Chapter 82: Ocean's Cruelty

"Kid, ye back off," Lady Darcey said. Her voice was thin and shaky. "The rest, back off."

The distance between the Cuttlewitch Lobby and the two Scourge ship was about fifteen meters. Lady Darcey kicked a board along the wall near the Captain's Cabin. The board then stretched and made a wooden half-bridge.

Lady Darcey walked the gangplank and stared at the enemy's crew. "Let her go, and me will let you leave!" She said.

"You're running out of options, brute lady," the Leader of the Scourge said. A hint of mockery between his words traveled the ocean breeze. "But I gave you one, and that is me being generous. I really suggest you take it. Her for the coffin... Now."

On her hand, Captain Darcey's blade was engraved with various markings, waves of an ocean, sea monsters, and a number of series lines were embossed near the hilt. Lady Darcey raised her blade and put it back its scabbard.

"Good, that's it," said the Leader as he clutches Sisi's neck. And like a lion stalking its prey, he slowly moved his hand behind Sisi's head and gripped her blue hair. And said in a hurried tone. "Now, the coffin!"

"Here!" Lady Darcey cried and lifted her hand midair. At the tip of her index finger formed sand. The sand solidified, and like a sponge absorbing, the solidified sand turned bigger and bigger as lady Darcey inject all her Mana into it. She then threw the stone, the size of her own head, towards the other ship.

With a loud boom and hiss. The stone exploded before it could reach the deck and scattered to pieces like a spear.

Everything around the radius of five meters was impaled by the stone spear. Ran for their lives, or just simply jumped off the ocean.

Seeing the other ship turned timber, the leader's forehead popped with veins and turned red. Standing on the warship, he raised his hand to declare an attack. "You asked for this!" he cried. With his strength coupled with his towering height, he dragged Sisi's hair near the wooden cabin. Pushed her near the wall - facing the Cuttlewitch Lobby - with a thud, he punched Sisi's stomach. He then raised and stacked Sisi's hand with one another. After he prepared Sisi for his own gain, he lifted Sisi midair. Now with hanging feet, he punched Sisi's stomach once again. He leaned and reduce the gap between him and Sisi all while sniffing her neck. "Ahhhh! precious!" he cried like a maniac that never saw a woman for eternity. "He turned his head to one of his crew and said. "You know what to do." And smiled.

Behind Lady Darcey, there Ned remained to kneel. Exposed to all the scenes transcribed in front of him. What are you doing Darcey? Ned pondered his thoughts. He couldn't seem to see the plan behind Darcey's action. Sixteen of her crew remained, half were unable to fight. Two almost dying, and there you are. Forcing your way with your Terra Magic.

Ned looked up. Probing the position of the Captain's tamed beasts. After all, the evolved rook was only good at engaging one on one. Ned sighed.

Suddenly Ned froze. Kneeling upright. Staring off into the ocean, where the waves moved uneasily. His eyes glittered silver. An idea blazed into his mind like a torch. "Captain," He said. "Lady D—"

A shout traveled into the distance. A shout that could be heard miles away.

Sisi kept silent when the leader dragged her. She was punched, yet she kept quiet. Another punch, she never wavered. But hanging her on the wall with her feet loose and nailed on the wall. She couldn't keep quiet. Her veins popped out running all through her body. The shout forced the blood and dripped like a river on her arms. Running into her arm, neck, body, until it dripped into her feet. They might not notice it, but when she was struck with a nail. Scales exploded for a second on her feet.

"Sisi!" Lady Darcey cried.

The rest of the Lobby's crew could only gasp. They cried, as of they were the one that was struck with a nail. "That's enough.... " one of the crew said.

"Just, give her the coffin Captain... "

Lady Darcey gripped her sword and waved it midair. Lady Darcy had it too much. Losing a hundred of her crew. Months later, her crew perished to nothing but more than a dozen. "Bitch!" She cried. "The coffin is a bitch!"

This is too much for a little lady. Ned thought. looking at Sisi gasping for air. Her chest, covered with a measly loincloth, expanded with the air she gasped.

"Lady Darcey," Ned said. For twice the time, Lady Darcey seemed to cut off her self from reality. Losing the people you cared for is devastating. I could relate. Ned thought. But now is not the time to lose control.

