FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The sun was setting on the coastal city of Evergrove, where pirates and nobles could walk in the street without a care, for their own plots were the only elements that motivated them. After all, why would they fight when they had the opportunity to accomplish something bigger than themselves? And in some cases, it could even lead to strange and yet efficient alliances, although they usually ended in tragedy for some...

It didn't matter much to the members of the town militia, though; they could plot and scheme as much as they desired, the result would always be the same, in the end. If they would break the law, then they would face the same punishment; there was no such thing as mercy or bribe these days on the docks.

Jayce was a member of the militia; not a veteran nor a rookie, he was a member that the team learned to trust and rely on with time. However, it did take some time for them to consider his presence as beneficial and not a burden; after all, he was a bit out of the common, a figure that stood out of a crowd, but not for the reasons one could think about.

When people came to the guards, expecting help, they were always surprised to see him, for he was shorter than his team mates; standing proud at three feet tall, he worked his hardest to compensate this disadvantage. It was not like he could grow in height, anyway; being twenty-six, his growth was now over.

Although it wasn't uncommon for him to hear comments from some people that he should evolve, so he could look a bit more though; after all, he was a pichu, but he didn't care much about that. He knew that some people couldn't see past the some elements and weren't worth his time, making his job easier.

A soft breeze passed in his brown hair, making him pass a hand on one of his pink cheek before placing it back at his side, wondering if it was time for him to let someone else take the round or not. Wearing his blue frock coat over a white waist coat, adorned with matching gold buttons, he was a sight to behold, although some wondered if his place wasn't on a ship and not patrolling the streets, making sure that the people would follow the code of law.

It was a bit loose, though; when he was given his uniform, back in the days, he didn't have the chance to have clothes that fitted him. He had to pick between something that was either too small or too large; the choice was easy and that was why he was wandering around with a coat that he was floating in.

The uniform he was wearing had a history of its own; it was the proof that he used to be an officer of the royal navy, but as the ship he served on sank, attacked by pirates, he decided to stay on land and find a way to serve the people without facing the same fate once more.

However, he wasn't foolish enough to believe that it would stop misfortune from following him, but if his team was around him, then nothing wrong could happen. With their strengths combined, they would be able to overcome any sorts of difficulty, although he knew that there was a limit to what they could accomplish.

But knowing their limits was a good way for them to work harder, so they could find a way to overcome the difficulty that they would face. It was a scenario that they never encountered, but they had to be prepared for anything; these days, the criminals were lying low, as if they were afraid to be caught...

Looking around, he was wondering if something would happen before he would retreat for the night, so at least he would have a story to tell. As he was about to give up on his quest for excitement, he saw a strange figure heading toward the pier.

Although he could have ignored the stranger lurking in the shadows, his duty was telling him otherwise; there was a chance that it was someone with malevolent intents, who wanted to stir up trouble.

But before he would investigate this situation, he had to see his superior to make sure that he could in fact perform this action, for it would be a shame that he would be disobeying an order without even knowing it. Although he could always try to defend his lack of knowledge, he knew that it wasn't a reason to do so...

Turning around, he was about to head back into the city when he saw that his commander was standing behind him, ready to take his place; this was the time to ask him about the mission he wanted to accomplish, before the perpetrator would vanish in nature, making any sort of pursuit useless.

``You are still around? Aren't you supposed to be back in your home, waiting for your next assignment? Although I praise your efforts, I have to remind you that we are a team and that we all need to be rested to be efficient'' his commander told him, as he pointed toward the city, inviting him to retreat for the night.

``But sir, I saw a suspicious individual walk toward the pier a moment ago; should I pursue it or should ignore it and leave it to you?'' he asked, wondering what he was supposed to do in this situation. Sometime, it felt better to let others take the decisions for him, although he didn't want to give them the impression he was unable to do it on his own; it was just a way for him to have a free mind, from time to time...

His commander looked at him for a moment, as if he wasn't sure what to tell him; perhaps he wanted to seize the investigation for himself, although there was a chance he would let him do it. Perhaps he was seeking glory and fame, for the patrol these days was quiet; however, there was a chance that he knew the reason of that incursion, a reason he would divulge to him, before dismissing his proposal and sending him back to his home, so he could rest and prepare himself for tomorrow.

``Although I should stop you from doing such a thing, I cannot let this event unfold without someone investigating it. You shall go forward and make sure that nothing out of the ordinary will happen; crimes cannot be tolerated, after all'' he was told, as he turned away from his commander and walked toward the suspect.

