Lucy and her friends helped the crew carry each box to the Iron Maiden’s cargo deck. With a hundred members, transferring the boxes quickened. Good thing Byron didn’t row the boat to the shipwreck alone. The boat could only carry about ten or twenty boxes without sinking.

The sky grew darker and darker to a reddish color over the reef mountains. With shadows over the water, the mermaids could emerge from their slumber early.

Lucy’s heart raced. Maybe she shouldn’t take any more chances.

“Alright! Time to go!” She shouted on the main deck.

“But we only got half of the load,” one of her crew members explained. “The rest are still inside the frigate!”

“Leave them! We will not die here for the cargo! Get ready for battle in case we don’t make it!”

“Aye, captain!”

Lucy raced to the wheel. After her crew removed the boarding plank from the frigate, she steered from the wreck. The sails expanded, catching the cool afternoon wind.

She aimed the ship to the gap as the vessel picked up speed. Only one mile to escape.

However, her breath left her lips when the sun vanished beyond the horizon through the gap. Nightfall has arrived.

“Barnacles!” Lucy blamed herself for now planning straight ahead before they entered the reef.

Byron and Charles approached her with their swords out.

“Tashina is crafting a bomb that can protect us from the mermaids,” Byron explained. “It’s like a flare with a bigger light.”

“Flare?” Lucy dropped her mouth. “That’s it! Do we have flare guns?”

“Only a few,” said Charles.

Another brilliant idea Lucy should have thought of before. They could have brought more flare guns at Hanigang.

"Then grab them now, but one of you needs to stay here to protect me!" she exclaimed.

Charles smiled at her. "I can stay here for you, lass."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Thanks, but Byron can fight them in his wereshark form."

"Exactly," the panther agreed with a grin.

Charles shrugged and dashed into the cabin behind Lucy. He slammed the door shut.

As Lucy returned her focus on sailing the ship to safety, she heard voices singing from outside the ship. High-pitched feminine tones, chanting like beautiful opera singers.

Lucy quickly slapped her paws on her ears. "Don't listen! They are singing!"

But to her fear, her crew on the main deck and quarter deck gazed at the water in silence. Their faces were blank as if the strange music took their souls away.

One of them stepped toward the railing. He climbed onto the edge and dived into the water. The others followed him like zombies.

"No!" Lucy cried.

Most of her crew were jumping overboard to their deaths. Only the ones who covered their ears weren't affected.

Lucy appreciated them, but how could she give them orders when they couldn't hear her?

On the main mast, Ivy climbed down the ratlines.

Lucy narrowed her eyes on her. "Ivy?"

The cabin cat girl reached the rail and jumped into the water.

Lucy’s heart dropped. "No!!!"

She pulled out her cutlass and raced toward the edge. She won’t allow the sea devils to take Ivy!

"Captain!" Byron shouted, but Lucy placed her sword between her jaws and dived into the water.

Cold and darkness splashed around her. She swam down toward the abyss below.

Around her, the bodies of her crew sunk down like corpses. Then dark shadows swam toward them and dragged them away. Each fallen crew vanished into the dark waters, never to be seen again.

On the bridge side, Lucy couldn’t hear the singing mermaids. They were too busy catching what fell off the ship.

Further, in the depths, she spotted Ivy’s body drifting down. She looked unconscious with her eyes closed. Only a matter of time before the mermaids grab her.

Lucy paddled her feet faster. She grabbed Ivy’s paw and pulled her body toward her.

She hugged Ivy and touched her neck. The cat still had a pulse, but she wasn’t breathing. Lucy has to get her back to the surface.

While holding Ivy, Lucy paddled toward the surface. Suddenly, something grabbed her right foot and pulled her down.

Lucy peeked down and gasped.

The sea creature appeared as a fish woman with long white hair and large white eyes that glimmered like lanterns. She has sharp long claws on her finned hands and a fishtail without legs. Her mouth hissed wide open with sharp fangs that can be mistaken as swords.

Mermaid Level: 10 HP: 100

As Lucy gazed at the creature, true terror rattled through her body. This was the first time she actually saw a mermaid, and it wasn’t pretty.