Chapter 81: Held captive

Ned knelt to support himself against the angry waves that slapped the Cuttlewitch Lobby. His head spun as if he was hit by a massive boulder thrown by a massive giant. A giant likes the one beside his cell. His baggy clothes swung in accordance with the ship's motion. Baggy shirt, baggy pants, and leather boots, given by the crew. "Lad, a set of clothes, don't worry we have a lot." One of the pirates said before she gave Ned a set of baggy clothes, days ago. A lot must be from prisoners they captured. Ned thought.

"You look pale, Ned," Echo said. His back leaned against the moss affixed wall. He kept himself balanced just like swinging a sword - counted and prepared. Not even bothered by his bandages hanging loose.

"I'm fine," Ned said. Gripping the iron bar to fix himself and not lose balance. ICE, something's wrong with me.

[You look. Fine, Ned.]

[I checked, overall you are stable.]

Then, what is wrong with me? Ned asked himself.

His cell, the only place he could rest. It was the only place given by the crew. Barrels kept on rolling as the ship tilted left and right.

"You're one lucky kid, Ned," said Echo. "To be able to walk in and out."

"For starter, I didn't kill their crew," Ned said. Looking at Echo narrowing his eyes.

"Tsk," Echo clicked his tongue inside his bandages. "It is necessary, Ned. That's how I survive."

"Then, why are you here?" Ned said. His head kept on swinging but he was sure it wasn't because of the ship's extreme motion. "Where's the voice? you two became friends?"

"This cell is not ordinary, bind with magic, an Array. Maybe tier four or five. To think that these measly pirates got this specialized array." Echo could only close his eyes as he scoffed. "As for the voice, he's shy. Not the first, but sure a rare time. Oh, Ned. What are you?"

Ned could hear the wind whistled like a massive beast hovering the sky waiting for a prey. Time to Loot's crew was running, making the deck grunt with a thudding sound. The surrounding went silent, it was halfway noon, but the sky darkened. The dark sky seemed to move and encircling the ship.

"Why didn't you join, they're your friends," Echo said. "Ain't that right, Ned?"

"They're good people, but not my fight," replied Ned. Feeling the motion stopped, Ned let go of his grip and curled on the wooden floor. He felt like his body was being ripped open. He felt his limbs were strapped in the ground and pulled by gravity. His vision went from steady to a vortex of an endless sea.

[Ned, energy is decreasing.]

Ned flicked his wrist and a bowl of soup appeared in thin air. He forced himself to at least sit in a stable manner. Ned wasn't hungry, but in order to supplement the loss of energy, he needed to eat. Sea creature's meat, some seaweeds, and salt diluted soup. Standard ration for pirates. But, it was enough for his energy to increase by 10%. From 30%. Feeling full, he felt his burden was lifted instantly. I wasn't really hungry but why? Ned asked himself.

"You look like you've been killed a thousand times, Ned." Echo said.

"Big brother Ned, are you okay?" Anita said. Her voice was soft and rounded inside her coffin.

After the incident, the crew reinstalled another set of iron bars. Enchanted with magic and inlaid with different arrays. More formidable than Echo's keep.

Since Ned became their guest, his cell was cleaned and light stones were hung. He was was also given a set of stuff for him to sleep on. Wasn't that much, but Ned could sleep soundly with a soft cushion supporting his back.

He pulled one of the cushions and laid to rest. "I'm fine Anita," he said. Ned took a steadying breath and—

an explosion shattered the silence.

The wind bolted. Ned lunged forward, racing through the fire as a fiery wind surged past his cheek. He cursed, and slid and spun around to evade another explosion. Ned hid behind the wall along with the door. As the smoke settled. Ned's vision became clearer. A lady lying on the ground face down, blooded and entrails spills the wooden floor. "Edna?" Ned muttered. Edna, the lady that gave Ned a set of cushions. Lying on the ground; lifeless.

Hocoff remained steadied. Echo didn't budge. Especially Echo. He was not moved by the explosion. But he flinched smelling the iron. Iron from Edna's blood.

"Ned, let me out," He said. "I can help."

"Not a chance," Ned said.

After eating the soup. Ned felt a little relieved. Backing behind the wall he realized what could have made the crew put into this situation. Judging from Lady Darcey's show of power. She must be gold. Perhaps, nearing diamond level hunter rank. If that strength wasn't enough, then who could it be that equaled her. One way to find out. Ned thought. He moved and skipped the lifeless lady pirate.

A loud and constant noise resounded outside. Shouting and marching; it sounds like an army has been acting in motion.

