Fire.
The door was on fire and the hall was ablaze.
I backed up from my bed, suddenly afraid and wondering how that happened. My mind became riddled with questions, much more than anyone could answer at this time. The heat was becoming apparent and I began to sweat from the intensity. A flash of lightning illuminated the room, the casting light causing the flames to be all-the-more dreadful on the other side. Thunder came soon after, but much closer and far brighter. An explosion took place soon after and I whipped my head around to see what was happening outside.
Six of the Storm King’s ships were burning in the skies. Several of them managed to stay afloat with their giant zeppelin-like balloons, but their main decks were being struck by the fire. I could see soldiers among the decks, desperately trying to put out the flames. More lightning and thunder crashed across the sky and broke through the darkness of the night. Not a moment later, a large clap of thunder broke down on one of the ships, tearing through it and striking onto the deck. Wood splintered and was sent flying everywhere, and the crew of the ship was doomed as it became a giant fireball that fell to the earth below.
It was then that I felt prompted to back away from the window.
“I’ve gotta get out of here,” I said aloud, turning to the doors where a similar fire was on the other side.
“I couldn’t have said it better myself, had you paid attention to your surroundings.” Sombra stated, with a hint of annoyance in his voice, overstating the obvious.
I snorted at him before I took a step up and out of the bed. I felt a growing headache press in my head and hissed from the pain. But that was the least of my worries.
“Sombra. There’s one problem. The door is locked and it’s on fire, and if I open it the fire will just spread faster. I also can’t get out the porthole since I will more than likely drop to my death.” I said, surmising the fact that I was trapped in a corner here.
“Not to worry, I might be able to help with that.” Sombra replied.
I felt a strange sensation grip over me. A chill crawled up my spine and I was feeling unbearably cold. After a few moments passed, the sensation ceased but I was left with the cold all over my body. I checked my hands to find nothing out of the ordinary but they still felt cold.
“Go to the door and open it.” Sombra stated, my mind already triggering fire alarms in my brain.
“Wait. Don’t you know that the fire is still raging out there?! If I go I’ll get roasted!” I claimed, knowing full well that it was never a good idea to open a door to fire. Once it had an opening, it would spread so fast that you’ll get burned in an instant.
I learned that off of the Discovery Channel.
“Trust me, the quicker this is done the faster you can get out of this alive. Your time is limited, so get your legs moving.”
I gulped in apprehension and walked towards the door, the flames on the other side burning brightly. I adjusted my sling with my good arm and said a quick prayer to whatever god would listen in this world as I approached the door.
When I was in front of the door, I placed a hand on the knob, thinking the heat would force me away. However, once I touched it, it was cool to the touch. I enveloped my hand on the knob and gently pulled it back. When the door creaked open it burst from the fire, enveloping me. I raised my hands to defend myself but found the flames were not scorching. It was actually almost ticklish. Relaxing even.
I stepped through the door, wading my way through flame and burning of wood. I looked down the left end of the hall, where everything was engulfed in an inferno, and then down the right end, where I saw a small area that was left untouched from the flame. Sensing an opportunity I hastily moved towards the right of the hallway. As I moved the flames spun and moved around me, but I was untouched and completely unharmed from its deadly heat. A moment later, I was out of the flames and was cleared of any fire around me.
I think I just became Moses.
“Go. Follow the path. There are several flights of stairs that you need to climb.” Sombra said.
I followed as instructed. I didn’t know why but I just continued down the hall unabated, and after turning a corner, just like Sombra suggested, I found a set of stairs on the other end of the hall. I quickened my pace, hoping by some chance that I can get out of this in one piece.
Soon I found the stairwell and climbed up it, but as I did, I was hearing voices of warriors nearby. I cursed my luck but decided to keep moving, hoping that if I can get up the stairs quickly before they caught sight of me that I could be in the clear.
“Quickly, get to the deck! Get those fires out now!” I heard one shout.
Suddenly I heard the shuffling of footsteps climbing on the stairs. My head went up and I saw several storm guards climbing for the higher decks. I remained low while I went up the stairs, hoping they didn’t see me.
“It’s no use! The fire’s too much!” the voice of a storm creature shouted from above, more already ascending up to escape the fires.
On another floor, I saw the head of one of the storm creatures, directing his men to go to the fires in an attempt to put them out. I stayed for a moment, waiting to see if they would go away. The storm creature turned its head and got ready to follow the others. It was then that I took the moment to climb a few extra steps.
Then the ship rocked.
My body jolted forward, hitting the stairs rather hard. I grunted in pain and quickly looked up to find, to my utter fright, that the storm creature was seeing me. I saw his eyes grow wide and a paw reached out to me.
“Hey! You gotta get out of-”
But he didn’t get to finish because the ship rocked again, following by an explosion nearby. The storm creature turned to his left down the hall to my right and its eyes widened in fear, while a rumbling noise steadily grew in intensity toward us.
“Boy, stay still, and keep your head down.” Sombra said to me.
“Get down!” the storm creature screamed, but that was the last he said when a fire engulfed his body.
