Jack captained a small rowboat manned with the (mostly) trusted crew of Mister Gibbs, Ragetti, Pintel, and himself. The four men soon docked on the unnamed island, somewhere adrift in the Caribbean Sea.
"Agua de Vida, Captain?" Mister Gibbs queried as he rowed, "Is it really going to work?"
"Juan Ponce de León called it the Fountain of Youth," Jack confirmed. "The Profane Ritual will bring her back." He surveyed the shores, "It has to." He took a breath through his nose, "We're looking for an archaic symbol, it should be carved at the cave entrance of the Fountain. I've seen it only once, on a scrap of the Mao Kun Map."
"Ah, a scrap. Of course." Mister Gibbs rolled his eyes, "This bodes well."
"And, is this Juan guy… Is he dead?" Ragetti piped up.
"Aye," Jack nodded, "but he died searching for something, didn't he?"
"I see." Ragetti sighed, "I was hoping that ship would be him." The thin pirate nodded towards the horizon.
"Ragetti, you idiot!" Pintel dropped his oar as he stood on the sand, "We know that ship! That's the Queen Anne's Revenge!"
"Right on schedule." Jack noted.
"You knew?" Pintel and Ragetti's spoke in unison. Pintel's face scrunched, "You knew that devil was comin' after ye?"
"Aye," Jack nodded. "He's been trailing us for days. Perhaps we can strike up a deal. After all, I'm the only one who knows the way."
Jack knew the Fountain lay through the dense jungle, past treacherous Jungle Pools. How did he know this? The Black Pearl had once sailed these waters questing for gold. A port nearby was where he learned about the Fountain from a drunken descendant of Ponce de León's. After that, it didn't take much effort to hoist navigational charts from ol' Hector. The bastard had intended to find the Fountain himself. Though Jack had not exactly made it to the other side…
"Sparrow." Blackbeard spat as his crew docked the rowboat ashore. "Thought you'd be dead by now."
"That makes two of us," Jack shriveled his nose.
Blackbeard cracked a sly smile. "Has the great Captain Sparrow found a whore to love?" He and his crew gave a laugh. "Have you thanked her for carrying your curse yet? Not much time left, I fear."
Jack's nails bit into his palm, he slowly released his fist to carry on his charade. "Nay," he tilted his head, "Seems your cursed sword doesn't work right." He glanced the man over, "Must be old age."
Blackbeard bared his yellow teeth in disgust, which he turned into a grin. "You know what, Jack? I'm glad you're alive. You'll be leading us exactly where we want to go."
"Why?" Jack shrugged, "What's in it for me?"
"Do you have to ask?" Blackbeard looked bored, "The survival of your beloved."
"I already told you mate," Jack leaned forward, "there's no finer lady than me Pearl. Think again."
"Why exactly are you here, Jack?"
"Infamy," Jack gestured outward with his hands.
Blackbeard snorted. "Fine, then. I will not kill you."
"Ah, you see, I've already got that leverage. You seem to forget: you need me."
Blackbeard sighed, "I'll give you the location of a treasure that will undo any curse- since you seem to find yourself riddled with them." He looked the Captain. "That shiny enough to attract your attention?"
"Perhaps." Jack stroked his chin, "Although I do find myself curse-free at the moment. Give me the coordinates and I'll lead the way."
"No." Blackbeard grinned.
"Then I'm getting back on me ship. Come on, lads."
Blackbeard stuck out his sword. "Will the name of the nearest island suffice?"
Jack mulled it over. "Aye," he smiled. "That'll do."
Blackbeard and four of his crew were more knowledgeable about the ritual than Jack would have liked. They'd already found a mermaid at Whitecap Bay. Syrena, her name was. They later took a tear from her at the Jungle Pools. Seeing ladies cry was never to Jack's taste, even if they were merladies. Having the route to the Fountain of Youth memorized, Jack searched through the jungles to find the cave entrance to the Fountain. After probing many huge palm fronds, he spotted a water droplet travelling up on one of the leaves, defying gravity. He watched it as it crawled upward, then started toying with it between his fingers. Squinting through the droplet, Jack spotted a rock wall with the archaic symbol of the Fountain carved on it. The droplet broke free of Jack's finger and floated upward just as Jack found the cave entrance.
"Here we are, gentlemen." Jack stood back and examined the cave. "Now all we have to do is enter." The grotto held a ruined stone temple, vines pulling it down and tearing it apart. Within its sacred chamber, exotic creepers and clinging moss covered ancient skeletons that littered the stone steps, and a delicate stream of enchanted water flowed through a natural stone circle at the center. He looked down at the golden chalices he had gathered, hoping they would somehow speak to make the water appear. Work! He thought, Work, damn you! In an unsuccessful attempt to gain entrance into the Fountain he hit the chalices against one another. He paused for a moment; then clanged them again.
"Jack," Blackbeard snarled, "You've never actually been to the Fountain in person, have you?" He slowly withdrew his sword. "Seems we no longer have need of you then, do we?"
