Completed Revenge of the Svefra [Tydus Tempest]

[Kel Tempest]

Day 13 of Spring in the Year 514 AV

The black haired Svefra swung the ship’s wheel around, causing the boom to swing free, changing the position of the sail until the white fabric listed in the wind. He tossed the looped rope over the peg of the wheel, keeping the cloth that propelled the ship forward from catching the wind, slowing the boat. The boat rolled up the waves and slid down the backs of them gently in the calm bay. The sun broke through the clouds casting its warm rays down on the barebacked Svefra.


Kel jumped onto the roof of the cabin and rested both hands against his hips, black sash blowing in the wind, piercing blue eyes scanning the horizon.


“Nothing like a day out on the sea, eh Ty?” He took of deep breath, feeling the salty air invading his lungs. They had recently “acquired” another vessel and the experience was exhilarating. The rush was what brought him out to the seas again today. He didn’t know what to expect other than he wasn’t going to let another idle day go by moored on the land dwellers docks.


He fingered the hilt of his kukri that pressed against his lower back under his sash, thoughts drifting back to the previous day. He smirked as he remembered the look of fear that appeared on the fisherman’s face when he was boarded by the three armed Svefra. The incident took the edge off of the restlessness that had been building up in Kel since he docked in Riverfall but it wasn’t enough to completely purge it from his system. He could feel the edginess riling up inside.


Kel let a frustrated sigh and hopped off the edge of the roof towards the bow of the ship. He swung the cabin door open and disappeared inside. A few ticks later he came back out with an empty mug. The tattooed Svefra opened the barrel that sat beside the door and opened the lid. Murky liquid sloshed around inside and he scooped the mug into it. Froth foamed over the edge of the mug and he raised it to his lips. The harsh flavor swirled in his mouth, the dark hops tingling on his tongue before swallowing the contents.


He felt a bubble rising in his chest and he let out a loud belch. A grin spread across his face and he patted his stomach contently. The ship swayed lazily as the sea shifted and swirled around them. He braced himself accordingly, having lived aboard the sea his entire life. He was perfectly balanced just as land dwellers were able to walk confidently across the earth. He leaned against the gunwale and sipped at the contents of his mug, enjoying the sun, boozes and company. A wave crashed against the side of the ship, a spray of water cascading up the hull and over him.


“Ty, grab a mug. Time to relax, drink and enjoy Laviku’s creation.”


It wasn’t what he would consider the ideal day but it was better than lounging about at the docks. But for now, it would do.

Legend

Fratava

Kel's Common

Kel's Thoughts

PC/NPC Common

[Tydus Tempest]

How it felt to be on the sea again. Riverfall was lovely in it of itself, the sea's air perpetually in his nostrils, the tides carrying Laviku's breath on Zulrav's wind. It was a wondrous feeling, but it didn't compare. It never would. Tydus' heart beat with the waves crashing upon the casinor's hull, laughter bubbling upon the Svefra's lips, the genuine tone spilling from lying lips. Oh how it was to be honest! To be able to wash away the apprehension of the wreckage, the wake of the tragedy easing itself from the Tempest's shoulders with each splash of ocean's water upon the deck.

Kel was absolutely right. Completely. It was that rare scenario when Kel had more sense than he did, and it was because the man was, more than anything, a pirate. Tydus loved the sea, it was his home, but he enjoyed the world of the normals, as well. He thrived in it, the media of business and pleasure driving him. But... this was missed. It was craved. Needed. Attained.

"Aye, Kel. You can smell in in the air. Feel it on your lips, right? Laviku's everywhere."

He would sense it with the ocean's touch upon his hand, but for now, he savoured in just the knowing, just the feeling of liberation that was speaking in Fratava, the freedom of the sea. Communion with Laviku, above all else, was swelling the Tempest scion's confidence. When Tydus heard his podbrother speak of ale, his ears perked up, a chuckle escaping his lips as he rose from his position at the bow of the ship. He lay there to ensure that his weight did not unbalance the ship or interrupt Kel's effort, as the elder Svefra was utterly against anyone sailing his ship.

It suited Tydus just fine, and as he walked about the deck, passing his podmate by and ducking under the ship's boom, he set himself in front of the barrel, reaching behind it and grabbing one of Kel's spare mugs. The Svefra scooped ale into the mug, taking it despite the three-quarter full slosh of rum that set against his waist. The flask was for special occasions, by which he meant occasions where he needed to get drunk in order to enjoy himself. Or situations where rum's courage pumped its might into his veins. This day did not call for the elixir to revive and rally him. It called for the gentle flow of ale's wash upon his lips. And it was what Tydus provided.

