[38] Battle of Leviathan fall

As the coalition fleet led by Blackbeard, the Twins, and Hawkins approached what they believed to be Cassandra's stronghold, a sense of unease permeated the air. Instead of the anticipated fleet of pirate ships ready for battle, they were met with a seemingly innocuous convoy of merchant vessels.

Blackbeard stood on the deck of the "Dread Leviathan," his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Something's not right," he muttered, his gaze fixed on the merchant ships. "Cassandra's not one to leave her lair undefended. This smells like a fucking trap."

Meanwhile, the Twins, driven by greed and the prospect of easy loot, charged ahead. Jolly Roger, aboard the "Shadow Serpent," shouted orders to his crew. "Full speed ahead! Let's grab what we can before Blackbeard grows a pair!"

Rackham Ray, on the "Nightmare," echoed his brother's enthusiasm, a wicked grin on his face. "Easy pickings! Let's fill our holds and get out before anyone realizes what's happening."

Old Man Hawkins, aboard the "Wise Kraken," recognized the recklessness of the Twins' actions and pursued them, trying to maintain some semblance of order. "You bloody fools, hold back!" he bellowed into his speaking trumpet. "This is exactly what they want us to do! We're walking into a damn trap!"

The Twins, however, were deaf to Hawkins's warnings, their ships cutting through the water towards the merchant vessels with unbridled haste.

Blackbeard, watching the scene unfold, held his position, his instincts warning him of the danger. "Hold steady!" he commanded his crew. "Let the Twins play the bait. We're not moving until I'm sure what game Cassandra's playing."

Onboard the "Dread Leviathan," the crew waited anxiously, their hands itching for combat yet restrained by Blackbeard's orders. The tension was palpable, the pirates exchanging uneasy glances as they watched the Twins' ships race towards the convoy.

"The Twins are going to get themselves killed," grumbled one of Blackbeard's lieutenants, a burly man with a scar across his nose.

Blackbeard kept his eyes on the horizon, his expression grim. "Maybe. But I'm not risking my fleet on a hunch. Cassandra's up to something, and I'm not about to fall into her fucking game."

As the first light of dawn illuminated the scene, the merchant ships remained passive, floating idly as the Twins closed in. There was no sign of attack, no hint of the ambush they had anticipated.

Blackbeard clenched his jaw, his mind racing through scenarios and possibilities. The absence of Cassandra's fleet was a riddle, and he knew better than to make a move without understanding the board.

The scene ended with Blackbeard's ships holding their position, the pirate lord's gaze locked on the mysterious convoy of merchant ships, his mind working overtime to decipher Cassandra's strategy.

"Something is fishy..." Blackbeard muttered.

On the turbulent seas of the Devil's Choke, a dramatic turn of events unfolded. The Twins' flagship, "Shadow Serpent," and Hawkins' flagship, "Wise Kraken," positioned themselves horizontally, creating a barrier that hinted at a tactical formation. This move did not escape Blackbeard's notice on the "Dread Leviathan," but he remained wary, his instincts cautioning against reckless action.

However, the pent-up frustration among Blackbeard's crew reached a boiling point. "We're missing our chance, Captain!" shouted one of his lieutenants, his voice laced with anger and greed. "The Twins and Hawkins are grabbing the loot while we sit here like cowards!"

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the crew, the threat of mutiny hanging heavy in the air. Blackbeard, known for his fearsome command, faced a rare moment of dissent. With a scowl etched deep on his face, he finally acquiesced. "Fine! We move in. But keep your eyes peeled. Something's off about this whole setup."

As the "Dread Leviathan" and its accompanying fleet slowly advanced towards the convoy, a sudden, shocking revelation unfolded. The seemingly innocent merchant vessels, one by one, raised the crimson flag of Cassandra's Raiders. Cannons, previously hidden, emerged from the sides of the ships, pointing ominously towards Blackbeard's approaching fleet.

Simultaneously, the "Shadow Serpent" and "Wise Kraken," along with the main fleets of the Twins and Hawkins, started to distance themselves from Blackbeard, revealing their own cannons. It was a coordinated move, a betrayal laid bare in the open sea.

Blackbeard, standing on the deck of his flagship, watched in horror as the reality of the situation dawned on him. "It's a fucking setup!" he bellowed, his voice thunderous with rage and betrayal. "We've been sold out!"

His crew, once eager for loot and battle, now faced the grim prospect of a trap. The sea around them had turned into a hostile arena, with Cassandra's disguised ships to the front and the traitorous fleets of the Twins and Hawkins at the flanks.

"Man the cannons! Prepare for battle!" Blackbeard roared, trying to rally his men in the face of imminent conflict. "We'll blast our way out of this. Those backstabbing sea dogs won't take us down without a fight!"

His crew, caught between the shock of betrayal and the instinct for survival, scrambled to their battle stations. The "Dread Leviathan" bristled with activity as pirates loaded cannons and armed themselves, the tension on board palpable.

