ON, enough with this! I swear, I’m gonna wring that Beelzebub’s neck!” Tetra shouted angrily.
“Not good. Our friends are there...” Link said.
“Yeah. Hopefully they can handle the mess until we arrive. Sorry, lady, but we gotta cut outta here sooner than we thought.”
“You’re going to help? Just be careful! I don’t want you kids getting hurt!” Granye said worriedly.
In a mad hustle, Sitri, Link, and Tetra cleaned themselves up and got their gear together. In two minutes, they were rushing out of the house and toward the train station. They felt bad about leaving so abruptly, but time was of the essence. As they ran, Sitri’s mind spun with anxiety.
Now that we know the raids are being caused by Beelzebub, it feels completely different. I can’t believe he’s acting again so soon! Maybe he knows Aunt Mikha’s not here right now... And why is he attacking Great Bay again? Is it because Tetra’s crew is there, or is he trying to do what he did to Whittleton? Either way...
“We can’t let him get away with this...” Sitri growled.
a a a
Nudge had seen a lot of things over his many years of pirating, but he always felt confident in his ability to pull through and win the day. That is, until he saw the situation unfolding before him. Great Bay City was surrounded on all sides by ten pirate ships covered in monsters, miniblins and big blins galore. That was more than three times as many enemy ships than they had to deal with before. It was the kind of sight that would drain a man of hope.
“You’ve gotta be kidding... Why are there so damn many?!” Gonzo despaired.
“Man, just when that Laughing freak and those Loko-whatsits disappeared somewhere, too... I thought we were finally catching a break!” Senza complained.
“Gah! What are we going to do?! You’ve got to protect me, you hear?” Linebeck squealed.
“Put a sock in it! You’re gonna help us!” Nudge said. “Listen, our captain and Link aren’t here right now! But with any luck, they’ve caught wind of what’s going on! I saw some townspeople send off a bird with a message! If they’re still with Sitri, they’ll see it, too, and come running back!”
“Nudge is right. Our captain ordered us to keep the people safe. And damn it, we’re gonna do it, one way or another! We’ve got to hold on, at least until they get here!” Gonzo said, slamming his fists together.
“Y-yeah! We’re the best pirate crew on all the seas! We can do it if we try!” Niko said, trying to psych himself up.
“That’s still a lot of enemies. Any clever strategies on how to handle ‘em all?” Zuko asked.
“Look, most of them have to dock on all the wooden floats surrounding the island. It’s a shame, but we’re gonna have to break all the bridges so they can’t make landfall.” Mako suggested.
“Good thinking. Sucks for these people’s homes, but they can always rebuild.” Senza agreed.
“And we’ll be here to pick off the ones who do make it ashore. Let’s get all the people back in the middle of the city!” Gonzo rallied.
With a determined war cry, the pirates got to work immediately. After some rough persuasion, Linebeck helped lead the civilians to the makeshift shelter in the center of town. It was surrounded on all sides by tall stone buildings, so it was easy to fortify by blocking the roads leading to it.
Meanwhile, the crew got the town's militia up to speed on their plan. The need to destroy the bridges was difficult for them to swallow, but they all agreed that the people’s lives were more important than the town itself. They scattered about, grabbing the tools they needed to get the job done.
Hammers and other blunt instruments were among the first things they collected. Torches and fire bottles prepared by the crew were passed around, as well. The idea was to walk out a short distance and smash holes in the wood. They would burn the far side and keep smashing what remained on their side as they returned back toward the shore.
Once everything was ready, the crew and the militia split up and started going around to each walkway, as many as they could reach at once. As long as they could create a sizable gap between the land and the wooden floats, they’d be able to buy themselves some time. All the while, the enemy ships inched closer and closer to town. Even from this distance, Nudge could see their bloodthirst whirling in their eyes. He remembered what Mikhaeyla said about them possibly being under some kind of mind control spell and shuddered.
I wonder if the Captain figured out if that was true or not. I’m sure she and Link are out there doing what they can about it. Haven’t heard from them since they left... But I know they’re fine. And I know they’re gonna come back for us.
The crew rushed as much as they could afford to. Circling the entire island and destroying every last bridge could take hours. Even with all the extra hands, it was going to be slow. Nevertheless, for each bridge they destroyed, that was one less way for the monsters to get into the city. They had to take down as many as possible.
