They found their first den of pirates two months in. They had to navigate between a hundred different rock outcroppings that had jagged sides meant to destroy any ship that came into contact with them. With the water constantly eroding at the stone, it gave it points and edges aplenty.

For a good while, Jonas was afraid he would sink half his entire fleet just trying to get some extra coin, but Hue came to the rescue when he saw his despondent face. Thankfully, the man was extremely skilled in all matters that dealt with the sea.

Taking fifteen ships from the fleet, Jonas, Gregor, Huemara, and Medulis made their way past numerous turns twist and fast currents to get to an opening to an island with rock covering the ceiling of the hideout making it almost entirely invisible except to those that know the way in exactly. A perfect spot for pirates to keep away from any consequences if followed by any authority willing to brave the dangers of the sea to fight them.

Of course, he took three-hundred of his stoic soldiers with him. They manned the sails and cannons prepared for any situation possible. The men and women couldn’t even smile or get angry. No matter what he said or tried, they never responded except with an impassive face and an incredible dedication to what he asked them to do. They put all their efforts to the task he had given them, almost religiously.

It got to the point where he couldn’t hold it anymore, he had to ask Frezar what was going on with them. How can a group of people be so...emotionless?

When asked, Frezar smiled sadly and began to regal him of their tale.

They were supposedly the first inhabitants of the land the empire called its own. Hundreds of years ago, if not millennia, his empire had invaded this land from the mountains they had existed at for eons before. After what had been a hundred years of war, we finally won in a decisive battle in the same location the capital stands today.

But, instead of killing every single one of them off and ending their legacy, the empire chose a different more heinous path. They forced each individual into a form of slavery where they were stripped of the emotions and left as nothing more than husks of their true selves. The perfect slave who could not and would never have a burning need for independence from their oppressors.

It only became obvious they made better soldiers after the first hundred years, but by the time Jonas was given these men and women, the art of this style of war had all but been perfected. Used as shock troops that never retreated, never routed, or felt the need for mercy towards those they battle, they were the best soldiers any noble could field.

Tireless, emotionless, and built or battle.

Once Jonas really studied their features, he noticed small differences that marked them of their lineage. Large noses compared to a smaller and thinner one for citizens of the empire. Longer hair that was almost silk like.

When he first heard about it, a certain burning hatred hit him hard enough to be caught off guard. But that despise for this system of slavery was distant, like a forgotten injury from the past that had caused immense pain. As he tried to understand what he felt, he came to understand it had more to do with his nightmares.

To be truthful, he was indifferent about the whole situation. They weren’t citizens of the empire, so as far as he was concerned, what happened to them didn’t really matter. But that was before he felt those pure emotions from the nightmare. His indifferent outlook became one of remorse and anger at what the soldiers that he had had gone through.

No person, human or otherwise, should be subjected to slavery, regardless of their deeds.

Jonas even tried to free them but that only had Frezar panicking. To attempt to free them was to commit treason and be considered an outlaw. It was bad, very bad. Kill on sight bad. Somehow, the emperor’s agents would discover what had happened within seconds of it occurring.

He hadn’t been the first to attempt to free them or even the first to think about it. But those that had succeeded had an eventual meeting with the inquisitors. Yet, no one ever expects them at the time they come. They would wait until it was without a doubt to be your demise when they showed up.

Hearing this, Jonas promised he would at least treat them well. It was the minimum he could do for all the battles he was going to subject them too.

“Fire the cannons!” Huemara yelled over the commotion on the port built inside the cove. .

They had to take advantage of their slow response. The pirates still didn’t know what was going on. It made sense to Jonas why. They had gotten fat and careless. Without anyone really there to fight against their eventual raids on the numerous islands and their inhabitants, they didn’t have any real preparation for an assault on what they believed to be an unlocatable hideout.

The cannons roared in a staggered fire. Within seconds the land was doused in concentrated blasts of mana that did well to keep the pirates from organizing any form of resistance. Of course, a few pockets of a small number had gotten together, especially around any high ranking individuals and the captain of this whole place.

But they were quickly brought down by a wave of cannon fire.

The element of surprise proved once again to be an advantage the pirates could never overcome. They were adept at hitting a target fast and strong, but once any real resistance was put up, they’d fold like paper. Nothing more than a mob of unorganized cutthroats and thieves.

As the cannons kept blasting the cover apart, the fifteen ships slowly made their way to the docking area. That had been one of the areas they concentrated the most fire around to make sure the descent of his soldiers was unimpeded.

Like the rumbling of thunder, his men ran down the planks of the ship in organized formations five wide and five long. Like a machine of war, they slowly moved forward cutting down any person who stood in their way with no quarter to who they were. Unless they surrendered.

Err...maybe he should have demanded they do that before bringing the entire cove down on their heads. Live and learn, Jonas guessed as he grabbed his ornate sword. A piece that was probably best left on a wall if he was serious, but it so happened to have carried an endless amount of engravings and runes that made it closer to a weapon of mass destruction than a normal sword.

Running towards the plank of the ship he was on, he was covered in chainmail underneath pieces of armor that only covered his vitals. Each piece was engraved with a number of different effects, ranging from superior hardness to an aura of deflection. The chainmail themselves had been left to soak in the blood of an armored rhinoceros or so the smiths had told him. Only a blade as strong as his own could deal it any real damage.

But, as he set his first step on the plank he heard someone clear their throat. Turning around he found Huemara standing behind him with a raised eyebrow.

“This one does not think it an intelligent idea to go out there, my liege.”

And as usual, Jonas replied in his most well-used tactic.

“What?”

“You can’t...err, shouldn’t go down. You have a whole lot of practice with a sword, but this one thinks your practical experience is a bit lacking. Don’t you think so?”

“Well, of course. That’s why I am heading out now. To get experience,” Jonas tried his best to hide the bloodthirsty expression he knew to be on his face.

Hue’s raised eyebrow only became more pronounced as he stared. They both knew he was making things up, even if it so happened to be in line with what he was about to do.

“Hue, I have to be out there. What would the men say? That their leader is a coward? No, I will not be called one.” Jonas said. He had to convince Huemara to go out. He had to be the first to see the coffers and rooms filled with treasure.

“Master, how old are you?” Hue asked.

“What? What does that have to do with me going out there?”

“Simple. My liege has just turned twenty, has he not.”

“Err…” Jonas didn’t know what the right answer was. If he actually said yes, would that help convince Huemara? “Yes?”

“Good, that means you haven’t started on your Path yet. And as such, you are currently facing an enormous disadvantage against even a pirate. You will have to wait until you’ve actually taken your first steps and broken through the first hurdle to even consider fighting in a battle. For your own safety of course.”

“But...but the gold! It's waiting for me!”

Huemara laughed. “I’ll make sure it gets to you in perfect condition. No one will lay a single had on it.” He turned around towards the other side of the ship. “Gregor! Get over here! I got an errand for you to run!”

Jonas could hear the groan from here. Well, it was more like a rumble than anything else. With a huff and the clanking of his heavy metal armor, Gregor showed up though unwillingly.

“What is it this time? Another search and retrieve mission of utter importance?” Sarcasm dripped from his words like poison.

In response, Hue had his trademark smile. “Yep, another one.”

Gregor’s groaning was music to Huemara’s ears.

“Don’t worry, this time it's not getting me some cheese again. Instead, it's getting our lieges gold and treasures from the pirates down there. Now get!”

The hulking man quickly ran down the plank and into the thickest of the fighting. He had a mission to accomplish for his liege, and he was determined to accomplish it with flying colors.