The Journey of the Leviathan

The Leviathan series is a fictional series written by Lawrence Daggerpaine. Only a few charcters are really in game players. The sequel is The Journey of the Leviathan 2
==Chapter 1==
"Happy Birthday, son." It was 1743, and Charles Walsh was celebrating his 13th Birthday with his mother.
"Thanks Ma." he said.
"So, what do you want for your birthday?"
"I want what I always want; to go out to sea on one of those beautiful ships."
"No! I will not allow you to get yourself killed like your father." Mrs. Walsh said with a voice so full of anger, it was almost a knife. Long minutes of silence fallowed. Years ago, Charles' Father, Mr. Adreian Walsh, was killed in a raid by Spanish privateers while out at sea. "So, what do you really want?" she asked in a calmer tone.
"I could do with a new pair of boots." Charles made up.
"OK, we'll head to the market then." They left their shabby home, more of a shack then a house. As usual, the streets of their home town of Tortuga were filled with drunkards and seamen. They headed for the town market, which was situated next to the docks. Charles gawked at all the ships tied to the dock. There were small schooners, large merchantmen, and one totally painted in black, with a weathered angel as the figurehead. But the biggest ship, by far, was twice the size of the black one. It was huge, made of polished wood. It had three rows of cannons, plus ones of the deck.
"Ma, that's a real Advanced Ship of the Line." Charles pointed to the massive ship. It was flying the English Merchant flag, and, scrolled in a golden paint, was the name of the massive warship: Leviathan.
"Let's keep going." his mother said as she pushed him forward. They bought the shoes and went back down the dock. By the time they reached home, it was already night time. Charles went to bed early that night. Next morning, his mother made him go back to the market to get some fruits and vegetables. He looked toward the dock, and saw that the Leviathan was still in port. He saw that they were loading cargo onto the ship of the line with a big, wooden crane. He was about to turn away, when he noticed that the rope carrying the heavy load was about to snap, and drop the creates onto the unsuspecting crowd below. He sprinted to the rope, and when he was just 5 feet away, the rope snapped. The load dropped 5 feet before coming to a halt. Women, and men alike, screamed, and ran out of the way. Charles had jumped the last few feet, and had caught the rope when the load was just 10 feet from the ground. A bunch of seamen, all dressed in navy blue pants and shirt, with a symbol on their shirts, ran over and helped Charles pull up the heave cargo and dropped it onto the ship. A man, around thirty, dressed in a Club Long-coat, Rough Tricorne, navy blue cotton long sleeve, and black pants, walked over to Charles.
"Hello, I am Captain Samuel Sharp, captain of the H.M.S. Leviathan, and I would like to thank you for helping us with that problem." the man said as he held out his hand.
"Not any problem at all, sir." said Charles as he took the Captain's outstretched hand in a firm hand shake.
"Have you got any other occupation at the moment, young man?"
"No, sir."
"How would you like a position aboard the Leviathan?"
"Oh my.... I would love to, but my ma......"
"I see. Well remember, many a sailor has found himself at sea with no recollection of how he got there." the captain said with a wink. The captain then did a short bow, and walked off to see to the rest of the loading. Charles the bought his fruit, and turned home. His mother had not yet returned from her job at the King's Arm, so he put the fruit on the table, and wrote a quick note saying that an opportunity arose, and he has to leave, and shall come back when he can next. He then grabbed his effects, went back out the door, and back to the docks, Once there, he met back up with Captain Sharp.
"Ah, you made it." said the captain.
"Aye, sir. I have decided to take you up on your offer."
"Very good. We're about to shove off. climb aboard, wave goodbye, and we shall get you to your duties."
"Aye aye, sir." Charles then saluted the captain, turned around, and walked up the gangplank onto the Leviathan. Shortly there after, the last crewmen climbed aboard, the gangplank removed, the ropes undone, and the Leviathan was detached from the docks. It was too late to turn back now. A crowd gathered on the dock and waved them off. Charles stood at the rail, and waved back to the crowd. He noticed his mother among the crowd, waving at the ship, smiling right at him.
==Chapter 2==
"Mr. Walsh, you're wanted on the gun deck." yelled the bosun, who's name was Mr. Rugby.
"Aye, sir." Charles then saluted the bosun, and headed down to the gun deck. It was a week into the voyage, and Charles was working hard. His many duties include: help with the cook, mend the sails, draw up the sails, put the sails down, clean the weapons (lots of weapons for a trader ship), clean the deck, clean the dishes, clean almost everything, mend the ropes, coil the ropes, etc. He had gotten his own navy blue uniform only a few hours into the voyage. He shared a bunk with another middy, who's name was John Belgium, and the had become fast friends. John was always wore baggy clothes and a bandana. He was also much more gentle than most of the crew. When Charles got to the gun deck, John was there as well.
"Ahoy John, do you know why we've been called to the gun deck?"
"No I don't, but it looks like we have some company." John pointed off the stern. In the distance, a ship was approaching fast. Captain Sharp, on the quarter deck, took out his richly engraved spy glass, and looked at the approaching ship.
"All hands on deck!" The Captain ordered. Charles then pulled out his own spy glass he had gotten from his mother, and looked at the ship. It looked like a British Trader class vessel. It had a red hull and red sails as well. It's figure head was made into the same of a serpent. The flag it flew was not that of any nation, but a black flag, with white crossed swords and two Ps in white; a Pirate Flag. The name painted on the bow of the ship was the G.O.P.S. Peace.
