The Narrow Sea, the vast sky, and a pirate fleet hunting.
The telescope was in the waterway above the Stepstones. Once dragged by pirate longships into the narrow channels between the islands of the Stepstones, there would be no escape.
Gendry noticed that most Myr people had olive-toned skin, black hair, and dark eyes, distinctly different from the Lyseni. Many believed them to be close relatives of the rhoynar.
Two of the pirates' longships flanked from both sides, their flags and sails black. The pirates' ballistas fired grappling hooks with ropes, then shot large arrows. As the longships drew closer, ladders were thrown over, too many and too fast for the sailors to remove all of them.
"Whoosh!" "Whoosh!" The Myr sailors retaliated in a rain of arrows. Several pirates were struck, and after cries of pain and agony, they fell into the sea, destined to feed the sharks.
"Loose arrows! Passengers stay back!" Captain Dunster shouted, as the Lookout and navigator directed the sailors' attack. Shortswords, daggers, and crossbows were the Myr people's favored equipment. However, the pirates' ballistas were more ferocious, gradually silencing the Myr people.
"I should have bought some Longbowmen!" Captain Dunster lamented, his face drawn. crossbows were inefficient, and he hadn't bought many of the high-tier models that fired three bolts at once. For every three arrows an archer shot, a crossbow only fired one bolt—that was the advantage of a longbow. Generally, crossbows had stronger penetration but were slow to fire and troublesome to reload.
Seeing the ballista bolts brutally embed into the ship's planks, most of the Westeros passengers dropped their crossbows and ducked for cover. Gendry nimbly dodged, but before he could fire his crossbow a few times, Maester Qyburn gestured for him to run to the back; a human body simply couldn't withstand ballista bolts. After a few rounds of attacks, the main group of Myr people began to falter.
Other pirates, holding up their shields, disregarded the fate of their comrades and nimbly climbed the ladders from all directions onto the telescope. The pirates were well-trained, and in close combat, these Myr sailors were relatively clumsy.
"War is not a game; it is blood and fire, courage and experience!" The Myr sailors' defense line collapsed at the first touch; the formidable Myr crossbows were not omnipotent. The Myr sailors at the front lacked the pirates' killing intent, and the hastily organized passengers were not professional warriors.
Gendry saw the panic and fear on the faces of the captain, navigator, and others. Once a sea battle turned into a boarding action, it would be swift and brutal. After all, the sea was not land; once attacked, there was no place to escape. Even more panicked were the Westeros passengers, who fled to the back of the ship, sweat and tears streaming down their faces.
"It seems I'm truly unlucky. I should have stayed in Westeros and found a small castle to be a maester!" Maester Qyburn muttered softly, though his expression remained relatively normal. The old man and the Boy hid at the stern. "Can you swim? If not, try to swim away. I've lived long enough, but you are still young."
"Let's observe the situation!" Gendry whispered.
"Kill! A delicious feast!" The pirates' swift blades were like a whirlwind, first taking down the leading Myr navigator who resisted, then cutting down several others who couldn't react in time. The other Myr sailors didn't last long either, automatically dropping their weapons. Only Captain Dunster's face was ashen.
"Drop your weapons and armor! Crouch down!" "Drop your weapons! Get down!" The sound of shortswords, daggers, armor, and crossbows falling to the deck was rough and forceful. Gendry found a hidden spot; his short-handled mace was still nearby, but his armor definitely couldn't be worn now, it was too conspicuous. The Myr sailors huddled with their heads down in front, followed by the Westeros people.
"One, two, three, ..., twelve!" Gendry silently counted the pirates. There were about twelve of them. For ease of combat, pirates rarely wore cumbersome plate armor, opting instead for leather armor.
"I am the storm!" The leading pirate leader also boarded the ship and shouted. The pirate's hair was purple, and his mouth, when he spoke, was inlaid with hungry gold teeth. He was tall, wore black scale armor, and carried two longswords. The pirate leader looked at Captain Dunster with eyes like those of a dead man. A better option would have been for the longship to ram directly into the hull, smashing the oars. The pirates probably didn't attack in this manner because they wanted to capture the entire ship.