"Again, ye speak true... We're Laviku's blood, yet we've been landlocked like bloody normals upon the shores of their rigid... land. It's unsettling how used to it I've gotten."

Was it getting used to it? Or was it fear? Was Tydus coming to question his love for the sea...? No... Laviku's blood runs in my veins. It's just been... hard. I'll work it out.

Part of the Tempest scion was unsure, and it took him several more gulps of ale to pass the thought by. But, inevitably, it returned. It questioned. It asked. It begged for an answer.

Am I afraid?

And in truth, he was.

Finally, the Tempest's thoughts were interrupted as he opened his eyes, the visage of a small boat in the distance. Too small to be anything but one of the Svefra's own creations. Another casinor, just like the one Kel was maneuvering.

"Kel..." he started, wondering if the events of the day prior were coming to repeat themselves. Tydus needed to know.

I'm not enough of a normal to let them take our boats... The new-blood Tempest would see the ship better than he, for Tydus had settled himself near the barrel. He stepped forward to lean against the gunwale, curiosity in his gaze.

[Kel Tempest]

The edge in Tydus’ voice drew him away from his thoughts and he cocked an eyebrow over at his podmate. Kel lifted his mug to his lips as he followed the Svefra’s line of sight, trying to figure out what brought the sudden change in his demeanor. His eyes narrowed as he caught sight of the small vessel, floating peacefully on the bay. It was definitely Svefra made.


The tingling sensation in his gnosis tattoo that usually alerted him to the presence of another Laviku born in the area didn’t register anything aside from the familiar sensation of Tydus. That could only mean one thing. A petching land dweller was aboard that ship.


A growl rumbled in his chest and he threw back the remaining contents down his throat and tossed the empty mug on the deck. He quickly made his way to the stern, throwing off the looped rope that held the wheel in place and spun it around. The boom swung through the air, wind catching the sails and jerking the ship forward. The Laviku’s Wrath swayed to the side, water splashing up over its sides. Kel braced himself along the deck as the ship tipped.


“Let’s go find out who’s on that ship, shall we?” A dark look crossed his face as he grinned, eyes locked on the small casinor. It was incredibly rare for someone who wasn’t a Svefra to own one of their vessels. They were kept in the pod, made specifically by their people. For someone to own one outside of Laviku’s family…well, it didn’t bode well for them.


The small casinor crested the waves in the sea as Kel aimed the ship directly towards the other vessel. The outline of a man crouched beside the tiller of the ship caught his eye.


“Ty! Grab the grappling hook in the cabin. We’re gonna board this petcher and see why he has one of our ships.” Kel watched as the man looked up from a net he was weaving and spotted the Laviku’s Wrath heading straight for him. He must have recognized it as another casinor and realized they were Svefra because he leaped to his feet, trying to untie his sails from the mast and escape.


Zulrav was with the Svefra that day because a strong wind was to their back, hurtling them to the casinor. Kel eyed the rapidly closing distance between the two ships and waited. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. He jerked the wheel hard to the right, looping the rope over a peg, holding it in place. The course fabric slowly listed in the wind as the boom swung over head, changing the direction of the sails and spars so it was no longer facing the wind.


Kel leaped across the cabin roof and snatched a hold of a line that was secured to the mast. He quickly undid the knot and grabbed the rope in his hands, sliding the hemp fiber through the small pulley, lowering the sail. When it was within his grasp, Kel quickly tied the sail down to the spar and ran the few steps across the cabin roof. He jumped off and landed in front of the wheel.


The black haired Svefra ripped the looped rope off and spun the wheel hand over hand, nosing the ship a few degrees away from the other vessel so that they were lined up with each other. The vessel slowed in the water as it continued to approach the casino, parallel to it. All that was needed now was for Tydus to hook the two ships together so they didn’t stray and jump across.


Kel snatched up his trident that was propped up against the cabin wall and twirled it once around him. The familiar weight rested comfortably in his hand, sun glinting off the razor sharp prongs. He felt a thrill of excitement shoot through his gut. One could never know when an encounter like this could go south.


He just hoped it would. Nothing beat a relaxing day like a little bloodshed.

