The Heart Of The Sea

As she rushed toward the village, Patricia was unwavering in her determination to free her brother and rescue Lilith, even if it meant revealing her own powers. The elves she encountered tried to block her path, but they soon realized that underestimating her was a grave mistake.

She glared at them fearlessly. "Where is Lilith? And don't you dare tell me she doesn't exist."

An elf woman stepped forward, her demeanor composed. "Perhaps Lilith exists to you, but you no longer exist to her."

"What do you mean?" Patricia demanded.

"Your dear friend has completely forgotten about your existence. She has made her choice, and it is final."

Patricia remained undeterred by the elf's words. She suspected that they were manipulating Lilith's perception, just as they had done to her. Drawing her sword, her eyes blazed with anger. "I'll ask you one last time: Where is she?"

- The elf had no choice but to comply. "Alright, follow me."

Patricia followed the elf as they made their way to Lilith's location. There, she found Lilith sitting under a large tree, gazing up at the sky. Patricia rushed toward her, concern evident in her voice. "Lilith! Are you okay?"

Lilith's eyes were empty, and her expression was vacant. When Patricia addressed her, Lilith's response was chilling. "Who are you?"

Holding Lilith's hand, Patricia's voice was urgent. "What are you saying? I'm Patricia, your dear friend."

Yet, Lilith repeated the same question, her expression unchanging. "Who are you?"

Patricia's fury was palpable as she turned her glare toward the elf. "What did you do to her?"

The elf's response was cold and final. "I told you, she already made her choice, and she paid for it."

Confusion mixed with frustration in Patricia's voice. "What choice?"

"She chose to live among her loving family."

Patricia's next question was laced with concern. "For what price?"

The elf's words were chilling. "Forget everything about you."

Patricia made several attempts to rouse Lilith, but nothing seemed to work. Frustration and anger colored her voice. "So, this is your nasty trick – using people's inner desires to trap them in an illusion."

The elf's response was callous. "Well, she can wake up if she wants. We don't force anyone against their will. But she doesn't want that. She likes it."

Patricia's frustration grew into fiery determination. "That's not true! I know Lilith very well. She would never accept such a life."

Despite her urge to unleash her anger, Patricia's rationality prevailed. She considered the potential consequences of her actions. "What if they get mad and harm William and Patrick instead?" She reluctantly sheathed her sword, opting for a more diplomatic approach. "Please, set her free. We will leave your land immediately without harming anyone."

Suddenly, the sound of raucous laughter cut through the air. It was the old elf, who approached Patricia. "How arrogant you are! The last time your captain came here, he destroyed our land and killed my daughter."

Patricia was struck with shock. "Is he talking about William?"

She struggled to maintain her composure. "Even if what you say is true, it has nothing to do with me and Lilith."

The elf's response was cold and unforgiving. "Maybe not your friend, but you are definitely involved, and you must pay for what your lover did."

"What are you saying? I'm not his lover!" Patricia retorted, her frustration growing.

The elf dismissed her denial, his demeanor unyielding. "Don't you think it would be unfair to let him live happily while my daughter lost her life? She paid the price on her own, and it's his turn to suffer the same way."

Patricia's heart sank as she realized that reasoning with the elf would be futile, no matter what she said.

She gripped her sword, her frustration turning into determination.

"What exactly do you want? A war? Alright, I will fulfill your wish, but don't blame me later," Patricia declared with a steely resolve.

Meanwhile, within the cage, William was deep in thought, plotting their escape.

"It will be dark soon. We must get out of this cage and gather what we need before nightfall," he stated.

Patrick looked at him, curiosity in his eyes. "And what exactly do we need?"

William smirked knowingly. "The Heart of the Sea."

Patrick's shock was palpable. "What did you say? The Heart of the Sea!"

"I see that you've already heard about it," William replied coolly.

How could I not know about it!" Patrick's astonishment was evident. "The Heart of the Sea is the most powerful item that ever existed in the world. It can split the sea and even cause a volcano to erupt. They say that the one who possesses its power can control nature. Every wizard seeks to have it. But why do we need it?"

"I need it to reopen the gate to the monster's world," William explained.

Patrick's annoyance was clear. "But you said that you needed it to reach Majorca!"

William tried to feign innocence. "Oh, I'm sorry. It was a slip of the tongue."

William looked around, then leaned in closer. "Using magic won't do, so we'll have to get out of here the traditional way."

Patrick raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

With a determined look, William rolled up his sleeves. "Let's start digging."

William and the rest of the pirates wasted no time and began digging. Patrick was initially skeptical about how effective this method would be, but he was quickly proven wrong by the speed and efficiency with which they worked. In just a matter of minutes, they managed to dig a substantial hole, leaving Patrick in awe and realizing that these pirates were anything but ordinary.

Before long, they had dug a tunnel large enough to escape through. William urged everyone to move quickly. "Come on, let's go. We need to find the Heart."

However, Patrick raised a concern. "Wait! What about Lilith and Patricia? We should rescue them first."

William's response was dismissive. "They'll take care of themselves." His focus remained unwavering on their mission.