[hr][hr][center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/q76PZW4G/forceandfury-A-beach-outside-of-a-polynesian-village-at-night-w-79e3e6ee-3e55-4a2c-aa55-b7f1678ef6c8.jpg[/img][/center][hr][hr][center][h1]An End to Passivity[/h1][/center] [hider=The Royal Family] [hider=Kaleo][center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/jjvMcXJh/forceandfury-The-king-of-a-small-Polynesian-island-in-the-seven-b68cef37-0a38-4722-959f-c41e4cd37f32.webp[/img][/center] [/hider] [hider=Kanani][center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/mD58fgjz/forceandfury-the-queen-consort-of-a-small-Polynesian-kingdom.webp[/img][/center] [/hider] [hider=Tamatoa][center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/fbgrZCTR/forceandfury-The-brash-and-handsome-young-prince-of-a-small-Pol-f3504b57-1c6e-45ec-95fa-5414102e97e8.webp[/img][/center] [/hider] [hider=Leilani][center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/W33XHkGc/forceandfury-The-princess-of-a-small-Polynesian-kingdom.webp[/img][/center] [/hider] [hider=Tiare][center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/mZcGcc0n/forceandfury-The-princess-of-a-small-Polynesian-kingdom.webp[/img][/center] [/hider] [/hider] The island was alight with action as the student's plan was put into motion. Kaleo wouldn’t sit back and let children fight his battles, even if the student’s ‘neutral’ allegiances put them in a unique position to bring change. Warriors extinguished their fires, gathered their weapons, and steeled themselves for the challenges ahead. They were to sail out and fight the pirates to present themselves as Virang’s allies when the Tarlonese turned their cannons. There would be enough plausible deniability to avoid future conflicts. Kaleo said his goodbyes to his family. To Tiare and Leilani, there was an assurance that he would be back. To Kanani, the message was the same but both knew the result didn’t entirely rest in his hands. To Tamatoa, the king gave him wishes of fortune and health. The prince would be sailing out too and it would be the first big battle the boy had seen. With that, Kaleo picked up his large, ivory hook and wrapped the woven rope around his arm. He took great care to ensure the rope held firm but didn’t constrict. The weapon was now part of himself, little more than an extension of his hand. He rose to speak to his warriors. In Moatu Suva, elevating oneself on podiums and stages to communicate status was looked down upon. Nobles, even kings, were to stand on an equal level with their people and earn the consideration they drew. Kaleo had no trouble with this, his unusual height put him a head above most. [color=ba331e]"Warriors of Moatu Suva! Those who call themselves friend and brother to these islands! Hear me!"[/color] No head in the encampment was turned away. [color=ba331e]"We sail out to push these pirates from our land and bring peace once more to our home. Too long have we sat here and waited for our moment, we will not let it pass us by. We sail to support Virang, but you know what you fight for, you know [i]who[/i] you fight for. Sail out with them in your hearts and spare not our might for those who would stop us."[/color] A responding cheer cried and the warriors picked up their pace. Abdel sat by the fire sparing few glances at what was happening around him. The pink-haired girl had gone along with the other students leaving him to the hostile locals. Alone and vulnerable to the whims of these people who readied for war left the boy with one question: What was to become of him? Prince Tamatoa approached the same campfire and crouched in front of the Virang swabbie. He smiled with something of an amused expression, but Abdel knew there was some plasticity to it given their previous exchange. [color=e4e675]"Looks like we’ll be sailing out to fight for Virang after all."[/color] Tamatoa gave no apology to the boy, but spoke like ‘all’s well that ends well’. [color=e4e675]"As far as I see it, that gives you a choice. You can either sail out with us and rejoin the fight or you can stay here until it's all over. Up to you."[/color] He gave a shrug, truthfully the answer didn’t matter much to the prince. Abdel looked dumbfounded. Less than an hour ago that same prince was trying to force him back into the battle by spearpoint and now he was just given the choice like it was nothing? He didn’t believe the prince's nonchalance. What this a choice or was he being toyed with? Tamatoa was watching the boy think and think and not voice any answer. [color=e4e675]"It is your choice whether to join this fight and rejoin your countrymen. I won’t force you to risk your life further, no one else here will either."[/color] For a moment, Abdel let his thoughts wander as his gaze fell into the campfire. The heat flared as the wood cracked and fell away to the flames. Tamatoa wasn’t being entirely honest, but he couldn’t tell where that dishonesty lay. Maybe it was time to consider the question itself, if it was a trick then let the consequences be damned. [color=86f0a6]"No."[/color] [color=86f0a6]"No, I think I’ll stay if I can."[/color] Tamatoa clapped both hands against his knees and stood. [color=e4e675]"Then you may stay."[/color] [color=e4e675]"We’re putting out the campfires to avoid the risk of it catching on the grass. We’ll leave this one though, so keep an eye on it."