Saudade (Published under Indie Pop)

Chapter 36: The Tears of the Sea

           

Chapter 36: The Tears of the Sea

I almost felt dizzy with the storm of pirates passing me with weapons in their hands. For once, they didn't seem to give much attention on me considering that I was the most hated person in the pirate world for the past few days. I tried not to get in their way as I walked back to the deck. I wanted to see what was happening and I wouldn't be able to know it if I would just be confined in the safety of the grand vessel - or was it really still safe? When I reached the deck, I settled behind a huge barrel with a spyglass in my hand. It was funny that a war was about to start and the only weapon I had was a spyglass.

I held my breath as I saw a huge number of marine ships approached the Pirate City. They were the same ships I saw docked safely on the Sea Port City of the West Land. It was just that this time, they grew in numbers. The pirates on the ships surrounding the grand vessel prepared themselves for the battle. I scanned the area to look for the Obsidian and when my eyes found it, I couldn't help but get worried. What if they get hurt? Or worst, what if they die in the battle? What if it's the Skull?

I gritted my teeth as I convinced myself that my worries were nonsensical. It was the Skull we were talking about and he was invincible. He would never get hurt. However, no matter how I tried to believe that, there was a part of me that remained scared and it was growing as the fleet approached closer.

The first canon fired and by the way the grand vessel shook below my feet, I knew it came from the fleet. And that's how the exchange of fires and arrows started. I couldn't remember how many times I ducked behind the barrel for cover when an arrow came striking few steps from where I stood. It took me a few moments before I pulled the strength to stand and look again. At first, I thought that the Pirate City was winning the battle because they were able to sink the first few marine ships that got near them. But when a couple of pirate ships started burning and sinking from both sides of the vessel, that's when I saw that marine ships were coming from different directions, and in the same huge numbers. The marines of the West Land were surrounding us and I couldn't help but remember the conversation I once had with Captain Rowaen:

"And we are in a bigger target; we can't hide or run away because we are in the middle of it. They look up at us thinking of the ways to bring us down. The Pirate City brags about being invincible and powerful while it is actually the walls that are making it safe and impregnable. And these walls are pirate ships that had been indebted to the Pirate City and these people are pirates - and what do you think pirates do? You can see this as a castle or a fortress while I see it as floating giant whale amidst hundreds of sharks. They're just waiting for the right time to devour their trapped meal."

I couldn't help the cold that ran through my spine as I watched some of the pirate ships cut their ropes that connected them to the grand vessel. What do you think pirates do? My words echoed in my head - it was as if I just put a curse to the Pirate City that time and it was happening now. I cowered back to where I was hiding when I saw a couple of pirates appeared on the deck - long guns in their hands. They started shooting on the marine vessels that dared to get near the Pirate City. They were like the support team, along with the other pirates on the other decks of this huge ship. And as they fired against the enemies, my hands covered my ears at the sound of their every shot. It was deafening - it was as if every bullet cries a fading life. But they did it precisely and bravely, without hesitation. When one of them ducked for cover as a shot went to his direction, his eyes caught mine. He frowned as he saw me hiding behind the barrel and recognition lit on his eyes when he remembered who I was.

"It's you!  The Jonah of the Obsidian!" he shouted at my direction.

His companion joined him in ducking and then turned to me. They were both surprised in seeing me hiding on the deck. I knew in their eyes that they wanted to blame me for what was happening but the on-going war seemed to need more of their focus and attention than a weak girl who created havoc in the Pirate City. They went back firing to the sea and I stayed where I was with the spyglass in my hand.