Chapter 16: Blades, Blood, and Betrayal
For a moment, time stood still.
Barbossa's body crumpled to the cavern floor, head rolling across the gold with a hollow thud, eyes wide in eternal shock. The crew of the Black Pearl stared at Elias in stunned silence—until the silence cracked like thunder.
"Kill him!" one pirate roared, drawing his sword.
And just like that, chaos erupted.
Steel clashed, torches were knocked over, and shadows danced madly across treasure-laden walls. Pirates lunged at Elias from every angle—but Elias was already moving, fast as a storm wind.
He twisted, ducked under a blade, and slammed the hilt of his black sword into a pirate's jaw—sending him sprawling into a pile of gold. Another came from behind, but Elias spun and stabbed him through the gut, eyes fierce, wild, alive.
From behind a crumbling pillar, Jake Sparrow emerged with his usual swagger, sword in one hand, pistol in the other.
"Now now," Jake muttered, shooting a pirate in the leg. "This is all very dramatic, but maybe next time we try a bit of diplomacy, yeah?"
Raina rushed in next, sliding under a swinging blade, twin daggers in her hands. She slashed one pirate across the knee, then spun, catching another in the side. Blood painted the gold in streaks of red.
Will grabbed Elizabeth, pulling her behind cover as the fighting intensified. "Stay down!"
Elias parried a blow, kicked one attacker into the wall, then turned to face a towering brute with two axes.
"Finally," Elias grinned, tightening his grip on the black blade. "A real challenge."
The brute roared and charged. Elias sidestepped the first swing but caught the second with his blade, the force rattling his bones. Sparks flew. He ducked low, slashing across the brute's thigh, then leapt onto a rock, using the height to plunge his sword into the brute's back.
The pirate screamed and collapsed with a crash.
"ELIAS!" Jake shouted, tossing him a flintlock. Elias caught it, turned, and fired—right between the eyes of a pirate sneaking up on Raina.
She nodded at him. "I had him."
"Sure you did," Elias smirked.
A grenade exploded near the cave entrance, shaking the walls. Debris fell, gold coins rained down like cursed hail. Jake staggered back as three pirates cornered him.
"Gentlemen," Jake said, raising both hands, "I feel like we got off on the wrong foot."
They lunged.
Jake dodged right, parried the first, let the second overextend, and with a graceful spin, stabbed one and kicked the other into a wall of treasure.
"See? Much better footing now."
Elias ran up beside him, panting.
"How many left?"
Jake glanced around. "All of them."
Behind them, Captain Barbossa's body twitched.
Elias's eyes widened. "Oh no…"
The pirates paused for a heartbeat, following Elias's gaze.
Barbossa's fingers curled.
He stood up—without a head.
A ghostly energy surged around his body, and with a bone-cracking snap, his severed head floated up and reattached itself. The wound closed with a sickening squelch.
Barbossa opened his eyes—black as the depths of the sea.
"You think you've won?" he hissed, voice darker now, more ancient.
"Right," Jake said, backing up. "I'm starting to think decapitation was too polite."
Barbossa lifted his hand—and the shadows behind him moved.
Figures emerged—spectral pirates, twisted versions of the crew, now half-dead, cursed, screaming in eternal torment. Their swords glowed with ghostlight, eyes glowing like embers.
"They're not just cursed anymore," Raina whispered. "They're possessed."
Will stepped forward. "This isn't just about gold… Something's wrong with the island."
Barbossa raised his blade, pointing at Elias.
"You stole the last coin didn't you i can feel it in you. The curse was incomplete. You broke nothing."
Elias's mouth twisted. "I'm flattered. Can we duel instead of unleashing hell?"
Barbossa charged.
Elias met him blade to blade, and the cave exploded in light and fury.
Sparks flew with each clash. Barbossa's strength was monstrous, inhuman—his blows shook Elias to the bone. But Elias didn't back down.
He fought like fire—fast, unpredictable, relentless.
Raina joined him, slashing at Barbossa's side, while Jake and Will battled the ghost pirates, back to back.
Jake grunted. "I've fought cursed men before… but this is bloody excessive."
He parried a ghost's blade, shot another through the chest, and spun to block one swinging down on Will.
"Thanks," Will panted.
"its nothing ," Jake winked .
Barbossa roared and shoved Elias back, sword glowing with cursed flame. "You'll die like the rest!"
Elias wiped blood from his mouth and smiled. "Maybe. But not before I ruin your day."
He ran forward, ducked under a swing, and stabbed Barbossa in the chest—only for the blade to pass through like smoke.
Barbossa grabbed Elias by the throat and lifted him.
"You were never a pirate. Just a thief with dreams."
Jake raised his pistol and fired—straight into Barbossa's back.
Barbossa howled and dropped Elias. The shot didn't kill him, but it hurt.
Elias rolled, coughing. "Jake…"
"I know," Jake said, eyes narrowed. "We end this."
Will looked at the treasure. "The curse won't break until every coin's returned… with blood."
Elias reached into his pocket and tossed his stolen coin onto the pile.
"Take it."
Will nodded, cut his hand, and let his blood fall onto the gold.
The light changed.
Barbossa screamed, body convulsing.
"No! No—not again!"
Elias and Jake charged one final time, blades ready. Together, they struck—Jake slashing low, Elias stabbing high.
Barbossa's body burst into black ash, a scream echoing into the cave as the curse finally shattered.
Silence fell.
One by one, the ghost pirates faded, returning to dust.
Jake stood straight, adjusting his coat.
"Well," he said, "that was dramatic."
Elias dropped beside him, panting.
"Captain," he said, grinning, "I think we earned some rum."
Jake smirked.
"Aye, lad. That we did."
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