 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| Author |
Message |
Random
Guest
Items
|
 Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:23 am Post subject: Pirates, Vampires, and Ninja's, Oh my! |
 |
|
Here is all of the chapters condensed into one. I discovered wile doing this that I am actually on Chapter 7. This chapter is finished and I hope to get it up this week.
As I mentioned, I am pulling the story from the main page back into here as I cannot commit to the time needed to keep this story moving. I will continue to update it as regularly as possible but the updates will be intermittent at best for now.
Thanks for your understanding!
Last edited by Random on Fri Dec 02, 2005 9:30 am; edited 1 time in total
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Random
Guest
Items
|
| Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:25 am Post subject: |
|
|
There is nothing in a sailor’s heart that can match a clear sky, a strong breeze, the rhythmic rocking of the hushed waters, and a lot of strong rum on board. Talon the One-eye on the other hand, was no sailor. He loved as much as the next the clear blue sky, but he burned rather easily. A good strong breeze was also a treat for him, except it always seem to throw spit back in his face. And what man could resist strong rum? Well Talon could. He preferred the sweet wines and if he had his choice, he would drink pineapple juice year around!
Talon was no sailor, he was a pirate. The fourth most feared pirate sailing the great waters. Talon could probably have been the most feared, if he had been born a normal cutthroat individual. Perhaps had he had a bad childhood, that might have given him the nastiness he needed to be truly feared. Perhaps if he really only had one eye instead of simply moving a patch around, people would take him more seriously.
Instead Talon the One-eye was a rather kind hearted soul, who liked shiny objects as much as the next. Talon had always been a bit squeamish at the sight of blood but he was getting better at that. His lady friend Honest had been helping him get over that part. No, not in the way you are probably thinking. Honest was very patient and merely showed him some blood every day so he could get used to the sight. She started out with a dab of blood on a napkin, but Talon had advanced quickly and could now look at a full mug of blood without getting sick.
It is better not to ask where Honest got all the blood though. Honest, you see, was a vampire.
Talon’s ship was named the Scurvy Bottom. His crew all thought that was a very pirate sounding name. Once Talon had found Honest’s coffin room on the ship, she had quickly gone about hanging curtains and painting wondrous pieces of art. She was the ships cook as well, and it was widely known that Talon’s crew ate the finest meals. In return, a crew member would come up missing every so often. A small price to pay for a life of luxury, had been Talon’s motto for the crew.
Oddly enough, Talon had a very dependable and trusty crew. They followed him, although the Gods alone know why. In return, Talon paid them very well and treated each person as an individual that was an important cog in the machine that was his crew. Even Old Sharky, the man whose only job seemed to be oiling the door hinges, was treated well.
Talon stood on the bow of the Scurvy Bottom and looked to the wide open ocean before him. His face was a little paler than usual today, probably because he had put too much sunscreen on again. The sun screen was an odd coconut smelling concoction Honest made for anyone who wanted it. She called it SPF 400 but no one really knew what that meant. It worked though, and that was all that mattered. In fact it worked so well that several members would wear it at night to actually loose some of their tan.
“Hard to starboard, Jennings!” Talon shouted at the man behind the wheel. When there was no response Talon checked over his shoulder to see Jennings leaning heavily on the wheel, his chest rising and falling in a slow pattern. Talon sighed deeply and prepared to wait out his helmsman’s affliction. Jennings had a problem falling asleep at weird times. Honest had called him a narcoleper or something.
Jennings jerked awake and looked around confused. Talon quickly took his gaze from the man and shouted his order again. This time Jenning’s shouted the order back and the ship started to turn. There on the coast was their next target. The coastal city of Beach.
“Garrr, we’ll be headin’ east and straight into the town men!” Talon said to his crew who had gathered on the deck to watch the proceedings. “This ain’t no beauty stop boys! Grab the loot and get yer sea legs back to the ship. Let the land dogs know we’re comin! Once we are in range fire the 9 pounder! Unleash our wave of violence upon the hapless, fresh water drinking, ale swillers!
“But make sure ye fire over the village! We don’t want to… uhmmmm…. Destroy any of the pretties lads! HAR HAR HAR!!!!” Talon laughed. The crew joined him slowly. “Did ye get that boys?”
Only the blank looks from his trusty crew answered him.
“Sir,” came a voice from the back. There was a collective gasp that hung suspended in the air, like the accusing beam of a lantern in the face of the shadpws.
“Who dared to speak without raising yer hand?” Talon asked in his most menacing voice. “Which of ye curs has invoked me wrath?”
A hand quickly shot up and the hand began waving about a bit. “It was I, sir,” the voice replied. The crowd parted to view the offender, a young lad by the name of Dumpling. He was a bit on the heavy side for one his age and carried the soft look of an easy life. He was the newest member of Talon’s crew, brought on as a favor to his brother. Talon blew out another sigh, and raised his dark eyes to meet the boys youthful exuberance.
“Do ye know the penalty fer speaking out at a general assembly without raising yer hand?” Talon asked. Dumpling shook his head. “Yer new so I’ll let ye off with a warning this time lad, but next time ye suffer the full effects all the other rulebreakers get on me ship! Are ye clear on that?”
“Uhmmm… not really sir,” Dumpling said, his hand still in the air. “I didn’t quite catch what you said.”
“Put yer hand down boy! I already started talking to ya! Din’t yer father ever put ye through a proper schoolin’!” Talon shouted. His crew quickly looked away from his furious eyes.
“What sir?” Dumpling responded, now completely confused.
“Oh for the love of all that is holy Dumpling,” Talon shouted, his pirate accent completely gone. “Why did Phillip ever put you on this boat? I asked you if you had any proper schooling?”
“Oh, yes sir,” Dumpling replied with a beaming smile at no longer being confused. “Mummy wished that I go to the Oxford University when I am able!”
Talon rubbed his forehead and breathed deeply the salty ocean air. Finally he turned back to the boy. “What do you want, Dumpling?”
Dumpling looked confused again. Suddenly he brightened, “Oh I remember sir! I was going to ask if we were there yet?”
“No Dumpling.” Talon responded grimly. “And if ye ask again ye goat eating, milk drinking, flubber cheeked, land dweller, ye’ll be cleanin’ the anchor again!” That shut the boy up.
“PIRATES!” came a call from above. Talon looked up to see Smitty the Eagle in the crow’s nest shouting at them.
“Yes Smitty, we all be pirates!” Talon shouted back.
“No captain,” Smitty yelled back down. It was always funny to Talon to watch someone speak from up there. Their lips were moving but it took a heartbeat for the words to reach their ears. So the words were a bit behind what they were actually saying. Talon had a ton of scripts ready in case the theatre ever happened to be made into moving pictures like Honest talked about. He saw a lot of hand to hand fighting in them, since that was something he was rightly feared for. “What I meant was there are pirates ahead!”
Talon turned quickly and saw the ship off in the distance. There was no doubt it was a pirate ship, Smitty the Eagle might be a bit dashed in his head and sometimes saw things that weren’t there, like mermaids, but when his eyes could see great distances, even at night. Talon raised his telescope to his uncovered eye and peered through it.
“Dang it!” Talon swore as he saw the red and black flag that was flying atop the huge mast. “It’s Malinor the Crooked!”
“He’s the fifth most feared pirate sir,” a scallywag by the name of Humphries shouted. Talon noted his hand was properly in the air, although normal protocol required for a person to be noticed before responding. Talon was loose with such regulations when his back was turned.
“Aye, he is at that one ye beer bellied, shrimp lover,” Talon noted collapsing his spyglass. “He’ll be lookin fer a fight for that town!” A hand went up. “Aye, Dennis, speak yer piece!”
“Sir he has the giant on his crew! They have been quickly gaining in the pirate ranks. Last week the giant carried the boat and the crew across land so they could beat us here!”
“How do ye be knowing that, Dennis?”
“I found a note in a bottle that said so.”
“And did ye e’er think ye burnt dove dropping, that maybe they put it there to scare us off? Has anyone of us e’er seen this giant?” No one answered. “As I thought. But the choice is yers me crew! What do ye suggest?”
Chapter 2
Talon was the wind. Amazing grace and balance had Talon moving swiftly and with no more sound than a shadow. He had managed to convince Honest that he didn’t need his blade tonight. He had hoped only one fight would be needed against Malinor himself. Talon had thought to strike quickly, then the ship would be his. And it could not happen fast enough to suit the gentle pirate.
Earlier his crew had thrown the usual pre-battle party. Talon had spoken with Honest and she had tried to convince him to bring his cutlass with him. Talon hated swords and guns though. He much preferred to use his hands and feet. He was comfortable using those. Talon had discovered that there was no rum on board the ship when Dennis had handed over a mug filled with sea water.
Now this mission was bigger than life or death. Rum was lucky in the minds of his crew. Talon agreed. Rum was his cure-all. If Talon even begin to suspect he was getting sick, he drank a lot of rum to fight off this sickness until he felt better. In all the years Talon had been drinking rum as medicine, he had not had a single illness he could remember.
Talon zipped up the side of the boat using the ships anchor, which gave way to the anchor room. The room was empty, and Talon glided through the bare lights and was swiftly on deck. The shadows embraced him like a mother finding a long lost child.
Talon was the wind, a stalking predator, one with the night. Unfortunately his crew was a herd of elephants. Only the rum soaked brains of the Malinor’s crew kept them from being discovered. Dumpling had tripped several times, once bringing a good portion of the crew with him. Finally they had forced him to walk a good five feet behind.
Talon poked his around the corner and watched the festivities. Sure enough three casks of rum sat open on the deck and portions of the crew had already passed out.
“Wuzzat,” one pirate asked cocking his head around. Talon finally figured out the pirate was sniffing. “Smells lik’ soap!”
“WHAT?!” A voice boomed. The largest man Talon had ever seen then seemed to emerge from the ships floor. Standing at least ten feet tall and looking more like a ships hull than a man with curly dirty gray hair and a full thick beard. Beady little eyes peered out from heavy eyebrows. “Who using soap?!”
This had to be the giant then. Talon rolled his eyes, it was best if the giant had been a fake. Many pirates had fake giants. Talon even had one, his name was Nigel. Nigel was tall, and strong but nowhere near the size of this behemoth. But Nigel was working hard to be come a real giant and Talon praised him for his determination and work ethics.
This was a real Giant though. Talon wasn’t too worried, as long as his crew didn’t see them. But this what you get for doing your brother favors. Dumpling had come up to see what was going on, and screamed a high pitched, blood curdling, ear piercing scream at the sight of the large man. Every pirate on board turned to face the fat boy who had appeared from nowhere.
“What ‘n blazes wuz dat?!” one pirate shouted from the back.
“Only a sea banshee can make that noise!” shouted another.
Suddenly the ship was in pandemonium. The crew was doing all they could to get away from the pale, eerily lit chubby dead woman that had screamed that note. It was well known a Banshee’s scream could kill a man. After hearing it for themselves, everyone believed the myth. The crew began throwing themselves overboard as fast as they could reach the railing.
Talon almost cried, knowing he would never hear the end of this one from the crew. Dumpling just stood stunned. The Giant knew differently.
“Dat’s no banshee! Him just a delicious looking morsel for Bubba!” The giant took a step forward and Dumpling fainted. “HA HA! Now Bubba get to eat!”
“Wait,” a much more calm and sober voice rang out. “We must find out how he got on board and if there are others.” The voice was smooth, with the tone of a rich and well educated individual.
“Malinor,” Talon said as he stepped into the soft moonlight.
Malinor was reported to be a handsome man, though Talon couldn’t see why. At the moment Malinor was in hair rollers and a bath robe covered with yellow and blue starfish.
“Talon the One-eye,” gulped Malinor. “What are you doing here?”