Legend

Fratava

Kel's Common

Kel's Thoughts

PC/NPC

[Tydus Tempest]

He was right. Absolutely right in the assumption that a normal was in possession of another casinor. How common was it that one could be wrested from the hands of the Svefra? Perhaps in staying in the Riverfall area, where life was protected by the over-sized blue men, these sailors deemed themselves safe from the wrath of Laviku's people.

They were wrong.

Though Tydus was by no means a fighter, he was still a Svefra, and by no means hesitant to throw the man overboard in anticipation of feeding him to the sharks and being done with his existence. Normally a pleasant enough man, Tydus' viewpoint on what was pleasant transformed on the basis of a casinor being stolen. The Svefra turned bitter, an easy grin abandoned, the loosing of the masks that held his rage hidden away. The ghosts of his dreams materialized as wrath, and with no one around to stop it, and Kel to fan the flames, there was nothing done to stop it.

Fists clenched upon the bulwark of the casinor as Tydus closed his eyes in the attempt of sensing the gnosis mark on the other ship. The Svefra already knew the answer, Kel's words making it obvious enough, but he did so regardless, his fingers fully flexed against the bulwark as the sense ended with no result. The man was a bloody normal commandeering a Svefra vessel. Not only that, but as the two approached, Tydus could smell the smugness on the man, the pride that came with using such a thing. The Svefra took care of their ship as if it were their child, their life's work. Their fish and butter, so to speak.

When Kel spoke of boarding and interrogating the bastard on the other casinor, the Svefra had no choice to agree. The desire arose from rolling frustration, knuckles pale from the effort, his fingers strained and cramping from the force put into them against the gunwale.

"Aye... That's what we're going to do, then."

The Tempest scion trudged towards the cabin's quarters, though he did not enter, moving to the ship's starboard side, where an assortment of different lengths of rope were to be found. He collected two coils of rope, slinging one around each shoulder, taking care to step in longer, balanced strides as the ship slowed and turned to their destination. Hooks were found on the other side, Tydus taking care not to impale his flesh upon the blade of one to draw another, taking, again, two hooks and carrying them off to the port side, the side closest to the casinor in question.

Tydus quickly set Kel's down on the floor beside the ship's wheel, the Svefra bending to the ground as Kel set the ship parallel to the other, Tydus setting the rope into the hook, tightening the clasp on the hook mechanism that allowed it to cling to the rope before measuring the distance. It was an easy throw, Tydus able to clearly see the normal's face. There was curiosity in his gaze, dull, mundane brown eyes of a land strider clearly visible in their sockets, tufts of brown hair layered with gray spilling from a hat that covered his face from the sun's rays.

A Svefra did not need such a thing, though some chose to employ the use. A sun-kissed complexion born from a life in the sun gave them all the protection they required. The thought of how ridiculous the hat - not even a proper sailor's hat, but a common straw atrocity- looked on the normal's head before Tydus extinguished it.

Instead, he threw his grappling hook, the iron hook landing on the deck of the ship, though Tydus pulled it back, hearing a dull 'thunk' as the iron hooks lodged into the other casinor's gunwale.

"Let's go," was all that Tydus said to his podbrother as he knotted the hooks into holes drilled into the gunwale of the Laviku's Wrath. It was time to board.

[Kel Tempest]

As soon as the grappling hook locked onto the stolen ship and Tydus had secured the two vessels together, Kel didn’t waste a single moment. The Svefra leaped onto the railing of the Laviku’s Wrath, bracing himself against the boom, black sash snapping in the wind. His sapphire orbs locked onto the frantic thief, who having spotted Kel, abandoned the wheel in his attempt to escape and ran to the front of the ship. The black haired Svefra had always enjoyed watching fear overcome them. It filled him with a sense of power and control.


A slow smile stretched across Kel’s face as he lazily stepped down from the railing onto the deck of the opposing ship. His boots landed on the deck with a loud thump. The Svefra strolled, untroubled, across the deck towards the bow of the ship, eyes boring into the man who was looking around desperately for a way out. Kel shifted his gaze away from the man towards the razor sharp edges of his trident as he drew closer. He slowly ran a finger along the sides of one of the prongs, a thin line of red welling up from the shallow cut. The Svefra widened his eyes in mock pain and whistled elatedly.


