Blackbeard's Revenge (Voyages Of Queen Anne's Revenge Book 2)

by Jeremy McLean

  "Hmm…" The old man sounded thoughtful as he sucked on his pipe again.

  The wind howled across the ocean. The sound of the ocean breeze passed unabated across two gargantuan ships. The crews were deathly silent as they watched the two captains negotiate. The elder was a feared pirate known as William Kidd, the Tsunami, and the younger was a powerful Earl, Edward Russell, but was known in some circles as Plague, a master of poisons.

  "Eyes," Kidd offered.

  Plague mockingly considered the offer and mulled it over for a moment. "No, I rather enjoy the ability to see."

  Kidd took another drag and puff of the weed. "Arms."

  Plague was quick in his answer. "I'm rather fond of my arms, so, sorry, but no."

  "Legs."

  "Again, I have to decline. Though we would have much more in common if this was done," Plague said, gesturing to Kidd's wooden leg, "I find that wood chafes, and I do not wish to have splinters."

  "We seem ta be at an impasse, then."

  "Well, speaking honestly," Plague held his hand up, "if we are being honest, there is not much of a negotiation occurring here. Generally, when one is haggling a price, there is a back and forth where the price is fluctuating in a downwards direction. If anything, the price has gone up. If I may make a suggestion in your tactics to make the proposition more appealing, perhaps moving from pairs to singles would continue this little transaction we are having."

  Kidd sighed. "One eye."

  "No."

  "One arm."

  "Sorry."

  "One leg."

  "I refuse."

  Kidd's face was like stone. He said nothing further, but instead stared down Plague and waited for him to make the next move.

  "Wait," Plague said, holding up his finger. "There is another option in our scenario which I neglected to mention. I could threaten to kill the ferry captain unless he allows me free passage," Plague said with a savage grin.

  Kidd lowered his pipe and stood up. "Now ye've gone and done it."

  The wind howled again moments later, but, unlike before, the din of a battle overshadowed its cry.

  35. Of Heaven

  The Freedom and Fortune landed on the final island hosting Benjamin's game. The crew of the Freedom were familiar with the island, but the Fortune's crew were not used to the strangeness awaiting them.

  Edward stepped onto the waist of the ship. "Secure those lines, there could be a storm at our backs and I don't want anything to happen to the ship should the winds change," he commanded. The ship had felt hard waves over the last few hours and Edward didn't want to take any chances.

  "Do you think it safer to wait before trekking onto the island?" Anne asked.

  Edward mulled the question over for a bit while stroking his long black beard. "There is something strange about these waves. I think they were meant for someone else." Edward kept eyeing the waves crashing against the hull before shaking his head. "I'm talking foolishness, let's ask the expert." Edward turned his head to Herbert, who was preparing to leave the ship as well. "Herbert, what would you say about these waves? Will the ship be in any danger while we are on the island?"

  Herbert wheeled himself over to the starboard side and gave the waves he had been watching throughout the voyage a final perfunctory glance, then eyed the horizon. "We don't have to worry, if I'm not mistaken the waves are beginning to subside."

  "Perfect." Edward turned back to Anne. "Nothing to worry about."

  Anne nodded, but took note of Edward's odd choice of wording earlier. Meant for someone else? What is your intuition telling you, Edward?

  Edward and Anne gathered gear they felt necessary for the job ahead: Guns, muskets, swords, food, water, rope, lanterns, and various other survival items. The rest of the crew followed suit under William's supervision.

  Only a few members of the crew were left to guard the ship, eager volunteers who knew what could await them and opted out in favour of the easy job. Edward warned the men to stay on alert and not to drink any alcohol while on duty. Edward also told Christina to leave Tala on the ship as he knew it would be dangerous. She protested only slightly.

  After preparations were made, the crew descended to the sandy beach below, joining the crew of the Fortune. Altogether, near to four hundred souls walked on the beach.

  Edward walked over to Bartholomew, who, at Anne's instruction, was loaded with supplies like his crew. "How are you feeling, Roberts? Ready for the unknown?"

