Tail of the Gold Monkey
Chapter Two
"I know your errand, and I know that it is doomed – if left to formal channels. But on a more informal level…" Bishop Hidalgo said.
"A task must be done, vital to the crown. The demands of honor make it impossible for any Monquistador to do it, but you are no Monquistador."
"The islands of this cluster are covered in ancient ruins, whose mysterious builders vanished long ago. Nobody knows who they were, or what they were doing, but they left a legacy inlaid in the living rock of their temples – gold."
"Monquista came to Skull Island before any of the other nations of the Spiral. The gold we pry from these ruins makes us wealthy and powerful."
"Bold Monquistadors led the conquest of Skull Island, but one name outshines all the rest: Gortez. We owe him our wealth, our influence, our very empire. Almost a year ago, Gortez embarked on his latest adventure. I'm asking you to follow him, into the very heart of the Isle of Doom."
"Who'd willingly go to a place called the Isle of Doom?" I asked.
"Do not be afraid – the island is named after its discoverer, Baron Ferdinand von Doom, who was unfortunately devoured by a giant snake."
"I hear the island is a very pleasant place, as long as you avoid the swarms of carnivorous bees, flesh eating plants, and the savage frog tribes with poisonous skin. I have no doubt you'll do very well there."
"Why do I get the feeling that this is less of a matter of honor, and more of a matter of cowardice?" I said dryly. Bishop Hidalgo continued.
"Gortez was drawn to the Isle of Doom by rumors of vast treasures on that shadowed island. At first, Gortez was triumphant, as always. He and his troops cut a swath through the jungle, crushing all who opposed them."
"Gold poured out of the jungle, more gold than ever before. But in the months that followed, disquieting rumors reached us here. Gortez, they say, had lost his way, and was doing… questionable things."
"Four months ago, all contact was lost with Gortez and his army – their fate was not known until a Monquistador came staggering out of the jungle, raving with fever."
"He said Gortez had built a kingdom for himself in the jungle, and ruled it like a tyrant. He had also found something wondrous: the Gold Monkey, a treasure beyond reckoning."
"You must act where our strongest cannot. Go to the Isle of Doom, find Gortez, and bring him and this "gold monkey" to the governor. Succeed, and I will ensure the governor signs your treaty. Go to Arroyo the outfitter. He will prepare you for your journey."
"Thank you, sir." I said, bowing slightly as we got up from our seats and left the cathedral. We soon found the outfitter's store, where we told the owner that the bishop had sent us.
"So you go to the Isle of Doom! I hear it's a lovely place, provided you keep clear of the monstrous spiders." Arroyo said cheerfully.
"Yet another reason not to go to the Isle of Doom." I muttered.
"The skyways near the island have grown very dangerous – the Scurvy Dogs and hungry fish make the place too difficult for most ships to approach."
"When you sail there, I ask you to take these food supplies to the gold miners. They've been cut off for weeks – you'll be a hero to them."
"Thank you, sir." I said as we slung the bags of food over our shoulders and left. After we had safely stored the food, we began preparing to set sail to the Isle of Doom aboard the Aquila.
Despite what Arroyo had said, the trip was uneventful, and we made port at the Isle of Doom. Several starving Monkeys surrounded us, and after a few mouthfuls of bread and fish, they led us through the tunnel to the miners' camp in the jungle.
As the other starving Monkeys surrounded the bags of food the rest of the crew had brought, the foreman said through mouthfuls of bread, "Thank the saints you are here! We've been so long without good food, we were about to eat our clothes."
"Welcome, Captain, to the Isle of Doom! It's a lovely place, if you can avoid the brain-eating parasites. Don't drink the water." The foreman said.
"We're looking for Gortez." I told him.
"You came to find Gortez? We used to send search parties looking for him, but now we have other problems. Our Water Mole laborers are revolting!" The foreman cried.
"They may be short, and a bit stinky, but they're hardly as bad as all that!" Ratbeard remarked.
"No, I mean they are in revolt – they're attacking us! As soon as we broke into the tombs underneath the ruined temple, all our workers turned on us!" The foreman answered Ratbeard.
"Can you help us? Punish these rebels and defeat Haku, their leader, and I'll tell you what I know of Gortez." The foreman asked. "Our lookouts have spotted the Water Moles preparing to invade our camp across the river."
"We will, sir." I said. I then turned to my trusted associates. "Gather the men and we'll launch a counterattack."
Not counting me and my trusted associates, we had close to a hundred men, some armed with cutlasses, while others with sparquebuses.
The Monkeys helped us to construct a barricade for the coming battle, and we now awaited the Water Mole rebels.
"Make ready, men!" I called, and the men began loading their guns while we were waiting for the Water Mole rebels. As they were finished loading, the Water Mole rebels burst out onto the other side of the river, armed with wooden javelins, slings, pikes, spears, daggers, and war clubs with storm shark teeth.
"Fire all guns!" I shouted, and the men pulled the triggers, stunning many of the Water Mole rebels just as they were about to hurl their javelins and the stones in their slings.
As the men hurried to reload, the Water Moles armed with the pikes, spears, daggers, and war clubs yelled a battle cry and ran towards us.
