"We've got trouble!"

Ali ran down to where Stella and Jim were, handing them what seemed like a partially charred piece of paper, "This was stuck to the side of the ship this morning. It's for you."

Stella took the paper and read it aloud.

"To the thief who murdered Captain Azura Icewind,

I am delivering this on behalf of my master, Captain Flameheart. You should know better than to try and hide from my master. While he is enraged by your little antics, not anyone could strike down the likes of the Glacial Dragon. Therefore, he is offering a compromise. Return to the Devil's Thirst and face him and my fellow Ashen Lords like a true dragon or flee and be hunted down like the cowardly prey you are.

The choice is yours, glacial murderer.

Old Horatio,

Shipwright and first mate of Captain Flameheart."

Stella sighed, "Again with the murderer thing…?"

"So, our choices are die now or die later? Greeeaaat…" Jim groaned.

"No one's dying, not on my watch." Stella pocketed the letter, "My crystal's practically back up to full strength. We can take him."

"Please tell me that's a joke, Stella." Ali interjected, "You're talking about us facing five skeleton lords at the same time, that have powers beyond the average skeleton lord, as well as the Ashen Dragon!"

"I don't think we have much of a choice. If we run, Flameheart will kill anyone who gets in the way between him and me. As long as he believes I killed mom, we're always gonna have a target on our backs." Stella turned to Jim, "If you don't want to come…"

Jim shook his head, "No. I mean, I don't think facing Flameheart is a good idea for me, or even a good idea period, but I still want to help in any way I can."

"Alright then. We'll set off in the morning. Then it's off to the Devil's Thirst."

Ali sighed as they began to hurry back to the ship, "We're biting off way more than we can chew here…"

Stella sighed as she leaned on the railings of the Icebreaker's crow's nest. The outpost was quiet as there weren't many pirates out drinking that night – Stella suspected that they were wary of sailing with Flameheart's return. She looked up at the star-filled sky. She always loved the sky in this part of the sea. The shades of navy, purple, and green providing a backdrop for the many constellations as they floated above the sea as the moon shone brightly. It was just Stella above deck that night – the rest of the crew were fast asleep. Well, that's what she thought until she heard steps coming up the ladder. "Can't sleep either?" Jim asked as he climbed into the crow's nest. "Nope. You neither?" Stella sighed. "Oh no, I'm just sleepwalking." Jim chuckled as he leaned against the railings, making a snoring sound for emphasis. "Fair point." Stella laughed. The two stood in comfortable silence until Jim spoke again, "I'm sorry…"

"For what?"

"All of this. If I had actually used my head for once, Flameheart wouldn't have been freed, and you and your crew wouldn't have to deal with all of this. Now the Ashen Lords are free and Flameheart wants your head."

"Hey. We'll figure it out." Stella reassured, "I'm not sure how yet, but we will."

"…how are you so brave when it comes to this stuff? I'd usually be halfway across the sea by now but you're running straight at the danger. How are you not terrified?"

"Honestly?" Stella began, her smile faltering, "I AM terrified." Jim seemed surprised as Stella continued, "Briggsy, Graymarrow, Gold Hoarder, I was terrified facing all of them because I didn't know what to expect, if I was strong enough, or if we'd even be able to escape if things went pear-shaped. I think Graymarrow was the scariest because I knew if any of us went down during that fight, we'd be stuck there forever."

"So…why? If you were so scared, why did you do it anyway?"

"Well, back when I was young, mom would always tell me stories of when she sailed in the Sea of Thieves. And I'd always tell her how much I wanted to go there with her and form my own crew. But one piece of advice she gave always stuck with me. 'Treasure is more than silver or gold. It's whatever you think is worth dying for. Whether that's your crew, your ship, or even the sea itself; whatever trials you face, if it's something worth dying for, then it's something worth fighting for.'" Stella smiled at the memory of her mother before gazing out at the sea, "Before I arrived here, the only thing I thought was worth dying for was the chance of fulfilling my mom's dream of reaching the Shore's of Gold. But that list has expanded ever since then. My crew, the Icebreaker, Nevado, the friends I've made, even the pirate's life itself; I treasure it all. So, whenever I feel scared or nervous about taking on something that seems impossible, I think of those things and how they might be affected if I run away. Thinking about how much they mean to me, that's what gives me the push to keep going. I'm still terrified of dying. I mean, who wouldn't be? But if I do, then I can say that I died for something worth dying for. And I'm ok with that."

