《Searching for Treasure》 Chapter 1: The Leather-Bound Notebook With no soul in sight, the clash of mugs and the chatter of patrons from the pub in the distance deafened the broken down misty port city as the two men walked towards the building. One stood proud, his worn out black tri-corner hat resting perfectly on his head, a long jacket adorned in gold accessories, alongside a cutlass resting on his left hip and a flintlock pistol on his right. The other stood slightly hunched over, wearing a bandana and loose fitted clothing. He swung his cutlass around, ready for a fight. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong here, Captain,¡± the cutlass swinging pirate said. The captain swatted the pirate on the back of the head before resting his arm on the hilt of his cutlass. ¡°Put that thing away, boy. Ye think that would save you here?¡± The port city had been long forgotten, but some buildings still stood nearly as strong as their heyday, while others were ruined beyond repair. The man roughly sheathed his cutlass and rubbed the back of his head. ¡°I don''t like this place,¡± he said bluntly. ¡°And how¡¯s it so loud over there?¡± The streets looked ghastly, and the mist caused a shiver down the Captain¡¯s spine which was hidden masterly from his underling. Deep down he was just as worried, but he was too far now to back down and his crew would never let it down. ¡°We keep moving,¡± the Captain said firmly. The music and clashing of mugs grew louder and louder and while the underling brought his hand to the grip of his hilt, the Captain kept his calm outward appearance. Now standing in front of the door to the pub, the Captain slowly reached out, and as soon as he swung the door open, the sounds stopped and everything fell quiet within the city. The floor creaked with each step as the Captain ran a finger against one of the dusty tables. ¡°Dirty,¡± he said, brushing the dust off with his jacket. The other pirate took careful steps from behind with his once again raised cutlass. ¡°What we do?¡± Ignoring his underling¡¯s question, the Captain walked around the creaking building, taking glances at the empty mugs and broken bottles. Only moments ago, the pub was bustling, yet now that he was inside inspecting the building, it seemed inactive. As if no one was there to begin with. From the tables in perfect condition to the instruments that rested at the back of the small stage, everything else was unscratched. ¡°Go upstairs and look for a leather-bound notebook,¡± the Captain demanded, and the pirate followed without hesitation. The silence was deafening. With a deep breath, the captain rubbed the temple of his nose and exhaled. ¡°Now then,¡± he reaffirmed himself, after calming his nerves. Avoiding the broken glass behind the counter, the Captain looked through the shelves behind the counter. Papers with tabs and names he didn¡¯t recognize, a list of drinks available and how to make them, but no sign of a notebook. ¡°It¡¯s interesting,¡± he said while crossing his arms. ¡°It¡¯s like time froze.¡± ¡°I found it!¡± the man upstairs yelled out, followed by loud stomping and rushed footsteps down the stairs. ¡°I found it!¡± He said one last time as he handed over the notebook. ¡°Good,¡± the Captain said, snatching it from his hands and looking it over. Unlike the tables and mugs, there wasn¡¯t a speck of dust and, surprisingly, in excellent condition. ¡°It was sittin on a table in a room. The room was pretty beat up, but the notebook was weirdly fine.¡± Undoing the leather bounds, the Captain opened up the notebook and flipped to the first page. ¡­.. I see someone has arrived to peek into my little notebook and find the treasure I¡¯ve discovered. I¡¯m sure the rumors have spread far and wide since I died, and I hope you¡¯re ready for a trip down memory lane. I¡¯ve experienced a lot in my short yet eventful life, and I¡¯m sure these tales will be told for years to come, but if you¡¯re here, then that means you only want the thing I found. The City of Gold A mythical place where I¡¯m sure everyone wishes to find. I found it. I found it and I¡¯m willing to tell you where it is, but it won¡¯t be easy. In this notebook, I¡¯ve commented on every single thing I¡¯ve experienced while on my adventure, and I expect you to experience it all the same. I¡¯ve left notes on where to travel to next at these destinations, and when you finally reach the last location, only then will you know where The City of Gold is located.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! The location of my first tale is on the next page. I wish you luck and I hope you enjoy these bizarre tales of a dead man. ¡­.. ¡°Anything else interesting in that old notebook of his, Capt?¡± A younger man¡¯s voice suddenly cut through as the man closed the door behind him. Closing the notebook, he stuffed it into the inner pocket of his jacket and turned his attention to the voice in question. ¡°Just rereading what the old coot wrote.¡± ¡°I heard the town was haunted?¡± The man asked, taking a seat across from the captain. He leaned back in the chair and planted his feet on top of the desk¡¯s edge that separated the two. ¡°Feet off the desk, Cael,¡± The Captain shot daggers at the man. ¡°Alright, Alright,¡± removing his feet, Cael raised his arms. ¡°Still a stickler even after all these years, ey, Captain Archer.¡± Ignoring Cael¡¯s attempt at teasing, Archer brought his attention back to his initial question. ¡°Haunted¡­ Maybe.¡± Archer rubbed the scruff on his face. ¡°The pub was noisy, but when we entered, everything went quiet. The place itself looked to be untouched for years. Then, when we left and closed the door, the sound picked up once again.¡± ¡°Sounds like ghosts to me,¡± Cael shrugged. ¡°Otherworldly, at the very least, just like the stories in that notebook.