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.The whole wharf trembled as Kraken Queen came to a stop."Well done!" Kamoth called."Now go! The town's yours for the taking!"With a wild chorus of shouts, laughter, and battle cries, Kraken Queen's crew swarmed over the side and ran into the town.Kamoth himself grinned once at Sergen and followed after his crew, a wicked cutlass gleaming in his hand.Sergen summoned Kerth and the rest of his magically bound bodyguards and followed more purposefully to the streets of town.He didn't see any particular need to murder, loot, or rape anyone; he was a very wealthy man, and he could afford all the women he cared for.His task for the night was to watch for resistance and direct the Black Moon corsairs against any trouble spots.If his father wanted to lead from the front and set an example of bloodthirst for the men, that was Kamoth's concern.Sergen wanted to make sure the raid would have the effect on Hulburg that he desired—no more, and no less.The first screams rang out in the night, followed by the clash of steel on steel.Shouts of alarm arose from the sleeping town.It was not exactly the triumphant return to Hulburg Sergen had envisioned for himself during the long months of exile in Melvaunt, but he couldn't suppress a predatory grin.He was likely the single most dangerous enemy of the Hulmasters, the man who'd come closer to unseating the harmachs thananyone in a hundred years, and for tonight at least he roamed the streets with impunity.Geran or Kara would have a fit if they knew I was standing here watching the sacking of the harbor, he thought.The smell of smoke drifted to his nostrils, and the ruddy red glare of fires began to grow in the shadowed alleyways and winding streets."This might turn out even better than I'd intended,'' he said."Not for the Hulburgans," his armsman Kerth answered with a hungry grin."It's the cost I must pay to unseat the harmach, Kerth.The Hul-masters brought this on themselves when Geran and Kara thwarted me before." Sergen studied the scene for a moment longer and then walked back to the base of the wharf where Kraken Queen was tied up.Dozens of corsairs waited there anxiously, whooping with delight when another building caught fire and shouting encouragement at those of their fellows who remained in view.One man in five from all four ships had been ordered to assemble here, forming a strong reserve of manpower in case the Hulburgans managed to mount some unexpectedly determined defense of their town or tried to retaliate against the pirates' ships.That, of course, was Sergen's addition to Kamoth's plan of attack.None of the fellows assigned this duty were happy about it, since they wanted to be released to participate in the sack.But Sergen was pleased to see at a quick count that most of the men promised had actually reported for this duty."Can't we just have a look in some of those storehouses over there?" one of the corsairs waiting in the reserve asked.He pointed across the street."We won't be far off.Lord Sergen.""And what would the High Captain say if he called for you to help him, but you'd run off to start stuffing your pockets?" Sergen answered."I think I'd mind my orders, if I were you.If all goes well, you'll be relieved in an hour, and it'll be your turn to enjoy the town."The fellow looked glum, but he gave up the argument.Sergen decided to have a look around to see if there was someplace he could put the reserve to work, and led his small knot of bodyguards along Bay Street, searching for any signs of trouble.Gangs of pirates ran from building to building, some already burdened by armfuls of loot.First he checked on the Marstel merchant compound and was relieved to see that the Black Moon corsairs were avoiding it as they were supposed to.Then he headed inland a blockand walked eastward along Cart Street, passing more pirates at their work.It might defeat my purpose if the Black Moon actually razes the town, he thought with a grimace.He wanted something left of the place, after all.The clash of arms grew heavier ahead—much heavier.Sergen frowned and hurried forward to take a look.He reached the corner of Cart Street and High Street, the heart of the town's commerce district, and saw ahead of him a solid phalanx of the harmach's own Shieldsworn.The Hulburgan soldiers, a small company of perhaps thirty or forty, fought their way down the street, driving the pirate gangs ahead of them.Sergen scowled at the show of early resistance.The Shieldsworn company was interfering with his long-laid plans to humble Hulburg, and he didn't care for it in the least.They needed to be broken, and the sooner the better."Damn them!" Sergen snarled."Where did they come from?""Simple chance, I would guess," Kerth answered.He moved in front of Sergen and eyed the approaching soldiers nervously."It seems that not all the harmach's soldiers were asleep tonight.That's too many for us to deal with, Lord Sergen.We'd better move on.""Agreed," said Sergen.He frowned and reminded himself that no clash of arms ever went exactly as one planned.It was only to be expected that some of the town's defenders would organize a brief resistance; fortunately the Black Moon was ready for them."We'll go back toward the docks and draw from the reserve to chase off these fellows."They turned and retreated down Cart Street to the intersection with Plank Street, and here more fighting greeted Sergen and his guards.A large mass of Hulburgans, most wearing hastily donned coats of old mail or leather jerkins, held Plank Street against the roving gangs of pirates and likewise were advancing toward the harbor.It was more of the sort of resistance that Sergen had hoped to overwhelm with the initial surprise of the Black Moon attack, and he made a note to himself to send more pirates here too.But a dark suspicion was growing in his heart."I don't like the look of this," he said to Kerth."Come on!"He backtracked through the alleyway south of Cart Street and jogged westward to avoid the Spearmeet company.At the small square by the Council Hall, he found a strong detachment of Double Moon Coster and House Sokol sellswords standing watch, and he swore viciously.There were too many soldiers and militiamen ready to fight in the streets of the town.A few he might have expected, but there seemed to be companiesof Hulburgans and mercenaries all over the town."By Bane's black hand, they were ready for us! They knew we were coming!" he snarled."Do you think this is a trap, m'lord?" Kerth asked."I have no idea, but we've got a fight on our hands." Sergen turned back toward the water, and this time he ran.He shouted for roving gangs of pirates to follow him as he passed by; some did, and others ignored him, but he had no time to argue.He emerged onto Bay Street and hurried back to the corsairs waiting at the pierside where Kraken Queen was tied up.Quickly he detailed off half their number and sent them up Plank Street to scatter the Hulburgan militia there, and dispatched runners to gather in the roving gangs of corsairs.They needed to bring together the strength of the Black Moon, or they'd get cut to pieces in fours and fives as they blundered into the town's defenders.Then he sent another man to go ring Kraken Queen's bell to signal a general recall—three sharp strikes, a pause, then three more, repeated several times.Pirates began to straggle back toward the ships.Resplendent in his scarlet-scale armor, Kamoth jogged into view from an alleyway, with a dozen cutthroats at his back.He strode angrily up to Sergen."Did you order the ship's bell struck?" he demanded."We haven't been here half an hour yet! What is the matter?""Hulburgan companies are sealing off the streets leading to the waterfront!" Sergen said to his father."They mean to trap us here by the docks
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