I covered my head and hugged against the stairs, hearing the cries of the storm creature near me. I felt the cold sensation across my body and knew Sombra’s magic was working from the flames, but that didn’t stop the howling cries of the storm creatures around me. I dared open an eye. I saw that the storm creature was flailing about and screeching because his entire body was on fire. He came towards me, his body tumbling down. I ducked my head, feeling his body roll over me before stopping on the corner of the steps. He was still when I took a look at him again, the body a smoldering ruin. I was ready to hurl my insides out upon seeing this.
“Come, boy. You have to keep moving.” Sombra said, his voice sounding a little weak but stable.
I pushed myself up, uneasy because the pit of my stomach was doing somersaults. I was banged up and hurt, and despite the magic protecting me from the flames, it didn’t help me with the physical pain. I took a few uneasy steps, walking through the flames surrounding me and looking down the hall to see death and destruction stretch across the floors of it. The bodies that I saw were either burning and blackened or eviscerated by shards of wood blasted into them. As the fire continued to spread, I leaned against a wall and doubled over, throwing up whatever was in my stomach like my intestines were threatening to drop out. I wiped my mouth and shook my head off, trying to clear the nagging headache and the drowsiness in my eyes. In the end, I looked away from the grisly scene.
“The hallway is too much,” Sombra stated, “Go to your left and keep heading that way. There should be another hatch or stairway that will lead you to the top deck.”
“But, your magic protected me earlier. Why would this be any different?” I said, taking a glance back to see the stairs were on the other end of the fire.
“You forget that I am not as strong as I once was. When the explosion from earlier struck it caused my magic to decrease faster, and keeping this link intact ‘and’ keeping you alive is taking a toll on me. It won’t be long before my protection over you is gone, and I will have to rekindle my magic in order to keep doing so. Now get moving, and don’t stop for the dead or you will be one of them.” Sombra stated, his logic being something I couldn’t argue with.
I kept my pace down the hall, the sound of the fire and the resounding explosions being ever paramount. I felt like I was trapped in a glass bowl, everything around me shaking that bowl more violently than the last time. Thunder and lightning crackled in the night sky, and the ship steered or leaned from one side to the other to avoid it. I had no choice but to go along with the ride, attempting to outstretch my hand to clasp on a wall only to slam into the opposite one moments later. It took my entire strength to just hold onto any object that stuck out of the walls before the ship calmed enough for me to move.
It was a difficult task. By the time I reached the next set of stairs I was already worn out.
When I was at the top of the stairs I saw another open hallway, or rather the hold as it appeared to be. I groaned and cursed whoever made this ship to have so many levels on this flying beast. However, there was a silver lining. I heard a number of footsteps right above me and shouting of orders and several panicked voices. I was getting close to the deck, and I hope, beyond all hope, that I was going to get there in one piece. I looked about the hold, seeing the stocks and supplies of whatever was inside those barrels and boxes. On the other end of the hold, I saw what looked like another stairwell or even an escape hatch. Believing I could reach it I began to make my move towards the other end of the hold.
“Boy, wait!” Sombra demanded, making me stop in my tracks.
“What?” I asked him, “The exit is right there, I could-”
“Get to cover now!”
I heard the eerie sound of metal bending. It steadily grew louder. Guards yelled in fear and something began breaking on the ship’s side. Before I could take a step back, another ship's front hull crashed into the room. I fell back, watching as the front bow rammed itself in, sending wood exploding outward. I ducked my head, hearing barrels and boxes breaking and the sound of metal painfully creaking in resistance. As the ship tilted, my body rolled to the left side of the room. Seeing a wooden beam ahead, I grabbed onto it and held on for dear life, watching as more barrels crashed and broke against the side of the wall or tumbled into the open abyss below. I groaned as the pain in my left arm grew. I struggled to maintain my grip on the beam, all the while feeling the rush of air blasting against the side of my face. The ship that rammed us was suddenly pulled out before falling down towards the earth. The noise was deafening as metal and wood splintered and cracked in the air. And once it touched the ground, a fireball exploded to life.
I held onto the wooden post, too frightened to move.
“Boy, you can’t stay here.” Sombra said, his voice sounding weaker than before.
I still held on, looking to the massive hole that took out part of the floor I was on. I could see part of the deck and the night sky, along with a blasting rainfall that was soaking the floor. It felt like the whole ship was coming apart, and I was afraid that if I let go I could fall at any minute. My heart was pounding, my head weary and spinning. I couldn’t think of anything else instead of holding on for dear life. Then, the ship tilted back to its usual position, stopping the boxes and barrels from falling down to the earth below. Fire came from the floors below, slowly engulfing the hull of the ship. In spite of this, I still remained where I was.
“If you do not move, then you will not like what I’m about to do.” Sombra stated.
What was he talking abou-
I heard it before I saw it. I turned to see several barrels tumbling towards me, a black aura surrounding them. I attempted to stand but my legs remained locked in place. I gritted my teeth and embraced for the barrels to hit. They hit me indeed, which caused me to get knocked off the post and into the side of the ship, the barrels going with me. One such barrel landed on my chest and lap, pinning me against the side of the ship. I screamed out, feeling hopeless as I was trapped against the hardwood of the ship and the barrels that pinned me. They were unbearably heavy, either that or I was out of it to even try to move. I still screamed out, feeling the pressure grow as I attempted to move them off of me. But they were still too heavy and were trapping me under their weight.
