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Maisie sat on Red with her back up against the newly repaired boat. Jacob and (Y/n) sat next to each other in the boat reading Maisie's book, with (Y/n)'s head nuzzled against Jacob's chest.
"It says here, that during the dark times, the beast destroyed a town on the coast of Kra' Zoul." Jacob read. "But we been up and down that coast, and I ain't never seen no town, destroyed or otherwise."
Jacob flipped through a few more pages. "A-And we don't say 'yar' half this much."
"I don't know, Jacob. You do say 'yar' quite a lot." (Y/n) teased.
Jacob playfully glared down at her. "Not this much. Look, e-every other page, we're shouting 'yar.' I mean, this is just nonsense."
"Says you." Maisie said, standing up. "But the book says otherwise, and it's going to outlast all of us. So people will believe that beasts destroy towns that don't exist, and hunters like to say 'yar'" she explained.
"But if that ain't true, how are you supposed to know what is?" Jacob asked.
"And how do we know that the beasts ever plucked ladies out of their veggie patches? That there really were dark times? Maybe they didn't start this war." Maisie theorized.
Jacob furrowed his brows in thought. "Maybe, but...why would we?"
(Y/n) hummed in disapproval. "You know, I've never really trusted that the royals wanted them beasts hunted just for the purpose of freeing up the ocean."
Jacob opened his mouth to ask what she meant, but was cut off by the sound of thunder. Jacob closed the book and looked over his shoulder to see huge dark clouds coming towards them, and flashes of lightening hitting the water.
"Looks like a real ship wrecker." Maisie commented.
Jacob turned to look at their little boat and instantly knew that it would not survive the storm.
(Y/n) intertwined her fingers with his, and he looked down at her. They both seemed to silently communicate with each other, and came up with a plan.
...
The sea became choppier, and the sky grew darker as Red sailed further into the storm. Her head slowly sunk below the waves, and the boat slipped off her head, and got crushed by the waves.
Luckily, Maisie, Jacob, (Y/n), and Blue were inside her nose again. (Y/n) sat next to Jacob with her head on his shoulder, and his arm around her waist, just watching the water get lit up by the lightning.
"Nicer down here, I'd say." Maisie said.
"Aye." Jacob whispered back, pulling (Y/n) closer. "Nicer down here."
...
Red swam slowly through a field of giant stalks of seaweed, and all around her, giant glowing jellyfish surrounded her.
...
"Wow. Beautiful isn't it?" (Y/n) whispered to Jacob.
Jacob smiled down at her. "Aye, you are..." Jacob's eyes went wide as he realized what he just said. "I-I...I meant...aye it is...uh not that you're not pretty! I-I just...um..."
(Y/n) couldn't contain herself and burst out laughing, and so did Maisie. Jacob's face went red, and he sulked in embarrassment.
(Y/n) giggled some more. "Aw, Jacob, don't pout. I know what you meant." She kissed his cheek, and snuggled back into his shoulder.
Maisie smiled and shook her head at the two, but her smile faded when she looked down below them.
On the ocean floor we're dozens and dozens of sunken hunting ships and sea beast bones. It was like a graveyard of sorts. Jacob and (Y/n) noticed it too, and they also frowned at the sight. Jacob briefly glanced at his left forearm that had the symbol of the Inevitable tattooed on it.
Maisie looked up at him. "I don't know how the war started. Maybe all that matters is how it ends."
...
Captain Crow stood at the front of the Inevitable, next to The Hand of God, looking out to the sea for any sign of the Red Bluster.
Above the ship, was a full moon that was a deep shade of red, casting an every glow over the ship and the crew.
"It's a blood moon." Sarah commented, looking up at the sky. "Batterbie's watching."
"Honor is the currency of hunters, it is. And dealing with her ain't honorable." The old man grumbled.
"Aye. There'll be a payment due, and it's the ship and all aboard who'll suffer the cost." The hook landed woman added.
"Sarah!" Captain Crow called.
Sarah made her way over to Crow, who was looking over the railing at something in the ocean.
"Look there."
Out in the distance, a huge group of small monsters with blue eyes and sharp teeth were coming towards the ship.
"Riddlebacks." Sarah commented.
"Aye. They don't come this far north. Not unless their swimming away from something." Crow explained.
"And there's only one thing what scares a riddleback." Sarah realized.
"The Bluster." Crow smirked.
The creatures gently thudded against the ship, as they passed, or swam under.
"Ms. Merino, shape a new course. Due south if you please. Alee of Rum Pepper Island." Crow ordered.
"Aye, Captain. You heard him! Get it off the pins!" Ms. Merino shouted.
Crow walked back up next to the weapon and glared into the distance.
"We'll find you. We'll find you soon enough."
...
