Chapter 11 - The battle starts

A chill wind rose like a vengeful ghost, scattering the pearly mist and rattling the rigging like a prisoner clutches his chains. The mighty ships groaned and heaved in the gathering swell as the sea rolled and buckled beneath their wooden ribs, the dark water slapping the sides with increasing force. The pirates on board were silent, tense, hollow. They knew with a sense of foreboding that their final shred of hope was now sinking into the depths below them, and that a ruthless armada lay before them, canons primed and anxious for action, straining on their leashes like feral hounds. They could feel Beckett's cold eyes surveying their band of ramshackle boats with a calm disdain and an icy smile on his lips. James knows that not far from them, Russian Navy is helping them secretly.

James sighed and examined the situation. He felt angered. He needed to fight but he stood there silently looking down at the wooden planks of the pearl. He glance up at everyone around him.

"It's not over" Elizabeth declared softly, though her words were loud after the graveyard-like stillness.

"There's still a fight to be had" Will murmured.

"It's an armada, and with the Dutchman there's no chance!" said Gibbs, sorrowful frustration in his tone.

"Not to mention the Endeavour standing in our way if we miraculously take down the Dutchman" Theo sighed, turning his gaze to the contorting sea.

"There's only a fool's chance" said Elizabeth, a strange expression on her face.

"It's still a chance" James said looking at everyone.

Everyone look at James. There is silence for a moment until Barbossa decided to breaks it. "Revenge won't bring yer father back, Miss Swan, and it's not something I intend to die for" said he as he stepped closer to Elizabeth.

"True but if we beat him then we save a lot of people. Plus ourselves" James muttered not wanting to say it louder unless needed to.

Elizabeth's face was distant, set in deep thought, her lips slightly parted as she weighed things over in her mind. Barbossa tilted his head to one side.

"You're right," she said, turning to face the grim old captain. She walked away a few strides before facing him again and asking rhetorically "What shall we die for?"

James sighed.

Theo turned his attention to her, as did Barbossa, Will, Gibbs, Jasmine, James and several other pirates, hanging into her words, curious to see what she was trying to convey.

"You will listen to me," she said softly, stalking up towards the crew, a shadow of a grim snarl on her features. "LISTEN!" she suddenly cried, making James flinch slightly in surprise. Elizabeth marched up towards the rail and stood up on it, clutching a halyard with one hand and facing the sea of attentive, grimy faces as she stood above them.

"The Brethren will still be looking here to us, to the Black Pearl to lead. And what will they see? Frightened bilge rats aboard a derelict ship? No! No, they will see free men, and freedom! And what the enemy will see is the flash of our canons, and they will hear the ring of our swords and they will know what we can do!"

James listened to the words of Elizabeth. He smiled having hope.

Elizabeth resumed her speech, her soft words heavy with determination. "By the sweat of our brow, and the strength of our backs, and the courage of our hearts...gentlemen, hoist the colours."

Will nodded and murmured "Hoist the colours."

Then Ragetti, then Pintel rallied the same words "Hoist the colours!"

"Aye!" breathed Gibbs his eyes wide. "The wind's on out side, boys, that's all we need!"

And with an almighty roar, the crew punched their fists skywards, their sword blades glittering with misty dew and flashing in the dying rays of sunlight, their cry rocking the ships even more so.

"Hoist the colours!" screamed Elizabeth with flashing eyes.

James smiled.

Ekaterina heard but she didn't hoist the colours.

James glanced over at where Ekaterina was and smiled.

She didn't seen him. She just looked at the Endeavour and the Flying Dutchman.

James glanced at the armada.

The cry that had sprung from heart of the Pearl sent out long tongues of inspiration, and soon the fearsome exclamations rose to a roar to match that of the growling thunder from the thickening clouds swirling above. Flags of all colours and sizes and shapes and variations with a different insignia emblazoned across the material, but of the same purposeful message, ascended gracefully upwards, being batted by the wind and flapping so fast it was as if they were clapping their approval of the rallying pirates. As the banners were hauled towards the crow's nest and in sight of the bristling armada, Elizabeth the Pirate King watched on with a stern expression, Captain Barbossa and Will flanking her sides.

James stood behind them getting a good look at the view. He had his sword and his weapons ready. He eyed the Endeavour with a hateful look in his eyes.

