B8C5

A huge metal spike drove into the prow of our ship, puncturing through the decking and locking down below in the hold. Like the grappling hooks we'd used, but bigger than a man and with thick iron chains instead of rope. Two more came, fired by the ballistae. One hit the Wind's Fury in its hull and punctured through the hold with a horrifying sound of splintering wood. The third slammed down into the deck again a little further along the left-hand side and dragged the ship into a listing position as the pirate ship pulled to Starboard, wrapping around and broadsiding us.

[...]

Another twang of the ballistae was followed by a horrifying whizzing and buzzing sound like a horde of hornets being fired at us. My eyes were drawn upward to a silvery blur that struck our smaller mast, wrapping around it and snapping the wood in two. Another shot by, missing and travelling only a few metres over my head. It was some kind of chain connected by two large metal balls, like a bola, but aimed at the sails and mast.

Judging by how easily it tore through the rigging and the drawn-up sails, I could only imagine its purpose was to hobble us. Something it had achieved in a single blow. Even assuming I could burn and melt through the chains keeping us locked together, there would be nowhere to go.

Greycloaks appeared on the railing, bows drawn.

"Weiss!" Blake yelled.

The Greycloaks fired.

"HAH!" Weiss swept Myrtenaster before her, buffeting the arrows back with a sudden gust or arctic wind. It wasn't enough to send them back by any means, but the sharp blast robbed them of momentum, knocking some down into the sea and causing others to plink down on our deck with no force behind them.