Stepping out onto the main deck she covered her eyes as the light blinded her. Wiping her puffy eyes she began pinching the bridge of her nose as the sounds of swords clashing followed by the scream gave her a splitting headache.
'Shut up!' the woman said sending out a wave of pure mana. A dead silence fell on the ship as everyone froze in place.
'I-It's the Bloody Heron!' one of the pirates screamed. Aaron's eyes dilated as his tail stood upright and puffed out. A giant grin grew on Leon's face as he turned around at the pirates that were chasing him. Jules and Cleo let out sighs of relief as they put their weapons away. Everyone else stood frozen except for Gordan who was still trying to cut down Hilo. With chunks of his skin falling off he had gotten slower but so had Hilo as he was breathing heavier than before.
"I have to end this I'm running out of mana." Hilo thought. The woman's eyebrows began twitching over her reddened face. She let out a chuckle. In the blink of an eye, she grabbed Gordan by the neck. He began growling as his whitened eyes widened. Her grip tightened as Gordan took a step back and fell to his knees. Trying to break free he swung his sword only for it to be stopped by her fingers. Gordan tried pulling his sword back as his face began turning blue. A smirk popped onto her face as she enveloped her fingers in a thin layer of mana and tapped the sword and causing it to shatter.
'I don't like repeating myself. So shut up!' She said ramming Gordan into the floorboards. Hilo's heart stopped for a second as his feet sank in place. The person he struggled so hard with was taken down so easily. "Who was this person?"
'Who the hell woke me up, Aaron?! When I made you temporary vice-captain I told you to make sure no one bugs me.' she said.
'I-Irene!? I can explain. We were sailing normally when th-'
Irene raised her finger and Aaron stopped talking instinctively as his ears began twitching.
'I'm already bugged so don't bother explaining your uselessness.' Irene said before chugging down the rest of her bottle.
Aaron's eyes shot to the floor as his tail curled around his waist. Gordan tried lifting his head up but her hand wouldn't budge. He began howling as he tried turning his head towards his ship but it was pointless. His head couldn't move at all.
'He's going to die at this rate.' Hilo said.
'Who the hell are you?' Irene said looking Hilo up and down.
'My name's Hilo. I joined the crew on the last island.' Hilo said.
'Another kid? The hell does Ben think this is? You want me to let him go? Wasn't he trying to kill you?' Irene said.
'Yes he did but killing him is too much. Taking another person's life is a line we should never cross.' Hilo said.
Irene squinted her eyes as she stared at the boy. Something about him irritated her but she couldn't figure out what it was. 'Look around you brat.' Irene said pointing at the countless corpses littering the main deck. 'See how many he alone has killed letting this guy go would be stupid. You're an idiot. Thinking like that's going to get you killed.' Irene said. She brought Gordan's howling face up.
'Look at him.' Irene said.
The skin on Gordan's veins-covered face was peeling off and his eyes were a completely lifeless white. His mouth snapped at Hilo as drool dripped from it. Taking a few steps back Hilo covered his nose as the rotten stench from Gordan's body began filling the area.
'He's already dead his penance is all that's left. He got the easy way out. Letting someone like this go will only result in more death.' Irene said. Irene twists her wrist snapping Gordan's neck. His body lay there limp before Irene hurled it into the ocean.
Tendrils made of water shot up wrapping themselves around the Pearl. 'The hell's this now?' Irene said.
'Hey! Are you crazy? You're going to get us all killed.' Jetta said peering over the side of the ship. Nerine now unconscious inside of the bubble didn't answer. Two long serpentine creatures could be seen popping up followed by a piercing screech. One of the creatures shot up wrapping themselves around Nerine's water bubble popping it. It squeezed her as the second one snaked itself up hissing at Jetta.
A bottle thinly wrapped in mana with a mana string hooked onto it shot past Jetta blowing a hole through the creature's head. The bottle spun in the air before flying back to Irene. 'Damn snakes.' Irene said. The other snake hissed at Irene loosening its grip on Nerine.
'What you wanna go?' Irene said pointing the bloody bottle at the snake.
The masked man dashed over kicking a hole through the snake's head. He then pulled Nerine from its corpse as it sank into the ocean. Leaping back onto the pirate ship the masked man turned back and looked at Irene.
'That was so cool!' Hilo said with a giant grin on his face.
Irene ignored him, her attention was all on the masked man. Having sobered up from seeing what he had just done. 'What you're waiting for an invitation or something?' Irene said.
'It's called simple courtesy. I doubt you'd understand Dove.' The masked man said as took off his coat and placed it over Nerine. He jumped from the pirate's ship onto the Pearl.
'Finally Dante's lackey. How's it feel Ronan?' Irene said.
'How are you, Ronan? Oh, I'm fine thanks for asking. See those? They are called simple manners, Dove.' Ronan said.
'What's the point of asking that? It's not like people that ask that actually care.' Irene said.
