Dead Reckoning

Chapter Eleven

Days ago, back in Neverland…

Bishop and his men followed the Lost Boys through the forest back to their camp in silence while the now fully grown brute seethed in anger upon learning of Pan's death that didn't come by his own hands. None of the boys were any more forthcoming with information in regard to how their leader had come to leave Neverland only to be killed by his own son. It was clear they were waiting to get back to the camp so that whoever was in charge of them now could speak for them, that is if anyone was actually in charge of this rabble.

It turned out that no one did lead them anymore as the Lost Boys now ran around wild and free, though there were few of the older boys who were more dominating than the rest and one of them spoke as Bishop and his crewmen were led into the camp as he asked, "Badrick? Is that really you? You've gotten so old. And big."

The brute glared up at the boy he remembered from when he lived on this island long ago and then answered coldly, "I am no longer Badrick. I go by Bishop now, Ace. And I have gotten old… because I have spent the last thirty-two years fighting to find my way back here to Neverland after your beloved leader banished me from this world. None of you stood up for me!"

"None of us stood up for you because all of us respected and loved Pan," the boy who went by the name Ace responded when he jumped down to the ground from his perch above them, then stood beside the bonfire, in front of the newcomers. "You tried to spark an uprising against him. But you failed. And now you've finally returned an old man, so you can try to kill him. Unfortunately for us, the Dark One beat you to it. Fortunately for us, I can see it makes you angry that you can't kill him yourself."

"Even if he was still here, you would never be able to kill him," another of the boys curtly added. "He was much too powerful."

Bishop sneered, "Why do you think it took the Dark One to finally help that evil child to meet his end?"

Ace kept his eyes trained on the large man still standing before him and then spoke again saying, "So, your reason for being here is no longer possible. Which means we have to decide whether or not we let you and your men live. We could kill you."

"You could try, but you would not succeed," the brute replied as he rose his axe up higher to prepare for an attack should it come, while his crewmen did the same with their own weapons. "At least not in killing me. No matter how many of you there are now."

"You're awfully confident of yourself," another of the Lost Boys retorted angrily. "I say we kill them!"

Ace looked around between the rest of his tribe while they all seemed to have mixed feelings on how to deal with the man who had once been one of their own, then he turned back to Bishop and answered coldly, "You came here with the desire to kill Pan and to attack us if necessary to get to him. However, because your reason for returning has already been dealt with and you haven't tried to fight yourselves free… and because you were once one of us, we're going to spare your life and the lives of your men. You're free to live somewhere among the island so long as it's not here within our camp. It's only right since you've spent the last… thirty-two years, was it? To find your way back here."

Bishop glared at him as he responded, "I have spent three decades searching for any kind of magic that would help me find my way home. I killed many men to get my hands on what I needed to become the man Peter Pan made me when he banished me from this realm. I am now the brute you once mocked me of being. To some degree, I suppose I owe you for making me what I am. So, I will simply say… thank you. We have an accord. But should you and the rest of your tribe come against us at any time, we will become enemies and I will stop at nothing to kill you as I would have killed Pan."

Ace smiled as he replied, "Agreed."

After Bishop and his men were escorted from the camp by some of the Lost Boys and then released, they parted their separate ways and the pirates walked deeper through island's forest in search for somewhere to set up their own camp. When finally doing so, while the brute's men worked to make themselves at home and to build a fire, Bishop separated from them to find himself a quiet place to be alone while he struggled to come to terms with his disappointment upon being unable to get his revenge.

"It's been a long time, old friend," a menacing voice suddenly called out to him from somewhere amongst the shadows surrounding the brute, as Bishop immediately stood back on his feet and pulled up his axe once more while he looked around for the new invader. "I haven't come to fight. I simply wish to talk."

"Where are you?" the big man asked curtly. "Show yourself!"

Finally, the source of the voice appeared from behind the brute until it flew around and floated in the air above him, as Bishop saw the voice had come from a shadow still around from long ago without its host, then he uttered, "Who are you? And why have you come to me?"

The shadow shook its head, then answered, "I'm hurt you don't recognize my voice even if it has been a long time. I was killed nearly sixty years before you were banished from this world. At my life's end, I can honestly say you were one of my only friends. Even Pan showed his true colors when he didn't to come to my aid when I needed him to."

"Rufio?" Bishop questioned upon recognizing the entity at last.

"Hello, Badrick," it responded. "Clearly my body isn't alive any longer, but my shadow still lives because I was fortunate enough to suspect death was coming for me. So, I freed my shadow and went into hiding as Rufio told me to so Pan wouldn't know I still existed should I die and he didn't. I was killed a few nights later."

The brute nodded as he sat on a boulder nearby, then replied, "I remember. So why have you revealed yourself to me now?"

The shadow would have smiled if it could, but instead it simply answered, "You may not be able to have your vengeance against Pan, but I can provide you restitution for what he stole from you."

"And what is that?" Bishop asked curtly while he glared up at the entity still floating above him.

"I can give you back your youth, just as the shadow that became Pan's did for him so many years ago," it responded, then floated down so it was eye level with the man. "If one's shadow remains unattached long enough after their host has died, we gain… certain abilities. But if you agree, you have to be willing to do something for me first. This rare gift isn't something I can simply give you for nothing."

The large man stared at the entity skeptically as he asked, "If you can restore the years Pan took from me, I would do anything. What do you require I do?"

The shadow continued, "I need you to travel to a far away land called Storybrooke. It's a magical town surrounded by a non-magical realm and it's well protected unless you have a way inside, which I can provide. There you will find Captain Hook, who still lives and claims himself a hero. Hook stole my life from me, but you're the only one who can help me gain my own revenge. I believe you have a grudge against him as well, for defeating you in the duel the two of you fought back then. I can give you a gift that will ensure you victory over him this time. What do you say, Bishop? Can you kill Hook so we both can have what we want?"

"Killing Hook will be a great pleasure for which no reward is necessary, but most appreciated nevertheless," Bishop replied smugly. "I have a ship and a crew, but how do I get to this… Storybrooke?"

"I will show you the way," the entity said quietly and then motioned for the brute to follow.