Trapped In Elysium: A Virtual Reality Nightmare-Chapter 68: Pirates

The days drifted by on the open sea, and slowly, the tension that had once hung in the air after the storm faded away like mist under sunlight. The group had returned to their usual rhythm, moving about the ship with a newfound ease, joking, training, sharing meals. Even Mariel was now fully part of the circle—woven into their odd little family.

She had a way of lighting up the deck with her laughter, her energy infectious and her voice like honey in the breeze. Every morning, she’d hum soft tunes while cleaning the rails or watching the horizon, and by mid-morning, she’d often break into full songs—sometimes ballads, sometimes playful seafarer’s songs. Her voice was melodic and clear, rising above the creaking of the ship and the distant calls of gulls. The crew adored it. Even grumpy old sailors who rarely smiled found themselves humming along.

That morning was no different. Mariel stood near the mast, her hands behind her back, swaying gently with the ship as her voice carried over the water. Her song was soft but cheerful, something about a sailor returning home from war and being kissed by the ocean wind. Marcus sat nearby on a barrel, clapping in rhythm and calling out, "Encore! Encore! The sea’s jealous of that voice, I swear!"

Sophia, seated on a wooden crate not too far from Liam, offered a small smile as she watched. Her arms were crossed, and though she said nothing, her eyes occasionally flicked toward Liam—who stood near the railing with an absent grin, clearly enjoying the performance.

She had noticed. Not just the looks. The way Liam and Mariel spoke in softer voices when alone, the brief glances that lasted longer than they should, the smiles they shared that no one else was in on. Sophia noticed it all. But she kept it to herself, burying that gnawing feeling deep down. Now wasn’t the time. Not here. Not with everything they were still meant to face.

And then—just like a candle blown out in the wind—Mariel’s singing stopped. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

The sound of heavy boots striking the deck echoed above the hum of morning routine. Captain Ander stormed out of the upper helm, spyglass in hand, his eyes narrow and mouth pulled into a tight scowl. The relaxed atmosphere shattered in an instant.

"Man your stations! I want everyone alert now!" he barked, voice sharp like thunder.

The crew scrambled, startled into action. Liam stood up straight, heart beginning to race. Marcus jumped to his feet, his cheerful expression replaced with one of alarm. Mariel fell silent, the tune in her throat dying mid-note.

Captain Ander turned, pointing toward the horizon where a shadow loomed against the rising sun. A dark silhouette of a ship, its sails tattered but still full of wind, was slowly approaching.

A black flag waved at its peak.

"Pirates," the Captain said grimly, lowering his spyglass.

That one word was enough to chill the blood of every soul aboard the Sea Phantom.

"Mariel, behind me. Now!" Said the Captain.

Mariel didn’t argue. Her expression shifted to something more serious as she ran toward her father, dodging crew members as the deck began to erupt into activity.

Liam stood still for a second, just long enough to get a good look at the incoming threat. Then he rolled his neck, exhaled deeply, and turned toward his group.

Marcus had already made a beeline for the weapons rack and now came storming back with his war axe in hand. "About damn time I got to split something!" he growled, swinging it through the air once to feel the weight.

Jason was calm as ever, reaching behind his back to draw his golden staff, the sun’s reflection gleaming along its surface. He slung the crossbow over his shoulder and tested the drawstring with a nod. "Try not to get in my way," he muttered, half-smiling as he fell in beside Liam.

Eleanor and Sophia moved together without a word. Eleanor’s gray eyes were cold, scanning the sea with precision as she drew her twin daggers and fell into a defensive stance. Sophia, in contrast, was radiating fierce energy—her bow already in hand, arrow notched and ready to fly. Her eyes flicked briefly to Liam, unreadable.

"All of you," Captain Ander barked at his remaining crew, "to the cannons!Ready the grapples! We hold our ground!"

Men scrambled into action, loading the ship’s cannons with practiced speed. The once peaceful deck was now thunder and motion—chains clanking, wood creaking, feet thundering, and voices yelling orders.

The sea rolled uneasily beneath them as the massive shadow of the oncoming ship crept closer through the mist. The salty wind carried with it the distant creaking of lumber and the low, guttural chants of pirates preparing for war. As the massive silhouette fully emerged from the haze, Captain Ander narrowed his eyes, his face stiffening in a mixture of dread and fury.

"No..." he growled under his breath. "It’s him."

Jason turned to the Captain with a raised brow. "You know them?"

Ander’s jaw tightened as his weathered hand pointed toward the enemy vessel. "Aye. That’s the Leviathan’s Howl. And that bastard at the helm is Captain Droskyn. A sea demon in human skin. That man’s never lost a battle, not once. And his ship... it’s a monster."

The Leviathan’s Howl was a terrifying sight. Bigger than the Sea Phantom, its black hull was reinforced with layers of darkened iron plating and twisted steel spikes lining the rails like fangs. Its sails were a deep crimson, ragged but proud, marked with the sigil of a skeletal kraken coiled around a blood-drenched anchor. Dozens of pirate silhouettes lined the deck and crow’s nest, readying muskets, crossbows, and blades that glinted with menace. The growling of its ropes and rattling chains made the ship sound alive, hungry.

The tension shattered when the Sea Phantom fired first. Cannons boomed from below deck, fire and smoke bursting outward as the first round of cannonballs hurled through the air with a thunderous scream. Two balls slammed into the Leviathan’s side, splintering parts of the wooden armor—but it hardly staggered.

A second later, the retaliation came.

The Leviathan’s Howl returned fire with ferocity. Cannonballs ripped through the air, their howls loud and sharp. One exploded just inches from the main deck, the blast of debris hurling crew members off their feet. Another ball soared directly toward Eleanor.

"Get down!" Marcus shouted, lunging with no hesitation.

He threw himself toward her, shielding her just as the ball tore through the rail behind them and sent splinters flying. A sharp piece of iron clipped his upper arm—ripping through flesh.

"Gahh—shit!" Marcus dropped beside her, clutching his bleeding arm with a grimace.

Eleanor gasped and pulled him toward cover. "Marcus! You saved me..."

"Yeah... didn’t plan on bleeding for it though," he grunted, trying to stay upright.

Meanwhile, Liam stayed near the rear mast, ducking and moving with each incoming shot. There wasn’t much he could do yet—he had no cannon, no bow, no staff—only instinct. One cannonball blasted into the deck beside him, sending water and wood flying into the air. He dove out of the way just in time, hitting the boards hard and rolling to his feet, chest heaving.

Arrows flew from the upper deck—Jason was already in motion, planting his feet and firing precise shots across the distance. Each release of the string sent a bolt flying into the enemy ranks, knocking a pirate from the crow’s nest or pinning another behind cover. Beside him, Sophia’s form was graceful but deadly. Her arrows moved with quick efficiency—thud after thud—each one finding its target with brutal accuracy.

Blood sprayed across the opposing deck, pirates dropping one after another.

Still, it wasn’t enough.

Captain Ander stared in horror as the enemy ship inched closer. Their shots had barely dented the Leviathan. Its crew hadn’t even broken formation. They moved like a machine, with a purpose that sent chills down his spine.

He gritted his teeth and muttered under his breath, "This... this might be the end of us." His voice cracked with something rare—fear. "No one’s ever survived a fight with Droskyn... and I’m not sure we will either."

Smoke filled the air. Screams rang out from every side. And somewhere in the distance, the guttural laugh of pirates echoed across the open sea... drawing closer.