'It seems your time here really has changed you. I miss the old Dove, we all do.' Ronan said.
'Don't act like we're friends or something and don't call me that.' Irene said.
'Your words hurt and why can't I call you Dove? Dove.' Ronan said.
Although his mouth was covered it was obvious a bright smirk lingered on his face. Irene drew her cutlass as she infused her whole body with a barely existent layer of mana.
'A cutlass? I guess we're done talking. Oh, yeah before I forget Gwen said I should send her regards.' Ronan said drawing a Rapier.
A scowl grew on Irene's face as she clenched her sword. The sound of waves crashing against the ship echoed throughout the lifeless ship. Hilo's heart raced from just looking at them. The amount of mana they were naturally releasing at that moment was suffocating. A salty breeze blew through the ship.
Irene rushed up to Ronan slashing but is pushed back when he tries to stab her. Parrying it she slides her sword down its blade to the hilt. Ronan brings his knee up to her side forcing her back. He follows up with a roundhouse kick to her face which she blocks leaving an opening for Ronan to stab her chest.
Irene parries the attack before spinning and landing an elbow to the side of Ronan's face followed up by a punch drawing blood and pushing him back.
Ronan stood there slouching as he wiped the red liquid from his nose. A stinging pain lingered for a moment before stopping. His heart began beating faster as his cheeks quivered.
'I guess you've picked up some interesting moves out here haven't you? The Dove I knew didn't move like that.' Ronan said.
'It's called growing up you should try it. You haven't changed at all though. Still, an obnoxious prick who couldn't stab himself out of a box.' Irene said.
'That was one time and it wasn't even my fault. Lucas rigged the entire thing.' Ronan said reinforcing his arms with mana.
Ronan sent a barrage of stabs at Irene. She parried most of them but still received some cuts before jumping back against the ship's railing. She launched herself from the railing past Ronan slashing at his face drawing blood.
She swirled slashing at Ronan who dodged by jumping onto the rail. Irene followed onto the rails as they balanced between the ocean and the ship. Ronan sent another barrage of jabs which Irene parried before jumping back. Ronan not letting her breathe ran in close before sliding down.
Irene flipped over him only to be met with a roundhouse kick to the side of her face propelling her into the ship. Ronan flipped into the sky before stabbing downward. Irene jumped to her feet.
Using the side of her sword she blocked while reinforcing her legs and shoulders. The floorboards cracked under her feet as she slides Ronan's sword to the side. Ronan rolled to the floor before sending a stab at her side. Irene pivoting to the side reinforced her arms with mana and punched Ronan's arm forcing his hand to open as she kicked him back into the mainmast. Irene bolted at the mast slashing down on Ronan who stopped the blade with his bare hands. The wind pressure from the slash split the mast behind him.
Ronan twisting his hands disarmed Irene whose left hook he barely dodged by kicking her off him. Irene's punch ended up destroying a part of the mainmast making it tilt into the back of the ship. They both stood back up on guard as blood dripped off of them.
'That could have killed me.' Ronan said.
'Stop being so dramatic. I knew you were going dodge that.' Irene said.
'What if I didn't?' Ronan said.
'Then your face would look a lot better.' Irene said.
Ronan jumped onto the fallen mast running to the back of the ship. He is stopped by Hilo who jumped in front of him holding his sword with both hands panting vigorously. Behind him stood Irene who had picked up her sword.
Hilo's mind and heart were competing to see who was faster. "What am I doing? I'm going to die" Hilo thought to himself. With Irene and Ronan gone the fighting resumed.
The pirates knew as long as they succeeded to beat the crew Ronan would protect them from Irene. Back on the lower deck Captain Ben came out from his office in a huff. He'd heard the sound of the mast falling before but assumed Irene had woken up and was causing a ruckus.
'The hell are you, idiots, doing to my ship? I thought I told you I'm bu-' His eyes widened and his heart stopped at the sight of his ship in pieces. The mainmast lying over the rest of his ship, the forefront not even there anymore, the holes on the deck and the rails that were a tattered mess, the countless bodies of pirates and some crew on the ground.
'Who? Who did this to my ship!?' Captain Ben said. The fighting on the main deck suddenly stopped again as all of their attention moved onto the captain. Veins started appearing on Captain Ben's forehead as lightning gathered around his body. His eyes and tattoo began glowing as it spread throughout his torso. The sky darkened as massive thunder clouds began forming.
'Off. Get. Off. Of. My. Ship!' Captain Ben said. He walked out onto the deck as the dozens of pirates decided to all fight him at once.
On the mast.
'This is a very compromising position you've put me in Dove and... You somewhat remind me of a cat I know so Cat it is. Cat get out of my way I don't want to hurt you.' Ronan said.
'Cat? I'm sorry but I can't do that. You've not only hurt my friend but you've also wrecked our ship.' Hilo said.
'That wasn't me though and we're only here to retrieve what belongs to us. 'Ronan said.
