"Heart of the Crown" Chapter 14

[seymoure]

Chapter 14

The Battle Begins

“We can’t hit them, Cap’n!” one of the crew moaned.

It was true, Sabre thought; they are too high for our cannon fire. At the same time they can drop cannon balls over the side and hit us, and never use an ounce of powder.

“I can stop their balls from damaging us,” Cela announced as she spun a protective shield overhead, “While Koss fulfills his plan.”

The Wizard and his dog were at the bow, beginning some sort of ritual that no man had seen in this lifetime.

As Koss lifted a golden goblet over his head, Howler began his banshee-like wail. The cannon balls fell onto the shield, sounding like timpani echoing a thunderstorm.

The wine within the goblet crept up and out into the air, until it was a blood red ball floating a full three feet above the sorcerer’s head.

The sound of Howler’s howl elevated another octave and became painful to the ears of all within range. Flame erupted from Koss’s right hand and lanced through the ball of wine. Lightning bolted from the Wizard’s left hand and pierced the levitated vintage.

Everyone aboard the Slug shook.

Then they saw it.

The ship was not flying, the ocean was rising.

Waves of immense power lifted all the ships to meet the two flying vessels.

“Fire!” Sabre shouted.

The cannons on both sides of the ship belched fire and ball at the two ships that had no time to prepare for this different type of warfare.

As the ocean lowered to its original level, the unrelenting fire from their guns laid waste to their two opponents.

By the time all the voyagers were at the original level of the sea, the two attacking boats were giving the orders to abandon ship.

Sabre looked out and saw Jack Schythe standing on his lead ship. “Cease fire!” he ordered.

Koss and Howler collapsed on the deck from exhaustion. Cela joined them, making sure they were well.

The next moments were silent, except for the lapping of the waves and the flapping of the sails.

© 2008 C. Wayne Owens
Chapter 15 is here.