These belong to you {[Canali]}

[Voxxus]

Summer
Day 47
Year 508 AV

He pressed an open hand on the door, the other hand rubbing sleep from his face. Still black as death in his room, he mustered the strength to force the door to his quarters open. The beaming light hurt his squinting eyes as he was greeted by one of the deckhands. “’Ere master Voxxus! How are ya this foine day?” Voxxus gave the man a light smile and walked to the edge of the boat to look over the side. A skeleton below him, it had no flesh to house the sea-darkened bones, therefore he could enjoy the salted air with no disgust of the putrescence mounted to the ship's hull. The ship was docked close enough for Voxxus to see a few bodies loom in the mist; possibly people still up from last nite, as Voxxus wasn’t sure if he had ever seen another human wake as early as he did in this city. Feeling that he shook off all his sleep he decided to commit to his decision about his plans in town. “Nuffin bettah then the morning sunrise at Sunberth, isn’t it, sah?” Voxxus carried the same off-put smile to the man who spoke, and walked up the stairs to the captains quarters.

The door was decorated with a fresh head from a recent traitor. His faced locked with rigor-mortis to show the expression of anguish that he had undergone in his dying breath. Voxxus knew little of the poor victim, but he was a traitor. The man’s trembling nod as he admitted to with holding shares when he collected wealth from a seized ship. The captain, an amazing master of hypnotism, talked the man into admitting his fault, and may as well talked him into cutting his own head off. He knocked twice under the ugly shredded flesh of the head. A ghost bellowed “Enter…”

The door creaked slowly shut as he stood in front of it, waiting patiently for the person who sat behind a heavy grey oak desk to address him. His long black hair smooth, yet chaotically dancing at its tips as it mounted his shoulders. His black eyes rolling over the columns of coins before him, as his meaty strong hands pushed the columns methodically to organized places of his workspace. Finally he broke the silence, “Speak…” his tone came as if he was addressing a dog. Voxxus was accustomed for his master’s efficient means of communication, "Master, may I request allowance to venture to the city, and the surrounding beaches.” The dark captain lifted his eyebrows to let his eyes catch the image of the requester, yet he would not grace Voxxus by lifting his head to him. “To fish again?”

“Yes sir.”

“I know not why you take such an interest in a trivial…hobby. Women, money, adventure; it’s all prevalent within the city.” His voice lightened, and finally he lifted his head up to fully face Voxxus. “Approach…” Voxxus did as instructed. “There’s more this time, isn’t there…” Voxxus could feel his heart beat, as he was surprised at how swiftly his master could pick up on his lie. “Your eyes…” his voice was analytical, and Voxxus could almost feel his eyes contract. “I have never seen them react to me in such manor… you lie about…. A girl?” He confirmed his master’s questioning with a jaw clench. The master stared at his apprentice for long moments before he sat up in his chair and widened a grey-tooth smile. “My… you intrigue me.” Voxxus lowered his head as he continued to speak, “I have never met a child as quiet as you were, and look what you have grown into. In fact your more like a son to me than any other child we have taken aboard this vessel.” He stood and walked gracefully around the desk to place a hand on his shoulder. Voxxus knew this meant he is to look him in the eyes. “I trust you saw my new trophy on the door?" Voxxus nodded as he braced himself for the imagery of his own head in its place. “You see what happens when I leave those oaf’s to handle minor tasks without some intelligence to supervise?” he breathed an unrestrained breath as he completely mistook where his master was going with his correspondence. His master reacted to his relief, “You thought I meant for your head… Don’t be foolish, I have no reason to harm you… Do I?” his eyes narrowed at Voxxus as he gave a small headshake. “Good! Ensure that the ship is successfully unloaded and docked, and you may do as you wish for the next few days.” Voxxus nodded and headed outside

The men were slow moving so early in the morning, and Voxxus had to speak shortly to get their attention. “The master feels that the traitor’s death on the door was, perhaps, not enough… let us not disappoint him.” The crowd flinched and started lowering the plank towards the dock. Voxxus found the appropriate rope and headed down to begin to secure the plank.