Beyond the Horizon

== Author's Note ==
This is my second and last installment in the saga. Why? Well, because it includes the entire rest of the saga! In this last installment, multiple new characters will be introduced, all of which will have vivid, unique personalities as planned! There's really not much else besides that. Brace yourself for an emotional, yet action-packed story!
== Protagonists ==
Zoomer: A young pirate who washed up on the shores of Driftwood after escaping Jolly Roger. A usually unmotivated fellow, he has mastered using the Sword.
Bronze John: A hermit who's been living on Driftwood Island since his sense of adventure led him away from his last one. A real fatherly figure who has mastered using the Throwing Knives. Previously a resident of Tortuga.
John Smith: A living epitome of the "riches to rags" phrase. After running the Gretchen aground on Driftwood Island, He's been living with best friends Zoomer and Bronze John as part of the trio. A skilled shooter and sailor.
Bastien Craven: A true hermit and an old friend of Bronze John. After almost being killed by the EITC, he sought refuge in Rumrunner's Isle. He is a master of the dagger.
Maggie Rigrage: A trusted mystic working for Tia Dalma. Quite intelligent for her age, she is also a hermit who vows to protect the Caribbean.
== Antagonists ==
Jolly Roger : Long-time scourge of the Caribbean who is on the prowl for power as he continues to plague the seas.
The Corrupt : Navy and EITC leaders who, under the influence of Jolly Roger, now threaten the life of the Caribbean alongside him and his undead army.
== Notable Corrupt ==
Ian Ramjaw : A Navy Veteran that searches for pirates that can potentially act against Jolly Roger's plans under his orders. Being skilled with both sword and bayonet, he has so far been successful in his endeavors.
Samuel : An EITC Grunt who lives in Beckett's Quarry, constantly planning his next attack on piracy meticulously. Feared yet respected among his men for his intolerant nature.
== Terminology ==
Market Square : Pirate slang for the economy of the four main islands: Port Royal, Tortuga, Padres del Fuego, and Cuba.
Galantic Orb : An ancient relic that lights the way to the Hellslord's chamber, deep within the mines of a fallen ancient civilization. He who finds it and can call upon its power can find and plunder the Hellslord's chamber if they manage to best him.
Corruption : The state of distorted personality and values a person is placed in when under the control of Jolly Roger. Victims become slaves to Roger, and in return receive immense power.
Cosmos Brew : A fabled potion that, when consumed, grants the consumer superhuman abilities such as the ability to fly and increased muscle movement speed. Can only be brewed by a master alchemist, and thus is usually nicknamed "Alchemist's Dream".
== Chapter 0: Tidbits of the Past - Part I ==
The date was August 19th, 1740. Yes, that's a day I'll never forget..
"Say, I'll be letting ye live, but the sharks may not be so charitable.."Said the tall undead man.
I was overcome by fear as I jumped off that plank. I don't regret doing it now, but back then I was pretty certain that I would be eaten by a hungry shark if I wasn't turned into an undead by that.. evil.. being. Jolly Roger was its name.
"What are you waiting for? SINK HER! NOOOOOWWWW!!!!!" Echoed Roger's voice behind me. I began to swim as fast as I can - and I was determined to go as far as I can as well. I'm really glad I did that.
I must have swum for at least a day before I even saw land. I began to swim faster and faster... until when I reached the shore, I relaxed. I gazed up at the bright summer sky, and let out a sigh of relief. Before I knew it, I had blacked out, and I began to drift into a peaceful slumber...
BOOOOOM! KA-RAAASH! I was awoken by a sound so loud, I can almost swear my hearing got a bit worse on that day. Some clumsy man had just run his ship aground on the same island! Great, now I'm not alone!
"Um, excuse me... EXCUSE ME, SIR!" I raised my voice at the lone person on that ship, and to my surprise, he limped away from the helm... and fell face-first on the shore. I think I heard something crack, when I think back on it.
"Uuuughh..."The man managed to let out a grunt of pure pain.
"WHAT'S ALL THIS RACKET?!?!?"A rough, mature voice yelled from behind me. I jumped nearly 2 feet in the air, and when I looked back, it was a man in his mid 30's, with a blonde hair and beard.
"W-Well, you see, sir, this fellow here just ran his ship aground here. He looks like.. he's in bad shape." I replied in a low voice. Honestly, judging by that scream earlier, I thought I had run away from death... and straight into it again.
"Oh! Well, why didn't you say so in the first place? Here, let's take him to my shack. Judging by how he looks, he may need a few hours of rest. Follow me, too... um.."
"Zoomer." I gave him my name.
"Follow me, too, Zoomer! Do you know this man's name?" He asked in a less intimidating voice.
"No. Actually, I just washed up on shore here. He crashed his ship here shortly after I did." I replied. Honestly, that was all I knew so far. I ran from Jolly Roger. Ended up here. He knows the rest. I was clueless. I didn't even know where I was!
We went into his shack. It's not a bad place, really. There was a shelf where he put his water and rum, a small stove, and a table. There were some flour sacks lying around, and I assumed he used those as pillows and beds.
"Say, Zoomer, do you have a Sword? I need you to go hunt some Stone crabs. They're meat is tasty, if you catch my drift."
I reached into where I put Will Turner's sword... and I found nothing. I must have lost it when I was swimming for my life. Curses.
"It's ok. Here, have this." The man said as he tossed me a proper Worn Cutlass and two large bags.
"Oh, and, the name's Bronze John. Nice to meet you!" Said the man.
I gave him a salute, and I went outdoors to hunt some crabs. This is where I first really got into using the sword. I must have gotten REALLY into evading pincers and slicing crabs up, because by the time it was night, I realized I had filled up both of my bags long before that and that I had just being fighting crabs for the mere fun of it.
I went back to Bronze John, who was sitting on the steps, and as soon as he saw me, his jaw dropped.
"GOOD HEAVENS! We're going to be eating good for a couple weeks!" Bronze John said, astonished.
"Yep! It was fun hunting those crabs, actually. I'm looking forward to hunting some of the bigger, tastier, and more dangerous crabs!" I said enthusiastically. Wait. Did I honestly just speak like that to a person I'd just met a few hours ago? I mean, it was good to make friends, but..
"Well, you'll be a master of the Sword in no time! By the way, that young man's name over there is John Smith. I put him to sleep. It looks like he broke some bones, but I took care of that with a makeshift splint. These plants here are really helpful, you know!" Said Bronze John, proud of his survival skills. I could tell he'd been living alone here for quite some time.
He had a right to, actually. I'd never meet such a skilled hermit again. Then again, I never met another living being other than the people of Cuba, Tia Dalma, and the Navy Soldiers who came here. Yeah, we threatened them for their coal.
---> STOP MUSIC <---
And the rest, as they say, is history...
== Chapter 1: A Pirate's Life For Us ==
"Hey, John..." Bronze called me.
"Mmhmm?" I asked, still half-asleep.
"It's been a grand total of one-thousand ninety-six days and nights since you crashed here on Driftwood Island. Today's our three-year anniversary!" Bronze replied, excited.
"Oh. Oh no. You're trying to remind me of the day you had to wrap that Poison Ivy around my arm. Do you not know the PAIN I had to suffer through for days, Mr. Bronze? You may have healed my fracture, but that does not mean I must make a sacrifice for you!" I said, remembering the torture I had to go through on the day I arrived on this island.
"Grrr. Then again, I think me and Zoomer can both say we're glad we chose to come to this island to escape our troubles. You have helped us a lot."
"The pleasure is mine. Anyways, today we have to take our Light Sloop to-
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Shouted Zoomer, who was deep asleep mere seconds ago.
"Good morning to you, too." I playfully replied.
He then got up immediately and ran out of the house. Strange, I thought. He's never done this before...
"I'll go check on him. You tend to our food." Said Bronze. I did just that. The crabs here always turned out good. Everything here did. This must be some miracle island, because I've never had so much fun in my life, even back when I was rich.
"Curse those Navy fools..." I muttered. Every since they raided my house, I've been forced to become a working-man. At least here, I don't have to do anything except shoot crabs. Which is much more fun than it sounds. The satisfaction of turning a Devourer Crab into a big pile of food with just one shot is overwhelming. Going for a swim near the shore, making any Navy/EITC folks who came to inspect our island cower in fear, these were all awesome. Nothing rivals sliding a Steel Bullet into a well-greased chamber and shooting an unsuspecting foe. The only crabs we don't kill are the Sand ones - they help us get treasure. Somehow. Bronze John seems to understand Sand Crab language. I'll never know how.
I stood up, and as soon as I did, Bronze and Zoomer came through the door.
"I'm all good." Zoomer assured us. "Now are you ready for the trip to Cuba?" He asked, as he grabbed the mysterious treasure from yesterday and put it in his bag.
We gave each other that mischievous look. Of course we were...
We raced to our light sloop, kicking up sand at the beach as we ran.
We all got on our little ship... and as soon as we set off, it was time to cause a little trouble in the high seas, if you catch my drift...
"WOOOOOOO" I screamed as we set off to Cuba. "Hey, there goes a Ferret! Starboard side! Get 'er!"
"AYE, AYE!" Replied Zoomer and Bronze John.
Zoomer manned the cannon while Bronze reached into our grenade sack to pull out Stink Pots.
"GET THOSE FOOLS!" shouted the unfortunate Navy Sergeant as Zoomer tore a hole in one of the masts.
