Bonded by the Sea

by Victoria Mercier

  “A girl that Pembroke chased?” admiral had asked, but the contact sphere went cold. Pembroke didn’t inform him about the girl. He only spoke of a boy.

  What the fuck is going on? Admiral squeezed the contact sphere until it exploded. These things were absurdly expensive to make. Fuck it. Fuck Nine. Fuck the Government. This couldn’t be. One of the Seven Devils of the Seas on his territory? It was too dangerous to ignore. But any overt reaction from the Navy might provoke him to do something stupid. Worse. It could draw the attention of the other six devils.

  Only once a situation like this happened. Only once in the history of the Navy, seven admirals stood together to stop the devils.

  This one argument told admiral a horrid truth. The Government wasn’t behind this. They would never risk a chance for admirals to join efforts in the common cause.

  This could be only one man.

  Pembroke.

  And now he was gone.

  Chapter 37

  Ines

  The lone warship manned by thirty escapees from King’s Valley headed into the direction of their new captain’s fate. Ines sensed Pace. He was near. A mile at best.

  Finally, our paths can merge once more. Forever.

  Kimberlton stood by her side. They’ve had a few rough days after leaving the research facility. Or rather she should say; the torture asylum. Ines had been mad that after Gimo Ludon’s traitorous hit, they’d happily carried her onto the ship gathering only those prisoners who happened to be nearby. None of the children made it. The sadness was tearing her heart apart. Though, deep down she understood their reasoning. Umarau had defeated Kuran, but there were other powerful members of the guards who would eventually overwhelm them. And of course, this damned protocol Dome. They’d trap everyone on the island until more soldiers arrived.

  If Asaif could do it, if captain Pembroke could as well, then she was capable of becoming stronger. But Ines needed the strength now, not in the future.

  “Captain,” Limp called from the crow’s next. “A ship ahead!” Ines had trouble accepting her new position. But Kimberlton and Umarau insisted.

  She smiled thinking of Pace, though their situation wasn’t in any way optimistic. Less than a mile behind them a fleet from King’s Valley followed. Twenty-five warships. For some reason, the fucking lord wanted her back, badly. That old prune spoke the truth. They were dangerous people.

  Soon, it won’t matter. I’ll reunite with Pace and everything will go away. Her thoughts began to wander in dirty directions. Her lust returned. She craved Pace’s touch more than anything else. She hasn’t touched Kimberlton since the intimate moment in the cave. She was mad at him. It didn’t matter if he was right. She felt cheated after she’d woken up on the deck of a warship and realized what they’d done.

  But the price. Could she really accept such a sacrifice? No, she couldn’t. One day Ines would sail back to King’s Valley and steal away every single victim of the Government madness.

  “Captain, there is… there is something else.”

  Before Limp had a chance to explain, he was poor with words, Ines climbed up to the crow’s nest and grabbed the second pair of magnifying glasses.

  A small Navy ship was cutting waves at the full speed. Behind them, something hung in the air. It looked like a ship, but without masts and sails.

  What is this?

  “I’ve never seen anything like it, captain.” Limp drawled. He was spending too much time with Umarau.

  “Full ahead,” captain Ines shouted.

  *

  Doctor Dukas

  “What the hell is that?” doctor Dukas asked.

  “It looks like one of those rumored flying ships from the New Frontier.”

  “Go up and get a better look at t, Agent X.”

  Agent X nodded and shot in the sky unfolding two wings weaved of darkness. Doctor Dukas closed his eyes inhaling a chilly sea air. Their return to King’s Valley didn’t go close to what he’d imagined. Another breakout? Kimberlton’s treason! He wished to shout into Lord Red’s face ‘I told you so’, but it’d only end his life. No one spoke in such a manner to a Lord and lived. At least the news of Pembroke’s death eased the situation, though Lord Red didn’t seem fully convinced. He wanted to see a body, and it looked like his wish will come true. Pembroke’s ship was heading right at them. But what was that flying ship doing there? Whoever, owned it, were they allies or enemies?

