Captain Dauvi Wavechaser was shouting orders the moment he saw the figure leap from the cliff, each command expertly laced with swears from his 30 years sailing the currents of the Spiral Sea. Scores of his crew were swarming the deck in an organized chaos; nearly all were old and experienced deckhands he’d led for years. Dauvi held the last order off, waiting for the voice of his newest subordinate.

“FEATHERFALL!”

Hearing the young man frantically cry out the spell, Dauvi bellowed instructions at his Helmsman, Cott, without listening for the “Aye, Cap'n" that was yelled back. The massive wheel began to spin as the man steered the vessel, The Bellhaunt, away from the cliff face and the treacherous rocks lurking underneath the water’s surface. He’d asked for a miracle when coming to Cott with his plan of navigating the shallows, but the Rollander helmsman a once younger and newly minted Captain Dauvi had found 15 years prior had yet to disappoint him. If it came down to it, Dauvi Wavechaser would bet his ship and his life on the man’s skills.

Turning away, the captain looked to his newest crew member, watching the boy yell instructions at the aero- and hydromages positioned on the deck. Voice cracking, the mage hurried his men, wind filling the sails and water parting and surging under the boat. Dressed in cheap blue and white robes common to mainlander sorcerers, Dauvi thought his Helmsmage, Afyni, looked quite silly running about shouting at men and women decades his senior, but the casters in his command followed every order with the ease and efficiency developed only through years of practice.

Dauvi had worried quite a lot when he’d given the command of his mages to Afyni - who he doubted was old enough to shave - but it hadn’t become a problem. Found wasting away as a poor yet bright apprentice to some mainlander merchant or other a year prior, Dauvi had purchased the boy’s apprenticeship almost immediately. His investment in replacing his previous Helmsmage had paid off already, it seemed, as Afyni’s dark hair had turned a brilliant blue in recent months, the sign of a young mage highly talented in controlling water. Perhaps it was that, in addition to the teenager’s quick hand, that had earned the trust of the other mages, all more seasoned sailors.

He approached the last figure on the deck, now standing with both hands rested on the railing, his brown and grey feathers stirring slightly in the wind, staring back at the cliff he’d been atop of so recently. Coming to a stop aside the Kenku, Dauvi felt the breeze play with the long black hair he typically tied into a loose ponytail, and stayed silent. He didn’t think it necessary to ask any useless questions about the success of the job. Some would call it seaway robbery, of course, but in the mercenary business Dauvi had always considered that part of the hazard pay.

The humanoid bird had his eyes locked on the cliff’s edge, gazing with a reluctant expression until both men saw the movement hundreds of feet up. They were gaining speed every passing moment, and the men at the cliff’s edge were quickly becoming distant specks, but Maze Maudi’s furious movements were easy to distinguish. He knew he was burning some bridges - Drowned Gods maybe all of them - but Captain Dauvi Wavechaser of the Storm Herald Mercenary Company and Captain Maze Maudi of the Krakensbane Mercenary Company had hated each other’s guts from the moment they met.

“Can fly, can fly.”

Dauvi was startled out of his thoughts at the sound of Maze Maudi’s voice next to him, instinctively reaching for his cutlass, but quickly laughed off his reaction as the Kenku mimicking the man’s voice turned to face him.

Dauvi didn’t have much experience reading the facial expressions of a Kenku, but the turbulent emotions raging on his face were clear as the water of an island bay. As far as either Dauvi or his newest work associate knew, Tiss was the first Kenku to ever leave their home island, or even step foot on a boat for that matter.

“Ain’t much difference between flying and falling, to my eyes. Come on, we’ve got some business to discuss, I doubt Maze will stay put.”

Leading Tiss to his own personal quarters, walking slowly to allow the Kenku to get used to his new sea legs, Dauvi motioned for his helmsmage to follow them. The three entered Dauvi’s quarters, where he led them to a map spread on a table. It marked the three main islands of the Spiral Isles, as well as all of the smaller islets that were dotted around them, haphazardly scattered about by the gods. The left side of the map showed the coastline of Enta, the continent bulging out the further north it went. Between the landmasses, countless lines and arrows denoted the many currents that shifted throughout each season. Tiss and Afyni both inspected the map: neither of them very knowledgeable of the Spiral Sea’s ever changing temperament. Dauvi had long ago memorised every subtle shift in the currents from season to season, every whirlpool that might appear overnight and every area that was prone to sea vessel-destroying tempests. Instead of looking to the map, he waited patiently for someone to join them.

Only a few beats later, the door to the room swung open, and Dauvi’s second in command walked in. His First Mate, Zafi, came to stand with them around the map. Dauvi was well-built for an islander, nearing 6’4” and muscled from a lifetime of strenuous work at sea, but even so Zafi towered over him, her body thick with toned muscle. She was built like an ogre. Hells, she actually might be stronger than an ogre, but they’d never had the chance to find out.

“Shanna?”

Zafi met his eyes and responded. “Says she’s not coming above deck until we hit land.”

