A/N: So sorry for such the long wait, but I'/ve been busy with other things recently. I just wanted to update before tomorrow (8-1-07), which happens to be my 17th birthday. Anyway, enjoy these next two updates.

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Chapter 11

Michael and Jacquelyn watched the process of a longboat being prepped for departure for the second time in 24 hours. They were both aware that Jack and a few others were about to go ashore on the island that The Black Pearl was currently anchored near in order to retrieve something called The Golden Sword. The very name of the artifact heightened both Michael's and Jacquelyn's curiosity considerably, and the pair wished to accompany the group who was going ashore. The kids had weapons stuffed into their belts, so they decided to try their luck; Michael and Jacquelyn approached the longboat.

"Oi!" a voice called out. "What're you doing?"

Michael turned on the spot to face Jack, who was giving the duo a suspicious glare. Michael put on his best innocent expression and smiled.

"We were just going to climb into the longboat. You never know when you'll need an extra helping hand."

Jack walked over and stared down at Michael with even more suspicion. "And what say your parents to this little proposal?"

"Oh." Michael shot Jacquelyn a desperate look, but Jacquelyn merely shrugged helplessly. Grinning once again, Michael attempted to play around the inquiry. "Well, I helped you out when you were looking for the Amulet of Atlantis, so I just thought I'd do the same here."

"Michael, do you honestly think that William and Elizabeth won't find out about this?" Jack asked in a tone that bordered on sarcasm. But still, Jack could not help but feel impressed at the young boy's show of pirate traits. However, a stern voice soon jarred Jack from his reflections.

"Find out about what?"

Will and Elizabeth, fully armed for the trek ahead, made their way over to where the captain and two children stood, serious expressions plastered across each of their faces. They came to a halt beside Jack and Elizabeth gave him a penetrating stare.

"Find out about what, Jack?" Elizabeth repeated firmly.

Jack suddenly feigned confusion, as if he did not know what Elizabeth was talking about. "Er...I'm sorry, what was the question?"

"Jack..."

"We want to come along with you," Michael spoke up, sparing Jack the interrogation. But the instant he said those words, Michael wished he hadn't. The extremely serious looks his parents gave him made Michael think that he had just pulled another one of his cruel pranks and was receiving punishment for it.

Elizabeth knelt down in front of her son. "No, it's too dangerous."

"Mum," Michael protested, "I've been in dangerous situations before. And I was able to take care of myself. Plus, Dad's taught me how to handle a sword the right way."

"Sweetheart, please try to understand...your father and I don't want to put your life at risk anymore than it already is."

"How is this any different than we went after the Amulet of Atlantis?"

"Because the circumstances are more extreme," said Will, bending down next to Elizabeth. "The people whom we are facing are more ruthless and unmerciful than any other pirate you may meet. These people are cold-blooded killers, and they won't hesitate in killing children such as you and Jacquelyn."

"Jacquelyn and I can take care of ourselves! After all, I'm the son of two pirates."

"We're not pirates, Michael," Elizabeth told him. "Your father and I are merely people who got caught up in all this business against our will. And we don't want you to face the repercussions of our actions."

"But I want to fight with you. I want to help keep you safe because you're my parents and I love you."

Will and Elizabeth looked at Michael with tears beginning to brim in their eyes. Without uttering a single word, Elizabeth pulled Michael into her arms and hugged him close while rocking him back and forth gently; Will wrapped his arms around both of them.

"We will be safe, we promise. We've survived worse things before and this will not be any different from those instances." Elizabeth tightened her hold on her son as Michael and Will did the same.

From a short distance away, Jack and Jacquelyn surveyed the scene somewhat awkwardly. "Sentimentality," said Jack. "Never saw the significance of it."

"Isn't there anybody you care about...Captain?" Jacquelyn asked the question rather hopefully, as if she wanted Jack to realize how much she looked up to him, like a loving daughter does with her father.

"I care about meself," Jack shrugged. "Can't think of anyone else worthy of care."

