"We're nearly there! Just a little while longer before we're at Dagger Tooth." Zhen announced as he and Koa came up from below deck. "Sweet! Before we know it, we'll be cutting through the Devil's Shroud!" Stella smiled, before looking towards Ali who was standing at the wheel, seeming lost in thought, "Ali? You ok?"

"Hm? Oh! Um, y-yeah…" Ali stuttered. "Ali…" Stella gave Ali a look that clearly stated she wasn't buying it. Ali sighed before looking off to the side shyly, "I…um, I don't want to give our captain orders, but…I think…I think you should be cautious around Jim…"

"What makes you say that, Al?" Zhen asked. "Yeah, Jim was really nice while I was there." Stella added, confused. "It's just…" Ali began, "I've heard rumours among the Bilge Rats of…of what he did a few years ago…"

"Rumours?"

Ali nodded, "A-apparently…Jim betrayed his old crew; the Forsaken Alliance. They were the first to discover the Devil's Roar. There, they found this strange chest. Jim took it for himself and killed off the rest of the alliance members, except for the captain: Grace Morrow. He then fled the Devil's Roar and wasn't seen again for a long time."

"You…you're serious…?" Stella was floored by this information. She remembered that back on the Reaper's Hideout, Jim was very hesitant to talk about his old crew. Was this why…? "W-well, that's just rumour, but a lot of pirates seem to believe it…" Ali replied. It was when she noticed Stella's solemn expression that she scrambled to backtrack, "B-b-but like I said! A rumour! So, there's a chance it's false, r-right? Maybe he is really nice, a-and, um…I'll just g-go and…check my maps…" Ali awkwardly shuffled down the stairs and went below deck. "Um…you ok, Stella?" Koa asked. "Y-yeah!" Stella forced a smile, "Just still a little hungover from last night, that's all. I'm gonna go rest in my quarters for a while."

Stella hopped down the stairs and entered her room. As soon as she closed the door, she slid down with her back against the door. There was no way that was true, right? Jim had been so friendly to her during their time there. She pulled the scroll from her belt and thought back to Jim's song. She remembered how his expression turned regretful as he reached the last few lyrics. 'Just ask the souls who came before…those poor forgotten sailors…' Was he talking about his crew? Did he regret what he did? Why was she even getting so worked up over this?!

Stella ran her hands through her hair and let out a frustrated sigh. She felt a weight on her lap as Nevado, who she hadn't noticed was also in the room, nuzzled into her lap with a concerned expression. Stella sighed and gave the pup a cuddle, "Thanks, Nevado. I needed this." Nevado gave Stella a lick on the cheek, earning a giggle from the captain as she stood up with Nevado in her arms and made her way over to the bed where she lay down, placing Nevado beside her. "Maybe I'll feel better after a nap." Stella muttered as she let herself drift off to sleep.


"…mn…w-where…?"

Stella opened her eyes and found herself surrounded by darkness. "H-hello? Ali? Koa? Zhen? Nevado? Where are you guys?" Stella called out as she walked forward, but it was so dark, she couldn't even tell if she was moving anywhere. Suddenly, Stella had to shield her eyes as her surroundings exploded into flames. She felt her breathing quicken as she began to panic. Glancing around, she saw Jim standing amongst the flames with his back turned to her. "Jim!" Stella ran towards him but stumbled backwards as a large wall of flames blocked her path. It disappeared to reveal two flaming eyes staring down at her from above. Stella shakily began to take a few steps back in fear when out of nowhere, the ground gave way to a pool of lava, and she began to fall. Stella screamed as she was about to hit the lava's surface.

Stella shot up in a cold sweat. She frantically looked around her. She was still in her quarters. No fire. No lava. No flaming eyes. Just her room with the gently sound of the waves lapping at the outside of the ship. Nevado leapt up from where he was sleeping and pawed at her with worry in his eyes. "I'm…I'm ok, boy." Stella sighed, calming herself down, "It was…it was just a nightmare."

*Knock, knock, knock*

"Captain? We're at the outpost. You awake?" Stella heard Koa's voice through the door. "Y-yeah, I'm up! I'll be right there!" Stella got out of bed and grabbed her cloak that was hanging by the door as well as the Shroudbreaker that was sitting on her desk. Stella took another deep breath to calm herself before exiting her room.

'Just gotta hand this in and then we're on our way to the Shores of Gold. We can do this!'


"It's not complete?!"