Time passed excruciatingly. One by one, the enemy ships started docking. The miniblins spilled off the decks like a flood, barely able to contain themselves. In their haste to navigate across the wooden floats and bridges, some of them even slipped over into the sea and drowned, making the crew’s job just a little easier. But not easy enough.
The bridges on the east and west sides of town were destroyed. But they didn’t have time to take care of the north side, or the south side where the train station was. Gonzo and Senza positioned themselves in the south with Niko, while Nudge took up watch in the north with Zuko and Mako. They each had a handful of militia members with them. The moment to fight had come.
Thanks to their efforts, the monsters were being funneled across the floats to the north and south. More and more kept falling into the sea as they charged across the narrow bridges to reach their only way to land. More still tried to make the jump across the broken bridges, but none succeeded, and they drowned. Even one less monster to deal with was all too welcome.
Nudge readied his cutlass. The militia members wielded some of the hammers they were using, as well as shovels and large sticks. They didn't have much in the way of weaponry. Most of the fighting would likely be on the crew’s shoulders.
The monsters arrived at last. Filed down across the few remaining bridges in the north, Nudge tried to employ the same strategy they used in Papuchiya. One after another, he cut them down as they approached, not letting them set foot on land. The militia tried to copy him, but with less effective weapons, they couldn’t kill the miniblins in one strike. They were quickly overwhelmed. Two of them were surrounded and stabbed to death by the miniblin’s pitchforks.
“Damn it! We can’t hold the line like this! Retreat back to the city!” Nudge commanded.
Throwing his last fire bottle at one of the bridges, Nudge led the surviving militia members away from the shoreline. His new plan was to lead them down the streets between the buildings and employ hit-and-run tactics around the many corners. They would do this while slowly regrouping outside the barricade protecting the shelter.
Zuko and Mako followed close behind Nudge, throwing rocks and sharp objects at the pursuing monsters with their slingshots. They did everything they could to slow them down. Whenever they successfully knocked over a monster, the militia would beat on it until it died. But that only worked on the miniblins.
The big blins were barreling forward now. Those rocks may as well have been flies. There was no slowing down a charge like that. Nudge leapt between them and his friends, ducking under an axe and stabbing his sword through the burly brutes. They didn’t so much as flinch, but they still fell face-first on the ground in a shower of blood.
He killed two, but five more were on their way, with even more miniblins nipping at their heels. Nudge grabbed the axe one of the dead blins dropped, wielding it in his left hand and his cutlass in his right. Anything to gain an edge. When they tried to corner him from both sides, he blocked their strikes and spun, ripping into their flesh with his blades.
The militia members were unfortunately not so lucky. Three more had been crushed to death by the advancing big blins in the time it took Nudge to do that. He clenched his teeth in frustration, wishing he could have done more to help them.
“This is bad. We're taking a lot of losses...” Zuko said.
“We've just gotta make it to the barricades! Stay strong!” Nudge encouraged.
There were only a couple surviving members of the militia left on their side. Nudge hoped Gonzo was faring better with his group. Dashing between the buildings was their only defense against the horde. Soon, they could see the barricades up ahead. All they’d have to do is climb them, and they’d have a high-ground advantage.
The shelter where all the civilians were was on the other side of the barricades. It was set up in the town square, and there were four roads leading into it. Tall buildings walled it off on every other side, and all sorts of wooden and metal plates were built up to close off the roads. There was room to stand on top of them, and there were some lookouts positioned up there. When they saw the approaching mob, they started to panic.
“Everyone who's able-bodied, help us out! Throw anything and everything you can think of at them! Keep them at bay, no matter what!” Nudge bellowed.
The sentries passed along the message, and in a few minutes, frightened volunteers came back up with them. Tables, chairs, shoes, bricks, rocks, glass vases, and anything else they could find in the shelter that was heavy enough were being tossed over the side. Beneath that hail of miscellaneous baubles, Nudge and his group reached the barricade and scaled it as fast as they could.
Behind them, the miniblins were frothing at the mouth. They started climbing the barricade, too, but now that Nudge was up there, he was able to hack away at them, keeping them from reaching the top. Whenever he killed one, it would fall backwards and knock another down to the ground with it. The volunteers around him were raining down random heavy objects on the ones that fell. Some of them were crushed, others were knocked out.
And then the big blins arrived. They stomped on top of the fallen miniblins without a care. Some of them tried to strike the barrier with their weapons, but Nudge wasn’t having it. He leapt down on top of one, stabbing his sword into its skull. When it toppled over, he made sure it fell sideways, knocking down a couple more like dominoes. He cut through each of them in turn while he had the chance.
