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The Maelstrom had come out of nowhere, attacking and boarding the Wraith before it's crew had a chance to even react. Ropes swung from the side of the Maelstrom's bone crafted deck, hooks latching onto the smaller ship's rail and pulling the Wraith flush against the side of the larger ship. The crew was dragged on board the Maelstrom but quickly broke free of the bounds. Escaping the Maelstrom itself was proving far more difficult though, Bloth's crew unwilling to let them escape without a fight.
Ren grunted, kicking away one of the pirates. He spun to block a slash aimed at his back, having to nearly bend over backwards to avoid a second slash aimed at his chest. His foot shot out, hooking the pirate's ankles and dropping him to the floor. He slammed the hilt of his sword onto the pirate's temple knocking him out.
Ren spun around to sweep his blue eyes over the deck of the Maelstrom. Ioz and Tula were fighting their own separate battles to the left and right of him and he could hear Niddler squawking frantically overhead, dodging the potshots the Maelstrom's crew were taking at him. But so far, there had been no sign of Bloth himself.
Ren had never known the Pirate Lord to be able to resist the chance to gloat, so he either wasn't on the ship or had something else planned. Ren didn't want to stick around if it was the latter. “Niddler!” he called out. “Get back to the Wraith!”
“What do you think I'm trying to do?” Niddler demanded and squawked in fear as one of the pirates nearly got lucky, having to dive sharply to one side to avoid getting hit.
Ren charged at the pirates attacking the munkey-bird, sword slashing. It was a very uneven fight, five against one, but his opponents were only armed with slingshots. If he was quick and didn't give them a chance to grab their blades, he'd take care of them easily. “Niddler!” he called out, blocking a fist one of the pirates swung at his head with the flat of his blade. “Go!”
He noticed the red and white munkey-bird dive towards the Wraith before focusing his attention on the matter at hand.
He never noticed the figure that came up behind him.
Mantus, long and bony, with his wide purple sleeves and gray-pale skin, stared over chaos of the deck with a deep frown that pulled down on the folds of his face. If he didn't do something soon, they would lose. On their own ship. To just three – he didn't count that monkey-bird - misfits. Again. Bloth would have his head if that happened. He needed to do something.
His cruel dark eyes lock on Ren and light up as an idea strikes him, a chilling smiling spreading over his long face. His long fingered hand reached for his belt, never taking his eyes from Octopon's last prince. They closed, not around the hilt of his sword, but around the handle of the whip he used to train dagrons. He shook out its coils with an expert flick of his wrist.
Ren kicked one of the pirate's in the chest, knocking him flat across the deck.
Mantus's whip lashed out. In the blink of an eye, it coiled tight around Ren's neck.
Pain flashed through Ren as the whip hit the sensitive flesh, the weighted tip tangling around the braided cord and securing it firmly in place. Sword clattering forgotten to the deck, Ren's hands flew to his neck. He clawed at the whip, trying to shove his fingers under the coils to give himself room to breathe. But the whip was too tight.
Mantus grinned, narrow eyes glittering with cruel pleasure, and pulled sharply on the whip.
Ren choked out a sound that was a mix of pain and protest as he was pulled off balance and fell heavily to the deck, knees hitting the wooden planks with a thud. He heaved and gagged, fingers scrambling at his neck as the whip pulled tighter. The leather was smooth, the texture of the braids polished beneath his desperate digits. His vision swam and tunneled. His chest burned, unable to breath. He couldn't breathe!
“Let him go, you darva worm!” Ioz roared in rage and lunged at Mantus with a arching sweep of his sword.
Mantus jumped back and drew his sword. He parried Ioz's next attack, turning to face his assailant. His long face became smug as he gave the whip a sharp tug and sent Ren sprawling face first across the deck. Ioz's face became thunderous and he raised his sword over his head, bringing it down in a powerful downward strike.
Mantus brought his sword up to block it.
