The Eighth Sea

Chapter 2

Wren

Boom!

The biggest of the many cannons on deck went off first, sending up a massive cloud of smoke and God-only-knows-what, leaving Captain Wren in a fit of coughs in between the orders he shouted at his crew.

"Fire," Cough, "at will!" Cough cough. "And someone get me," cough, "a damn mask!" Captain Wren Fields backed away from the cannons as he double checked that his scimitar was still slung on his belt at his waist. He was going to need it later. His first mate, Hector, flung a cloth face mask at him, which he gratefully tied over his mouth and nose.

Rejoining his crew on deck, Wren paced back and forth, shouting orders, watching for the royal navy, and managing any confusion. Adrenaline soared through his veins, and he grinned under his mask as the warning bells began to chime on the mainland and people ran screaming into their homes, hiding themselves away from the pirates. It was going to be one hell of a confusing day for Queen Aria when her least favourite deceased pirate boy showed up, back from the dead and ready for action.

Rowboats were tossed down to the water below, and the pirates began the steady approach to the mainland, scimitars in hand, ship backing them up from behind. Although Captain Wren wanted nothing more than to join them, he had a responsibility to stay with his ship until it was safe to leave his darling ship, the Jolly Rancher, in the capable hands of his first mate. Honestly, being a mature adult was so unfairly difficult.

As the pirates landed on the mainland, Captain Wren watched anxiously from the deck of his ship, hoping that things wouldn't go sideways. He had already lost a few good men to the royal navy in the past, and he didn't want to lose any more today. But he knew that sometimes, sacrifices had to be made in order to get what one desired, and in his case, it was one simple thing: power. Specifically, the power to break the curse that had been damning him for the last two centuries. He knew that he shouldn't have convinced Scylla to curse his hidden treasure, especially not in return for something as valuable as his life.

Just then, he saw a group of royal navy soldiers approaching from the distance, their hideous seaweed green uniforms making them easy to spot. Even from the Jolly Rancher, he could hear their heavy footsteps as they drew closer and closer, their muskets trained on the pirates.

"Hector," Wren shouted, addressing his first mate.

"Cap'n."

"Man the ship."

"Goddammit."

With that, Wren dove down into the water, using his power over the current to send him towards the docks. The ocean was where he felt truly free from all responsibilities, and he loved the feeling of the water streaming through his hair.

"Lay down your arms and surrender now," the navy's commander said. "Now!"

Wren chuckled. "You really think we're just going to give up like that? I didn't come all this way to surrender to the likes of you."

Without warning, he lunged forward with his scimitar, the metal ringing as it clashed against the commander's sword. The two twirled around each other, their swords clanging and sparks flying. The rest of the pirates followed their captain's lead, charging toward the navy soldiers with reckless abandon. Cannonballs flew above their heads, blasting holes into the stone walls protecting the city from the tide. It was chaos: a battlefield of metal, smoke, and blood. But Captain Wren knew that he had to keep fighting, and that he couldn't stop until he could speak with Queen Aria.

With his men winning against the royal navy squad, Wren took it upon himself to confidently swagger up to the city gates, at which point he turned around, saluted his men, and sprinted off into the city, the royal navy on his tail. He wasn't particularly familiar with the current layout of the city as it had been decades since he last raided the area. Still, he knew where to turn to reach the royal palace. As he ran, he could feel the tension in the air, the fear that gripped everyone around him. The people of the city had grown up hearing tales of the legendary Captain Wren Fields, and they knew what he was capable of. He was not a man to be trifled with, and the people knew that. Clearly, they recognized the Jolly Rancher, with its candy-coloured sails and pirate flag flying proudly for all to see.