Chapter 1: In the midst of battle

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"Wars are always madness: all is lost in war, all is to be gained in peace." -Pope Francis



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"FIRE!"


The cannons on deck screamed as they expelled their forty-two-pound balls of fiery death at their target smoke plumed into sight amid the aftermath.

I covered my ears as the shots went off, the power of the blasts vibrating the deck below my feet. 

Though I could still hear them through my protected ears hurtling towards their target. When the roar of the cannons fell silent I acted once more, clearing out the inner barrel of the cannon.

I flinched as a shot struck the sea in front of us, splashing seawater onto the deck. Some of us flinched though we had already been sopping wet from the heavy downpour from the heavens above.

God knows getting wet was the least of our concerns at the moment.

I grabbed the sponge and cleaned the barrel of sparks. Together the loader and I primed the cannon. Sheathing the black powder packet and ball into the barrel. 

Just as we finished, a cry called from the deck. "Incoming!" Someone cried as a volley of shots hurled at our ship.

My veins ran cold with fear as I ducked down, the shots struck the ship like wrathful hail taking a few unfortunate souls amidst their implosive chaos. Someone screamed as I prayed that none would strike the powder storage.

It was only then after the volleys had stopped. That I realized it was me who was screaming. When the bombardment had momentarily ceased, I took the opportunity to peek from my flimsy cover.

To my horror, the only thing remaining of my loader was a red paste.

My shock did not last long, our captain bellowed orders from the helm, his helmsman dead. 

He had taken the wheel now. 

It was surely our end.

"Fire! Fire all! Sink those blasted Bastards! FIRE!" Our captain screamed at us. Obediently I lit the fuse on the Linstock and stood back covering my ears.

The cannon screamed to life once more and spit its hot metal at the hulking ship barreling towards us on the storm-raged sea. The shots struck the enemy ship's large hull merely chipping its paint.

None aboard celebrated the successful hit. We were too shocked by the fact that the ship was hurtling toward us not breaking its speed.

"She's aiming to crash into us!" Someone behind me exclaimed fear cracking his voice. I felt my eyes widen in fear as I stumbled back slipping on the wet deck and falling to it. Someone helped me to my feet just in time to see the bow of the British beast slam into our hull cracking it.

The force of the strike threw me over the side and into the black depths. I felt the cold water engulf me, swallowing me whole.

As I fell under the surface I watched in fear as the entire hull of my ship implode into a brilliant light scorching those still on the ship. My fear turn to abject horror as I swore something large rose from the darkness below. Its large mouth opening wide as it rose towards the British ship.

Only for my limited vision, to turn into complete black.


Moments later, I coughed and puked wretched seawater. I rolled onto my back and helped myself wretch the water from my lungs, when I finished. I let my forehead drop into the sand as I realized that somehow I drifted ashore.

𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕾𝖍𝖔𝖗𝖊𝖜𝖗𝖊𝖈𝖐𝖊𝖉 ~AU~ Captain Amelia x Male ReaderWhere stories live. Discover now