"FOR THE GODS SAKE, DON'T STOP"

water rushed across the decking with each wave, it was a miracle that a crew member hadn't slipped and fell with the angle. the red ram was being flipped and tossed with each new crash against its sides, at mercy to the storm surrounding them. lightening struck through the skies above, providing a brief flash of light in the darkness.

all seven were still there, still fighting for their lives to keep aboard. tanner and marka ━ with a rope tied between themself and the youngest member, to avoid the kid going flying in the wind ━ were attempting to keep the yard arms from swinging into their crewmates. astraea at the helm, hands gripped around the great mast for stability as she manoeuvred across the top deck towards her brother. agustin, using all the strength he could muster, had already moved all the kit down into the bowels of the ship away from the risks of the sea, and was now on ropes alongside ka'lin. the healer's cape was blowing in the gusts of the storm, the once golden shade of yellow turned mustard with the weight of the rain. his younger sister, ka'rin, had a scarf of similar colour wrapped around her mouth to avoid the salt water seeping into her mouth with each crash of the waves, and her fingers slipping from each rope she clambered upon on the rigging, her eyes searching for any kind of land out of this maelstrom. and above them all, the blue devil herself had grounded herself behind the steering wheel.

hair stuck to her nape from the salt and sea, eyes stinging with each second as her muscles strained against the powerful waves opposing her attempt at keeping the ship upright. never in all her years had she heard of, let alone was at the heart of, a storm such as this.

"mal!" her first hand yelled up, astraea's hair whipping in the wind, desperation painted in her purplish━green gaze. "the ship cannot take much more!"

she was right of course, the ship's outer panels had already started to rip away with each major wave, the wood tired and all paint faded. many items had already succumbed to the sea's fury, cannons too heavy to move along the unstable deck safely had rolled off the sides ━ often taking the railing with them.

teeth grinding, the captain's eyes pulled to ka'rin. "anything, ka'rin?!" and only recieving a pained shake of her scout's head in response.

there was nothing. no land, no hope. only the rage of the ocean surrounding them.

until a lightening strike lit the dark blue ahead of them. a mount, twice the size of the ship, jagged and monstrous outlined against the deep night sky. and the waves behind the ram's stern seemed to swell, pushing the ship at speed towards.

agustin, fear in his eyes as he let go of the ropes ka'lin and he had attempted to keep attached to the ship's floor, shouted as loud as he could over the whistling winds.

"BRACE!"

it was only seconds before the ship made impact against the piercing rocks of stormmound, wood splintering in each direction, bodies thrown into the air and into the foamy waters below, the few lanterns that had remained lit smashing and the flames catching the fabrics of the sail..

pain, salt, and the cold was all that imalia solfyren felt as her body was dragged into the deep.

the treasures of the red ram, it's wreckage and all pirates aboard, were never found.

[ and that ━ i'm afraid, luffy ━ is the
end to the tale of the seven devil crew...]