Chapter Six Sea Lock

 Stowaways

Knowing that it would be only a matter of time until someone would discover that they were not who they made themselves out to be. Which would lead to at least someone would recognise who they truly were,  Blunt Hunter Bash and Chashathrophogh snook into the storage to hide. There they planned to stay until they arrived at Roqaur.

"So what now?"

Chashathrophogh thought for a moment. He took a glance to the door and then to the many barrels, wondering which would be the best to hide in.

"Tell me, how are our supplies?"

"Other than weapons, not good."

He looked down and nodded.

"I guess that we need to get some supplies and money."

"And horses too."

He rolled his eyes.

"Yes, and horses. Seriously, what is your obsession with them?"

"I was thinking that we will be able to go over more ground faster."

"Oh."

"Right in that case, I think that I will have to take a bounty or two." She said, with an ambitious smile.

"It would be good being back to work." She said as she stretched.

"Speaking, why did you become one? A bounty hunter."

She felt an excited smile momentarily flick across her face. For a moment she looked like he did when he was doing something malicious.

"My own reasons!" She sang.

"Speaking of which, I do think that we need a destination in mind after we doc." She said as she returned to normal.

He smiled slightly.

"You need a good distraction." He said.

Yet as she looked at him, she frowned but it then hit her! Her father and the brother that she barely knew were dead and worse, her mother was on their tail. She was more than just a bounty hunter or a royal born out of wedlock, she was an exile now. Chashathrophogh was right, she did need a distraction. Yet as her mind turned to him another thing hit her, he was her only family now. Well, the only family that counted. Yet at the same time she could not help but wonder why her mother thought that he had killed her father and brother. Until an idea hit her.

"Do you have any shape shifting enemies?"

"Not that I know of."

"So we have an enemy that we know nothing of. Tell me, what are the chances that this enemy was the one that linked us?"

"Yes and after we get your jobs done, there is an old friend that I would like to meet up with. I think that he'll need my help. Especially if the rumours that I'm hearing are to be believed." He explained with both an angry and determined look in his eyes. Yet she saw disappointment and guilt there too.

She looked at him confused. She, for a moment, wondered if he was alright. However she had to remind herself that this was Chashathrophogh that she was thinking of, so of course he would be alright.

"I've mentioned him before."

"Oh."

"What?"

"Thought you were being coy."

He gave her a mischievous smile.

She opened her mouth to comment when they heard the door click. They son picked their barrel and jumped in it and put the lid on. Both spotted a hole and looked out. A group of the crew looked all around and a man looked around.

"Alright, that one and that one!"

They soon knew that they had to keep as quiet as possible as they felt the barrel that they were in being raised. Bounty Hunter Bash tried not to let out a whelp of pain as the head was hit by at least two pomegranates. Yet Chashathrophogh had to be careful not to crush any peaches. This took all their training as they held themselves in place. When they stopped, they were put down.

"Here sir!"

"You sure?"

"Yes! Those barrels were just too heavy!"

"Good man!"

The next moment they were pulled out and their eyes met the captain, looking directly at them with a victorious smirk on his jolly round face with deep brunette hair and main with streaks of ginger and silver. His skin was reddened with his years of sailing and his eyes were a bright shade of blue, almost white.

"Ahh! There be our stowaways!" He sang, folding his arms.

"Sorry, we were feeling hungry!" Pleaded Bounty Hunter Bash.

He laughed out and shrugged.

"Ah! That's fine lass! Though I do have to ask, how did you two come up with the names Borevers and Cari Scar?"

Dart!

"Hur?"

He let out a huff and he pulled up two posters. In the left Chashathrophogh and in the right Bounty Hunter Bash. They looked at him shocked as he gave them both a sly look in his eyes as he pointed to them.

"Keen eye see!"

Chashathrophogh went to pull a small dagger but the captain, with a slightly pale face, gestured for him that it was not necessary. The then grinned as he tapped the weight of his sword. He then looked at his eye and shrugged.

"Nah! You needn't do that. After all, I hardly care for royals 'n' their silly games! Yet there's only one thing that I do care for; keeping my passengers safe 'n' sound. So I wanna know will you be able to do that?"

He shrugged and put the dagger away.

"Yes, if you do not give me a reason to kill you."

He then slapped him on his shoulder with a happy-go-lucky smile.

"Good! Now to ensure this and to ensure that I punish the pair of you for potentially putting both my passengers 'n' crew in danger, and on top of that ruining my food! You're gonna work for my crew. I know Gerald has been needing some more helpers."

"Thanks! Ye a captain!" Said a well built man with silver eyes and hair with an oily tan on his thick skin.

"Oh?" Chashathrophogh spoke, folding his arms confidently. "And why should we obey?"

He looked directly at him in the eye.

"You do realise that I can turn this ship around and give you over to your sister?"

"I have magic."

"We have someone with magic too."

At this a few of the crew slightly shuddered and cringed.

"Yeah 'n' 'e's such a creep."

"Oh? Why do I not pay him a visit?"

"I think he might like that." The captain said far too quickly and, for the first time, with disgust.

He let out a long and deep breath.

"Yet, how about this, you two work for me, I'll turn a blind eye 'n' I pay you with meals and as much gold as you've earnt?"

They should do well for us! They thought.

"Fine!"

The Crew

"So if you're part of my crew-"

"Only to the next stop."

"No, as long as I say."

"And when is that?"

"Wherever it is you two were going!" He retorted. "Now time for you to get to know the rest of the crew!"

Chashathrophogh let out a groan.

Hate meeting new people. Especially annoying ones!

"Do we need to?"

"Yes."

He then picked up a preach and a pomegranate and threw each fruit at the one who hid in the barrel the fruit was in. Bounty Hunter Bag looked at hers with confusion as Chashathrophogh bit into his.

"How-"

"Oh!" He chuckled, taking a knife and opening it to reveal what looked like corn shaped rubies.

"Thank you!" She said as she plucked one and ate it.

That's an interesting taste! Almost like watermelon just with the sweetness times down and slightly tangy.

"Now, the navigator is Nator, the physician is Phydoc. You will be working for Gerald the cook, cleaner and treasurer,  the hands on deck are Jeff and Jax, they're twins."

Nator was an older teen with brunette hair and grass green eyes. Phydoc was a light blond and had kind crystal blue eyes. Jeff and Jax were both slender built redheads with scarlet eyes with their faces covered with freckles and one was male the other female.

They then walked on the deck.

"Right the other hands on deck are Kibbit, the skinny one, with dirty blond hair and sunken black eyes. He's in charge of looking out for pirates. Meanwhile the silver haired and eyed muscle head is Steel. She's in charge of the sails."

That was when they heard the sound of a violin playing an energetic and catchy tune that one could not help but want to dance to. Yet there was something about the tune that spoke of a playful predator that could make anyone dance to his tune. The tune suddenly stopped.

"Who's this?" Purred a man whose voice was soft yet lyrical.

 They soon were looking at the man it belonged to. He had emerald eyes and hair the colour of royal purple garnet. His skin was extremely pale like them with a handsome clean shaven face that carried a wide mischievous smile that gave them the creeps.

"Girl's Cari Scar and man's Borevers Scar." He told him with a deadpan tone to his voice.

He let out a hum as he smiled somehow wider yet both could not help but feel like he was eying them up.

"Cari Scar and Borevers Scar… Well aren't they interesting names… I like that they come from such interesting faces. Maybe with seeds of greatness too!"

