Cove of Shadows ━━ Will Turner

𝐗𝐈𝐗 ━━ Singapour, The City of Future

THE TUNES OF ASIAN MUSIC quivered in the streets of Singapore. From the banjo to the narrow sounds, one could not miss the diversity in prey to this place, full of miscegenation and new horizons. Never did Will think he would get this far, and travel across the edge of the Caribbean. He had done it before, when he left England, but he had never aimed so far, so hard.

Water was heard everywhere, streaming against the bamboos that served as much for plants as decorations. Loupiotes, with scarlet red felt, lit the way for him, while he went to Sao Feng's lair, accompanied by his peers.

"I knew you were going to love Singapore, big boy!" Jack said with a smile on his face, showing his silver teeth.

Will let out a giggle as he continued to walk. The town was crowded, women casting teasing glances at him, merchants trying to sell the rest of their stock. Everything was so different, and a utopian atmosphere reigned over this place that seemed like an Eden paradise on earth. Although what mattered to the pirates was the sea. A light fog seemed to hang over the city, but not one of the menacing fogs that populated the bayous rivers of Tia Dalma, but rather like an awning, airy, and delicate. The light seemed to be multiplied by five; incandescent and luminous. Everything was clean and well organized: two banks separated by a river which sometimes crossed over bridges with remarkable architecture. It had nothing to do with the mess that was English towns; traversed in all directions by carriages, horses and pithiatics.

They arrived at the Golden Palace, guarded by quarrelsome samurai.

The door, round with dragonesque ornaments, opened, sliding as slowly as the train of the reptile.

An immense feeling of heat was immediately felt, while one could observe the private baths on the sides of the room. In a scorching heat, Will wondered how the inhabitants resisted such a temperature - but not a beneficial one; the sunflower hitting the epidermis. Here, you could believe in your own asphyxiation.

The attic was spacious, with a low ceiling height, stroking even Gibbs' hair. Spreading out their vicissitudes, the Singaporean people were prosperous, while the room was covered with finer adornments than the rest. It was quite a change from poor buildings and run-of-the-mill taverns, made only of planks of wood and banana leaves.

The main room, which served as Sao Feng's audience hall almost like an emperor's court, was filled with candles and incense burners, overlooked by the large baths on which mushrooms grew in humid conditions. Even bathers, who only left their tubs to draw swords at unwanted visitors, became hosts to free-growing fungi. Will noticed the real contrast between the appearance of the place and its state, deplorably rural.

Sao Feng presented himself to them, darting an imposing figure. He was dressed in robes, piled high with a shoulder pad and an armored belt encrusted with jade stones. Another sign of fortune, Will thought. He was not used to such adversity.

Sao Feng had a large dragon tattoo on his body, the same one he saw on the door. Turning his head, he notified that all Chinese pirates surrounding him possessed the same, which was surely a sign that they were sworn brothers. A long mustache and a goatee accompanied the shaved head of the intimidating pirate. Old dueling scars crossed his face as a testament to his prowess and fearless nature. Feng also wore a single ring on his right little finger, consisting of a large gold seal set with a small round jade stone, accompanying his long fingernails, the extent of which was singular. A red silk scarf was tied around him, certainly to bring him good luck.

The man seemed fearsome and battle-scarred.

Attached to Sao Feng's collar, two above each shoulder, were four Tuareg crosses, symbolic jewels.

The vile man spoke, while Will was still examining everything.

"Jack! To say it's a pleasure to see you again would be an understatement of the greatest order," Sao Feng said, half-smiling.