1 ~1~Golden Buccaneers

Waves crashed against boats as the morning sun rose over the horizon, a fine line separated the sky from crystalline seas full of magic and wonder. Rays of sunshine beat away dark clouds, ushering a new day for the living beings rising from their deep slumber. Well, most creatures were rising with the sun.

In villages, sleep was slowly chased away with "rise and shine" and "wake up and head for the fields"! Normal citizens of Aquarise would be hopping out of their comfortable cots, donning their daytime clothes and preparing for a long day ahead.

Farmers rose to the calls of roosters and livestock. Shepherds would wake from their slumber, surrounded by fluffy clouds in green meadows. Blacksmiths rushed to furnaces and stretch their massive arms to ready themselves for a day of hard work.

Mothers and wives urged their families to rise early, leaving enough time to eat morning meals and arrive at work or school early. They push husbands through doors, thrusting food in hands and wave as their children bounce down the streets.

This was life in its most simple form.

Noblemen rise later, hold meetings as soon as all men are awake and their families eat morning meals in different corners of large houses. Tutors filter into aristocratic homes in hopes of finally teaching young nobles anything about the world.

At Aquarise's biggest ports, the earliest birds have snatched the worm. Fishermen who have ventured to sea during the times of twilight begin to unload their ships or rafts. They drag nets dripping with fish and rush to their shops to start the process of selling their catch. Meanwhile, daytime fishermen began untangling sturdy nets on their bobbing boats.

Lining the shores of Aquarise, hundreds of boats were tied to wooden poles. Each ark depended on ropes to stand against raging waters. One wrong knot of the ropes could cost the boat's life as it would be dragged to sea and never seen again.

When each man confirmed the weather was suitable for sailing, dozens of rafts let down their masts. Ropes were untangled or severed by a knife. Anchors on larger ships were pulled from the bottom of the sea. Late arrivers leap from the docks to land in their target ships, apologizing for being tardy.

Each boat slowly drifted out to sea, relying heavily on a slight breeze that pushed against the raging waves. The sea's aggressive activities would surely bring sickness to the weak. The rolling waves put expert sailors on their edges as they have never experienced the humongous swells bumping them towards the sky.

Eventually, the boats were too close to the storm's centre to avoid waves as tall as weeping willows. Sooty clouds created a thick veil that blocked the sun's drops from falling upon the seas. Crystal clear waters become reflections of the rivers of the Underworld. Darkness swallowed the ships as a thick fog rolled towards Aquarise.

A small twister formed at a random spot in the sea, slowly becoming the most feared whirlpool. This whirlpool was known all over the Seven Seas for its dark reputation as the Whirl of Skulls and Bones. Why was a natural phenomenon given such a sinister name?

Skulls and bones of drowned sailors were spat from the ugly pool, shooting into the salty air to rain down on the fisherman stuck in the evil area. They will soon become the skeletons attacking their ships. This event was originally thought to be the result of the primordial Sea God's anger, but it is not.

Once the whirlpool had reached its full size, the waters of Aquarise transformed into green goo. An odour worse than rotten eggs reach up to choke hundreds of unsuspecting sailors and that was when ships lost their course, gravitating towards the eye of the storm. The whirlpool dragged each ship into the sea.

After a certain amount of fishermen perished, the whirlpool rejected more ships. The sea surrounding the strong force became still. Only the whirling water showed signs of activity. Bones sank back into watery graves.

Then, a golden pole poked through the centre of the evil whirl. Then a black flag displaying the image of three golden roses follow the pole as it rose through the waters. Water dripped from the fabric which was quickly blown dry by strong gales.

A crow's nest appeared. A gold yardarm carrying pure white sails followed. After some time, a large and threatening ship had finished rising to the sea's surface. This ship carried an air of magic which was rare to find in the vast Seven Seas.

Spectators lucky enough to survive the deadly vortex could not decide whether the ship resembled a pirate ship or a prestigious ship carrying magical sailors. Even army fleets were not as sophisticated and rich!

"Aquarise, we have arrived! Make way for the Aurelian Raiders!"

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