BLOOD CURSE

~ TWENTY SIX ~

Responding to the attack, the crew of The Flying Dutchman moved to protect their Captain from the two Vampyre's, brandishing their own swords. James and Caleb refused to be deterred and began separating the sailors, using their speed to lead them on a dangerous game of chases.

Slicing their way through the sailors, they fought to get closer to the villain attempting to take their saviour from them. Noticing that the beginning of the plan had been carried out, the remaining six immediately drew their weapons and charged into the fray, yelling random obscenities. Jonathan tossed Lyria aside, twirling her as he did so that she would be dazed enough to need to take a moment to get her bearings.
A moment that allowed the crew to dive into the fight without Lyria being able to prevent them

"Caleb, no! Stop it, all of you!" Lyria screeched, watching as her crew and The Flying Dutchman locked swords in combat. "STOP FIGHTING THEM!"

Caleb hadn't spoken a word to his Captain in the last few days, and whilst he had been angry with her, he had been busy devising a plan to ensure she wouldn't be stolen away from them. No matter how hurt he had been by her actions, he wouldn't be able to lose her.

Hearing Lyria's yells, The Mermaid's Revenge poured onto their deck to see what all the raucous was about. For moments, all they could do was stare at the scene in front of them with awe and slight fear upon seeing the man of myths. Davy Jones was considered a monster created by sailors, in order to frighten the young lads who decided to try their hand at navigating the sea. They never believed he could be real.

On the other hand, the humans didn't know whether they should be frightened of the elongated canines and scary eyes that had appeared on the faces of Lyria's crew. Especially when they began tearing into the necks of Davy Jones' crew, only to spit out a black liquid.

Davy Jones himself was currently fending off James and Caleb, and Lyria noticed with a small amount of pride, he was faltering against their vicious blows, fuelled by fear and fury.

Charging past her, Lucien and Jordyn attacked the enemy, ready to defend Lyria until their last breath. Which it would be given how fragile the human body seemed to be.

"Lucien!" Lyria cried in horror, watching as he received a small slash on the arm.

As much as she hated to admit it, her crew were hopelessly outnumbered due to the fact that the search parties had not yet returned. Lyria sent a prayer to whatever mystical being was looking down at the scene with amusement, that her crew would be okay before she pulled out her own sword and defended Jordyn's back from an oncoming attack.

Horror coursed through the Vampyre once she saw the crew of The Mermaid's Revenge swinging onto her deck, weapons ready in their hands, and charging at anything that tried to attack them.

"For our Captains!" Tomas yelled, clearly leading the assault, nodding at
Lyria.

Her heart warmed as she heard him refer to his Captain (even after what he had witnessed them turning into) and she felt Lucien's pride through the bond. Together, her crews would defend her against The Flying Dutchman, and hopefully, together they woul be victorious. Allowing her fangs to snap into place, she hissed at her attacker before ripping out his throat.

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Lyria was unable to pinpoint the exact moment that the battle tipped in favour of Davy Jones but she noticed that the humans were beginning to tire, and the Vampyres were too focused on the smell of blood and defending their new crew members. Skewering a man covered in shells, Lyria kicked him off her sword before swinging around and clashing swords with Maria. Smirking to each other, they both ran through soldiers that had sneaked up behind the other, biting them to ensure they died, before going their separate ways.

Charging past some of the fallen, Lyria's heart clenched when she passed Tomas, eyes lifeless and a gaping hole in his chest. The man who had hated her, only to come to her rescue in the end, had fought gallantly. Only to end up lying on the deck of The Crimson Rose, blood and life draining from his body.
Quickly bending down to close his eyes, she pressed a small kiss to his forehead before promising to come back and bury him properly.

She'd only taken two steps when she noticed Elijah's desiccated body. A wooden stake was buried into his heart, and his skin had turned a sickening shade of gray. Heart aching, she bent down to pull the wooden monstrosity out of his heart. Poor, sweet, Elijah. He had been young in both human and Vampyre terms but he was always so full of spirit and kindness.

Pushing on, Lyria tried to channel her pain into strength.
Surrounded by the sounds of clanging metal and the screams of wounded men, Lyria scanned the battlefield, automatically searching for her Second and Third. James was gallantly defending Jordyn's back, using teeth and sword to tear down anyone in his way and Caleb - wait, where was Caleb?

Adrenaline and pure fear coursed through her as she failed to spot the handsome features of her Third, especially now that she knew The Flying Dutchman also had swords of wood.

Lyria's heart stopped.

"CALEB!!"

It was too late.

Caleb's mouth formed an 'O' shape, his bright blue eyes (slowly darkening) were wide with shock, and his own blood was staining his previously white shirt. What sickened Lyria most was the ghastly, jagged, sharp wooden sword piercing through his body, right through his body.
Davy Jones stood behind him, grinning madly before tossing the body overboard, before it even had time to desiccate.

James bellowed as he saw the body of his brother fall and he abandoned Jordyn, severing the head's off anyone who got too close to him. In his rage, all he cared about was murdering Davy Jones. However, Lyria barely registered any of James' destruction.

Grabbing a wooden beam, she snapped it into a smaller stake before sprinting to the bow of The Crimson Rose. She knew she couldn't let the bloodshed go on any longer, and so she was left to complete the second plan to break the curse all on her own.

She was faintly aware of the arrival of the rest of her crew, who watched with horror as Caleb had fallen, the chest in between them and the key around Lucille's neck.

"DAVY JONES!" Lyria's voice thundered across all three ships, where the fighting had spilled out, bringing everyone to a standstill.

All fighting ceased.

James had stopped at the side of the ship as he had been about to jump in after his brother, staring at his Captain with a different type of despair once he saw what was in her hands. Lucien tried to push his way closer to the woman he was falling in love with but was pushed aside by the notorious man himself.

Jordyn grabbed his arm and pulled him back, knowing that whatever Lyria was about to, had to happen. This is what the Vampyre had refused to reveal only hours before.

Noticing she had his attention, Lyria raised her dagger and makeshift stake.
"I am the person you want. However, you may not have me. My deadline may be up but I do know how to break your wretched curse. My blood will undo the destruction you have unleashed. And I am prepared to spill every drop."

Dragging the dagger across her throat, she felt the blood pour down her neck before plunging the stake into her heart.
This is what the curse demanded. Lyria's blood was needed to undo the curse but the true price to pay was sacrificing her life.

Gasping at the intense burning sensation spreading through her body, she didn't hear the cries from her crew as she leant back and let the sea claim her.