At this Chashathrophogh accidentally found himself finishing the peach but almost coming on the stone. The man hit him in the gut which helped him spit it out.

"There, there now. You wouldn't want to choke on that! Believe me! I did it once, it was not very nice."

"Cerpheres! Where should you be right now?"

He gave the captain a creepy smile as he shrugged.

"It's alright, I'll be off now! My audience awaits!" He declared as he strutted away with a strange bounce to his walk.

"Captain! Who was that!" Chashathrophogh snapped, feeling flustered.

"Cerpheres, the ship's entertainer. He maybe-is creepy but can't deny, he's good at his job!" He said taking a metal bottle and drinking from it. "Now it's Captain Herlock to you!"

He nodded.

"Yes Captain Herlock!"

They soon walked down to the lower decks.

"Now Gerald's team. His cooks are Gurter, Kira and Gurra."

They were all well built with two girls and a guy. All with brunette hair and brown eyes. One looked at Chashathrophogh almost as if she just could not look away. When he noticed he just glared at her and waved her back of his hand, telling her to look away. She blushed as she returned to what she was doing.

"The cleaners are Verety, Kia, Chip and Coran. Say hi!"

"Shut up and let us get on with our work!" Said a man with silver hair and black eyes.

"And watch where you're standing! We don't wanna be cleaning the same place twice." Shaped a man that had black hair and grey eyes.

"Quit complaining Kia, Ye got new'ns now!"

"Oh Genova of the sea!"

"Gurra! Manners!"

"Right,  sorry."

"Now these are Cari Scar and Borevers Scar. I hope that you get along!"

"You do realise I could still kill you?"

"You do realise that I am paying you."

Can't argue with that.

"Then I expect to be paid in full and nothing less and same goes for the girl too. And to be clear I expect it to be mony nothing else!"

"That seals it!" He declared, closing his hands.

"You're definitely innocent! Dunno why the Queen thinks you killed them but you didn't. So I think it would be a good idea to find the evidence to clear your name." He said, pointing at him.

He frowned in baffled confusion.

"What?"

"If you were guilty of the king and the newborn prince's death you would not have asked that. Now I will leave you to Gerald."

"Right which one o' ye's good at cooking and cleaning?"

"Both." They said.

He looked at them and smiled.

"I think that the pair of ye'll be the best assistance I've ever 'ad!"

"Don't make me kill you!"

Pirates

It had been a day and both of them had quickly adapted and became the top assistants of Gerald. Both of them had been working hard on cleaning and cooking. Yet despite knowing the basics of both, Gerald had taken time and taught them to cook and clean on another level! He taught them not only how to cook well but how to cook it that brought out the best of the flavour of each and every ingredient. Yet on the cleaning part he taught them different materials and techniques to get rid of as much dirt as they could.

Now in the morning they had their first break, which Gerald took the opportunity to take them fishing. He then put the line over the edge and into the ocean below. He smiled as he smelt the salty air. Meanwhile Chashathrophogh curled his lip.

"Why are we doing this?"

"Well, simple, some'imes we need extra supplies. Ye', a' the same time, fish's always good to 'ave. Ye' when i' goes off i's 'as a terrible smell."

"And that would scare the passengers away and we wouldn't want that now do we?" Pureed Cerpheres close to their necks.

Both Bash and Chashathrophogh flung their fists at him as they jumped. He caught their fists in his long slender hands that had long and slender fingers with nails that were like the talons of a bird of prey. His eyes widened in a pleasant gleam of a shock. Yet his smile relaxed.

"Wow! Now that had some power behind it."

"Cerpheres!"

He gave Gerald a challenging look with a devious smirk. He then curled his finger as his grip on his line tightened. He shrugged and let go of their fists.

"I know, I know! They're yours to abuse. Although I do wish that you'll share every now and again."

"Well tha's for the captain to decide, ye' I 'ighly doubt that 'e will."

He laughed.

"It's alright. I get the picture. Though I think that I'll close the book on this. After all, I think I'll stay with them. After all, those royal bastards have done great things!" He said with a slightly drunken look in his eyes.

"No we can't-"

"Cari look!"

Her eyes returned to the horizon. She soon spotted the ship with the black sails and skull and crossbones. They then gave Gerald their lines and raced to Captain Herlock.

"Pirates are coming!"

"I can see." He said, waving his hand.

"Give us our weapons. Now!"

"No."

"Look if you want to have the least amount of casualties you will do well to arm us. The girl's good with her bow and I am good with my weapons and magic. And if you know who we are, then you will know that we can fight and fight well."

"Fine." He snapped as he gave them to them.

They were soon back on the deck.

"Cerpheres, go down and keep the passengers calm!"

"No. I think that I will stay here. After all, this is where all the excitement is!" He purred.

"Cerpheres!"

He shrugged.

"Fine, but once they're all calm. I will join you!" He purred as he walked you to the door. "Wouldn't want to leave all the fun to you two!"

They looked at each other, already agreeing that the moment that they were on the shore to ensure that he was far away from them. Yet they had no time to vocalise these thoughts as they saw the ship coming closer. 

Captain Herlock gave then their weapons and they were soon back on the deck. Bounty Hunter Bash loaded her arrow. She then pulled it back she used her magic to set the tip alight and aimed it to the sails and let go. This caused the sails to be set alight. She then loaded another just as the pirates rushed to the sails to put out the fire with their clothes. She then let another go and another. Yet more beat the fire out. She fired another this time not taking time to aim as she fired arrow after arrow until one of their sails was nothing but a burnt pile of rags. She was about to aim for another sail but Chashathrophogh put a hand on her.

"Aim for the pirate captain." He said as he looked at the pirates.

She felt the image of the one that she killed and this made her feel shocked and her hand was shaking slightly, yet she could not spend time on that. She looked down as the ship came closer. She was able to see the captain. He may be a small target but she knew that she would be able to make it. She bit her lip and she loaded it, hoping that the pain would focus her mind. She lowered her arrow and fired. It zoomed to where the captain was and she knew that it would have hit, if one the crew did not get in the way. She dug her teeth into her lip as she loaded another and fired, which was caught.

She let out a sigh as she noticed that all the fire was out now. She then loaded immediately and set the arrow alight and fired shot after shot at one sail. She did this until another sail was reduced to a pile of burnt rags. Yet this did nothing to stop the ship getting  closer and closer and only allowed it down. She looked for Chashathrophogh who was already reading himself for the boarding of the pirates. Knowing that he would be alright she ignored him and then focused back on the captain. She loaded the arrow and fired yet she missed but hit a pirate. She loaded another arrow and willed the arrow to hit the captain and when she let it go, the arrow finally hit!

She then would have focused on the rest of the crew until she heard the sound of clapping behind her. She let out a huff as she turned already knowing that Cerpheres was behind her. He smiled at her with a creepy excited smile on his face, his eyes were wide with excitement. Yet it looked like he could not believe what he had just seen.

"That, was, well done!" He exclaimed. 

Yet he looked up as the ship came closer.

"Yet the job's not fine yet!" He purred.

"Aren't you supposed to be downstairs?" She snapped.

He giggled lightly.

"Don't worry, they're calm."

She gave him a suspicious look. 

"I lit a few candles that calmed them down. I then played a tune to make them all calmer. So now they're all taking a nice nap."

