Dart sat up with a start. He opened his eyes groggily.
"Ah, look who finally decided to join us. Did we have a pleasant sleep Master Dart?"
Dart groped around him for something to chuck at Legault, but nothing came to hand. He stood for the first time and got his bearings. He was on the deck of Geitz's ship, of that he was sure. It appeared that the ship was moored in a large cove. The shore was barely visible in the distance, the fog was so thick.
"Legault, where are we?"
"The Dread Isle of course. Ten years, and it's still dark and gloomy as ever."
"Oh Dan, you're awake!" exclaimed Rebecca, emerging from the ship's hold alongside Wil. "We thought you'd never wake up. Canas thinks they slipped us a sleeping draught."
Dart rubbed his eyes. "Ok, one thing at a time. Where is everybody? Geitz and his crew I mean?"
"Digging up the treasure by now I suppose," offered Legault. "Maybe if we're lucky, it'll be one of those cursed treasures. Then Geitz would actually be doing us a favour," he gave a hollow laugh.
"That ain't even funny mate. I'm not giving up on that treasure. Not now that we're so close," said Dart. "Now we gotta think of a way to get ourselves over to the shore."
"Way ahead of you, my capitan. Heath and Raven have just popped over on that flying lizard of his to fetch us a one of the rowboats," said Legault.
"Har, that's my kinda thinkin'. Good work lads."
No sooner had he said that than Heath's wyvern touched down on the deck with a loud screech. It was quickly followed by Heath and Raven as they scrambled over the rail.
"Hey Captain," said Heath, "we got a boat for us. The beach is deserted though. They must have a good few hours head start on us."
"Hmmm, well there's no use mopin' 'bout here then. Here's what were going to do. Heath, while we're rowin' to shore, I want you flying ahead. Watcha call it, you know, reconnaissance."
"Aye aye Cap'n"
"Har, listen to ye. We'll have you talkin' like an old salt in no time."
"But Dan, what about the map? Geitz took it with him," said Rebecca.
"Har, worryin' don't suit you sis. It gives you wrinkles, you know," he gave her a wink. "Don't think I didn't learn me lesson the first time me buckos," and with that he whipped out a much newer looking piece of parchment. "I made meself an extra copy, you know, just in case."
They piled into the rowboat. It was actually quite large, and there was more than enough room for Dart and his crew. The oars had been designed for two people per oar, but Dart sat himself down in the middle of the bench and grabbed an oar in each of his burly forearms and started rowing, as if it were nothing at all.
Dart's crew sat there quietly, staring in awe at his show of brute strength until Canas broke the silence.
"So Captain Dart, please tell me, how well did you know this Geitz fellow? I remember him, but only vaguely. He was not, shall we say, the type of person I associated myself with."
Dart snorted in contempt. "All the luckier for you my friend. I met 'im fourteen or so years ago. We did a raid on one o' his father's galleys. I remember seein' him then. He was just a little pampered whelp at the time. Anyway, his father was some bigwig with the Merchant Guild or somethin' like that. So one day, a young, innocent little Geitz wanders below decks of one o' his father's ships and finds it filled with slaves or sumat like that. So's he washes 'is hand's of his father and the Guild and starts wandering around, going here and there on a whim. Which is basically how he meets up with Eliwood an' them. You know he only joined up with us cuz he had nothin' better t' do?
Anyway, me 'im, we get real chummy like, that fella can swing an axe, let me tell ye. You know, I even went an' told 'im about the map... And then, after the fighting was done, I said to 'im, I said, 'Geitz matey, come wit me back to the Davros. Trust me mate, the pirate life is for you.' So the whelp says, 'sure, why not,' an' I go an' introduce 'im to Fargus. But true to form, it's not three weeks 'afore the ungrateful son of a gun says he's had enough o' the pirate life, thank you very much. Now, I don't know how well you remember Fargus, but he wasn't the type that took that kind of bullocks. So he sets Geitz down on some deserted island, and tells him, 'Maybe that'll teach you some manners, ye ungrateful son of a sea hag'."