This repeated for a strenuously long time. The flood of monsters never seemed to end. While standing on top of the barricade, Nudge looked to the south and saw that Gonzo and his group ended up having to do the same thing they were. There were also volunteers and more militia members handling the east and west sides as best they could.
Then, one of the buildings next to Nudge started to shake and crack apart. In minutes, the whole thing collapsed in on itself, forcing many of the volunteers to abandon their positions. The terrified civilians crowded together more densely in the center of the shelter, fearing for their lives. The rubble that fell from the building crushed many of the miniblins and big blins in its wake, but in their place rose up new monsters that Nudge had never seen before.
These brutes were almost as tall as big blins, but with far more pronounced muscles. They were also covered in green scales, with fish-like heads and fins where their ears should be. Their salivating jaws were lined with two rows of sharp teeth. They were wielding curved swords and metal shields, and they hissed excitedly as they closed in.
“No! Where did all the geozards come from?!” one of the militia members said.
“So that’s what they’re called? What horrible timing...” Nudge complained.
To make matters worse, more of the buildings surrounding the shelter started to collapse in the same way. All of their walls of safety were crumbling down. The only bright side was that the debris was crushing many careless miniblins and big blins. Soon enough, it would just be the geozards.
Nudge cut down the last of the blins on his side, only to be met with charging geozards heading his way. No time for a breather, he relented. Gripping his two weapons tighter, he rushed to meet them. The buildings were knocking down the barricades as they fell, so it was more important than ever to keep the monsters from closing in.
The first geozard swung its sword recklessly. Nudge blocked it with his own blade, and then cleaved through its chest with his axe. The thing was so out of its mind that it didn’t even try to raise its shield. The next two were much the same. But the fourth one slipped past him and made it into the shelter.
“No! Watch out!” Nudge shouted.
Zuko and Mako tried to pull its attention away by slinging more rocks, but it shrugged them off and kept racing toward the unarmed citizens. A mother and daughter pair screamed, shielded by a man that looked like their family. Nudge gritted his teeth and threw his axe with all his might.
The axe hit the geozard dead-on in its back, and it fell on its face before it reached the people. But there was no time to relax. More were still coming. The east, west, and south sides were being overrun. Gonzo and the others tried their best, but one by one, the militia members were being killed.
Another geozard rushed at the same family from before. “Amirah, you’ve got to take Ericka and run!” the man said.
“No! We can’t leave you!” the mother cried.
“Daddy, please!” the girl begged.
The man did his best to ignore their pleas as he picked up a heavy stick. He stood to face the incoming monster for his family. As Nudge saw this, he felt something deep in his heart ache. For a moment, he pictured the sight of Link’s back, standing tall and proud against insurmountable odds. The vision seemed to fill him with conviction.
Ah... I wonder if this is how Link feels at times like this. Please, share some of your courage with me!
Nudge’s feet moved without relying on his brain. He thought he heard his crewmates shouting his name for a moment, but he didn’t stop. He acted on what was in his heart. Just as the geozard closed in on the innocent family, Nudge leapt between them. He tried to parry its attack, but instead, he got its sword pierced through his gut.
“NUDGE! NO!” he heard Gonzo scream.
A pain unlike anything he ever felt before ripped through his entire body. He coughed up blood, staining his teeth red. He struggled to breathe, his entire body shaking from the splitting agony. He could feel his vision start to turn black. He no longer had the strength to raise his sword.
Damn it... I messed that up... I’m sorry, guys... Guess this is it...
His consciousness was fading. There was still fighting going on around him, but it was out of his hands now. He’d just have to trust the rest of his crew to get the job done. As the lights were going out, he found himself wishing he could have seen Link and Tetra just one last time.
The shrill whistle of a train snapped him back. His glassy eyes looked to the southwest and spotted a train rushing toward town. All of a sudden, he felt a new burst of energy welling up inside him.
Link and the Captain must be on that train! They’re coming for me! I can’t die... Not yet! I still have... a job to do!
Nudge’s hand whipped out and grabbed the sword that was still impaled through his gut. The geozard was trying to pull it out, but he wouldn’t let it go. He started grinning even as blood spilled from his lips.
“Heheh... You’re not... getting off that easy!” he choked.
With the last of his strength, Nudge raised his sword and stabbed through the geozard. The beast let out a quiet hiss, and he felt its grip slacken until it let go of its sword entirely. It tumbled over on its back, dead on the ground. He’d done it. The family was safe. He turned to look at them, and they were watching him with horrified expressions.
