Chapter Text
There’s something addictive about power, about having control over life and death.
A snap of a finger, and a city is leveled. Tall buildings nuke to the ground as Wemmbu emerges out of the black smoke, a grim reaper that traded scythe with a mace, dangling at his side and looking for a fresh target. Something amusing about the panicked look people throw at him as they anticipate his next move in heart-pounding horror, as if Wemmbu is low enough to mace their heads open after an orbital cannon destroyed their homes. They’re wrong.
A whip of a rod, and the second orbital rains down to the ground.
Something hilarious about the way they scream. Limp as they run, cursing Wemmbu’s name to high heaven as if gods have ears and hearts that care. The mortals are on their own, forced to survive in a world that punishes the weak and rewards the strong. So, Wemmbu is not in the wrong; he’s just playing by the rules. It’s not his fault while doing so, he uncovered the secrets of the Farlands, stealing ancient power from the citizens of the old world, thus earning him the title of the most powerful man alive.
When even that isn’t enough, Wemmbu spins a twist to his monotonous routine, assuming a new alias as an invisible knight of Capital City.
Something exhilarating about blending with normalcy knowing he’s an anomaly. Masquerading as a protector of the people when in reality he’s more dangerous than the criminals they've ever caught. Because deep down, Wemmbu is addicted to power, the control he wields over people, whether up on the stage or behind the scenes, it doesn’t matter. Like sugar to a sweet tooth, it brings an adrenaline rush that Wemmbu craves and chases every waking moment, so ignorant of the inevitable crash waiting at the end.
-
“Be careful.”
Here we go again. Wemmbu presses down the urge to roll his eyes and decides to entertain the owner of the underground base or else there’s a chance he’d be banned from coming back.
“Every action has consequences, Wemmbu. It doesn’t matter if the action is justified to you. The universe doesn’t react to morals. It only ripples the cause and effect without caring about the intent,” Minute lectures the purple-haired man across the long table with a look of disapproval. From the corner of his eyes, Wemmbu notices how Egg is doing the same damn thing.
“Look, I really don’t care what you guys think, but I’m not gonna let freaking Boosfer and Boomie get away. I’m going after them to the Great Sea, whether you and your justice compass approve or not,” Wemmbu states firmly with no room for argument. Too bad his friends are as stubborn as he is. The same birds flock together, or such.
Egg sighs, rising from his seat. The book he’s been working on ever since he’s stuck in the End is abandoned on his study desk as the man joins the other two around the meeting table. “It’s not that, dude,” he says to Wemmbu.
“Oh, it’s not? Well, enlighten me, then. ‘Cause you’re supposed to be my best friend, Egg, but you’re judging me for wanting to stop people leaking my identity.”
Minute shakes his head disappointingly. “It’s one thing to stop chaos from happening, it’s another thing to cause a different chaos while at it.”
“What does that even mean?” Wemmbu whines, flailing both hands in the air in frustration. “Oh my god, I’m too dumb for your book club.”
“Wemmbu, you just explained your great plan to hunt them. You know what we’re referring to,” Minute says, crossed-arms and intimidating, staring down at Wemmbu like he’s got five seconds to figure it out before Minute kicks him back to the Overworld.
What happened in the last hour of his regular visit to Minute’s base rewinds scene by scene. It takes more than five seconds for his brain to catch up, but the moment it does, Wemmbu is floored; mouth hangs open, eyes wide in utter disbelief. “Really? We’re fine with robbing, killing, but suddenly draw a line on–on–”
“Playing with someone’s heart?”
High-pitched laughter bursts out of Wemmbu. The man is aware life has some twisted sense of humor–after all, he never once experienced peace in all of his days–but this has to be the biggest punchline.
“I don’t know, man. Even without that part of the plan, you can travel to the Great Sea just fine,” Egg pipes in between unamused Minute and hysterical Wemmbu. “I understand we got bad blood with him, but I think it’s time to let it go, or it’ll never end, bro. The cycle continues. So, we gotta be the one to break the cycle.”
Wiping the tears in the corner of his eyes, Wemmbu finally calms down. A cheeky grin stays on his face as he turns to his friend. “Yeah, but where’s the fun in that?”
Silence replaces the last echo of his laugh, thickening the stale air. Too bad the sun or the wind don’t exist in this realm separating the living and the void, the base could use some airing. Dust collected along the edge of the long table, Wemmbu wipes them out before folding the map of the Great Sea he brought earlier. “Whatever, I’m leaving. See ya,” he says, trashing Egg’s white hair playfully on his way out, pulling a grumble of protest from the man in a suit.
