Chapter 6: The Return of the Curse

The Midnight Reaper sailed smoothly across the ocean, its crew exhausted but relieved to be leaving the cursed island behind. The storm that had once battered their ship had finally subsided, and the vast, open sea stretched endlessly before them. But for Captain Lucas Wilder, a deep unease gnawed at his thoughts.

Finn, sitting at the edge of the deck, stared into the distance, his face pale. His hands shook as he gripped the wooden railing. The transformation had left him weak, his body ached as if it had been torn apart and pieced back together. The gem's influence still lingered in his veins—an unnerving, subtle pull that made him feel like he was being called back to the island.

Lucas approached him, his boots thudding softly against the wooden planks. He stood beside his first mate, his eyes scanning the horizon.

"You're not going back to that island," Lucas said firmly, his voice quiet but resolute.

Finn's voice trembled when he replied. "I don't want to. But it's like something inside me is... pulling me there."

Lucas clenched his fists. He knew the power of the relic all too well, having felt it as it tore through Finn's soul on the island. The gem had a will of its own, and once it tasted blood, it didn't let go.

"You won't go," Lucas repeated. "I'll make sure of that."

Finn's eyes flickered to him, a mix of confusion and fear in them. "But the relic... It's still out there, isn't it? What if someone else—"

"It doesn't matter," Lucas interrupted, his jaw set. "We stopped it. Whatever curse it had on that island is gone now. The world won't fall to it again."

Finn wasn't convinced. "But what if..."

The sound of a scream from below interrupted them. It was a deep, guttural wail that seemed to resonate through the ship. Lucas's heart skipped a beat.

"Stay here," he ordered, but Finn, despite his condition, was already moving toward the stairs that led below deck.

They rushed down together. The crew had gathered in the galley, looking toward one of the lower hatches. Through the open doorway, a figure was stumbling toward them—a man, or what used to be a man. His skin was pale, his eyes vacant. And his hands—his hands were clutching something.

"Help me!" the man gasped, but his voice sounded distorted, as if someone else were speaking through him. He collapsed onto the floor, the object he was clutching rolling out of his hands.

Lucas's heart sank as he saw it.

The crimson gem.

The same gem that had caused Finn's transformation.

The moment it touched the floor, a powerful gust of wind swept through the ship, rattling the windows. The crew backed away, fear flashing across their faces. Finn's eyes locked on the gem, and for a moment, he seemed paralyzed. Then, to Lucas's horror, Finn took a step toward it, his hand outstretched.

"No!" Lucas shouted, grabbing Finn's arm.

But Finn jerked away, his expression one of sheer terror. "I can't... I can't stop it, Lucas! It's calling to me."

The gem began to pulse again, brighter this time, as if it were alive. The ship groaned beneath them, its timbers creaking in protest, and the air grew thick with an unnatural heat. A dark shadow began to spread from the gem, creeping along the walls, the floor—enveloping everything it touched.

From the shadows, the whispers returned. The voices were no longer faint—they were loud, distinct, demanding. They clawed at Lucas's mind, urging him to give in.

"Finn!" Lucas shouted, grabbing his friend by the shoulders. "Fight it! You've been through this before! You can stop it!"

Finn's face twisted in agony. His hand was shaking as he reached for the gem again, but his fingers faltered. "I can't... It's too powerful..."

Lucas acted without thinking. He grabbed the gem from the floor and hurled it into the sea through the nearest open porthole.

The moment it left his hand, the ship lurched, and everything fell into darkness.

Chapter 7: The Depths

The darkness that followed felt like an eternity. Lucas and the crew were thrown to the floor as the ship rocked violently. The wind howled, but this time, it was unnatural—louder, like the cries of a thousand souls. The air felt thick, almost suffocating. And through the din of the storm, a new sound emerged.

The low, rumbling growl of something enormous.

It came from beneath.

"Get up!" Lucas shouted, pulling Finn to his feet. "We have to get out of here!"

The crew scrambled, but there was no time. The ship was sinking.

Through the chaos, Lucas caught sight of the ocean below, a whirlpool forming where the gem had fallen into the water. The sea itself seemed to be alive—dark, twisted, pulling everything toward the center. The ship groaned as it tilted to one side, and water began rushing in.

"We're not going to make it!" shouted the helmsman, panic in his voice.

"No!" Lucas refused to accept it. "There has to be a way."

Then, out of the corner of his eye, Lucas saw something that made his blood run cold. Rising from the depths, a monstrous shape was emerging from the ocean. It was the serpent—the same beast that had once guarded the relic. But this time, it was different. It was bigger, its scales shimmering with the crimson glow of the gem.

"It's not over," Finn whispered, his voice filled with dread. "It never ends."

With a final, deafening roar, the serpent lunged toward the ship, its maw wide enough to swallow them whole.

As the ocean closed in around them, Lucas knew this was just the beginning. The Relic of the Crimson Isle was not just a curse—it was an ancient force, one that would never be vanquished, one that would always rise again.

And so, the true battle had only just begun.

TO BE CONTINUED...