Wow, I think I really set a record with this delay. I've just been really caught up with things, and haven't been able to touch the story so far. I am seriously sorry and hope you haven't given up on me yet ;P. Enjoy, guys.
Chapter 28: Flight of the Falcon
"Brace yourselves!" Bootstrap yelled. "Here they come!"
Will drew his blade. "Be merciless, men. Today, we fight not just for ourselves, but for what we stand for. Everything that happens here will determine the lives of pirates in the future."
"These freaks are drawn from several corners of the planet," a crewmember said, followed with a rage of laughter. "A tad bit odd how I survived this long…"
"Enough," the captain insisted. "If the battle favors them, then leave without me. This is no full-scale war. Just a diversionary attack."
The rain grew heavier by the minute, with waves of drops rattling on the ships that drew closer. Aside the Dutchman, the Pearl was also ready to launch the plan, too. Black ships that tailed Blackwell's and Zhao's turned towards Shipwreck Cove, but what for? Jack figured that the Cove would hold it self long enough for them to get everything done. With a focused, unblinking face, he gazed over towards the other ship with his hands on the Dagger of Black Death, certainly ready to do something with it soon.
From the deck, the only female to sail with them before this whole mess marched up the steps with a readied face. Zi had her hair tied back that elegantly held up regardless of the rain. Her blade and pistol were also ready, and the trigun that Tsau gave to her was also there. Walking up to the helm, the emotionless face she wore soon gave into an expression of focus.
"You ready for this, love?" Jack asked her. He could feel the helm of the Pearl completely in his control now…and perhaps the Dutchman, as well. He also wondered deeply what he would do once this was over. How was he going to spend his eternity? Maybe he should go off into the horizon and sail the seas some more, or he could go to a place far away and live in peace and silence.
She nodded. "I'm as ready as ever, captain."
These people were her friends. They stuck with her through thick and thin, through the troubles with the law, through everything within the past months. She found permanent friends in Elizabeth and Will, and felt that she had to make up for her lack of participation in the Pearl crew because of Tsau's influence on her. It was time for Zi to be Zi again.
"Can you still handle a blade?" her captain asked sincerely.
Zi forced a smile. "Those lessons won't go to waste."
"I don't remember teaching you a lesson on how to properly handle a blade," he said with obvious implication.
"Tsau seemed pleased," she grinned.
"Are you absolutely, positively sure that he wasn't the one doing all the work?" Jack asked suspiciously.
The young lady rolled her eyes. "Enough, Jack. We should focus on the fight."
Then cannon fire.
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The trip to the dock was quick. The planks from small rowboats have dropped, and navy men have already initiated their attack on the locals, possibly because the majority of them are pirates. Tsau crept silently, yet fast enough so that he wasn't a sitting duck in the incipient battle. Hiding behind a few palm trees that were next to the set of steps that led down to the large dock, he observed the playing field for just a bit longer, planning how he would get to the ships. Apparently, one of the ships was already docked there, and the other trailed. Were Zhao and Blackwell planning to engage Jack and the others on land? Vacillation crowded his mind as to whether or not he should plow his way through the docks or try to sneak in undetected. Staying hidden was almost impossible, because the field was quite open along with gunshots being traded constantly.
Then, as if natural instinct had hit him, Tsau immediately knew how to handle himself on the battlefield. Standing up, he pulled out his trigun and started heading down the steps, hiding behind crates and wood. He then pulled out his short saber that was gifted to him by Hassan. Already, this blade has reminded him of significant deaths that occurred during his journey. Before Tsau could move, flashes of battlefield moments appeared before him. This was the first time he was involved in battle ever since leaving Zhao's regimen. Flashes of him killing other men on the field threw him into a sort of confusion. He felt as if he'd done this before.
The Falcon shut his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them, he initiated his trip to the other side.
Like a beautifully choreographed dance, Tsau's movements were fluid, instinctive, and deadly as he gracefully leapt over obstacles, sliced pirates and soldiers in their vital spots while simultaneously letting his trigun cry like the Falcon's call. Left and right, bodies collapsed from the lively movements of the blade and pistol. There were no thoughts in his mind; no clear indication of imperfection or improvisation. It was a flawless execution of bloodshed.
Finally making his way over to the large ship, Tsau hopped up onto the damp wood deck, avoiding the brewing chaos below. The Falcon kept his gaze forward and honed in on the enemy that stood before him. Nesirus had his arms crossed and sported a devilish smirk on his face. Tsau held his ground with an imposing presence.
"So you're here," Nesirus spoke. "I always knew that there was just something about you the Executives revered so much."
"I'm flattered," Tsau said flatly.