"NOT TODAY, OLD MAN!" Replied Bronze John as he threw a very well-aimed stink pot that landed straight in the middle of the ship. The Navy scrubs were struggling for air, and it was time to let 'er sink..
"FIRE!!!" I ordered, and we were able to sink the Ferret with a round of Broadsides and a bit of Zoomer's cannon skills. Two cargo crates drifted towards us, and Bronze John lowered himself on our rope and passed 'em to Zoomer.
"Great plundering work! We can open those babies when we get to Cuba!" I shouted, excited as much as they were.
"Look! Here comes a good one!" Said Bronze John, pointing at an EITC Sentinel.
"AMBUSH THEM!" Zoomer shouted. We agreed. As soon as we were within shooting range of the Sentinel, I let loose a whole round of broadsides, just as Zoomer fired 3 perfectly aimed Chain-Shots at the mast. The masts were broken!
"I'm gonna go in for a Broadside Port! Switch sides, fellows!" I warned them in advance.
"YES, CAP'N!" Replied both of them, playfully. As I turned the ship masterfully and let our Port Side make contact with their back-side, I once again fired a whole round of broadsides, while Zoomer tore holes in the Light Galleon, along with Bronze John intoxicating the crew with Stink Pots. As the ship sunk, we laughed in their faces. Two treasure chests drifted towards us!
We were nearing Cuba now.
"Just imagine what juicy stuff could be in here!" Said Bronze John.
Zoomer, on the other hand, seemed down. He was more pale than I'd ever seen him. Whatever dream he had must have chilled him to the bone, but what kind of dream would do that? Even bad ones don't after you realize they were just petty nightmares... So what could have happened? He's not the type to get scared so easily, either...
We had arrived at Cuba.
"Alright, time to open thes-"
"HALT! Are you Zoomer?" I was cut off by an armed guard at the entrance. He didn't seem Navy or EITC. What would he want?
"Yes! What happened?" Zoomer answered, clearly concerned.
"You are to go to Tia Dalma with that treasure at once! We're not allowing anyone to be outside of Pantano River right now. Go with your friends, NOW!" The guard replied loudly.
What could be happening? Does Bronze know? Does Zoomer know?
We all went to Pantano River, completely confused. It was now that I noticed the green-ish sky. An invasion? What's so important about that?
I looked over to Zoomer.
His expression was blank. No fear. No confusion. Just blank.
What's going on?
== Chapter 2: Misfortune Strikes ==
As Zoomer, John Smith, and I entered the Pantano River, we saw that there was quite a lot of pirates gathering there. Some were on the wood platforms, and some were killing flytraps and alligators. The thing is, I'd never seen such a large gathering of people in my entire life, even during my days in Tortuga.
It was clear that something was amiss.
"Ah, I see dat you have survived the trip here. Hurry, come inside de house." Said Tia Dalma upon seeing us.
As we went into her wooden house, we handed over the Orb we had found in the underground "palace" at Driftwood. As it touched her hands, it began to glow an ethereal blue.
"Yes, yes. I know what dis is. Dis is none other... than de Galantic Orb!" Said Tia Dalma as she inspected the glowing orb.
John Smith and I looked at each other in confusion, but Zoomer stood still, seemingly hypnotized by that object.
"What, may I ask, is the Galantic Orb?" Asked Zoomer.
"De Galantic Orb is an artifact of legends, from the lost civilization of Despel! Dis Orb contains all the souls that the civilization's destroyer, the Hellslord, absorbed from all de citizens. He who holds it and calls upon its power can immediately light the way to de Hellslord's chamber, which would be obscured by tunnels and pitch black darkness otherwise. No one knows how to call upon its power yet... but dat's no problem for HIM." Said Tia Dalma, putting extra emphasis on the HIM.
This time, all three of us gave each other a look of confusion. Deep down, however, we knew the only HIM that would want to have all this power.
"Who is this... HIM?" I asked Tia Dalma. Either way, I half-knew the answer already.
"He who longs to eliminate de legendary Jack Sparrow, and bring de Caribbean to its knees! JOLLY ROGER!" Answered Tia Dalma. "He longs to get his hands on dis Orb, because it is de only way to re-access the lost civilization of Despel! It is de only key to de mines, where it is rumored that de Caribbean's most dangerous weapons are concealed!" She added.
"Now, all de main islands in de Caribbean are on lockdown. In Port Royal, everyone is locked in Fort Charles. In Tortuga, everyone hides in the Faithful Bride. In Padres Del Fuego, the people hide in Fort Dundee. Finally, we're hiding in de Pantano River here in Cuba. Dis is de first time I've ever seen Navy and EITC soldiers protect pirates. Jolly is planning a full-scale invasion on every main island in de Caribbean... in search of you, Zoomer." Explained Tia Dalma.
We all gasped in shock. Zoomer? Jolly was after him? Invading every island in search of him?
"Zoomer, I need to talk to you in private. Bronze John, John Smith, meet up with the pirates outside... we are preparing for our first invasion as well." Said Tia Dalma.
John Smith and I both went to exit the shack, and as I left, I looked back at Zoomer, who seemed confused as well as scared. That's the first time in the four years I've known him that I've seen him like that.
"What have we gotten ourselves into...?" I asked myself as I left.
This was also the first time in my entire life that I'd felt REAL fear. I don't know if I can stand up to an angry undead soul, forever seeking vengeance, with just my outdated throwing knife skills. Zoomer may be a gifted swordsman, and Smith an excellent marksman, but we have no chance of victory against the dead, at least as we are now.
I snapped out of my daze and saw John Smith socializing with a pirate fellow, so I went to join him.
"Well, Mr. Swordbones, I'd certainly appreciate if you could talk about something other than-
"SOAP IS THE MEANING OF LIFE, MY FRIEND!" Shouted the dark-skinned man, cutting Smith off as he ran around him in circles.
"I guess it's important. Can you give me any details on the upcoming inva-"
"SOOOAAAAAPPPPPPP!!! HAWAIIAN PUUUUUUUUUUUNCH!" Shouted the man. It was clear he was out of his mind. Poor fellow. Had Jolly Roger also distorted the minds of pirates? I hope not.
Smith let out a disappointed sigh.
I sat down with him at the edge of the wooden platform.
"..What do you think's gonna happen to us? If we get caught by Jolly Roger, he won't hesitate to kill us... whether we have the treasure or not." Said Smith, concerned. Like any normal person would be.
Zoomer came out of the shack. "Guys, I'm leaving the treasure with Tia. She can keep it safer than we can. For now, we need to find a way to get back to our Light Sloop before the Invasion starts - Tia told me about Maggie Rigrage, a renowned user of restorative voodoo that lives on Outcast Isle. If we can get her to join us, we may have a chance to stop the Invasions. Jolly won't stop till he finds me- and if he does, it's all over for everyone in the Caribbean. I'm not going to let that happen. I will protect the Caribbean... if it's the last thing I do." He explained.
"Sounds like a good plan. The thing is, I'm not sure our little baby Light Sloop can get to Outcast. We won't even be able to get on it, the guard is by the docks, remember."
"It'll be easy to sneak out - we have to leave through the back part of the Pantano River. Now's as good a time as ever to leave." Zoomer said.
"Yep. Let's begin our escape, before Jolly-"
BOOOOOM! I was interrupted by the sound of an explosion that came from...
Oh no...
== Chapter 3: Fade to Black ==
"....THERE'S NO TIME TO SIT AROUND! LET'S GO THROUGH THE BACK!" I shouted, trying to hide both shock and fear.
Neither of them hesitated. We jumped off the platform and darted towards the rear exit of Pantano River as the other pirates ran to the beach, trampling and pushing each other on the way. We ran as fast as we could, but when we were near the exit - we found company. I heard the distinct sound of cracking and snapping - the same terrifying noise I heard when we were getting ambushed by the Gravediggers back at Driftwood. As a great number of Undead Pirates came into Pantano River, I pulled out my cutlass, worn with age but powerful nonetheless.
"Looks like we're gonna have to force our way, ready or not! HERE WE GO!" I cried as I charged into battle.
Behind me, John Smith had drawn his old pistol, and Bronze John had readied his basic throwing knives.
We all ran into the midst of the pirates, and I engaged a group of three. As one tried to impale me right in the chest, I tilted to the side, evading his attack as I placed myself behind him and impaled him through the back. The other two did a joint attack - both aiming at my head. I ducked down low, and when they had missed, I rose, smashing their frail bodies together and using a perfect slash attack which split them in half perfectly. I looked up, worried about Bronze John and John Smith, but when I saw fallen undead with daggers in their skulls and holes in their heads, I sighed in relief - the group of Undead that got in here was defeated - but we still had enemies waiting for us outside.
"It's gonna get tough from here, but at least we have more space to fight. To battle, men!" Shouted Smith as he began to run towards the exit.
Bronze John gave me a nod as he followed.
This may very well be our last stand - but I'm not backing down. This is for the Caribbean! I thought as I ran through the exit myself. As we neared the end of the path to the beach - we saw the green sky, the cursed moon... and everything else was just Undead, marching steadily towards us.
We all nodded at each other, which signaled we were ready as we charged to battle. We were facing Undead Pirates again, but because we were fighting in a rather spacious swamp, I had no difficulty dodging their attacks and counterattacking with my own. I slashed, Bronze John threw, and John Smith shot for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, we had an opening and we could run towards our light sloop. We were all overjoyed that we could finally make our escape, but that joy was short-lived...
A much meaner-looking Undead Pirate rose from the sand. As his bones came together to make his body, I noticed the green waves pulsating through it, how he attracted other undead, and that menacing smile he would be forced to wear forever.
