~~~ SET THE CRIMSON SAILS ~~~
[ A new pirate adventure of Amra [Conan] and Belit.] [told in rhyme and story parts]
Sailing fast before an angry storm, on the crest of a snarling wave,
high above sunken ancient temples and Posiedon's unknown grave,
where the deep tentacles of Cthulhu rule in fathomless dream.
The hungry Lion and the Tigress prowl the sea to hunt and scheme.
Belit: the wildest she-devil unhanged, ivory breasts struggling to escape the rattle
and confinement of her breast-plates that Amra bade her wear in battle.
Amra: fierce and hard as a gray wolf, now a shark in the fishes realm,
a Lion in a sea of lambs, blue eyes blazing under a bull-horned helm.
~~~
...A medium-sized Shem trading Galley asking for help pulls nearer alongside a big black Stygian cargo galley. Both ships have their sails set in the fresh blowing wind of the western ocean. The few Shem crew look weary, wounded, and some are limping badly.
Unusually, the Shem traders are beckoned closer by the uncharacteristicly friendly Stygian seamen. But they are watched hawk-like by only a dozen unsmiling Stygian archer-Marines wearing Cobra-style helms that shine golden in the sunlight of Ra. that is also odd, because such big vessels are normally protected by at least two dozen archers.
The high curving prow of the big ship was carved into the usual Serpent likeness of the dominant Stygian God Set. the malignant idol stared down upon all humans with venom in its eyes. it was carved and painted so realistically that its own crewmen tried to avoid looking at it because it seemed almost alive.
Suddenly, several things all quickly happened at once! the Shem trader veered sharply across to collide sideways to scrape alongside the bigger ship! meanwhile the few men disguised as 'Shem' crew above deck jumped into action, uncovering hidden grappling equipment and other weapons.
Snarling ebon Pirates swarmed up on deck led by a huge shouting Cimmerian warrior, while the defiant 'Queen of the black coast' strutted in her shiny silvery breast-plates and swung her dancers hips under her short leather skirt.
Belit and her group of archers kept the Marines busy while Amra led the ferocious boarding action with his barbarian war-cry. as Belit feathered a Marine through his eye-socket, she felt the jolting impact of his own last arrow as it deflected off her new steel breast-plates! she briefly whispered thanks to Ishtar and her wise lover as she quickly took aim again...
~~~
They preyed a lot on the rich cargos of the powerful Stygian princes,
grappling irons crunched into the side, holding like giant-crab pincers.
the vicious pirates defied a bloody welcome as they swarmed aboard,
to the crew, twas like facing a ravenous snarling black demonic-horde.
Five shaven Stygian heads were swiftly severed or cloven
by the cutting web of steel that Amra had blurringly woven.
as his latest gutted victim covered his face with his arm,
the sharp wild senses of the Cimmerian RAISED THE ALARM!
As he dived to the side a HUGE MAW chomped on his blade,
his sword was shattered by teeth no earthly nature had made!
when he saw the big Reptilian-thing, he swore his eyes must be kidding,
then he glimpsed a rune-weaving Priest, and knew the Demon did his bidding.
When Belit's arrow glanced off the Demons hide, that hurt her pride,
but she could not see the Priest, and Amra wounded fell over the side.
the grotesque Demon had a crocodilian body with the long neck
and head of a huge Serpent, which swept down chewing men off the deck.
The 6-legged Horror easily bit men in half, in its voracious bloody reaping,
some men gladly leapt overboard while gibbering and weeping.
the invulnerable Monster ate all before it, including the Stygian crew!
the only quick pirates to jump back to Belit were a lucky panting few.
~~~
...Meanwhile, Amra emerges from the sea and climbs effortlessly and quietly up the big rudder-sweep at the stern. he had just pretended to be injured so he could by-pass the demon and get behind the Sorcerer-Priest.
As he stalks panther-like to within 9 feet of his chanting prey he is suddenly overcome with strong revulsion and steps back 2 paces in shock! he almost fainted from the very powerful magical defensive aura invisibly radiating from the powerful evil Priest.
His head is pounding and he has a great urge to flee in panic and dive into the sea. he feels like his bowels are being boiled inside, and he cannot stop himself from being violently sick onto the deck: his dizzy vision looks shamefully down upon the contents of his last meal at his feet; he recognises bits of the fish and octopus stew that he had wolfed down with lots of fine Shem wine.
After breathing deeply of the fresh sea air he quickly begins to recover his control. but most lesser men would be either unconcious or screaming and splashing in the waves by now.
So he throws his dagger at the back of the busy priest: but the blade sticks and halts in the edge of the magic aura! after his surprise he then notices that 2 arrows had also stuck in the side of the magical shielding-force.
As Amra continued to hear the loud screams from the demonic slaughter-fest he knew that if he did not stop the sorcerer quickly then they would all be eaten by the fangs from beyond.
he has to summon all his hard Cimmerian iron willpower and stamina to force himself nearer the wizard again. as he grabbed his dagger back, in his mind he moulded his great willpower into the shape of a big anvil: a familiar symbol of strength and power from his youth.
Then he charges into the vile aura like a herd of wild Cimmerian bulls: with his bull-horned helm; head down; and his dagger thrust out in front.
Amra pushes himself hard through the stench and terror of Hades with gritted teeth, red cheeks, and bulging muscles. it feels like he moving slowly through thick, sticky, invisible syrup or honey. but it smells like he is drowning deeper in the foul feces of 1000 laughing demons!
But his ice-blue steely gaze remains locked onto his dark victim, and he continues to force his way onwards like a titan smashing its way through a mountainside.
As he finally manages to plunge his dagger deep into the robed back, he cannot prevent himself convulsing and vomits green bile over his victim. then he quickly cuts the throat of the mage and stabs out his snake-like green eyes to silence his spells.
But the mutilated Priest does not stagger, and he tries to grab Amra with his withered claw-like hands! the big Cimmerian curses and snarls,
"You WILL bow before Crom! And then i throw thee back to Set in meaty pieces!"
He quickly finds a fallen boarding axe and proceeds to hack off the shaven head like an expert butcher. relieved to see the body fall limp at last, Amra kneels over the head and gulps fresh sea air again. the aura of revulsion was gone.
When he recovers and looks up he sees the headless robed body of the Sorcerer diving into the sea! he shakes his black mane in disbelief and curses loudly as the body appears to swim away underwater!
Then he checks the smiling severed head of the weird demonic-Priest and the tongue is moving about like a trapped blind worm! so Amra picks up the very heavy iron stern anchor with both hands and proceeds to smash the head into a gory flat pulp. then he smiles with furious satisfaction.
As the Priest's brain-power was destroyed, Amra heard a very loud piercing hellish scream which vibrated through his head and hurt his inner ears! ...
[ all story and poem parts by Buxom Sorceress c.2007.]
The story CONTINUES in part 2 below...
Edited by Buxom Sorceress, 26 April 2008 - 01:00 AM.