I stunned the Water Mole rebel closest to me with my pistol, and parried a spear thrust from another one and slammed the flat of my blade into his head.
As another spear stabbed towards me, I sidestepped it and gripped it. As another Water Mole spearman tried to attack me from my right, I dodged it while still gripping the other Water Mole's spear and slammed the hilt of my sword into his spear, snapping it in half.
I quickly sheathed my sword and grabbed the broken end of the spear, and knocked out both Water Moles with it. I then hurled the club at the head of a distant Water Mole fighting against one of my crewmembers, knocking him out as well.
We defeated many of the Water Mole rebels, and as one of the Water Moles with slings retreated, he shouted, "You may be able to defeat us, but you will NEVER be able to defeat Haku! While Haku stands, our revolt continues!"
"What's our status?" I called to the Monkeys, who were treating the wounds of some of my men.
"Fortunately, the worst we have are large bleeding injuries that can be treated." One of the Monkeys answered. I breathed a sigh of relief.
"David, Richard, you're in charge." I said to the Clutterbuck brothers, the gunnery officers aboard the Aquila. "I and my trusted associates will go search for Haku."
"Haku is in the flooded tunnels underneath the ruined temple." One of the Monkeys piped up. I nodded.
"Thank you for all your help." I said as we ran towards the ruined temple near the miners' camp. As we entered the temple and went downstairs to the tunnels, it reminded me of the ruins in the Skull Cave, on Skull Island.
We were ankle deep in water as we made our way through the tunnels below the temple. Luckily, there were a few lanterns and candles lying around in the dry areas near the bottom of the stairs leading up to the temple, so we had light.
As we reached the end of the flooded tunnels, there was a large set of stone double doors, and we all pushed against them to open them.
Inside the large room, I saw a silver-haired Water Mole wearing a wooden mask decorated with feathers holding a staff guarded by seven Water Moles with colorful feathered capes and helmets, armed with war clubs with storm sharks' teeth.
"You are too late to help the Monkey Lords! Soon the Old Ones will rise!" The silver-haired one I bet was Haku shouted. "Rise, ancient one, and help us!"
"I LIVE…" An ancient voice called. A dinosaur, or a Parasaurolophus to be exact, wrapped in bandages and wearing a loincloth stomped out of the shadows.
"It's an Aztecosaur!" I cried as Bonnie, Emmett, and I immediately aimed all of our guns and pulled the triggers.
As the four bursts of electricity hit the Aztecosaur, Haku pointed his staff at us. "Attack them!"
As his seven bodyguards ran to attack us, I drew my sword and parried a war club strike from the nearest Water Mole. I then slammed the hilt of my sword as hard as I could against the Water Mole's feathered helmet, and he was knocked out.
"That overgrown lizard's a lot tougher than it looks!" Rena cried as the Aztecosaur came lumbering towards us, despite the fact that it had been struck with four electrical charges.
As I reloaded my pistol, I saw Old Scratch waved his staff and globs of darkness came up from the nearest shadow, and they struck the Aztecosaur.
Lucky Jack Russell was facing off against three Water Moles, and he parried the war club of one Water Mole, snatched it from the surprised Water Mole's hand, and slammed the flat of it into his head, knocking him out.
Haku held his staff out in front of him, and he blew over the top of his staff, sending a cloud of flame towards Ratbeard with hoodoo. Ratbeard stepped out of the way of the flames and he leapt into the air and slammed the flat of his blade down onto Haku's head.
Emmett fired both of his pistols at the two Water Moles fighting Jack, and they were both stunned. The three remaining Water Moles then surrounded me, and as one charged towards me, I tripped him and knocked him out with the flat of my blade.
The other two were smarter, and they decided to attack me on two fronts, one in front of me to draw my attention, and the other to take me out from behind.
Their plan might've worked, if I hadn't quickly drawn my pistol and stunned the Water Mole behind me and then quickly switched my grip to use the unloaded pistol as a club.
All that was left was the Aztecosaur mummy. As it made eye contact with me, it fired green lasers from its eyes.
"So now mummified dinosaurs can fire laser beams from their eyes? Fantastic." I muttered as we all ran towards the Aztecosaur.
Bonnie fired a burst of electricity at the Aztecosaur's head, and those of us with swords rushed towards the Aztecosaur, slashing at his legs while dodging out of the way of his eye lasers.
After one too many deep slashes across its legs, the Aztecosaur began to stumble backwards, and I ran towards it to deliver the final blow.
I leapt into the air and stabbed the Aztecosaur in the heart, causing it to fall down into the water, defeated with the light in its golden eyes gone. I pulled my sword out of its chest, and it was surprising clean as I sheathed it.
Haku then began to stir. "The Old Ones have failed Haku and his people. We will make peace with the Monkeys."
We disarmed the dejected Water Moles and led them through the jungle, where we could see the defeated Water Mole rebels peeking out from behind cover.
We soon arrived back in the miners' camp, where the foreman was waiting for us.
"You've done it! I will give you gold for this, out of my personal share. I will also help you on your dark mission." The foreman cheered as the Water Moles were put in chains and sent to be tied to posts in the center of the camp. "Now about Gortez…"
