As the Navy captain led me out of Silverhold, they boarded a heavy ketch, a ship only meant for transporting prisoners for executions or for pursuing the most dangerous of wanted criminals. A major stood at the helm, a different captain beside her. The one from Silverhold disembarked, heading back to his station in the Navy base. With one last signal, the ship sailed off, to make the short one hour trip to Palo Town.
As the sight of Silverhold faded into the distance, I noticed that the sun was currently setting. Even as a prisoner on a Navy ketch, I found the sight beautiful. It wasn’t as great as seeing it atop the Ravennan mountains, or even the top of the Frostmill cliffs… But still, I appreciated it, even as I was sombered to think it would be the last one I’d ever see. The journey was quiet the whole time, so I figured I’d just sit down and watch the water flow past the ship’s hull, letting my memories take over.
After everything that happened at Whitesummit, I had made up my mind. I sold the cargo crate I had recovered to the shipwright in Blackwater Grotto, and though it wasn’t much, I could at least afford a bit of a repair to my old rowboat. Once the fog had cleared, I rowed my way back to Palo, though I had a different plan than usual. I hid in the more wilderness-filled half of the island, waiting the last few hours for the sun to drop below the horizon. After the shipwright left his station for the night, it was the perfect time to act.
I knew the shipwright wasn’t really one who secured his cargo well. Then again, he had tons of it, so even if a couple crates, even a hundred, were taken, he wouldn’t really lose too much. Still, though, he kept the warehouse securely locked, shut behind several steel locks. I pulled out a lockpick I hid in my pocket, and began to work away at them. The docks were deserted, and the streets were empty. Even if it took ten or twenty minutes, I’d still have a way to do this.
Even despite my inexperienced, I cracked the locks, snatched a couple of boxes, and snuck back to my rowboat, rowing away from the island as quickly as I could. And once I returned to the hidden cave at Whitesummit, I turned in the stolen cargo and bought myself a small sailboat once more.
I repeated this process several times, going between different towns and stealing cargo when I could. My bounty began to rack up quickly, though I managed to evade the Navy forces as best as I could. Sometimes a small sailboat or just a small patrol; of marines would catch me in the act, but I managed to escape before they could arrest me.
Despite my luck, I wasn’t flawless in my acts. The first time I got arrested was at the Forest of Cernunno, where I was caught in the act of transporting stolen cargo. I was surprised by a hero who was staying at the area, and having no combat experience, I didn’t bother resisting.
This arrest led me to start training my combat skills. I took a break from stealing cargo, staying around at Whitesummit to train with my dagger. I purchased a trident from the armorer, and bought a new dagger once my old one was worn down. I fought the blackwater criminals in duels, and eventually, I began to win more and more frequently.
One afternoon, I had scaled the cliffs of Whitesummit to go catch a couple of fish to sell for some money, as the galleons I had earned from theft began to dwindle. Once I caught a decent number of fish, I prepared to climb back down, when I heard a loud crash. I looked up to see a Navy caravel, the marines and vice captain aboard disembarking and climbing up the cliffside at an alarming pace. I set down my fish and readied my weapons. I was not going to risk the safety of Blackwater Grotto.
I lashed out with my trident, clashing with the marines’ cutlasses and swords as they approached. However, they forced me back, and even as I injured some of them, they just fought on. The vice captain soon made it up, and began to rapid fire crystal blasts at me. At some point, my body had enough, collapsing onto the snow. The cold, the magic, the fight with the marines… It was all too much.
And yet, despite everything, I went back to stealing goods. I bought a ketch, reinforced it, and sailed from Ravenna to Whitesummit, selling as much stolen cargo as I could carry. I had obtained arcanium cannons myself, and they kept most Navy ships at bay. I spent most of my hard-earned money on a special hammer - sparkling steel embedded with a blue jewel, a replica of a weapon previously owned by a famed Navy member.
I noticed my bounty on the boards growing higher and higher, but I didn’t care. I merely continued to ship my stolen cargo, again and again. To a disgraced merchant like me, it was all I lived for anyways. The Navy caught me again, but I didn’t care. I’d live my life how I’d like.
Sailing wasn’t always the smoothest, but we blew up the ships of any pirates that tried to attack us. The same went for Navy or Bronze Legion ships, sinking from the arcanium cannons I had installed. The mysterious red and black ships - which I heard belonged to a group of mercenary assassins - ignored me, and I didn’t go after merchant ships. I wasn’t a hypocrite. I bought yet another new dagger, this one infused with the poison of a rare shark called a Poison Jaws. It cost a fortune, about as much as that hammer, but it was something.
My fatal mistake was trying to go to Windrow to strike a trade deal with the wolf bandits. Apparently they had valuable resources, but they were also violent and difficult to negotiate with. When I went there, I thought the bandits would be the difficult part. Turns out, they were pretty amicable, accepting my deal after some bargaining. As I loaded the boxes into my ship, however, I spotted a rapidly approaching Navy ketch. Two more followed behind, the fleet a menacing sight on the horizon.
