Chapter 13-Battle of the Maelstrom

Hey guys I know I've been ignoring my story for a while, please don't kill me! It sucks but life is getting in the way of everything important and I'm struggling to write cause I'm a bit emotional so this might be the last chapter until after Easter I think. I will try and publish before but I thought I should warn you in case I don't. Anyway enough of my rambling, I hope you enjoy the chapter, please review. I don't own POTC but Scarlet is my Pirate girl.

I stood at the helm of the ship looking out into the dark water, it was around five in the morning I had watched the stars in the sky for the whole night. The quiet keeping me calm before the up and coming fight. I had watched Jack go into his cabin when I first arrived back onto the ship. It didn't take a genius to realise that he was avoiding me. The sun was about to rise so everyone was rising from their beds and coming out looking prepared for the fight ahead. I couldn't help but wish that maybe it wasn't a fight, that there was still a chance of realisation from Beckett, but truthfully I knew hope was almost completely lost.

Everyone was assembled on the deck of the Black Pearl, watching out into the mist. I stayed at the wheel. The Endeavour emerged from the mist in all its glory.

Marty yelled, "The enemy's here! Let's take her!" from his point up in the crows' nest.

I moved next to Barbossa, neither of us were cheering. We watched the fog as the rest of the armada gradually emerged from the misty air. The cheering quietened down, until there was absolute silence. Cotton's parrot took off into the air yelling as it went, "Abandon ship! Abandon ship!"

"Parley?" Jack whispered quietly from behind me.

I walked over to the edge where Elizabeth was standing, "You know I don't blame you for what you did," I said softly, looking out onto the spit of land that the parley was going to take place on.

"What do you mean?" Elizabeth asked me, slightly skepticly.

"I understand why you had to give Jack to the Kraken, and we got him back so I forgive the way you did it. Just promise me something," I said quietly, as I looked over at her.

"What?" she asked.

"Tell Will that you still love him. At least one couple will be happy then," I said, before walking over to the helm.

Someone grabbed my arm again. I turned and saw Jack there, "You're staying aboard the Pearl," he ordered, not looking me in the eyes.

"Okay," I muttered before walking off. I watched as Barbossa, Elizabeth and Jack left the ship and went over to the land. Standing in a line, against them were Davy Jones' in a bucket of water, Will and Beckett. I look through a spyglass as Will and Jack swapped places and Elizabeth and Beckett stood toe to toe.

I went over to them when they had sailed back, and turned to Will, "You and him swapped."

"Yes, I'm sorry," Will replied almost looking like he meant it.

"He did what he was supposed to do, I can't ask for anything more," I turned and walked towards the mask. Disappearing through it and into the brig of the Flying Dutchman where Jack was being held captive.

I sighed gently when I saw him, "Jack."

He turned to face me in shock, "Scarlet. What do you want?"

"To wish you luck. To say I'm sorry for all that has been done between us," I replied honestly.

"Peace between us then," Jack said softly coming to stand by the door of his cage.

I turned around ready to walk out before I remember what I had come down here to say to him, "Oh and think like Will. It will come to you," I winked before disappearing and reappearing back onto the Pearl. I rested my head on the back of the mast for a moment, all the travelling giving me a headache.

I heard the commotion and turned to face the other side of the mast. Where I saw my mother tied up in ropes, with the bowl from the court meeting. Barbossa dropped the necklace that was the final piece of eight into the bowl and stood back slightly.

"Be there some sort of rite or incantation?" Gibbs asked Barbossa.

"Aye. Items to be brought together...done. Items to be burned. And someone must speak the words, "Calypso, I release you from your human bonds."" Barbossa replied collecting the lighted wood off of Ragetti.

"That's it?" Pintel asked, looking unbelieving.

"It was said it must be spoken as if to a lover," Barbossa smirk. I felt slightly sick as the rest of the crew laughed. I noticed that Will and Elizabeth were both held still by some crew members.

"Calypso, I release you from your human bonds," Barbossa yelled, lighting the items. I laughed out loud, he had obviously never made a good lover for anyone. Nothing happened to the bowl.

"Is that it?" Pintel asked again.

"Oh for heaven sake," I said, just about stopping myself from laughing again.

"You didn't say it right. You have to say it right," Ragetti said. Before turning to my mother, "Calypso," he said softly, leaning forward and whispering in her ear, "I release you from your human bonds."

The reaction was immediate. The items in the bowl caught on fire the smoke turning purple as the items burned into the black soot. Pintel let go off the bowl, but it stayed there floating in the air about a metre above the ground.

Tia Dalma, who had now almost completely become Calypso leant forwarded and inhaled the smoke.

Will pushed his way fowards, "Tia Dalma," when she didn't respond he tried her other name, "Calypso," the bowl fell to the floor as Calypso began to shake, "When the Brethren Court first imprisoned you, who was it that told them how? Who was it that betrayed you?" Will asked obviously knowing the one thing both me and my mother had never found out.

"Name him!" she cried.

"Davy Jones," Will said.

"No," I screamed, my legs falling out from underneath me. I collapsed onto the floor. It was all his fault, I would never have been cursed so badly if he hadn't had bound her into her bones, but I was free now, and so was Calypso.

Calypso cried out in pain. She started to grow, the rope that where holding her began to snap, and the deck below her was cracking.

