Cutlass | Jeno x Reader | Completed

24

The chilling water is nothing compared to the immense pain that courses through your arms at the areas Moira's nails are piercing into you. Your head submerges and you gargle out another scream.

Moira's beautiful appearance she once had morphed into a terrifying creature's - her eyes had darkened to a disturbing pitch black, teeth sharpened and grew in length, and the skin on her face discolored to a sickly gray.

You succumb to the feeling of drowning, eyes screwing shut and teeth gritting against each other. The sensations that were overcoming you were too much to handle.

Give it back! Her voice, painfully clear, was in your head now. Chanting the same phrase over, and over again. You realized you still had the orb tightly in your grip, its pulsating heat being long forgotten.

Tilting your head back as far as you can, you then reel it forward, smashing your forehead against her nose. Moira lets out a howl, her grip loosening just a fraction, but this small action was an opening. Bringing your calves towards your chest, you kick towards her and she loses her hold on you entirely. You scramble away from her, your knees scraping against the sandy ground as you splash towards the opposing end of the lake.

When you emerge from the water and turn to look over at her, you hear Moira shriek, "You insolent mortal!" A string of foreign words unraveled from her tongue, like yarn unfurling, before she dove underwater.

Your heart was hammering at an alarming rate as fear made its final appearance. You couldn't see her. She was camouflaging with the water. You were frantic in your search of her as small whimpers escaped from your tormented throat. You had spared a single glance at the boys in the distance - why did they look so far away? Why were they so far away?

Help, please help.

Their silhouettes are blocked off by the sudden appearance of Moira's ghastly face, your eyes unwillingly locking on pits of black. A scream, finding its way from deep within, forces itself out and for a fleeting moment, you were afraid your esophagus would rupture. She wastes no time in lunging at you, her knuckles curled so her honed nails are directed at you.

Jeno had been faster though.

He directed his cutlass over your shoulder, skillfully sliding it into the left side of Moira's chest. Your body stills, instant relief washing over you as the steel weapon imbeds itself deeper in her. He grabs your arm, pulling you not-so-gently out of the lake while simultaneously slamming his boot against the Sea Witch, sending her reeling back.

Jeno brings a secure arm around your waist, bringing your body flush with his. "Good riddance." He grits out. The hand that's running gently against the small of your back brings you some kind of comfort.

"Captain!"

Your crew members stand on the other side, looks of unabashed solace written in their expressions. You wanted to ask them what had taken so long to run such a short distance but had no choice but to hold your tongue. It was a conversation for another day, one you didn't mind having during a calm afternoon on your next voyage.

Thoughts of the future were ripped away from you, torn to shreds when Moira rises seemingly unscathed. There should have been a gaping hole in her chest yet the skin was smooth and undisturbed.

You found yourself thinking, in exasperation, of what would it take to kill this bitch.

"Humans are truly at the lowest tier of Earth's creations." She snarls out. "For you to think so foolishly that I would die from such a barbaric act is pathetic... Now, before you anger me further, hand over what is rightfully mine."

"No." Jeno's response is simple and yet, it's enough to infuriate the Sea Witch. "Seeing that you're so fond of this," he lets go of you to take the orb from your hand, "I think I'll just keep it to myself."

"Do you think I will stand idly by like this?" her words are full of venom despite the way her eyes watch his hand that holds her treasure. "I will tear you limb from limb, and having your crew watch their dear Captain suffer a death like no other."

"You're sputtering as much as a fish out of water." The comment strikes a nerve, the only indicator of this being the slight twitch of her eyebrow.

Jeno directs his sword at the orb, its tip millimeters away from making contact with its fragile form. A flash of emotion comes across her face... panic?

"Now that we've found something of value to you, we should try negotiating terms. I've got only two, so it shouldn't be too difficult for a being like you to agree to."

"Do not think so highly of yourself. I can still end your life as fast as I please."

"Is that so?" Jeno tilts his head in mock curiosity. He firmly squeezes the orb, being rewarded with her painstaking gasp.

"Enough of this. What is it that you desire?"

"Your word that we will leave this island... alive." He pauses, first to take a look at his crew members then, unbeknownst to you, to fondly gaze down at you. "And to lift my curse."

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This story is almost at its end now. I plan on creating epilogues (about one or two) to show the life of our pirate crew after the final chapter. I have ¾'s of the first epilogue done, and I began to wonder if there was anything you guys would like to see?

I'd love to know of any thoughts (and especially questions!) if you guys have any :)