¡± ¡°Sounds like you don¡¯t trust what¡¯s in here?¡± Archer patted his jacket where the notebook rested. ¡°If anything, it¡¯s done a good job of stringing you along. Maybe the otherworldly thing is your obsession with that notebook you won¡¯t let go of, and the city you¡¯re desperately chasing.¡± Cael¡¯s voice started off jokingly, but quickly became serious as his worries showed. ¡°You¡¯re worried too much,¡± Archer reassured his friend. Cael sighed. This wasn¡¯t his first time trying to convince the man in front of him that just maybe his plan wasn¡¯t realistic. They have known each other since birth and grew up far more fortunate than most of the populace, yet the unknown always intrigued Archer, and when he came across an old tale of a golden city when they were kids, he couldn¡¯t help but look into it. Now, after all those years, they became pirates and created their own crew. ¡°How long has it been?¡± Cael suddenly asked. ¡°How long?¡± Arthur repeated, unsure of what Cael meant. ¡°Since we started this journey. Became pirates.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Archer thought back. ¡°We¡¯re 28 now? My parents passed when we were 20, and after selling everything and getting a ship and a crew, we were about 21, so seven years?¡± ¡°Yet you still won¡¯t tell me how you came across the intel for the location of the notebook?¡± Cael asked. ¡°Do you need to know?¡± Archer asked. ¡°I sure as hell hope I do. Not only as the First Mate, but as a friend who has been there with you through thick and thin,¡± Cael slammed a hand on the desk and quickly raised up from his chair. ¡°Listen,¡± he sighed, calming himself down. ¡°I get not telling everyone else. They only need to know the final destination. But it wouldn¡¯t hurt if I knew the details, ya¡¯know?¡± Archer was silent. Cael couldn¡¯t tell what was going through Archer''s mind or if he even listened to his outburst, but as soon as he gave up on his inquiry, Archer responded. ¡°You¡¯re right. That said, it¡¯s not anything crazy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Cael smiled. ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°I got very interested in the city after being told the story when we were younger, so I ended up finding books that went into more detail on the rise and disappearance of it, and there was a name that stuck out every time,¡± Archer said. ¡°Augusta?¡± Cael asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Archer answered. ¡°He ended up being the key to everything, but he died about 40 years ago, so no one could find any leads.¡± ¡°Until now,¡± Cael added. ¡°Exactly. I found a lead, and that lead brought me to two items. The map I showed you before, and¡­.¡± Archer reached into his pocket and brought out a large decorative gold coin. A skull with two small rubies in each eye socket rested at the center of the coin, alongside an unknown language that wrapped around the rim of the coin. ¡°This thing right here.¡± Archer gingerly placed the coin in front of Cael, who took it and inspected it. ¡°This¡­ doesn¡¯t seem like a normal coin?¡± Cael asked in a confused voice. ¡°Is this from the city?¡± ¡°Augusta didn¡¯t mention it, but I¡¯m pretty confident it is, and I think there¡¯s more to that coin than you may think,¡± standing up from his creaking chair, Archer grabbed a book from the corner of the room, then flipped through the page. ¡°Here we go,¡± he said, handing over the book to Cael and taking the coin back. ¡°Is this real?¡± Cael asked after skimming through the page. ¡°How do you even have this book to begin with?¡± ¡°Look at the author,¡± Archer said confidently. ¡°Augusta,¡± Cael whispered. ¡°For some reason, he wrote a book. It was never published, of course, but there were a few copies of it and I was lucky to find one of the few remaining ones.¡± ¡°So Augusta says these coins have¡­ magic in them?¡± Cael asked. ¡°Ey. A locator of sorts.¡± Archer confirmed. ¡°How does that even work?¡± Cael asked. ¡°It¡¯s a mystery,¡± Archer shrugged. ¡°He never went into the details, but it¡¯s not perfect, hence the map and from what I¡¯ve gathered, there¡¯s a bit more to it than originally thought, and I¡¯m sure Augusta knew that.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± Cael raised an eyebrow. "Why do you think no one ever found such a place?" Archer asked. ¡°Are you telling me¡­¡± The crew''s bustling outside grew louder and louder, cutting their conversation short as one of the crew members bursted through the door of the cabin. ¡°What is it?¡± Cael¡¯s voice had a tint of anger at the interruption. ¡°We found something¡­¡± the crew member said, his face showing his fear. Both Cael and Archer looked at each other before rushing out of the door. Pushing through the scattering crew, Archer grinned. ¡°I told you,¡± Archer commented to Cael. In the distance, an island awaited their arrival, but what caused the most surprise was the ship in between them and the island. The ship was broken down, but somehow floating, and when they looked through the spyglass to see the boat clearer, they saw something otherworldly walking on its decks. ¡°Skeletons,¡± Archer said. ¡°God save us,¡± Cael said, repeating the line more than once. ¡°It looks like what that old fool Augusta said was right.¡± Archer¡¯s laugh caused the crew to stop and look, but Archer ignored them. ¡°Now, then. Shall we see what is in store for us, men?!¡± Chapter 2: Skeleton Island (1) ¡°So, what does that book say to do? Anything?¡± Cael¡¯s words were a mixture of fear and excitement. He wouldn¡¯t admit it himself, but growing up with Archer most definitely swayed him into a similar curiosity that Archer had. ¡°They are passive until you get too close¡­¡± Archer mumbled just loud enough for Cael. ¡°So we should be fine here, but we need to make it onto the island. ¡°Men!