The tranquil waters of the open sea belied the violence Marcellus had just witnessed. As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting an orange glow over the deck of the ship, the memory of Singleton's gruesome demise lingered in Marcellus's mind.
Marcellus strained to recall his first encounter with the notorious pirate Singleton. It had only been yesterday when he witnessed Singleton ruthlessly dispatching the captain of the ship Marcellus had been on. As he glanced at the distorted mess that once resembled a face on the ship's floor, Marcellus could no longer make out Singleton's scar.
Captain Crowe, a commanding presence with eyes that glinted like shards of ice, stood atop Singleton's lifeless body, surveying his crew aboard the Obsidian Viper. The once-white shirt he wore now stained crimson, billowed in the wind.
With an air of triumph, Captain Crowe handed a piece of paper, seemingly retrieved from Singleton's lifeless form to Tommy, a trusted member of the crew. The Viper seemed to hold its breath as Tommy spoke in hushed tones.
"It's the stolen page," Tommy murmured, his voice barely audible above the ship's murmur.
The crew began to stir, whispers spreading through the ranks like wildfire.
"Friends, brothers," Captain Crowe's voice cracked with youth and decisiveness. "The prize that you and I have been pursuing... is Andorra La Vella."
He paused, allowing the weight of those words to sink in, his gaze sweeping across the faces of his loyal crew.
"The Hulk. A prize of unimaginable value, with this page securely in our possession we can begin our hunt, and we will succeed, no matter the cost, no matter the struggle. I will see that the prize is yours. I'm not just gonna make you rich. I'm not just gonna make you strong. I'm gonna make you the princes of the New World!"
As Captain Crowe proclaimed his vision, the crew erupted into a fervent frenzy. Their fists pounded against the ship's deck, their feet stomping in unison, the chant of "Crowe! Crowe! Crowe!" resonating through the vessel like a thunderous heartbeat.
Marcellus watched Captain Crowe retreat to his cabin, a flicker of concern dancing in his eyes. He couldn't help but wonder if the object they sought so fervently was his own cherished 'Book' An internal sigh escaped Marcellus's lips as he realized he couldn't reveal the truth, even to himself.
I must keep secrets, Marcellus thought.
---
Dobbs stepped into the dimly lit quarters, his gaze fixed on Tommy, who sat hunched over a small bed. The tension on Tommy's face was palpable as Dobbs approached him, the weight of his secret made the very air feel heavy.
Dobbs called to him "Bones!... Bones!... Bones!"
Tommy looked up, weariness etched across his face. He gestured towards the paper that lay before him, its emptiness now painfully apparent.
Dobb's heart sank as he realized what it meant — the stolen page, the key to their hopes, was nowhere to be found.
"No... it can't be," Dobb murmured, his voice laced with a mix of disbelief and despair.
"Lord of Storms! what did you do?"
Tommy met his gaze, "What did I do?" a mixture of regret and resignation in his eyes. "I checked it, Dobbs. It's empty. Singleton... Singleton's gone."
Dobbs's mind raced, contemplating the implications of their discovery. Their options were limited, and their allegiance to Captain Crowe seemed like the only path forward.
"We have no choice," Dobbs whispered, his voice barely audible in the confined space. "We can't reveal this to anyone, especially not the captain. Our lives depend on it."
Tommy nodded his expression a mixture of resignation and fear.
His loyalty to the crew and their own survival compelled him to protect Captain Crowe, even at the cost of their own integrity.
With Singleton dead if the crew lost faith in Crowe that was it, the crew would most likely disband.
In the dim light of the ship's lower deck, Dobbs's voice dropped to a hushed, sombre tone, "That's Singleton, though somewhere along the line, we started calling him Simpleton, I don't remember why we started calling him simpleton," he confessed, his eyes darkening with the recollection. "A despicable soul he was, cloaked in cruelty and malice, yet as a privateer, he wielded a certain ruthless efficacy."
Dobb and Tommy exchanged furtive glances, silently reaffirming their shared understanding.
In the depths of their hearts, however, a flicker of doubt remained, the haunting question of whether their decision to protect Captain Crowe was their only choice or the beginning of a darker journey that would test the limits of their loyalty and conscience.
They both approached the captain's cabin, their minds filled with a mix of trepidation and resolve. They were now sailing in the same boat as Captain Crowe, both literally and figuratively.
Bursting through the door, they found Captain Crowe seated behind his desk, a knowing smile gracing his face. Tommy's anger was palpable as he confronted the captain.
"What's so funny?" Tommy's voice crackled with frustration. "I just lied for you."
Captain Crowe's smile widened, his eyes glinting with a mixture of amusement and something deeper. "I never asked you to lie, Tommy," he replied, his tone laced with a hint of smugness.
Dobb, sensing the escalating tension, interjected, his voice calm yet cautious. "Let's lower our voices. We wouldn't want the crew to overhear us."
Captain Crowe leaned back in his chair, his gaze shifting from Tommy to Dobb. There was a subtle understanding that passed between them, unspoken words and shared secrets.
"You see, my friends," Captain Crowe began, his voice measured and steady, "sometimes sacrifices must be made to protect what we hold dear. Our choices were not easy, but they were necessary."
Tommy's anger softened, giving way to a begrudging acceptance. Dobb, too, recognized the weight of their situation.
"You're right," Dobb conceded, his voice tinged with resignation. "We must do what's necessary to preserve the unity of the crew and ensure our survival."
Captain Crowe nodded, acknowledging the shared understanding. "Trust in our collective purpose, mates," he said. "We sail a treacherous path, and the winds of fortune can be fickle. Together, we shall navigate these waters and emerge victorious."
"The Andorra La Vella has a planned stop somewhere on the coast," Captain Crowe continued, his voice filled with calculated determination.
Dobb and Tommy exchanged glances, realizing the significance of this information. "That's the point where they're most vulnerable to attack," Dobb remarked, his mind racing with the possibilities.
The tension in the room began to dissipate as they embraced the truth of their predicament. They were pirates, bound by their own code, sailing a dangerous path in pursuit of riches and survival.
Captain Crowe produced a book, waving it in the air to capture their attention. "Andorra La Vella, the largest treasure galleon in the Republic of Novus. It carries 5,000 gold pieces and is sailing for Warden territory," he explained, his voice laced with anticipation.
He flipped through the pages, revealing a course that ended miles short of the coast. "Of course, it is missing a page," Captain Crowe admitted, a wry smile playing on his lips. "But you forget, we are pirates. We thrive on uncertainty, adaptability, and the element of surprise."
As they left the captain's cabin, a newfound sense of camaraderie infused their steps.
They were no longer merely sailors on a ship, but pirates! The very essence of piracy defied stability, safety, and the constraints of a clear purpose.
To be a pirate was to rebel against the mundane, to embrace the uncertain journey that lay before them.
Sailors sought the comfort of familiarity and the safety of known shores, but pirates embraced the thrill of the unknown, the exhilaration of defying the odds.
They were driven by a collective purpose, fueled by the desire for adventure, freedom, and the spoils that awaited them.
Together, they would navigate the treacherous waters, seize opportunities, and emerge victorious, forever etching their names in the annals of pirate legend.
With the promise of Andorra La Vella's vulnerability and the lure of its treasure, their path became clearer.
Marcellus could already picture himself, a great pirate!