“Give it a moment. Help will come, but not in the way you wish.” I heard Sombra, his voice failing in my head.
“Sombra! Why!? Let me out!” I shouted, my lungs tearing out and demanding an explanation.
“I can’t help you at this time. My magic is draining. But another source of help will come.” Sombra said, his voice fading on the last words and disappearing altogether.
I sneered in disgust and screamed in anger once more.
How could he leave me? How could he abandon me when I needed his help now?
I attempted to push a heavy barrel off me with all the strength I had, but it was no use. Whatever was inside of it obviously weighed more than a ton.
I shouted out once more, my head hitting the back of the wall while I wailed for any sort of aid to come.
“Grandpa, please help me.” I desperately pleaded in my head, which to many would’ve seemed like a childish and vain attempt.
In the back of my head, and in my exhausted state, I couldn’t help but remember Grandpa. The fire was growing nearby, I felt the heat on my cheeks, yet I didn’t seem to care or notice it. For a split second, I was seeing him and my eyes widened with joy. My grandfather, his large hand reaching out to grasp me. I went out, attempting to reach it and managing to successfully grab it.
“No worries, mate.” I heard somebody say.
And as suddenly as I heard the voice that I knew wasn’t my grandfather’s, my vision caught sight of a storm creature. My head jerked up and I found my hand to be encompassed in his paw. He was the one that I peed on and the one that escorted me to the airship and room. He looked more weary than angry and showed concern for me more than having any grievance in his eyes.
“How did he get here?” I couldn’t help but wonder.
The Storm creature shoved the barrel off of me like it was nothing. The weight on me seemed lighter the moment he touched it and the barrel fell to the earth below. He pulled me up by grabbing me by the shoulders. He looked around, seeing the devastation of the hull.
“Hold tight! I’ll get you out!” He ordered, his head looking upward.
I followed his gaze, seeing several other storm creatures waiting for us. I felt the storm creature's massive arm wrap over my sides, squishing my arms to where they crisscrossed over each other. Ultimately, I found myself being held like a suitcase.
He then squatted his legs, and in one leap we were both out of the hull. He jumped to the deck of the ship, the other storm creatures ready to intercept us. Two of them caught the storm creature, not bothering to do the same with me because I was in his grip anyway.
I managed to tilt my head around to see that everything was in chaos.
The back part of the deck was on fire, the flames reaching the balloon above. A dozen bodies lay dead on the wooden floor, some being burned or having wood jammed into them. Soldiers were disorderly, shouting out for help or needing attention to keep the ship in control. I saw prisoners huddled together near the front of the ship, and from what I could see Braeburn and Stongheart were among them. I looked out to the horizon to find that the ship itself was not the only thing that was messed up.
Many of the Storm King's ships, at least half a dozen from what I could count, were either on fire or rapidly descending to the earth below. I heard some ships crash into the earth in the distance, as well as metal breaking and snapping like twigs while the wood splintered asunder. Distant cries of mourn or death from soldiers and prisoners were all around me. A nearby explosion set off nearby, sending flame onto the wood. A dozen or more Storm Creatures attempted to put out the flames but their efforts were of little success.
I attempted to move. I wanted to get out of here, but I was held in place by the guard. He wouldn’t let me go.
“Is everyone on deck?! Tell me now!” The guard who held me shouted.
Several subordinates came forward from the throng of soldiers.
“Hundreds are dead in the lower levels! And fires are spreading to the cargo hold!” One of the guards spoke, his armor dented and stained.
“All the wounded that we’ve managed to gather are with the prisoners! There are still some survivors below but they're trapped by debris!”
“The lieutenant jumped to another ship to help put out the flames but has not returned!” Another shouted.
I wondered if he was referring to Tempest.
“Sergeant!” I heard a new voice from behind.
My guard turned around and I followed his gaze, seeing a lone Storm Creature rushing over to us. He had soot from head to toe and several wrappings around his paws and upper arms. He came to a halt, kneeling and catching his breath.
“What’s wrong?” The guard who held me responded.
The storm creature looked up with fear in his eyes.
“The boiler is unstable. It can’t take the pressure of the fires!” He said, drawing another breath.
“Is that all!? Can’t you see the situation around you with your own eyes, you mook?! Our ships are falling from the skies and our men are dying! I could care less about this ship! It’s been gutted! We need to hightail out of here before it blows itself into smithereens!” he shouted out, irritated by the subordinate.
“That’s my point!” He shouted back, “The boiler’s going past its limits. It’ll explode and send us all to the depths if we don’t descend and land!” He explained, the other weary soldiers eyeing each other nervously while the sergeant remained steadfast.
“How much time do we have?” he asked, his voice a bit calmer.
In the distance, more lightning streaked across the sky.
“Ten minutes at the most, but if we’re struck by another bolt of lightning, then we're as good as dead.” He explained.
And with that, the sergeant turned to the rest of the soldiers.
“Don’t just stand there ya swabs! Get this ship to the ground as fast as you can! Warn the ships that aren’t on fire to do the same. Head below deck and check if anyone is trapped. And if you find someone, break ‘em out and bring them back up here!” He shouted to the troops.