¡± Archer suddenly yelled out. ¡°Drop the anchor and stay alert!¡± The men, confused for a moment, rushed into action. Most had been in the crew since its formation, and they had learned to never question Archer. After all these years, they were still afloat and living a much better life than they had before. ¡°We should be fine for now! Swig!¡± Archer called out. ¡°Ay, Captain?¡± A lanky man came out from the busy crew. ¡°Bird''s nest. Watch out for anything suspicious.¡± Archer said. ¡°Aint everything already suspicious enough?¡± Swig questioned. Archer smacked Swig on the back, directing him to the ladder. ¡°You know what I mean, ya fool.¡± ¡°Ay, Captain,¡± Swig nodded. ¡°Nothing should happen though, but just in case!¡± Archer called out while heading back to his cabin and directing Cael to follow. ¡°So, what¡¯s the next step?¡± Cael asked, closing the door behind them. Archer took out the notebook and flipped to the first pages. ¡°After several attempts, we learned they become aggressive when you get too close. The ship, although it moves, won¡¯t go past a certain distance¡­¡± ¡°Why?¡± Cael asked. ¡°He doesn¡¯t say,¡± Archer answered. ¡°Then is there anything else?¡± Cael asked. ¡°Well¡­¡± Archer¡¯s voice trailed off. ¡°There is but¡­¡± Archer flipped the pages, showing Cael their problem. ¡°It¡¯s empty.¡± Cael was stunned. Unable to properly formulate a sentence. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Listen, I know that is bad but-¡± ¡°Bad? Yes, that''s bad! What¡¯s the purpose of the notebook then!?¡± Cael interrupted Archer. ¡°Listen, listen,¡± Archer said, calming Cael down and forcing him to sit. ¡°I wasn¡¯t finished.¡± ¡°Ok?¡± Cael asked. ¡°Go on?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think everything was alright up there for the guy,¡± Archer said while flipping through the book and showing Cael the last page. ¡°One of the most important things to know is in the very back of the book. I was going to get to it, but then we ended up at the island.¡± Snatching the book from Archer, Cael read the quick note in the back. ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s making sure we go to each location he wants us to go,¡± Archer commented. ¡°I almost forgot!¡± Cael read from the book. ¡°Almost, he says?¡± He rolled his eyes before continuing. ¡°Each stop will have a map, and when you receive that map, you¡¯ll be able to continue reading this notebook.¡± Cael finished. ¡°That doesn¡¯t tell us much.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll have to go there and find out first,¡± Archer said, taking the notebook from Cael. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing,¡± his voice trailed off as Archer flipped through the pages back to the start. ¡°Here we go,¡± he handed the notebook back over, pointing to the section for Cael to read. ¡°I suggest going from the back of the island, but don¡¯t get too close with your ship. Instead, use a dinghy to sneak onto the island.¡± Cael paused. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t they just come to us, anyway?¡± Cael asked. ¡°Keep reading,¡± Archer encouraged Cael. With a sigh, he continued. ¡°The two ships at the front don¡¯t move unless they see you entering their area.¡± ¡°See? Easy.¡± Cael read over the paragraph once more before slamming the notebook shut and tossing it on the desk. ¡°I guess it¡¯s worth a shot,¡± he finally commented on the plan. "Be careful with it," Archer said, dusting off the notebook, checking it for damage, and then tucking it away safely. Cael leaned back in his chair, using the back two legs as support, while his legs plopped on top of the desk. This time, Archer didn¡¯t bother to fix his friend''s poster, and instead paced around the room. ¡°We know how to enter, so what¡¯s the next step?¡± Cael finally asked. Archer continued his pacing, then came to a stop after deliberating his idea. ¡°I¡¯ll take 3 with me. We¡¯ll get as close as we can and proceed to the island with a rowboat.¡± ¡°And I have to stay behind?¡± Cael asked. He knew the reason, but it still annoyed him.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°I can¡¯t trust anyone else with the ship,¡± Archer said. ¡°I need you to make sure things stay orderly and that they don¡¯t leave while waiting. Even though they have trust in us, I¡¯m unsure what they would do if one of us didn¡¯t stay.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Cael said quickly. ¡°How long do you want us to wait for?¡± He finally asked. It was a question he thought of immediately. They wouldn¡¯t know what was happening on the island, so there had to be a time limit since it wouldn¡¯t be good for anyone to wait longer than necessary in case they end up dying. Archer went quiet, deliberating another thought. It took him longer than ever before, but when he concluded, he spoke. ¡°A week,¡± he said flatly. ¡°That sounds reasonable. I was thinking about a month originally, but a week sounds much better.¡± ¡°They would get too restless if it was a month, and the island doesn¡¯t seem big enough to warrant that long of a time. A week should be far more than enough. If I don¡¯t make it back by then¡­ well, it¡¯s up to you.¡± Cael sighed, thinking about the potential chaos that would ensue if Archer did not return. Cael held a good amount of authority- that much was obvious, but Archer was the one that rounded these up these misfits and he knew his authority would only carry him so far. ¡°You better come back alive,¡± he finally said, his voice low. Archer smiled. ¡°Thanks for worrying.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Cael shooed the thanks away. ¡°So, who¡¯re you taking?¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯ll just have to find out,¡± Archer said as he walked towards the door and Cael quickly followed. Although the ship wasn¡¯t moving, the outside was as busy as ever with chatter, singing, and prepping for the next plan. Roughly slamming the door open, Archer pulled out his flintlock, aimed it in the air, and let out a shot, silencing everyone on the ship. It probably wasn¡¯t necessary this time, but it became a habit to get everyone''s attention immediately. With a deep breath, Archer yelled out. ¡°First, we will take this ship around to the back of the island, then three of you will join me on the tender. In one week, if we aren¡¯t back, Cael will take over and you all shall leave!¡± Archer¡¯s voice ranged out and the crew that stopped, stared and listened. And when Archer explained he would take three people, they all winced. Sure, they had nearly absolute faith in their captain. They were still alive and in an excellent position in life, considering other pirates, but the island in front of them made them want to stay away as far as possible. ¡°I have some people in mind,¡± Archer added, but if there is anyone willing to step forward to come with me, then I shall take you instead!¡± He didn¡¯t expect anyone to step forward, but he figured it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea. It would be better to get people willing than the ones unwilling. The silence trailed, but after a brief, awkward moment, one of the crew members shuffled through. It was the same lad from before who accompanied Archer to get the notebook. ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± he said sheepishly. ¡°Ah, Robertson,¡± Archer said in a mocking tone. ¡°Flynt,¡± the pirate said under his breath. ¡°What was that?¡± Archer asked. Although he couldn¡¯t hear, he knew what Robert had said. It was the same pattern every time someone called him by his name. ¡°Flynt. My name is Flynt!¡± He yelled out in response, making sure his voice was heard. ¡°My name is Flynt, Captain,¡± he repeated his name after looking around at everyone''s intense stares. ¡°This boy wants to give himself a nickname!¡± Archer yelled out, followed by a laugh. The others followed, laughing along, until Archer stopped and continued to talk. ¡°You want a new name, Robert?¡± Archer asked with a grin and Robertson responded with a shake of the head. ¡°Then ye got to earn it! But I can¡¯t guarantee it will be Flynt like you want it to be!¡± The others laughed while one man smacked the boy on the back. ¡°Having the ball to come volunteer, though, is a good start! What¡¯s your reason, though?¡± With the last two sentences, the men once again fell silent. Archer¡¯s words clearly cut into them. For as much shit as they were giving Robertson for his name, he was the only one who stepped up and wanted to go into the unknown. ¡°I thought it wouldn¡¯t be bad to see it through after finding the notebook.¡± Robertson timidly said. Archer laughed, but this time no one followed. ¡°That¡¯s a fine reason, but I doubt it¡¯s the only one.¡± Robertson paused. ¡°I want to prove myself.¡± His voice was serious and his eyes narrowed as he looked up at Archer, who in return took his intent seriously. ¡°Good! Good!¡± Archer broke the ice. ¡°That¡¯s what I want to hear¡­ Now then,¡± Archer looked around at everyone else. ¡°There¡¯s two more spots. Any takers?¡± Mumbling aroused from the crowd, and although no one came forth right away, one did followed by a third shortly after. ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± the first one said. ¡°Same here,¡± the third one followed. ¡°Grog and Jibb, ey?¡± Archer nodded his head. ¡°Alright, Alright, that works. You three come with me. Now, for the rest of you lot!¡± Archer raised his voice. ¡°Get the ship going and anchor at the back of the boat! Cael, direct them!¡± ¡°Ay, Captain!¡± Cael responded before kicking everyone into action as Archer led the three of them back to his room. ¡°It will be the four of us,¡± Archer reiterated after the door shut behind them. ¡°No matter what happens on that island, my word is final. Do you understand?¡± Archer asked, his voice stern, causing the three of them to take a step back. ¡°Of course,¡± Robertson was the first to answer, albeit with a shaky voice, while the other two nodded their heads in agreement. ¡°We''ll follow a set path, but I can''t predict what awaits us on that island, so let me ask you again. Do you still want to go?¡± The three of them looked at each other, then Grog spoke up, ¡°Do we have a choice?¡± he asked, well aware of Archer¡¯s personality at this point. Although still capable, he was one of the older ones in the crew and had been there the longest. Archer smiled. ¡°If anything, I would drag someone else into this room instead. As usual, since I didn¡¯t need to pick any of you three, you¡¯ll get first choice of whatever we find, and if you want it and can carry it, you can take it. Is that clear?¡± The three of them nodded their heads. ¡°Do ye know what¡¯s on the island?¡± Jibb asked. ¡°Skeletons,¡± Archer answered. ¡°That¡¯s all I¡¯m aware of.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not promising, Captain,¡± Grog responded. ¡°No, but trust me. Have I ever steered you wrong?¡± Archer asked with full confidence. ¡°No¡­ No you haven¡¯t,¡± Grog answered. ¡°Now then, we will take off tomorrow , there¡¯s no time or reason to wait any longer. Until then I give you permission to do whatever your heart desires! Get prepared, relax, calm your nerves. I need all three of you in the best shape you can possibly be in.¡± ¡°Yes, Captain,¡± all three of them responded. ¡°Good, good. This will be an interesting adventure and the start to one hell of a ride I¡¯m sure, but it will be worth it, and your pockets will be full of gold by the end of it all.¡± ¡°I like the sound of that,¡± Jibb said, licking his lips. ¡°Now then, get out of here and get Cael for me. We have a long week ahead of us.