Bounty Hunter Bash Pirate Lock Arc Part Four

 The Marine Island

They were both taken to a canoe chained to Cerpheres who took glances at them. They were followed by Jeff and Jax, who had Coran chained to them. He looked at the two with sorrow in his eyes. His eyes then slid to Cerpheres and disgust entered his eyes. He let out a passive sigh.

"Why does it not surprise me that you are a pirate?"

Cerpheres let out a chuckle.

"Why would you be?" He purred, looking at him like he was a cute animal as he looked up and down.

Coran rolled his eyes, trying not to expose his discomfort.

"Tell me, how long do you think that it would take until this one to get killed?"

They all looked at him, shocked. He chuckled as he shrugged.

"What? It's obvious that the Grim Rapper will pay us a visit on this trip, if not then when we go to the next island! At least this would make things more fun and interesting!"

They tried to shrug it off as Cerpheres being creepy but for some reason they could not. They all felt like, for some reason, they were all his prey. 

"Can you ever stop being creepy?"

"No!"

"Wha're ye doin'? Ge' on the boa'!"

"Alright!"

They all climbed into the boat with Captain Gerald in the front with Jeff, Coran and Jax on the center bench and Chashathrophogh, Cerpheres and Bash on the back bench. They were being lowered by Gurter and Gurra lowering them. Gurter took another glance at Chashathrophogh with rosy cheeks. Then he rooted his eyes and her hand slipped for a moment and they had to grip the bench to stop them from falling. Then she regained her grip and they were lowered to the ocean and touched the water surface gently.

They soon noticed just how quiet the surroundings were. They could not see or hear a seagull around or any bird for that matter. The water was very still with the surface almost like glass. They would have wondered why but they knew that they did not have time to dwell on it.

"It's because they can sense death attached to that island or the remnants of something dark." Cerpheres purred.

"What?"

"You wanted to know where the birds were!" He moaned.

They frowned as they shook their heads.

Is he a mind reader?

"No, I'm not a mind reader. I'm just really, really good at reading faces."

He looked at him and nodded, keeping their guard up.

Looks like I am going to have to make sure that my face becomes difficult to read. They thought.

"What is wrong with you?" Coran asked.

He chuckled.

"No comment!"

Both Chashathrophogh and Bash found themselves laughing as they started to row. 

"What are you two laughing at?"

"Nothing much, just appreciating the moment." Bash admitted.

"And you either have to laugh or cry, and I know, only one of those makes you want to die!" Chashathrophogh said with a sad look in his eyes despite smiling.

"Oi! Ye ge' on rowing!"

"Yes Captain!" They sang spitefully as they rowed.

"Ye be'a be'ave! Ye know wha' 'appens if ye don'!"

They signed as they nodded.

"Do not fear, we know."

"Good!"

"Oh and what happens if they don't?"

"I'll ge' Cerpheres te ge' the girl te kill ye. 'N' if we don' return then the rest o' mi crew'll kill all o' your. So ye te be'ave!"

They all nodded as they rowed and rowed. Both Bash and Chashathrophogh did most of the rowing as Jeff and Jax wanted to save their energy for later. This worked in the groups favor for once they took over the boat plucked up speed and they felt almost as if they were flying across the water rather than rowing across the water. They even found themselves enjoying the silence. Yet they soon arrived at the shore. When they climbed out they touched the sand that was dark blue! 

Chashathrophogh and Bash took a closer look to see that somehow the sand was made up of sapphire so well ground up it looked more like powder.

"Now pick the boa' up!"

They picked it up and gently placed it on the sapphire sand.

"Cerpheres, the map!"

"What, can't remember the place all on your own?"

He huffed.

"Jus' give me the map!"

"Say please!"

"Please then!" 

"Alright!" He sang, flicking the map out with two fingers.

"Honestly Cap' Ger'!" Jeff said.

"Why don't you just kill him?" Jax asked 

"'Cause 'e looks line 'e'll enjoy that far ta much go my likein'!"

At this Certpheres smiled wider as he locked his lips. Yet he put on a false innocent look.

"Oh? What makes you think that?"

"Tha' look, ge' i' of ye face!" He barked.

He put on a false sad face. Captain Gerald shook his head as he looked at the map.

"Righ'! This way!"

He led the grip away from the shore and into the jungle ahead. The jungle had strange trees with royal blue bark and silvery blue leaves. The grass was baby blue with sapphire blue tulips and daisies were ink blue. There were cosmic blue wild flowers scattered all over the place. 

