Danica
1
The sharp cold of steel against my throat jolts my senses awake, and I struggle to keep my vision from blurring into oblivion. Before me stands a burly pirate, a scar slashing from his temple to his jawline, his eyes glinting with suspicion and curiosity.
"Well, well, what do we have 'ere?" he growls, pressing the blade further.
RhylandandErikare passed out beside me, their unmoving forms a stark reminder of the witch's cruelty. I fear she may have drained them, too, or worse.
Here I am, stuck in this absurd situation, my heart beating fast. And why, you ask? Because apparently, Captain Barbossa's long-lost brother, decided to park his pirate booty right in my way, making it impossible for me to check on my guys.
Could this situation get any more ridiculous?
Honestly, I feel like I'm in a bad parody of"The Goonies," except instead of searching for treasure, I'm trying to navigate this labyrinth of lunacy. My mind is spinning fast, desperately trying to understand how we managed to land ourselves in this predicament.
I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart and gather my thoughts. "Look, I know this seems strange," I manage to say, my voice strained but steadier than I feel. "We mean you no harm, I swear."
The pirate chuckles with a rough, gravelly voice that echoes across the deck. "Mean us no harm, eh? You must think we're daft." He bellows to his crewmates, "Seize 'em, lads!"
Before I can react, other pirates surround us, grabbing hold of Rhyland and Erik's unconscious bodies and binding them with thick ropes. I'm yanked off my feet, a cry of pain escaping me as my body protests the rough handling. My arms are tied tightly behind my back, the ropes biting into my skin.
Dragged through the ship, the salt air stings my neck wound, my head feels like it's about to explode, and the constant sway of the deck beneath me exacerbates my nausea. I'm shoved into a dank, dimly lit hold in the ship's bowels, the walls slick with moisture and the air thick with the smell of salt and decay.
My brilliant plan to conjure a portal to the safety of my apartment? Yeah, that worked out spectacularly.
Instead of sipping coffee in my cozy living room, we're now standing on a pirate ship, of all places. Bravo, me! I've really outdone myself this time. The portal must've detoured through the land of "let's make things as complicated as possible" before unceremoniously dumping us here. So, now the million-dollar question is: whose ship is this, and how in the world did my portal misfire so epically?
I swear, if this is the universe's idea of a practical joke, I'm not laughing.
As I struggle to make sense of our predicament, the scar-faced pirate looms over me, his breath hot and stinky. "Arr, ye better start talkin'. What brings ye to our ship, and why shouldn't we be tossin' ye to the sharks?"
I manage to lift my head, meeting his gaze through my exhaustion. "A misfire," I admit, forcing the words out. "I tried to open a portal to safety, but something went wrong. We landed here by mistake."
The pirate narrows his eyes, suspicion mixing with a hint of intrigue. "Ye expect me to believe that, do ye?"
"It's the truth," I state as my head swims. "We're trying to stop a war that threatens all realms."
"Portals don't exist, lass—haven't for a long time. Now, tell me," he snarls, leaning closer, "what sorcery ye wield?"
Wonderful. Time for another round of "Explain Yourself to the Otherworlders." You’d think the universe could just hang up a big fat neon sign saying, "Savior Incoming," and save me the trouble.
A murmur runs through the gathered pirates, uncertainty and fear flickering in their eyes. The door to the hold swings open at that moment, and a tall figure steps inside. He exudes authority and commands immediate respect from the pirates.
"What's the meanin' of this?" the man asks, his gaze sweeping over us.
The scar-faced pirate straightens, clearly addressing his superior. "Found these intruders, Cap'n. They claim to have no idea how they got 'ere and speak of some war—some great danger."
The man steps closer, his sea-green eyes settling on me. "Explain yourself," he demands.
"Look, Captain," I sigh, my words heavy with exhaustion, "I'm here to find the Aquanite Stone. There's a big bad who's trying to break through the realms, and it's up to me to stop him and save all your asses."
The Captain raises an eyebrow, "What are ye going on about, lass? What stone? And who?"
I open my mouth to give him a snarky response, but suddenly, the world starts spinning like a top. My vision blurs, and I sway unsteadily. I blink rapidly, trying to clear the spots dancing before my eyes, but it's useless. My body's decided it's had enough, and it's staging a revolt.
"Please... just listen," I whisper, my voice fading as my strength wanes.
The floor rushes up to meet me, and I dimly wonder if this is how it ends—passing out at the feet of a pirate captain. Not exactly the heroic move I had in mind.