"So...how'd he get off then?" asked Wil.
"How should I know? I always figured he died out there, but I guess I was-!"
The boat slammed into the shore, jolting everybody.
"Arrr, the Dread Isle maties," said Dart, all thought of the previous conversation forgotten. "It's been far too long," and with that he jumped ashore.
The fog had become even thicker the closer they got to shore. It was hard to see even five feet away.
"Stick together maties. We don't want to get lost in this pea soup."
"So Dart, where exactly is this treasure hidden?" asked Wil.
"Well Wil," said Canas before Dart could start, "the runes were particularly hard to decipher, but I was able to narrow it down to somewhere near the Dragon's Gate."
"Oh...," that name did not bring back warm memories to any of Dart's crew.
They walked on in silence, everyone wrapped in their own thoughts. After some time the beach gave way to forest.
"Ho!" came a shout from above. They looked up to see Heath and his wyvern descend to the ground. They landed, and Heath hopped off.
"Captain, there you are. This fog is ridiculous!"
"Did you find them?" asked Dart impatiently. He had no time for formalities.
"Yes, the fog gives away farther in. But I have some troubling news. It seems there must have been a mutiny of some sort."
"A mutiny? Are you sure?"
"Positive Captain."
"Hmmm, then there's no time to waste. We must hurry. Heath, stick with us and lead the way. Let's move!" barked Dart.
It was not too long later when Dart and his crew emerged from the cover of the trees to find a large clearing. True to Heath's word, the fog had let up, which let them see the carnage that lay before them. Bodies were strewn everywhere, and the ground was red with blood.
"By Elmine's light..." whispered Canas. There was no doubt about it. Geitz's men had turned on each other.
"What could have caused this?" asked Rebecca.
"Money," spat Raven. "That's what you get when you hire mercenaries to search for treasure."
"All the better for us maties," said Dart with a grim smile. "Let's press on. They can't be much farther ahead."
They began to pick their way through the battlefield, careful not to step on someone.
"Dart..." came a low voice.
Dart glanced around himself quickly, his axe at the ready. Where did that voice come from?
"Dart..." came the voice again.
Dart glanced down, and almost gasped in surprise.
"Flynn! What in blue blazes happened here?"
Flynn gave him a bloody smile.
"I'm a fool Dart," he rasped.
Dart bent down closer to Flynn. His body was badly cut. Dart was no doctor, but he knew a mortal wound when he saw one.
"I ain't in the mood fer yer epiphanies mate. Now spill your guts, else I do it for ye."
Flynn laughed a hollow laugh.
"If that's how you want it matey. I tried to start a mutiny. I got some o' Geitz's men to go along wiv it. We waited for our chance, and then we made our move. But Geitz and 'is faithful were to strong fer us. It was that scoundrel what did this t' me."
"Flynn matey," said Dart, sitting down next to Flynn's battered body, "why'd ye do it? I always figured you was loyal to the Davros. I s'pose I was wrong 'bout you."
"He, you always was too trusting mate. There ain't too many folks wouldn't stab their best mate in the back fer one hundred million gold."
Dart sighed.
"I'm startin' to think 'twould've been better if'n I'd never found that ol' map."
"Har, don't say that mate. I remember that look in yer eyes when you used to talk of that treasure. Everybody needs a dream matey. Maybe if I'd had one o' me own, things would've turned out different." Flynn started to cough violently. "One more thing 'afore I'm off t' Davy Jones. When you find that pampered son of a mangy sea dog, give 'im hell, fer my sakes."
Dart strode across to the other side of the clearing where his crew was waiting patiently.
"Are you ok brother?" asked Rebecca.
Dart stared off into the distance a few seconds before answering her.
"Don't worry 'bout me sis," he said solemnly. "Worry about what I'm gonna do to that no-good, two timing whelp Geitz when I find him," Dart's usual roguish grin returned and he let out a great whoop. "Har maties, we're so close to the treasure I can almost taste it!" and he set off running, leaving his crew to scramble to catch up.