[/color] The prince walked off without an answer or a second word. Abdel sunk back into thought. There would likely be consequences if his captain or anyone else on the Altın Oğul heard about the answer he gave. He chose to stay on shore while his countrymen spilt blood on the seas. But he had seen what was happening out there, mages fought while people like him tried their best not to die. All he could ever be out there was a plaything for those who could bend the world to their will. He was sick of it, sick of feeling helpless to them. Maybe it was the same thing here, but at least his life would remain. He looked up from the fire only to see the smile of a young native girl inches from his face. [color=71eba1]"Hi!"[/color] said Tiare. [hr] A haka took place in front of the ships ready on the water. Voices cried in call for war as hands provided percussion against bodies willingly consigned to the risks of battle. It was a rallying cry to the warriors of Moatu Suva and their hearts beat at an equal pace. A mind unready for battle could give in to its stresses and falter; it almost always caused troubles for brothers-in-arms. The warriors would suffer no such mistake. Queen Kanani and Princess Leilani sat a few steps from the shore on dry, sizeable rocks that provided ample view of the departing wakas. Kanani spared a glance back to the camp where she could see Tiare chasing around the Virangish boy Tamatoa brought in. Perhaps she should be worried, the sailor boy was almost twice the girl’s size after all. But Tiare had just begun to develop her magical abilities and had the most potential out of her three kids; the boy posed no real threat by comparison. Perhaps she should need to intervene and save the boy at some point from her hellraiser of a daughter, she tittered at the thought. Her daughter’s eyes toward the water spoke of worry and not for her family alone. It was not a pleasant night, but it wouldn’t be the last the princess would see. Among the better things, life was also full of turmoil, turns, and trouble. She did her daughter no favours by sheltering her from the reality of war. Leilani had been distant and contemplative most of the night, but that only increased since she wandered off and spoke with the Eeaiko girl. Another person to care about only increased worry when blood stained the air and water. [color=a05ef7]"I can see when matters play at your mind. You have the words but often lack the moments where you feel you can speak."[/color] Kanani set a supporting hand on her daughter's lap. [color=a05ef7]"It’s just us now. Speak your mind."[/color] It took Leilani a moment. [color=826ee6]"She isn’t a bad person, you know..."[/color] [color=a05ef7]"I know. And you kept it from her all the same."[/color] [color=826ee6]"I shouldn’t have..."[/color] [color=a05ef7]"Yes, you should have."[/color] The queen pointed out to the boats growing more distant by the second. [color=a05ef7]"They sail out to defend what they hold dear and you did the same. Not all battles are fought with muscle and weapons, not all battles require blood, you’ll learn this in time.’[/color] [color=a05ef7]’You didn’t do it because you resent the girl, I know your heart goes with her. You did it because you had something worth protecting. Keep that purpose in mind."[/color] [color=826ee6]"... If you had something more to protect, would you do that to me?"[/color] Kanani wrapped her daughter in a hug and pat her head. [color=a05ef7]"Of that my daughter, you have nothing to worry about."[/color] Leilani paused. [color=826ee6]"Why did I have to choose though? I didn’t want to do that."[/color] [color=a05ef7]"It was a decision with no good outcomes. With any luck, the girl will leave here without a lifelong burden on her shoulders."[/color] Leilani didn’t respond. [color=a05ef7]"When conflict is brought upon you, it can be easy to ask questions. Why has this this happened? Why would [i]they[/i] do this? But you need to remember that it is a person behind those actions, one presented with an ugly choice just like you were. Remember that girl and remember that. Because when you cease to see a person behind the actions taken against you, it sets only the stage for cruelty."[/color] [hr][hr][center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/159Z5Wr9/ads.jpg[/img][hr][hr][h3]There are those with ideals and those who don't have the luxury[/h3] [b][url=https://youtu.be/o45I1-H3JsY?si=HxTCKnG3gtVQezv-&t=212]♫[/url][/b][/center] Cawuio-Zast sat atop his gunpowder barrel with a grin. How long had this battle gone on? In reality, it was likely ten minutes that had gone by. But the pace of his heart made it seem an hour. A couple of cannonballs had come dangerously close to his head. He should have known that Anthal and Enoxii, the two Yasoi on defence, would spare no effort to keep him alive. But that hardly mattered. All that did was leave it to chance and Zast was the world's best gambler. He would never lose, he would never die. Then, in the quiet between fire, Zast heard a horn blaring across the waters. It was difficult to see what exactly was approaching among the smoke and moving ships so he pulled out a comically large spyglass fit for an Ogauraq to get a closer look. Native ships were approaching the scene of battle and he