Realm Wars

As everyone watched and observed what would happen next as they neared the boats at war, they held their breaths in unabated attention.

The noble's ship was tattered and engulfed in fire. Most aboard were either dead or captured alive. Two pirate ships flunk its sides, and the pirates outrun the mercenaries on the noble's ship.

It was no wonder the noble's ship stood no chance. The pirates overwhelmed them with numbers.

"Aye! If it isn't Mother's Skull ship!" Jack O' Pirate, captain of Bloody Hangman pirate ships, hollered. Line of his crew watched as the Mother's Skull stopped beside their ship.

"Aye! We jus' wants safe passage!" Skull announced on the captain's deck.

"Safe passage?" Jack O' Pirate laughed heartily. "You know the drill!"

Ryu and the others watched with caution at the Pirates. Chaos erupted when Skull's crew came out from wherever hell hole they were hiding and forced everyone to line on the deck.

"What's going on?"

"What are you doing?"

"What is this?" Lucian questioned when they were forced into rows and columns.

Kai came out below deck with a bone sticking out from his mouth. His hands were raised as the crew pointed their weapon at him.

"What did I miss?" Kai asked and lined with the others.

Skull grinned and chugged another barrel of beer. "It's safe passage! Its pirates' code t' offer one o' me scallywags in exchange fer a safe passage in the sea whenever we came across a pirate ship."

"What!"

"I never heard of this!"

"What safe passage bullshit?!"

Mother's skull ship erupted in chaos, and Lucian stepped forward from the rest. Skull's crew immediately brandished their weapons.

"Get back in line!"

Lucian didn't cower and said, "We have paid in full to be delivered into Imoana islet safely. What's with this all of a sudden?"

"'N ye will get thar safely at jus' the expense o' a single one o' ye," Skull replied.

"That's not part of the deal!"

"You can't do this!"

"Why aren't we informed of this?!"

"Quiet!" Skull shouted, and her face turned serious. "Stop thinkin' like 'tis still the mortal realm." 

Skull drew her sword and slammed the pointy edge on the wooden floor. "'Tis the nightmare sea! 'N wha' I say as the cap'n be the rule here! Either I kicked ye all out into the ocean or sacrificed one t' save the rest o' ye!"

Rosa folded her arms. "See. This is exactly why we should have made a ship or rent one."

"We don't have time to make one, and renting one caused too much attention," Cecily replied.

At the side, Cathy and Nash were on alert. This was no time to be slaying pirates. But if they can't avoid it, then they will fight with all they have. They won't be pirate slaves, that was for sure.

The people on deck quieted. Skull nodded and faced Jack O' Pirate. "Take your pick."

Jack O' Pirate stabbed his sword on the wooden floor and laughed. "Don't worry, me mates! Life in the sea ain't bad! Ye'll get used t' it afore ye know it."

Some cursed under their breathes while some desperately wished that they wouldn't be pick.

As Jack O' Pirate roamed his eyes, everyone's heart thudded hard against their chest.

Ryu didn't care who the pirates pick as long as it's not Cecily and Ferris. 

Calculating their next move, Lucian and Cecily eyed each other while Rosa was checking her nails. 

Ferris yawned in boredom. They should just get it done quickly so she could go back to sleep.

"Alright!" The edge of Jack O' Pirate's sword repeatedly poked against the floor. "I'll pick the big matey o'er thar 'n that beauty in the black robes."

The rest sighed while Lucian and the others looked at Rosa, sweat-soaked their backs, for they knew what was coming next.

Why did she change into someone with a pretty face again?

Skull frowned. "Jus' pick one, Jack."

Jack O' Pirate's face twisted in a horrendous grin. "We 'ave two boats, Skull. We needs two. Ye know how it goes."

Skull grumbled but didn't say anymore as she nodded at her crew.

But before the crew could move and Rosa could cast her spell, Lucian stepped forward again.

"If it's gold you're after, I have plenty," Lucian said at Jack O' Pirate. "I'll buy her freedom." 

If Lucian could avoid a fight, that would be the best outcome. They were just starting their travels, and they already encountered problems so early in their journey.

Rosa pouted and frowned. She didn't like that she was already treated like a slave.

Jack O' Pirate's eyes shone. "Be she yer poppet, mate? Sadly, gold doesn't interest me at this point. We 'ave plenty o' it now."

Jack O' Pirate pointed at the captured noble's. "As ye can see."

Lucian didn't give up. "Then what do you want?" 

"Shiver me timbers. .. a trade, ey?" Jack O' Pirate laughed and pointed at Cecily. "Fine then, I'll take that one instead."

Lucian gritted his teeth, and Ryu growled, eyes turning to slits.

Rosa stepped forward and sneered, "Time is wasting. I say kill those filthy mongrels and drown them in the bottom of the ocean."

"Ey? Ye wants t' fight?" Jack O' Pirate raised a brow, and his crew moved forward.

The mercenaries in Skull's ship all took a step back when they noticed that the pirates at Bloody Hangman were nothing lesser than Rank-B, and there were even some Rank-A with them. No wonder the noble's ship was easily captured.

"A bad idea, poppet," Jack O' Pirate said, voice like a broken radio. "The only reason that ya' all still alive be that Skull here be a former pirate. 'N we give special privileges t' our scamp pirates."

The pirates raised their weapons, and Jack O' Pirate folded his arms. "So wha's it goin' t' be? Slaughter. Or ye?"

The area around Rosa heated, and her face darkened with a sinister smile. She licked her lips, and a scepter appeared before her hand. "Slaughter, of course!"

Lucian closed his eyes shut for a fraction of a second before he sighed, and a long sword appeared in his hand.

Cecily brandished her rapier, and Ryu took a fighting stance.

Ferris didn't have the energy to fight, but still, her two knives appeared before her. "Let's get this done and over with."

"Are you guys serious?" Kai mumbled when he saw Ryu and the others were going to fight the pirates. 

Kai then sighed into the sky. He owed Ryu and Fifi, and if they were killed, no one would heal his seasickness. He'd rather die than experience that for who knows how many days.

Scimitars in both hands, Kai was going to fight with Ryu and the others. 

The rest back away. No one was going to help them. They'd rather not involve themselves in meaningless deaths.

Skull sighed and massaged her head. There were also mercs like this who didn't know better and chose to challenge the pirates who were the King of the seas.

But before a battle was about to break, a loud splash boomed in the distance.