The storm had passed, and Maisie, Jacob and (Y/n) were back on top of Red's head. Maisie stood on a crate of supplies, looking into a spyglass, while Jacob and (Y/n) sat against the crate looking at the book again.
Jacob had it flipped to the page of (Y/n) and him holding spears and striking at a beast. Maisie brought the scope away from her face and looked down at Jacob and (Y/n).
"That ain't you no more." She said, hopping off the crate.
"You're not Jacob Holland who killed four of them beasts in a span of two days." She told him firmly.
"It was five." Jacob muttered.
"You're Jacob Holland who befriended a beast, saved me and (Y/n)'s lives, and led us all the way to Rum Pepper Island." Maisie pointed the scope at the island in the distance.
(Y/n) and Jacob stood up in surprise.
"We made it." Jacob said.
(Y/n) patted his back. "Huh. Not bad Captain."
Jacob chuckled and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Well, I couldn't have done it without my lovely first mate." He winked at her.
The two of them walked up next to Maisie, who was looking at the island.
"This is as far as Red goes. Won't be safe for her beyond the Dregmorr, but we'll be able to flag a passing ship."
"And then what?" Maisie asked.
"Well, then I'll uh, take you back to Guelston, won't I?" Jacob said.
"And what about you two?"
Jacob and (Y/n) shared a glance. To be honest, neither of them knew what they would do. They didn't really want to continue being hunters, know that they knew that the beasts weren't so bad.
Maisie walked away from them and sat down on Red's head. "Guelston is a place. It ain't a family. I ain't going back there, and you two ain't going back on that ship. So all we have is each other. And that don't sound so bad." She reasoned, pulling her knees up to her chest.
Jacob and (Y/n) went to sit on either side of her.
"So, what do you say? Should we give it a go?" She asked, hesitantly.
"You mean, uh, you mean like a family?" Jacob questioned.
"Sure. I don't know. Maybe if we pretended long enough, it could feel real?" She suggested.
"I wouldn't mind being part of a family." (Y/n) muttered, awkwardly avoiding eye contact.
Maisie glanced up at Jacob, and saw his hesitant expression.
"Never mind. It's stupid." She retracted.
"What, are you picturing us on a farm or something?" Jacob asked.
"I said never mind, ya donkey. So never mind." Maisie repeated.
"It's just I-I don't think I'm—."
"You got something in your ears?" Maisie snapped.
"Alright, alright."
Nobody said anything and an awkward silence fell over everyone, until Jacob cleared his throat.
"Well, guess, uh, we better pack up."
...
They arrived at the island and Red scooted up onto the sand, and the three of them hopped off, carrying their supplies, and Blue.
They took a few steps forward, before Jacob put his stuff down, and turned to face Red.
"Well, girl, this has been an improbable adventure. And I thank you for all you've done, but uh, it's time to go home now."
Red didn't move, and just kept staring at him. Jacob then turned and grabbed his spear.
"And I promise I'll never hunt sea monsters again." Jacob raise the spear above his head with both hands. "No more monster hunting!"
Jacob brought the spear down and hit it with his thigh, but it didn't break. Jacob's eyes widened as he tried to swallow the incredible pain he felt, while Maisie and (Y/n) grimaced.
"Hang on. Okay. No more!" Jacob brought the spear down on his other leg, but it still didn't break, and now both of his legs were in pain.
"No more!" He swung the spear down on a rock, but it bounced back and hit him in the face.
"Ow! Jeez! Look, you understand the point I'm trying to make here, right? It's a symbolic gesture."
"I think she gets it Jacob, just, please stop hurting yourself." (Y/n) begged.
"Alright love, alright."
Jacob looked down at Blue in Maisie's arms, and Maisie understood that she couldn't keep him. She turned him around to look at his face, and he licked her cheek, and she giggled.
Jacob took Blue into his arms and put him back into the water. Maisie looked up at Red and ran forward and hugged her. (Y/n) came up next to her and placed her hand on on Red's nose, and smiled sadly.
"Go on, girl. Go home." Maisie whispered.
Suddenly, Red let out a snort and her eyes widened. She lifted her head up and sniffed the air.
"Red?" Maisie asked, slightly scared.
Red started moving onto the shore, and made her way up a hill, and let out a low growl. Jacob (Y/n) and Maisie ran up next to her to see what she was growling at.
"Oh no." Jacob muttered.
On the other side of the island, the Imperator was docked, and several small boats were along the shore, with soldiers loading supplies.
"Red, listen to me, just leave." Jacob called to her. "This doesn't have to be a fight."
Red kept staring at the boat and growling. One soldier turned and double takes when they saw Red at the top of the hill.
"Red, please, don't! Just go!" (Y/n) urged.
