"It wasn't hard for the pirates to get to their ship, for the royal palace wasn't far from the sea. Hans and Lars were forced to sail after the pirates on THE DARK ONE. Also, King Jacob and Prince Caleb sailed after the pirates on their ship THE SUMMER GULL. The chase took longer than expected. One night, while Lars was out at sea, he went below deck and saw Kai sleeping on the floor. 'Kai, wake up,' he whispered softly in Kai's right ear. 'We must leave the ship before we're spotted.' 'Is this a joke?' Kai asked him. 'No,' Lars whispered. Lars was not known for treating the slaves aboard the ship kindly, but Kai was an exception."
"Lars and Kai walked over to the side of the ship where the rowboats were hanging. The two of them were about to jump on one of the rowboats when they heard the sound of a pistol. 'Stop what you're doing and get on your knees,' a voice called out from behind them. 'Hans!' Lars grumbled through gritted teeth. 'You're not leaving this ship, Lars,' Hans warned him. 'Especially not since you've ignored me for so long." 'Hans, please, think about the boy!' Lars begged. 'Think about me!' Hans roared. 'Don't I matter?' Lars tried to argue some more, but his arguments fell on deaf ears. 'Guards! Officers!' Hans shouted at the top of his lungs. 'A few prisoners are trying to escape!' The officers quickly arrived and apprehended Lars and Kai. I don't think Hans felt too good about what he did that night."
"The next morning, Hans was in for a gruesome surprise. A high ranking officer of the navy, Master Bates, brought Lars and Kai over to Hans. Lars looked like he'd been whipped, for there was a scar on his right cheek. 'What's this, Master Bates?' asked Hans, for he was very confused. 'This is your reward, Hans,' said Bates, a grim smile forming on his mouth. 'Lars has to be taught a lesson. He gives the royal family a bad name.' Bates handed him a whip. 'What do you want me to do with this?' Hans asked. 'Just a little demonstration of your fealty,' answered Bates. 'Show us that you're more loyal to us than your brother, and I will release you from my service. You will be free to live out your worthless life any way you want. Whip Kai with the whip you're holding.' Hans looked at Lars, then at Kai. Surprisingly, it seemed to Hans as though neither of them were angry at him, only disappointed, which actually didn't make Hans feel any better.
"Lars looked at Hans with a look of anger, for he knew that Hans would probably do it. And he was right! Hans raised the whip up high and whipped Kai with it. Kai's screams could be heard throughout the whole ship. Lars eyes blazed with even more anger, and he had to be restrained by the guards so he wouldn't strike Hans on the face. Once Hans whipped Kai once and was just about to put down the whip, Bates raised his hand and slapped Hans on the face. 'Did I tell you to stop?!' Bates violently roared. 'Pick up your whip and continue whipping him!' 'But… but when do I… I stop?' Hans stuttered. 'When Kai is dead, so the other slaves on board this ship will see his death,' answered Bates. 'Kai's death will serve as a warning. You can refuse, but I don't expect things to work out for you if you do. You might lose a few fingers.' Hans gulped. 'But Kai's just a teenager,' Hans protested. 'And the sisters of Arendelle were just women,' Bates said. 'You have no qualms about harming the vulnerable. Now get on with it!' Hans raised the whip and began striking Kai with it."
"The whipping left some wounds on Kai's body. Hans could see Lars' face overflowing with tears. If the whipping continued for much longer, Kai would surely die. 'Uncle, help me please!' Kai begged his uncle, his voice barely audible. Bates and some of his men chuckled upon hearing this. 'Oh, my boy…' grinned Bates, pointing towards Hans. 'If only there was someone out there who loved you.' Then, something happened that nobody, not even Lars, expected. Hans paused and dropped the whip. 'What are you doing?' roared Bates. 'Pick it up and continue whipping him!' 'No!' Hans softly replied. 'No?' cried Bates, who was slightly confused. 'Have you taken leave of your senses?' 'I've come to my senses!' shouted Hans at the top of his lungs. As quick as a fox, Hans pulled out his sword and ran Bates right through with it. Bates fell to the ground dead. Everyone who saw this was so shocked that they didn't know what to do. They all froze in fear. Hans jumped on top of a barrel so that everyone on the ship could see him."
"Lars looked up at Hans, anxious at what he was going to do. 'My brethren and all the slaves aboard this ship," Hans roared. 'Now that long ago, I would have found it to be unthinkable that I might one day kill my master, yet that day has arrived. How much longer is the King of the Southern Isles going to oppress us! This kingdom is corrupt and immoral, so I'm going to take out the trash. Starting with our masters on board this ship. Who's with me?' Hans' speech went on for much longer than this, but this is all I remember. Many people who heard Hans' speech cheered loudly and took up arms. Surprisingly, the mutineers won! The king's men who surrendered were forced to desert the ship in a rowboat. Lars hugged Hans tightly. 'Hans, I knew there was good in you!' he cried. King Jacob and Prince Caleb, who stood on THE SUMMER GULL, witnessed the mutiny happening on THE DARK ONE. Neither of them was happy at what they saw, but Jacob was furious. Jacob witnessed what was happening through his telescope."