“Wheeeeew! Tis’ sharp, these blades.” Kel tsked sadly, shaking his head at the thief as the barebacked man came to a halt in front of him. The tattooed Svefra sucked on his bleeding finger for a moment before sighing dramatically. Kel spun his trident, pointing the pronged weapon towards the deck of the ship and let them hit the wood with a dull thud. He crossed his arms and leaned on the butt of his weapon as he looked at the man.


“Seems ta’ me that we be havin’ a problem here, eh? Yeh’ be havin’ anythin’ ta’ say fer’ yerself?”


The man seemed to gather some amount of backbone and some of the fear disappeared from his demeanor when the rough Common was directed towards him. He glared at Kel from under his wide brimmed hat, facing turning bright red.


“’l’ll say I do! Who do you think you are, boarding my ship and threatening me?”


Kel looked at him incredulously. Stunned laughter burst from his lips and he looked back at Tydus in disbelief before returning his gaze back towards the man aboard the casinor.


“Yer’ ship?” Kel leaned up and snatched his trident up in one hand, stepping forward until he was looming over the thief, only a few inches away from his face. Kel knew every man took the invasion of personal space as a challenge and was eager to egg the man on towards violence.


“Yeh’ be thinkin this be YER’ ship? A filthy land dweller ownin’ a Svefra made casinor?”


The Svefra could see fear and anger bubbling up in the man’s eyes. His flushed countenance grew even redder as he felt Kel’s hot breathe wafting in his face. Kel saw the man’s shoulders tense and watched as he tried to subtly shift backwards to put some distance between them. Kel was a fighter; he knew the signs of someone preparing to strike. The Svefra balanced on the balls of his feet, preparing to move when necessary. The thief just needed a little more encouragement to push him over the edge…


Kel spat in his face.


Shock registered on the man’s face. It was quickly replaced by anger as he lashed out. Having anticipated the attack, Kel quickly pivoted to the side, the fist swinging harmlessly by him to where he had been standing previously. The Svefra didn’t waste a moment but retaliated, swiftly jamming the butt of his trident into the exposed midriff of the thief. The man grabbed his stomach as he doubled over in pain.


Kel chuckled and viciously slammed his knee into the man’s face. He felt the joint in his leg connect ruthlessly with the man’s eye socket, knocking the man backwards against the gunwale. The thief sprawled out on the deck groaning, grabbing his eye and his stomach with his hands.


The Svefra leaned against the gunwale, hands once again resting on the butt of his trident.


“Me associate here, be wantin’ to talkin ta’ yeah I be thinkin.” Kel looked away from the man and grinned at Tydus. “Don’t worry mate, I softened him up for, ya.”


Kel knew how furious it made Tydus that a land dweller would dare steal from the Svefra. But he also knew that the anger didn’t stem solely from the theft but was the result of a much deeper issue. When they were kids, Kel had never seen the younger Svefra ever grow angry. Kel was the hot headed one who got them into trouble, Tydus was the silver tongued one who got them out of messes because of his ability to stay level headed. It wasn’t until they met in Riverfall that the previous Greytide member began to see the anger emerge from the Tempest.


Kel was irked about the theft but it didn’t bother him nearly as much as it did Tydus. He was interested to see to what lengths his podmate would go to exact his revenge on the possibly innocent sailor now that their lia wasn’t around to hold him back. Kel knew Tydus’ actions came from a place of guilt; Guilt for not defending his pod and dying with them. That is after all, what Kel would have done.


Kel was eager to watch his fellow podmate give in to his darker nature. There was nothing aboard this ship to hold him back from embracing it, just Kel to draw it out.


It was just them and the sea.

Common, Fratava

[Tydus Tempest]

There was only a small amount of blood oozing from the wound on the sailor's face, but to Tydus, the scent of iron filled his nostrils. Memories flared in his mind, the sight of fires towering along the mast of the Waverunner's Fist, the darkest corners of the Svefra's mind flaring with resentment as fire rose in his chest. A snarl escaped the Tempest scion's features, the Svefra glancing from Kel to the sailor, knowing that he ought to be mad at the former as well. He was clearly instigating, attempting to draw the suffering that was perpetually on his mind and even weaponize it.

Kel was being a jackass of the highest caliber, but now, Tydus didn't care. He wasn't about to lash out at his podbrother, a Svefra just like him. That only left the possibility of breaking the man who cowered before them. Tydus decided to assist in the endeavor of it all, speaking out without looking back at his podbrother as he took a step forward,

"Kel, make your way to port side. Don't want him trying to run off..."