"Pirates...." Charles sworn under his breath. "Captain, shouldn't we go to battle stations?"
"No, we must certainly should not." the Captain smiled. The pirates ship quickly gained on the Leviathan. When it was side by side, the Peace shot grappling hooks onto the Leviathan and drew it in close. A makeshift bridge was lowered between the two boats, and pirates, with an air as if they owned the ship, came aboard. The last pirate seemed to be the captain. He was a big, burly man, with all white clothes, a small mostage, and a stern face. He walked up to Captain Sharp as if they knew each other.
"You got the goods?" the pirate asked.
"Aye." replied Captain Sharp.
"And the boy....?"
"Aye." Captain Sharp then looked at Charles with a funny look.
"Thank god! So, where is he?" Captain Sharp then pointed to Charles. The big pirate then walked down the stairs to the gun deck. "Mr. Charles Walsh, I presume?"
"Don't lay a hand on me or I will slice your neck, ye bloody pirate." Charles replied, brandishing his knife.
"Ah, no need for that. Tell me, what do you know of the Gen. Of Peace?"
"They're a band of pirates, lead by Lawrence Daggerpaine, but they don't randomly murder, but help people. Why you ask?"
"Because, I am Bill Plunderbones, temporary Captain of the Gen. Of Peace Ship, Peace, and top officer in the guild as well." As he said that, the sailors on the Leviathan pulled down the English flag and pulled out a black one, folded up. They also pulled out a couple of crow bars and ripped to black saying H.M.S. in H.M.S. Leviathan from the hull. They then brought out a new plank from below decks and nailed it in place... this one with G.O.P.S. on it... the G.O.P.S. Leviathan. The raised the black flag.... the same flag the G.O.P.S. Peace was flying.
"But... but..." Charles stammered.
"But... why do we have a mighty Ship of the Line in the service of Mr. Breasly?" Bill Plunderbones said, using the last name of King George's fake name. "Well, it's really quite simple. John Breasly, and well... world, need our help. He's 'employing' this ship in the Royal Merchant Navy so that we have a perfect alibi. Well, we can't do said job... without you. Yes, you. You think you came onto this ship with just luck, or at least you think BAD luck. No no no, our GM, Lawrence Daggerpaine, made sure you would come. You're mother played the part well... she wasn't angry at you for wanting to go on this voyage... she was more angry at us. She knew the plan... or at least part of it. So, will you help us?"
"I still don't see how I can help you..."
"Oh, but you will, in time. Now, I must be off, Lawrence will want me back soon. Your training will begin with Captain Sharp tomorrow. Good luck." And with a tip of his hat, Bill Plunderbones, with the rest of his crew, climb back aboard the G.O.P.S. Peace and sailed away.
"So... we're pirates?" Charles asked John.
"Apparently..." John said as he gazed at the disappearing pirate ship.
== Chapter 3==
"Oof." Charles said as he slammed into the railing for the 10th time in the hour.
"Come on, you've got to do better than that." Captain Sharp taunted. Charles raised his sword, nothing more than a rusty cutlass, and charged at the captain yet again. Charles swung at the Captain's torso, which he easily parried. "You've got to do more of a coupe rapide instead of a lente tranche de lourdes."
"What?"
"It means... do a fast cut instead of a slow, heave slice... LIKE THIS!" the captain did a big whirl, sending his cutlass in quick arcs, hitting Charles's over and over, and finally knocking the sword out of Charles' hand. "See?"
"Sure..." Most of the crew was doing their work or was sleeping in the bunks, but John was sitting on a barrel, eating an apple, watching Charles get beat badly.
"Ok, that's enough for today." Captain Sharp said.
"I wanna learn how to sword fight!" John said.
"Well...." Captain Sharp began.
"Come one... we are pirates after all."
"True. Ok, Charles, give the lad your sword, and you can take his place on the barrel."
"Gladly." Charles said with a sigh of relief.John and the Captain dueled it out for some minutes, with John being more nimble then originally thought. John then knocked the sword from the Captain's hand and maimed the point at the Captain's neck.
"I win." John said with a smirk.
"So you did..." The Captain then leaned close to John's ear and whispered something that Charles couldn't make out. The smirk from John's face instantly vanished, and his whole face become contorted with fear. The captain walked away, and John came back over to Charles, with a smile clearly faked and shivering in 90 degree weather.
"What's wrong?" Charles asked.
"Oh? Wrong? Nothing is wrong. Why would there be something wrong?" John said frantically.
"Ok, if you don't want to tell me, that's fine."
"It's nothing..." John said, clearly lying.
"Ok..."
 ***
It was ten days later; ten days of almost nonstop sword training, learning how to sail a ship, how to navigate by the stars, and how to give commands, among Charles' other duties as a middy.
"Ok, I think you're ready." Captain Sharp suddenly said in the middle of sword practice.
"Ready for what, sir?"
"Ready to learn the truth..." Captain Sharp then went into his cabin, beckoning Charles to come as well. Charles did as was told. Captain Sharp went to his desk and brought out a box.
"What's in that?"