He expected the person to hurry up, to try to hide as he was coming closer, but nothing of the sort happened; perhaps that individual wasn't a criminal, but just a wandering jaywalker, trying to find sense in these turbulent times.

He could observe that the person in question was in fact his friend Primrose, the Stunky. Similar to a skunk, without being one, she was covered with purple and white fur, the latter being present on her stomach and her tail, in the form of a single large stripe.

The same color was also present in her hair, which was abundant and long, enough to reach her back. A quick look could have confused it with her fur, but time helped realize that it wasn't the case; a simple blow of the wind was sufficient to show the line that distinguished the fur from the hair. A closer observation could also distinguish two white whiskers, each to the side of her head; they were delicate, complimenting her figure.

It had been a short while since they'd known each other; he wasn't sure how she arrived on the island but since then, he had to keep an eye on her, for she had a tendency to run into trouble, for she didn't see these situations as dangerous.

However, he had to admire her spirit, always heading out for new adventures; there was something refreshing and daring about that behavior, as it was a model that he could follow in the future.

``Primrose, what are you doing here? Don't you know that at this hour, pirates and criminals roam the harbor, making this area unsafe at best?'' he asked her, while she looked at him, unfazed by the situation.

``Oh Jayce, I know that you care about my safety, but adventure is calling me; there are so many rumors in this city, I cannot ignore them'' she told him, as she continued advancing toward the ocean.

He knew that there was nothing he could do to reason with her, for now; all he could was to follow her, to make sure she wouldn't get herself in trouble. After all, he couldn't permit himself to let anything happen to his friend, even if she was running after danger; it was his responsibility to make sure that she wouldn't be able to find it in the first place...

Turning toward him, she smiled for a moment, before looking at the ocean once again; there was something mesmerizing about the waves hitting the pier and the beach, but he had the impression that this wasn't the show she was seeking in the first place. Since she was not in danger, he decided to let himself observe the horizon for a moment, although he had the impression that there was something strange going on. Perhaps he had to look at it, to make sure there was nothing going on...

Approaching her, he decided to join in, curious about the element that caught her attention in the first place; he couldn't believe his eyes, for the spectacle that was happening in front of him was beyond his comprehension.

He could observe skeletal pirates digging on the beach, as if they were searching for a treasure; perhaps they were victims of a curse, forced to relive their lives over and over... Or they were simply results of some malevolent act of necromancy, which gained consciousness with the years, for skeletons weren't known to be clever beings, after all.

``What is happening here?'' he whispered to her, trying his best not to be spotted by the undead; not that he was afraid of facing them one on one, but pirates had a tendency of fighting dirty and being dead wouldn't remove that tendency from their repertoire at all...

``Did you hear the rumours about the treasure of Captain BrownBeard of the bilge water? In his prime years, he was a fine buccaneer, a terror of the seven seas. But then he disappeared, leaving no trail behind him, as if the sea swallowed him; perhaps it was his fate to vanish from existence like that, but his troubled soul didn't accept it. You see, the treasure he was seeking was still buried, out of his reach; he could have stayed in stasis forever, but someone had to awaken him by messing up a ritual on a Sunday morning'' she told him, as she tied a yellow sash around her waist, just like a pirate would do.

``What do you think you are doing?'' he asked her, as she finished the last touches, making sure that the sash would be able to withstand the passage of time and the ferocious assault of the elements.

``Well, since they are pirates, I was thinking that I could join them; who could resist the call of the ocean? I want to see that world, to explore the world and my share of booties; it is my chance to have some fun'' she told him, as she stood in place, wondering how she could approach the group without being considered a target to attack.

``Are you crazy? These are pirates and skeletons to boot; I don't think they would welcome a living being on their ship with a smile, or in their case, with a decrepit grin'' he told her, trying to make her lower her head.

They were unaware that someone was observing them from afar; perched on the shoulder of the captain, there was a skeletal parakeet observing them, spying on their every move as they were trying to figure out a way to hide from view.

With a loud squawk, it flew off the captain's shoulder and circled around their heads, before landing on a rock near them, still watching them, its empty eye sockets sending chills down Jayce's spine. He had the impression that there was something in there, a malicious presence, a little flame that was animating the bird, but he was sure that it was his imagination playing tricks on him; after all, this skeleton wasn't on fire...

