Freedom and ambition.

"Did you hear that brat? Now we're even." Goldjack said, and Craven adjusted his glasses. "Thank you. It's exactly as I suspected." He replied, and the well adorned Dwarf sighed.

"Do you have a plan? As nimble as she is, the Miliana will not last ten seconds against two fleets. And one of them is a Draconic war party." Goldjack said and the spectacled Captain smiled. "Of course, I do." He replied. "Well? Spit it out. What is your plan?" Bokbaard asked as he appeared on the ship, with a bright flash.

"She is an amazing thespian. Who will call for aid, while we shield her and stall for time." Craven replied, and he adjusted his glasses. "We?" Goldjack asked, with a smile. "Not bad lad. Beat him at his own game. Whoever wins the battle loses the war." The old pirate said with a mad grin.

"Assuming our benefactors take pity on us and don't sail right through us. We may be fine, but how will you survive, old man?" the dwarven Captain asked. "Ha! I am sturdier than I look, and I have no intention of giving up my freedom to a slaver." Bokbaard replied, before he spat on the floorboards.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't spit on my ship." The spectacled Captain said, with a scowl, and the old pirate growled. Craven clenched his fist and Bokbaard smiled from ear to ear. "It's beginning. See you in Valhalla." He said menacingly.

The pirate ships circled one another. The tense seconds ticked away, and the powerful energy signatures drew nearer. The radars beeped and crewmates exchanged worried and excited expressions. Seven orbs of light appeared, with a flash of light.

"Open fire!" Commodore Greeves and his captains roared. "Evasive manoeuvres!" Crane, Bokbaard, Goldjack, Feng and the remaining Captains shouted. "The shields won't hold!" a navigator shouted. "They would if we shot back." One of the gunners chimed in. "No! We will not fire a single shot. Mr. Craven! Get us out of this maelstrom!" Captain Crane instructed to his helmsman.

"Aye, aye Captain." The young man said with a smile. He gripped the helm and magical circles were written around his wrists. James closed his eyes and dozens of monitors orbited him. He poked, swiped, typed and clicked on every screen and the Miliana dropped her anchor. She stopped abruptly, dipped beneath the other ships, peeled away and sailed against the flow.

Feng saw her opportunity. Her ship slipped in front of Crane's and the red sails opened fully. The long vessel skimmed the sea water before it fired its thrusters and pulled up. The force created a wave and the bright white cannon balls detonated on impact. The rest of the ships weren't so lucky. They took direct hits and their shields wobbled terribly. Bokbaard and Goldjack fell back and brought up the rear. Greeves watched his enemies flee, with a mad smile.

"They're playing right into our hands. And now we crush them between the two fleets. Did you get the package?" the bald Captain asked. "Yes, the crude maps are a nice touch. Now it looks like we're chasing a bunch of slavers." The pale Captain said with a wicked grin.

"I told you our little gamble would pay off. Get your men ready and make sure they're carrying the Transport Crystals. They'll need to make a speedy escape, if we want our plan to work." Greeves replied, and Captain Marauder frowned. "And these crystals? Where will they transport my men?" he asked curiously, and Greeves laughed.

"A safe location. There is no time to question the plan. If you want your share, you will need a way out and I have supplied it. You honour your end of the deal, and I will honour mine." The bald Captain assured him, with a big smile. "Emergency broadcast! It's coming from the Shenlong!" the navigator reported, and Greeve's smile faded away. "How? Aren't communications being jammed?" an analyst asked. "They must have some magical device we don't know about." another pirate chimed in. "It's not a magical device. It's her." the bald Captain said through clenched teeth.

"Mayday! Mayday! We are under attack and request help!" Feng pleaded. "To anyone that will listen, we are being chased by a band of pirates! Please, anyone, help!" she cried out, and the broadcast ended. "It looks like there's been a change of plans. Sorry, Ludo. Nothing personal." Captain Marauder said, before he severed the connection to Greeve's ship. The monitor turned black, and the bald Captain stared at his enraged expression.

                             *

A few more ships peeled away from the maelstrom, while the rest fired at the escapees. The pirates exchanged confused looks and their hails fell on deaf ears. A moment of realisation set in, and the remaining ships didn't know who to trust. The pirate alliance shattered, and the ships fired at one another.

The Milinna and the Shenlong fled the battle, with a few ships in tow. They sought refuge near the three-hundred-metre-long whale ships and turned around to face their attackers boldly. Duke growled, and Kagiso chuckled.

"Pirates. We should see if they want to join us." The two-horned man said to his brother. "There is no place on my ship for their kind." The imposing man replied. "We have no problem conscripting them. It would not be the first time I turned a group of murderers and thieves into warriors." Jane added eagerly.

"Absolutely not. The last thing we need are more power-hungry rulers in the making. How many of your generals were promised land in return for their service?" Gloria asked, and the two-horned woman laughed. "As many as there are territories in my clan." She replied, and the tension grew thicker.

"There is no point in arguing about this matter. The pirates have no bearing on this mission. Jane may do as she pleases with them." Raymond decided and Duke opened his eyes. "Are you okay with this?" he asked Kagiso, and the two-horned man gave it some thought.

"What happened to pirates have no place on your ship?" Kagiso asked. "They don't. However, they may follow us if you can keep them in line." Duke replied and the two-horned man chuckled. "Then you have noticed it as well?" he asked, and the imposing man sighed.

"Father has placed too much of a burden on his shoulders." Duke said, and Kagiso stared at the ceiling. "It is not father's fault. He has been like this for a while now. Did he tell you about what happened at the Temples of Reflection?" the two-horned man asked, and his brother turned to face him.