¡± Chapter 3: Skeleton Island (2) Small waves crashed against the tender while Robertson and Jibb rowed the four of them to shore. Archer sat in the front, telescope out, looking at what awaited them while Grog sat in the back, double checking their supplies. ¡°It seems like the shore is mostly safe,¡± Archer said, his eye still looking through the scope. ¡°So we still row, Captain!?¡± Robertson asked. ¡°Of course you do!¡± Archer responded. ¡°Are they going to be alright?¡± Grog asked. ¡°Who? The ones on the ship?¡± Archer asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Grog answered. ¡°They should be fine,¡± Archer said confidently. The conversations stopped, and the silence hit once again with the only sound coming from the ocean. They were all worried about their destination, though none showed it. ¡°Heave ho,¡± Robertson started, breaking the silence and Jibb followed as they both used their bodies fully, breaking through the waves and arriving on shore not long after. With a splash, Archer got off first and immediately went to a large rock that sat on the shore of the island while Grog quickly grabbed the bags and followed as Robertson and Jibb hopped off and dragged the tender onto shore. ¡°What is this?¡± Grog asked while Robertson and Jibb quickly ran over to catch up. The rock in front of them had a simple carving of an arrow that pointed down. ¡°Dig,¡± Archer said in response as Jibb and Robertson, both panting with hands on their knees, looked up with raised eyebrows, exhausted. ¡°Can¡¯t we take a break before-¡± Jibb asked in between heavy breathing. ¡°We¡¯ll rest after this,¡± Archer said and in response, although begrudgingly, Jibb and Robertson dug while Grog joined after resting the bags behind them. ¡°So what are we digging for, Captain?¡± Robertson asked. ¡°The key to figure out where the hell we go from here,¡± Archer responded in a lighter tone than before. ¡°What if there¡¯s nothing?¡± Jibb asked. ¡°Then we¡¯ll run around like headless chickens.¡± Archer smacked the back of Jibbs head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it and keep digging.¡± ¡°I think I see something,¡± Grog said after a few more minutes of digging. Archer, in response, peeked over and with wide eyes, quickly grabbed the small chest hidden away and opened it. ¡°This is it,¡± Archer said, his voice giving away his excitement. ¡°It¡¯s just a piece of paper, Captain?¡± Grog asked in a confused tone. ¡°It¡¯s not just a single piece of paper but¡­¡± Archer spread the papers apart. ¡°Two pieces of paper!¡± The three of them looked at each other, equally puzzled, until Robertson connected the dots. ¡°Is this the same guy as the notebook we found?¡± He asked. ¡°Correct, and he shall lead us the way.¡± Archer tossed the small empty chest back into the hole. ¡°It¡¯s break time, boys. You¡¯ve got a few hours while I work out where to go next.¡± Finding a smaller rock nearby, Archer sat down, took out the notebook and began reading the new pages he found while the other three set up a small camp and ate food. The island was set up in a way that their starting point on the shore was undisturbed, which allowed them to relax before going any deeper. ¡­.. Welcome to an island filled with skeletons that move and attack you. I want you to experience the whole and see everything that it has to offer. It¡¯s not a lot, and there is treasure hidden away, but what¡¯s the point of coming here without actually looking around, eh? I just wanted to say that the final note you find on this island will have some of your answers you were looking for. The other page is a crudely drawn map with an X on where to go next. Be careful, the skeletons might not have any guns, but they¡¯re relentless. Also, enjoy the island! I can¡¯t say I figured out how animated skeletons are walking about and acting like a crew of their own, but it¡¯s fascinating beyond belief. ¡­.. Archer read through the note and sighed. He was hoping for more information to go off of, but based on what he had read about Augusta and his own experience of hunting down and reading the notebook, this wasn¡¯t all too surprising. It also made Archer wonder who this man was. There was a high chance he was a pirate. It would be hard to do these things if he wasn¡¯t. Maybe a mercenary, but there¡¯s no way he could¡¯ve acquired a crew willing to travel to these places. Plus, it was more than just traveling. He had to have done a lot of research. ¡°He¡¯s similar,¡± Archer said, rubbing his beard.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°What was that, Captain?¡± Grog called out, hearing a mumble coming from Archer. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Archer shouted back, bringing his focus back to the note. ¡°What do I do now?¡± Archer looked over at the map. Yes, although crudely drawn, it was far better than anything he''d expect from a typical person. ¡°It¡¯s kind of far,¡± he determined. The island was larger than it looked like, and although Augusta didn¡¯t mention it in his note, it only made sense that the location of the Xs will be in locations on the island where it was safe to stay at because how else would he be able to not only write a note, but have enough time to dig or find a spot to keep it safe. Archer looked up into the sky, and after estimating what time it was, he turned his attention over to the three huddled in a circle, eating. ¡°You guys have an hour!¡± Archer shouted. ¡°Only an hour?¡± Jibb moaned. ¡°We only have a week, punk. We can¡¯t waste time in one spot for too long!¡± Archer responded. ¡°Where are we headed to, Captain?