"Had a nightmare, did you?" Morgan's voice was the first thing that hit Nkudu's ears as he woke up, breathing hard.

He didn't reply. He simply sat up on the white mattress and gasped for air.

He was in his room, a small and humble square with a mattress on the ground and a few possessions in a large gray trunk in the corner.

When he caught his breath, he glanced nervously at Morgan. He was sitting next to the door, hammer standing upright against the wooden wall.

Morgan stood up, and strapped the hammer to his back. "Come on. You look like you could use some fresh air." He said, and walked out of the room. Nkudu slowly followed.

The ship of the Black Pirates, named "Shadow Treasure" by Morgan, wasn't one of the grandest ships at sea, nor was it one of the largest. But it was very versatile, had a good number of rooms to accommodate the large crew, and the crew themselves were strong and expert survivors.

Nkudu and Morgan climbed up the rickety stairs leading to the main deck, and were greeted by the cool, refreshing salty breeze of the ocean. And a teenage girl with braided hair and two pistols strapped to her chest.

"Hmph. About time you woke up, vice-captain." She muttered, intentionally putting quite a bit of spite in the word vice-captain.

Nkudu grinned and tugged her braid, making her squeal in pain. "Watch what you say, little shit. Or I'll toss you off the ship." She poked her tongue at him, and walked away.

Morgan laughed as she strutted off towards the main mast. "She was quite worried about you. Scolded me for hitting you too hard as well." Nkudu fought off the urge to smile. She was an annoying, 16-year-old girl called Sheila, from Brazil. She was an orphan, and was bought by the Dealers when she was just seven years old. She was like a little sister to everyone on the ship, and pretty much everyone liked her.

"Can't blame her for being mad. You show up out of nowhere after two years, beat the crap out of me and retake your position as captain. Anyone would be upset." Nkudu said, walking towards the edge of the main deck.

They were well away from that tiny rock now. He must have been out for about an hour, because it was still visible on the horizon.

He asked, "What happened to the Redshire pirates?" Morgan stepped beside Nkudu to gaze at the sparkling blue sea.

"They went their own way. Myself and Redshire may be friends, but that's all we are." They had become allies five years earlier, after Morgan saved them from a small fleet of English battleships.

Nkudu remembered something that had happened in the shores of England about a year earlier. "There were reports that the Jackie Pirates and Redshire Pirates teamed up to rob the Howard's Bank last year. That was your doing, wasn't it?"

Morgan nodded. "Captain Jackie couldn't have done it without them."

Nkudu looked displeased, and Morgan noticed this. "What happened? Is it myself calling him captain?"

Nkudu hesitated, but eventually replied, "Yes. For you to call a white man your captain...it feels odd. I'm not used to it."

Morgan laughed. "I'm not sure I'm used to it either. Even after two years with him. But trust me, that boy has all the qualities of a captain. He's not completely polished yet, but mark my words, he'll be a gem of a pirate in time."

"You speak of him as you would of one of us." Nkudu had never heard Morgan use such a tone while talking about anyone before.

Still in that same proud tone of voice, Morgan replied, "I've been his vice-captain for two years. He's like family to me. I don't think I've met anyone with whom I got this attached to in only two years." Nkudu looked down at the waves below, almost afraid to ask the question on his tongue.

"So will you be returning to the Jackie Pirates?" He forced himself to ask. He had to.

Morgan looked at him like he was stupid.

"What?!"

"Nothing...it's just...being captain for a couple of years has changed you a bit."

Nkudu narrowed his eyes at Morgan. "Changed me?"

Morgan grinned, further pissing off Nkudu. "You'd never have cared about stuff like this back then. Whether or not I'm going to stay captain, whether or not someone leaves the crew. I'm proud of you."

Nkudu turned his face away, completely flustered by this random complement. "Nonsense. I couldn't care less." He muttered.

Morgan shook his head disdainfully. "In any case, I don't plan to return just yet. Or to let Jackie know of my whereabouts." This surprised Nkudu. Morgan wasn't one to abandon friends.