  "I have no need to fear. Your tales of previous trials, while nothing to snub the nose at, were good preparation. My men know we are moving into dangerous territory. Their hearts and minds are prepared."

  Edward laughed. "Whatever you think you may expect when we enter the forest, I can assure you, you will be shocked."

  Edward led the crews along the path between the swaying palms. Anne ran to catch up to Edward, and William followed closely behind with Roberts. All the senior officers were dispersed amongst the crew. Jack, Pukuh, Christina, Herbert, Alexandre, Victor, and Nassir were peppered throughout the crowd, sharing stories with the crew of the Fortune as they trekked through the path.

  After a short walk, Edward and Bartholomew emerged upon the small hill in front of the two stone pressure plates. Bartholomew ran up the steps and the sight of the angel fighting the demon and the double doors caused his jaw to drop open.

  Roberts turned around to Edward with a big grin on his face, unbecoming of the man's oft intimidating figure. "I see why you wanted to call upon our assistance, my boy! This trial of yours is dipped in Biblical symbolism."

  "If anyone can solve deadly puzzles about the Bible, it would be you, Pirate Priest."

  Roberts noticed the stone tablet between the pressure plates. "Ah, I understand now. One crew stands on one of these altars and it opens the door for the other to enter."

  "Yes, and during our previous visit we found that beyond the doors is a similar slab, which will most likely allow the second crew to enter." Edward observed the two crews crowding around the field near the pressure plates. "So, Roberts, which side do you wish to take your crew through?" Edward asked.

  Bartholomew stroked his clean-shaven chin. "Well, I will allow you to be on the right hand of God. Our crew will take the left path."

  "Alright, men, onto the right platform," Edward commanded.

  The crew of the Freedom did as commanded. As more stepped on, the stone slab slowly descended, and before the last few crewmen were able to crowd onto the pressure plate it became flush with the rest of the altar.

  A loud grinding could be heard beneath the earth and soon above ground by the stone doors on the left of the angel. After the sound and movement of the earth settled, Bartholomew and crew entered the open doorway.

  Before Bartholomew joined his crew, he talked with Edward. "Well, my boy, if I believed in luck I would take this time to wish you good fortune, but instead I will say this: Let us meet on the other side." Bartholomew stretched out his hand.

  Edward smiled and gripped his friend's hand, then pulled him close and embraced him. "Whatever happens, don't die."

  Roberts laughed. "Aye, aye, comrade." Roberts then embraced Anne and kissed her cheek before leaving to join his crew.

  "When you hear the sound of gunfire, it will mean we are safely inside," Edward yelled when Roberts and crew were halfway through the door.

  Roberts waved his hand, and after a few seconds he was beyond sight. Another minute more and the stone doors on the right opened.

  Edward left the platform and the crew followed. He entered the door and stood near the entrance, waiting for his crew to enter the path leading to the right. After everyone was inside, Edward took out a pistol and shot at the ground. A few seconds later the ground rumbled once more and the stone doors closed behind the crew of the Freedom.

  Edward joined his crew and they trekked the path guarded by impossibly high wooden stakes, and past the second stone pressure plate a third of the way down the path. Pukuh waited to talk with Ed
ward.

  "So, brother, what do you think awaits us around the corner?" Pukuh asked, pointing with his spear in his left hand to the end of the path which opened up on the left.

  "I hate to mimic Roberts, but after all we've seen on our travels I'm not sure I can be surprised from Benjamin's trials anymore."

  Pukuh mimicked Edward's response to Bartholomew with a laugh. "If only you knew the stories my father told me of his travels. I used to think they were fanciful tales for young warriors to be inspired by, but never held them to heart as truths. After time with you, I became doubtful. Impossible stories of islands floating in the sky, an invisible city of gold in the middle of a desert, and beasts taller than the tallest ships are sounding not so childish now."

  "Maybe we should ask him the truth of the matter once this is over. Speaking of which, do you plan to return home after we are done here?"

  "Do you wish me to leave?" Pukuh asked, brow raised in question.