"He turned to his servants to give an order. 'After them!' he roared. 'Don't let them get away!' THE SUMMER GULL sailed closer to THE DARK ONE can began firing at it. Since Hans was the one who instigated the mutiny, the people aboard the ship decided that he should be the one to lead them. It helped that Hans was knowledgeable about sailing. While Hans stood at the helm, King Jacob pointed his crossbow at Hans and fired a crossbow bolt at him. Lars was looking through his telescope when he saw Jacob fire that bolt at Hans. 'Hans!' Lars roared, tackling Hans to the ground. Suddenly, Hans heard a loud yell of pain. He looked to see that the bolt had struck Lars in the chest. 'No, Lars, nooo!' Hans cried."
'Hans, I'm dying!'
'No, Lars, you'll live.'
'No, really, I am dying. Nothing can prevent that now.'
"Tears streamed down Hans' face. 'Don't weep for the dead, Hans,' Lars ordered. 'Weep for the living. Look after Kai. Ensure that he becomes a better man than either of us.' 'I don't know if I can, but for your sake, I'll try,' Hans sobbed. Hans had an apology to make. 'Lars, I'm sorry for-' Hans started. But Lars grabbed Hans' right hand and gripped it tightly. 'There's no time for apologies, Hans,' Lars interrupted. 'In case you're wondering, I've already forgiven you. Not only for what you did in Arendelle, but also for what you did to me.' Hans was speechless. Lars pointed at Kai. 'Come here, my son!' he asked. Kai quickly walked over to him and hugged his father. Lars took out an unusual compass and gave it to Kai. 'My son, this compass is yours,' Lars proclaimed. 'This compass points towards a land in which time seems to stand still. Also, Hans is now your guardian. Forgive him and let him into your heart.' With that, he breathed his last."
"Upon watching his brother die, something in Hans snapped. He began laughing and crying at the same time. 'I'm going to take it out of their skulls,' he cried. 'They took my brother from me, so I'm going to take everything from them!" He turned to the remaining crewmembers aboard the ship who had pledged their loyalty to him. 'Raise the sails!' he ordered. 'We're sailing out of this hellhole!' The crew quickly did what they were told. Hans saw that THE SUMMER GULL was sailing after them. At first THE DARK ONE appeared to out sail THE SUMMER GULL, but soon THE SUMMER GULL began to gain on them. I was one of the crewmembers aboard the ship who joined Hans' side. I approached him and said, 'Captain Hans, THE SUMMER GULL is gaining on us. Soon it will be close enough for them to fire cannonballs at us.' 'Perfect, Master Gibbons,' Hans sarcastically said. There was a catapult on board the ship. Before cannons were invented, ships would carry catapults for protection. Some ships still carried these things."
"Hans' plan was surprisingly simple. He loaded a barrel full of gunpowder onto the cannon. Poured some oil onto it, took out a match and lit it. Then he used the catapult to launch the flaming barrel into the air. The barrel struck the helm of THE SUMMER GULL and exploded. King Jacob managed to get out of the way just in time, but the helm and the belt that connected the helm to the ship's rudder got damaged. This left Jacob unable to steer. One of the sailors aboard THE SUMMER GULL pointed at a nearby sea cave, crying, 'King Jacob, we're heading towards a crystal cave on the Island of Shattered Shards.' King Jacob desperately tried to change course, but there was nothing he could do. The ship entered the cave, and the masts of the ship dislodged a multitude of crystal shards from the roof of the cave. The crew were like magnets to the shards, for they say the shards are enchanted. The crystal shards fell and pierced their flesh like a knife cutting through butter. Ever since that day, the magic of the shards cursed Jacob and his crew into the undead creatures that we see today."
"Hans breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his father's ship get damaged by the sea cave. All the crewmembers aboard his ship cheered. 'The ship is yours, captain,' I cried out to Hans. 'Thank you!' Hans nervously replied. Hans then faced the crew. 'Everyone on this ship is now free,' he proclaimed. 'Those who want to leave this ship for dry land are free to do so. But those who want to stay on this ship shall become part of my crew. We'll sail under a pirate flag and take what we please! And from now on this ship will no longer be called THE DARK ONE. This ship will be called THE THROWAWAY!' Hans did everything he said he'd do. Liz, James, and Finn were all former slaves on this ship until Hans helped them get free. They were some of the ones who left the ship. Aaron Crowley was also a former slave, and he decided to stay on the ship with Hans. Not long after this, Hans' used Lars' compass to sail to that strange land Lars told him about. We were stuck there for 21 years."
Finally, the story was finished. Gerda breathed a sigh of relief, glad that the tale was finally over. "Land ho!" Gibbons shouted, while pointing towards a landmass that was slowly coming into view. "We're there! This is the Island of Trolls." The island that was coming into view had many statues of troll heads on it, and on the island were many stone columns that led into the ocean. On the island was a large and tall tower that seemed to go on forever.
Meanwhile, King Jacob was also sailing into view of the Island of Trolls.