He ran his hands through his longer, slicked back hair. "Of course, there had to be something you possessed that they tried to get a hold of so much. Which is why I was created. I'm just a failed experiment; a product of their twisted schemes. Just something else to be thrown away…do you know what it was like knowing that you were garbage since the moment of your conception?"
"You have my nullified sympathy," the hooded assassin caustically said. His words egregiously provoked his enemy, almost as if Tsau was taunting him in some way.
"Oh, but I know why they love you so much," Nesirus said. "Do you know why you do what you do?"
"Because I'm good," he said.
"You love the killing!" Nesirus exclaimed. "You adore the bloodshed. I saw you while you made your way up here. Murder is your perfected art form, and you can't get enough of it, can you?!"
Tsau—trying to ignore his words—sarcastically replied, "You'd be surprised."
"Oh, Tsau how you love murder. Your bloodlust is why the Executives have been using you this whole time. You are so easily manipulated, from your murder of the servants to the extermination of Zhao's Deaths. I say, you followed their script to the narrowest detail—with outrageous ardor in your kills.
"They are, however, having trouble with the North American colonial establishment," Nesirus added. "Unfortunately, relations with Britain are severe. In a few years, I believe there will be full-scale war."
"And which side are you on?" Tsau asked.
Nesirus chuckled. "I am only here for one purpose, and that is to destroy the Executives. You happen to be in my way, so I must deal with you quickly, although I was hoping you'd join me."
"Assassins always come with a price," Tsau informed with a deep voice. "But no money can buy loyalty."
"I guess you must complete your role," Nesirus said. "Yes, they will throw you away just as they've thrown me. An empty slate used to carry garbage."
"How scathing."
The doppelganger drew his rapier and threw off his coat, revealing a long-sleeved black shirt underneath. Tsau drew his blade and faced his clone.
As they circled around, they seemed to feel the presence of one another, almost as if they were reading each other's thoughts. The Falcon remembered that Nesirus was just like him in almost every way, having incredible knowledge on maneuvers on sword fighting. Immediately, Nesirus lunged in with his blade, catching Tsau off guard in a state of thought, nearly impaling the assassin. Tsau just managed to dodge the sharp thrust, nearly slipping on the floor. He was good, but not that great. Thankfully, Tsau remembered that the Executives stored up his experiences up to when he became 22.
The Falcon smirked and gripped his blade, standing up to face his so-called "self".
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Jack accidentally bumped into a navy man walking up on the ship railing, and he fell over into the water.
"Sorry, mate," he briefly said.
Scurrying his way up his ship, Jack was searching for Zi to find the dagger, because a black ship was approaching from the distance. With haste, he hopped onto a few crates and stared down at the fighting forces below. Jack pulled out his saber and examined the field for Zi. Finally spotting her on the far end of the ship, he grabbed a nearby rope and let his weight carry him downwards. He flew past the hacking blades below, a sparrow sweeping down from above, and let go when he was near the bottom of his arc to gain the farthest distance. Landing on the net nearby, Jack let himself down smoothly and fought his way past some navy men to meet her.
"Where be the dagger?!" he asked.
She kicked a navy man overboard and turned to him. "It's here!"
Zi took out the dagger and threw it to him.
"See you later, love!"
As Jack left, Zi followed him and noticed the black ship approaching. Before she could turn to him, her instincts urged her to fall backwards, and as she did, the large blade that barely missed her hit nothing but air and raindrops. Jack turned around and saw the assailant. The large, knightly warrior growled beneath his steel helmet, starved of military action and now hungry for bloodshed. Immediately swinging that large claymore, the monster-like knight nearly hit Jack, as well.
Jack stumbled backwards and scooted away, planning to retreat up the small flight of stairs. Before he could, the knight was already hacking away at the wooden handrails, sending out damp splinters into the air. Realizing that he would not be allowed to escape without a fight, he quickly rolled forward past the knight and sliced at the legs, only to hear a large "clank" and feel an uncomfortable vibration that stunned his arms for a quick second. With surprising speed, the knight's arm scooped Jack up by the throat and lifted him a good three feet off the ground.
Struggling for a moment, Jack felt his body becoming numb and his vision darkening, clouded with blackness.
At the edge of unconsciousness, a sound of piercing blades caused him to open his eyes. When the knight dropped him, the vision of two impalements surprised the captain. Jack shuffled backwards while sitting and watched the knight fall over, only to see Will and Zi sheath their blades again.
"We shall settle this, Jack," Will told him. "And we must hurry."
"Come on," Zi then said. "The Necromortalis is approaching. Let us hurry."
Jack stood up and took a breath. He followed them through the chaos.