On the decks of the "Shadow Serpent" and "Wise Kraken," Jolly Roger and Hawkins watched the scene unfold, their expressions unreadable. The plan, it seemed, had worked to perfection, isolating Blackbeard and leaving him vulnerable.

Blackbeard, his eyes blazing with fury and disbelief, looked out at the sea of enemies surrounding him. The realization that he had been outmaneuvered, betrayed by those he had considered allies, was a bitter pill to swallow.

The sea around Blackbeard's fleet had turned into a death trap. As he attempted to retreat, the "Dread Leviathan" leading his fleet, Blackbeard realized with a sinking heart that escape was not an option. Cassandra's main fleet, previously hidden, had silently encircled them from behind, completing the encirclement.

"Fk, fk, fk!" Blackbeard cursed, his voice a mixture of rage and desperation. He realized too late that he had walked into a meticulously planned ambush. His legendary dreadnought, the "Dread Leviathan," now seemed like a trapped beast, surrounded on all sides by predators ready to pounce.

"Man the cannons! Prepare to defend!" he yelled, but his voice was drowned out by the thunderous booms of cannon fire as the first salvo was unleashed upon his fleet.

Cassandra's fleet, a formidable array of warships bearing the crimson flag, opened fire with deadly precision. The air was filled with the deafening roars of cannons and the splintering of wood. Black smoke billowed into the sky as cannonballs tore through the hulls of Blackbeard's ships, sending splinters and debris flying.

On the "Dread Leviathan," chaos reigned. Sailors scrambled to return fire, but they were outgunned and outmaneuvered. Blackbeard, standing on the deck, was a figure of fury, barking orders and rallying his men amidst the carnage.

The Twins and Hawkins, from their vantage points, joined the assault, their cannons adding to the cacophony of destruction. The "Shadow Serpent" and "Wise Kraken" unleashed broadsides that rocked the "Dread Leviathan," further weakening Blackbeard's flagship.

Amidst the chaos, the sea turned red with the blood of fallen pirates. Men screamed in agony as they were hit by flying shrapnel or thrown overboard by the force of the explosions. The "Dread Leviathan" itself, once a symbol of Blackbeard's might, was now a wounded behemoth, struggling to stay afloat.

Blackbeard, amidst the mayhem, fought like a man possessed. He fired his pistols, cut down enemies who dared board his ship, and roared orders to his crew. But it was a losing battle. His fleet, caught off guard and outflanked, was being decimated.

The other ships in his fleet fared no better. One by one, they succumbed to the relentless barrage. Some tried to break through the encirclement, only to be blasted apart. Others caught fire, their masts collapsing as the flames consumed them.

The battle in the Devil's Choke had reached its zenith, with Blackbeard's fleet being systematically decimated under the unrelenting barrage of cannon fire. The "Dread Leviathan," once the terror of the seas, was now a beleaguered giant, taking hit after hit from all sides.

Over a hundred volleys of cannonballs tore through the air, each one finding its mark on the "Dread Leviathan" with deadly precision. The ship's once formidable hull was now riddled with gaping holes, its sails torn to shreds. The once-proud pirate banners were ablaze, sending plumes of black smoke into the sky.

Blackbeard, standing on the deck of his flagship, watched in grim resignation as his fleet was obliterated. His crew, those who were still alive, fought desperately to repel boarders and return fire, but it was a futile effort. The "Dread Leviathan" was overwhelmed, outgunned, and outmaneuvered.

As the final volley ripped through the ship, Blackbeard made his decision. "If I'm to go down, I'll go down with my ship," he roared defiantly, refusing to abandon the vessel that had been his home and fortress.

The crew, loyal to the last, rallied around their captain, their cries of defiance ringing out even as the ship began to list dangerously. Water poured in through the breaches in the hull, and the "Dread Leviathan" started to sink slowly, joining the fate of its fallen sisters.

The sea around the sinking ship was a chaotic maelstrom of debris, floating wreckage, and bodies. The once-proud fleet of Blackbeard Bartholomew was now just a memory, its remnants scattered across the unforgiving waters.

On the deck of the "Dread Leviathan," Blackbeard stood resolute, his eyes fixed on the horizon as his ship sank. Around him, his crew fought to the bitter end, some trying to save the ship, others resigned to their fate. The sound of the ship's timbers groaning under the strain of water and damage was like the death knell of an era.

As the water level rose, engulfing the lower decks and climbing higher, the realization that there was no escape settled in. The pirates, once feared across the seas, now faced their end not with a roar, but with a resigned acceptance.

The "Dread Leviathan," her sides breached and her masts broken, gave one final, mournful creak before she began her descent into the depths. Blackbeard, along with his loyal crew, went down with her, disappearing beneath the waves in a final act of defiance.

Q: Have you ever watched "Pirates of the Caribbean?" before?