The Quest

Captain Rusteel

"CAPTAIN RUSTEEL!" Timothy yelled. "How do you know him?"

The cloaked man turned aound to look at them. He was silouetted by the full moon but one thing stood out, his burning red eyes.

"He was a mercenary before he blew himself up. He worked with Zhen Su in the war. I sank his first ship." Pendleton replied with a smirk.

"Well I'm going to sink you swordsman." Replied Rusteel. His voice was deep but when he soak a whiring of gears could be heard.

"Wait, he worked with Zhen Su?" Timothy asked dumbfounded.

"Where do you think he got the magic that helped turn him into a machine." Pendleton replied.

"Zhen Su is going to reward me handsomely if I deliver you two to him, but I think I'll take some revenge for my ship." Said the pirate as he turned his back. "I have increased my influence and power since last time we met Pendleton. This time it will be a different story. I have heard of your quest and I'll tell you now that you won't find that sword, I have a portion in my treasury, under close guard. You'll both meet your fates by first light."

With that the old pirate walked back behind them, out of sight.

"We are so screwed."

"Calm down Timothy, I've got use covered."

Timothy looked down and saw Pendleton sawing through his ropes with a small dagger.

"I guess it doesn't take much brains to be a pirate, his men did a terrible job of patting me down for weapons."

He sawed for what felt like an eternity until the ropes snapped. Pendleton hit the deck hard. It make an audible sound, it would be hard for the pirates to not hear it. After a minute they could hear pirates talking about the sound underneath them. Pendleton started on Timothy's ropes. He stopped halfway through to find a hiding place when the pirates came out to patrol the deck.

They noticed Pendleton's absence and went to get Rusteel. He came out, his eyes darker than last time.

"Where did he go boy? Tell me or die here." He grabbed Timothy's collar and got into his face. Timothy heard the gears inside of him turning but not breathing. Timothy was horrified, this was no man in front of him. This was a monster.

"Hey metal head!"

Rusteel turned around and there was Pendleton. He punched Rusteel right in the face. Pendleton grabbed his hand.

"That was a mistake. Wow, that really hurt!"

Rusteel after being hit laughed at him.

"What did you expect to happen, swordsman? For that I think I'll kill you now, Zhen Su won't mind."

Pendleton stopped and looked up at him with a grin.

"What did I expect to happen, exactly that, you talking long enough."

He looked up causing Rusteel to do so to. Above them was a sand bag suspended by one rope that was being burned through by a small torch. Right as they looked up it snapped and swung right into Rusteel, pushing him back into the pillar that Timothy was tied to. His sword stuck into the wood cutting the ropes holding Timothy. Timothy dropped down onto the deck.

The pirates rushed them to aid thier leader. Pendleton punched the first in the face and knocked him out cold. He took his cutlass and swung at the rest. Timothy ran for the nearest lifeboat and motioned for Pendleton to join him.

Rusteel was busy pulling himself from the wall. His sword was embedded in the mast and he was unable to move because of it. Pendleton ran up beside him and grabbed the oil lantern hanging beside him. Rusteel grabbed at him but Pendleton jumped away with lantern in hand.

He threw it down on the deck and it splashed fire and oil every where. As it splashed Pendleton jumped into the life boat and cut both the ropes supporting it with his stolen cutlass. Rusteel finally pulled himself free from the wall and ran towards the lifeboat as it dropped into the dark sea below.

Pendleton and Timothy held on as thier boat dropped the distance from the deck to the water below. They hit the surface and were jarred by the impact. The both grabbed a paddle and rowed as fast as they could.

After a minute or two Timothy looked back at the ship. He could see Rusteel standing in front, his eyes burned red as he watched them row away.