CHAPTER 7
Rottenbeard and Zigzag arrived at the staircase first, only to find a mob of ghosts eagerly awaiting them at the top.
"Where do ya think yer goin?'" asked the leader, and began floating down towards them.
Rottenbeard could hear Zigzag's teeth chattering next to him, and gave him a hard slap on the back.
"C'mon lad, pull yerself together!" he barked. "They can't hurt us, they be made of nothin but air!"
"Aye, but those ain't." whimpered Zigzag, as all of the ghost pirates simultaneously revealed their swords, grinning evilly at one another.
As One and Leena neared, another gang of ghosts poured out of a wall in front of them, stopping them in their tracks. The line of ghosts had their swords at the ready, but were not attacking. They only appeared interested in blocking the way to Rottenbeard.
"Shoot." exclaimed One, stepping back.
He and Leena watched as the ghost pirates engaged Rottenbeard and Zigzag, driving them back against the wall, swords extended. Rottenbeard's lip curled in furious anger, and with lightning quick reflexes, unsheathed two massive swords from his belt. Wasting no time, he swung them with such a force, that he knocked several of the ghost's swords spiraling from their hands. As soon as the ghosts realized what was going on, they stormed him, slashing mercilessly with their weapons. Zigzag finally pulled himself together, and joined his captain in blocking their onslaught. Rottenbeard held one sword out as a barrier, keeping the ghosts at bay, as he slowly gained ground towards the stairs. With the other sword he attempted to disarm some more swords from their ghostly owners.
"Should we try and help them?" Leena asked One from several meters back.
One nodded, and reached over his shoulder for his sword, but it wasn't there.
"Of course, Blackjack wouldn't leave us with our weapons." One thought to himself. "But then where on earth did Rottenbeard get ahold of those colossal blades?" That man never ceased to amaze him.
"Listen up lubbers, they've blocked ye off." Rottenbeard suddenly called to them as he fended off a barrage of ghostly attacks.
"Ye'll have to make yer way back past the prison. Turn right at the end of the hall, and keep goin' to find another staircase. Take it and meet us up on deck."
One acknowledged the instructions with a quick nod.
"And no lollygaggin'!" added Rottenbeard as he and Zigzag disappeared up into the stairwell.
- - - - - - - - - -
"I've got to protect me treasure!" whined Pinchpenny in desperation. He hurried down a flight of stairs and entered the hold of the ship, where the treasure was kept.
"Pinchpenny, wait up!" shouted Tricks from somewhere behind him. Rottenbeard must have sent her along with Quicksail to start up the Quicksailer.
"What do ya want?" asked Pinchpenny, without breaking his stride.
"Help us get the ship movin' again!" requested Quicksail as he emerged from the stairwell.
Pinchpenny shook his head frantically.
"No way, the treasure needs me!"
"Fine Pinchy, be that way!" barked Tricks. "You'd only slow us down anyhow."
Pinchpenny ignored her comment, and finally arrived at the large door that lead to the treasure room. It was covered in close to a dozen different locks, all of which had been set up by Pinchpenny himself.
He hurriedly reached into his pockets, and removed a large ring, containing the required keys, and set to work unlocking them all.
After about five minutes of turning keys, the door finally creaked open. Pinchpenny stepped into the room, and could not believe his eyes. Two greedy pirate ghosts were rummaging through a pile of his precious treasure, as if it were theirs for the taking! What nerve!
"It took me weeks to sort all of that out, and you two slobs be messin' it up in under five minutes!" screamed Pinchpenny, alerting the ghosts of his presence.
"Ye must be mistaken." grinned one of the ghosts. "This be our treasure now."
Pinchpenny gritted his teeth, and began to shake vigorously. As a coward, he would normally avoid dangerous situations like the plague, but not this time. He was not about to stand by while a couple of good for nothing ghosts tried to claim HIS treasure for their own!
"It be MINE!" he screamed, flailing his arms, and rushing mercilessly toward them.
- - - - - - - - - -
"Well that's a first, he actually told the truth." laughed Leena when she and One arrived at the staircase, just as Rottenbeard directed.
They climbed the steps, and entered a small hallway.
"Wait.." said One suddenly, stopping Leena with his arm. "Do you hear that?"
She listened for a moment and made out a faint beeping sound.
"Yeah, what is it?"
"I don't know, but it seems to be coming from this room." concluded One as he approached a closed doorway.
Leena watched as he opened it without hesitation and stepped inside. She shrugged her shoulders, and followed him in.
The room they had entered was incredibly different from the rest of the ship. The large quantity of priceless artifacts, and gold plated furniture were visible even in the low light, and it was obvious that a very rich individual lived here.
"Looks like Rottenbeard's personal quarters." regarded Leena sliding a hand across a gold plated bed frame.
One gave the room a quick search with his eyes, and spotted a flashing light, followed by the sound he had heard in the hallway.
"It's my crystal! " he proclaimed, upon closer inspection.
Sure enough, hanging on Rottenbeard's coat hanger was the crystal he had been searching for all of this time. He had found it at last, and a great sense of relief washed over him.
"Why's it flashing like that?" Leena inquired, walking closer to him.
One shrugged as he put it back around his neck, feeling whole once again.
"I don't know, it's never happened before."
"Weird.." acknowledged Leena as she looked around the dimly lit room. "Rottenbeard sure likes to live in luxury doesn't he?"
"That's for sure." One agreed, using his crystal's light to illuminate the large map hanging on the wall in front of him.
As he examined it, Leena began to head for the door.
"Well, now that we've got everything we need, we should be getting back to your boat."
One turned from the map to look at her, and shook his head.
"No, we promised to help get rid of these ghosts, and I intend to keep that promise."
"But One, it's only Rottenbeard."
"I know." One began to say, and walked over to her. "But we need to bring him into custody, not leave him stranded out here with Captain Blackjack."
Leena nodded. One was right. Her father's plan had been for Rottenbeard to be tried for his crimes, and put in prison. She wasn't about to take that away from him.
"Alright, lets do it." she agreed, and reached for the door knob.
As soon as she pulled it open, a pair of glowing red eyes surrounded in darkness greeted her on the other side.
"What is it?" screamed Leena as she scrambled back into the room, a look of horror on her face.
One slowly stepped back, trying hard not to fall to his knees from all of the negative emotions filling the room. The eyes belonged to the most frightening creature that he had ever seen. It was some kind of spirit, but it wasn't at all like the other ghosts. This thing didn't have a definite shape and looked more like a distorted shadow, with blinding red eyes, and a mouth that seemed to tear itself open.
One knelt down and grabbed Leena's hand as the shadow creature pulled itself into the room. They were definitely in trouble.