Pirates of the Caribbean: Scarlet Tides

Chapter 1, Part 2: Whispers of the Siren

The wind bit sharply as Captain Liora strode up the gangplank to The Siren's Call. Her ship rocked gently with the rising tide, the wooden beams creaking beneath her boots, but to her, it felt like the most solid ground in the world. The salty breeze tugged at her coat, the air thick with the smell of the approaching storm, but she hardly noticed. Her thoughts were on the map she had tucked inside her coat, the promise of treasure filling her mind like a fever.

"Captain on deck!" barked Finn, her first mate, as he spotted her. He was tall and lean, with a long scar running down his cheek—a man who had seen his share of danger, and lived to tell the tale. The crew straightened up, some of them casting glances toward her with a mix of curiosity and unease. Liora's reputation commanded respect, but even among her men, there were whispers of what she was willing to risk in her pursuit of fortune.

Liora nodded at Finn, barely acknowledging the crew's salute as she made her way toward the helm. The wind picked up, and overhead, the sails snapped against the gathering storm. Her ship was ready, her men prepared for whatever lay ahead, but something gnawed at her. That stranger's warning echoed in her mind: Beware the Scarlet Tides.

"What's our heading, Captain?" Finn asked as he joined her at the helm, his voice rough from years of shouting over stormy seas.

Liora paused for a moment, her hand resting on the wheel. The map. That cursed, ancient thing still burned in her mind, but she wasn't ready to reveal its secrets just yet—not until she had a better look at it. She cast a glance at the open sea, where the horizon was barely visible, swallowed by dark clouds.

"South," she said at last, her voice steady. "We sail south until further orders."

Finn raised an eyebrow, but didn't question her. "Aye, Captain. South it is."

As Finn moved to relay the orders, Liora made her way to her quarters, her boots echoing on the wooden deck. The dim lantern light barely illuminated the narrow passageways, but Liora had walked these halls a thousand times. The creaks of the ship and the distant hum of the crew's chatter were familiar sounds, but tonight, they felt... off. Something felt wrong.

Once inside her cabin, she shut the door behind her, locking it with a sharp click. Her quarters were modest for a captain—barely more than a large bed, a sturdy desk, and a few shelves lined with charts and books. She pulled the map from inside her coat and unrolled it on the desk, her eyes narrowing as she examined it more closely.

The paper was brittle, stained with salt and age. The ink, faded in some places, outlined a cluster of islands that seemed to shift under her gaze, the lines of the map wavering as if it were alive. At the center of the map was a single word, scrawled in dark, jagged letters: Maravique.

Liora traced the edges of the islands with her fingertip, but as soon as she touched the paper, a strange sound filled the room. A low, almost inaudible hum, like the distant call of a siren beneath the waves. She froze, her hand hovering just above the map, listening. The hum grew louder, filling the cabin with an eerie, pulsating rhythm that seemed to come from the walls, the very air itself.

She pulled her hand back, eyes wide, her heart pounding. "What the hell...?"

A sharp knock on the door made her jump, and she quickly rolled the map back up, hiding it beneath some loose charts on her desk.

"Captain?" It was Finn's voice from the other side. "Everything alright in there?"

Liora took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. "I'm fine, Finn. What is it?"

"We've got an issue on deck," Finn replied. "The men are spooked."

Liora frowned, unlocking the door and stepping out into the passageway. "Spooked? By what?"

Finn looked uneasy, his hand resting on the hilt of his cutlass. "Some of the crew say they've been hearing... strange noises. Humming, like a song, but no one's sure where it's coming from. I figured it's just the wind, but the men—"

"The men can deal with a bit of wind," Liora cut him off, her voice sharp. She didn't want to admit that she'd heard it too, that something unnatural had begun to seep into the ship. She wasn't one for superstition, but the map, that strange sound... it was starting to claw at her nerves.

Finn didn't press her. "Aye, Captain. But whatever it is, they're restless. Just thought you should know."

Liora nodded, her jaw clenched. "Keep them busy. If anyone steps out of line, you know what to do."

Finn gave a grim nod. "Aye."

As he walked away, Liora stood there for a moment, staring at the empty deck beyond the passageway. The wind had picked up even more, and the sound of the storm was growing louder, but beneath it all, that low hum still thrummed in her ears. It was like the sea itself was whispering to her, calling her deeper into its depths.

With a sigh, she turned back toward her cabin. She couldn't let the crew's unease—or her own—distract her from the prize. Maravique. The cursed city. The treasure was within reach. All she had to do was find it.

As she closed the door behind her, the hum grew louder.