“Wemmbu,” Minute calls out one last time, stopping Wemmbu’s boots from dipping into the portal. “Just don’t be trapped in your own game, is all we’re saying,” he says, standing side by side with Egg as the last two people Wemmbu trusts with his life. He understands their concern but not the sentiment. Forgive and forget, someone once said. Wemmbu did try the pacifist approach, but that doesn’t stop the world from being cruel. One problem decimated, another problem appeared in its place. So, if the cruelty won’t stop, he might as well have a bit of fun in the carnage.
After all, a little heartbreak won’t kill anybody.
-
But if it does kill, Jaden the disgraced pirate will be the first victim.
The plan is pretty straightforward. Use Jaden as his ticket to the Great Sea so he can hunt–or possibly kill–Boosfer and Boomie before they spread around his identity. While at it, get his revenge on the pirate by betraying–or, again, possibly killing–but not before becoming his most trusted goon and beloved companion. All for drama and comedy, Wemmbu argues, and despite Minute and Egg’s critique, he thinks the plan is flawless, Jaden will never see this one coming.
Speaking of the pirate, Wemmbu spots the black trimmed hat before his face; the edge peeks out from one particular oak tree outside of the Capital City that was inscribed as a meeting point for the new recruits of his pirate crew. Of course, calling it crew is an exaggeration from the fact there are only two other men besides Wemmbu who responded to the pirate’s poster call to search for the big treasure of the Great Sea. One has a familiar face and bright orange hair Wemmbu recalls as Dione, another is a stranger in a navy jumpsuit introduced as Sanxu.
“Okay, everyone's here.” Jaden gives a quick once-over of the ragtag crew, though he pauses for a good minute to frown at Wemmbu. It’s a fair response since the man is invisible and can only be identified through the diamond armor hugging his body. Without them, he’ll blend in with the surroundings. But to his surprise, the pirate passes no comment. Jaden shifts his attention to the woods, explaining there’s a boat docked on the other side as their way out of the mainland.
An hour later, the group breaks through the forest and arrives at a riverbank. The sun hangs high in the sky as Jaden and his crew hop into the boat and sail along the stream. It’s a peaceful ride between strangers, waiting for the coursing water to branch into the sea, when out of the blue, Jaden pokes a hole in the silence.
“So, dude.”
Wemmbu raises an eyebrow at the pirate sitting at his side. “Yeah?”
“Are you gonna be invisible all the time?” Jaden asks, squinting eyes above the black mask covering the bridge of his nose to the jaw.
Of course, he’s suspicious, anyone would. But Wemmbu doesn’t cower in front of a hurdle, not when he has targets to hunt. So, the invisible man snaps back, crossing arms over his chest in defiance. “You got a problem, buddy?”
The pirate studies him for a moment before a chuckle slips out of the mask. Suddenly, the tension around Wemmbu’s shoulders dissolves, at the same time as a cool breeze fans his face. Looking straight ahead, he notices that their boat has finally reached the ocean.
“Well, no, it’s just… weird,” Jaden comments, as he begins to row across the calm waters. “Like, why?”
“Wanna guess?”
Jaden frowns deeper under bangs of raven hair, lost in thought.
From behind, Dione hands another oar to Wemmbu, who decides to play nice to get to Jaden’s good side and helps row the boat. “Anybody wanna guess and help our esteemed captain here?” he calls out to the men sitting in the back.
“You’re shy?”
“You’re ugly?”
“You’re famous?”
“You’re a wanted thief who breaks into houses and steals panties?”
“That’s a pervert, bro, what the heck?” Wemmbu shoots a glare at the double act giggling over his shoulders.
Jaden, on the other hand, seems to appreciate the show, eyes creasing from a smile formed behind the mask. “You know I was thinking more about you being an undercover spy or something, but I’ll settle with a panty thief.”
Dione gasps. “Please don’t steal mine.”
“Bet it's in neon orange,” Wemmbu grumbles.
“Wait–how do you know?!”
Laughter breaks the air, accompanying the newly born pirate crew on their journey to their destination, a small tropical jungle island carved like a crescent moon, mysterious in its nature and deadly creatures, Jaden warned, waiting patiently for travelers brave enough to step onto its shore.
