With a crash and thunder of whitecaps, the Spitfire exited one of the wave-carved channels on the lee side of the island. Caleb relaxed and leaned against the quarterdeck’s rail. Next to him, Donal let out a sigh of relief.

“Lir and Danu be praised, we’re through,” he said. “Even though it was easier on the way out, that passage takes a year off your life!”

“Yeah, let’s hope that we don’t have to do that trick again for a while,” Caleb agreed, before checking his Depth Sense and Dead Reckoning abilities once more. “Take us three points larboard, that’s the best heading to Gilarska. The Myrkur captain claimed it was a two-day sail with the wind in one’s favor.”

“Aye, Captain,” Donal agreed, as he spun the wheel. “It’ll be longer than that with half a sail. But at least we got some of our water barrels filled on that island. That plus the stores we got off the Taipan should last us till we get there, even without Miss Morningstar’s magic or Grimshaw’s fishing for us.”

“Well, we’ve got to visit Gilarska to see if we can get a new sail, if nothing else. As for the food and water, it looks like Sienna’s sense of organization paid off again.”

“Prayer’s up, that’s her talent,” Donal said proudly. “We also finished our repairs from that scrape on the way into the bay, completed the firearms drill, and I even hear that Jaime Quinton’s gun crew managed to come close to hittin’ the target rock a few times.”

“That’s great,” Caleb said, before the familiar jolting lightshow and scents began to flash before his eyes once again. “Let me be for a minute or two. I have something to think about.”

He quickly called up his mental image of the big red radio knob with the white label.

LEVEL UP EUPHORIA

Once again he reached out with his mind and spun the knob to decrease the intensity. The electric jolts faded away to pinpricks. The warm smells were intense, but no more than cookies fresh out of the oven. Caleb breathed a welcome sigh of relief, then read the screens as they scrolled on by.

Adventurer's-Level Quest: Attempt to re-provision food and water at a location that is uninhabited or one that lacks any sort of port facilities. STATUS: COMPLETE. Adventurer's-Level Quest: Attempt to make moderate repairs to ship at a location that is uninhabited or one that lacks any sort of port facilities. STATUS: COMPLETE. Adventurer's-Level Quest: Drill at least 20% of the crew in how to handle gunpowder weapons. STATUS: COMPLETE. Adventurer's-Level Quest: Drill at least one team in naval gunnery. STATUS: COMPLETE. Adventurer’s-Level Quest: Investigate the mysterious wreck located on the island. Quest difficulty increased by 120% due to assumption of two additional Adventurer’s-Level Quests. STATUS: COMPLETE. Adventurer's-Level Quest: Fight off the horde of undead skeletons animated by eldritch magical force. STATUS: COMPLETE. Adventurer's-Level Quest: Rescue member of your crew from a fate worse than death. STATUS: COMPLETE.

A swirl of numbers flashed by like the spinning reels on a slot machine. One line came into sharp focus.

Congratulations, Soul Traveler. You have reached Level Twelve!

With that, he used a finger to flip over to his updated Character Sheet. Yet again, he’d received minor upgrades to his skills and a small debuff caused from the fight back at the wrecked schooner. His calf still throbbed from where Harper O’Breen had put in stitches to help the sword cut he’d picked up.

Name: Caleb Ledger Level: Twelve Class: Wizard / Corsair Alignment: Chaotic Neutral Individual-Specific Specialty: XP Edge - Enhanced 38% Wizardly Sub-Specialties: Weathermancy, Craft with Iron Corsair Sub-Specialties: Charisma Boost, Dead Reckoning, Piratical Flair, Depth Sense, Bluff Assist Existing Buff / Debuffs: Innate Charisma increased 7%, General abilities reduced 10% by wound and fatigue Potential Buff / Debuffs: Corsair abilities shall slowly decrease or be revoked by an individual who does not conduct himself properly or wear appropriate attire for extended periods. Unspent XP 650

He then took a look at the changes to his two spellcasting areas.

Weathermancy Spells available for individuals ranked up through Level Twelve:

Call Up Mist Move Fog Thicken Clouds Wind Cast, Minor Wind Shift, Minor Dancing Lights Increase Ambient Humidity Decrease Ambient Humidity Squall Burst St. Agobard’s Fire (43) Wind Cast (45)

Caleb nodded, as he’d been expecting this spell for a while. He’d done the best he could with the ‘Minor’ version of Wind Cast, but after receiving Squall Burst, he figured that he’d be getting more powerful wind-based spells.

Craft with Iron Spells available for individuals ranked up through Level Twelve:

Magnetize Needle Locate Metal Shard Hold Metal Shard Mend Forge Crack, Minor Extend Forge Crack, Minor Sense Metallic Weapon’s Qualities Sense Value of Coinage Align Metal Object (18) Change Metal Object’s Buoyancy Heat Dispersion Mend Forge Crack (25)

Once again, he’d been expecting this spell for a while. The ‘Minor’ version of Mend Forge Crack hadn’t done much if anything for him. But having a more powerful version of the spell certainly wouldn’t hurt.