The leader smiled with the sight he created. He walked and closed himself near to Sisi. With his thumb, he pushed the nail deeper into Sisi's hands. Sisi could only shout helplessly. "How was it?! huh?" he said and pushed another nail. Making Sisi almost unable to breathe. He leaned himself one more, like a lion successfully pinning its prey, he closed the gap between him and Sisi. Smelling the sweat, the saliva, and the blood Sisi gave off.

"Yi bastard! touch her one more me gonna rip that heart of yours!" Lady Darcey cried. Her shoulder was shaking as her grip on the wooden edges tighten.

"Touch? you mean this?" said the leader. He slightly ducked, her face and mouth were near the edges of Sisi's chest. The warmth of Sisi's breath sweep the leader's wrinkle and scarred face. He then leaked the blood running along from the side of her chest going up to her arms.

"No... ' Sisi muttered. She was helpless and exhausted. She couldn't cry. She had enough. "Kill me... "

"Kill you? No, no, too early for that," the leader said. Aside from the rest of the crew, the leader was the only one that doesn't have the rook mask. Dark inks run on his body, making a coiling serpent from his waist with the head on his neck. The leader's face was filled with an abstract of distraction. Scars, burn marks, and holes painted his face. From the sight, he could barely be called human. He raised his free hand while the other hand gripped the wooden staff. "Ready the arbalest!"

The Scourge's crew ran wildly. Pulling a cart off there storage room. They then mounted it at the edges and unveil the linen clothing that was hiding the mechanized weaponry.

The arbalest, its base was made of wood the same goes for the pillar where the iron weapon attached itself. The tip of the weapon was fixed with a big 'X' while the end was used as a handle for aiming. The body that holds the weapon was as big as a normal human adult, in it a hole almost the size of the human's hand were engraved. Three crews were standing near the weapon and ready to receive a command. Their bone masks covered what laid inside. Their murderous faces could only wait for the command.

With the wave of the leader's hand. He signals the three to start operating the arbalest.

The three flinched with the signal carried on. The first crew holds the mechanical weapon. The second put something, like a stone, inside the body of the arbalest and signaled the third to do his part. The third tossed his hand near the arbalest. He muttered, then a set of lines and engraving patterns shine. Blue and yellow light shined the weapon. After the bright light. A magic circle was then formed at the tip of the weapon. Circle of mysterious engravings circling and rotating the barrel of the weapon. The first crew then used his Mana to fire the arbalest.

An iron arrow shot out the weapon. An arrow almost as big as a human limb. Hitting the circle and breaking it. The moment the iron arrow hit the circle, its speed doubled and it turned blazing. Swiftly making its way into the Cuttlewitch Lobby.

"Raise the barrier!" Lady Darcey bellowed.

The Lobby's crew used their Mana to fuel the barrier that the Lobby has - already inlaid, in case of ambushes.

The iron arrow hit barriers breaking it like a piece of paper. The arrow then hit the deck. Piercing it, and making a hole. Dust scattered. And woods splintered. The moment the dust and smoke settled. The crew was left gasping. One of them was hit, making a massive hole on her chest. She died, not knowing if she could survive or not.

"Yaaaaa!" Lady Darcey leaped. Putting herself inside the lion's den. Before she could reach the Scourge's warship. She was hit with a magic blast. Throwing her back at the Lobby.

"Not so easy," the leader said. He walked near the edges of their warship. He raised his staff. As if the devastating arbalest wasn't enough. He muttered, and with the crystal blade at the tip of his staff, he slashed the space in front of him. Like a glass breaking, space cracked almost two meters wide and getting bigger. The crack emits a flash of red lightning and dark mist. Seconds later, an eye showed itself inside the crack.

The crack broke as the summoned made itself free. A 'Redcap Wing' Grade A summoned monster. A large skeletal bird with a ragged and ebony winds ending on masses of sharp, broken bones. Red-eye filled with malice and malign intelligence. Its talons and a curved beak made-up its natural armaments.

It flapped its ragged wings and growled hovering in the sky above. Circling the ships, waiting to please its master.

Ned stood and moved to the captain. The Captain was buried in the broken pile of woods and irons. Ned walked near the Captain as the blood dripped off his arm. "We'll die," he said. Contrary to the face he was showing. Ned smiled and nodded. "Let's give them the coffin."