Pirate Legacy
Chapter Five
The next day, after breakfast with Nikolai, who had been eager to hear about our adventures, we walked down to the Kraken Skulls Tavern to talk to the barkeep.
As we entered the tavern, several customers were scattered around the tables, whispering to each other, so it was pretty quiet. We took seats atop the bar stools, and I asked, "Where's Ensign Emmett?"
"Looking for Ensign Emmett? Aye, he's here." The barkeep answered. "The treasure hunters are in the cellar, meeting in private. Head down the trap door yonder and you'll find them."
We nodded and we slowly got off our seats and climbed down the stairs to the cellar. As I touched the floor of the cellar, I could hear an argument going on between the treasure hunters. I beckoned Rena and Bonnie against the wall so we could eavesdrop.
"Now look here, Ratbeard – I'm in charge of this venture! We're using your ship, and you'll still be captain of it, but the Will is mine. I shall lead!" An otter with a white mustache said. He was wearing a small hat with the top peeling off, a black coat with brass buttons open over a blue shirt, brown pants held up by a leather belt with two holsters for his flintlock pistols.
"So, I'm to be naught more than a lowly pilot, then? How do we know you even have the Will, Emmett?" A rat with an eye patch over his left eye, a wooden peg-leg, and a gray beard said. He wore a brown three-cornered hat, a red coat open over a brown shirt and gray pants with patches on the knees held up by a leather belt with a scabbard for a cutlass. He was flanked by two Wharf Rats wearing red bandanas on their heads, blue trousers, heavy-looking boots, and they both wielded a cutlass.
"Have no fear, blowhard. I have the Will right here." Emmett said as he produced a roll of parchment kept safe in a Yum bottle and placed it on the table. If I was in his place, I would've smacked my forehead right then, because he had just fallen for one of the oldest tricks in the book.
"Get him, boys! And take that Will!" Ratbeard shouted to the two Wharf Rats. I nodded and we rushed out of our hiding place to even the odds.
"I've got the Will! The treasure's mine, you lubbers! Finish them off, lads – I'll meet you at the hideout!" Ratbeard shouted as he snatched up the Will and ran past me, shoving me out of the way and scurrying up the ladder.
"Ratbeard stole the Will! He's getting away!" Bonnie shouted as she and Emmett had missed their shots at the same Wharf Rat.
"We'll worry about him later! Defeat the Wharf Rats!" I ordered as I ran towards the nearest one. As he tried to slice my head open, I grabbed his arm and punched his face, the iron guard of my saber adding more damage as he fell to the ground, knocked out. The other Wharf Rat suddenly fell forward, with Emmett holding a smoking pistol behind him.
"I say, that was close! I don't know who you are, young Pirate, but I'm Emmett, and I'll gladly join your crew." Emmett said as he reloaded his pistol.
"I'm Matt Exeter. It's nice to meet you." I answered as I sheathed my saber. "Now let's go upstairs and hunt down that thieving rat!"
As we climbed up the stairs, one of the patrons of the bar called to us. He looked like a prospector, with a wide brimmed hat, a large bag slung over his shoulder, a wooden pickaxe for a cane, and he wore a white shirt with blue denim overalls. "You're chasing Ratbeard? He came barreling through here like a greyhound with his tail on fire! He ran out the front door! Go get him!"
I nodded and as we burst out of the tavern, a young frog called "You looking for Ratbeard? He went that way, towards the docks."
I nodded again and we ran down to the docks, and not a ship was in sight.
"Damn it, we're too late." I said.
"Looking for Ratbeard, are we Captain? I can help you, young Pirate." A familiar voice said. I turned around to see Blind Mew standing a few feet behind us.
"I know precisely where Ratbeard has gone. How, you ask? I may be blind, but I have acute hearing." Blind Mew continued. "I distinctly heard a group of four pirates running by. From the sound of their panting and their distinct smell, they were definitely Wharf Rats. I heard Ratbeard himself call to raise sail for home. It's well known that Ratbeard and his gang make port at Blood Shoals in the channel beyond. There's no time to waste! Talk to the dock master and take possession of that death trap – I mean 'boat.' Race to Blood Shoals – you'll find him."
"Thank you, Blind Mew." I said as we ran to Captain Avery's private dock.
"There's your ship. She isn't pretty, but she'll fly at least as far as Blood Shoals. Head up on the pier to claim her, and be on your way. Good hunting!" The dock master said when I told him that we needed to get to Blood Shoals.
"Everyone, step aboard the Highwind." I called. Everyone stepped aboard the raft with their right foot, obviously aware of the superstition that stepping on with your left foot would bring horrible luck that we didn't need at the moment.
"Is that the name of the ship?" Rena asked, and I smiled. "It is now. Raise the anchor and set sail for Blood Shoals!"
As Emmett and I pulled up the anchors, Rena flipped through the atlas Nikolai had given her. "We can follow the blue Windlane to Blood Shoals."
As I took hold of the handle of the rudder, Bonnie and Emmett brought her to half sail, and we sailed out of Captain Avery's dock towards the blue Windlane. We ran alongside it for about a half hour, and the Highwind actually handled very well.
