Chapter VI - Rock Island

Darkness was all about as the Captain carried my cage up the path that sloped upwards. Climbing the path we ascended our way until I saw a cove in the island. Below in the water was Slur's brig. The lights were on and I could see the Red Skin Pirates moving about on deck. Anxious it seems from the sky and the dragon. They must of have seen the ship destroyed and were wondering about the Captain. Where he was and what they would do without someone to order them about.

The Captain paused momentarily looking down at the cove like I was, wondering some things of his own. Who was this Captain? What did he think? How did he feel? Did he mourn the loss of his men and ship?

"No", said Captain Blood Teeth. He must of once again read my mind. "I was just angry I lost my table. It can be replaced but it will take awhile to move this island once again.

"I enjoy seeing my men in distress they are wondering if they are free. However they are too scared to flee, in case I wasn't on the ship. Let them writhe in the misery of their own minds. Oh look there is that headless dark skinned white palm"! Said the Captain excitedly as he pointed towards the ship as he was moving on his way.

Looking over I saw Matthew's headless body walking on deck. That made me sad, as even the passing of the Dragon Matthew was doomed to man the ship.

The suffering his friend was going through even if he didn't feel anything anymore must be immense. No longer wishing to see that sight that made me shame myself I looked onward into the darkness. My stiffened crab legs were cramped together in the tight confines of my cage. Being carried into the darkness I couldn't see much of the Island. Besides the cove that had a tight opening it seemed to have no plant life. No grass, moss, trees, or brush. Just bare rock and sand, large boulders I could see briefly as the moon peered in from time to time. Showing the sight of each one through openings in the cave that we entered without me even noticing. In the darkness the whole island seemed to have a interior that transitioned with a blink of the eye.

The moon was on us full glow as Blood Teeth came to what must of been the midpoint climbing man made stairs I saw the sea. Open water was lit in the moon and the night seemed less dark but then again we were higher. Halfway up the rocky pillar the moon was brighter and made the darkness less dense. No more ceiling Blood Teeth didn't stop to rest and continued on rasping with each breathe. Blood was still dripping from his mouth to no end. Made me wonder where i came from? At this point he wouldn't bled to death but he didn't

The Captain shook my cage he again didn't like my thoughts but seemed to preoccupied to say anything. I was glad he didn't act upon his threat before about my eye.

"What is the point of eating you eye crab. Soon, you'll be dead and damned forever to the devil himself. So go ahead and think you'll thoughts we'll reach the point of the ritual in just a few moments. The ascent is much quicker than you'll expect. That is the power of this island, for its master. Its secrets beyond even mine comprehension. For this is original Earth. Piece of primordial past, the first land formed when this ever planet was made. Where the first living creature that crawled on land walked upon. This place has power that you'll soon become apart of, but as sustanous for the devil".

Obviously trying to scare me Blood Teeth wanted to make me feel dread in my last moments of life. Suddenly the light of the full moon was upon us focused on the plateau we stood upon. Standing on top of Rock Island, from where I could see the moon the sea for miles. Also Swift Wind Isles with the distant sight of the Governor's manor set ablaze.

"Here boy you die", said Blood Teeth as he walked towards the centre of the platteau.

There was nothing on the flat top of the island the stone underneath was white with the light of the moon. The only thing I could see was a black spot on the stone. A hole of some kind in the stone, that made me frightened.

Taking out the multi-tipped dagger Captain Blood Teeth use it to open the lock of my cage. Opening the door with the hand he held the dagger with, handing off hinge due to the abuse the door was open. I might've shot out for a chance of survival if my body was stiff and lacked movement of my own will. The cracked body made every effort to move a painful effort. My legs were unmovable and my claws ached, Putting the cage on the ground he freed up the hand that held it and grabbed me by the neck.

Taking me to the hole he held me up and the dagger over the hole.

"Lord and master of this prison I call upon the powers of lord Satan. Evil master of Cancer and all the woes of mortals. I call you accept this part of me, part of my crew, and willing payment of my covenant. Price of blood is my blood marked and delivered".