"W-what is this thing?" I asked
"This is what we call a boss. This here is no ordinary undead... we need to team up if we plan on taking him and his own team down. Separated attacks won't work anymore." Explained Smith.
"I'm ready. I've fought many scorpions, crabs and other nasties in my life. This one boss can't be too different." Said Bronze John, encouraging me.
"...Yes. After this, it's an easy run to the dinghy - let's bring this guy down before Jolly comes!" I shouted. His undead minions charged at us - we evaded all their attacks, and Bronze John let loose a Dagger Whirlwind, hitting them all in the back of the head as we ran towards the boss. I raised my sword to start a combo, but as soon as I started, our swords grinded together.
He had extreme strength, something I would have considered impossible because of his bony body, but he had it, and if I let him knock my sword out of my hand...
I fought back with all my strength to avoid that fate- when Smith shot him square in the head, I was able to easily overpower him and knock him down!
"NOW'S OUR CHANCE!" I shouted. I began to form some perfect combos as John Smith shot him square in the head again and Bronze made it rain knives on the guy.
He stood up, however, and when he did, his green aura began to shine brighter than ever. He tried to hit us all with a sweep attack, and when we all ducked, he was open - I took this opportunity to run him through. As I heard his now split body hit the ground, I darted towards the dinghy, Bronze and Smith behind me.
"Get in! Jolly's still on his way!" I said. I felt bad to leave these other pirates behind, but I'm not going to let Jolly get his hands on these weapons just yet.
We got on our Light Sloop. The sky was still dark green, and it still had that cursed moon in the middle of it, as we began to sail towards Driftwood.
BOOOOOM-BOOOOOOOOM. Our peace was short-lived - one of Jolly Roger's phantom ships was making its way toward us, and the Harkaway was behind, just barely visible through the fog.
"UGH, NOT NOW!" I shouted in anger.
"Zoomer, we have no choice but to sink that War Frigate. Smith... we're going to need your help. Cutting past BOTH the phantom AND the Harkaway is impossible. We HAVE to fight." Said Bronze John.
"I guess you're right. Which cannon, Smith?" I asked our ship's captain.
"We'll be shooting for her from our port side. Get your cannons and grenades ready, we're going in!" Warned Smith as I took position behind our cannons and Bronze got his grenade sack. We lined up our port side with their stardboard side, and each ship let loose a whole round of broadsides. However, due to our size, only one of the many thunderbolt rounds was able to hit us. It STILL hurt.
"Gah. We've gotta maneuver. I hope you guys can aim while the ship moves!" Warned Smith.
That's exactly what we did. I began firing round shots in groups of three as Bronze used his stink pots to incapacitate the undead crew. However, the damage we were doing was minimal, and with the Harkaway steadily approaching, I knew we had to change our strategy.
"I'm loading a big one! This'll hurt them good!" I shouted as I loaded a full round of grape shot onto the cannon.
"Right! I'll use some explosives as well!" Said Bronze John.
We continued to move around the ship, and when we got close enough, I shot the round of grape ammo, setting their port side on fire.
"THIS'LL DO IT!" Shouted Smith as he fired a whole round of broadsides from our port side.
The Phantom started to sink, but we had no time to pull the two Royal Chests out of the water.. The Harkaway had pulled up next to us!-
"I see you're trying to run away... well, that won't be happening anymore!" Jolly Roger's voice echoed throughout the atmosphere as he tore our masts down with a few shots of Fury.
"What are you waiting for? Give me that treasure! SINK HER! NOOOOWWWW!" Jolly Roger let out an ear-piercing shout, ordering his crew to sink our ship and take the Orb from us.
"GET OFF! WE GOTTA SWIM!" Shouted Smith as he jumped into the water, taking the two chests with him and swimming for his life.
I was going to follow him, until I felt a burning sensation on my back... and I blacked out, the last thing I heard being a splash.
== Chapter 4: A Place to Call Home ==
"...he...be okay?"
"Not sure... cold for a... time."
I heard these voices from the deepest pit of sleep. I had been like this for a long time... or at least it felt like a long time. All I know is that I don't know anything right now. I wanted to wake up and see where I was now - after I was supposed to drown following our ship's sinking. I struggled to move my arms and legs, trying to break free from my slumber. It's harder than it sounds. No matter how much force you put into it, you can't move when you're in a mid-dream daze - whether that's because you want to stay sleeping or because you simply can't is beyond me.
Slowly, but surely, my eyes opened and that fog-like layer that obscures your vision when you wake up was not enough to impede me from seeing to tall figures - one much more buff than the other. I can tell they're both men, and they were preparing something on top of a crate. It seems we were in a cellar of some sort, and the rays of the sun couldn't reach here.
I rubbed the fog out of my eyes, and scanned my surroundings more thoroughly. There was crates. Small crates, big crates, brown crates, cream crates, crates stacked on top of each other - everything was crates.
"HEY. Zoomer! You've woken up!" Said one of the men loudly, and I broke out of my confused state.
"You've been out cold since Roger sunk our ship. Smith's at Tortuga getting us a replacement, and I came back here with your unconscious self, to Rumrunner's Isle." Said the man, who I now know is Bronze John.
"How long has it been? Why is it so dark?" I asked, still slightly confused as to where we are and how we got here.
"It's been exactly six days - and it's night time right now. This is the fabled Rum Cellar, and we have food here to last us for weeks." Replied Bronze John.
"I'll be going outside to hunt wasps. You stay here - you can't fight until you recover." Said Bronze John as he walked out of the cellar, leaving me with the buff stranger here.
"Hey-"
"The name's Bastien. Bastien Craven. I've been living on Rumrunner's Isle for the longest time - even before Bronze John himself became a hermit. Nice to meet you." The stranger cut me off and introduced himself.
"Nice to meet you too, Bastien. I see you're brewing potions..." I said.
"Yeah. I make some potions every day, and when I have some crates full, I take and sell them to the Tortuga people on my old Light Frigate. However, because I usually sink some Navy ships on the way... I've gotten myself into some real trouble with the Navy fools. Too bad the people they send never return to them... if you know what I mean." Explained Bastien.
"This brew right here is especially complicated. I need both wasp venom and scorpion venom, and I'm having trouble finding the right ones to mix. Completing this mixture however, is guranteed to bring tons of gold coins." He further explained.
"Ah. I never thought a hermit would be a master gypsy. You don't have any brewing stand around here." I replied, kind of astonished.
"I make them by myself, with just a jug and stick. Say, I noticed that sword you got there's been used for a long time..." Said Bastien.
"Hmm? Oh, yeah... this Worn Cutlass was a gift from Bronze when I first arrived on Driftwood, which was four years ago. It's been the only sword I've ever used since I lost my first, and I mastered the sword arts with it."
"Ah, Bronze John too said he took you and another friend in when you both got stranded on Driftwood. Weird, I remember him saying he wanted to live alone. Anyway, that sword there is no good against the likes of the Navy, EITC, and Jolly Roger. You can keep that one as a memento, but I suggest you take this baby here..." Said Bastien.
He presented to me a shining, nearly weightless blade with pearls embedded into it. It was breathtaking, and it was seemingly unused.
"That blade right there has been blessed by a generous, tolerant spirit of justice. It'll help you when you're in a bind. I've never had a master of swords to give it to, so here you go. I'm more experienced in using the dagger anyway." Explained Bastien.
Just as I took it in my hand, we heard a commotion coming from above the cellar.
"WHERE IS THAT PIRATE FOOL?" Shouted a man from above us.
"You see? This is pretty much daily now. They probably think I'm sleeping. Get ready to take your sword out and do work on some Navy soldiers!" Said Bastien.
"Navy soldiers, huh? They come to Driftwood a lot too. I have some experience in threatening them." I said as the cellar door opened.
"Ah, Mr. Craven?" Asked a distinguished Navy Veteran.
"Yes. May I help you?" Replied Bastien.
"My name is Ian Ramjaw, veteran of the Royal Navy.. and it seems your number's up!" The man raised his voice as he and his entire crew raised their Bayonets and Swords.
"Hey, you! You're guilty by association! GET IN LINE!" The man shouted at me.
"Well, you guys are quite rude. I was busy here, doing my business... but you just had to INTERRUPT!" Shouted Bastien as he pulled his dagger out of his shorts and jumped behind the crew.
At once, I pulled my new blade out and rushed Ian Ramjaw, slicing his bayonet in two and stabbing one of his crewmates with the sharp end. A Sergeant was rushing me, but I moved to the side a split second before his attack connected, and he instead shoved his sword into the wall. At that moment, I pulled his blade out of the wall with great force, and as I noticed another Sergeant charging at me, I did a well timed sweep attack to put both Sergeants to rest.
At his end of the battle, Bastien was being rushed by a Sergeant as well - however he snatched the sword from the Sergeant's hand and threw him on the ground, and as Veteran was about to stab him with a Bayonet, he quickly moved to the side and stabbed the poor fool with his dagger. He grabbed the Veteran's Bayonet and stabbed the Sergeant who was still on the ground. We were officially done with the crew.
Ian Ramjaw still stood.
"Haha. Looks like everything's going according to plan." Said Ian.
"What do you mean? Your entire crew is dead! There's no way you can win now!" I shouted, somewhat confused.
"Oh, the definitely is a way. It's already decided. By decimating my crew, you've done me quite the favor... now all the monetary gain from the bounty on this old hermit's head is mine and mine alone!" Said Ian.