“No... You shouldn’t have... for us...” the man said.
“Heh... It’s fine... I had... a job... to...” Nudge tried to say.
He collapsed to his side, his vision going dark again. His breathing was growing more and more shallow. This time, it was really it. On the edge of his mind, he could hear cheers of victory rise through the air. He couldn’t move his head to look at why, though. But in a moment, Gonzo and the rest of his crew moved into his line of sight.
“Nudge... We did it... We got every last damn monster!” Gonzo said.
“Hang in there! Don’t die on us, man!” Senza yelled desperately.
Niko was crying his eyes out. Zuko and Mako hung their heads in shame and despair. They could see the writing on the wall, even if the others didn’t want to accept it yet. Even Linebeck was at his side, tearing up a storm.
“Come on, you’ve gotta keep fighting! Don’t you want to see the kingdom Captain Tetra’s gonna make?!” Gonzo yelled.
“Captain... Tetra...” Nudge breathed.
“NUDGE!”
That voice brought a little life back to him. He looked past his friends and saw the face of his captain. She’d made it, after all. Link was right at her side, and even Sitri had come, too. Just like he knew they would. That was enough for him.
Sitri covered her mouth in horror, already crying for him. Link, too, ran over and joined the crew at his side, sobbing just as much as Niko. Tetra stood right there with him, and he was surprised to see tears streaming down her face, as well.
“Damn it, what were you thinking?! I didn’t give you permission to die! Don’t you dare leave us behind!” she yelled.
“Nudge, please...!” Link cried.
For some reason, Nudge felt strangely at peace. Perhaps it was because he was surrounded by all of his friends, their love for him overflowing. A memory surfaced in his mind at that moment. He could see himself standing on a glorious pirate ship, sailing the roiling ocean with the sun beaming in a clear, blue sky overhead. He was surrounded by his entire crew, their swords held high, pointed toward the horizon. Everyone’s smiling faces filled his life with more joy than he could impart to them. But he had to try to tell them, while he still could.
“It’s been fun, you guys...”
And with those quiet words, Nudge took his last breath.
Chapter Twenty-Two
True Conviction
The day after their meeting with the Council, Sitri enjoyed a delicious breakfast of eggs and ham in Granye’s home. Rasta was already at work, but they also shared Link and Tetra’s company. The three of them had stayed in town for a day to rest after the nightmare they experienced in Whittleton. As she gulped down a glass of freshly-pressed orange juice, she kept stealing nervous glances at her two new friends.
It’s kind of awkward... After how long we spent being at odds, we’re friends now. I’m still not used to it... B-but I want to be. I never really had friends my own age before...
Whenever Sitri caught Link’s gaze, he would smile cheerfully. He always seemed to radiate kindness and positivity. She found it easy to get along with him. On the other hand, she and Tetra both had a hard time maintaining eye contact with each other. She was going to be a more difficult case. But she still wanted to try.
Granye seemed to be more bubbly than all of them put together, even Link. The three had stayed with her the night before, and though Sitri didn’t want to be a bother, she was surprised at how much the kind woman enjoyed the extra company. She hummed to herself as she poured Tetra a cup of coffee.
“Thanks. I gotta say, you brew a mean pot.” Tetra said gratefully.
“Isn’t it? I don’t mean to brag, but Rasta always says he can’t start a day without it!” Granye said pridefully.
“Can’t say I blame him. It hits nice.” Tetra agreed. “Thanks again for letting us stay here, by the way. It’s much appreciated.”
“Yeah, thank you!” Link said between mouthfuls of ham.
“Don’t mention it! I just love having company over! Sitri stays here every now and then, too, so I’m used to having guests! I bet it beats spending money on an inn, huh?”
“Heh, you said it.” Tetra grinned.
“You’re always so kind, Miss Granye... Thank you.” Sitri said softly.
She continued to eye Tetra, trying to be subtle about it. They were the same age, but she was able to drink coffee like it was nothing. The first time Sitri tried a cup, it was so bitter it made her gag. She felt awful that Granye went to the trouble of brewing her something she couldn’t even drink. Link didn’t seem to want any, either. She wondered how Tetra was able to down it so easily.