¡± Grog asked as Robertson turned his attention to Archer. ¡°There was a map with a location. I plan to check it out. If I¡¯m correct, that will be the place we rest for the night,¡± Archer said, folding up the note just enough to fit into the notepad before closing it and tucking it away. He only had the map out now, but that¡¯s all he needed. ¡°Give me something to eat, Robertson,¡± Archer demanded, and Robertson listened. He quickly scrambled around, taking a piece of bread out and jerky, then ran over and handed them over before running back and forth with drink in hand. They all ate in silence. Archer was excited. This was his first encounter with the unknown, or in this case, the supernatural. Legends which were only told in stories, while the other three were nervous and questioning why they volunteered to go. ¡°So, is there really treasure?¡± Jibb finally asked. ¡°Based on what Augusta said, there will be at the end,¡± Archer answered. He knew he didn¡¯t have to answer honestly, but he also knew Jibbs'' only interest was gold, so him knowing there was something to look forward to would only encourage him to continue on and not slack off since slacking off could easily get him and the rest of them killed. ¡°Good, good,¡± Jibb said with a toothy grin. ¡°You need to take care of your teeth more,¡± Archer said with a scrunched face. ¡°You¡¯re already losing some.¡± ¡°What good do teeth do for me?¡± Jibb asked in a joking manner. ¡°They let you eat meat and talk like a normal human,¡± Archer answered his question. Jibb shrugged it off. ¡°I only need money. Money will get me whatever I want.¡± ¡°Of course, of course,¡± Archer rolled his eyes then stood up. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s time to go. Pack it up, boys.¡± The three of them shuffled around, cleaning up to their best of their abilities, then followed Archer, who took the lead. They traveled slowly, and whenever one of them spoke up, Archer shushed them quiet. From here on it became dangerous, and for now, Archer had no desire to test the waters with the skeletons. Augusta gave no hints on how to deal with them since it seemed like he wanted whoever found the island to experience them first-hand and figure things out themselves, but Archer had no desire to rush into it. Eyes darting around, Robertson kept his hand on his cutlass while Jibb kept his sights in front of him and Grog, who was the oldest one of the three, kept the most calm, checking his surroundings and making sure nothing jumped at them. Archer slowed down before coming to a stop, and the three followed. He turned around, finger against his lips to keep them quiet, then softly spoke. ¡°Two skeletons up ahead, but it seems clear outside of that, so we¡¯ll take care of them.¡± Robertson gulped, but quickly unsheathed his weapon and the other two quickly followed. ¡°Are you ready?¡± The three nodded, and after Archer triple checked, they were in the clear, he silently charged in first with his cutlass drawn. Catching the skeletons off guard, Archer was the first to strike, slashing his blade down against the shoulder. ¡°What the hell..¡± Archer took a step back after his blade connected with the shoulder, yet only caused a scratch. The skeleton who got hit turned its attention towards the crew and within a second, its eye sockets lit up with a sea color blue and its jaw chattered louder and louder and its head tilted while raising its weapon up high. As if responding to the chattering mouth, the second skeleton responded in the same manner. All four of them quickly brought their hands to their ears in an attempt to block out the sound, but no matter how hard they tried, they couldn¡¯t block the sound. The blue glowing eyes sent a chill down their spines, and the chattering felt as if it directly invaded their brains. Unable to handle the sound, Jibb reached for his gun, aimed it at the head of the closest skeleton, then shot. The moment the sound of the gunfire rang out, the chattering came to a halt as the shot skeleton fell to the floor, its eye sockets glowing no more. The gunshot sound traveled into the distance and left the remaining three speechless until Archer spoke up. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± He yelled at Jibb. ¡°It was loud!¡± Jibb responded. ¡°I should shoot you,¡± Archer grinded his teeth. ¡°What else was I supposed to do?¡± Jibb asked, but before Archer could respond to such a ridiculous question, the sound once again pierced their ears and shortly after, one at a time, other skeletons in the distance followed. ¡°Follow me.¡± Archer yelled while charging at the remaining skeleton in front of him. He slashed at the neck, causing it to shatter, and the moment the skull fell to the floor, Archer stabbed it between the eyes then stepped on it, breaking the skull as much as he could. ¡°Now!¡± After witnessing the way to destroy the skeletons, the three of them followed suit and as they were running away, dipping into brushes and trying to hide, they all slashed their weapons at the skeletons'' necks. Archer continued leading the way. It wasn¡¯t the quickest path, but his goal was to reach the next location as safely as possible. ¡°Duck,¡± Archer whispered, and they listened quickly. Archer was doing his best, and each time they found a place to hide temporarily, the skeletons chasing them became thinner. ¡°What do we do now?¡± Jibb asked in a whisper, his eyes darting around in fear. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine if we make it to the location,¡± Archer responded reassuringly. As much as he wanted to ring Jibb out, he knew it wasn¡¯t the time to do so, but he had some plans when they made it back to the ship. ¡°Are you sure we¡¯ll be fine there, Captain?¡± Grog asked. ¡°Have faith,¡± Archer answered plainly. ¡°Have faith.¡± Archer looked around, and when things quieted down a bit more, he signaled them to follow and quietly led them onward until they reached the entrance of a cave and the destination they were searching for. ¡°Grog, Light,¡± Archer demanded. Grog grabbed the dangling torch, lit it, and led the way, leaving the skeletons to wander around behind them. Chapter 4: Skeleton Island (3) ¡°Where are we now?