``Nice bird, nice bird... don't make any noise now'' said Jayce, as he tried to grab the bird, for he had to be sure that it wouldn't make any sound at all. It would be quite catastrophic if it would start chirping and squawking, for the pirates wouldn't be fools and ignore the direct signal that the bird was sending to them.

The bird looked at them for a moment, as if it was puzzled by what he was trying to do; perhaps the spectacle was enough for it to be entertained, although he wasn't sure the avian was really caring about what he was doing in the first place. It seems more like it was seeking something, but since it wasn't speaking, there was little he could do help him.

``Jacky wants a cracker... or a finger'' said the parakeet, as it approached them, snapping its beak for a moment, before whistling. Having no desire to sacrifice a finger to the reanimated beast, they ignored it, wishing that it would stay there, uncaring about what was going on until the crew would vanish in the night.

With a loud squawk, it took to the sky and started circling around their heads, as if the fact that they didn't respond to its demand was an insult to it.

``Harrr landlubbers, you really think you could spy on us without being discovered? Ye will never change; seize them before they escape!'' yelled the captain, as the parakeet flew back to his shoulder, reeling as it was waiting for a cracker that would never come.

As the crew surrounded them, they could hear the bird's incessant ramble, trying to catch the attention of the captain without any success; it was a pity that they didn't bring any saltines with them, for they could have distract the bird and thus avoided being caught. But how could they have known that there would be a parakeet in the first place anyway?

Forced to advance by the swords pointed at them, they followed the ghastly crew, wondering where they could be brought. Would they be executed on the spot or would the captain show some sort of mercy, determined on amusing himself before ridding himself of them?

As they advanced, they saw a ship waiting for them; it seemed old and decrepit, but strangely sturdy enough to set sails on the seven seas. Perhaps there was some magic behind its existence, or some ancient curse... or just a lazy crew, that didn't take the time to repair their own ship. They could have captured another one, but what sort of skeletal crew would have been riding in a brand new ship? How could they be inspiring terror aboard a ship that would be beautiful? They weren't running a cruise...

``Harr, here is our ship; from there, we will decide what to do with you both. But for now, climb on, for we must depart before more intruders decide to join in our search for treasure'' said the captain, as his parakeet glared at them, eyeing their fingers for a moment before turning his eye sockets away.

Having little choice in the matter, they boarded the ship, following the pirates; as they walked aboard the creaking vessel, Jayce wondered how the rotten wood was able to support their weight. Turning the thought over in his mind, he realized that it was an element that he didn't want to focus too much on, for the time being, although it could serve a purpose later on.

He looked at Primrose, wondering what sort of impact these events were having on her; when he saw her looking bravely at the pirates, defiant of them, he realized that she very well could be a model to follow, for the moment.

Following in her footsteps, he forged for himself an expression, one that would be able to stand scrutiny and a deeper interrogation. He was unaware that it was a façade, a game she was also playing. But by mimicking her, he didn't realize that he was playing her game, joining in the illusion as well.

``Arrr, mateys; it seems like these rats are trying to play tough, but I know that ye are just playing games with me! Ye really think that you could stand against us with such a puny force? We sailed the seven seas for centuries without anyone able to stop us; it won't be a pair of punks that will stop our ambitions. You wouldn't even be able to lift a sword anyway!'' the captain said, as the crew burst into laughter.

``Now, let's get to the fun part; don't believe we captured you for some sort of ransom or to make you pirates. You see, there is something we like to do to landlubbers that wander to close to our ship. Bring them to the gallows and show them how fun torture can be'' added the captain, as he walked back to his room.

The swords pointed at their backs, they walked toward the belly of the ghost ship, wondering what sorts of horrors were awaiting them in the darkness beneath the rotting planks. Could it be their doom, or would their captors be kind enough to spare them and let them live to see another day?

As the door opened in front of them, they looked at each other; would this be the last time they would be seeing each other? Or was this a bluff the pirates were pulling on them, before they would be chained and sold as slaves somewhere?

Pushed inside of the room, they could sense that there were several items lying around, but the darkness prevented them from seeing anything; it was a shame that they were unable to do so, for it could have given them a clue on what was about to happen, although there was chance that nothing would change.

Perhaps the darkness would be their punishment; what would be more terrifying then to be locked in room without any light, unable to know what surrounded them? They could be surrounded by rats, rabies-infested vermin or unknown horrors...