“Ye saw me ship off the coast of Beach,” Talon responded.
“You were off the beach of Beach?”
“I was moving towards the beach of Beach, and it’s port when you set full sail and made Beach’s beaches first.”
“The beaches of Beach were closer to us at the time. Under pirates law 42.98 subsection S3 paragraph 2 bullet e allows for a judgmental call of distance when two ships are head for the same destination.”
Talon’s hand was a blur as it hit Malinor square on the jaw. Malinor dropped like a brick. Talon looked in surprise at the unconscious form of Malinor sprawled across the deck. He had not expected that response.
Then the Giant roared.
Talon back stepped away as the Giant roared again. The sound of the Gaint seemed to reverberate throughout Talon’s entire body. Talon knew why Giants were so feared now. Their voice alone could shake your insides to pieces.
“Stop that!” a voice rang clear through the night. Honest popped over the side of the boat and deposited another dripping pirate from Malinor’s crew onto the deck. The Giant stopped as he glared at her. “And don’t you look at me like that young man!” Honest floated over to the giant and tapped him on the nose with her delicate hand. “Take your eyes off of me you shameless brute!”
The Giant, clearly confused turned away, mumbling his apologies. Well mumbling may not be the right for it. It was mumbling in the sense that an avalanche mumbles just before it drops tons of earth down a mountain.
“Now you behave yourself, and show us that a giant can mind his manners in the presence of a lady,” Honest reprimanded the giant. The giant looked completely embarrassed.
“Yes ma’am,” the giant replied, head bowed, arms drooped to his sides.
“Now don’t go throwing a tantrum about it. But if we are to be guests on your boat than I’ll not having you act like a Hill savage.”
Talon had no idea what she was saying but t caught the giant’s attention. “Bubba no puny hill giant, Bubba Mountain giant!”
“And what is your real name Bubba?” Honest asked politely. Talon noticed his crew was beginning to help the other crew back over the railings and into thick warm blankets to dry off with. The giant looked embarrassed again, and shy.
“Lawrence ma’am,” the giant “mumbled”.
“Now that sounds like a very proper giant name. Why do you go by Bubba? A Mountain Giant would be prouder of his name than to carry a nick name.”
“The crew called me that after the mountain folk of the south. I never liked it but I didn’t want to cause trouble on the ship. Malinor always laughed about it.”
Talon threw his hands up in a helpless shrug. He had no idea what was happening. When the Giant started to cry and Honest, so tiny against the massive man’s frame, pulled his head to her shoulder, it didn’t surprise Talon at all.
Talon saw the two crew already getting along smartly and wondered how Malinor had ever become the fifth most feared pirate.
“Alright matey’s, be listenin’ up now,” Talon said over the din of laughter and greetings. “Malinor’s ain’t dead, so we needs to be deciding what to do with ‘im. Also tomorrow brings a new day, we set sail at first light. Which direction shall we go? To the North, is the frozen wastelands of Amberdune. To the South, the Tropical ports of the head hunters. To the East we have the Islands of Almost Certain Death or at the Very Least Lot’s of Pain. To the West, the great unknown!
“Which shall it be lads and lassies?”
Chapter 3
The crew scurried about the ship pulling up more cases of rum as they partied into the night. There were now two parties being held as Jennings had steered the Scurvy Bottom next to Malinor’s ship. The night was a bevy of singing, dancing, and many barrels of rum were emptied.
Talon was in a euphoric state when he found several crates filled with pineapples, and a contraption that was able to squeeze the juice out of them. Rum and pineapple juice, while certainly not the most popular drink, had Talon feeling good by the time he finally curled up in Malinor’s cabin.
The next morning came with the first stinging bite of chill winds. The sky was clear and blue, the waters were calm, and both crews were deep into their hangovers before they finally steered the boat towards Beach. Beach was a small town, consisting of only a couple of hundred people. They were all deeply tanned with curly long blonde hair. It was well known that many of them had the smarts of a coral reef though.
Talon walked down the boarding ramp first, Malinor, hands bound behind him, still wearing the robe of blue and yellow starfish. The folks of Beach now stood gathered in a clump awaiting to see what today would bring.
“WHOA! That’s the dude who was all like, taking stuff yesterday!” one young man pointed out with a laugh. “That was a riot man! Good stuff!”
The crowd murmured their agreement that yesterday was rather exciting, but a hush fell over them as Leonard stood tall on the bow. Nigel stood next to him, looking like some minor bully that always hung around the big guy. Talon was happy to see the two getting along so well. Leonard had agreed to take Nigel under his massive wing and teach him how to be a real giant.
“Citizens of Beach!” Talon yelled grabbing their attention. Then an extremely loud BOOM cracked through the morning air. Talon leaped face first to the soft sand and covered his head. After a moment when nothing more had happened Talon looked around. All eyes were on him.
Talon flipped himself over and saw smoke pouring from one of the huge 16 pound canons Malinor had on his ship. Talon popped back up and shrugged his shoulders to ask why they had done that. One of the crew members, Cutter who regularly cleaned and tested the canons, gave him a goofy smile and a big thumbs up.
“What… why… don’t fire that thing unless I order it!” Talon yelled.
“WHAT?!?” Cutter yelled back.
Talon waved it off and turned back to the gathered people. He cleared his throat and took command of his senses again.
“People of Beach, we have brought the criminal Malinor the Crooked to do with as you will! But know this, should any harm be comin to him, such as a death by hangin’, then be knowin I’ll return to feast on the souls o’ yer kiddies!”
“So like, dude’s gonna live with us now?” the blonde kid asked.
“Yeah, dudes gonna live with you now,” Talon responded in a badly disguised mockery.
“COOL! Dude, we are gonna so have a great time!”
And so it was that Malinor the Crooked, the fifth most feared pirate of all time had sailed his final voyage. He did go on to invent the sport of surfing though, and became a world famous Tic-Tac Toe player. But that is another story for another time.
Talon stared dumbfounded at the people as they celebrated Malinor’s visit, as if it were some great honor to have the fifth most feared pirate now residing in their village. Talon just shook his head and turned to Dennis and Old Sharky, who held Malinor between them. They both released the dandy pirate and with as much dignity as Malinor could bear, he walked calmly towards the city.
Talon and his crew left them behind without another word.
Later in the day Talon was again behind the wheel. Jennings lay sprawled on the deck, snoring loudly. It happened sometimes that he would fall into a much deeper sleep. He might not wake up for hours, which was fine with Talon. He loved to be behind the wheel. The only reason he had given the job over to Jennings was the man could not do much else with his sleeping problem. At this rate, someone could easily take over whenever the man was struck by a nap attack.
Talon loved this part of his job. The open sea was gentle right now, the crew was busy cleaning the deck, Honest would still be asleep for a few hours yet, and Dumpling was still trying to free himself from the fishing net he had tried to throw overboard this morning. Talon was watching the chubby boy thrash futilely when Dennis approached.
“Where are we headed Captain?”
“South,” Talon replied turning his eyes back to the water.
“South? There isn’t nothing but islands covered with savages down there!”
“Dennis, really! You should have said “there is nothing” or “there isn’t anything”, not “there isn’t nothing”. That’s a double negative!”
“Sorry Captain. But why south?”
“I believe it’s high time we made a play for third place on that list.”
“You mean to go after the Family Jewels of Mist Moore?”
“Aye, that’s exactly what I be meanin’ to do! Are ye scared ye landlubbin’ sissy?”
“No, I’ve always wanted to see the Southern Islands! I hear they have head hunters there, and I always thought I wanted to get into that business. If it weren’t for that whole illegal thing on the main land, I would have been rich selling my authentic shrunken heads!”
“Illegal? You’re a bleeding pirate!”
“Yeah,” Dennis replied with a chuckle, “Ironic isn’t it?” Dennis walked away shaking his head in disbelief. Talon knew that feeling very well.
“Dennis,” Talon called after his departing first mate. “Call the crew together and get the other boat over here. We have something important to discuss before we make land on the southern Islands.”
“Aye, aye Captain!” Dennis responded with a hearty salute.
Moments later the crew stood waiting, Malinor’s ship had been brought closer. It was a pretty ship but Talon had to carefully steer the Scurvy Bottom so she didn’t leave the ornamental ship in her wake.
“Alright lads and lasses,” Talon addressed them. “It’s time we gave Malinor’s ship a name! What was it’s name before?”
“The Vengence,” Shouted one of Malinor’s ex-crew men.
“Well that don’t sound very piraty to me! So before we land on the Islands we need to give her a new name! Any suggestions?”
Talon stood again at the helm of the Scurvy Bottom as he watched the crew of his newest boat move with pristine precision. They had already scrapped the boats old name “Vengeance” from the side of the boat and were adding the new name. Talon rolled his eyes as he read it. He had to considering the length of the name. The crew had argued vehemently for the names until finally Talon told them that if they could not play nicely they would have to name it after everyone’s suggestion.
Thus the “Broken Oar’d Rum Chasing Boat of the Dusty Melons” was crowned.
Most just called it “that other boat”.
They had one day of hard sailing left before the southern islands would be visible. Talon had consulted several maps on the way down and saw that the Islands were actually three separate Islands. Vientlyia, Jobasku, and O. Talon thought maybe part of the map was missing but every map he consulted named the last island, O. That was the Island he needed to get to if he wanted to find the Family Jewels of Misty Moor.
Talon knew he could easily guide the Scurvy Bottom into the remotest of places, but that Other Boat could not maneuver like the Bottom could. He would have to land on the first Island Vientlyia, then make his way across Jobasku, and finally cross the land bridge onto the Island of O.
Now Talon stood at the wheel and pondered his strategy. He could empty the boats and take a large portion of his crew with him, but that would mean feeding a lot of mouths. There was strength in his numbers and most of them could handle themselves in a fight. His crew would stand firm. As long as there was nothing on the island to spook the overly superstitious lot that most sailors were known to be.
The lack of real food however, and Honest would need to feed again soon, else another sailor would go missing, meant porting in Vientlyia anyway. Talon had no idea what to expect from the islands ahead. Tales of vicious head hunters and wild beasts permeated the name of the tropical southern waters. Horrible deaths, tortured screams, trees so terrifying their leaves dripped blood, and of course, the average booby trapped treasure laying somewhere in the midst of it all.
The waters remained calm for the crew throughout the journey. They sighted land shortly after the sun broke on the fifth day after leaving Beach. A sea side village sat nestled before a grand tropical jungle. Fishing skiffs dotted the waters and even a couple of the large netting boats hailed the crew as they passed. His crew stayed true to form and waved back.
Talon pulled the Scurvy Bottom easily into port, and then had to take a rowboat out to help Dennis bring in the other boat. Once both ships had been tied off, Talon set the crew to one last cleaning of the deck before they went ashore. Before the sun was at its noon point though, both crews were cleaned up and ready to walk on land again. Talon allowed them to wear their cutlasses and swords but disallowed them their pistols. Talon had changed into a pair of black pants with soft, well cleaned black leather boots that came to just below his knees. A bright blue shirt and a red head wrap, a black and silver belt, and his eye patch finished his ensemble. Talon looked in the mirror for a moment, his clothes had been carefully tailored for him by Honest, who had nothing better to do most days. He did cut a fine athletic figure.
Honest was caked in her special sun blocking cream, and wore an elegant dress of purple and gold. Talon had bought the dress from a tailor many miles to the north and east when his crew had raided the coastal city. Honest’s curly brown hair had been washed and groomed so that it nearly sparkled with the light. Soft brown leather boots hugged her delicate looking feet, and white thin leather gloves covered her hands. Talon was entranced with her before she caught him staring, then he quickly looked away. He never saw her smile at him when she caught him staring.
