Chapter 27: Los Muertos no Hablan

Everyone on the ship moves quickly and with purpose, readying themselves for battle. The armor comes to me subconsciously as I ready myself for battle, locking into place with a satisfying CHUNK! I crush a mana crystal in my fist, absorbing it.

[Your power has been raised to (88%).]

Guille hurries below deck. It's all I can do to keep myself from visibly shaking. I try my best to make ready, helping carry the ammo and black powder to the cannons, furling the sails. The pirates themselves aren't what scare me, it's their ability to sink us and leave us stranded in the middle of the ocean! My suit can do a lot of things but I’m pretty sure it can't turn into a boat. Hell, for all I know it might make me sink like a stone! It is metal after all!

Captain Read stands at the bow, looking ahead through his spyglass when I join him. With the visor on, I am able to see just as far. There in the distance is a ship with black sails headed directly toward us. The flag flying high on its center mast is red with a symbol of a… frog on it?

“Not familiar with their colors but they’re definitely pirates. They’ll likely try to ram and board us.” Read says calmly.

“Ram us?! That’ll sink both of us, won't it?!” I ask, not so calmly.

Read just shakes his head. “Dont worry. This isn't my first time going up against pirates. Just be ready to fight.” Read slams the spyglass shut and sprints back to the helm.

I’m left alone, watching as the distant ship gets closer and closer.

Kizzik, Rina, and Camilla all join me weapons out. The Laczerta seems especially excited for the confrontation.

“It’s been ages since I went up against a pirate! I bet their ship’s loaded with gold!” They cackle.

“Keep your wits about you, don't let yourself get surrounded and don't forget they will kill you if given the chance.” Camilla adds.

Rina slams her staff into the wooden planks causing it to spark. With a powerful swing, she launches a massive fireball out towards the approaching vessel. It looks like it's on target but the pirates veer to the right and the spell collides with a wave, narrowly missing.

“Whily ones aren't they?” Kizzik says.

I have to step away slightly as the air around Rina starts to sizzle. She grinds her teeth together loudly. “That’s fine. I’ll just have to burn them one at a time.”

The ship is close enough now that I can see people moving about on the other deck, a mix of humans, Laczerta and Bellua. It’s quite a diverse crew! At least the cutthroat thieves have that going for them.

“This is it! EVERYONE, HOLD ON TO SOMETHING!” Read shouts at the top of his lungs.

I brace myself as we race closer and closer together, digging my metal greaves into the deck. They maintain their course to ram us. 40 meters, 30 meters, 20. At the last moment, Read jerks the wheel of the Bonny, spinning us hard and fast. The pirate ship doesn't ram us, so much as nudges us into a full 180 turn, minimizing any damage. The wood of the vessels scrapes against one another, groaning under the pressure. From the other ship I hear a loud cry.

“Attaaaack!”

two dozen or so buccaneers leap over onto our ship but we’re ready for them. Camilla is the first to move. Like a lightning strike, she crashes into two enemies, clothes-lining them and sending them back over the railing and into the ocean. Kizzik is next, slipping through the crowd of enemies like a shadow. It’s hard for me to even keep track of him. All I see is pirates falling down in pain, gushing blood. The bulk of the mob reaches me so I get to work as well.

I dodge their blades and clubs effortlessly, slamming my fists into their faces as I go. A large brutish looking Bull Bellua, horns and all, tries to grapple me but I slam my elbow into his solar plexus before punching him into the deck with a loud CRUNCH!

Two more pirates throw a net over me to try and lock down my movements. It flashes away in a puff of flame as Rina grabs it. Her hands glow an intense orange as she bears down on the two of them. I’ve never seen her use hand to hand combat but I’m surprised by how adept she is. Rina’s fighting style looks like a mix of western boxing and muay thai. Quick precise strikes with her fists, elbows, knees and bouncy footwork. Her opponents both hit the deck unconscious and smoking before they know what happened. I almost feel bad for them.

