The Glacial Dragons entered the Unicorn Tavern on Ancient Spire Outpost. It was quiet that day with only a passed-out pirate on a table – clearly having drunk too much – and the tavernkeeper Tasha cleaning a tankard at the bar. She put the tankard down as she saw the crew approach the bar, "The Glacial Dragons, right? I hear you ran into Briggsy. About time someone took care of that rotten bag of bones!"

"You already know that?" Stella seemed surprised. "Word travels fast in the Sea of Thieves." Tasha shrugged, "So I'm guessing you're here to gather info on those missing Shroudbreaker pieces, right?"

Stella nodded.

"Well, Briggsy used to drink here, in my tavern. When she was alive, I mean. I always looked forward to the nights she arrived, all gold and glamour. I was just a girl then, of course." A nostalgic smile appeared on Tasha's face, "She used to tell such stories, all about where she'd been and the adventures she'd had. I'd write them all down, add pictures, and dream that I was sailing to those places too. Dad told me not to listen. "No truth ever rolled off a pirate's tongue", he'd say. But kids have to believe in something, don't they? You need heroes to help you grow up. But…" Tasha's expression turned sour, "…in the end, I realised two things. Briggsy was a liar, and she was gone. Worse than gone! She'd become another rotten skelly lord, plundering and scaring decent folks."

Tasha shook her head, as if to shake the memories from her head, before ducking under the bar and popping back up with what looked like an old book that had a child's drawing of what seemed to be Briggsy back when she was a human. Take my book if you think it'll help. I just wish there was more to it than a bunch of made-up stories. Still..." A small hopeful smile appeared on the tavernkeeper's face, "...if it does lead you anywhere interesting, come back and tell me about it. I want some REAL adventures to write about!"

"We will." Stella nodded. As the crew left, she couldn't help but notice a sad expression on Tasha's face as they turned away. Stella wanted to tell her about what really happened to Briggsy and how much she missed her but didn't want Tasha to see her the way she way, but Stella knew that chances were Tasha wouldn't believe her.

"So where to first?" Zhen asked as the crew boarded the Icebreaker, Nevado eagerly greeting them with his tail wagging. Stella kneeled down to pet the icy pooch before opening the book. "Oh my gosh, these doodles are so cute!" Stella cooed with stars in her eyes. The book was pages and pages of adorable childlike drawings of Briggsy on adventures. Stella studied the first one carefully. It showed Briggsy leaving Ancient Spire Outpost and heading to an island that reminded Stella if Thieves' Haven. It showed her climbing up what looked like some sort of serpent and flying out of its mouth into a crow's nest , before seeming to climb another serpent and crossing a bridge. There she walked through a path of fire and…fought a three-headed monster? "Koa, are there three-headed monsters in the Sea of Thieves?" Stella asked, visibly confused. "Not that I've ever encountered." Koa replied. "Can I see?" Ali asked. Stella nodded, handing the navigator the book. "Hmm…well judging by some of the landmarks Tasha drew, this definitely looks like Thieves' Haven. Haha! I like the addition of the entrance looking like a monster! Aha! I think I know what she was referring to now!" Ali exclaimed, "Near the top of Thieves' Haven is a stone statue of three heads. I bet that's where Briggsy buried our first clue."

"Leave it to our expert cartographer to solve the mystery!" Zhen cheered. Ali blushed, hiding the lower half of her face with the book, "I-it's nothing, really. Anyone could've figured it out. I just…just know the islands pretty well."

"Not as quickly as you did." Koa countered, "Your knowledge of the islands is more detailed than any map I've seen or navigator I've met."

"I-I-I'm gonna get ready to c-cast off!" Ali's face was a bright red as she handed the book back to Stella and rushed down to the map room to plot the course. "How the heck does someone so freaking adorable get dragged into the pirate's life?" Zhen asked with a chuckle. "No clue." Koa replied with a smile.


"INCOMING!"

"ZHEN- WAIT- NO- OOF!"

Koa barely managed to avoid falling out of the crow's nest as Zhen flew straight into him.

"Zhen…" Koa groaned as he removed the pyromaniac of a gunner from on top of him.

"I said incoming!" Zhen laughed.

"You say that BEFORE you fire yourself out of the cannon, not while you're flying through the air with no time for anyone to move!"

"Sounds like a you problem."

"It's really not!"

"You guys coming or what?" Stella yelled from across the bridge. "Coming! But I might need healing for my Zhen-induced broken back." Koa yelled back, earning a blown raspberry from Zhen, before climbing up to the bridge. The crew followed Ali, who was using her own map to navigate the island, up to the top of the island. "The heads should be right around…aha! Trovato!" Ali smiled as she dashed over to three heads carved out of stone, "If I had to guess, whatever we're looking for should be buried here in this sandy area."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get to digging!" Stella took out her shovel and began digging in the sand. It only took a couple of digs for something to stick out of the sand. It was a key with a picture of a chalice on the handle. "A key?" Stella held up the key, examining it. "A key means a chest, usually." Zhen added, "Or something that's locked, anyway."

