Bloodtide

Part 39

The wind was picking up fast tonight, which was odd. We had only been sailing for six hours, and it had been bad weather for most of that time. The storm clouds loomed ominously above us, blocking out the moonlight and casting the sea into an inky blackness. Waves crashed against the hull with increasing ferocity, sending sprays of saltwater over the deck.

I gripped the wheel hard, trying to keep the ship steady, but it was a struggle against the sharp, unforgiving waves. The rain lashed down, stinging my face and soaking my clothes, making it nearly impossible to see. I heard the cabin door open and the sound of Ella's footsteps running up the stairs, her urgency cutting through the chaos.

"What's happening?" she asked frantically as more water splashed onto the deck, her voice barely audible over the roar of the storm.

"Watch your feet, it might get bumpy and wet," I informed her, my knuckles white as I held the wheel steady. The ship lurched again, and I felt her grab onto the railing to keep her balance.

"How many storms must we face?" she shouted, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and frustration. "We can't keep going like this!"

"I know!" I yelled back, my voice strained with the effort of fighting the elements. "But we've got no choice. We have to ride it out."

She looked around, her eyes darting to the sails flapping violently in the wind, the ropes straining against the force of the storm. Her hair whipped around her face, and despite the fear etched in her features, there was a fierce determination in her eyes.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" she asked, her voice steadier now, a hint of resolve cutting through the panic.

"Grab that rope!" I pointed to a loose line thrashing about near the mast. "Secure it before it tears the sail apart!"

Ella nodded, bracing herself against the pitching deck as she made her way to the rope. I watched her struggle with the line, her strength surprising me as she fought to tie it down. The ship bucked and swayed, and for a moment, I thought she might be thrown overboard. But she held on, her determination unwavering.

"Got it!" she called out, her voice breathless but triumphant.

"Good!" I shouted back, feeling a grudging respect for her tenacity. Despite everything, she was proving herself to be more than just a passenger; she was becoming an integral part of this journey, someone I could rely on in the midst of chaos.

The storm showed no signs of letting up, and every second felt like an eternity. My muscles burned from the effort of keeping the wheel steady, and my mind raced with thoughts of what could go wrong. Unfortunately, I spoke too soon when my eyes caught a glimpse of what lay ahead—a massive wave, towering and ominous, rolling toward us with relentless fury.

"What do I do now?" Ella asked, her voice edged with panic as I harshly turned the wheel, trying to angle the ship to face the wave head-on. She stumbled, gripping the rails for support, her sharp eyes glaring at me with a mix of fear and frustration.

"John, what the hell?" she shouted, her voice barely audible over the roar of the storm. But I ignored her, my focus solely on the approaching threat.

"Ella," I whispered urgently, my voice tense as I held her gaze, "I need you to hold onto something tightly." Her confusion was evident, but there was no time to explain.

She stared at me, her eyes wide with disbelief. "What? Why?"

"Just trust me on this!" I barked, my grip tightening on the wheel as we began to turn the ship sharply to the other side. The sudden maneuver sent us pitching to one side, and Ella gripped the rails with all her strength to keep from being thrown off balance. The sea roared around us, the wind whipping her hair into a wild frenzy.

Far off, through the driving rain and blinding spray, I caught sight of another ship—a silhouette dark against the stormy sky. It was listing heavily, sinking into the water, and the chaos on deck was palpable even from this distance.

Then, the sound of gunshots split through the storm, sharp and jarring. Ella jumped at the noise, her eyes wide with shock. "Was that a cannon?" she shouted, her voice trembling.

"Yeah," I confirmed, my own heart pounding as I fought to keep us on course.

The realization hit us both with a chilling weight. The storm had brought us into the midst of a naval battle, and we were now directly in the line of fire. I could see flashes of cannon fire lighting up the darkness, illuminating the violent dance of the ships as they fought against the tempest and each other.

Ella's face went pale, her hands trembling as she tried to steady herself against the pitching deck. "What do we do? Are we part of this fight now?"

"We need to get clear of the battle!" I shouted over the cacophony of wind and gunfire. "We're caught in the middle of it, and we need to find a way out before we're hit!"

The sound of cannonballs whistling through the air and crashing into the water was deafening. I could see the impact of the shots sending geysers of spray into the air, and the wreckage of the other ship slowly becoming more apparent.

I turned the wheel with all my might, trying to navigate us away from the crossfire. The storm still raged, but the battle on the sea was an added peril we couldn't afford to ignore. Ella stumbled to the deck, trying to help with the ropes and sails as best as she could. Her face was a mask of determination and fear, her eyes scanning the chaos around us.

"Look out!" she yelled as another volley of cannon fire erupted. I swung the wheel sharply, guiding us through a gap in the line of fire.

"Keep low and stay out of sight!" I commanded, my voice firm despite the urgency of the situation. My heart pounded in my chest, adrenaline surging through me as I fought to maintain control of the wheel.

As the storm battered us, I could see the shapes of the battling ships through the torrential rain and flashing lightning. My body froze momentarily as a particularly violent wave sent us hurtling further away from the conflict. We were pushed into the open sea, the familiar chaos of the battle fading into the distance.

Ella, crouched low against the deck, peered through the rain and darkness, her eyes wide with fear. "Is that a pirate ship?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"Not just any pirate ship," I confirmed, my voice tight with fear. "It's Bloodbane."

Ella's eyes widened, her face paling. "Who?" she whispered, her voice barely audible over the howling wind and crashing waves.

I didn't answer immediately, my mind racing as I maneuvered the ship further away from the dangerous waters. Once we were out of the thick of it, I left the wheel, my heart pounding as I hurried downstairs to my cabin. Ella, her curiosity and fear palpable, looked around before following me, her footsteps echoing in the confined space.

"John! Who is Bloodbane?" she shouted, her voice edged with panic as she caught up to me, her eyes darting around nervously.

"That was too close," I whispered to myself, pushing through a pile of scattered papers and pulling out my map with shaking hands. My mind raced as I tried to focus on our immediate situation. The danger we had narrowly escaped was still fresh in my mind, and the looming threat of Bloodbane made every second feel like a race against time.

Ella's footsteps echoed in the confined space of the cabin as she hovered close by, her eyes filled with both fear and curiosity. "John, you can't just leave me hanging here! Tell me what's going on!"

I glanced at her, frustration and urgency mingling in my expression. "It's nothing, Ella," I responded, my eyes still fixed on the map as I tried to ignore the rising tide of anxiety. I traced our route with a finger, hoping the familiar lines would anchor me amidst the chaos.

Ella let out a frustrated groan. "It's obviously not nothing. You look like you saw a ghost." Her voice was softer now, almost a whisper, as she lightly touched my shoulder, her fingers warm against the cold, damp fabric of my coat.

I flinched slightly at her touch, "just go to bed Ella" I whispered as she closed her mouth.