chapter one (part -1)

I remember water.

I remember pain.

I remember the cold sting ... of betrayal.

Let me tell you lads and lasses a tale. Let me tell you the tale of a man who became known throughout the world as the Son of Poseidon. You are free to laugh at it if you so wish, but I hold the title with pride.

If you so wish to picture me, then I shall spin a weave of my physical body. I have been upon the earth for 45 years, and I have been a captain for at least half that time. I be about 6'1 inches tall. The tests of the sea left my body with no fat.

In order to conquer my enemies, I trained my body with rigorous dedication. A toned, lean, fit form was what rewarded my efforts. I have hair as black as a raven's feathers upon my head. My eyes be a hazel brown. Perhaps they are like those of an unwashed bronze coin. My facial hair cuts a thin beard around my chin. I dare not think myself handsome, but I have definitely held more fun than the average male, if you would catch me drift.

I be no weakling, but I like to think of myself as a fair captain. All crews desire wealth, fame, and prestige. I sought to give it all to my crew. Riches were divided between them when I felt I had taken what was to be mine. Mutiny was cut down without recourse, and I allowed for my crew to dictate the paths of our adventures. I forced none to join me, everyone was there because they contributed to the many adventures I led. Perhaps only now I am able to see how utterly foolhardy I was.

Now, allow me to state the obvious about my title. I be no son of the god of the sea. I am no demigod. However, I had the ability to control the waters as if they were my very own body. With this power, I ravaged land and sea. None could stop me. I drowned my enemies. I unearthed sunken ships and treasures. I drank the waters from the skirts of wenches. With a flick of my wrist, tsunamis rose up. With a wave of my arm, whirlpools devastated armies of ships. If I so willed, I could drown the very world.

I do not know how I came upon such mighty powers. It mattered not to me. All that mattered was that I had something none in the whole world did, and I held the power to make the world crumble. Where there was water, there was my domain. How rather hilarious and fit to my name that I might find myself drowning, eaten alive by sharks, and my soul carried off to Davy Jones' Locker.

I gag as water fills my lungs. My screams are muffled by the sea as another shark feasts upon my arm.

I descend further and further down. I can feel my heartbeat slowing.

I ... am dying.

From below the deep blue, I watch ... my First Mate and my beloved share a kiss that would turn the pants and skirts of a drunken tavern. It seems ... some of my powers still work as I had clear vision of him squeezing her tits and massaging her crotch of its flowing fountain. He kissed her neck and she, like a wanton wench, moaned for him ... and my crew. In her left hand ... laid the cause of my demise. It's glowing radiance was clearly mocking me. It took away all that I had.

Bards call it a Moon Stone. They call it that because they fall from the night sky and into the beds of rock upon the earth. I had not thought much of them before, but now I see that ... they disrupt the flow of my connection to my powers. I could hardly control even a drop of water if that cursed stone touched me

Crap, I could feel my consciousness slipping. The pain is still there, but I can do nothing to stop it as I sink to the bottom. "Leah, my beloved. Barren, my best friend ... my First Mate. Enjoy yourselves, because this is not the end of me! A pirate rarely forgets, and never forgives! I will make you both pay for this! I swear this upon my name, Eric Drakclaw, captain of The Great Tide" I swore.

If Davy Jones' Lock would have me, I would haunt them both until they became naught but rabid animals. And perhaps the pain was getting to me, but ... I started laughing though this more came out as garbled water choking than anything else. However, behind my laughter was an anger enough to sink the entire planet if I willed it. Leah, my beloved, Barren, my First Mate, my crew of The Great Tide, if the god of death willed it, I would have my vengeance!