I think that I'm going to have to keep an eye on him. She thought as she forced her attention back to the ship. She then loaded the arrow as a pirate swing to the ship and her arrow hit and he dropped.

"My,  my, you are a good aim!" He said as he pulled out a star. 

He then threw it at a pirate. 

"As am I!" He said with a slight bow.

She then hit a pirate.

"Why don't you aim for the hull of the ship with those fire arrows?" 

She looked at him surprised and aimed at the hull and set it alight. She hit the hull and then the rest of the wood started to catch fire, yet it spread faster than she knew that it should. She first looked at Chashathrophogh who looked at her in the same way. This told them that they were not responsible for the fast spreading fire. 

Yet their eyes slid to Cerpheres who shrugged with a sly smile. This told them all they needed to know. 

Yet they had no time to focus on that. They soon noticed another pirate on board and Chashathrophogh whipped out a small dagger and hit him in the head. She looked back at the ship. She fired another shot yet this one was lower and she set it alight. Then Cerpheres hit more stars at more pirates. Then the pirate ship started to fall. The others looked back. Seeing this they were about to surrender but Chashathrophogh raced at them and they had no time to react before their heads fell.

"You're a royal born out of wedlock aren't you?" Chashathrophogh said.

He let out a giggle and gave him a sly look.

"Maybe!"

Mermaid And Sirens

It had been a day since the pirate attack when Captain Herlock came into Gerald's office. He looked to the left where Bash and Chashathrophogh were far too busy helping him organise his paperwork to pay any attention to him. He then clapped to grab their attention. They looked up.

"I see you're working well!"

"That depends on if we're going to be paid well!"

He laughed.

"Well, look alive lady 'n' gents! We're about to enter the outskirts of the south of Deathby Sea as there's a terrible storm and a field of tornadoes on our usual route!"

At this Gerald's eyes lit up with an ambitiousness that they had not seen before.

"Oh my, my! South Deathby Sea eh? Last I remember, that's mermaid and siren territory! Yet that's just a start!" Cerpheres purred from behind.

"Cerpheres!" Snapped Captain Herlock and Gerald.

He shrugged.

"Honestly, why don't I kill you?"

"You won't get paid!" Captain Herlock said. "Speaking of which, you won't get paid if you keep it up!"

He giggled.

"Scary!"

"Cerpheres!"

He shrugged.

"Don't worry I'll keep them calm!"

"Yeah, 'n' don't drug them this time!"

"But it did the trick didn't it?"

He then threw a creepy smile at Bash and Chashathrophogh and both could have sworn that he gave them a wink.

"Cerpheres! Could ye do what the captain says?"

He then shrugged.

"Don't worry I will!"

"But I think that drugging the passengers would be a good idea. After all, we all know how dangerous a siren's song is,b and we don't want any of the passengers throwing themselves overboard!" Bash suggested.

At this Cerpheres clapped.

"You see!"

Captain Herlock rolled his eyes.

"I agree with the girl on this one. If you do not put them all to sleep, you will lose passengers faster that way even if you put wax in their ears." Chashathrophogh said, yet at the same time Bash could tell he refrained from saying something else.

"Alright,  you can do it just this once. Just ensure that there are no long term side effects."

His smile widened.

"I won't!"

"Now go!"

"Yes Sir!" He sang winking as he left.

"Honestly Gerald, how do you control that guy?" Captain Herlock asked, shaking his head.

"I 'ave me methods." He said. "Now are ye two any good a' fighting mermaids and srens?" 

"Should be."

"Good! Then I think they ought to get on deck."

"Good thinking, then I will get their weapons."

"Alright Sir, although I don't think that this should come cheap. We expect to be paid for this." 

"Sure, in fact you want a bonus after those pirates! Now come on."

They followed the captain to his office and gave them their weapons and they were soon back on deck.

"Are you not going to plug your ears?"

"No, we need all our senses."

Yet as they arrived on deck they could not help but have the feeling that they were being watched. Yet they could not focus on that as they waited for the ship to enter mermaid waters. They first heard the singing of the mermaids. Yet it was too far away to hear the words,  their singing was enhancing but overly so.

"Girl, keep focusing on the battle ahead and do not let it waver. After all, if your will is stronger than their songs then you will not be enchanted." He instructed.

She nodded.

"I think that we ought to use magic in this one."

He nodded. 

They both walked to the edges of the ship and looked down. They soon saw the first mermaid. She looked up and smiled. She tried not to focus on her humanlike form and closed her eyes. She focused on the water and the temperature of the water and already knew the best way for victory. Yet she still did not want to kill them, so even though she willed the water to heat up, it only remained warm. She then opened her eyes to see this. Yet she spotted a mermaid shoot a trident at them. So she loaded the arrow and shot her. She then had to dive back to dodge the trident and landed with a thud. 

That was when she heard it, the most beautiful and breathtaking melody. It was so melancholic that she felt like her heart and soul were crying. She wanted to go to the origin of the don't and comfort the one that was singing the don't. She wanted to make it stop too as she could not stand it. She felt tears fall from her eyes as her heart was gripped with this strange sorrow. She could feel herself getting up and her hands rested on the edges. She was about to jump in until she felt someone hit her and she suddenly snapped out of it.

"What did I say!?"

"I know!"

He looked down and looked deathly pale.

"What?"

"There are more on your side than mine." He said as he turned to her. "Then we need to do this together. So do not waver."

She nodded. 

"Boil the water."

"Good idea!"

They concentrated on the water. They made it hotter and hotter. Then the water soon started to boil and soon the bodies of the mermaids rose to the top mermen too. 

Yet, even though they had survived the mermaid waters they soon came to the hard part; the sirens. As the singing of the mermaids silenced both could not afford to key their guard down.

"Girl, I will warm you, the song of a siren is far more powerful than their cousins."

"Right. By the way, I heard that their songs carry wisdom to those who hear it. Is this true?"

"In a manner of speaking. After all their songs do contain truth within them yet it's more of a prophetic truth."

"Then if I fall under their spell, stop me."

"I will. But do not think that I won't punish you for it."

She let out a laugh as she heard the song. She spoon felt was she did when hearing the mermaid song yet this was stronger and it took all her will to resist.

"Beware the Captain Prince

That is more deadlier than thee

Lying words in truth he mince

Leading to the death of three

On this voyage soever dark

Our mother sea he uses as his first kill

Where more of us doth lark

Leading to a disappointment not thrill

His hunger and thirst will rise

As his second kill will see

A finger will expose his lies

And he will slumber bruitaly

The last will die at the voyage and crew's end

On the great island made of only coral

Killed by secret enemy who came as his friend

Exposing the truth and lack of a moral!"

Before the siren could start her next verse Bounty Hunter Bash loaded her bow and shot the first siren. She saw another open her mouth and she fired another shot. She then turned to Chashathrophogh with a plan.

"You boil the water, I fire the arrows!"

"Look who's giving orders!"

"Only logical ones! After all, you've got more experience in magic!"

He chuckled and nodded. He then looked down and then directed his magic to the water and noticed a siren about to dive out of the water. Bash quickly noticed her and fired and she fell back in the water. She then noticed another and fired again. She then felt the ship rocking back and forth. She looked down to see the many webbed hands of the sirens on the hull of the ship. She then willed the hull of the ship to have a thin layer of ice to cover the hull of the ship. This caused her to feel slightly weaker and the sirens to retract. She bent over as she panted and as she looked up she saw a siren in the air. She threw herself back and loaded her arrow. She then let it go and she fell.