"What about Michael's parents?"

"My miniature little friend, William and Elizabeth Turner are what I consider burdens to bear. They always come to me in the hopes that I'll help them get out of a sticky situation."

"But...you're still friends, right?"

Jack smirked. "Define the term."

Will and Elizabeth walked over. "Prepare the longboats for departure. My father is coming along with the shore party, so we'll need someone to stay behind and watch over Michael and Jacquelyn."

"Not a problem, mate. Just pick a babysitter and we can be on our way."

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The bright sun had soon been swallowed completely by a thick blanket of clouds that caused the late afternoon setting to appear as early evening. The longboat carrying Jack, Gibbs and the three adult Turners cut through the calm waters of the sea effortlessly, as if the longboat itself was gliding on air.

The foreboding vision of the massive cave ahead was meant to send an ice-cold shiver running down the spines of people who approached it. However, that effect did not wash over any members of the Black Pearl crew as the longboat drew ever closer to its destination.

Within minutes, the longboat had passed through the mouth of the ominous cave that was an exact replica of the Isla de Muerta cave that the crew had visited many years before. Inside said longboat, Elizabeth was busying herself by fidgeting nervously with her hands. Will noticed this, smirked knowingly, and wrapped a tender arm around his wife.

"Something wrong, luv?" Will rarely used the term "luv" because he thought it was too...piratey, he figured, however he used it in instances such as these where Elizabeth seemed troubled in order to soothe any uneasy feelings she might be experiencing.

Elizabeth appeared to snap out of her reverie and come back to the situation at hand. "I was just...thinking, that's all."

Will could detect the faint air of vagueness in Elizabeth's voice and sought to discover the source of it. "Thinking about what?" He tried the approach of keeping his questions simple.

"It's just...," Elizabeth's voice momentarily trailed off. She breathed in deeply and cleared her throat. "I'm not convinced of Michael's safety."

Will nodded in understanding as he closed his eyes. He had suspected that this would be the issue. Softly and lovingly, he placed his hand against the side of Elizabeth's face and turned it so that the couple was staring into each other's eyes. "Michael will be safe aboard the ship. As well as Jacquelyn. They have an entire crew watching over them."

Elizabeth chuckled in dry sarcasm. "A crew of drunken idiots."

"Oi! I heard that!" Jack said over his shoulder from his seat at the front of the longboat.

"I assure you, Elizabeth, everything will be fine. All we have to do is retrieve this sword and get back to the ship."

"While fighting undead minions on our trip out of here," Jack added.

"Do you always have to take such a pessimistic view of things?" Elizabeth asked Jack, her voice scolding.

"Pirate nature, luv. There's never enough goodness in our world to fully appreciate things."

As Elizabeth rolled her eyes and sighed, Gibbs leaned in toward Jack and spoke. "Smith said the restin' place of The Golden Sword should be right around tha' bend." The elderly adventurer pointed ahead toward a spot where the narrow strait they were currently traveling on curved to the left. Light poured inside the cave from the gaping holes in the rocky roof.

"Did our friend happen to mention exactly how we are to go about actually getting the sword?" Bootstrap asked.

"Smith said that the sword is wedged into a rock at the center of this very cave. All we have to do is pull the bloody thing from said stone, use it to kill the undead soldiers of Cortez and get back to the ship. Doesn't sound so bad, does it?"

"No," said Will. "It sounds incredibly easy." His tone of voice made it abundantly clear that the task was anything but. However, Jack did not seem to catch this.

"That's the spirit, mate!"

Will and Elizabeth secretly shared looks of exasperation as Gibbs and Bootstrap grasped the oars in their palms tighter, helping to turn the longboat so that it followed the strait's path without scraping against the sharp rock surroundings.

