The Dreaddrac Onslaught (Book 4) (10 page)

“Signal your faster Sengenwhan fleet ships to deploy as prearranged. Attack the enemy’s lead ships to slow them down. Your Sengenwhan sailors deserve the honor of stopping the escaping fleet after what the enemy has done to your capital,” Agros said.

He turned to his aide. “Signal the Neuyokkasinian fleet captains to attack the enemy fleet’s rear.”

The two southern fleets divided, each sailing to meet the oncoming enemy, laden with the rock-dwarves. As they gained on Dreaddrac’s fleet, Agros noted a change in the wind. He looked up at the masthead flag, whipping about.

“Look there on the bow of the Dreaddrac flagship,” the Sengenwhan admiral pointed out. “There’s a sorcerer using magic. He’s casting spells to alter the wind, forcing it south to drive back the Sengenwhan fleet.”

The artificial wind conflicted with the natural wind to create waterspouts. Whirlwinds caught two transports, low in the water, that swirled a moment before plunging down a watery vortex.

Agros turned to his Sengenwhan colleague. “Did I see that right? Did angry sailors toss the wizard overboard?”

The wizard’s telltale robes and hat flew momentarily in the wind before sinking with the transports to the bottom of the Tixosian Sea. That ended the magician’s intrusion in the battle.

*

The three fleets met under full sail; the advantage now favoring the Southern fleets. While Neuyokkasinian ships attacked the enemy’s sides and rear, Sengenwhan ships attacked the enemy’s lead warships. The frontal battle was especially fierce. Dreaddrac’s admiral had his most powerful ships there and they weren’t encumbered with cargo or dwarves. The battle raged all day with ships driving their rams into enemy triremes on both sides, while the catapults cast burning missiles at the enemy setting many a ship on fire.

The Sengenwhan ships were more maneuverable and sailed around the larger Dreaddrac triremes forcing them to change course to do battle. The conflicting sailing directions sent many ships into each other’s paths bringing progress to a halt.

“Apparently, Dreaddrac’s admiral thought without a declared war, he wouldn’t encounter a direct attack,” Admiral Agros said to an aide. “He’s failed to prepare an overall defense plan. The transports and cargo ships are panicking. They don’t know whether to try to escape or hold within the defensive perimeter. See there to the north, three transports are making a run for the coast.”

“Signal the heavy Neuyokkasin’s triremes to engage and draw off the enemy’s most formidable warships. Signal the more maneuverable Neuyokkasinian biremes to hold positions until the triremes tie up Dreaddrac’s heavy escort triremes. When they are locked in combat, send the biremes against the unguarded transports,” Admiral Agros ordered. He turned to the battle to observe the chaos caused by the Sengenwhan attack on the lead ships. Soon the warships everywhere were entangled in close combat.

“Looks like most of the enemy’s warships are entwined with our ships, Admiral,” his aide pointed out a short while later. “Shall I signal the biremes to attack the transports?”

“Attack!” Admirable Agros said. He felt his heavy mustache lift over a smile as he turned to the aide. “Now that most of the largest triremes have locked onto the enemy war ships in direct battles, we can proceed to the next phase.” Admiral Agros turned back to monitor the battle.

His lighter, more maneuverable ships sailed around those locked in direct combat. They raced under full sail with oars flying to catch the enemy cargo vessels left exposed in open water. As with most dwarves, rock-dwarves couldn’t tolerate sunlight and had to remain below decks in closed cargo holds, they could offer no assistance to the sailors. The few orc sailors on the transports couldn’t effectively defend their ships against faster, fully manned Southern war ships. Dreaddrac’s ships, being heavily laden, had no real maneuverability.

Both sides fought fiercely, but the Southern fleet took command of the battle early on and kept it. All day long the ships engaged, some were disabled and sunk by ramming, others were engulfed in flames. In some cases, the ships grappled and pulled beside each other to fight hand–to-hand, man against orc. By late afternoon, the Southern fleet was well in the lead.

“See there!” Agros exclaimed. He turned and motioned the Sengenwhan admiral to look. “He’s realized he’s losing the battle. Dreaddrac’s admiral is signaling his remaining triremes to disengage and sail to defend the transports.”