They heard Captain Gerald hum and smile. He looked like a boy that was having fun playing a game. He even showed signs of loosening up. As he swung the sword to cut the branches and leaves that were in the way he looked back and waited for the others to catch up.

Meanwhile Cerpheres was humming the exact same tune, strutting and swinging his arms. He seemed to be on the verge of singing the song and skipping. He would, every now and again, take glances at the Captain and then he would look back at Bash and Chashathrophogh. This made the two feel uncomfortable and would put them on edge. Yet they had to surpass the ether to punch the guy in the face.

They did not have to do that much to do so, for, as the journey went on they looked around. They thought about the treasure that was supposed to be here. Even they felt the anticipation of seeing it and started to feel more at ease. They could see even Coran was enjoying himself!

Then Cerpheres picked three ink blue roses with a comic blue stem and pickled off the thorns and put one in Chashathrophogh's picked and one in his pocket and the last one he put in Bash's hair. He put his arms around them and pulled them in close.

"You know it's said that this blue jungle was turned blue by the Prince Captain himself. According to the legend it was to make the island blue and look beautiful. He even changed the lava in the volcano up there to produce sapphire when it hardened. And when his crew asked why, he told them,  ''he was having fun'."

"And why are you telling us this?" They both asked.

He smiled and chuckled.

"Thought would have wanted to know."

She nodded.

"What?"

"Is there anything else you would like to say?"

He pretended to be thinking.

"We're 'ere!"

They arrived at East Cave and noticed that it was large and had blue grass growing inside the cave.

"Cerph' ye up!"

He gave him a four fingered salute.

He took out a white violin with silver strings with a black wand with gold string.

"Is that real silver and gold?" Coran asked.

"No, it's just hair taken from the trail of a silver and gold unicorn after I gave them a trim." He explained. "I won a bet against them and as my reward they let me trim their tail and main. Which they needed. After I groomed them, which was another thing that they needed."

"Cerpheres!"

"Alright!"

He then gently stored the strings together. It gave off a beautiful sound that was the most beautiful sound and had perfect pitch. He then played a playful tune that would have envisioned anyone to start to dance to it. Then as he played on the time became faster and faster. He then diverted into a much more chilling set of notes that were higher pitched and wilder. Yet he still played and then when the sounds were at their peak he stopped and the tune ended.

Chashathrophogh and Bash could not help but clap as they wanted to hear more. Yet they had the music playing in their heads.

"There, there are no traps inside. other than the direction that leads to the treasure."

He nodded.

"Then ye goin' in fron'!"

He put the violin back in its case and put his arms around Chashathrophogh and Bash pushing them on further. They soon walked in and as they all traveled in they heard the soothing sound of water. As they walked on they found a light at the end of the dark timely they were walking in. They soon found that they were at the foot of a deep blue lake. In the center was a small house on a small island.

Next to the mouth of the cave leading to this chamber was a small boat with only two short benches big enough for only two on each bench.

"I guess it's over there!"

"Wha's goin' on?"

"Well, there is an island over there, which I assume the treasure is. However, the only way there is on this boat big enough for only four at the most." Chashathrophogh explained.

"So three o' us're gonna have te stay 'ere."

"Seems so!" 

"Well, who should it be?" Jax asked.

"It should be us."

"Oh?" Smirked Jeff.

"And why is that?"

"Well, I can tell you need the creep over there and Boravers and Cari."

"You do know they're not their actual names?" Cerpheres purred.

"Yeah, and I don't care. Look if you bring us you will only be slowed down. However, if you don't return they could easily slit my throat." He pointed out.

Captain Gerald clocked his eyebrow as Cerpheres smiled widely and his eyes widened, impressed.

"Good point!" They both said.

"Alrigh' then ye stay 'ere 'n' we'll be ge'in' the treasure." He said he then turned to the other three. "Now ye be'er ge' a move on!"

They climbed in. Cerpheres found two small paddles under each bench. He then gave each a paddle.

"Ye bin 'ere before?"

He chuckled.

"No! It's just deductions. After all,the Prince Captain must have placed a set of paddles around here somewhere. So all I had to do was look around. I couldn't find any outside of the boat and the edges were too narrow and round to hide any paddles. So that left only under the bench to check."

Captain Gerald looked at him impressed.

"Good thinkin'!"

They then started rowing. As they did they noticed just how clean and clear the water was and the moment that their paddles desturbed the water it started to glow white.