"Go on, Red. Just leave them be."
"Red, we have to go. Please!"
The soldier down below shakily raised his musket and fired, the bullet hitting Red 's horn. Red shook her head and growled and started moving forward.
"No, Red, no!"
Jacob, Maisie and (Y/n) ran after her, but Red knocked over some tee branches into Jacob, making him fall over, while (Y/n) and Maisie kept chasing after Red.
...
"All hands to arms!" Admiral Hornagold yelled.
The soldiers started firing their muskets, and the ships cannons fired at Red. The cannons and bullets didn't seem to faze Red as she kept charging at the ship.
...
Jacob freed himself from the branches and began running after (Y/n) and Maisie.
"(Y/n)! Maisie!"
...
"Red, stop!" Maisie pleaded.
"Maisie, be careful!" (Y/n) yelled as they dodged the cannon balls that landed all around them.
(Y/n) managed to catch up to Maisie and wrap her arms around her just as a cannonball exploded behind them, shooting them in the air.
(Y/n) hugged Maisie tightly to her chest, as she landed harshly on the ground, and rolled to a stop.
"(Y/n)?" Maisie looked up at her and saw that her eyes were closed and she wasn't moving.
"(Y/n)! Maisie!" Jacob called as he slid next to them.
He picked up (Y/n) in his arms and looked at her. "(Y/n)! Are you alright, love?"
The girl weakly opened her eyes. "Is...is Maisie okay?" She asked.
"I'm fine, (Y/n), I'm right here." Maisie replied tearfully.
"Where's Red?"
...
Red had dove into the water, and plowed through the Imperator, completely splitting it in half. She rose up from the water and looked down at Admiral Hornagold who was panting and whimpering from under some debris.
Red growled and went to attack again, but a bullet her from behind, and made her stop. She turned to see Jacob holding a musket and aiming it at her.
She growled a little at him, until she noticed (Y/n) laying on the ground, and Maisie kneeling next to her. Red moved towards them, and Jacob dropped the musket to stand protectively in front of (Y/n).
"Stay back, beast. Leave her be." Jacob scolded, pulling his dagger out.
Red growled at Jacob, but a red firework exploding in the air, made her turn away from him. In the distance, the Inevitable could be seen approaching the island.
Red roared and went back into the water to attack the ship.
From behind Jacob, (Y/n)'s grunts could be heard as she tried to get up. Jacob rushed over to her and grabbed her upper body.
"No, love. There nothing to be done."
"She doesn't have to do this." Maisie insisted.
"Yes, she does." Jacob responded gravelly.
"Jacob, you need to stop them." (Y/n) muttered weakly, pushing on his chest.
"No, I'm not leaving you here. I promised to protect you. I-I...I love you, (Y/n)." Jacob confessed, tears filling up his eyes.
(Y/n) smiled weakly and she placed a hand on his cheek. "I l-love you t-too, Jacob." She muttered as her eyes fell closed.
Jacob pulled his hand away from her head and noticed that there was blood.
...
"Ready the Hand of God!" Crow commanded.
The crew lowered the spear, so that it was aiming at Red, and someone poured the poison into the spear.
Captain Crow set his hand on the lever and everyone waited with baited breath for the exact moment to fire.
"Now is the reckoning." Crow said to himself. "For all who'd been lost...I strike at thee, devil!"
Crow pulled the lever and the spear shot out of the machine and flew right at Red just as she emerged to attack the ship.
The spear landed in her shoulder, and Red roared in pain as she fell on her side, creating a huge splash. As she floated near the Inevitable, Crow stepped off the boat, and onto her face, and walked up to her eye.
"Don't fight. You'll make the poison flow faster. I don't want you to die. Not yet. Not till you've been immortalized at Castle White Rock."
The crew removed the spear and started to tie her up with rope.
Sarah came up next to Captain Crow. "Captain, might be easier to let the poison finish the job." Sarah suggested.
"No, Sarah. I'm made a promise to the King and Queen. But I'd not worry. There's no fight left in it." With that, Crow turned and walked away.
Sarah looked into Red's yellow eye with a neutral expression. "Yes there is." She muttered.
...
Red was secured to the boat, and the crew prepared to cast off.
"Raise the sails!" Crow commanded.
"To starboard, Captain. It's a boat!" A crew member called.
"Hold!" Crow pulled out his spyglass, and saw a small boat heading towards them, with three figures in it.
"By the powers...Jacob..."
...
Jacob sat in the boat, steering the rudder with one hand, while his other hand supported the injured girl in his lap. Maisie sat next to Jacob looking at (Y/n) with a worried expression.
(Y/n) weakly opened her eyes a smidge and saw Red tied up with ropes and attached to the Inevitable, before her eyelids became heavier and her vision went black.
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