'You didn't need to kill so many people to do that and what about that other guy? You are this strong but you let him die.' Hilo said.
'Who Gordan? That scumbag deserved what was coming to him. He dared to try and manipulate miss Violet. The moment that thought crossed his mind he was already dead. I wanted to do it myself but the idiot lost control.' Ronan said.
'But, death is n-'
'Hey brat, get out of the way you're starting to get on my nerves.' Irene said.
'Listen to her Cat. You seem like a good kid. If I were you I would return to whatever little village you came from while you still can.' Ronan said.
'I'm sorry to both of you but I won't be doing either of those. You'll pay for every life that was lost today.' Hilo said as he reinforced his sword with all the mana he had left.
'Cat you have guts but you have no idea how big the world is.' Ronan said. All three of them stood still as if waiting for a sign when lightning struck next to the ship followed by deafening thunder and it began to rain. Ronan dashed straight up to Hilo pulled his arms to the sides disarming him. He then used his mouth to grab the sword and slashed Hilo's face.
Ronan turning to face a now attacking Irene kicked Hilo back. He then flipped over Irene's attack before sending a sweep kick forcing her to lose balance and fall off of the wet mast. Before hitting the ground Irene reinforced her arms to catch herself. She propelled herself back up to an unsuspecting Ronan. Spinning her body she launched a kick but he dodged by flipping backward into a bloody-faced Hilo.
Barely being able to see Hilo reinforced mana onto his fist. Under the guise of thunder, Hilo punched Ronan in the back sending him into an upper kick from Irene. Ronan landed on the lower half of the mast as he coughed out blood and began chuckling.
'Ha, you know Cat? You remind me of someone. I couldn't figure it out before. But Dove doesn't he resemble Marco?' Ronan said as he got up to his feet.
Irene's eyes shot open as her breathing got heavier as she froze. "He does look like him." she thought to herself.
He then pulled out 2 knives threw them over Hilo's head. He reinforced his feet then jumped towards them. Ronan gathered mana in his hands shaped it into swords and used the daggers as a platform to launch himself into the ship ripping a hole into the storeroom.
After realizing what just happened Hilo dived in after him only to be met with a kick to the chest as Ronan came back out holding a small box.
'Unfortunately, that marks the end of this dance my friends.' Ronan said as he jumped towards Nerine on the upper deck.
'Miss!' Hilo said. Snapping Irene back to reality. She rushed over to him and helped him up. "Even the way he said miss... this is too weird who is this brat?" Irene thought. They jumped down to the main deck.
As soon as Ronan landed on the pirate's ship he was attacked with a bolt of lightning that he barely managed to dodge.
'So you're the bastard that ruined my ship?' Captain Ben said as he stood over all the dozens of pirate's burnt corpses.
'I don't know what you expected after crossing big bro Dante. It may not have been done by you directly but you assisted them knowing who you were crossing.' Lightning started falling onto the ocean randomly as Captain Ben gathered lightning into his hands.
'I wish we could have met in better circumstances. I am honestly a huge fan of your work. Which is why I brought this specifically for you. Tray rise!' Ronan said. His mask began to glow as it morphed into a giant silver bird with wings made of light. Tray covered both Ronan and Nerine with his wings as Captain Ben fired his lightning which did not affect the bird.
He then summoned lightning directly from the clouds to hit the bird. Blinding light came down from the heavens followed by a deafening clap scorching off a large portion of the ship but the bird still had no scratch on it.
Captain Ben began to clench his teeth as the thunder clouds began gathering. No damn bird was going to be able to stop another of his attacks. "I'll show you why they made me a Pillar." Captain Ben thought to himself.
'Are you sure about doing that? One more of those and not only will no one on that ship survive but you'll probably lose another sense. How many do you have left again?' Ronan said with a quivering smile plastered on his face.
Captain Ben turned to Jules who had a worried look on her face. The image of a younger Jules crying flashed into Captain Ben's mind and he instantly dispersed his lightning. "Not this time." He thought to himself.
'A sky fowl shouldn't be able to handle that level of lightning.' Captain Ben said.
'Correct this is a special breed only found in Kaleum. Big Bro Dante let me have this one in case I ran into you.' Ronan said.
'Must be that bastard Eugene's doing.' Captain Ben said.
'Don't worry though, Big Bro Dante understands that you were only doing your job so this will end here. Mercanta on the other hand will not be making it out of this scot-free.' Ronan said. He placed Nerine on top of Tray. 'Till next time Dove and Cat' Ronan said as he jumped on Tray. The bird spread its dazzling wings before taking off into the sky.
'We're just letting him go?' Irene said.
'What are we supposed to do? It technically was our fault.' Captain Ben said. Irene sheathed her sword.
The dark clouds still rained down bolts of lightning at random. Hilo let out a sigh before his mind went blank and he passed out. The sounds of thunder still raging as muffled voices argued over him as all sound went still.