"The truth about your father..." Captain Sharp then opened the box, pulled out a piece of paper, and handed it it to Charles. The paper read:
August 24, 1736; We were attacked by that vicious "pirate", Captain Cruenta Mors Persoluta. He attack us and killed many of us, including the first mate, Mr. Walsh. We tried to save him and the rest of the victims, but were unable to. My God be with them. Captain Sharp, G.O.P.S. Leviathan.
Charles was stunned. He knew his father had died some years before, and he had always been told he was a British Merchant, killed by Spanish Privateers. But he didn't know that his father was a pirate, aboard the same vessel Charles himself was on.
"Who is this 'Captain Cruenta Mors Persoluta'?" Charles asked.
"He is the most vile being to have ever roamed he seven seas. He's no pirate, he's a murderer. He's a power hungry murderer at that. Your father was supposed to kill him, but Mors, as we call him, got him first."
==Chapter 4==
"So... my father was a pirate?"
"One of the best I've ever known."
"Sir, may I retire early?"
"Due to this revelation, aye." Charles went down to the bunks to rest and let his emotions get back in check. When he got down there, John was already down there. He had his back turned and his bandana off, the first time Charles ever saw it off. His hairs was unusually long, and lushish, more like a girl's hair, which went well below the shoulder's.
"Hey John..." Charles said. John gave a start and nearly hit the roof. He quickly turned around with a look of surprise on his face. Thing was... he didn't look like himself. "What's going on?"
"Ugh, so you finally found out."
"Found out what....?"
"Found out my deepest secret... the thing Captain Sharp found out over a week ago... the fact that I'm not really John Belgium."
"What!?!?"
"Yes, my name is really Emily Navigare, and as you can see... I'm not really a boy." He, or rather she, stood up. She was wearing a dress of white linen. Charles, for the second time, was stunned. Partly that his best friend was really a girl, bu also because she was gorgeous. Even posing as a boy for weeks, she was still drop dead gorgeous. She had straight, long, brown hair that went to your shoulders. Her her features, with the realization of her true identity, had suddenly turned more soft, her lips were ruby red. She had obviously cleaned up since the last time they saw each other. Her dress had long arm sleeves. She looked very fragile, like a leaf in the wind. "The Captain gave me this dress and told me to clean up. Tonight you were supposed to dine with the Captain, which we still shall, and you would have found out then."
"So, he knew the whole time."
"No, remember a week ago, when I dueled him, that's when he found out. My moves were too graceful to be done by any boy, is what he said."
"Ok..."
"Oh look, it's time to dine with he Captain now." as they headed out of the bunks, Charles held the door open for John, or rather Emily, and she punched him on the shoulder, hard. "I'm still me, remember?"
"Oh ya, right."
 ***
It was another week into the voyage, and the secret of Emily Navigare was definitely out of the bag. She now always wore her work dress, which was just a plain linen dress that went down to her mid shins, and always said how much more comfortable they were to boy's clothes. She still slept with the rest of the crew, but got changed in a curtained off area, thanks to the Captain. Charles found himself looking at Emily a lot, and she back at him.Captain Sharp was very supportive to Emily, always helping her if a rowdy crew member did something stupid. Like one night, a drunk crew man kept trying to kiss her (See? An old man trying to kiss a 13 year old girl? Stupid), and Captain Sharp say and forced him to the brig.
One day, Captain Sharp told Charles to come into the Captain's Cabin.
"So, how's Emily doing?" He asked.
"Good, she's doing fine, except for those few incidents, but otherwise great."
"Good, and how are you doing with her?"
"Come again?"
"Are you blind? She likes you Charles. The question is... do you?"
"Um... well..."
"Ah... so you do. I can tell that by how red your face has gotten. Just a tip, don't wait till it's too late."
"Aye, sir." Charles started to walk out.
"Oh, I never said we were done. I want to tell you why your father was meant to be the one to kill our friend Mors. Well, 10 years ago, Tia Dalma, the famous voodoo master, made a prophecy. It said: A new force of death is on the horizon. It is unbeatable but to a son of Walsh. If it is not killed, it will consume the world and turn it black. Cruenta Mors Persoluta. At first, we thought that end part was just some mystical mubo jumbo, but then when we heard about Captain Mors, we were certain she was telling us his name. Mors is a voodoo master, capable of destroying a whole fleet of ships with his dreaded De Percussore Staff. We looked and looked for a family named Walsh, then we found your father. You were just a we baby. We asked your father to come with us and help. He agreed, and came. For years we looked for Mors, and then he found us. We attacked him, but he blasted many of us, including your father, to dust. Literally, dust. I'm so sorry Charles." By then, there was tears in Charles' eyes. He now heard what had actually happened to his father, and now why he was here. He suddenly found some resolve and looked stern.
"Yes, now lets go kill this son of a gun."
==Chapter 5==
It's now been a full year out at sea for Charles and Emily. It's been a long one, fully of revelations, especially for Charles, but it has also been one of happiness. It was the 10th of August, 1744, and It was a bright and sunny day. Captain Sharp, now a good friend of Charles' , was at the helm of the Leviathan. He gave orders to the crew below. Everything was happy. Charles and Emily were off duty, sitting together and talking like they usually do. Captain Sharp came down from the helm to join them.
"Mighty hot weather, eh Mr. Walsh." the captain asked.
"Aye, very hot weather indeed."
