text: [Themes: historical]
  
  One year later... (1717)
  
  A shriek of a seagull is heard as the crashing of the waves drown out any silence there once was. The skies are clear of any clouds as the Vindicta floats upon Earth's seas. Her sails lashing out against the wind as salty water splash upon her sides as though cradling the ship. You stand at the bow, your arms crossed as you look out at the ocean before you. A shimmering dark blue against the fading blue sky.
  
  After purchasing the Vindicta, you quickly found yourself a few merchant jobs to occupy your time for the next year. Since then, you were able to round up a crew of around 70 men to maintain and drive the ship safely on the open waters. The merchant life is able to earn you a fair amount of money for however you wish to spend it but it was not as enjoyable as you once thought.
  
  The people you worked with in piers were irritable and the long travels without anything happening was a bore. Although you still enjoy the sea, this was not what you wanted to do for the rest of your life.
  
  As you listen to the creaking of the ship as it sways, there is a sudden call from one of your shipmates.
  
  "Captain! Starboard! There's an unidentified fleet!"
  
  You turn to the right and spot what the man is hollering about. Several hundred meters away are three sloops, slowly advancing toward your vessel. You stand confidently, attempting to think of a solution to the problem.
  
  You call out to your crew, "There is no need to panic, just stay calm for now. Let them pass."
  
  Usually when there are other ships on the waters, they pay no mind to you nor do you pay attention to them. Although every time there is another vessel on the waters, you cannot help but start to imagine the worst...
  
  After several minutes of sailing and observing the other vessels, you can confirm that the fleet is heading toward your direction. Several of your men are mumbling and starting to get unruly. You close your eyes, thinking about if the ships were what you feared...
  
  You run to your cabin, searching through your supplies then grab what you were looking for. In a drawer full of paperwork is a flintlock pistol that is about 7 inches in length, a perfect weapon for concealment. You slip the pistol into your trousers, then walk back onto the deck to see if the sloops have made any advancements.
  
  The sloops are a few dozen meters away from the Vindicta and it seems that the ships stopped advancing toward your way. Suddenly a black flag is raised on the mainmast and you see several small rowboats being lowered from the deck onto the waters below. You grind your teeth and then call out to your men,
  
  "Get ready to defend the ship! We may not have any weaponry but do not stand down. If these be pirates then do not do anything rash. You have all heard the stories so do not be fools!"
  
  Your men respond, "Yes, sir!" and then hurriedly start moving around in defensive positions to get ready to defend against the boarding. All of your men stand in a semicircle, standing in various stances to attempt to look ready. However you notice that a handful of men are sweating with nervousness and that many of your men's faces seem ghastly.
  
  Then as though planned, several ropes and hooks are thrown from the waters onto the main deck of the ship. The hooks pierce and latch onto the wood of the Vindicta while ropes are either stuck on barrels or slip back into the waters. A few of your men step back while others tense up as your body starts to pump with nervous shock. Suddenly several men shouting from the top of their lungs began to spill onto the deck as though it were a wave of mad men. Their attires ranged from ragged clothes with ripped bandanas to dirtied waistcoats with tricorn hats. A lot of them were rugged, their teeth rotting and their facial hair seemingly trimmed hurriedly. Plenty of them carried swords that curved at their blades or carried pistols that shone at their barrels.
  
  Then out of the chaos of the swarming men came smoke... As though being lifted, a man dressed in a velvet waistcoat and a tricorn hat rose up from the smoke that seemed to protrude out of his head. His face was ghastly, his eyes wide and face slump. His hair was black as tar, tied into dreads that hung from his head. However his most eye attracting feature were the dreaded hairs that had formed the beard that hung below his mouth. The man stood with ferocity with several pistols in his sling that he cradled. Suddenly he burst into a wicked smile, showcasing his plastered teeth as smoke cointuned to shroud him and cause a sickening aura.
  
