VOYAGE II: To Where You Are

Chapter 1

The Island's True Face

Back in Illusion island, the Welkins were fully dazed by the island's magic. They believe that they were surrounded with mountains of golden treasure, and beautiful maidens who made them a feast.

A dream life it was you could say, everything you could ever want, were laid before you. The temptation was too much for an average man. The gold called them, and unable to reject it has made these men into its slaves.

It was hopeless for most of them to snap out of the state their mind was in. Well, almost all of them. The crow Pitch never left his master, and has been trying to wake him up from his daze.

One day, he had successfully lured his master  Haiden, who saw him as a butterfly, into a cave to separate him from the others. Upon entering the cave, Haiden slips on the slippery moist floor of the cave and his head hits the floor, knocking him out cold.

By the time he woke up, he was in pain from the wound he got by the forehead. But setting that aside, he was also awake to reality and saw the ugly face the island truly had.

It was horrifying, the sight of his crew who ate dirt and other inedible things, believing it was food, and a feast. They danced in the center of rotting corpses of both animals and humans alike. Some where caressing literal skeletons, believing them to be living people. He vomited at the sight, recalling that he did that too. Haiden felt so sick to his stomach, he shivered after getting the disgusting gunk out of his system.

He sat at a bottom of a tree, panting and feeling weak. Pitch perches on his shoulder, and he had never been so glad to see his crow. "Pitch, you never left didn't you?" he asked with a weak voice, and the bird squawked in return.  

Haiden then sees his fellows, Luxio passed out by a tree, Aspen still laughing and drinking from a coconut shell, Finn talking with his arm around a skeleton, and the Captain, Grozen who was drinking with Luxio. The other crewmen were either passed out, already dead, or drinking.

Haiden had decided to wake the others up, luckily, he was able to snap Luxio back first, and the two of them started snapping the other back out. Of course violence had to be involve in waking some of them, as their stubborness deserved a smack or two.

Unfortunately for the remaining men, it seemed to be too late for them. Their greed had consumed them, leading them to believe whatever the island made them see, it was madness with no cure.

It pained them, but they had to leave them. As they board their ship, there was nothing but silence.

Haiden stood atop the crow's nest, his eyes fixed on the horrendous skyland, that their ship current sails away from. He shivered before looking away, focusing his eyes on the view before him. The open skies, that greeted them upon escaping the accursed grip the island had on them.

Sure enough, none of them desire to ever lay their eyes on the godforsaken place, ever again.

The Captain Grozen was overflowing with a dark aura, as he stood by the stern, his hands tightening around the wheel.

He recalls the face of a certain man with rusty orange hair, and a distinct red coat.

"I'm gonna kill him."he mutters with clenched teeth.

***

"We're hunting them down. I'm not letting the shit they put us through slide."Grozen says to his crew, sending a dagger flying that lands on the body of the main mast."Do I make myself clear?"

"Aye Captain."the crew replied.

"Here's what's going to happen, we're luring them out. I'll have that rust-haired bastard's head by my hands."Grozen clenched his first and pounds it on the balustrade on his right."We'll restock and unwind upon reaching the closest skyland for now."he glances over at Finn.

"We'll reach Cloudhouser in an hour."the purple haired navigator informs them, adjusting his glasses.

"Very well."

***

Haiden sat by the bowsprit, staring out into the night sky, while Pitch was perched on the mast and seemed to be sleeping.

His foot dangles on the side and he playfully swings it. His mind drifting into the earlier days of his life.

His lone company was then joined by another, who settles beside him. This person's dark hair swaying in the wind.

"That island was messed up."Luxio shook his head, displeased."I don't think I can eat anything, for a while."

"It was. We nearly died."Haiden chuckles bitterly."It's not the first time though."

"Ever since I can remember, we were always on the run."Luxio says with a reminiscent look."Dying seems to have turned into a game. And we always end up barely escaping it."

"We've always wanted better Lu, but it looks like this is our fate."Haiden glances at the other, meeting his eyes."There's no turning back."he looks away."We're the bad ones now, worst than those before us." his gaze turning dark.

***

They drank and ate, upon entering a tavern. For some like Luxio, it felt a bit weird trying to eat after what happened the last time. So he stared hesitantly at his food, served before him, poking it with his fork.

"Eat up, you haven't taken a bite of anything since we left that place."Aspen scolds."You didn't even try any of the ones I made."the cook sounded offended.

Luxio mumbles a small "Sorry"with a sheepish smile, before deciding to finally cut a piece of his food and bring it to his mouth.

When dinner ended, they retreated back to their ship that was actually called the Black Voyager.

The men headed down to their quarters, settling on their bed. In their minds were the same thoughts, about revenge, pain, and harm.