Troubled Seas
Battle 1
“Jack!” Anamaria crashed into the room, her rapier glinting in the bright sunshine. She stared at the bizarre sight before her, neither Katie nor Jack were restrained by anything. Yet, the remained still as statues.
“Our pistols, Jack. They aren’t working.”
“Not working?” Jack asked in awe.
“You must make a blood sacrifice!” Katie shouted from beside Jack.
Anamaria turned to look at her in surprise. “I see you’ve regained the ability to speak.”
“A blood sacrifice?” Jack looked at Katie with much disbelief.
“Yes,” She nodded vigorously. “The loss of blood weakens you and strengths him. But it will also alert him that you have escaped. You must leave as quickly as possible.”
“She’s – she’s not coming with us, Captain?” Anamaria questioned.
“No. She’s not.” Jack turned away from Katie. “Do as she says, Anamaria. Cut my palm.”
Hesitantly, Anamaria stepped nearer to Jack. “Are you sure?”
“Do it!”
Anamaria drew her sword across Jack’s upturned palm. A single line of red blood beaded across Jack’s dirty palm. It was as though Jack was light, floating on air. He stepped away from the hut wall on his own free will.
Jack sprang forward. “Let’s go!” He grabbed onto Anamaria’s wrist and pulled her from the hut, blood pounding in his ears.
“The amulet, Jack!” Katie shouted.
Jack stopped running, he stuck his head back in the tent. “If the opportunity arises, I will take it. Farewell, Katrina.”
Outside the hut, chaos reigned. The natives fought with brutal force, Jack was disturbed by the dead look haunting their eyes. The men of Jack’s ship battled back, the desire to live evident in their forays.
All over the red dirt of Anew, discarded pistols lay, some still smoking. It was as Anamaria had said, the pistols were useless against the power of Him.
Jack’s eyes swept the isolated village, catching on the glittering blue of the ocean. “The ship?” He continued his search, to his left one of his men set fire to a hut, but they did not locate the one man he was searching for.
“Still docked on the west bank,” Anamaria awaited her captain’s orders.
“I need a sword; you make for the ship and bring it round.” Jack instructed gruffly.
She thrust her sword into his open hand. “Hold strong!” She darted through the fighting crowds and back into the forest at the edge of village.
Jack turned, all around him there were frantic yells and cries of anguish. This was the atmosphere he thrived in. With a devilish smile, he charged toward the nearest native, sword raised.
Katie’s wrist blazed fiery red. She screamed out against the excruciating pain. He stood before her, furious. He raised his hand, Katie fell to the floor in agony. Crawling, writhing, she inched forward, her eyes focused on the amulet swinging from his neck.
“You have betrayed me!” He bellowed, twisting his hand.
Katie flipped over on her back, as though pulled by invisible strings. Her back arched as her entire form lifted from the ground. Katie’s eyes rolled back in her head. Her mouth was stretched in a scream, but no sound came out.
A deep laugh rumbled from Him. Casually, he flicked his hand to the right. Katie’s bewitched body flew into the wall of the hut. And with a snap of his fingers, a fire erupted around Katie. She screamed, a shrieking sound of pure pain.
His smile widened. He lowered his hand to his side and left the hut.
“Our pistols, Jack. They aren’t working.”
“Not working?” Jack asked in awe.
“You must make a blood sacrifice!” Katie shouted from beside Jack.
Anamaria turned to look at her in surprise. “I see you’ve regained the ability to speak.”
“A blood sacrifice?” Jack looked at Katie with much disbelief.
“Yes,” She nodded vigorously. “The loss of blood weakens you and strengths him. But it will also alert him that you have escaped. You must leave as quickly as possible.”
“She’s – she’s not coming with us, Captain?” Anamaria questioned.
“No. She’s not.” Jack turned away from Katie. “Do as she says, Anamaria. Cut my palm.”
Hesitantly, Anamaria stepped nearer to Jack. “Are you sure?”
“Do it!”
Anamaria drew her sword across Jack’s upturned palm. A single line of red blood beaded across Jack’s dirty palm. It was as though Jack was light, floating on air. He stepped away from the hut wall on his own free will.
Jack sprang forward. “Let’s go!” He grabbed onto Anamaria’s wrist and pulled her from the hut, blood pounding in his ears.
“The amulet, Jack!” Katie shouted.
Jack stopped running, he stuck his head back in the tent. “If the opportunity arises, I will take it. Farewell, Katrina.”
Outside the hut, chaos reigned. The natives fought with brutal force, Jack was disturbed by the dead look haunting their eyes. The men of Jack’s ship battled back, the desire to live evident in their forays.
All over the red dirt of Anew, discarded pistols lay, some still smoking. It was as Anamaria had said, the pistols were useless against the power of Him.
Jack’s eyes swept the isolated village, catching on the glittering blue of the ocean. “The ship?” He continued his search, to his left one of his men set fire to a hut, but they did not locate the one man he was searching for.
“Still docked on the west bank,” Anamaria awaited her captain’s orders.
“I need a sword; you make for the ship and bring it round.” Jack instructed gruffly.
She thrust her sword into his open hand. “Hold strong!” She darted through the fighting crowds and back into the forest at the edge of village.
Jack turned, all around him there were frantic yells and cries of anguish. This was the atmosphere he thrived in. With a devilish smile, he charged toward the nearest native, sword raised.
Katie’s wrist blazed fiery red. She screamed out against the excruciating pain. He stood before her, furious. He raised his hand, Katie fell to the floor in agony. Crawling, writhing, she inched forward, her eyes focused on the amulet swinging from his neck.
“You have betrayed me!” He bellowed, twisting his hand.
Katie flipped over on her back, as though pulled by invisible strings. Her back arched as her entire form lifted from the ground. Katie’s eyes rolled back in her head. Her mouth was stretched in a scream, but no sound came out.
A deep laugh rumbled from Him. Casually, he flicked his hand to the right. Katie’s bewitched body flew into the wall of the hut. And with a snap of his fingers, a fire erupted around Katie. She screamed, a shrieking sound of pure pain.
His smile widened. He lowered his hand to his side and left the hut.