Nocturna League (Episode 1: The Witching Book) (Nautical Fantasy Short Story) Read Free Page A

Is that really what you want?” The apparent butcher asks as he shows them into a fair-sized, open room with a single bed and no other furnishings.
    “We are not after your misery, but we will need the book we’re coming for. I trust you will keep our location a secret?” The Captain says, shifting a few sins, the common currency of the Omniverse, over to the man.
    The butcher’s silent a moment, and then nods as he pockets the coins. “’Course,” he says, “goodnight.” He closes the door and the group hears him go down the steps.
    The Captain rests Jim on the floor and presents the bed to Colette. “We have a long day tomorrow, so we may as well turn in now. Colette, dear cookie, you may enjoy the bed as the fairest of us,” he says like a doting father.
    Colette laughs. “Thanks, Cap, but I’m not going to become a real captain by being pampered. You outrank me, so you should take the bed,” she says, choosing a nice, hard spot on the wooden floor along with Dunklestein, who just plops belly down to sleep.
    The Captain sighs, “Very well. I have such matters turning you into a lady of the sea, but I suppose your goal to become a leader among men is stronger than your desire to reject your barbarian upbringing.”
    The girl laxes onto the floor, unarmed around her trusted crewmates. “Whatever you say, Cap.” She yawns and turns to the wall. The Captain gets on the single bed, something he is incapable of enjoying, but decides he might as well not cause a fuss about. He lays down in the dark room, only the slight window light illuminating their surroundings.
    ...
    An uncertain time later, a figure climbs in through the window. Aided by shadows it crawls up to the foot of the bed, but feels what seems to be ropes around its inhabitant, as if the person lying there has already been tied up. The mysterious figure feels for a pulse, but feels nothing. It pauses in thought, and then crawls back through the window, presuming someone beat it to the job. It leaves, not seeing, feeling, nor hearing any of the three people lying about at the corners of the room.
     
    Chapter 3: The Captain and his Posse are met with Considerable Difficulties
    The Captain yawns as he wakes in the light of morning and the screeching of swamp birds. “Ahh, what a lovely nap that was. Alright, my crew members, rise and-” The Captain stops when he attempts to move his unusually sedentary body. It seems as though there is something holding him down. “What’s this?”
    “C-captain! I can’t move!” Colette calls over the snoring of Dunklestein, also tied up.
    The Captain sighs. “Jim?”
    A silence.
    “Yes?” a voice from across the room starts. The Captain looks over and sees a quite-free Jim with dark, fiery eyes.
    “For what reason did you tie us up?”
    “So I could have everyone in town help me kill you, of course!” The possessed Jim replies with a wide grin as he steps over to the window and leans out. “HEY, EVERYBODY!" he shouts triumphantly, "THE BOOK THEIVES ARE STILL ALIVE AND THEY’RE IN HERE! GET ‘EM!” At that, Jim quickly collapses and regains himself to his good ol’, non-evil personality.
    “Huh? What’s goin’ on?” Dunklestein asks, riling up from the screaming from below.
    Colette gets a knife from her thigh side and starts working through her binds. “Jim did it again. The village is coming to kill us!” She says over an uproar among the crowds below.
    “What?! Dammit, Jim!” Dunks snaps as he strains against the ropes, quickly fraying them with his hideous strength.
    Jim wallows on the floor in half consciousness until Dunklestein kicks him. “Blu-oh? What?!”
    “Your tattoo dude tied us up, you dumbass!” Dunks yells as his ropes break.
    Everyone hears a rush of footsteps from below as Jim mutters for a response. “I… Uh, you know how it can be! It’s a serious condition. I mean, I’m sorry, but it really isn’t my faul-”
    The door bursts open the moment The Captain takes to