Pirate Adventure

  The loading screen dissolved around Mia in a swirl of blue and green pixels, repced by the violent pitching of a ship's deck beneath her feet. Rain shed her face, driven by howling winds that threatened to tear the very sails from their masts. All around her, sailors shouted in panic as massive waves crashed over the railings.

  "Hold fast!" a man's voice bellowed through the storm. "Secure those lines or we're done for!"

  Mia staggered against the sudden motion, instinctively grabbing a nearby rope to steady herself. The system hadn't given her the usual gradual introduction to this world—no calm moment to orient herself with her new identity or situation. Instead, she'd been thrown directly into chaos.

  ?Warning: Critical Event In Progress? ?Character Integration Accelerated? ?Identity: Lady Eleanor Verath, daughter of Governor Verath of Port Luminon, Ardanian Colonial Territory?

  The system's notifications flickered across her vision just as a massive wave struck the ship broadside. The vessel groaned like a wounded beast, timbers shrieking as they strained against the force of the water. Mia felt herself sliding across the deck as the ship tilted at an impossible angle.

  "My dy!" A sailor lunged for her, managing to grab her arm before she could be swept overboard. "Below deck, now! Captain's orders!"

  But even as he spoke, an ominous cracking sound cut through the storm's fury. Mia looked up to see the mainmast swaying dangerously, its base splintering under the strain.

  "She's breaking up!" someone screamed. "Man the lifeboats!"

  The next few minutes passed in a blur of terror and confusion. The sailor dragged Mia toward a small boat being frantically lowered over the side. People shoved and fought around them, the veneer of civilization stripped away by the primal fear of drowning.

  "Quickly, my dy," the sailor urged, helping her into the already overcrowded lifeboat. "Governor Verath would have my head if anything happened to you."

  As she tumbled into the small craft, Mia caught a final glimpse of the merchant vessel that had been carrying her—the Horizon's Promise, according to the sudden fsh of memory from her new identity. The ship was listing badly, its broken mast colpsed across the deck, fmes somehow burning despite the downpour as lightning struck the remains of the rigging.

  The lifeboat hit the water with a jarring impact that nearly capsized it. Sailors struggled with the oars, fighting to put distance between them and the dying ship before it could drag them down in its death throes. Massive waves carried them up and down like a child's toy, spray and rain making it nearly impossible to see more than a few feet in any direction.

  A tremendous crack split the night as the Horizon's Promise finally surrendered to the sea. The ship broke apart with shocking suddenness, disappearing beneath the angry waves along with anyone unfortunate enough to still be aboard.

  "Row, damn you!" The sailor who had saved Mia now took command of the lifeboat. "Put your backs into it or we'll be joining them!"

  Mia huddled in the center of the boat, soaked to the skin and shivering uncontrolbly. Around her, the fragments of her new identity assembled themselves in her mind: Lady Eleanor Verath, twenty-one years old, educated at the finest academies in Ardania's capital city of Luminere before being summoned to join her father, the newly appointed Governor of Port Luminon, an Ardanian colony in the Cerulean Sea.

  The journey had been long but uneventful until they'd encountered this sudden, vicious storm just days from their destination. Now the ship was gone, along with most of its passengers and cargo—including the letters of introduction and chests of clothing that would have eased her entry into colonial society.

  If she survived, she would arrive at her new home with nothing but the sodden dress on her back.

  If she survived. That was far from certain as the storm continued to rage around their tiny craft, waves constantly threatening to swamp it despite the sailors' desperate efforts.

  Hours seemed to pass in the violent darkness. Two men were swept overboard when a particurly massive wave struck, their screams quickly lost to the wind and water. The survivors—three sailors, Mia, and a merchant's wife who had also been a passenger on the ship—could do nothing but bail frantically with cupped hands and torn-off shoes as the boat gradually filled with water.

  Just when it seemed they couldn't possibly stay afloat any longer, the lead sailor pointed frantically ahead. "Land! I see nd!"