The pirate captain also seemed a lot more amicable today than she was used to seeing. Every conversation she ever had with her until yesterday was thorny and aggressive. Then again, she didn’t exactly greet her peacefully, so maybe that was what she deserved. Perhaps Tetra was perfectly willing to be reasonable and polite, provided whoever she was speaking to offered her the same courtesy.
I feel like such an idiot... I hope being friends with her isn’t hopeless. They both said they’ll support me in becoming the next Hero of Spirits, and they also promised not to try to build their kingdom here. I really want to get along with them... Alphonse had his own group of friends that he saved the world with, so maybe they can be mine...?
“So, I heard from Rasta that you’re going to be assisting Lady Mikhaeyla. That’s a big responsibility. You’re going to get started today, right?” Granye said, sitting down at the table with her own cup of brew.
“Yeah, we’ll pack our stuff and get out of your hair in an hour or two. First thing we gotta do is go see our crew in Great Bay, find out how they’re getting on.” Tetra said.
“I hope everyone’s fine.” Link said.
“Eh, those bozos can handle anything. That dog Linebeck is the one that worries me.” Tetra frowned.
“I guess I’ll go with you guys, s-since we’re gonna be working together now!” Sitri said earnestly.
“Yeah!” Link said, sharing her enthusiasm.
“Huh? Uh, y-yeah.” Tetra said awkwardly.
“Hehehe. I’m so happy you’ve made some new friends, Sitri! You’re all welcome here any time you like!” Granye said, her face shining like the sun outside.
“Miss Granye... Thanks.” Siti said, her cheeks turning a little pink.
Suddenly, they heard rapid tapping on the window overlooking the streets. Granye walked over and found a round little dove pecking on the glass, as if it were asking to be let inside.
“Oh my! What do we have here? This dove has something around its neck.” Granye said curiously.
Sitri’s blood froze. She shot out of her chair and looked over to the window. It was exactly as she feared.
“That’s Chino! Let him in!” she said urgently.
“Oh? He’s a friend of yours?” Granye said, pulling the window open.
“Uh oh. That’s the bird that brings you news, right?” Tetra said, also rising to her feet.
Link gulped nervously as Chino fluttered inside. He landed on Sitri’s arm and allowed the girl to remove the canister he was wearing. She couldn’t fumble with it fast enough. Her heart sank when she read what was on it.
“Guys, it’s Great Bay! It’s being raided again!”
“What?! Come ON, enough with this! I swear, I’m gonna wring that Beelzebub’s neck!” Tetra shouted angrily.
“Not good. Our friends are there...” Link said.
“Yeah. Hopefully they can handle the mess until we arrive. Sorry, lady, but we gotta cut outta here sooner than we thought.”
“You’re going to help? Just be careful! I don’t want you kids getting hurt!” Granye said worriedly.
In a mad hustle, Sitri, Link, and Tetra cleaned themselves up and got their gear together. In two minutes, they were rushing out of the house and toward the train station. They felt bad about leaving so abruptly, but time was of the essence. As they ran, Sitri’s mind spun with anxiety.
Now that we know the raids are being caused by Beelzebub, it feels completely different. I can’t believe he’s acting again so soon! Maybe he knows Aunt Mikha’s not here right now... And why is he attacking Great Bay again? Is it because Tetra’s crew is there, or is he trying to do what he did to Whittleton? Either way...
“We can’t let him get away with this...” Sitri growled.
Nudge had seen a lot of things over his many years of pirating, but he always felt confident in his ability to pull through and win the day. That is, until he saw the situation unfolding before him. Great Bay City was surrounded on all sides by ten pirate ships covered in monsters, miniblins and big blins galore. That was more than three times as many enemy ships than they had to deal with before. It was the kind of sight that would drain a man of hope.
“You’ve gotta be kidding... Why are there so damn many?!” Gonzo despaired.
“Man, just when that Laughing freak and those Loko-whatsits disappeared somewhere, too... I thought we were finally catching a break!” Senza complained.
“Gah! What are we going to do?! You’ve got to protect me, you hear?” Linebeck squealed.
“Put a sock in it! You’re gonna help us!” Nudge said. “Listen, our captain and Link aren’t here right now! But with any luck, they’ve caught wind of what’s going on! I saw some townspeople send off a bird with a message! If they’re still with Sitri, they’ll see it, too, and come running back!”
“Nudge is right. Our captain ordered us to keep the people safe. And damn it, we’re gonna do it, one way or another! We’ve got to hold on, at least until they get here!” Gonzo said, slamming his fists together.
