Mirror plot II.

[stuck_mynock]

When the morning comes, Atton's gone, but there are two rather ragged and thin looking pirates poking Will with their feet.

"Get up," one says (he's very shrill). "You're to report to the quartermaster, down on deck four."

Comments

[will_scarlett]

Will winces and gets up,

"Aye, I'm movin'."

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

"Good. Follow us, and be sharpish about it. People are waiting."

The two head off, guiding Will along the maze of corridors and walkways until they eventually reach a rather small, unassuming door.

"In there."

[will_scarlett]

"Aye."

Will moves quickly, sneaking looks around at the ship as they move.

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

There's an array of weapons and a rather old man inside the room.

"You're here, then. I've just finished setting things up for Second Mate Ray. You'll be against him - quite unusual. Either the Captain really wants you to die, or Ray has stepped out of line lately." Beat. "Maybe both."

[will_scarlett]

"Oh aye, what's Ray like?"

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

"Insane. Violent - which works well with pirates, really. Something of a sadist, which I would think is a plus for you - more time being sadistic means more time to get the upper hand and kill him, I'm sure."

[will_scarlett]

"Aye, well just 'ave to do all I can then. What am to be 'llowed to fight with?"

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

"A sword. Your own, if it suits you."

[will_scarlett]

"Then I'll keep me own."

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

"Good. It's more than most people get," headshake. "Most are thrown in with just a stick, or with nothing. Sometimes more, but it depends on if the crew wants to see something interesting, or just want to see something bloody."

[will_scarlett]

"Do me best to keep 'em entertained."

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

"I'm sure," the quartermaster says, nodding towards a nearby door. "Your waiting area is through there."

[will_scarlett]

Will nods and walks through, loosening his sword in its sheath.

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

Beyond, there's something approaching an especially large cavern. Vast and dome-shaped, with long teeth of rock hanging from the ceiling, for the most part the stone has been shaped into high and ever-higher benches looking down on the centre. Currently, those benches are filled with jeering pirates. Atton isn't anywhere to be seen.

In the middle, there's a large circle, depressed down into the rock by ten or twelve feet, with two roughly hewn doorways on each side, through one of which Will's just come.

Opposite from him, somebody else emerges through another door. It's clear that Atton had a sense of humour when he picked Ray - technically, he follows what Will had specified, that his opponent be around the same size as him. He's only slightly taller, only slightly broader. The joke is in the fact that, this aside, any semblance of fairness has been thrown out the window - he has battered, mismatched armour, a heavy axe in one hand and a sword in the other, and from the back of his head streams a mass of tentacles, bifurcated to hold a hammer and another sword.

[will_scarlett]

As he sees Ray, Will crosses himself and sends a small prayer up that he can return to Kate in one piece from this adventure.

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

There's no announcement that the fight has started, but Ray starts rushing towards Will anyway, sword and axe sweeping about at his neck.

[will_scarlett]

Will does his best to meet the swinging blades and hoping that he's just that much faster.

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

Ray lets out a strange, chittering sound as the blades are blocked, hammer and second sword coming up to swing down towards Will.

[will_scarlett]

So Will takes a chance and pushes forward towards Ray, hoping to knock him off balance as he dodges out of the way. He also slashes towards Ray's torso as he moves.

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

Ray stumbles, and while the slash leaves a deep groove across his armour, he's uninjured, and quickly strikes back by swinging his axe towards Will's shoulder.

[will_scarlett]

Will's able to just get out of the way but the axe leaves a nasty slash down his arm as he turns to meet it with his sword.

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

With his axe locked against Will's sword, Ray turns to other weapons - his hammer swings sideways towards Will's head.

[will_scarlett]

Since his sword is locked and the hammer is coming fast, Will briefly lets go of his sword, kicks Ray in the groin and grabs his sword again before going under Ray's legs.

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

The muted grunt from Ray and the way he freezes up would probably indicate that this works fairly well.

[will_scarlett]

Once he's clear of him, Will comes back and slashes at Ray's legs to knock him fully over.