"Clang—"
The crisp crack of his beloved rifle, "Senriku," smashing against the reef shattered the dead silence along the cliffside.
A second ago, Van Augur had been lying steadily behind his scope, calmly locking onto his target. Then, as if every bone in his body had been pulled out, he suddenly dropped stiffly to his knees.
His entire body shook violently like a sieve. Cold sweat flooded out as if a dam had burst, instantly soaking through his black coat and dripping from his chin and hem onto the reef, quickly forming a small puddle.
His face was pale as paper, his pupils completely unfocused. His eyes were stretched wide, yet held not the slightest trace of focus. Broken, unconscious cries of pain kept spilling from his mouth. His teeth ground together until his gums bled, blood trickling down from the corners of his mouth.
The sight froze every member of the Blackbeard Pirates at the cliffside.
Burgess's raised wine jug stopped in midair. His mouth hung wide enough to fit a fist, his face filled with disbelief.
Lafitte's hand tightened sharply around his carved cane. The usual effeminate smile vanished from his face, leaving only shock in his eyes.
Even Doc Q, who had been listlessly leaning against Stronger, straightened up, undisguised gravity churning in his cloudy eyes.
Blackbeard's wild grin froze solid, the greed in his eyes completely replaced by alarm and fury.
He took one step to Van Augur's side and grabbed his shoulder with a palm as broad as a fan. But the body beneath his hand was ice-cold. Van Augur seemed completely unaware of his touch, still shaking uncontrollably as painful whimpers kept escaping his throat.
"Van Augur! Hey! Wake up! What the hell is wrong with you?!"
Blackbeard's roar carried barely restrained shock and