powerful he was compared to the rest, an inspiration by which we were blessed. “What if it’s a trap?” One pirate yelled to he whom I’ve given a prologue.
“Then I am finished.” Was his only reply, and with rapier high, he disappeared into the depths of the fog.
Few moments passed before the first mate too stood tall and raised his blade, with a furious call he charged down the gangway and over the planks to plunder, with the rest of the crew following to aid.
As we marched upon the deck of the Martona, it seemed that little life stood, yet within moments of our guards fall our enemy burst from the wood. Masses of the Martona’s crew came forth from many an exit beneath, the battle erupted, an ambush indeed, much to my disbelief. With swords drawn ready, steel did clash and many a crewmate cried out.
“Kill them all!” I heard Davey yell his anger raged without doubt.
Amidst the fog, names were heard, some of Roselyn, yet more unknown, screams of pain, howls of victory, and the roar of Damien Rones. The crews would battle throughout the night, as death took all it wished, creeping silently amongst the chaos and blinding tempest’s mist. Amid the confusion and struggling, I lost the crew in the haze, as I turned about to find before me, one crazed pirate of the Martona’s party, no man of Roselyn could assist. Seemingly lusting to end my existence, he charged at me with a shriek, I raised my rapier in defence, as relief came pleasing but bleak.
From the vapour beyond him came the giant with blood all upon his cheeks. The man was unarmed, I had become aware, yet Davey still robbed him of life, straight through the abdomen his days were finished, the giant held still, he gave me a glare, the blood of many men covered his face, his eyes were filled with despair.
-Some time after Davey had disappeared back into the fog I heard the captain’s call,
“Sailor!” He cried, clear as a sum, and the life of our leader I feared. The fog still thick, the time passing by, I hurriedly went about the gangways, in search of Rike, and the troubles he faced, in hopes he should not be stricken. As I made haste I slipped, the gangway thoroughly drenched, though it was not the water of the blue, but blood that did run thick, from edge to edge of the deck, from amongst the fog and beyond the Martona’s burning wreck. So too as I laid, for but a moment dazed, I saw the corpses amongst the fiery blaze. The limbs they flailed, as the darkness took them, their souls released to the locker, and kept their for eternity, but amongst the bodies, I felt great woe to see Christian Williams lay limber, deceased he was sure to be.-
With anguish I rose, hearing cries from the crew, I knew all was not as it seemed, and so I began with troubled step to follow the echoing screams. Across the deck I made my way but stumbled grabbing a beam, two further cannons blast away though why I could not dream. It surely was not Roselyn’s guns, for few men remained onboard, a moment later I viewed a smouldering blaze streaming from the Martona’s stern.
“Davey!” Again I heard Rike cry, being forced to go forth toward fire, the stern was engulfed by fog and smoke, it seemed her crew’s life death would deny her. One way of stairs, I made my approach then heard the great beast begin barking, twas Achilles and Rike.
“Rike?” I called.
“Sollertis!” He yelled, it was pleasing to see him alive.
“Captain Rike, we have him!” We heard a Jefferson cry , and so forth dragged upon his knees was the Martona’s captain, bloody and bruised he denied, all that he had done to the innocent lives we believed he had caused to die.
“Drag him aboard, and prepare jones’ plank. Harvey, go about the Martona, and plunder all you can, yet the moment she begins to fall away, return to the safety of Roselyn.” With orders said the first mate went about his business due, Achilles, Rike, Myself and Jefferson then dragged the captain through. Upon Roselyn the injured rested, many had already returned, the quest was done, the Martona secured, soon we would be on our way. The mists were still thick though had begun to fade as the earliest light of day did break, the time had passed away with haste, the Martona subdued under our wake.’
Much of these events I failed to see as I went myself to search the ship’s orlop quarters, though I do recall as I read, the sheer feeling of excitement, confusion, angst and anger that surged through me as we followed Davey across the plank onto the Martona. To describe all that I saw die upon that single experience I feel misery to recollect, ‘twas too much for the eyes of a single man, still I do not regret the actions I committed.
