Me: Well, 2022 is behind me now. Who would've thought people would read my stories for over nine years?
(Leo and Mason walk in)
Leo: Uh, I hate to interrupt, but there's some people at the door.
Me: Did you see who they are?
Mason: We didn't get a good look, but some of them have some kind of monster with them.
Me: That must be Gao Mikado and his friends. I'll go introduce them and give them the tour.
Pirate101: The Pirates of Lore
Chapter 16: What Lurks Beneath
Our crew arrives at the Isle of Doom, where it is rumored that the legendary Gortez lurks within. They bring the provisions to Foreman Salazar and his miners.
"Special delivery!" Ryan called out. The miners cheered with joy as they grabbed whatever food they could carry.
"Thank the saints you are here!" Foreman Salazar thanked the crew. "We've been so long without good food we were about to eat our clothes." Lola cringed in disgust at the thought.
"Anything to help those in need." Hunter said. "You must be Foreman Salazar, right?"
"Indeed I am. Welcome to the Isle of Doom!" Foreman Salazar greeted them. "It is a lovely place if you can avoid the brain-eating parasites. Don't drink the water."
"I'll make a note of that." Kyle murmured. "Anyway, we came here looking for Gortez. We believe he's somewhere on this island."
"You came here to find Gortez? We used to send search parties looking for him, but now we have other problems on our hands." Foreman Salazar said. "Our Water Mole laborers are revolting!"
"Pshaw! They may be short, and a bit stinky, but they're hardly as bad as all that!" Ratbeard said.
"What he meant was the Water Moles they hired are rebelling." Lindsey corrected.
"She's right. As soon as we broke into the tombs under the ruined temple, all our workers started attacking us!" Salazar explained.
"How awful!" Lola said.
"Is there anything we can do to help?" Ryan asked.
"Punish these rebels and defeat Haku, their leader. Do that and I'll tell you what I know of Gortez." Salazar said. "Four of them should be enough to get Haku's attention."
The crew heads into the mine and find several Rebel Water Moles walking about. They easily defeat four of the Rebel Water Moles with their weapons.
"Where can we find Haku?" Kyle interrogated a Water Mole Slingman.
"Even if we tell you, you will NEVER defeat him!" The Water Mole told him. "While Haku stands, our revolt continues!"
"We shall see." Hunter said. They fight their way through the Dark Jungle and reach the tomb.
"So, this must be the Ancient Tomb the foreman spoke of." Chantal noted.
"Yeah. If Haku is in there, then we got to stop his uprising." The Marchioness said.
"I say we go in there and teach those rebels a lesson!" Lola said.
"Lola Holbrook, you're speaking my language." Sarah Steele said. They enter the tomb and fight their way through the tunnels of the Ancient Tomb until they reach Haku standing in front of a shrine.
"Haku!" Hunter called out to the rebellious Water Mole.
"You fools are too late to help the Monkey Lords! Soon the Old Ones will rise!" Haku said.
"We'll see about that!" Ryan said as he raised his rifle and shot one of the Rebel Witchdoctors.
Kyle fought some Rebel Spearmen before blocking a fireball fired by a Rebel Witchdoctor fighting Lindsey and Ryan. Hunter and Lola were able to incapacitate Haku and a couple more spearmen.
"How do you like that?" Ryan smirked.
"Rise, ancient one! Rise and help us!" Haku chanted as the shrine begins shaking. An Undead Aztecosaur rises from the stone floor.
"I LIVE!"
"Destroy those intruders!" Haku commanded the Aztecosaur to attack the crew.
The Aztecosaur fires a spell, but Lindsey creates a barrier to defend. Ryan fires back with his pistols, but Haku deflects the shots with his own barrier. They battle for what seemed like hours but a sniper shot from Chantal and Ryan finished off the Aztecosaur.
"The Old Ones have failed Haku and his people." Haku spoke.
"Ready to make amends with the Foreman and his miners?" Kyle asked.
"Very well. We will make peace with the Monkeys." Haku admits defeat.
With Haku defeated and the rebellion quashed, the crew brings the rebel leader to Foreman Salazar.
"It's done. We've defeated Haku and his rebels." Hunter confirmed.
"You've done it! I will give each of you some gold from my personal share for this." Salazar said as he gave each of them a handful of gold coins. "I'll even help you all on this dark mission of yours." The crew then sat down and talked with Salazar.
"So, do you know Gortez?" Ryan asked.
"Gortez… I met him once. I don't know what has happened to him." Salazar said. "There are, I think, things in these jungles that apes were not meant to disturb."