"But weren't there three adventures in Tasha's book?" Koa asked. "Koa's right." Ali replied, "So maybe there's two keys? Or two chests with the same key?"

"Only one way to find out." Stella replied, tossing the key into the air and catching it, "Let's keep the search going!"


"I am not looking forward to the long trip back to the outpost from here…" Zhen moaned as the Icebreaker entered through the arch of Smuggler's Bay, "We practically have to cross the entire Sea of Thieves to get back!"

"How about this? If you promise not to groan the whole way back, your drinks are on me. Deal?" Koa said as he raised the sails. "Deal!" Zhen grinned as the ship began to come to a stop. "Where to, Ali?" Stella asked as Ali compared the wooden plank to her island notes. The crew had dug up another key and a chest on the other two islands which revealed a wooden plank that had a scenery carved in it. On the back was the coordinates to Smuggler's Bay. Ali picked up the plank and turned to Stella, "Ok, so this plank seemed to depict an overturned rowboat with the arch in the background. I believe this little hole is where we need to dig. So, we just have to line up the scenery and we'll know where to dig."

"Aye. I wonder what she hid here…?" Stella wondered aloud as she and Ali climbed down the ship's ladder into the waters below, "Whatever it is, it should help complete the Shroudbreaker."

"Right!" Ali nodded before noticing something on the shore, "Ah! There's the rowboat!"

"Nice eye, Ali!" Zhen cheered as he landed in the water, "Let's hurry and get the treasure so we can get back and Koa can buy me drinks!"

"Please don't get yourself wasted…" Koa sighed, immediately regretting his decision.

Ali sat on a rock as Stella, Koa, and Zhen began digging in the area marked by the plank. She found herself becoming lost in thought. Briggsy…out of everyone in the crew – a magic ice-dragon-girl, a sword-swinging former reaper, and a pyromaniac bomb-slinger – and she was impressed by the timid navigator who barely knows how to use a basic dagger? Was it out of pity? Was she actually impressed by Ali simply stabbing her in the back? Or was it something else…?

Ali was snapped out of her thoughts by something moving out of the corner of her eye. Ali gasped as she spotted a skeleton quietly emerging from the sand behind the group. Ali gasped, freezing up as she watched the sword-wielding skelly emerge. Ali wanted to run but remembered what Briggsy had asked of her. Briggsy wanted her to get stronger…but to do that, she'd have to get braver. Ali grabbed her dagger, took a few deep breaths, and jumped off the rock, charging at the skeleton. She yelled as she ran, trying to block out the thoughts telling her to run the other way as she jumped the skeleton, stabbing it in the back right before it swung down at the unsuspecting Stella. The skeleton struggled a bit before skeleton exploded into a pile of bones. "Ali?!" Stella exclaimed, not expecting the scene behind her. Before Ali could say anything, she heard more skeletons emerging from behind. Ali spun on her heel to see three more skeletons emerging. Three skeletons. Three daggers in her belt. She had one shot per skelly. Ali calmed her nerves and took out her daggers. As soon as the skeletons were close enough, Ali lined up her aim with the skeletons as threw a dagger at each of them.

*SHINK, SHINK, SHINK!*

With pinpoint accuracy, each dagger embedded itself into the skeletons' skulls, causing all three to explode.

All was quiet, except for Ali's heavy, shaky breathing. The navigator fell back onto the sand, still breathing shakily, her hands shaking, "I…I did it…"

"Ali, that was so cool!" Zhen exclaimed, "You weren't kidding about that darts aim!"

"Are you ok?" Stella asked, concerned. "I…I think so…I'm just…I don't know…" Ali replied shakily.

"Well, good news." Koa announced, "I think we found it."

Sure enough, something gold was peeking out of the sand, the sunlight catching it. Koa reached down and hoisted it out of the sand. It looked like the crown Tasha wore in one of her drawings in the book. It was made of stone and gold with a red gem in the middle. "I bet you that gem goes in one of the Shroudbreaker's hole!" Zhen tapped the glowing gem on the crown, "If that's the case, then it's one down and three to go!"

"Let's head back to the outpost then." Stella then turned to Ali, "Can you stand?"

"M-my legs feel like jello…" Ali mumbled. "Here, I gotcha." Stella helped Ali to her feet and slung one of the navigator's arms over her shoulder as she helped her back to the ship with Zhen collecting her daggers.


Ali looked over the railing at the crystal blue waves as the Icebreaker made its way back to the outpost. Stella walked over to her, "How are you feeling?"