“Sir?!” One guard in the troop shouts back, “What do we do if we don’t land this bird in time?!”
“If that’s the case, we abandon ship!” He replied to the soldier, “Now go! To your stations!”
And with that order, the soldiers dispersed, spreading the news to all who weren’t within the ranks and quickly getting to work. The sergeant quickly turned, still carrying me with him. He marched towards the mast of the ship, where I could see the balloon above us still holding up. Multiple warriors were near the balloon structure, climbing on rope riggings before opening vents that were twice their size. Suddenly, the ship started to lurch and the clouds around us looked like they were levitating themselves higher while the ship was dropping down. A couple of other ships followed as well, attempting to avoid the lightning that veined its way across the sky. The sergeant used the other side of his massive body to shield me as best as he could from the elements.
For once I think I should be grateful that he was here.
The ship lurched again and the sergeant grabbed onto the edge. The prisoners at the front of the ship were screaming and also grabbed onto the edge, hanging onto it tightly while their guards provided themselves as an anchor for the most vulnerable. The ship went into a free fall, descending at a fast pace.
I felt like I was in Tower of Terror all over again.
All of a sudden, the ship slowed its descent and the sound of the vents closing was heard up above. I felt like I hardly had a stomach anymore, even while the Sergeant still held me under his armpit. When I got my bearings I saw that the ship was below the cover of some of the clouds. It rained heavily, dampening the fires that were causing the most damage. However, lightning was still in the sky and thunder boomed in the distance. I saw a few other ships rapidly descend out of the clouds, yet they were going down too fast and disappearing from my sight. A distant boom echoed from one of them afar. There was even one in particular coming straight at us.
“Look out!” I shouted, managing to lift an arm and point a finger as the ship with the head of a bird coming at us.
The Sergeant looked at it and appeared relieved.
“Destiny's Bounty! Those Parrot Pirates are coming to help!” He shouted.
The other crew members of the ship were cheering as they made their approach. They circled around the back before coming alongside on the right side of the ship.
Or was it called port or Starboard?
I have no idea.
On the edge of the ship, I saw a familiar captain with a green crystal pegleg and feathered hat.
“Everyone! Your ship is gutted and will not last much longer! Get on board now!” She called out.
Two large gangplanks suddenly came out from her ship. They adjusted in place before they landed onto the ship I was on, forming a bridge. Several pirates were already getting on and heading for the other side.
The prisoners, seeing the gangplanks, rushed over without so much as a second thought, desperately wanting to get to safety. The pirates offered their hands, escorting them as quickly as they could across the gap. The guards assisted, carrying the injured in their arms and rushing across the planks. Orders were being shouted as more guards and prisoners came, attempting to get onto Destiny’s Bounty. It was chaotic. The confusion was rampant and so many were bottlenecking the gangplanks. I did see, however, a few of the guards using their own feet to jump from one ship to the other. Their powerful legs were able to close the gap between them and arrive at Destiny’s Bounty safely.
On the other end of the ship, pirates and soldiers were escorting the prisoners and wounded after they came onboard. The prisoners were all gathered on the other side from where I could see, some of the soldiers guarding them.
And then...I saw her.
Tempest.
There was no way I could forget that Mohawk of hers.
She was among the crowd, calling out orders, tending to the wounded, and getting prisoners down below the ship.
“Sergeant! We freed the trapped soldiers, but they’re as beat up as punching bags!” A voice came to our right.
I turned my head to see a group of Storm Creatures coming out of the stairs and onto the deck, several dragging their wounded comrades with them.
“Get to the ship! We are evacuating!” He ordered.
The soldiers filed by, heading to Destiny’s Bounty. Some were burned but alive. Others had broken or bruised limbs. A few carried their brethren as best they could. There was even one whose legs were burned beyond recognition and was being carried to safety. There were two dozen or so that headed past us. However, instead of following them, my guard kept his gaze on the lower doors. He waited there, seeing if there were any signs of other warriors or wounded individuals coming.
After an uncomfortable minute, the sound of lightning struck around us. The guard finally turned towards the other ship and headed towards it to get off this death trap, carrying me with him.
A bright flash coursed through the skies, illuminating everything around us in bright white light. The hairs on my head and arms stood on end from the electrical current.
Thunder boomed a split second later, my ears rang severely from the close range. I felt the guard lower me down and put me on the wooden floor of the ship, later turning my head to see that he too was grabbing his ears from the deafening noise. Lightning coursed its way down from the skies, striking nearby. A loud explosion followed upon a distant ship. I was able to catch a glimpse of one of the ships from afar through a hole on the bottom of the beam. A thunderclap came overhead, striking the ship on top of the balloon, going straight through it and onto the deck. The fire spread moments later, engulfing the entire ship into a flaming inferno. Although my ears were ringing, I could still see some crewmen on the other ship burning on the deck. The ship plummeted downwards and crashed below moments later.
Judging on how close the crash was, we were either far closer to the ground than we should or the ship was losing altitude at a faster rate.
I felt the guard grab me again, his arm pinning all two of my own to my sides. This time, once he got me off the ground, he straightened my body upwards and carried me like he was holding a book close to him, his arm being across my body.