“I’ll be up on the deck,” Talon muttered as he hurriedly left the cabin. His crew had gathered in eager anticipation of the upcoming ceremony, the dropping of the walkway. Talon made his rounds, straightening collars, adding tears in a couple of shirts, tussling hair, and making everyone look just a bit more piraty.
Dumpling was having a grand time of it all, as far as Talon could tell. He had lost some weight working with the crew of the other boat. Soon enough, Honest joined the crew and they all gasped in disbelief at her beauty. She rarely came out in the sun, the cream she wore was bad for her skin, and when she did the crew always knew they were in for a treat. Talon offered his arm which Honest took with a bow of her head and a smile. They both moved to the closed walkway and addressed the crew of both boats.
“Alright men,” Talon began, the hushed crew listened intently. “Remember who you represent here! You are the crew of Talon of the One-eye! Currently the Fourth most feared pirate in the world! You will conduct yourself accordingly! Keep the accents heavy but not unintelligible! Make a few rude comments but nothing outlandish! Drink lots of whatever they have, make passes at the women, and be a general nuisance! But be careful! We don’t want to hurt anyone or leave a big mess behind! I shall try and find out any information on the Family Jewels of Mist Moor so keep your ears open as well!
“Most importantly perhaps, as always, have fun lads and lassies! You have all earned it!”
With his usual flare Talon whipped his hand up to catch the release lever on the walkway. It was a simple pin and latch combination that only required a person to pop one end of the pin, which would free the latch and the walkway would fall. This allowed the crew to charge swiftly into a town, and also provided an excellent emergency exit. This time however, the latch was stuck and Talon ended up banging his hand on the solid wood.
Several curses later, Talon hit it again, but to no avail. Finally he looked closely at the pin and saw it had been bent, meaning it was jammed into the latch. Talon turned his dark eyes onto the crew.
“Who's been playing with the latch?” Talon asked. The crew only looked at each other. Except for Dumpling.
“Oh I fixed it sir!” Dumpling said with a grin.
“Fixed it?”
“Yes sir!”
“What was wrong with it?”
“Well sir, it was an easy way for another crew to get inside our boat. All you have to do is hit the pin! So I bent the pin with a hammer, securing the door!” Dumpling said all this as if he might have said he had just won the lottery. He was positively brimming with joy.
So it was that Anchor Orderly Jared “Dumpling” Hoesgill the second of the pirate ship the Scurvy Bottom was the first man to touch the soft sands of the tropical paradise known now as Jamaica from Talon’s crew. Having been used as a battering ram by the fourth most feared pirate in the world.
Talon walked with surety alongside Honest, who was beginning to get a little warm to the touch. Talon picked up his steps to get her into the shaded trees before the sun lay too much of its harsh touch on her. To Honest’s credit however, she never once even looked remotely worried. She knew Talon would get her somewhere safe and he did. From the safety of the shady tree lines Talon once again made his way towards the village, his crew following close behind with nervous chatter.
They came to the edge of the village and several poles lined the path. On top of each pole were several small heads, each one looked as if the flesh had been rotted from its face in the heat of the burning sun. Each was perfectly preserved in its ashen countenance of various levels of emotions. Some looked to be screaming, some were smiling, and others looked merely bored. The chatter of his crew had ceased and Talon could feel them pressing up behind him and Honest, trying to push them along faster. Instead Talon stopped and looked closely at one of the shrunken heads.
“Don’t touch it Cap’n,” Dennis said from the pack. “There be evil spirits at work in these parts.”
“Aye, stories of hunters and travelers gone missing and never returnin’” added Hawthorne, one of Malinor’s crew. He spoke in a whisper as if his voice alone could bring the heads back to life. “Tales of tortured screams echoing throughout the night, and innocent folk being used for witchy experiments. I even heared of a voodoo priestess on the island! She’s the one that shrinks the heads using the innards of her victims!”
“Really?” Talon asked. He waited for the expected bobbing of the head as each of the crew seemed to suddenly remember they to had heard the stories. “Interesting because if you look closely the backs of the heads are stitched with what looks to me ordinary thread. Not a very good stitching job either, the crosses are too far apart.”
Just then a moan escaped from the head that Talon was peering at. The crew all screamed and fell back several steps at the sound. But Talon and Honest merely stood their ground and grinned at each other.
“That isn’t funny Honest!” Dennis yelled at them. “You and your ventr… vent… throwing your voice tricks!”
Talon and Honest laughed all the harder.
The crew was eventually able to move their feet again, and Talon wasted no time getting them to the village. They were met by a young woman, dark of skin and with a strange accent.
“Hey you,” she said as a way of greeting, “You be here for trading then mon?”
“We be here for a bit o’ rest and fun from yer lovely town!” Talon replied, easily slipping his own pirate accent back into his speech. “We been shivering timbers and hauling the keel for some weeks now and we be needin’ a bit o’ land dwellin’ afore we get back to our sailorin’!”
“Ohhhhhh you be pirates then mon? You just be missing some of your friends earlier!”
“Me friends?”
“Yes! Oh what do be his name? Alice… Alex…”
“Alistair?”
“Oh yes that be it! Oh he be a tough one that scoundrel!”
“Alistair the Crippler? The third most feared pirate in the world is here?”
“I don’t know if he be that fearsome but he cut through three of our own hunters before we could settle him! He be a fine one with that blade of his! And him so large in the shoulders and his pretty blonde hair! Although I personally think he should be letting it grow a little longer!”
“Great, Alistair the Crippler is here and has a day’s head start on us for the Family Jewels!”
The woman seemed to sense Talon’s shift in mood as well as the fact that his accent was now gone. To her he sounded rather intelligent, and he did cut a fine figure himself in his clothing. His crew certainly looked like a vicious bunch of pirates although most of them seemed somewhat confused.
“You should be speaking with Danita the Shaman lady, she be showing you where to go. She no like that Alistair and gave him direction to go the long way around.”
“But they are a day ahead of us! We could sail around the coast and enter the Island of O from the southern tip.”
“Hmmm yes you could but the southern island is full of treacherous waters this time of year. No sailor alive could get that huge ship of yours into the bay of O.”
“I could,” Talon said. The woman was surprised that he wasn’t bragging or making an outrageous claim.
“Yes perhaps you could. I would still suggest talking with Danita, she be the one who could tell you where to go. She could use her bones to read your fate.”
Talon turned to his crew; they were all staring intently into the village, where soft music rolled from one of the buildings. They could use a days rest.
“Any other ideas me hearty sailors?”
“We could cut a beeline straight across the islands,” Dennis offered.
“Or we could split up, one team could sail the Scurvy Bottom to the south and try to make land there while another team cut across land.”
“Or we could sail back and maybe go home…” said a man from Malinor’s crew. Talon had not learned all their names yet. But from the glare the rest of the men and women put on him he quickly looked to the ground. “It was just a thought.”
“Anyone else?”
Chapter 4
“Could ye take us to be seein’ this shaman lady of yours then lassie?” Talon said to the young woman who had greeted them.
“Why yes mon! That is what I do here!”
Talon looked at Honest, confusion clear in his face. “Ye lead people to Danita?”
“No, I’m a guide!”
“Ohhhh well that be a fine job fer ye lass!” Talon hoped he sounded sincere. He didn’t understand why this town would need a guide though, it was only a few straw buildings, certainly nothing large enough to get lost in.
“Me name is Alshy, and I can be leading you to Danita if you wish,” she told them. Talon nodded and followed Alshy as she walked with unerring knowledge. They walked past the last building in which strange drums and an eerie guitar sound floated to greet them. The smell of freshly cooked bread and roasted meat reminded them all of their hunger. Suddenly the music built to a crescendo then stopped. Talon then listened to a chorus of stomach growls from his crew.
Finally they reached a lone hut, standing well away from the town and covered in an odd leathery material. Empty eye sockets stood ever vigilant as small skulls had been carefully placed over the door, and on poles leading to the house. Talon did not see any windows, but a small chimney puffed out a light smoke as if a cooking fire where currently burning.
“Knock and enter Talon the One-eye, but be warned. Should Danita not be wishing to see you, I would suggest you make a run for it. Danita can call the lightening to her bosom, rain fire from her eyes, or snuff the life out of a man with a mere word. Do not cross her pirate! For she is the fierce storm that can sink a boat in the open waters, the hungry shark in a blood frenzy, and the tiny spider that kills tigers with a single bite! She be the…”
“I think I get the picture Alshy,” Talon said hurriedly. It was obvious to him his crew was getting more than a little terrified. “Men why don’t you run along and get some food. I think Honest and I can handle this.”
“No Talon,” Alshy said again in her mysterious voice. “You be the one seeking Danita, you be the one who must go to her… alone.”
“This is fine,” Honest said quietly before she whispered in Talon’s ear. “I must feed soon anyway.”
Talon nodded but twisted his face in scrutiny, he wasn’t so much afraid of the shaman woman as he was nervous. He was terrible at meeting new people.
Talon slowly walked down the path, his crew watching him with forlorn looks. It was like watching him walk the plank in their eyes. Soon to be forever joined with the dark secrets of the abyss. Silence permeated the area, everyone seemed to be holding their breath, waiting for some unthinkable event to occur right before there very eyes.
“GOOD LUCK SIR!” Dumpling shouted, bringing a chorus of screams from his men. Dumpling was forced to throw his hands up protectively as the crew pelted him with their hats and forced him to the back.
Talon tentatively reached to the door and looking back at Honest, who for the first time seemed somewhat fearful as well, and he smiled. Honest let out a breath as if she had been holding it for a long time, which was weird to Talon considering she didn’t breathe. Talon then knocked politely on the door and it immediately swung open. Talon raised an eyebrow but with no more thought, pushed his way into the tiny house.
The inside was a lot more spacious looking then it appeared. In fact the inside looked more like a mansion; an elaborate staircase dominated a foyer, complete with coat racks, closets, a well made divan and love seat. A chandelier of candles hung from a roof that looked much higher on the inside.
“Nice use of space,” Talon said in wonder to himself. This was good carpentry work. Talon looked around a bit longer but finally started moving forward when he heard a soft humming come from the back of the foyer. He followed that sound to a dark red-stained door that was currently standing wide open. Inside candles burned brightly to reveal a clear glass ball set in an ornate holder on a circular table. Talon stepped forward and was in a room of maroon walls, dark sturdy bookcases filled with ancient looking texts, paintings of twisted spirits or holy symbols watched and listened from their perches, and chairs lined both walls. In the back of the room was the source of the humming, where an elderly looking woman stood with her back turned to the door. From the occasional thunk Talon guessed she was chopping something.
Suddenly the woman stopped and looked up. “You have come to me from a far off land,” she spoke in a deep, authoritative voice. “You have come seeking knowledge of your future. The miles you have traveled to see me shall not go in vain for I, Danita, shall look deeply into the magics of our world and answer your questions true! Now speak to me your name!” Her voice boomed the last part as her hands spread out to her sides, and Talon could see the wicked looking knife she held in her left hand.
“No that be too dramatic,” Danita said in much quieter voice. Suddenly she boomed again, “Now speak your name so that the spirits might recognize you for who you are!” This time only one hand shot above her head, as if pleading with the sky to caress her fingers. Talon opened his mouth to answer before he was cut off, “And speak true! For the spirits will tell me if you be lying! And such things do not sit well with me mortal!”
There was a brief moment of silence as Danita stood posed there and Talon wondered if he should speak now. Finally he answered, “I be Talon…”
Danita ripped out a scream of pure terror that set Talon back on his heels. Danita whipped around clutching her chest and keeping her balance with the table behind her.
“Why do you be sneaking up on an old woman like that?! Didn’t anyone teach you to be knocking man!”
“I did knock the door was open!” Talon argued.
