Jack was thrown into his cell by one of Blackbeard's men. He paced restlessly within the cramped cell with the cold iron bars clanking behind him as Blackbeard's men locked him in. The air was damp, and the wooden floor creaked under his weight as he muttered under his breath, cursing his
misfortune. "Blasted Anya," he hissed to himself. "Why did I have to get involved in this madness?" He slumped against the wall,
frustrated with the situation he now found himself in.
A soft voice broke the silence. "Are you
possessed?"
Jack jumped, startled, and turned toward the voice. In the dim light of the cell, he saw a girl sitting in the corner with her knees pulled up to her chest. She had bright, intelligent eyes that seemed to gleam with curiosity.
"You scared me half to death," Jack muttered,
shaking his head.
The girl smiled apologetically. "Sorry about that. My name is Gertrude."
Jack raised an eyebrow. "Jack. Didn't think I'd have company down here."
Gertrude chuckled softly. "I could ask the same of you. Why are you locked up? Are you possessed or something?" she asked.
Jack snorted, shaking his head. "No, I'm not possessed. I was just complaining to myself. I'm locked up because apparently, I'm
Blackbeard's map to the treasure of the mermaids."
Gertrude's eyes widened in surprise. "The treasure of the mermaids? Sounds like you've had an interesting few days."
"Interesting is one way to put it," Jack muttered. Then, after a pause, he asked, "What about you? Why are you down here? And for how long?"
Gertrude sighed, leaning back against the wall. "Years. I've been held captive for years. Blackbeard keeps me around because I'm
useful. I know things. Math, weather forecasting, geography, medicine… things
most people think only men should know."
Jack tilted his head, intrigued. "That's impressive. But why would they lock you up for that?"
"People think I'm a witch just because I read books. Well… a lot of books. Guess it makes me a little too smart for my own good. And
I've realised that being smart often shows how senseless most men can be—especially Blackbeard."
Jack couldn't help but laugh. Gertrude grinned at him. For a brief moment, he forgot about the perilous situation he was in.
"It's nice," Gertrude said after a pause. "To
have someone to talk to again, after all these years. I think I was going mad in here."
Before Jack could respond, the door to the brig swung open with a creak. Blackbeard appeared in the doorway. His plaited beard gleamed in the dim light, and the scars on his face only added to his fearsome appearance.
"I see you've met my witch," Blackbeard growled, glancing between Jack and Gertrude.
"Witch?" Jack asked with a hint of mockery in his tone. "I don't think I've met any witch in here as you say."
Blackbeard ignored the comment. "Enough of that. I didn't come down here to chat. I need to know the first stop on our journey to
the mermaids' treasure."
Jack stood up. "We're heading west," he said.
"About 15 degrees north. We'll reach the Isle of Sablethorn first."
Blackbeard grunted, satisfied with the answer. "Sablethorn, then. Make sure you don't lead us astray, boy. You're no use
to me dead, but I won't hesitate if you try anything foolish."
Jack said nothing with his eyes narrowing as Blackbeard turned and left, barking orders at his crew their first stop.
Meanwhile, on the Isle of Sablethorn, Anya and Nereus made their way through the thick, overgrown jungle. The island was mysterious. The air was humid, and the scent of saltwater lingered in the air, mixing with the
earthy smell of the forest.
"What exactly are we looking for here?" Anya
asked, wiping the sweat from her brow. She held the map in her hands, though
the markings didn't provide much clarity. The Isle of Sablethorn was marked with a symbol—a crescent moon intertwined with vines—but no specific landmarks
were indicated.
Nereus, who had been scanning their surroundings, paused for a moment. "According to legends… there is hidden entrance here. It leads underground. We must find it to get closer to whatever it is we need find."
"Well you're the legend, you should know these things." Anya insisted.
"It's treasure of the mermaids not merman." Nereus grinned.
Anya furrowed her brow. "But where could this thing be? This island is huge. How are we supposed to find something that's hidden most of all something we don't even know?"
Nereus pointed to the map. "The crescent moon. That must be key. Maybe… we need to look for symbol or sign in the shape of crescent moon."
Anya nodded as her eyes scanned the trees and rocks around them. "Makes sense. But this place feels like a maze."
They continued walking. The jungle around them grew denser with each step. Vines hung low from the trees, and they heard the sound of rustling leaves and distant animal calls. The island seemed alive, as though it was watching their every move.
As they trekked deeper into the jungle, Anya suddenly felt the ground shift beneath her feet. Before she could react, she realised she was sinking. She gasped. Her heart pounded in her chest as she looked down.
"Quicksand!" she shouted, panicking. "Nereus, help!"
Nereus rushed to her side, grabbing her arm and trying to pull her out. But the quicksand had a firm grip, and the more they struggled,
the deeper Anya sank. Nereus tugged with all his strength, but the ground beneath him began to soften as well, and soon he found himself sinking alongside her.
Both of them were now waist-deep in the quicksand. Their movements only accelerated their descent. Anya's heart raced as she realised they might not make it out in time. She looked at Nereus, her fear mirrored in his eyes.
"Nereus!" she cried with her voice trembling.
"We're going to be swallowed up!"
Nereus gritted his teeth, trying to stay calm. "Stop moving!" he shouted. "The more struggle, the faster sink!"
Anya froze, taking a deep breath, trying to still her racing heart. But it was no use—the quicksand continued to pull them down, and within moments, the ground closed over their heads, leaving nothing but silence.
The jungle around them grew quiet. The wind whispered through the trees as if the island itself had swallowed them whole.