The Story

After Nicolas takes the reward the old man gave him he ask, "Hello, sir. Can I ask what's in the letter, and who wrote it?" He was curious about the letter that he had seen in the chest, along with the treasure.

The old man chuckled and said, "Oh, this letter. It's from an old friend of mine. We traveled the sea together when I was young, but an unfortunate event happened." He looked sad and nostalgic, and Nicolas felt sorry for him.

He said, "Oh, I'm sorry for bringing up a sad story from your past, sir." He didn't want to upset the old man, who had been kind and generous to him.

The old man said, "Oh, not at all, young man. I guess it's time for me to tell you my story. You deserve to know, after all you've done for me." He seemed to have made up his mind, and Nicolas was interested.

He said, "Are you sure, sir? I don't want to bother you." He didn't want to pressure the old man, but he also wanted to hear his story.

The old man said, "Yes, of course. It's no bother. It's a long story, but I'll try to make it short. When I was in my 30s, me and my friend traveled the sea together. We were pirates, just like you want to be. We gathered loot, found artifacts, and discovered treasures. The jewels you see in the chest were some of our findings. We had a lot of fun and adventure, and we were happy."

He paused and smiled, remembering the good times. Then he continued, "But one day, everything changed. We were sailing in the open sea, when dark clouds appeared out of nowhere. The weather turned bad, and the waves became more aggressive. We tried to steer the boat, but it was too hard. We were holding on for our dear life, when suddenly, a tentacle appeared. It was huge, twice the size of our boat. It struck the boat in half, and then it was over. I couldn't save my friend, because if I did, I would die too. I watched him drown, and I felt helpless and guilty. I regretted not being able to save him, and I still do, after so many long years."

He stopped and sighed, feeling the pain and sorrow. Nicolas was shocked and speechless. He said, "A large tentacle? I only hear rumors, but I think that's the legendary kraken."

The old man shook his head and said, "No, something else entirely. Something worse. Something evil. But I don't want to talk about it. It's too painful and scary. Let's just say, it's the reason why I left the sea, and why I never went back. And why I hid the treasure in the cave, and why I needed you to bring it to me."

He looked at Nicolas and said, "But enough about me. Let's talk about you. You've done a great favor for me, and I'm very grateful. And now, it's time for you to go home. It's already getting dark, and you need to rest. Thank you once again for bringing me my stuff. You're a good and brave young man, and I'm proud of you."

He gave Nicolas a hug, and said, "Goodbye, young man. And good luck."

Nicolas hugged him back, and said, "Goodbye, sir. And thank you."

He left the old man, and went back to the city. He was still processing the things he had heard from the old man. He wondered what the tentacle was, and what the old man had seen and done in the sea. He wondered what the letter said, and who the old man's friend was. He wondered what secrets the old man had, and what mysteries the treasure hid.

He walked for a while, when he saw a familiar face. It was the thug who had tried to rob him before, and who had run away when he heard about the pirates. He looked surprised and annoyed to see Nicolas. He said, "The hell, you're that guy. What do you want now?"

Nicolas said, "Nothing, man. I heard rumors that a new solo pirate is emerging from this island. I didn't think it was you." He was sarcastic and mocking, and he didn't like the thug.

The thug said, "So? You can become a pirate if you idolize me that much." He was arrogant and rude, and he didn't like Nicolas.

Nicolas said, "What did you just say?" He was angry and offended, and he wanted to punch the thug.

The thug said, "You heard me. You're nothing but a wannabe pirate. You don't have what it takes to be a real one. You're just a loser and a coward. And I'm going to prove it."

He pulled out a knife, and tried to stab Nicolas. Nicolas dodged, and pulled out his sword. He said, "Bring it on, you bastard. I'll show you who's the real pirate."

They fought, and Nicolas won. He disarmed the thug, and cut his cheek. He said, "That's for trying to rob me, and for insulting me. Now, get lost, before I kill you."

The thug ran away, bleeding and cursing. Nicolas said, "That's what I thought. You're nothing but a lowlife thug. You don't know anything about being a pirate. You're just a joke."

He sheathed his sword, and continued his way. He was tired and annoyed, and he wanted to go home. He reached his old house, and went inside. He lay down on his bed, and tried to sleep. But his mind was restless, and he kept thinking about his adventure. He said to himself, "This is the life of a solo pirate. Full of surprises and dangers."