Caleb flicked over to the screen describing his latest Corsair-based skill. The more he progressed with his magic, the more he appreciated that these class-based skills came pre-activated. He wasn’t all that thrilled with having to spend more gold, especially the last fifteen coins that had been given to him by Tavia and Shaw.

Bluff Assist: This ability increases your chance of success when performing either a bluff or an act of persuasion. Unlike Charisma Boost, which is a skill that can be used when speaking to groups of people, Bluff Assist can only be used when in a conversation with a single person.

Lir and Danu’s Helpful Hints:

This ability can be boosted temporarily with the Individual-Specific Specialty, XP Edge. The possibility of a bluff succeeding is improved when it is in alignment with the subject’s thoughts or beliefs.

That does make sense, Caleb thought. It’s easier to bluff someone if they’re already inclined to believe in what you’re saying.

No sooner had he flicked those screens out of the way then his attention was pulled towards the main deck. Tavia was speaking earnestly to Shaw, who shook his head no. The griffin began to pace back and forth agitatedly.

“I better go see what’s going on down there,” Caleb said to Donal. “Keep us steady as she goes.”

He took the steps down to the main deck and joined the two. Shaw stopped pacing and grumbled under his breath. Tavia didn’t raise her voice, but her stiff body language and thrashing tail spoke volumes.

“I’m glad you arrived, Captain,” the mare said. “I’m hoping that you can talk some sense into this battle-hungry, feather-brained–”

“Captain, thy crew should be made aware!” Shaw broke in. “Thou hast left a chance for glory behind! From what I have been told, there is an un-fought foe upon that island, one that we could easily defeat!”

“Not that easily,” Tavia murmured under her breath.

“Yeah,” Caleb agreed, “I wasn’t exactly happy about almost getting Harryhausen’ed to death back there.”

“Nevertheless, thou must turn back,” Shaw insisted doggedly. “Surely, thy crew wouldst not object to trying their mettle against an undead opponent. Elsewise, I shall fly back and ‘ware the danger on my own!”

Caleb thought back to the foulness of what he’d fought aboard the wreck. The evil inside kept clawing its way back after every defeat, seemingly without ill effect. Yet to tell the griffin a flat-out no might provoke him to follow through on his claim: that he’d head out alone in a battle against the undead.

I can’t let Shaw do that, Caleb thought furiously. Aside from the fact that I don’t want to risk a friend’s life for no reason...dammit, we need this stubborn drake. He’s too damned good as a fighter to lose.

Then it came to Caleb in a flash. Maybe it wasn’t playing by Queensberry Rules, but it was time to put his latest Corsair power to the test.

And best of all, like the skill says, I can slant this in a way that aligns with my subject’s beliefs.

“Shaw,” Caleb stated firmly, “You’re not going to fly back to fight that dark power, whatever it is.”

The griffin raised his proud eagle beak at that. “And miss the chance for glory? Nay, I say, for it–”

“Is beneath you,” Caleb finished for him.

“I...what? Mine own strength shall bring glory, through a victory–”

“Victory? Over what, exactly?” Caleb snorted. “We fought skeleton creatures back there. A bunch of bones stuffed into clothes! Where is the glory in winning against something like that?”

The drake cocked his head at that. “What dost thou mean?”

Caleb felt a dull warmth as something inside him help boost his words. As if even thinking the words Bluff Assist acted like plugging in an amp and giving his speech a little push.

“Here’s the way I see it: You’re easily the strongest and toughest fighter in this crew. Aren’t you?”

The drake let out a chuckle mixed with a pleased leonine growl. “‘Tis unseemly to brag, Captain.”

“Aren’t you the only one who’s an expert diver and an expert hunter? Oh, and before I forget: Aren’t you the only one who can fly?”

“Again, ‘tis only a gift or gifts that come with being a griffin. Not all are so lucky. Nay, not even other creatures of magic can say that they are so blessed!”

Tavia rolled her eyes at that.

“Oh, Kirren take me,” she muttered.

“The point being,” Caleb concluded, “It would be wasteful – nay, probably dishonorable –for you to go and fight whatever’s on that island.”

The griffin blinked owlishly at him. “Dost thou really think so?”

“I know so! We’re heading towards Gilarska, an island with honest-to-Lir dragons on it! What’ll happen if we meet – no, when we meet a dragon that’s twice as tough and as mean as the one on the Taipan?”

“I shall fight thy foe! And defeat it!”

“Darn right you will, my friend. And that fight shall be one for the ages! With lightning and balls of fire, enough to immortalize in song. So what if you go to the island and fight some pitiful skeletons? You know what’ll happen when you end up flying back here?”

