Chapter 16: Chapter 16

“Wagner!”

Kylo’s voice echoed. My bleeding filled her voice with distress as captain’s blade cut through my left leg. My blood glided on the tip of his cutlass.

My eyelids tightened, and my mouth flung open while I breathe. I didn’t make a sound of discomfort.

“You need a slow death, Vad. I’ll inflict to you torture that will remain in your memory even after you die.”

The captain set his ferocious eyes at me. I gently wiped the droplets of sweat on my forehead. He raised his sword and struck me. My blade smacked his. It whistles as it cuts through the air.

He gathered his maximum force and pushed me to the floor. My back produced a crackling sound that made me moan. I rolled on the floor while he continued to attack me with the sharp edges of his weapon.

The cuts on my body increased like a multitude of incised wounds. Its stinging sensation wriggled through my veins, wishing that someone would heal it.

I escaped from his never ending beating and stood up. My joints were numb, but the man in front of me seems ecstatic. The fight tousled his red beard from the vitality that he exerted to destroy me.

I looked at myself and scrutinized my bruises.

“Wow. It’s countless. Thank you, captain. These cuts are overwhelming,” I said with irony.

The captain has a dazed look of bewilderment.

“What are you talking about? Do you really want to die?”

I sighed.

“It’s been a while since I last held a sword. The guns were tedious that this blade exhilarated me. I have a good rest before you showed up, so I kind of missed having bruises on my entire body.”

The captain was thunderstruck as he lost his words.

“I missed having laceration. Too bad, you’re too weak to do that.”

I grinned innocently and shrugged.

He seems annoyed while he strengthened the grip on his weapon and struck me. I made a counterattack with all my might and threw his sword as it slipped through his hands. The blade has become an extension of my senses.

He clenched his hand as he frowned. His right fist came flaring towards me. The captain dared to fight me with bare hands against my razor-sharp sword.

“Ah!”

The captain screamed as his fingers went rolling on the floor like marbles. He gazes at his hand with a horrified look on his face.

The pirates made a commotion as they witnessed how I cut-off their master’s little fingers. I used my clothes to wipe away the stain on my sword.

“Your blood is disgusting. It will ruin the beauty of this sacred object.”

I smirked while looking at my reflection at the blade.

“Good-looking,” I muttered.

The captain diverted his attention to me.

“You’re crazy!”

The sound of his footsteps irritated me as he tried to attack me.

In a matter of milliseconds, I crouched to the floor and fixed my vision to his legs. I swayed my sword and lop his lower limb off with ease.

The smell of metallic scent from his blood lingered in my nostrils while it scatters on the floor. The ship was in an uproar as the pirates clamored for the defeat of their beloved captain.

“I forgot to tell you, captain. I’m not a minimalist, I like an amputation.”

His mouth was half-opened, and he slightly raised his eyebrows. I could hear his heavy breathing. Though the captain lay pitiful, no one shed a bucket of tears.

I roamed my eyes around in search of Kylo. But I can’t find her shadow.

“You punk!”

I couldn’t move when Kylo hugged me from the back.

“I hate you,” she said.

She sniffed while weeping.

I moved away from her and looked at her face.

“Could you please stop crying? Don’t forget that you’re using my body and I don’t cry over stupid things. You’re making me look gay.”

She suddenly slapped my shoulder.

“Aww! Are you nut?” I said in a hushed tone.

“Look what you did to my body! Those wounds will leave a scar.”

I stepped closer to her and ripped her shirt. She gasped as she spread her fingers and placed her hand across her chest.

“What the—“

She uttered a sudden curse.

I wrapped the clothes around my injuries. I soaked the white cloth with my royal blood.

“Why did you do that?”

Her cheeks turned red.

“Because it’s a waste to cover my chiseled chest with garments.”

She rolled her eyes in exasperation.

My eyes glanced at the pirates who did nothing but gossip behind my back.

“Would you mind lending your new captain some bandages? Or you want to come next after your former captain?” I asked.

