Another Beginning (Finale)

It was on the first day of Winter that the pirates of Twilight Seal decided they finally had enough. On this day, the sky created a splendid mimicry of the grass of a battlefield that had shed much blood. The sea itself looked like a reflection of corpses that littered a battlefield's ground. The pirates hadn't seen their captain in the past three days. She'd been locked up in her cabin the entire time. Only 'Rum' Rosemarie was permitted to see her, and that was only for bringing her food.

Eleanor 'Wrathful' and an assemblage of pirates marched up to Vixen's cabin, demanding that she open the door. "Vixen, I swear, if you don't open this door right now, we'll break it down!" 'Wrathful' threatened. A muffled voice answered from behind the door.

"But that would be such a pity. It's a lovely door, this one." The pirates exchanged perplexed glances. Vixen's voice was impassive and placid. They couldn't trace a hint of any emotion. "Enough games! Open up!" At an exceedingly slow pace, the door slid open and the captain of Twilight Seal stepped out, staggering as she did so.

She looked nothing like the captain they'd once sailed with. Vixen's usually neat and well-groomed hair was chaotic. Her hazel eyes no longer displayed any sign of curiosity and dark circles formed under them. The foxtail that had been attached to her hat was just as messy as her hair. The pirates stared at their captain in consternation. What had happened to her?

'Rum' Rosemarie was the one who broke the painful silence. "Captain, we've served under you for countless years and you've never failed us before. You told us to set sail for The Abyss of

Fortune, a world that is clearly some fabricated legend. We've had enough. Allow us to turn this ship around or a mutiny will begin," she said firmly.

Rosemarie looked and sounded sturdy and tenacious but her tearful eyes seemed to be pleading the captain. Captain Vixen raised an eyebrow and staggered past her crew. Murmurs of more confusion erupted through the pirates and they followed their captain up to the deck.

"Fabricated? Legend?" Vixen repeated her first mate's words. "The Abyss of Fortune is real." Anne 'Jagged Face' scoffed and stepped up. "Then where is it? You've set us on some wild goose chase, Vixen! It's not a real place!" she, along with several other pirates, threateningly cornered her to the edge of the ship.

Captain Vixen glowered menacingly at them but allowed herself to be cornered. Suddenly, the familiar spark of curiosity jolted in the captain's eyes once more and she stood erect, pointing her finger at something. "There! There it is!" she shrieked. Heads turned and jaws dropped.

In the distance, a cryptic figure glistened and gave off a foggy shadow. Storm clouds formed above them but instead of showering unforgiving rain on them, it showered gold and silver. The pirates grabbed at it furiously like they were a bunch of clueless toddlers.

As the ship came closer to it, the pirates were struck with awe to witness the ocean waters beneath them part ways and make a path for them to enter like the Hebrews exiting Egypt through the Red Sea. Nobody said a word. The pathway led them to an incredible city with the pavement polished. Hills of treasure and gemstones were piled on top of each other, making them look like delightful Christmas trees.

The ship carried on and entered an exquisite golden temple. If asked, some of the pirates could have sworn they heard melodious voices welcoming them into the temple with sublime vocalizing. Inside the temple, a grand table with foods of all kinds lay waiting for them. Foreign beverages that looked glorious to consume were beside the delicious-looking food.

Captain Vixen laughed illiberally, sneering at her crew. "You didn't believe me when I told you it was real! Foolish morons!" she exclaimed scornfully. The pirates didn't seem to hear her, for they were much too captivated by the elegant sight of all the food. As if to answer to some secret signal, the pirates jumped off their ship and shot towards the table, creating a stampede in the process.

Haughtily, all of them snarfed down the delectable cuisine.

Once contented with themselves, the pirates raced out of the temple to claim as much riches and territory as they could. It was a horrid sight. "No! Stop! You must not show greed! The guardian will punish you!" But they refused to listen to her pleas.

Without any warning, a severe gust of wind that carried the scent of rotting corpses interlaced with the scent of death swept through the pirates. Each and every pirate covered her nose and wrinkled her face in discomfort.

The golden ground that they stood on rumbled and shook vigorously. Everybody came to a halt and waited for whatever was to happen next. Another strong wind blew, this time knocking some unstable pirates to the floor.

"What's happening?" they asked their captain. Vixen had been abnormally calm and composed during this sudden event. She stood still, intrepid and firm. All of a sudden, a boisterous, yet silky voice allowed itself to be heard. "May whoever displays vain and selfishness in my city be cursed to die in an eternal abyss of obscurity and darkness."

With these words, a whirlpool formed in the middle of all the riches and began to engulf them. Several pirates chased after the treasures, not wanting to part with them even if it meant they must die. They fell into the whirlpool and their horrifying pleads and screams were drowned out by the heavy rain, thunder, and lightning that had suddenly erupted.

Some of the remaining pirates scooped up as much gold and treasures as they could before desperately trying to get back onto the ship but were captured by the city's furious waters. Captain Vixen wistfully gazed at the sight of all her fellow crewmates falling into the abyss. She turned around, shaking her head. The fox-tail waved around as she did so. The curiosity in her eyes returned but it was almost unnoticeable due to the sorrow she was currently feeling.

"I really believed this crew would make it out. You would think by the hundredth crew, they would make it out alive." Vixen climbed on Twilight Seal and grievously whispered, "go back to the port." As she commanded, the ship rose into the sky as if it were the Jolly Roger from J.M Barrie's Peter Pan and sailed across the Eighth Sea in a matter of seconds.

At the port, Vixen examined her surroundings and the strangers around her. A young woman with hair as black as the darkest twilight and lovely sapphire-blue eyes that had a particularly adventurous spark to it was gazing out on the calming blue ocean. The look on her rosy face yearned for adventure. Vixen walked over to her, sat by her side and smiled warmly.

"Hello," the young woman greeted. Vixen returned the greeting. "This may seem straightforward, but if you were to become a pirate, what would you like your name to be?"

THE END