“Y-yeah! We’re the best pirate crew on all the seas! We can do it if we try!” Niko said, trying to psych himself up.
“That’s still a lot of enemies. Any clever strategies on how to handle ‘em all?” Zuko asked.
“Look, most of them have to dock on all the wooden floats surrounding the island. It’s a shame, but we’re gonna have to break all the bridges so they can’t make landfall.” Mako suggested.
“Good thinking. Sucks for these people’s homes, but they can always rebuild.” Senza agreed.
“And we’ll be here to pick off the ones who do make it ashore. Let’s get all the people back in the middle of the city!” Gonzo rallied.
With a determined war cry, the pirates got to work immediately. After some rough persuasion, Linebeck helped lead the civilians to the makeshift shelter in the center of town. It was surrounded on all sides by tall stone buildings, so it was easy to fortify by blocking the roads leading to it.
Meanwhile, the crew got the town's militia up to speed on their plan. The need to destroy the bridges was difficult for them to swallow, but they all agreed that the people’s lives were more important than the town itself. They scattered about, grabbing the tools they needed to get the job done.
Hammers and other blunt instruments were among the first things they collected. Torches and fire bottles prepared by the crew were passed around, as well. The idea was to walk out a short distance and smash holes in the wood. They would burn the far side and keep smashing what remained on their side as they returned back toward the shore.
Once everything was ready, the crew and the militia split up and started going around to each walkway, as many as they could reach at once. As long as they could create a sizable gap between the land and the wooden floats, they’d be able to buy themselves some time. All the while, the enemy ships inched closer and closer to town. Even from this distance, Nudge could see their bloodthirst whirling in their eyes. He remembered what Mikhaeyla said about them possibly being under some kind of mind control spell and shuddered.
I wonder if the Captain figured out if that was true or not. I’m sure she and Link are out there doing what they can about it. Haven’t heard from them since they left... But I know they’re fine. And I know they’re gonna come back for us.
The crew rushed as much as they could afford to. Circling the entire island and destroying every last bridge could take hours. Even with all the extra hands, it was going to be slow. Nevertheless, for each bridge they destroyed, that was one less way for the monsters to get into the city. They had to take down as many as possible.
Time passed excruciatingly. One by one, the enemy ships started docking. The miniblins spilled off the decks like a flood, barely able to contain themselves. In their haste to navigate across the wooden floats and bridges, some of them even slipped over into the sea and drowned, making the crew’s job just a little easier. But not easy enough.
The bridges on the east and west sides of town were destroyed. But they didn’t have time to take care of the north side, or the south side where the train station was. Gonzo and Senza positioned themselves in the south with Niko, while Nudge took up watch in the north with Zuko and Mako. They each had a handful of militia members with them. The moment to fight had come.
Thanks to their efforts, the monsters were being funneled across the floats to the north and south. More and more kept falling into the sea as they charged across the narrow bridges to reach their only way to land. More still tried to make the jump across the broken bridges, but none succeeded, and they drowned. Even one less monster to deal with was all too welcome.
Nudge readied his cutlass. The militia members wielded some of the hammers they were using, as well as shovels and large sticks. They didn't have much in the way of weaponry. Most of the fighting would likely be on the crew’s shoulders.
The monsters arrived at last. Filed down across the few remaining bridges in the north, Nudge tried to employ the same strategy they used in Papuchiya. One after another, he cut them down as they approached, not letting them set foot on land. The militia tried to copy him, but with less effective weapons, they couldn’t kill the miniblins in one strike. They were quickly overwhelmed. Two of them were surrounded and stabbed to death by the miniblin’s pitchforks.
“Damn it! We can’t hold the line like this! Retreat back to the city!” Nudge commanded.
Throwing his last fire bottle at one of the bridges, Nudge led the surviving militia members away from the shoreline. His new plan was to lead them down the streets between the buildings and employ hit-and-run tactics around the many corners. They would do this while slowly regrouping outside the barricade protecting the shelter.
Zuko and Mako followed close behind Nudge, throwing rocks and sharp objects at the pursuing monsters with their slingshots. They did everything they could to slow them down. Whenever they successfully knocked over a monster, the militia would beat on it until it died. But that only worked on the miniblins.
The big blins were barreling forward now. Those rocks may as well have been flies. There was no slowing down a charge like that. Nudge leapt between them and his friends, ducking under an axe and stabbing his sword through the burly brutes. They didn’t so much as flinch, but they still fell face-first on the ground in a shower of blood.