Danita’s eyes became a thunderhead of fury as she stomped past Talon. Talon heard her open her door and yell, “Alshy! I told you to get someone to fix this damned latch! Have you no more sense than a turnip!” Another pause while Talon guessed she listened to the reply before she spoke again. “Well he is here now girl! Go and get someone to fix this latch! I almost had a heart attack!”
The door slammed making Talon jump and Danita stomped back into the room. She stopped took a deep breath, and visibly calmed herself. Then she moved with a haughty type of grace to sit in the chair in front of the glass ball.
“Sorry about that,” Talon said as he sat in the chair opposite her. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“Scare me boy? Danita be scared of no man!”
“Oh, well you seemed frightened so I just wanted to apologize.”
“I thank you for your concern but I be fearing no one. Why I could…”
“Yes, yes, call lightening to your bosom, rain fire from your eyes; I heard the speech Alshy gave us.”
“Then you should know I not to be trifled with!”
“Fine, Alshy said I should see you before we begin our journey across the land to the Isle of O.”
“Ahhh you be another pirate?”
Talon cleared his throat then put his best accent on. “Arrrr I be the scurviest cur o’ the seas! I be the echo of terror in men ‘n women across the coast! I be Talon the One-eye, marauder, killer, and the meanest pirate this side of the great ocean!”
“That be a very good accent! Just the right inflection but still completely understandable! I be impressed young man, and I don’t be impressed easily.”
“Thank you, I practice it every day.”
“So you be Talon the One-eye, from what I hear the fourth most feared pirate. Another of your kind was here just today. A nasty little man…”
“Yes Alistair the Crippler, I have heard.”
“Blast that woman! Did she be leaving anything for me to be telling ya?!”
“She didn’t tell us where to go.” Talon shut his mouth, thinking he probably could have chosen better words for that statement. But Danita only grinned before she started speaking.
“Well I sent Alistair around the northern tip of the Island. Sailing the Southern tip would certainly have been faster but the waters be more treacherous there. Alistair will take three days at best to sail around the Islands, then at least another two days to get his boats docked in the inlet. If he can get them all in there. It takes a Captain of superb skill and sailing experience to dock in the inlet but it has been done. Of course then you must deal with the Malwiki people, the savage cannibal tribe that makes that area their home.”
“What would you suggest? I would be very appreciative of your wisdom and guidance.”
“Oh don’t you be a sweet one! I would suggest going straight across the land then. I can give you a route that will cut two days from your sailing time. But once you have reached the end, you will be on your own.”
“Do you know where the Family Jewels of Misty Moor await?”
“I do not. But I do have this map that shows its location.” Danita pulled a small drawer out of the table in front of her and withdrew a tattered, yellowed sheet of paper. Gingerly she handed it to Talon. Talon opened it and saw a huge X drawn on the paper. There was nothing else.
“It’s just an X.” Talon said in confusion.
“Ahhh yes and that is where you will find the treasure!”
Talon closed his eyes and bit his tongue. She was only trying to help. So he carefully folded it and placed it in his map pouch at on his belt.
“Well then, my crew and I should eat for we have a long journey ahead of us. Thank you for your help.”
“May the wind always be at your back Talon. I foresee great things in your future. They may not be what you want, but you will receive something even greater. I cannot tell you what that is, but know that life will always grant you what you need.”
“Thank you Danita. May the spirits… do something really good with you as well.”
Danita smiled then and bowed her head. Talon cocked an eyebrow and left.
The night passed quickly. His men were in fine moods when he reached the building they were all in. Like the others this was much grander inside than out. A full bar ran the length of the wall, a dance floor, a stage where a band played, with still plenty of room for tables and there were rooms up the stairs for rent. Talon found his men eating heartily, but keeping their napkins tucked in to keep shirts clean. They were drinking from large emptied coconut halves, and Talon could smell the rum. Honest had fed and was looking deliciously energized. Talon asked her for a dance. With a promising smile, they passed a much needed night of rest melting into each others arms. Dancing to the eerie rhythms of the steel drums and bone flutes.
The next morning came to the rushing adrenaline of promised adventure. The crew had retired early and Talon was glad to see they were well rested. He had a feeling it would be a hard travel across the land and the crew would need all the energy they could muster. Talon and Honest stood a bit ahead of the pack, Talon looking through his spyglass at the land beyond. He wasn’t really looking at anything but felt it would make a good image for the Captain to be scouting ahead.
“Cap’n sir,” Dennis said approaching the two. “The crews been wonderin’ how ye wish ta be going about this search?”
“I have a map that will take us across the first two Islands. After that we are on our own.” Talon unrolled the map Danita had given him, as Dennis and Honest both looked on. “If we follow this trail by the coast, it will lead us across the short end of the second Island.”
“What is this area?” Dennis asked pointing to a place on the map with small writing on it.
“The Dead City I believe it is called.” Talon took a side glance at Dennis who gulped but said nothing. “And here we have the Flowery Fields of Pain, and here are the waters of Man Eating Land Sharks.” Dennis was quite for several minutes until Talon realized the man was praying. Talon rolled his eyes and continued studying the map.
“What is this place here?” Honest asked pointing to a mass of caves.
“I’m not sure really,” Talon said with a shrug. “It looks like a mass of caves.”
“How can you tell that?” Dennis asked, a tremble highly evident in his voice.
“The author just said so up above.”
Dennis looked up.
“Nevermind,” Talon said with a sigh. “Look we have a half days travel to the Dead city, if we take this route we will beat Alistair by at least a day possibly two if we really move.”
“You will never find anyone to scout in this territory,” Dennis said with an apologetic shrug.
“Really?” Talon asked letting a hint of menace creep into his voice.
A few minutes later the group set out. Dumpling had been “volunteered” by the crew to scout ahead, and Talon had agreed but on a condition. Then Dumpling had an especially springy length of rope tied around his waist and was sent in front of everyone. The other end of the rope was then tied around Nigel, who had grown considerably in height and now stood just a shade less than 8 feet.
It was fairly obvious that Dumpling had not been left on his own very often, as he tended to zip from one side of the path to the other, often humming his own hero music. But as long as the rope remained attached, Dumpling could go no further than a few feet.
Talon felt a bit ridiculous having the entire crew of two boats behind him. But he left no one behind when the promise of treasure was but a few steps away. So he had allowed all of them to come along. Besides he figured if there was trouble, numbers and loyalty were definitely on his side. Well at least there was numbers.
Most of the day passed without incident as the crew began to relax in the way that only a warm spring day on the shores of the ocean can bring. They began singing sea songs and ballads. Jokes and stories began to filter through the air as the two crews began the journey to smooth over their friendship.
Talon and Honest walked side by side in the shade of the huge jungle trees. The air was a bit more humid than Talon would have enjoyed but he was certainly not complaining. Dumpling had managed to not get lost; although it was apparent it was not from a lack of effort on Dumpling’s part. The crew was in high spirits, the day was bright and clear, and there was a lost treasure waiting at the end.
Suddenly, Nigel called for a halt. Talon raised his hand and turned to look at the giant in training. “The rope has gone slack,” Nigel said. Talon looked to the rope that now lay on the ground and didn’t move. Talon weighed the situation carefully. Losing Dumpling on the island was not that great a loss in his mind, but his sister-in-law would nag him mercilessly if he couldn’t find the boy. Besides, Dumpling was a family member.
Finally Talon turned to the crew, “Dennis you are in charge. Nigel, Jennings, Lisa, and you there, in the red shirt, you are all with me. The rest of you take a break! We’ll be back once we have found him.”
“I’ll be coming with you I think,” Honest said mysteriously. Talon only nodded as if he had expected that.
“Nigel, follow the rope and start rolling it up as we go. That way you will feel any tugs or strain. Lisa you have the best eyes in either crew, I need you beside Nigel looking for any signs of trouble. Jennings you better bring the medical bag. You in the red shirt, you will be doing anything that appears stupidly dangerous.”
Talon did not wait for a response but instead turned away and let Nigel and Lisa take the point. They started away following Nigel and Lisa, Honest keeping within the copious shade offered by Nigel’s large frame, and Talon keeping Jennings upright in case he had a nap attack. The rope was not extreme in its length and shortly they found the frayed end where Dumpling was supposed to be. On the ground they found a pile of candy wrappers.
“As I expected,” Honest piped in. “He been taken by a Sugar Ghoul.”
“What’s a sugar ghoul?” Lisa asked nervously.
“A particularly nasty little creature,” Honest said still studying the ground. “They are undead like a zombie only they move much faster and are smart. They offer their victims candy or some sugary substance then kidnap them. While no harm will come to Dumpling, he will be forced to eat nothing but sugar. The ghoul then feeds off the sugar adrenaline and keeps his captors fattened until they die.”
“So the ghoul would kill him?” Talon asked.
“No but the ghouls are not known to be real brave when it comes to protecting their victims. A real ghoul, or a wraith could easily snatch the boy up then he would be in a pickle.”
“You mean these things are real?” Talon asked incredulously. He had always thought spirits and ghosts were only fancy tales told around campfires at band camp.
“Oh yes Talon, they are very real. Although most of the stories have been exaggerated beyond belief. Truly it is flustering how the living simply doesn’t seem to grasp the concept of what it means to be undead. Take me for instance. I eat normal food and only need to feed on fresh blood about once a month. I like garlic, and religious symbols and places have no sway over me. I cannot turn into a bat and I don’t speak with a weird German accent.”
“So what do you know about ghouls? Can their touch really make you age quickly? Are they deformed creatures with lolling dog like tongues?” Lisa asked.
“HA! No but I’m sure the ghouls would have started that story. A ghoul is a human spirit that was usually so shy in life; their spirit simply couldn’t find the nerve to enter the afterlife. So they are stuck here wandering the earth until they finally break their shyness and face the next life. A sugar ghoul is one who tried to drown their shyness in some form of material consumption. It could be food, or it could be tobacco, or it could be alcohol. For some reason when these spirits are left, their addiction turns to sugar. Since a ghoul cannot eat, it feeds off the energy provided by its victim.”
“So Dumpling is in no danger except for getting fatter?”
“No there is a danger,” Honest said finally looking up. “As I said ghouls are not especially brave protectors of their prisoners. In fact if Dumpling had more than three brain cells he could figure out that to escape all he would have to do is walk away. But knowing him he is in heaven with all the sweets being offered to him.”
“Any idea’s on where to look?”
“I cannot be certain but I would think the Dead City would hold more information.”
“Wait, I see tracks!” Lisa said excitedly. “I’m not sure who made them though. They don’t look heavy enough to be Dumpling’s but they were certainly made by a person.”
“Ghouls do not leave footprints,” Honest said, curiosity piqued.
“Alright, we will go back and get the crew and we can decide where to go from there,” Talon announced.
“Uhmmm, boss,” Nigel said, his voice much deeper than it used to be. Talon turned to where Nigel’s thick finger was pointing behind him. There was his crew, just a few steps away.
“What in the… what are you doing here Dennis?!” Talon shouted in surprise.
“You put me in charge Cap’n,” Dennis said with a defensive posture in his voice. “I ordered the men to follow you!”
“You were supposed to wait there! I told you we would be back when we found him!”
“Yes but you never said we couldn’t follow you,” Dennis pointed out. “And they wanted me to make decisions! I’m not a Captain!” Talon thought Dennis was getting a little overworked.
“It’s fine Dennis,” Talon finally said ending the argument. “Well then you know the situation. Shall we go to the Dead City and see what happens? Follow the tracks and see who created them? Or press on towards our goal?”
Chapter 5
They had called him Wind as a child, an appropriate name for him now but it had been something of joke back then. He had been born frail, premature, and clumsy. The jokes of children had spurned him through the years to hone his skills of death. But as the sun began it’s slow eastern march that morning, Kaze Masahiro had never thought one night could so instantly change him.