As the noise grows louder, Ned caught sight of Lady Darcey. Across their ship, was two darkened and bone marked ships. Atop their mast was their jack - a skull, but not human, crossed with two bones, behind a black cloth. "Scourge of Seven Seas," Ned muttered.

The Scourge's crew were perched behind the edges of the ship, watching and waiting for the ruckus across.

Their faces were concealed by bone masks, elaborately sculpted to resemble the beaks of a rook. Wearing nothing but black and short leather pants. Their muscular bodies were exposed, yet covered by intricate, matching patterns of feathers that have been carved into their skins with dark inks.

Without exception, the same rook masks and feather patterns adorn the lifeless bodies on the deck. Slumped forward with his back turned towards Ned. The lone man was doubly armed with a sword and a spear, using the latter as a crutch.

Like a wild-eyes whirlwind, the man rapidly turns around to face Ned with a hostile demeanor. Despite being drenched with blood from top to bottom. His features were distinct enough. He was one of the Scourge's crew - of this, Ned was certain.

The man was injured, but his movements were calculated. Trained like a kamikaze - kill before dying. Using the spear as a crutch, the man wielded his sword to kill. He lunged towards Ned.

"Move!" Ned cried.

Ned could read the Scourge's movements. But his muscles won't react timely. He was weakened. Ned never felt weak like this before. He felt like his body weight a thousand times before. His movements were sluggish. "Shit!" Ned cursed. Ned's muscles were slow, but his mind was still the same - fast. He lifted his hand and invoked a spell. "Fireball!"

Before the fireball could reach its target. Ned knitted his eyes, His fireball was different. It was fiery red. Yet, at the same time, some parts were cloaked with black mist, perhaps black energy.

Endured and nearly dying. The man couldn't move to evade the attack. It hit him and burned his body. Brown and dark flesh oozed with smoke. The man was thrown meters away. His face was burnt. His skin fell followed by blood. But the man stood. Ned's spell wasn't strong enough to kill the man in one hit. Ned felt something was odd with his spell. It wasn't like this before. Ned thought. He raised a hand and invoke another spell. "Fireball!" Again the spell hit the man, but it remained unmoving. He even mocked Ned with a smile.

"Fireball!" Three fireballs. Never missed. Never killed. How weak could Ned be?

The man rushed toward Ned for the second time. Ned wasn't afraid, he was oddly confused by the state he was in. The man ran with the spear's tip aiming at Ned's chest. "Don't get ahead of yourself," Ned said. Ned moved and evaded an attack. With this, Ned was sure that it was enough for him to evade the attack with ease.

Blood spilled as the spear made a scratch on Ned's arms. Ned was sure he could evade the attack. But his reactions were slow. He could read the attack, yes. But his movements were sluggishly slow.

Ned was thrown to the side.

The man stopped and spun to face Ned once again. He lunged himself this time with both the sword on his left and the spear on his right.

I feel very weak! shit! ICE! Overclo-

Before the man could reach Ned, a black figure slashed behind the man. The man fell and thudded on the wooden deck. It was Lady Darcey's tamed beast. The evolved rook that killed the man.

Ned let out a breath as the man's dark and sticky blood flowed.

"Ye okay, kid?" Lady Darcey asked.

Ned struggled to nod. With the Scourge dead. Ned realized that none of the crew intervened between him and the man.

Ned gripped his bloodied arm and turned his gaze, facing the deck. He saw wounded bodies lying. Mostly from the Scourge's and some were Lobby's crew. Burned, cut to half, beheaded, some of the lady crew were even nailed along the wooden wall.

Ned could only gaze with the scene. He turned at the horizon, there he noticed two ships, a dark ship. One was thin - used for chasing, perhaps a clipper - while the other was heavy-clad with different armaments. A warship. Ned thought. Supposedly two warships, but besides the remaining warship was another ship, half sinking and burning - still from the Scourge's ship.

Ned turned and gaze at the stoic figure in front of him. Lady Darcey, facing hundreds of the Scourge's crew. While her crew remained not more than twenty. Reckon Ned.

He walked closer to the captain as his limb was dripping crimson. "Lady Darcey," he said. "Where's Sisi?"

Lady Darcey waved a hand to stop Ned. She then looked across their ship. There, Sisi was being held captive by one of the enemies crew. A towering man, holding a wooden staff. The wooden staff was coiling like a snake. At the tip wasn't some crystals or stones. The tip was a blade. A crystal blade.

Beside him was Sisi. Blood dripped off her eye, scratches to his neck, her clothing was half torn. Revealing some pale and pink mermaid skin. While the tears exited her eyes. The man groped Sisi's neck. He said. "Her life or the coffin?"