"So, Emily, how is that new work dress suiting you?"
"Very good captain." A week before, Emily had grown out of her old work dress, and had been wearing what she used to wore when posing as a boy till they had stopped at Port Royal and the Captain had bought her a new one.
"Very good. And you like your new sword Charles?"
"Aye, it's much better than that old rusty one." The same day Emily got her new dress, Captain Walsh had also bought Charles a new sword, made with a filigree hand and a steel blade that could reflect sunlight and blind the people in the crow's nest.
"Good. So, you want to meet Mors?" Captain Sharp hadn't talked about the evil captain in a few months.
"Uh... I would like to give him a piece of my mind."
"Well now's your chance." Captain Sharp pointed off into the distance. On the horizon, there was a bank of eerie green tinted fog. It was moving quite fast toward the Leviathan.
"That's him?"
"Aye. He always keeps a bank of fog, made by his voodoo staff, around his ship. Much like what Jolly Roger does." Suddenly, the sky grew dark, and a bolt of lightening hit the deck. Where the lightening had struck, there stood a man, with all dark clothes and a face so frightening it could scare the barniculs off the hull. It was Captain Mors, in person. He pulled out a staff topped with a skeletal head, and used it to swirl the fog. Out of the fog came more people, all scary but not as scary as their captain.
"Mors." Captain Sharp said.
"Sharp." Mors replied. "You want to find me? Well here I am."
"Well, not just find you, but to also... KILL YOU, ATTACK!!!" Captain Sharp then drew his sword as did the rest of the crew. The two crews charged each other and hit like two bulls ramming each other. Shots from pistols and rifles rang out, and the clash of steel on steel rang out. Emily and Charles joined the fight, and worked together to destroy their opposition. One of Mors' crewmen took at swing at Emily, and nearly got her, but Charles parried the block, and stabbed the crewman in the gut. He started to spill sand out of the gash, like he was really a sand bag, and then totally dissipated in a pile at their feet.
"Thanks Charles." Emily yelled over the roar of battle. As she yelled, she grabbed Charles' hand for support.
"No problem." He yelled back, his hand tingling where she was holding him. They kept fighting, hand in hand. Charles saw Captain Sharp and Mors in deep combat. Then, Mors levitated a sword with his staff, and made it start dueling Captain Sharp. They dueled for a long time, and Charles was watching it all. Then, Sharp made the sword plunged it's self into the mast. Captain Sharp turned around and there was Mor, standing right in front of him.
"Fare well, my brother." Mors said to Captain Sharp, and plunged a sword he had picked up right into Captain Sharp's gut.
"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!" Charles yelled, and ran over to the fallen captain. Emily turned to see what Charles had run for, and screamed when she saw Captain Sharp, and also ran over. Mors and his men disappeared into the fog.
"You..." whispered Captain Sharp. "you must finish what your father has started..."
"But I..."
"No Charles, you are the one. Many men have given their lives for you. Please do not let them, and I die in vain." Tears were streaming down Charles's face, and nodded. "Charles... I'm giving you command of the ship... also, look into the box where I keep all but papers."
"No. You're gonna make it..."
"Charles, I was not meant to kill Mors, you are. My only wish is that I had had a son like you..." and with those words, Captain Sharp died. Charles stood up, with tears in his eyes, and looked to the crew that surrounded him. They all took off their hats in respect to their fallen captain.
"Captain Walsh?" said one of the the crew, by the name of Ian Wight. "What shall we do?"
"Does anyone know where his will is?" Charles asked.
"Yes, I believe it's in his desk drawer." one of the crewmen said. Charles went a grabbed the Captain's will. He read it out-loud.
"'The Last Will and Testament of Captain Samuel Sharp. I, Samuel Magister Et Imperator Sharp, being of sound mind and body, hereby distribute my items as follows. I leave my telescope and compass to Emily Navigare, so that she can help to find the way. I leave my sword and my command of the G.O.P.S. Leviathan, to Charles Walsh. Everything else is to be given to my sister, Anne Soror Sharp-Smith. As a last wish, I would like my body to be buried at the family crypt.'" After Charles read the will, he had the doctor aboard the ship wrap the body of Captain Sharp in extra canvas and quickly made for Port Royal, where the Sharp Family Crypt was. When he got there, we went straight for Captain Sharp's sister, and informed her of his passing. She gave a stern face, and demanded to see him. Once she saw her poor brother, she started to weep. The next day, they had a funeral, with the crew of the Leviathan, Anne Sharp, her husband and their children, and some other Gen. Of Peace guild members who knew the poor captain (The Gen. Of Peace were all over the Caribbean). The laid the body in a coffin, and placed the coffin inside the family crypt. Some of the attendees, including Charles and Emily, said a few words about the good captain. The crew of the Leviathan stayed in Port Royal for another day, and then set sail again after they resupplied.
==Chapter 6==
"It's sad what happened to Captain Sharp." Emily said. It was a week after the battle, and Emily and Charles were standing together by the helm. Charles had been thinking about Captain Sharp at that very moment.
"Ya... why did he have to die?"
"Everyone must die you know."
"Ya, but why did he have to die then?"
"There's a purpose for everything. Maybe that was his time?"
"I guess... I'm still gonna kill that son of a gun Mors for killing both of the people I think of as a father figure."