``Aye, get me a few candles; the ones in the room seem to have died out'' said one of the skeletons, as it tapped against something that sounded like metal. From the sound it produced, it seemed to be a lantern.

It didn't take a long for another skeleton to arrive with said candles, passing them to the one that spoke a moment ago; although the light from the outside was dim, Jayce was still able to observe the entire transaction, wondering if he could wreak chaos upon the ship's crew.

Primrose, on her side, was trying to find a way out of this situation; being brave was nice and fun for a short moment, but it had its limits. They needed to get out of there before things would get serious; these bags of bones didn't seem to be joking, after all, and she didn't want to see what sort of torture they had in mind.

As a flame reached the first candle, the vacillating light was enough for them to see an object they recognized; it looked like a table, but they knew that it wasn't just a table. It would have been quite surprising for pirates to include a simple table in what they considered a torture chamber, after all.

As more candles were lit, they realized that it wasn't a table at all; it was in fact a torture rack, an instrument that seemed a bit old for this function but was a favorite in certain courts. After all, it was quite efficient...

In a corner, they spotted a wooden stock, with rusty locks; strangely, the rest of the metal on it was impeccable and in good shape, making them wonder why the locks were ignored while the rest was taken care of.

On an isolated shelf, away from the corner, one could observe a breast ripper, a pear of anguish and few other smaller instruments. On the side of the shelf laid an iron maiden; there was a collection of torture devices reunited.

Jayce looked around, wondering what the pirate had in mind; he didn't want to meet his end in a gruesome way, but with the selection presented in front of him, it seemed like he would have little choice over it.

Before he could say a word, he was pushed toward the rack; struggling to free himself from the skeletons that were surrounding him, he received a blow behind the head, destabilizing him for a moment. It was enough for the group surrounding him to grab him and place him on the rack.

As Primrose looked at the scene, unable to say anything, another skeleton guarding the door, she watched them tie him to the device, his arms and legs stretched a bit to make sure that he would be assuming the perfect position. He seemed a bit taller, but she knew that it wasn't true; it was just an image that would fade away...

Looking around, she wondered why the crew was focusing on him; perhaps they wanted her to witness what they were going to do to him, to horrify her before they would unleash the same fate on her. It was a chilling perspective, for it was a fate she wouldn't be able to escape...

Unless she would find a genius plan, one that could save the day; there had to be something she could do to save them from the impending doom that was looming upon them. Perhaps she could spill the candles all over the floor, to burn the darn ship and send all the crew to the depths of the ocean, where they belonged. But again, she would have to find a way to free Jayce from the rack before he would drown; she couldn't live with the guilt if she wasn't able to save him in the end.

``Don't think we forget about ye, little one; it would be a shame to leave you without any attention paid to you'' said the crew, as they turned toward her, grinning as they advanced toward her position.

As she was about to take a defensive position, she realized that it was pointless; she didn't possess weapons, while her opponents had swords. There was no point for her to fight a battle that was already lost...

Without a word, she was grabbed and held in place, while a skeleton was walking toward the shelf for a moment, as if it wanted to grab one the instrument that was lying on it. Stopping in front it, it seemed hesitant, as if the items it was seeing were not the one it was seeking in the first place.

Looking at the iron maiden, it stopped in front of it, as if it wanted to drag her inside of it; it would be quite the gruesome end for her if it would happen, but she had the impression that this item wasn't the one it was seeking.

Turning around, it walked toward the stock; still silent as ever, it approached her, dragging the device behind it, as if it was heavier than it seemed. Placing it in front of her, it was quite easy for her to determine what was going to happen next.

Playing with the locks a bit, it didn't take long for the skeleton to open the lock; she could observe that the openings were small, making her wonder if she would even fit in there. Would she be forced into them? Or would the wood crumble under her, as if it was trying to mold itself to her?

Without giving her time to react, the skeleton grabbed her ankles and forced them in the contraption, not really caring if it would be too small for her. But as the undead locked the wooden pieces together, she realized that it was in fact fit for her. Perhaps the animated assembly of bones was smarter than she wanted to believe, or perhaps it was just a movement that was so imprinted that repeating it didn't require any thinking at all.

Either way, she was now stuck in the stock, while he was trapped on the rack; what was going to happen to them? Would they be left there, to rot until the vermin devoured them, or would they be tortured?

``Which one should we start with, mateys? The lass seems to be playing brave, but the lad could reserve a surprise'' said one of the skeletons, as it took a bottle of rum from a dark corner and started chugging it, splashing some of the precious liquid on the floor.