-
Frogs.
The deadly creatures are frogs, littered around the island as far and wide as eyes can see. Wemmbu nudges one of the little yellow amphibians with the tip of his boots. It croaks harmlessly in response.
“Oh my god, dude, I hate frogs...”
Dragging a hand over his face, Wemmbu starts to think Jaden is the worst pirate ever if he can’t handle freaking frogs. “Why?”
“Dude, they’re weird.”
“They’re frogs.”
“Exactly.”
The animal doesn’t seem to like the pirate, either, as one jumps toward Jaden, startling him so much that the man comically sprints out of the forest clearing they find overlooking the sea. One point to the frog, zero to the pirate.
The skittish pirate finds a hiding place behind a giant tree trunk far from the group and Wemmbu has almost had it. He can’t believe this is the same person that bested him a couple of times in the past and indirectly contributed to the death of his friend. Wemmbu can’t believe this rotten, greedy bastard of a pirate is also a weakling to little croaking frogs. Maybe he’s too elaborate with his plan. Maybe he doesn’t need to steal Jaden’s heart and break it later when the frogs are already doing a good job scaring him to death. Leave the man alone for an hour and Wemmbu will probably come back to a corpse, lying in his own piss.
But again, where’s the fun in that?
An idea strikes. Under the veil of invisibility, Wemmbu smiles wickedly. Time to be the frog exterminator. The invisible knight turns at the men busy poking playfully at the amphibians with a stick. “Yo, guys, help me get rid of these little devils.”
Dione frowns. “But they’re just frogs.”
“Exactly.” Wemmbu picks one up and throws it a home run at the sea. May the heavens receive you, little guy. The scandalous gasps from the men reach his ears, but Wemmbu ignores them. He is a man with a mission; to be Jaden’s knight in shining armor and earn his trust. So, he picks another one and repeats the process. Might've been faster if he just swung around his sword blindly, but the blood splattered across the ground where they’ll camp and sleep is not sanitary for their dear captain.
Soon enough, Dione and Sanxu get past their guilt and follow along. After all, what’s a couple of animals to the riches they’ll gain from the great treasure? So, the crew cleans up the area, and a couple of minutes later, the clearing is free from deadly creatures. Their captain can finally return safe and sound.
It seems Jaden watches the whole thing from the safety of his tree. When courage finally finds him and lets him back to the clearing, the look he gives Wemmbu is akin to worship. His eyes are even twinkling, goddamn it.
Wemmbu grimaces in disgust, thankful for the invisibility hiding his expression. “Yeah, yeah, you’re welcome,” he murmurs, stepping back as Jaden steps forward.
“Dude, you just saved my life!” Jaden exclaims ecstatically as if Wemmbu singlehandedly found the treasure itself. He doesn’t expect this easy to make the pirate happy, but all’s well that ends well. So far, his plan proceeds accordingly.
Wemmbu clears his throat, getting back to business. “So, what’s the plan now?”
Jaden nods, waving at the other men to huddle close and listen. “Okay, we’re going to camp for the night. Tomorrow, before dawn, we’ll sail into Ranger Point and sneak our way into the base to search for info. It’s just an hour from here.”
“What’s Ranger Point?” This is the first time Wemmbu has ever heard it.
“It’s a base of operations for the Ocean Rangers. They’re a group of people who have been trying to find the treasure too for, like, months now. So, they probably already gathered a lot of information at their base,” Jaden explains.
“Like a treasure map?” Dione guesses.
“Or a compass. Ancient scrolls. Notes. Anything to help point us in the right direction.”
“Makes sense. But what if we get caught?” Wemmbu narrows his gaze at the two men dressed in no armor or weapons at all.
Catching on to his meaning, Jaden changes the topic abruptly, turning to Dione and Sanxu. “Uh, can you guys catch some fish for dinner? And make sure to spare some for tomorrow.”
The men go on to their task, heading out toward the direction of the shore.
Wemmbu’s eyes track their figures until they disappear into the shadows of the forest. “The chungies aren’t ready for battle, bro,” he points out the obvious.
Jaden sighs. “Guess they’re not.”
“Did you even do a background check?”
“No. I mean, I even let someone like you in.”
“Someone mysterious, tall, rich, and most probably handsome?” Wemmbu quips back, raising his chin smugly. He can do a little flirting if he wants. Not that it matters, when their relationship will end with either death or betrayal, anyway.