"Can't say I disagree with you there." Emily then put her hand on Charles' should. His shoulder tingled where she touched him. She leaned in close and whispered into his ear "Everything is gonna be ok, just see."
"I will search the ends of the Earth to find that no good Mors, and kill him." Charles said.
 ***
"Rise the main sail!" Charles had quickly gained much respect from the crew form only that one month under his command. The crew now officially recognize him as the Captain of the G.O.P.S. Leviathan. He could give a command and the crew would do it without even asking. For the past month, his hatred for Mors has gotten even stronger. He learned that Mors had been conducting raids on certain islands, for their resources. He had already hit Padres and Cuba. Charles was sailing for Ile D'Etable De Porc to get resupplied for his search for Mors. They landed at the dock at Porc. As the crew was resupplying, Charles and Emily decided to ask some people in the bar if they've heard anything about where Mors is. As they went inside the bar, Charles saw a familiar face. Arnold Le Cochon, a family friend, was there, drinking at the bar.
"Arnold! How are you?" Charles called out.
"Charles? By George, it really is you. Just horrible, horrible..." Arnold took a long drink of his grog.
"What's so horrible Arnold?"
"Captain Mors came to Tortuga. He raided it, and killed many. Totally sacked the town."
"And my mother?"
"I don't know. I haven't seen her, but I fear the worst." Emily grabbed Charles' hand.
"We've got to get to Tortuga..." Charles and Emily rushed out of the bar, and ran down the beach to the ship. "Men, prepare to set sail and make a heading for Tortuga Island!"
"But why are we going there?"
"Because, Mors just sacked it." At that, the whole crew scrabbled to load the last of the cargo and set sail right away. They went to full speed, at 24 knots. They got to Tortuga by night fall. The whole town was aflame, dead bodies littered the floor. The dock was half sunk in the water. Charles jumped off the row boat and ran to shore. Mors was clearly long gone. He rushed up to his old home, and ran inside. He searched the house from top to bottom, but couldn't see his mother anywhere. Then he heard a cry from just outside. He rushed over to to see his mother laying on the ground. She was in bad shape. Her clothes were torn and stained red, he skin blood and dirt covered. She had a big gash across her forehead. She was breathing heavily, as if not able to get enough oxygen.
"Mum.." Charles said as he knelt down next to her.
"Charles... is that really you?" She squinted at him as if she couldn't see clearly.
"Yes, it's me Mum." a tear rolled down Charles' face.
"You're such a good boy... I love you so much..."
"Mum, stop talking like that."
"I love you so much..."
"NO MUM, STOP. You Will NOT die. I NEED SOME HELP OVER HERE." At this time the crew rushed up to Where Charles and his mother were. The whole crew didn't say a word and took off their hats.
"I love you so much Charles..."
"I love you too mum..." Mrs. Walsh then smiled, and breathed her last. Charles leaned his head close, sobbing. He screamed at the sky with rage. He then got up and carried his mother to the house. He wrapped her in a sheet, got a plank of wood and made a grave marker. He dug a shallow trench. The next morning, he and the crew head a ceremony for all of those that died by Mors. They buried everyone that had died in a new graveyard on the beach. They helped the wounded get better. Many of the wounded wanted to join the crew to look for Mors to seek revenge. Emily was with Charles every second. After 3 months, they had rebuilt Tortuga, and most of the wounded were better. The Leviathan sailed off again.
==Chapter 7==
Charles was alone on the Quarter deck, late at night in November, staring at a map of the Caribbean. It had been months after the raid on Tortuga. Months of endless searching for Mors. They have yet to find him. More and more Pirate and Navy ships have gone missing, no wreckage or any sight of them. Many blamed they were lost out to see in a storm, but Charles knew better. Mors had taken the ships and was building an armada, one to conquer the world. Charles had been to every wild island in the Caribbean. From Tormenta to Rumrunner's, yet he still couldn't find any sign of Mors' base. On the map Charles' was holding was Xs where he knew Mors' base was not. Suddenly, he thought of something. The first place Mors had raided was Padres, and most of the ships disappeared near Padres... so Mors' base was at Padres De Feugo. He rushed down to the bunks and yelled "Men, wake up! We are changing out heading. Full speed to Padres Del Feugo!"
The crew rushed out of bed and quickly had the Leviathan change direction from their original route of Raven's Cove to Padres. It took them a couple of days to get to Padres. The decided it would best if they waited out by Cutthroat Isle before searching Padres for Mors. Emily met up with Charles on the Quarter deck.
"You really think he's there?" she asked.
"Every indication points to it." Charles replied.
"I know you want revenge on what has happened to your family. He killed your parents, and Captain Sharp... well, just be careful."
"Aye, I will." At dawn the ext day, the Leviathan sailed around Padres to the backside of the island, near Las Pulgas. They turned the corner.
"Oh dear lord..." one of the crewmen standing near Charles whispered. The whole crew couldn't believe their eyes. Out in front of them was an armada, at least 5,000 ships in all. They all waved the same flag, one of a blood red cross. On each ship were hundreds of men, wearing the same tattered clothes. It was the Mors Armada. Out in front was a ship that looked different than the rest. It looked like a Death Omen, but it had the same crew and flag as the other ships. It was the Death Reaper. Charles brought his spyglass to his eye. At the helm was Captain Mors himself. Mors lifted his staff into the aim, and aimed it at the Leviathan. 20 ships of the armada started sailing toward the Leviathan. This time, Mors was not planning on capturing the ship as he did for the rest of the Armada, he was planning to destroy it.
