CHAPTER XI

"What??!", Jack suddenly burst out as he lay there on the deck, still drowsy and exhausted from the pain of the whipping. He couldn't believe what he thought he had just heard. Will knelt down beside his captain again:

"It's the only way, Jack", he said and looked back at Davy Jones, who was just standing there with a big grin on his greenish face. Jack's kohl-rimmed eyes were trying their best to focus on Will's face:

"Ye will be killed, mate!", Jack mumbled and also looked at Davy, who just sent him a skew smile.

"It's too late, Jack... And don't worry...", Will said as he got back up:

"I won't die", Will exclaimed, even though the insecurity was bubbling inside him like sulphuric acid. Again Will couldn't ignore the searing pain from the intense whipping... Luckily the salty waters of the Caribbean sea had cleaned the wounds, painfully but surely. And another pain was present... the other thing... His stomach turned once more as he thought of this whole ordeal. The brig... the brig.... Shaking his head he tried to lose the thoughts of the violation, but they wouldn't go away.

"Something on yer mind, whelp?", Davy Jones suddenly laughed and the rest of the crew immediately joined in, laughing hoarsely. Will just sent Davy an ice cold stare.

"Let us get started", Will said under his breath and grabbed a sword from one of the crew members. Will knew that he couldn't kill Davy without piercing the captain's heart... which he WOULD as soon as he found it... but at least maybe he could humiliate him in front of his crew AND save both himself and Jack.

"Start we shall!", Davy snorted as he himself also grabbed a sword. Davy immediately started circling Will, who was slowly spinning around his own axis to keep in eye contact with the captain of the Dutchman. All sorts of thoughts were rummaging around inside Will's head... but he couldn't seem to find any sort of plan as to how to beat Davy Jones, the master of the seas. The only plan he had at the moment was NOT to get cut down. And this plan was quickly put to the test as Davy suddenly swung his cutlass at Will – the young man jumped backwards and his back crashed into the line of mutated crew members. Will let out a gasp of pain, as the sores from the whipping on his back were almost ripped open again. With a push from someone in the line he was sent back into "the ring" where Davy was waiting. Jack, who was still lying on the deck, was concentrated on focusing on the two fighting men... this wasn't good. Jack almost couldn't believe that he had dragged Will into this... not that he had ever thought that Will would actually come for him... but now he was probably guilty of Will's death just because....

"Is that all ye've got?!", Davy suddenly spat as the blade of his cutlass sliced through the air again. Will narrowed his eyes... he HAD to fight better than this. Or he would be killed. Davy was right. And with that in mind Will stormed forwards and swung his cutlass. A roar filled the air – and Jack let out a disgusted, muffled sound when a piece of a tentacle landed right next to his face.

"Eww...", Jack mumbled as his sight corrected itself while the crewmembers let out a gasp in surprise.

"Ye bastard...!!", Davy burst out and green saliva dripped from the corners of his mouth. Will sent him a cold smile:

"I can do it again", he just said as he stared viciously at his opponent. Davy merely tilted his head:

"Don't ye worry – I've got lots more where that came from!", Davy snarled and suddenly jumped up on a barrel full of rum. Before Will knew what was going on, Davy had kicked the cutlass out of his hand and was now tightening one of his tentacles around Will's neck. A groan escaped Will as he felt his feet lose touch with the deck... He was now dangling in the air, desperately trying to pierce the tough flesh of the tentacle with his finger nails. A loud laugh came from Davy and the crew as the grip started to tighten even more.

"Are ye trying to tickle me, whelp??", Davy grinned.

Will's cheeks started to flush red from the lack of oxygen and suddenly a cutlass was caressing his semi-nude chest. Closing his eyes Will's thoughts were racing at such a pace that he didn't know if it was them or the lack of oxygen that made him dizzy. However his vision started to blacken...

"Look at yer champion now, Jack!", Davy howled mockingly and looked down – however Jack wasn't there??? Suddenly the crew started yelling something incoherent and pointing their fingers at something next to Davy Jones – who only was able to turn his head before Jack kicked at the barrel, making it tilt to the side. Davy's wooden leg started skidding on the wet wood of the barrel and the cutlass was dropped as he desperately tried to keep his balance – however he fell to the deck with a wet sound and an enraged roar. The tentacle automatically let go of Will's throat and he gasped violently for air as he lay on the planks. Jack had used all of his energy:

"Me champion looks just fine, ye slimebag...!", Jack burst out before falling on his rear end, completely exhausted. Davy Jones let out a highpitched growl as he stared at Jack:

"Keep the drunken idiot away from this fight!!", Davy commanded, and immediately some crewmembers grabbed a hold of Jack and forced him to sit by the railing, behind the line of cheering men.