He was now a member of the Scurvy Bottom, serving under Talon the One-eye and seeking adventure in a far away land. There was something about the charismatic captain that Kaze trusted immediately. Talon was a man who won his crews loyalties through sincere respect, fair treatment, yet firm rules. Fairness was not something Kaze was used to. Life as an assassin did not leave him much time to ponder such intangible devices such fairness, or honor.
Now, perched atop one of the ghost village’s buildings, with sounds of spectral snoring still wafting from the rooms below, Kaze watched a sunrise with new eyes. In front of him was a piece of parchment; on it was written his first step towards his dream. For all intents and purposes, Kaze wanted to be a poet.
“How is the poetry coming?” asked a voice, pulling him from his inner thoughts. It was Talon. He impressed Kaze again. Few people could scale a building quietly enough to surprise one in his profession.
“I have written my first line,” Kaze responded. “It is a small step but one that I will cherish all my life.”
“Hm, the journey of a thousand miles begins with but a single step Kaze, remember that.”
“I will Captain.”
“Come my friend, We have a long road to go yet. I am hoping by nightfall we will make the Island of O. By my calculations we are still a day ahead of Alistair the Crippler. We will start early today and make camp late into the night.”
“I am ready when you need me Captain.” Kaze bowed his head as Talon stood. “But that is not why you are here.”
“You are correct,” Talon replied with a smile. “Tell me if you can, are there more of your kind waiting for me?”
“Not here Captain,” Kaze said with a smile as he returned his eyes to the rising sun. “I was sent alone for this mission. It was to be my final test before I become a true member and was given my own name.”
“Your name is Kaze,” Talon said gently. “That is a fine name.”
Kaze said nothing as Talon slipped over the rooftop and began shouting orders to prepare the crew for leaving. The sun broke over the horizon with little fanfare, as it did every morning. But too Kaze, this morning brought a new hope. It was a sunrise he did not believe he would ever see.
It was the sunrise of his soul.
*
“Alright me hearties, gather up yer courage for ahead of us lies the Island of O. We’ve a map leading directly to the Jewels and we stay a day in front of Alistair yet! If we can make the third Island by nightfall, we’ll be sitting pretty fer the riches to be ours!”
Talon continued his speech to his crew, keeping them bolstered as they started their journey out that morning. There was a buzz in the air, unusual even for Talon’s crew. They were on the verge of something and everyone could feel it. The crew chatted nervously throughout the morning as Talon led them further across the Islands. The morning was pleasantly warm and there was strong breeze blowing in from the ocean. By midday the breeze only seemed to swirl the muggy heat around though, and tempers were beginning to flare.
“I have told you for the last time Dumpling, no we are not there yet!” Talon said for perhaps the hundredth time so far. Talon had long ago told the portly sailor to stop asking.
“Bloody mermaid on a pogo stick!” came as sudden cry from the crew. Talon turned and stared at Dennis, easily recognizing the voice. Dennis was staring off to the east and when the rest of the crew turned and looked they realized his shock. For there, in a lagoon looking area of the land, resided the Man Eating Sharks.
Talon stepped a bit closer, well in actuality the crew took a big step back leaving him and Honest standing in the lead, and he took a longer look at the creatures. Torsos of a man were connected with the head of a shark. The creatures walked in a wobbly fashion, weaving from point to point as the large head unbalanced their less proportioned bodies. They carried crude spears in one hand while the hafts of several others jutted from a quiver at their hips.
“They seem like alright folks,” Talon said to Honest, who only smiled in return. She knew nothing more than the lore that had passed through time about these creatures. Talon heard the whispers of his crew at the time, each passing on advice to the other.
“Stand perfectly still, sharks follow movement.”
“No you must play dead, sharks don’t eat dead things!”
“Are you daft? You have to move opposite sides of their head so they can’t really focus on you.”
“No, no, you have drink a lot of lemon juice, then eat a head of garlic. Follow this up with a ritualistic gorging of chocolate and cigar smoking, then hum some classical tunes to lull them to sleep.” Talon turned his gaze upon the ludicrous suggestion but the sailor was paying little heed, completely caught up in his own thoughts. “Or maybe that is for Giant Octopus.”
“Quiet,” Talon scolded them. “Ol’ Sharky, you’re the most experienced of us as far as the seas is concerned. What do you know of sharks?”
The crew all turned their eyes on the old pirate while he scratched his chin, searching for the answers. Finally he said, “Don’t get bit by ‘em. That can really hurt.”
Talon took a deep breath to steady himself then turned to see the man-sharks were charging them. At least, Talon thought it was a charge. The feet were attempting to move faster but several of them simply fell over with their heads going to far one way or the other. Talon watched in curiosity as the sharks would go back to pick the other one up then continue their way towards the crew. But the faster they would get going the more would fall, and they would all have to be picked up again.
“At this rate we could mosey away from them with little worry of being caught,” Talon said to Honest. “How did they become such a fearsome legend?” Honest only shrugged but knew the question was rhetorical anyway. Talon turned to his crew, all pale and stiff with the fright of watching the blundering charge, and shook his head. Superstition can often freeze the bravest of men long before logical thought can find it’s way inside the head.
“You men wait here, we don’t have all day to wait,” Talon finally said, breaking some of them from their statuesque positions. “Honest?”
“The sun is too powerful there in the center,” Honest replied with an obvious lament. “Should you get into trouble, I’ll be by your side in an instant.”
“No worries,” Talon said with a grin and a wink. “Kaze!”
“Yes Captain,” the smooth voice came from his other side. Talon almost broke a new world record for jumping at that moment.
“First of all, no more sneaking up on me!” Talon said as the man-sharks made their fifth attempt to build up momentum. Talon calmed quickly, as he always did, and said, “I would like you by my side as I go out to meet them.”
“But Captain, we could just continue walking and get away from them,” Kaze responded.
“Aye that is true but knowing the way things have been going they would follow us and we would be attacked again at some crucial point along the way. I’d prefer to get this done with now so we may at least move on without fear of an enemy at our back.”
“A good idea Captain,” Kaze agreed. “Yes I would be honored to accompany you.”
Talon nodded and turned to one of his men, Eric, who often carried the ships supplies and luggage. He was a young lad, barely past 17 years of age, and he had a gangly affliction which caused him to look somewhat uneven all the time, with a long face, thin fingers, and a frail looking body. But he was strong as an ox and jovial enough. The crew had liked him immediately.
Talon took a familiar looking blade from the boy and crossed back over to Kaze. Talon adjusted the strap so that the sword would sit diagonally across his back. Kaze was amazed that there was no rush in the captain, with a small army of weird fish creatures bearing down on them. But Talon slung the blade over Kaze’s shoulder and asked him to test the draw a couple of times.
Kaze pulled the blade free quickly and easily and marveled at its balance. His old swords were usually well balanced but poorly made. The ninja did not live by the sword as a samurai did, nor apparently as the pirate did. Kaze nodded then felt a hand on his chest pushing him back. Kaze looked up to see one of the man-sharks was throwing one of his spears.
The spear launched about four feet in front and landed with a weak thud in the ground, the thrower stumbled for what seemed an eternity before falling face first into the ground.
Talon rolled his eyes at Kaze who smiled, although no one could see it behind the mask he still wore. Then the two walked out onto the field. The shark-men looked relieved as they all stopped their “charge” and put their hands on their knees, panting. Talon picked up the spear as he approached them and helped the man-shark off the ground, returning his spear to him.
“Thanks,” the man-shark said as he turned around and weaved his way back to his companions.
Talon and Kaze approached them, with the crew looking on.
*
Dennis, Lisa, and Dumpling went beside Honest to watch their brave Captain, and the new guy, walk calmly across the open field. It wasn’t really that large of a field but the man-sharks terrible charge had seemed to go in slow motion. They watched as Talon helped the fallen one off the ground and handed him back a spear. Honest noticed Talon had once again gone into possible danger without his cutlass or pistol.
“Dennis,” Honest said snapping the man out of his fear. “ Go to Cutter and tell him to prepare the canons. If we must charge in to rescue Talon I want the canons to lead us in. Dumpling, find Nigel and Leonard, have them ready to lead the charge, then find our ten best shooters, ask Dennis if you need help finding them. Arm them with the long range rifles and have them ready as well.”
Dennis and Dumpling both saluted and ran off to their appointed task, Dennis hollering orders as he went, Dumpling tripping over his own feet.
“Do you need me to do anything Honest?” Lisa asked sheepishly. The two had never really talked much but Honest had always liked her.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Random
Guest
Items
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 10:21 am Post subject: |
|
|
I see part of the last chapter was cut off. Which actually works well since I have here the unedited version. This may contain a few grammar problems but I think it's better than what I had posted originally.
“Guard me of course,” Honest said with a grin. “Listen Lisa, to handle a crew of men you must keep one thing in mind at all times. If you cannot give them what they want, give them something to do. Otherwise they may very well drown in a puddle of their own drool.”
Lisa giggled at that. “Is that how you handle Talon?” she dared to ask. Honest replied with a smile.
“Lesson number 2 my dear,” Honest said, “There are exceptions to every rule.”
*
Talon saw the creatures look around nervously after he had approached. No one had said anything yet and Talon wasn’t sure they would speak his language. There was only one way to find out.
“So ye be the fearsome Man Eatin’ Sharks I be hearin’ tales of,” Talon said. “Why do ye be wanting to attack me crew?”
He was answered with blank looks.
“Do ye unnerstand what I be sayin’ to ye?”
More blank looks, although this time those looks were passed form shark to shark. One even shaking his spear at the two men, a gesture Talon did not quite understand the purpose of.
“I see,” Talon said dropping his accent. “Do you wish us harm?”
“Why certainly not old fellow, we are simply protecting our lands,” came a surprising response. Talon looked around and realized he had seen none of the mouths move.
“Wait a minute,” Talon said as he approached one of the man-sharks.
*
“Be ready!” Honest cried out when she saw Talon approach the creature. The tension hung thick in the air around the crew as they watch Talon reach out his hands. In a quick sharp jerk Talon was suddenly holding the head of a shark in his hands. Honest couldn’t believe the man’s strength.
Several of the crew fainted.
*
Talon found himself staring into the eyes of a short dark skinned man. Brown confused eyes looked back at him. He made no move to stop Talon from removing the head gear though.
“You would fight and charge much better without these,” Talon told him, feeling the weight of the sharks skull.
*
Honest breathed a sigh of relief when nothing seemed to happen. Talon stood there for several minutes, and a conversation seemed to be taking place. Finally Talon turned and continued back to his crew, tossing the head to an unusually short man standing there. It didn’t take long for Honest to put the facts together.
“Stand them down,” Honest ordered the crew.
“Fire!” Cutter responded.
“No ye deaf scrotum of a goat flea!” Dennis shouted, swatting the canon leader with his hat. “Stand DOWN!”
Cutter suddenly sat on the ground.
Honest paid them little heed as Talon approached. He was grinning again.
“They have offered us a shortcut straight across the bay,” Talon told them. He didn’t ask why Cutter was sitting on the ground, or why Dumpling was laying face down in the dirt. He figured he didn’t want to know. “This will get us to the Island of O by nightfall!”
“I don’t trust ‘em Captain,” Dennis said in a hushed voice. “They don’t seem like right type to me.”
“You’re a pirate Dennis,” Talon said, with obvious effort to keep incredulity out of his tone. “What exactly is the right type?”
Dennis opened his mouth then closed it again as he realized he had no answer yet.
Honest smiled gently at Talon then took his arm. Talon moved the men out.
The shark men were ready to travel, having brought several dozen pairs of long thin strips of wood. At the suggestion of the lead shark man, whose name was a series of clicks and whistles, which is very difficult to spell out, the crew began strapping the long pieces of wood to their feet. The shark men then gave each of them a long piece of rope with a wooden handle on one end. The other end went into the large shark mouth of the headgear.
