The Elantra Pirates

Chapter 15

Zunci was hanging out in the bar, drinking late into the night. She was the only one there, and that's not including the bartender. He poured her another drink and slid it over to her, like playing shuffleboard. She caught it and downed it in one gulp.

Shug came in with the chest in his hands and she looked over at him as she put the glass down on the table.

"What're you holding?" She asked him.

"It's a chest with some strange glowing green rock. So freaking bright it almost blinded me." He said. "Some guy came rushing out of here holding this and begged me to take it."

"And you just blindly accepted."

"Of course not, I refused but he just shoved it in my face and ran off."

"I did see a guy run out of here, but I didn't see him holding a chest." She hopped off the barstool and walked over to him. "Can I see that rock?"

"Sure, just don't touch it." He said.

"Why?" She started undoing the latch.

"I don't know, I just get a bad feeling from it."

She unlatched it and swung it open and the green light illuminated from it. The green rock shined pretty bright, even brighter than before. "Wow, you weren't lying." She looked at it closely, but avoided actually touching it. "Do you have any clue what it is?"

"No clue, maybe Shanta knows. She seems to be very knowledgeable about almost everything."

"You think it's a magic stone?"

"Probably, I don't think any run of the mill stone glows as brightly as that."

"If you guys need to know anything about magic." The bartender said. "I know a guy up the hill that can probably help you out."

"Really?" Zunci said.

"Yeah, It's a giant mansion that he lives in, you literally can't miss it."

"Thanks, we'll go check him out in the morning."

"My pleasure." He continued to clean a glass. "Also, are you gonna pay?"

"Oh yeah sorry." She slid him a gold coin.

"Are you sure we should do this?" Shug asked.

"Yes, I'm curious about what this thing is."

"I mean last time we explored an island we almost got killed by a wizard. So I'm just worried."

"It'll be fine, we're just going up a hill, then we'll be on our way from this island."

"Ok."

"Come on, we should get some sleep and tell everyone in the morning."

The sun rises over the mountains and shines on the quaint little town. The crew slowly one after another wakes up, all of them dressing up for the day and meet down in the tavern for breakfast. They were all hanging out around the bar, and Shug was the last one to come down, still holding the chest between his arms.

"Good morning." He said as he sat right next to Brentha, setting down the chest on the bar.

They all looked at him weirdly.

"What is that?" Yunga asked.

"Oh yeah, forgot you guys don't know about this." He picked up the chest again and passed it to her.

"Shug found it last night." Zunci said. "Be careful when you open it, the green rock that's in there is blindingly bright."

Yunga unlatched the hatch as everyone gathered around. She tilted the top up a crack and the green glow shot out and flashed her in the face, making her cover her eyes. Everyone behind her also put their hands up until they adjusted to it.