That was when the screeching of the sirens rose to ear piercing levels as the water boiled they all dived back and some died as they swam away. They then turned to the other side to see that they were already dead!

"What happened?"

"I didn't do that!"

"Admiring my work?"

"Cerpheres!?"

He shrugged.

"What? I got bored watching all those sleeping passengers!"

Kraken

Bounty Hunter Bash and Chashathrophogh had finished tidying Gerald's office when they found a map. They looked at the map in order to prepare themselves for whatever dangers in Deathby Sea. As they had finished they knew that they could take a break. However, as they looked at the map of Deathby Sea they not only noticed just how large the place was but there was something strange about the map. Yet they could not quite put their finger on it. They would have looked further into it until they came to the conclusion that it hardly mattered, after all, they were not going to stay for very long.

"It seems like we will be facing a kraken." She said.

"Yes. It seems so."

"Could you tell me more about them?"

"They are said to be the guard of Davy Jones's Locker. Yet they are nothing more than gigantic squids."

"Tell me, do you think that Davy Jones's Locker exists?" Asked Cerpheres from behind.

Both growled at him out of anger.

"No, why?"

"Well I can tell you that it does." He purred out a deck of cards and started playing with them.

"You are not joking are you?" Chashathrophogh asked, keeping up his guard.

"Of course not! I really have been there. Although it is nothing like what you have been." He then let out a sigh. "Even though it is not a place where pirates go when they die yet they might as well be."

"And why is that?"

"The place is really difficult to escape. Even though it is a nice place and the people there are nice too, I could not stay there. It was just too boring." He explained.

He gave Bash two cards and Chashathrophogh one card without even looking at any of the cards in his deck. Bash had the four of clubs and the three of hearts. Meanwhile Chashathrophogh received the ace of hearts that had a crack in the painting in the middle. He then looked at the man with curiosity as he passed the card back to him and so did Bash and he reshuffled the cards and then took two cards at the top and gave them to Chashathrophogh and then one to Bash. 

"Show each other your cards!"

They turned the cards to the other and their eyes widened as Chashathrophogh saw in Bash's hand was the ace of hearts and in his hands was the three of hearts and the four of clubs!

"How?"

"A little sleight of hand that I picked up from the court jester. Although, if you're disappointed, I could show you the real thing." He said as he clicked next to the deck and with a flash his hand held a bouquet of green amber and purple flowers and red roses gathered in the shape of the four of hearts.

Seeing this Chashathrophogh looked at him with a hungry predatorial look in his eyes. His lips spread in a sadistic smile. The smile that he greeted her with when he tried to kill her. His sadistic eyes rose to his far too happy face. He then rested his hand on the hilt of his knife. His thumb drives the weight.

"So, you are a royal bastard, just like us!" He said as he leaned in closer. "I hope that you do know what I do to people like you?"

He returned the sadistic smile as he licked his lips.

"Yes, I do! And let me tell you, I like what you do." He hungrily purred with his smile wider, leaning in closer.

He smirked, yet his eyes widened with shock. He then turned away to conceal his disgust. He then let out the malicious laugh that she had forgotten that he could laugh. Yet his eyes rested on her. He looked concerned and his features relaxed.

He put a hand on her cheek.

"I am sorry for scaring you dear niece. I will try to not kill him, yet if he does something to you, I will." He said, sincerely.

She nodded as she felt slightly calmer. Cerpheres also became calmer.

"I could learn so much from you." Cerpheres purred. "Although, why did you not kill that sister of yours and her husband and son?"

He looked aside with anxiety. 

"Never you mind."

That was when Gerald barged in.

"Get ye behinds on deck! We need ye to fight that kraken!" 

They then looked at each other and rushed to collect their weapons and then onto the deck. Yet the first thing that they saw was the gigantic tentacle as thick as a tree trunk with large hooks the size of an adult arm in the shape of a scythe.

She quickly loaded her arrow and raised it high in the air and fired. She then used her magic to set the arrow alight. Chashathrophogh also grabbed a bow too and loaded an arrow and did the same. They fired more and all were perfect shots. They then ran to each of the sides of the ship. Bounty Hunter Bash looked down and saw the eye the size of the head of a tree and the moment she saw it she knew that she had her moment. She then loaded an arrow and shot at another tentacle. She then set the arrow alight. She looked back down to see if the eyes were still there only to see that it was gone. She had missed her shot, yet she then ran to the weapons and took a spier. She then looked up and noticed that there was a tentacle about to take the frame of a sail. She then fired an arrow at it and then she slashed the base of the tentacle and cut it off. She then hit another tentacle and cut that at the base. She then looked back down to see if the eye was still there. Yet she could not. 

She could feel that she was sweating yet she could not afford to rest. She then loaded her arrow and fired. She then willed it to push through. Yet she then took another speir and stuck it in at the lowest point of the tentacle and the closest to the body. This caused the kraken to retract. Yet she knew better than to think that it was over. She then ran to the front and plunged the spier into the base of the tentacle. She then set them alight. This caused the kraken to draw back yet as she looked back to her uncle she saw that he had the same idea. Yet she knew that this would not be enough.

"We need more power!"

"I know! I've already asked the Captain to send for Cerpheres!"

"Then where is he?"

"Here!" He sang.

"Good! Then get onto spreading that fire!" They said at the same time.

"Okay!" He sang as he clicked his fingers.

Then the fire spread to all of the tentacles and they all fell outwards and the water put the fire out and Cerpheres walked to the edge and reached his hand. That was when the waves rose and became more violent as the burnt tentacles rose and sank in the water. They became more and more violent and then were directed to one side. He then raised this claw-like hand and to their shock the body of the kraken rose above the waves. 

That was when Bounty Hunter Bash and Chashathrophogh loaded their bow and fired directly in the eye. They soon hit and they then focused their magic to set the eye alight. Then they focused on it to make the fire spread, cooking the overly large squid.

Cerpheres let a whistle out as he let the kraken go. Its blood rose and mixed in with the water and they were able to sail safely away. They all spent the rest of the day fixing the ship.

The Sea Serpent

"That should be the last we need to be concerned about." Cerpheres purred as he stretched after fixing the rest of the ship the following day. He then looked at his hands with a curled lip. He then gave then a quick rub as the rest pulled out a few splinters.

He then looked at Bash and Chashathrophogh and tucked a violin under his chin and started to play a strange tune. Bash suddenly felt strange as he did. She felt strangely cold and her breathing became thin and difficult. She suddenly felt like the hand of death was wrapped around her heart. Yet she felt like there was something that she needed to tell but she could not place what. Yet she was almost desperate in trying to get this information out but for whatever reason she felt like it would never get out.

Meanwhile Chashathrophogh felt a heavy depression fall into his chest. He felt his chest was being impaled yet the piercing seemed to dig deeper than his chest. He felt like he wanted to so desperately wanted to die but for some reason he would not. Almost as if he could not. He found himself crying, no he was on the verge of weeping as he felt the hand of despair curl around his great and squeeze or painfully.

Angrily he then looked at Cerpheres. Then punched him in the gut.

"Will you stop playing that?" He snapped, wiping away the tears.

He smirked as he stopped.

"Tell me, how did you feel?" He asked.

"What?"

"You heard!"

"Never mind! What in the name of Strena was that?"

