Mistica Chronicles


Welcome to Issue 73

SuperSheep Winning Entry

Everyone knows about Capt'n Jack Skillow, the savvy pirate who comes once a year and makes us all talk like pirates. Tales of the treasure he's found and the trials he's faced are spoken of worldwide. Well, this story isn't about him, but instead an unknown Emperon named Fielay, the member of Jack's crew who took up the honorable duty of cleaning.
It was a day just like any other, with the Black Pyre tucked roughly into the sands of an unknown island said to hold a treasure greater than any other. While the rest of the crew was somewhere on the island searching for the aforementioned treasure, Fielay was going about his business on the ship. Mop in flipper, he thoroughly cleaned the deck until it sparkled. "The capt'n'll be so proud o' me!" he thought to himself, giving his good work a smile with half its teeth missing.
As if beckoned by the finished job, the rest of the crew emerged from the forested island and boarded the ship. Capt'n Jack was carrying a small pouch as he approached Fielay. "Ship looks swell, mate," Jack complimented Fielay. The latter beamed with pride and nodded his thanks to his gracious captain. Now he just had to clean the storage room!
Upon arrival, Fielay began organizing the useless junk in the storage room. Rags no longer fit for wearing, spare cleaning supplies, empty bottles, paint cans, rocks one of the crew members liked to collect, and of course Capt'n Jack's pouches. This place always struck Fielay as... weird, really. Why did they even keep this stuff? None-the-less, it had to be cleaned up.
Above, Jack was steering the Black Pyre through the oceans of Mistica. A light fog had begun to cover the sky around them. Something felt off.... Suddenly, a cannonball cruised through the fog and into the Black Pyre. "We're under attack!" one of the crew screamed, and before he could finish his sentence the entire ship was getting ready for combat.
Below deck, Fielay had heard the commotion. Without hesitation he'd made his way to the stairs and then to the deck. He was carrying a small pouch holding a precious item. Anyone could've guessed what the other pirates had come for- the treasure.
The enemy had already managed to board the Black Pyre by the time Fielay made it up to the action. He noticed Capt’n Jack engaged in a swordfight with who Fielay suspected to be the captain of the opposing force. Pushing away his fear, he charged towards the two, careful not to trip over any of the ropes lying around.
"Wait!" Fielay called, holding up the pouch to the foe's leader. "Ye want the thing we found, aye? Here-" he gave the pouch a little shake- "S'yours." With a devious grin on his face, the enemy yanked the bag from Fielay's flippers and glanced at a gaping Jack Skillow. He peeked inside the pouch, chuckled, and called for his men to leave.
"What in the name o' Pandora did ye jus' do?!" Jack bellowed, glaring at the man who'd given away his treasure.
"Calm down, capt'n. All I give 'im was a paint'd rock," Fielay declared, and slowly Jack's scowl turned into a grin. Fielay was immediately offered a promotion to a full-fledged pirate, but he politely declined. After all, someone had to deal with the mess that was just made.