Tyrant Of Seas

A small galleon sliced through the sea beneath a starlit horizon. Lanterns had been placed all over the upper deck.

The winds grew stronger, and the silvery glow of a full moon gave the strangely calm sea a shifting hue.

"Let's slow down, we haven't found a single landmark and the constellations here are completely different from the ones on Earth," the nerd said to the self-proclaimed captain.

"Lower the sails. We're starting night watch shifts. Everyone needs to rest, and someone has to stay alert in case we're attacked!" the woman barked with pride and a slight arrogant tone, as if she owned the whole galleon. She was already loving her new position, and her face showed it without an ounce of restraint.

"I'll take the first shift with the twins. The rest of you, get some sleep." The twins, who had been arguing over who could untie one of the sail knots faster, instantly shut up the moment they heard her commanding voice.

Talon was already heading below deck. His body buzzed with anxiety, but he wore the most convincing sleepy expression he could manage. He grabbed a lamp and began inspecting the crates.

"Cannon ammo, some salted meat, fishing nets…" His list stopped the moment he spotted an open chest tossed in the corner.

It was lined with some kind of foam or at least something soft, and red velvet showed the indentations of daggers. Each at least 30 centimeters long.

"So that's where that red-furred rat got all her blades..." It made sense now. The game, as everyone had silently agreed to call it. Had provided one dagger per crew member. But the same woman who had spoken of cooperation had claimed them all for herself.

Talon's mind spun with questions about this cursed "Initialization." If this was just the beginning... what was coming next? What had happened to Earth? What fate awaited his damn ex-captain?

No time to dwell on it. The retired marine was already dousing the lamps and taking off his coat. Below deck, it wasn't cold like outside. Quite the opposite.

Even with the freezing weather out there, down here was a sweltering hell and it would only get worse now that the galleon had slowed down.

"Hey sailor. Nice tattoo on your back!" Just as Talon was about to extinguish the final lamp, the big guy's voice hit his ears like a thunderclap and froze him in place.

His mother had been a devout woman. She'd never allow him to get a tattoo. He only got the anchor, with the year of his marine graduation, long after she passed.

And even then, it had always been hidden your on his ankle.

Talon rushed downstairs, heading for the only mirror he had seen on the ship.

He had to twist himself into an awkward position to catch a glimpse of his back in the reflection, but once he saw it…

He didn't need long to understand.

Tentacles extended from a central mass, like thick cables spreading outward. In the center, a circular mouth with six precise rows of teeth. Its color was a dark blue, as deep as squid ink.

Talon quickly threw on his coat and remembered that day... the abyssal creature he had made a pact with, whose true purpose he still didn't understand.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped out of the hold and headed to the lower deck.

The big guy and the nerd were already lying down, their loud snores creating their own kind of music. Talon thought back to the missions he'd shared with fellow marines, a nostalgic smile briefly crossed his face. 

Only to die when memories of that damned captain surfaced.

Of course... many of that crew had been complicit in what happened. They'd all pay for it. One way or another.

Soon, he was lying in the hammock. It was shaping up to be a good night. Already used to snoring, he could fall asleep anytime. And he did. He wouldn't waste the opportunity for a nap.

The world darkened. Talon didn't know how long had passed when he felt pressure on his wrists and hands.

A hand covered his mouth, but he had no intention of screaming. He didn't even resist. His body was dragged quickly to the upper deck, where he immediately felt the cold sea wind.

"What a familiar scene. All that's missing is a plank," he thought calmly.

Anyone could see this was a tragedy, a direct contradiction to the supposed goals of this phase of the game... but Talon had other plans.

"Sorry... but someone like you will only get in the way of our cooperation."

The cynicism was palpable. The true face of the red-haired woman was now exposed.

A hard kick followed, and Talon was suddenly submerged in freezing water.

"So this is what I would've felt if the Initialization hadn't taken me here?"

The cold sharpened his thoughts, and he curled into a ball, knees to chest.

Since the previous night, Talon had been trying to make sense of all this madness. Some reasoning finally emerged when he saw the group of humans.

They all believed in very human values. Values that were too idealistic for anyone who wasn't a beast. A super soldier, a hero, maybe even a villain.

Soon, Talon's fingers reached his boots. He quicklyrolled up the edges of his pants and pulled out a dagger.

There was no way an experienced sailor like him would trip over the ship's sway or over fallen crates. That had been his reality for seven long years.

In moments, the ropes binding his legs were cut, and he started kicking.

"They think the first phase is about individual strength. But that's not true. No human should have enough power to take down Mama Cero. And no tank armor on Earth could've withstood the attack from that thing I saw in the cave."

His mind was calm and analytical, like he felt more at home in the sea than out of it.