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Black Ship
Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Once in a blue moon under the skin of a tree, it is what you need to find to make my dream come true" It is what was written on the ma as a riddle. The circles on the map were probably locations where Marcel and his friends had to search for the tree. The map layout was similar, yet different in some places with the Black Lagoon. Each place they went to was marked on the map, yet there was no tree there as specified in the riddle. "Maybe we are doing it wrong," said Hulio. "What could we do wrong? All we need is to find a tree and wait for the blue moon" Rob looked at him and took out the map. "Here, it should be here" he continued. "But there is nothing here," Fred said with an upset tone. "Let us take a break, this is making us uneasy" Marcel grabbed the map from Rob and tucked it under his belt. "We will meet at the ship when the sun is starting to go down," Greg said and left. The rest of them went their way and for a moment they all stopped thinking about the riddle. Marcel on the other hand pulled out the map and started to once again analyze it. He wanted to offer his crew a place to stay. Something was missing, but he didn't know what. He was relentlessly turning the map around, pointing it at the sun and nothing. Then he saw it, there was a spot on the map right where the tavern was. And he knew that all this treasure hunting was getting back at the tavern at the right time. "What could this mean?" he asked himself, lost in thoughts. Marcel remembered that the Fley Harbor tavern master told him to get to Black Lagoon before last year's blue moon, and the riddle also mentioned something about a blue moon. It all started to piece together, but he was still not sure what could all of that meant. The sun was slowly setting and he went back to the ship. His crew was waiting for him, while a shining blue light was rising from the sea. "This is the blue moon, we need to find the tree," said Greg a bit agitated. "I think I know where we have to go, follow me," Marcel said with a calm voice. While they were walking towards the mysterious tavern, a white thick mist was forming around it as if it was protecting it. The area around the tavern at night was out of a horror movie, everything looked spooky. The flickering light coming from the entrance lamp was making it even scarier.

As they were approaching the door, the tavern started shaking. Marcel knocked at the door and entered. It was empty. The tavern master was nowhere to be found. "Are we in the right place?" Hulio asked. "Yes, but this is strange" Marcel answered slightly unsure about the circumstances. A couple of creeks and a loud thud made everyone jump and their faces turned pale. "What was that?" Fred asked hugging Greg. "Get out of me!" Greg pushed Fred and he tripped over a chair. The creeks continued and someone was coming down the stairs. Everyone found someplace to hide. It was no one other than the tavern master, yawning and rubbing his eye. Marcel revealed himself and said, "We are here, did we find the treasure?". "Hmm..." after a long pause, he continued, "I didn't think that you would come back. It was supposed to be a wild goose chase, but here you are". The others revealed themselves as well and Marcel's face brightened up a bit. "So we completed your treasure hunting?" Marcel asked the tavern master. "Not yet" he answered back scratching his head. "Is there something more?" Greg asked the tavern master. "Yes, it is just about to begin" and then he started to laugh. The faint humming was coming from outside as the tavern master kneeled and started humming as well. The pirate song had a menacing air about it, yet it was as gentle as a feather. Beneath the door, a white mist was invading the tavern and with each second the tavern was filling with the mist. Marcel and the others went outside leaving the tavern master behind. When they opened the door a strong wind pushed them back and a chilling feeling went through their bones. With the door opened they could see a spark of light in the distance. It looked like something was approaching the rocky cliff of the island in front of the tavern. Each second felt longer and longer as the Marcel crew was frozen in place. The light stopped moving as if whatever was approaching stopped. In the thick mist outside something was moving and humming. Loud steps and thuds were resounding through the whole tavern. Ground was shaking and whoever was left standing in the tavern kneeled before they realized. Shadows were approaching the tavern from the mist as the tavern master got up and went to the door. The humming became louder and stopped right before the door. "Welcome captain!" the tavern master said while bowing towards the door. Everyone was looking towards the door in disbelief as the captain's shoe made it through the thick mist, making it visible to the naked eye. "We are back Jose!" a voice said from the door and a whole body entered the tavern. "I see you have visitors, aye?" the captain continued. "Yes, they want to stay at this tavern" Jose replied while bowing towards him. "Hm... That is indeed interesting... How long has it been?" the captain grabbed a chair and sat down staring at Marcel and his crew. "An eternity captain, an eternity," Jose said and got up. The captain slammed a knife into the table shattering the whole table, "Come in guys!" he said and stood up.

