Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ About Darkness ❯ Gathering ( Chapter 13 )

“Moor the canons! Get your bloody asses on the ship or never show your face again!” Barrett shouted commands, trying to make him heard above the noise that filled the port.

 

The docks were packed. KapCeliel's inhabitants were leaving the houses that lined the waterfront, carrying their belonging on their backs, scrambling down the streets, in a haste to leave the town. Some pulled a goat or a pig on a rope with them, others had raided the abandoned ships and were carrying whatever goods they had found in the storage rooms - hey, oat, dried fruits. Shouts and distant explosions filled the air. To the East, columns of smoke were rising on the horizon.

 

The sorceress' armies had launched an attack at Balamb which lay bare and unprotected, a huge part of its soldiers having been sent to fight the enemy in the West.

 

The battle had spread out, had moved on to the open waters and would reach Esthar's Western coastline, soon.

 

“Move! Move! Move, you bloody sons of bitches!” the Captain yelled, urging his men on to prepare the ship for battle. Barrett had two options. To fight or to leave his ship behind and hide in the mountains with the rest of KapCeliel, cut off from trade and civilization.

 

The SeeDs from Trabia Garden would not be able to withstand an attack once the sorceress' troops had wiped out Balamb and infiltrated the continent.

 

Barrett had made his decision quickly. He would rather die in battle than to hide like a coward and waste away as a slave in sorceress' ore deposits.

 

A couple of the other captains followed his example. Barrett spotted Vincent on deck of his huge liner, a stoic stature in-midst the rustling and shuffling of bodies, red cape draped around his leather-clad form.

 

//We won't make it easy on those bastards// Barrett thought grimly and ran a hand over the hilt of his enormous saber that clung to his side.

 

A commotion on the large market place that connected the docks with the town caught his attention. People hurried to get out of the way as a large group of riders on horseback approached. Hey were all dressed in black, scarves veiling their faces, leaving narrow slits through which dark eyes glanced out, scanning the waterfront.

 

“The Syth! The Syth have come!” someone shouted.

 

Proud and strong they looked as they guided their horses through the masses. A small army, but skilled. Disciplined and lethal.

 

“I'll be damned” the captain exclaimed and rushed over to the rail, a grin spreading on his weathered face.

 

Xxx

 

“My ship can take fifteen horses. The rest of you will have to find another way to cross over”

 

Therio nodded and motioned for a couple of his men to lead their horses on deck of Barrett's boat.

 

“I have room for twenty” Vincent stated. He had joined Barrett when the news had gotten around that Therio and his tribe would join those who headed for Balamb to enter the battle.

 

Their large, black horses puffed nervously, muscles rippling beneath shiny fur, hooves clacking on wooden planks.

 

“Good. If one of the ships doesn't make it over there will still be enough of us left to kick some ass” Barrett exclaimed dourly.

 

Therio turned to face the horseman to his left. “Elia, you will lead the troops that accompany captain Barrett. I will join master Vincent's crew”

 

He received a nod and bent down to shake the captain's hand.

 

“To battle” he said.

 

“To death” Barrett replied.

 

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