Among the crowd of the pirates, the rumours had already spread. The rumours of a merciless boy having the strength of all the pirates combined, and that boy being right on the ship. He spared nobody, and killed all that he encountered. Every pirate on the boat was afraid, with the exception of two. The boss pirate and,
Charles.
*
"Skye! Can you help me make something more fitting for me? Dad's armour is too big and every time I use the sword, it drains a lot of my energy."
"Are you sure it's not your bursts of mindless rage?"
"Oh... uh... haha! "
"Anyways, I will help you. SNARL!"
"What do you want..."
"Come here. You're not allowed to rest. Work like the rest of us."
"No." Snarl said bluntly.
"Snarl, remember your future? Don't forget I could still easily ruin it for you."
"What! That's not fair!"
"Just get to work."
They went to the cellar where they could adjust the armour. When they just finished the adjustments, the door slams open. Mike, Skylar and Snarl look into the dead eyes of the pirate with the duty to catch 'the boy'.
"HE'S HERE! CATCH HIM!" His voice was very shaky from fear, but that didn't stop him from chasing after Mike.
Mike readied his sword to slice off the head of the pirate. Before he acted, he remembered Skylar was watching.
"Alright, let's render them unable to battle."
With some flashy slices at the pirates' hands, the pirates ran away with their tails between their legs.
He heard some screaming "He's real! He's real! The merciless boy is real!" Until they were too far to be heard.
"Phew... I'm exhausted..."
"Mike! Pull yourself together!"
As his hands fell to the floor, he felt the throbbing throughout his bloodstream. Each pump felt too strong, being painful and unstoppable. Mike's breathing was quick and shallow, as he was gasping for air.
"Mike!"
Skylar holds the collapsed Mike in her arms.
"I'm... fine."
"l know you will be."
"Hey, Skye."
Skylar looked up.
"What is it Snarl?"
"Give him this."
A small bottle flew in the direction of Skylar's hands.
"It's something that could put him out of misery."
The label on the bottle read:
The Last Breath.
Allows the patient to breathe a deep breath filled with happiness. The surge of happiness may allow the patient's body to find the energy needed to survive and live. Energy medicine.
Side effects may include temporary visions of things that do not exist, seizures and death.
"SNARL! How dare you offer this! Are you trying to kill him!?"
"Hey, hey, hey! Don't put it in such negative way! You see here? It says 'side effects may include death'. He may survive it, he may not!"
"But he would go through more than necessary...!"
"Skye... It's ok... you can give it to me..."
"But...! You're the only family..."
"Don't... worry."
"Here I go."
Snarl thrusted the bottle out of Skylar's hands and leaned down to Mike.
"Oh yeah. Never got your full name."
"Mike... te'Ime..."
Snarl snorted.
"Sounds like time. Just like Skylar. So stupid."
"Snarl! How can you strike up a normal conversation right now!" Skye said with panic in her voice.
"Don't panic, princess. This is how you're supposed to treat patients. Isn't that right? Mike?"
Snarl smiled, in a fitting way to his name. It was a snarl. An unnerving, disturbing, snarl.
"Snarl what-...!?"
"Time to kill!!"
And he laughed a most horrific laugh.