But Ioz wasn't aiming for the Maelstrom's boatswain. The sharp edge of his blade hit the taut braided leather and cut clean through.
Mantus was sent flying backward, thrown off balance, and his rear hit the deck with a painful thud. He gave a shout as a sharp kick to the chest from Ioz's boot sent him rolling into a pile of nearby crates with a loud crash.
Ioz waited a moment to see if the thin pirate would get back up and gave a curt nod when Mantus remained passed out on the deck. He turned on his heel and ran to Ren's side, dropping to one knee beside his injured friend. He untangled the whip from Ren's neck and tossed the severed bit of leather cord aside. Ioz grimaced at the painful looking red marks it left behind on the sensitive skin. He quickly pressed his fingers to Ren's pulse then shifted them to under the younger men's nose. Reassured that he yet lived, Ioz picked him up and threw him over his shoulder as he rose to his feet. “Tula!” he shouted across the deck to where she was fighting two of Bloth's crew. “We're leaving!”
“I'm a bit busy!” she called back, blocking a strike from the two pirates.
Ioz was hyper aware of the sound of Ren's painfully labored breathing and it made him feel pressured like the sound of sand through an hourglass. “We don't have time for this.” Ioz grumbled under his breathe, raising his sword, and rushed forward. He kicked out and two pirates yelled in surprise and protest as they were sent flying across the deck. The pair hit the wall of the cabin and fell into a heap of arms and legs.
“Get to the Wraith!” he snapped at Tula, who gave him a startled look at his interference. He did not stop to see if she listened for once, running for the side of the ship.
“They're making a run for it!
A pirate leaped into his path but fell away as Tula struck him with her sword.
Seemed the woman had listened, after all.
Ioz leaped over the railing. His boots hit the deck of the ship, Tula landing beside him with a grunt, and he spun, slamming his sword onto the railing and cutting through the grappling lines tying the Wraith to the Maelstrom. “Get us out of here, wench!” he shouted to the woman.
By some miracle, Tula didn't argue or snap back at him, instead she obeyed without question. She ran for the helm and grabbed the wheel. “Niddler!” she shouted to the munkey-bird. “See to the sails!”
Ioz doesn't stick around to see the monkey-bird's response, he – well, he wouldn't say he trusts Niddler and Tula in any sense of the word, especially in matters concerning his continued existence. But he has bigger concerns on his mind right now.
Now isn't that a discomforting realization. Ioz has always prided himself as someone who only cared about two things: Treasure and keeping his own skin intact.
But he didn't have time to think about it at the moment. Ioz turned and hurried below to the ship's sleeping quarters. He dropped Ren onto the cot nearest the door and hurried to the back of the room to grab the healer's kit. As he returned to Ren's side, his face twisted into a grimace at the sight of the bruises darkening on the younger man's neck. He sat down on the cot and opened the kit. It was far better stocked then the one's usually found on pirates ships, mostly due to Tula's influence. Ioz had used to scoff at her about it, but he was grateful for it. Not that he'd ever tell her that, of course.
Ioz withdrew a squat jar of healing salve and opened it.
The ship gave a sudden lurch, nearly flinging him to the floor. Ioz cursed under his breath as the jar nearly flew out his hand. But he was able to catch himself and keep his grip on the jar. “Keep my jitatin ship steady, women.” he growled, shooting a glare at the ceiling. “Noy Jitat!”
He scooped some of the green paste out of the jar with his fingers. He turned and carefully touched the younger man's neck, spreading the salve over the damaged skin.
Ren stirred at his touch. The blond groaned, brow pinching in pain, but his eyes didn't open.
Ioz hesitated a moment, conflicted. Then he reached out, placing a soothing hand on the younger man's brow. “Easy, Ren.” he said softly. If anyone walked in right now, he'd never live it down. But there was more important things then his reputation right now. “I've got you.” he promised. “I've got your back from here on out, kid.”