Stella exclaimed as the stranger looked over the Shroudbreaker, "I'm afraid so. There should be four jewels set in the base that grant the Shroudbreaker its power, but they've been removed. Without them, you won't last five minutes in that fog."

"I knew it was too easy…" Ali sighed. "Well, how do we find the jewels?" Zhen asked, "They gotta be around somewhere, right?"

"Let me think…" the stranger took a moment before continuing, "Now let me think...I did hear tell that Captain Briggsy made it to the Shores of Gold. If that's true, she might know the whereabouts of these missing stones. Not that she'd ever say."

"Why not?" Koa asked.

"Sometimes, even the best pirates fall victim to their greed or hatred, and it changes them. Strips the flesh from their bones. Gives 'em power but twisted 'em up inside. Briggsy is one such abomination. People call them Skeleton Lords and most pirates flee at their approach. Not even the Order of Souls dares challenge them, and rightfully so, but you… you are going to have to hunt one down."

"P-p-please tell me you're joking?!" Ali squeaked.

"I wouldn't joke about this. I have eyes and ears across the Sea of Thieves, if you gather any of the missing pieces, I'll see they're restored to the Shroudbreaker on your behalf."

Stella sighed, "Looks like we don't have a choice. How do we find her?"

"For now, head to Plunder Outpost and speak with Madame Olivia about Briggsy's whereabouts. Remember, Skeleton Lords are NOT to be taken lightly."

As the four pirates exited the tavern, they all sighed in unison. "I guess this is what we get for getting our hopes up, eh?"

"Well, it's not impossible, right?" Stella added, trying to be positive, "All we have to do is track down Briggsy and find the remaining gems."

"You make it sound so easy…" Ali whimpered, "Skeleton Lords are really vicious! They're former powerful pirates cursed with immortality. Even if they're defeated, they can come back in a matter of days."

"Then we just have to make sure we win." Stella replied with a confident grin. "I envy you sometimes, Stella…" Ali sighed. "Stella has a point." Koa began, "If we stick together, we can do this."

"That's the spirit!" Stella grinned, "Let's head back to the Icebreaker and set our course for Plunder Outpost! We have a long way to go!

"Aye-aye, captain!"

As they ran back towards the docks, none of them noticed a certain bounty hunter watching from the roof of the tavern. As soon as she was sure they were out of earshot, Ais leapt down from the roof, cape billowing out behind her.

"So,"

Ais turned to see a tall woman with tanned skin, dark hair, and brown eyes. She wore a red sash around her head, a white blouse, leather corset, tattered black trousers held up with a belt made of rope and a metal ring along with a red sash, a single black glove, and black boots with belts around them. "The Glacial Dragons are heading for the Shores of Gold?" she asked. "Good to see you too, Larinna." Ais replied, "And yeah. Looks like it."

"That means they'll probably end up encountering HIM, right?" Larinna said, taking a bite from a mango.

Ais fell silent.

"Look, I know your relation to him." Larinna sighed, "If you don't do something, they will. Or worse, he might do something to them."

"You don't think I know that?!" Ais growled.

"Watch your tongue there, wolfy, I was just saying."

"…"

"…look. If you really care about him, you're gonna have to shove that fear of yours aside and do something. You can't avoid him forever."

"Ceart, ceart, tá a fhios agam." Ais sighed, "By the by, it seems like lil' Icewind met a certain Stitcher."

"Is that so?" Larinna folded her arms.

"Yup. I still don't know why you're letting him join the Bilge Rats. Unless you wanna follow Morrow's footsteps. Except you might not be as lucky."

"It was Duke's idea. Jim'll be working under him and him alone. And who knows, maybe spending time with the lil' dragon might knock some sense into him."

"Maybe…" Ais muttered before stretching, "Either or, Imma keep a close eye on those dragons, and you should keep one on Jim. I dunno about you, but I don't like that 'beloved' of his. Rubs me the wrong way."

"Will do."

Ais was about to make her way to where she had her ship hidden on the other side of the outpost when Larinna spoke up again, "Oh, and Ais?"

"Mm?"

"Don't falter if you see him. Maybe things won't turn out as bad as that pessimistic mind of yours thinks it will."

"I'm a realist, not a pessimist." Ais replied, not turning around, "But I'll keep that in mind…"

With that, Ais walked away. Larinna just chuckled to herself before taking another bite of her mango, leaning against one of the tavern's poles, "Things are really livening up around here…"

To Be Continued…