No, Tydus wanted him right where he was. On board Laviku's Wrath, so that the man could feel the full breadth of what he had done. The ship was aptly named, a perfect description of what was to be done. Tydus offered a quick prayer to his deity as he prepared himself for the sacrifice he was about to offer him. This may not be the best sacrifice, but it's all that we have to give... The Svefra pulled at the essence of his soul, the weave of djed stored deeply within the confines of his person. The sensation of djed flowing through him brought a sense of euphoria, a grin materializing upon his expression as the Svefra layered his Hypnotism into his words.

"Get up, cur. Cowering on the ground like the pathetic excuse of a normal that you are is no way to comport yourself in the presence of the Svefra. You've done wrong to our people and now..."

The words were ignored, the normal staying on the ground. But it was the intended effect. They were not layered with simple suggestion, the Svefra having no intention of telling the bastard what to do. His fate was sealed, and there was no form of containment keeping the Svefra from unleashing the full breadth of his abilities upon the normal.

Fear. This was what he desired to elicit within the normal. Tydus felt the euphoria fill his mind, laughter bubbling in the deep reaches of his mind, quiet and inaudible to Tydus itself, yet it imprinted into him. The Tempest's grin quickly faded, morphing into a scowl upon his features as he stepped forward.

The Svefra clearly saw the effect of his words on the man, a laugh escaping his lips. Obviously, the situation had a massive effect on the depth of the effect, fear only encouraged by the hopelessness of the normal's situation, but Tydus actively sought to worsen it as he drew his cutlass from his belt.

Tydus' grip on the handle within the cutlass' guard was unpracticed, his fight tightly clenched around it, though he raised it high to his left side and brought it swooping down, an imperfect, jagged arc slicing the blade through the air and bringing it to impact upon the normal's calf, off-target from the knee that he was aiming for, but nonetheless, a deep cut resulted from the slice. Blood poured onto the casinor's floor as screams of pain filled the ruddy normal's lips.

"Scream all you want, cur... There's no one to help you here."

[Kel Tempest]

Kel acknowledged Tydus’ command by stepping back and making sure the thief didn’t try and jump overboard. But the younger Tempest made sure even if that happened, the man wouldn’t get anywhere. The cutlass swiftly descended through the air, flashing in the sunlight before slicing through the man’s pant leg and cutting into his calf. The black haired Svefra grimaced as he watched Tydus try to wield a blade he clearly had no idea how to use. It was almost pitiful to watch.


Stepping forward, Kel made a face and patted Tydus on the back from behind.


“Yeeeeeah…we’ll work on your technique later. You really are bad with that thing aren’t you…”


A chuckle slipped out from his lips as the image of Tydus trying to awkwardly attack the man with his cutlass flashed through his mind again. Kel shook his head, grinning and stood above the thief who grasped his leg, blood oozing from in between the cracks of his fingers.


Kel tossed his trident behind him, the weapon clattering across the deck towards the stern of the ship. The Svefra reached around behind himself and pulled out his kukri, holding it out for the man to see. Kel wiggled it between two fingers teasingly before throwing it behind him as well. The curved blade spun idly as it came to a halt a couple yards behind him.


Jerking a thumb over his shoulder at the discarded weapon, Kel lifted his eyebrows at the thief, smirking.


“How ‘bout we make things interestin’, eh? Knife’s right there.”


The Svefra kicked the thief in the wounded calf and then took a step back, bouncing on the balls of his feet. He rolled his shoulders back and shook his hands out. Kel grinned and flexed his fingers by his sides, eager to fight.


An incredulous look crossed the thief’s face as he stared at Kel. He looked down at his injured leg in disbelief and back up again.


“You want me to fight you? Your friend just sliced my leg open! How’s that even fair?!”


Kel snorted callously.


“Don’t be a bitch, mate. Tis’ just a flesh wound. It be this or we just gut yeh’ now ‘n dump yeh’ overboard. So get off yehr’ lazy arse ‘n fight me.”


Cockiness oozed out of Kel as he bounced lightly on his toes, grinning impishly at the man. The thief grunted in pain as he grabbed the railing and hauled himself upright, putting the majority of his weight on his good leg. He lifted his balled fists towards his face and took a step forward, limping heavily.


Kel looked appraisingly at the man. He was about the same height but looked to be a little bit lighter in weight, a scraggily beard starting to form around his jaw line, brown eyes glaring venomously at the Svefra. Kel just smirked back at him and winked.