After saying that oath he stuck the dagger into the back of my shell. Piercing deep inside of my body, I felt my hot moisture leave my body and start flowing. Blood that was deep rooted in my body was blowing out of me and into the hole below. Continuing to flow until it stopped, then after that he began to speak again.

"My blood left this sacrifice now master partake the body and soul as to continue your dominion"!

With that he put me over the hole which was small but big enough to fit a crab with a human head.

"Goodbye crab", with that he dropped me into the hole. Looking upwards I saw his burnt, skull like face grinning in the light of the moon with his wide bloodshot eyes. Blood still dripping from his mouth, dripping down the hole after me as I fell into the darkness.

I didn't notice it before but once the I was bled I felt the stiffness and pain leave my body. A renewing was in me now and a certain relief. Was that the Captain's blood that was inside me all this time? Did it make me feel such emotional pain? Truth be told even though death was near I was calmer than I should've been about my demise. The white light of the moon disappearing in the descending darkness as the hole shrank with the sight of the Captain.

Falling for the longest time for unmeasurable time in my state of unfocused thoughts I barely registered the pain. Not right away at least when my body game crashing into solid water at a great height. My body was cracked at the descent but my body was denser than before and I didn't die or pass out from the pain of the impact.

Darkness with a green glowing light emitted from the water. Half focused and dizzy my vision swayed back and forth unable to see clearly.

At first it was all a jumbled blur but I was floating in the water for a bit and started to come into focus. The water was clear and I could see a beautiful woman. Long flowing water like hair with a green tint to it, her expression was one of pain. Anguished by the thing that latched onto her, she was wrapped around the head and body by many legs. That pierced her skin which seemed to endlessly bleed water.

The woman was a giant in size but the thing on her head was just as large. A bulbous thing with two large orbs that formed its head. From its body was many curly legs that curled downwards and stuck to the woman's body keeping her in place.

Trapped under Rock Island, the cards didn't seem to be exact but the message was coming clear. The woman was trapped by this creature some kind of mutant crab.

No eyes but it had a mouth at the end of a long wrinkly limb that stretched out and hung in the water. At the end was a dark red bulb that had a toothy mouth inside, the creature made me scared beyond belief. Veiny and bumpy head long unnatural mouth and curling legs.

For a crab it didn't have any claws but I could see where they once were, looked as though they were torn off leaving stubs. That thing was going to eat me, the devil himself in his little patch of hell.

Although Captain Blood Teeth spoke more colorfully in actuality he worshipped Cancer. The God Crab who is the source of many evils in the sea. Trying to remain still which was no problem due to my paralysing fear I didn't want to draw its attention.

In the depths of the water in the cavern I saw the limbed mouth of Cancer move in the water. Searching, prying about trying to find something, food most likely. I was it's food, too keep it sustained as it kept the woman prisoner under Rock Island. This God gave Blood Teeth his powers the Twin God brought me here for a reason.

Unable to move, in great pain, and only starting to regain some thought I wasn't meant to do anything great. Captain Blood Teeth was right I was going to die there and spend eternity damned. Maybe the Coats of Leviathan were doing me a true kindness by trying to burn me alive. Saving me of the suffering I would go through, if only I'd stopped. If only I didn't go into that pub, and if only I never left my home.

I still hate my home but it was a kind of hate I could get used to this new situation was eternal torment. I hadn't eaten well in months, pain is constant, I wish I was dead. So I could feel nothing.

Stirring in the water the limber mouth was moving towards me as if it knew I was nearby. Watching it I silently screamed in my mind having talked in awhile and it was hard to start. Closing my eyes I waited for the death to come, movement under the water made me aware of the mouth. Teeth sharp and long reached out and scrapped the bottom of my shell.