With surprising speed, he quickly ran towards the other ship to get off of the broken down one we were on. However, he stopped after taking a few feet forward and saw other guards ahead doing the same. I wanted to get off this wreck but the guard held me in place, and some of the prisoners that remained were screaming out. Of what I could not understand, yet, they pointed up, screaming in abject terror. I followed their gaze, seeing nothing but the large balloon above us and the other guards that hung on the rope riggings. I followed to look into the air, seeing dark clouds that were accompanied by a large orange light in the skies. It was steadily coming towards us. I squinted my eyes, attempting to figure out what was in the sky that was getting everyone so worried.
Moments later, the orange light broke through the cloud cover and I saw what it was. It was another ship, falling in a ball of flame straight towards us. It was then my hearing returned.
“Incoming!” The guards ahead shouted, attempting to outrun the flaming projectile.
And before I could say anything, the guard bolted for the gangplanks. The remaining prisoners were clambering onto them in fear and other guards were grabbing whoever they could get before jumping to the other ship. The storm creatures on the shroud were caught on the rigging above, frantically trying to break free and attempting to jump down. The guard that carried me breathed heavily before crossing the deck in an attempt to reach the other ship. I caught a glimpse of the one that was coming down from above us.
Like a comet from the sky, the descending fireball slammed straight into the wrecked ship everyone was trying to get off of.
I felt everything slow from the moment of impact, and my body felt the vibrations. The whole ship buckled and tilted to the left, the massive fiery ship plunging into the bow of it. The Sergeant fell forward, the fall slamming both himself and me on the ground like a falling tree. The wind was knocked out of me in particular because of being squished by the bulk of the guard. The storm creatures near the balloon structure fell from the riggings, some landing on the deck while others fell to the earth below. Other guards were shunted forward, with a few falling overboard from the impact. The few dozen or so prisoners were thrown off, some being caught, thankfully, by their guards, while others hit the floor of the deck.
The ship cracked and waned, making us tilt farther back. We began sliding, the force and weight of the other ship pulling to the left side of the one that wasn’t on fire. The sergeant used his right paw and jammed it down into the wood, causing it to crack and break from the impact but stopping us from sliding off. He held on tightly to the ship, knowing that both of our lives were depending on it. Several of the other storm creatures did the same, yet only a few managed to do so. Those that didn’t grab on or hold tight tumbled off the side of the ship, their cries filling the air as they descended to the earth below. The prisoners that remained were being held by the guards that kept their ground as best as possible. The front of the ship began to buckle and break wood splintering and jutting out as the destruction of the ship was taking its toll. The ship tilted again as it righted itself. However, the fire spread swiftly into the balloon above and the rope that held up the mast began to snap. I saw the right side of a rope snapping from the strain from both the top riggings and below. That very rope fell end over end, sprawling itself onto the side of the other ship. The sergeant took notice of this as well and attempted to stand up on the awkward angle.
“Evacuate now! Jump!” He ordered, straining to keep himself up while still carrying me.
The guards did as they were told, each holding a prisoner before jumping onto the other ship. Some were able to leap off the railing and jump into the waiting arms of their comrades. A few managed to jump and land near the edge of the rope, climbing and being pulled up by whoever was standing by. The Sergeant kept his balance as he held me, trying to keep us both alive. The ship continued to buckle, the inferno of the broken ship spreading ferociously and claiming anything in its path. It was slowly surrounding us, yet, the sergeant paid no heed. He instead stared at Destiny’s Bounty, seeing the rope that still hung on the edge of it.
The ship began to tilt again, rocking towards the right side and to the one that was burning. The fire spread rapidly towards us, engulfing anything flammable within its reach. The sergeant stirred and I felt his arm tighten around me. A loud explosion came underneath our feet. His body tensed and hunched low, taking several steps before turning into a full-on run down the ship’s side. He sprinted down the side of the deck to the point where he could no longer stop and took long strides, his speed increasing as the ship tilted farther. A few more yards, the amount of space left of the deck was diminishing every second before we hit the railing. He bounded a few more times before landing hard onto the edge of the railing, the old wood creaking from the weight.
He lunged off, carrying me with him and going straight for the dangling ropes. My heart felt like it was in the back of my throat, my mind ablaze with panic, and my body tensing up all at once. I didn’t know if we could make it or if he would catch the rope. All I knew was that if he missed...I was as good as dead. I prayed to God that we could make it and get to safety. The rope was in reach and we were almost there...but we were going down, far faster than I’d like. The sergeant outstretched a paw towards the rope, as it became clear we were not going to be on the deck. He snagged the rope with his paw and the two of us crashed against the side of Destiny’s Bounty. The initial impact from the heavyweight caused a slight dent in the ship but we stayed hanging there.
We were alive.
I nearly choked in pure joy, my heart thumping in my chest and relief running through my veins. The sergeant was breathing heavily, holding tight to the rope and keeping me secured. I felt him prod into me and I turned to him. However, I screamed when I noticed that we were still swinging in the air before I saw the land below. We were a hundred meters, maybe two, from the ground. I saw the earth below but the majority of what was down there was the river, tossing and churning from the ships crashing into the water. The guard held me tight as he looked back towards the burning ship, and from my angle, I could see the destruction that was laid out.