Dauvi chuckled, glancing to the map for the first time while rubbing his chin. “It’ll be a month before we hit Tidefall, so let her try if she wants.” Zafi grunted in agreement, as they both glanced at where the port was marked on the map. It was the southernmost town on the northern half of Enta with a proper harbor, only a few miles north of the Dragonspine Mountains. And it had recently acquired new owners. Dauvi supposed the Duchy of Oremis taking Tidefall from the Kingdom of Rolland a few years back was the reason for their current situation, why he and a Kenku had made a deal to rob the captain of the Krakensbane Company, and why they were now headed for the mainland.

“Tiss, if you will.”

Both Afyni and Tiss jumped slightly, startled from their inspections of the map at the sudden words. The Helmsmage pushed up the spectacles that hid underneath his mop of blue hair, and the Kenku nodded once before opening the pouch around his waist. He deftly started removing items and placing them on the map.

Two rings, made of dull silver but shimmering ever so slightly with the telltale signs of magic enchantment, followed by a thumb-sized azure gem. A fourth item, a palm-sized flat stone engraved with intricate markings on it faces, joined them on the map. Dauvi saw the Kenku take something else in his hand, something made of carved wood, but said nothing when Tiss kept it in his pouch. Instead, Dauvi picked up the engraved stone, inspecting it in the glow of the room’s magelight before pocketing it.

“Afyni, look over those with Shanna later, make sure they ain’t got something dangerous on them.” Nodding at the rings, Dauvi rolled the gem over in his fingers as the mage claimed the magical accessories.

“Tiss, well done. Maze is sure to follow us, but we got at least half a day’s head start. Well, I doubt he could catch us if he were right on our asses.”

The Kenku stayed silent and only gave a polite nod. Afyni was already distracted, one of the enchanted rings held close to his spectacles, and Zafi just crossed her arms.

“The job’s not done yet. I won’t feel good ‘til we’re drinking in a tavern in Tidefall.”

Dauvi nodded at his First Mate’s words. Using the tip of his new gem, he traced a path from the islet they’d just left all the way to their destination. Their journey dipped far south, almost past the Dragonspine Mountains, before looping north again and finishing west towards the mainland.

“Early Autumn… this is about the only way either us or Maze can get to Oremis. Goin’ round up north’s impossible, Rolland won’t be happy with mercenaries from the Spiral Isles coming so close, not after Oremis started to hire ‘em. No, Maze’ll have to follow us, and I don’t think there’s a mage in his company that can keep up with Afyni.”

Zafi glanced at the still very distracted Helmsmage, her expression loosening a bit.

“And once we get there?”

“A few days in Tidefall, see if we can’t fill our ranks out. We leave the ship with Cott and two dozen crew and head inland for the entrance zone of the Spine Cities, recruit whoever’s left, and by then I wager the fighting’ll have started for real.”

Zafi’s lips pressed into a thin line, but she said nothing. Turning to the two men standing idly by, Dauvi first addressed Tiss.

“When we arrive, you can do what ya like. If you want to join up more permanently, the Storm Heralds'll always welcome someone with your skills.”

Pausing a moment in contemplation, Tiss met his eyes and responded. “Join up, Storm Heralds.”

As eerie as it was for Dauvi to hear his own voice come from the Kenku’s beak, he pressed on with an easy grin anyways.

“Right then, welcome aboard. Go ahead and find an open bunk below decks, we’ll figure out your pay tomorrow.” Tiss nodded and departed, leaving just the three mercenaries. “Afyni, show the rings to Shanna. And I need us to reach Tidefall in a month, got it?”

Afyni looked up from the ring in his palm and adjusted his spectacles, "Alright Captain, if that's what you want.”

Dauvi nodded at his Helmsmage as Afyni left, giving a sheepish smile to Zafi, who watched him as he walked out. Once it was just the two of them, Dauvi rolled a shoulder, stretching his muscles out. Looking at his second in command, he gave her a relaxed grin.

“Still like ‘em skinny? Some things never change, ah?”

Zafi gave him a scowl as she traced the edge of the table with a finger. Searching for his luckiest flask, Dauvi took a burning swig as his longtime partner said nothing, before placing it near her on the table.

“Well, spit it out, you look like ya want to say something.”

Straightening up to her full frame, Zafi looked down at her Captain, eyes brimming with concern. “All… of this. This plan of yours. It’s not like you.”

Dauvi ran a hand over his coarse black hair, and agreed with her in his mind. “I know that it’s risky, but… I don’t think I can pass it up. And Maze already hated my hide, so nothin' lost there.”

“You know that’s not true. He has a lot of influence with the other companies, and we can’t know for sure the Council will ignore this. Drowned Gods, we’ve stolen an insignia! We’re all here ‘cause we trust you Dav, but this is mad!”

Dauvi sighed. She was right, and he hated her for it, if only just a little. He and Maze Maudi, by sheer bad luck, had been born on the same small islet, near the harbors of the only town on the island. Both men had risen to the status of Mercenary Captain, but that was where the similarities ended. Dauvi had joined the Storm Heralds, a small company with only one ship, at the age of fifteen. Eight years in, he’d become First Mate, and another seven later he was the Captain of his vessel, in command of its crew of 130 men and women, many of whom he’d sailed alongside for most of his life.