"Ye cheated!", Davy snorted at Will who got back up on his feet and grabbed his sword. For a few seconds Will just stared at him...:

"Pirate...?", he just said and rubbed his sore throat as he sent Jack a smile. He had saved his life... Jack had actually saved his life.

"Well, get ready to die, whelp!", Davy hissed as he picked up his cutlass and started circling Will again. Will was using everything he had ever learned about sword fighting... stepping just right, being ever ready... it had to pay off. Davy Jones was definitely a good sword's... man.... but Will HAD to be better! Davy attacked again and this time the blades met in mid-air, making sparks fly. An annoyed grunt came from Davy as he stepped back a little, just as Will lunged forwards and the swords met again. Still circling each other Davy whispered hoarsely:

"So does Jack know yer dirty little secret??"

Will immediately froze as the memories rained painfully down on him again and the sensation of being sick spread throughout his body.

"What...?", Jack said somewhere in the background. And before Will knew it, Davy smacked directly into him, catching him under his weight. Will's cutlass was locked under Davy's slimy body and Davy smiled at him:

"Anything familiar about this, boy?", he grinned as one of his tentacles caressed Will's cheek. Will felt how his stomach turned violently and he tried to squirm out of Davy's hold. However he couldn't budge. Davy tilted his head and directed his ice blue stare at his victim:

"Anything ye would like to say before I run ye through... again?", he whispered under his breath and slowly raised his cutlass. Will felt his body twitch as a ray of sun glimmered in the steel blade of Davy's sword. The memories... the brig... the brig... An enraged flow of what felt like magma suddenly exploded out into Will's veins, and he squirmed frantically while he tried to get a proper hold of his locked sword. Davy merely laughed while the crew roared with excitement.

"Oh well.... Say goodbye!", Davy snorted as he raised his sword to the maximum. But just as he was about to plunge it into Will's chest, he felt something. Something... wet... and warm.... Without knowing it Davy's eyes grew wide as the pain exploded in his abdomen and he stared perplexed at Will. With a stoneface Will was staring right back:

"Goodbye!", he said as he gave his sword another push, making it appear out from Davy's back for the crew to see. Complete silence fell. Jaws dropped. The men were in awe... A groan came from Davy Jones as he looked down and saw Will's sword disappear into his green stomach. Then Davy's eyes seemed to return into their normal selves again, enraged and utterly frustrated:

"NOOOOO!!!!!", he screamed as he got up, making green blood spray to the sides as Will's sword was pulled out of his stomach. Almost scared of himself Will was still lying there, with his now green sword pointing at the sky. He had beat him. He had beat Davy Jones!

"Can we go now then?", Jack's voice suddenly asked from behind the crew men. Davy's head snapped to the side:

"SHUT UP!!", he growled as he was heaving for air, completely enraged. Will had in the meantime got back on his feet:

"I beat you in a fair fight. We have an accord. You have to let us go", Will merely said as he dropped his cutlass on to the deck. From the back of the crowd Will's eye caught a glimpse of an orange sea star and in between some broad shoulders Will's father's face appeared. He smiled proudly at his son. Will smiled back just before his father disappeared again. Davy Jones glared at Will:

"THEN GET OFF! GET OFF MY SHIP!!!!", he roared and nodded at some crew men to fix them a boat. Quickly the boat was in the water and Will was standing by the railing, helping Jack to get up on his feet. Davy was piercing them with his eyes:

"It's not over, boy!!", he hissed as Will helped Jack on board the boat. Will looked at Davy Jones:

"You are absolutely right... it is not over... I gave you a promise and I intend to keep it", Will said under his breath and watched as Davy tilted his head a bit.

"Ye will never find it, whelp!", Davy grinned and snorted. Will just smiled a bit:

"I keep my promises", Will said and Jack just nodded as he put the ores in the water. With a hint of something that resembled anxiety in his eyes Davy watched them as they sailed away towards Port Royal. With a huge jet of water the Flying Dutchman disappeared under the surface, muffling the furious scream coming from Davy Jones.