The ship was gutted. Several layers of the floors were exposed, each cavity filled with flames that continued to burn unabated. Broken wood and timber broke and bent from the destroyed carcass of the ship. Remnants of the ship that crashed into us fell away to the earth below, crashing seconds later. Whatever ropes that remained snapped and I noticed the mast was breaking apart, falling, thankfully, on the other side of the ship. I breathed a small sigh of relief, knowing the nightmare was over. The sergeant moved and lifted his arm, beginning to climb the rope while I was still held under his armpit.
A rumble within the burning ship stopped the sergeant’s ascent. His breath hitched and he turned toward it. A series of explosions rippled inside, sending debris and wood everywhere. Each sounding explosion grew larger in intensity. A series of more rumblings were exploding in the ship, threatening to burst from the seams. Then, all at once, the middle of the ship exploded outward in a blazing inferno and was heading straight at us. The Sergeant covered me. The knockback from the explosion shook the rope violently and caused us to get knocked against Destiny’s Bounty. From what I could see the whole ship we were on rocked after getting thrown back somewhat from the violent explosion. Wood and debris flew everywhere, striking the ship above and hitting into the rope, some of which was on fire and catching part of the rope ablaze.
The strong wind quickly subsided after the violent explosion, and from my angle, I could hear the ship falling down. The people on Destiny’s Bounty were scrambling to put out the fires and orders were being given. Rumbling footsteps were everywhere and my ears were still ringing from the explosion. As I was held tightly by the sergeant, I continually hoped to get onto Destiny’s Bounty and out of harm's way. It was then I felt something on my shoulder. I didn’t notice at first, but it was warm to the touch and went down the length of my right arm. I looked down and saw it was blood.
“Brother….Forgive me.” The sergeant spoke, almost like he was nearly out of breath.
I traced the blood to him and my breath hitched in my throat.
The sergeant had a broken piece of wood sticking out of his mouth, blood pouring out of the wound. There was also a half dozen more wood and metal stuck into his back. He used his own body to save me, and now he was dying. He looked at me, his eyes filled with sadness but also relief. Then, his body shifted, his head rolling back and his grip on the rope slipping. He fell from the rope and plummeted to the river below.
He also unintentionally let go of me in the process.
I began to fall, but as I did I grabbed onto the rope with the hand of my good arm, the sling from my wounded arm falling off of me before drifting in the wind, never to be seen again. I gripped the rope tightly as I held onto it while slipping, my hand burning with blisters before I finally stopped. I screamed out, the pain from my hand being immense enough to where it felt like it was in a torture machine because of the skin on it burning. Despite no longer having the sling on my left arm, I couldn’t move it or use it to grab the rope due to it still feeling a little numb, and my right hand was already feeling like it wasn’t gonna hold onto the rope for much longer.
“Sombra, help me!” I shouted.
In spite of my cry, I didn’t hear his voice. Only silence in my head and a thunderclap in the night sky. I looked up from the rope I was at. I was roughly halfway towards the top of the railing of the ship, but the rope was burning at the top of the ropes and slowly creeping its way down towards me. Occasionally, a piece of the rope would snap, jostling me and lowering me further away from Destiny’s Bounty. I panicked and held on, my hand tightening on the rope as best as I could muster, but I was losing strength fast. I didn’t know how much longer I’d be able to hang on.
Another piece of rope snapped near the top, shaking me up and making my hand tense up. My strength was waning out and my numb left arm felt like a weight that I couldn’t lift. There were voices up above, and I could hear them shouting out orders while the fires were quelled.
“Someone help!” I shouted, but my voice sounded weak.
My body swung dangerously towards the side of the ship, almost striking the wooden hull. My heart was pounding, my head was spinning, and my body was drained. I had no energy left to continue. I sobbed uncontrollably, either because I was unable to contain myself or didn’t care to stop it from happening.
I was going to lose my grip and fall to the earth. To die without ever getting a chance to do so many things. I lowered my head, my tears flowing freely down my face because I didn’t know what else to do. Below me, the ground appeared closer. The water was turbulent from the crashing of the ships. If I could make it, I might be able to get into the water. But at such a precarious height, I would likely die upon impact. The grip on the rope with my right hand wasn’t going to last much longer. I knew then and there that my fate was going to be to fall to my death. Through heavy tears I decided to try once more, to call out to them. I lifted my head toward the edge of the ropes, the fires finally put out at the top, but the rope was close to snapping. I kept my eyes on the edge of the rail, hoping for someone, anyone to appear. I didn’t care, but I had to try. Sucking in the last vestige of air within me, I called out one last time.
“Help!” I screamed, but a flash of lightning boomed not a second later, drowning out my voice.
I kept yelling until my voice died in my throat. I waited, hoping and praying that someone near the side heard me. I cried again, the tears coming out and my lungs needing air. My grip was almost gone and I was slipping, my right hand shaking considerably. It was then that I noticed a flash of red come over the railing.
There was someone up there.
“Man overboard! Man overboard!” Someone shouted, the voice sounding female.
My vision cleared to see Captain Celaeno was up there.
