Tibor knew that the weapons he was selling to the pirates were faulty, but who was he to care if some lowlifes got themselves killed? Their safety or success was none of his concern. Why would he turn down perfectly good coin when these weapons were going to be a loss?

Running his hands over the chest of gold, Tibor was lost for a moment, relishing and planning how he would spend his newfound wealth. The weight of the chest was satisfyingly heavy, and he couldn’t help but chuckle with delight. The promise of the coin he was offered was far too tantalizing to refuse. He knew he was taking advantage of dangerous people, but the allure of the riches was simply irresistible.

“Tibor! If you don’t hurry up, I’m gonna take the gold and the guns and leave you here!” Morgath shouted from the door, his voice dripping with impatience.

The sudden threat caused Tibor to hastily close the chest. “That won’t be necessary, Morgath. This seems like a fair amount for the zap guns. I couldn’t very well sell stolen goods in my store, but I’m sure you’ll find good use for them,” he replied with a gleeful tone. 

Morgath rolled his eyes at Tibor. He knew better than to trust a merchant, especially the likes of Tibor. But the scrappers needed weapons and quickly. They were planning to raid a naval ship, and the potential parts they could scavenge from fully outfitted airships was worth the small sum of gold it cost to work with a weasel like him.

As Tibor returned to counting the coins, his heart raced, and Morgath couldn’t help but notice his smug demeanor. Unsure if it was just glee at the money he came into, or if Tibor knew something he didn’t. But it didn’t matter. Vindictus wanted the weapons, and Morgath wasn’t going to ignore an order from his captain now.

A moment passed as the pirates called for Morgath from outside. The final crates were ready to be loaded, and they could leave. Morgath and his men trudged up the wooden ramp, their boots thudding heavily against the planks as they shifted the final, heavy crate. Tibor’s smile widened as he watched them board. He knew the weapons would fail after a few uses, getting the scrappers killed during their raid. It was his perfect plan to make a lot of money quickly. And even if some did survive the raid, he would be long gone before they came back. 

____________________________________________________________________________

It only took a few days for Morgath and his men to return to Vindictus’ ship, the Plunderer’s Pride, weapons in tow. As they boarded the ship, Morgath called out, “Captain, we got ‘em. Tibor had a nice stash just like we thought he would.”  

Morgath walked across the deck, his men hauling the crates behind him, until they reached their captain. Vindcitus raised a thin metallic arm, veins of purple energy coursing along it, as a biting cold spread across the deck. “Good work, open them.”

A moment passed as the crates were opened. Vindictus lifted a pistol to eye level, their fingers tracing the smooth metal as they inspected the sordalite crystal powering it. They let out a low but pleased grunt. Aiming across the ship, they pulled the trigger, and a burst of arcane energy shot out, ricocheting off the ship’s wooden planks. Their eyes lit up with as much glee as an odari could show as they pulled out several more guns, firing each once to test. 

“Hmm, looks like Tibor came through for us. Hand these out to everyone. Tomorrow, we’re raiding the Stormbreaker,” Vindictus said, a hint of bloodlust in their voice.

Morgath raised an eyebrow. “I dunno, he seemed a bit off. He was too eager to sell these, claiming they were stolen.”

Vindictus looked at him and shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. We got what we needed, and that’s all that matters. Now we just need to plan our attack. The Stormbreaker is supposed to be traveling through our northern sector tomorrow night, which is perfect for us. We’ll stay on the Plunderer’s Pride with a few of our men while the rest prepare to board and attack using the coaches. When we’re ready to start, I’ll summon the voidwyrm. That’ll easily keep their crew distracted while we take out their thrusters, and they’ll be sitting ducks. All going well, this’ll be an easy in-and-out job.”

Morgath let out a dissatisfied grunt. “Nothing’s ever easy though. I’m assuming that’s why you wanted the extra guns.”