Jaden snorts, amused. The air between them is light, friendly, as the setting sun washes their figures orange. To unknown outsiders, they might have mistaken them for friends.
“It’s fine, dude,” Jaden assures. “We can handle the fight if it breaks out.”
Wemmbu scoffs. “We?”
“Yeah. Hope your diamond armor isn’t just for show.”
The invisible man rolls his eyes lazily, the only time he wishes Jaden would see his expression. “Alright, bro. Just yell if you need any saving.”
“Gonna sweep me off my feet?”
Oh. The pirate manages to catch Wemmbu off guard. Bravo, he chuckles, Wemmbu just got a willing victim to his game. Taking a step forward, the invisible knight hunches over, dropping his mouth near Jaden’s right ear. “Depends on the reward, Captain,” he whispers, dragging out the syllables to hear Jaden’s breath hitches.
Hook, line, and sinker.
But a good fisherman knows when to reel it in and let go in favor of a bigger fish next time. So, Wemmbu pulls back and turns toward the forest. “I’ll find some wood for our camp. See ya,” he says ever so casually, knowing full well Jaden is still rooted on the spot. The late noon air may be chilly, but Wemmbu hopes their interaction leaves Jaden warm, as he is a flicker of fire that will one night grow and swallow the pirate whole.
-
Tonight, the fire provides protection, as Wemmbu offers to take the first watch. It’s less an act of charity, more to give him a chance to replenish the invisibility effect while everyone’s sleeping. One potion lasts for four hours, and the mace wielder has been chugging them carefully right before the effect expires. In addition to safeguarding his identity, Wemmbu also asks to sleep in a different location a few feet from the clearing. Jaden, to his surprise, agrees easily before proceeding to roll down his sleeping bag. Amazing how much one day of adventure gains Wemmbu so much trust from the crew that the captain is willing to put their lives in his hands.
As the moon illuminates their camp in silver, Wemmbu leans back and watches the sleeping figures circling around the bonfire. Right next to him lies Jaden, out cold and vulnerable, baring his neck open to Wemmbu’s knife sinks its tip. He wonders how high the blood will spurt out of the vein, or how deep the color will be when it spills down, drenching the pirate’s white blouse into maroon. Wemmbu imagines the shock that will appear across Jaden’s face, the pain, the anger, all directed to the invisible knight that turns out to be his greatest enemy in disguise, as the effect comes off and Wemmbu can finally flash his winning smile for the foolish pirate to see; the final send off before the light dims out of his wet eyes.
But revenge is best served cold, especially if the one handing out the platter is a friend. Jaden can get his rest tonight, but Wemmbu will make sure some night in the future will be his last.
-
Ranger Point is a floating base in the middle of freaking nowhere, it’s a wonder how Jaden steers their boat to the right direction without a compass in sight. Maybe the man is truly one with the sea, able to feel the vibration of a man-made machine pulsing through the water and pinpoint the exact source where it comes. But whatever magic he possesses, Wemmbu can worry them later as the ragtag group manages to find an open window in the steel wall of the center tower. With haste, one by one they climb in and find themselves in what looks like a janitor's room.
Wemmbu turns to the captain of the crew, remembering to lower his voice. “So, what exactly are we looking for?”
“A main control room,” Jaden replies. “Or any room that stores information, like a library, or their leader's personal cabin.”
“The main control room is usually on the top floor, right?”
Jaden nods. “Let’s search for a way up.” Ever so carefully, the pirate pushes the door that opens into an empty hallway. No patrolling ranger in sight. Hurriedly, they crouch their way following the wall that spills into a spiral stairway built at the center of the building. Jaden leads his crew to the top level before he orders them to split up and search the four corridors it branches. They agree to recoup in the earlier janitor room below in fifteen minutes to plan their next step.
Time is ticking. Wemmbu doesn’t forget about his main objective, which is to search for any clue of Boosfer and Boomie's whereabouts. So, imagine his giddiness finding out that the corridor he’s in is the only corridor that connects to the main control room. Stacks of reports and maps lay carelessly on the meeting table at the center of the room, with dozens of monitors hanging from the wall, each streaming live footage of different corners of the base.
The invisible knight is quick to comb through the scattered papers until he finds two key items: a scribbled map and a recent prisoner report. The scribbled map outlines a part of the Great Sea and highlights an archipelago with bold red markers. The location is actually not too far from the base, a bit further down the south. Other things to note are sketches of two shipwrecks drawn around the islands.
