Escape from Hightower Bay

Well he didn’t have much fight in him” said Ricmo as he watched the burning Air Elemental fall from the sky. “Looks like the wizard has skedaddled and left his elemental friend to take the fall”

“It was him versus an entire heavily armed warship, I think he was expecting maybe just Firebeard. Discretion, meet better part of valor” said Freddy . “Plus Dakhir’s fireballs sting something fierce”

Dakhir just grinned and blew on his finger tips

“Let’s give him some company on his journey” said Whisperleaf. Druidic chants fell from his lips and two gigantic eagles formed out of the mist 

“Find the mage. Kill him”

The eagles took flight . DirtyBird flapped into the air to join them

"Come on boys" he screeched. "Let me show you how it's done".

Marius called out from her perch in the crows nest of the foremast. “Longship coming from ahead, another from behind. They mean to catch us in a crossfire”

“Raise anchor you squabs, get some sail on her!” bellowed Firebeard at the Jack Tars”. “Let’s be rid of this wretched place”.  The captain considered the bay spread out before him. “With a ship a’ this draught we must take the southern passage. Right through yon enemy ship” he pointed.

"Sounds good" the heroes said in unison. 

"You know I don't think those Jack Tars are constructs at all" theorized Whisperleaf. "At first I thought they were some kind of Wood Golem but they act too human for that. Maybe some kind of necromancy?"

Without a word the Sturg walked over to capstan where several Jack’s were struggling to raise the anchor that had been sinking deeper into the mud of the ocean floor for weeks now. With a grunt, the Sturg put his back into it and the anchor came free. 

One group of sailors busily reefed and sheeted while another group loaded the midship cannons. The wind was still light off the mountains and for several agonizing minutes the Lady Jezebel didn’t move as her foes drew closer. Then slowly the sails filled and the ship started to make way.

The fog was clearing a bit and through the mist and darkness Marius’ keen eyes could make out both longships. The rearward one was rowing fast but unlikely to close the remaining distance from the castle to the Lady Jezebel, not with the wind freshening. The other longship, just rounding the lighthouse was a bigger problem, it lay square across their escape route. That one they would have to deal with. And the lighthouse itself, what was that peaking through the upper parapet?

“Cannon mounted in the Lighthouse” she sang out.

“Eagles, forget the mage, attack the top of the tower” commanded Whisperleaf. “Not sure if they heard that”

Firebeard studied the situation. “Figure we take the longship first and then the lighthouse. Can’t leave the lighthouse behind us shooting up our tail”

The two ships closed quickly as the wind continued to strengthen . The Lady Jezebel was moving at a good clip now, spray washing over her bow. 

Suddenly while the enemy was still an impossible distance away, the thrum of arrows as Marius loosed. One of the lead soldiers in the longship clutched his chest and fell over the gunwale into the sea. Another flight, another dead soldier. The remaining enemy crew looked demoralized, a few attempted to return fire with their own bows but the range was too extreme for them 

“My turn” whispered Dakhir and once again hellish  syllables fell from his lips. The fireball flashed over the intervening distance in seconds and exploded inside the longship. Screams and smoke emerged . 

At the same time the two bow chasers of the Lady Jezebel spoke.

Few of the enemy soldiers survived the barrage. The longship burst into flame and quickly turned into a roaring inferno. Survivors jumped into the sea to save themselves and after a few moments nothing was left but wreckage.

“Should we help them or finish them” mused Whisperleaf looking at the survivors.

“Leave them, their friends in the other ship will rescue them soon enough” advised Ricmo.

“Nice work lads” commented Firebeard. If we get past that lighthouse we are home clear”.

The minutes ticked by as the Lady Jezebel got closer and closer to the lighthouse. Both sides were holding their fire waiting for optimal range. Whisperleaf watched his eagles fall, likely to the wizard who still remained hidden. He summoned two more but instructed them to stay with the ship.

Slowly the Lady Jezebel swung to starboard as the ship angled to pass the lighthouse a hundred yards out. 

“Fire” thundered Firebeard. The three huge cannons along the larbored side spoke, as did the single cannon far atop the lighthouse 

And when the smoke cleared the upper third of the lighthouse was engulfed in flames. The way to the sea lay clear 

“I’m free” said Firebeard. “Guessing you lot wasn’t Skulk after all. Probably.”

“A storm comes” said Marius