"Change your clothes. I'll look for a pirate ship outside the mangroves," Sylvester informed them after changing his attire, wearing fake long ears and dressing in brown robes with a hood.
"Look for a ship with at least three masts. The rest can't cross the Blood Sea that easily." Avanss advised Sylvester before the latter took to the air.
Sylvester quickly moved toward the East, walking above the treeline of the Vine Forest. It was a massive expanse of space, almost half as big as what used to be The Patch in the south. The dense trees, deadly vines, and green water that looked like land were the perfect traps for the lost souls.
Soon, he arrived at the forest's edge where the mangrove met the Blood Sea. And that was precisely where the pirates docked their ships to rest or to buy supplies. It was the perfect location since Vine Forest had maze-like waterways for the pirates to hide if any Holy Fleet was in sight. At the same time, the Forever Port on the southern coast of Riveria was a pirate's paradise to buy whatever they needed. Other than slaves, they could buy and sell nearly anything there.
'Hmm… Three masts?' Sylvester looked at more than a dozen ships. Most of them were flying different flags. But the common thing was the black background of all the flags, signifying they were indeed pirates.
"Maxy, look!" Miraj suddenly chirped while flying around Sylvester, attempting to play with a few pigeons. Sadly, the birds only saw Miraj as an apex predator coming after their lives.
"What?" Sylvester glanced at where Miraj pointed his fluffy paw.
"That big ship has a cat's face in front!" Miraj exclaimed excitedly. "Can we take that ship? Pleaaaaaase?"
Sylvester looked closely. The ship, indeed, had a strange figurehead of a female cat beastkin. The head belonged to a feminine cat with an almost human-like expression, and the body was also made in the most seductive way possible, which for Sylvester, felt disgusting. Moreover, the flag had a skull and swords, but the feline skull had cat ears.
"But that's a five-mast ship… It's too big for us." Sylvester muttered, but soon his keen eyes saw something on the ship. "And they seem to have live captives they haven't sold… alright, we're taking it."
Sylvester knew he wasn't a righteous hero. But, as he understood his role in the grand scheme of things was about being a role model, he had to leave an impression on those hurt by the messed-up laws of the world—give them hope and a dream of a bright future to look forward to. Otherwise, the goal of uniting the world would remain a dream.
"Huzza! Huzza!" Miraj cheered and jumped onto Sylvester's shoulder, tapping his paws on Sylvester's head.
'He's excited about going to Beastaria and finding others like him… I hope this won't be a depressing trip for him.' Sylvester thought to himself and rejoined his team at the ruins.
The three men had prepared themselves neatly by the time. Dagorith had also changed his clothes to torn tunics and trousers. Furthermore, Avanss had placed ankle chains on the two, restraining them.
Wasting no time, they quickly got back on the boat and rowed out of the Vine Forest. It was a calming ride, and it gave Sylvester enough time to speak with a few people through the Solarium Web, as he had an important task.
Being able to absorb Solarium from plants was the easiest, and being surrounded by them, he felt as if he'd never lose Solarium there. So the connection was instantly established, connecting multiple receivers all at once.
'Lord Inquisitor, King Highland, Queen Trinity, King Kaecilius, Isabella, and Lord Einarr—I'm leaving for an important mission and won't be reachable for a while. In the meantime, I have an important task for all of you.' Sylvester spoke in his head.
Quickly, acknowledgment came from the other sides as all the monarchs and powerhouses listened silently.
So Sylvester continued. 'I want you all to order an unspoken ban on transcontinental slavery. Furthermore, I need all your nations to come together with your navies and kill all the pirates that dock beside the Vine Forest or those roaming the sea—I repeat—kill all of them!'
'The filth shall be cleansed, Your Holiness—No more will they trouble you with their lowliness.' Lord Inquisitor's reply came in an instant.
But there was more to it than simply killing them. King Highland, being a great administrator, noticed and asked. 'But, Your Holiness. What about those Beastaria slaves already here?'
Sylvester hummed and told them his plan. 'I value them for their expertise, and it's a fact that they won't be treated well by their kind if they return to Beastaria. The females will be seen as tainted, and men will be given the lowest of the lowest work in their communities. So start taking all the Beastaria slaves from slave-holders in your land and give them a new home, better clothes, and food, but don't let them leave.'
'What are you planning to do with them?' Isabella questioned.
Sylvester cryptically answered. 'In time, as the light shall spread, Bard's warmth shall take home in everyone's head.'
'Amen.'
'Amen.'
Others grasped his meaning easily. With that, Sylvester ended his communication and focused on exiting the Vine Forest. They were already on the edge, and the open seas were visible in the distance.
"Which one?" Avanss asked since there were too many big and small ships.
"The one with a cat figurehead—five-masted one." Sylvester pointed and made the two 'slaves' row the boat.
In no time, they arrived near the vast, five-masted ship, with more than a hundred cannons protruding out of each side. However, the cannons didn't operate on gunpowder but magic—wizards or crystals.
"HALT!"
Soon enough, a loud shout came from the top deck while more than three dozen heads looked down at the oncoming boat. As expected, the pirates didn't look like a hygienic bunch. They had rotten teeth, skin diseases, and various wounds all over them, some fresh and some old. However, a few were robbed like wizards and looked much better.
