1. The Blackened Sand

Chapter 1

The Blackened Sand

The Pirate

Many many years ago...

T oday was a good day to sell my soul.

From an early age, I'd always known that I'd been destined for great things. With a past wrought in hunger and pain, my greed and desire for the finer things pushed me to where I now stood. On the helm of the most prolific pirate ship as second to one of the most feared pirates to ever have sailed the seas.

Adrenaline coursed through my veins as I imagined myself at the helm, commanding my crew and claiming our spoils. The journey here had been difficult, and earning my place as first mate harder still, but I was ready to take a bold step towards achieving my ultimate goal.

It would come at a high price though—my very soul.

Everyone made sacrifices to reach the top, to become the greatest predator in a cutthroat world. No longer preyed upon or picked apart until nothing was left but bones, just a lifeless carcass discarded even by the birds above. My soul seemed a small price to pay for power and control. What was I doing with it anyway?

No longer would I be the discarded street urchin without parents, begging for scraps or a warm place to lay my head. Never again would I find myself without. I would have everything I'd ever wanted. Never poor nor hungry, and never without companionship or a warm body to share my bed.

My life was about to change.

A thick fog enveloped the ship, obscuring my vision as I gripped the railing with shaking hands. The stench of decay and salt filled my nostrils, making me gag as I leaned over the rail and spat into the sea. The ship's speed had slowed, and several men readied the anchor as an island appeared in the distance, an otherworldly, purple glow emanating from it. As we steadily approached the land, the spell hiding it from view broke.

"Drop anchor!" I shouted over my shoulder, the salty spray of the sea misting my face. My chest tightened as the men worked behind me, and I pressed the conch shell to my beating heart. A shell that had cost a portion of my soul, a worthy price for what it had brought. I couldn't turn back now; not when I was so close to unlocking its secrets.

My heart pounded, the cursed place now within reach. This was it—the sea witch's lair, where I would gain the dark power that I craved, whatever the cost. Swallowing hard, I steeled myself as the ship slowed, the knot in my stomach tightening as waves rocked us side-to-side. In moments, my boots would hit the blackened sand, and my destiny would be sealed. This island would forever change me, for better or worse. The time had come to embrace my fate.

I turned my attention to the crew behind me. Not my crew, not yet. I still had a few obstacles in my way. My gaze flicked to where the captain stood, my lip curling. I tore my attention back to the men before me, those no longer securing lines now stood ready for my orders. Each one with hardened stares fixated on the island within our reach, an island that promised untold treasures and riches. Treasures which hadn't been my primary goal but had worked finely as a catalyst to get them here.

The breeze carried salty sea droplets that clung to the strands of my long dark hair, the heavy dampness dripping to the shoulders of my heated black button-up. I shook my head, ridding myself of the moisture that clung to each strand. I smiled, breathing in heavily and relishing the taste of sea brine on my tongue. It tasted like home.

"Ready for this?" questioned Willy, my only true confidant. Scars stood out starkly against his tanned skin, slashing deeply across his right eye under the golden light of the sun still high within the sky. They were a constant reminder of our past struggles. He was one of the few who knew what we were truly doing here today.

"It's as good a day as any," I answered noncommittally. I tilted my face toward the sky, feeling the warmth against my skin as I breathed. There was something sweeter in the air too, something fragrant that drifted across the waters, from the island. To me, it smelled of my coming victory, my future, so close to my grasp that I could already taste the sweetness on my lips.

Nothing would stop me. Not now. Whoever said good things came to those who waited didn't know what they were talking about. Good things came to those who took what they wanted. And I wanted… everything.

The boards beneath my feet groaned as the ship tilted from side to side, each wave rocking us to the sea's rhythm. My body naturally matched the motions. I pulled the wide brimmed hat lower over my eyes. The ship finally came to a final stop a short distance from the island I'd spent months laying hints to have our captain eager to plunder. How could he resist? I'd let him know just how much treasure had been rumored to be hidden here, masked behind the magical fog that only fell from view if you came close enough.

My destination was a narrow village nestled within the trees. We'd spent months searching and sailing to find this hidden gem, but I'd known it would be worth it. Separated from the rest of the world by natural, and magical, barriers, this island held a powerful secret—one I had been seeking for far too long. I turned my back from the men, staring through the trees of the island. Somewhere, hidden within those trees, was the village I sought.

A hand slammed onto my dampened shoulder. "You'd best hope there's treasure on this island, boy," the captain said, a man they called Captain ‘Cannonball' Jack. He'd gotten the name for his ferociousness on the high seas, a master of destruction with the cannon. He growled as he spat black goop, chewing tobacco, into the sea.

His gruffness melted away as he smiled at me, his blackened teeth on display as he gave my shoulder a squeeze. "It's a proud day when a father sees his boy become a true pirate."

A nerve ticked along my jaw as I clenched my teeth, forcing a smile when I wanted to growl back, to scream at him. He called himself my father but he was anything but. My stomach churned at the memories that floated to the surface, triggered by his fake endearment.

He had pulled me from the sea years ago when the ship I'd been sold to as a slave had been attacked by pirates. The entire ship had been sunk; the pieces left in a floating graveyard among the sea. The captain who had bought me from the markets as an orphaned street rat had been run through with a sword right in front of me, and the ship had fallen to the sea. I'd been lost beneath the rubble as it sunk, ready to die, until I'd found myself floating on one of the broken boards.