Without warning, Kel clenched his hand and snapped out his right fist at the man’s face. But the injured sailor’s reflexes were faster than the Svefra expected, deflecting the punch with his forearm and retaliating with a strike of his own. The Tempest’s head snapped back as the heavy blow connected with his jaw, sending him stumbling back a few steps in surprise.


Kel rubbed his jaw ruthfully, face throbbing painfully. He wasn’t sure what hurt more, his bruising face or ego. He looked up at his opponent impressed.


“Aye, I knew there be some fight in yeh’.”


More warily this time, Kel lifted his fists, mimicking the stance of his opponent’s defense, seeing it protected his face better than how he had been standing. He moved in closer until he was in striking distance. This time however, the sailor attacked first. His fist sailed through the air causing Kel to duck under the blow and slam his fist into the man’s exposed side.


His opponent grunted in pain and backhanded the Svefra across the face in a wild attempt to push him back. Kel saw the incoming blow but couldn’t move fast enough and was sent reeling to the side. He caught himself on the railing of the ship, feeling the casinor rock to the side as the weight was redistributed almost tossing him into the water.


Movement caught his eye and he looked back just in time to see the thief stagger across the deck towards the kukri. Kel shoved off the railing, ignoring his smarting face and threw himself at the man, tackling him to the ground before he could reach the blade.


The two wrestled briefly as each fought to get the upper hand. Kel finally managed to push himself upright, digging a knee into the man’s chest, pinning him in place. The Svefra gripped one of the thief’s wrists in one hand and tried punching him in the face. His opponent deflected the punch again with his free arm and Kel snarled at him in frustration.


Not to be denied, the black haired sea dweller swiftly pulled his arm back and struck. He finally broke through the man’s defense and his fist connected with the thief’s face. A stupid grin came across Kel’s face as h finally landed a hit. He rolled off the man and jumped to his feet. The thief rolled over as well and desperately tried to scrabble across the deck and reach for the kukri but Kel grabbed a hold of his shirt and jerked him upright.


Muscles flexed and veins bulged as Kel heaved the man off the ground and threw him back across the deck in the opposite direction. The Svefra panted, chest heaving, his breathe ragged from the exertion. He looked over at Tydus and took a few steps in his direction, grinning broadly. Kel tapped him twice on the shoulder before leaning against the gunwale, resting.


“Round two! You’re in mate! Oh and don’t let him get to the knife. It’s reeeeally sharp…”

Legend

Fratava

Kel's Common

Kel's Thoughts

PC/NPC

[Tydus Tempest]

Tydus ignored his podbrother's jibe at his inability to use his cutlass correctly, the Svefra shaking his head as he adjusted his grip on the hilt. It was far too tight, and he found that he lacked control in the swing. It had arced in a jagged line. Tydus had no experience in using the blade, but he felt he could, at the very least, learn enough for it to be useful if he needed to defend itself. Now was, better than most, a good time to learn. A ready and unwilling target, beaten and battered by Kel, was beginning to rise to his feet. Tydus stepped forward, noting that the other Svefra had thrown the normal in his amusement.

The Tempest scion was too focused in the midst of his own concern, noting how important it was for him to be able to wield a blade. If anything, in this scenario, it allowed him the access to literally cut away at the cancer that was his rage. At least, cut away at the source. The blood on the deck and the fact that it was a different person meant very little to him. The Svefra observed swelling and bruising blossom across the normal's body, a product of his fight with Kel, but the Tempest had no intention of dirtying his body in order to show a lesson to a normal, and a male, at that.

Body to body contact is reserved for the bedroom.

In the midst of his rage, Tydus found himself chuckling, a sneer marking his features just as he made his way to his opponent. The man's fight was torn away from him by Kel, his spirit broken with the deterioration of his mobility. Tydus found him struggling to stay upright, the wound at his calf, caused by Tydus' amateurish slash, making its mark, blood staining both the leg and the deck around it. The Tempest scowled, stepping so that he was mere feet from the normal as he lashed out.

A foot raised into the air, Tydus compressing his knee so that it was rather close to his chest, launching the force of his leg into the normal's chest, though his inability to aim his kick correctly found the man's gut, instead. Rather than, as the Tempest intended, the man moving forward and crashing into the gunwale, he buckled under his own weight, crashing onto all four limbs and holding his weight up, a cough sputtering from his lips as the Tempest adjusted his grip on his cutlass.