There wasn’t really anything I could do about it; my ship would be weighed down by the cargo, and the Navy was too close; it was best to hide at Windrow. I searched the island, finding a hidden cave containing a couple of old treasure chests. I hid beside the loot, sealing the entrance with a few large boulders. I could soon hear the sounds of footsteps, magic, and after that, fighting, presumably with the bandits.
For the next hour or two, I waited in the dark room. I had only a small lamp, and I left it beside me as I waited. The Navy was definitely persistent, but despite their searches, they had not yet come across my little hiding spot. Still, I knew they’d find me sooner or later. It was only a matter of time.
A while later, I heard the sounds of sails being lowered. I had to admit, I was surprised they were leaving. I thought they’d stay to find me, but I guess I was wrong. However, just as the sounds of ship sails faded from earshot, I heard the crash of glass magic, followed by the streaming of light into my cave.
A Navy vice captain stood at the now destroyed blockade to the entrance, and he opened his mouth to shout for reinforcements. However, I hit him over the head with my hammer, knocking him out cold. Regardless, an unconscious body was an obvious clue, so I took it into the cave and laid it beside me. They’d find the vice captain missing soon, but I was sure the Wolf Bandits had at least taken out some of the marines.
It wasn’t long before the next Navy member, this time a marine, found me, stepping into the cave out of curiosity only to be met with the swing of my hammer. This went on for a while, until the remaining Navy forces, now regrouped, all wound up at my spot.
I knew I should have ran, but the fear kept me from doing so. If I had made a mad dash for the ship, there may have been a Navy major waiting for me there. Yet, this was just as bad. Before any of them could react, I leaped out of the cave, swinging my trident wildly and pushing past the Navy. They retaliated, of course, throwing punches, weapons, and magic beams, but I couldn’t care less. I would be dead if I didn’t get away from there.
With my life on the line, I ran with all my might towards my anchored ship. As expected, it was guarded, but I made quick work of the Navy captain and his subordinates. Yet, just as I was about to board my ship and get to safety, I felt something strike me in the back, hard and true.
A lightning blast, conical in shape, pierced my back, and I fell, writing in agony. The paralysis spread through my body, and the Navy quickly caught up. I had dropped my weapons I was using when I was hit, sending them sprawling across the grass. I could hear the wind rush through the ravine of the island, between the mountain-high cliffs.
As the paralysis wore off, I struggled to get to my feet. The fight with the Navy guarding my ship had taken a bit of a toll on me, and the forces pursuing me had hit me while I was down. Still, I struggled to my feet, as trembling as they were. I looked around at the faces of the Navy members, each wearing a different expression. I could see the one who had fired the blast a captain, based on his uniform - standing at the very back of the group.
I recalled my Poison Tooth Dagger, still hidden in my coat pocket. My clothes were torn, my top hat was on the floor, and my face was caked with blood and dirt. However, as the marines approached with their magic handcuffs, I slipped out my dagger. In a swift motion, I spoke in almost a whisper.
“Spiraling Fury.”
With all the energy I had left, I charged forwards, slashing at any Navy marines in my way. I gripped my dagger hard, plunging it into the lightning mage captain. He collapsed as the poison took its toll on him, but even against a bunch of marines and a couple of vice captains, I didn’t have a bit of energy left. I lost consciousness then and there, the poison dagger still in my grip.
And so, I was sent to prison, an execution sentence being quickly decided. They healed my injuries with some basic medicine, though clearly, they didn’t put much care into my recovery, considering I’d die in a few days regardless. I waited out my days in the cell in silence, not talking to any prisoners or Navy members. It wasn’t like anything would save me this time, anyways, not even my own wits.
As I recalled my final thoughts, the Navy ketch anchored at Palo, raising the sails. A few vice captains got off to stand guard, and the execution platform was already ready, complete with two executioners. Mayor Tilly watched from her balcony as I was brought to the platform, the crowd parting to let me and the Navy by.
As I stood up on the platform, I stared down at the crowd. From what I could see, it was mostly merchants and townspeople, with a couple of Navy members and even what looked like one of those mysterious assassins off in a corner of the docks. But they all watched, not a single word to be spoken.
The executioners began their same monotonous speech. “We bring to you the notorious criminal Hawkins, captured and detained by the Grand Navy…”
I diverted my eyes to the ever-darkening skies, the blue fading away slowly. The sun was soon out of sight, night having fallen. Once of the executioners tapped me on the shoulder before continuing their speech.
“Now, Hawkins, if you have any final words, you may speak them.”
(Ending 1)
“Get it done with… I have nothing to say.”
I sighed as the executioners nodded, their faces obscured by the black helmets they wore.
“We will now commence the execution of Hawkins. Do not look away, for this is the fate that awaits all criminals of the War Seas.”
I felt their spears stab into my chest, blood pouring out from my wounds. I could feel my consciousness slipping, the light fading from my eyes. I could hear the executioners speak again.
“Hawkins will cause death and destruction no longer!”
