Thorn Bain Chronicles

Chapter 1

As the alert of "Land Ahoy" came down below decks, Thorn was already stood to, waiting for more commands. The rocking of the sea had become a comfort to him now he had been at sea for near on 9 months. He observed the others around him, pirates he had joined them of the coasts of Istan, after doing whatever ungodly things they do. Thorn didn’t really have much to do with the crew that when at sea seemed to command the waves. The only reason he had joined up was the captain ol’ one eye was an old friend of his fathers. Thorn had never met his father but had succumbed to the fact that his father was one of the greatest pirates to sail the seas.

"Cap’n wants to see you." Smirked a corsair with an ugly scar crossing his mouth.
"Tell him I’ll be topside in five." Thorn replied.
"Beggin ya pardon but Cap’n don’t like to be kept waiting if ya get what I mean."
"Still that tongue if you don’t want me to feed you too my tiger friend here and continue with your duties, pirate."

So the captain had something to discuss with Thorn, probably the incident when he strung up the corsair by his feet from the main sail for spilling his beer on the young ranger. He would leave him to stew for a couple of minutes while he fed Astreal. Thorn and Astreal had been friends for about 3 years after Thorn had rescued the glossy white fur coated tiger from the gladiator arena deep within the kurzik woods. Astreal was big for a tiger and as he paced around the tight bone made cage the taught muscles flexed up and down his body.
"Looked like you would be having corsair for dinner there lad didn’t you." Thorn muttered to the tiger as he knelt. "Yeh more jahai rat meat im sick of it too, I can’t wait till we get to land." Astreal let out a mournful wail. Tigers were never meant for the sea and Astreal was terrified of the water, big pansy Thorn thought, but Thorn had been brought up on the seas as a traveller.

Thorn climbed the slippery slimy stairs up to the main deck towards the captain’s quarters, as he got to the deck, he looked around and the sights and the smells of the sea came to him. There was indeed land ahead and he raced to the front of the large boat, with a jump he swung through a gap in the rigging and landed crouched on the jib. The long wooden pole flexed as he shifted to the end and took in the sights and sounds. He smiled; there it was their destination Lions Arch. He walked back to the captain’s office where he stood, before the old captain looked up from his sea charts.
"Aha Thorn me lad and how does the sea fare thee today." The old captain smiled.
"Not too bad sir, Astreal is still cowering in his cage."
The old captain let out a laugh and returned to his charts, "I don’t know what you see in that mangy moggy me lad."
"Well he could tear any of the men apart on board this ship without even needing to blink."

The old captain was silent for a few minutes and looked up at Thorn. "Were making good progress me lad, give it a day and we’ll dock at Port, then that’s as far as we can take ye’ me and the lads are thinkin Vabbi has large riches and not enough guards." The old man laughed.
Thorn left the old oak cabin, and headed up the mast and rigging, to the crows nest.
"Take a break one eye." Thorn muttered to the corsair in the nest.
"right you are sir." The half blind, tired corsair yawned as he retreated down the mast.
Thorn loved it up the crows nest it was calm, quiet, and from up here you could see from the sea behind you right to the southern Shiverpeaks on the horizon.

As Thorn gazed down towards the port a glimmer caught his eye to the west, it seemed to be another ship, and it was gaining fast. He grabbed the telescope from next to him and glanced through the twisted glass, his eyesight was good this ship was not too far, it was an old ship which looked damaged. Thorn moved the telescope to the sail and saw the flag of lions arch. What was going on? He used the telescope to find the city and saw smoke curdling from its buildings and churches. "No." thorn gasped his mouth felt dry as he tried to command his body to calm and warn the ship. "STAND TO" he yelled at the top of his voice and turned to look at the main wheel, the corsairs had got the point and seemed to be heaving to and dropping the sails, but that wasn’t what had caught his eye, was he dreaming, gaining speed from behind were two beautiful ships made from what looked like the richest oak. The two ships were not of the royal navy or of Cantha or Istan, but both had sails of the richest silk sporting the cape design of one of the largest guilds across the lands, DAD. "But…but I thought they were a myth." Thorn muttered. The red, golden and black sails twisted and whipped in the wind and the golden phoenix seemed to glow with the brightness of a sun.

Thorn slid down the mast thanking his gloves made from the shell of the old siege turtles of the luxons, for protecting his hands from the splinters of the old rough mast. He sprinted into the captains quarters where he found the captain standing staring out of the rear window towards the large ships. Another man, unknown to Thorn in the strongest of armour stood with the presence of a bear reached forward and extended his hand to Thorn, his other arm clutched what looked like a templar helm.
"Caught up with you at last have we Thorn." The warrior said calmly.
"what….how do you know my name?"
"My name is Uncle Noteeth, and those ships chasing yours are mine. They are under my command do not worry." Thorn tried to take all this in. "So your with DAD am I correct?"
"Ah, so you have heard of us, but yes you are correct, I am in charge of DAD I would wish for you to join us aboard our ships, as you have seen Lions arch burns and we need help to recapture it. It is long that have been away from home but now you have returned."
"How do you know all this?" Thorn whispered.
"now is not the time, that is a story for another time now listen Thorn, ride into battle with us to defend this land what do you say?" Uncle commanded.
"Aye Cap’n. My bow and sight is yours."

The goodbyes were short and before Thorn knew it the small rowing boat sculled up towards the larger of the two ships. Uncle had barely spoken during the journey across. Men and women gathered at the side of the ship to see who Uncle had bought back.
"Draco!" Uncle shouted.
"Aye." A tallish ranger shouted down.
"Drop that ladder."
"Yes sir." Draco replied to uncle.
Thorn climbed, when he pulled himself over the side he was greeted by about thirty people all wearing the DAD cape, A new era had started for Thorn.

- Written by Thorn Bain