The Rookie Pirates (Parts 1-6)

33. The Sea Serpent

Part IV: The Flint Brothers

33. The Sea Serpent

It was a gloomy day. The sky was dull and murky, covering the oceans of Aqua in a blanket of darkness. The rain thrashed down, soaking anything in its sights, and drenched the Flint Pirates as they ran across the deck.

Wet crimson hair clung to Pirate Lord Zachary Flint's face, who stood halfway up the rigging of his ship. He curled his left hand tightly around the ropes for balance as the vessel rocked from side to side from the pursing storm, and his right hand held a brass spyglass up to his eye, searching for an island over the stormy horizon.

The sudden strike of a bolt zigzagged its way down to the seas below, lighting the sky in brilliant hues of white and yellow that made Zach's shadow dance with energy on the deck below. Seconds later, the rumble of a monster echoed loudly like a colossal creature had been awoken from its long slumber and was ready to wreak havoc across the world once again.

"The gods are angry." His first mate, Bart Roberts, climbed the rigging to join him, his grey-brown hair whipping around his old face. "I've never seen such vicious waves before. I wonder what has Poseidon so mad!" he shouted over the sound of the waves crashing against the hull.

Zach did not answer him; his attention was still on the horizon, looking for Hive Island that should be close by. The island was home to his seventeen-year-old daughter, Azalea Flint, whom he had not seen since she was ten years old.

Since coming across honey gold, a rare ore found only on Hive Island with the government's stamp branded on to it, Zach knew something was amiss and went in search of the island he'd once called his second home. He was twenty-nine years old the last he stepped foot on the island and wondered what could have happened during his seven-year absence.

He hoped his daughter was safe from harm. He would not be able to live with himself if something bad were to have happened to her.

"Ship - port side!" Samantha Bellamy cried from the crows nest.

Zach took the spyglass away from his eye and clambered up the rigging to Sam, who pointed an outstretched finger at the port side of the vessel. Looking through his spyglass once again, Zach saw the approaching vessel.

However, the ship was still too far to see whether or not it was a friend or foe. Just to be sure, he whistled, a loud, echoing screech that had all the crew crying in agony and covering their ears, everyone except the captain's most trusted friends. Bart Roberts, Samantha Bellamy, and Dick Hawkins were the only ones who could withstand his loud whistle.

"Is calling Linda a good idea?" Hawkins shouted from the helm.

"Yes." Zach's bronze eyes never left the approaching vessel. "We don't have time to start a fight, Linda will rid us of them in an instant."

A few seconds later, a dark shadow loomed beneath the ship, and the seas calmed as though the waves were scared of the dark patch of water.

Zach swung down from the rigging and onto the deck below and approached the railing of his ship. A steady look was evident in his bronze eyes, and his hand held tightly on to the hilt of his cutlass, reminding the shadow that he was still the boss.

The shadow had been in the Flint family for many generations, and only those with Flint blood could tame it. It was for this reason why naval ships and rookie pirates dared not approach the Flint Pirates, fearing the sea monster that always followed them.

However, at times Zach's pet could be unpredictable and attack even its owner, which was why the captain was always cautious of Linda and only ever used her for special occasions. The shadow loved to listen to his younger brother more than him. Linda adored his younger brother, which annoyed Zach to an extent. He never understood why the creature loved his little brother more than him.