Disclaimer: I do not own POTC or any of its characters.
Chapter 20
The End of an Empire
After a night of drinking and feasting in Shipwreck Cove, everyone faced a dreary, grey morning. The clouds were heavy, the threat of a storm hanging in the distance. A thick fog settled over the bay and over the island's inhabitants. The banquet hall was strangely quiet as everyone ate their grub. Compared to last night, Cassandra thought it had the air of a graveyard.
Maybe that's where we're all headed...she thought and then shuddered, pushing the thought away. Every time her mind went back to the impending battle, she imagined all sorts of awful outcomes, which made her stomach churn like the sea.
It also didn't help that she had had her fair share of rum last night. Her head ached from the alcohol, a cruel reminder of last night's festivities. Drinking lots of rum, brandy and beer was not the wisest choice on her or anyone else's part, especially now that they were going into battle. But it had helped numbed the fear and dread.
She was groggy but when James walked in she became more alert, sitting up straight. Clearing her throat, she stared into her salmagundi. A blush stained her cheeks, a buzz coursing through her veins. She was acutely aware of his presence any time he was near; it was as if they were bound by an invisible string now. Everything had changed since he had saved her in the world between worlds.
When she met his eyes, it was like a jolt of lightning went right through her.
"Good morning," he yawned, before sitting down beside her. "How did you sleep?" He rubbed his eyes before gesturing to one of the barmaids to fetch some food. His brown hair was a tousled mess, along with his crumpled clothes. His eyelids drooped with sleep and he looked as if he would fall back asleep at any moment.
"Well, not as bad as you," she quipped but it did nothing to ease her worry. Reaching out, she squeezed his arm. "Are you feeling well?"
He gave her a small smile. "I'm fine. I just need some food in me. I'm not used to drinking that heavily."
"You could have fooled me in Tortuga," she teased. He smiled wryly. The barmaid set his bowl of salmagundi down and he dug into it with a hunger Cassandra wished she had. No matter how much she tried to force herself to eat, her stomach wouldn't cooperate. Only after James had taken a few bites did he notice that she wasn't eating.
"You should eat," he said. "You'll need your strength today."
She passed him a disgusted look. "I can't. I just don't have the stomach for it..." she said, shaking her head. She swallowed hard, her mind miles away as she thought of the imminent battle before them.
As if sensing her unease, he lifted a hand and placed it on her back. He radiated body heat and strength, his hand a solid weight against her back. For a moment, she relaxed into his touch.
When Elizabeth appeared in the banquet hall and made her way toward them, Cassandra leaned away from James. Sitting down in the empty space across from them, Elizabeth said, "We sail at midday. Both of you will come with us on the Pearl."
James nodded. "We'll be at the dock."
"Good," Elizabeth said with a nod. She hesitated a moment, pressing her mouth together tightly. Her hands were clasped together, her steepled fingers moving nervously.
As Cassandra looked closer, she noticed that Elizabeth looked pale and had dark bags under her eyes. Feeling a twinge of sympathy, she asked, "Did you not sleep well?"
Elizabeth looked up, startled. "Not a wink..." she said, shaking her head. Her lower lip trembled but she pressed her lips together, keeping her emotions in. "I...I miss Will," she whispered, looking away. "I'm...I'm worried about him..."
Cassandra's resentment toward Elizabeth softened. Jack's words rang in her ears: "They traded me for Turner in a parley."
She hadn't even thought of how much Will's absence had affected Elizabeth. She always put on a brave face, even when everyone else around her could see her emotions as clear as the reef under the Caribbean waters.
"I know how you feel," Cassandra told her. "I miss my father - every day that I'm away from him - but the only thing that keeps me going is the hope that I'll one day save him." A flicker of sadness passed through Elizabeth's eyes. "He will come back to you, Elizabeth. I know it. You two have always found a way back to each other."
Elizabeth's eyes filled with tears and she hastily wiped them away. With a nod and a sniffle, she got up. "Look at me, I'm a sniveling mess." She moved to turn away but James' words stopped her.
"She's right, you know. Will has always found a way back to you. If even I couldn't come between you two, what makes you think a war can?"