  "No, of course not. You never told me how long you planned to journey with us, simply that you wanted to gain experience."

  "I still have a ways to go. I believed I was strong, but the man called Plague, he showed me I still have much to learn." Pukuh motioned to his missing right arm. "The princess's do… I mean… William has been helping me turn my weakness into a strength." Pukuh stopped, causing Edward to stop as well. "I am with you until you no longer find a use for me."

  "Then I am afraid you will be with me a long time yet, brother." Edward smiled.

  Pukuh returned the smile. "I would not have it any other way, brother."

  "Edward! You must see this," Anne yelled from the front of the crowd. Half of the crew already passed the bend in the path.

  Edward and Pukuh both ran forward through the crowd to see what the commotion was about. When the two turned the corner, their jaws dropped at what they saw.

  In front of them was a large field five hundred feet across, lined by more sharpened wooden stakes, and in the middle of the field a massive one-hundred-foot-tall ship stood. The ship was bevelled at the bottom like a normal ship, but from what Edward could see the top was completely flat. On the far right side of the ship a large slanted gangplank allowed entrance to the ship.

  "This may be a reference to Noah's ark," Anne surmised.

  "Yes, and if we are to follow the rules, we must enter, I suppose," Edward replied. "But let us see if we can bypass that, shall we?" Edward walked over to the side of the ark.

  The sides and top were so smooth that from afar it appeared to be carved from a single piece of wood, but upon closer examination the ship was made of planks.

  Edward removed a long line of rope from his sac of supplies and tied a grappling hook to one end. The rope wasn't long enough on its own, so Edward took rope from Anne's supplies as well as some other crewmates and tied the ends together until he felt he had enough.

  The crew were dispersed about, some examining the outside and inside of the ark and others the wooden stakes, and some talking amongst themselves or watching Edward.

  Edward swung the grappling hook around and around, building speed. When the hook reached the apex he threw it into the air at an angle over the top of the ark. Edward tugged on the rope, but the hook slid back down to the ground in front of him. He tried this again and again and again, but received the same result.

  "The ark is too smooth." Anne ran her hand along the side of the ship. "We have no choice then, we must enter."

  Edward sighed in frustration. "It never gets easier, does it?" Anne shrugged her shoulders and grinned.

  Edward jogged to the entrance at the far end of the ark and entered, followed by Anne, Pukuh, and an excited Christina. On the inside, a wall blocked them from the bulk of the ship, the roof went only halfway up the height of the ark, and a pedestal stood in the middle of the hundred-by-fifty-foot room.

  Edward examined the pedestal. On the top of the elbow-high wooden pedestal was a carving in the shape of a book with an inscription.

  "Come thou, and all thine house, into the ark. Only when the door to sins of the past is closed may thou be granted entry to salvation," Edward read aloud.

  "Edward, look." Christina pointed to the inside walls. Wooden pulleys were set on either side with rope attached to the gangplank. "Those must be to close the doors."

  Edward nodded in agreement. He noticed William standing at the bottom of the gangplank. "William," Edward yelled. "Gather the crew in here."

  William circled around the field and issued Edward's command to enter the ark. The people slowly lumbered their way into the gigantic structure as they examined the surroundings.

  "I want two teams on the pulleys to raise the gangplank," Edward yelled over the din of the talking crew while pointing to said pulleys.

  Volunteers went to task and in teams of two began pulling on the wheel spokes, gradually raising the monstrous gangplank. As it closed, the light of the day left, and was replaced with a deep darkness. When the light was completely gone, and the gangplank could be raised no more, a loud clicking and clanking noise could be heard behind the walls.

  As alluded to on the carved pedestal, the wall blocking them was lifted by whatever mechanism lay behind the walls of the ark. As the wall rose, light was reintroduced to the crew, and they were able to see the vast interior of the ark in full.

