Crowned Anchors

Alas, Atlas

The ship, The Sea Foam's Freedom, was approaching the sirens cave. It was dangerous for most, but not this captain.

The ship reached the coral aways from the beach. The captain grabbed a rope from the crows nest, and used to to swing himself down to the deck. The salty sea air whipped his hair, he landed and addressed his crew, "'Ey, mates!" They all turned to him, "Y'all are fine lasses, but I'm heading to the siren's cavern myself. If I'm not out in an hour 'n a half come get me with earplugs in. I did teach ya folks sign language and morse, yeah?"

"Aye, Capt'n." The crew spoke.

"Good."

Atlas grabbed a canteen of fresh water, a single piece of bismuth, and a flashlight. His first mate and younger sister, North, came up to him with his blunderbus and cutlas. "Please take these," She pleaded, "I don't wan'chya to get hurt. They're to defend ya in case they're hostile." Atlas sighed and grabbed them with reluctance in his movement.

He jumped into the rowboat, as some of the ladies lowered it to the water, it hit the surface causing some small ripples to grace the waters surface, he took the ores and started rowing to the threshold of the siren's cave. The opening was mostly above water, such is a little odd considering they swim everywhere.

He reached the enterance and tied the little boat to a rock. Hopefully it won't drift away... Again. He sucked at tying knots. After making sure this one was decent he walked in, about ten yards into the cave the fish tailed women turned up. He bowed grandly in a sweeping gesture, "Hello, beauties!" He called, "I'm not here ta' harm ya. I need somethin', any y'all've seen this man?"

He help up a picture, their fins fluttered in confusion, they all pionted to him.

"No my dears, this is my father. Strikin' resemblance, eh?" They all nodded with a yes, with a few hums too. Suddenly a melody cut through the cave, Atlas followed, as all the twisted mer-like women snickered and grinned.

He followed the tune to the very back of the dark cavern, with warning for those sensitive to light around him, he stopped, turning on his flashlight as to see where he was going, he pointed it in the air. The light danced from crystal, to the shiny black walls, and to the water. It mesmerized all the sirens who could see it. He approached the back, a large pool with a rock formations that looked like a throne sat in the middle and had a single spotlight of sunshine coming in through a hole in the top of the supposed throne room.

On this rock throne sat a beautiful siren, adorned with pearls, shells, and crystals from the cave. She hummed as Atlas took a knee, took his hat off and put to his chest, and bowed his head.

"~We have your father, jump in, he's at the bottom~" she sang, he almost did jump in to check, but there was bound to be an ambush at the bottom to hold him there.

He spoke formality and regalness, "The queen of this gathering, I presume?" She stopped humming with shock painting her face. He stood, "My dear high-fin, as you know I am looking for my father. I have come to see if you have any information on him."

"What do I get in return if I do?"

"I have brought a rare stone from the magicless earth, even there it is rare because it forms in only on place."

She gaped, "How did you obtain it?"

"A friend of mine, real sweetheart. Any way, my father?"

"~he is at the bottom of my pool~"

"My, my, my. Do you see me as a threat? I left all my weapons on my rowboat, or is it you take me for a fool? I am the son of the embodied ocean, I know not to fall for this."

"I have no information on the sea himself, I am sorry."

"Sorry to take time out of your day like that," he set the bismith on the edge of the pool, "Have a nice day."

He made his way back to the ship, he hooked up his rowboat and the crew pulled him up.

North ran up to him, "Anythin' on 'im?

He shook his head with sigh. Her shoulders fell and her head dropped. Atlas put a hand on her shoulder, "I miss him too, and we'll find 'im. But in the meantime I heard the waves whisper that some guy was taking shorties from Opick and taking 'em to Ethodia to be slaves for those high-folk." She frowned. "Hey. Don't look at me like that, yer just upset they I have more o' Pops in me then yerself."

He walked to the wheel of the ship, and set a course to find this people-thieving ship.

They were close their target when Atlas' face paled. "Brother, what's wrong?"

"It's the Golden Reaper." The crew froze and looked to him.

The Golden Reaper was a large ship, over 200 crew members, lead by the Ethodian government. It was extremely dangerous, and nearly impossible to take its captain, General Fritz, down. But it was too late to turn back now.

The Golden Reaper already fired at them. The Sea Foam's Freedom took a direct hit to the hull as everyone fell to the deck. North and Atlas called orders to their crew 'man the canons', 'brace for impact', 'FIRE'.

They pulled up side by side, Atlas jumped from his ship to The Golden Reaper. He pulled his blunderbus from his hip and shot the men running at him in the legs to immobilized them. This caught the attention of the general, as he came down and approached Atlas with sword at the ready.

Atlas pulled his cutlas out and placing the blunderbus back on his belt. The two swords clashed, Atlas tried to make it so he couldn't fight back, the general was aiming to kill.

North grabbed a rope and jumped on the ship, she came up behind Fritz and kicked him behind the knee, he dropped to one and pulled a pistol and shot her in the thigh. He swept his food under her feet, knocking North to the deck.

"North!" Atlas called, the general took advantage of his split second of weakness, knocking him to the ground and then tied him up. He tied North up and tied them to the mast.

General Fritz prepared to board The Sea Foam's Freedom, but, before he could Atlas raised a wall of ocean water that was taller than the masts of the great vessels. He let it drop. It mad a giant wave that caused both ships to be pushed away from each other.