THE ACTION STARTS! I apologise for not updating for a few days… I left you hanging didn't I? I've been so busy mentally preparing myself for an RSA course. People 18 and over have to take it in order to receive a special licence which allows you to serve alcohol where you work. It's really strict in Australia… you have to have legal qualifications. A six and a half hour of sitting down going though logic and drinking rules in NSW. It was pretty self explanatory… I mean, my instructor literally told us the answers. Apparently in courses like these, they want you to pass. Son't know why… I'm just happy it's over. I also had to do a lot of research for battleship positions and tactics. Thank you again V*** for helping me out… you are a life saver!
Anyway. The latest chapter - I warn you now. Big warning… This chapter contains EXTREME VIOLENCE. Do not read if you are under age. This could give you nightmares but this kind of violence wasn't uncommon during the 17th to early 19th century… That was reality. Also Levi is seemingly turning into some violent sociopath. I need to stop doing that but it's so difficult since he's a pirate of a band of blood thirsty cut throats… so he has to be OCish. It comes with the Pirate AU package. [Which is annoying].
Intro over. On with the story!
"Captain Wing! Captain Wing! A Pirate ship just spotted off the starboard bow!" Mr. Croft cried out in panic to his Captain and Merchant of the Marianne. Captain Wing was a surprisingly elderly Captain. For years, he had sailed the Hestoss trading route, selling and delivering the same precious metals and silverware crafted from the East. Not once had he encountered pirates during his travels. He was sure his first mate was hallucinating. They had been away from land for quite some time.
"Don't be a fool Mr. Croft. There's no such thing as pirates, especially in these Northern waters" he spoke harshly reprimanding his first mate.
"But sir! It is true! The ship, she's right gaining on us!"
Captain Wing sighed with annoyance at his first mate's desperate cries and settled his accounts' book on his bedside table.
"You're delusional lad. I'm telling you! There are no such things as pirates on these waters!" he insisted to the trembling younger man before him.
"But sir-"
"No buts Croft! As I said before, there are no such thing as pirates!"
A soft whistle penetrated the quiet cabin, startling the two men. Suddenly both Captain and first mate found themselves lunging backwards by an incredible and invisible force, hot searing heat burning their skins and squeezing the air from their lungs. The sharp piercing sound of cracking wood, breaking glass and the frenzied screams from above them filled their ears. Thousands of tiny crystalline glass fragments combined with the coarser and larger pieces of ebony flew back at them, forcing Captain Wing and first mate Croft to sacrifice their arms to block the dangerous stray glass and splinters from their vulnerable eyes.
A canon ball had hit them… but there were more to come.
Captain Wing lay there on the cabin floor stunned and his body in complete shock. Everything was dark and cold. He wasn't dead… oh no. For what seemed like eternity, he heard the cries of terror and of pain from his crew, the sounds of wood cracking and metal against metal permeating his cabin. He did not know when he came round but when he did, it was deathly quiet.
"No! My ship! It can't be true!"
Ignoring protests from his first mate, injured from wood splinters, Captain Wing ascended what was left of his stairs that lead him onto deck. He never imagined the heinous and horrifying sight before him. If there were a picturesque description of hell then this would be it. Bodies of his comrades and men lay strewn across the deck, bodies warped and twisted, faces contorted with horror and agony. The mizzen mast had fallen, targeted by the canons and had fallen to the deck, causing a destruction of rope, sails and broken wood crushing the men who were unable to escape the falling timber. The pungent smell of rotting flesh and ash from the quickly burning wood, invaded his nose. Captain Wing fought back every urge to hold the contents within his stomach. The blood, his crew's blood was everywhere. Splattered across the surface of everything he could see, painting the once worn and dark brown wood in a disturbingly vibrant red. Those who had fallen were spared the nightmarish spectacle before the Captain but some were not so fortunate. Instead they were forced to bear with excruciating torment, physical pain and psychological to see their friends dead in front of their own eyes.
'Who… who could have done such a thing?"
Suddenly, something sharp and shockingly cold was pressed against his neck: the blade of a pirate's rapier. A spine chilling voice made the hair on Captain Wing's neck stand on end and his skin crawl.
Well, well… what have we here?"
Captain Levi watched with deep satisfaction and triumph as the mizzenmast of the Marianne fell across her deck, crushing those who were unable to escape and causing serious damage to the deck and destroying two sails from the main mast. He had ordered Oluo Bozado to take care of the mizzenmast and destroy it. It wasn't enough to stop the prize from sailing but enough to disable her and most of her men. Captain Levi only needed a few survivors in order to make the ransom.
The Marianne's commandeering was easier than Levi had expected. It was true. The north knew nothing about the dangers of Pirates. He had thought there would have been a brief period of cat and mouse. There was no counter attack of the sort, thus the broad side only lasted a few minutes. As a merchant ship, the Marianne had only firearms for her crew. Taking a sharp left, Levi smoothly steered the Maria closer to the broken and battered merchant ship, pulling alongside it so she was perfectly align for his men to board. The stark contrast between the two ships was immense. The Maria stood proudly as a monument of victory and power compared to the burning and devastated Marianne.
"Mr. Schuitz! Miss Petra! Prepare the grappling hooks to board!"
"Aye Captain!" Miss Petra shouted over the canons and gunfire.
Together with Gunther, they retrieved seven grappling hooks not only to help align the two ships together but also to allow few of the sailors to swing onto the masts opposite them to subdue sailors still suspended in the rigging. Grabbing the end of one, with swift ease Petra lassoed one of the hooks onto the main top and tugged it tightly to ensure it was securely hooked in place.