"A little better…" Ali replied quietly. The two stood in silence for a while before Ali spoke again, "…that was the most terrifying thing I've ever done. My brain kept telling me to run the other way but…I didn't want to. It's like someone else took control and I just…went for it. But I couldn't stop shaking."

Stella smiled, "Wanna know what that was?"

Ali nodded.

"Bravery."

"E-eh? B-but I was scared the whole time! I was terrified!"

"Exactly."

Ali just seemed more confused before Stella continued, "When I was 7, I was scared of the water. I didn't want to go anywhere near it. But one day, I was playing with a ball and accidentally tossed it into the sea. I loved that ball, but I was so scared of going in the water. So, I closed my eyes, and I just ran into the water saying over and over again, 'I can do this, I can do this'. And before I knew it, I was walking out of the water with my ball. Little did I know, mom was watching me. She told me that what I did was very brave. I was confused because I didn't feel brave. In fact, I was really scared the whole time. But that's when she told me something that stuck with me ever since. 'Bravery isn't the absence of fear. It's the ability to do things in spite of it'. You were terrified of fighting the skeletons, but you did it anyway because you didn't want us to get hurt. Like how I didn't want to lose my favourite ball."

"I…never thought of it like that before…" Ali muttered before nodding with a determined expression, "Ok. If that's the case…then I'll keep trying to be brave! B-because…no matter how scary it gets…I'll have you guys right behind me!"

"That's the spirit!" Stella grinned.

"LAND HO! DRINKS TIME!"

"Oh ancients, help us…"

Ali and Stella laughed at poor Koa as the outpost became visible on the horizon. "C'mon." Stella smiled, "Let's go deliver this to Tasha."

"Yeah. She'll want to hear this story!" Ali nodded happily.


Tasha was putting tankards away under the bar when she heard footsteps enter the bar and a small thunk on the bar. "I'll be right there!" Tasha yelled before popping up, "So what can I-?" Tasha gasped at the object lying on the bar's counter. There was the ancient crown depicted in her drawings, with the Glacial Dragons on the other side of the bar. "Found it." Stelle grinned. "This crown...it's the one from Briggsy's stories! I can't believe it...she was... telling the truth, after all." Tasha gently picked up the crown, as if it could fall apart at any moment, "It is even more beautiful than I dreamed it would be...I guess Briggsy really was a great adventurer before the curse."

"Tasha…I didn't tell you this when we were here earlier, because I didn't think you'd believe me." Stella began, "But Briggsy never intended to become a skeleton lord. She made it to the Shores of Gold but got cursed while she was there. She ended up working under another skeleton lord called the Gold Hoarder in exchange for finding a cure but has had no luck so far. But I found out that my mom – the captain of the original Glacial Dragons – had the power to heal curses, and I promised her that once I find a way to unlock that power myself, I'll turn her back into a human. The reason she never showed her face to you, or her crew afterwards was because not only did she not want you to see her like this, but she has a hard time restraining the bloodlust all skeleton lords possess and doesn't want to hurt you."

"Oh Briggsy…" Tasha sighed before falling silent for a moment as she leaned on the counter, setting the crown down beside her. Then a small smile appeared on her face, "You know…maybe it doesn't matter if everything she said was true. The dreams she left me were real, and those are what matter most. I miss those dreams...the world wants us to grow up so fast but being able to see every day like it's a new adventure...we only learn that when we're young...I reckon that's something worth holding on to."

Stella nodded in agreement, as she set Tasha's old book onto the counter beside the crown, "My mom believed the same thing. Everyday can be an adventure. It's only a matter of going out and turning it into one." Tasha took the book and flipped through some of the pages, smiling in nostalgia at her drawings. She stopped as she came across some remaining blank pages, "You know what? There are still a few pages left...space enough for me to add stories of my own! This tavern was Dad's dream, not mine." Tasha's nostalgic smile turned to a determined one, "I'm going to do it! Raise some coin, find a sloop and live my own adventures, just like you and Briggsy."

"Go for it! I'm sure Briggsy would be happy to hear you're making your own waves in the sea." Stella smiled. Tasha picked up the crown and stored it safely under the bar, "I'll clean up the relic you found and pass it onto your mysterious friend. Maybe next time we meet, we'll be out there on the Sea of Thieves!"

"You bet! Maybe we could even form an alliance for a treasure hunt or two." Stella suggested, "There's never a shortage of things to find in the sea, that's for sure."

"Deal!"

Tasha and Stella shook hands. "Well, I've got some work to do now. Gotta work on getting the funds together and selling this old place. But you better let me know when Briggsy is back to her old self, yeah? Tell her that she owes me quite a few adventures and I can't wait to sail the seas with her like she promised. But for now, the first rounds on the house for you four, as thanks for giving me hope again!"

"Oh, thank the Ancients…" Koa muttered under his breath, thankfully drowned out by Zhen's cheers.