"A prophecy melody."

They both looked confused.

"It makes people feel their fates."

At this Bash went pale. Meanwhile Chashathrophogh looked at him like he was just itching to kill him. No, Bash knew that if she was not here, he would have killed him right there and then.

"And tell me, what fate causes one to feel like one wants to die but cannot."

This made Cerpheres's eyes light up and his creepy smile became wider.

"Then it means that I will be staying around for a while!"

They both went to punch him in the face but he caught them both and licked his lip.

"Ha! By the Demon Realm no!" They both said.

He then bellowed a laugh that came from the bottom of his stomach.

"We'll see." He purred with a low tone as he let go of their fists.

They both stormed to the deck with Cerpheres following behind. She was about to try to punch him in the face again until she spotted strange waves coming from the horizon. She was about to content until Gerald spotted them too.

"Lads 'n' lass ye break's over."

"What is it?"

"Captain we go' a deadly 'n!"

"Why what is it?"

"We go' a sea serpent on us!"

"What! I thought that they lived in the heart of Deathby Sea!"

"Ye' 'cept these are strange times we're living in!"

Both Bounty Hunter Bash and Chashathrophogh noted that they did not put much thought in that. Yet somehow, they could not help but feel as if they had something to do with it. They pushed this notion aside as they both knew that it was irrational and illogical. So they did not put much thought in it and tried to ignore it.

"So, will I be going down to entertain the passengers?"

"No. I think that he will be better at fighting alongside us. After all, he has magic and seems to be a good fighter." Chashathrophogh explained.

"You're not going to kill him are you?"

"If only I was that fortunate to be in that position." He joked.

"'E's right Cap'! 'N' don't worry about the passengers. I'll do that."

"Alright. I'll take your word for it. After all, you do know him better than me."

"And can you entertain them as well as I can?"

He put on a mischievous look on his face. He let a light chuckle out.

"Alright! Good luck!" He purred as he looked at the waves, telling him that the sea serpent was coming closer.

"Tell me have you ever faced a sea serpent before?"

"Once or twice." Cerpheres purred before he broke out into a laugh. "I almost died! Though I won't this time round."

You sounded way too happy when you said that!

"And why is that? Did it ever occur to you that I could use this?"

He chuckled.

"Then you ought to be glad that there are the magic users after all last time there was only one and he almost died. So you will need me after all, I can help you in ways that you don't even know yet."

They both tried to mask their disgust.

"Then make yourself useful now."

They looked back as the head rose above the water. They one that banter was over the battle had begun. Bash grabbed her bow. She saw that it had opened its mouth and fired. She used net magic to set it alight. That was when she felt a strange surge and the fire engulfed the arrow. The sea serpent seemed to bite into the arrow but when it felt the flames it spat the ashes out and roared out in pain. They had to cover their ears as the sound was deafening like an army of trumpets. It then looked at then to her shock the fire had not done that much damage!

"That won't work." Cerpheres purred.

"How come?"

"Sea serpents are the relatives of dragons. I thought that you above all should have known that little girl!"

She nodded as she was about to reload her bow, however she soon spotted that the sea serpent was coming close to the ship. Chashathrophogh raised his hand and intended to stop it from diving down in the ship, yet he suddenly felt a surge and the head was flung back. She understood what she was to do. She put her bow away and pulled out a book of magic. Yet as she skimmed the pages as her uncle staved off the sea serpent. She soon spotted a piece of magic that she liked. She raised her hand and fired a large shard of ice at the creature. Yet even though she hit its eye it shattered on impact. Yet it did its job and half blinded the sea serpent.

"Well done!" Cerpheres commented as he gave her the bow.

"That will not work."

"Not on its own! Why not make the head stronger and fly faster and make the head spin."

She looked at the arrow and nodded. She took it and closed her eyes. She willed the head to become stronger. She then loaded it and let it release. She put all her will into making it go faster and the head spin faster. Yet despite this she knew that it was flying too slow and it fell. 

"Tell me, are your arrows made from dragon scales?"

"Yes, why?"

"Then make them lighter as well as stronger."

She closed her eyes and willed the head to be stronger and lighter too. She then loaded the bow and released the arrow. She then willed the head to spin faster than a drill. This time it struck the other eye. She then got another idea. She then fired at the other eye to ensure that the sea serpent was blinded. To ensure this she then willed the eyes to be set alight and she felt the surge that Cerpheres gave her and this caused the fire to raise the fire hotter than she intended. This caused the eyes to be incinerated.

This was when an idea came to her bow and did what she did before this time aiming for the sea serpent's spine. She then let it go and she soon was able to one of the bones out of place. She felt herself draining as she loaded her next arrow. She did the same and then hit another bone out of place. This caused yer to feel more drained. However she ignored this as she pressed on firing another shot at the spine. Yet she soon heard a snap. This made her feel like she could let down her guard and she dropped to her knees, panting heavily. Yet as she looked up she let out a groan as she saw that even though the sea serpent's head was flying all over the place it was still alive.

"What did you do girl!"

"Broke its spine below the head."

Chashathrophogh smiled out of pride.

"Do it again. But this time focus on the head."

She looked up with a complaining look.

"Don't worry I'll back you up!" Purred Cerpheres.

Chashathrophogh tried to quickly mask his disgust and stop himself from killing the man.

"And so will I!" He said.

"Am I aiming for the skull?"

"Yes."

At this Cerpheres looked at the two with a wild ambitious excited look. His lip curled up higher.

"Now focus!"

She closed her eyes and willed it to be stronger and lighter. She, with a shaky hand loaded her bow. She felt Cerpheres help steady her hands and helped her aim under the jaw, where the tongue would be. She then let the arrow go and once she felt the double surge, put all her will into making it fire faster than anything of that time could and she spun the head to go just as fast. Once it collided it flew out the other end leaving a large gaping hole going right through. It fell back and caused great waves as it sank back under the waves. Knowing the battle was over Bounty Hunter Bash collapsed.

Cerpheres smiled excitedly.

"That's it! I'm definitely staying with you!" He gasped.

Decoding The Map

Bounty Hunter Bash and Chashathrophogh both were scribing away,  Bounty Hunter Bash was mopping up some vomit on the floor and just as she felt her stomach churn as she finished. Meanwhile Chashathrophogh had scrubbed the last table. They had agreed that Gerald should not entertain the passengers again. Yet even though they had both woken up late in the morning, they had quickly finished cooking the breakfast for the parameter and Gerald too and as soon as they found out that the whole dining Hall was covered in vomit, they charged on that right away. The moment that they had finished they went back on deck they collected Cerpheres and used their magic to help the other sailors fix the ship. They ended up helping fix the ship for the week.

They were glad when they finally had a break. They took this moment to figure out what they were going to do once they arrived on the shore. However, regardless of what they planned, there was one elephant in the room. Even though Cerpheres had helped them and kept all the passengers calm, they knew better than to allow him to tail them. He was too much of a liability and far too creepy. They could not help but feel like they were only at the tip of the iceberg. So they knew they would have to make a plan on how to ditch him.

Yet after a while their minds wandered to the map. They both looked at the map and they could not help but wonder what was off about the map. After all, they could not help but be subject to their own vain curiosity. They looked at the entire map and spotted that it was only one map of what seemed to be a collection. Yet to the right there was writing that was written in what seemed to be a made up language that amounted up to gobbledygook.