"Why the need for swords and knives?" The pirate leader stepped on the navigator's corpse, then casually kicked it aside, blood flowing on the deck. "Sailors are neither slaves nor slave traders, but experienced Myr Free Folk sailors. Aside from the cargo, you can live. I will exchange you for a high ransom."
"How do you like my suggestion, Captain!" The pirate leader said arrogantly.
"Sir, please be merciful. I will pay you an additional high ransom. But these goods are all for Myr, and I have collateral in the vault!" Captain Dunster forced a smile, a very strained smile.
"It's well known that pirates never bargain!" The Gold-Tooth Pirate Leader slapped the captain's face. "Now you should wake up!"
"Split up. A few of you go to the ship's hold to check the cargo. The rest of you, stay here with me!"
Gendry was calculating the number of pirates. Someone on the longship was controlling the vessel, and the pirates were now divided into two teams, one of six men. Perhaps only the Gold-Tooth Pirate Leader was the most dangerous, being strong and robust. This was a good moment: to act or not to act.
"Wise captain, besides the cargo, you also have passengers here, Westeros people, aren't they!" The Gold-Tooth Pirate Leader glanced around. Besides the Myr sailors, he noticed there were also Westeros passengers. They could be distinguished by their appearance; most Westeros people looked like andals, with blond hair, green or blue eyes.
"Yes, sir!" Captain Dunster stammered, his face covered in sweat. Compared to himself and the Myr sailors, it seemed these Westeros people were in grave danger. It was too far for pirates to send a message to King's Landing for ransom; their better option was to sell people or simply murder and rob.
The Gold-Tooth Pirate Leader walked directly in front of the Westeros passengers. The passengers behind him huddled together, inadvertently concealing Qyburn and Gendry. "Damn it, ugly and old, not a single attractive Boy or girl. Can't demand a high price from those Lyseni women!"
"Sir, please don't kill me. I can give you all my goods and money!" A short, plump Westeros merchant pleaded subserviently.
"Give me money?" The Gold-Tooth Pirate Leader laughed heartily, "If I kill you, those goods are mine anyway."
"How is there still an old man!" The Gold-Tooth Pirate Leader saw the old man Qyburn at the very back. "Old men are the most worthless!"
The Gold-Tooth Pirate Leader walked up to Qyburn and scrutinized the elder. Qyburn sensed Gendry's abnormality but secretly gestured for him not to act. Gendry shifted his position again, not out of fear, but to be closer to his mace.
"Sir, please forgive me, I am no ordinary elder. I once studied at The Citadel in Westeros and am a trained physician. Perhaps I could still be of some use to you!" Qyburn said solemnly, neither humble nor arrogant. His composure actually made the pirate listen in a daze.
"You speak very well, but you are too old, old man. The value of keeping you is not even as much as the money I'd spend on you! Say hello to the sea for me; perhaps mermaids also need doctors!" The Gold-Tooth Pirate Leader grabbed Qyburn's sleeve and said viciously, making to throw him into the sea.
Qyburn began to beg, which only made the pirate laugh heartily. "Poor old man, I'll let you live a little longer. You made me laugh. After I've plundered all the wealth, it won't be too late for you to meet the sea!"
"And you, little Boy, take off that Iron Hammer! Your build is good, and your voice is clear as steel. As long as your face isn't scarred or pockmarked, those Lyseni women will like it!" The Gold-Tooth Pirate Leader discovered Gendry, who was wearing an Iron Hammer. Although he was hiding at the very back, his physique was good.
"Yes, sir!" Gendry touched his mask, but the mask didn't fall off. Gendry moved his body, simultaneously grabbing the mace in his hand, and with a lightning-fast movement, he directly smashed it towards the Gold-Tooth Pirate Leader.
Wait, observe, wait, observe. The Gold-Tooth Pirate Leader wore black scale armor. If this attack failed to kill him, then Gendry would regret it a thousand times over.
Gendry felt as if he had found that feeling from his blacksmithing days, focusing his spirit into a single point, creating his best work yet.