Reborn As a Pirate - Chapter 101

Chapter 101: Performance, Begins Now!
“You’re the only one among us unaffected by the blood moon,” Freni added, her words causing Ryan to regard Cecilia with newfound curiosity.

Was Cecilia immune because of some unique lineage? His mind flickered through memories of her dignified demeanor, adding layers to the mystery.

After a brief struggle, Cecilia acquiesced, bowing her head. “I will obey.”

“Good. I leave the [Black Rose] in your hands.” Freni then turned and strode toward the deck’s edge, her cloak billowing softly behind her.

Ryan followed closely, their steps in sync as they reached the railing.

In the next instant, a massive hand made of dark blue energy scooped them up, propelling them across the sea towards the distant Whirlpool Islands.

Ryan marvelled at the spectral yet tangible energy beneath them, envy and curiosity mingling in his gaze. Despite his own professional prowess, such feats remained beyond his grasp.

“It seems that a witch’s power is far less ‘constrained’ than that of us professionals. Could this be why it’s often branded as heretical?” he mused, pondering the unorthodox nature of Freni’s abilities.

But such philosophical queries would have to wait. For now, his focus returned to the menacing glow of the blood moon.

“Lady Freni, do you feel the ‘whispers’ weakening?”

“Yes,” Freni replied, her expression turning solemn. “The blood moon is compelling creatures to converge towards its center. Though I cannot fathom the witch’s intent, it definitely not something good.”

“We need to hasten our pace. If we allow the blood moon more time to intensify, we could be facing catastrophic outcomes.”

Propelled swiftly by the colossal energy hand, Ryan and Freni soon found themselves at the desolate shores of North Island 1. The bustling port, once lively and vibrant, now lay eerily silent. Pools of blood shimmering under the flickering lights were the somber testimonies to the horrors that had unfolded here not long ago. Drawn by the insidious influence of the blood moon, even the ordinary townsfolk, driven mad, had migrated towards the island’s heart, seeking respite from the relentless, maddening whispers that plagued their minds.

Witnessing the desolation, Freni let out a heavy sigh.

…

High atop the extinct volcano in Minin Forest, the Blood Witch, resting against the majestic Moon Wolf, opened her eyes wide with a manic gleam. Her voice rose, tinged with excitement and anticipation, “The ‘leading actor’ is finally in place…” Her words faded into the chilling wind, carrying with them a sinister portent.

…

Back at North Island 1, near the port, Ryan and Freni moved purposefully towards Minin Forest. As they neared the “Seagull Tavern,” Ryan glanced through a sliver of space in the doorway, his curiosity piqued by a fleeting shadow.

“Huh?” he muttered, drawing Freni’s attention.

She followed his gaze to the tavern, where a faint light seeped through the door’s crack. The tavern’s sign creaked ominously under the wall lamp’s glow.

“Could there still be people inside?” Ryan mused aloud, recalling his earlier reconnaissance. “I obtained an intelligence map from this very tavern.”

Freni’s eyes reflected her quick understanding. “Shall we take a look inside?”

Given the current circumstances, it was implausible for anyone to remain stationary without being compelled by the blood moon’s influence to venture deeper into the island.

Ryan nodded and led the way, pushing open the tavern door. A gust of cold wind rushed in, causing the candles on the bar to sputter and dance wildly. The shifting light briefly illuminated the face of the tavern owner, Caius, who wore gold-rimmed glasses and appeared remarkably composed given the situation.

Setting down the wine glass he was polishing, Caius looked up with a courteous smile as his gaze shifted from Ryan to Freni. “Ah, welcome back, and I see you have a companion. Would you care for a drink? On the house today or rather, the last round. How about a ‘Moonlight Blood’?”

“Moonlight Blood?” The name sent a shiver down Ryan’s spine, igniting a flurry of electric shocks in his mind. When he had first heard of it, it seemed nothing more than an intriguing concoction. But now, given the eerie night and their grim context, a new, unsettling thought occurred to him.

Had Caius known what was to unfold this very night?

“Is he truly the ‘unknown witch’?” the patrons murmured incredulously.

Though, indeed, he was a man.

“Don’t stare so. It unnerves me, my friends,” Caius chided, a wry smile playing on his lips as he slid two glasses filled with a shimmering liquid across the polished bar top. “Dare you not sample a glass? This, I assure you, is the crowning jewel of my concoctions since my departure from that accursed place.”

The glasses, as if charmed, glided through the dim light of the bar towards Ryan and Freni.

Ryan caught his glass, the scarlet contents swirling ominously. He paused, his voice low and cautious, “So, what hidden truths do you know about the situation right now, Caius?”

“Honestly?” Caius’s grin didn’t waver. “Absolutely nothing. I merely accepted an invitation to observe.”

“The mundane life can be tedious at time, doesn’t it? We crave the allure of the exquisite, the thrilling.” His gaze flickered across the room, settling on a distant figure. “Wouldn’t you agree, Lady Selina?”

At a shadowed table, a figure with hair as pale as moonlight revealed herself. Her arrival was a mystery, unnoticed until now.

She set down her untouched glass with a disdainful ‘pah’. “This is your masterpiece? It seems the tastes of circus folk decay with each passing day.”

Her voice carried an enchanting timbre, at once youthful and laden with the wisdom of ages, a siren’s call that was both unsettling and soothing.

Rising, her icy gaze fixed on Ryan and Freni at the doorway. “Welcome to my ‘stage’. I am the Blood Witch Selina. You, my ‘stars’, shall accompany me further.”

Before they could protest, a surge of crimson enveloped them, drawing them towards an unseen destiny.

Selina then turned her attention back to Caius, “And you, the specially invited observer. Your presence is required.”

Caius’s face stiffened, but he raised a hand in resignation, “I can find my own way.”

“Nonetheless, you shall join,” Selina declared, and before another word could escape him, he too was consumed by the blood-red mire.

“‘The performance,’ begins now.”

Her words hung in the air, a soft but formidable decree. Above, the blood moon cast a lurid glow, punctuating her declaration as a pillar of blood-red light descended upon Minin Volcano, signaling the start of a night that promised to be unforgettable.