Tasting me, not before long a stabbing sensation was felt all read my body as I was dragged down a moist path of teeth. Ripping away at my body cutting my face up badly. Hot blood soaked my face as I fell into a scolding substance that ate away at my flesh. With my last conscious moments I wished I didn't die a virgin. Thinking back on the whore at the pub I remembered a cousin telling me one pisses extra strong after sex. That day my stream was normal.

My piss and wishing I had sex was going to be my last thoughts. Until something happened, my head was shot out of the corrosive liquid and back out the limb where I came.

A sudden rush came and with the light yellow corrosive liquid I came out full rush. My skin burning and scarred I hit the water and was sinking down. Just a head I could still see and think. I was confused and didn't find any rationalization of what was happening. Even without a body my head still thought, see, and even underwater I somehow found a way to breathe.

Looking at Cancer it looked disturbed spitting out that liquid all about the cavern its limbed mouth shrunk. Going inside of its head its bulbous head enlarged. That in turn made the woman start to move underneath it, struggling to remain in control Cancer dug its legs deeper into the woman.

Still that didn't stop the woman from opening her eyes and out came eyes like glowing gem stones, of a bright deep ocean blue. Sparkling and peering into the dark places of the cavern the giant woman raised her hand and grabbed Cancer. Lifting the monstrous Crab from her head its legs ripped off its body as it started to shrivel and become still.

Cancer looked dead, as the woman dropped it into the water and it sank deeper below. Sinking past me it barely missed me as I sank slowly after it looking up I saw the giant woman had proportionately large breasts.

As I saw more of her nude body and flawless skin I realized she was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. Legs of Cancer that tried to stick to her fell off her body and her wounds healed over quickly. Sinking past her waist her glowing eyes were upon my head. With her giant hand she caught me and started to lift me upwards.

Raising me to her face I felt her soft cool skin soothe my pain and heal my scars.

Speaking without opening her mouth she spoke with many voices that were soft but had authority. "Who are you"?

I tried to respond but I found I couldn't make a sound underwater my mouth just gaped open and shut. Only a sigh of frustration.

"A your blood is the blood of my sister. Dear sweet mortal you suffered much to come here, your blood is the bane of my captor. Devouring you proved his doom. Such efforts were made to place you in his reach. Suffering grand you have suffered. Please drink of my blood and my body I offer to you. So you can gain life anew, fear not the schemes of Gods and demons you are free nephew".

Saying that she brought her large finger to my mouth and I figured she wanted me to take a small bite. Biting her finger he flesh came off easily and tasted like cold water, colder and more refreshing than normal water. Her blood then came into my mouth and was invigorating made me feel myself free of all the burdens of life. Granting me the rewards of innocence and the power to protect it, her hand closed around my head.

Keeping safe within her fist as I felt her descend into the water. Going into the very bottom of the sea I felt myself change. Like a growing tree I was rising from the seed of my life becoming something that I was promised long ago.

Rising now I felt her swim about as though she was leaving through a underwater cave opening. Such a rush of speed as I felt us moving upwards. Then emerging up onto the surface we were above water. As the sun was rising in a orange dawn I felt the wind of the day brush against my bare skin.

Lowing me down she placed me on the sands of the beach on Rock Island. Looking back on her I saw her in the open air but she looked almost invisible. A faint appearance that she was in the water. Between us there was an unspoken understanding between us, a form of bond. As the rays of the sun shone out she dove into the water a whale like tail flopped upwards and followed afterwards.

As she rose again she was a whale, what she wished to be again as she swam off into the distance. Blue like the sky she swam with great speed that I only blink once and she was far off in the distant horizon. I blinked again and she was gone,free. The Twin God brought me to my horrible fate but I was free of the mark of Captain Blood Teeth. Which reminded me he was still on the island.

Somehow I got the feeling he was aware of his master's death, something inside my head seemed to know things. Either I was thinking better and faster than before or I had a supernatural sense of the actions of others.

Surprised I saw I once again had humans legs and arms but they were different. Longer, muscular, I was manlier than my old body was, I looked like the man I always wanted to become. Going to the sea water I looked at myself in the water, my body was like that of a real man. Muscles, abs, hair in the right places and in abundance, and I was taller. At least six feet five inches I estimated, man I was beautiful.

