PARAGON

"We can't keep fleeing like this." Paragon lashed her tail as it dangled from the bowsprit. Despite her successful attempt to lose the black ship, they continued in their relentless pursuit. As soon as they recognized her trick, they turned to pursue her again. Their time in port had only closed the distance between them. Though they were back out on the open ocean, the gap was not increasing.

Paragon knew she could sail forever with our stopping in an eternal chase. However, her crew needed supplies like food. They wouldn't survive well on fish and seaweed for the rest of their lives. The liveship didn't want that for them.

Myrllen would want to stop to see his family at some point, while the others enjoyed going out into towns and exploring while they were there. She couldn't trap them aboard forever and didn't want to.

Her crew was huddled around the map, eying it. Based on their concerned emotions, they noticed the same things she had.

The figurehead melted into the wood and then emerged in the map room.

Travis glanced up at her as she formed out of the wall. His face was tight in a concerned frown "They're still chasing us—"

"—with every stop, they'll catch up more. At least for as long as they continue to chase us." Marin's ears were slightly forward as she stared at the map. Her tail tip twitched with the rhythm of the beating waves.

"Have anwy ideas?" Costasiella looked at the silver figurehead.

The liveship had one more than she liked to admit. "None that I would hope to have to do."

Myrllen tapped his fingers against the table. "Couldn't we fight them?"

Paragon already knew she didn't like that option. "No, they have a larger crew and I'm not putting any of you in danger." The liveship's timbers shivered slightly at the thought. I will not allow my crew to fight those pirates. "I have been dealing with them since I was christened," and I will not let anyone else be slaughtered on my deck.

Marin and Travis seemed to sense her trepidation. Costasiella seemed concerned, but Myrllen appeared caught up in his own emotions. "We can take them." The young Stellan insisted. "Marin and I have magic, Costasiella is strong, and Travis can use a sword."

"I only have weak magical skill, I consider myself better with a sword," Marin stated calmly. "Most of my spells are for ship-work, and Paragon does all that." She gave a brief sideways glance to the figurehead as if she was judging and feeling the liveship's emotions. "I don't think the ship wants to fight them, if her heartwood isn't behind it then it would be unwise to go against her will."

Myrllen definitely didn't agree with her response. "We can handle them! We could hide in mist and ambush them, put a few cannon holes in them, then sail out while they're left to sink!" He zoomed in on the map to a little island across the channel from Florai. The minuscule landmass didn't appear on the full world map. The magical display had to zoom in to show it.

The tiny island was barely big enough to hide a white ship in the fog. The tall trees would hide her mast, and the currents were favorable. Fog regularly occurred in the tropical region, and would disguise the liveship's magical mist. There were also several similar to it scattered along the region. Even if the pirates suspected she was there, they wouldn't be confident about which island obscured her.

I still don't like it. I don't sink ships. Paragon told herself as the seeds of the plan were planted within her head. She sat and curled her tail around herself. "I'm not putting any of you in danger." That was the biggest thing she was adamant about.

"They can't endanger us if we don't get close! We just fire a few cannon balls, deal critical damage, then escape." Myrllen insisted.

Travis put a hand on his shoulder. "Myrllen, Paragon doesn't want to do it. It would be best to respect her decision. She is the one ultimately in control of where we go."

"You could probably convince her." Myrllen sighed. Paragon couldn't determine if he was agitated or sad about her captain's directive.

The figurehead withheld a fidget. She desperately wanted to keep her crew happy. And, she slowly admitted to herself, those pirates are more adamant than usual. Something has changed. Maybe they know I have a crew? Maybe they're desperate to sink me and complete their goal? She barely contained the multitude of questions within her mind.

Captain Starport's memories offered no answers.

The figurehead looked at the ground, her tail covering her paws. The pirates of the black ship have been a barnacle on my hull for my entire existence. Her memories briefly brought up her memories of the black ship. Flashes of pain and splintering wood with a splash of blood filled her mind. The vessel barely restrained a shiver before she forced the thoughts back to the dark corners of her mind.

Something needs to be done. But... I don't sink ships... Her heartwood felt like it was full of squirming insects. I.... I have to make a decision. Her gaze snapped up to her crew. "I'll do it." Her firm voice was steady like her rock-free deck.

Her crew stared at the figurehead with wide eyes.

"You will!?" Myrllen grinned as if he had received his biggest wish on his birthday.

Paragon slowly nodded. "I'm possibly the only ship that can take them out..., if no one else can, then I should face them. If I can end their reign on the seas, then I should. It would be wrong to be a bystander and let them continue to be a blight." I... I am admittedly conflicted, but it needs to be done. Someone has to defeat them.

"Are you sure?" Travis asked, his brows furrowed like he could sense the ship's inward turmoil.

"Yes," Paragon nodded to her crew. But, I will keep you out of danger. Myrllen's plan seemed possible. However, the liveship formed a backup plan in her mind. She knew her crew would not like it; she did not like it. However, it was a necessary decision to protect her crew if a dire situation arose.

"Surely—" Travis started.

"NO!" The entire vessel shuttered. After a pause, Paragon forced herself to calm down while her crew stood in shock. "Sorry—sorry," the figurehead trembled as she looked at her feet.

Travis gently stroked the silver figure's head. "Paragon, we're your crew," he continued to calmingly stroke the ship's representation as her emotions calmed from a hurricane to a sprinkle. "We want to help." The human gingerly smiled.

"I -I don't want to lose you." Paragon's voice cracked like wet wood popping in a fire.

"We'll be careful," Marin promised. "And we will play this game as safe as possible."

"Okay," Paragon gave up with a slight sniffle, "but you have to be as safe as possible. You need to listen to me when I tell you to do something. It may be critical to your survival." The figurehead closely watched their faces as they gave determined nods in response.

The liveship adjusted her course and summoned her mist.

While her crew readied themselves, Paragon slipped into the small strait of the hiding spot. At low tide, the water was barely deep enough for her draft. Some of the troughs caused her to brush the sandy bottom. The vibrations surged through her like an uneven heartbeat.

The black pin soon disappeared off her map, but the dark clouds on the horizon gave away their proximity. The magical cumulonimbus rose and built like a loaf of bread.

As the waves increased in height, Paragon moved to a different part of the channel. The water was deeper but provided less visibility.

Soon, rain started to cut through her mist. Multitudes of watery pellets stabbed holes through the opaque air like a volley of arrows. The turbulence swirls of mist stirred by the droplets soon filled the gap, but the mist became increasingly draining to keep up through the onslaught.

Paragon lost track of time as the storm continually worsened. She kept her focus outward, searching for the black ship among the night-like darkness of the storm.

BOOM!

A bolt of lightning struck one of the trees on the island, filling the air with light for a brief second.

The liveship needed a moment to calm amongst the cries of the startled birds and the buzzing static in the air.

Her crew was soon on the deck, and all of them panicked. "What was that?! A cannon shot?!?!" Myrllen exclaimed over the roaring of the rain.

'That was lightning.' Paragon telepathically responded as she surveyed their surroundings. Her crystal eyes nearly popped out of her head as she saw a familiar silhouette amongst the waves and the storms. They were close, too close for comfort.

She barely heard the sound of yells from the dark ship over the howling wind and pounding rain on her deck. Cannons fired and painfully slammed into her hull. They are too close, and they spotted me.

The figurehead glanced back to her crew. I have to protect them.

Author Notes!

We are so close to the climax! I can feel it!

But I'm not giving you any spoilers.

Your speculations would be fun to read, if you want to leave them for me to read!

I hope you enjoyed the chapter!