"Alright men, we've come this far, now let's finish what we have started." Charles was wearing the same thing Captain Sharp always wore. The Club Long-coat, the Blue Shirt, the tricorne, and all. He pulled out the sword Captain Sharp had given him that last day. "All men, to battle stations! Hard left turn!" The crew immediately sprang into action. The Leviathan changed course and had it's full broadside to the upcoming enemy ships. The enemy ships got close. The Death Reaper was sitting, waiting for his ships to do the dirty deed.
"Steady men..." Charles said. Emily was standing next to him, decked out in her battle outfit. She had four single shot pistols and two swords, along with a mess of daggers and grenades. Charles knew she could handle herself. The whole crew had weapons also, and they were all stationed on a gun at all four levels.
"Fire at will!!" Charles yelled.
"Fire!" Emily screamed as well. Every cannon on the starboard side of the sip fired into the formation of enemy ships. The cannon balls, including chain shot and grape shot as well as solid shot, hit the enemy ships. They torn a lot of the sails off and some of the crews on the ships were torn in half. The cannons from the Leviathan fired at a consistent rate. One ball struck the powder magazine of one of the enemy ships and the whole ship blew up in a fireball. The enemy ships then turned and started to fire upon the Leviathan themselves. A ball hit one of the Leviathan's masts, and the whole mast fell of into the water. The men changed the shot they were using, ad started using Thunderbolt, Fury, and Explosive shots. Charles drove the Leviathan into the mass of enemy ships. He got withing 10 yards of them, and the crew broadsided them. With each broadside, they crippled another ship. Each time they destroyed a ship, Mors sent into another to take it's place. Fires broke out in the lower gun deck from a firebrand fire from an enemy ship. The Leviathan kept shooting everything it had on the enemy ships. One enemy ship, with a spare at it's bow, rammed into the Leviathan, puncturing a hole into it's ship. The whole cargo hold filled with water, but the cannons were un effected for they were on the deck directly above it. They used explosive to sink the spare ship, and thunderbolt to sink a War Sloop that was shooting at the Leviathan's sails.
==Chapter 8==
"Captain, I don't know how much she can take!" The chief repairer on board the Leviathan yelled to Charles.
"She can hold long enough!" Charles yelled back. They kept fighting and destroying vessels. Then, a Ship of the Line came, and was about to broadside with explosive, and the whole crew on the Leviathan prepared to be blow the pieces. Suddenly, the other ship blew up instead. Out of the smoke left behind came another ship, but this one didn't look at all like the enemy ships. It flew a blue flag, and had gold symbol all over it. Charles picked up him spyglass and saw that it was named the TSOLS Maelstrom. The crew was wearing all white and bright blues, and at the helm was Bill Plunderbones. The Maelstrom pulled up alongside the Leviathan, just within yelling distance.
"Hey Charles, looks like I got here in the nick of time." Bill yelled from his ship.
"Aye, ye have." Charles yelled back.
"We can handle the armada, you go after Mors." with that, Bill sailed into the mess of enemy ships, and blew them out of the water. Charles turned the Leviathan into a tight left turn, and aimed the bow right at the Death Reaper. Mors raised his staff, and shot a dark green and black bolt of lightening into the sky. Immediately, the sky began to dark and dark clouds came rolling in. The waves tripled in size, and it became very dark. Rain began to pour like a waterfall, the currents began to change direction, and began to swirl into a giant whirlpool.
"Maelstrom." Charles whispered to himself. He kept the Leviathan heading straight for the Death Reaper, with the maelstrom in between them. The Death Reaper advanced on them as well. Right before the Leviathan played into the whirl pool, Charles brought it into a hard right turn. He had the Leviathan ride the current of the maelstrom. The Death Reaper did the same.
"Charles, don't tell me you're gonna do what Captain Barbossa did at the Maelstrom." Emily yelled over wind, referencing the epic battle between the Brethren Court against the EITC and the Flying Dutchman.
"That's exactly what I'm planning." Charles yelled back. He had the broadsides of the Leviathan line up with the Death Reaper and yelled "FIRE!" As the cannons of the Leviathan opened fire on the Death Reaper, the Death Reaper opened fire on the Leviathan. The two ships kept circling each other, firing broadsides, all the while being sucked deeper into the maelstrom.