The second key item is the one that catches Wemmbu’s attention the most. Boomie’s name is printed big and bold as a recent prisoner secured in the Lobster Cage. Stupidest thing I’ve ever heard in my life. But whatever the place is, that is where the invisible knight heads next.
“Yo! Who the hell are you?!”
Time has run out. A ranger equipped with full netherite armor confronts the intruder from the doorway. With deft hands, Wemmbu shoves both the scribbled map and the report into his pockets and summons out one of his weapons. Mace is a dead giveaway of his identity, trident is useless in a confined indoor space, so, good old sword it is. The metal clashes a few times, but Wemmbu is damn aware that a direct fight isn’t wise when he’s outnumbered in the enemy’s playground. So, he kicks the ranger in the shin and escapes from the room.
The alarm blares inside the tower, alerting every ranger of intruders. His plan to search for the freaking Lobster Cage has to be postponed. No matter, he’ll be back infiltrating this base in the near future. Back to the present, Wemmbu wastes no time running back to the janitor room; the crew meeting point and their only way out.
Sanxu is just about to climb out of the window, with Dione waiting on the other side with their boat. The captain, though, is nowhere seen.
“Where’s Jaden?”
“He’s still back there, holding out the line. He ordered us to escape first, bro!” Dione explains in panic while helping Sanxu hug the wall.
Great. Since when did the rotten, greedy pirate turn martyr? Is Jaden undergoing a massive personality change since yesterday, or is this another layer of the man Wemmbu just uncovered? Phobia of frogs and self-sacrificing to his pirate crew; neither is useful to Wemmbu. He could leave the idiotic pirate alone, but none of his objectives are accomplished. Boosfer and Boomie are still out there, alive. So, Jaden and his knowledge of the Great Sea are still of value to him.
“I’ll get Jaden, you guys go back to the mainland,” Wemmbu orders. “The rangers will be hunting us down from now on, so, if you wanna live, you know what to do.”
There’s sadness mirroring across Dione and Sanxu’s faces, staring at Wemmbu as stray dogs stare at passing people on the pavement. But he has no choice. They’re just fodder to the wolves and unwanted spectators to whatever fate Wemmbu has in store for Jaden.
So, the pirate crew is officially disbanded. Without looking back, the invisible knight readies his sword and goes searching for his former captain.
-
Yesterday Wemmbu jokingly said to Jaden, yell if you need any saving. The latter, as it turns out, is not the yelling type even when he's clearly about to lose the fight. Wemmbu finds the pirate back on the top floor, cornered by six rangers in one of the passageways with glass walls, providing a panoramic view of the sea. Jaden must have noticed Wemmbu out of the corner of his eyes because the pirate rolls away at the right second the invisible knight throws a lighted TNT at the brittle wall.
With a bang, the explosion tears an opening to the building, letting the two men jump below, softening the sharp dive with the protection of the tridents. People shouting and alarm ringing are heard muffled underwater. The men focus on gliding through the sea and creating enough distance between them and the base. After a while, an invisible knight signals the pirate to surface.
Clouds have darkened above. A drop in pressure and a sudden upward shift of the wind. Rain must be close by. From where they are, Ranger Point is seen as a dot of black in the blue horizon. “Yo, I’ve got the map,” Wemmbu breaks the silence. “And I know where our next destination is.”
Jaden looks excited, even with purple bruises around his eye, a souvenir from the scuffle. “Alright, dude! Lead the way.”
In the next second, droplets of rain fall down to the ocean. Jaden beams bright, thrusting his trident skyward to propel the man to the open air. A flash of lightning shines a light on Jaden's figure freely soaring through the sky, his rich laugh even cuts through the drumming downpour. Wemmbu never saw Jaden this happy before, akin to a kid playing in the puddle. Idiot, the invisible knight tears his gaze away and hardens his resolve. He has no time for this. If the childish pirate wants to buzz around like a bee, then Wemmbu is just going to leave him behind. He needs the next island to rest for a night before going back to Ranger Point and searching for the Lobster Cage. So, with a swing of his trident, Wemmbu pierces through the sky in the direction of the designated location.
-
Of course, Jaden follows behind. The men even land on the same hill of one of the islands in the archipelago, if Wemmbu read it correctly.
“You did,” Jaden confirms, studying the map when Wemmbu handed it over. “See? There are two shipwrecks over there, just as drawn in here.”
