16 Part 16 - Ghost Town Herbs

The Vaeg Pirates sailed overnight with surprisingly no problems apart from one. Barbosa was sprinting round the ship, being chased by Vaeg, who was describing his intimate interaction with Sam's sister in disgustingly vivid detail. Sam tried to put a stop to the madness but almost got dragged into one of Vaeg's therapy sessions.

Other than that though, the ship sailed easily.

The morning sun broke free and illuminated the sky in wondrous colours. It was a nice alternative to the dreary atmosphere of Spider Miles. The ship slowly approached their destination as the crew got up to prepare for a very long, arduous day. The chills of the night had immediately been erased by the summery warmth of Kuen Island.

An empty dock, void of people, was sighted in the distance, so they decided to dock there and walk the rest. Leroy and Jenkins were once again left at the boat as they would be spotted instantly by any enemies doing patrols. Instead, Leroy and Jenkins would covertly move the ship very close to the village and keep it hidden from sight. The party started walking up a small staircase and then turned onto the main road to head to the village of Omugana.

Kuen Island seemed like more of a countryside than anything else. It had fields upon fields of beautiful vibrant coloured flowers. Melancholic blue, raging red, the diversity of the flowers' colours was truly astounding to most of the crew, especially Tim Tim, who yearned for the world to be as peaceful and united as nature often showed.

A putrid smell slapped the crew.

"I think small fries have been burnt to a crisp. That's good I was feeling a little peckish. I forgot to eat breakfast today." Vaeg said and charged into the direction of the smell, Ronin tailing him as ordered by Tim Tim.

The crew reluctantly followed after Vaeg and Ronin and to everyone's dismay, except Vaeg's, he was delighted, there was a slaughtered family of four. All of them were naked and were already decomposing due to the sweltering heat. There were severe burns on them and it looked like they were all tortured before being put out their misery.

"Vaeg, take what you want but leave some leftovers, so we can at least bury them." Jimmy asked.

"Maybe if I'm feeling nice but no guarantees." Vaeg winked as he set to work on arranging the good meat from the bad.

"Who would do such a thing?" Jimmy asked in pity.

The crew looked at Belsari.

"Don't try blaming things on me. My weapon is still on my back." Belsari defended herself.

"We are on a tighter schedule than I had originally predicted." Sam said, thinking intensely.

Tim Tim was now pasty white. Zendu was scratching away at his mind, demanding blood and vengeance. It must've picked up a Black Dagger pirate scent, Tim Tim thought. Dark energy started to escape from the sheath ominously. Tim Tim placed his hand on the hilt, toying with the idea of unsheathing the cursed blade.

"My kind gentleman, are you alright? You're as pasty as me and I'm a vampire." Whatz D Face joked worriedly.

His words seemed to be miniscule and drowned out by the screams of bloodlust. Even Ronin was starting to back off, knowing something bad was happening.

Vaeg returned from dicing his future meals and saw the group backing away from Tim Tim.

Vaeg walked up confidently, and slapped Tim Tim.

"Oi, bucket boy! Stop being a bloody edge lord otherwise, I might actually have to give proper therapy." Vaeg shuddered at the thought.

Tim Tim snapped out of it and seemed dazed by the experience.

"I-I'm sorry. I-I don't know what came over me. The Black Daggers did this, I think, so Zendu is acting much more directly in trying to gain control." Tim Tim said quietly.

"Who the hell is Zeddie?" Vaeg asked confused.

"The cursed blade I bought." Tim Tim replied.

"Ahahahaha! Fucking dumbass!" Vaeg calmed himself, "Anyways, I'll be taking 200,000 Beli for therapy."

"Therapy? I'm sorry Mister Doctor Vaeg but hitting someone is not therapy. Also, that's extortionate!"

"It's either that or you'll occupy that space right next to my little pet Lt. Dawn. The useful girl made an extra machine."

"Fine, here." Tim Tim sighed, handing over the money.

"Good little boy."

"Are you serious Vaeg? You're using my special monkey bag again to carry your food!" Barbosa butted in.

"I don't think you wanna start this monkey man." Vaeg replied.

"Oh, I'm pretty sure I do."

"That's enough fucking fighting. We'll do plenty later so save your energy." Nargo intervened.

"You wait until this is all over you oversized monkey." Vaeg hissed.

"I have a treat in store for you as well, big-brained toad!" Barbosa hissed back.

After the crew gave proper burials and recovered from the arguments, they set off again. Jimmy noted how the road wasn't even long, it's just that their crew were easily side-tracked. Finally, the village of Omugana became visible in the distance. It looked more like a large town than a village and as they got closer, things felt off.

"Where is everyone?" Sam asked puzzled.

"My guess is abduction, kidnapping and the pirates reducing witnesses." Jimmy hypothesized.

The town was practically empty. No shops were open, every house seemed like they were deserted in a hurry. From the crew's view only one thing was open. That was the only important thing to have in a town according to Nargo. It was a tavern.

They decided to get some information from there, so they walked into 'Gary's Grand Green'. A man of average height and of old age greeted the crew.

"Ah... It's been a while since I've had new guests. What brings you to this hellhole?" He said in a gruff voice.

"We'd like some information on the area, if you wouldn't mind." Jimmy asked.

"I'll tell you anything as long as you buy something. I'm struggling to keep this place open and if it doesn't run then my daughter will be... killed."

"Woah, slow down. Let us buy something, and we'll chat after." Jimmy said.

Tim Tim sat down on a stool and flipped through the menu.