"You can't win. You saw how quickly and effectively we laid your crew to rest. Surely you can't be that much stronger, can you?" Said Bastien confidently.
"I CAN! JUST LOOK AT THIS!" Shouted Ian.
At that moment, a menacing dark haze began to form around Ian, enveloping every part of his body. I could only look at him in shock and fear. Suddenly, his sword rose, and it flew at both of us at great speed. We managed to get out of the way, and Ian showed himself.
"WiTh tHiS PoWeR... YeS, I CaN fInALLy hAvE EvErYtHiNg!" Said Ian, whose eyes had become red and his clothes entirely black.
He began making the bodies of his fallen comrades levitate, turning them into a mysterious black mist which flowed into his body. It was clear he was becoming more powerful by the second.
"ZOOMER... THE CARIBBEAN'S TRUE KING, JOLLY ROGER... WANTS YOU DEAD!" Said Ramjaw.
"...What in the?" I replied, shocked.
"SURPRISED? THIS POWER IS YOUR REWARD FOR CHOOSING TO EMBRACE THE RULE OF JOLLY ROGER!" He explained.
"Well, I'm sorry, but I can't let you kill us. It seems you made a mistake by embracing that fantasy." Said Bastien, confident.
"Even if the rule of Jolly Roger DID happen... what makes you think you're not just some disposable tool that will be thrown away when that rule comes? His goal is to destroy the caribbean and every last thing in it, and nothing stops him from doing that to you. I recommend you reconsider going down this path." I said, trying to persuade him.
"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK ILL OF THE GREAT KING? VERY WELL. IN THAT CASE... LET US BEGIN THIS DANCE OF DEATH, MY LORD!"
Then, in the blink of an eye, Ramjaw charged towards Bastien with sword in hand. He managed to evade at the last moment, and stabbed Ramjaw from behind. This did no damage to him, and Ramjaw quickly turned around and smashed Bastien with his sword's hilt, a blow so powerful it knocked Bastien down.
"CAN'T YOU SEE? RESISTANCE IS, IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD, FUTILE! YOU WILL BOTH DIE TODAY!" Said Ramjaw as he lifted his sword again, ready to kill Bastien.
I immediately drew my own new sword and rushed Ramjaw. However, I was too slow, and he quickly turned around to parry my attack. I tried to struggle and break past his sword, but his strength was truly impressive. He had me down to a knee, and I would not be able to hold him back for much longer.
"No true pirate would give up his life. I think you should have learned that!" Said Bastien as he made a comeback, stabbing Ramjaw in the back of the head with a strong dagger blow. This seems to have made him flinch, but he still recovered, and he wasn't open to any attacks.
"PHYSICAL FORCE IS WORTHLESS!" Shouted Ramjaw as a Voodoo Wave emerged from his body, blasting us away from him and into the walls. I managed to land gracefully, however, and as he charged me with sword in hand, I jumped on top of his head and placed myself behind him.
"...or is it?" I asked, trying to be as menacing as Bastien. I stabbed him in the back with my shiny new cutlass, and surprisingly, it seems to have hurt him!
"WHAT? WHERE DID YOU GET THAT?" Asked Ramjaw as he turned around to do a skilled Cleave.
I parried the attack, and we were back to struggling.
"DON'T STOP NOW!" Shouted Bastien as he walked up to us.
"Come on, let's do this together!" He suggested. We both struggled against him, somehow managing to break him and get him on his knees. This was the perfect opening, and we swiftly raised our Sword and Dagger and stabbed him in the back with both.
"GAHHHHHH!!!!" Shouted Ramjaw as the darkness began to fade from his body.
"Now, tell us, how did you come in contact with Jolly Roger?" I asked him as he began to fade away.
"I.... have no intentions of bringing the Navy, EITC, and Jolly's intentions to light. I will tell you one thing however - I'm not the only one who was blessed by Roger..." Those were Ian's last words as he faded to nothingness, leaving behind his sword.
"Yo, Bastien, I got the wasp venom for you!" Shouted Bronze John as he entered the cellar.
"There's a Navy Frigate docked behind the Island. It's a good idea to go loot it." He added.
"Let's go do that, then. They probably have better goods than the Light-Class ships we always sink." I replied.
"I'll be going there now. We really do need to make some gold." Said Bronze John as he gave Bastien the jug of wasp venom and left the Cellar.
"Hey, Bastien. It seems this place isn't that peaceful. There's wasps, angry navy attacks daily... what do you like so much about this place?" I asked Bastien.
"I like everything about it. The outdoors is beautiful, we have a nice cellar here, there's coconuts and mangoes everywhere... It's sort of like a haven for hermits like me. Bronze John lived here with me years ago until he decided to become a real hermit and live alone. I guess that didn't happen, eh?" He Replied.
"True, but doesn't the danger get annoying at times?" I still wondered...
"The danger's probably the reason I'm here. This island took me in when I was on the brink of being killed by EITC Mercenaries. Besides that... I guess it's just a place to call home for me. I can't leave."
"A place to call home, huh?"
"Yep. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to continue brewing my new potion. You have a ship to go plunder..."
He made a point. I lifted the cellar door, and for the first time in the whole week, I breathed fresh air.
Now, time to go get some treasure.
== Chapter 5: Ocean's Cries ==
"So, you're saying Jolly Roger is corrupting the Navy and making them his servants?" Wondered Bronze John.
"As far as we know, yes. He's done worse. The thing is, if he's also corrupting the EITC, he has a giant legion under his command. We can't fight something so big." I replied.
"I recommend that we first get to Outcast Isle and visit the voodoo mage Maggie Rigrage. That's our best bet right now, but we don't even have a ship. Light Sloops can't get to Outcast Isle easily, either." I added.
"In that case, we should get a Sloop for ourselves. Do we have the monetary means?" Asked Bastien.
We both looked at him, disappointed.
"We're just a group of hermits from Driftwood who kill crabs for a living. We don't have any money - our light sloop was built by John Smith." I said.
"In that case, I can use my new potion to make some money for us. It's worth thousands, but I need the right materials. Only the deadliest of scorpion venom and wasp venom will suffice." Suggested Bastien.
"I already know where to get the venom, but it'll be a tough battle. He's right here on Rumrunner's, but do you guys think you can fight him?" He added.
Bronze John and I looked at each other confidently.
"What else can we do? It's our only hope." Replied Bronze John.
Bastien looked at me, and I nodded in approval. I was ready to suffer for the Caribbean.
"Alright, then. Get whatever you need from here and meet me above the cellar when you're ready." Said Bastien as he left the cellar.
"Looks like we've gotten into more than just trouble thanks to that treasure. I can't back down now, though." Bronze John said as he followed.
I left the cellar as well, and we all followed Bastien to a small area on the other side of the beach where Scorpions were breeding. One was particularly large and had those green waves pulsating through him like the undead during the Cuba Invasion. He was clearly their leader.
"This is it. The legendary Venom Lash, king of scorpions. Within him is the type of scorpion venom I need to complete my potion..." Said Bastien.
He then pulled out a shiny set of daggers and gave them to Bronze John.
"Nice, I really could use a new set. I'm ready to fight now!" Said Bronze John as he readied the new set.
"Same here! He might look tough, but we can all do this.. together! Let us rid the Caribbean of this thing!" I shouted as I drew my new, shiny cutlass.
"Alright, then.... IT COMES!" Shouted Bastien as we all charged into battle.
Two dread scorpions charged at me, and one clearly had a head start. As that one attempted to use it's pincer, I gracefully evaded and bought my sword down on it's head. The other one bought down its stinger, but I rolled out of the way and used a perfect Sweep attack to slice the stinger off and kill the beast.
Meanwhile, Bronze John was dealing with 3 more. One scorpion swiftly charged him, but before it could make contact with its pincers, Bronze John jumped up slightly and threw a perfect Sidewinder at its stinger, sending the stinger flying away into the water and killing the creature. As the other one readied both its pincers, Bronze threw two perfectly aimed daggers at the pincer, nailing them to the ground. This allowed him to throw one final dagger at the monster's head, slaying it.
It appears Bastien managed to slay the scorpions on his end, and while the last normal scorpion was concentrated on Bronze, he bought his dagger down onto his head.
Now only the legendary Venom Lash stood.
We all split up, hoping to draw the massive beast's attention and letting the others attack it while it was distracted. Bastien managed to draw its attention. Venom Lash quickly lunged at him with both pincers, but he was too slow, and Bastien sliced one of the pincers off skillfully. Bronze had also somehow managed to get a dagger stuck in each and every one of the scorpion's legs, rendering it unable to move! We all moved behind him, but it appears he still has ways of attacking. He unnaturally twisted his stinger to make it face towards us, and it lunged at me as Bronze and Bastien backed up. Trying to dodge it, however, I fell down and left myself open to its next attack.
As it readied it's stinger for the final blow, Bronze threw another perfect Sidewinder and managed to jam it!
I took this opportunity to slice its stinger off.
Venom Lash was defeated!
A yellowish liquid began to drip from where the beast's stinger was, and Bastien pulled out a jar and took some of it.
The giant scorpion's remains began to turn green and fade, leaving a shiny dagger behind.
"I'll be taking that. This old dagger has been needing a replacement for too long." Said Bastien.
We all headed back to the Rum Cellar for the night, as the fight had worn us all out. Bastien resumed brewing his potion and he poured the venom from Venom Lash into the jug.