Barbossa made his way to the front of the crowd, bowing down, everyone else followed. I stood up at the side. Barbossa began to speak, "Calypso, I come before you as a servant, humble and contrite. I have fulfilled me vow, and now ask your favour. Spare meself, me ship, me crew, but unleash your fury upon those who dare pretend themselves your masters, or mine."

Calypso turned to look down at me. I stood there watching her and spoke slowly, "Calypso, mum, I ask for nothing. I understand what must be done, what you will do. Thank you,"as I spoke, I felt tears slowly stream down my cheeks, I lowered my head to hide them. She put her large finger gently underneath my chin and turned my face back up to her.

Then she spoke me to, in words that I could never understand, but I knew what she was trying to say. I knew they were words of comfort and a promise that now she was back as a goddess she would release me from the curse that I had been put under, not by her doing, but because of what had happened. She moved her hand over my head and I felt like my skin was on fire. I looked down at my hands, and saw them glowing, with a furious gold light. I could feel the powers that were never supposed to be mine leaving my body and the true powers I had staying. My immortality was gone, but I wasn't sad. I was happier than ever because of that fact. I had my true powers of love, luck and fairness.

My skin went back to normal and Calypso began to roar words out in her native language. Shaking her head as her body turned into millions of crabs and feel over board.

I ran over to the side of the ship and looked out at sea, she was free.

"Was that it?" Will asked coming to stand next to me.

"What did she do to you Lass?" Barbossa asked, looking at me.

"Gave me back my life," I replied softly, before staring out at the sea again listening to the other conversations.

"Then she has done nothing. Our final hope has failed us," Barbossa said bitterly. The wind changed direction and picked up considerably.

"It's not over," Elizabeth argued.

"There's still a fight to be had," Will agreed.

"We've an armada against us, and with the Dutchman, there's no chance," Gibbs said sulky.

"Only a fool's chance," Elizabeth whispered.

"Revenge won't bring your father back, Miss Swann, and it's not something I'm intending to die for," Barbossa said to Elizabeth.

"You're right. Then what shall we die for?" She said facing the crew, and yelling, "You will listen to me. Listen! The brethren will still be looking here to us, to the Black Pearl to lead, and what will they see? Frightened bilge rats aboard a derelict ship? No! They will see free men, and freedom. And what the enemy will see is the flash of our cannons, they will hear the ring of our swords and they will know what we can do! By the sweat of our brows, and the strength of our backs, and the courage of our hearts...gentlemen, hoist the colours!" As she spoke her voice began stronger and stronger. I had never been so impressed with her, she had turned into a real Pirate.

"Hoist the colours," Will began. Every one of the crew repeated it after him.

"Hoist the colours!"

"Hoist the colours!"

"Aye. The wind's on our side, boys, that's all we need!" Gibbs said. The whole ship began to cheer.

"HOIST THE COLOURS!" Elizabeth screamed over to the other ships. All of them raised their colours. All cheering the noise was deafening, but in a good way.

Everyone began to run around, sorting out the ship to go into battle. I made a quick pray that everyone of us would survive, but I knew that was impossible. So I prayed that Jack would survive at least.

"Have you noticed, on top of everything, it's raining!?" Pintel complained.

"That's a bad sign," Ragetti agreed, as they walked past me.

"Man the capstan...keeps that powder dry!" Gibbs said, as the men ran around.

I looked out over the port side and saw what I knew was Calypso's involvement.

"MAELSTROM!" Gibbs yelled at the top of his voice.

"Scarlet control yourself," Barbossa yelled down to me.

"It's not me! I don't have that power any more, it passed to Calypso when you released her. And she couldn't take sides, because of the court and Jones! She will destroy all of us," I yelled back at him.

"Captain Barbossa, we need you at the helm!" Elizabeth yelled over the wind.

"Aye, that be true!" Barbossa said walking over and taking the wheel, "brace up the yards, ya cockeyed deck apes...dyin' is a day worth livin' for!"

I looked out as the maelstrom got worst. The Dutchman was going further into the middle of the dark swirling sea.

"On our stern and gaining!" Will warned.

"More speed! Haul your wind and hold your water!" Barbossa ordered as he turned the wheel to make us to even further into the darkness.

The dutchman's guns cut through the air, only slightly damaging us, but it was enough to know they were gaining on us.

"Take her out or she'll overbear us!" Will ordered, trying to stop more damage.

"Nay, farther in! We'll cut across to faster waters!" Barbossa said, making us go more into the emptiness below. I had never been afraid before, but now I knew I could die. It suddenly was very very very scary.

"Prepare to broadside!" Elizabeth yelled.

Everyone was shouting from different sides. The rain was heavier now, so heavy no one could see each other.

"Captain the guns!"

"At the ready!"

"Batten down the hatches! Stick to your guns! Sight the flash!"

"Hold it! Wait till we're more to port!"

I joined the cannon's ready to wait for the order.

"Fire!"

"Fire!"

"Fire!"

"Fire!" I screamed for the final time.

I jumped out of the way of a speeding bullet that was heading my way.

"It be too late to alter course now, mateys! Ha ha ha ha!" Barbossa laugh echoed through the ship. A dominating sound over the hell going on around us.

Well, this could only end badly!

Hope you enjoy it there are only a few more chapters left, please review.

Until next time

Artistic Blue eyes

xxx