The Grand Battle S2G1! [Round Six: Eddelin City]

Originally posted on MSPA by Dragon Fogel.

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Edward Crossbones - formerly Captain Edward Crossbones - was more than a little annoyed.

He had just regained consciousness to find himself locked in his own brig. This was not of great concern - it happened about once every other week when that bastard Skullbeard boarded his ship. This, of course, was always in retaliation for Crossbones boarding Skullbeard's ship the previous week, which in turn was always caused by Crossbones looking to get back at Skullbeard's raid the week before. Except for the times when they launched an attack just because they felt like it, of course.

But that was a professional relationship. It was how the piracy trade worked. You looted his ship, he looted yours. All part of the job.

This time was different.

Skullbeard was a rat-born bastard who deserved to have his hands chopped off and his eyes gouged out while being boiled alive - but at least he had always let Crossbones keep his hat.

Ah, yes. It was coming back now. That strange green bastard. Appeared out of nowhere, took down a dozen men effortlessly...

He'd pay. Edward Crossbones swore he'd make the green bastard pay.

Just as soon as he found a way out of his own damned cell.

***

Crossbones had no idea of all that had happened while he was unconscious. In this respect, he was rather fortunate compared to the members of his former crew, who knew just enough of what was happening to be absolutely terrified.

Though the Ovoid shifted in strange and bizarre patterns unrecognizable to the unfortunate pirates, it always kept their ship intact. This only served to frighten them more, as they began to feel it was only by the whim of this monstrous island that they were still alive - and they did not think its mercy would last forever.

Then, suddenly, they were on the outside instead of the inside.

This would have been a welcome relief if they were still on the surface of the ocean. Instead, they were greeted by the bizarre sight of water some distance below them, and water in the ocean above them, while they rested on the curved surface of what appeared to be some strange tan monster.

They were in the mermen's country now. That would have been an unsettling thought under the best of circumstances.

Being effectively stranded on top of a gigantic monsters fighting an even more gigantic monster was not the best of circumstances.

They could hardly be forgiven for failing to check the brig, which was now empty.

***

Crossbones blinked. He'd wanted to get out of the brig, it was true, but he'd assumed that doing so would require an active effort on his part, rather than suddenly finding himself... wherever this was. Why was it so... tan?

A scythe suddenly appeared in his hands.

Then a voice spoke in his head.

As he nervously nodded in response to the voice's orders, Crossbones wondered if he'd ever get his hat back.

***

Jonathan Skullbeard furrowed his brow. Where was Crossbones? It wasn't like him to miss a Wednesday skirmish.

Bah. Worthless Crossbones. Couldn't be counted on for anything.