The sharks men were incredibly fast swimmers, the heads actually giving them speed under the water. The weaving technique worked wonders and Talon soon realized that by holding onto the handle of the long piece of rope he could skim the water as the shark man pulled him along. Soon enough he got a feel for the movements required to keep his balance as the waters became choppy. He found that weaving would actually send him in wide arcs, and catching one of the small ripples in the water, he could launch himself into the air.
The rest of the crew seemed to pick it up relatively quickly as well. Kaze eventually kicked one of the wooden strips off his foot and rode along on only one of the odd contraptions. Dumpling seemed to be having a bit of trouble getting the balance part down and ended up taking a good portion of the journey on his stomach.
Talon got a bearing of his surroundings; this was the large body that separated the three islands on the inland side. If he remembered the map correctly this would put them on the northern shores of O. Then the hunt for the lost jewels could begin in earnest. Talon held the rope with one hand while he studied the treasure map Shota had given him. It was still a big X.
Talon looked back to check on his crew and found Dumpling had managed to make it to his feet again and now rode the waves with his legs as far apart as he could get them and bent in half at the waist. The water sprayed in his face constantly as the other crewmembers were managing criss-crossing maneuvers. Talon watched as Lisa caught up to Cutter and jumped onto his shoulders sticking one of her legs out to the side. Talon smiled and turned back to his study of the map.
Talon looked closer at the parchment, noticing at last what could be a clue. A smeared blob close to the center. Talon held it close to his eyes trying to make out that blob. It was roughly shaped like a cave opening. Talon held the parchment up to the sun and peered even closer. Finally he sighed and rubbed his thumb over the speck. As he had figured out the mud rubbed off with a single swipe and Talon put the map away.
When he next turned he saw six members of the crew now making a pyramid, standing on each other’s shoulders. Honest waved from atop the pyramid, a laugh resounding from her that Talon had not heard in long while. Fortunately the sharks were keeping close to the western shoreline, allowing them to travel in the relative cool of the shade. Honest did not have to worry about the water removing her sun blocking cream that high up.
Dumpling had somehow ended up on his rump though and seemed resigned to just ride along that way.
It wasn’t long before the crew was led to the shore. The lead shark man emerged from the water and informed the crew that his men needed to rest before the last half of the journey. Talon could see that several of his crew could use some rest as well, especially Dumpling who found he could not sit down without something hurting. So Talon walked to Honest and the two agreed that they needed to stretch their legs.
Talon and Honest walked off alone, leaving Dennis in charge while the crew rested. They chatted easily as they always did, staying in the shade of the thick tropical trees. When a thought suddenly occurred to him.
“They swim awfully fast,” Talon said suddenly. Honest looked at him strangely then realized he had changed the subject. Talon continued after seeing her blank expression. “The shark men. Those heads are unwieldy and heavy.”
“They wear their heads under water?” Honest asked. Talon nodded that they did. “We must be away from here Talon.”
“What? Why?”
“They are were-sharks! They can transform between man and shark on a whim!”
“But I pulled the head off that one guy, he wasn’t transformed,” Talon offered, thinking Honest might just be little jumpy since the incident with Kaze. But Talon had never known her to be jumpy before, over anything.
“I’m not sure what it all means Talon, but something is not right about this. They said we could make the Island of O in a couple of hours from here, we should just march the rest of the way.”
Talon looked at her deep in thought.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
ethereal_fauna
Perpetually Distracted
Joined: 16 Feb 2005
Topics: 58
Posts: 2567
Location: USA
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 12:46 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I love this story, and would just as soon have it remain on the front page than tucked away here. 
_________________
The maker of a sentence launches out into the infinite and builds a road into Chaos and old Night, and is followed by those who hear him with something of wild, creative delight. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
D-Lotus
Venerable IFian
Joined: 21 Oct 2004
Topics: 103
Posts: 4123
Location: Hollywood, USA
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 6:57 pm Post subject: |
|
|
But there's currently no new chapter.
_________________
 Chapter 5: The Rendezvous 
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Random
Guest
Items
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 9:45 am Post subject: |
|
|
I can not begin to tell you all how many times the next chapter has been finished, scrapped, and restarted.
Here is the difficulty of writing comedy, after a while it doesn't seem as funny to the author. I'm trying to take it back to the roots of the story when I first started writing it. I was afraid it was beginning to take itself a little too seriously.
I am currently trying to edit through my sixth or seventh rewrite of the next chapter. Hopefully this one will stick
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Smee
Revered IFian
Joined: 16 Oct 2004
Topics: 166
Posts: 5215
Location: UK
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 10:24 am Post subject: |
|
|
Best of luck - you're loyal fans will be waiting. 
_________________
The path of my life is strewn with cowpats from the Devil's own Satanic Herd!
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
Topics: 46
Posts: 1787
Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 10:32 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Smee wrote: | | Best of luck - you're loyal fans will be waiting. |
Shouldn't that be YOUR loyal fans, Smee?
I know I'm being nitpicky, but I can't help myself.
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Smee
Revered IFian
Joined: 16 Oct 2004
Topics: 166
Posts: 5215
Location: UK
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 10:41 am Post subject: |
|
|
What can I say - caught out fair and square. I won't even edit it so you can laugh and point a little longer. 
_________________
The path of my life is strewn with cowpats from the Devil's own Satanic Herd!
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
evilhomer28
Guest
Items
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 11:29 am Post subject: |
|
|
| i liked it when it was on the front page so it is a good story.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Reiso
Respected Citizen
Joined: 27 Oct 2004
Topics: 17
Posts: 917
Location: Western North America
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 3:10 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| lordofthenight wrote: | | No, Smee had it right. Random is his own loyal fans. Honest. |
Funny play on words though it is, I have to disagree; I remain a loyal fan of Random, and this story in particular, since my offhanded remarks on writing pirates had a very minute and circuitous quasi-something to almost do with it being conceived.
I think.
I'm not sure anymore - anyway, I still love this story and would complain mightily of its delay if not for the simple and awkward fact of having no ground whatsoever to stand upon in such an argument when one considers my own failure as a Storygame author.
Nevertheless, I encourage Random to write more or I will send an army of virused gerbils to his door in the hopes that the resulting fever from their many bites and scratches will help to inspire the glorious madness that is Pirates, Vampires, and Ninjas, Oh my!
_________________
Sector 17 -- Rebuilding... ... ...
In the desert
I saw a creature, naked, bestial,
Who, squatting upon the ground,
Held his heart in his hands,
And ate of it.
I said, "Is it good, friend?"
"It is bitter--bitter," he answered;
"But I like it
Because it is bitter
And because it is my heart." -- Stephen Crane
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Random
Guest
Items
|
| Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2005 11:52 am Post subject: |
|
|
There comes a time when an author must simply strive ahead. This would make revision number 7 for this chapter and while I'm unsure about it, it does move the story along. Hope you enjoy it!
Talon thought long and hard about what Honest had said to him. Ultimately though, time was precious right now. Taking a deep breath of decision he turned back to his companion.
“What you say is most likely correct,” he told her, looking her in the eyes. “But we must press on. Two hours is a short distance and marching would likely double that. We need to reach the Island by nightfall or else it will be a simple footrace to find the Jewels. However, we must be ready in case what you say becomes a worse case scenario.”
“Then lets get moving,” Honest said, accepting the captain’s decision. “ They are weakest in the sunlight, as all of the undead are. I will be of little help if this turns bad.”
“Really?” Talon replied with a mischievous look that told Honest he had a plan. Talon grinned widely then offered his arm, and the two returned to the lake where the crew was lazing around. Someone had brought the instruments, while another group had set up a volleyball game. Something was missing though.
“Dennis,” Talon shouted bringing his first mate running. “Where did they go?”
“Who cap’n?”
“The leprechauns with their pots of gold?!” Talon shouted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Dennis obviously didn’t get it though as his head whipped around.
“Leprechauns!!!! Where?” He shouted back. “Heads up boys! We’re to catch us a leper… OUCH!”
Talon lowered his hand where had smacked Dennis on the back of the head. “The shark people Dennis,” Talon said lowering his voice, “where did the shark people go?”
“Shark people,” Dennis said as if thinking. Talon swore if he looked close enough he might see actual smoke pouring from the man’s ears.
“How did we get here Dennis?” Honest asked, her voice a sounding board of mystery.
“Err… I’m not sure ma’am,” Dennis said with a shrug. “Talon and you got us here somehow though! I’m sure of that!”
Talon looked to Honest and she simply nodded her head and quickly went about gathering the men. Talon turned a dark look back to Dennis, one Dennis knew wasn’t meant for him but one just as terrifying. Talon was preparing for a fight.
“Move the men away from the water Dennis,” Talon ordered. Dennis looked confused until Talon snapped a glare at him. “Now man! Like your life depended on it!”
Dennis doubled timed his efforts in getting the crew up and away from the water. He stood at the head of the beaten path he and Honest had walked earlier and he began signaling his crew down the path, as far from the water as they could get. He mentally kept count as they passed and made sure Cutter had enough help moving the canons. Lisa and Dennis were the last two to pass him and Talon knew he was missing one.
A scream that could only emit from some hellish demon, intent on destroying the world with nothing more than a single discordant noise, or Dumpling, erupted from down the banks of the lake. Talon swore as he turned back to see the chubby young man making all speed down the beach. Talon saw hands grasping at him from the water’s edge, and knew the kid was hard pressed. There was no hesitation in his decision as he jumped into action, running towards his nephew.
Honest watched him go as she pressed her hands to her ears. Even through the cushion though she had to clench her teeth. Such noises were not meant to be heard, even by the dead. Fortunately the scream stopped and Honest turned to ready the crew for battle.
Talon grabbed Dumpling by his collar and hurled him into the trees surrounding the lake then moved himself to stand protectively in front of his nephew. Talon watched as the water swirled at its edge, frothing and roiling as if a whirlpool where about to form any second. A shark’s head popped out of the water then several more. Talon recognized the leader he had spoken with early as the first one to appear and prepared himself for the fight. Off to his left he heard the sounds of his crew preparing for battle but hoped his plan would work.
The leader continued to emerge until he stood again on land, just a few feet from Talon, and immediately went into his slow charge. Talon recognized now what was happening. The were-sharks were attacking on land as they would in the water but without fins and the usual properties of water to propel them, they were clumsy and slow. Talon reached into his pouch and produced his weapon. If this didn’t work, he would have to order an all out assault. The crew would end up walking anyway. Time was of the essence now.
Talon held out his hand and began trying to find the right angle with the magnifying glass he now held.
The leader of the were-sharks was not a mindless creature but it had lived a long time in the far away islands. When the sun struck his skin, filtered through the strange glass the captain held, he thought it must be magic. For where the sun touched quickly dried out and began to burn. The captain moved the beam around, drying every last drop of water from the man’s body but never staying long enough to do any real damage. But here was the problem with being part shark, water is something of a necessity for a fish to breath, and while in his human form the man had perfectly good lungs for air breathing, he spent most of his time in shark form. Once he felt his skin go dry he tried to turn and race back for the water. But his heavy sharks head just threw him off balance and he fell face first into the dirt, where he proceeded to flop around like a… well, like a fish out of water.
The rest of the sharks stopped as they watched their leader helplessly convulse on the ground. Soon the convulsions slowed, then stopped altogether. The rising and falling of the leaders back was proof that he still lived but he had been beaten in single combat. The other shark men looked to Talon then all went to one knee. Granted it was more falling over then rising to one knee but the reference of genuflecting was obvious, and Talon breathed a sigh of relief.
*****
It took sometime for everything to be sorted out. When it was all said and done however, they had only lost an hour. Talon accepted his position as the new leader of the shark men but warned them it would be temporary. The shark men agreed to take his crew across the lake were a new life would await them.
