"I suspect that it's going to be long." Captain Sartell answered Glau as the ship lurched when a crystal vine-root burst through the nearby customs house and threw stones into the bay. In their panic, ships were putting off half-loaded, and the larger ones anchored in the bay were setting sail while shore-boats were furiously rowing toward them.
Across the way, Charlie smiled in grim satisfaction to see Traevus was thrown into the bay as a stone burst through the dock next to
the Manticore. Two of his men desperately tried to stop a crate from sliding through the hole after him, but it was too heavily laden with ill-gotten loot: it slid from the dock (taking one of the thugs with it) and plunged into the water just as Traevus was surfacing. He was not seen again.
* * *
The hippo-man spoke to Phlox, while lifting women and children down the fore-hatch.
"Oh no, the name's not Griff - you heard one of the boys describe me. I am a Giff - no 'R', but the name is Montgomery Pelew, ship's gunner."
"And cook!" said the sailor that he was passing the people to.
"Yes, indeed: And Cook." nodded the Giff's big head,
"Everyone calls me Monty. The captain runs a disciplined ship, but an informal one."
* * *
Gunther had instructed Tanner to take Selma to another ship that they knew, one whose Captain and crew were familiar to them, but the two didn't get far before the way was blocked by stones, broken dock, a panicked mob, and other obstacles. They were forced to turn back, which would prove fortunate for them later, and they were the last aboard before
the Moondancer pulled away from the dock.
There were more people running about that needed rescuing, but the the whole port had all fallen into chaos as crystal blights appeared from the north and began to wrap their tendrils around townsfolk, changing them into more of the creatures. It quickly became utterly impossible to do any more for them.
The bay was crowded with boats, ships, and swimmers.
The Moondancer hadn't gone more than a hundred feet from the dock when the captain decided that there was no longer any point in discretion. She thumped her foot on the deck and called out,
"Forget this. Flapjack! Take us UP!"
Suddenly the ship began to rise out of the water, gaining speed as it rose up over the bay, providing a terrifying view of the chaos below.
OOC:
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I will keep going soon, but feel free to react to that.
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