In the cold embrace of the ocean water, pulling him deeper and deeper, a sudden grip on his hand caught his attention. A figure, bearing angelic wings carved by the sunlight, began to bring Mikey back up for air.

Gasp!

His saviour hauled him onto their back as he breached the water's surface with a great gasp for air. His cheek pressed against her neck, he recognised Liza's soft skin even in his muddled state.

A breeze nipped at his sodden clothing as the pair suddenly took to the air, swinging up by the whipping pull of a rope.

They descended into the ship's deck before Liza laid him on the ground.

"You're alright, bud," she said reassuringly before leaving his side. He barely managed to hear her footsteps rush off into the distance.

"Mikey!" Gisla called out, swiftly kneeling beside him and lifting his head onto her lap. Then, with the stroke of her thumb, she gently tickled his forehead. "You're safe now; you’re safe."

As if her words were permission to sleep, his eyes shut immediately. His exhaustion was too great to remain awake any longer.

"And so you've returned to the Blackjack - in the acquisition of your new power," a foreboding voice emerged from the familiar darkness. Mikey was dreaming once more of the abyss he'd found himself in throughout his journey, but it had grown to a second home to Mikey.

Something felt different here. Mikey felt as though he had more of a presence than previous visits. The luminescence from his eye and hand seemed to light up the immediate darkness as if this dream world was becoming clearer with each visit.

"I followed your plan. You said La'Qashur would respect me - trying to kill me doesn't seem like respect!" Mikey held his hand over his eye, the violet tint reflecting off his palm. "Let alone this psychopath Cassius, slaughtering all those people. Your entire plan was a blatant shambles!"

"You've displayed your power to the war chief, do not mistake his violence for lack of respect. You will find him again," the voice continued.

"And what of Adendé? Or Lazarus? How many am I supposed to sacrifice?" Mikey called out, frustrated by how much this voice chose to withhold.

"You ask too many questions, Mikhail. You have the power to do as you choose. You need only realise it," a giant, shrivelled up claw emerged from the shadows in front of Mikey, an elongated fingernail extending out towards his forehead.

Poke!

"Make the choice, Mikhail. Save them."

A jolt of energy shot through Mikey, his eyes opening to see the wooden ceiling of his quarters.

"Laz-" he spoke out, moving to sit up when he noticed something heavy lying on top of him. It was Gisla. Under the warmth of the blankets, she lay over his chest, wrapped tightly around him.

A brief frown furrowed Mikey's brows, though it was a frown of confusion, not necessarily distaste.

He lightly slid her off his chest and onto the bed, intent on getting up, as she seemingly remained asleep.

Once his feet touched the floor, Mikey let the slightest bit of weight on them and felt a sharp pain shoot up his legs. Despite the pain, he tried to stand on his cramping legs with a grimace. But, unfortunately, it only took a shuffle of his feet for Mikey's legs to ultimately buckle under him.

As he fell for the floorboards, something barely caught him.

"Did you need some help?" Gisla's voice asked from behind him, her arms wrapped around him.

"You've changed an awful lot since last we met," Mikey chuffed, though he held a playful smirk as he stood back up with her help.

"I… yeah, maybe," she replied, struggling for something more substantial.

"Lady, where's Lazarus being kept?" Mikey asked aloud, summoning forth the spectral guardian of the ship.

"He's currently in the hold. Galliard and Liza believe he's only got several hours before he passes on," she informed him, floating through the air.

"Help me to him, would you?" Mikey asked Gisla politely, moving his arm over her shoulder, although she was forced to hunch over.

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Rumble Rumble!

As the pair made their way onto the deck, a heavy thunderclap sounded. Flashes of lightning could be seen painting the land in flames.

"Lady said it had to be Adendé. It's been happening since you all got here," Gisla commented, holding Mikey's wrist just below the freshly wrapped bandages around his palm.

"He said he'd meet me back here, but Adendé’s won’t be back, will he?" Mikey asked, though he didn't stick around for an answer from Gisla. Instead, he pulled her forward as the pair continued down the stairs to the hold.

Once in the hold, Mikey and Gisla moved forward through the hallway. Passing by an open room, Bat and Mud were licking their wounds, laying down.

Bat noticed Mikey pass by, his right eye a bloodied wound being tended to by his brother. Mikey bowed his head lightly, with Bat returning it.

Once past the wargs, Mikey and Gisla approached the kitchen. Lazarus' bare body was laid out over the table.

