The Quest

To The Island

Swords clashed and pirates yelled. Pendleton was surrounded with his back to a wall. Sonia was launching arrows at the other ship to help stop the flow of pirates. Timothy was fighting two pirates at once. He had already thrown one over the edge of the ship and had hit another with his sword.

"Timothy, I think it's time to take thier ship!" Pendleton yelled from across the deck.

He smiled slyly at him and charged through the pirates surrounding him. Timothy did the same and ran toward the nearest pirate who had swung onto the ship. He and Pendleton pushed the pirate over the edge and grabbed his rope and swung to the other ship. They landed in the center of the deck back-to-back with swords out, surrounded by pirates.

The pirates charged them and they both blocked and slashed together. They held back the pirates but we're slowly getting tired and eventually Timothy missed a block and was hit in the shoulder. Pendleton spun and hit the pirate and shielded Timothy.

"I don't think we can hold them any longer." Timothy said.

An arrow flew and hit a pirate right in the neck. Timothy and Pendleton turned to see Sonia swinging across with a crossbow in hand. She fired three more shots, all connecting and landed on the deck beside them. The last of the pirates started to run for the nearest railing or life boat.

"Let's get to the Captain's quarters. After we beat him this ship will be ours." She said through a grin.

They broke down the door to go below deck. Minutes later they stood before the entrance to the Captain's room. Pendleton kicked the door and it splintered, but didn't budge. He kicked again, then a third. It finally gave on the third and inside they found no one.

"Where's the Captain?" Timothy asked.

"Honestly if I saw what happened above deck I would have run away at this point to." Pendleton said as he walked to the Captain's desk. The room was spacious with a large desk and two big bookcases.

"I think the ship is ours." Timothy said.

Sonia and Timothy went back to thier ship and Pendleton stayed to pilot it back to port behind them. There new ship was double the size of the old one and after arriving home at Port they sold the old one. They explored their new ship from top to bottom and made some great discoveries. In the hold they found what had been being shipped, barrels of gunpowder, chests of Sahalan gold dollars and human slaves.When the small room they were being held in was discovered they all cowered.

"It's okay we're not going to hurt you...well I won't but he might." Sonia said as she pointed to Pendleton.

After getting them all above deck Sonia pulled Pendleton and Timothy aside.

"The slave trade is almost non-existent here on the South Sea. Where were they taking these people?"

"I think I know." Pendleton said. "Rusteel captures people and takes them to his headquarters and uses them for experiments and slave labor. You have remember he is a scientist, first and for most. After you are put into servitude under him, you don't leave."

"How do you know this?"

"I destroyed his original lab. There was so much...anyway, I saved many men, women and children from him before and we will do it again."

He looked up from their small huddle and stared at the people that they had found. His eyes glazed over like he was reliving something. Timothy wanted to know what they should expect when they get to the island but didn't push him.

"I just had a great idea." Sonia said. She climbed to the helm and stood over everyone.

"Can I have everyone's attention? We will get you all home as soon as possible but we would like to ask a favor. This ship is larger than the small one we saved you all with and we will need a crew to help man this ship. I would like to know if any of you would help us find more of Rusteel's ships and destroy them. If you help you can have a portion of any treasure captured and you can take your revenge on Rusteel one ship at a time. I don't want to lie, it will be dangerous but it will be worth while."

The men looked at each other and no one stepped forward. Until finally one, then another. Eventually each man who had been saved by them had joined in. Timothy looked at Pendleton and watched him smile. Timothy smiled at Sonia.

They sailed for weeks, sinking ships, one every two days. Each ship they captured was either sold or they upgraded by changing to it. On each ship they saved slaves who some would join their ship and others returned home. When they captured the third ship they found a chart showing ship movements. Each ship that they captured had a small piece of parchment that had a portion of the whole map of the South Sea. After examining them for a while Pendleton decided what they were.

"These are most likely pieces of a map showing how to get to the Misty Island that Rusteel is on."

"Misty Island?" Timothy asked.

"It's what the locals call it. It appears and dissapeared but everyone who has seen it agrees it is covered in a thick fog. One thing that can be seen from the sea is a huge temple complex. That is what we're after. Clarent will be at the center of the temple. After collecting that we and dismantle Rusteel's operation, one ship at a time."

"Pendleton..." Timothy asked quietly.

"What is it Timothy?"

"Can we tell Sonia what our mission is? We've been at sea with her for two months now and you still don't trust her. She saved us multiple times. Why can't we tell her?"

"Timothy listen to me. When you have dealt with war for as long as I have you will realize that trust comes slow."

"That first day you met me you trusted me without any questions."

"That's because you were attacked by a demon and met my brother. He has the ability to see through magical disguises. I had been following you for a few days before you left to see him. I had sent a message to him telling him..."

He trailed off and wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Why were you following me?"

"I can't say why, not yet because I'm not sure yet. But I will know soon."

He left the room without another word. Timothy frowned.

Why did he follow me?

"All hands on deck! Ship on the horizon!"

- - -

It only took a week to collect each part of the chart showing where Misty Island was.
The ship they sailed was top of the line and was worked by mostly liberated slaves.

Timothy was below deck with Pendleton and Sonia planning the attack on the island when they heard the helmsman.

"Misty Island dead ahead! Prepare landing craft!"

They all scrambled to collect their gear and get above deck.

When they were ready Pendleton stopped Timothy and Sonia.

"Listen you two, we are the only ones going onto the island. There will be no back-up, no rescue. So we watch each others backs and we find what we're looking for. Then we find Rusteel's HQ. We burn it to the ground steal anything that isn't bolted down and sail away on the his pride and joy the Shocker."

Sonia nodded and walked away.

"If you're not going to tell her what our actual motives are how are we going to get into the temple and get Clarent?"

"At that point Rusteel won't be able to stop us. When we get Clarent he won't be able to stop us. Also, we need to make sure to get the Demon Slayer from Rusteel. If he has my sword he will have it close to himself."

Timothy nodded. He collected his sword and the few other supplies he needed. Mostly supplies to help move around the temple and it's many traps.

Less than an hour later they were sailing the small landing craft to the island. Pendleton had told the sailors on board that they could take the ship back to Port Ohahii and sell it. Even through the thick fog Timothy could see a large structure deep in the jungles that covered the island.