A slow grin spread across Elizabeth's face and she let out a weak laugh. And then she turned and walked away, wiping away the last of her tears.
Although both their words had been meant to console Elizabeth, Cassandra couldn't help but feel the enormity of this battle, of its outcome. And she couldn't help the suffocating doubt that was pressing down on her, making her feel smaller and smaller by the minute. She had been in the midst of battles but nothing like this. This was different. This battle would determine the fate of the Caribbean.
Midday arrived with thunder and dark clouds, so stormy it looked like night. Thunder rolled across the land like the roar of war drums. James stared at the Pearl, rubbing away at the cold sweat on the back of his neck. He stood on the dock, staring ahead but not really seeing.
This was the biggest battle he'd ever fought.
And he had more invested in this fight than in any other he had fought.
He was afraid of losing the battle itself - but he was even more afraid of losing Cassandra.
The thought of that happening again made his chest constrict painfully and he couldn't breathe.
Marty and Gibbs stumbling across the dock jolted him out of his thoughts.
"I drank too much last night," Marty grumbled. "I can barely walk right."
"It'll wear off," Gibbs told him, waving his hand.
James clenched his fists, steeling himself before boarding the Pearl.
Cassandra was already on the ship, looking at the wreckage of Shipwreck Cove, lost in thought. He took his place by her side and she glanced at him, neither one of them saying anything. What could be said at a time like this?
Passing through the Devil's Throat seemed an easy task compared to what they were about to face. When they came out of Shipwreck Island, the churning waters were just as black as the sky. Thunder rumbled across the water and an angry streak of lightning punctuated the sky. The clouds moved in a dark mass above them like a living, breathing beast.
Beside him, Cassandra rubbed her arms.
He watched as they neared high, swirling waters. More bursts of lightning struck the water, lighting up the sky with brilliant light. Beckett's fleet of ships was illuminated for a moment and the sheer number of them made James' stomach drop. The nine Pirate Lords' ships sailed alongside them but it was not enough to match the size and power of Beckett's fleet.
As the Pearl picked up speed from the strong winds, they advanced faster and faster toward the swirling waters. Up ahead, the water curled and dipped into a large, dark abyss. A light rain started, tiny water crystals splashing on the deck.
"What is that?!" Cassandra shouted over the din.
"A maelstrom!" James shouted. They watched the Dutchman approach, the other ships waiting behind like a lion's cubs.
They reached the edge of the maelstrom and James froze, staring into the abyss. The water swirled around and they were so close, it looked as if they would plummet to its depths at any moment.
"Ready the guns!" Gibbs shouted, running across the deck. The rain was coming down harder now. James blinked the water out of his eyes, running to help with the guns.
Marty readied the cartridge and shot inside the cannon. Then James helped Marty position the cannon. Other pirates readied the guns and moved them to aim at the Dutchman.
"Steady now…! Steady!" Gibbs shouted.
Barbossa was laughing at the helm, steering the ship straight into the maelstrom. James thought he was a madman, for they were surely headed toward their death.
"Ready…OPEN FIRE!" Gibbs shouted.
"FIRE!" Elizabeth echoed.
The cannons blasted off with brutal force and thunder. White smoke and crackling fire exploded from the barrels. Everyone scattered, fleeing as cannon fire blasted the Pearl from the other side.
The thunder above them matched the roar of the cannon fire below. The ship broke apart, wood splinters and cannons flying everywhere. The Pearl took a sharp turn and James stumbled, falling onto the deck with the others. Barbossa gave another cackle and James gritted his teeth, wondering who thought it was a good idea that Barbossa captain the Pearl.
The sky exploded with light. The waters churned with fury below them. The Dutchman was sailing fast toward them, riding the waves of the maelstrom. The Pearl was also gaining speed and soon the two ships were directly opposite each other.
As they neared ever closer, James spotted someone climbing one of the rigging lines. He turned to see Jack on the line, guiding it over to the ship's edge. Jack took hold of the rigging line with two hands. Then he pushed himself back before propelling himself forward. Jack swung over toward the Dutchman, flying easily through the air and tumbling into the darkness of Davy Jones' ship.