``Don't waste rum, ya numbskull!'' yelled a member of the crew, as it hit the drinking undead behind the skull, making it fall on the ground. They looked at for it a for a moment, thinking that this was the end for the crewmember in question, but when they saw the skeleton stumble around, trying to find its head, they realized that they wouldn't be able to get rid of these beings that easily.

``Why did ya do that for? Now I have to replace it back where it used to be; that's going to be long...'' said the head, as it watched the body stumble around, trying to find its head without any success. If the situation wasn't so dramatic, they would be laughing of the pure comedy they were enjoying at the moment, for it wasn't everyday they could see skeletons fighting each other, while the bottle of rum was flying high in the sky, about to be spilled again.

Perhaps the crew would stop caring about them and leave them in their position, for the time being, for they seemed more determined on fighting each other than torturing them. If they would keep that up, maybe they could even try to embezzle them, so they would free them in the confusion, although the chances for such a success would be low...

As they were about to say something, to stir up more tensions between the crewmembers, they heard the door opening violently on its hinges, as if someone was in terrible mood. Whoever it was, it seemed to be displeased by the agitation that was ruling in the belly of the ship. Not that it could be blamed for such an attitude; with the crewmembers at each other's throats, no one could really support them...

``What is happening here? Why are the landlubbers not tortured yet? Ye spineless dogs, get back to work before I make you walk the plank, all of you!'' yelled the captain, as it entered the room once again, agitating its sword in the air, trying to add emphasis to its words, although it was a bit pointless.

Its presence was enough to intimidate those that were straying from the rightful path, even if there were having fun. After all, it was able to gain the title of captain with skills and prowess, feats that were undeniable for the rest of the crew. They respected them, but they knew that a simple sign of weakness would be enough for it to be history...

``Ye barnacles' munchers, get back to your post and torture these landlubbers! I will not repeat myself twice, ya hear me?'' said the captain, as it tapped it foot against the floor, awaiting results from its crew.

Without saying a word, the crew stopped their fighting and looked at their captain, wondering if they would be able to escape the wrath that would fall upon them if they would show an excess of zeal, for the time that the captain was around...

As they looked at them once again, wondering what they were going to do, they watched as one of them grabbed a pillow, while another was approaching the rack. Perhaps they wanted to suffocate them with the pillow, although it would be a bit brutal. If torture was on the menu, there was no point in hastening the process and cutting the threads of their lives, for the moment.

Tearing the pillow apart, the one that was holding it sent feathers flying in the air; although they looked like feathers, their appearance was the only element that could be used to classify them as feathers.

They were immaterial, as if they were plucked from a spectral avian; could they be the remains of ghostly chicken, that was served as food before it meet a grisly fate. Or maybe these were just feathers that faded due to the passage of time; either way, they couldn't do that much...

``What are you waiting for?'' said the captain, as he pointed the one waiting at the rack, twiddling its thumbs for a moment, as if there was indeed nothing it could do in this situation. Perhaps it was awaiting orders, or maybe it was lacking rum to continue; either way, it seemed a bit slow on the uptake. But as soon as it heard the request, it sprung to life, as if mere words were enough to stimulate it.

Extending an arm, it reached the rack and started turning the wheel that was on the side; although it seemed to have little to no effect at first, Jayce knew that it would only be a matter of time before he would face a situation that would change his perception of reality.

He expected the skeleton to stop for a moment, for it seemed indolent and not willing to rush anything. But this wasn't a regular day to day labor, one that the crew wanted to avoid at all cost, while trying to plunder all that was wandering near the ship. No, it was nearly a celebration, an event that didn't happen frequently; to torture the living, to extract as much suffering from them seemed to be a form of art that needed to be celebrated.

As the wheel turned, he could feel the ropes tied to his limbs starting to pull on them; it wasn't hurting, for now, for the tug was still gentle, but this was just a taste of what was going to open and he knew that there was nothing he could do to stop it...

With a sadistic grin, or something that was trying hard to resemble it, the skeleton turned the wheel franticly. As the devices pulled the ropes toward it, he could feel his limbs being stretched, reaching limits that he never thought possible in the first place.

He could feel his muscles hurting, but not tearing up yet; the rack was not close to its limit yet, for he knew that it could reach so much more. Not that he wanted to see it come into action; he cared about a bit too much about his life to observe this device come into full potential, after all...

