User blog:Biklay Fierlan/Fierlan

==Part One: The Isle of Petratis==

Prologue
The otter clan of Lunach MacTide waited in the shallows as the looming hull of the pirate ship Raider came into view through the thick fog. A lone pine marten stood at the prow, cutlass in paw. A evil laugh erupted from its ugly mouth,
 * "So, Lunach, Yer thought y' could thwart ther Golden One, did ye? There's a price to be payed for ev'rythin', ye know...Chaaarge!!!" Forty pirates poured down the side of Raider, and a furious battle began as the twenty last otters of the clan gave their last attempt for freedom, yelling their last war cry as they clashed with the surging ranks of savagely howling vermin pirates,
 * "MacTiiide! For freedooooom! Fiiight!!!"

Chapter One
Petratis. Ruled by the evil golden fox, Silvaza the Golden, the once 'Gem of the sea' was held in her vise-like grip. She sat watching her crews of Searats and Corsairs as they scurried about, heaving wooden stakes and supplies to their places in the protection wall they were building around her stronghold of Fort Medwark. Two Searats by the names of Ruppil and Gruffix were carrying a long stake between them to its desired position in the wall when Ruppil stumbled, causing his partner to drop his end on his own footpaw.
 * Gruffix leapt a foot into the air, howling, "Me footpaw! It's broken in an 'undred places!"
 * "No 'tisn't,"Said Ruppil."So shurrup, y' big fussin' - Owow! Wot did yer do that fer?"
 * Dennarv, Silvaza's second-in-command, raised his coiled whip as if to strike Ruppil again. "Let me ketch yer idlin' agin an' I'll lay onter yer! Now, git back ter work an' no more nonsense, d' yer 'ear me?"
 * "Yarr, Cap'n, sir!" Replied the pair, getting on with their work, driven only by their fear of the huge pine marten Captain.


 * Silvaza awoke the next morning in high spirits. She turned to Vezan, her door guard.
 * "Bring Dennarv here, I need to speak with him."
 * The swift ferret was back in less than three minutes, the marten far behind her. At last Dennarv caught up. Silvaza pushed back the silken curtain that covered the entrance to her chamber, admitting her marten captain.
 * "You called fer me, Golden One?" asked Dennarv.
 * "Aye, I've somethin' to tell ye," Replied Silvaza, "As ye already know, Sclagga an' the Seascale will be here soon."
 * "Aye, Golden One, that is so. Wot d' yer want me t' do?"
 * "What I want ye to do is take fifty o' my Pikesrats to the area around the docks an' be ready to give 'im a greetin' when he gets 'ere."Said Silvaza. "Ye know what I'm talkin' 'bout."
 * "It shall be done, Golden One!"Said Dennarv, bowing low.
 * Silvaza smiled as Dennarv exited. Now all she needed to do was sit back and watch Sclagga's fate, reassured of what it would be.


 * Far to the north, in the remains of a wind-lashed tent near the site of the now non-existent Holt Lunach, two young otters crouched around a dwindling fire. A chilling breeze swept through their shredded tent as sleet came hammering onto the miserable beasts. The male, battle-scarred from rudder to eartips, wore a once-white shirt and a long kilt, and held a chipped broadsword in paw. The female, no less scarred than her brother, wearing a torn brown vest over her sinewy features had a green sash with a kilt below it. A jagged cut etched across the male's right eyebrow, clearly visible on his rough face. scenes of the previous night flashed on their memories. Their father's argument with the Fierlan family, the squirrels' departure on the ship Nightsea, and then it had happened, right after the Fierlans' leaving, the looming hull of a ship in the fog, a cackling marten at the prow...The battle. The battle in which the otters' entire holt had been killed...Except for them. The fire seemed to become a part of them as countless minutes passed them by: A part of them called vengeance.

Chapter Two
It was a beautiful day at Redwall Abbey, and everybeast seemed to be doing something for the Summer Games Festivities. Abbot Armanus sat on the western wallsteps, enjoying the day. Just then, Sister Laelia, Redwall's Recorder, joined him on the steps.
 * "Young Tilden seems to be learning Recording very quickly, Father Abbot, so I was thinking of letting him record this season's Games Festival. What do you think, Father?"
 * "How thoughtful, Sister! I have one question, though.  Do you mean it to be kept a secret?" asked Armanus.
 * "I know we're not supposed to keep secrets, Father, and I may sound like a Dibbun, but what harm could it bring?"
 * Armanus thought a moment, then said, "I suppose so, Sister. And I may sound like a Dibbun by saying this," added Armanus with a giggle not unlike the Abbeybabes commonly referred to as "Dibbuns" at Redwall, "we both will be dibbuns, then."
 * "Thank you, Father!" said Laelia to the kindly old mouse, as she jumped up and disappeared around the main building of Redwall, running at a hop-skip.
 * "Maybe I am acting like a dibbun," thought Armanus, rising and slowly walking into Great Hall, pausing to look up at the Tapestry depicting Martin the Warrior, the ancient hero of times past. "You wouldn't mind, would you Martin?" he said aloud, "Or maybe you would. Never mind, I will protect your beloved Abbey as long as I live."  "I hope," thought Armanus as he ascended the stairs leading to his room.
 * He paused again for a moment before going into his room, shutting the door behind him.


 * The day of the Festival came upon them like a thief in the night. By evening they all were nearly winded after a long day of fun and games.
 * Now came the time for the evening feast.