"What is he doing?!" Cassandra shouted.
"He's going to kill Davy Jones!" Gibbs shouted back.
She looked at him with wide, frightened eyes. "But - but he'll kill himself doing that!"
"If anyone can do it, it's Jack. Mark my words," Gibbs said, giving a firm nod. She nodded back but still looked worried.
At that moment, crew members swung over from the Dutchman on rigging lines, coming out of the dark like ghosts. They landed on the deck with a loud thud, eyes narrowed, teeth bared in growls. James had a sudden flash of memory to when he had fought Barbossa and his ghost crew years ago. As immortal creatures, they looked even more menacing in the dark storm and rain.
"Here!" Gibbs shouted, shoving a pistol toward Cassandra. Cassandra fumbled with it. Gibbs ran toward one of their enemies, brandishing a sword with a wild yell. James stepped forward and pushed Cassandra back with one hand.
"Get behind me," he ordered. There was a pause of stunned silence on her end.
"No!" she protested, moving away from him. "I'm going to fight with you!"
One of the crew members appeared not far from her right, chuckling menacingly. Another enemy struck out at James. James parried the blow but turned to look over at Cassandra, every protective instinct ablaze.
He could see her hands shaking as she tried to get a steady grip on the gun. With a battle cry, her opponent lifted his sword. James watched as the steel glinted in the lightning. As if time had slowed, he watched in horror as the man charged toward Cassandra. But James had to turn back to his opponent when he lunged. James parried the blow with a grunt. A feeling of helplessness gripped him and he looked over his shoulder at Cassandra, watching as she continued to struggle with her gun.
He opened his mouth to shout at her to fire but no sound came. His heart stopped when the creature was only a few feet away. Facing his opponent again, James lifted his leg and gave him a swift kick, sending him sprawling backward. A shot rang out, splintering the air. His heart thudded in his ears, a terrible feeling of dread consuming him.
A shot rang out, splintering the air. His heart thudded in his ears, a terrible feeling of dread consuming him.
He whirled around to see her standing there, gripping the pistol with two trembling hands. Smoke curled from the gun's barrel. She stared dazedly at the creature who had been blown back by the impact of the shot.
James breathed a sigh of relief and turned to face the creature who advanced on him. The enemy was lowering his sword down toward James' head. James blocked the hit, holding his sword against the creature's sword. His arms shook with the effort of trying to hold the creature back, who seeing James struggle, smirked and pressed down harder on James' sword.
Just as James felt like he could no longer hold his enemy back, Cassandra appeared and hit the creature on the head with the handle of her pistol. The creature swayed from the impact, head lolling as he staggered backward and then collapsed from the hit.
James and Cassandra stood, side by side, while more of Davy Jones' crew appeared on the ship. Their enemies rushed toward them as one giant horde. James fought them off with his sword while Cassandra shot at them, finally getting accustomed to the pistol. Despite their attempts to deflect the attacks, there were too many of them. Soon there was a circle of them surrounding James, Cassandra, Gibbs, Marty and the other pirates.
His stomach dropped and a wave of fear, hot and instant, flashed through him. Instinctively, Cassandra moved closer to him, her arm brushing against his. He shuffled closer to her.
Davy Jones' crew started to advance closer and closer. James pivoted, looking around at all of them, trying to anticipate their next moves. He heard Cassandra's breath quicken. James sucked in a breath of his own, waiting for the moment when one of their enemies would land the first blow.
At that moment, Elizabeth and Will cut between them and Davy Jones' men, causing a distraction. Their swords clashed with the enemies' swords and James rushed forward to help them. He lunged at an opponent, making him crumple to the deck. He gave a feint as another enemy lunged at him. James took the opportunity to lunge back at him. From the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of metal. In the next moment, a dagger had found itself lodged in the opponent that had dared attack Cassandra.
He smiled, pride making his chest swell. She had come a long way from the timid servant girl she had once been.
The rain was heavier, pouring down harder every second. It drenched them as they fought, lightning and thunder warring above them in the skies. Metal scraped against metal and cries rung out as the two sides battled. As they fought, James heard Elizabeth cry: "Barbossa! Marry us!"
