OUTCAST : THE PATH OF A WARRIOR

15. PIRATES

CHAPTER 15

I was awoken by a sudden shaking movement, and felt a hand on my shoulder." Wake up little brother, time to get up." Said a familiar voice.

I opened my eyes to see one of my twin brothers, Yioki, the shorter one, standing above me.

"What, oh....the sun's up already!" I complained.

"Yep, you've been sleeping, a whole 2 hours, c'mon, we need to move , especially after what you told us about the dangers we are about to face!"

Now I remember, just before I had fallen asleep, and after the initial greetings and updates on the family, from back home in Tavronia, I proceeded to explain the situation here, in the kingdom of Platorus, and of course about the blue crystals.

So much has happened in the very short time that I have been here, that I probably didn't recall everything , and I'm pretty sure I fell asleep before I could tell them all the gory details.

We walked on to the main deck of the ship the early morning sun was just coming over the horizon, on the port side, over looking the vast Pearl sea.

Paulos was speaking to the crew, when he saw us walking towards him." Ah, here he is!" Paulos called out." Welcome aboard ' The Black Bull' , my little brother!" He said with pride, gesturing to the ship.

I gazed around the enormous pirate ship, and the first thing i noticed, was the huge black flag, with the enormous painted bull, outlined in pure white, blowing softly in the wind.

The two humongous looking sails were safely tucked in, and tied with thick rope to the huge timber masts, which were at the centre of the ship, rising high towards the sky.

Also, I was told, there was an impressive amount of arsenal.

Twenty five large of canons, and an equally massive number of small swing guns, for close combat, were scattered on lower and upper decks.

And then there was the crew of course, a band of roughly one hundred cutthroat pirates, made up thieves, killers, and ex slaves.

Of course there was the cook, a carpenter, a surgeon, and even an accounts master who's job was to share the winnings equally, to all the crew.

I had a feeling they've been busy, and I'll bet that they would all have a handsome haul of treasure to their name, judging by their clothes.

"Very impressive , brother!" I said to Paulos, feeling genuinely proud .

" If I may , are the crystals safely secured on board?" I asked, out of the blue.

"Yes, why?" Replied Paulos

"Well I am just curious, since I can see two of your sailors, sailing away on a small boat towards land, and they seem to be in a lot of haste.

"Yioki, do you know where they're going in a hurry!?" Paulos asked, but Yioki was already running past them and towards the lower decks.

"Quickly, find Fish-Hook!" Paulos bellowed , and waited for a response, while everyone clamoured to help discover his whereabouts.

The crew called out one by one, the same "Not here Captain!"

Then from the lower decks came Yioki running out, shouting and cursing.

"They've taken the crystals, damn them, I will skin them alive, and where in blazing is Fish-Hook?

"Am on it!" Replied Paulos, as he threw some apparatus into the sea, attached by a long piece of a string, which was connected to a sort of metal, in his hand.