“The admiral’s mission has been to get the rock-dwarves and their arms to Dreaddrac. At this point, he’s failing both his fleet and his charges,” Agros said to an aide. “Now he sees that. See the signal flags change? He’s signaling his ships to sail east to catch up with the cargo ships and defend them, no doubt.”

“The flight only encourages our Southern commanders. It will demoralize the Dreaddrac forces, fighting a difficult retreat,” the Sengenwhan admiral said.

As Agros turned back to monitor the battle, his eye caught a large trireme bearing down, steering directly for his flagship’s portside, midsection. “What’s this?”

The attacking trireme’s oars flew through the air and splashed hard into the water. The admiral recognized the cadence. Ramming speed! “Have Captain Kelkin order ramming speed!” Agros rushed to the portside as did the ship’s officers, who now saw the approaching warship. It changed direction to keep alignment with the Neuyokkasinian flagship’s midsection.

“Belay that order!” Agros yelled before the aide could dash off. “Order the portside oarsmen to reverse oar strokes.” The admiral turned to the steersman, “Hard to port!”

Captain Kelkin rushed to the admiral’s side from overseeing catapult arming on the main deck.

“Get back to the catapults, Captain,” Agros said. “Prepare them on the starboard side with oil bags. Have the fires ready, but don’t light them. Prepare to retract the oars on the port side on my command.”

Captain Kelkin raced down to the main deck as the admiral rechecked the position on the attacking ship. It’s only two ship lengths from us and bearing down fast, he thought. Looking down, he saw foamy water flush up and off the ship’s bow as its ram cut through the dark water. The sound of the approaching ship’s oars slamming into the water grew louder, thrusting the ship forward.

Agros glanced up, seeing the wood grain of the approaching ram, surging through the water. “He can’t maneuver at that speed this close,” the admiral said, to no one in particular. “He thinks he’s got me.”

The wide-eyed Sengenwhan admiral’s hands slapped the rail beside Agros. The sound of crashing oars slashing the water was everywhere. The sea churned. The Neuyokkasinian flagship groaned as the oars strained. The flagship heeled sharply to port. The sudden directional change shook the ship, throwing many sailors to the deck. One of the flame pots tore loose and fell over, spilling oil on the deck. It was quickly extinguished and mopped up. Agros had anticipated the ship’s reaction and held fast to the railing. The enemy’s bow seemed almost to loom up over the Neuyokkasinian ship and him.

“The portside oarsmen have seen the oncoming ship through the oar holes,” Captain Kelkin shouted. “The starboard oarsmen have thrown all their might into turning the ship.”

They know their only hope is in the course change, the admiral thought. He held his breath. “Retract portside oars!” Agros yelled.

His ship heaved to port and sailed across just in front of the murderous trireme bearing down on them. Spray from the approaching ship’s oars flew in his face. Agros wiped his beard. The enemy trireme barely slid past. Its bowsprit sliced off the last Neuyokkasinian oar narrowly missing the rudder.

So close, the enemy has over anticipated his coup, Agros thought. His head pounded. Nearly knocking down the Sengenwhan admiral beside him, Agros raced to the ship’s stern.

The enemy vessel now surged ahead unable to change course or reduce speed quickly.

The Neuyokkasinian ship continued its hard turn.

“All hands flank speed ahead!” the admiral yelled over the aft castle, down to the main deck, and through the hold’s grating to the oarsmen below. He grabbed the steersman’s shoulder. The man whose body strained to hold the rudder, seemed stunned. “Hold hard to port, man!”

Captain Kelkin rushed to repeat the order to the officers and oarsmen below deck. “Ramming speed!”

The portside oars banged against one another extending out again. The men frantically pulled on their oars. Seconds passed.

The admiral turned to his left, “Hard a port, helmsman! Hard to port!”

“He don’t mean to ram that ship, does he?” the admiral heard a sailor say. “We ain’t got enough speed.”

Just then the oars synchronized and the ship moved forward turning hard to the left. Again, sailors were thrown to the deck.

“Row harder for your lives!” the captain yelled.

“Back to your station, Captain Kelkin!” Agros yelled.

The Neuyokkasinian ship’s sail caught the wind as it moved sharply to port and groaning, it lunged forward suddenly.