We went to sleep on top of some flour sacks, and I fell asleep in an instant. It's been quite a while since I've been able to relax like this, and I went to sleep feeling accomplished. It is, after all, one of my last nights...
BOOM! BOOOM! The sounds of cannon fire coming from outside woke me up.
I jumped up from my "bed". Bastien and Bronze were still asleep, and only I could go outside to check it out. I rushed up the Cellar Stairs, quietly and slowly opening the door to take a peak outside. I saw two Light Sloops, one a Navy Ferret, exchanging fire close to shore. I looked as closely as I could at the lone man on the pirate Light Sloop with my still-blurry eyes.
It was John Smith!
After I realized this, I ran over to the edge of the ship and climbed aboard to help him.
"Good timing, Zoomer! I need some help here!" He said, relieved.
I immediately grabbed the cannon as John Smith released it and went to the helm to circle the enemy Ferret, dodging most of its cannonballs. As he did this, I let lose an entire barrage of chain shots, all which connected and completely destroyed the masts and sails. Now that the Ferret was fully immobile, Smith positioned himself so that our port side was adjacent their front side, and he let lose a round of broadsides and I shot 3 round shots at the deck, killing the crew and sinking the ship.
As soon as it was done, we took the two crates and looked at each other.
"It has been a while. We're in need of both a ship and company! Come on, let's go notify the others!" I said, glad to be reunited with an old friend.
"Others? There's somebody else besides Bronze John?" Asked Smith. I had forgotten to tell him about our new friend, Bastien.
"Yep. An old friend of Bronze's, it would seem. Follow me..." I replied as entered the patch of trees where our cellar was. When we got to the door, I made sure to open it slowly as to not surprise the others. Apparently, that was unnecessary, as both Bronze and Bastien had been woken by the cannon fire.
"Smith, my man! You've come!" Said Bronze upon seeing him.
"This is our friend, Bastien Craven. He's helped us out since we came to Rumrunner's. He and Bronze lived together on this island years ago!" I explained to Smith.
"It's nice to meet you, but I trust you know of Jolly Roger's latest actions..." Said Smith. It would seem that he, too, had encountered corrupt soldiers. Or maybe one of Roger's other new plans.
"Yes. Earlier this morning, we were attacked by Navy Veteran Ian Ramjaw - it seemed like he was being controlled, his personality distorted by some greater evil. I'm not saying that the Navy and EITC are the nicest of folk, but behavior like that was extreme and outright irrational. Jolly Roger's forces grow by the second, and he now has live puppets. We need to come up with a plan to end him before the Caribbean's light fades." Replied Bastien. That was how we all felt. Fearful, yet determined to put an end to Jolly's years of malice.
"Couldn't have said it better myself. Zoomer proposed we visit Maggie Rigrage, and after hearing of her miraculous restorative abilities even in Tortuga, I think it's best we have her with us. However..." Smith paused.
"We know. There's Navy, EITC, and Undead ships there so strong that it seems they've taken her hostage. Which is why Bastien here has been brewing a new potion that has been in high demand in the Market Square for some time. If we can get a legit sloop, we might be able to zoom our way through the defenses, maybe even sink a few Warships now that we have an extra hand on the deck." I assured Smith that we were up-to-date.
"That's right. It's our best bet, and now that we have a ship, we can actually gather all the necessary materials." Bronze added.
"Right. Actually, there's two more ingredients we need - wasp poison and an elder crab's claw meat. We can go after them in any order, and I already know which two beasts we have to slay - for the poison, we must defeat the Hive Queen of Isla Perdida. For the tooth dust, we must poach Scattersnap of Isla Cangrejos." Explained Bastien.
"It's settled. We're embarking for Perdida first thing in the morning! I bought supplies such as grenades and food, so we won't have to worry about those for a while. The ship is properly docked, and frankly, I'm tired..." Said Smith as he fixed some flour bags for himself.
The remaining three of us looked at each other and nodded in agreement. We all returned to our beds, both excited to journey in the Caribbean yet fearful of Jolly Roger's seemingly inevitable approaching reign.
"Inevitable or not, I'll fight until the very end for this world of mine..." I thought to myself. Before I knew it, I was deep asleep, enjoying the cool air of the cozy Rum Cellar.
"Listen to us, feeble pirates! You, mere fabrications of code, cannot overcome us, bringers of bedlam!" A condescending voice rang deep through my subconscious as I drifted through the void. I've been having these weird dreams lately... so seemingly real that the only reason I call them dreams is because I wake up gasping for air when they end, never relieved. Now... they were getting worse and worse, each dream trying to extinguish the flame of bravery and determination that had burned deep within my soul since my childhood. "Needless to say, I wasn't going to let whoever that was destroy the world that made me what I am..."
"Hey, Zoomer, wake up!" A voice penetrated my sleep.
I slowly opened my eyes, and the image of Bronze John's face slowly formed.
"We're ready to get on the ship and begin. Grab your sword and let's board!" He said.
I got up and did just that. I poured some of the water jug on my face to wake me up and grabbed the new blade Bastien had provided me with. The thing seemed to have some unknown power that aided me during our fights. In any case, it's better than the worn cutlass I'd been using until now. I put my boots on and left the cellar, making sure to close it properly behind me. Through the trees and thick underbrush, I could see that my friends had already boaded the ship, and I ran to join them. I climbed the rope, and pulled it back up to store it. We all stood in front of the mast, ready to drive, throw grenades and man the cannons. I spoke up.
"Alright, Crew! Our adventure begins now. Failure is not an option. The future of the Caribbean is in our hands, and I'm sure all of us here want it to be a fruitful, safe one. Jolly Roger's dark reign cannot come to be, for if it does, we and the Caribbean are as good as dead. We mustn't let any obstacle obscure the dim light of our future. We fight for the Caribbean!" I cried as I threw my right hand up into the air.
"AYE!" Shouted my crewmates Bronze John, John Smith, and Bastien Craven in unison.
It was now that our perilous journey began. With hopeful hearts, we all took positions and manned the Light Sloop towards our destination, Isla Perdida. The seas were abnormally empty, and the waves were unusually silent. What we would normally call calm was now unsettling, as if the Caribbean could no longer support beautiful vessels on its dying waters. It was a depressing through that our home seas could very well be taking their last breaths...
The sun was just rising as we docked in Perdida. We got off our ship one by one, secured it by anchor and braced ourselves for the raid on the jungle.
"Alright, we're here. We're going up against one of Jolly Roger's most powerful abominations. Are we all ready?!" I asked the crew.
"We're ready. We have no other choice, anyway." Replied Bronze John.
We began our attack on the jungle. We burst through the tunnel leading to it, slicing up any poor wasp that would dare stand up to us. Once we got to the nest, it was horrifying... but somewhat beautiful. It was an entire army of wasps working with each other to sustain themselves. Breathtaking, but our sightseeing was cut short. We were surrounded by a group of Soldier Wasps, which was surprising since they seem so unintelligent at first glance. As soon as he saw them, Smith shot one of them in the head, trying to make an opening for us to run if needed. Another one was flying quickly towards me, ready to stab me with its stinger, but I slashed it in half the second it was in sword range.
Meanwhile, Bronze John and Bastien were taking care of the remaining half of the soldier group. Bastien, being quick with his arms, actually managed to grab a wasp and stab it in the back, killing it instantly. As the last remaining wasp made its way toward Bastien to avenge its fallen brother, Bronze threw a perfect sidewinder at the back of the beast's head, eliminating the last of our opposition.
We regrouped, and looked at the remainder of the wasp army, now surrounding its queen to protect her.
"All right, I can handle those reinforcements quickly. You guys just rush to the Hive Queen!" Shouted Bronze John.
We did just that. Me, Smith, and Bastien readied our weapons and rushed at the Hive Queen. Immediately after our first running steps, a rain of throwing daggers from behind us assured us that Bronze had our back once again. He had eliminated about half of the reinforcements, and we had a clear shot at the Hive Queen until two large wasps, presumably her most skilled guards, blocked our paths. When I rushed at one of them, it simply flew upwards, causing me to stumble. It was now coming back to impale me in the chest with its sharp stinger, but as soon as it began descending, a perfectly timed asp pierced its frail body and took down yet another wasp that was behind it. I rolled out of the way before the wasp's body fell on me.
I rose quickly to fight the remaining guard, but there was no need. Smith had shot it, and in a dying daze, it had tried to stab Bastien, only to be impaled with his dagger and slain.
There was now only 3 soldier wasps remaining, and when Bronze John engaged them, a bright glow began to emanate from behind us along with the sound of the constant flapping of a bug's wings. We turned slowly, and we were met with a truly terrifying sight.
The Hive Queen, now alone, had descended from its nest down into the small atoll we were fighting the guards on. Now, with its entire army dead, it could no longer let us leave alive.
"Ready when you are, mates!" Said Bastien as he pointed his dagger at the enraged beast.
"I was born ready. Time to rid the Caribbean of this foul monster!" Replied Smith.
"Then what are we waiting for?! CHARGE!" I cried as I charged at the Queen.
As we ran toward the Queen, she released a neon ray of what I assume was poison towards me. I quickly sidestepped to dodge it, and rushed at her even faster. Now, seemingly threatened, the Queen spread her wings even farther, and used them as mirrors to reflect her glow, dizzying us. I momentarily gazed at them and became disoriented, and had to stop running. We could only look at her body now.