The left side of my visor blares loudly, alerting me to an incoming threat. I barely have enough time to block a falchion that was aimed at my neck. It’s being held by a Cheetah Bellua. He’s thin, tall, with soft black cat ears. His hair is peppered with cheetah spots and he has black lines that trail down like tear stains from his yellow eyes. He bares his fangs at me in a playful smile.

“You best give up the goods chico! We can make this easy for you if you surrender neow!”

Before I can respond, he vanishes and reappears on my right, kicking me in my ribs. He’s fast!

I twist my body at the last second to absorb the blow, skidding across the deck a little. Just as I’m about to launch a counter attack, Read appears between us.

“I’ll handle him, Kenji. Captains should fight one another after all.” He draws his rapier and falls into his elegant fencing stance.

“¡Bien Huecho! But I’ll tell you the same. Give up your medicine and food and we’ll be on our way!” The cheetah man barks.

It seems like an odd request. Don't pirates usually go after gold and jewels? Valuable stuff not essentials?

It’s at this moment that we all hear someone bellow out a command to halt.

“¡Ta’te Quieto!”

The pirates all freeze. Standing on their ship is a young man, thin, sickly, and sweating so profusely that his dark hair is matted to his forehead. Despite his age and disposition, he still commands an air of respect and authority.

“Guepar! Why are you attacking these people?!”

The pirate captain’s cat ears go flat as he’s scolded.

“I was trying to get you medicine mi principe!” He calls back, not daring to make eye contact with the boy.

Guille rejoins us on the deck, beckoned by familiar voices. He stares wild eyed at the sick young man.

“Prince Agüeybaná! What are you doing here?!”

Captain Read shoots an incredulous look between the two of them. “This is your prince? Why in the hells is he with a band of pirates?”

He jams his sword toward the Cheetah Bellua called Guepar. “Did you kidnap him?!”

“Calmaté! It’s not like that! We’re rescuing him!” Guepar says with his hands up now.

“Rescuing him from what?” Guille asks.

The prince staggers to the edge of the ship, the pirates help support him so he doesn't fall. He stares at Guille with such pain in his eyes, such fury. His words are harsh and strike at each of our hearts.

“Borikan has fallen.”

Guille freezes there for a moment as the Prince’s words hang in the air. He falls to his knees as his body goes numb from shock “It’s not possible. I just spoke with the council... This can’t be!”

“Are you saying the demon army has already taken Borikan?!” Camilla asks.

The prince nods somberly, wiping sweat from his brow. “The Demon Lord Katariel appeared and launched a surprise assault on us. We were overrun in the night before anyone knew what was happening. The she-devil sent an assassin to finish me off but I was able to escape with the help of the Coquis here.” He gestures to the pirates.

Guille is totally shellshocked. He doesn't move from his spot on the deck. I feel bad for him. He went through so much to try to save his people just to learn it was all in vain. I try to comfort him and pat him on the shoulder but he doesn't respond.

Katariel. That's the demon the king was talking about back in Dusud, but what would she be doing in Borikan now? Whatever the reason, it can't be good.

“What happened exactly? How were they able to launch their assault?” Rina asks the prince.

Before he can respond though, a shadow zips by us overhead. I look up but there's just a sprinkle of water that hits my visor. There’s a scream from behind us, we spin around to see a crew mate being dragged overboard.

“What was that?!” Kizzik puts their blades up defensively.

“Oh no. We’ve been stopped here for too long mi principe! They caught up to us!” Guepar shouts.

[Warning! Ryba incoming!]

What the hell is a Ryba?!

As if to answer my question, a strange creature flies straight out of the water, high into the air before landing on the deck in front of us with a wet thud. Its pale grey skin is slimy, its body hunched over like some malformed thing. The monster doesn't have a neck, just a massive piranha head sitting on its shoulders. It looks at me and screeches loudly.

SKREEEEEEE!

This! Right here! Is why I hate the damn ocean!