  Through the rain, Mia could just make out the dark shape of a coastline, though whether it was Port Luminon or some other shore, she had no way of knowing. The sailors found new strength, rowing desperately toward this promise of survival.

  "The current's against us," one man grunted. "We'll never make it."

  "We make it or we die trying," the lead sailor snapped back. "Now row!"

  The boat inched closer to the shore, but the sea seemed determined to cim them, pulling them parallel to the coast rather than toward it. Waves continued to crash over the sides, and despite their bailing efforts, the water level in the boat rose steadily.

  When they were perhaps a quarter-mile from shore, a final massive wave lifted the small craft and hurled it forward. Mia felt the sickening sensation of freefall, followed by the splintering crash as the lifeboat shattered against hidden rocks.

  The cold shock of full immersion knocked the breath from her lungs. Instinctively, she fought to the surface, gasping for air as the current immediately began dragging her away from shore. Around her, the others thrashed and struggled simirly, the merchant's wife screaming for help before disappearing beneath the waves.

  Mia had been a strong swimmer in her real life, but Lady Eleanor's body cked that training. Still, the instinct remained, and she forced herself to stroke toward the nd, fighting the vicious current with every ounce of strength she possessed.

  Her sodden dress weighed her down like an anchor. With numb fingers, she managed to unfasten enough of its csps to shrug out of the outer garment, leaving her in just a thin shift. The relief was immediate, allowing her to make better progress toward the dim shoreline.

  Just as her strength began to fail, her feet scraped against sand. With a final desperate effort, she dragged herself forward until she colpsed on the beach, the waves still washing around her legs as she gasped for breath.

  For several minutes, Mia simply y there, too exhausted to move. When she finally managed to lift her head, she saw two of the sailors had also made it to shore and y simirly prostrate on the sand some distance away. Of the others, there was no sign.

  Dawn was breaking, the storm beginning to abate as swiftly as it had appeared. In the growing light, Mia could see they had reached not the orderly docks of a colonial port, but a wild stretch of beach bordered by dense jungle.

  "Where are we?" she called to the nearest sailor, who was now sitting up and wringing water from his shirt.

  "Not Port Luminon, that's certain," he replied grimly. "This looks like one of the uncharted isnds to the south. No settlements, at least none Ardanian." He gnced at her with open worry. "Not a safe pce for a dy, begging your pardon."

  Mia struggled to her feet, her thin shift pstered to her body and her long hair hanging in salt-encrusted tangles. "Safe or not, we're here," she said, channeling some of the authority she'd developed as Empress Regent. "We need shelter, fresh water, and to determine if anyone else survived."

  The sailors exchanged looks of surprise at her practical response, clearly having expected hysterics from the governor's daughter. "Yes, my dy," the older one said with newfound respect. "I'm First Mate Jenkins. This is Cooper. We'll do a sweep of the shoreline while you rest here."

  "I'll accompany you," Mia stated firmly. "Three sets of eyes are better than two."

  They walked the beach for over an hour, finding scattered debris from both the ship and their lifeboat, but no other survivors. The storm had taken a brutal toll, leaving them the only known remnants of the Horizon's Promise.

  "We should move innd," Jenkins eventually decided. "Find fresh water and something to eat. Maybe scope out a pce for shelter."

  The jungle that bordered the beach was dense and unfamiliar, filled with strange bird calls and the occasional rustle of unseen animals. The trio hacked their way through with a knife Cooper had managed to keep strapped to his leg during the shipwreck.

  After perhaps half an hour, they emerged into a small clearing where a freshwater stream bubbled over rocks. All three fell upon it gratefully, drinking their fill before Mia spshed her face and tried to rinse some of the salt from her hair.

  "At least we won't die of thirst," Cooper said, attempting optimism. "And there must be fruit in these trees, fish in the sea."