When the longboat had fully maneuvered itself to the proper position, its occupants were treated to a clear view of the cave's massive center space. This particular portion of the cave was large enough to fit an entire ship inside, and probably two more along with it. Here, the seawater that was filtering in from outside seemed to become more violent, as it was thrashing about and causing miniature waves to crash against the walls. But at the center was a raised platform with a cylindrical rock-made stage with small and crude steps carved into it. At the top of this stage was something majestical: a ruby-encrusted sword hilt that was protruding straight up into the air, the rays of sunlight dancing off of each jewel. Beneath the hilt was the slightest hint of a golden blade.

This sight captivated Jack and his fellow adventurers, but only temporarily. Once Elizabeth had been satisfied with staring at the piece of treasure they were after, he gaze wandered over to the cave walls, where she saw things that were truly bone-chilling. Embedded in the rock foundation were what appeared to be human bodies, or merely the outlines of human bodies. But the faces of these figures seemed tortured and agonized; most of them looked like they were shouting silent cries of pain. Elizabeth's eyes trailed up the lengths of their outstretched arms to see each person holding onto various sharp weapons.

Elizabeth could not take another moment of this, and averted her gaze next to the water around the longboat. The light from outside was dancing flawlessly off of the liquid barrier, causing what was lying beneath to become clearly visible. Once again, Elizabeth's blood immediately ran cold at what she saw. Way below the surface of the water floated decayed human bodies, all dressed in armored gear with what appeared to be Spanish markings. These bodies were obviously those of the deceased, but something deep down inside of Elizabeth told her that these bodies were the zombies that Smith had warned them of; tormented souls just waiting to spring back to life at a moment's notice and attack.

A sudden bump and lurch forward told Elizabeth that the longboat had just made contact with land and that they needed to step out to grab The Golden Sword. Once everybody had stepped foot on land, Jack secured the longboat's rope so that it would not float away while they were fulfilling their mission.

Cautiously, as if they were fearing an attack at any moment, the congregation of pirates ascended the stone steps leading to The Golden Sword, each person's footsteps echoing hollowly off of the cave walls. In under a minute, Jack had reached the spot where the ruby-covered sword hilt stood, its blade buried within solid stone.

Jack circled the hilt, scrutinizing it and trying to come to a conclusion about how best to remove it from the rock. After a few moments of silent contemplation, Jack shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm really one for practical means, anyway."

Jack leapt forward, wrapped his fingers firmly around the hilt of The Golden Sword, and tugged with all his might. Jack's muscles strained under such a difficult task and sweat began to perspire beneath the bandanna on his head, but Jack felt the sword begin to slide upward all the same. With each tug, The Golden Sword rose another few inches out of the stone it was resting in until finally, with one last powerful tug, Jack succeeded in pulling the weapon out of the stone.

The golden blade of the sword was enchantingly beautiful; it had infinitesimal diamonds and rubies embedded in it in a perfectly straight line that ran from the hilt to the sharp tip of the sword; each of these diamonds sparkled magically under the light. The weight of The Golden Sword was no different than that of a regular sword, but it certainly felt heavy because of Jack's soft hold on it. Jack's grip on the treasure weapon seemed to suggest that he was under the impression that the sword would fall apart if too much pressure was applied to it.

Smirking madly, Jack turned to face his comrades, all of whom were staring at The Golden Sword with vacant expressions upon their faces. "I think I just found the perfect new sword for me."

All of a sudden, the cave's floor started to rumble and quake violently, causing bits and pieces of the roof to come falling down and crash into the ocean water. The water began to bubble and froth rapidly, the noise matching the roar of the crumbling foundations. This soon gave way to a terrifying sight: from the cave walls, the human bodies Elizabeth had seen earlier broke free of their rock prison, flexing their limbs and looking around with disfigured faces. With each passing second, more and more zombies erupted from the cave walls, weapons held at the ready in their decayed hands.

But the walls, it turned out, were not the only resting places of said zombies. Figures of the same misshapen manner were soon emerging from the bubbling surface of the surrounding water, the very sight of their evil forms breaking through the barrier enough to make anyone's blood run cold.

As Jack and the others stared, frozen to their spots, the zombies slowly began to approach them, weapons raised in attack poses.