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It was dark. Nothing else, just darkness. Hero couldn't see where they were going or if the floor they were stepping on was even the floor. It was terrifying walking in the dark, yes. But knowing there could be something there? Nerve-racking. They couldn't see, they couldn't hear, they couldn't even feel anything, they were just numb.
They found a flower. Why would a flower be growing in the middle of nowhere? Why is it entirely.. purple?
>'What is..'
They reached out to touch it, and a burst of light came from the flower. It wasn't dark anymore, just really bright. Then everything became less and less bright. The scene was how it used to be. They were at the Firebrand, and captain Trotter was talking about something.. the crew? They couldn't really remember it.
>"Th' crew.."
>"They could've been rich."
Hero looked to the captain and looked back to the coins on the floor. They were gold and were extremely shiny. Maybe a bit too shiny. They couldn't look at it any longer without having to squint.
They couldn't hear the rest of Trotter's words. It was just noise. But soon enough, it was just silence in the air. Nothing else. Then, they felt their legs move by themselves.
>'What?'
>'I wasn't trying to..'
>'That's.. strange.'
They were just about to zone out again until a noise startled them.
>"Sharkbait."
>"It be all yer fault!"
>"Ye wanted this t' happen!"
>'Me?'
Hero instinctively hid behind Calypso and held her hand. Calypso made them let go of her hand.
>"What're you doin', Sharkbait?"
>"I'm.. I'm scared.."
>"What? It's just the cap'n, we-"
>"SHARKBAIT."
Hero looked at Trotter from behind Calypso, hands shaking. The universe felt like it wasn't on their side. They felt the feeling of FEAR inhabiting their soul. Had it not been tamed? Didn't they defeat fear aswell as their other emotions? Did it have something to do with the flower they saw? The light that came from it after they got their hand close.. it was.
>'NO.'
>'I CAN'T BE A COWARD.'
>"Cap'n, it's not their fault!"
>"OF COURSE IT BE THEIR FAULT!"
>"SHARKBAIT MADE TH' STATUE FALL."
>"IT KILLED ME CREW!"
>"Cap'n.."
>"It almost killed ye, Naomi."
>"..."
>'Naomi?'
Hero stood in front of the captain. Their posture showed they were scared, but they went for it anyway.
>"Captain, I.. I.."
Trotter looked to the Firebrand and back at Hero. Was he thinking of doing.. IT.
>'He better not.'
>'I don't want that.'
>"With th' acursed sword,"
>"I WILL HAVE ME REVENGE!"
The captain walked towards the sword and started to sob quietly. Not quiet enough for Hero's ears, however. It made Hero feel sympathy for someone since the incident with Griefer. As they tried to reason with him, he just denied it.
He grabbed the hilt of the sword and pulled it out of its place. He turned around, and Hero noticed his eyes were flame red. The sword has an influence on him.
>"Argh!"
>"What.. what be these.. VISIONS?"
>'VISIONS?'
>'Griefer said he saw.. VISIONS..'
>'And then he..'
>'...'
>'What are these swords doing?'
>"Cap'n..?"
>"CAPTAIN, PUT THE SWORD BACK."
>"Shut it, Sharkbait."
>"Yer just another one in my way."
>'What?'
>'Ano-another one?'
...
>"CALYPSO WATCH OUT-"
Calypso. She was stabbed in the chest by the Firebrand. There's no way of saving her now unless Hero acts quickly, but they froze in shock.
>"S-sharkbait..?"
>"CALYPSO!"
>"Oh, god, please no.."
>(Cough)
>"Sharkbait.. kill him."
>"But you're.. you're dying!"
>"I will always be with you, Sharkbait,"
>(Cough)
>"Even in mourning, grief, and death."
Calypso's eyes closed, and blood pooled at her body, staining Hero's hands.
>"NO!"
>"YOU MONSTER!"
>"You.. you killed her."
>"She was one of the only ones I had left."
>"TRY ME, SHARKBAIT."
>"I'LL KILL YE, TOO!"
>"..."
Battle start!
There was no one to help them, so what was the point in trying? Might as well just pass every turn. Without Calypso, it was a gamble for them. She was how they made it past the temple guardian and everything else that got in their way. Now it was just them and no one else.
Hero passed their turn!
Captain Trotter used coin flip!
Hero barely tried to dodge. They just wanted to restart. Calypso was their last hope. With her flintlocks and her cutlasses. They just felt.. weak without her. Like they couldn't do it, like they were useless. She encouraged them without her even knowing.
(Some fighting I don't feel like writing later)
Hero felt their eyes getting heavy, and their vision slowly faded to black. They were slowly losing their consciousness until their eyes closed completely, and they fell face first onto the ground.