Talon was watching the crew prepare again for the rest of the journey when the shark men’s old leader approached him. He was no longer wearing the shark head and seemed to be finding his land legs very quickly.
“You did not kill me,” the shark man said. It was not a threat or and accusation, just a simple statement of fact.
“No I did not,” Talon responded. “You lead these men well. I will turn your people back into your care once we have found what we need.”
“My people will no longer follow me,” the man said. “I have been defeated in single combat. Your magic glass has rendered me incapable in their eyes.”
“What is your name so when this all gets written in a book somewhere the author will not have to repeatedly call you ‘the shark man’?” Talon asked.
“My birth name is Ocleon. My shark name is…” Ocleon went into a series of weird gurgling noises, “which means ‘Ripper of the man flesh’ in my language.”
“How about I call you Leon,” Talon said without hesitation. Leon nodded his approval. “Alright Leon here’s the deal. I must find the Family Jewels of Misty Moor then get back to our boat. In return I will lead your people to vast body of water, larger than even the one you currently reside in. There you will find food aplenty, and room to grow in your numbers. And perhaps you will all find a better way to live in the world rather than eating people.”
“What do you require of us in return?”
“Nothing. If you wish to stay with us for a while we can teach you about the oceans of the world, and in return maybe you can help protect my ships. Otherwise, you are free to go do as you please. I do not hold slaves under any pretense.”
“You realize that had the situation been reversed we would have eaten your entire crew.”
“Possibly, I do not believe in any future being decided before it is here. You may have eaten my crew, or you may have asked us for directions to the nearest pub. Although, I’m leaning more towards you would have eaten us, no one really knows the future.”
Leon nodded as he took the words in. “Come we must get you to the Island of O before night falls. The waters are treacherous at night, even for us.”
Talon clapped the man on the back then strapped on his long wooden slates and soon enough they were speeding away on their last leg of the journey.
*
The Island of O had a name once. It might have begun with the letter O but no one is really certain. One fact was well known to any who might pass it, however, it was a beautiful spot. Berry bushes and wild flowers colored the landscape with nature’s most brilliant paintbrush. In the distance a lone mountain oversaw the entire island with a billowing of smoke from it’s top. Trees with giant leaves offered shelter and shade in the tropical heat while the chirping of birds and insects offered a harmonious welcome to the crew as they stepped further onto dry land.
“I’ll need to send a crew back for the boats,” Talon said to Honest as they trekked further inland. “How do you think Lisa would fair?”
“She will be challenging you one day for fame if she ever gets her own boat,” Honest said teasingly. Talon grinned at her.
“And is that when you run away to join her crew? When I’m old and gray?” Talon teased back. It was always a sensitive subject between the two. Honest would live forever as a creature of the night while Talon might live another 60 years if illness or accident didn’t find him first.
“No,” Honest replied. She smiled but her manner had turned serious. “I will stay by you until I convince you to let me bite you. Then you can be mine forever.”
Talon laughed and kicked at the ground blushing. “Awwww heck, Honest. Not in front of the guys.” Honest laughed then and the sound seemed so fitting in the majesty of the Island of O at Sunset. Talon squeezed her hand with his devilish grin before turning to the crew. “We set camp here,” He told them. “Thanks to our new friends we have arrived before Alistair, and by all calculations he should not even be able to dock until tomorrow at some point.”
The crew sent up a cheer and slapped the shark people on the back. The shark people cheered to but mostly because they didn’t seem to understand what was happening. Talon waited for them to quiet.
“I will be sending some of you back to get the other ships and sail them down here to the Inlet on the other side of the island. Lisa, you will be in charge of this expedition so choose your crew. The group will leave tonight with the shark people, who have agreed to give you a lift back around. At the speed the travel through the water you should be able to make it to the boats in less than half a day. It will take you two days to sail back down to the meeting spot. So in essence we have at least three days to find the lost jewels but only one day until Alistair arrives.
“Which brings me to my next point. We must decide on how to go about looking for the Family Jewels. All I have is this map of an X to show us where it is but I have no idea where to begin looking. I guess we could always stumble around and hope we get lucky but perhaps there is a better way?”
Talon looked to his crew expectantly waiting for someone to raise his or her hand.
Decision time! How can we go about looking for the Jewel? Leave suggestions below and I will get a poll up after a few days.
Thanks for your patience and for playing at the City of IF!
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Reiso
Respected Citizen
Joined: 27 Oct 2004
Topics: 17
Posts: 917
Location: Western North America
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
|
| Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2005 12:40 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Excellent Chapter Random - defeat by magnifying glass certainly keeps your namesake valid. It doesn't get much more random than that. I am also likig the fact that we are learning little bits and pieces about Honest from one chapter to the next and this latest relevation about her wanting to change Talon is definitely an interesting one.
An idea on Leon (great stuff with the whole 'if anyone writes a book about this' bit by the way) and his status with his people. Talon has offered to show them what could be a better life and if it goes well, he could maybe give Leon the credit for it to help restore his reputation among the Shark people, but I don't know how well that would work with their honor system - just a thought.
As for how to look for the treasure.... perhaps someone is allergic to treasure. The ninja is new, it would be an opportune time for him to discover such an allergy. Then he could just follow his sneezing or swelling or what-have-you to the treasure.
_________________
Sector 17 -- Rebuilding... ... ...
In the desert
I saw a creature, naked, bestial,
Who, squatting upon the ground,
Held his heart in his hands,
And ate of it.
I said, "Is it good, friend?"
"It is bitter--bitter," he answered;
"But I like it
Because it is bitter
And because it is my heart." -- Stephen Crane
Last edited by Reiso on Thu Nov 17, 2005 12:46 pm; edited 1 time in total
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
Topics: 46
Posts: 1787
Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
|
| Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2005 12:45 pm Post subject: |
|
|
1) Drink rum! Always an option.
2) As Honest can not really be harmed during the night, why not scout out with the men during the day and Honest can look during the night? We'll find it twice as fast!
3) Drink more rum!
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Random
Guest
Items
|
| Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 1:17 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Drinking Rum is a given is every chapter... but I haven't written a good drinking scene in a while. I may have to fix that.
Great ideas folks! Keep them coming and I'll try and get a poll up before the holidays crash in around us
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
ethereal_fauna
Perpetually Distracted
Joined: 16 Feb 2005
Topics: 58
Posts: 2567
Location: USA
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
|
| Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 1:24 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Ack! You snuck in a chapter without my noticing. How'd you do that? 
I'll have to read and comment.
_________________
The maker of a sentence launches out into the infinite and builds a road into Chaos and old Night, and is followed by those who hear him with something of wild, creative delight. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
ethereal_fauna
Perpetually Distracted
Joined: 16 Feb 2005
Topics: 58
Posts: 2567
Location: USA
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
|
| Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 1:57 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Intriguing dilemma. I like Reiso's suggestion about allergies, but I think there should be someone with some kind if treasure dowsing ability in your group. Just need to find them a forked dowsing stick and let them do their thing.
_________________
The maker of a sentence launches out into the infinite and builds a road into Chaos and old Night, and is followed by those who hear him with something of wild, creative delight. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Smee
Revered IFian
Joined: 16 Oct 2004
Topics: 166
Posts: 5215
Location: UK
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
|
| Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2005 5:05 am Post subject: |
|
|
Good Chapter Random,
The excellent suggestions so far are far better than anything I could come up with for finding treasure. All I could suggest is going to the X and digging - but that's just crazy talk.
I look forward to the next chapter.
Happy Writing.
_________________
The path of my life is strewn with cowpats from the Devil's own Satanic Herd!
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Shady Stoat
Elder
Joined: 02 Oct 2005
Topics: 76
Posts: 2950
Location: England
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
|
| Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2005 7:56 am Post subject: |
|
|
I've finally caught up on your story, Random. Very cool concept - and from a newcomer's perspective, I think the story gets funnier as it goes on (if that's any help at all)
My only suggestion for finding the treasure is this:
The standard way of burying treasure is to take half a dozen sturdy men, get them to dig a hole for you, then knock them off afterwards so that they can't betray you at a later date. So... we follow the trail of bones and see where it leads?
I must admit, I like the allergy one better though 
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Random
Guest
Items
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2005 11:44 am Post subject: |
|
|
New poll is up! i'll leave it up for a few days then get to working on the next chapter. Hopefully I can have it up by the holidays!
Thanks for playing!
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
ethereal_fauna
Perpetually Distracted
Joined: 16 Feb 2005
Topics: 58
Posts: 2567
Location: USA
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2005 12:04 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Had to go with Larry, mainly because I suggested it.
_________________
The maker of a sentence launches out into the infinite and builds a road into Chaos and old Night, and is followed by those who hear him with something of wild, creative delight. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Shady Stoat
Elder
Joined: 02 Oct 2005
Topics: 76
Posts: 2950
Location: England
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2005 12:07 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| I want to see a new character. I'll go with our dowser friend too
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Smee
Revered IFian
Joined: 16 Oct 2004
Topics: 166
Posts: 5215
Location: UK
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2005 12:41 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Larry the dowser sounds great
_________________
The path of my life is strewn with cowpats from the Devil's own Satanic Herd!
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Suneila
Guest
Items
|
| Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 10:51 am Post subject: |
|
|
How could I resist a dowser named Larry?
~sunny
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Reiso
Respected Citizen
Joined: 27 Oct 2004
Topics: 17
Posts: 917
Location: Western North America
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
|
| Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 1:11 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Actually, finding the X does seem to be the easiest way, so being inherently lazy I must cast a self-treacherous vote for finding the X and digging.
EDIT:
<votes>
<views results>
Damn.
_________________
Sector 17 -- Rebuilding... ... ...
In the desert
I saw a creature, naked, bestial,
Who, squatting upon the ground,
Held his heart in his hands,
And ate of it.
I said, "Is it good, friend?"
"It is bitter--bitter," he answered;
"But I like it
Because it is bitter
And because it is my heart." -- Stephen Crane
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Random
Guest
Items
|
| Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2005 8:49 am Post subject: |
|
|
Last chance to vote! After Today I will take the poll down and go with the winner. New chapter will hopefully be up next week.
Thanks for playing!
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Mother Goose
Respected Citizen
Joined: 09 May 2004
Topics: 2
Posts: 511
Location: Connecticut
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
|
| Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2005 1:10 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Aaak! I've been avoiding all the new stories, trying not to get hooked on more before a few of my old favorites ended, and I've missed the new developments in this one, one of my very first favorites!
I'll go with the majority, looking forward to Larry.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Random
Guest
Items
|
| Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 7:56 am Post subject: |
|
|
Thanks everyone for voting! The winner was introducing Larry the Dowser!
Look for that chapter in the next week or so!
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Random
Guest
Items
|
| Posted: Wed Oct 11, 2006 12:08 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I am wrapping this story up so this will be long and in two parts.
Talon tapped his foot awaiting a decent suggestion. His crew were not always the great white shark in the intelligence department, heck they usually ranked somewhere around shrimp, but they were creative. Talon had learned to trust his crew with their insane ideas because somehow they always managed to stumble through them and make them work.
But this time the crew seemed truly perplexed. They had to find the treasure in less than a day then hold it until the boats could arrive. Otherwise they would have to fight Alistair and his crew for the remainder of the time. Normally not a person on Talon’s crew would shrug off a fight but Alistair was well known for carrying one of the largest consortium of pirates, thieves, murderers, and loiterers that almost rivaled the most feared pirates band. It was often said the only thing that kept Alistair from claiming the number 2 spot was the fact that his crew simply liked killing too much. They left no one alive to spread the tales of the terror that had been inflicted.
Finally, a hand rose tentatively into the air. It was Hawkings, a sailor from the Other Boat.
