The Rookie Pirates (Parts 1-6)

35. A Cursed Soul

For about a month, the two red-haired captains anchored together out at sea one hundred miles away from Hive Island. They dared not sail any closer, for already, the two crews had come across a few naval ships. It was clear the government was guarding the island.

During that month, the two crews sparred amongst themselves as they waited for their captains' orders. Already, news spread around the world that the Kirk and Flint Pirates had attacked a naval ship and were out at sea together but knew not what was going on other than a possible alliance.

The two Flint brothers were in Zach's quarters, talking about the problem they now faced with approaching Hive Island. So far, no plan had been formed. Although they had the sea serpent, Linda, on their side, they could not always rely on her. Already her looming shadow which always followed Zach's ship had disappeared.

Sat on the oak table between the two brothers was the sea crystal chest Kirk had stoled from the wealthy merchant on Harvest Island with the help of Jessica. He explained to his older brother what had happened that day. The lid was open, and hues of honey and gold glistened brightly and reflected off the walls of the dimly lit cabin.

Kirk propped his feet up against the round oak table as he waited for his brother to say something. The dry mud that had accumulated on his brown leather shoes crumbled onto the table like wet sand.

"Take your feet off the table!" Zach scowled towards his younger brother. "Didn't mother teach you any manners?"

Kirk slumped his feet off the table with a thud. "Mother never liked me. She always went on about you and your amazing adventures as a pirate of Blackbeard's crew. The second I mentioned wanting to be a pirate, she whacked me across the back of the head."

"Too right. You were an ill and weak child, Ruben. It wasn't that mother didn't want you to be a pirate. It's in our blood to be one; she was the famous Captain Bonny Flint. She didn't want to watch you die because she knew you weren't strong enough to be a pirate without getting yourself killed."

Kirk growled under his breath as his amber eyes lit with a dark flame. "Now look at me. My health is fine, and I'm stronger than ever. You and mother were worried over nothing."

Zach scowled at his younger brother. He was too cocky for his own good, thinking he could take the world on by himself. He needed to teach his brother a lesson. Not everything could be given to him in the palm of his hand.

"Having a cursed soul is not something to be proud of. It may have made you stronger, but even cursed souls have their weakness, and when the shackles come on..."

Out of nowhere, Zachary snapped a sea-crystal clasp onto his younger brother's wrist. Instantly, the colour drained from Kirk's face as his energy was sucked away from him. His breathing became heavy, and he soon started to sweat all over. His free weak hand attempted to claw at the shackle on his wrist until his energy was all gone and he fell upon the oak table, tired and unable to move.

"... your body becomes weakened, making you weaker than you were before your soul became cursed." Zach fell back against his chair and watched his brother, useless and incapable of movement. "You're far from strong. You need to be able to fight if you ever find yourself in the situation you're in now. You can't always rely on your cursed soul!"

"I get it!" Kirk choked. "I'm not bulletproof. Please, take it off!"

Zach took the clasp off, and his younger brother took in a deep breath as he replenished his strength with a quiet loathing in his amber eyes.

"Don't ever do that again!" Kirk growled and sent a loose screw from the wooden paneling of the ship flying towards his older brother.

In an instant, Zach had unsheathed his red-bladed cutlass from his sash, and he deflected the object, sending it flying across the room, a dark, sinister look in his bronze eyes.