Last Voyages

Chapter 38

Isabella's POV:

My blade clashed with the General's, the sound of metal ringing in my ears. He took a step back from the force I hit him with, a dark smile on his face.

"Very nice, very nice. I wonder if you've become serious." General Caius muses, seeming to be extremely entertained by the anger and despair I was feeling. He pushes back against me, knocking my blade away from his before he comes to slash at me, but I grip my sword tighter, coming back and blocking his attack firmly.

A gleeful smile is on his face as he stares down at me, our hands shaking as our swords grate against one another. "Do you hate me, Miss Isabella?" he asks and my eyes narrow as I swing my leg around, kicking him in the side. 

He stumbles sideways before catching himself, looking at me and laughing. "Good! So good!" he howls happily and I grit my teeth together. He's a psychopath. I think, gripping my sword in my hands as I stare at him.

"This will be interesting then. Will you take out all your hate on me, then? Will you put me in as much pain as I put you in?" he asks gleefully and I stare at him uneasily, not liking the crazed look in his eyes.

"Can you kill me?" he asks and I pause, thinking about his question. I was furious beyond measure...but could I kill him?

"I know who you are, Miss. You don't like violence. You hate the thought of taking another person's life. You despise killing people, despite what they do to you. So it makes this so much more interesting, because can you really do the thing you hate the most in this life?" he asks and I stare at him in shock.

How does he know me this well?

"Who are you?" I ask and he grins at me, chuckling at my expression. "As a General, I do my research over the people I'm fighting. I know everything about you. It's the reason I knew you would come after your daughter, how I knew you would leave your daughter on the ship, and how I know you wouldn't bring yourself to fight against someone you cared about." he says and my face pales.

I could feel sweat forming on the back of my neck and I took in a deep breath. "That still doesn't explain how you know about me not killing others." I say and he laughs, seeming extremely amused.

"Every person has their weakness. Shayla's was you or Louis, that other pirate. I knew as soon as you two showed up, she would definitely not hurt you! Harry's weakness is his family...those alive and dead," he says and my eyes widen angrily. He must've known about everything that's happened.

"Niall and Louis have one weakness, and that is their loyalty. They'll destroy themselves to protect the ones they have pledged themselves to." he says and fear creeps into my stomach. If he knew this...the other Generals had to. They could be exploiting this weakness as we speak...

"And your weakness, Isabella, is that you are too caring for life. You don't want to hurt a single soul, but unfortunate circumstances have made you do so, but it's scarred you." he says and my hands shake by my side, staring at him terrified. 

It was as if he was staring through me, every emotion or memory I had transparent to his gaze, and made a weakness to his advantage. 

"So it brings me back to my point. Can you actually kill me, despite your rage? Will it not haunt you forever, more so than the death you witnessed moments ago?!" he asks eagerly, impatiently waiting for my answer.

Tears stung my eyes as my body shook in fear and anger. I couldn't answer his question. I haven't made my mind up for my solution either...I didn't know.

"Such a shame, Isabella. If you can't kill me, you'll certainly die where you stand." he says pleasurably, seeming giddy in my situation. 

Caius charged me again and I snapped out of my tremor, blocking his attack, but taking a few steps back because of his force. "Keep blocking all you want!! It's futile if you can't kill me!" he shouts and my wide eyes stare into his crazed ones.