One With the Waves

Down With the Ship

-Brae-

The second the Navy ships were close enough, we opened fire. If we were going down, we were going down fighting.

Cobra drew her sword and stood near the helm, a defiant look on her face.

"This might be the end," I stated somberly.

She nodded.

Part of me was glad Aura wasn't on board. If he could have saved us, it would have been good, but I didn't want him hurt in the process. So instead, my crew and I would be captured or killed by the royal Navy.

I drew my sword. "It's been fun."

That's when all hell broke loose.

The Navy was opening fire, large holes ripped in the sides of my ship and people swinging from ship to ship, fighting. I threw myself into battle, not afraid to lob someone's head off when necessary. We were entirely out-numbered, and I could already feel the ship quickly sinking, water filling the holes where cannonballs had busted through.

"Captain Firebrand!" A voice called from one of the ships. I raised my head, hefting my blood-coated blade as it continued, "You and your crew will surrender!"

At once, my entire crew responded, "Never!"

I felt a surge of pride. They were willing to go down with the ship as a single crew, even though it meant certain death for us all. That made it a little less bitter, I supposed, though I wasn't ready to die yet.

A Naval officer swung onto the ship, a torch in hand, and threw it into the sail, setting the ship aflame. I watched my home as it was consumed in fire, yelling in anger as I fought those who struck us down. My crew was falling left and right, and I turned just in time to see a Naval officer plunge his rapier into Cobra's chest.

"Cobra!" I screamed, running towards her. Her eyes passed to me, already becoming glassy as she fell towards the deck. I reached her just as she hit the smooth wood, my arms beneath her body and tears already running down my cheeks. "Cobra, no," I whimpered, her blood pooling around me. She smiled faintly, taking my hand, and then died.

I stared, shocked at what had just happened, before launching myself at her killer. He was ready, having been fighting off others of my crew while I had witnessed my best friend die. I screamed in fury, literally just chopping the guy's head off.

Water had reached the top deck, and my feet splashed in ocean water as the sea began to claim my vessel. Several of my crew had jumped overboard, cannonballs and bullets raining down upon them. I stared at the carnage around me, hoping that Aura was safe and far away from here.

However, that was when I saw it.

A giant wall of water, surging towards us all. It stood high above the tallest of the ships, and crashed over all five of the Navy ships, parting to spare my own. The screams of drowning men filled the air, and across the water I saw him. Eyes blazing with fury, their ice blue light was so bright that it almost seemed to engulf him entirely. The water surged up to his waist, pushing him purposefully towards the wreckage.

The push and pull of the disturbed water further sucked my ship into the depths, and I quickly found myself swimming in the cold ocean water.

Tendrils of ocean water rose up like the tentacles of a great sea beast, wrapping around each of the surviving enemies and yanking them under water. I didn't see that one was close to me until I was dragged under with him. He grappled with me, a dagger in hand. I tried to fight him, but he was too strong. His dagger pierced my side, and I yelled in pain, blood turning the water red around us. The salt stung.

The other man drowned, flailing and then going limp. I remained, watching the blood cloud around me. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I acknowledged that I was breathing, and that somehow I wasn't drowning. Part of me wondered why, and the other part didn't care.

I was going to die.

I felt something touch my shoulder gently, and Aura's bright blue eyes entered my field of vision. He reached for me, holding me close, and kissed me on the lips.

That was the last I saw before the depths claimed me as their own.

***

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Thanks,

Alaina