He killed two, but five more were on their way, with even more miniblins nipping at their heels. Nudge grabbed the axe one of the dead blins dropped, wielding it in his left hand and his cutlass in his right. Anything to gain an edge. When they tried to corner him from both sides, he blocked their strikes and spun, ripping into their flesh with his blades.
The militia members were unfortunately not so lucky. Three more had been crushed to death by the advancing big blins in the time it took Nudge to do that. He clenched his teeth in frustration, wishing he could have done more to help them.
“This is bad. We're taking a lot of losses...” Zuko said.
“We've just gotta make it to the barricades! Stay strong!” Nudge encouraged.
There were only a couple surviving members of the militia left on their side. Nudge hoped Gonzo was faring better with his group. Dashing between the buildings was their only defense against the horde. Soon, they could see the barricades up ahead. All they’d have to do is climb them, and they’d have a high-ground advantage.
The shelter where all the civilians were was on the other side of the barricades. It was set up in the town square, and there were four roads leading into it. Tall buildings walled it off on every other side, and all sorts of wooden and metal plates were built up to close off the roads. There was room to stand on top of them, and there were some lookouts positioned up there. When they saw the approaching mob, they started to panic.
“Everyone who's able-bodied, help us out! Throw anything and everything you can think of at them! Keep them at bay, no matter what!” Nudge bellowed.
The sentries passed along the message, and in a few minutes, frightened volunteers came back up with them. Tables, chairs, shoes, bricks, rocks, glass vases, and anything else they could find in the shelter that was heavy enough were being tossed over the side. Beneath that hail of miscellaneous baubles, Nudge and his group reached the barricade and scaled it as fast as they could.
Behind them, the miniblins were frothing at the mouth. They started climbing the barricade, too, but now that Nudge was up there, he was able to hack away at them, keeping them from reaching the top. Whenever he killed one, it would fall backwards and knock another down to the ground with it. The volunteers around him were raining down random heavy objects on the ones that fell. Some of them were crushed, others were knocked out.
And then the big blins arrived. They stomped on top of the fallen miniblins without a care. Some of them tried to strike the barrier with their weapons, but Nudge wasn’t having it. He leapt down on top of one, stabbing his sword into its skull. When it toppled over, he made sure it fell sideways, knocking down a couple more like dominoes. He cut through each of them in turn while he had the chance.
This repeated for a strenuously long time. The flood of monsters never seemed to end. While standing on top of the barricade, Nudge looked to the south and saw that Gonzo and his group ended up having to do the same thing they were. There were also volunteers and more militia members handling the east and west sides as best they could.
Then, one of the buildings next to Nudge started to shake and crack apart. In minutes, the whole thing collapsed in on itself, forcing many of the volunteers to abandon their positions. The terrified civilians crowded together more densely in the center of the shelter, fearing for their lives. The rubble that fell from the building crushed many of the miniblins and big blins in its wake, but in their place rose up new monsters that Nudge had never seen before.
These brutes were almost as tall as big blins, but with far more pronounced muscles. They were also covered in green scales, with fish-like heads and fins where their ears should be. Their salivating jaws were lined with two rows of sharp teeth. They were wielding curved swords and metal shields, and they hissed excitedly as they closed in.
“No! Where did all the geozards come from?!” one of the militia members said.
“So that’s what they’re called? What horrible timing...” Nudge complained.
To make matters worse, more of the buildings surrounding the shelter started to collapse in the same way. All of their walls of safety were crumbling down. The only bright side was that the debris was crushing many careless miniblins and big blins. Soon enough, it would just be the geozards.
Nudge cut down the last of the blins on his side, only to be met with charging geozards heading his way. No time for a breather, he relented. Gripping his two weapons tighter, he rushed to meet them. The buildings were knocking down the barricades as they fell, so it was more important than ever to keep the monsters from closing in.
The first geozard swung its sword recklessly. Nudge blocked it with his own blade, and then cleaved through its chest with his axe. The thing was so out of its mind that it didn’t even try to raise its shield. The next two were much the same. But the fourth one slipped past him and made it into the shelter.
“No! Watch out!” Nudge shouted.
Zuko and Mako tried to pull its attention away by slinging more rocks, but it shrugged them off and kept racing toward the unarmed citizens. A mother and daughter pair screamed, shielded by a man that looked like their family. Nudge gritted his teeth and threw his axe with all his might.
