Gerhard landed on the deck after being launched via Dagon to their destination. After picking himself up from underneath the pile of barrels he had landed in, he rose and looked around him. The last of the assault party were jumping down onto the airship and they rose to make their mistake.
We made it! We ma-
The throbbing he had felt in the tower suddenly exploded into a shrill scream in Gerhard's mind. But it wasn't just any scream.
"No, no... No NO NO NO!!!!"
He looked about on deck to find that the crew of the Alexander had gone. In fact, it wasn't even the same ship. Gerhard felt the wood rocking violently beneath him as the storm crashed against the sides of the ship, sending a massive spray of seawater into his face, drenching him. He stumbled backwards and nearly tripped over a dead body. It was a sailor he knew, that awful cheater Dalvin. Blood was flowing from his neck in a slow trickle. A cannon fired.
"Take cover, it's coming around again!" shouted the mate. He had taken command after the Captain had been choked to death.
What... how... wake up Gerhard, wake up!
The nightmare wouldn't stop, couldn't stop. It was real. More than ever before, it was real. He was here. Somehow the tower had sent him onto the Halygast. The giant arms rose against port, gripping the ship as it hauled its monstrous toothed maw over the broken railing. Halberds and spears jutted out of its face after being thrust in by desperate men to no avail. It was unstoppable and he couldn't feel his mana.
There she was. Jaina, with her bow out feverishly shooting arrows at it's eye as a tentacle arm wrapped itself around her legs from the starboard side. Gerhard launched a bolt at it, begging at the sky for vengeance but the spell froze in midair inches from the arm. She screamed, making Gerhard's mind explode with unimaginable pain as mana surged through him.
Then it happened again. Jaina was lifted into the air and slammed through the deck, vanishing for a moment before being pulled back up. The arm lazily threw her unconscious form into the toothy maw and ripped her to shreds in front of him.
"No no... No NO NO NO!!!!"
He looked about on deck to find that the crew of the Halygast was rallying for another charge at the arm holding their captain. It was already too late, it popped his greasy top off like a cork in a wine bottle. He had been a royal asshole but nobody deserved such a fate. Gerhard felt the wood rocking violently beneath him as the storm crashed against the sides of the ship, sending a massive spray of seawater into his face, drenching him. He stumbled backwards and nearly tripped over a dead body. It was a sailor he knew, that awful cheater Dalvin. Blood was flowing from his neck in a slow trickle. A cannon fired.
"Take cover, it's coming around again!" shouted the mate. He had taken command.
"Shit, it keeps grabbing the ship!" shouted a man as he heaved an axe at an arm pulling at the mast.
The giant arms rose against port, gripping the ship as it hauled its monstrous toothed maw over the broken railing. Halberds and spears jutted out of its face after being thrust in by desperate men to no avail. It was unstoppable, it's arms pulling men apart left and right. A mage blasted one arm off with a powerful bolt of Lightning before being knocked into the captain's cabin by another.
"Jaina! Look out!"
There she was. Jaina, with her bow out feverishly shooting arrows at it's eye as a tentacle arm wrapped itself around her legs from the starboard side. Gerhard ran forward, his blade gleaming in the dim light from the fire in the sails. He swung with all his might, severing the arm before it could touch her. Suddenly she screamed, making Gerhard's mind explode with unimaginable pain as mana surged through him.
Then it happened again. Jaina was launched through the air as the deck shifted dramatically and fell directly into the toothy maw. She cried for help as it ripped her to shreds in front of him.
"No no... No NO NO NO!!!!"
He looked about on deck to find that the crew of the Halygast were laying down their arms. It was already too late, the pirates had taken them completely by surprise. Gerhard felt the wood rocking violently beneath him as the storm crashed against the sides of the ship, sending a massive spray of seawater into his face, drenching him. He stumbled backwards and nearly tripped over a dead body. It was a sailor he knew, that awful cheater Dalvin. Blood was flowing from his neck in a slow trickle. A cannon fired.
If only I had been on shift! Damnation!
"It's over, you can have the cargo. Just end the killing." shouted the mate. He had taken command after the Captain had been slaughtered.
"You can't end the killing. Your ship was meant to die, doomed from the beginning." said the pirate, convulsing. His crew launched themselves at the surrendering men who were killed as they struggled to pick up their weapons to defend themselves.
The pirate expanded dramatically, giant arms gripping the ship as it steadied its monstrous toothed maw over the broken railing. It roared as the pirates too changed into ferocious merpeople, devouring the flesh of his fallen comrades. Jaina and a few of the other fighters held their ground as Gerhard rolled forward, easily avoiding the clumsy attempts of the merpeople around him.
"Jaina! Look out!"
There she was. Jaina, with her bow out feverishly shooting arrows at it's eye as a tentacle arm wrapped itself around her legs from the starboard side. Gerhard rushed the arm, firing multiple fireballs at it until it came apart. Suddenly he was surrounded by Merwarriors who grabbed at him forcing him to defend himself. Jaina screamed, making Gerhard's mind explode with unimaginable pain as mana surged through him.
Then it happened again. Jaina was hauled by the merpeople towards their leader before he could get to them. It laughed as its arms tore her into two pieces over him, sending blood spraying everywhere across his bare chest. She cried for help, her head still screaming as it tossed her remains into its maw.