In the distance of my cloudy vision, I thought I could see a ship. The foggy figure of a caravel drew nearer until I could see it dock at Palo. A figure leapt out, but all I could see was green. The Navy vice captain standing guard suddenly went on alert, and the crowd ran. The executioners quickly fled too, based on their figured vanishing from the corners of my vision.
“If only I was a minute earlier… Why must this happen?”
I could hear the green figure speak as my eyes shut tightly. My last sight was of the person fighting the Navy, perhaps to avenge me. I didn’t care anymore. The silence washed over me, and I could feel nothing more. Even the stab wound from the executioners no longer felt painful. Everything went black, and I finally felt, for once in my life, at peace. There was nothing more to worry about… No more suffering in this sea.
Ending 1 Bonus
After some time, I opened my eyes to world of pure white. I thought I had somehow ended up at Cirrus or some other sky island after the execution, but that made zero sense. I blinked once or twice more before standing up. What I saw before me was quite amazing.
People from seemingly all walks of life, be it civilians, criminals, famed heroes, Navy members, or even some of those mysterious assassins, walked by in a town more expansive than Rubica. People seemed to get along with one another quite well, even if they were from opposing factions. I had no clue where I was, or how I had ended up here… Was this the afterlife?
I was left pondering this when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see a face I had never though I’d see again. All I could utter out was “Captain…?”
But it was really him, the captain that accompanied me on our cargo trips back when I was just a normal merchant. He smiled at me, leading me into town, past all the people bustling around.
“Never thought you’d be here so soon, Hawkins… But well, let me show you around. I’m sure you’ll like this place. There may not be any seas here, but there is eternal respite. I’m sure you’ll feel at home here. Perhaps you can even work as a merchant again.”
(Ending 2)
I took a deep breath as I prepared my last words, carefully thought out while in my cell. Maybe, just maybe they’d resonate with someone in the crowd.
"Being a criminal was not fully of my own choice. My life’s circumstances took a turn for the unfortunate in the past few years, and it’s driven me down this path. While I’ve attained many riches, I’ve also befallen many misfortunes. And now, as I stand waiting to be executed, I’ve lost everything.
I know it sounds cliché, but don’t follow what I’ve done. I’m nothing but a failed merchant at this point, sentenced to death. I hope that maybe, the seas can forgive me. I turned to crime because I had simply lost too much… And I hope with all my heart that nobody experiences what I did. And yet crime will continue to last across the Seas, and so will the Navy’s executions…
All I ask is to please think of the criminals as something other than a stereotypical bad person. We aren’t all heartless killers and pirates. Even if I do die, I wouldn’t want to be forgotten, Because despite everything life has thrown my way, maybe there was a way out. I guess my willpower just wasn’t strong enough… And now all that awaits me is death."
I let out a sigh as I finished, and I saw a small murmur had spread amongst the crowd. I suppose this was all I wanted: a reaction. With one last breath, I closed my eyes and prepared for the end. And yet, it never came.
“You will not lay a hand on that man.” I noticed a caravel had arrived at the docks, and a person dressed in green clothes and hair disembarked. I recognized her instantly as the warlock who had rescued me out at sea all that time ago back when my old ketch got sunk by pirates. Why would she come back for me?
She leaped forwards, bashing some of the Navy guards in the face before unleashing a shockwave explosion. The crowd scattered in fear, and the executioners retreated. It only took a few minutes for her to beat up all the vice captains until they were either dead or unconscious and snap the handcuffs on my back.
“Come on, we don’t have time to talk.” She led me onto her caravel, and together we sailed off, the Navy in hot pursuit. However, they were terribly outsped, and in the dark of night, we made our escape.
“Why did you save me?” This question nagged at my mind, for I was just some stupid cargo thief. What purpose did I have being rescued?
“I can’t tolerate these executions. The Navy does nothing to help criminals like you, and just jails and kills them. It’s sickening. I’ve devoted my life to saving prisoners from executions, and you’re no exception. You’re that castaway I rescued a few months back, correct?”
“Yeah… That was I was even more surprised at seeing you.”
“Don’t sweat it. I save any and all prisoners sentenced to death, whether I know them or not. Still… I’m surprised you turned your life to crime.”
“It’s a long story, I guess… I don’t think I could properly explain it all.”
“That’s fine.” We stopped at a small beach, the wilderness island it was part of being rather small. “I don’t have much time, so let me tell you this: If you go further up that cliff, you’ll find a shipwright named Thorin. I’d recommend hiding out here a few days so the Navy loses track of you. Here’s some galleons so you can buy yourself a new ship. Just… promise me you won’t go back to crime. I don’t know if I’ll save you in time again.” She dropped a small bag containing a couple hundred galleons, and got back onto her caravel.
“Wait, before you go… What’s your name?”
“Just call me Eve Ark. I have to leave in case the Navy picks up on my trail again. Good luck, Hawkins… I hope you can start your life anew.”
With that, the sails of the caravel were lowered, and off she sailed… I waited at the beach, watching the sight fade into the darkness of the night sky. She was right. Maybe I could start my life over, somehow. I wondered if there was a way I could get the Navy to forget about me… And maybe then, I could have a return to some sense of normalcy.
