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Time for another chapter! Don't expect another this week. I'll definitely try to finish the story over winter break. It shouldn't be hard, because it is almost done.
Chapter 29: Ruins
They had come too late. As The Shadow King neared Port Royal, they knew it. The smoke and rubble gave it away. The Shadow King sailed into the once magnificent harbor of Port Royal, now completely destroyed. The magnificent wooden wharf that had once stretched out into the harbor was gone. Some pieces of it floated around the ship as it sailed in, and a few parts of it still stood. Beyond the dock, the town was visible. It had been reduced to rubble. A few buildings still stood here and there, but even they had taken significant damage. The small bridge had been destroyed. The town, once magnificent, majestic, and beautiful was destroyed.
“I never thought I would see the day,” Sam breathed. “When Port Royal would be gone.”
“None of us did,” Zolina said. “Orders Davy?”
Davy stood, not taking any notice. All he could do was stare at the town that he had grown up in, the town that he had loved. His whole childhood was gone now. Nothing was left of it. His home had been destroyed, his family was dead. And then there was Billy. Davy had given up on him. At least that’s what he told himself. Part of him still loved his younger brother, but it was masked by hatred.
“Davy,” Sam said, shaking his friend. “Orders?”
Davy shook his head. “Yes, orders. There is a little stretch of dock still connected to land. Go ahead and find a spot to weigh anchor. Leave some to guard the ship. I want to send out some search parties to see if we can scavenge any supplies or information about what Jolly’s plans are.”
Sam redirected the orders, and the ship was docked. Three teams were made. Davy’s team consisted of himself, Sam, and three other able crewmates. Kate lead another, and the other was lead by Will.
“Kate, I want you to check the Northern part of the town,” Davy ordered. “Will, you check the central area, and my team will head to the eastern side.”
The two nodded, and began on their way. Only Davy knew the real reason why he wanted to go to the eastern side. That was where his home was, assuming it still stood. Davy and his team set off. His team consisted of Sam, and three other pirates by the names of Jim, Ben, Kat, and Smelly the dog. The five headed into the town.
“Ooh la la,” Kat said. “Must have been a gruesome fight. The town is a complete wreck. I knew skeletons were powerful, but who knew they could do this?”
“They’re probably still here too,” Davy said, putting his hand on his Assassin’s Cutlass. “They wouldn’t wreck an island for the hell of it. Jolly would have just invaded, destroying everything in his path so that he would eliminate any threats. He conquered the island, so he would leave troops behind to guard it, so watch your backs.”
The group walked through a small square. The cobblestone ground had been wrecked from cannon fire, stones laying everywhere. The Rowdy Rooster tavern, a tavern that Davy’s father had been fond of, was wrecked. One if its walls had been completely destroyed, exposing an interior that had probably been set on fire.
Davy shook his head. How could Jolly Roger be so merciless? He destroyed a town full of innocent people without good cause. Imagine how many families he had torn apart, how many survivors were hidden, starving in their homes. It was a horrible sight to see. They continued walking down the path, towards the ruined bridge.
“What exactly are we looking for Captain?” Jim asked.
“I don’t know,” Davy muttered. “Something. Anything. Any clue as to where Jolly Roger may strike next. We can’t let him attack another island. If he invades another island, then more innocent lives will be lost. We can’t allow this to happen. If we can find a clue, then perhaps we can get to his fleet before he invades.”
“Get to his fleet?!” Jim yelled out, startled. “That’s a death wish! We can’t take on that many skeleton ships! Its—”
He was interrupted by the sound of a sword drawing. Each of the Sorcerors grabbed their weapons, and turned around. Staring at them was a group of about a dozen patrolling skeletons. Their leader, a burly skeleton armed with a broadsword, growled, barked some orders in that strange language the undead use, and the boneheads charged.
“Attack!” Davy yelled, drawing his sword.
The five Sorcerors ran. They were outnumbered, but far from outmatched. Davy swung his venomous sword in the air, attacking, blocking, rolling, stabbing. He gave a skeleton a cut down the chest. The cut shouldn’t normally be deadly, but the venom reacted with bone, causing it to sizzle and vaporize. The skeleton yelled out in pain before crumpling to the floor.
Sam swung his deadly sword, cutting the undead to pieces. The undead were no match for him and his ferocious Tiger Shark Blade. Even the supposedly fearless undead cowered at the sight of it before it came down on their skulls. Smelly was barking at one of the skeletons, and pounced on him, the dog began biting the skeleton’s face, and killed it by breaking its neck. Then the dog ripped off one of its legs, and began gnawing on the bone.
It was looking like the Sorcerors would win the battle without any casualties. Then Davy turned to fight the leader of the group. Unfortunately, he was already occupied. He had attacked Jim off guard, and Jim wasn’t ready.