One of them immediately handed me a cloth and a medicine kit.

“And oh, please dispose that poor old man to the sea. I don’t need a cripple in my ship.”

They gathered in front of me as I stood with dignity and honor.

“Who among you here would like to object on my coronation? Step out and my sword will welcome you.”

They looked at one another, but no one plucks up the courage to speak.

“Your silence means that all of you agree to be under my command. If you think of defying me one day, think again.”

“Hail to the new captain!”

“Hail to the new captain!”

They cheered my name for my victory. They couldn’t believe that a young girl mercilessly killed their captain. Well, they don’t know that a handsome man possessed her body.

The day passed by like nothing happened. It seems like the memories of their former captain never existed. It’s ironic how they showed no sympathy to him and threw him to the deep sea without a hint of despair.

I asked myself a question that rarely occurs in my head.

“Would someone cry on my deathbed? If there is, would it be tears of torment, or of satisfaction?”

The sunset smiled brightly at me as if it’s also joyful for my success. The wavelength of its colors continued on their way to my eyes. God painted an art in front of me, which was worth more than any treasure chest in this world.

Sun rays kissed its warmth on me, revealing the placid look on my face amidst the haste of the tide. I exhaled and turned my back on the beautiful scenery.

My sleep made me fall into a deep void. It transported me into a strange place. The white sand embraced my bare feet.

I noticed the hairs on my legs, just then I realized that my body was back. My hands traveled the parts of my physique to secure that I wasn’t dreaming.

“What is this? Where am I?”

There were no signs of another life aside from me. The leaves danced gleefully with the wind and the branches of trees swayed simultaneously.

“You’re in your dream state.”

I almost jumped in shock when someone spoke behind my back. My eyes darted at him from head to foot.

His vibrant aura shined luminously like diamonds. The strands of his ash-gray colored hair resembled Kakashi’s. Kakashi was my favorite anime character. He looked like he just came out of Webtoon.

The linen of his clothes was as pure as a lotus. His skin was healthier than mine, too.

I composed myself and stood with my head up. His presence didn’t intimidate me at all.

“Who the hell are you?”

I crossed my arms as we made eye-contact. His eyes were so unreal, like those of the dolls.

“Vad Wagner, kindly stop mentioning the hell word.”

His baritone voice was also astounding. I cleared my throat and focused on my sentences.

“Who the hell are you to tell me what to say?” I said, emphasizing the word ‘hell’.

“No wonder Kylo doesn’t like you.”

“What?”

There was a sudden disorientation in my facial muscles.

“You’re such a rude human.”

“At least I look human, unlike you,” I said with greeted teeth.

“If I were a human, I wouldn’t be proud.”

“Run your mouth again and I’ll sew that.”

His face was unexpressive.

“Anyway, I am Osca.”

Osca? It sounds familiar. I remembered Kylo kept saying his name, even in her sleep.

“You’re the guardian angel?”

My brows furrowed.

“That’s right.”

“What are you doing in my dream? You’re not welcome here. Unlike Kylo, you can’t impress me.”

In a split second, he smiled.

My mouth opened in awe and my eyes sparkled as I looked at his lovely smile. The surroundings became blurry as my sight turned to slow motion.

“I don’t intend to do so. I’m here to deliver a message from above about your journey.”

I blinked a few times before asking.

“Message? Make sure it’s worth my time.”

“My assumption was that Kylo already told you that there’s a remedy to your problem. There’s a ritual that will fix everything. Find it. The ocean will lead you to an island not far away.”

“What island?”

“But be careful, the people out there crave their own kind.”

After saying those words, he disappeared.

An earthquake awakened me. I assumed it was an earthquake because the ship was shaking.

“Captain! See this.”

I hurriedly went out to see what caused the tumult. The howling wind broke my eardrums. I saw seven whirlwinds coming toward us together with the violent thunder and lightning.

“What should we do, captain?”

At that moment, my brain cells malfunctioned.