🖤Efil ot daed lliw Taser

Erusaelp streah ruoy ot dnali dlog rof kool

Esusaert eht htiw si pam texen eht🖤

She looked at it and frowned as she looked all around and found a set of numerals on the bottom left.

🖤I si III bna I si I🖤

Wonder what that means.

"Chashathrophogh, do you think that this might be a pirates map?"

He looked at the map and his eyes widened.

"It is!"

"You don't think that the captain is a pirate?"

"No."

"Then why would they have a pirate's map?"

"'Cause they're cheaper. See freshly made maps 're more expensive!" Gerald said as he took his seat. "Just out o' curiosity, do ye think ye can decode it? Don't worry, it ain't an order. Just a challenge that's all!"

They both smiled as they looked down at the map.

"Pull up a chair!"

They took a pair of chairs and they looked at all the areas of the map before Chashathrophogh looked up.

"Who made this map?" He asked.

"The warlock o' three sea, the Prince Captain Lockheartsmith."

He nodded as he looked at the writing.

"Right, so we need to look for a spell language."

"Such as?"

"One of the dead languages or a rhyming poem." He said.

"Not quite!" Purred Cerpheres. "I overheard on my travels, that he doesn't use that many of those, though he knows them all. Including the third type of spell language."

Chashathrophogh noted that. Yet as he looked at the words.

"And what is the third?" Bash and Gerald asked.

"Words that are backwards! That is it!" He then turned to Bounty Hunter Bash. "Girl, quickly get a scrap of paper and a coal stick!"

She looked up at Gerald. He nodded and she collected all that her uncle asked for. He then looked at each of the words and wrote them all down.

Life to lead will resat

Pleasure hearts your to island gold for look

Treasure the with is map next the

I is III and I is I

"That don't make sense!"

Bash looked at it and huffed and took the stick of coal and paper.

Resat will lead to life

Look for gold island to your hearts pleasure

The next map is with the treasure

I is III and I is I

"Wow! That was fast! Ever though' o' being a quester?"

"I have toyed with the idea." Bounty Hunter Bash admitted.

"I am and have a licence. Though I barely use it." Chashathrophogh admitted.

Suddenly a great many things make a lot more sense.

"Well tell me, ye think ye know where the island o' gold is?"

He nodded.

"Isloking, it had been nicknamed the Island Of Gold for over a millennia. As the trees and waters all have a golden colour. Even the soil looks gold though it is not." He explained.

"I'm getting the captain!"

Treasure

"Hold on, you decoded the map? Just the two of you?" Captain Herlock exclaimed.

"Yes, though it was Borevers did most of the work."

"Which, even though I despise myself for having to admit it, Cerpheres did point me in the right direction." He said with gritted teeth.

Cerpheres put his hand behind his head and pretended to be humble and shy.

"It was nothing. Though it was fun watching you figure it out!" He sang.

He then put his hand down and looked Captain Herlock in the eye.

"Well, do you want to go?" He purred as he leaned against the frame of the door. "I know you want to!"

The Captain looked disapprovingly at him. Then his eyes looked aside for a moment then to the map. There was a deep hunger in his haunting eyes. He then looked away and back to the map like the pendulum of a clock. This was when Gerald looked at Cerpheres and gave him a sly smile. He nodded and smiled widely as he turned to Captain Herlock. He then pushed himself off the frame and walked up to him.

"Just think, if we had the treasure of Captain Prince Lockheartsmith, you could pay all those passengers that would be problematic once they arrived at their destination. Plus-" her said as he leaned in close and placed his hand on his shoulder. 

He softly whispered something in his ear making his eyes widen with shock. Only for that to be replaced with him having not only hunder in his eyes but also thirst. Whatever conflict he had was completely gone. His eyes slid back to the map, the decision had been made.

"We're going!" He said with the tone of a hungry wolf.

With that we set sail and they soon spotted that the island was far closer than they thought. The island came closer and closer, yet now came the hard part. They gathered all the crew on the top of the deck.

"Alright, we're all going for a treasure hunt. Now, time to pick a group." Captain Herlock said as he clasped. "As the decoders and best fighters that we have seen thus far aside from Gerald and Cerpheres, Borevers and Cari will be going no questions asked. I will be going and Gerald will by proxy."

"Well, I think that I'll be going too. And no I will not take no for an answer!" Purred Cerpheres.

He let out a slight moan of disdain, yet he knew that he did not have time to refuse him.

"Fine, Gurter, Kia will come too. They're Gerald's best cooks. The rest of you are to entertain the passengers."

"Well said Captain!" Cerpheres declared as he clapped. 

Yet then the rest started to clap along with him. Yet Bash spotted Gurter take a glance at Chashathrophogh her cheeks were the colour of coral with a shy smile on her face. She looked far too happy about the fact that she was going yet for whatever reason she could tell that Chashathrophogh had something to do with it. Yet she knew that she did not have time to dwell upon this.

"Thank you! How about we all celebrate once we all have the treasure. So get a move on and pack a bag!" He laughed.

With that they started to pack and as soon as they did they were back on board. They all coined on the large canoe they started rowing and Cerpheres took out his violin and started playing a strange melody. It was chearry yet there was an unnerving undertone to it. Yet both Chashathrophogh and Bounty Hunter Bash suddenly recognised the tune and better, they knew all the words!

"See a cion and toss it in the sea,

Sow a seed and let it grow a tree,

Pick the fruit but save the seed,

And repeat the very same deed!

"See the great garden grow,

See forest scatter show,

See the beauty and know!

"See a cion and toss it in the sea,

Sow a seed and let it grow a tree,

Pick the fruit but save the seed,

And repeat the very same deed!

"Accept every coin small,

Gathered will be very tall,

Sending in on thine call!

"See a cion and toss it in the sea,

Sow a seed and let it grow a tree,

Pick the fruit but save the seed,

And repeat the very same deed!"

"Didn't know you were good singers!" Purred Cerpheres.

"Y-you have a good voice!" Gurter added.

They both narrowed their eyes.

"Don't worry, I won't tell!"

"Good!" They both said. 

They then looked at each other with a frown.

They would have commented if they had not reached the shore. They both climbed out of the canoe. Captain Herlock whipped out his map and then looked at it. He took a moment to think about which route they were to take. He then looked up and then scanned the horizon. As soon as he had decided he walked on. As the only other girl in the group, Bounty Hunter Bash gravitated to Gurter and tried not to think too much about Cerpheres or the strange way he was looking at her and her uncle.

"Urm, hello." She said.

"Hi!"

"Are you excited?"

"Yeah. You?"

"Not too much. Though I do think that it is fun."

"Why are you here?"

"Because my mother thinks my uncle killed my father and little brother."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"It's alright."

They soon came to a set of doors. Captain Herlock put his hand out.

"Wait, before we enter, we need to check for traps."

Gerald nodded.

"Cerpheres and the Scars you check for them. I will check the time." He said as he pulled out a sextant and looked to the horizon. "Half past ten. Good, we're on good timing."

"Alright! Then come on you two!" He sang.

They all took out a pair of thick branches. They trapped the ground beneath them and then the walls before coming to the set of noble doors. They were made of wood with an ivy passion carved into the doors that had fading and flaking gold paint on them. Yet there were towheads that had silver fading and falling painting in them. Bounty Hunter Bash put some pressure on the doors and the same with the frame. As she looked around the door she noticed that there was no doorknob.