¡± Robertson asked, his eyes narrowed and his hand clutching his cutlass¡¯ hilt tightly. ¡°From the looks of it, the next spot should be somewhere here¡­¡± Archer answered. Their footsteps echoed within the large, dripping cavern, with the only light sources being the torches Jibb, Robertson, and Grog held. Damp with a small shoreline dipped into shallow water that extended far beyond the abyss and, unexpectedly, a small but crude dock waiting for the next boat to arrive. In the opposite direction was the rocky floor and a narrow passageway that led them into an open area and their current destination. ¡°It¡¯s like a hideout,¡± Robertson commented while loosening his grip on his weapon. Roughly made furniture sprawled about the opening. A makeshift bed rested in the back, a table in the center with chairs, and empty barrels stacked up on each other in the distance. There weren¡¯t a ton of things, but the place impressed Archer. ¡°A bed, huh?¡± Archer said while walking over to the bed. Straw was used to make the bed and although it was hard, it was far better than sleeping on the uneven ground. ¡°But if there were other people with him, why only one bed?¡± He mumbled to himself. ¡°Is this what you were looking for, Captain!?¡± Grog called out, interrupting Archer''s thoughts. ¡°Is it an arrow like before?¡± Archer asked. ¡°Ay, it is.¡± Grog answered and Archer rushed over. ¡°Let¡¯s see what we have here,¡± he said, taking a peek. The arrow led them to a plank of wood which, when removed, exposed a small hole just large enough for a hand to fit in. ¡°Bring me a torch,¡± Archer demanded, and after Robertson finished lighting up the room with the leftover torches, he rushed over to Archer and handed the torch over. ¡°There is it,¡± Archer said in an exciting tone while reaching through the hole and taking out the small identical chest as before. ¡°So what¡¯s the plan now, Captain?¡± Grog asked. ¡°We¡¯ll be staying here for the night. Best to look around for any other bedding tucked away somewhere, since I doubt that bed is the only thing here.¡± As he talked, Archer walked over, pulled out a chair, and sat down at the table. Grog, after unloading the bag, sat down and took a break. Out of the four of them, he was by far the most exhausted, having to not only carry the heavy bag, but swing his sword when needed. ¡°You two have been quiet lately,¡± Grog said after taking a sip of water. ¡°I just feel like I need to be focused,¡± Robertson responded quickly while Jibb kept silent. ¡°The pressure¡¯s on, ay?¡± Grob said in a joking tone. Robertson was one of the newer ones that joined the crew. His admiration for Archer caused him to sneak on board about two years ago. For the first year, he did odd jobs and a lot of labor, but after proving himself enough, Archer allowed him to join and although he¡¯s still shaky in some aspects and quick to jump, he was getting better since the retrieval of the notebook. ¡°I¡¯m just doing my part,¡± Robertson said. ¡°How about you, Jibb?¡± Grog asked, but there was no response. ¡°Jibb!¡± Grog yelled out with furrowed eyebrows. Jibb, who was sitting on the floor with his arms around his knees, jumped at the call of his name. ¡°Yes!? Yes!?¡± He repeated twice while looking around the room, and after registering who called out to him, turned his attention to Grog. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. What did you ask?¡± ¡°How¡¯ve ya been?¡± Grog asked. ¡°Ah,¡± Jibb hesitated. ¡°Alright. It¡¯s been alright.¡± He answered. ¡°Ya don¡¯t seem alright,¡± Grog pointed out. ¡°It¡¯s fine-¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not,¡± Grog interrupted. ¡°It¡¯s only us four on this island and we need every hand on deck. If you continue to act this way, then it will only lead us to trouble.¡± Grog¡¯s voice was stern as he attempted to mimic the way Archer spoke. It took Jibb a moment to respond, but after a few minutes, he spoke. ¡°I feel bad,¡± Jibb spat out. ¡°I feel bad that I shot.¡± Grog, after staring at Jibb, sighed. ¡°I get it, but there¡¯s no reason to hang on to it. I wouldn¡¯t take the Captain¡¯s response seriously either.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Jibb said weakly. Although his admiration wasn¡¯t nearly at the level as Robertson, he, just like the others, joined later on out of admiration of Archer alongside some other purposes. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Grog reiterated as he stood up and smacked Jibb on the back. ¡°That said, I would prepare yourself for some kind of punishment when we get back.¡± ¡°Hopefully it won¡¯t be all too bad,¡± Jibb said with a weary smile.Stolen novel; please report. ¡°We¡¯ll find out when we get back. Now then, let¡¯s go see if there¡¯s any other bed.¡± Grog grabbed Jibb by the back of the neck and led him away to join Robertson on his hunt for something to sleep on. Archer smiled while listening to the three of them talk. Although he had opened the chest and looked like he was reading the note, he waited and listened in. He was proud of them, seeing Grog stepping up, Jibb reflecting on his poor decision making, and Robertson maturing in his own way. It was impossible to say he wasn¡¯t worried about the future after Jibb shot, but thankfully they all listened, followed, and matured in their own way like a father watching their child learning to ride a horse. ¡°Now then,¡± Archer coughed into his hand and brought his attention to the note on hand. Just like before, it was two pieces of paper. One was a note just like before, and the second was a near identical map with a new location. ¡­¡­ This is exciting! Can you believe it? Walking skeletons! It¡¯s amazing and makes absolutely no sense! Although