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#or this is going to turn into a squidja situation
teecupangel · 2 months
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Colossal Squid! Desmond and I'll give you my bones
“Have you heard the legends of the Kraken, Shay?”
“Every sailor has.” Shay answered politely, glancing at their guest.
Even as bitter wind gripped its claws at them, Haytham Kenway looked as prim and proper as a gentleman on his way to watch an opera.
Shay, on the other hand, had pulled the fabric around his neck up to cover his freezing nose.
“And do the stories tell of the Kraken a monster that destroys without any care of one’s status or upbringing?”
“The sea is a cruel mistress to all, Master Kenway.” Shay answered, glancing to his right. Gist just shrugged, obviously also a bit confused to why Haytham Kenway was talking about the Kraken all of a sudden.
“Yes, she is.” Haytham agreed as he walked towards the bow of the ship, “But the Kraken is not cruel.”
“He is playful and intelligent. He also has the habit of trying to show his displeasure using his limbs.” Haytham continued, making the other crew members stare at him, forgetting their tasks as they listened to a man who sounded like he knew the Kraken himself, “But above all else…”
“He is one ugly squid.” Haytham commented.
They would have laughed at that but the waters beneath them grew dark almost immediately.
Large tentacles rose from the depths and the crew shouted in fear and surprise.
Shay immediately ordered them to main the cannons but stopped when Haytham said, “It is no use. Human weaponry does not work on him.”
Shay froze, noticing that what he had thought to have been sunlight against the tentacles was actually…
Glowing lines that reminded Shay of the light of that device back in Lisbon.
For a brief moment, Shay was paralyzed, the fear and pain of that day flashing before him.
Haytham was still speaking and Shay tried to focus on his voice.
Haytham wasn’t there in Lisbon.
Shay wasn’t there in Lisbon anymore.
Haytham was his anchor to the present.
“The Kraken is what those who know nothing call him. The Templars though… had a different name for him.” Haytham continued calmly, as if the ship had not been kept in place by tentacles coiling all around it. There was no creaking sound and that only made Shay more frightened.
The Kraken knew how to control its strength so it wouldn’t damage the ship, only keep it immobilized.
That kind of intelligence…
“Desmond.”
Shay frowned.
Where have he heard the name before?
“The sea monster that Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad tamed. The ruler of the seas that cares for the Assassin Brotherhood.”
That’s right.
Shay heard Adéwalé talked about a ‘Desmond’ before. Shay had thought it was some kind of pet because Adéwalé talked about how it followed his old friend whenever he sailed.
One of the tentacles reach out towards Haytham and Shay shouted, “Master Kenway!”
Haytham raised a hand, stopping Shay from unsheathing his dual blades.
“Do not move, do not speak, do not even think.” Haytham ordered calmly, “He is here for me.”
“Will this be the day you drag me into the depths, Desmond?” Haytham asked, a slight curiosity in his tone, “Or will you still prolong this dance we share?”
The tentacle wrapped around his neck but, with how big the tentacle was, it wrapped his entire upper body instead.
Haytham didn’t seem worried, looking at the sea below as he stood at the very tip of the bow, “Well?”
Shay and the rest of the crew could only stare, frozen by fear and confusion, as Haytham was slowly lifted.
… before he was placed in the center of the ship. The tentacles uncoil around him slowly. There was a pause before it flicked Haytham’s hat off and Haytham simply gave a tired sigh.
The tentacles let go of the ship and returned to the depths of the sea.
It took a few seconds before the water returned to its normal color.
The entire crew gave out a relieved sigh as many of them fell on their asses.
“Master Kenway, what was that?” Shay asked and all of them turned to stare at the mysterious man as he picked up his hat.
“That was Desmond.” Haytham said as if he was just introducing a family friend he didn’t get along with, “The Sea Scourge of the Templars. He attacks every ship that shows its Templar affiliation. He won’t attack this ship though.”
“It won’t?” Shay couldn’t stop himself from sounding skeptical.
“As long as I sail with you, he will not.” Haytham said.
“Why?”
“Because that squid still believes I am my father’s son.”
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