  “Captain Kuran,” doctor Dukas called.

  “Yes, special agent.”

  “Report to Lord Red that we might need to be ready to retreat. I have bad feelings about this one.”

  Captain’s eyes darkened with zeal. His desire to catch the test subjects from King’s Valley was immense. If they couldn’t catch them, now. Kuran’s dead would roll. So, he feared. Doctor didn’t need to and didn’t want to, use his Gift to know that. In fact, after Pembroke told him about sealing off his fate doctor decided to slow things down. He had to research this Cursed Gift of Fate first.

  Captain Kuran hurried away with the order. At the same time, Agent X shouted something and doctor Dukas saw it, too. Something fell off the flying ship into the sea.

  Chapter 38

  Pace

  The Horned Pony swung violently as something hit the water two hundred yards from them.

  “What was that?” Toggy shouted.

  “Don’t ask me!” Pace replied.

  “This is bad,” Riss yelled toward commander.

  “I better start to concentrate my power to get us out of here,” lieutenant noted.

  Ed and Purp stood watching the flying ship, dazzled and speechless.

  Pace darted a gaze at commander. He looked… seriously disturbed… almost terrified. What the hell was coming? Commander has been a cornerstone of this crew after captain’s demise. Especially, Pace looked up to the older marine. And seeing him like this, made his blood freeze.

  “We won’t be able to intercept her,” commander Kinson hissed.

  “Then throw me into the sea,” Pace replied heatedly. He won’t leave Ines alone ever again.

  Commander gave him an angry stare but didn’t argue. Riss watched their exchange with a shock from the other side of the deck. She couldn’t understand Kink-son's acceptance of Pace’s future leadership.

  His instincts that have awakened an hour ago, warned him to not turn away. No matter what, he had to reach Ines. Running away meant death to everyone.

  Suddenly, a magical pressure exploded inside Pace’s head and he screamed.

  “Woah, Woah, give us a break, damn it,” lieutenant growled watching the boiling sea.

  “Fuck,” Riss shook her head in disbelief.

  “It’s too late,” commander Kinson said calmly. “Our chances of escaping are zero.”

  “What are you talking about, commander?” Pace asked. “Escaping? That word doesn’t belong to my dictionary. Lieutenant. Don’t you dare to use your Gift before we have Ines aboard.” Pace wasn’t captain, yet. But at the moment, he’d act like one if the was no other choice.

  No one replied because there was no time for this.

  In the spot where something had dropped into the sea, water now swirled and surged, something broke the surface. At first, it had looked like a rock, but then the rock expanded until an enormous forest of stones erected from the sea, creating an artificial island with a rocky peak.

  “What the fuck?” Pace could hear the same question coming out of everyone’s mouths. He bet the Government subordinates and Ines’ crew had the same reaction. One didn’t see the birth of an island that often.

  The imposing jumble of grey stones ceased shuddering and Pace noticed that a figure stood at the top of it.

  “Commander!” lieutenant shouted.

  “What we do?” Riss asked.

  “Get her on the deck, now.”

  Could it be? No, Pace refused to believe that a single person was powerful enough to create an island, but someone stood there…

  The figure
disappeared.

  “Everyone, prepare!”

  “Why—”

  First, the pressure in the middle of the deck had come out of nowhere, then a whizzing sound, followed. The shockwave expanded outward falling everyone on the deck. Even commander staggered back.

  Gasps and cries of terror brought Pace’s attention to the epicenter of the pressure. A gigantic man stood on the cracked planks. He wore a white and gold elegant coat with a high collar. He had white long hair and a short white beard. Something was off about his age. A hunch told Pace that this man was older than commander, but he looked not far from thirty. Deep blue trousers and knee-high black boots with intricate finishes reminded Pace about royalty. Was this one of the so-called lords? Or was he, a devil himself?

  This man must have been taller than Silverbreath. How the fuck was it even possible to be this tall? He must be ten feet or taller.

  Commander swallowed, which didn’t surprise Pace anymore. Kinson was a human after all. This one here… who knew what he was.