  "If we're where I think we are," Jenkins said more soberly, "we're at least a hundred miles from Port Luminon. Too far to swim, and with no boat..." He left the obvious conclusion unspoken.

  "Ships must pass by," Mia suggested. "We could light a signal fire."

  "Aye, ships pass," Jenkins agreed hesitantly. "But not all of them would be rescue you'd welcome, my dy. These waters are hunting grounds for—"

  A sharp crack from the jungle interrupted him. All three froze as the undergrowth rustled, then parted to reveal a group of men with pistols and cutsses pointed directly at them.

  Unlike the naval uniforms or merchant sailor garb Mia had grown accustomed to on the Horizon's Promise, these men wore a mismatched assortment of clothing—colorful sashes, leather vests, loose shirts, and bandanas. Several sported gold earrings or other ostentatious jewelry.

  Pirates. The fragments of Lady Eleanor's knowledge supplied the term with appropriate dread.

  "Well, well," said the foremost man, a burly figure with a scarred face and rotting teeth. "What have we here? Survivors from that merchantman that went down in the night?"

  Jenkins stepped in front of Mia, his posture protective despite being unarmed against their weapons. "We're just simple sailors and a passenger, seeking shelter until rescue comes."

  "Rescue!" The pirate ughed, joined by his companions. "Hear that, boys? They're waiting for rescue!" His amusement vanished as suddenly as it had appeared. "There's no rescue coming to Shadowfin Isle, friends. This is our territory."

  His gaze shifted to Mia, and his expression changed to one of unpleasant interest. "And what's this? A woman? And by the looks of her clothes—or ck thereof—a quality one at that."

  Mia straightened her spine, drawing on every ounce of imperial dignity she had cultivated in the previous world. Even in her bedraggled state, half-dressed and salt-stained, she managed to project an aura of authority that momentarily gave the pirate pause.

  "I am Lady Eleanor Verath, daughter of Governor Verath of Port Luminon," she stated clearly. "My father would pay handsomely for my safe return."

  A murmur ran through the pirate group. "A governor's daughter?" the leader said, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "That changes things. The captain will want to hear about this."

  "Ransom?" one of the other pirates suggested eagerly.

  "Maybe." The leader grinned unpleasantly. "Or maybe he'll have other ideas. Bring them."

  Despite Jenkins and Cooper's attempts to resist, they were quickly overpowered by the rger group. The pirates bound their hands and marched them deeper into the jungle, following a rough path that eventually opened onto a hidden cove on the far side of the isnd.

  There, nestled in the sheltered waters, sat a magnificent ship. Unlike the navy vessels Mia had seen, with their uniform appearance and disciplined crews, this ship was a fmboyant dispy of stolen wealth. Gold trim decorated its dark hull, and its figurehead was a woman carved in eborate detail, painted in vivid colors. The bck fg flying from its mast left no doubt as to its nature—a pirate vessel.

  "The Siren's Kiss," the leader announced with evident pride. "Fastest ship in the Cerulean Sea and terror of the shipping nes. And that—" he pointed to a tall figure standing on the quarterdeck, "—is our captain. Your new lord and master, like it or not."

  Small boats ferried them across to the ship, where they were roughly helped aboard. Sailors—pirates, Mia corrected herself—stopped their work to stare, particurly at her. She kept her chin high, ignoring their lewd comments and gestures.

  "What's this, Grimsby?" A cultured voice cut through the sailors' jeering. "Survivors from the wreck?"

  The pirate leader, Grimsby, straightened almost imperceptibly. "Aye, Captain. Two sailors and a woman. But not just any woman—cims to be the daughter of Governor Verath of Port Luminon."

  "Does she indeed?"

  The crowd of pirates parted to reveal the source of the voice, and Mia felt the air leave her lungs in a rush of recognition.

