Chapter 1 – Back from the Depths
There was no greater threat on the ocean
than I Procella, the Queen of the Sea, and there never will be any queen
greater than I. I forged my crown with blood and fire. My wealth was made by
taking it from the most powerful kings and queens. No one could defeat my fleet
of ships. Not the mythical beasts of the sea nor the armies of the kingdoms
that I fought. I am not entirely without mercy despite my violent nature. I won’t
plunder, burn, or kill if I’m paid and my demands are met. The Church and other
kingdoms do the same, so what does it matter if I do the same?
The only real defeat I’ve had was
at the hands of Tenebris the Tender of the Flame of Cognizance when I went to take
the Flame for myself because what greater treasure is there than to have power
over man’s sense of good and evil? Everything was going well until I faced him
by myself. He didn’t say a word despite the many things I said to him to get
him off his guard. I’ll never forget that stoic look on his face. He defeated
me and the forces I had with me when he used the Flame of Cognizance against us.
Tenebris then used the Flame to see into our souls to judge us and give us our
punishment.
Some of my crew were executed while
the rest were given life sentences of servitude for the kingdoms we raided. I,
on the other hand, was given special treatment by having a holy sword thrust
into my chest as I was thrown into the bottom of the sea. They knew that I can’t
easily die because I use the black flame, the power of the human soul, raw
humanity to become nearly immortal. The holy sword has pinned me here for who
knows how long, but those fools should’ve known that the power of the black
flame should not be underestimated. When the black sun, the moon, shows its
dark side and envelops the areas that it shadows, the black flame in the souls
of all humanity is at its most powerful. This day finally comes and thanks to
the black flame, the holy sword is corrupted. After wading through the water, I
come to the shore and puke out buckets and buckets of water. It’s an unpleasant
feeling, to say the least, but nothing compared to the exhilaration I feel from
being free from my watery prison.
“I live again!” I yell at the world,
“The Queen of the Sea has risen. There’s nothing you can do to stop me! The
world will be mine! Hahaha!”
If my memory is correct, there
should be a shipyard around here. Sure enough, I find it, but my ship is
nowhere to be seen. Maybe they gave it to Tenebris or some kingdom to show off
in a museum. They better not be using her or have destroyed her! Well, I guess
it’s time to make my triumphant return.
“Make way! The Queen of the Sea, Procella,
enters your presence!” I say to get everyone’s attention.
They scatter and scream in fear
with few being so afraid that they are frozen in place.
“Boo!” I say to get them going.
I then get on one of the ships and tell
its crew to take me to where my old crew should be. The ship’s crew are too afraid
to disagree with me, so they agree and then leave the ship once we get to our
destination and spread the news of my return. Using this as a distraction, I
find my way to the prison and then blow my way through with my black flames.
Entering the prison, I say, “I’ve
returned from the sea. It is time to retake what is mine, what is ours. Come
with me my crewmates and those who want glory and treasure! Together, we’ll put
fear and respect back into the hearts of everyone we come across and take the
world for ourselves!”
…huh. No one looks excited to join
me. I approach one of my most loyal crewmates, and it looks like she wanted to
leave without me noticing.
“I assume that you are trying to
come to me because it’d be foolish of you to walk away,” I say to her.
“I…I have some other jobs waiting
for me, boss. Sorry,” she says.
“That was a terrible lie, and you
know the price of lying to me. Tell me why you aren’t joining me or else.”
“Because…because we were defeated
when I thought that we were invincible. That black flame of yours is useless against
those blessed by the Flame of Cognizance.”
“What are you talking about? The
black flame is how I got out of my watery prison.”
“It’s only because the black sun is
showing its dark side today. You’ll be powerful for the night, but that’s it
and the Flame of Cognizance is still more powerful.”
“We’ve beat people who wielded it
before.”
“Only because we broke their faith.”
“Thanks to the power of the black
flame.”
“But no one can use the black flame
like you can because we aren’t as sinful as you.”
“We can change that.”
“It’s not going to be worth it. Our
impact on the world is gone in the five months that you were in the sea. It was
all for nothing.”
“How dare you say that! How dare
you have such little faith in me! What about the rest of you? Will you not join
me?”
Everyone I can see walks away and a
few even run. More people including my old crew are leaving if they already haven’t
left when I wasn’t paying attention. I will not forgive them for this insult!
“If you won’t join me, then you can
all burn!” I say as I envelop the prison in black flames.
I then burn the rest of the
surrounding area with flames to the point where my flames start to freeze everyone
and everything it touches. This is something that the Flame of Cognizance can’t
do and this is what the black flame is supposed to do at full power. My flames
can burn and freeze now, so I won’t need anyone’s help in taking back the
world.
“Hear me, you fools! Tonight marks
my glorious return, so tremble in fear. Get on your knees and witness the return
of the Queen of the Sea as I take back what is rightfully mine in a single night.”
I laugh as I reach up to the moon
with both my hands and grip my hands around it as if taking it out of the sky
as my black flames grow. Using these flames, I create a ship of black flames
with a crew of creatures made of the same flame. The Flame of Cognizance may be
the original flame that takes its power from God, but those who wield it aren’t
able to do anything unless God wills it. I am not restrained by such rules when
the black flame is at its peak. With this power, I can do anything I want, take
anything I want, destroy anything I want. Watch out, you who doubted me. I’m
coming for you first.
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