He stopped and turned to see Elizabeth and Will standing side by side, looking up at Barbossa, who fought creatures and naval soldiers near the helm. Somewhere along the way, Will had returned to the Pearl and reunited with Elizabeth. Barbossa stopped, glancing down at them. "I'm a little busy at the moment!" he shouted irritably. After Barbossa had deflected their attacks, he climbed up onto the railing of the quarterdeck and stood in clear view of the two. "Dearly beloved, we be gathered here today!" he began.
James rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to fighting. As Barbossa ordained the wedding ceremony, Elizabeth and Will shouted their vows over the din.
They're both mad, he thought.
A few moments later he heard, "You may kiss the bride!"
Elizabeth and Will came together in a kiss, ignoring everyone and everything else around them as splinters of wood flew off the ship and waves crashed over the deck of the Pearl.
Cassandra fired off her pistol and sliced her dagger through the air, fending off enemies from every side. As the enemies surrounded them again, James felt her press against his back. Gibbs and Marty were on either side of him, cutting off more enemies from approaching. There was a whole circle of them, standing back-to-back and side-to-side, united against the threat.
In the midst of it all, James felt that strange thrill he always got in the middle of battle. He caught sight of Jack battling Davy Jones on the Dutchman, their swords ringing out as rain whipped at their faces. Jack's face was contorted as he exerted himself in the fight, looking determined to defeat Davy Jones.
"We need to help Jack!" Will shouted over the din. James turned to see Will grabbing a rigging line. He moved over to the broadside of the ship, amid Elizabeth's protests. Stepping up on the edge, he swung over to the Dutchman.
James kicked one of the creatures away while Cassandra swung at another with her dagger. The creature ducked her swing and laughed. James was parrying with an enemy, their swords clashing, metal ringing. He gritted his teeth from the effort of it, his sword hand starting to ache.
His opponent paused and so did James, both of them taking the opportunity to catch a breath, staring intently at one another. The crew member reached into his pocket and whipped out a pistol. Staring at the barrel facing him, James wished he had a gun of his own at that moment.
He growled. It was just like a pirate to cheat. Just as the enemy cocked the pistol, James ran around a mast and the shot missed him. The ship teetered and rocked dangerously, taking sharp angles around the maelstrom.
The enemy was quick and rounded the mast, walking toward James. James backed up and hit the mast. His opponent sneered and slashed at James' cheek with his dagger. The pain was fast and sharp, a stinging bite across his skin. And then he felt the telltale trickle of warm blood on his cheek, mixed in with the cold, slashing rain.
The enemy swiped at him again with the dagger, narrowly missing him as James ducked. Trapped between the enemy and the mast, James had nowhere else to go.
A wave crashed over the ship, drenching them all. James sputtered, shaking water out of his hair as it stuck to his forehead and blocked his vision. As his vision cleared, he caught sight of a figure lying on the deck. Looking closer, he realized it was Cassandra. She looked like a fish washed ashore, sputtering and gasping.
Momentarily distracted by this, his sword was knocked out of his hand. It flew across the ship and landed with a heavy clatter, sliding several meters away from him. Cassandra turned, noticing the sound, following it back to James and his rival.
Her eyes widened in horror. "J-James!" she gasped.
"Say farewell!" his adversary said with a laugh and then lifted his sword. James could only stare up at the blade in horror, rooted to the ground in fear. The sword came down but stopped mid-way. James froze as his enemy let out a strangled cry, eyes going round. It had happened so quickly that James had barely registered the sickening sound of metal digging into flesh and bone.
The enemy's face contorted in pain and confusion and he fell forward onto his knees. Elizabeth stood behind him, staring down at him coldly.
"Farewell," she muttered before she pulled the sword out with a vicious yank.
His enemy fell forward, hitting the deck face-first, sword falling out of his hand. James and Elizabeth stared down at the fallen enemy and then at each other.
James was filled with an inexplicable sense of gratitude. "You…you saved me…" he whispered.