As we made port at the docks of Blood Shoals, I could see it was only a small ramshackle town built near the foot of a cliff with the entrance of a large cave visible. There were deep footprints in the sand leading towards the cave, probably left there by heavy boots, compared to the less deep tracks of the other residents.
"Judging by all the footprints, it looks like a crowd of Wharf Rats walked into the cave there." Bonnie remarked as she went down on one knee to examine them.
"There are no tracks leading out. The blackguard must still be within!" Emmett said as he looked down at the footprints.
As we entered the cave, sure enough, there was a light coming from the back end of the cave. As we went further, the cave expanded into a large cavern with a sandy floor. In the center of the cavern stood a wooden picnic table with food still on it, with the walls of the cavern lined with crates and other stolen treasures. A pile of funky-smelling bananas were next to a pool of water in the corner. But what really shocked me were the dead bodies of the Wharf Rats still sitting in the chairs.
A blue mist suddenly poured from their mouths, and they slowly took the form of the dead Wharf Rats. The one closest to us cried, "Wait! You still live – stay and hear my tale of woe, I beg you!"
I nodded. Since they weren't trying to kill us immediately, we might as well accept. "Of course. Everyone, take a seat."
As the others uneasily sat down in the empty seats, the rat began his tale. "My name is Lasko, and look upon us, you who yet breathe, and pity our cruel lot. Ratbeard, our captain told us of a treasure for the taking."
"We helped him win the Will, as you well know, and sailed back here to feast in celebration. 'We'll soon be rich, boys!' That's what he told us."
"But the villain betrayed us. The food was poisoned! He killed us all and left us here, a feast for crabs. He'll have all the treasure to himself. Unless you stop him, that is…"
"Our spirits are trapped, pirates. We have unfinished business, debts of heart and honor that leash us here like chains of steel." Lasko said. "You can grant me eternal rest by making sure Ratbeard never takes Gunn's treasure, but that won't help my shipmates Manny, Moe, and Jack."
"They have their own troubles binding them. I won't help you stop Ratbeard until I know they won't be left behind. Set their souls at ease."
As Lasko finished, I listened with a heavy heart to the troubles of his shipmates: Jack only took the job so he could pay the ransom for his kidnapped nephew, Manny wanted to pay his adoptive uncle back the money he stole from him to become a pirate, and Moe lost his sweetheart's locket in a bet and he lost his Nancy's love with it.
As we left the cave, I said to the crew, "Let's go meet Manny's Uncle Scuttles."
We found Uncle Scuttles overseeing the repairs of a ship, as he was a shipwright. "Excuse me sir, but do you remember Manny?"
"Manny? Course I remember him. Raised like my own nephew, I did, and he thanks me by stealing my strongbox!" Uncle Scuttles said angrily.
"He's dead, and don't you dare speak ill of the dead to me." I said harshly, jabbing a finger in his chest. Rena pulled me away, and I continued, "The only reason why I'm here at all is because his ghost told me to pay you back."
"Oh, so the little thief would make good now, eh?" The old crab asked, more remorsefully. "My sailing days are over – now I'm a shipwright, refitting ships. I get by with salvaged wood, but there's no decent rope for rigging."
"How much would it take to pay Manny's debt?" I asked.
"Six gold coins and twenty silvers." Uncle Scuttles answered. I reached into my money pouch and quickly counted out the twenty six coins before handing them to Uncle Scuttles.
"I thank you, Pirate. Go tell Manny… tell him I forgive him." Uncle Scuttles said sadly in the memory of Manny.
I nodded. "I will, sir." Then turning to the crew, I said quietly, "Let's find Crimson Jake. He's the one who Moe lost the locket to."
Uncle Scuttles pointed us in the right direction, and we knocked on his door. A burly man with a black beard and a hook for hand wearing red clothes, hence the name "Crimson Jake," opened it.
"We're here to talk to you about Moe." I said. Crimson Jake held the door open and we all went inside.
"Moe the Wharf Rat, sure I remember him." Crimson Jake said as we sat down at his table.
"We're here for the locket you won from him." I said.
"Ah, he sent you for the locket, did he? Ha! He lost it to me fair and square!" Crimson Jake laughed. I clenched my fists, but Rena put a comforting hand on my shoulder.
"He's dead." I said, giving him a hard stare. Crimson Jake immediately stopped laughing.
"Moe's dead, you say? Well, that's no concern of mine. Some lads are lucky, and some aren't. If he's dead, what do you need it for?" Crimson Jake asked, shrugging.
"It was a gift from the love of his life." I answered, and Crimson Jake nodded.
"Ah. That's quite a tale. That's tragic, really. Reminds me of a girl who…" Crimson Jake said with a dreamy look in his eye. I gave him another hard stare. "Who – what, you don't want to help me too? Only helping ghosts, are we?" I intensified my stare, and he cracked.
"Alright, the locket's not here, but I know where it is. Go catch me some batacuda for my dinner, and I'll tell you where to find it." Crimson Jake answered.
As we left Crimson Jake's house, we boarded the Highwind with heavy hearts. If I catch Ratbeard, I'll make sure he pays for what he's done.