"It's because there are small animals in the water that cause this reaction. Don't worry they're not dangerous."

"Will you shut up?"

"Okay!" He sang.

She rolled her eyes as they rowed and rowed. Yet as they did they noticed that it was somehow easier to row in these waters and they seemed to row faster too. Bash concluded that it must have something to do with the animals that lived in the water making it glow. They soon arrived at the short doc of the island. Captain Gerald put a rope in the iron hole at the front of the boat. He then tied a knot and then looped it around the leg of the doc to keep the boat there.

"Did ye see tha'? After all ye'll be doin' tha' shortly!"

"Yes we did." Chashathrophogh sighed.

They soon walked onto the blue grass. They soon noticed that the building was not a small house but a small castle. It had three floors and not two and the upper levels were smaller than the lower with a roof with coral tiles that pointed updates and pointed out. It had small windows and, as they circled around they noticed that it had no doors to be seen!

"'Ow'ra we gonna ge' in?"

"We're working on it."

They circled around it again with their eyes carrying around both on the ground and on the castle. Once they had done so twice they walked and knocked against each wall. Then, when they reached the back,  Chashathrophogh's knuckle sank right in! He then pulled back and then pushed back in and noticed that the wall was like a ghost!

This must be an illusion. I must admit that this is just as good as Grasharlo! If I hadn't been trained by her I would have been fooled! But I hardly think that I should tell them that.

"I found the way in!"

"Where?"

"Hear." He said as he walked in.

They all looked at each other, yet Chashathrophogh yanked Cerpheres in and this was followed by Bash.

"Be gentle next time!"

"Why don't you quit flirting with my niece. Then I will think about it!"

He pouted playfully.

"Wha're you-is tha' i'? Is tha' the firs' piece o' eigh'?"

They all looked ahead to a sapphire chest in front of them. It was small and had two circles invaded into its side and four on the front and the back. Cerpheres picked it up and gave it to Chashathrophogh. He looked at it. It was well decorated, however he could not see a key anywhere.

"So this must be a puzzle box. Please try to solve it for the rest of us will you?"

"Why? Whatever is stopping you?"

"Alright,  Captain with your permission, if he can solve this puzzle world you provide them with a proper room and their portion of the treasure?"

Chashathrophogh looked at him with a hunger in his eyes. Seeing this Captain Gerald smiled.

"Yeah, 'n' ye'll 'ave all ye portions once ye ge' us all the treasure!"

His eyes dropped as he looked at the box. He first tried to use magic to will the box open, but that was ineffective. He then looked at all the circles around the box he then pressed on each and every one until one sank into the back. Then the others popped out. He then pulled at each and every one then they sank back inside. Hearing no click, he knew that the box was not open. He rolled his eyes as he portrayed the act. Then as he looked down, he noticed that there was a royal crest of a lion with twin trails with serpent heads which belonged to a royal household that vanished in the final years of the Fifth Age Of Legends. Then on another was a p with an anchor at the bottom, which Chashathrophogh noticed to be an old symbol of piracy in the Fifth Age Of Legends. Another was a star inside a circle with a pentagon joining each point to the corner opposite with a teardrop in the center with an eye. A well known sign of the dark art of magic. He twisted them around anticlockwise. Until he heard a click and continued with the others and then the lid was open. He looked inside to see a pendant with a triangle inside.

He then looked up to see that a skeleton had appeared with five chests. Around the skeleton's neck was a key. In its hand was a book.

Captain Gerald clapped and laughed joyfully. He slapped Chashathrophogh on the back.

"Good work boy! Good work!"

"Thank you and may you refrain from doing that again?"

"Wha're ye talkin' abou'? I'm congratulating ye!"

"Hitting my back is a strange way of showing it."

He rolled his eyes.

Bash smiled as she turned to the book. She flocked through the page to the last entry.

Please my Prince, my Captain come and take me from

this evil land where I am forced to dance and make

love with the lustful fae that taunt and torment me

every night. 

Oh,  ow I miss and long to see your amber eyes and

feel your emerald hair…

She did not want to read on.

"What is it?" Purred Cerpheres.

"The dead lover of the Prince Captain."

"Right!"

"Here,  you can have it. I hardly think that I would! By the Demon Realm you'll get a kick out of it."

"Thank you!"

"Kiss me and I'll kill you!"

He kicked his lips and chuckled.

"Alright! Just you try it. I would very much like to see you dance!"

"Don't you man fight?"

"What's the difference?"