The invisible knight follows the pirate’s line of sight, spotting one shipwreck docked on the beach of the island they’re standing on, and another submerged close to the cliff of a couple of islands further away. The rain stopped a few minutes ago. Clouds part a way for the late noon sun casting warm light along the green hills and golden coast.
Wemmbu hums idly. “Alright, bro. Now what?”
“Search around, I guess, for any clues.”
“Let’s start with the nearest shipwreck.”
“You read my mind, dude.” Jaden puts away his trident and looks for a way down below.
Eventually, they find one, broken path of cobblestone shrouded by overgrown grass. The men trace along the rocks until the grasslands transition into sands. A few feet away lies the ruin of an old pirate ship. But even after spending a good hour turning the shipwreck upside down, Wemmbu doesn’t find a single freaking clue. Where the heck is it? The man is almost out of his patience, ready to nuke the goddamn place if necessary, when Jaden’s voice reaches his ears.
“Dude! Over here!”
Oh, freaking finally. Wemmbu jumps down back to the sand, whipping his head around to focus on Jaden’s call. Oddly, the man is deep in the forest. But he breaks into a dash, anyway, since he’s desperate and wet and exhausted, so he’ll be a tiny bit grateful if Jaden successfully finds the clue of their treasure hunt and ends the day. But, to his complete, utter, crushing disappointment, what’s waiting behind the trees is Jaden showing off his new pet.
“Dude! I found a parrot!” says the pirate gleefully, as if Wemmbu can’t see the mentioned bird, chirping noisily on Jaden’s shoulders. Its feathers are mostly red with gradients of blue down the wings.
“Please don’t tell me you’re gonna–”
“Yeah, I’m gonna adopt it.”
Wemmbu groans, burying his face in his hands. That’s it. This day is over, he doesn’t have enough energy to do anything anymore. He goes back the way they came from and treks up toward the hill to set up a camp. He can deal with the treasure and its impossible clue tomorrow, along with his plan to go back to the ranger’s base.
To his annoyance, Jaden brings back his stupid parrot to the camp. “Welcome to the crew, Uffy!” he exclaims to the bird who now flies around like it owns the damn place.
Wemmbu glowers at the animal he has a mind to fry in hot oil when Jaden is sound asleep. “Uffy? Really, bro?”
“Yeah, dude. The name’s based on the greatest pirate ever.”
“You're really making it your whole personality, huh?”
Jaden shrugs. “I just think they’re cool, that’s all.”
Wemmbu could pretend to care. He’s so damn tired, he almost forgot the game that he’s playing. Pirates, after all, seem to be a big deal to Jaden. So, he settles down on the ground and tries to relax, propping an elbow on his knee, eyes focused on the man sitting across the bonfire. “Alright, I’m listening. What’s so cool about them?” Wemmbu asks.
In an instant, Jaden’s eyes lit up. Bullseye.
“Well, they’re always on adventures. They hunt for treasures and get riches. They sail all over the world, journeying to islands unknown to men. They’re just so–so free,” Jaden explains enthusiastically, his pitch goes higher the longer he speaks. “Isn't it cool to have freedom to do whatever you want, dude?”
Freedom. But what good is freedom if you live in fear? Imagine living in the Capital City as a free man with a beautiful house, going to a nine-to-five job, and coming back to a crater, because some asshole pulled out an orbital cannon and your house is the collateral damage.
Wemmbu snickers. “Sure, bro. But freedom doesn’t mean anything without power. I mean, sure, you can sail wherever you want in the Great Sea, but if there’s someone out there stronger or more powerful than you, your lil’ adventure can quickly end, bro. Just like that,” he says, snapping a finger. But credit where credit’s due. Jaden did build a strong pirate team in the past, even having a massive stronghold as his base before Wemmbu razed both completely to the ground. So, as childish and whimsical as his views on pirates, Jaden is not a dreamer with his head stuck in the clouds. He’s got the grit and the prowess to back it up. Even that is something Wemmbu is willing to admit.
“But I’m sure you know this already,” Wemmbu yawns, projecting an aloof facade to the pirate. “You did assemble a crew, which means you know how important it is to be that guy. The guy on the top holding control over everything. Maybe soon you’ll control the whole Great Sea, too. King of the Sea?”
“I like King of the Pirates better,” Jaden chuckles.
“Sure, whatever.”
“That’s actually my grand dream.”
