For an instant, time seemed to freeze. Then, like an unleashed storm, the first wave of pirates burst onto the deck of the Santa Carmen, descending like furious demons amid the smoke and roar. The battle erupted at once—steel against steel, bloodcurdling screams, and the thunder of cannons in the background.
Aboard the Gárnor, Skippy assessed the situation. The Santa Carmen's cannons were preventing the rest of the pirates from boarding. Moreover, the ship still had most of its sails intact and was beginning to pull away from the Gárnor in an attempt to flee. If they succeeded, his men would be trapped aboard the galleon, and the chance of capture would be lost.
The admiral and the captain monitored the defense operation. Then the admiral ordered, "Captain Leonardo, get us out of here... The cannons will keep the pirate ship at bay, and our men can subdue that rabble of attackers."
"But they could strike from behind, sir... It would be better to keep them at bay while we wear down the boarders," the captain objected.
The admiral looked at him sternly. "That's an order!"
Resigned, the captain gave the command to the helmsman, who began maneuvering to steer the galleon away from the Gárnor. The sudden movement tilted the ship dangerously, sending both attackers and defenders rolling and plunging the deck into even greater chaos.
Inside the cabins, everyone rolled as well. The countess and the confessor shrieked as they hit the floor, while the marchioness, who had tried to hold on to whatever she could, was also knocked over.
Captain Skippy clenched his jaw and cast a fierce glare at the Santa Carmen, which held its ground like a wounded but proud giant. Cannon smoke blanketed the sea, the clash of blades and the cries of men filled the air. Yet the reality was clear: the first wave had been stalled. If he didn't act now, he would lose the ship—and his opportunity.
"Bring me the gunners!" he roared, his voice cutting through the din like a whip.
Within seconds, the chief gunner, Derek, appeared, panting.
"What are your orders, Captain?"
Skippy looked toward the Santa Carmen's sterncastle, where the Spanish banner still fluttered, untouched.
"Aim for the main yards. I want those sails on fire! And silence every one of those mouths spitting at us."
"What about our men already aboard?" asked Trumper hesitantly. "They might get caught in the fire. If we aim for the guns, we could strike below the waterline and sink the beast."
Skippy watched the ship, where the fight raged on, led by the burly Black man named Knox, who had been marked as head of the assault group.
"The smoke will cover their advance. And if God is just, it'll confuse the bastards too."
Derek nodded and rushed off to fulfill the order. Meanwhile, Skippy lowered his voice to speak to the boatswain.
"Ready the men. We're going to board from the stern."
"A second wave, Captain?" asked Trumper, surprised.
"Yes. To drive the knife into their heart while they look forward—we'll take their soul from behind."
"Captain, all we've got left are recruits, and most of the veterans are up there firing muskets."
"We've no choice. They're maneuvering to pull away and trap our men. I need to take the helm. That's where the captain and that pompous fool are—if I can subdue them, we win the battle. In the meantime, we risk losing the prize and our men. I'll go down with the men. Ready the longboat—you'll lead the second wave."
Within minutes, the pirate ship's cannons roared again—but this time, they didn't fire balls. Instead, they launched small barrels of tar, set ablaze, which exploded in black flames against the sails of the Santa Carmen. The wind did the rest. In seconds, the sails were engulfed in fire, sending thick columns of smoke pouring over the deck.
The boatswain gathered the recruits—among them Sammy, Cody, and Kayin—and gave them instructions: they were to leap in and cover the entrance to the sterncastle to prevent reinforcements.
Through the hellish fog, the experienced men of the Gárnor, silent and swift, slid toward the rear flank of the galleon. They rowed fiercely, daggers clenched between their teeth, while Captain Skippy stood at the bow of the boat, urging them on.
The young ones climbed to the gunwale. Cody felt like he was about to wet himself with fear, Kayin felt only that he had to do what had to be done, and Sammy's heart was pounding with sheer excitement. Taking advantage of the smoke, the boatswain also climbed to the edge and, watching for the right moment, gave the shout. All of them swung across toward the Santa Carmen.
As Sammy landed on the deck, adrenaline exploded through her veins. A brutal wave of fear and euphoria surged within her, fusing into one overwhelming force. Everything she had ever read, everything she had ever dreamed in fantasies of glory and danger, was now reality—brutal, chaotic, and deadly. With no time to think, senses blazing, she drew her weapon and threw herself fully into the fight, racing to take position at the foot of the sterncastle.
"A second wave has landed!" someone shouted down the corridor.
Inside the cabin, they screamed in fright.
"Resurrected Jesus! They're going to sink us... Dear Christ, we're going to die!" the countess wailed, clutching her rosary, kneeling and begging the heavens.
"Easy, Your Excellency. You'll see God defends His own," said Father Diego.
The marchioness peeked through the porthole and saw they were pulling away from the Gárnor for a moment.
"I'm not about to miss the fun," she said, hurrying to open a chest. She pulled out some garments and slipped behind a screen—an action neither the countess nor the confessor noticed, too consumed by their terror.
Smoke covered the deck like a shroud as Skippy and the men rowed in the longboat, closing in on the galleon. The men rowed hard, trying to catch the ship, which still had enough wind to flee. Skippy knew it all depended on speed—and continuing to bombard the sails to cripple the vessel. But the helmsman was maneuvering strategically to escape the pirate ship.
"Come on, all of you! We'll lose the prize, and we'll lose our friends... Row, damn it!" Skippy shouted, pushing the crew forward.
Slowly, they approached the Santa Carmen's towering stern, its ornate gallery rising over them, adorned with lanterns, carvings, crests, religious figures, and heraldry.
"Almost there... almost," Captain Skippy said, standing tall. He grabbed a rope with a hook and began spinning it, waiting for the right moment to hurl it upward and scale the stern to the top of the castle.