A looser grip was taken now, still gripping at the hilt, the guard taking its place behind his hand, keeping his fingers locked in their place as he raised the blade. He swung down at the downed opponent, noting the arc was more balanced, if still swerving, the blade finding a slight bite at the normal's shoulder, though Tydus had been aiming for his upper arm, near the elbow. He cursed under his breath, trying to figure out what went wrong before his thoughts were interrupted by a plea for mercy, muffled with pain and a swollen face.

The Tempest shook his head, welling at the weave of his djed, tapping at the expanse of his strength as he layered the magic into his lips again, using sound to manifest as the medium for his words as he expressed,

"Mercy? You deserve nothing more or less than to float at the surface of the sea without arms or legs, sputtering for air before the sharks come for what's left of you."

The threat was very real, but his words were layered with a suggestion this time. Fear was already manifested in the normal's mind, both from the breaking of his spirit and the torment of his body. In the pit of the normal's mind, he would hear, I don't deserve mercy... I deserve death. I want death... Anything is better than this...

The Svefra allowed the normal a moment to process his words and subconscious suggestion, though he arched his eyebrows when he heard the man reply,

"No, please! Anything but that! Throw me over if you want, but give me a chance!"

The Svefra scowled at his own inability to sway the normal, feeling a strain beginning to build, his throat hoarse despite the fact that he had not been yelling. His fingers twitched with what he knew was the beginning of the 'shakes'What Tydus calls Overgiving., but his mind implored for him to continue. He surged with hatred for the man and disappointment in his own abilities, but he decided not to press the matter. Tydus instead offered a smile as he crouched to face the normal, stowing his cutlass just before he extended his hand.

When he did so, Tydus realized that his fingers were red from pressure, bleeding wounds opening at his knuckles, likely from rubbing against the guard. Tydus ignored it.

Rather than press the matter of making the normal beg for death, he allowed djed to well in his eyes this time, soothing his throat with his left hand for a moment before he spoke out,

"You wish for mercy...? I'll give you mercy."

The suggestion was not clear in his words, but they were heard in the normal's mind again, The Svefra will show you mercy... Just don't attack him.

Obedient to his own thoughts, the sailor neglected to strike at Tydus while he had the chance just as the Svefra turned to Kel,

"Get the knife."

[Kel Tempest]

Tydus took a much different route than the older Svefra had expected. In the Tempest’s hands, the cutlass was practically useless; Kel had anticipated him laying the weapon aside and take the fight hand to hand like he had. But then the black haired Svefra realized Tydus was probably even worse with his fists than he was with his cutlass. Kel would be impressed if the sharpened steel even landed another hit. It wouldn’t surprise him if Tydus accidently ran himself through with it before ever killing the man in front of him.


But regardless of what happened, entertainment was entertainment and Kel knew he would be getting his fill of it that day.


Rage almost seemed to radiate from his podmate; Kel could feel it coming off him in wafts. It was a side that he had never seen before in the Svefra and it intrigued him. He crossed his arms, tapping one finger against his chin, eyes narrowing as he watched the blonde haired sea dweller wrestle with the sword, trying to force it to do what he wanted it to. Possibilities began churn in the former Greytide’s mind.


If he could get Tydus to harness that energy and focus it into something productive, like being half decent with a cutlass, the two could begin scouring the seas for unsuspecting ships; ships that were less than secure, possessing things that were ripe for the taking. Merchants didn’t need all their goods; they could share a little with a few poor pod brothers.


The sound of familiar chattering caught Kel’s attention and he craned his neck, looking behind him. Jenkins sat perched on the railing of the Laviku’s Wrath, balancing carefully on the flat wooden beam, watching the chaos ensue aboard the other ship. Kel smirked at the sea otter and jerked his neck in Tydus’ direction.


“Aye, he’s pretty god awful with that weapon of his. Well have to work on that at some point.”


Kel chuckled but the smile quickly disappeared as Jenkins chittered again. The Svefra turned back towards the tavan and glared.


“Well I’d like to you see try and throw a punch or two at him and see how YOU do. Oh but wait, YOU DON’T HAVE ANY HANDS so shadd’up and keep your snide comments to yourself you cranky little jelly walker.”