"Huh… Do you know anything about the Gold Monkey?" Lindsey asked.
"The Gold Monkey? It is a statue of solid gold, taller than a tree. An amazing find!" Salazar responded. "But I hear that it is cursed; it may be Gortez's doom."
"That doesn't sound good." Lola commented.
"Do you know where he is?" Hunter asked the Salazar.
"No, but I know someone who does." Salazar said. "All I could do right now is put you on the path his army took. There is an outpost just up the trail; Criado there will tell you where Gortez is."
"That seems simple enough." Fan Flanders said.
"I'd be careful if I were you; that outpost is in Troggy country. Don't let their looks fool you. The natives there are not kind to trespassers."
"We'll be careful." Hunter said. The crew said. They entered the Dark Jungle and made their way to the outpost, but all of the buildings were destroyed.
"Here it is. Or rather was." Lucky Jack said. "There's nothing left!"
"Looks like the Troggies made short work o' this place. Best look for signs of any survivors, and where they might've gone."
"Good idea." Lola agreed. They begin searching the ruined outpost for anything a survivor may have left behind. After what seemed like hours, Ryan and Bonnie Anne find a stone with a message carved on it.
"Guys! Look what we found!" Ryan called everyone over.
"There's a message carved on this stone!" Bonnie Anne said.
"What does it say?" Peter Quint asked.
Ryan cleared his throat as he read the message aloud. The message reads as follows:
"Troggies destroyed outpost. Fleeing to cave southeast of here. Send help – C."
"C" for Criado, eh? He's still alive!" Sarah said.
"He must've left this note when the Troggies attacked." Emmett said. "Let's go and find that cave."
"You read my mind." Hunter agreed, as did everyone else. They head over to the location of the cave and saw a handful of monkeys who survived the Troggies' assault on the outpost.
"You have found us! We are saved!" One of the outpost survivors, Ramos, shouted in joy.
"Actually, we're here for someone named Criado. I assumed we'd find him here." Hunter told them.
"So, you lot are not here to rescue us?" Ramos asked. "This is bad. Very bad. We are doomed for certain. The Troggies will eat us alive!"
"Calm down! We'll get all of you to safety as soon as we find Criado." Lola told the survivors. "He may know where Gortez is."
"Gortez? He's just east of here, problem is the swarms of bees are blocking the way." Ramos told them. "Why do you ask?"
"We're told that we'd find something around here." Ryan replied. "Ever hear of the Gold Monkey?
"The Gold Monkey?" Ramos asked. "It is a wonder – a great tapestry of metal thread, hung with thousands of gold plates and countless emeralds. If you find Gortez, you'll find the Gold Monkey."
"But what about you guys?" Kyle asked.
"Between the bees and the Troggies, our only shelter is this cave." Ramos said. "Fortunately, before those frog devils took him, Criado figured out a way to scatter the bees so that we may pass."
"So if we rescue Criado from the Troggies, he'll help us find Gortez?" Hunter asked.
"Yes - and scattering those Troggy ruffians will be a blessing to us." Ramos said.
"Don't worry. We'll fight your fight and save Criado." Hunter said, lifting the survivors' spirits. With that they set out to fight off the Troggies and rescue Criado.
(After the tour, I'm in the training center watching Kyle and a boy with blue hair and glasses spar with wooden swords. I'm in the stands with two small ninjas, one in black and one in white.)
Me: I'll be honest. Your Buddy is quite skilled.
White ninja: I quite agree. Lord Zanya has improved over the years. I'm Byakuya by the way. This is my older brother Tsukikage. He's not much of a talker.
Tsukikage: Nin. (Opens a scroll reading "Honored to meet you" in Japanese)
Kyle: You're pretty fast for a ninja.
Zanya: You're not too bad yourself, for a pirate.
(I hear the door open and Chloe comes in)
Chloe: I was wondering where I'd find you.
Kyle: Hey, Chloe.
Zanya: (Flinches as his lenses crack) A… girl…!
Me: What's the news, Chloe?
Chloe: I heard from Luka that you had a birthday recently.
Me: Just turned 29 last week.
Kyle: That's awesome! Did you have anything planned for it?
Me: Well, I wanted to go to Las Vegas, but due to poor planning, those plans have changed. I just spent some time in St. Louis instead.
Kyle: That's great! I hope you get what you want next year.
Me: Let's hope so, Kyle. Speaking of getting what we want, I've let my fans wait long enough. I better get back to it. You know what to do here, readers. Excelsior!