  Several men around you stand paralyzed in fear as though the Devil himself had come to greet them. A few of your men start to run away, dropping their weapons and diving into the lower decks. You stand as confidently as you can, however sweat continues to drip from your forehead onto the deck you stand on.
  
  The menacing countenance the man bears, begins to scrunch as he locks eyes with every single men on your ship. Once he gets to the last person, his voice roars in triumph, causing several men to jump.
  
  "I am Edward Teach. I only want one thing. All of your supplies or your lives, I do not care which."
  
  This was it. A real pirate. Standing right in front of you. You should have been terrified, shaking at the knees but surprisingly you did not feel petrified yet you felt... Nervous.
  
  It was at that moment you realize to yourself. This might be a chance for you to change your path in life. Your life as a merchant may be over but it never means that you have to give up the sea...
  
  > give in to demands
  Your body freezes in shock, your hesitation keeping you from risking it all. Edward's face remained fierce as sweat just drips from your forehead down onto your collar bone. Why can I not face him? For a moment you stand, unsure of the possible futures that you might encounter. You just felt powerless under the pirate who stood before you.
  
  You can barely muster out the words however you attempt to keep a strong tone within your voice, "Take our supplies. Do what you will."
  
  Edward Teach smiles, his sickening teeth visible to all in front of him. He gives a laugh then gestures to his men.
  
  "Pillage everything on this ship! And make sure none of these lads go anywhere."
  
  You glance over to your men who all stand with pale faces, unable to react and rebel against the pirates. You all stand, watching them take away all the supplies on your ship. All the cargo that you needed to deliver was being whisked away from under your feet. It felt like ages as the pirates took away every ounce of precious cargo and escaped onto open waters.
  
  After a long time, Edward Teach finally turns around to leave as he sees that none of his crew is left. His steps thunder across the deck of the ship, haunting this vessel forever. Although before he leaves, he states one last thing.
  
  "I saw you reach for that flintlock yet, you decide to do nothing. Smart choice, merchant."
  
  With that, he descends onto the open waters and rows back toward his ship. For a while, you and your men stand watching the ship sail away as your thoughts run rampant, attempting to comprehend what had just happened. After the ships are out of sight, a few of your men collapse from nervousness and other begin to riot.
  
  "Those rotten scum!"
  
  "Were we really powerless?"
  
  "I should have killed the man!"
  
  You stand in silence, your hesitation slowly manifesting into your biggest regret when suddenly an idea flashes in your mind.
  
  "Shut your mouths for a minute!" You quickly shut up the men who all stare at you, some with fear and some with angry intent. You look at the men the same way Edward did, eyeing every single one of them until the last one.
  
  "I have decided. I am done with the merchant life. Now if you agree or not is your choice but I am not going back." You reach into your trousers and grab your flintlock which you hold up for everyone to see.
  
  "Today I declare myself no longer a merchant of the seas. I am... the pirate named Captain Rogers!"
  
  For a moment, your men just stand in shock, as though their brains were about to explode. Then in a sudden outburst, many of the men begin to shout their opinions, a few walking toward you.
  
  "You have gone mad!"
  
  "Did you not just see what they did!?"
  
  "Throw him off!"
  
  Suddenly you take your pistol and aim it one of the men who instantly freezes up in terror.
  
  "Move another inch and his soul belongs to the ocean." The men hesitate, gritting their teeth as they attempt to decide what to do.
  
  "Let me repeat myself. If you want to sail with me then go ahead however if you wish to leave. Then I will dump you at the nearest port. Is that clear? Also any attempt to throw me off will result in death."
  
  You begin to walk to your cabin, dozens of eyes gazing at you as you enter and shut the door to your cabin. As you take a seat at your desk which is now visually empty, you can hear commotion outside and several men shouting without rest. You close your eyes, attempting to calm yourself then open them back up. As you took a look around your cabin, only a few things remain and in the corner of the room, you spot it.
  
  The black flag of the Vindicta.
  
  What did I get myself into...
  
  What History had in store for you, only the tides knew...