She stared back at him, eyes full of affection. "Well, God knows you've helped me enough in the past..." she said with a smile. He smiled back.
At that moment, a cheer rose up. Davy Jones' crew and members of the Navy lay fallen on the Pearl. The deck was littered with swords, pistols and daggers.
With the defeated on deck, the air seemed strangely quiet. Even the storm above had subsided. James looked up at the sky, now steely grey instead of tar black. The rain had diminished to a light drizzle and the maelstrom had vanished.
"That maelstrom…it's gone..." Cassandra said, bewildered. "Have we...won?"
Gibbs shook his head. "No lassie, we haven't. We've got another ship to fight." He nodded in the direction of the Endeavour, which was sailing determinedly toward them.
"Will and the others were sucked up by the maelstrom…" Elizabeth whispered. There was a haunted look in her eyes. James gripped her arm, squeezing it reassuringly.
Barbossa turned the Pearl to face the Endeavour, which was approaching them from the other side, a fleet of warships behind it, just waiting to strike. James' blood ran cold at the sight of them. The waves were abating. The sky gradually lightened until it was a cloudy white. It was as if there had never been a storm just moments before.
But the calm was what terrified James. It matched Beckett's cold, calculated approach.
The calm before the storm was always deceptive.
He looked over at Cassandra. She was staring at the ships, trembling. He could hardly believe he had nearly lost her days ago…Now they would all likely die.
He turned as something caught his attention. James' mouth fell open as he watched the Dutchman re-emerge from the water. It had lost its skeletal, battered appearance and now looked like any other ship.
It sailed towards them and James could see that the sailors who had once been creatures were now men again. As he looked up he saw Will at the helm.
"Ready on the guns!" Will shouted. His crew relayed the orders on the Dutchman.
Elizabeth let out a breathless laugh. "Ready the guns!" she shouted with vigor. The crew on the Pearl scrambled on deck to get everything ready.
"Aye!" Barbossa yelled, looking annoyed that it was Elizabeth who had given the order instead of him.
They unfurled the sails, gaining speed as they met with the Endeavour on the water. Barbossa turned the Pearl until it was sailing alongside the Dutchman. Now both ships were closing in on the Endeavour from either side.
The Endeavour sailed in between them and James caught a glimpse of Beckett, standing on the quarterdeck. James and Cassandra helped the other crew members on the broadside of the ship to ready the cannons. He tore his eyes away from Beckett to put a cloth wad into the cartridge just before another man rammed the cloth inside the canon with a wooden rammer.
And then, the order came. "FIRE!" Gibbs shouted. His command was followed by a chorus from Will, Barbossa and Elizabeth before cannons blasted off, firing towards the Endeavour. The Endeavour was blasted from both sides, the hull of the ship breaking apart, splinters of wood flying everywhere.
It was strange—fighting against the side that he had once been on. But knowing the cruel intent that lay inside Beckett, James felt he was doing the Caribbean a favour.
He watched as Beckett's men shouted frantically at him, asking for orders. But Beckett seemed to be in a trance, looking out at the water, frozen to the spot. When he didn't answer, they panicked and Groves shouted, "ABANDON SHIP! ABANDON SHIP!"
He watched as Groves fled the ship and he feared for his friend, hoping that he would make it out alive.
The navy scrambled around the deck of the Endeavour, running toward both sides of the ship and jumping into the water. Cannons came loose, hitting men and blasting them backward. Others fell down as the ship tore apart. Beckett stood at the helm, watching the carnage. The Endeavour exploded in puffs of smoke and cannon fire. There was so much smoke, gunfire and debris that James couldn't make him out anymore.
Everyone on the Pearl stopped to stare at the wreckage.
They kept blasting the enemy ship, cannon after cannon, obliterating it until its end finally came.
An explosion burst forth from the Endeavour's very hull, followed by a series of other explosions. Glass shattered as the ship imploded from the inside. Both ships sailed away from the Endeavour as it tore in half from one final explosion. He watched as what was left of the HMS Endeavour sunk slowly into the ocean—and with that, the remnants of Beckett's rule.
AN: Thanks for reading!