[Cards] First Mate's Scabbard (Patreon)

A new season, a new batch of recruits.

The old captain’s right arm was tucked into a sling for a few more weeks, but he didn't seem to care. He looked over the fresh faces, making mental and spoken notes, and rumbled disdainful words to his right hand officer about the rookies' lack of qualifications. The officer simply nodded and remained silent, watching carefully with their hand always behind their back.

It didn’t take long for one of the recruits to take a swing at the captain. There was always one. But, new to the armor, the clattering of metal on metal was more than enough warning for the captain. He ducked deftly to the side so the punch missed him clumsily, and shot a furtive glance at his second in command.

The silent officer uttered a single word and the blade on his hip shot forward, unsheathing itself from the verdant scabbard and slashing into the recruit's cheek. Without so much as a blink, the captain caught the flying blade in his left hand and continued to pace the line of new—considerably paler—soldiers.