Chapter 32: Armageddon Part I


The Red Dawn almost immediately opened fire on the Black Pearl. The horrid ship flung cannon at the pirate vessel, hoping to score a hit.

Under James Norrington's ministrations, they did no such thing.

Meanwhile, the rest of the hellish Navy moved around them. The Ravager moved on the Dauntless, which returned fire as well as she got.

The Doomgiver ignored the fleet and pounded Tortuga. The city was quickly ablaze in fire. Other ships followed the Doomgiver's lead while most attacked Sparrow's fleet.


Onshore, Jack dashed through the inferno of Tortuga, searching for Barbossa. He dodged a family running for their lives. Then he saw, at the top of a hill, a silhouette came down, and moved to stab him.

He only barely parried.


The Elizabeth moved quickly through the Tortuga port. It led the Polaris and the Flagrant. Will Turner had them follow him towards the city's attacker.

"Open fire on the Doomgiver. Make every shot count! You there, with me!" He led a small group of men to the boats.

That ship was going down.


The Dauntless traded fire with the Ravager, however ineffectively. The ship seemed determined to stay afloat. The ship's current commander was nowhere near James Norrington's skill level, and was starting to crack.

Then the Britannia came up from behind to barrage the Ravager from the other side. It was not the brightest tactic, but it stopped the merciless pounding on the Dauntless and Tortuga from the Ravager.


The Neptune led the Artemis and the Polaris into the thick of the fray. They opened fire on all sides; at this point, there was no chance they wouldn't hit a hit on the enemy Navy.


Meanwhile, Will Turner led a large group of men to the Doomgiver. "Boarders away! Forward clear to the powder magazine! And blow this ship to hell!"


Jack Sparrow was in the fight of his life—a rematch between he and Barbossa. He swung fast as he could, his blade a blinding shine of deadly motion. As was Barbossa's. No words were spoken.

Exchanges flashed. Jack slid Barbossa's thrust off his blade, guiding both blades up into the air. With the two killing devices locked in midair, Jack did what he'd wanted to do for years; he spat in Barbossa's face. The risen man glared in hatred, and unlocked his blade. He dove into a stab, then a rolling parry as Jack flew overhead to dodge the stab and make one of his own.

Jack spun and whirled and sliced through Barbossa's defenses as shells rained death and destruction down upon them.

Blades clashed as Barbossa swung. Jack parried effortlessly, then leapt onto a roof where he quickly back-pedaled against Barbossa's relentless assault.
He crossed over to the pub roof. He stepped forward, then back. He stepped around Barbossa, and swung down, then parried above his head as Barbossa swung towards him.

Then something happened that surprised both of them.


The pub in Tortuga has gone through a lot. It has been burned, defiled, and abandoned several times over. It has seen brawls, mobs and all manner of civil unrest.

It was not built to stand as long as it has. Nor was its roof intended to hold two men.

Nor was it meant to withstand direct contact with a cannonball.