Heart of the Abyss (A Pirate's Tale)

Heart of the Abyss (A Pirate's Tale) - 5th Chapter

Chapter 5

The Archangel

"You again?" Jeremy acknowledged, his anger getting the better of him. "Ever since you came to my house you had brought nothing but troubles that spouted from your lies! Why then, should I believe what's about to come out of your mouth, eh?"

"You should believe in what I'm about to say because," Faust said with conviction ringing in his every word. "What runs in your veins runs also in mine, hence, my identity is your identity as well."

"Meaning?" Jeremy asked further, not quite getting what Faust was saying.

"I, Faust Bloodrose, am a pirate by blood by the virtue of James Bloodrose, captain of the vessel Emperor, and by Mistress Cassandra Morgan, captain of the vessel Ocean Raider, savvy?"

Jeremy cocked his last musket and pointed it to Faust. "I am no brother of yours," he said through gritted teeth.

"Not your brother?" Faust mocked, and then he cocked his own musket and pointed it to Jeremy. "Then this may enlighten you. That box-" he pointed to the box that lay some short distance from Jeremy's horse "-open it."

Jeremy did what he was told. He lifted the lid, and he found a compass and a seemingly old roll of voluminous paper that looked like garbage."

"What's this?" Jeremy asked, showing the roll of paper.

Faust pulled one end of the paper to unroll it. There was nothing written on the paper. "Place the compass in front of it," Faust instructed.

Jeremy opened the compass, only to find it quite unusual, as there was nothing but an orb inside. Not wanting a bullet in his skull, he did as he was told.

The queerest thing then happened.

The orb shone white, and then a beam of some sort shot out from it and hit the paper straight in the center. The moment the beam struck the paper, lines started to snake out. From the point of the beam, the black lines formed shapes Jeremy instinctively identified as islands of the Spanish Main. Once the island chains were formed, latitudes and bearings appeared on the map, and then, all was still as stone.

Jeremy snorted.

"How is this going to convince me?" Jeremy sneered at Faust.

"Look closely on the map," Faust instructed, and Jeremy Looked.

There on the island of Jamaica were two small dots with the words Commodore Jeremy Morgan Bloodrose, Commander of the Pirate Ship Archangel on one dot and on another were the words Captain Faust Morgan Bloodrose, Commander of the Pirate Ship Sea Dragon.

"The map lies," Jeremy was as thickheaded as ever.

"The map can never be shown to anyone but the flesh, blood and bone of James Bloodrose, the author of this map," Faust said quietly as he looked pointedly on the top left corner of the map. The words written on it were The route to the Heart of the Abyss, drawn by Capt. James Bloodrose, Commander of the Pirate Ship Emperor.

"'tis his own handwriting," Faust said gravely.

Jeremy was as silent as death, his eyes wide and questioning.

Faust turned and faced the sea.

"Father was a pirate who, once long ago, rescued one of the daughters of Neptune from the hands of the Englishmen," Faust revealed to Jeremy. "Her name was Danaia, and she was caught by those witless ruffians to bring as a prize and gift to The Crown. However, father chanced to have raided that ship and rescued Neptune's daughter.