I would definitely have no problem getting sex I thought to myself. The women will not resist my manly body and more desireable looking face, with a rather handsome start to a beard.

MY skin was smoother, softer, but tougher without losing any of its gentler qualities.

Still admiring my body I didn't notice something was coming up behind my back. A chill went up my spine which made me look back and to my fright was Captain Blood Teeth.

Blood just pouring out of his mouth and fall downwards like a waterfall of blood he looked crazed. Eyes completely red and tearing up with blood. Nose flowing with blood, ears blood, every open orifice was bleeding heavily. The man was wheezing and had a heavy growling sound come from within his throat.

"You damned urchin", Captain Blood Teeth said embittered. "The Gods had to send you to end my rampage! You may have killed a God but I ain't gonna eat you"!

Showing off his scarlet teeth he reached into his jacket and pulled out the multi-pointed dagger and brandished outwards. Then pulled out a long sharp cutlass, with a deep cry he lunged at me the towering man was blood thirsty. Which is a odd thing considering he is constantly bleeding from the mouth.

Before I might've been scared but then I was turned into a man. With a powerful body and confidence in how to use it, with one swift punch I managed to knocked the Captain off his feet.

As he was on his back trying to get up I with speed I never had before went and got his cutlas. With an almost giddy sense of power I swiped the sword at Blood Teeth.

Tearing his jacket and exposing his thick skeletal chest. Bare of all skin and apparently making him even angrier.

"I am not the worm you kept under your heel before Blood Teeth. I am a man"! I said aloud and proud as I swung the sword again. Anger in my swing as I remembered all the things he did to me before. Those nights I tried to repress.

Making me realize I can't never truly have a first time due to his unforgivable cruelty. Rage filling me and unable to control my rage I cut off the hand he held the dagger with, blood shot out of his arm.

The severed hand fell to the sandy beach and laid there twitching before staying still. Captain Blood Teeth with wide red eyes looked at his hand and gave out a blood gurgling cry.

"What have you done"! Shouted the Captain as veins popped in his head and the skin under his face turned into a deep red. "Worm, bug, scum...I'll kill you" then he started to cough controllable.

Blood shot out of his mouth, he was vomiting it now, and he didn't seem like he could breathe.

Looking at him choke on the blood in his constantly pouring from his mouth I felt pity. The last thing I would think I'd feel for that horrible man, a demon more than man who brought uncounted misery. Should I end his misery? Give him a chance to life? Trying to consider my options, I wanted him dead he'd be better off dead. Still I couldn't kill the man.

After committing blood he just slumped on the sands of the beach blood no longer coming out of his mouth. No longer dripping from his teeth. The tears of blood drained the red from his eyes. Laying down wheezing in the sand, looking like that last gasp of air would be his last.

If I didn't kill him and he lived would he go to kill again? Did he still have power? Would the Gods mean for me to kill him? Do I have a choice to kill him? Did he have a choice? Is everything he did planned and manipulated by the Gods like I was? Can I condemn him if his destiny was controlled by powers beyond my understanding? Do we have freewill? If we don't can we be punished for what we do? And if we do how come we do the things we do and yet are able to be lead around by the Gods?

Too many questions, I couldn't make a answer for anything of them. Sadly it didn't matter because he breathed his last breath and died. Lying still he didn't move but his mouth remained open still moist with the blood. Eyes white tears marks under his eyes of blood looked bloodshot like when he was alive.

What scared me was he looked alive when dead, and dead while he was alive. I nudged him with my foot moving his hip to see if he was faking. Risking it I bent down and examined him, closely. For sure he was dead, nothing I could do for him. Besides maybe giving him a place to rest in peace. Seeing the rowboat I had an idea to give me a place to rest in the open water.