couldn’t tell whether they sailed to fight the Virangish or his side. He was giddy with excitement. He looked up and saw that someone else had also taken notice. [hr] Kaleo stood at the lead boat with a hand braced against the mast. The smaller ship cut swiftly through the waters and was closing the gap to join the fight. The white water splashing of the threshers could present some problem but he had faith in the men of the ship. Any child of Moatu Suva was born to the seas, they need only worry if their wakas got sunk. The fleet of smaller ships assumed a spread formation to avoid oncoming fire. Suddenly, something above caught the attention of his crew. The king looked up to see a man flying high. It was a powerful mage that they had drawn the attention of, no doubt of that, and that mage was approaching at rapid speeds. [color=ba331e]"Brace for impact!"[/color] [hider=Anthal Sr.] [center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/c4HttcsS/forceandfury-A-grinning-elf-pirate-captain-with-blond-hair-and-e854f95f-945e-452d-b5b2-3f1aca79e38c.webp[/img][/center] [/hider] Anthal Sr., the captain of the Blue Adam, dropped upon the king’s boat with incredible speed and force. The man was a bullet set to pierce through the king’s ship. The Yasoi pirate swung around to stomp down on the deck but meet the king’s massive hook first. Immense kinetic energy poured from Anthal’s momentum into the strike but he looked shocked as he sensed some of that energy being drained away unnaturally. Kaleo’s hook was sapping the force out of the attack. But too little, too late. Anthal smiled as a shockwave exploded around them. Immediately the king’s waka snapped in half while ten other nearby ships also flipped over into the water. All of the men, including the king, dropped into the sea while Anthal remained floating a little above the surface to survey the environment. The captain was just about invincible. There wasn’t a single fighter on these ships that could stand toe-to-toe with him. As far as he saw it, they were like any other Yanii dogs playing at the basics of magic. They couldn’t hold a candle to the flame of his proficiency and power. But their cannons still posed a threat to his ship, it was his best option to take them out here before any of them got into range. The wakas in the distance were staggered and unsure how to respond to the captain’s opening assault. Some floundered, some came in to save those who had fallen in the water, and others turned aside to sail around and continue toward the fight. He would deal with th- [i]splash[/i] From one of the shattered halves of the king’s ship, a large arm emerged from the water and gripped its side. King Kaleo pulled himself up onto the remains of his waka and stood firm. He and his men were lucky that the blast also spooked away the threshers; they were safe from becoming fish food. His head followed the Yasoi captain as he floated circles around him over the water. He unfurled the hook’s rope from around his arm. [color=0072bc]"Don’t do anything you’re going to regret."[/color] Anthal called across to the lone king. The man Anthal saw in front of him was somewhat more impressive than the warriors he called company. Still, he couldn’t have been much higher than 7.5 RAS. The king would sign his death warrant by fighting now. Anthal turned away to see that many wakas were starting to get past and drew the risk of joining the fight. He drew kinetic energy around him, from stay cannon fire, from the warriors swimming away, from the thresher’s erotic frenzy, then launched himself toward the new frontrunners of Moatu Suva. Suddenly, an acute pressure caught his ankle as he stopped immediately. The hook had been thrown and drained his kinetic energy with the contact. The rope was pulled taut by the king and Antal was yanked back into the fight toward the waters. Despite the immense force, there was no kinetic energy employed by the king. It was all muscle. Anthal Sr. crashed into the other half of the king’s waka and used the kinetic he had left over to guard him from the impact. It went from a lethal blow to light bruising at best. Kaleo unlatched the hook from the captain's ankle and he pulled it back to himself. He took a fighting stance and raised his weapon like a one-handed club. Anthal stood in turn. The two leaders were little more than fifty metres from each other, divided by a small stretch of water. [color=0072bc]"You could have avoided all this. All you had to do was sit this out and your island would be free. Don’t think I’m unaware of the hold the Virangish have over you. The seas belong to no one, I thought your people over anyone would understand that."[/color] Kaleo grimaced, the blow he had taken from Anthal’s first impact left his breathing short. [color=ba331e]"I do understand it. If it was any other day in another place, then I would agree. But this would only be the start of our troubles if you won here. So you ask me to choose between my family and some distant ideal."[/color] [color=0072bc]"Then you’re a coward."[/color] Anthal Sr. spat into the sea. [color=0072bc]"You could have both."[/color] [color=ba331e]"Not always."[/color] Anthal drew his cutlass. If it was doubtful that he would be able to get away from the king while he was alive, then so be it, the king would die. [hr][hr]