Where Dauvi and the Storm Heralds had stayed in the Spiral Sea west of the Kingdom of Rolland, Maze Maudi had made his fortune with his company Krakensbane, doing as the name suggests: hunting kraken in the Kraken Belt that lay between the two continents of Enta and Sosalli. Based in the independent trade city of Dawn’s Edge, a major port in Dullahan territory located on the northwestern tip of the hourglassed-shaped Enta, Maze Maudi had built his company from a single 3-masted vessel to a fleet of 10 fully crewed kraken hunting ships, before eventually returning in his later years to the islet he hailed from.

When he had returned, the insignificant bit of land in the southern region of the Spiral Isles had been home to a number of small companies, Dauvi’s Storm Heralds among them. All the others had left within a single year, Maze’s small fleet controlling the only harbor on the islet, but Dauvi had been too stubborn to leave his home and base the company elsewhere. After that… Dauvi and Maze had been opposites in most everything, from methods of running a mercenary company to what alcohol they drank.

Dauvi did feel a twinge of pain within him at Zafi’s words, though they weren’t for anything she’d said. He couldn’t give a sewage rat’s ass about Maze or the council of tribal leaders that ruled from the three largest islands of the Spiral Isles; the pain was from imagining his home, the islet he’d returned to after every voyage and hunt, shrinking as they sailed away. He knew, he simply knew somewhere in his heart that he’d never come back, that he’d die somewhere far from his home. But Dauvi Wavechaser was a mercenary, and a professional. Mercenaries couldn’t put sentimental notions like this ahead of business, so he had made his decision.

Letting a long sigh escape his lips, Dauvi offered a quick prayer, thanking Aenia for everything the Goddess of currents and lost sailors had done to help him in his life. It was time, he felt, for a leave from the seas. He’d fight and earn his living on land for the foreseeable future, and he didn’t dare try to predict what would come after.

“The Council will be the same as always, with water in their ears and sand for brains. They hate dealing with mercenaries, I’m confident it won’t be anything we can’t handle.”

His First Mate returned the sigh, her massive arms now timidly wrapped around herself, a pose that looked comical given her stature. Of course, given that stature, no one would ever laugh at the sight - Dauvi included.

“Probably true, but we’ll have to deal with Maze at some point, Dav. Sweet Aenia, he’s likely to have already sent someone to tell the Council and request a second insignia…”

Dauvi felt the flat stone resting in his pocket with a hand: it was the only thing Tiss had stolen from Maze’s home that mattered. An insignia, given by the Council to a very select few mercenary companies, allowing them to sign contracts with rulers and kings of other lands. Without one, working for the Duchy of Oremis or anyone else would have gotten Dauvi and his entire crew exiled from the Spiral Isles, and the Council would have been more than happy to send other companies after them to rid the world of a few pesky mercenaries.

Word would get out that he had Maze’s insignia, he’d made sure of it; and the Council would almost certainly avoid dealing with the situation head on. Dauvi doubted they’d exile him for this.

“Aye, you’re right, Fi. I’d wager they give Maze a new one and hope he comes to get revenge, let us mercs deal with each other.”

Zafi gave him a somber look he couldn’t decipher, regardless of how many years the two had worked together. Drowned Gods, Dauvi thought, we’re getting old, aren’t we. We all are.

“I’d put us against any of that bastard’s men in a fight, Dav. But even so… Recruiting a Kenku? And we’re going to fill our ranks with some random northerners? Like I said, it’s not like you.”

“That Kenku… I don’t know, Fi. Tiss is different from the few I’ve seen, even if we ignore him leaving the island with us. He got through all the wards and enchantments in Maze’s house, and I don’t know any human who could do that. And he hit a bunch of other places before this… frankly if we had anything worth stealing in our storehouse we wouldn’t’ve stopped him. But if we have those skills… I can think of a few things.”

Dauvi played absentmindedly with the azure gem from Maze’s safe with one hand, leaving his flask untouched on the table.

“And there won’t be much left to recruit when we get there. Most of 'em will’ve already signed on with someone. If we can find a couple earth mages, or some latecomers traveling up through the Spine Cities, then I’m sure we can handle things.”

Zafi stared at her captain, wishing she knew if his confidence was real or unfounded. With Dauvi, it was usually the former: hard-earned through years of fighting pirates from Rolland or exterminating the Drowned Folk who surfaced in their waterlogged boats, scavenged from the ocean floor. She wanted to trust him this time, and Aenia help her, she felt herself getting convinced. But she had to question him, if not as a First Mate then as a friend.

“I stand by my words Dav, as do the crew. We’ll follow you, sea or land, but promise me this isn’t some fool’s errand, that you've gone mad from a life riding the currents.”

Dauvi was silent for a few moments, eyes fixed on the gem in his fingers. A worthless trinket, he thought; he’d give it to Shanna and let her make something for herself. Looking up, he gave Zafi a tight smile, edges of his dark eyes and mouth tinged with tiredness.

“I promise, Zafi. I promise.”