The Cursed Fleet: A Sea of Thieves Story

Chapter 6: The Prize

       "Hey! What the hell do you think you're do-?!" shouted the captain, before falling to the deck, as the brigantine slammed to a halt, with the Wicked Revenge circling like a shark, slowly, and ready to attack at any moment. The other two members of the brigantine's crew stormed the top deck from below, pistols drawn, and all of them focused on John, as he smiled smugly.

       "Ahoy mates!" shouted Les from behind them. They turned around to see the galleon's captain standing beside their helm. Les had climbed aboard the ship, once she'd stopped, and the crew was focused on John. When the crew turned their backs to John, he drew his sword, slashing two of them in the back, bringing them to their knees in pain, and leaving the captain unscathed, as he glared at the two pirates who had stormed his deck. John kneeled down, holding his cutlass at the throat of one wounded crew members, and pointing his flintlock, at the head of the other.

       "What the hell do you want, you damned pirates?!" demanded the captain. Les began pacing side to side on the ships deck.

       "It's simple really. We want your treasure." He answered.

       "Treasure? We've no treasure, only contracted goods for the Alliance!"

       "Ah, we'll be taking those too." The captain's face turned red with anger.

       "You're not taking anything, and we don't have no treasure!" he shouted

       "I see... so, if I were to wander below deck, and take a peek for myself, I'd find... nothing?" asked Les. The merchant captain began to shake, and reached for his pistol. "I don't recommend that mate..."

       "You go below decks, and it'll be the last thing you do." Said the merchant captain. Les grinned as he took one step onto the staircase leading below decks. Just then the merchant drew his pistol and the sound of a flintlock being fired ripped through the salt scented air. The merchant turned to see his crewmate vanish is to a green glow, and his other, frightened for his life. When he turned back to Les he was met with the end of a cutlass.

       "I'll be tellin' ye again mate. Don't threaten me." Growled Les. The merchant dropped his pistol to the ground, and got down to his knees, with his hands behind his head.

       "Take what you want, but please don't kill anyone else." He begged "It's all down below." Les smiled and walked downstairs. He was greeted by loads of treasure and merchant cargo. Spices, silks, and gemstones were piled on top of treasure chests covered in gold and rubies, and even two barrel shaped chests, the legendary Chest of a Thousand Grogs. He walked back up the stairs and noticed a rowboat docked to the ship.

       "Master Loobe, escort the remaining crew members to the rowboat." He turned towards the Wicked Revenge, and pulled out his speaking trumpet. "Bring her in Chris, the haul is ours!" The large pirate vessel turned slowly into the brig, hauling in her last unfurled sail, crawling to a stop on her port side. Chris and Nick stepped aboard the brigantine, and looked at their captain for instruction.

       "Where's the loot?" asked Nick.

       "It's down below mates, tons of it, start moving it over." Replied Les. The two of them went below decks, and began moving loot from one ship to the other, and Les proceeded to the back of the ship, where John was watching the two remaining crew members.

       "What's the plan cap'n?" he asked. "We killin' 'em?"

       "No, no, no mate, that wouldn't make much sense." Answered Les. "We let them live." John looked over at his captain, confused.

       "We let them live?" he said "And why the hell would we do that?"

       "Someone needs to tell people what happened here today." He replied, grinning. "So, they'll paddle themselves to an outpost, and make sure that everyone knows, who attacked them... The Wicked Revenge." This made John smile as he slashed the ropes keeping the rowboat docked.

       "Get the hell outta here mates, before me captain changes his mind!" the merchant captain grabbed the oars, and began paddling furiously towards the south, towards Ancient Spire Outpost. John turned to his captain, and held out his hand. "I believe I owe ye a powder monkey" he said.

       Les shook John's hand, "It's good to have you" he said, with a smile.

       "What the hell?!" shouted a voice from below deck, as tavern music began playing.

       "What is it Nicholas?" asked Les.

       "This damned chest has made me drunk!" Just then he slowly stumbled up the stairs and to the ladder on their galleon, with Chris following closely behind, carrying the other Chest of a Thousand Grogs, however, rather than looking angry or frustrated, he looked quite enthused.

       "That's the last of it captain!" shouted Chris.

       "Aye, make ready to sail for Galleon's Grave, I'll do one final sweep of the ship." Said Les. As he walked below decks, he noticed a gunpowder keg below deck, tucked behind some barrels. 

       "Mates, they've got powder!" Shouted Les, just then John ran below deck.

       "I'll take care of it, get back to the ship." He said.

       "Are you sure?"

       "Aye cap'n, I'll be there shortly" replied John.

       Les proceeded back to the Revenge, and they unfurled the mizzen mast to half sail, and began to pull away from the brigantine. Les turned around and pulled his spyglass out, to see John lunging of the stern of the brigantine, towards them. Just then, a massive explosion tore through the vessel, throwing it out of the sea for a moment, before is splashed back down, and began to sit rather low in the water. John, who was dripping wet with seawater, approached the crew, now gathered on the back railing of the ship to watch the spectacle.

       "No loose ends." Said John, with a sly grin.

       Just as he finished his statement, the brig's bow dropped into the water, and the ship plummeted to her watery tomb.