A series of cauterised gashes lay over his abdomen and thighs, whilst bandages were wrapped around his right eye, blood staining through the cloth.

"The Blackjack seems to have a cruel obsession with taking the right eye from its crewmates," Mikey said as he moved from Gisla to the table - propping himself up and leaning over it.

"I think he might be bleeding internally. We did what we could, but we're sailors and chefs," Liza said, holding Lazarus' hand in concern. "There must be something you can do, right?"

Mikey looked to Liza, then back to Lazarus.

'Just make a choice,' Mikey echoed in his mind, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply. Then, before opening his eyes again, he whispered.

"Cassius."

His eye flashed with violet energy as he moved his palm over Lazarus' abdomen. Wisteria roots grew off his arm and gently pierced Lazarus' skin as he placed his hand over his wounds. The one-eyed sailor grimaced, conscious enough to feel the twisting pain of his innards.

Liza and Galliard had honest looks of concern but made no move to interrupt Mikey.

Before long, the glow from Mikey's eye faded, and he broke the roots off of his arm. The ones that remained pierced into Lazarus began to connect and fasten to his skin, shifting from a pale white to a crimson red - pulsing with life.

"I'm not sure if that'll work, but… it's all I could think of," Mikey said, taking a seat on the bench near the table.

A few hours later and what was left of the crew sat at the railing on the deck. The sun had begun to set, and they gazed out at the waters ahead, not including the drunk. Mikey retold the events on land, or what he remembered at least. He apologised but held his position as captain - more so than ever.

"It'd be selfish of me to put us on course without asking you all whether you'll stay with me. The truth is, I need you. I've ignored how much risk you've put yourselves in, and I think, at some point, I was fully ready to sacrifice you all for my goals," Mikey turned away from the ocean, looking to the others. "I want to change that, from now. So before we continue, I'm completely prepared to return you all to San Lenard. Just give me the word,"

Liza and Galliard chuckled in relief as Galliard slapped him on the back.

"I think we're too far into our li’l adventure to jump ship now; otherwise, it’d all be a waste. It's good to know where we stand, though, kid," he said with an appreciative smile.

"I agree with Galli; we’ve been through too much to leave you now. We’ll see it through to the end, and I'm sure Laz would be saying the same," Liza reassured him, throwing her arm around his shoulder and kissing him on the cheek.

Mikey then turned to Gisla, who had yet to cast her vote, prompting the other two to direct their attention.

"Well, I think it’s best I leave,” Gisla said, awkwardly smiling to avoid breaking the mood.

“Leave - what do you mean, leave!?” Mikey yelled out in shock.

“It’s just, well, I’m not needed here anymore. I’ve come to realise that. I’m holding you all-” Gisla began to explain with tears welling in her eyes. However, without caring for the mood, Mikey let out an obnoxious cackle to cut her off.

“What the fuck is your problem?” Gisla snapped at him, punching him in the arm.

“I just don’t care about all of that, didn’t you hear me? No more sacrifices. You’re a part of the crew, so we’re taking you with us, silly princess,” he said with a big grin, playfully karate chopping her head.

Gisla’s eyes lit up with a cherry blush showing through her cheeks. Wiping away her tears, she then put on a dramatic frown and karate chopped him back, though harder.

“Ah! Shit, that doesn’t mean you have to be a bitch all the time,” Mikey replied, rubbing his head.

“Anyway, onto the important stuff. Our next destination,” Mikey changed the subject, clapping his hands together as a motion to clear the air. “Adendé mentioned a friend.”

“Charles, yeah. But knowing what we’re dealing with now, I’ve got a feeling that’s going to be more difficult than we first thought,” Galliard commented with the stroke of his chin.

“An Underworld Token? Spirits, crazy magic? Then it looks like we’ll be getting involved with the Ludecious criminal underground,” Liza sighed, rubbing her forehead with a lack of enthusiasm.

“The Ludecious crime syndicates, don’t they lead all the organized crime in Des Maron?” Mikey asked, old stories of their ruthlessness coming to mind from his days in Zeal Mar Keistar.

“Ha, yeah, try all of Tharix instead. We’re going to need a few extra crew members if we’re tackling that lot. The old bronze giant has left our company,” Galliard said with a frank raise of his brows.

“Well then, we’d better get to it,” Mikey stretched with his arms out. “Hear that Lady?! We’re off to Ludecious!”

‘Volume 1: The First Endeavour’ End

Mikey’s story will continue in ‘Volume 2: Cruel Dreamers’