The grip in my right hand tightened, a small hope kindling in my heart. More faces appeared, seeing me dangle on the last lifeline between life and death. They were shouting above, some pointing at me, others demanding for more rope.
Another voice, which was also feminine, familiar, broke through the crowd. A familiar face appeared:
It was Tempest, looking down at me with fear in her eyes. She called out to me, I think, but her voice was drowned by the others surrounding her. I kept watching her, and I saw her horn begin to charge. Could she really pull me up with her magic? Even with her horn broken, I was willing to take on anything. I saw that part of the rope was surrounded by a blue aura and found myself being lifted up. Her broken horn was sparking and her face contorted as she tried to hold the rope. She was losing control, but I believed she could do it. I was going to get out of here.
Suddenly, the rope snapped from its post and my weight took me down.
Everything slowed for me. I was in a free fall, watching and flailing my arms towards the boat while it continued to move away from me. As I fell I heard Tempest shouting my name. My head angled slightly from the fall, seeing the water coming towards me fast.
I hit the river much faster than I realized, my body tumbling into the cold frigid waters. I was alive. I didn’t know how, yet I didn’t care. I was in the water and needed to get out. However, I spun head over heels in the water and my sense of direction was thrown out the window as I tried to breach the surface. I struggled for air as I tried to get to the surface. I saw light ahead and went for it, my legs having the strength to propel me forward. But, debris in the water as I went for the surface, metal and broken wood scattering in every direction. My ears were coming back when I reached the edge and broke the waterline.
I gasped for breath, my lungs filling with much-needed air. I kicked and treaded water, keeping my head afloat as best I could. The ship was above me, still high up but far closer to the ground. Water went over my head, sending me back under but not deep enough to keep me from quickly breaching the surface once more. The ship that had crashed before was still falling in large pieces, slamming against the river and sending waves and debris everywhere. I couldn’t dodge in my current state and I felt my stomach churning as the waters took me with them. I treaded water, staying afloat in the river as best as I could, looking up to see the ship and seeing activity near the edge. They may still be able to help, maybe they still see me. Maybe if…
*SLAM*
I felt something hard strike against my stomach, sending me down. A wooden beam, from what I saw as I went under the water, was on top of me and caused me to sink to the bottom of the river. I tried to move but the beam was so big and heavy that I was practically immobile. Everything was dark and bright all at once. My sight was blurred, seeing the surface of the water slipping out of reach. My arms and legs weightlessly went up as my body sank with the beam on top of it.
This was it then.
I was going to die here, a drowned man with nothing left in the tank to give to this world. I wouldn’t even get to say anything else.
Maybe it was for the best.
I blinked lazily, my eyes seeing wood brushing through the current. I felt my back land on the riverbed, small rocks, and stones greeting me uncomfortably. I didn’t care. My mind was drifting, my ears were ringing, and I was losing sight. I stared up, seeing the orange glow of the burning ship that had remained out of the water. Everything was darkening. Bubbles of air slipped from my mouth, tracing towards the surface. I tried to lift the beam off of me with my only good arm, yet, despite my best efforts, it wouldn’t budge. The fire in me was fizzling, and I had nothing left to give.
My eyes glazed, darkness slipping over me.
Yet, it didn’t end.
Despite how blurry my vision was, I saw something splash into the water. Three somethings. And they were darting towards me. I shook my head to clear my eyesight, seeing three figures swimming directly to me.
It was Tempest. And behind her were Flint and Tinder.
With all the grace and strength she had, Tempest swam towards me as fast as she could. Flint and Tinder also swam to me quickly with their huge arms.
Instinctively, I reached out to Tempest with the hand of my good arm before resting it back on the beam.
When they finally reached me, Tempest and the others saw the beam that was on top of me. Immediately, Tempest tried to move the beam herself. With both of her hands and arms too. However, she wasn’t strong enough to move the beam off me. It was then that I saw her directing Flint and Tinder with hand motions to help her lift the beam off me, and they knew right away what they had to do. Together, the three of them grabbed the beam. It took a lot of effort because of the weight the water put on it, but they managed to get the beam off of me.
I slowly floated up in the water, becoming too weak to swim or move anything outside of my neck and head. But then, I felt pressure on my good hand. I turned to see that Tempest was grasping it as she was keeping herself afloat in the water. She then came over to me and wrapped my good arm over her neck and shoulders, before using her other arm to wrap it around my body and bring me close to her.
With no time to spare, Tempest quickly swam and carried me with her to the surface. I felt every fiber of my being reaching it, getting closer and closer as Tempest kicked her legs in the water. Beside us, I saw that Flint and Tinder were rushing back up the surface too.
We breached the surface, the four of us gasping for air like we went a thousand years without it. I coughed and gagged as the water came out of my body. At one point, I even coughed up blood, which stained the river red, and barely missed touching Tempest.
In no time at all, three new ropes dropped in front of us. Flint and Tinder quickly grabbed onto the ones on the left and right and started climbing towards Destiny’s Bounty. As for Tempest, she used her free hand to grab on the rope in the middle before tying it around her waist and tugging on it a couple of times.
“Pull!” I heard a voice shout from above.
And then, Tempest and I were quickly pulled up, albeit a little jerkily considering whoever was pulling us up struggled with the weight of myself and Tempest.