Agros looked down at Captain Kelkin, who held an oil bag bearing tripod steady with one hand, while holding onto a catapult with the other. He looked up at the admiral on the aft castle.

The enemy ship sailed ahead unable to stop. It was straining hard to change course. Its bow just crossed in front of the Neuyokkasinian ship’s stern. The Neuyokkasinian ship surged forward, still turning hard to port. Her ram was aimed at the Dreaddrac trireme’s stern.

“Captain Kelkin,” Agros yelled, “retract starboard oars!”

The captain repeated the order to the oarsmen below deck. Without hesitation, the oarsmen began pulling in their oars as fast as they could as the ship banked to the port side in its tight turn.

“You mean to ram her?” Kelkin asked.

“Light your oil fires, captain!” Agros yelled. He turned, “Straighten your course, Helmsman!”

As Kelkin repeated the order to the catapult crews, they heard the sound of splintering timber. The Neuyokkasinian ship sailed up the Dreaddrac trireme’s side, shearing off its oars. The two ships scraped sides and large splinters from the Dreaddrac oars flew aloft, showering down on both ships’ decks. Chaos rained on the enemy ship unprepared for the sudden attack.

“Flame the oil bags and fire at will!” Agros shouted down to Captain Kelkin.

“Flame the oil bags and fire at will!” Kelkin yelled to the catapult crews. The catapult teams threw oil bags into their catapult cups, set fire to them, and shot the flaming bags onto the Dreaddrac trireme’s decks and mainsail. Panic ensued.

“Hold to port, helmsman!” Agros ordered. He turned to the deck below. “Full speed ahead!” He heard the pacer increase his pounding hammer’s frequency.

The ship turned again as it passed by the enemy trireme’s bow. The wounded ship’s upper level was in flames. The main sail, also engulfed in flames, crashed to the deck when flaming ropes securing it snapped. Screams rose from burning sailors leaping over the side. The ship slowed and coasted aimlessly. The oarsmen below deck must’ve panicked trying to free themselves, thought Agros.

“Shall we go about and ram her?” Captain Kelkin asked the admiral as he climbed the steps to the aft castle.

The Sengenwhan admiral was silent, still staring at the burning trireme. Admiral Agros watched the flaming ship. The last of its crew was jumping into the open sea, hoping to avoid the spreading flames.

“No, captain, we’ll sail on to catch up with the battle that’s getting closer to the coast of Dreaddrac.” He looked back at the burning trireme whose stern rose, dripping water as the bow sank in the turbulent water amid a skirt of flames.

*

Admiral Agros’ flagship sailed flank speed to catch up with the moving sea battle. Over the rhythmic sound of oars slicing into the water, the admiral saw the Sengenwhan fleet engaged with the lead Dreaddrac triremes. The raging battle blocked the transport barges’ progress.

“Look admiral!” shouted the Sengenwhan admiral, rushing up from behind. Dreaddrac’s ships are coming up behind my Sengenwhan triremes trapping them in between the two task forces.”

Agros looked at the Sengenwhan admiral. “I hope the admiral you placed in charge of that task force can come about and engage this new enemy front.”

The fighting intensified. The attacking Sengenwhan navy suddenly went on the defensive. The Sengenwhan admiral’s flagship was unexpectedly rammed just after ramming a ship itself. The three ships were locked in a life or death struggle.

Seeing this, Admiral Agros signaled the admiral to transfer his flag to a nearby Neuyokkasinian ship. The Sengenwhan admiral refused to leave his warship. The sailors from the three ships fought hand to hand with swords and spears in the desperate struggle.

“Look there, on the last ship of the three rammed together!” yelled the Sengenwhan fleet admiral. He rushed to the bow. “A sailor knocked over a fire brassier. It’s lit oil and is spreading across the ship’s deck at the end of those three locked ships.”

The sea wind spread the flames quickly through the rigging, sails, and oars, and the three ships burned to the waterline in no time. Sadly, the conflagration took the Sengenwhan task force admiral as well. By nightfall both sides were exhausted.

“Our combined fleet has captured, sunk, or burned a third of Dreaddrac’s ships,” Agros said. He read from a report handed him by an aide. He looked up at the horizon as darkness fell. A silver white fog was rolling in from the west.