As the skeleton continued turning the wheel, he could feel tears clouding his eyes; the pain was getting unbearable, making him wonder how long it would take before his ligaments would snap and make him howl in pain.

It was an endless wait, one that he knew the undead would delight in, for after all there was nothing that he could do; it's not like he possessed abnormal abilities that would permit him to break free from this nightmare...

As the wheel was turned another time, he bit his tongue to stop a yelp from escaping his mouth; the pain was agonizing, making him wonder how much he would be able to suffer before his body would give the blessing of a blackout...

At the same moment, while Jayce was experiencing the joys and pains of the rack, the other skeleton was preparing itself for the round of torture that it was supposed to inflict to the other prisoner.

Grabbing a feather, it approached near her left sole, letting the tip of the instrument rest against her sensitive flesh. In a swift, subtle motion, the feather was moved from the tip of the toes to the bottom of the sole, the instrument never sticking in the same place for a long moment.

The touch was light and gentle, and yet she could feel that it would persist, she wouldn't be able to stand it without losing her composure; she had to make sure that she wouldn't give what the undead desired, for if she did such a thing, then it would be defeat...

But as she tried to give herself that command, while her friend was being stretched on the rack, she felt the feather pass on more on her tender sole; this time, the stroke wasn't light and fast, like the first time.

In was in fact slow and persistent, passing on her sole without giving the flesh any sorts of respite. She could feel the urge to laugh and giggle rise in her, but she knew that she had to control herself; however, the release seemed so sweet and the struggle so futile...

As she bit her lips, hoping that it would stop, she watched as the skeleton grab another feather and bring it closer to her other sole. She was amazed that the reanimated bones were able to handle two object at the same time, but she knew that since she was barely able to stand one feather, how could she be able to resist two?

The promised feathers come to her soles, as if one wasn't enough; as she tried to stop herself from laughing, she could feel the tips of the instruments seeking her sensitive areas, to make sure that she would give in and explode in laughter.

At the same time, she could observe that Jayce was trying his best not to yell in pain; it was a strange irony that she wanted to laugh so badly and that he wanted to scream in pain. Perhaps it was what these skeletons were seeking...

As she started laughing and the feathers were still running up and down her soles, she knew that she had to do something, before Jayce would face a horrific fate. But what could she do that would save the day?

``Stop, stop! I know where a hidden treasure is buried'' she yelled between laughs, wondering if they would listen to her or if they would ignore her, for the torture was sweet to their souls, after all...

Although she expected them to ignore her, the feathers stopped as the captain seemed interested in what she told the group a moment ago. Perhaps his greed was more important than torture...

''Speak, landlubber; what is the treasure ye talk about? If you don't tell us about it, we will make sure to rip your friend's arms off while he will still be conscious'' said the captain, as it approached its blade near her throat.

She looked at the skeleton, wondering how she could turn the situation in their favor; for now, they stopped the torture but if her attempt was a failure, it would result in a catastrophic result, one for which she couldn't forgive herself...

``I will only speak if you free us from these devices'' she told the captain, wondering if it would accept the bargain or not. After all, there was a chance that it could refuse the deal, for it could use force and fear to get the answer it desired. The captain stayed quiet for an instant, as if the deal that was presented to it was one that was perhaps worth considering, although it could be a ruse to make her believe it so, so the torture would resume without further interruptions.

``I know what you are going to do me and my friend if I lie; there is no point for me to do such a thing, when it could cost me my life. Who would be foolish enough to toy with the undead anyway?'' she told the captain, as she could see that it was still hesitating, not really trusting her words.

``Very well, landlubber; we will free you and your comrade only if you lead us to the treasure; if you fail in the task, we will make sure it will be your last mistake'' said the captain, as it waved one of its hand, making the crew detach thme from the devices that were holding them in place.

Jayce looked at her for a moment, wondering what sort of devious plan she had in mind, but for the moment, all he could do was to thank her for freeing him from the torture device, for he knew that if they pushed it a little longer, his arms would have snapped under the pressure.

Without wasting a moment, they followed the captain and a few of its men on a little rowboat; it was amazing that it was still able to float, for its condition was beyond horrible, but perhaps it was animated by the same dark magic that kept the boat on the water.

They rowed for an hour, as if she had no idea where she was supposed to go in the first place. But the way she gave instructions, that she navigated the boat, produced that illusion that she was in charge, for she knew where she was going.

