My (Monster?) Hero Life

Chapter 215: Mysterious Happenings

At the same time that Kace had just arrived home in Stonefall, there was a peculiar conversation going on between some sailors seated around a table in a dark bar. The port town that held this bar was a usual port of call for the many ships sent by the heroes to retake the island. However, recently, said ships had begun to return to the port before crossing half of the distance.

Most of the time, these ships were barely still afloat. A meagre amount of survivors handled them while looking like they had witnessed unimaginable horrors. Every one of them had been tight-lipped about whatever they had seen. Choosing to hide in one of their factions hospital beds, crying and nightmares were common from these new patients.

"I'm telling you! I finally got one of them to open up!" A large sailor who was getting on in his years declared to his two friends. 

Each one of them was a captain of their own fishing vessel. The current gloom surrounding the port that they called home was a matter of great importance to them. Getting any information now might save them from a disaster later when they were out at sea. 

"Come on, Michael! We all know they never talk! They may as well be dead!" A short, chubby man sitting beside the first laughed at what Michael had said. He stroked his dark beard as he glanced around the bar. There were only two other inhabitants on that particular evening, and both of them were quite far away from their table. He lowered his voice and leaned in closer, the lamplight cast an eerie glow over his features. "But since we're mates you might as well tell us, eh?"

"Give it up Gregor, you know the deal!" The third man scoffed at his chubby friend. His single eye focused on him like a hawk's. "If the information turns out to be true, the others need to pay fifty gold to whoever got it. That was the deal we all made, and you'll damn well stick to it!"

"Ah! For fuck's sake, Tommy! We could have washed this off as a friendly conversation around a few drinks if you'd shut your yap!" Gregor replied with irritation, he hated the idea of parting with any of his hard-earned coins. He would do anything to get out of it.

"Shut it, and let the man talk! Let's hear it, Michael. What did he say?" Tommy made sure to give the man his full attention. There was no amount of gold that could be worth more than his life. So any information that might extend his time amongst the living was priceless.

"Well, see here," Michael began before taking a messy swig of the foul brown liquid in his mug. Most of it ended up down his stained, white shirt. "The fellow told me that something strange happened when they were only a few weeks out to sea."

Michael eyed his companions to gauge their reaction. He was not a talented storyteller, but he wanted to build some suspense. After all, the danger would not feel as real without it! He could still remember how the hero seemed to be scared shitless as he recalled the events! Seeing that they were paying proper attention to him, he continued with the tale.

"He said that the skies turned dark all of a sudden, you see? Even though no storms had been predicted or sighted on the horizon. The winds suddenly kicked up a mighty fuss, as if trying to blow their ship back to land! Like they just didn't belong out there! However, they persevered! The sea then threw great waves at them! Threatening to capsize the whole ship!"

"Hmph! Have you seen the size of their ships? There ain't no storms in these parts wild enough to capsize something of their size! You're speaking out your arse!" Gregor scolded his long time friend with an angry expression. "All of this just to tell us they were defeated by what was probably a normal, shitty little storm. These heroes haven't got the balls to sail these seas properly!"

Michael and Tommy both shot dirty looks at him. Michael did so because he did not like to be interrupted when talking. On the other hand, Tommy was pissed in case the interruption caused Michael to forget an important detail. Gregor withered under their combined gazes. He resolved himself to keep his trap shut until Michael finished with his fairy tale.

"Come on, Michael, ignore him. Make sure you don't miss anything now." Tommy goaded him to continue his story. A hint of eagerness could be heard in his raspy voice.

"Now where was I?" Michael replied as he took another swig of his drink. His brow creased as he tried to remember the exact details, the alcohol obviously was not helping him much. "Ah, right! Anyway, some of those on board were able to stabilise the ship with their magic, you know? And everyone thought that everything was going to fine and dandy. But they were wrong!"

Michael paused to quickly gesture to the barmaid that he needed another drink. He waited until she returned so that he could get rid of the dryness in his throat from talking about it. Tommy was obviously becoming impatient to hear the rest while Gregor had a look on his face as if to say I told you so. He clearly thought Michael was making the whole thing up to scare them!

"As I was saying. Just when they thought they thought that they would be safe, a strange light lit up the sea from its depths! Lightning began to strike all around them, making them fear that their vessel would be destroyed before they could reach land! However, the strange glow in the depths grew brighter as it neared the surface, not far from where they were. Then, everything suddenly went calm! In the next moment a glowing green ship, wrapped in chains of all things, emerged! At its helm was a ghostly captain, no love for the living could be seen in his glowing green eyes!"