How do we get in? She then felt a hand slip on her shoulder. She looked back to see that it was Cerpheres.

"Come on, you can figure it out!" He whispered like a lover.

This crept her out so she punched him before rerunning her attention to the door.

This is a puzzle door. Of course it would. Now how to solve it.

She looked at the gold and the roses as her gut told her that there was where she was supposed to look. She stroked the pattern and spotted how all the roses were parallel to each other. She reached out her hand and noticed that the roses could turn. She was about to twist it clockwise yet she suddenly remembered that Captain Prince Lockheartsmith wrote his maps backwards. So, why would the roses be any different? So she twisted it anticlockwise and she heard something drop. She then went onto repeating this action to the other roses and heard more things drop until the final rose. The moment that she twisted the final rose she jumped away from the door.

She then used her magic to open the doors. They waited until they all knew that it was safe before they entered the doors. They continued to tap the ground and the walls. When the rest followed them the doors closed behind them. For a moment, they were in total darkness. Yet then a low turquoise glow coming from a group of mushrooms that were parallel to each other. Then the ceiling was covered in crystals that were lighting up with a silvery white colour. 

They took a moment to marvel at the sheer beauty of it, yet they did not spend too much time as they walked on the three tapped the floor and walls as they walked on. They felt like they were getting lower and lower. They walked for about an hour before the walls of the cave became smoother and the ground became level. Yet they could tell that it was too smooth and too level for it to be natural. They soon felt like the tunnel was getting steeper. 

They soon felt their foot step on something and then they felt the ground shaking beneath them yet they soon spotted a giant rock racing towards them! They all quickly spotted the edges and the gap of the rock and then they all dived to the corners of the tunnel. They pressed their bodies against the corner trying to make them as flat as they all could. They all had to wait as the rock passed them before they climbed to their feet and walked on, ensuring to keep their weight on their heels. Yet despite this, Captain Herlock put his foot on the ground and it sank. They soon felt the shaking again and Chashathrophogh looked up and spotted the rock coming down and jumped over to him. He then dragged him back as the rock rolled away from them.

"Thank you!"

"Just doing my job sir!"

They all had to wait until the shaking stopped. They moved on until they arrived at a flat room where it was all too clear that it was safe.

"I think we need to get something in our gut. Gurter, Kai you two were on food, what do we have?"

"Enough to eat well." They said as they got out two slices of ham each with rolls of dread with carrots and an apple and a banana. They ate all these things as fast as they could. Yet Chashathrophogh, Bounty Hunter Bash and Cerpheres ate quietly and ensured to keep their mouths shut as they ate. Only opening it to take another bite and ensuring that they minded their manners.

After they had finished their food they walked on. They soon came to two doors with a plaque in between them. It was made of silver and had gold writing that looked as if the writing was melted in place.

"There will be one door,

Leads to a deadly floor,

The other leads to your heart's desire,

Live on and enjoy it when you retire!

"Thrace the rose spin,

Then will you win,

Remember where it began,

I know that you can!"

"It's the right door." Said Captain Herlock.

"How do you know that Captain?" Cerpheres purred.

"I saw Cari turn those roses anticlockwise, which meant she went from right to left so she began right."

Cerpheres smiled a wide and excited smile.

"Oh, that was clever Captain!" Half and Cerpheres declared.

"Well that is why I am the captain!" He remarked, folding his arms.

"Yes you are!" They both said again.

Cerpheres opened the door and bowed.

"After you, Captain!" He purred as he held the door to them all to enter.

They entered a large and almost empty room with only a giant wheel in the center that had deferments sticking out of the sides like a wheel of a ship. Once they were all in, Cerpheres walked in behind them. As soon as the door clicked and Gurter and Kai ran to the door and pulled at the doorknob only for it to be useless. It was all too clear that they were not leaving in that direction.

"Now what!" They said together.

"That's simple! We need to figure the way out!"

"He's right. I am certain that it has something to do with that wheel. Though I hardly think that it will be easy, after all some quests that I have been on would prove fun yet I do prefer the more challenging ones, none of them are that easy. Not unless the object hidden the one that hid it wanted it to be found."

Gurter's cheeks became the colour of coral again. Yet the two then groped the edges and marched anticlockwise. They then shot up and they fell. Chashathrophogh let out a growl as he ran to her and caught her and Bounty Hunter Bash used her magic to will his fall to slow and he was able to land gently on the ground. They looked ahead to see a spiral staircase. At the top it led nowhere so when they looked down. Chashathrophogh then put Gurter down as Kai raced to her.

Chashathrophogh then walked on and then walked down the staircase. The others followed. Their eyes met the sought of three treasure chests. Gerald then walked over to a small led case. He then opened it and he looked at a scroll he soon rolled it back up and put it back. He then slid it in his pocket. They then all looked at the chests and spotted that there was a pattern at the top then they spotted a door next to them. They spotted that there was no doorknob. They looked up and then looked at the chests.

"Well how do we get out of here?"

"Well…" Cerpheres purred.

"Please try and say it without making us all uncomfortable?" Gurter asked.

"No promises!" He sang as he then looked at the chests and the door. "Weeell, that pattern on the chests and the door are music notes."

"Then shut up and get playing!"

"Aye Sir!" He purred as he played the notes on the chests and the chests opened he then played the ones on the door and it opened. They soon spotted the sky.

"Now the hard part. Getting those chests back to the ship." Captain Herlock said under his breath.

Kidnapped

They walked for the test of the day as they all carried a treasure chest between two each,  Kai and Gurter carried one Bounty Hunter Bash and Chashathrophogh carried one and Gerald and Cerpheres carried one. By the time they arrived at the shoreline it was well into the night. Which meant that they had to spend the night on the island. Kai and Chashathrophogh were sent one way to collect firewood as Gurter and Bash were sent another. During their journey Gurter walled up to Bash.

"You know you and your father?"

"Uncle."

"Your uncle, you're really good at this!"

"Yeah, well it is someone part of our jobs but mainly his."

"And what are your jobs?"

"Well I'm a bounty hunter and my uncle is apparently a quester."

"Oh… So you're not that close?"

She looked down as she thought about that question.

"No. I guess not. Though I am learning to love him like I should. But it isn't normal. It's more like tough love."

Though I wish that I had a motherly kind of love right now…

She noted this.

"Tell me,  have you thought about doing this for the test of your life?"

"No. I just want to get the spell that binds my uncle and me broken. Then return to my life as a bounty hunter."

"But you're really, really good at this!" She said in a childlike tone. "You should do it more often."

She smiled as she shook her head.

"I know, but if I wanted to commit to this kind of thing, then I would have become a quester." She sighed. "Nah! I like to bring down people who think that justice is incapable of touching them."

"Why? That's so noble!"

She looked down and gave an apologetic smile.

"Not really. I mainly do it so that they know that it was me, a bastard princess that finally brought them down." She admitted.

Gurter smiled nervously.

"It seems that you're not as nice as you make yourself out to be."

"Wait, who said I was nice?"

She looked at her slightly uncertain about something.

"No one! I just got that impression."

She giggled slightly and Bash joined in as they collected the firewood.

"Come on, we need to get back to camp."

She nodded and they made their way back with Bounty Hunter Bash leading the way. Cerpheres then lit a fire and started to play his violin, giving off a cheerful melody. Then Gurter and Kai started preparing their meals and soon dished them out. As they ate Gerald pulled out a bottle of rum each.