Jack struggled for a reason to hold the lummox off. He looked at the chalices intently as if they could stop the blade. "Wait!" He held up a hand as everyone held their breath, "there's something here," he sounded out the words inscribed on the Chalices: "Aqua de Vida." Upon his incantation, water rose up along the walls, collecting into a pool above their heads. The men looked up in awe and terror. Jack had one thing on his mind at that moment, Elizabeth. He had to get inside. He had to try. He handed Mister Gibbs the chalices as he climbed onto Pintel's unwitting shoulders, where he used his sword to poke the pool gingerly. The water swallowed him and for an instant, he remembered what it was like to be drowning until he appeared into a misty environment. Jack took a breath, picked up his sword from the ground. He knew he was staring at the Fountain of Youth.
What Jack did not know was at that King Ferdinand of Spain had sent the Spaniards to find the Fountain as well. King George II had sent Hector Barbossa, now a privateer of the court, to find the Fountain before the Spanish. What Jack had mistaken for one ship tailing the Pearl, was actually two.
Jack walked up to the central stone, reaching to touch the water. But, before Jack had the chance, Blackbeard held him back. "I'll be the first to drink from its waters," he instructed with a cold glint in his eye. "Only then will I give you the coordinates."
"Aye," Jack nodded, unwilling to start a fight when he was so close to a resolution.
"Captain!" Mister Gibbs called out as Jack turned around to see unwanted visitors emerging out of the fog. Ah, there was a sight for sore eyes. Walking forth was a one-legged man with a penchant for apples: Hector Barbossa.
"This land is hereby forever claimed in the glorious name of His Majesty, King George—" As soon as the soldier opened his mouth, he was shot and killed.
Barbossa paused to admire the damage, then spoke, "...Someone make a note of that man's bravery. Well, well, fancy seeing you hear Jack. Should have expected it, seeing as you stole my maps."
Jack gave an uncomfortable smile in acknowledgement. Things were getting complicated. As usual.
Barbossa stepped forward with his crew to confront Blackbeard. "Edward Teach, you are now a prisoner of His Majesty, King George for crimes committed against the crown. Of which include the taking of one very important leg." Barbossa pulled out his sword.
Blackbeard mirrored his efforts and ordered, "Attack!"
Jack felt as if he were caught in the waves, bursting between the parties, crawling towards the Fountain until he noticed the crews were breaking the temple apart. "Stop the fight!" He hollered and all the men turned to look at the Captain on his knees. Jack stood slowly, brushing off. "Why don't we let those two blaggards fight it out, hm? We can just laid back, watch, have a drink- place wagers. Savvy?" His words were to no avail, as the fighting commenced and the two captains engaged in a duel to the death. While the crews were engaged, Pintel and Ragetti were able to pilfer the vial with the mermaid's tear.
Blackbeard and Barbossa continued their duel, in which the notorious pirate was able to trip the privateer to the ground. An infuriated Blackbeard was about to finish Barbossa off, but wasn't able to get that chance, as Barbossa pointed with a grin, "Seems we have visitors."
From out of the fog, The Spaniard and his men arrived. Jack counted on his fingers, not two ships, but three! The fighting ceased as more Spanish soldiers surrounded the British and the pirates around the Fountain.
"Only God can grant eternal life," The leader of the Spanish army declared, "not this pagan water. Men! Destroy this profane temple!"
As the Spanish began destroying the temple, pulling down the columns with grappling hooks, the Spaniard confronted Blackbeard. "You are a fool for seeking in the Fountain what only faith can provide."
"Let's test that claim," Blackbeard debunked as he slit the man's throat. Through his distraction, the mighty captain felt a searing pain in his belly. He looked down to see a retreating sword. One poisoned by the innards of dart frogs.
"You-" Blackbeard gasped his last, before falling to the stone floor.
"Aye," Barbossa grinned as he wiped the sword of blood, "Me."
Jack looked on, eyes wide in surprise. There was a sudden and overwhelming terror in knowing that he couldn't supply Blackbeard with the chalice that takes life in order to give life to Elizabeth.
Accomplishing what he'd set out to do, Barbossa took Blackbeard's sword as his own and turned to tip his hat, "May we not meet again, Jack."
"Dually noted." Hector always managed to waltz in and ruin whatever plans he had to save his own backside. Now he'd managed to ruin a perfectly good scheme to save the magnificent backside of a woman dying aboard his ship.
Jack turned once more towards the water. As the Spanish struggled with a large column, Blackbeard's loyal zombies fought against them. The large column soon fell, crushing them along with the Fountain of Youth.
"No!" Jack cried, rushing forward.
With their mission for King Ferdinand completed, the Spanish gave the sign of the cross, leaving the ruins.
Jack pulled the stone rubble from the destroyed Fountain, "There has to be some left, there has to…"
Pintel and Ragetti approached with the tear and Mister Gibbs knelt with the chalices. All were surprised when Jack was able to gather two cups of water before it dried up.