Treasures & Tragedies {Pricefield AU}

Chapter 1 : The Whale & The Bull

I stare at the ship in the distance, it's a spanish frigate that has been conquered by pirates after their own ship perished when they tried to take over that frigate. Somehow they succeeded, but it's not the pirates I'm interested in. It's what's inside the captain's quarters that makes me determined to board that ship.
"El Toro."
I whisper. We've been sailing these sea-lines for days without a sign of the heavily armed vessel, and now it's just carelessly floating there.
As if the pirates don't even know that it contains information that could lead them towards a lost legend.
That ship has everything I need, maps, coordinates, maybe even and actual log. I musn't underestimate my enemy. Every pirate has their tricks.
And if these pirates could still conquer a ship while their own sank, that means they won't go down without a fight.
Rachel joins my side and looks at the ship in the distance.
"We can handle that."
She says. Her confidence promises a lot but it doesn't always play out the way she presents it.
"Are you sure our men are skilled enough."
"We had worse days. We fought in battles that no other pirate survived to tell about, if they're smart they'll simply hand it over. "
"Never doubt the perseverance of a ships captain. It's a title that's not easily attained."
Rachel hangs against the wooden railing and stares at me.
"Precisely, so don't doubt the men or yourself. Your old man thought us better."
Rachel tips my hat only confirming that she was talking about my father.
She's right, I gotta keep faith in my crew.
I spin the wheel to the right, rapidly changing my course straight towards El Toro.
"There's that Price attitude. I'll prepare the crew."
She pats my back and jumps into the shrouds, climbing up the ropes fast and gaining the attention of the crew.
"Ready the cannons and sharpen your swords, we are eating spanish tonight!"
The crew chants and throw their fists in the air. Half of the men disappear under the deck to load the cannons, the other grab weapons.
They seem so alive, their energy gives me hope.

Grey clouds cover the sun, a storm is brewing. I look up to the sky only to see more dark clouds assembling above us. Looks like we will have to deal with some heavy waves.
I put on the leather black hat, that my father left when he disappeared, and concentrate on the ship in front of us.
We approach the vessel with haste. I want this battle to be over before the storm gets too strong. No worse fighting condition than heavy rain and killer waves.
If we are in any luck, these pirates should've lost a lot of their crew members while conquering this ship, meaning most of the men could be captives, not willing to fight. If everyone on that ship is well trained, than well... nust don't think about that Chloe, we did this many times before this is a piece of cake!
"Raise the black flag!"
I order. We observe our enemies in silence as the rain starts falling from the sky and the clouds create a dark spiral.
The enemy ship takes it's spanish flag down and raises the red flag.
This means war, the seas will be filled with blood tonight. Rachel stares at me with an evil smirk, even after seeing the red flag she still radiates with confidence.
"They are loading up their cannons. Get ready for some action!"
Rachel screams while looking through the telescope.
The waves are getting higher and rocks us back and forth, making it harder for me to keep control over the ship. Thunder clamors through the sky, masking the ecplosion of the first round of fire that the enemy released onto us.
"Open Fire!"
I yell and Rachel repeats it screaming through the storm at the top of her lungs. The first cannonballs miss us by far, I can hear them crash into the waves, seems like they aren't benefiting from these weather conditions. A guaranteed victory.
The floor starts trembling and the sound of a dozen cannons firing their ammunition, towards the enemy forces, fill my ears. The adrenaline rushing through my body and the smell of gunpowder fills me with joy.
Cannonballs tear through the wood of the frigate. My smile grows bigger as I see men being swallowed by the vicious and vengeful sea. They won't survive these waters, no one could survive in a storm like this.
The enemy turns their ship towards us, their bowsprit facing the side of my ship.
"Enemy fire incomming!"
One of my crew members yells, pointing larboard.
I see black spots approaching us with horrifying speed, growing in size until they hit the ship.
I throw the wheel to the left and duck towards the floor. Woodchips explode into the air and fly towards me like daggers. I cover my face and push myself off the floor.
I stand up and take the wheel again, the enemy ship is now behind us.
This is dangerous, there's only one way to get out of this mess.
I turn my ship to the right, we crash into a strong wave causing my feet to slip away under me but I quickly regain my balance by holding onto the wheel.
The frigate has trouble keeping up with us and fires it's cannons rapidly.
Rachel orders more men to help with the cannons and in record timing they are load up and ready to shoot.
Now I'm facing the side of the enemy ship. Rachel looks at me and I nod at her to open fire.
"Fire!"
Every last cannonball hits it's target, the main mast of the frigate collapses and plunges into the wild waves.
I turn my ship again so that we are both in a horizontal position. A few men take the ropes with the grappling hooks and get into position.
"Hook em up boys!"
I command and the men let out a battle cry while launching the grappling hooks that attach us to the enemy ship.
"Fire! Make sure they don't cut the ropes!"
Rachel screams while running up the quarterback to join my side.
The men load their guns and aim for the heads of our enemy, kepping them scared and away from the hooks while the others pull us closer.
Rachel and I climb our way up the shrouds
"Nervous?"
She asks while drawing one sword and hanging towards the other ship, ready to attack.
"Never."
I answer as I jump across the gap.
My boot makes contact with the face of a young lad as I board the ship.
A few men run towards me with their weapons drawn yet they don't seem to wield them like real marksman, they look like they haven't had a decent meal in days. Seems like we're lucky.
Half the crew is still dressed in their spanish uniforms and they look weak, starved, afraid.
I hear a scream from behind me and see a pirate charging towards me with an axe.
He swings his sharp blade in the direction of my torso but I easily evade his sad attempt to wound me.
My sword finds his throat and colors the wooden deck with blood.

