Pirate101 Fanfic Story Chapter 24
Battle in the Tomb
Historian Gonzago then had a sudden thought and said "There might be hope yet! Listen, the Armada has taken crates of books, including my own, to a Stronghold on the other end of the Skyway, near Steed's House. My journal has information to where Marco Pollo's Map Piece is, get it and I'll help you." Danny nodded and went back to the Docks and back on board the Monquistan Ship, still cursing the disguise's stiffness and as they sailed away from Sivella, Danny finally got out of the disguise, sweating like he just recently jumped in a pool and breathing heavily. He said in between breaths "I… HATE… the… Armada… so… much!" Gaspard then got Danny a cushion and Bonnie got him a bottle of cold water, which Danny drank it all in a single go. He then breathed in and out a few times before saying "Thank you guys." Danny then hugged Gaspard and Bonnie when the ship had docked at the Armada Stronghold, when Danny wanted to take a rest because of the Disguise. His crew understood and Queen Gummy licked her master in affection before coming along with the crew into the Armada Stronghold.
Gaspard, Wing Chun, Bonnie and Romba entered the Stronghold to encounter Armada Snipers, Sharpshooters and a Captain, when Wing glanced at Gaspard as said "Little rodent, can you roll well?" Gaspard looked up at Wing crossly, stamping his Halberd hard on the floor "Of course I can, if the situation calls for it!" Wing then curled Gaspard into a ball and retorted "Trust me, it calls for it!" He then kicked Gaspard like a soccer ball at the Armada troops and they took heavy damage after every 'bounce' from Gaspard, before being inactive and sparked faultily. Gaspard then uncurled himself and turned to Wing and said calmly "Don't do that again." Wing then went over to the crates and searched through them, before saying "Nope. No cuckoo book here, maybe in the Captain's Desk?" Gaspard groaned and replied "Alright, but not me this time!" They then went up the stairs and searched the Armada Captain's Desk, but found a message cipher, which they took anyway as it might help. As they turned to the stairs, 10 Armada Sharpshooters aimed their rifles at them, when a wrecking ball fell on them and rolled down the stairs towards the dock. Bonnie rushed down the stairs first, concerned about Danny, when she was relieved that the wrecking ball had just lodged in the supports to the Stronghold. Then without warning, the Stronghold began to tilt towards the Monquistan Ship and Danny yelled "Get back to the Ship, NOW!" Bonnie, Wing, Ratbeard, Gaspard and Queen Gummy rushed back to the ship and grabbed on the netting on the side of the ship. As Ratbeard, Gaspard, Wing and Queen Gummy got on the main deck, Bonnie slipped and held onto the netting for dear life. Danny then grabbed the rope near the main mast and tied his waist to it and did a Swan Dive just as Bonnie lost her grip; Danny then grabbed Bonnie in his arms as Ratbeard, Gaspard, Wing, Romba, Chantal and Louis gripped the rope. Bonnie sobbed lightly in Danny's chest as he said gently "I got you, Bon Bon. I got you." They were then hoisted up back onto the deck and Danny helped Bonnie into the Captain's Cabin, settling her down into a hammock. Danny then sat down next to Bonnie and gave her a gentle hug, who hugged him back and said "Thank you, Cappie. Thank you so much." They held on their hug for a few minutes before they break away and gently headbutted each other before Danny pecked her forehead, making her blush. Danny then got off the hammock and exited the Captain's Cabin, before Ratbeard gave him the Armada Disguise and said "Danny, that was such an amazing Swan Dive. I know you're a decent shot, but I never knew you had such diving skills as well." Danny felt flattered and puts on the disguise, retorting "Man, I HATE this disguise." Ratbeard grunts and replied "I bet it does…"