After fighting the sea and the winds, they landed on a beach; as Jayce looked around, he realized that it was the beach that was surrounding the city they left not so long ago, but since it was located at another angle, it could pass for another beach.

``There it is, the place where the treasure is buried, near that palm tree'' said Primrose, as she pointed near the tree, to a spot that could very well be the location of a treasure that she had no clue about, but to make sure the pirates would follow the story, she had to believe in it, for the time being.

Grabbing the shovels that they brought with them, they rushed toward the location and started digging, for the lust for treasure and gold of the pirates couldn't be ignored, although they knew that it was a lie.

The sand didn't oppose any resistance, as they dug holes after holes in it, trying to find the fabled treasure she spoke about. But as the holes appeared in the ground without any results each time, the pirates seemed to lose trust and patience in her encouraging words, for the promised wealth wasn't coming their way.

``There is a treasure chest here!'' yelled one of the pirates, as it lifted a chest from the ground, bringing a loud arr from the rest of the crew. Jayce looked at Primrose for a moment, wondering if this was all part of her plan, or if this was just pure luck; perhaps this was indeed a real treasure, buried by another pirate.

If this was the case, then at a moment in time, they would have to deal with an irate buccaneer, a prospect that wasn't too joyful. Being pursued by another crew was not a situation that they wanted to deal with...

``This coupon gives the owner a free drink to the Grateful Drunkard tavern; conditions and limitations may apply'' read one of the skeleton, as it opened the chest and grabbed a piece of paper that was lying in it.

The captain looked at them, his skeletal hand on the handle of his blade, for it was evident that the ''treasure'' that was found was not to its liking, not at all, which was surprising. Who heard of pirates that could reject a free drink? What sort of sorcery could conjure this work against nature?

''You lied to me, landlubbers; prepare to pay your lies with your life, arrr'' said the captain, as it took its blade and waved it in from of them, sending a clear signal to the rest of the crew to follow its lead.

This is not how it should end, not how everything could finish; determined on not letting them win, Jayce, in a burst of rage and adrenalin, delivered a kick to the closest pirate, making it drop its blade, but it still had its pistol in hand.

He knew that he couldn't take the offensive, for now, but with enough crippling blows, he could get rid of this pirate and thus take the fight to the rest of the crew, so the situation would be resolved without any of them shedding blood.

Kicking the leg of the pirate, he watched as the bone flew under his blow, making the skeleton crumble to the ground, letting him free to grab the pistol. Although he could have given it to Primrose, this wasn't the time to be romantic; he had a situation to save.

However, it was surprising to see her unfazed, as if she knew what to do and what was going to happen next; perhaps she had a few tricks up her sleeve, but he couldn't let that fact distract him from his objective.

Grabbing the blade, all he to do was to disarm the captain and all of them would run away; if he would succeed in cutting its arms, then the battle would be over, although he had the impression that it would be harder than it seemed.

Rushing toward the undead, he jumped, hoping that the blow he was going to deliver would be enough to sever a limb. But as he approached the captain, he watched it grab its blade and slash in his direction, preparing itself for the impact.

Landing in front of the captain, he saw that the blade was lodged in the middle of his chest; so this was how it would end, how he would give his life for those that he cared about. A fitting end, for one that wanted to protect the people...

However, why wasn't there any pain? Or blood flowing from his wound? Could it be waiting for the sword to leave his body, so it gush in a horrific flow, or was it something else, an element that he didn't know about?

``Don't panic Jayce; I know you are confused, I can read it on your face. There is a simple reason why you don't feel anything'' said Primrose, as she moved toward him, patting him on the shoulder for a moment.

``You see, these are cursed undead pirates; although you could think that they can roam the Earth without any problem, they are in fact linked to the rhythm of the day. You see, they appear at dusk and disappeared at dawn; since it is dawn, everything they do has no effect anymore'' she told him, as the blade that was lodged in him started to fade.

``Curse ya, landlubbers; you escaped for now, but next time, I will get ya both; I swear on my ship that I'll get ya both'' yelled the captain, as it started fading away, while the sun rose in the sky.

Looking around for a moment, Primrose then took his hand, before they started walking toward the city, for there was no purpose for them to stay on this beach, unless they wanted to watch the sun...

``You know, being a pirate sucks; perhaps I could join the militia too. I did save the day, you know. It will permit us to be together all the time too'' said Primrose, as they walked on the beach.

''Yeah...'' said Jayce, as he looked at the city, wondering if it would really happen...