Clockworks on the Island IV

Hello! If you're reading this during July 2013, then I'm busy writing for NaNoWriMo! I'm also busy taking a class over this month, so I will be harder to reach. However, I have written a short story to be published over this month for you to enjoy. You'll find an update on things twice this month. Enjoy!

Backstory: Brecken is sent to Skull Island to fight in the resistance against the invading Armada. She meets Errol and does not want to befriend him. After meeting with Captain Avery, Brecken teaches Errol a few fighting skills and sends him to sleep. Brecken meets with a friend and offers to take the night shift for her.

A cold breeze blew colder through Jonah Town as the night continued. Brecken approached a wooden tavern, stepping in. Familiar talk filtered in throughout the space, and creaking from upstairs in the inn could be heard.

"How many beds ye got left?" Brecken asked the bartender, keeping her head down.

"A few. Twenty thou for one, and -"

"Alright, make that one..." Brecken sighed, "There room in here?"

"Plenty." Brecken nodded. She walked back outside where Errol stood. Brecken rolled her eyes.

"It's not that bad. Come on, I got you a room." Errol shrugged and sighed, walking towards the inside. "I got a room for myself, too – just down the hall," Brecken lied. Errol disappeared into the inn, and Brecken ordered a drink for herself once he was gone.

"I never thought I'd see 'em again," a pirate laughed from nearby, "An' I didn't – took out me eye, they did!" Brecken prodded her own eyepatch. She turned to face the conversation. A friend of the dead-eye's turned to her.

"So, captain? How'd yours go?" Brecken kept her face straight.

"There's a Marleybonian dog fencer – female, at that – by the name of Marissa Helmsley. She was out stealin' again, and I was sent during my Navy duties to fish her out o' the skies.

"In my time, the Marleybonian air had plenty of clockwork activity. Ships were docked at the Isle of Fetch and a whole machine had been built near the Isle o' Dogs. Scary place, you know. Marissa was rumored to be near the tower by the name o' Beachhead. You would know that Beachhead, before I destroyed it meself, had been a source of fire of the Armada. That's right, I took 'er out.

"In the end, it was Marissa 'n I, fencin' and shoutin' insults at one another." Brecken took slow sips of Yum, smiling in memory. "She had dragged her sword across me face, and I took the opportunity of her smile to take her out with me own sparkshooter." Brecken unsheathed her pistol, sliding her hand over the side. A small crowd marveled over her. Brecken turned her hat down and stood up.

"I should be off," Brecken murmured, "Have a good night, scurvy ones." Brecken walked out from the tavern and towards the docks, watching Fiona's ship sway in the oncoming wind. Cannonfire hadn't decreased with the time. Brecken wondered when the pirates would be too fatigued to fight against the sleepless clockworks. Being on the island was a death sentence indeed. A shadow loomed over the island, and Brecken accepted her instinct to stand. Standing had saved her life in Valencia, anyways. She gazed up at a hulking Armada-origin galleon, cruising by on the windlane. It stopped in front of Jonah Town. Brecken scurried back a few steps, and looked to the town. It was a peaceful fishing city, not a place for fighters. She spied a bell on top of a building. Using her peripherals to guide her barely-mentored shooting skills, Brecken took a shot. The bell chimed then was destroyed in a loud clang. Brecken winced at the noise, then at the single clockwork officer that landed on the docks.

"A pirate," it cooed, "How appropriate for...first impressions." Brecken stood her ground, unsheathing a dagger from her belt. "I am...Presidius Mulitius, fleet commander of --"

"Yeah, yeah," Brecken growled, stepping right up to the clockwork, "I'm still not moving. What makes you think you have access to this port?" A spark whizzed by Brecken's shoulder. She closed her eyes. Once, she and her first mate had taken out an entire fleet of clockworks and came out unscathed. Only two faced her. As Brecken stalled the clockwork, two turned to ten, to twenty, topping fifty after a minute. Presidius Militius swiped its axe down, making Brecken leap to the side.

"See, you are no thorn in the side of the Armada, pirate," Presidius cooed. Brecken darted back, aiming a high kick at the clockwork followed by a gunshot and a swipe of her dagger. The clockwork dropped immeidately, and others followed its path. After only minutes, a heap of metal was around Brecken, forming a sort of fort. Something was above it, though, something with wings. It didn't speak, but a sort of scream was uttered as a battle cry. Brecken yelped and sprung into a backflip, shooting at the clockwork battle angel and landing just outside of her fort. However, the clockwork simply strode forwards in the air, using its sharp rapier to pierce and lift Brecken by the collar. It flew, carrying the pirate towards the top of the landing. Brecken struggled, but she couldn't seem to wriggle free. The cold air nipped at her cheeks as she felt more whoosh under her. Brecken struggled for a moment, but them hung limp. The Angel didn't seem to be letting go. Was she just to be there until the fleets left, or until someone of higher rank could attend to her? Brecken cringed. She heard metal on metal farther back, and turned her chin. Something was fighting more of the clockworks – her bell chime worked. The fight slowly escalated upwards. A smaller pirate, bloodied up to the point of being tough to recognize, approached the battle angel. It unsheathed it other dagger, aiming it for the pirate's neck. In one swift motion, the pirate whacked the angel's wrist, knocking the sword out. He pushed the angel back, lowering Brecken to where she could cling to the deck.

"Errol!" she exclaimed, getting a help up. Errol wiped his face and kicked the battle angel over the docks. Destiny saw people boarding and fleeing on their ships. The Armada was just too much.

-

7/18 - Two announcements!

1) Just picked up the Swashbuckler Rake's Lagoon!

2) Going to attempt the SGP/Deathbane Maxwell Maze today! I'll be sure to post it in my Sunday updates.