Captain Gallent Ffolger, great-great-grandson of the famous Pikkle Ffolger, took the Abbot and Mother Aurelisia, the badger Matriarch of Redwall aside.
 * "I've got a message from 'is Lordship Sallanvo for ye, Father Abbot." he said urgently.
 * "What is it?" asked Armanus.
 * "A ship, all broken up, washed up on the shore, 'bout fifty spearslengths from th' mountain, 'round a week ago. Me an' m' patrol found it, an' 'eard a growlin' amidships, or what was left of 'em. So, we checked inside an', of all things, found a squirrel inside, big 'un, too. And by th' blinkin' look o' 'im, 'arf dead! We took 'im to th' mountain and, soon as we get inside, 'is Lordships asked us t' bring a message t' Redwall, fast as our bally paws could carry us. 'Ere's h'exactly wot 'is Lordship tol' us..." began the Captain, the two Redwallers listening intently.


 * Murrin and Glanow, two hares positioned on the top of Salamandastron for the Night Watch, looked out into the cold night sky.
 * Suddenly there was a muffled cry as the two fell to the rocky surface of the great mountain, unconscious.
 * "Foolish harebeasts, trying to stop me from avenging me family an' Lunach's!" said a burly male squirrel, stepping gracefully over the two.
 * "They'll wake up too late tae stop Biklay Fierlan!" The huge squirrel, a hefty javelin in paw, stole over the rim of the mountain and scaled the rocky sides to the bottom, where he disappeared along the beach in a northwestern direction, heading on up the wave-lashed shoreline and into the blinding night, shouting, "The Sea can nae stop Biklay Fierlan, Silvaza! I am comin' for thee, mark m' words, I'm comin'!"

Chapter Three
Silvaza had been correct about thinking Sclagga would strike in three days time.
 * She found this to be so when Barenza, captain of one of her ships named Shadowsail, went missing.
 * The next night, two other captains of hers died mysterious deaths.
 * This was enough for her.
 * After the losses of three captains, she decided she'd strike Sclagga first this time.
 * She summoned the rat Argul and the stoat Ragganza to her chambers. "Garva, Barenza and Nookat 'ave been slain.
 * Muster a score of those idiots who try to call themselves my 'Troops' and board the Seascale.
 * Watch out for th' Shadowsail, 'tis full of Sclagga's rabble. We strike them tonight!"
 * Argul and Ragganza stood motionless for a minute. "Well, get on with it!" yelled Silvaza; the two scampered off to the barracks, waking the beasts that were inside. "Shift yer skins, yew snorin' landlubbers, an' get out 'ere!
 * Der fight's ternight!"
 * "Good timin', eh, yew!" said Gruffix, "Right when we were gettin' some sleep!"
 * "Yer right there, Gruffix, mate." said Ruppil, "I wuz right in der middle o' a right fancy dream! But at least we git ter be a part o' d' fightin', eh, Gruffix?"
 * "Y're completely right there, Ruppil!" said Gruffix.
 * "Arr, shuddup an' git a move on, yew two!" said Argul, "Cap'n Dennarv an' d' Gold'n One'll be right pleased wid us if we git goin' an' take those ships!"
 * Groups of half-asleep Pirates and Corsairs dwindled out of the tents, grabbing up weapons as they came fully awake.
 * The great timber gates groaned and creaked as they swung open to let the waiting vermin out.
 * Hordes of vermin poured swiftly and silently into the bay, then slipped into the cool waters and began swimming for the Shadowsail, as to take it back from Sclagga's thieving Pirates and Corsairs.
 * Suddenly the rat sentry, posted by Dezka the fox, Sclagga's First Mate, gave a cry when he spotted the water-bound beasts that were making a beeline for Shadowsail. "All paws ter Starboard, I see sumpthin'!"
 * Then Dezka appeared at the rail.
 * "Yarra, wot does we haves 'ere?" he said. Turning to Zunig the Lookout, Dezka yelled, "Git the sign'l flag, I needs t' noterify Sclagga o' our guesters!"
 * A rustle of knives, scimitars, axes and other assorted weapons could be heard amongst the Shadowsail's crew as they prepared themselves for battle.
 * With a sudden roar, Argul's platoon of vermin swung up onto the deck of Shadowsail, armed to the teeth.
 * And then the fight began as Seascale rounded a outcropping of rock and made headway for Shadowsail, its own arsenal of Pirates prepared to fight!


 * Silvaza had been waiting all night for news of the battle, sharpening her huge scimitar on a whetstone.
 * At last Vezan pushed back the curtain, saying, "Golden One, Argul is back and wishes to tell ye what 'appened."
 * "Good!" said Silvaza, "I was beginning to think that he and Ragganza had lost! Let him in, Vezan!"
 * To save his own skin, Argul sent in Nurruk and Grunga to tell of the defeat while he and Ruppil, the only other survivors of the conflict, sat in the corridor. Silvaza's angry shouts were easy to hear as the two unlucky vermin related what had taken place. Ruppil sat beside Argul, weeping piteously. "Gruffix, Gruffix! Why couldn't it 'ave been me 'stead o' yew? Gruf -" "Shuddup, an' be 'appy yer don't 'ave t' report ter ol' Goldenback!" said Argul, giving him a savage kick.
 * Ruppil straightened up.

The dead bodies of Nurruk and Grunga were hauled into the corridor and thrown into a crumpled heap on the stony floor.
 * Vezan turned to Argul.
 * "Her Magesty, Silvaza wishes yore presence, rat." she said coldly. "And ye," said the ferret to Ruppil, "can git back to yore barracks, ye miserable wretch."
 * Ruppil bowed quickly and dashed off to the barracks, where the last one hundred beasts of Silvaza's horde huddled together, murmurring unhappily amongst themselves.