Kagiso locked eyes with Duke and he shared the events that took place at the dojo. The imposing man saw the golden light, the long line of refugees and the tall woman at the end of the journey. He rewound the memory and paused it just as the first assassin bit down on the pill. Raymond stayed his hand and let the pill devour his body.

"I've spent these last few years travelling. I've learned a thing or two about figuring out people's true intentions. We both know what he's capable of. He had all the time in the world to stop that assassin." Kagiso said, before he sighed sadly. "He has seen something that he is keeping from us." Duke deduced.

"Aye and it likely has something to do with The Council and this suicide mission. How many do you think are going to die, knowing what you do now?" the two-horned man asked solemnly.

"Too many. Only a handful are strong enough to face a demi-God and even then, it would take years of training to prepare for such a battle. So, our sacrifice is to ignite the flames of war." the imposing man deduced, and he closed his eyes slowly. "Go. I will support whatever you decide to do." Duke replied and Kagiso nodded, before he vanished without a trace.

                             *

Kagiso appeared on the Miliana's deck and the crew reacted quickly. They pointed their weapons at the three-metre-tall Candidate and he chuckled. Kagiso's armour sparkled and his eyes shone. He leapt off the ship and sent it crashing into the ocean. The two-horned man's ghost burst out of his body and expanded until it was four hundred metres tall.

"Cease fire! You are in the presence of The Dragon Council's Candidates! State your business in these lands or prepare to be boarded!" Kagiso announced, and Raymond scowled.

"What in the Universe is he doing?" the three-horned man asked Duke. "He is finally taking our advice. We will need the help after all." He rumbled stoically and Raymond's ghost stared at him, before he returned to his body.

"We are free men and women, stranger! Merchants, mercenaries and travellers passing through these seas and skies, when we were attacked by pirates!" Feng replied at the top of her lungs, and Kagiso's eyes glowed. "Oh, and where are these merchants, mercenaries and travellers? I only see pirates before me." He asked, and Captain Feng's heart sank into her stomach.

"And that we are as well, but only when the need arises! You are welcome aboard, stranger! I am certain the truth will present itself!" Captain Marauder shouted, and Crane raised a single eyebrow. Greeves turned red and the veins on his head bulged.

"Traitorous dog! Open fire!" the bald Captain roared. "Sir?" the helmsman asked, before the ship trembled and multiple teleporters transported goods to the brig. Greeves grabbed him and snapped his neck. "Ram the ship! Fire the weapons! If we are to die, it will be in the open skies as pirates! Not as prisoners of war!" he roared, and the crew swallowed their fear.

"Very well. I accept your welcome." Kagiso replied and a single ship fired their cannons at his ghost. "So, one of you has chosen death? Who would be foolish enough to lay a finger against The Council...and why?" the two-horned man rumbled threateningly and the ship's defences crumbled. The world became brighter and more colourful, before it slowed down to a snail's pace.

Kagiso's ghost shrunk, and he boarded every pirate ship. He strolled passed the crew, without touching them and they all turned their heads slowly. They tried to catch a glimpse of the blur, but he was too quick. The two-horned man investigated the pirate ships, and it shocked him to find the same crystals the assassins carried.

"Who gave you these?" Kagiso asked Greeves, but the terrified Captain did not answer. He swallowed hard, furrowed his brow and stepped forward. "I will have my paradise. In this life or the next." Greeves said softly. "Fool." The two-horned man replied and the crates of crystal orbs on the brig shone, before they detonated. Kagiso outran the blast with ease. He contained the explosion inside a Mana field and his eyes glowed blue.

"Appraisal." The two-horned man thought, and magical circles were written in front of his eyes. The crystal rings spun, flipped and swapped places. Kagiso read the detailed reports and logged his findings in the Universal Library.

"Transportation crystals. So, they have learned to bottle spells. It's similar to Rune magic. What a brilliant invention. It is such a pity they created it for war." The two-horned man thought. He raised his head and stared at the tall skyscrapers scattered around him. Beams of bright blue binary code streamed between them, while billions of new towers sprouted from the ground in the distance.

"Where are you, when I need answers?" Kagiso wondered, and the Divine Mana faded away. The two-horned man scanned the translucent energy field. He had contained the explosion and any signal it tried to send. Kagiso popped the bubble and the vacuum inside sucked up the surround gases. The pirate ships felt the violent gust of wind. They checked their scanners, but Greeves' ship was gone.

"That was very clever of you." Kagiso said to the pale pirate Captain. "I made the only decision that would protect my crew. Nothing more." Captain Marauder replied honestly. "Good. I hate people that throw their lives away meaninglessly. Life and the freedoms that come with it are precious." The two-horned man rumbled sincerely, and the pale pirate let out a rare smile.

"So, she is called the Miliana? I am certain we can have her fixed before the raid." Kagiso said, and the spectacled pirate Captain adjusted his glasses. "We appreciate the help, but I don't recall accepting your request." Captain Crane replied, and the crew exchanged confused looks.

"But something tells me that you will." The two-horned man said to Captain Feng, and she spread her fan. Kagiso spotted the magical brackets arranged into Hanzi characters. The tiny nodes shone, and the beautiful pirate put on a painted play for her guest. The little girl chased the kitten all the way to the coast, where terrifying shadows grabbed her and whisked her away.

"We have blood on our hands, and we aren't above thievery." Captain Bokbaard replied, and he stroked his wispy beard. Kagiso laughed and raised his arms. A glittery Mana field swelled behind his back and piles of gold spilled onto the deck. "And I have hoarded mountains of blood-soaked loot." The two-horned man declared proudly, and the pirates cheered.

"A Dragon true and true. What services could a band of pirates possibly offer one of your status?" Goldjack asked curiously. "Sail freely under my flag. Do business as you please and fight my enemies' mortal comrades. Aid me in my Ascension and I will make you Pirate Lords." Kagiso offered the captains and their crew.