NIMBUS AND THE KNIGHTS OF CENFERUM

Chapter 30 part 2

Lonios looked incredulously at the disaster in front of him:

— Curse it, we lost Peregrino, Lonios sat in one of the enemy ship's chairs, lost in thought. At that moment, escorted from the lower deck, the pirates who had surrendered ascended. Among them, Lonios recognized one as the summoner.

With agility, he grabbed him by the collar and spoke closely to his face.

— Make the monster release them — he pointed to where Peregrino had been before disappearing.

— That's not how it works, buddy. I just summon the creature; then it does whatever it wants.

Lonios punched the man, nearly causing him to collapse. He looked at Lonios and grinned with blood-stained teeth, mocking.

— We should kill this one too — Valeros drew his sword and approached the still-smiling enemy.

— No, he must be interrogated. Let's arrest him and take him to be punished in Cenferum.

— I still find him too dangerous to be kept alive.

Valeros and Lonios left the enemy command bridge; Nimbus had already been taken to the Brand.

— You're all dead — the summoner spoke when he noticed his captors were distancing themselves.

Valeros threatened to go back to confront the enemy but was stopped by Lonios.

— We have more important things to deal with now.

He was right. Soldiers were collecting the bodies of the dead in combat; the wounded were being taken to Dr. Leonardo. The captain was already awake, with half his face bruised, screaming at everyone on the Brand's bridge. When the two arrived, they were greeted with shouts. He had undoubtedly threatened someone and had been released from his cabin.

— You incompetents, how could you lose the most important ship in our country? You useless lot. You're going to lose your knight titles. You're useless.

— I'm not a knight, and you're the useless one, you old fool — Valeros replied, pointing at him.

— You're garbage, just like that useless old man you called master. You're stripped of your rank; now you're a soldier. Go clean up your officers' shit...

— Now you're going to die, you miserable man. — Valeros drew his sword and lunged at the captain, but was held back by Lonios moments before reaching the old man's neck.

— It's not worth it, Valeros. You have much to do; you have soldiers to command and a master to honor. — And you, "captain," know that the useless old man you despise just gave his life to take that enemy ship. I won't spare your life again, for my vows as a knight. Next time, I won't save the life of an incompetent and corrupt man who turned everyone's life into hell on this vessel. I hereby resign from my position as a knight on this ship; don't expect my help for anything else. — Lonios followed Valeros, leaving the bridge.

The captain just stood there with wide eyes. When Elisis approached and saw that the old man wasn't taking any command action, she began giving orders to the soldiers on the deck.

— I don't want to command anyone in combat anymore, Sir Lonios. I don't think I can do it without Sir Adon — Valeros spoke to Lonios with his head down and a tearful voice.

— Calm down, Valeros, everything will be okay, things will work out, despite the losses, we survived — Lonios embraced Valeros, who started crying on his shoulder. He had never seen the boy so vulnerable and remembered that beneath the powerful facade he maintained, there was only a teenager.

— Lonios, what am I going to do without him? He was all I had.

Lonios simply held the boy tighter and didn't say a word. They stood there for a few moments, in the middle of the corridor, with the boy sighing on the man's shoulder, until Lonios broke the silence.

— I am here.

— I know, thank you for the support, Sir Lonios. — Valeros composed himself when he saw someone entering the corridor.

Entering the corridor was Elisis, who saw the duo there and approached without saying a word. Lonios made room for her, and the girl hugged Valeros for a moment. Lonios stepped back, leaving the two alone, but before he left, he spoke:

— From now on, life for us inside the Brand won't be easy. Even though he was a reserved man who didn't speak much, your master was the one keeping the captain in check. Elisis still lacks experience in dealing with someone like him, and I can't do much since I resigned as a knight from the Brand. We should spread this among the soldiers; it's up to you to command the ship from now on. The captain only controls the course we will take; it's your duty to control the military force of this ship. If we're lucky, we'll reach the continent without further problems. Can I count on you?

— Yes, Sir Lonios — Elisis replied, as if Lonios was in charge from now on.

— Yes, sir, count on me. The master would have... — Valeros began to speak but was interrupted.

The bells rang again, two tolls, more pirates were approaching.

— What the hell is this, it must be a joke — Valeros spoke as the alarm rang. Elisis just ran to the bridge as fast as she could.

That's when Lonios understood what the Summoner had said before, "You're all dead."

— It's not a joke; that's why the Summoner was smiling. He knew reinforcements were coming.

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