 ***
As the Leviathan battled the Death Reaper, Bill Plunderbones was busy destroying the armada. Ship after ship attacked the Victory Maelstrom. Bill thought it as ironic that his ship was named maelstrom, and there was a real maelstrom just behind him. As the funny thought hit him, so did an enemy ship rammed his. The Victory Maelstrom had extra armor, so hit took the hit with ease. The maelstrom then fired a broadside of lighting bolts at the attacking ship, and finished it off. He had the Victory Maelstrom go into a tight turn, nearly missing a Ship of the Line bent on ramming him. The Ship of the Line, instead, rammed an enemy sloop that was on the rear of Victory Maelstrom, and sunk it. The Ship of the Line then jammed it's self onto some rocks near the shore of Padres. Bill then did a hard left turn, nearly missing a broadside from an enemy War Frigate, while keeping his own cannons on two other ships, which he had broadsided and sunk. Two enemy ships started to bare down on the Victory Maelstrom, cannons ready to sweep the ship with cannon fire. Bill then pulled a lever by the wheel and a mechanical click could be heard. Two giant blades, as long as a yardarm, sung out from each side of the ship. It was a deadly device Bill had put there when the ship was built, and it was useful during times like this. As the two ships didn't have enough time to turn, the four blades ripped the deck on each of the enemy ships apart. It cut crewmen in half, torn up rigging, and chopped down masts. As the ships were being torn apart, the Maelstrom's crew fired broadsides into them, making the enemy ships completely useless. Bill smiled at his device, pushed the lever forward, and had the blades retract back into it's hidden area.
 ***
The Leviathan was still pounding the Death Reaper. The Leviathan it's self was getting a pounding; there were big holes in the sails from where chain shot had been shot. The amount of water in the cargo hold, along with the whirlpool, was making the whole ship tilt dangerously to the port side. The men in the rigging could easily see into the gaping hole of the maelstrom. Soon, there would be no way the Leviathan could hold on, yet the crew kept pounding the Death Reaper.
"Sir, we can't hold much longer. Either we run or perish." yelled a crew member Charles.
"I have a better idea. EVERYONE, PREPARE TO BOARD!" Charles yelled over the cannon fire and rain.
"What about the ship?" another crew member asked.
"It will be a sacrifice, but a necessary one if we want to survive this." Charles replied. The whole crew was stunned. The Leviathan was going to be lost, sunken forever most likely. Charles left the helm, ran over to the ride of the ship, jumped up on the banister, and grabbed a rope. "Is anyone going with me?"
"Aye!" Emily yelled, and jumped up with Charles. The rest of the crew saw the direness of the situation, and also grabbed ropes.
"On the count of three." Charles yelled, "One... two...THREE!" The whole crew leaped from the Leviathan, swung out over the whole of the Maelstrom, and landed on the Death Reaper. As soon as they landed, they started attacking the crew members with hand to hand combat, pistols, swords, daggers, anything. Charles looked over his shoulder back at the Leviathan, just as the huge ship hit the center of the maelstrom, got sucked beneath the waves, and sunk to a watery grave. He saluted the ship, turned back around, and started to attack the crew men themselves. Mors, though, was no where to be seen, so Charles had to fight the crewmen AND try to find Mors. This was a fight to the death, they all knew. Whoever won this, won the battle.
 ***
Back on the Victory Maelstrom, Bill had just so happened turned around when the crew of the Leviathan boarded the Death Reaper, and witnessed the sinking of the Leviathan. Bill cursed aloud to himself, mainly because he was afraid of what Lawrence will say when he learned about the sinking. He then saw that Charles and most of the crew were aboard the Death Reaper, and wished them luck. He then turned back around to his own foes: two Ship of the Lines. He swerved out of the way of a broadside of one of them, while lining up his own broadside to the other. A round of explosive nearly sunk the second Ship of the Line, but not quite. The Victory Maelstrom nearly got hit by a round of fire shot from the second Ship o the Line, but it missed and hit the first Ship of the Line. Bill got into broadside position again, and another two broadsides of explosive sunk both Ship of the Lines. A job well done in Bill's book. He just hoped in Charles' as well.
 ***
Charles was doing a good job, except he was losing a lot of men and still couldn't find Mors. Then suddenly, the rail near him exploded in a shower of splinters. Up on the quarterdeck, stood Mors, staff in hand. Mors slowly walked down the stairs. Everyone on the ship stopped fighting, and turned to look at Mors.
"You've fought valiantly, Charles Walsh, yet you will never be able to win." Mors said in his husky tone. "You should have stayed with your mother, but she's gone now as well. Well, you'll be seeing them soon. It's time for you to meet your fate,t he same way your father did..." and with that, Mors shot a curse from his staff at Charles.
"NO!!!" Emily screamed. Then, right before the curse hit Charles, Charles lifted his blade, and using it's reflection, bounced the curse into the rigging. Mors looked confused for a minute, but kept a steady stream of the red colored light that was the curse coming from the staff. Charles then hand an idea. He turned the sword a little bit, and directed the beam into one of Mors' crewmen. The was crewman instantly vaporized. Charles then turned the blade a bit more, and directed it straight back to Mors' staff. The beam hit the staff, and in instantaneously exploded in a brilliant light. Mors was thrown back 20 feet, and into the back wall of the ship. Mors then got up, and started to advance, arm outstretched like he was going to choke him, toward Charles, who was getting to his feet. Then, suddenly, Mors fell. Mors' feet were turning to ash.
"Arrg!" Mors wailed in agony. He crawled with his hands toward Charles. Mors was being burned up, and now the ash was up to his thighs. He kept crawling, and then it was up to his waist. Then his stomach, and his chest. Then Mors flipped over onto his back and said "This is not the end..." And the rest of him turned into ash, and blew away in the breeze. Mors' crewmen then fell to the deck, made of just sand and voodoo. The storm stopped, and many of the enemy ships totally broke apart, and turned back into piles of driftwood. The rest just stopped. The battle was over, and Charles had won.
