Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 4-7 2019 | Page 106

“How ‘bout this? We take most of your gold and silk and we’ll let you go.” I let out a soft chuckle, “In your dreams,
pirate!” Before drawing out my sword and pointing it straight at the pirate’s chest.
As soon as the sound of metal swords colliding pierced through the air, ruthless pirates dashed onto the ship, sailors
scrambled onto the deck with weapons to defend themselves.
As more clashing of metal filled the air, the fight became even more deadly. Pirates were aimlessly stabbing the sailors.
Whenever they successfully knocked out a sailor, they would cackle as if they had already won the fight. Sailors, on the
other hand, were much more attentive to their surroundings as they were mostly skilled sword fighters. One sailor
jumped onto a rope before swinging himself onto several pirates, knocking them overboard all at once.
In the middle of the ship, I was challenging the captain to yet another duel. So far, I have blocked most of the captain’s
hits. Except for the one hit on my left shoulder, which was gushing blood at the moment. However, my attention did
not waver.
My sole focus was on the motion of the blade. Clank! I blocked another one of the pirate’s hits. He was getting restless
and started slashing his blade over and over against my frame, cutting open a few wounds.
Suddenly, I lost my balance and fell down, sword sliding out of my hand and out of sight.
I tried to roll to the side to avoid the hits of the enemy’s blade but my shoulder was pressed down with one of the
pirate’s boot, immobilizing me.
The pirate cackled menacingly and lifted his sword as he prepared to end my life.
“Wait!”
Staring up at the sailors I’ve grown so fond of with sorrowful, curious eyes, I realized all of them had drawn their
swords and were aiming at both the officer and the executor.
“G- give us 1 more week. A- and if we haven’t found the treasures the Yongle Emperor requested, we’ll all come to
you without a fight.” One sailor proposed.
After a long and menacing pause, the executor retreated his sword under the officer’s command.
“1 week.” He repeated abruptly before travelling away.
I rose up with grateful tears in my eyes, ignoring the screeching pain and the blood slowly staining my loose shirt, and
started bowing to all my crew, mumbling thankful words under my breath.
Several sailors rushed over towards me when suddenly, my world started spinning violently and I fell face first onto the
pile of drying blood, the moldy planks knocking me unconscious.
We drifted west aimlessly for four days with barely enough supplies for the crew.
Hunching behind the helm, I was so determined to find the rumored mystical island to repay my crew that I had
completely lost track of sleeping and eating.
“Commander Zhang! You have to rest.” One of my sailors begged.
I glared at him as if he had suddenly grown an extra head before turning back towards the direction the ship was sailing.
My eyes were red and twitching with all the sleepless nights trying to figure out where the blasted island lies.
“I must find the island. I must find the island…” I began murmuring to myself
All of a sudden, The Ming Elite travelled into a thick cloud of mist that appeared out of nowhere. We became alarmed
since we couldn’t even see past our noses.