Bastien, unshaken by her newest trick, actually managed to stab her while she was focused on me, and Smith followed with a quick shot to the chest. However, being one of Roger's most prized monsters, she was hurt but not fatally. Even so, when the shot made her flinch, I used all my strength to lunge at her and I managed to land my sword on both her wings, temporarily rendering her flightless. However, now that she was closer to death than she ever has been, she let out an ear-piercing scream and we had to distance ourselves from her.
Now that we were far away, it took the opportunity to stand vertically, and began gathering poison on her stinger, which I could only assume she was planning to shoot again.
"Don't rush at her while she's charging! We have to flank her!" Shouted Bastien.
It was good advice. We all stepped out of her line of fire, Smith and Bastien went to her sides while I went behind her. Scared of how close we were, she readied another scream, but it was too late. As soon as she lifted her head, Bastien impaled it with his dagger. Smith followed by shooting her right through her body, and finally, I stabbed her from behind.
She gave out one last cry before finally collapsing, falling face-first into the dirt. The neon glow throughout her body was fading, and her two remaining good wings had stopped moving. At last, she had been slain.
"Well, that could have gone better. Either way, it was a good fight!" Said Smith.
Her stinger began to drip the poison she had been using to hurt us, and Bastien pulled out a jug to get it all. Once it was done, her remains began to turn green and featureless until they were just her silhouette, and finally, they faded into nothingness.
"Mission Complete!" Shouted Bronze John from behind us. He had taken care of his opposition too.
"Right. We all did good today! Let's return to the ship for a meal before we leave for Cangrejos!" Said Bastien.
We left the jungle, and when we got to the shore, the few remaining wasps were fearful and had no interest in fighting. We took the opportunity to board our ship, scaring the swans away and reaching into our meal bag. Judging by how high the sun was, it was noon when we made it back to our ship. We had quite a long battle in there.
"Say, all this fighting reminds me, why aren't the higher-up pirates doing anything about the threat? Seems to me like all they do is "encourage" young pirates to risk their lives fighting the Navy, EITC, and Roger." Smith pondered.
"You mean the Marceline Guild? They never do anything that risks their lives, I guess, but we must remember that their old captain died in a fight against one of the Caribbean's most dreaded people. They provide us with weapons, too..." I replied. Even though I argued, I also wondered why that guild called themselves "pirates" if they haven't shed blood to defend their home seas like we did.
"Personally, I beg to differ... back in my Tortuga days, all that guild did was stand on top of a box on the docks and tell us why the EITC is bad. Any resistance to them would cause immediate incarceration. We know the EITC is an unwanted force in the seas - help us get rid of them!" Said Bronze John.
"I think so, too. However, they haven't done anything to help our enemies either, and encouragement is better than them just telling us to fight for no reason. I mean, I too, wish they would fight, but as long as they don't hurt us, I don't care about them." I argued.
"You never know what higher-ups are thinking, Zoomer. It's good that you don't care about them, but never cling to the trousers of more powerful people." Said Bastien bluntly.
We stopped our debate, and as I sank my teeth into a good ration of roast pork, I couldn't help but wonder.
Why do they never fight? Do they not notice what's happening to the Caribbean? Every minute, a young pirate loses his life fighting the enemy for the freedom of the seas. Can they... not hear the ocean's cries?
== Chapter 6: Heavyhearted ==
After a good meal and a short nap, we weighed anchor and set sail for Isla Cangrejos. The afternoon waters were also silent, and like before, not a single ship - friend or foe - could be seen anywhere other than Outcast Isle. I knew she was a valuable ally, but just why are they protecting her this way?
We, too, silently sailed the vacant waters under the warm sunlight. Looking around, I was now even more sure that we were in a battle against time. Even if we were to get a new ship and recruit a new ally,
what could we do then? Blindly killing Navy, EITC, and Undead won't do a thing, and we all knew that. We had to strike at the source of all this - Jolly Roger. How, though? How would we overcome the menace
that has plagued the Caribbean for so many years? We're not all powerful. An air of uncertainty followed us as we sailed the seas and got to our destination.
We were greeted by nothingness. Except for a few small crabs on our side of the shore, there wasn't a thing, living or nonliving, to be seen. Even some of the trees that had glistening green leaves before had hunched over and lost their life. It appeared as if not only the light in the Caribbean was dying, but so was existence in it. An island once a popular training spot for many a pirate was now a near-barren wasteland. However, we came here to do something, and that's for the greater good.
"Now this... is just sad. There's not a sight to be seen or a sound to be heard!" Said Bronze John, practically voicing my thoughts. "Soon, that's going to be the case for the entire Caribbean if we don't act quick. What we're doing may seem like a simple treasure hunt from a spectator's point of view, but we've got the world's future to shape. I'm not going to leave it half-done." Replied Bastien. We all agreed, sneaking slowly towards the shore parallel to ours where Scattersnap would surely be resting. He was. As soon as the shore was visible, the signature menacing glow of Jolly Roger's most powerful creations was also visible. Scattersnap sat there, staring at us as if he had been expecting us- and he wasn't alone. He was flanked by two Giant Crabs, each making sure their mighty claws, soaked with the blood of many a poor pirate, could be seen clearly.
"Never knew food could be intimidating. Still don't think it can be." Said Smith sarcastically as he drew his loaded pistol. The giant crabs threatened us with their mighty claws once again, but I was furious. "We'll drive you and your masters away from the Caribbean once and for all!" I said as I drew my blade, ready to avenge the many pirates who had fallen to Roger's foul creations. Bronze and Bastien followed suit by pulling their weapons as well, and Bronze began the battle by throwing one of his prized adders at Scattersnap, jamming his right claw. Smith and I took the cue and he shot the right crab, sending him into a dying daze in which he tried to trip Bastien use his mighty claws, but Bastien sunk his dagger into the beast's head as soon as he got close.
I charged at the left crab, parrying his claw which we tried to use to grab my neck. This staggered him, and I took the opportunity to slice his claw off entirely, causing what sounded like a roar of agony to come from the monster. However, it had not yet given up on killing and it attempted to trip me by dragging his remaining claw across the soil. I saw this coming, and leapt behind him at the last possible moment, dodging his attack and creating an opening for my retaliation. Before the hunk of meat could turn around, I leapt on top of him and used my weight to pin him down. Finally, I raised my blade and bought it down on the defenseless beast's head, ending him.
In the few seconds in which all this happened, Scattersnap had regained use of this claw and was on his way toward me, claws lifted. I stood still until the brought both claws to my neck, and I used my sword to parry both and sidestep before releasing him. He turned around to make his second attempt at a good attack, but his opportunities were cut short when Bronze fired two daggers into its back, making it flinch and lower its claws just long enough for Smith to deliver a well-placed steel bullet to its head. The beast, unintelligent even in normal circumstances, decided in its dying daze to bring its claws up for one third and final attempt at killing me. In the process, however, it exposed itself to the incoming Bastien, who sunk his dagger onto the crab's back.
I finished him off for good with a good blade to the face. Scattersnap's legs gave way, and he fell on the sand, defeated. Bastien knelt by his remains, lifted his claw, and used his dagger to retrieve the meat carefully. Just as with previous monsters, his body turned a bright green and faded away.
"Alright, mission complete! Let's head back to Rumrunner's for the day and set out for Tortuga first thing in the morning." Said Bastien as he placed the meat in a sack. We made our way back to the ship and sat down as Smith took the helm and began to turn the ship. When he moved the ship, however, we heard the ear-shattering sound of thunder from behind us. We turned around to see a cloud of green mist over the seas, one of Jolly Roger's Revenant War Frigates sailing towards us from inside it.
We had no way of escaping as it had cut us off, and Smith knew this. "Man the Cannons and grenades, mates! We have to sink her!" He cried. Knowing very well what Smith's strategy would be, I manned the broadside cannon as Bronze and Bastien pulled some explosives, fire bombs, and even siege charges out of the huge grenade sack. We were ready for battle, and so was the Revenant, who fired a barrage of thunderbolts the second we took our positions.
The rounds narrowly missed us, thanks to Smith's quick thinking. He had begun to close in on the Revenant slowly, making sure to never sail straight. I fired the three firebrand cannonballs loaded inside the cannon at the warship, and all three landed in the same area of their starboard hull, causing the armor to burn and fall. Bastien took this opportunity and threw his siege charge at the now exposed area, hitting it just there and causing the ship to visibly rock from the impact.
It retaliated with another barrage of cannonballs, this time the dreaded Fury rounds. However, due to the extensive damage to their starboard broadsides, only about 3 cannonballs managed to leave the ship, and all of them missed completely because Smith was now closed in on the ship's rear side.
"Alright! Open Fire!" Cried Smith as he let loose our starboard broadsides. I shot three more perfectly aimed firebrand cannonbals at the rear side, causing the armor there to scorch and weaken as well. Bronze John threw a fire bomb to fully destroy it, and Bastien used a Siege Charge to seal the deal. As the ship sank and the smoke cleared, it appears we blew a hole in the back wall of the ship's cabin, causing their treasure chests to float toward us. We grabbed it and stored it, but the battle was far from over.
"ZOOOOOOOOOOOOOMEEEEEEERRRRRR!" Echoed a familiar voice from above us. There, on the ship's lookout station, stood Jolly Roger, a sword perfectly visible on his hand. "What do you want now, Roger?" I asked, suddenly feeling brave. Then, right before he too was submerged, he leapt from the ship to ours and looked me straight in the face. "I've heard you have something I want. In exchange for letting you and your group of rats live, I want that Orb of yours!" He demanded. He was clearly referring to the Galantic Orb, but there was no way I was putting such power in his hands even if I was carrying that thing.