"Captain Levi! Here!"
She threw the rope to Levi and he nodded his thanks. Discarding his heavy decorated coat and hat, he tightly gripped onto the rope and climbed to the banister. Without a second thought, he jumped. For that few split seconds, he felt the sickening lurch from the fall, the cold ashen wind stinging the sides of his face until he felt the sudden jolt of the rope tightening from the grappling hook and swung to the upper deck.
Levi's first opponent was astonishingly ready for him with firearms. Finally, he could feel the thrill of the kill again. He had narrowly missed the first shot, the bullet just missing his right ear lobe, its piercing whistle ringing in his ears. His prey before him was a skillful marksman. He could give him credit for that. If it were not for Levi's incredible speed and agility, the bullet would have taken off his entire ear.
Levi felt the corners of his mouth turn up in a discreet smile, his motivation rising.
"Well done sir. I have to say you're an excellent marksman" Levi goaded and drew his rapier, gleaming in the warm sunlight.
Levi lunged forward with the ferocity of a wild beast.
The sailor screamed in terror and began to fire at will at the monster with black steel like eyes in front of him. Levi dodged every singly bullet with accuracy, sometimes using his own blade as a shield, continuing to encourage and sadistically play with his opponent to fight until the tenacity and will within him began to crumble.
"What's the matter? This should be easy for you considering you have the pistol" Levi taunted.
"Son of a bitch! I'll kill you!" the sailor screamed hysterically.
'Now was his chance!'
Levi suddenly changed tactic and charged forward, too fast for the combatant to defend himself. Like a butter knife, Levi lodged the sword straight into his opponent's gut avoiding his vital organs, pinning him to the banister. Smiling, he watched his opponent's facial features turn from hysterical fear contort into agony and pain. For further fun, he slowly but brutally twisted it round, earning more cries and spasms of torture.
"What was that lad? You want to kill me?" he whispered softly in his ear.
He aggressively pulled out his sword and watched his opponent's convulsions and spasms slowly cease, watching the colour of red steadily seep into his clothes where the sword had wounded him. A few seconds later, the sailor before him was nothing but a lifeless husk. He licked the blood off his blade.
"No one can kill me… if that were to happen, hell itself would freeze over"
It had taken Captain Levi's crew just under forty-five minutes to commandeer the entire ship. Captain Levi had discovered the ship was a goldmine. He had found the most beautifully wrought silver and gold wares and jewellery. As a token for his conquest, he had even replaced a golden pearl drop earring with one of his old ones. Within minutes, he had everything transported back to his ship.
"Are there any survivors Miss Petra?" he asked, tossing her a thin gold chain he had found amongst the jewelry for her to wear for her help.
"None Captain. Although we can't seem to find the merchant or his first mate anywhere… oh thank you for the chain", she replied, quickly attaching it around her neck grateful.
It was at that moment Levi spotted the Captain, standing in the ash and smoke looking at the remains of what was left of his ship. He appeared to be unharmed save for the bruising, cuts and gashes from glass and wood fragments from the previous canon firing.
Petra reached for her blade but Levi stopped her, putting a finger to his lips and gestured the men to surround him. Quietly, Captain Levi snuck behind the distraught and emotionally overcome Captain.
"'Who… who could have done such a thing?" cried the elderly Captain.
Levi drew his rapier and pressed his blade under his neck, startling the older man.
"Well, well… what have we here?" Levi taunted, his crew laughing.
Captain Wing's eyes flashed with fury.
"You! YOU DID THIS?!" he screamed, reaching for his pistol but stopped when Levi drew a slight cut under his chin.
"Now, now… you do as I say. Don't do anything stupid or you'll find yourself headless" Levi stated deadly.
Captain Wing was frozen in terror. This man was insane. The cold and poisonous look in his eyes was petrifying. So this was a pirate… these monsters who ruled the southern seas. What were they doing all the way in the north?
"What… What do you want from me?"
Levi smiled.
"Just come with me to Port Trost, without question. In return, I'll make sure no harm comes to you"
Captain Wing spat at his feet.
"Why should I believe scum like you?"
"Oh, believe me Captain… we have a far greater use for you. We need to keep you alive for our own interests too"
"You will burn in hell for this" he spat back, gritting his teeth.
"Hell doesn't want me… that I do know. Now do we have a deal?"
Captain Wing sneered but could do nothing. He was completely infuriated, humiliated. A well known merchant, respected and honoured being forced to obey to these band of cut throats and miscreants.
"Alright… I'll go" he said finally, the words tasting like poison in his mouth.
"Splendid! Men take him to the brig!"
"Captain, we found this bastard hiding under debris in the Captain's cabin"
From the darkness, Eld Jinn carried a scrawny and somewhat dirty looking man by the scruff of the neck.
"Do I kill him off?"
Levi shook his head, although reluctantly.
"Not this time, put him in the brig as well. The more hostages the better"
"Now that we have an agreement, we'll be happy to escort you back home" Levi sneered.
The crew jostled him to the damp and musty brig and it wasn't long before the crew set sail, following the Hestoss trading route back to Utopia, leaving the burning Marianne a glowing beacon on the sun lit horizon. At the helm, Captain Levi inhaled the sea air his eyes gleamed with anticipation and greed for what was to come in the near future. The real fun was yet to begin… and he embraced it with open arms.
That's all. Look forward to the next chapter! I should probably state now that the 'dirty man' is NOT Eren. Heck no! You guys just wait and see
Evening Falls. :)