The two returned to Armando, who had his caravan and shop set up. Armando came out of the caravan and greeted the two.

Armando: Oh oh oh oh oh! You two have returned! How was the meeting with the Sultana?

Akeru: Well, she tried to get us both naked…then sent us to plunder an ancient temple to the north.

Armando: I-I see! Well, feel free to use my caravan when you return when you need to rest your weary bones! I should be here, hopefully.

Itsuki: Thanks, clown mask, We might take you up on that offer. Now, we have a temple to plunder.

Itsuki and Akeru waved goodbye as they exited the city to head north. The temple was extraordinarily tall and made out of pure gold. The two were shocked to see such a thing exist, but as they approached the temple, they noticed there was no entrance.

Akeru: How in the seven hells do we get in here!?

Itsuki: Maybe there is a secret entrance or something?

Akeru: It would have been great if the Witch had told us more about this place…Do you think you could make an entrance?

Itsuki: I don’t think so…there has to be something protecting it, or else there would be an entrance already here.

Akeru and Itsuki searched around for what seemed like forever, inspecting the entire outside of the temple. Finally, Akeru was about to give up when she saw a small glimpse of something in the sand. She yelled for Itsuki as she rubbed the sand around to reveal a plaque.

Itsuki: Did you find something?!

Akeru: Yeah, there is a plaque here…let’s see. It says: “Those with gold shall open the halls, those without will stall.”

Itsuki: What in the hell does that mean?

Akeru: We need something gold to get in, possibly? Do we have anything like that?

Itsuki: Is your ring made out of gold?

Akeru: Not that I can see…gold…gold…Itsuki! Your Magica!

Itsuki: What about it?

Akeru: Those with gold…you are a Gold Rank!

Itsuki: That can’t be it…

Akeru: Just humor me then…

Itsuki groaned, and the two went to where an entrance would be as he pulled out his Magica and pointed it to the temple.

Itsuki: See…nothing happened!

Akeru: Damn it all…maybe if we just-

The ground started to shake beneath them. Suddenly, the sand starts falling beneath them into a pit. The two fall and yell as they land in a murky dark cave, with the ceiling above them closing back up. Itsuki pulled out his katana and used Pyro on it to make a light source.

Akeru: Ow…could they not have just made a door open!?

Itsuki: Akeru…

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Akeru looked at him and then looked around; dozens of skeletons were lying around with no way out of the cave.

Akeru: Oh my god, we are going to die here!

???: Not death per se, lass, just dying without the end. This cave has got a nasty curse.

Itsuki turned the sword to the voice and dropped it immediately in fear. A man with black curly long hair and facial hair lay in crimson pirate clothing with a feathered hat. His face was half gone, revealing his skull. Over parts of his body was the same fate, his body had bits and pieces rotted off, his left hand was skeletal, with his right hand only the index finger bony.

Akeru: By the gods…

???: Nay, missy, not god made this place but man.

Itsuki quickly picked up his sword and pointed at the man once more.

Itsuki: Y-Y-Y-Y-Your name?

???: Captain- Former….Former Captain Ravenbeard.

Akeru: You truly are a pirate; I’ve only heard of your profession in books…

Ravenbeard: Ay, we are but a dying breed.

Itsuki: Are these your crew members?

Ravenbeard: Nay, we found a mage that could lead us to the treasure in the temple, but I was skeptical of em, so I went alone. That was years ago-

Akeru: Years?! How did you survive? Your body should have been like these others, right?

Ravenbeard: Tis as I said, the cave is cursed. You live only to slowly rot until nothing is left.

Itsuki: What about that mage? Shouldn’t they be alive, too, then?

Ravenbeard: Bah! The coward offed himself the second he learned we were trapped. Used one of me bullets once I slumbered.

Akeru: How terrible…have you tried using magic or anything?

Ravenbeard: Girly, I’m a pirate…not a mage.

Akeru: Well, that doesn’t mean anything! You can be both!

Ravenbeard: Just because you are born with something doesn’t mean you are born to use it…

Akeru started to say something but stopped talking instantly after hearing his words. Itsuki looked around for a clue on how to escape as Akeru sat against the wall from Ravenbeard.

Ravenbeard: What’s yer name, sweetheart?

Akeru:...Akeru.

Ravenbeard: Tis a beautiful name…shame that your comrade and us two are the only ones to hear you say it now.

Akeru: No, we will find a way out… I… We have a goal to go north. We will achieve our dream, no matter how long it will take.

Ravenbeard: North across the sea…I would love to go as well, to see my one true love.

Akeru: Your love?

Ravenbeard: Aye, the sea.

Itsuki: I found another plaque, you two!

Akeru stood up fast and ran over to him. Ravenbeard just stayed seated, looking at the two.

Akeru: ”Those who lay trapped here have only one way out; rid yourself of a skinned limb to escape your grim fate.”

Itsuki: So we have to tear off a limb?!

Akeru: Gods, who created this place?!

The cave was suddenly filled with sounds of a rock hitting something hard. The two looked to Ravenbeard, who was beating his right leg with a giant rock, tearing off the skeleton leg and any skin connecting to his body.

Akeru: Whoa! Calm down-

Ravenbeard: Nay lass, If this be the way out to see her again…I will sacrifice this damn leg!

Ravenbeard’s leg was bleeding, but he finally severed it from his body. He didn’t scream in pain as he grabbed his former leg and held it towards Itsuki and Akeru.

Ravenbeard: This leg barely rotted, now let’s escape this cursed cave, me hearties.

They looked disturbed, but Itsuki quickly grabbed his leg and traced the walls with it until he could find the way out.

Akeru: Have you found anything?

Itsuki: Damnit…no! This has to be it, right?! What are we missing?

Ravenbeard stood up and held the wall as he hopped to Itsuki.

Ravenbeard: Give me my leg back, boy.

Itsuki: W-What?

Akeru: Of course…rid yourself of the limb. You have to be the one to open the way!

Ravenbeard nodded as he forcefully took his leg and hopped around, tracing the wall now. He found a small hole and shoved the leg into it, opening the wall to a room of shining gold and a staircase leading to another room filled with treasure beyond your wildest dreams. They headed up the stairs, the two helping Ravenbeard up due to his missing leg. When they got to the final room, they all looked amazed.

Ravenbeard: Tis a beautiful sight…

Itsuki: Holy shit…

Akeru: The amount of treasure here…we could quickly make multiple trips to north and back and still have plenty left over…

Itsuki: Then let’s get it all, forget about that Witch!

Ravenbeard: Witch?

Itsuki: Yeah, we made a deal with the Sand Witch to get this trea-

Ravenbeard: You foolish boy…whose treasure do you think this is?!

Akeru: Excuse me?

Ravenbeard: This temple was built overtop of the cursed cave; the cave itself used to be an oasis, I imagine…but she made it sink to the bottom of the sand and built her temple over top of it.

Itsuki: That bitch…so she sent us to our death then!?

Ravenbeard: Aye…seems that way, lad.

Akeru: Then I supposed that she wouldn’t miss her treasure that much when we took it from her.

Ravenbeard: But ye have a wee problem there, lass; what are we going to do with the beastie?

Akeru: The…what…?

Itsuki:...Oh right.

Itsuki and Akeru turned to see a Manticore on the other side of the room, glaring at the three. It slowly walked towards them, its scorpion tail grinding against the gold flooring. Finally, Itsuki got in front of the other two.

Akeru: Do you think you can take it on?

Itsuki: Of course…I didn’t spend all that time training to fail now!