"You've heard wrong. We don't have what you want. What makes you think we would give it to you in exchange for you letting us live, when you're only going to use it to torture us and those we love? Even if I did have it, I wouldn't give it to your lying skeletal self!" I replied confidently. It was true - I wasn't going to take a little bit more time living just to have him destroy everything I've come to love.
"I see... so, there really is no more use for you. I've let you live once. It won't happen again - take a look at this beauty..." He replied, lifting his sword to my face. I still wasn't backing down, and when I looked to my friends, it seems that they too placed the Caribbean over their lives.
"Marvelous. Now, are you ready to crawl into the grave you've been denied for so long?!" I asked, ready to fight. His face then changed from a condescending smile to a stare of anger. Apparently, he still hasn't gotten used to "bugs" like us standing up to him.
"Right. Here's your one-way ticket to the afterlife!" Said Bronze John as he ran up to me along with Smith and Bastien. We were ready to fight.
Jolly swiftly swing his sword across where my head was supposed to be, but I ducked down as soon as he moved his sword and I countered by rising and kicking him in the gut, putting space between us. Bronze threw a sidewinder at him as he tried to run back. This caused him to flinch momentarily, and Smith shot him in the head with a silver bullet. However, this only gave him slight pain, and he charged at us again.
He swing his sword at me, and this time I blocked it and struggled. Seeing as how he was clearly going to overcome me, I released him and sidestepped immediately, causing him to swing his sword at the air where I was. He turned and lifted his sword, seemingly ready to swing again, but Bastien roundhouse kicked him in the throat, causing him to fall backwards. Bastien then tried to bring his dagger down on Roger's chest, but he rolled away immediately.
When he stood up, his sword was shimmering. "Looks like my work here is done. You might want to head back home for now! Until next time, pirates!" He said as he lowered his sword and disappeared into a cloud of voodoo mist. "What was that about?" I asked out loud.
"Who knows? The good thing is, we actually managed to hold him off! If we had more space here, we could have done even better!" Smith said, hopeful as he manned the helm again. "Right. Hopefully we're better prepared next time around." Added Bronze.
We left the battle site and headed back to Rumrunner's for the day, as the sun was now descending into the horizon. The others seemed confident, but I was doubtful. How did Roger get his hands on that sword? No normal sword can shine, and if he's found all-powerful weapons of his own, this battle of ours could very well be coming to its untimely end...
"Holy... EVERYONE, LOOK!" Smith's screams woke me from my daymare. "What's wro-" I paused halfway through my question. I could clearly see what was wrong. So could the others.
Rumrunner's Isle was burning, releasing a massive puff of smoke that reached for the skies.
"GO! GO! GO! We can catch some of the soldiers if we make it in time!" Cried Bastien. There were EITC Light Sloops surrounding the island, and I could clearly see the men boarding them and sailing away until there was only two ships left left on parallel sides. Probably the ones sent to hide any evidence.
When we got to the shore, Bastien literally leapt from the ship and ran towards the cellar, where the fire seemingly started. Bronze darted after him, and Smith and I did the same after docking properly. The Light Sloop on our side of the shore had just sailed away, full speed.
We reached the cellar, and found Bronze and Bastien inside, interrogating the remaining EITC Thug.
"Listen, I get paid to do this! Even if I refused, EITC's new leader, Samuel, would have me executed immediately!" Said the Thug in desperation.
"WHY IS HE THE NEW LEADER, AND WHERE IS HE?!" Bastien demanded to know who had done this to him.
"He was appointed by Jolly Roger! He got so powerful all of a sudden, we can't resist following his orders unless we never want to see the light of day again! He has his own outpost in Beckett's Quarry!" Explained the clearly untrained Thug.
"GOOD. NOW GET OUT OF MY FACE BEFORE I BREAK YOURS!" Bastien shouted at the Thug. He did just that and bolted out of the door towards his ship. "UGHHH! WE'RE GOING TO PADRES FIRST THING IN THE MORNING!" Said Bastien. He clearly wasn't thinking straight, and Bronze John pointed that out. "That's a bad idea. From what we heard, we can assume Samuel is one of The Corrupt. It would be better to turn in our brew, get a sloop, get our new ally, and then we can take care of the poor EITC man who dared to do this. Doing it right away is bound to get us this killed."
This seemed to calm him down. It was in our best interest, and Samuel had to be killed sooner or later. "I think it's great we got this new intel. We should go to Tortuga and turn in our brew to get the gold. We can stay there for the night." I recommended. It seemed like the best thing to do, and the EITC wouldn't be touching Tortuga intentionally for the time being. "Right. Let's get out of here." Said Bastien. We walked back to our ship with heavy hearts, saying goodbye to the island one last time. It was visibly heartbreaking to Bastien.
During our trip to Tortuga, Bastien never left the back of the ship, looking at Rumrunner's steadily shrinking silhouette. He had lost the place he called home to the EITC and Roger, and if you were to see the look on his face as he said goodbye to his island, you would know he would give his life to bring them to Justice.
I was still dumbfounded about this entire incident myself. Roger's weapon is powerful. How did he get his bony hands on it, though? Even then, why is he working with the EITC? I had some suspicions, but if the EITC is only out to oppress pirates, what do they get out of burning an entire island down in the absence of one of their targets? Despite the uncertainties, we were hopeful that we could get to the bottom of the latest events and save the seas from whoever or whatever was plaguing them - a question on which all our answers get proven wrong.
== Chapter 7: Behind the Lies ==
As we got closer to the Tortuga docks, we noticed the crowd of pirates gathered on it. There was a male figure standing atop the boxes on the docks, with two below him. The pirates seemed to be listening to them and cheering them on.
We docked and got off our ship, turning the cargo in to the shipwright for a good 300 gold. When we looked back at the docks, we realized it the was a member of the Marceline Guild giving a speech to the listening pirates, who were excited to say the least.
"At it again, huh?" Sighed Smith, unmoved by the speech. "Hear this, pirate brethren! The Navy, EITC, and undead have been hurting the Caribbean for far too long! Prepare yourselves tonight, and head to Padres at early dawn tomorrow! Our very own mystic, Sandra Tew, has caught wind of the EITC and Roger's combined plans. We will be holding a meeting at Fort Dundee at noon to give more detailed information to you pirates!" Said the man, with a heavy British accent.
"Sounds interesting. Think we can go there?" Asked Bronze John as we followed Bastien to Fabiola, the town gypsy. "They're bound to give us some good leads, and right now it's our best bet. This is one of the better things they've done to combat our enemies, I'd say." I replied. "I still think we should go after Samuel with the help of Maggie Rigrage first." Said Bastien, coming out of the gypsy cart with a huge sack of what we assumed to be gold coins. "He's a corrupt, which makes him one of our worst enemies. The sooner he's defeated, the better we're off. We can go to Fort Dundee after interrogating him - something we should have done to Ramjaw. Who knows what good intel he might have on the EITC and Roger's plans? He's involved in them, so clearly more than some random mystic." He added.
"That's a good way to see it, and the best. Who knows, maybe the "plans" the Marceline heard of is the fact that Jolly is corrupting others. Other pirates don't know, but we do, and it's best we try to stop the corrupt before any others get hurt." Said Bronze in agreement. He always had a way of changing my opinion on things, and he was right about this. Who said the Marceline can uncover all the unknown secrets? "It's settled, then. Let me take you to my old friend's mansion. He let me stay there when I returned to get a Light Sloop for us." Said Smith. We followed him to the main Tortuga town, with the Faithful Bride and Doc Grog's at the center of it. "Well, this brings back memories." Said Bronze when Smith stopped us in front of a large, clean residential building.
"This is the Bowdash Mansion. They have lots of soft flour bags for us, so we'll have a good night's sleep before talking to Maggie and hunting for Samuel." Smith said. When we went inside, it was a truly breathtaking place, at least for us hermit pirates. It had a fireplace, jugs of water and rum on the table, a clean stove, and as Smith promised, there was a good stack of flour bags amongst some crates. "I broke into and slept here in my teen years. Watch this..." Said Smith.
Then, when he placed his hand on a wall, a rectangular piece of it slid into the ground, revealing that it was in fact a secret door leading to an empty backroom with a warm fireplace and readied flour bags. "I doubt the man himself knows about this. Let's sleep here, so we're not caught by some overly curious pirate or an EITC man who knows of our presence." Said Bronze. The warm flour sacks were smooth yet firm on my side, and I pulled up a canvas quilt to cover me up. "In that case, let me go purchase the new Sloop before the pirates buy them all." Said Bastien as he left.
I wished the others a good night, even though I doubted I would have one myself. I had killed two of Roger's most prized monsters, fought him alongside my friends, and saw the home island of one of them burn down. It was an eventful day, but through my weariness I was anxious, anticipating an attack by Roger on Tortuga at any moment. Thankfully, that didn't happen, at least not before I fell asleep. It wasn't a good sleep - the fire and smoke of the burning island haunted me even in my dreams. The EITC and Roger had hurt and killed pirates before, but never had they lashed out at the environment during the absence of one of their most sought-after targets. Even though it was the EITC and Roger, these two groups weren't the types to go and cause destruction without motive -  EITC had their ongoing movement against piracy and Roger had his hatred for life, which had cheated him.
Then there was that bone-chillingly eerie being that haunted each and every one of my nightmares. I could sense the contempt in its voice as it threatened to destroy the very fabric of existence in the Caribbean. Who or what it was, other than an obvious enemy, I didn't know.