Wemmbu snorts. “Even got a parrot to match the role. You’re dedicated, I’ll give you that. Now, you only need a proper ship and a full crew.”
“At least I already got my first mate.”
Wemmbu snaps his head up, split-second opening to catch a sheepish expression on Jaden’s face before the pirate tucks his hat down to hide it, and stands up. “I’ll take the first watch and wake you up before the four-hour mark. Night, dude,” Jaden says, before walking a distance away from the campsite to take a spot on the edge of the hill, overlooking the shoreline below. His red parrot follows loyally at his side. Who did he mean by the first mate, me or the damn bird? But Wemmbu’s brain is already at the maximum usage capacity for the day, and the sore muscles of his back are screaming to lie the freak down. So, after drinking his usual dose of invisibility, Wemmbu is out in a matter of seconds.
-
At midnight, Wemmbu feels a shake on his shoulder. He jolts upward immediately, heart racing in his ears in fear that his identity has been revealed in his moment of weakness. But oddly, as he raises a hand in front of his face, his body is still transparent. He can still see the rugged fabric beneath his see-through legs, and when he turns to his right, he spots Jaden has retired to his own sleeping bag, his back facing the invisible knight.
Who can ever guess that a pirate keep their word?
-
When tomorrow arrives, Wemmbu splits the task with Jaden. The former will venture into the other island to search for clues in the second shipwreck, while the latter is in charge of sweeping the first one again, and the current island they’re in. No more bird distraction this time, he warns, to which Jaden replies with a stupid thumbs up. On his shoulder, his red parrot chirps in as if agreeing. Whatever, as the invisible knight pulls out his sword and begins combing through the jungle.
It takes Wemmbu half a day to reach the shipwreck and find absolutely nothing. The man is seriously considering whipping out a barrage of orbital cannon on the whole freaking archipelago. The only downside, of course, is Jaden noticing the Wemmbu-brand of chaos. So, he cancels the thought and drags his feet back to the camp. Now he knows the treasure hunt is a complete scam, time to move on to his personal agenda. Tomorrow, Wemmbu needs to come up with an excuse to go back to Ranger Point. He’ll think of something tonight.
The sun has set when Wemmbu steps into an empty camp. His eyes sweep the scenery below and spot Jaden’s figure in the distance, standing alone out of his armor in one corner of the coast. Feeling curious, the invisible knight travels his way down, careful to be quiet in his steps as he nears the shoreline. He even sheds the diamond-trimmed armor so the man is completely invisible to the naked eye. The plan is to spy on whatever Jaden’s doing–could be important and reveal some kind of leverage useful in the future–but the reality proves sillier than the imagination because Jaden is just there playing in the water with his damn parrot.
At this point, Wemmbu really thinks it’s justified to rain down some kind of end-of-the-world level of destruction. He needs everyone alive to suffer as he is. Sadly, his homicidal scheme is interrupted by a pesky little parrot, Uffy, landing on top of his head even though he's thoroughly invisible. Like, how?
“Dude? Is that you?”
Just like that, his presence is blown. Wemmbu crosses both of his arms over his chest to suppress the urge to smack the stupid bird straight to the void. “Yup.” He must have created a bizarre sight; an invisible figure standing in silence, only to be identified by a red parrot perched on his head.
Jaden even blinks a few times to make sure he’s seeing right. “Oh. Where’s your armor?”
“Where’s your armor?” Wemmbu bites back, partly to conceal his original intention why he’s being sneaky-sneaky, another part genuinely baffled why the pirate is loitering around without it.
“Left it in the camp,” Jaden says, his mouth even absent of the mask. It’s a new sight for Wemmbu. “I mean, we’ve been here for, like, two days and there’s no one besides us, so.”
“You’re just having a grand ‘ol time, huh? With this–this–” as Wemmbu keeps poking at the annoying winged creature treating his hair like a damn nest. A couple of tries later, Uffy takes off in the direction of the camp.
The men watch it fly in silence.
“Uh, think I pissed it off?”
“You’re mean, dude. It’s just a parrot.”
“And frogs are just frogs.”
Jaden openly grimaces. Without the mask, Wemmbu notices how expressive the pirate really is. Interesting.
Wemmbu smirks. “Sure there’s no frogs in the water, bro?”
“Frogs can’t live in the sea, dude.”
“I really don’t care. So, like, you found anything?”
Jaden shakes his head. “You?”