  The first fifty feet of the room was open space all the way to the roof. Two massive structural beams supported the left and right sides, with glass panels on the ceiling between the beams to provide light. On the floor between the beams, a carved pedestal similar to the one at the entrance stood. Behind the pedestal were twelve unique statues, six men and six women, and behind those were another twelve statues of animals in a row. Behind the statues, and taking up the rest of the nearly four hundred feet left of the ark, was a wall of wood separated into square cubes about ten by ten feet in size. In the corner of the wall, one of the cubes was open to allow passage, which Edward assumed was the way to exit the ark.

  Edward started to walk over to the statues, but was stopped when the sound of gunfire startled him. He turned to see Anne holding a rifle.

  "Anne, what are you doing?"

  Anne pulled out a spyglass, and peered at the ceiling. "Not even a crack," she murmured. "If we could but break the glass then we may have been able to use a grappling hook, but the glass must be too thick. The bullet lodged into the pane, but did not pierce the glass." Anne handed her spyglass to Edward, and he confirmed what Anne said.

  Edward handed the spyglass back. "Well, let's see what we're dealing with." Edward approached the pedestal. Alexandre and Victor were reading the inscription and talking in hushes voices when Edward approached. "May I?" Edward asked.

  "By all means, mon Capitaine." Alexandre backed away and motioned to the pedestal.

  As Edward began reading aloud while Alexandre and Victor moved on and examined the statues. "Of each holy man and woman, six and six they be, you will pair them with the beast according to the heavens. When the Lord gazes upon your pairs and deems them worthy, the path to salvation will be revealed. Six and six men and women shall not sin six times against the Lord for it is the number of the beast. Each sin sends one farther from the Lord, and on the sixth brimstone and fire will rain upon thee and send thee, and thine house, to Gehenna."

  "Fire's gonna rain on us?" one of the crewmen asked, worried.

  "Whuts this Gehenna? Is that Hell?" another asked.

  The crew began talking amongst themselves and the panic could be clearly seen on some faces. They were trapped in the ark. If the ship caught fire there would be no way to survive.

  "Calm, please everyone!" Edward yelled. "Nothing bad will happen as long as we solve this puzzle correctly. We've done this before, we'll do it again." Edward's words eased the minds of the crew. "Now, let's figure this out together." Edward examined the human statues.

  From left to right, first six male statues, then six female in a line. Each man was adorned in various style of robes
and some holy artefacts like rosaries, Bibles, or crosses, except one who was dressed in armour and held a lance. The women appeared to be nuns with plain clothing covering the head, save two with fancier clothing and crowns. At the base of each statue was an inscription.

  Edward read the inscription on the first statue. "Monks under my discipline tried to poison me, but God protected me through miracles, and after this I founded twelve monasteries." Edward chuckled at the notion of monks trying to poison one another.

  "He is Saint Benedict," Alexandre stated matter-of-factly.

  Edward noticed the Frenchman standing beside the statue. "So, let me guess, you've already figured out how this is solved and won't tell us?"

  "Hélas, no. I may be intelligent, but I am not a god. Victor and I were able to deduce five of the statues' names, myself three of the five," Alexandre said loudly so Victor could hear, "and only three of which I can tell you where to set. The rest are unknown to me."

  "It is rare for you to say that you don't know something," Edward commented, panic setting in. If Alexandre can't figure this out, what hope do we have?

  Alexandre chuckled. "Despite what many of you think, I am anything but arrogant. I know what I know, and I know what I do not. There is nothing to worry about, mon Capitaine. This puzzle, complicated as it is, is designed for pooling of knowledge. Venir, see these statues here?" Alexandre pointed to the animal statues behind those of the humans. "What of these does not belong?" Alexandre asked.

  Edward scanned the statues. Each was to scale, starting with a rat, then an ox, then tiger, rabbit, and… "Wait, what is this? It appears to be a large snake, but the next statue is a snake." Edward pointed to the statue to the right of the unfamiliar one.

  "That is a dragon. A mythical flying lizard. I am sure you recall the English stories such as Beowulf?"

  "Yes, I am familiar with dragons, but where are the wings?"

  "This is a Chinese dragon, most often depicted without ailes."

  Edward cocked his brow. "Then what does this mean? How do we pair the statues together?"