Outside the thick mist started to clear bit by bit and more people were waiting. They came in one by one after their captain signaled. As they approached the entrance their appearance was clearer. Those people have the looks of animals. "Grab a seat, all of you," said the captain waving his hand. Marcel and his crew were watching these events and could not comprehend what was happening. When the captain's crew finished entering, he got up and went ahead and slammed the door shut. "You there" pointing to Marcel "have a seat," said the captain. Unconsciously Marcel followed the captain's orders and sat at the table. Surrounded by lions, lizards, bears, and much more everyone was frightened by this captain's crew. Marcel was thoroughly analyzing the captain's appearance since he could not make eye contact or let out a word. The captain was tall and muscular. His beard was short and the eye patch he was wearing had something inscribed on it. Most of his hair was covered by the pirate hat he was wearing which was not like any he had ever seen before. It was a completely immaculate white with a black ship painted on it. His clothes were all ripped off, yet beneath them, something was shining as if there was something more beneath it. His boots were made of skin, but Marcel was not able to figure out what animal was the skin coming from. "So young man," said the captain, "what made you decide to come here?". After a couple of stutters, Marcel mustered up some courage and answered, "We were short on coins, and as a captain, I wanted to provide my crew a place to stay. The rumors about this place made it hard to decide and yet here we are". Everyone including the captain started clapping. "Nice choice of words young man, that's how it always should be. As a captain you have the responsibility to provide for your crew, and in return they will support you," said the captain. "Aye!" the captain's crew slammed their hands on the tables in agreement.

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"Jose, let us drink tonight for this young man here and his crew," said the captain to the tavern master. "Aye captain!" the answer came through while he was filling the cups. The captain presented himself as Captain Frown to Marcel and his crew. Frown asked them how they arrived at Black Lagoon and about their journey. Marcel was answering and telling every detail to him, even if deep down he felt like their stories were not comparing to Frown's. But on the contrary, Frown was listening and congratulating their effort of getting here, as well as their mission of helping Fley Harbor. After a couple more drinks Frown's crew passed out and Jose took Marcel's crew to their rooms. The only ones left were Frown and Marcel standing at the table. Frown was sharing some of his journeys with Marcel, but they all seemed like fairy tales for him. At one point Frown got up and signaled Marcel to follow him. They went outside and Marcel remained speechless. The legendary black ship that everyone was afraid of was right in front of his eyes. Black polished ebony, white birch stripes, and rails, and pure white sails with the painted ship on them were all illuminated by the moon. "She is a beauty, is she not?" Frown said with a proud voice. "Indeed it is" Marcel still shocked did not leave the question unanswered. "it took us several years to achieve such beauty, yet everyone is afraid of it" Frown continues while going towards it. Marcel followed him closely towards the ship. "This might be out of the blue, but I have a proposition for you" Frown turned around and said. "This winter will be harsh, harsher than anything yet seen. The sea itself will freeze. But..." he paused and looked up, "you remind me of myself, it is like there is a mirror in front of me every time I look at you" he continued and let out a sigh. "What do you mean?" Marcel was confused. "You see that?" Captain Frown was pointing at the moon. "Do you think up there are any seas to sail?" he continued, making Marcel more confused. "That is what I was asking myself when I was young. But now I know there is much more down here to explore, and I have not yet seen it all" Frown said and sat down. Marcel joined him and laid on his back watching the clear sky admiring the moon.

"As for the proposition," Frown told Marcel, "I will give Fley Harbor a substantial amount of supplies if you will expand your crew with at least six more members until our next meeting". Marcel looked at Frown, "When will we meet?", "Me and my crew are always stopping at our taverns across the seven seas when there is a blue moon" Frown answered not mentioning that there is also a tavern in Fley Harbor he and his crew stopped by. "I see" Marcel scratched his head and got up, "But I will also provide help to Fley Harbor, I can't simply rely on you". Frown looked at Marcel and smiled, "This is why you are my mirror" Then he got up and went back inside. Frown's crew was still passed out, but with a clap of his hands and a word they all woke up. It felt like magic. "Until next time young man" Frown said to Marcel before leaving. As they were leaving the mist started forming once again, making it harder for anyone to see them, and they started humming the pirate song once again. Marcel went to his room and spent the rest of the night thinking about his goal, that being finding six more crew members. It was easier said than done, but Black Lagoon was a good place to start. The next day Marcel woke up at noon, he did not feel it the night before, but he was exhausted due to Captain Frown's presence. A pat on his back made him jump, "What a night" Greg said. "Indeed" Marcel answered while going down the stairs. "Lunch is ready," Jose said while slamming the spoon into the cooking pot. Marcel's crew gathered and ate lunch and then asked Jose if he could help them with some jobs to earn coins. Jose recommended a shady vendor in the Night's Vow tavern, telling them he had some interesting merchandise and that they could use some of his maps.