I'd waited a much slower death then, drying up beneath the rays of the sun. Dehydrated and starved. Alone and lost at sea. Until two days later when I found myself suddenly pulled upwards, toward a new boat. A boat that seemed oddly familiar as I lay on deck, coughing up the sea.

The captain had thought me too young to remember that it had been him who had attacked our ship. Or perhaps he'd forgotten that I'd stood just a few feet away as he'd run my previous owner through with his bloodied blade. I hadn't forgotten. He was both my savior and my almost executioner.

The moment my eyes had locked with his, hatred ignited within me like a fiery inferno. This monster had nearly ended my life, only to drag me from the sea days later to force me into his own servitude. I harbored that loathing from our first encounter, stoking its embers nightly. One day, those flames would consume him. Soon. And then I would slit his throat, seize his accursed ship, and rule the very seas that had swallowed my hopes and dreams all those years ago.

Captain Jack pointed toward the island, oblivious to the mutinous thoughts smoldering within my mind. "Take the west end, boy."

I nodded briskly as I turned my back to him. He'd take the east end, the section of land I'd deemed the richest in all our planning. He knew this island had been my find, claimed he was proud of me even, and yet he still would take the greatest riches from our plundering. As I walked away, a couldn't help the grin that stretched across my face. If only he knew.

The men who would travel with me had already been selected, and they waited on the rowboat below. I swung over the railing, dropping into the rowboat like a stone into water. The small boat lurched, carrying us through the frothing sea with the sound of crashing waves and creaking wood as my men rowed.

Craggy cliffs loomed ahead, concealing our approach. I couldn't be sure where the village lay within the trees, but I figured they'd have eyes on the beaches. We chose to approach a rougher terrain instead, where our rowboats could hide below the cliffs and out of sight.

A mammoth wave slammed our boat, nearly swallowing us into its depths as if the very sea fought our approach. I clung to the mast as the sea's mist needled my skin. The captain's rowboat floundered nearby, nearly capsizing into the roiling abyss.

"Row, you mangy dogs! Row!" I bellowed; my voice lost to the sea's roar.

My men battled the frenzied waves with oars and sinew. Our destination sat so near, yet one capricious wave could dash our hopes on the sharpened rocks. At last, our boat scraped ashore.

We collapsed like marionettes with cut strings, the magic of the island broken as the dark sand and rocks was within our grips. We breathed deeply, wiping our brows of the sea as we gathered ourselves. Then, I stood, energy surging through my veins. My goal within tantalizing reach. Success in the salty air.

I gathered my trusted men, my hair hanging drenched like ragged seaweed. The captain's boat still fought the sea as he steered them toward the eastern side of the island. Again, my lip curled with my delight. It had almost been too easy.

I turned to my men, who stood before me, ringing out their waterlogged clothing and waiting for my command. "The witch lurks on the far side, away from the village. It will be the only home distanced from the rest. While the captain chases for fool's gold, we shall fulfill our purpose." I searched their hard faces, my eyes practically glittering with my eagerness. "Are you with me?"

"Always, Black-Eyes," Willy said.

The others at Willy's back nodded grimly. All of us spent. The journey hadn't been an easy one. But so close to my goal, I felt vitalized.

We plunged into the island's shadowy interior like sharks entering bloodied waters. Toward my destiny. Toward my curse. The trees closed in around us as we moved swiftly. Sinister shadows danced around our small party, playing tricks on our eyes. The men at my back would gasp and jerk out of the way, but then sigh with relief seconds later as they realized what they'd seen hadn't been real.

The distant calls of strange creatures echoed through these ancient woods. Creatures I'd never heard before. It was as if the island itself watched our progress with baleful eyes, resisting our presence. I glanced back at my men. Their shoulders were tense, hands hovering near weapons.

Only Willy seemed unperturbed, his single eye scanning the trees calmly. It made sense. I had told him more than I'd told the rest.

"Steady, lads," I said quietly. "The witch's lair isn't far now."

Off to our left, I noticed colors breaking through the greenery. The village. We continued moving through the woods, staying clear of the village as we searched out the witch's lair. All my research pointed to the witch's lair sitting on the far end of the village. Another jolt of energy flooded me as I realized just how close we were now.

The thick, snaking tree roots and dense undergrowth made our journey difficult. The mist rose again, cloaking the floor and muffling all sound. Unease settled over me as the air once again became charged with magic.

Through the mist, an ancient tower loomed, crooked and crumbling and festooned with vines. Dark energy radiated from its stones. The tower jutted out from the side of a small, old cottage. Plumes of ashy smoke escaped the chimney, and a few domesticated animals wandered the land nearby. Chickens. Goats. The atmosphere was both creepy and quaint, but I didn't care about any of that. My gaze landed immediately on the weathered, wooden door that stood ajar. Beyond that lay the answers I sought.

I met each man's gaze, seeing my own resolve reflected back at me. With a final check of our weapons, we approached the door. Our destiny waited within.

Before we reached our goal, I turned to them and said, "Remember, lads. No matter what happens here today, riches and glory await us. We must stand fast."

They nodded, a similar eagerness glittering within their gazes.

I turned back to the door, drew in a deep breath, and stepped across the threshold and into the darkness beyond.

The time had come to seize my fate.