I see Rachel fighting off several men on the quarterback, both pirates and spanish marines. I sheath my sword and arm myself with my two revolvers.
I jump onto of the wooden railing and shoot everything that attempts to attack me. Most men don't even get the chance to look me in the eyes before I put a bullet through them.
I jump on top of crates and shoot two of Rachel's attackers as I soar through the air, creating a path to Rachel.
I land on my feet and Rachel blocks a sword just before it impaled my face.
"Just in time."
She takes her second sword out of its sheath and grinds them together.
"Let's finish this."
I say with confidence.
We put our backs together and share an evil smirk.
I fire my last two bullets and then draw my sword. Multiple enemies storm us but we defend ourselves and disarm them quickly. Fighting in synchronization, Rachel and I defeat many by carefully keeping the enemies at a distance, giving us time to work out a strategy.
Blood splatters onto my face and breaches into my mouth, I spit out the iron taste and jab my sword through another guys torso, the end of my blade emerging from his spine, soaked in blood.

Swords clash against eachother, bullets rushing through the rain drops and the sound of my sword penetrating another body, is like music to my ears.
A loud explosion catches my attention. I see the captain of El Toro approaching us. I notice his heavily scared face and jet black eyes, his mouth is covered with a mask and he's wearing a coat made out of crocodile skin. He pushes his way through his men and is clearly aiming for my head. I try to fight off the spanish soldier but the son of a bitch keeps swinging his sword towards me. I try to move as much as possible to stay out of the captain's line of fire.
The captain aims his revolver at me as I clash swords with the spanish soldier. This is where it ends for me. I rushed myself into a battle without having a proper plan, it's only logical that it would end this way.
I can see the chamber of the gun rotate as the dark eyed captain squeezes the trigger.

Rachel throws her foot against the hand of the captain as he fires.
The bullet shoots my spanish opponent in the side and he collapses to the ground. I take a deep breath and clutch the handle of my sword.
The captain draws his double scimitars and swings them at Rachel.
"I got this!"
She groans as her swords collide with the enemy captains weapons, both of them trying to push each other out of balance.
I regain my strength and charge myself at the nearest enemy. I am not losing this fight!