the scripts I found clearly mentioned them, it was hard to believe it without seeing it with my own eyes. Yet, here I am, seeing them in action! They are surprisingly weaker than I expected, but they have numbers far exceeding what any person could handle. But as long as you strike them quickly, you should be fine. Aim for the neck or head and ensure you destroy the head. If you don''t destroy the skull, it will eventually reattach to the body. The only way to fully kill off a skeleton is to destroy the skull. Also, be careful of any loud noises! Their weird chattering they do with their teeth may bring in others around them, and could cause a chain reaction, but any loud noise will instantly alert way more than you may expect. Seeing these skeletons makes me wonder how on earth do they move, and how do they function? I was never a believer of the supernatural since it never made sense, but I think I am now. How could I explain something as ridiculous as this? Anyway, to whoever is reading this note, I forgot to do this before I left, but I will leave a map at the shore which brings you to this location. It¡¯s most likely one of the safest spots on this map, and it¡¯s only because the skeletons do not patrol here. However, avoid any loud noises like a gun since there is still a chance one of them could hear it and head towards this location. I hope you¡¯re as interested as I am in these skeletons and I¡¯ll be curious about your findings from whatever hellscape I may be in after death. Augusta ¡­¡­ ¡°So he tells us this now?¡± Archer clicked his tongue while leaning back in his chair. He was hoping for some more information, but it made sense. Augusta was writing as he traveled through the island since going back to leave notes would be far too stupid, and from what he wrote, Archer could guess he had some kind of guide to go off on. ¡°Scriptures, huh?¡± Archer mumbled. He never came across such scripters or even heard of them before, so it only meant that Augusta didn¡¯t allow them to see the light of day after his adventure around the world. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Captain?¡± Grog asked. By now, the three of them found makeshift beds and sprawled three of them on the floor. Grog stood to the side of Archer, while Robertson was preparing meals and Jibb was pacing back-and-forth mumbling to himself. ¡°This man is insane,¡± Archer said with a laugh. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Grog asked. ¡°He had even more of a fascination with the supernatural than I ever did, and he wants me to experience exactly what he did. To add on to it, these notes aren¡¯t all too helpful either. Well, they might be sometimes, but I¡¯ll more or less be reading about a dead man''s adventure.¡± Although to others it may sound like complaining, Grog could see a smile on the man''s lips. A smile that only appeared when he found something interesting. ¡°You look excited more than anything,¡± Grog smiled. ¡°Damn right I am. Spoilers are no fun and now it¡¯s turned into a game, but I¡¯m excited to see what Augusta saw and hopefully even more.¡± Archer sat there quietly, tapping his finger against the table while looking at the map. The next location seemed like a bit of a struggle to reach, and based on his initial assumption, the next location would not be as safe as he expected if the current one he was at was the safest. Maybe he was wrong? Archer thought, but brushed the idea away. He clearly knew the layout of the island, and he having records of who knows when explained how he could map such a place as well as he did. Augusta didn¡¯t want to give up the original, so he made copies. ¡°Captain,¡± Jibb said in a low voice, with no response. Archer was too deep in his own thoughts, so Jibb waited patiently, hands in front, as if he was a kid waiting to be disciplined. Then, when Archer finally came to his senses, looked over at Jibb, moved his chair to face Jibb, then crossed a leg over the other and leaned back. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Archer asked. ¡°Captain,¡± Jibb repeated, paused, and took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he quickly said, biting his tongue lightly. ¡°Sorry for what?¡± Archer asked. He knew what he meant. Everyone knew, but Archer couldn¡¯t help himself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for shooting my flintlock, sir,¡± Jibb answered after fanning his mouth from the pain. ¡°Is that it?¡± Archer asked with a raised eyebrow. Archer waited patiently as Jibb looked around, trying to figure out what he meant, then thought about it for a couple of minutes longer. Grog held his laugh in while Robertson walked over and handed out meals. Signaling Grog and Robertson to join him, the three of them ate while Jibb continued to ponder until he finally yelled out, ¡°I get it!¡± ¡°Took you long enough,¡± Grog commented in between bites. ¡°So, what is it?¡± Archer asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t listen to your orders,¡± Jibb said. ¡°Correct. I told all three of you that you must listen to everything I tell you, yet you shot your damn flintlock without even thinking just because of some sound.¡± His voice was casual, yet it held weight, causing Jibb to hold his breath. ¡°Listen,¡± Archer put down his bread and gave Jibb his full attention. ¡°I obviously will not shoot you. That would be stupid. But I need you to shape up, listen to what I tell you to do, and not fuck up. You understand?¡± Jibb nodded his head in agreement. ¡°Good. Go get your portion of your food, sit down, and eat. We have a long day ahead of us.¡± Archer went back to his food, taking a bite of his bread. ¡°Oh, but you will get some kind of punishment when we get back. That¡¯s unavoidable.¡± Jibb stopped, food in hand. ¡°I understand,¡± he said with a deep breath.