“Nay, I know not!”

“They’ll laugh!” Caleb let out a guffaw. “Oh, look! Our powerful griffin’s returned with a bone in his mouth! How tough could that fight have been?”

“Well, when thou doth put it that way...”

“Yeah,” Caleb sensed the drake wavering, so he nudged Tavia in the flank with his elbow. “Isn’t that right?”

The unicorn mare stared at him for a split second before getting it.

“That’s correct!” she said, before throwing her head back with a whinny of a laugh. “What a humorous event that shall be! And completely lacking in glory...which is somehow even more comedic!”

Shaw let out a gruff harrumph. “Perhaps thou hast a point. I shall harbor my last reserves of strength ‘ere we meet the dragon that thou claims shall appear.”

Caleb nodded. “I was hoping you’d see it my way.”

Even though he’d successfully persuaded Shaw, Caleb didn’t fully relax until much later, when the island vanished astern in the purpling evening light. It wasn’t so much that he feared Shaw deciding to take off in search of a fight he couldn’t win. Rather, it was the hope that whatever dark force remained aboard that wreck, it couldn’t see over the horizon.

Caleb collapsed the spyglass and tucked it in his jacket pocket. He pinched the bridge of his nose, where he felt a slight headache threatening to form. His stomach didn’t cry out for food, but his body definitely voted for some shut-eye.

He descended the stairs from the afterdeck back down to the quarterdeck. To his surprise, Noack was back at the helm.

“Aye, Captain,” the older man acknowledged. “I’m spellin’ for Donal again. Sienna and Miss Morningstar figured out how to open that chest you got from the wreck.”

“They did? And they didn’t inform me?”

“You were glued to your spyglass, watching that island, sir. The two ladies agreed that we should let you be, given the nature of the threat behind us.”

“Fair enough, I guess. So what was inside?”

“A piece of light-colored wood, that’s all,” Noack said. “I’m no woodworker, but to me it looked like something you’d carve to make a post for a bed.”

Must’ve been some interesting wood, for Tavia to sense light magic emanating from it. Still, I was hoping for some kind of magical artifact. Bit of a letdown, really.

“So,” he finally said, “how does that piece of wood lead to you being at the helm?”

“Miss Morningstar said that she knew what to do with it, so she enlisted our best carpenter for the job.” He shrugged. “I hope you don’t mind, Captain. Donal said that your orders were simply to hold to our current heading.”

“Yes, that should be fine,” Caleb finally said. Admittedly, he felt a bit left out by not being present when the chest had been opened. But he’d get over it.

“Captain! Captain!” came an older woman’s voice. He went over to the rail, where Evie O’Breen stood, hands on her hips, calling up to him.

“I’m here, what is it, Evie?” he asked.

“Captain, I need you to tell the crew that my kitchen is off limits to pilfering!” she fumed. “I’ve just opened a casket of salted brislings to cook with, and a dozen sailors have already taken one apiece!”

It took a second for Caleb to recall that brislings was an archaic term for sardines, a small fish used for bait or cooking. He frowned.

“We haven’t had any problems with theft on board so far,” he said, puzzled. “If anyone’s going to pilfer, I think they’d target the rum barrel. Why brislings?”

“Because they’re tryin’ to win the favor of that calico splashcat! Instead of letting her forage for rats the way she should, everyone’s trying to get on her good side for a piece of luck!”

“I’ll pass the word around,” he promised. Evie nodded and stomped back up the deck towards the forecastle. Caleb sighed and felt the throb in his calf echo with the growing ache in his forehead. “Noack, next time you see Sienna, tell her to pass the word to the crew: If anyone wants to bribe our brand-new good luck charm, they can catch the fish on their own. We’re in the middle of an ocean, dammit! It can’t be that hard!”

“Yezzir, Captain, I’ll be sure the word is spread.”

With that, Caleb retreated to his cabin. He set his jacket aside, carefully removed his boots, and checked his bandage. The stitches must’ve held, as the wrappings were still dry and unstained. He went over to his bed, though he paused as soon as he got there.

Breena lay across his pillow. The cat’s eyes were shut tightly in slumber. Her lithe orange-white-black form sprawled out like a feline sailor who’d gotten too much jingle in her catnip.

“I don’t know how you got in here,” he sighed. “But I’ve never thrown a good-looking female out of my bed yet. Still, the Captain does have his privileges, and you’re not depriving me of them.”

Caleb maneuvered the pillow to one side. Breena’s tail made a few annoyed thumps but otherwise, she didn’t move or open her eyes. He grabbed a soft shirt from his dresser, wadded it up, and lay back with the makeshift pillow under his head.

Breena burped, then started letting out cute little cat snores. Ones that were liberally scented with the fishy reek of sardines.

Yo ho, Caleb thought, as he closed his eyes and did his best to ignore the smell. It’s a pirate’s life for me.