"WOHOO!" the whole crew yelled, and ripped off their hats and tossed them into the air. Emily ran over to Charles, jumped into his arms, and kissed him. The stayed there in an embrace for a long time, then when they broke apart, they started to laugh.
 ***
The ships had suddenly stopped attacking the Victory Maelstrom, and many had just fallen apart. Bill looked back to the Death Reaper, and say the crew of the Leviathan tossing their hats.
"We won!" He yelled to the crew. They too were overjoyed at having one, and tossed their own hats into the air. "Now lets turn this puppy around and us all home."
==Chapter 9==
The Victory Maelstrom and the Death Reaper, being crewed by the old Leviathan crew, sailed North. Bill was leading them to the Gen. Of Peace headquarters on Peace Island. They sailed all the way north, past Tortuga. They kept sailing into uncharted waters, until an island came into view. They sailed into the large bay of the island and rowed to the long sandy beach. Bill lead them to a small shack.
"Welcome to the Gen. Of Peace HQ." Bill said.
"Rather small, isn't it?" Charles observed.
"Trust me, on the inside, it's rather impressive." Bill then opened the door. Inside, there was a large stair case heading into the bedrock of the island. They went down 10 flights of stairs, and exited in a large lobby. It was huge, all made of marble. On the walls, large paintings were hung, with the portraits of many people. Large tapestries were also hung at intervals, all having the same design of the Gen. Of Peace flag. There were also some French and British flags as well. There were many people doing many different duties. Many hurrying between different hallways. "This complex stretches all from here, to 2 miles north and south, and 10 stories down."
"But how could you have built such a massive complex?" Charles asked.
"We of Daggerpaine Industries, which is an company Lawrence Daggerpaine founded himself, have very good engineers, needless to say. They built the Leviathan by the way."
"Wow..." Bill then lead the crew of the Leviathan through the lobby.
"That portrait is me." Bill said as he pointed to one of the large portraits. "And that one is Lawrence himself." He said as they neared the far wall. The portrait consisted of a dark blue background. The man that covered most of painting was of a man, around 30 years of age. He was wearing a Black Cavalier hat, a club long coat like what Charles was wearing right then, and a Valentine shirt. He had a large tattoo around his left eye, and large side burns. It was positioned over a large doorway.
"Is this the to like the thrown room? Or Lawrence's private office?" Charles asked.
"No no no, Law's office is down that hall," Bill explained, pointing down one of the hall ways, "and we have no thrown room. We are pirates, not royalty, as Law says. He had a huge library put in. I know, not very piratey, but Law grew up as a wealthy noble, and always loves to read... and we have to abide by his whims." Bill opened the huge doors, and ushered the crew in. The library was massive. It was at least 5 stories tall, and had enough books to fill 10 museums. All the bookshelves, which reached to the ceiling, were made of dark red woods. The walls were painted red. There was gold inlay-ed into the moldings, the furniture was made of deep red silks, and a large fireplace was at the far end of the room. In one of the chairs, a man was sitting, deeply engrossed in his book. Charles could only see the back of his head, but what he say was a man with brown hair, with a black cavalier hat and a black coat. He also had on dark black pants, and large red boots. Bill then cleared his throat, and the man got up. When the man turned around, he was wearing a Halloween shirt. It was Lawrence Daggerpaine.
"Pleasure to meet you, sir." Charles said as Lawrence walked over to them.
"Hello, Charles Walsh. The pleasure is all mine. By the way, please do call me Law." Law then took Charles in a firm handshake.
"Hey Law." Bill said.
"Hey Bill. How was the fun?" Law asked.
"Very fun, better than writing documents."
"So true. Well, we'd better let Mr. Walsh and his crew rest, then we shall celebrate his victory tonight. There are rooms already waiting for you. I'll let my friend James take you down to them, and if you need anything, please do ask." When the crew had thanked him, and left, Law then turned to Bill. "So the Leviathan sunk?"
"Aye, in a maelstrom as I had said in my message."
"Send the recovery team to bring it back up. It's long in need of some updates anyway."
"Aye."
"Oh, and Bill, keep this quiet, for now."
"Right."
 ***
That night, a large ball was held in the ballroom of the GOP Complex. There was food and drink, music and dancing. Charles noticed Emily watching all the people dancing. Sh was wearing a blue satin dress, new clothes given to her by Lawrence. Charles was also in his new clothes, which were a Fleet Long Coat, a Valentine Shirt, Blue Trousers, and new boots. He walked over to Emily.
"You want to dance?" he asked her.
"I thought you'd never ask." she replied. The took each others' hand, and waltzed the night away...
==Afterward==
Charles stayed with the Gen. Of Peace as a captain of an unknown ship till he was 30, then became the 5th GM of the guild. 5 years after the Battle of the Second Maelstrom, Charles and Emily married, and had 2 kids together, a son and a daughter. In the present day, researchers have found the remains of cannons said to have belonged to the Mors fleet, but no evidence has been found of the Leviathan. The cannon's of the Leviathan, which should have survived, had the symbol of the Leviathan, the skull with the tentacles, but no cannons recovered have not had that marking. No records of what happened to the Leviathan, and decedents of the high officers of the Gen. Of Peace have been unwilling to let any information out. The mystery of what happened to the Leviathan after the Battle of the Second Maelstrom shall remain a mystery for years to come.
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