The Sanguine and Blackbeard's Cutlass
Just as the island’s invisibility had to be dispelled, perhaps the barrier had to be as well. You pull the Quetzalcoatl headdress from your pack and place it on. Instantly, you’re able to cross the barrier onto the altar’s steps. Just in time for Blackbeard to sink the knife into Procter.
“Teach, you’re a dead man!” you shout.
“Ha-ha-ha, right you are,” he shouts back with a smile.
You rip the head covering off and toss it to your allies behind you. You continue your rush towards Blackbeard. Your blade meets the obsidian dagger with a piercing screech. You thrust your blade expertly forward using feints to catch Blackbeard unaware. Almost with ease, he parries each strike. Even though you have the obvious reach advantage, Blackbeard masterfully blocks each of your swings.
Attempting to break his defense, you fire a bolt of lightning from your other hand. The electric energy hits Blackbeard’s chest and disappears in a wisp of smoke. He grins and reflects the energy back to you knocking you off your feet and down a few steps.
Jack and William join the fray rushing past your fallen body. You try to get up, but the jolt left your muscles spasming. William lets loose a series of uppercuts and forward thrusts while Jack circles around to flank. Same as your attack, Blackbeard’s defense is impenetrable. Suddenly, Blackbeard draws a pistol from his chest and fires it directly into William’s forehead. William’s head snaps back in the impact and his body falls to the floor. The move angers Jack and he aggressively attacks from Blackbeard’s flank. Without even moving his head, Blackbeard drops the pistol, grabs another, and fires it into Jack’s gut. Jack’s body hits the floor mid-charge, the momentum slides his body forward a few feet.
Finally able to move, you rise to your feet. The bodies of your crew, your friends, lie scattered around you. Their blood pools and drips down the steps of the altar creating a red waterfall. Blackbeard stands at the top of the stairs waiting for you. Behind you, Victoria is stuck outside the barrier. Jack or William, whoever was last inside, didn’t throw the headdress far enough. It’s on the ground just within the invisible barrier. Victoria can’t get in.
Your eyes meeting Blackbeard's, you slowly traverse the steps up. He stands unmoving without emotion. You stand before him, the guardian of Quetzalcoatl’s blade. The cutlass remains on the sword stand on the altar. Realizing your magic is ineffective, you attack once more with expertly guided strikes and combinations.
“Not many make it this far, I’ll give you that,” he says knocking your sword aside. “Perhaps you were meant to wield the blade. Perhaps if another guardian stood in your way you’d succeed. I don’t plan on harboring my soul in the cutlass anytime soon.”
“And I don’t plan on dying anytime soon,” you reply with another series of strikes.
Tired of the game, Blackbeard parries your blade aside and knocks you back against the altar. His dagger pierces into your chest.
“And look how close you’d gotten,” he mocks as you lean against the altar clutching your wound.
Suddenly a sword tip appears at his chest releasing a small whiff of smoke. Jack collapses behind Blackbeard, his final amount of energy placed into thrusting his sword forward. In Blackbeard’s distracted state, you reach for the cutlass on the altar, screaming in pain. As soon as your hand clasps around the hilt, your vision flashes a supernatural green. Strength pours into your limbs like you’ve never felt before. The wound from Blackbeard’s mends itself closed. It’s almost as if you’re weightless; the energy flowing through your body feels limitless. With your new found strength you swing the blade down cutting Blackbeard from neck to hip. His body slides downward at the cut and then explodes into dark energy. Black smoke from his body surround you with a piercing scream. Then it pours itself into the cutlass in a rush of air.
Blackbeard is dead and the cutlass is yours. You return to Victoria holding the blade.
“We did it,” you say showing her the cutlass.
“Not yet,” she answers. “Xolotl needs it destroyed.”
“So that’s how you gained access to the temple,” you ponder. “The ‘power’ Xolotl is offering sounds too good to be true.”
“Sounds better than being eternally bound to Quetzalcoatl...or following a captain into ruin.”
“What’s that supposed to mean,” you say narrowing your eyes.
“It means I don’t think you’re fit to lead anymore,” Victoria says. “It means I won’t continue to follow you while our crew gets destroyed in the process. We’ve fallen on hard times, and it’s a captain’s duty to protect and prosper the crew.”
“What do you think this job is for!” you reply. “The Sanguine is now the most destructive force in the Caribbean. We can do what we please. The Spanish, French, not even the English can face us in open water now.”
