Chapter 14: The Sound of Her Shot

Giran Reef shimmered under a low fog. Jagged rocks jutted from the water like broken knives, slicing waves into sharp white foam. The Tempest Wing drifted just beyond the reef line, masked by mist and silence.

Kira stood at the edge of the deck, eyes fixed on the pirate sloop anchored ahead.

Sayida watched through a lens. "That's them. Yellow sails, twin-fin crest. Crew of seven. Mostly looters, not fighters."

"Which direction did they come from?" Kira asked.

"West inlet," Sayida replied. "They've been hitting merchant skiffs for weeks."

Kira studied the boat. Sloppy positioning. Lax deck watches. No backup vessels in sight.

Soft targets.

Exactly what she needed.

Night fell quickly over the reef.

Kira and Sayida approached in a small skiff — no lantern, no sound. The sloop was quiet, only a few dull voices coming from within.

Kira's staff rested across her knees.

Sayida whispered, "You want to send a message, or just take their goods?"

Kira didn't answer right away.

Then, simply: "Both."

The moment Kira stepped onto the deck, everything changed.

She moved like thunder in slow motion — her steps soundless, her presence suddenly undeniable. Two pirates looked up from a crate of stolen bolts.

They never even reached their swords.

A flash of movement — a jab to the throat, a sweeping arc of lightning-infused staff — and both were down.

No screams. No alarm.

Kira glided forward, her body coiled with restrained current.

Below deck, Sayida handled two more — fast, clean, her dagger finding its marks with practiced grace.

But in the middle of the hold, Kira paused.

There was a girl chained to the central mast.

Slumped, bloodied, but breathing. Her left eye swollen shut. Hands bound. But her expression — defiant.

Kira knelt.

"Name," she said.

The girl tilted her head slightly. "You here to finish me off too?"

Kira didn't answer.

Sayida dropped into the hold behind her. "One more on the roof. Ran during the fight. No one left but her."

Kira stood. "Unlock her."

Sayida stepped forward.

The girl flinched.

Kira held up a hand. "You're not our prisoner."

The girl stared at her, distrustful.

Sayida tossed the broken chain aside.

"You're free," she said. "Do what you want."

The girl didn't move for several seconds.

Then slowly stood.

Her limbs were bruised, scraped. But her legs held. And she walked with stubborn pride.

"Name's Aria," she said at last. "I was with them. Not by choice."

Kira nodded. "You shoot?"

"Better than any of them."

Kira motioned to the upper deck. "Then come prove it."

On the deck, the remaining pirate — a lanky man with a saber — was fleeing across the reef, using rocks as cover. Nearly out of range.

Kira tossed a flintlock from the ship's rack toward Aria.

"Try it."

Aria caught the gun with one hand. Cocked it without looking.

BANG.

The man dropped mid-sprint, leg pierced clean through.

Sayida let out a low whistle. "Damn."

Aria spun the gun once and dropped it back on the rack.

"I want in," she said. "You saved me. You didn't have to. But more than that — I hate people like him."

Kira studied her.

Short brown hair, tied roughly. Pale green eyes. Angry, but focused.

She nodded.

"Then you're in."

They burned the pirate sloop after stripping it clean.

No names.

No flags.

Just ashes and a floating symbol.

Two wings carved into the deck post, smoking in silence.

That night on the Tempest Wing, Aria sat cross-legged with Sayida, cleaning weapons while Kira plotted their next move.

"Where'd you learn to shoot?" Sayida asked.

Aria shrugged. "Nowhere special. Just practiced. No one came looking when I hit something."

Kira listened without speaking.

Aria glanced at her. "You're the leader, right? You got a name for this crew?"

Kira nodded once. "Blue Winged Pirates."

Aria smirked.

"Sounds pretty."

Then more quietly: "Hope it gets feared."

Kira looked up from the map.

"It will."

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