Lifting up the man he was dense and would take ten men to lift by my guess. With my new body it was easy, taking him to the rowboat I laid him down. Trying to close his eyes I found out he had no eyelids. Putting his severed hand into the boat with him I decided to put the multi-tipped dagger in with him. If only as an momento for the dead, then with a strong kick I sent him off into the water. The waves sent him outwards, I figured eventually it'll sink or someone will find it and give it a proper burial. Perhaps it would just float forever, I'm sure that wouldn't happen but it was strangely an endearing thought.

Somehow me doing that for him was almost like forgiving him but I know I'll never be able to in all my life. Washing off his blood I picked up his cutlass and walked to the brig. Hoping it was still in the cove.

Walking to it I saw that it was and there was a boat that Blood Teeth took to get to shore. Must of went to the ship till he felt some disturbance or maybe he just saw the Goddess in the water. Going into the boat I rowed to the ship, climbing aboard I almost expected a fight. Instead there were men cowering paler than they were the Red Skin pirates seemed to loss whatever made them so ruthless.

Many of them I remember from when I sailed on the Tropic Cancer.

"Men, Captain Blood Teeth is dead", I said noticing my voice was deeper than before. "I require something to wear".

A man skinny with a warty face walked up and said shaking in awe, "you'll find some down below. Is the Captain truly dead"?

I nodded and went off to get some clothes not so much out of modesty I knew I looked good naked. Finding some of Captain Slur's fancy captain clothes I put on a blue captains jacket. Under was a white shirt, black pants from his wardrobe and black boots. Finding his mirror smashed I looked inside of it and found myself almost a stranger to my eyes.

Like my wishes were coming true I was ecstatic. Finally I was in the body I wanted and with the cutlas in my belt I would claim the former Captain Slur's brig as my own.

I thought at the time I rename it the Whale Goddess. Which I did, coming on deck I saw the men looking at me wide eyed. All except Matthew who walked around with no head on his neck, no longer scared to look at him I just felt bad. That I wasn't as strong as I was now I might've helped him out.

"One of you put a scarf around his neck so it isn't exposed. Then prepare to sail this brig to Swift Wind Isle, I wish to see a friend there", I commanded.

At first they seemed to want to question my assumption of command but they were too scared to say anything. I could tell in their eyes that they knew I killed their former tyrant of a captain.

"Excuse me sir", said the skinny warty man. "are you our new captain"?

I looked at him giving him a knocking look, "yes I am. I figured it fitting being as you old captain is dead and I in need of a ship. Don't worry I don't intend to keep you prisoners, once we reach Swift Wind Isle you can leave if you wish".

That seemed to be a relief to many of the men.

"Who are you"? Asked one of the men as he untied the sails.

Not responding at first I was waiting for two men to tie a scarf over Matthews headless neck.

Then I said, "I was with you men before. On the Tropical Cancer. I escaped and suffered many trials but was rewarded for that by the Gods. I am Toddwilling McSwilling, and those who have wronged me before I forgive. All grudges I will let out if you forsake the lives you had before. Stay behind or not it's your choices but I want you join me, in sailing the seas. Not to pillage, murder, or anything such evilness but for adventure. To seek opportunity, for those that will have me as Captain I vow not to let any of you suffer like you had done before. Under my command equal pay all around, no more lashings to death, or being locked in chests".

My words seemed to wrap them around my finger, they seemed all eager to have me as their captain. Excitement in their voices they gave me a cheer.

"Long live McSwilling slayer of Blood Teeth, long live Captain McSwilling", cried out a member of the crew.

Soon others joined in the cheer. Resounding in the air I felt like I was dreaming and could wake up at any moment, but gladly I wasn't dreaming.

Unravelling the sails a freak wind gust pushed us out of the cove. Taking the steering wheel I somehow managed to know to control the ship. Feeling the sea air blow through my air and my face become cool with the breeze. I was overjoyed to have my deepest desire a reality.

Leaving the cove I didn't bother looking back at Rock Island as I was concentrated on the future. No more coming back home or suffering through life. Now was a new beginning to my life, as a true man.