"No no... No NO NO NO!!!!"
He looked about on deck to find that the crew of the Halygast was going about the deck trying to secure the sails in the storm. It was already too late to avoid the hurricane that had enveloped them, their only choice was to barrel forward and try to get out on the other side before it tore the ship apart. Gerhard felt the wood rocking violently beneath him as the storm crashed against the sides of the ship, sending a massive spray of seawater into his face, drenching him. He stumbled backwards and nearly tripped over an unconscious body. It was a sailor he knew, that awful cheater Dalvin. Blood flowed from his forehead in a slow trickle. A cannon fired.
"What the hell are you doing?" demanded the Quartermaster, slapping the gunner who had fired.
"I saw something! Something big!"
"Just your imagination, get back to securing the mast or you'll wish you had spotted a monster!"
Gerhard threw his head back and laughed. Nothing could live in weather like this, monsters never attacked in weather this foul. He closed his eyes for a moment... A quick nap was just what the doctor ordered...
The ship suddenly moved upwards and sideways, knocking everyone down. Gerhard got to his feet and looked over the side to find that they were no longer in the water.
"KRAKEN!" shouted the Captain as an arm whipped across the deck severing several men in half. Gerhard braced himself and summoned Ifrit. The creature of fire and nightmares turned to him.
"Get rid of it!"
It jumped over the side of the ship, presumably onto the top of the monster preparing to crack their ship in two. A gigantic roar of pain was heard around them as the ship fell back into the water, nearly sinking as the ocean ran over the deck and down into the interior. Ifrit was tearing at the arms of the kraken from the source of it's convoluted body, ripping them out as the water around the two beasts began to steam with incredible heat.
"Jaina! Look out!" said Gerhard, his concentration broken as he saw another Black Mage's spell hit her. It had been intended for the beast but at the last moment curved and struck her.
There she was. Jaina, laying unconscious as the mage ran forward to her aid. Gerhard broke contact with Ifrit. If that amateur had killed her, he was going to...
Then it happened again. An arm ripped through the bottom of the ship, pulling her down through every deck and she vanished as the ship began to dip into the water. The black mage paused and stared at Gerhard, right into his very soul. Suddenly, from underneath, Jaina screamed, making Gerhard's mind explode with unimaginable pain as mana surged through him.
"No, no... No NO NO NO!!!!"
Gerhard looked around. They were in the head together as the lantern flickered softly. She teased him with her leg.
"Come on, what's the worst that could happen?"
"If the Captain knew..."
"He'd be jealous." she said, winking as another layer of clothing was dropped. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever known.
"Come on Jaina, you know he's a goddamn tyrant. If he found out it would..."
"You're just nervous. I know this is your first time..." she said, tugging at his robes.
"You can't end her death. Your love was meant to die, doomed from the beginning." said a voice around them. Gerhard spun around in confusion but Jaina just giggled.
"Honestly, you think nobody can love a salty goat like you? I'm willing to prove you wrong."
He embraced her as the head began to change around them. The walls began to melt into a fleshy orange goo and the timber began to change into black, razor sharp teeth as she sighed into his ear.
"I will always love you."
This can't be happening!
An arm erupted out of the toilet behind her, grabbing her away from him. He held on tightly as she kissed him, blood spilling into his mouth. And then she was gone again, gorily engorged in front of him. She screamed making Gerhard's mind explode with unimaginable pain as mana surged through him.
"No, no... No NO NO NO!!!!"
He looked about on deck to find that the crew of the Alexander had reappeared. Gerhard felt the wood rocking violently beneath him as the storm crashed against the sides of the ship, sending a massive spray of seawater into his face, drenching him. He stumbled backwards and nearly tripped over a dead body. It was that damned Yuke, Dagon. How on Earth could he be dead? Blood was flowing from his neck in a slow trickle. A cannon fired.
"Take cover, it's coming around again!" shouted the knight. She had taken command after the Captain had been devoured.
What... how... wake up Gerhard, wake up!
The nightmare wouldn't stop, couldn't stop. It was real. Somehow the tower had sent him onto the Halygast. The giant arms rose against port, gripping the ship as it hauled its monstrous toothed maw over the broken railing. Halberds and spears jutted out of its face after being thrust in by desperate men to no avail. It was unstoppable and he couldn't feel his mana.
There she was. Jaina, with her bow out feverishly shooting arrows at it's eye as a tentacle arm wrapped itself around her legs from the starboard side. Gerhard launched a bolt at it, screaming at the sky for vengeance but the spell froze in midair inches from the arm. She screamed, making Gerhard's mind explode with unimaginable pain as mana surged through him.
Then all was black, Jaina's scream fading into the distance over the port side... He felt extreme air rushing over him as familiar voices were shouting out. He rose to his feet and shook his head. The migraine had faded and he could feel his mana rushing to his hands, ready to be used. Sweat streamed down from his eyes. Or were they tears?
"Is everyone fit? I doubt any of us are okay after that, but I need you all to be battle ready."
"Nothing a bout of drinking won't cure." said Gerhard mumbled before his stomach turned and he wretched onto the deck.
It wouldn't cure anything. It only staved it off.