“It’s been a while since we’ve taken on an actual naval ship, and they know we raid in these parts. If they’re planning something for us, then I’ll take every precaution to ensure we win,” Vindictus replied, a hint of agitation in their voice. “We have a busy day tomorrow. Once the weapons are handed out, make sure the crew isn’t too rowdy. I want them rested and alert.”

____________________________________________________________________________

As the plan was ready to begin, the crew took their positions. More than half of them boarded the scrapper’s modified sky coaches, concealing themselves within the clouds, patiently awaiting their captain’s signal to initiate the attack. Meanwhile, Vindictus, Morgath, and a handful of crew members remained on their flagship, the Plunderer’s Pride. The sound of hurried footsteps caught Vindictus’ attention as the crew’s scout came running. “They’re here, captain!” Vindictus followed the scout’s outstretched arm and declared, “Prepare yourselves, everyone.”

Vindictus dropped to one knee and began chanting in a foul language. The purple energy coursing along their body intensified, creating a brilliant glow as a rift appeared in the sky before their ship. Within moments, an enormous creature emerged—a voidwyrm with a wingspan wider than that of the Plunderer’s Pride. It boasted large purple eyes on each of its massive wings and two monstrous heads. The creature hovered for a moment, its winged eyes fixed upon Vindictus. Slowly extending an arm, Vindictus pointed toward the Stormbreaker. “Attack.”

The voidwyrm unleashed a deafening roar, causing the crew to instinctively cover their ears, and swiftly soared toward its prey. In a matter of seconds, the formidable creature reached the airship, coinciding with the sound of ringing bells and the thunderous boom of cannons firing, their echoes resounding through the surrounding area.

“Let’s go men! Our target is their thrusters. Make sure you don’t hit our own crew,” Morgath swiftly issued orders, and the airship surged forward at full speed, utilizing the voidwyrm’s assault as their vanguard.

As the flagship closed in, the rest of the crew followed suit, converging on the naval ship from both sides, taking advantage of the diversion created by the fearsome voidwyrm. They closed the distance swiftly, skillfully maneuvering into boarding range.

The clash between the scrappers and the naval crew erupted with ferocity as the scrapper’s sky coaches descended upon their unsuspecting prey. Within moments, the pirates leaped aboard the enemy’s deck, landing with thunderous footsteps. The scattered battle cries of the pirates shook the navy’s morale, overwhelming them with the devastating onslaught of the pincer-like attack. 

Amidst the chaos, Vindictus and Morgath brought the Plunderer’s Pride around, focusing their cannon fire on the enemy’s thrusters. As quickly as the fight started, it seemed like it was over. With their thrusters all but destroyed, the Stormbreaker was a sitting duck, waiting for Vindictus to tear it apart. Broken by their insurmountable odds, the crew of the Stormbreaker gave up, dropping to their knees and begging for mercy. 

Watching their enemy surrender, Vindictus let out a wicked laugh as he boarded the ship. “At least you’re smart enough to know when you’re beaten.” Turning their gaze to the voidwyrm, Vindictus called out, “Stop.” With its master’s order, the creature ceased its attack and hovered in place before the Stormbreaker. “I’ll give you all a choice. Either die here today or pledge yourselves to the scrappers. We could always use more hands to dismantle airships.” The rest of the crew began laughing as they held their guns out towards their newest victims.

Mustering what courage he had left, the Stormbreakers captain rose to his feet. “We will never surrender to pirate scum,” he said, spitting at Vindictus’ feet. “Well, I suppose you can’t all be smart.” Vindictus looked at his crew. “Kill them.” 

Each crewmember began firing their gun, and as several naval officers collapsed on the ground, the sound of a small explosion rocked the deck. Vindictus’ head quickly turned to look, as several of the guns they had just purchased began backfiring, the energy overloading their crystals causing them to violently shatter, releasing a pulse of deadly energy and a spray of shrapnel. 