“Nope,” Wemmbu smacks his lips hard. “I don’t think we’re cut out for this treasure hunting gig, bro.”
“Yeah, but, like, let’s just chill for a sec’. I’m so tired.” Jaden lets out a deep sigh, playing with the water around his feet. He looks at the empty space where Wemmbu was last detected. “You’re still here, dude?”
The invisible man purposely delays his response, just for fun. “Yup,” he eventually answers.
Hearing his voice, Jaden visibly brightens up. “Wanna get in the water? It’s pretty nice.”
“Nope–” before a splash of water smacks Wemmbu’s face. The man blinks dumbly for a good second before piecing together what just happened. In front of him, Jaden bursts into uncontrollable giggles.
Oh, it’s on.
The invisible man tackles the pirate into the shallow water, catching the latter by surprise. Being half-submerged, Jaden pulls all his strength to shove the man hovering above back, or else he really drowns. The force is strong enough that Wemmbu stumbles backward on his butt. But the invisible man isn’t done yet. With a swing of his leg, the pirate trips and falls back into the water. Wemmbu cackles at the sight, before leaping back right away to create distance with Jaden who's busy coughing water out of his lungs.
“Dude, that’s cheating!” Jaden wipes off the sand over his eyes while looking around for the invisible man. “Yo, where are you, bro?”
Of course, Wemmbu isn’t going to answer. In fact, he’s perfectly fine just standing there, feet soaked cold in the water, a hand over his mouth holding down a laugh as he watches Jaden fumbling around like a blind man, searching for him. It’s pretty funny, not gonna lie. It’s also funny how it’s only been three days they’ve been together, but Jaden has let his guard down multiple times already, it’s a miracle how the pirate is still breathing if this is how he behaves with random strangers. Currently, the man holds no trident, wears no armor, only that loose white blouse that does nothing to hide his chest and the tan skin underneath as the water drenches the fabric see-through. He looks like an idiot, an attractive idiot.
Wemmbu could prolong their hide-and-seek session, but when a mischievous thought appears, the invisible man can’t help the cunning smile forming across his face as he steps closer and closer to the pirate, until he’s near enough to grab the other’s flailing left hand.
“Dude–?” The words are abruptly cut off the moment Wemmbu pulls Jaden into his arms. The latter gasp in surprise, as their chest collides, eyes shoot wide open at the space Jaden assumes is the invisible man’s face. The pirate couldn’t be more right. At close range, Wemmbu studies the face of the victim of his game of hearts. Downturned eyes, holding blue orbs as deep as the midnight storm. Bangs of raven hair stick like webs across tan skin, over his temple and along his sharp jawline. His lips are thin and pink as they part, warm breath passes over Wemmbu’s smirk. Jaden would make a pretty corpse, indeed.
“You found me, buddy,” Wemmbu mutters like a secret only Jaden can know, as if it implies the invisible man is visible to Jaden’s heart only. Only Jaden can see him, only he can fix him and be his home. What a joke, a giggle almost escapes Wemmbu’s trembling lips. He can’t hold it any longer. This is too easy, Jaden is too easy.
In the next moment, Wemmbu pulls away, taking Jaden’s breath with him. “Let’s go back,” he says, as if nothing happened at all.
As they trek their way back to the hill, Jaden is a silent figure following the invisible man's shadow. The silence stretches long until they finish dinner and prepare to rest. Wemmbu plays along, leaving the other man alone with his thoughts. After all, love is a matter of knowing when to pull, and when to push. So, Wemmbu feigns ignorance and offers the first watch. Jaden sinks into his sleeping bag and dozes off as exhaustion outweighs whatever is bothering him in the head, or heart. Near him, Uffy takes a spot in a tree branch and follows the pirate captain into slumber.
Like the first night they camp, on an island carved like a crescent moon, Wemmbu once again watches the rise and fall of Jaden’s sleeping figure, so vulnerable, baring his neck open to Wemmbu's nails sink their tip. He wonders how flushed Jaden’s cheeks are as blood rises to his face, or how ragged the breath spills between his pink lips as the hand choking his neck grows tighter, just a little bit, just a tease of how it feels to be breathless, lifeless. Wemmbu already imagines the shock reflected in those pretty blue eyes, the gradual acceptance, before the surrender, all for him.
By his own hand, death may come for Jaden in the near future, but Wemmbu is going to savor every moment they’ll spend, every game they’ll play, until death do them part.