‘Twas a bleak sight to behold as I returned from the gangways of the Martona, many a man lay upon Roselyn’s upper deck crying and whimpering in agony, blood washed across the woodwork of our vessel as we attempted to aid the injured. Some men had been so badly wounded they had already passed away in the gangway, others laid without limbs and I recall nearly throwing up as I set eyes upon Arthur Smith holding his own severed leg to his chest. The fog had truly devastated our crew’s attack and we suffered greatly for it.
Once the majority of the survivors of our crew had re-boarded Roselyn we dragged the enemy captain and a number of his henchmen to the stern of the ship. The fogs by now were much thinner, and daylight lit up the darkness, though dim the light was for it seemed the skies were becoming covered in thick grey clouds. The captain of the Martona cried out pathetically as we dragged him down the gangway of the upper deck, up the stairs that passed Captain Rike’s chamber, and towards the plank of Jones. The closer he got the more erratic his flailing limbs became.
“Please, spare me, I know not what I have done.” His accent was strange and voice light, a coward I had no doubt. Make no mistake whoever may come to read this recount, for this man had murdered many and stolen from the innocent without a troubled thought. ‘Twas his fate to pay for the misdeeds he had committed. Not one of us spoke to the scum. Suddenly shouts were heard from the upper deck.
“The Martona be sinkin’, quick, lads! Get the crew off ‘er, get all you can!”
“She be goin’ down! Be quick wi’ the loot!”
“What o’ the prisoners ‘neath ‘er orlop?!” Upon this call Captain Rike looked abruptly across ship, then at the Martona’s captain.
“You have prisoners upon your ship, you bastard?” He drew his rapier and held it to the male’s neck, yet he did not reply, a smile covered his thin face. Andy Jefferson quickly scuttled up the staircase to the stern.
“Cap’n, there be many prisoners locked up ‘neath the orlop, but she be sinkin’ too quick, sir, there be nothin’ we can do.” Rike did not reply, at first, he turned his head about to look at Jefferson who stood breathing heavily before us. When he replied he spoke quietly.
“Be sure the loot is secure, lad, be sure the crew are onboard.”
“Aye, cap’n.” Jefferson left us and Rike turned back to look at the Martona’s captain shaking his head.
“Ye be a fatherless, heartless devil.” The male spat on Roselyn’s woodwork at my captain’s words causing Rones to erupt across the stern and deliver a devastating backhand to the traitor’s jaw. More phlegm sprayed across deck joined by a whimpering moan.
“I am his father!” One of the Spanish captives screamed. “My boy is no heartless devil, it was you who drowned those people! You lie!” In a split moment Davey unsheathed a dagger from his belt and violently swung backwards at the aged man slicing the weapon across his gullet. I stood shocked, watching blood spout from the Spaniards wound.
“No!” The enemy captain struggled but Damien grabbed his throat pinning him effortlessly against one of Roselyn’s masts. His sunken black eyes became fixated.
“Do you think mi captain to be a liar?” The Spaniard made effort to speak yet with a brutal thrust from Davey’s clenched fist was silenced. “’e said you were a fatherless, ‘eartless devil.” Rones glanced back at the aged male’s corpse. “Were ‘e lyin’, when ‘e uttered those words?” Shivering, and with tears in his eyes the captive whispered his reply.”
“No.”
“But you’re still breathin’, lad.” Our quarter
master paused for some terrible moments. “Do you have a heart, or not?” The blubbering captain nodded.
“I do.”
“Damien!” Sollertis called out to the giant but failed to break his trance, nor did any of us dare approach the savage. With his dagger, and a swift, forceful stab the quartermaster pierced his target’s stomach. A commotion burst out amongst the other prisoners at Davey’s actions but were quickly quelled.
“Toss ‘em from the plank!” In a bleak moment that reminds me each time I think of it how dark a person Rones was, he forced the blade up into the captain’s sternum, which to my shock did not cause the male to scream or cry, but instead mumble out some last words.
“I am the devil... You will be stricken down by a great storm. A demon will come from the oceans, you will know misery that will take...” with a disgusting tear and crunch the Spaniard released a wheeze signalling his end. In a foul final act Rones drove his arm up into the male and wrenched his heart out through the hole in his stomach before tossing the body overboard.
The giant dropped the heart, and stepping down from the stern in silence amidst parting men, slumped against Roselyn’s woodwork in a gangway.
Rike turned about without a word said and made his way amongst the crew. Achilles followed and I felt without words being said that