As Zhen recounted their adventure to Tasha, with Koa correcting the over-exaggerated bits, Stella noticed Ali had stepped outside. Stella followed her out to see the young ginger leaning on the railing, watching the sunset. Stella quietly walked over and leaned on the railing beside her. They both stood in comfortable silence for a bit before Ali spoke up, "Did…I ever tell you about how I got here? How I became a pirate?" Stella shook her head. "Well…I grew up in Syracuse, Italy. Piracy was really frowned upon there. If you were associated with a pirate in any way, it was execution for you. My family were pretty rich…and they weren't afraid to let everyone know. They prided themselves on their 'image' and they were a little strict when raising me and my siblings…ok, they were VERY strict. I was always the black sheep of the family. All my siblings were extroverted and the life of the party. Me? I preferred to be alone by the sea and making maps. As a kid, I liked to make pretend treasure maps and follow them on make-believe adventures. My parents always shamed me whenever I came home covered in dirt and said I was too childish for such novelties. I was 8."

"Oof…"

"Yeah, it hurt. But it was because of those treasure maps that I realised I had a knack for cartography. So, when I was 18, I would go down to the coast and make maps to sell to sailors and tourists. It was great! I could be myself, get away from by snobby family, do something I love, and even make money from it! Best of all, I got to hear stories from those who've sailed the seas. But after a while, the stories got…repetitive. Normal merchant runs, the odd storm or two, ran out of rations too early, a fight broke out on the ship. It was the same, over and over. That was until a group of strange sailors came to my booth, looking for a map of the area as they've never been to Italy before. I obliged and asked where they were from. That's when I first heard of the Sea of Thieves, but they didn't mention the place by name. They told me stories of treasure, sea monsters, magic, and freedom. I was so awestruck by their story that I gave them the map for free. It reminded me of my childhood; of the adventures I made up in my head. Everything seemed to be getting brighter again…that was, until the next day. Early the next morning, guards came to our house and arrested me. The sailors I gave the map to were pirates. I begged my parents to bail me out, but they would've much rather their daughter be rid of than for them to be the family whose daughter associates with pirates." Stella could've sworn she saw an angered expression on Ali's face upon saying this, but she seemed to shake it off as she continued, "I thought that was the end for me. I was going to executed the next morning and nobody even cared…or so I thought. That night, I was broken out of the cell where I was being detained. The pirates I gave the map to had found out about me being arrested and wanted to help me. They quickly got me out of there and stowed me away on their ship, taking off into the night."

"Wow…"

"I know, right? It's like it was right out of a story book." Ali giggled, "Once we were sure we were in the clear, the question was now what? I had no home to go to. Word would eventually spread that I'm a wanted criminal. There was nowhere for me to go. That's when the captain offered to take me to where they were from. The land from the stories, the place where everyone is free to be themselves no matter who they are…the Sea of Thieves. It was gonna be a long trip from Italy to the Caribbean, but if it meant I could finally be myself and not have to worry about anyone judging me for it, I would do it. And after months and months of travel, we made it here. The crew were part of the Bilge Rats and put in a good word for me with Larinna and I was hired as a part-time cartographer after being brought around each island to map them out. This was it. I was free. Only…there was still one problem. I was super timid and scared. I had spent my whole life being afraid of being myself, I had forgotten how to actually be myself. I was scared of every possible thing going wrong. It was hard enough to force myself to step onto the islands to map them out without thinking of the possibility of something jumping out of the sand to kill me. I thought I'd never find a crew who'd want to take on a cowardly little navigator…that was until I met you." Ali smiled at Stella who was still listening intently, "You didn't see me as a scared little girl. You saw me for me. And sailing with you, Koa and Zhen, going on these adventures, having fun, you've not only taught me how to be myself again…you taught me how to be better. To be braver, kinder, stronger. I don't think I'll ever be able to repay you."

"As much as I appreciate you giving me the credit," Stella began with a kind smile, "All I did was give you a nudge in the right direction. In the end, you were the one who made all the big jumps. You accepted to sail with me, you stood with us through every crazy and terrifying choice we made, and you were the one who pushed her fears aside to help me. Twice!" Stella placed a hand on Ali's shoulder, "You're worth so much more than you give yourself credit for, Ali. You're more than just our navigator and cartographer. You're a brave, smart, and strong-willed pirate who always cares and looks out for others, no matter how bad things seem. And most of all…you're my best friend. And that'll never, ever change."

Ali stared at Stella in surprise before her eyes became watery. She suddenly threw her arms around Stella, burying her head in the captain's shoulder as she squeaked out a small, "T-thank you…" through her sniffles. Stella just smiled and returned the hug.

For once in her life, Ali felt like she truly felt wanted and loved. Even if they weren't blood related, Ali considered them family. Her family. That's what they are, and that's what they'll always be.

To Be Continued…