  “Huh?” the giant swept the deck with a lazy gaze. He looked uninterested. Almost like barging on the board of the Horned Pony was a stroll in the park.

  “Who are you?” Pace’s courage surged inside him. Even the immense strength that radiated from the man and threatened to overwhelm his senses couldn’t stop him from demanding answers. Anyway, his instinct told him, this was the right thing to do.

  “Huh?” the giant repeated giving Pace a look that one can offer to vermin. The intruder made a step forward, the deck groaned under his impossible weight and the ship swayed wildly. Everyone shouted grasping anything around.

  “Wait,” commander raised his hands. “Why are you here?”

  The giant’s expression remained bored, he glanced at Kinson, but it seemed he didn’t find him interesting at all.

  Commander's teeth gritted.

  “Ciron Dorado, why are you here?”

  Pace sensed the shocks among the crew. Ines's strange ability could be handy, but he wasn’t convinced it helped him now. Lieutenant Mist swore. Toggy fell unconscious. Riss should be back with Parime. This man is her father. That escalated quickly.

  “Not a single Navy small fry knows how I look like,” Ciron Dorado murmured loud enough to be heard a hundred yards away. What kind of power did he use? “Who are you?”

  “We fought in the past, Ciron Dorado.”

  “Huh? We fought?” the giant’s frowned. “Are you some kind of a ghost or astral projection then?”

  “No. I’m alive. I’m the last active member of vice admiral Carbon’s crew.”

  “Oh, now, I remember. You’re the pup who heeled Carbon everywhere. Where is the other one, that little brat that wanted to duel me?”

  “Pembroke’s dead.”

  This couldn’t be. Dorado didn’t look that old to speak to commander as if commander was at least decades younger.

  Riss and Parime walked out on the deck a second before Pace could ask his question. Parime hissed at the sight of her father. Riss halted letting her go forward.

  “What the hell are you doing here father?” Parime blurted out.

  Ciron raised his head. He looked like a king. Not a devil. Was he really this powerful? If Kinson and Pembroke have fought him and lived… maybe they had a chance now as well… oh. Pace remembered. The letter the captain left. He signed it Pembroke Isalia Dorado. Could Pembroke be related to this monster and Parime? Pace has never mentioned this apart from the conversation with Riss.

  “I came to collect my brood.”

  Brood?

  “Brood? You, bastard. That much I mean to you?” Parime hissed. Riss must have taken off her manacles on the way here because the pirate captain raised her fists to fight.

  “Huh?” Ciron didn’t smile nor he seemed particularly angry. “What is it you think you’re doing, cub?”

  “I won’t—” she didn’t manage to finish the sentence. Her body began turning into the stone!

  Riss made a step back. Pace didn’t even see a single twitch from Ciron. He turned her own daughter into the stone using a thought, didn’t he? Is my fucking instinct broken? How the fuck is it a good idea to meet him?

  “Because of the good memories of the mad dog, you won’t meet the same end,” Ciron said lazily. “Cross my path ever again and old good times won’t save you.”

  The ship groaned under his steps. Two more and he’d reach the statue of his daughter. Pace reacted before he could think. He placed himself between the devil of the seas and Parime. He extended his arms and raised his chin unrelentingly.

  “Pace!” shouts from Kinson, Mist and Riss sounded dull and from distance.

  “Huh?”

  “She won’t go with you.”

  Ciron Dorado’s eyes looked tired. There was no sharpness, no worry, no pity. To him, Pace was indistinguishable from a fly.

  “But there is something you must know,” Pace murmured, blood whooshed in his ears. The world narrowed to this one moment in time and space. Everything told him that a single misstep now would cost him a life. “You should know that the deceased captain of this ship was named Pembroke Isalia Dorado. Who was he to you and Parime?”

  “Isalia…’ Ciron closed his eyes. “A dangerous word to utter in such a manner.”

  Riss tried to reach Pace before Ciron, but the giant moved instantly. He grabbed Pace’s head as if it was an apple and lifted him up. Pace would smile if not the immense pressure that stopped on the border of cracking his skull like an eggshell. Soon, the virus should… well, it didn’t work on commander, and both, Silverbreath and Agent X recovered quickly, too.