"Mister old man, could I have 'Gary's special "Medicinal" herb' and an orange juice please." Tim Tim asked.

"Uh... sure thing son, let me just ask your guardians?"

Jimmy whispered to Tim Tim what the herb was and Tim Tim immediately retracted his order and just asked for an orange juice to wash his embarrassment down. Whatz D Face and Nargo were trying to see where the old man got his herbs from.

"I got them from the south blue. Very hard stuff to get but definitely worth the trip."

"I'm not gonna fucking lie. This is probably the best herb I've ever smoked in my life. And I've smoked a lot." Nargo giggled.

"My kind gentleman, this stuff is simply exquisite. I'll have to buy your entire batch." Whatz D Face said.

"My entire batch? That's over 300,000 Beli sonny. You sure you got enough for that?"

"Sure I do." Whatz D Face dropped a pile of money onto the counter.

Vaeg slipped into the conversation.

"So, is your daughter hot?" Vaeg asked audaciously.

"VAEG! Pack it in." Jimmy shouted across the room.

"Shut up, long nosed freak show."

Vaeg felt a presence behind him. Pure bloodlust leaked out of Sam.

"So was my sister not enough, Vaeg?"

"'Course not. I'm not a man so easily fulfilled by a slut such as her."

Before Vaeg knew it, Sam dragged him outside by his collar and catapulted (literally) him into the ocean's direction.

"I hope he drowns." Sam said, slamming his fist into the wall.

"Alright sonnies. I'll tell you what you need to know. Just trust old Gary-maestro here, and you'll be fine. This island is currently overrun and controlled by the pirates known as the Black Daggers.

The mayor is living in the mansion up the street with those bastards either willingly or unwillingly. I don't see him working with them voluntarily as his wife and kids were murdered in front of him a few months back but you never know.

They also hold daily executions to entertain their captain. Most people are in the far east section of the town, due their forced relocation by our neighbours, that is why most of these houses are empty. I'm only in business because they can't function without beer and drugs.

The town is in incredibly low spirits as we poured every last bit of energy into letting at least one family escape, but they were caught. Then they were savagely tortured, and we were forced to watch as they screamed and begged helplessly.

Finally, my daughter is currently held prisoner inside the mansion, so if you get the chance, I humbly beg you save her. She is my only relative, and she's a bright one too. She's average height, 16, blonde hair, red eyes.

If there's anything else you need, just know old man Gary is here to help."

Two fairly large pirates burst in rowdily. They wore black and white and donned a black dagger Jolly Roger on their bandanas.

"GET ME 50 BARRELS OF ALES!" One of them demanded.

"I'm sorry but I can't make that order. I can only do 30 barrels." Gary cowered.

"Did we ask for excuses, old man? Or is it that you just don't love that daughter of yours enough?" the other pirate said.

"N-no of course not. I'll get you your ale."

"Hang on. Why are these mongrels here? You guys feeling a bit brave? Maybe we should beat the fear back into you?" One of them placed his cutlass at Tim Tim's throat. "Why don't we start with this pipsqueak? What do ya say shorty?"

Ronin went to pounce but Tim Tim signalled for him to calm down.

"Sorry, Mister uh..."

"I'm John and this is Bob." John said.

"Right... I apologize for our insolence. We were just leaving." Tim Tim continued.

"Good choice wimp." He shoved Tim Tim to the floor.

The crew walked out of the tavern door.

"Ronin, rip John's gut out and maybe his throat. Leave the other alive." Tim Tim ordered.

"I'll go with your lovely beast." Whatz D Face said, transforming into his hybrid form.

"Remember. John dead, Bob alive."

The two of them snuck in whilst Bob and John were trying to extort money and alcohol from Gary.

"Are you alright Tim Tim?" Jimmy asked.

"Zendu... is trying his crap. But I won't lose control. Not until I have to." Tim Tim replied weakly.

Screams escaped the tavern and the rest of the crew walked in. John was laying in pieces. His larynx had somehow got wrapped round a mortified Gary, whilst his head... The less said the better. Bob was in better shape, if you could call having his arm ripped off and his legs snapped in two being fine.

"I said keep Mister Bob alive." Tim Tim said.

"Don't worry little gentleman, he's still got a pulse." Whatz D Face replied licking the blood off of his hand.

"Gary, are you alright?" Jimmy asked.

"I uh... I don't know. Is Gary alright? Gary really don't know. But Gary should probably clean before others come later." Gary replied.

"Did we just fucking break Gary?" Nargo asked, laughing.

"This isn't a funny matter Nargo." Sam said, dampening Nargo's mood.

"So can I burn anything yet?" Belsari asked bored.

"Gary thinks no." Gary said, shaking his head intensely.

"I'll treat Bob since a certain somebody called Sam catapulted our only medic and I'm the one who has the most experience here."

Jimmy dragged Bob upstairs to the room, whilst Barbosa, who was checking where Vaeg had landed to make sure he didn't die, returned and instinctively picked up John's uniform, which had not been shred or stained with blood extraordinarily.

"We need that fucking material for our clothes!" Nargo shouted to Barbosa.

"I know right. We always seem to stain our clothes with a little skirmish but this guy just got dismembered and it didn't stain his clothes." Barbosa replied.

"Hey, Gary! Do you know where they get their clothes from?" Nargo asked.

"Gary don't know. Gary doesn't care. And Gary is pissed off!" Gary screamed.

"Calm down there buckaroo! It was only a question." Nargo sighed.

"What did you guys do to him?" Barbosa asked.

"It's a long story. Let's go and see if our friend Bob is alive to answer some questions."