To the Depths of the Sea

The kingdom's ship's deck had plunged into a whirlpool of screaming and steel. A thunderous symphony of battle was created by the guttural roars of pirates, the sharp clang of sword on axe, and the frantic shouts of troops. Fenix and Kelly moved through the mayhem like specters, their bravery a beacon amid the tumultuous storm, while Shen engaged the huge pirate commander in combat.

The craggy features of the pirate captain contorted with frustration. Shen's painfully calm defense met every swing he made, demonstrating his unbridled, raw power. He swung his huge sword in a vicious arc and yelled, "Show me the strength of your kingdom!" in a gravelly challenge.

With his intellect like a razor-sharp instrument, Shen's eyes were fixed on the captain, analyzing every move and weight change. The captain's vulnerability was his anger, which made his attacks dependable, strong, and uncreative. Shen was aware that he only needed to wait for the one opportunity—the one, catastrophic error in judgment—and withstand the storm.

Fenix kicked a charging pirate away after driving his blade through him and then spun around to look around. An arrow found its home in the throat of another corsair that had been encroaching on his blind zone, and a familiar thwip sounded by his ear. He glanced appreciatively at the aftcastle. Kelly was a steadfast figure there, nocking another arrow as her eyes were already on the hunt for the next danger. A brief flicker of pride pierced Shen's hard concentration as he watched them; his companions were a well-oiled machine, a two-person barricade against the tide.

The captain surged forward once more, his frustration growing. The captain's strong blow missed Shen by inches and splintered the deck planks where he had just been standing as he sidestepped with fluid elegance. "You only fight for yourself!" Shen retaliated, his hands gripping the hilt of his sword as he prepared for the inevitable backlash.

He surged with the might of a battering ram, intending to crush him with sheer momentum, but the captain's eyes narrowed as he studied Shen's stance. The captain's blade tore a terrible gash in the wood as Shen wrenched away at the last second. The exhibition of raw force served as a clear reminder of the lethal boundary he was crossing.

Fenix swiftly turned to face Kelly, who had just released another arrow, after deflecting a clumsy swing and eliminating another pirate. Over the clamor of combat, he shouted, "We can't keep this up much longer." "What is the strategy?"

Spreading her arms wide in a grim resolution, Kelly took one precious moment to regain her breath. "We have only one choice—we stop this right away!" she answered, her voice resonating with resolve.

At that moment, the pirate captain, seeing the battle was slipping away from him, snarled and disengaged. "Stoop back!" he yelled at his men. "Get the cannons ready to fire!"

Shen felt a chill of dread that was colder than the spray of the ocean. They were planning to sink the entire ship instead of just trying to win. Their own ship would be helpless against the cannons of two pirate ships.

Shen took action as the two surviving pirate ships' gunports sprang open like ravenous lips. "Kelly! Fenix! As he rushed back toward the captain, he yelled, "Take cover!" with a whip-like voice.

Fireballs screamed across the lake as a thunderous roar ripped through the atmosphere. Cannonballs crashed into the hull of the kingdom ship, causing the planet to erupt in smoke and splinters. Shen re-engaged the captain in a desperate struggle amid the turmoil, moving in a frenetic dance to avoid the rain of iron and the man's raged blows.

The captain raised his enormous blade high aloft, spotting what he thought was a gap in Shen's divided focus. "It's over!" he exclaimed, lowering the blade in what appeared to be a last, decisive blow.

However, in that moment, Shen's eyes saw a black ball rushing straight at them—a death omen blaring through the atmosphere. After a hundred battles, instinct took control. Dodging was not an option. Rather, Shen turned on his heel and used all of his strength to deliver a vicious kick that struck the captain in the chest. The pirate was hurled backward, straight into the merciless path of the cannonball, and his triumphant yell was reduced to a choking gasp. With a sickeningly absolute impact, the captain fell to the deck, senseless and broken.

Now that the captain had been neutralized, Shen looked to his companions. "We must seize their ship—right away!" he commanded.

With each second that went by, things got worse. Their ship was gravely injured by the cannon fire; the wooden planks creaked menacingly, as if they could collapse. Without any delay, Fenix and Kelly rushed to take command of the pirate flagship by racing toward the helm.

Shen hesitated for a bit, looking around the situation. The remaining pirates were in a complete panic, frantically leaving their ship after their captain was vanquished. When they saw the abrupt change in the situation, even the crews of the other two ships were nervous and started to back off.

His concerns were validated by a somber examination of their own deck. There was no movement among the warriors of the kingdom. Shen felt a sudden and intense pain of loss. They had been let down by him. But he couldn't afford to be grieving.

Shen and his friends were able to take control of the enemy's flagship as the remaining pirate ships turned tail and ran away. "Go forward at full speed!" Shen took the helm himself and shouted. The great ship of their kingdom moaned its final breath behind them. It started its slow, last plunge into the unfathomable blue with fractured masts and a battered hull, vanishing beneath the waves until only floating debris was left.

With the weight of their loss and the crucible of combat hardening their resolve, Shen, Fenix, and Kelly continued on their path toward Regalia. It was far from the end of their task.