  Pestilence’s virus made no change. The monstrous strength of this man shrugged it off without a consequence. Pace felt the pressure from the devil of the seas rapidly increase. The ship began cracking and groaning. Somewhere in the background came screams of Toggy, doctor More, Purp… Pace began losing consciousness. The Soul Entanglement flared to life and Ciron frowned. His head turned toward the warship with Ines. The fucker sensed her.

  “You possess the Entanglement and know the name…” Ciron Dorado dropped Pace on the deck. His unwavering gaze was on him.

  Pace couldn’t speak lest pain would shatter his mind.

  “In that case, you can have her, cub,” Ciron Dorado murmured. “But here is the price.”

  Pace’s body began turning into a stone. The last thing Pace experienced was Ines’ mix of love and dread.

  Chapter 39

  Commander Kinson

  The giant’s left arm shot up and the sea around exploded with jagged rocks. In every direction, Kinson could see that the water roiled and churned. Sharp rocks sprouted like grass after the abundant rain.

  Kinson could move. Fear paralyzed his muscles. Ciron Dorado was not something that could be fought. He was out of his league. Now, without vice admiral and captain, the difference in the power was too immense.

  And he just turned Pace into a stone.

  Then he blurred. The deck exploded into thousands of splinters and pieces of wood. A few seconds later, the ship was shredded by the jagged rocks.

  Chapter 40

  Doctor Dukas

  “FULL RETREAT!” doctor bellowed. “CODE BLACK!”

  The horizon before his eyes transformed from a sea into something resembling a cemetery filled with bones or rocks. There was no mistaking it for what was happening before doctor’s eyes. It was one of the Devil of the Seas. But the rumors got one thing wrong. They said that a single Devil of the Seas was worth a fleet. This was a lie. No matter the size, any fleet would perish in this chaos.

  This is why the Government must find means to defend the Seven Seas from these monsters. No matter the sacrifice. These pirates cannot be allowed to roam the seas unchecked.

  The sea still boiled when mists spread over the surface of the madness and slowly swallowed it. That meant only one thing. Lieutenant Mist lived. If he survived this hell, then the high probability was that the rest of the crew made it t
oo. What a bother.

  The ship with the test subjects had reached the edge of the mist and disappeared a few seconds later. Doctor jaws tightened. He knew that they wouldn’t be able to find them anytime soon. That fucking lieutenant was the only reason that Pembroke’s crew escaped from so many sticky situations.

  The warships turned around and increased the speed. Lives of a few test subjects weren’t worth this much to doctor. Lord Red wouldn’t take it lightly to know that they lost them. Kuran and Agent X would lose their heads. Perhaps, even doctor would suffer the consequences. Did he want that? He has spent three decades working with furious loyalty for the Government. Should he throw his life away because of the whim of a Lord?

  Agent X landed next to him. He yanked his mustaches, while his body shivered uncontrollably.

  “What the hell was that?”

  “Hold it together, Agent X,” doctor whispered. “And be ready to abandon this fleet with me.”

  Chapter 41

  Kimberlton

  Kimberlton saw Ines fall to her knees. A scream that came out her throat pierced his heart more than his ears.

  At first, a bloody island has risen from the depths, then the entire area turned into a nightmare. The ship they were about to rendezvous, shattered as if the claws of a gargantuan undersea monster stabbed it. Was this Pace dead then? Ines’s face was white and terrified beyond anything Kimberlton experienced. It must be then. This marine was dead.

  Speaking that simple truth in his mind put Kimberlton at ease. For some reason, he dreaded that meeting. He feared that once Ines and Pace reunite, she’d forget about him. Did she only need him to escape King’s Valley? And now he wasn’t better than trash? She’s refused his every attempt to get close. In the cave, things got really heated. The sight of her naked body still lingered underneath the lids of his eyes. The smell and texture of her skin. He’d kill to experience it again.