Thankfully, I was woken by Bronze John shaking me. "We're ready to sneak out and sail to Outcast Isle. We're starting early!" He whispered, trying not to make any noise that would alert our neighbors. We went through the secret door back into the living room to find Andrew Bowdash in a drunken sleep. We left the mansion with extra caution, not causing the slightest creak as we opened and closed the door. We made our way to the peddler's beach and when I laid eyes on the new vessel, I was stunned.
It was bigger than our light sloop, had a cabin, bigger and stronger sails, plus more cannons for extra offensive capabilities. We boarded the ship and rode into the horizon, which was now releasing the topmost bit of the sun from its depths.
This time around, we noticed that there was in fact only one ship sailing around the Outcast waters, and it was one of Jolly Roger's warships - the Storm Reaper. "Looks like we're going to have to force our way. Man the cannons, port side!" Cried Smith as he sped full sail towards Outcast Isle. By now, the undead warship had noticed us, because it too began to move slowly towards us. "Get ready for a quick shot!" Cried Smith as we were closing in on the ship's port side.
"Open Fire!" Shouted Smith as we came in were about to line ourselves up with the ship. During the split second we were lined up with the ship, Smith let loose the port side broadsides, I shot a previously loaded thunderbolt, and Bronze hit the now badly damaged area with an explosive. By the time they retaliated with thunderbolts, we were no longer by their side, but rather behind them. I loaded a trio of firebrand cannonballs and let loose on the ship's rear. Seeing that the armor was destroyed and the broadsides were refreshed, Smith again let loose a whole barrage of broadsides, blowing holes open in the ship's cabin.
The undead crew, now panicking, stopped turning around and Bastien took an opportunity to sink it fully by throwing a Siege Charge that hit them right in the center, even blowing some of their cannons overboard. The ship sank, and since there was no cargo, we continued to Outcast after the victory, the sun now halfway up.
We docked in cover from the rising sun, and we climbed down the anchor rope onto the shore. The island was very small, made of two small islets and one tiny atoll where some birds made their home. It was a truly stunning island, a paradise for us hermits. However, our sightseeing was cut short.
We heard the snapping of wood and the groan of a monster and we remembered - Outcast was also known for its cursed stump infestation, something undesirable to hermits and pirates alike. We stealthily bypassed some stump and flytrap monsters, hoping to find the source of the noise. Then, when we got to the backside of the forested island, we saw a staff-wielding female, engaging the infamous Devil Root in a fight. "I think that's Maggie! She can't take that thing down alone, we have to help her!" I whisper-shouted to my crew. They nodded, and we ran to who we assumed was Maggie to support her. However, in the second it took us to get there, the giant cursed stump had sent her flying with a powerful slap, and we were left to fight him alone. As I took the lead and charged, Smith backed me up by shooting a well-aimed steel bullet at the beast just as it readied a slap for me as well.
During his flinch, I stabbed him in the gut with my sword. Even though this clearly inflicted some pain, he kicked me with his right leg, sending me sliding backwards until friction stopped me. Bronze threw a set of viper's nest at him, but he only covered his face in apparent fear before leaping into the air and slamming back down, HARD. This had stumbled all of us except Bastien, and we doubted we were making any progress in killing the monster.
"The arms and legs! Use your weapons to slice the extremities!" Shouted the woman from behind us as she seemingly cast a spell to get us back on our feet in good question. Bastien took the que, and after sidestepping a kick, he sliced the stump's left twig arm clean off perfectly. Since it was so thin and only wood, it could not hold against his sharp dagger. "That's better than what we were doing, I guess!" Cried Bronze as he threw a swift sidewinder at the stump's right leg, which severed it completely.
Now standing on only one leg, Devil Root now felt it could very well lose. He slammed his one good fist into the dirt in an attempt to cause a quake and stumble us to no avail. This had seemingly hurt his arm as well, because it went limp, and Smith took the chance to shoot it off with a steel bullet. I charged at its one good leg, sweeping it off and rendering him motionless and with no way to attack. Now, we started our final wave of attacks. Bronze John released his set of throwing knives, Bastien stabbed him in the face, Smith shot a new bullet into its gut, and I finally used my sword to slice him in half through the center. As soon as the stump began to turn green and fade, we knew we had slain one of the Caribbean's most dreaded abominations. We were proud.
"That was quite the show..." Said the woman from earlier. "Maggie, correct? Tia Dalma guided us to you. We heard you could-" I was cut off. "I can help you. Not only do I have nothing else to do, but I see what things have come to. Tia Dalma told me about you, but I thought you were just a group of ordinary pirates going against the enemy. I was proven wrong. As I'm sure you've heard, I'm Maggie Rigrage - hermit mystic of Tia Dalma." She explained.
"Nice to meet you. I assume you also know who we're currently after?" Replied Bastien, eager to avenge his home island. "Samuel, that weak-willed EITC Grunt. Imprisoned in a cave since his employment, he has tasted power, and wants more. I cannot let any enemy of the Caribbean live. I'd say you have a new ally." She assured us she was up-to-date, though it was unreasonable to doubt so after hearing she was a mystic employed by Tia Dalma. "Nice to have you on board, but do you know why the EITC and Roger are suddenly cooperating? Why, and how does Jolly Roger have his hands on that blade?" I asked.
"I do know that there is something we're missing in this cooperation of theirs. A third party who is... somehow controlling them both at will. I have no idea of who in the high seas could have such power. As for the blade, I know for sure that it was... entrusted to him. The vibe coming off of it is not human, but rather otherworldly - much like the despellian weapons Tia told you about." She replied. My doubts were confirmed, and even though we still didn't know just who this third party was, at least we were warned that we had more opposition than it seemed.
"That's... good to know. So, are we all ready to head for Padres?" I asked my crew, which now had a new recruit. "Aye!" Said the others in unison, and so we headed back to our ship, making sure not to alert the flytraps. We boarded and made our way to Padres.
We weren't alone on this trip. Countless other ships, ranging from Light Sloops to Sloops, were gathering around the volcanic island, some still on their way with us. "Looks like it's going to get crowded. I'd say you should park over there..." Bronze directed Smith, pointing him to the peddler's beach, where there was significantly less ships gathering than in the two other main shores.
After docking there silently, the five of us carefully weaved our way towards Beckett's Mine, making sure not to alert any others of our presence to avoid being forced to go to the meeting by the Marceline Guild.
Bronze John threw a sidewinder at the lone Veteran that was guarding the entrance, ending him quickly. "Alright, we're here!" I whispered to the crew as we examined the entrance for a moment, then entered before we could be caught. The mines, as expected, were warm, and we hurried to Samuel's outpost with Bronze John quickly eliminating any opposition we encountered. We soon arrived to a circular area, with a small shack in the center that was surrounded by Navy - and leading it was Samuel.
Throwing his dagger at a navy man after we hid behind a rock, Bronze John started the fight silently. Next to the fallen guard was a confused men, looking around for the perpetrator he never found before falling himself. The remaining two guards were unsuspecting, and as soon as one was out of Samuel's sight, Bronze threw a dagger at him, causing him to fall onto the outpost's dirty wall.
We didn't bother to keep our presence unknown when the last guard was killed. Directly in Samuel's line of sight, the last guard's body fell face-first into the ground. However, we made sure it was the guard on the side parallel to ours, so Samuel was looking away from us as Bastien ran as silently as he could towards him, us following.
"Surprise." Said Bastien as he swung at the back of Samuel's head. He turned, however, and instead was hit in the face. "Hmm. Took you long enough." Said Samuel. "Right, I should have come and ended your life as a slave as soon as you burned my home down. We got Ramjaw... but we won't get you yet." He said as he drew his dagger.
"Matter of fact, you'll never be getting me!" Said Samuel. This was used as a taunt so Bastien would be unaware of his incoming sword slash, but it was ineffective. Bastien ducked and stabbed the man in the gut. "W-where did you get that thing...?" He said as he got up in pain. "Freeze. You're coming with us." I said, with my sword pointed at his throat.
Bastien promptly used some rope he had readied to tie him up and dumped him in a sack. "Don't move unless you want to end up like Ramjaw!" Bastien warned him, menacingly. We made our way back to our ship and boarded it undetected, but we could clearly see pirates heading for Fort Dundee with some... confident-looking Marceline pirates leading them from on deck.
We sailed back to Outcast, ready to interrogate then maroon the EITC Grunt. "So, what does Jolly offer in exchange for you being his mindless slave?" Asked Bastien after we tied him up to a tree. "It's join and live or refuse and die. There's no other choice, I hope you know that." He replied. "Why is he making Navy and EITC soldiers into living slaves?" He asked a second question.
"We man his monsters - creatures such as the Hive Queen and Scattersnap were spies scattered across all the islands for Jolly to gather info on ongoing pirate activity. That's why he knew what Zoomer and his friends found..." He said, looking at what I think was me for the last bit.
"Good... but, most importantly, who is the third party controlling both the EITC AND Roger?" Asked Bastien. The EITC man felt silent for a second, only to give a bone-chilling laugh afterwards.
"The answer to that... is right behind you." He said eerily, looking behind me one last time before closing his eyes and taking his last breath. We turned, scared of what we might see.
What we saw was truly horrifying indeed.
Padres Del Fuego was under attack as we were speaking by multiple pirate ships who had just arrived there, and the look we gave each other signaled me that we all knew deep down who was behind this.
== Chapter 8: A Pirate's Purpose ==
To be written...
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