"I wish to hire your mighty ship to travel across the Blood Sea." Sylvester voiced, making himself sound deeper while revealing his facial features and ears. "I wish to reach Hydra Bay—I have gold."
Clink clink!
Sylvester shook a decently large cloth sack, making the gold coins inside jingle. "A thousand Gold Graces."
That amount of money was equal to over fifty slaves. It was enticing and exciting for the pirates to even hear about. After all, all crew members got a small portion of any income they made.
"Business? Come on right up, my friends." One of the pirates shouted excitedly.
"Wait!" But then a new voice reverberated, full of authority but feminine.
Sylvester didn't flinch and instead took off the hood entirely to reveal his beautiful blonde hair and impeccable face that seduced women of all ages. He waited and soon noticed a brown-haired woman looking down. She had a pretty face but rotten teeth, her brown hair was short, and her stature was relatively thin.
"What are two elves doing this far West? I thought you folks don't dirty your hands with the nasty work." The woman asked, smartly so.
Avanss came forward this time, for he was a handsome man too. And apparently, he was a much better seducer. "My lady, desperate times call for desperate measures, don't they? I would love to tell you more about our journey into Sol—with a good bottle of wine."
Avanss took out an expensive bottle of alcohol from his bag and dangled it before the woman. Continuously, he smiled, and soon enough, the woman also smiled—showing her not-so-likable teeth. They weren't crooked but simply rotten.
"I'm the Captain's daughter, Kamila Frightworth. Come on up." She seductively invited them onboard.
"My name is Avanss, and this here is my friend Zohron. Behind are two slaves—names don't matter."
The sailors threw down a rope ladder in no time, and soon the four were onboard the large ship. From the look of it, it was clear they didn't own it. It was likely a Holy Navy's five-masted warship, now repainted and repurposed for pirates—but from the condition of the paint, it was at least fifty years old.
"You got a fine ship here, Miss Kamila." Avanss never stopped flirting with the female pirate, who was at least in her twenties.
Thud!
"Who are these long-eared friends? Buying or selling?"
Sylvester noticed the long-bearded, white-haired man. His clothes were much better, and his body seemed clean too. His one hand was a prosthetic limb, but he was a tall and sturdy-looking man. At one glance, it was clear this was the Captain.
'I smell something… Oh… Amusing.'
Sylvester saw something that Avanss was unable to notice. So he moved forward and shook the pirate captain's hand. "I'm Zohron of Alfia. I wish to hire your crew to bring us across the sea. We pay in gold."
The man raised one hand and twisted his mustache to shape it. "Gold is good, but we don't leave until the supplies are here and the merchandise is taken—By the way, Captain Longbeard at your service… my esteemed elven friends."
Sylvester glanced behind the Captain. At least thirty Beastkins of varying species were kept there, wounded from beating, thin, and tired from the long voyage. They were all chained and were likely prepared to be sent to the buyers—Catkins, Dogkins, Wolfkins, Cowkins, Pigkins, Ratkins, Eaglekins, and a few Tigerkins too—a majority were women and children.
'This scent… Their eyes have already lost all hope. Their last chance of being saved had passed long ago.' Sylvester thought to himself.
"Supplies? But I saw a supply ship already loading up materials at the back of your ship." Sylvester pointed out. "I would like to leave immediately."
"My ship, my rules—take your gold elsewhere if you're unhappy." Captain Longbeard haughtily said and attempted to walk past Sylvester.
'Scent of greed and excitement… the anger is a farce.'
"Why can't some pirates be gentlemen?" Sylvester mumbled and summoned his spear, which was simply Chonky opening his mouth and vomiting it out.
THUD!
With a single tap on the ship's deck, the knees of all the men and women onboard went weak. Every single body on deck fell with a thump, and no matter what, they couldn't stand up. Shock filled their widened and confused eyes.
Sylvester turned around and ensured Avanss, Dagorith, and Sir Dolorem were unaffected. Then he allowed Captain Longbeard to stand up. "I'm taking over this ship!"
"What?!" the sailors looked at each other's faces, confused and terrified at the power Sylvester showcased.
"But…" Kamila tried to speak while being pressed down. "Take over? But… that's what we do!"
Sylvester scoffed and glared into Captain Longbeard's eyes. "You think I don't know your pathetic plan? Elves fetch thousands of gold per body—You want to call your people and sell us, don't you?"
"Ah… classic backstabbing," Avanss commented from the side, unbothered. The man was old, and he had seen plenty.
"N-No… Respected elven friends… I would never. You're my business partners… I have splendid relations with Alfia." Captain Longbeard tried to negotiate his way out.
"Lies. The meaning of that flag. You specialize in hunting Beastkins, don't you?" Sylvester pointed out and tapped his spear on the deck once again.
Clank!
All the chains holding the Beastkins on the deck got removed. They looked around confusedly and slowly stood up.
"Prepare to depart, my Beastkin friends," Sylvester ordered the freed slaves.
It was shocking to the Beastkin crowd that an elf was helping them, especially since Beastkins were now being hated for accepting Solis. But they took the opportunity; something was better than nothing.
"Nooo… You can't do that! We spent six months catching them." Captain Longbeard cried, unable to do anything.
Pa!
Sylvester slapped the bearded pirate. "Luck favors the mighty."
"I-I will pay you. Thousand gold? Or T-Two thousand?"
Sylvester slapped him again, glaring. "Look me in the eye! Yes… I'm the Captain now."
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