"It's so cold... what is this place?" Marcus thought to himself as a chill ran down his spine.
He blinked against the fog that enveloped him, barely able to make out the contours of the water's surface surrounding the ship. It felt like a dream, or perhaps a nightmare.
He had found himself aboard a ghost ship, of the flying Dutchman.
Upon deciding that the vast, dark expanse outside was too haunting, he stepped back inside, desperately hoping to find Company. He soon discovered Noel, Abraham, and ten other players gathered in the dim light of the cabin, their faces reflecting a mixture of confusion and apprehension. They were all waiting for the NPC, but he was nowhere to be found.
Just then, a tall figure emerged from the captain's cabin. Captain Hendrik Vander Decken, dressed in pristine white uniform with three black stripes on his shoulders, stepped forward, his voice smooth yet commanding.
"I hope you're enjoying your stay here. Tomorrow morning, you shall set off to your destination, but for now... enjoy your time."
With a slight nod, he returned to the cabin, leaving them in a baffling silence.
As the players introduced themselves, the diversity of their backgrounds became evident. Three girls, Cathy, Tina, and Agatha, had joined Marcus's group. Agatha came from wealth but was drawn into this deadly game due to her arrogance. Cathy and Tina hailed from poor families, lured by the promise of riches that awaited those who completed the twelve stages.
Among the men, Henry, Malta, Steve, John, and Lukas were hardened convicts, while Bosco and Nicko were struggling veterans of earlier stages. Marcus, Noel, and Abraham were further ahead, yet here to help Marcus.
As they settled in for a nap amidst the chilling air and encroaching fog, dawn broke with a whisper of light.
"Captain Hendrik is calling us..." Bosco announced, pulling them from their slumber.
Gathered again, the captain wasted no time.
"Today, you will split into two teams. Here are two ships. You must deliver the goods in the cabin within five days, or they will get spoiled."
The old players gasped, noticing that this time limit was significantly harsher than previously faced.
The captain turned to go back to his cabin, when suddenly Marcus released, he hadn't told them their destinations.
"Where exactly are we headed?" he called out.
The captain paused, casting a shadow over the atmosphere with his soft tone,
"Cape of Good Hope."
With that, he departed, leaving them in stunned silence.
The urgency of their situation became clear as the players hastily divided into two groups.
Henry, Malta, Steve, John, and Lukas refused to add to their number sas they claimed to be enough.
" We don't need strangers ...."
After seeing how stuck the remain players were. Noel allowed them to join Marcus's crew. Bosco and Nicko, With Agatha, Cathy, and Tina onboard.
they stocked the ships with food and compasses, determined to chart a course toward the Cape.
In the captain's cabin lay a weathered map, their only guide.
Exhausted and uncertain, they pored over the document, searching for clues to their location.
While everyone was so busy searching for their location on the map, Bosco, went out as he looks at the features of their current location, only to gaze at the horizon lay three tiny islands.
Then he come back and gazed at the map slightly.
"We're in the southern part of Madagascar, northeast of Cape Town."
Skeptical glances met his declaration, but after some moments of reflection, they realized he was right.
" The only Wiseman around." Noel chuckled
He had spotted three tiny islands that appeared on the map, leading them to believe he was indeed the wisest among them.
"I've been sailing with my father since I was young," Bosco explained humbly, shrugging off their praise.
Setting off under a sky that shifted dramatically, the crew embarked on their perilous quest.
Meanwhile, the other ship, helmed by Henry, Malta, Steve, John, and Lukas, spent precious time arguing about where to head. Henry suggested to sail east wards while Lukas asid south was the real direction since cape of good hope is found in south Africa.
Steve and John then suggested they just follow the other ship, which had Marcus and the crew. Finally they come to agree, and followed Marcus's direction.
As night approached, the once-peaceful sea turned treacherous.
A fierce storm brewed. Rain poured down as lightning cracked open the sky, illuminating their surroundings in brief, terrifying flashes. Bosco rushed inside, panic evident on his face.
"The storm is going to be intense; we'll need to find shelter!" He said, urgency hitching in his voice.
Drawing near the map once more, they discovered the nearest dock was two hours away at the coast of Mozambique.
The realization sunk heavily; they knew they wouldn't make it to Cape of Good Hope in time if they risked detouring.
"Let's see how strong this storm really is before we make any decisions," Bosco suggested, clenching his fists.
On the other hand, panic brewed amongst Agatha and the other girls. Agatha, desperate for protection, offered a bounty of one million for a brave soul willing to ensure her safety. Noel, the money-driven member of the crew, took her up her offer, eliciting laughter from the group.
"Just don't forget your mission," Abraham teased.
" Or else your brother in-law won't give you his sister..."
" But the sister will need money after marriage." Noel chuckled and they all bursted into laughter.
Suddenly, the winds howled like wild beasts, and waves crashed against the ship, throwing them off balance.
"If we want to survive, keep quiet!" Noel shouted above the tempest. "No blasphemy! Just stay steady!"
Bosco proposed they lighten their load by tossing some boxes overboard.
This required teamwork; each of them needed to tie ropes around their waists for safety as they began carrying the heavy containers to the edge of the ship.
In a disastrous twist, as Marcus readied to throw a box, a violent wave hit, and he was sent tumbling overboard.
"Marcus!" Noel and Abraham screamed, their hearts racing with fear to how they would explain to Mathias.
Luckily, he had a rope around him they began to pull him up, but the raging waters conspired against them, dragging Marcus farther into the abyss.
"Hold on, we'll get you!" Noel shouted, but the chaos around them threatened to drown out their hopes.