After going by Gondola, Danny went, this time by Ratbeard, Louis and Scratch, to the Amphitheatre and gave Historian Gonzago the ciphered message, telling him there is no books at the Stronghold. Gonzago looked distressed and examined the cipher before explaining he isn't fluent in deciphering, but a local named Magdelena Vendelino is; he then directed them to her, who is actually (and literally) just around the corner and Danny gave her the ciphered message, who then explained it is only a simple cipher and it read that the books were transferred to Cadiz, expressing some fear in her. Danny then took the deciphered message and gave it to Historian Gonzago, who shuddered as he read the message. He then said, expressing reluctance "Let the books go; Cadiz is the center of Kane's Power. All hope is lost, perhaps forever..." A voice then said from behind "Perhaps not…" Danny turned around and saw another scholar, who introduced himself as Aldomar and he continued "Sivella isn't the only place with history of Marco Pollo, young man. Tell me, have you ever heard of Granchia?" Danny shook his head and Aldomar explained it is a small islet not far from Sivella to the North-East and it has an ancient village where Marco Pollo retired and is entombed. His colleague named Lorenzo is over there writing a book and will help them find Marco Pollo's Tomb – provided they get over there. Danny thanked Lorenzo for the information and he, Ratbeard, Louis and Scratch went back to the ship and sailed to Granchia, as Bonnie recovered from the event and pulled Danny into an embracing hug, who hugged her back before they nuzzled their noses and pecked their lips before gazing at each other's eyes endearingly. As they arrived at Granchia, the sight was horrible: The Armada is digging away the village and most of the buildings are heavily damaged; Danny then said "They are such an obstacle…" His crew, also wide eyed, nodded silently and went on the dock to see a Scholar, which is most likely Lorenzo, cowering near the dock and is startled when he hears footsteps and exclaimed "Who goes there?!" He saw Danny and his crew and gave a sigh of relief before continuing in a gentle, yet shaky voice "I thought it might be more Clockworks. As you can see, they're destroying Granchia with their terrible machines, but you don't know they're also going to use their Grand Machine to enslave everyone and everything in the Spiral!" Danny looked at the Grand Machine and hardened his resolve, before saying "Excuse me, Lorenzo, we're looking for Marco Pollo's Tomb. We need to get there before the Armada does." Lorenzo gazed at Danny's face and saw he wasn't bluffing, so he directed them to the intact Chapel as it is the resting place for the late Marco Pollo. Danny thanked Lorenzo and he and his crew went to the Chapel and Ratbeard cursed because it is blocked by too much rubble, which Danny remarked "Yeah, that would have been too easy, really…" Bonnie then suggested they talked with Lorenzo of another way in as Danny saw a couple of plots with an empty pipe sticking out near the edge of the village to the East. Danny then followed suit and Lorenzo isn't surprised with the complication, then then rubbed his chin and snapped his fingers and said "Well, how about you try the Old Catacombs underneath the village? They all lead to the Chapel." Danny then nodded and led his crew to the land he saw a few moments ago and they coincidentally lead into the Old Catacombs. Danny then readied his Pistol and Shield as his crew readied their weapons and they ventured into the Old Catacombs, passing by guarding Armada and proceeded up a ladder at the end of a corridor into Marco Pollo's Tomb.
When they entered the tomb, they saw it was already pillaged, save for a Blue Windstone, when an explosion came from above and Armada troops came from above, led by a Jester Clockwork named Phule (pronounced 'Fool', not 'Fuel' on those who are confused.) He then said that they've already got the Map Piece weeks ago, and told them that any hope for resisting the Armada isn't coming, so he ordered the squadron to take them in chains before jumping up into the hole above. Two notable Armada troops are ordering the lesser troops to attack Danny and his crew, when Queen Gummy is carrying a wrecking ball and stood in front of Danny, mystifying the squadron. Queen Gummy then twirled the wrecking ball around and rolled it towards the armada troops, scaring them to the point that they shaped themselves into bowling pins and, albeit comically, the wrecking ball bowled through them and a buzzer is heard in the background. Phule then peeked his head over the hole and asked the squadron "Are you okay?" An armada troop then replied before shutting down "FINLAND!"* Danny and his crew sniggered at the reply and grabbed the Blue Windstone before exiting the Old Catacombs and going on board the Monquistan Ship and sailed to Steed's home and before they said a word, Steed said "No need to tell me. The Armada has the utmost tendency to assure defeat for their foes… however, there is one more piece of hope."