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Nesirus kneed Tsau in the abdomen one more time and watched his original framework fall to the ground.
"It seems I am superior after all!" he yelled. "Those scientists knew exactly what they were doing."
Tsau spat out some blood on the wood floor and lied there for a moment. He breathed and tried to regain his focus. Nesirus had bested him, but it wasn't over yet. "And…how exactly did the Executives create a carbon-copy of me?"
"They have the tools of the future at their disposal," Nesirus told him. "Everything…every aspect of the future has already been planned out. They are merely waiting for our world to gradually change in the direction it should be heading. Too quick of a change is not good. They have everything."
"Then why are we fighting…?" Tsau asked, taking him by surprise. "The Necromortalis has already betrayed you. You have nothing."
Right as Nesirus looked away for a split moment, Tsau charged forward with his wristblade, but was caught. His enemy stared into his eyes. "Because I am here to determine who is the better of their two monstrosities."
He elbowed Tsau in the shoulder and shoved him away. "How much in control were they then?"
"How much?!" Nesirus asked with slight surprise. "Everything! They made you into who you are, Tsau. Nothing is chance; everything is determined. Even your old master, Hassan! That old fool was a pawn all along, conditioning and training you according to what was recommended. The Executives were surprised with your improvement for the mere reason that you far exceeded their expectations. You are the perfect weapon."
Tsau picked up his blade and stood still, awaiting his enemy's next move. It seemed that Nesirus had picked up tricks of his own. Talking more will only prolong the fight, and Tsau had to find the dagger before it is too late.
"That is correct," he agreed subtly. "I strived to become the best, and here I am. Iam the perfect weapon…but now I realize that I didn't condition myself for the Executives."
"So, then. What do you fight for? That is what separates us wholly, you see. That is what makes us different."
He looked up and grasped his blade. A cool shot of breath exhaled from his lungs. "Myself."
With blinding speed, Tsau smashed his enemy's blade away and threw a swing at the legs. The sharpness of the saber easily sliced through Nesirus's flesh and he fell flat on the ground. Following that movement, Tsau swiftly turned around and shoved the blade into his opponent, a swift strike with a deadly result.
Nesirus coughed up blood. The only expression on his face was one of laughter. Tsau pulled out his blade and kneeled down to face his replica.
"Why do you laugh so?" Tsau asked.
The clone of Dark Sunrise looked at him. "All I wanted to do was destroy the monsters that made me."
"You stood in my way," he stated lucidly. Tsau spoke to him without anger or hate. The feeling behind his voice was that of calmness, as if he was only speaking to Nesirus like a commoner would speak to another. "I did what I had to."
"Indeed you are the better creation," Drak said. "But my intentions were good,brother."
The Falcon dismissed the word "brother" because it sounded twisted. "It does not excuse the lives you have taken; the contract on your head. Clearly, your methods have not gone unnoticed."
"Did you not enter your business to kill bad men?"
"I did," Tsau answered. But that was all he said.
"Then how are you any different? You shed blood just as—no, even more—mercilessly than I ever did," Nesirus asked he was losing blood quickly, and losing time. "You know…I have a recurring dream, Tsau. I am running on desert land. And on this land, I have to outrun the sunset by chasing the sun. The sun does not move fast, but at the same time I cannot catch up. The darkness is always behind me, and chasing me forever. If I don't do anything, and quick, I will become it."
Tsau listened intently. "And have you?"
"Every time I get near a conclusion, I wake up," he answered. "And that's it. I don't understand why I'm always fighting, but I am. And now, I think you have concluded that dream."
"I have a recurring dream, too," Tsau said.
Nesirus grinned with bloody teeth. "Do tell."
"I am sitting at this dinner party, at a large banquet table. A banquet table made of gold, fit for kings and queens. And at this table, I am sitting with every person I've killed, both bad and innocent. They're staring at me with black, lifeless beady eyes. And that's it. No words are spoken, no blinking, no talking. I have to deal with the disturbing silence and the faces of those I've killed. They are all staring at me, and I am staring back at them."
Before Tsau could finish, Nesirus was already dead. Tsau stood up and looked out into the distance. He looked over towards land, near a short plateau, and spotted Chinese pirates. That is where Zhao must be.
Leaving the dead clone by himself, Tsau sheathed his blade and began to make his way towards him. After Zhao, then he will come back to deal with Zi.
Tsau hopped back onto an unoccupied dock and took his steps without vacillating; without a single thought.
And so ends the motives of Nesirus, but how will Tsau face his former mentor? How will Zhao explain to him his forgotten experiences in the rebel military? How will I finish the next chapter without taking a frickin' month? We shall see x.x…