They plunged forwards into the curdling abyss, the sea a frothing stew of salt and water, the sky trembling and as dark as night save for when fogs of blazing white lighting sliced down towards the gaping hole that had emerged from Calypso's wrath.

James jumped in a bit of fear.

The wind screamed and whipped up a frenzy as the mist was blasted away, the boiling waves shuddering and churning until they were as thick as magma, a great frothing mass of almost slate-black water threaded with veins of darkest blue and green and gargling grey foam. Overhead, the skies curdled and twisted as though they were the contents of some celestial cauldron being stirred into a crackling broth, flashes of white-hot lightning puncturing the murky clouds.

Then with a resounding boom of thunder from above, rain cascaded down in rippling, silvery sheets; a waterfall of moisture bombarding the ships below like an army slender needles.

The Dutchman plunged forward without fear or hesitation, riding the ruthless waves with such ease it appeared to glide ahead, a ghostly parody of a once proud vessel that melted out of the storm as if it were one with it. Its ragged sails were pulled taut as it was filled with wind and carried it towards its prey. The Black Pearl followed suit and ploughed through the heaving sea, the imposing ship distinguishable from the gloom only because it was a denser darkness that flew across the ocean. Its jet form was a stark contrast to the flashes of crackling lightning that sought to lick the ocean. It evaded the worst of the heavy, rolling waves just like its wily captain that was locked in the Dutchman's brig, separate from the action.

James was trembling when he saw the Flying Dutchman .

"Scared?" Barbossa asked.

"To be honest yes very scared" James said as his voice shook a little.

It suddenly started to rain. "Man that capstan!" Gibbs said as he walked amongst the crew. "Keep that powder dry!" Cannons were primed, balls shoved through their hollow, round maws. Ropes slippery with water were being heaved and tied down, their touch rough and blistering.

And then the ocean spat out fury like hell hath no.

The water was yanked ruthlessly downwards as it span and heaved, a mighty funnel forming and dragging the ships towards it's enormous mouth that was darker than the Pearl's shadow, the crushing oblivion of Davy Jones' Locker sucking at their souls and luring them forwards like a magnetic force. Forks of flickering lightning illuminated the behemoth's massive body as it vomited out spray and misty vapours.

Gibb's face became ashen as he leant against the railings and stared open mouthed at the monster of nature, his jowls quivering as he turned to face the quaterdeck and yelled "Maelstrom!"

James shook in fear a little.

Will and Elizabeth look at each other. Jasmine and Theo are doing the same.

James looked at where Ekaterina was.

She is looking at the maelstrom with wide eyes.

James smiled.

Elizabeth rushed to Barbossa's side, her damp hair plastered to her cheeks that were pallid and taut. "Captain Barbossa! We need you at the helm!"

There was a moment of silence, as the old captain stared at his curling fingers as if he expected them to turn to dust. Cold curiosity filled his gaze as they trembled slightly.

Then he spun around to face Elizabeth and the doubt had disappeared to be replaced with joyful, smug determination. "Aye, that be true!"

James looked a bit confused.

Elizabeth grinned widely with renewed vigour.

There was something about that Barbossa, perhaps his rough, experienced lunacy, which made him trust the captain a lot more than Sparrow. Barbossa shoved the other pirate from the wheel and grabbed the wooden pegs fiercely, his feet planted firmly on the deck, looking more than comfortable there than anywhere else. He twirled it in his gnarled hands and bellowed at the top of his lungs "Brace up the yards, yer cockeyed deck apes! Dyin' is a day worth livin' for!"

They entered the edge of twirling abyss and were quickly caught in its relentless grip. James had to admire Barbossa's skill at keeping the vessel steady. He gripped the railings and narrowed his eyes as he caught sight of the Flying Dutchman hot on their heels. He resisted the strange urge to shake a fist at the ghostly ship. Will stood nearby and the young man followed his gaze.

"On our stern and gaining!" Will yelled.

"More speed!" replied Barbossa, more to the sails than the others. "Haul your wind and hold your water!"

James helped them.

"Take her out or she'll overbear us" said Will, striding closer to Barbossa.

Barbossa's head turned sharply and he gruffly replied "Nay, further in! We'll cut across to faster waters!"

"Prepare to broadside!" said Elizabeth, appearing at his other side.