“We may have the ship, but we no longer have the crew,” Victoria says gesturing towards the fallen bodies. “I will rebuild The Sanguine’s crew…as captain.” Victoria’s palm ignites with flame. “I’ll be taking that cutlass now.”
“Teach, you’re a dead man!” you shout.
“Ha-ha-ha, right you are,” he shouts back with a smile.
You rip the head covering off and toss it to your allies behind you. You continue your rush towards Blackbeard. Your blade meets the obsidian dagger with a piercing screech. You thrust your blade expertly forward using feints to catch Blackbeard unaware. Almost with ease, he parries each strike. Even though you have the obvious reach advantage, Blackbeard masterfully blocks each of your swings.
Attempting to break his defense, you fire a bolt of lightning from your other hand. The electric energy hits Blackbeard’s chest and disappears in a wisp of smoke. He grins and reflects the energy back to you knocking you off your feet and down a few steps.
Jack and William join the fray rushing past your fallen body. You try to get up, but the jolt left your muscles spasming. William lets loose a series of uppercuts and forward thrusts while Jack circles around to flank. Same as your attack, Blackbeard’s defense is impenetrable. Suddenly, Blackbeard draws a pistol from his chest and fires it directly into William’s forehead. William’s head snaps back in the impact and his body falls to the floor. The move angers Jack and he aggressively attacks from Blackbeard’s flank. Without even moving his head, Blackbeard drops the pistol, grabs another, and fires it into Jack’s gut. Jack’s body hits the floor mid-charge, the momentum slides his body forward a few feet.
Finally able to move, you rise to your feet. The bodies of your crew, your friends, lie scattered around you. Their blood pools and drips down the steps of the altar creating a red waterfall. Blackbeard stands at the top of the stairs waiting for you. Behind you, Victoria is stuck outside the barrier. Jack or William, whoever was last inside, didn’t throw the headdress far enough. It’s on the ground just within the invisible barrier. Victoria can’t get in.
Your eyes meeting Blackbeard's, you slowly traverse the steps up. He stands unmoving without emotion. You stand before him, the guardian of Quetzalcoatl’s blade. The cutlass remains on the sword stand on the altar. Realizing your magic is ineffective, you attack once more with expertly guided strikes and combinations.
“Not many make it this far, I’ll give you that,” he says knocking your sword aside. “Perhaps you were meant to wield the blade. Perhaps if another guardian stood in your way you’d succeed. I don’t plan on harboring my soul in the cutlass anytime soon.”
“And I don’t plan on dying anytime soon,” you reply with another series of strikes.
Tired of the game, Blackbeard parries your blade aside and knocks you back against the altar. His dagger pierces into your chest.
“And look how close you’d gotten,” he mocks as you lean against the altar clutching your wound.
Suddenly a sword tip appears at his chest releasing a small whiff of smoke. Jack collapses behind Blackbeard, his final amount of energy placed into thrusting his sword forward. In Blackbeard’s distracted state, you reach for the cutlass on the altar, screaming in pain. As soon as your hand clasps around the hilt, your vision flashes a supernatural green. Strength pours into your limbs like you’ve never felt before. The wound from Blackbeard’s mends itself closed. It’s almost as if you’re weightless; the energy flowing through your body feels limitless. With your new found strength you swing the blade down cutting Blackbeard from neck to hip. His body slides downward at the cut and then explodes into dark energy. Black smoke from his body surround you with a piercing scream. Then it pours itself into the cutlass in a rush of air.
Blackbeard is dead and the cutlass is yours. You return to Victoria holding the blade.
“We did it,” you say showing her the cutlass.
“Not yet,” she answers. “Xolotl needs it destroyed.”
“So that’s how you gained access to the temple,” you ponder. “The ‘power’ Xolotl is offering sounds too good to be true.”
“Sounds better than being eternally bound to Quetzalcoatl...or following a captain into ruin.”
“What’s that supposed to mean,” you say narrowing your eyes.
“It means I don’t think you’re fit to lead anymore,” Victoria says. “It means I won’t continue to follow you while our crew gets destroyed in the process. We’ve fallen on hard times, and it’s a captain’s duty to protect and prosper the crew.”
“What do you think this job is for!” you reply. “The Sanguine is now the most destructive force in the Caribbean. We can do what we please. The Spanish, French, not even the English can face us in open water now.”
“We may have the ship, but we no longer have the crew,” Victoria says gesturing towards the fallen bodies. “I will rebuild The Sanguine’s crew…as captain.” Victoria’s palm ignites with flame. “I’ll be taking that cutlass now.”