“Yes Hawkings, state your thoughts,” Talon said.
“Well sir, we do have access to a dowser.” Talon noted the awe in the pirates voice. Pirates were a superstitious lot, easily taken in by tales of ghosts, mermaids, and magic. Talon had become captain of his crew by not being suckered into every tale that had passed his way. And he also happened to own the ship.
“A dowser?” came a question from the side. The pirate jumped when he realized his hand wasn’t raised. Talon merely nodded for him to continue, there was no time right now for punishing misdemeanors. The pirate looked relieved and continued, “What would we need someone to find us water for?”
“He don’t find water,” Hawkings said dramatically. Hawkings then paused properly for effect. “He finds treasure, he does!”
Talon smiled at the proclamation but held his doubts in check. He was willing to give anything a try, mostly because he figured if ever there was a crew built to literally stumble across lost treasure, it was his.
“Bring him forth,” Talon told Hawkings, and immediately the sea dog seemed to freeze in place.
“No one brings forth the dowser, he comes if he chooses,” Hawkings voice had taken on a tone of reverence.
“Well he had better choose to step forward now or my foot will be arse dowsing!”
A scrawny man then pushed his way forward, trying to seem nonchalant but it was obvious in his movements and the wide eyed look of his face that he took the captain very seriously. Talon held his first response in check, which was to laugh hysterically. The scrawny man could not have weighed more than 100 pounds but the huge pack he held on his back obviously outweighed him by quite a bit. The dowser was wearing a contraption made of burlap, coconut shells, twine, and fish bones. The scrawny man had an air of superiority about him though, the up turned nose, the disdainful frown, the well groomed but severely thinning dirty blonde hair, and the bored gray eyes gave Talon all the information he needed.
“And what be yer name ye scallywag?” Talon asked approaching the tiny man.
“L…l…l…l…l…Larry, s…s…s…s…s…sir,” the man told him.
“Ye’ve been running with the uppity crowd before have ye?”
“W...w…w…well sir, I am f...f...f…f…f…from a very pr…pr…pr…prominent f…f…f…family in W…w…w…w…w…w…Westchester,” Larry finally got through, spraying Talon with a shower of spit in the process.
“I see, well here you are under my command. I care nothing for how much money mummy and daddy have.”
“Yes s…s…s…sir!”
“Now does that thing on your back work?”
“Yes s…s…s…sir!”
“Please just nod your head,” Talon ordered wiping his face again. “Do you need anything from me?”
Larry shook his head that he did not.
“Very well, rest for one hour while Lisa chooses her crew. Nigel you are to guard this man at all times, Kazi I want you up there with him as well. Dennis, get the riflemen armed and ready and tell Cutter to have the canons oiled and ready to go. Men we are this close to attaining a coveted spot in the life of a pirate. Put your fears aside now, this is what we all signed on for.”
Talon looked over his crew. This would be a moment of truth for them all.
“Alright ye bunch of shark baiting, plank walking, salt water mermen and mermaids, get yerselves moving!”
The crew jumped to it and suddenly the camp was a flurry of activity. The hour passed quickly and Talon began to seriously watch the sun’s descent. They would not have long before night set upon them. Talon wished Lisa luck on her journey and watched as she had left the camp with 20 of the crew, just enough to keep the ships at full sail, and the tribe members of the shark people. Then he personally went and checked on all the preparations.
Larry had set his gizmo in motion, a small contraption of whirling shells was spinning on the large pack now and Larry was turning a bunch of instruments and dials. Talon watched him as Nigel and Kazi kept a constant vigil on the surrounding areas. The instrument made no sense to the captain, and he had seen a lot in his few years. But he trusted in his men, and he felt this was only the beginning of what was sure to be an interesting journey.
An hour passed and the sun was low enough for Honest to walk freely. Another hour and the sun would dip below the horizon and leave them in the depths of night. Talon had already talked with Honest of her role in this and she had agreed wholeheartedly. She would be the forward scout, watching for any signs of Alistair and his men. Kazi would take to scouting the terrain ahead while Nigel would support Larry. Talon had figured out a way for Nigel to carry the huge piece of equipment so Larry would be free to do what he needed to do, of which Larry seemed overly grateful.
“Larry, get us going,” Talon announced. As a great parade the procession started, slow at first but gaining speed as Larry and Nigel took off to the south east.
+++
Larry was getting nervous. For all intents and purposes Talon was the ideal boss. He was considerate of his crew, gave them plenty of leeway to follow their ideas, paid them all very well, and included a nice benefits package. But Larry had spent several months under the prissy fist of Malinor the Crooked, a pirate captain who did not take kindly to failure.
So Larry had put on an air of superiority, a show of pure confidence in his machines design. He had been so convincing to this point that he had never had to actually use the device. He had forgotten how heavy the pack was and was very glad Nigel was there to carry it. Now he scoured his brain trying to remember how it actually worked. The theory was that it would be able to detect metals hidden below the surface. But Larry had no way of knowing how the detection would actually occur. He had used magnates in the end of a long pole that then attached to the gizmo Nigel was carrying. The gizmo could be used to enhance the magnetism and therefore, theoretically, delve deeper into the ground.
Larry took a tentative step forward and began using a sweeping motion. Larry didn’t know if the sweeping motion actually did anything but it looked scientific and no one questioned him.
Talon watched for a bit then pulled out the map again. It was still a large X and nothing else. Talon sighed in frustration and when he did a wind kicked up behind them tearing the map from his hands. Talon grabbed for it but it seemed to stay one inch ahead of his grasping hands. Talon stumbled after the map a few steps but then realized the map was now floating on it’s own. The wind had calmed to nothing more than a slight breeze. Talon signaled for a halt to the procession and watch as the map flitted about then landed softly about thirty paces in front of him.
“Larry,” Talon yelled causing Larry to jump. “Take your machine over there by the map.”
Larry shrugged and started towards the map using the sweeping motion again but getting no new responses from the dowser.
“Turn up the juice,” Talon ordered, and Nigel looked at the bulky thing and found the proper switch. Quite suddenly there came a high-pitched squeal from the rotating shells as they spun faster and faster. Following that was a tremble in the ground that had everyone scrambling back, thinking that an earthquake was about to swallow them whole. Nigel dropped the machine and ran for safety as well but Larry just stood there as if he had just heard something and was straining to figure out where it had come from. Larry turned a slow half circle while the rest of the crew watched as a pyramid like temple began to raise from the ground.
The earth shook for a long time as the pyramid rose higher and higher. It seemed to glow with some type of inner radiance as the walls cast a soft golden glow over the crew. Many of the men and women screamed and fell flat, losing their balance as the tremendous event unfolded before them. Finally, it came to a stop. The earth seemed to resettle and the dusk grew very quiet.
Larry looked up then and broke the silence, “D…d…did anyone else hear s…s…s…something?”
Larry finally noticed the looks and pointing of the crew and turned slowly to regard the huge structure. Larry simply stared openmouthed at the large pyramid that certainly had not been there a moment before. Talon approached swiftly but quietly and when he tapped Larry on the shoulder, Larry fell over in a dead faint.
Then another noise was heard, it sounded like a canon boom echo and it was coming from the far side of the structure.
“Trouble boss!” came a shout from the crew. “Looks like Alistair and his men are only a step behind us!”
Talon scooped up the unconscious Larry and carried him back to the waiting crew. He passed Larry off to be taken somewhere out of the way, and then regarded the very frightened looks of his crew. They were pirates, sailors, lovers of the ocean and all it’s mysteries. They were not killers and many of them stayed on for reasons far beyond treasure and fame.
“Listen hard crew!” Talon shouted, immediately every face was turned to him. “We have sailed a long way together and seen a lot. We have managed to secure ourselves a good place in history as the third most feared pirate crew to ever sail the seas. I won’t ask you to go to war with the vicious Alistair and his crew of cutthroats. You are pirates, not killers.
“But I plan to see this through to the end. I’m going into that structure and I’m going to find the Family Jewels of Mistmoore. Not for wealth, not for fame, but because each and every one of you deserve to see the unknown. You deserve to be a part of the great mysteries of our world. If you can hold back Alistair and his men long enough, I will not let any of you down.”
Silence met Talon and for the first time, Talon wondered if his crew had gotten themselves to deep into a situation. Talon saw nothing but doubt as the canons fired again, this time much closer. Finally Dennis stepped forward.
“I’ll fight with ye Captain,” he said with a sound of determination Talon had never heard from him before.
“We come too far to give up now,” replied Nigel. “I’m with you Captain.”
“To the ends of the earth my sweet,” Honest said stepping up beside him. Talon leaned in and gave Honest a kiss, which was met with a round of ‘Awws’ from his crew.
“No matter what happens here today,” Talon said after the commotion died down, “whether we win the day or end up fleeing for our lives. Know that I would never ask for a better crew, and more importantly, I would never want a better group of friends.”
Talon heard the sniffles from his crew and realized that he too was holding back tears. Some of them might not make it back to the ships. Then came the greatest of shockers.
“Bring the canons up!” shouted a voice from the back. The crowd parted to show Dumpling looking very determined. “Go uncle, get your dream. We’ll hold them off long enough for you.”
Talon met the boys eyes and for once, Dumpling seemed to know exactly what he was doing. Talon nodded at his nephew wondering what had come over the boy.
“I’ll be right back,” Talon said with a dangerous glint in his eyes then spun around and sprinted for the great structure. Behind him he heard orders being shouted and beside him he felt Honest matching his pace. Talon turned to look at her and she only smiled wide. Together they would face whatever lay inside.
****** The End is coming in another post*****
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Random
Guest
Items
|
| Posted: Wed Oct 11, 2006 3:26 pm Post subject: |
|
|
No it is not as funny and in all honesty, I've lost the rhythm and flow of this story. I'm trying to finish it now so I can start on something new and refind my writing groove
I've started and stopped this ending so many times, I think I finally over thought it. Which is why I decided to make this the last chapter and move on.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Masterweaver
Honored Citizen
Joined: 21 Nov 2006
Topics: 13
Posts: 1463
Location: Look around
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2006 7:03 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Well hurry it up then.
_________________
Sarothen, Mesoli, Gerastro
/\___/\
(0)-_-(0)
| |
\//\\/ ?
| \ |
| ||| \ /
|,||| ,|| \/
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
D-Lotus
Venerable IFian
Joined: 21 Oct 2004
Topics: 103
Posts: 4123
Location: Hollywood, USA
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2006 7:55 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Excellent. I had forgotten about this story, but now I'm glad its back. Very emotional ending and good chapter in general. Lets see the ending.
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Masterweaver
Honored Citizen
Joined: 21 Nov 2006
Topics: 13
Posts: 1463
Location: Look around
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2006 8:02 pm Post subject: |
|
|
It looks kind of dead.
_________________
Sarothen, Mesoli, Gerastro
/\___/\
(0)-_-(0)
| |
\//\\/ ?
| \ |
| ||| \ /
|,||| ,|| \/
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| How shall we go about looking for the Lost Family Jewels of Misty Moore? |
| Split the crew with Talon looking during the day and Honest looking at night for clues |
|
12% |
[ 2 ] |
| Try and find the X, dig there |
|
6% |
[ 1 ] |
| Follow Kaze's nose! His allergy to treasure could be very useful right now. |
|
18% |
[ 3 ] |
| Larry the Dowser has all his tools, and we haven't introduced a new character in awhile. |
|
43% |
[ 7 ] |
| Follow the Trail of Bones! Trail of Bones! There are bones right? |
|
18% |
[ 3 ] |
|
| Total Votes : 16 |
| Who Voted: Chinaren, ethereal_fauna, Idea master, Key, LordoftheNight, Masterweaver, Mother Goose, Reiso, Shady Stoat, Smee, The White Blacksmith |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