As more than a dozen of their crew dropped to the ground dead, the captain of the Stormbreaker let out a rallying yell, seizing the opportunity presented by the faulty weapons. The surviving naval crew members, their spirits ignited by a desperate determination, rose to their feet and unleashed a ferocious counterattack. The clash of swords filled the air, accompanied by the deafening crack of pistols and the swirling glow of arcane energy as the battle reignited.

Morgath, witnessing the weapons malfunction, began cursing under his breath. He quickly rallied the pirates, urging them to regroup and push back against the resilient naval crew. What should have been an easy raid turned into a bloodbath as both sides fought tooth and nail for their lives.

Vindictus swiftly turned to the voidwyrm, “Kill them!” At their command, the looming creature resumed its assault on the airship, attempting to tear through it. 

“We need to retreat, captain!” Morgath pleaded desperately. “Tibor got more than half of our men killed with those guns. We need to get out of here now!”

Frustrated, Vindictus let out a bloodcurdling scream. “Everyone, fall back!” As quickly as they ordered it, the crew began fleeing, their sky coaches took off back into the clouds below, and the remaining crew members jumped aboard the Plunderer’s Pride. 

As they began flying away, the voidwyrm that was left to defend their retreat was slain by the constant cannon barrage, which quickly turned toward Vindictus’ flagship. The cannon shots tore through the scrappers airship, leaving large holes in its hull and destroying its masts. However, with the Stormbreaker’s lack of thrusters, the scrappers managed to escape.

As the Plunderer’s Pride soared through the skies, battered and scarred from the fierce battle, Vindictus surveyed the damage with a mix of anger and disappointment. The faulty weapons proved to be a cruel twist of fate, sowing chaos and confusion on both sides of the battle. Desperation and anger surged through Vindictus and their crew as the realization of the defective guns misfiring and exploding filled their minds. The scene was a harrowing testament to Tibor’s treachery, the weight of his betrayal settling like a heavy shroud over their thoughts. Morgath stood motionless, his expression filled with frustration and regret.

“Curse that conniving bastard,” Morgath muttered under his breath. “He led us into a trap.”

Vindictus clenched their fists, “Tibor will pay for his treachery. I’ll make sure of it.”

____________________________________________________________________________

A day passed, and the pirates regrouped on their damaged airship. They tended to their wounded comrades and took stock of their losses. The toll of the battle was evident, both in the number of lives lost and the heavy atmosphere of defeat that hung in the air. Wounded pirates lay scattered across the deck, their groans of pain mingling with the mournful cries of those grieving for their fallen friends. Broken guns littered the ship, serving as a haunting reminder of the cost paid in blood.

“We lost good men yesterday,” Morgath said solemnly, his voice deep with sorry. “But we still have a crew and a ship. We can rebuild, and we’ll make Tibor pay for what he’s done.”

Vindictus nodded, their eyes filled with rage and determination. “Morgath, assemble a group and send them to his shop immediately. I want Tibor, dead or alive.”

“Dead, captain?” Morgath asked, surprised by his captain’s decision.

Vindictus’ eyes blazed, “even in death there’s ways to make him suffer. And if that isn’t enough, I’ll bring him back. Tibor’s betrayal will leave him begging for death.” The crew shuddered, both in awe and fear, as their captain’s rage swept the deck. Vindictus turned to the crew, their voice raising with intensity and anger. “I swear, Tibor will pay for what he did to our friends.”

A surge of determination swept through the remaining crew, their faces resolute and their spirits aflame with the thirst for revenge. They tightened their grips on their weapons and with a unified voice, they let out a fierce battle cry that pierced the air.

More than a week passed before the group returned. “Captain, he wasn’t at his store. But we kindly asked one of his staff, and they told us he’s taken a trip to Cloudtop Tavern.”

“Well, if he thinks he’s gotten away with this he’s sorely mistaken. We leave for Cloutop Tavern tomorrow.”