As predicted by Henry and Louis, a powerful storm rolled in bringing heavy rain, flashes of lightning, and thunderclaps that shook the ship. The strong winds blowing fiercely from the North threatened to knock the vessel off course. But Jack, an experienced sailor was at the helm using his skill and strength to keep the ship on track.
Despite the storm's intensity, Jack's grip on the wheel remained firm, his muscles straining a bit as he battled the wind and waves. The ship creaked and groaned but Jack's determination kept it steady refusing to let the tempest dictate its path.
The storm raged on with flashes of lightning illuminating the dark sky and thunderclaps booming through the air. The winds howled and whipped across the deck but Jack's expertise and physical strength kept the ship on course. He had spent years at sea and his experience showed in his ability to navigate the treacherous waters.
As the ship rode the waves, Jack's focus never wavered, he was a master of his craft and his confidence inspired trust in his crew. The storm may have been fierce but Jack's seamanship was fiercer, a testament to his skill and unwavering resolve.
The tempest continued to rage, but Jack's steady hand kept the ship safe and its course unwavering. His strength and expertise were a fair challenge against the storm's fury, a reassuring presence for all on board.
The whole crew was awake and were all doing their bit maintaining the balance on the ship, Noname who was in the middle of the sea vessel was drenched in the water from the rain and the thoughts from his brain, he could not process all that was going on.
"Don't just stand there Captain! Give some darn orders!". Jack bellowed, his voice strained from struggling to maintain control of the wheels as the ship bucked and shuddered in the tempest's grip. His words pierced the air striking Noname with a fresh wave of confusion and disorientation.
Noname's mind reeled as he grappled with the impossibility of the situation.
"This isn't any ordinary storm..." he thought, his inner turmoil mirroring the chaos that raged around him. "...Something isn't right; something extraordinary must have caused this. Just hours before, Henry had assured us that the weather would be ideal for our heist on the village and after, so how could this tempest have developed so suddenly? What could I possibly do to subside its effects?"
As he wrestled with these questions, his gaze drifted Northward, the direction they needed to maintain despite the wind's ferocious opposition.
"We just have to keep going North no matter what!...". He muttered to himself, a sense of desperation creeping into his voice. "....and where the hell is Henry and his nephew?"
Noname's eyes darted toward the accommodation entrance where papers were swirling out into the stormy air like a flurry of lost souls. The captain's thoughts swirled in tandem with the tempest, his mind racing to find a solution to the crisis unfolding around him. The storm seemed to be growing in intensity by the minute, its power and ferocity defying all logic and reason. Noname's instincts screamed at him to take action but what could he possibly do against the fury of the elements? The uncertainty was suffocating and the captain's usually steadfast resolve was beginning to fray in the face of the unrelenting tempest.
As Noname made his way towards the accommodation to seek Henry's counsel he shielded his face with a raised arm protecting himself from the whirlwind of papers swirling around him. He descended the staircase cautiously, his eyes scanning the scene below. Once his lower body was safely below deck he lowered his arm leaving only his head exposed to the tempest. In that moment, a stray paper caught the wind and slapped itself against his face clinging to his skin. Noname peeled the paper off his face intending to let it dance away in the wind but his gaze fell upon something that made him pause; A detailed, structured drawing of a pistol stared back at him, its intricate lines and curves capturing his attention. His mind already reeling from the storm's fury struggled to comprehend the significance of this unexpected discovery.
"What is this drawing doing here? Who could have created it, and why?". Noname's thoughts swirled with questions as he stood there, the paper trembling in his hand, the storm raging on around him.
"But doesn't this looks familiar....". Noname wondered, his eyes fixed on the drawing of the pistol. "I've seen this before... Ah yes! I remember now! It was when Captain Black Jack stood up in my cabin, this exact same gun was holstered on his belt, but it was made entirely of gold. Its gleaming surface had caught my eye, almost as much as the captain's towering figure... But for goodness' sake stop distracting yourself with this irrelevance! This is not the time to be pondering on the past!"
Noname tried to shake off the memory, letting the paper slip from his fingers and allowing the wind to carry it away. He turned to proceed down the staircase, but another unusual sight caught his attention. All the papers that had flown out of the accommodation were now plastered on the sails and flapping wildly in the wind. The sight was surreal, as if the storm itself was trying to convey a message. Noname's curiosity was piqued, and he felt an overwhelming urge to understand the significance of this strange phenomenon. Despite his initial resolve to focus on the present, he found himself drawn into the mystery, his mind racing with questions and theories.
"The sails! That's the key!...." Noname exclaimed, his mind racing with the realization. ".....The papers couldn't be completely swept away because the sails are blocking their path... and it's not just the papers, the sails are also obstructing the wind's force, counteracting the ship's speed!". With this epiphany, he swiftly returned to the deck, his voice booming out the long-awaited orders.
"Jack, keep the wheels steady and our course constant! Lee!, Santiago!, attend to me!...." Noname commanded, drawing his two swords from their scabbards with a fluid motion. ".....Prepare your blades, we're going to remove the sails!" he instructed, his eyes gleaming with determination.
"Aye aye, Capitán!" Santiago responded, his Spanish accent thick and rich, as he produced two small, sharp, curved daggers from the bands on his hands. He positioned himself beside Noname, his movements swift and agile.
On the other side of Noname, Lee stood ready, his cleaver at the ready, his eyes fixed intently on the sails. Santiago caught sight of him and and a desperate thought crossed his mind, his gaze flicking back to Noname who stood tall, his swords poised ready to strike. The three of them formed a united front prepared to take on the sails and harness the wind's power to their advantage. The storm raged on, but Noname's crew stood firm, their resolve strengthened by their captain's decisive leadership.
Santiago's eyes widened in astonishment as he gazed at Lee who was now brandishing a massive cleaver. "Where did he even pull that out from?" Santiago thought to himself, his mind struggling to comprehend the sudden appearance of such a formidable weapon. Just then, Noname's voice pierced the air, "NOW!" he shouted, and with that the trio sprang into action. With the wind at their backs they sprinted towards the sails with incredible speed, their feet pounding the deck in unison.
As they approached the mast they launched themselves into the air, their blades flashing in the dim light, with precision and deadly accuracy they sliced through every rope attached to the closest sail, their movements a blur of steel and motion. The task was completed in the blink of an eye, mere seconds passing from the moment they began to the moment they finished.
Just as they were about to elevate to the next sail, a familiar voice echoed up from the deck below halting them in mid air. Henry's urgent call rang out,
"Noname, wait! Don't touch those ropes holding the sails!". But his warning came too late as the lower sail had already been released into the wind's grasp its black canvas billowing outward like a wing. Santiago and Lee had already set the lower vertex of the next sail free, their blades slicing through the ropes with deadly precision. The sail's upper portion still clung to the mast but its lower edge now flapped wildly. The trio froze, their eyes locked on the sail as if willing it to remain in place.
Noname's gaze snapped downward, his eyes scanning the deck below for Henry, his mind racing with the implications of his friend's warning.
" Why now!..... But come to think of it, What had Henry seen or anticipated that prompted his desperate cry? Have we just made a catastrophic mistake?". The questions swirled in Noname's mind as he landed back on his feet with Santiago and Lee.