"Never thought of it like that…" Jim muttered, "Was that what was keepin' you up?"

"Well, that…" Stella began, "But I was also thinking about mom. I had heard of her and Flameheart being rivals. But for him to be this angry over her death…I can't help but wonder if it was just a rivalry of if they might have been actual friends."

"Kinda hard to imagine Flameheart with friends." Jim chuckled lightly, "From what I've heard, the only people he treats somewhat decently is his Ashen Lords."

"It's possible though. All the skeleton lords I've met so far have had something or someone they cared about, even if they didn't show it. Briggsy loved adventure, her crew, and she still cared about Tasha. Graymarrow still cared for Ais's wellbeing, even if he didn't have the greatest ways of showing it. The Gold Hoarder…okay no, I'm drawing a blank for him. He only cares about gold."

"Maybe throat lozenges or somethin'?" Jim suggested with a small smirk, "Seriously, he sounds like he always has a sore throat."

"I was thinking the same thing! He sounds like an old creaky door when he talks! Like, does he love gold so much that he gargles the stuff?"

"'Gold…makes good…mouthwash…'"

Stella and Jim broke into laughter as the latter's impression of Rathbone. "How is it that any time we talk, it ends up involving us laughing at ridiculous stuff?" Jim chuckled.

"Probably because the two of us are ridiculous!" Stella replied with a giggle, "On top of crazy, weird, and just pure chaotic."

"Yeah, that tracks. But sure, it'd be boring if we weren't!"

"True that!" Stella laughed before letting out a yawn, "Welp, I better head to bed. Don't want to be falling asleep during the big fight tomorrow."

"Aye. I think I'll do the same in a bit." Jim nodded, "Goodnight, Stell."

"'Night, Jim."

Jim watched as Stella climbed down the ladder before turning his attention back to the horizon. He could spot a volcano erupting in the far distance. He looked down at the skeletal finger of Flameheart that he wore around his neck. After a brief moment of pondering, he took the finger and yanked it off his neck, snapping the band that held it before shoving it in his pocket where he felt something else inside. He pulled out the mysterious item and held it in the palm of his hand. It was the dragon pendant Stella had brought back from Tribute Peak. The orange crystal gave off an amber glow, faintly illuminating the crow's nest, as the eyes of the black metal dragon curled around it gave off the same faint glow. It reminded Jim of the Forsaken Alliance pendants he and the rest of the crew used to wear. Jim clenched the pendant tightly before placing it around his neck. He went to go down the ladder before looking back over his shoulder at the sea once more, in the direction of the Devil's Roar. "I'll make things right." He muttered, "For real this time. I promise."

With that, he climbed down the ladder and headed below deck where the rest of the crew slept.

The tension in the air was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. Everyone was silent yet it was clear as crystal that everyone on that ship was nervous and scared. The Icebreaker sailed through the Devil's Roar as Ali made sure to keep a wide birth from any volcanoes that looked like they were about to erupt. A galleon full of flaming holes was the last thing they needed right now. Soon, they could spot the Devil's Thirst on the horizon but not even Zhen called it out. They knew. They all knew. And they all knew what awaited them there. Everyone wanted to say something, but nobody could think of anything reassuring to say. Eventually, Jim made his way from where he stood by the starboard cannons to where Stella stood at the bow of the ship. Her hands gripped the railings so tightly that her knuckles were turning white as her gaze never left the island looming in the distance. "You ready?" Jim asked, standing beside her. "Nope. But we don't have much of a choice." Stella sighed, "Hey. Can you promise me something?"

"Of course."

"Since you're staying on the ship, be ready to get the crew on board and get the hell out of here if things go badly. If I'm not on board by the time everyone else is, leave anyway."

"If you think I'm leaving without you-"

"I'll be fine. I can always transform and fly away or make an iceberg to sail away on if things get dicey."

"Can't he transform too though? He'll fly after you."

"Then I'll just have to try and shake him. He can't chase me forever. Just promise you'll try to get everyone else to safety."

Jim seemed hesitant but sighed in defeat, "Ok. I promise."

The Icebreaker finally came to a stop at the north-west beach of the Devil's Thirst. As the crew began to disembark, Jim stopped Stella, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Hey, uh…please don't die, okay?"