The Svefra stuck his tongue out childishly at the sea otter and turned away, ignoring him. His gaze settled back on Tydus and the beaten man, hearing words being exchanged. Kel hadn’t been paying attention to anything that had been said, it just filtered through one ear and out the other.


That is, until his attention was snagged by Tydus demanding the knife. Kel perked up noticeable and instantly pushed off the railing, uncrossing his arms and quickly striding across the deck towards the kukri. He bent down and snatched it up, spinning it in the palm of his hand so that the hilt pointed away from himself.


Kel stopped beside Tydus and wordlessly held out the pommel of the dagger, barely able to hold back his tongue, glee shining in his face. He was almost bursting inside to say something but he didn’t want to distract Tydus from his dark mood. He had no idea what his podmate was planning to do but it undoubtedly be great.


And if he hesitated, Kel would be right there to mock him.

Legend

Fratava

Kel's Common

Kel's Thoughts

PC/NPC

[Tydus Tempest]

Tydus reached for the kukri, so engrossed in his own situation, in the sinking into of his own utter distaste for the normal that the world around him was dulled. The weight of the pommel pressed into his palm, the Tempest allowing a frown to mark his features as he gripped the curved knife with his left hand. Ambidextrous he was, though the Tempest preferred to use his right, and the grip felt natural to him, Tydus setting down the cutlass beside him for a moment, almost taunting the slave with it before bringing the kukri down onto the normal's hand. The blade penetrated the casinor's hull, a dull 'shunk' emitting from the blow, the force causing the Tempest to recoil.

This, however, did not compare to the normal's reaction. Tydus could not read the man's mind, but surely, his thoughts were along the lines of begging for a reason. Merciless, brutal torture was what the Tempest intended this man's closing thoughts and feelings to be rife with. Suffering and despair for stealing the ship of another Svefra. Violation of the laws of the sea. It instigated Nal'lyeo. Despite the fact that Tydus was never the most aggressive of Svefra, his levelheadedness proving to be the perfect platform from which to instill ideas of business and prosperity, frustration, rage, and self-loathing slowly peeled at the fabric of the Svefra's calm. Rage welled more often than not, angst more than present and forging its way into his actions. And the perfect medium unto which to siphon every single bit of his pent-up hatred was in front of him.

The perfect martyr.

The thought was beautiful, even poetic, though Tydus cared little for such things. Instead, Tydus reveled in the anguished shouts of the normal, allowing them to fill the air for several moments longer before he clenched his left fist, pulling it upwards and bringing his fist to collide with the normal's throat. One experienced in the art of hand-to-hand combat likely would have killed his mark with this sort of strike, but the Svefra lacked both the desire and strength to do such a thing. Instead, he sought to shut the sailor up. The hand that was not bound to the deck reached to clutch at his throat, the normal gasping for air as he choked on his own, convulsed breathing. He staggered to the floor, the force of the motion tearing the wounds on his hand all the more. A deep, jagged gash spilled more blood onto the deck as Tydus removed the blade, clutching it in his left hand before grabbing the normal's arm with his right hand.

The Tempest pushed the normal to the gunwale, the force rocking the ship ever so slightly before Tydus threw his arm over the edge, allowing the blood to spill into the ocean,

"Laviku... I offer you the blood of this blasphemous cur who stole from your children. I offer his life to you..."

The words were spoken loudly enough for Kel to hear, the prayer said for both of the Svefra.

"Get the anchor. We're going to deliver this son of a shyke to Laviku himself."

The Tempest then reached forward, pushing the cutlass, in the event that the victim grew desperate, out of reach before he swung the kukri. The blade sliced at skin and tore open the fabric of the man's shirt, exposing a bare, if pale chest, likely so from the large amount of blood already lost in the midst of the torture. Tydus lost his nerve for just a moment, allowing a breath to escape him before he forced his resolve. The kukri was held tightly in the Svefra's left hand, the Tempest reaching to grip the wrist of the normal's uninjured hand, as if holding it before he drove the kukri forward.

Steel pierced flesh and tore through the thin bone of the chestplate, the force again impacting upon the Tempest's shoulder and elbow, though he ignored it, forcing the blade deep into the normal's body as he felt the life's blood, tainted with the stain of blasphemy, drip onto his arm. The flow was constricted by the continued presence of the kukri, but Tydus had no intention of removing it just yet. He stood up, making his way to a coil of unused rope, slinging it onto his shoulder as he looked to Kel,

"He deserves this fate. Let's string him up and toss him in."