"Captain the guns!" ordered Gibbs.

"At the ready!" added Will.

The pace of things was increasing rapidly. Soon they'd be ready for impact.

James ran around helping them.

"She's almost upon us!" Theo cried, turning back to face Jones' ship as it glided closer. "Get ready to fire as soon as we're more to port!"

"Aye, the Lieutenant be right," said Barbossa, tilting the ship slightly so it leaned almost precariously towards the yawning spiral below. "Prepare them cannons, gents!"

The vessels inched closer together, and Theo could see tiny, deformed figures aboard the enemy ship crouched at their own cannons. His heart pounded against his ribs till they ached, and he gripped the hilt of his sword tighter.

Then there came a chorus of yells and coarse voices united as one. "FIRE!"

James took cover behind some barrels.

"You look like a coward you know...." Theo said.

"Well.....at the moment I am" James said.

There was a deafening crash and plumes of white smoke and tiny sparks painted the darkness as the cannon balls were blasted across the abyss, and the thunder roared with it and the air was ripped with screams of pain and rage. Splinters of wood were tossed about as the ammunition tore them from the planks, men shoved aside and screaming and choking through bloody spittle. Rosalina ducked as a shred of the Pearl's railing was shattered and a smoking fragment as thick as her arm came flying at him. It shot past in a blur of brown past the edge of her eyesight, and she he felt a burst of burning pain as she scraped her shoulder blade, the very same that Bootstrap had opened with a bullet. Warm blood seeped through her clothes as the scab reopened, but she gritted her teeth and ignored the sting.

Barbossa spun the wheel and shouted with a crazy glint in his dead eyes "It be too late to alter course now, mateys!" And with that, he tossed back his head and cackled with glee.

James felt the urge to hop off the ship. But he stayed.

Through the almighty booms of cannon fire that shook the deck, and the slap of frothy waves against the hulls, the ships twirled in the maelstrom's grasp, edging closer and closer, the faces of their foes now visible through the wet mirror of water that cascaded relentlessly down, rain lashing their faces and blinding their squinted eyes. Soon the ships were so near each other that their masts almost connect with each other as they leant over the watery chasm. Pirates and EITC soldiers and cursed sailors swung across the yawning mouth as the lightning flashed in time with the crack of their guns, those who collided mid-way smashing into each other and falling into the maelstrom below. Those who managed to get across where instantly assailed by their enemy.

James now stood by Theo.

Theo is shooting down some EITC soldiers and starts to fight them with Jasmine after a while. In the corner of his eyes, he saw his old friend Perseus comes aboard the Black Pearl with her army. She starts to fight with them.

James is now helping Theo.

Ekaterina is fighting next to James.

James stayed close and dodged every attack from the enemy.

She looks at Elizabeth as she heard Will propose to her.

James turned around knocking a man to the ground as he pulled Ekaterina out of the way and kissed her lovingly.

She looks at him shocked but she kissed him back. She heard Elizabeth shouts at Barbossa to marry her and Will.

James smiled "I want to marry you" he said as he stuck his sword in one of the enemies gut.

"What? I don't think it's the best time James!" Ekaterina shouts. Barbossa heard what James said. He thought Ekaterina is a male so he shouts at James. "Norrington! Never knew that you are into boys!"

James rolled his eyes.

Theo and Jasmine laugh a little.

James rolled his eyes more.

Barbossa starts to marry Will and Elizabeth. They are shouting their vows loudly.

James held Ekaterina's hand while sword fighting another soldier.

"I love you....and I have make my choice." Ekaterina shouts.

"And what would that be?" James asked pulling her close to him so she wouldn't get stabbed.

"I do!" She shouts as she stabs one of the crewmen of Davy Jones.

James smiled "I've made mine as well...I do" he said with a smile.

She smiled.She looks over his shoulder and saw Elizabeth and Will are kissing like there is no tomorrow.

She kissed him back. Not far away from them, Jasmine and Theo are joining Jack to steal Davy Jones's heart and key and nearly got themselves stabbed.

James glanced at them.

Jasmine was nearly killed by Maccus.

James gave Maccus an evil glare.

Ekaterina slash Maccus into half.

James looked back at Ekaterina.

She smiled a little. She looks up at Jack and saw that he has taken the heart when Davy Jones was stabbed by Will.