  The man who strode toward them was tall and lean, dressed in a captain's coat of midnight blue trimmed with silver, worn over a white shirt and bck breeches tucked into polished boots. A silver-hilted sword hung at his hip, and a matching pistol was tucked into his belt. Unlike his crew's wild appearance, his dark hair was tied neatly back, and his face was clean-shaven.

  But it was his eyes that made Mia's heart skip—ice-blue and piercing, exactly like those of Sir Kael, Alexander Thorne, Master Yun, and Emperor Jin-Wei. The distinctive marker of Noir's soul fragment, unmistakable across any world or incarnation.

  The pirate captain studied her with those familiar yet strange eyes, his expression revealing nothing beyond mild curiosity. "I am Captain Nathaniel Darkwater of the Siren's Kiss," he introduced himself with a slight, almost mocking bow. "And you are...?"

  "Lady Eleanor Verath," Mia replied steadily, hiding the shock of finding this world's fragment so quickly. "Daughter of Governor Markus Verath of Port Luminon."

  "A governor's daughter." Darkwater circled her slowly, assessing. "Convenient, if true. The question is, what to do with such a valuable prize?"

  "Ransom, Captain?" Grimsby suggested again. "The governor would pay a king's ransom for his daughter's return."

  "Perhaps." Darkwater stopped directly in front of Mia, his ice-blue eyes holding hers. Something flickered in their depths—not recognition, exactly, but a momentary confusion, quickly masked. "Or perhaps Lady Verath might prove useful in other ways."

  "If you're considering anything improper, sir," Mia said coolly, "I should warn you that my father would pay considerably less for a daughter who had been... mistreated."

  A ripple of amusement ran through the watching crew, but Darkwater merely smiled—a genuine expression that transformed his face from austere to unexpectedly charming.

  "Your concern is noted, my dy, but unnecessary. Despite appearances and reputation, we maintain certain standards aboard the Siren's Kiss." He gnced at Jenkins and Cooper. "Your companions will join my crew—we're always in need of experienced sailors. You will be given quarters appropriate to your station and treated as a guest until I decide the most advantageous course of action."

  "A gilded cage is still a cage, Captain Darkwater," Mia observed.

  His smile widened. "Indeed it is. But given the alternatives—drowning at sea, starving on a deserted isnd, or falling into the hands of less scrupulous pirates—I suggest you consider yourself fortunate."

  With that, he issued brisk orders for her to be escorted to the captain's cabin, where she would be provided with dry clothes and a meal. As a female crew member led her away, Mia gnced back to see Darkwater watching her with an expression of puzzled interest—as if something about her nagged at him in ways he couldn't quite identify.

  It was the same look she had seen on the faces of previous fragments in their early encounters. The soul's dim recognition of a connection it couldn't yet comprehend.

  Inside the surprisingly luxurious cabin, Mia allowed herself a moment of private shock and calcution. Unlike previous worlds, where finding Noir's fragment had taken time and effort, here he had practically appeared before her within hours of her arrival.

  Captain Nathaniel Darkwater. Pirate, kidnapper, likely murderer—and unquestionably a piece of the fragmented god she sought.

  The silver locket in her inventory pulsed with warmth, confirming what she already knew. The fifth fragment was within her reach. But as she changed into the borrowed clothes—clearly taken from some previous female "guest" of the captain—Mia wondered how she would connect with this incarnation of Noir.

  Jin-Wei had awakened to his true nature more fully than any previous fragment, sharing revetions about the prison weakening with each piece collected. Would Captain Darkwater prove simirly receptive? Or would the pirate's lifestyle—wild, dangerous, and untethered—make him more resistant to acknowledging his greater purpose?

  As the ship began to move beneath her feet, setting sail for unknown destinations, Mia could only be certain of one thing: her quest had taken an unexpected turn into dangerous waters, both literally and figuratively.

  She was a captive aboard a pirate ship, commanded by the very soul she sought to liberate—a man who currently saw her as nothing more than a convenient hostage.

  The adventure, it seemed, had only just begun.