The axe hit the geozard dead-on in its back, and it fell on its face before it reached the people. But there was no time to relax. More were still coming. The east, west, and south sides were being overrun. Gonzo and the others tried their best, but one by one, the militia members were being killed.
Another geozard rushed at the same family from before. “Amirah, you’ve got to take Ericka and run!” the man said.
“No! We can’t leave you!” the mother cried.
“Daddy, please!” the girl begged.
The man did his best to ignore their pleas as he picked up a heavy stick. He stood to face the incoming monster for his family. As Nudge saw this, he felt something deep in his heart ache. For a moment, he pictured the sight of Link’s back, standing tall and proud against insurmountable odds. The vision seemed to fill him with conviction.
Ah... I wonder if this is how Link feels at times like this. Please, share some of your courage with me!
Nudge’s feet moved without relying on his brain. He thought he heard his crewmates shouting his name for a moment, but he didn’t stop. He acted on what was in his heart. Just as the geozard closed in on the innocent family, Nudge leapt between them. He tried to parry its attack, but instead, he got its sword pierced through his gut.
“NUDGE! NO!” he heard Gonzo scream.
A pain unlike anything he ever felt before ripped through his entire body. He coughed up blood, staining his teeth red. He struggled to breathe, his entire body shaking from the splitting agony. He could feel his vision start to turn black. He no longer had the strength to raise his sword.
Damn it... I messed that up... I’m sorry, guys... Guess this is it...
His consciousness was fading. There was still fighting going on around him, but it was out of his hands now. He’d just have to trust the rest of his crew to get the job done. As the lights were going out, he found himself wishing he could have seen Link and Tetra just one last time.
The shrill whistle of a train snapped him back. His glassy eyes looked to the southwest and spotted a train rushing toward town. All of a sudden, he felt a new burst of energy welling up inside him.
Link and the Captain must be on that train! They’re coming for me! I can’t die... Not yet! I still have... a job to do!
Nudge’s hand whipped out and grabbed the sword that was still impaled through his gut. The geozard was trying to pull it out, but he wouldn’t let it go. He started grinning even as blood spilled from his lips.
“Heheh... You’re not... getting off that easy!” he choked.
With the last of his strength, Nudge raised his sword and stabbed through the geozard. The beast let out a quiet hiss, and he felt its grip slacken until it let go of its sword entirely. It tumbled over on its back, dead on the ground. He’d done it. The family was safe. He turned to look at them, and they were watching him with horrified expressions.
“No... You shouldn’t have... for us...” the man said.
“Heh... It’s fine... I had... a job... to...” Nudge tried to say.
He collapsed to his side, his vision going dark again. His breathing was growing more and more shallow. This time, it was really it. On the edge of his mind, he could hear cheers of victory rise through the air. He couldn’t move his head to look at why, though. But in a moment, Gonzo and the rest of his crew moved into his line of sight.
“Nudge... We did it... We got every last damn monster!” Gonzo said.
“Hang in there! Don’t die on us, man!” Senza yelled desperately.
Niko was crying his eyes out. Zuko and Mako hung their heads in shame and despair. They could see the writing on the wall, even if the others didn’t want to accept it yet. Even Linebeck was at his side, tearing up a storm.
“Come on, you’ve gotta keep fighting! Don’t you want to see the kingdom Captain Tetra’s gonna make?!” Gonzo yelled.
“Captain... Tetra...” Nudge breathed.
“NUDGE!”
That voice brought a little life back to him. He looked past his friends and saw the face of his captain. She’d made it, after all. Link was right at her side, and even Sitri had come, too. Just like he knew they would. That was enough for him.
Sitri covered her mouth in horror, already crying for him. Link, too, ran over and joined the crew at his side, sobbing just as much as Niko. Tetra stood right there with him, and he was surprised to see tears streaming down her face, as well.
“Damn it, what were you thinking?! I didn’t give you permission to die! Don’t you dare leave us behind!” she yelled.
“Nudge, please...!” Link cried.
For some reason, Nudge felt strangely at peace. Perhaps it was because he was surrounded by all of his friends, their love for him overflowing. A memory surfaced in his mind at that moment. He could see himself standing on a glorious pirate ship, sailing the roiling ocean with the sun beaming in a clear, blue sky overhead. He was surrounded by his entire crew, their swords held high, pointed toward the horizon. Everyone’s smiling faces filled his life with more joy than he could impart to them. But he had to try to tell them, while he still could.
“It’s been fun, you guys...”
And with those quiet words, Nudge took his last breath.