April 10th, 1799

The rest of the Staelian fleet found out about their achievement pretty quickly. And, as soon as they did, maneuvered their ships towards the island, stopping their constant attacks against the castle of Pessarock for the first time in months to strike the republican's newest maritime outpost. And this the Staelians did, during the night.

The battle to defend the island was harsher and longer than the one to conquer it. And once the republicans started running out of resources and ammunition to win it, Francis took control of the situation again and decided to go on a suicide mission to save his men, his superior officers, and his friends.

He did not have a mechanical hellburner, like the one designed by Jacques in their previous conflict. But he did have a small vessel, filled with gunpowder barrels, that he could use as a makeshift fireship.

So, this time without Obermann's permission, he jumped onboard and sailed towards the Staelian fleet on his own, decided to sacrifice himself for the greater good of the republic.

He received blow, after blow, after blow, essentially being smashed to pieces by his enemies' cannonade, but still managed to approach them in open sea. And, once he was close enough to the biggest and most powerful rival ships of the fleet, he lit up the fuse with his own hands, jumped into the water, and watched the world above him explode in flames as he passed out.

He had been shot in the leg, and had his chest sliced by a sword before sailing away, so his chances of survival were already small. But after losing consciousness underwater, they had dropped down to zero.

Or so he thought.