Whale Herder Sword

Arthur walked out of the tavern and headed straight for the smithy.

The battle was about to begin, and he was missing a weapon that suited him. That was a fatal mistake.

He pulled a piece of parchment from his coat and wrote down his mistake:

"Age of Navigation, October 18, 1601. Before every battle, make sure your weapons are ready. A blade won't run out like the gunpowder in a firearm."

Firearms were useful, but reloading them was a hassle. It took a full half minute, and by then an enemy's scimitar could have taken your head off.

Fortunately, the Black Devil Order didn't seem to have made a move yet.

Arthur's sharp instincts told him danger was ever-present. It would be best to get off Blue Bay Island.

In his perception, danger hung above his head like the sword of Damocles, though it hadn't yet fallen to threaten even a single hair.

He still had time to replenish his equipment, so he borrowed ten gold coins from Arena.

At the smithy where he had bought the broadsword, the young man from the North was still hammering away. His youthful body seemed tireless, pouring all its energy into ore and metal.

"Oh, my dear smith, I need a long sword that suits me, something to face dangerous enemies."

Arthur didn't know the smith's name, so he conveyed his enthusiasm through his tone and open arms.

Rad Lee glanced up at him. Every word he spoke seemed to take all his strength. "I have a name of my own. Rad Lee."

"Was the broadsword you bought last time no good on the ship? Looks like you aren't as strong as you thought."

"All right! My dear Rad Lee, I suggest you stop soon and get some proper rest."

Arthur appraised the weapons already forged in the smithy and offered a kind reminder. "Blue Bay Island is about to become a brutal battlefield."

"If you wear yourself out, you could end up hanging outside the smithy, just like a pirate caught by the navy."

Rad Lee frowned. The hammer in his hand slowed, and he asked, "You're not a pirate?"

"I'm different from them. I'm a lord ennobled by the Tudor Dynasty, with an official title."

Arthur tried two swords, but neither pleased him. They didn't meet his standards for a fine blade.

They were no match for the Dark Griffin, specially made for Arena by the Stuart Family. Nor would he settle for the second-rate wares on display.

"Lord Arthur! Have you heard something? Do you smell blood on the sea breeze?"

A huge man emerged from the smithy, tall as a palm tree, with golden hair and ruddy skin. Thorn tattoos covered him from fingertips to neck.

"Hello, Lord Arthur. I'm Rad's uncle, Galen Lee."

Galen Lee was powerfully built. Arthur instinctively opened his spiritual sight and saw a ring of crimson energy swirling around him.

It was fierce and burning, mingled with the smoky scent of destruction.

"Uncle Galen, someone's about to whip up a storm on Blue Bay Island, perhaps tonight.

"I'm here to find a weapon that suits me, so I won't be at a disadvantage in the fight."

"Is that so?"

Galen Lee studied Arthur, then slapped Rad Lee on the head. His rough voice echoed through the smithy.

"Rad, go get the Whale Herder Sword and see if it suits Lord Arthur."

"All right."

Rad Lee went into the smithy and rummaged through the place, making a racket. He came back out carrying a long sword in a wax-sealed sharkskin scabbard.

The exposed hilt had deep grooves, the nonslip grip essential for a seafaring sword.

The crossguard formed the elegant curve of a whale leaping from the sea, with a tiny figure perched on the whale's head.

Galen Lee stroked the sharkskin scabbard as though caressing the skin of a lively tavern dancer, and said:

"The Whale Herder Sword is a style unique to our family. Its distinctive crossguard represents the forging style of the North."

"I'm giving this Whale Herder Sword to you, Lord Arthur, in return for your generosity in sharing this news with us."

Arthur accepted the Whale Herder Sword from Galen and drew it from the sharkskin scabbard. Its broad, curved blade was better suited to hacking.

The cold, gleaming iron reflected the moon's radiance. A sword like this was a rare treasure.

He took out his coin purse to pay, but Galen Lee pushed it away with his huge hand.

"This is a testament to our friendship! Lord Arthur, I won't have you sully it with gold."

Arthur's expression shifted slightly, and he put the purse away. "Thank you, Mr. Galen and Mr. Rad. Please leave Blue Bay Island as soon as possible, or find somewhere to hide."

The hairs on his neck stood on end, as though someone were holding a needle against the back of his neck. Danger was drawing near.

"Of course! Take care, Lord Arthur."

Galen Lee scooped up a pile of weapons and tossed them into the smithy, shoved Rad Lee inside, then swung the heavy wooden door shut.

Something heavy thumped to the floor behind the door.

Arthur's mouth twitched. It seemed he'd worried for nothing. They were far more practiced at dealing with danger than he was.

Not far away, three members of the Black Devil Order had gathered in a tavern to discuss their plan.

The cautious Baker, the deranged Simon, and the Fighter Buck were three of the Black Devil Order's elites, preparing a sacrificial rite for the Great Devil.

Simon licked the little finger on his left hand. Most people had three joints; his little finger was missing one.

"The rite needs hanged corpses. The higher the quality, the better. Ordinary pirates are the worst.

"The stronger their desires, the better. Unusual corpses will satisfy him more. We need at least eighteen. If we fall short, we'll make up the difference ourselves."

The cautious Baker thought indiscriminate killing was too risky. They could easily run into a supernatural. He was only a Sequence 9 Rogue.

Against high-combat sequences like Swordsman, Knight, and Warrior, he could easily be killed.

"How about we go after the tavern keepers? They have all sorts of connections and know plenty of secrets."

The more secrets someone knew, the more complicated and intense the desires they hid inside. That made them ideal sacrifices.

Simon glanced at Arthur in the distance and said quietly, "I'll prepare the ritual site. Buck, go kill Arthur. Baker, seal off the harbor."

The cautious Baker couldn't help smiling. His task was the easiest.

The Fighter Buck grinned bloodthirstily and rolled his shoulders to warm up. "This guy's famous, huh? Why go out of our way to kill him?"

"He's a retainer of the Stuart Family and a believer in the Church of Light. He's a great pirate in the nearby seas, and now he's a lord, too.

"He's not in a supernatural sequence, yet he has supernatural power. His immense desire will delight him beyond measure!"

Buck gave a scornful snort. "Appease him? Will he really grant us what we want?"

Simon shrugged. "What can I say? We're members of the Black Devil Order. It's just a fair exchange."

"So the more people we kill, the greater his reward!"

Buck's voice grew animated. He crossed his hands, and his joints cracked.

"In theory, yes. But what he gives us depends on his mood."

"Then let's get started!"

Simon glanced toward the distant Blue Bay Private Tavern. With that lord stationed on Blue Bay Island, the rite would go smoothly.

The Fighter Buck strode toward Arthur in the alley. He walked like a street thug, swaggering without making much noise.

As Arthur walked toward the tavern, the Moth's instincts sounded the alarm:

Danger! Danger! Danger!