"Why don't we make a toast to the treasure that we got?" He asked as he passed the bottles to each person.

"But I'm not sixteen yet!" Bash admitted. "I won't turn that age until at least another five months."

"Ah close enough,  plus what does it matter? There are some nations that allow you to drink when you're as young as twelve!"

She rolled her eyes as she saw his rosey cheeks.

Such a lightweight!

She took a sip with Chashathrophogh observing her carefully. The moment that she tasted the rum she spat it out. She had not tasted anything like it! She did not like the taste, it was weird and had a foul taste. She felt the taste cling to the back of her throat making her cough. At this Chashathrophogh laughed. They all looked at him. She had not heard him laugh like this before. It was lighthearted and warm in some strange way.

"What's wrong girl? Can't handle it!" He laughed.

She let out a groan out of annoyance.

"No, I don't like the taste, that's all!"

"Oh? Well I guess rum is the kind of drink that you get used to. I didn't like drinking it either. In fact I have a friend that helped me like it, but by gum! He could drink rum and beer like juice and faster too!"

"You know, I must admit that we're a bunch of weirdos! First Gerald, when I first met you I thought that you were a conman, and I am so glad that I was not right! After all one could not ask for a better second in command! Second Gurter and Kai, when I met you two I thought that you were the rejects of pirates but you are the best cooks and cleaners we have! Cerpheres, when I met you I thought that you were nothing but a creep that needed a castration. But you did your job and did it well. In fact you have been the best entertainer that I have ever had! And Cari and Borevers, when I saw the two of you I thought of handing you over but once I knew that you were innocent I knew that choosing not to was the right thing to do. Yet I could never think that hiring you was the best idea that I ever had! And you have over performed your duties." He said as he clapped his hands.

Gerald chuckled as he gave him another bottle. Then he downed that and Bash gave him hers and he drank that too. That was when Cerpheres changed his tune. It was sweet and sombre. It made her feel overwhelmingly sleepy. They found it was becoming more and more difficult to stay awake. Their eyelids became sticky and heavy as their eyes rolled back. Their minds became numb and their thoughts slipped away.

"It's alright. I'll be taking the first watch." Gerald said.

They nodes as their eyes closed. The next moment they woke up in a rocky cell. They spotted that the captain and several others were in the cell next to them. Even though his body was untouched his eyes were unfocused like he was in some type of trance. Yet he was sweating and his clothes were just hanging onto his body and the coat was half way down his upper arm.

They soon became alert and shot up to their feet. They then looked out through the bars and heard and saw none else. They looked at the gate. They used all their magic to will the gate to open. However the gate did not budge even an inch! They tried it again but nothing happened. Yet they could not help but feel the oppressing feeling every time they tried. It was like there was something blocking their magic.

"Goood morning sleeping beauties!" Purred Cerpheres.

"Are the guests of honour awake?"

"Yes Captain Gerald." He said with a mocking bow.

"Good."

"Wait what? 'Captain'?"

"Aye, I'm the great Captain Gerald of the Emerald Stealer! And this is my most untrustworthy, trusted jester Cerpheres." Gerald said as he patted him on the shoulder.

"Never heard of you!"

"But I have. Though I did not recognise you as you've got way more wrinkles and your beard and hair are a bit gray and I must say well kept. Unlike the scruffy brown beard and hair that was all over the place. Was the priorate painted when you were in your late teens or early twenties?" She said with a hungry look in her eye. "I must say, you have a hefty bounty on your head!"

"Yeah I know! Speaking o' which, Cerpheres start playing. I don't wanna take any chances!"

"Sure!"

He put his violin to his chin and started playing. Suddenly their bodies no longer listened to them and walked to the gate where Captain Gerald opened it. They then followed them to the decks, where the passengers of the ship stood. It was all too clear that they had somehow gathered them all and they all had a strange trance. However the moment the pair saw them was the moment that they quickly figured out that they were all going to die. That was when Cerpheres changed his tune suddenly there were ropes around every single passenger. Yet they soon noticed that the ropes were not normal and they had been conjured up by magic and they were all made of metal. The ropes were so tight around their bodies that none could move nor could anyone cut it. They tried to use all their magic to break the spells and ropes but they could not! They then looked at Cerpheres and, with a single smirk, tipped them off that he had something to do with it.

"Kai,  Gurter. Grab 'em." Captain Gerald commanded.

Gurter gripped her by the back of her neck and Kai gripped her uncle the same way as they too felt ropes around their bodies.

"Here comes the good par'!" He said with a wild smile.

"No. Please, no!"

"Hush, time for me to work my magic!"

Bounty Hunter Bash had a face covered with shock as Cerpheres changed his tune again. It was long and sorrowful. It was a tune that only the most skilled musicians could play. He played with such skill and delicacy that revealed that he was a very disciplined man. They had never heard anything like it! They were so entranced by the music that the moment they heard the first splash they almost jumped. They then looked back at the passengers as they jumped overboard, one after the other! They tried to dive over to him to make him stop but the rope around them was so heavy in fact that they fell right over! They tried to use their magic to stop him but they could not! They were peerless and they hated it. Bounty Hunter Bag tried to open her mouth but closed it the moment that she realised that it was completely useless. They were going to do this and see it all through to the bitter cruel end. The only thing that they would ever be able to do would be to plead for them to stop but that would do them more harm than good. By the time Cerpheres stopped playing all the passengers were dead.

"Well that was interesting. I would have thought that the girl would at least beg me to stop!" 

"What? So that I could be subjected to even more humiliation?"

Cerpheres chuckled as he came close to her and gently placed a hand on her cheek and gently lifted her head.

"It seems that you're very smart. Very smart indeed. It would have given me a great pleasure if you had!" He said with a wink.

"Cerpheres!"

"Sir?"

"Grab 'em and bring 'em here!"

He groaned playfully.

"Ohh? Can't I have a little… Fun with them?"

"Ye can 'ave ye fun with 'em later!"

"Promise?"

"Promise! Now do as I say!"

"Alright!" He sang as he picked them both up. Bash on the left and Chashathrophogh on his right. He carried them over to Captain Gerald.

"Tell me, why are ye two alive?"

"I breather know not care however I have the sneaking suspicion that you will tell us anyway!" Chashathrophogh sighed.

At this Captain Gerald burst out laughing and hit his shoulder repeatedly.

"Ye're a smart 'n' ye are! Well ye might as well put that brain o' yours to good user after all ye both seem at finding treasure. Ye two seem to be really good at finding treasure. 'N' ye both gonna help me find some more!"

"And if we don't?" Bash snapped.

Captain Gerald smirked.

"I will answer that once ye answer me this, why do ye think that rookie captain and his subpar crew are still alive?"

"To use as hostages?"

"Exactly!"

They raised both their eyebrows. Then Chashathrophogh let out that bone chilling laugh. Yet Captain Gerald and the test of his crew joined in and Cerpheres locked his lips as a hungry look entered his eyes.

"And why would I care? You know who I am and you should very well know what I am all about?"

"Yes we do. Which is why one of us killing them will not do! After all, I have watched the pair o' ye very closely and I know ye're weakness. No, none o' us are gonna kill them, I will make her do it!"

That was when he stopped laughing. His face became pale and he gave him a murderous look.

"Captain Gerald was it?"

"Yes?"

"It even one drop of unwanted blood touches her hands I will kill you!"