Stella nodded before following Ali, Koa and Zhen onto the island. As they walked further inland, Koa suddenly stopped and gave Stella a nudge before motioning to the cliff where the lantern stood. Atop the cliff stood four ash-black skeletons with flaming, glowing eyes and fires alit in their chests. One was a large skeleton with an amber crystalline beard, a hook replacing their left hand, and black hair tied into a bun. He chuckled deeply as he watched the group from above, seeming to be itching for a fight. Beside him was an equally tall skeleton with black hair tied up with a green headband. They tossed a firebomb up and down in their hand. Next to them was a familiar skeleton: Old Horatio – the skeleton the crew saw with Pendragon's lantern. He had his arms folded and was silently watching the crew from the cliff. Lastly was a skeleton that had branches of amber crystals emerging from their eye sockets and a flame-shaped crystal on their forehead. They also had their hair tied into a bun with a stick and green hairband keeping it up. They seemed to be eyeing the crew intently, judging them. Each of them wore red, green and gold robes and all eye-sockets were on the Glacial Dragons. "Are those…?" Ali began, her voice barely a whisper. Koa nodded, "The Ashen Lords. Captain Grimm – creator of Flameheart's fortresses. Red Ruth – alchemist, weaponsmith, and tactician. Old Horatio – shipwright and recruiter. And Warden Chi – prison warden and torturer."

"So, he brought his crew along because he's too much of a coward to face us solo, got it." Zhen smirked. "Oi! Nobody insults the captain and gets away with-!" Grimm went to jump down the cliff but was stopped by Ruth, "Easy, Grimm. Flameheart said we're not to attack until he says so."

"And I'd wish he'd hurry it up." Chi added, "I can't wait to clap these little bugs in irons. Especially the glacial imposter…"

"I should start keeping a list of these nicknames…" Stella muttered, rolling her eyes.

"Impatient are we, Chi?"

The Ashen Lords moved to the side as in the centre, approaching the cliff edge, was Captain Flameheart. He glared down at the crew who had their weapons at the ready. "I have to say, I'm somewhat impressed. I fully expected you to be hiding under a rock." Flameheart chuckled, "And yet here you are, foolish enough to challenge me and my Ashen Lords. And now, this island will be your execution grounds."

"Flameheart, please listen to me!" Stella stepped forward, "Please hear me out! I don't know why you think I killed Azura, but it wasn't me! If you'd just let me explain-!"

"Silence!" Flameheart roared, "I don't want to hear a word from you unless it's your surrender." He glanced at each one of the crew before scoffing, "Look at you all. A bunch of worthless cowards who call themselves pirates; who think they know what's right and wrong. Thinking that by being 'kind and forgiving' is the pirate way. Your self-righteous obstinance is proof enough that the Sea of Thieves is infested with 'honour' and 'sacrifice'. DISEASED! The fires I shall bring will purify the waves. I shall reign above an empire of flame! And for my first decree..." Flameheart raised his flaming cutlass into the air, "I ORDER YOUR ANNIHILATION! Ashen Lords! Take out her crew! The 'dragon' is mine!"

"Finally! I've been itching for a scrap since I came back!" Grimm laughed, "Let's have some fun!"

The Ashen Lords leapt from the cliff and charged at the crew. Stella glanced at Koa who gave her an approving nod as if to say, 'We've got this. Go'. Stella nodded back before a swirl of mist surrounded her as she turned into a dragon. "You want me to fight like a dragon, Flameheart?" she roared, "Then bring it on!" Stella took to the air, flying over Flameheart's head as she soared higher. She looked down just in time to see an explosion of fire as a draconic figure – similar to her own – emerged from it and took to the skies. It had crimson red scales and bright orange chest plates, wings, and claws. A wild mane of dark red fur emerged from its head, accompanied by a row of flame-coloured spikes, and a matching tuft emerging from its cheeks. Its tail had a tuft of fur on the end that looked like a roaring flame. Near the corners of its toothy maw were long, dark orange whiskers. Flame-coloured markings adorned the area near its bright amber eyes which shone as brightly as the flame-shaped crystal on its chest. This was the Ashen Dragon in his full glory. Stella briefly glanced down to the island below where the rest of the crew had begun their battle. Koa was taking on both Chi and Grimm. Ali was frantically dodging attacks from Horatio while getting her own hits in. And Zhen was in what Stella could only describe as a battle-of-the-bombs with Ruth. Stella then turned her focus back to Flameheart who was now flying straight towards her.

"Here goes everything…"

To Be Continued…