“Come on, lads! Heave!” The voice (which I recognized as a female) shouted from above, the rope tightening and pulling the two of us out of the water and into the air.
I held on tight to Tempest as I felt her muscles harden and keep me level with her. I looked up to see that as we were getting pulled up, Flint and Tinder managed to safely make it all the way to the top and climbed back on the ship.
“Pull! Pull! Put your back into it lads! Pull!” The voice shouted again, and that time I knew it was Captain Celaeno.
It took a few minutes, but Tempest and I were finally able to get to the ship’s railing. And as she quickly grabbed the rail us upwards herself a bit, I peeked my head and saw a dozen hands pulling onto the rope to keep us from falling, each being crew members, Storm Creatures, and a few prisoners. Among the people pulling us up as Captain Celaeno, and I saw her hand grasping at the edge of the rope and the railing. Very quickly, Captain Celaeno and a couple of her crew members managed to grab me and lift me up, while some of the Storm Creatures helped Tempest up.
The pirates carried me steadily before they sat me down on the side of the ship a little ways apart from the Storm Creatures and Tempest. I gasped for breath, coughing out whatever water remained in my lungs, and spat out blood on the deck. I was on my back and struggled to sit up, my body shaking considerably from the cold. My vision became fuzzy, seeing several hands reaching me and letting me sit up. I heard cheering, the crew shouting in praise that we managed to live. I heard Captain Celaneo call out orders, I was not sure since I couldn’t pay attention to everything around me, but the crew quickly dispersed onto other tasks. My vision became blurry again and I coughed more blood. I looked forward, seeing a fresh pair of hands reaching out to me. I felt them press onto my face, making me look forward.
My vision cleared to see that Tempest was holding me, sitting on her knees and breathing heavily with concern in her eyes while her hands clasped my face, the palms of them feeling so warm against my cheeks.
“Spencer? Are you alright? Can you see the broken horn on my head?” She asked me, traces of vulnerability, and worry in her voice.
She was sitting on her knees in front of me, observing my wounds before feeling my forehead and face.
“You’re burning up! You must have a fever!” She exclaimed with fright, before turning her head in another direction “Doctor! Someone get a doctor! Quick!”
I blinked once, not once thinking about anything else. Just her. She was different than she was in the dream, and far different than the last time I saw her in the real world. Seeing her now was calming enough. I wanted to say something to her, but I stopped when I felt the ship begin to shake and my body would’ve been shifting back if Tempest didn’t hold me.
“Brace! Brace! Brace for impact!” I heard a crewman shout.
The ship suddenly shunted as it slammed onto the ground. It caused me to fall right onto Tempest and we both fell to the other side of the ship before tumbling out. I heard the crash and the wood of the boat either creaking or cracking after it fell on land as Tempest and I tumbled over one another. We finally came to a stop after hitting against something hard.
As all two of us were still, I heard screaming behind us. I attempted to move in order to see what was going on but found that I could not.
I then heard a heartbeat in my left ear and realized where I was.
My head was on Tempest’s chest. Not only that, but her arms wrapped over my right cheek and my left cheek was squished gently to her, causing my lips to purse a bit. My body was parallel with her own, with half of my body being on hers, while the rest of me was sitting on the ground. My left arm was also draped over her lower body and my fingers touched the back of her latex uniform. She was propped up with her back against a huge rock (just like I thought). I felt the soft surface of her uniform, which was warm and comforting. I was able to look up, to see if she would notice. What I saw instead was that she was staring blankly out to the ship, breathing deeply but in a controlled way through her nose. That is until she looked down at me. For a moment, I was afraid she was going to throw me pulverize me if she saw me like this. In a sudden turn of events, though, her eyes gained a sense of care and she warmly smiled.
“It’s okay, Spencer,” She said to me, her voice being as smooth as honey, “I’ve got you. You’re safe.”
Her voice, the soft heartbeat. It was all I could hear, drowning out the rest of the noise around us. Tears streamed down my eyes because of how caring she was being. First, she saved my life, and now...she was comforting me like I was a valuable treasure. When Tempest noticed that I was crying, she moved her right hand away from my head and soothingly ran it to the right on my hair.
Little Small Fryyyyyy
No Need to Cryyyyy
Think of a Peeeeeeaceful Skyyyyyyyyy
She softly sang to me, before putting her hand back on my head to hold it again. And then, she lowered her head and rested her right cheek on my head.
No Need to Feel Loooooow
When Your Days Aren’t so Melloooooow
For I will Never Let You Gooooooooo
She sang again, gently Swaying me side to side with her as she did like we were slow dancing together in a ballroom.
Her singing was the most beautiful thing I had ever heard. It was like a soothing angel was comforting a person down on his luck, placing a warm blanket on top of him. Tears no longer streamed down my eyes and I felt so much more relaxed. I even offered a smile of my own.
I closed my eyes, letting the sound of Tempest’s heart and her humming take me into a lulling sleep. I raised my right hand upward, attempting to grab ahold of her own as they were wrapped around my head. All I managed to do was let it fall over and cusp her right hand.
As sleep took over me, sending me back into the void of dreams, I felt her hand move and place itself over my own, gently cupping it.