“No!” Davy cried out. He ran towards him, but it was too late, the skeleton smashed Jim’s sword aside and ran him through the stomach. Jim grunted before crumpling to the floor. Unfortunately for the skeleton, his fate was no better. As soon as he turned around, Davy beheaded him. His skull rolled across the ground, bumping into a crate before stopping. The rest of the skeletons were quickly finished off, and Davy ran towards Jim. He was already dead.
Davy stood up, looking away from the corpse.
“He didn’t have to die…” Davy muttered.
“Deaths are inevitable in a war,” Kat said.
Davy nodded, “Lets move. I want to leave this place soon.”
The Sorcerors continued their walk, and came to the destroyed bridge. With a running start, the remaining four were able to jump across it. Davy looked back at the bridge. As a child, he had used to play on it with Billy. Davy shed a tear. His home, the place of his childhood, was gone. He shook his head, and walked onward to his companions. They continued walking, until Smelly dropped his bone and started barking furiously. He ran to the other side of the crates, and they heard someone cry out in surprise. They ran to the other side of the stack, seeing what the dog was barking about. Laying there was a man.
The man was beat up. His long black coat was tattered, torn, and burnt. Two gashes ran across his chest in an X shape. There was a small gash on his head, and blood had caked in his hair, which was exposed, for his feathered hat lay to the side.
“A survivor!” Ben gasped.
“What’s your name mate?” Davy asked.
The man groaned. He seemed like he had just woken up from a long sleep. Chances are it was Davy and his group who had done that.
“My name is Roger Swordshot,” the man mumbled, putting his hand onto his head.
“What happened to you?” Kat said, kneeling down.
“Uhh…” the man groaned. He was clearly in pain. “I was fighting when the skeletons invaded day before last. Me and my crew were defending the bridge area, so that the skeletons couldn’t get past. We were doing a pretty good job of it too. Until the man arrived.”
“A man?” Davy said, leaning closer.
“Yes… I can’t remember if he said his name,” Roger said. “But he held two black blades. Light blades, but deadly. He was muscular and an extremely good fighter. Strangely enough, he seemed to be fighting for the skeletons, maybe even their leader, I think he… mate, you look like you just saw a ghost!”
Davy stared into empty space. Billy was here. It wasn’t Jolly who lead this attack. It was Billy. His brother caused all of this. His brother took these innocent lives, destroyed the town, destroyed his home.
How could he do such a thing?! Davy screamed inside his head.
Trying to hide his rage towards his brother and his actions, Davy said, “You say it was two days ago that the invasion happened?”
Roger nodded.
“Then we have no time to lose,” Davy said. “Do you know where they may be headed?”
“When the man that defeated me returned,” Roger said. “Jolly Roger had arrived. The battle had long ended by now. I was hiding underneath that bridge, eavesdropping on them. Jolly gave the man the next order. He said that together, the two of them would be leading an assault on the pirate haven of Tortuga. That’s where they would be headed next.”
“An invasion of Tortuga…” Davy breathed. “No time to lose! Let’s go mates!”
As much as Davy wanted to go to his home, he knew that there was no time. He would be able to return here. Hopefully. But he could not bring back lives. They had to stop Jolly Roger before he arrived at Tortuga. If Tortuga was destroyed, pirates would lose their home. Without Tortuga, they would be hunted down and killed easily. Jolly had to be stopped.
Davy and his group walked back to the ship, leaving Roger behind. He would be able to fend for himself for a little longer. After a little longer, they got back to The Shadow King. The other groups had already arrived. They were unable to find any clues, but were able to bring back some food and water that they had scavenged from some shops. Perhaps they were stealing from the survivors, but the Shadow Sorcerors would need it if they were going to have to get to Jolly Roger in time.
“Davy, what did you find?” Kate asked.
Davy explained to them about what happened. About the skeletons attacking them and Jim’s death, and then what Roger told them. Including the part about Billy causing all this. Kate didn’t say anything for a while, but eventually broke the silence.
“I’m sorry Davy,” she said. “Davy, listen. Billy is confused. If we just help him, maybe we can—”
“No!” Davy snapped. “Billy will pay for his crimes. I will kill him if I find him. I… I can’t forgive him anymore.”
Even though Davy said that, he didn’t mean it. Deep down, he knew that he could never kill his brother if he ever had the choice. He was his younger brother. He had to look out for him. Now that his parents were gone, there was nobody to protect him, nobody to guide him. Davy was at war with himself. He sighed, and stood.
“Alright mates!” he barked to his shipmates. “Set sail for Tortuga! Full colors! Voodoo boosting! We need to get there as soon as possible! Or you will never see your homes again!”
As he said that, he thought about himself, wondering if he would ever see his home again.
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