The Captiancy

By: Agrias Posted on: September 16, 2008

A chill wind was blowing, late in the night,

The darkness around us prevented our sight.

The waves could be heard, and they leapt from the sea,

To dash on our hullsides, and state their decree.

The lanterns were lit, and banished the dark,

And the clouds overhead started to rumble and spark.

As a captain, my duty, is first of my crew,

And second, myself, but my ship matters, too.

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'Twas nearly a decade or so, long ago,

And I was directing the crewmates to strike sails, and row.

I was brazen back in those days, and thought I couldn't fail,

But in comparison to what I've learned, that all began to pale.

For folly in youth is not easy to change,

And mistakes are the virtue by which we stay sane.

But if I had the chance, to do it again,

I would change in an instant, than let it begin...

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The heavens outpoured themselves on the land,

The ropes of the rigging, started to slip out of hands..

The sails were struck, and battened, the oars safely inside,

The roiling sea so vicious, like a strong, impeding tide.

The iciest winds tore at our faces and clothes,

And the raindrops above turned hard as it snowed.

From the lantern, I squint out, to search the shadowed pall-

Some glinting shapes in the distance become clearer in the squall,

Pennons rise up from the waters, tied to the tip of great spears,

Riding upon mighty whales, these creatures do surely strike fear.

Several thuds are heard, as objects pierce the air,

And are lodged into the ship's side, as the harpoons quiver there.

These creatures climb upon the bow, and march up on the deck,

And file in a towering group, their glinting spears in check.

A mighty bugle filled the air, and my crew looks on in awe,

For there, upon an ivory whale, was the biggest man they'd ever seen.

Yet not a man, his form was strange, his skin was azure blue,

And looking at the others here, their skin like his was, too.

Jagged scars ran down his chest, and his muscled arms were taut,

The imposing form he projected now, was greater than we thought.

And so my crew was silent, and my shipmates, too, grew still...

As this titan of the oceans came, to board, and see our will.

"My name is Polynikes," his words cut through like knives,

"And this ship is under our command, I now own your lives."

"My prince has gotten wary, of your presence in our sea,

And he dispatched me to discover, what your reasoning could be."

"Make no mistake about this day, I would rather not waste time,

I've other things that I must do, deep beneath the brine."

"Landwalker, state your case, and tell me why you're here,

Agree to do this peacefully and you may yet see new year."

He leaned upon the railing then, and gazed out at the water,

And his men raised up their tridents, and peered at us as fodder.

I looked around at this terrible sight, my crew was pale and ghast,

The fear reflected in their eyes, made me think to be our last.

"My sir," I said, and bowed my head, "We only trek to ports.

We are traders, sir, that's what we do, we sell supplies of sorts."

He turned around as I spoke my words, then a sneer crept on his face,

And he lanced his golden trident in the deck around my feet.

"So you supply the Scyrians! I have guessed that all along!

You sin against our efforts, knowing the war that presses on!"

"Nay sir, that is not a truth you speak, please listen, I'll explain,

We were caught off of our course from this downpour of the rain."

He strode up to stand in front of me, and pulled his trident free,

"Your lives and ship are forfeit, as you wretched things should be."

He nodded to his brethren, and they advanced upon my crew,

And I could not but stand there, as they did what they would do.

My eyes grew wide with fear, and my soul screamed in protest,

And my feet were moving between them, to block them from the rest.

It was then that we had noticed, the man upon the rail,

His long black hair, and ivory skin, so perfect, yet so pale.

He then held up his hand aloft, and flew up next to me.

And he looked me over, up and down, like a beacon on the sea.

"Mortal, you have made a wish, from deep within your heart,

And while you have yet to prove yourself, this isn't a bad start."

"My name is Faustus, and I come on behalf of the Lord of Luck,

For it was, He heard your wish, and saw that you were stuck.

"What is your wish, mortal? Ask it, and be quick.

Unless you wish to coat your deck in blood, so thick.

The massive titan stepped up once more, and gazed into his face,

His hands gripping tightly on his weapons in this space.

Before he could react, and while there still was chance,

Words slipped out from my own mouth, and I stood there in a trance.

"My crew is not to blame for this, please rescue them from here!

They have families to tend to, and lives to live for years!"

"I place my life for theirs, but please save them from this fate,

As captain, I commanded them, but did not know until too late."

"If you must sink this vessel, then I shall still remain...

But the others here, the innocents, I beg that you maintain!"

Lord Faustus meet my eyes in kind, and turned to face the man,

"You have heard him voice his plea, return his crew to land."

Polynikes glared at me, and then looked back to the sea,

"I will let you live today, though you dare not let me see..

Your return upon these waters, be it ordained, decreed or blessed,

Or I will take your ship and lives, and place them both at rest."

......

I sailed away that night, and grew inside my mind..

But the brazen truth about it lie, on the surface, still to find.

I had seen the storm upcoming, but yet thought I couldn't lose..

But it was only after, that I saw...it didn't matter what I choose.

My ship is still my home now, and my crew is still my life,

And I will protect them with my dying breath, to keep them free from strife.