Smoke billowed across the sky as screams echoed through the crumbling port town. The once-bustling den of crime and trade was now painted in blood and chaos. The ghouls were everywhere.
Inhuman shrieks tore through the air as a pack of ghouls pounced on a cluster of pirates guarding a warehouse. One ghoul slammed a pirate against the stone wall, its claws carving through the man's chest like butter. Another tore into a lookout perched above the docks, dragging him off his post before he could sound the horn.
"Gods, what are these things?!" a pirate shrieked as he stumbled backward, watching his comrades get ripped apart. "They don't die! They're not human!"
They cant even kill a single ghoul because when a ghoul is damaged it will jus retreat and eat a human that died to replenish his health.
And yet, amid the carnage, slaves and the helpless were left untouched. A woman chained to a cage sobbed as a ghoul passed her by, eyes glowing with unnatural light, only to leap onto her captor and disembowel him.
In the eastern square, Vanthelis—disguised as Captain Cronus—strode confidently, barking orders.
"Gather the men! Rally them to the central plaza! Any pirate not fighting is a traitor!" he shouted, voice deep and commanding.
A group of pirates ran up to him, bloodied and frantic.
"Captain! You're here! We thought you were in the docks!"
"I've been handling the east," Vanthelis growled, narrowing his eyes. "Now listen. You want gold? Glory? Survive this, and I'll double your cut. Every man who follows me today walks away rich."
Their eyes lit up. The promise of coin was a powerful motivator.
"Aye, Captain! We'll follow you to hell and back!"
He smirked. Good.
Elsewhere, the real Cronus was storming down the northern streets with three of his most trusted enforcers. His coat was singed, the air thick with smoke and confusion.
"Report!" he barked.
One of his men, a lanky scout with soot on his face, pointed toward the west. "Sir, we saw creatures… corpses, walking like demons. Ripping men apart. But they're not killing everyone—they ignore the slaves."
"What kind of sick joke is this?! Who dares attack my city?"
Another pirate, bleeding and limping, staggered forward. "Captain, s-someone's rallying our men at the plaza. Said he was you."
Cronus stopped in his tracks.
"What?"
"He's wearing your coat, your voice—it's uncanny, sir. But… I swear it ain't you."
Rage burned in Cronus's eyes. "Impostor. That bastard's going to pay."
He pushed forward, furious, knocking aside a barrel as he marched toward the main plaza.
Back at the plaza, Vanthelis had gathered nearly fifty pirates, all ready to follow him. They tightened grips on weapons, drawing flintlocks and sabers.
One leaned in and whispered, "Captain, about the gold… if we win this, maybe we take over the western trade routes too, yeah?"
Vanthelis smiled.
"Oh, we won't just take them. We'll own the seas. Every noble, every merchant—they'll pay us to breathe. This city? It'll be the jewel of the sea."
The man grinned, convinced. "To hell with whoever's attacking us."
Suddenly, a booming voice echoed across the plaza.
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!"
Gasps erupted.
The real Cronus appeared at the edge of the square, flanked by armed men. His face was twisted in fury, boots crunching over ash and bone.
Vanthelis turned slowly, still wearing the visage of Cronus. A moment of silence stretched out. Pirates looked between them, confused, panicked.
"W-what's going on?"
"There are two of them!"
"Which one's the real captain?!"
Cronus snarled. "You're dead, whoever you are. Wearing my face like some filthy mask. I'll carve it off myself."
Vanthelis let the tension rise, let the confusion grow, then he stepped forward, raising a hand.
With a thunderous voice, he declared:
"You dare impersonate me, Cronus—the Captain of the Thunderbird Pirates?!"
Pandemonium erupted.
Some pirates backed away, blades drawn, unsure who to follow. Others shouted in disbelief, fingers twitching on triggers.
From the rooftops, the ghouls watched with glowing eyes.
The showdown had come.