"Why?" He asked.

Morgan's face turned serious. "He's still a kid. He knows nothing of the ways of the world. Probably thinks I'm dead right now, since he was unconscious when I saved him. He needs to learn for himself how to survive out there."

"He's obsessed with finding El Dorado. Doesn't even know the real story behind that place. To achieve his goal, he needs to get a hell of a lot stronger than he is. I'll only be holding him down. Not because I'm weak or something, but because I'm too strong. I can't have him become reliant on me."

Nkudu's expression was deadly serious as he asked, "Even if he dies?"

Morgan nodded, his body language proving his unyielding resolve. "One must die many, many times before they can live. That's how life is given."

Nkudu could see Morgan had complete faith in that boy. He remembered the slightly tall, skinny boy he had seen talking eagerly to Morgan, with his wiry blonde hair curled over his left eye and sparkling blue eyes, full of genuine warmth.

So that boy thinks he can find it? The continent of gold?

"Speaking of dying, you really aren't going to kick me out of the crew for what I did?" Nkudu asked, slightly disappointed in the captain's decision.

Morgan smacked his face lightly. "Of course I couldn't throw away my beloved vice-captain like that!" He said, making his words sound as sarcastic as possible.

"Primis."

"Ow, ow, ow! Don't use your Primis to pinch me! Just admit you're weak as hell!"

Nkudu wasn't satisfied with that, though. If anything, it was quite frustrating. "This is exactly what I was talking about. You're too soft. You can't even kick the rebellious asshole off the ship."

"And that's exactly why I need you, the damned asshole who wants to kill me." Nkudu blinked, surprised at this reply. "I know I'm too soft. You think me, of all people, doesn't know his weaknesses? That's why I need a straight up shithead like you to tell me off when I'm being stupid and help me do the right thing."

Nkudu smiled, and laid his head down on his arms. The wooden railing was hard and rough under his skin.

"I suppose you might be right. You wouldn't believe the amount of people who wanted you back. I guess I'm just too strict to be a captain." Morgan shook his head.

"You would be a great captain if you weren't so nitpicky about everyone and everything." To this, Nkudu could only laugh. He knew Morgan wasn't talking about his hatred towards the whites. He really was an asshole to most people.

But that's because I want to protect my friends. Can't make them understand what the right decisions are by being some kind of a Morgan.

"Fine then. How about I make a formal request to you as the vice-captain of this crew?"

Morgan nodded, though Nkudu noticed he was a bit more rigid in his movement than he was just a moment ago. He really did understand him well.

"And I'm going to ask you this as the vice-captain. Not as Nkudu the man. Not as your friend. Alright?"

Again Morgan nodded. There was no cautiousness, no suspicion. Just a slight...firmness. Nkudu didn't fully understand it, nor did he attempt to.

"I have to request that we start shooting to kill when we fight the Dealers."

Morgan had heard this before. It wasn't the first time Nkudu had requested this to him. It had been ten years since they had escaped from the Dealers' mines and freed themselves from their grip. And ever since, Nkudu had been asking this of him. Not too often, but ask he did.

But this time...it was different. They had just fought because of this not too long ago, and though there was no resentment, things were still uncomfortable between them.

"Nkudu...you know I can't allow that." He replied, making his tone gentle and calm. "If we start killing them, they'll make us look like the monsters. The Dealers are supported and backed by big countries like England and Spain. They make money for them by selling slaves."

Nkudu didn't back down. "Then what will you do when they kill innocent women and children on this ship? If they take a little girl hostage and threaten to throw her into a fire?"

Morgan didn't dare look at Nkudu. Even he, someone who feared absolutely nothing throughout his life, felt a chilling shiver crawl across his spine at these words. He knew full well what had happened to Nkudu's daughter all those years ago. And although Nkudu himself never realized it, he always had the most fearsome expression in his eyes when he spoke of his past. It was that of a wild creature, bloodthirsty and yearning vengeance for that which was lost. His expression, coupled with his long, ragged hair, made him absolutely unapproachable to anybody except Morgan when he spoke of his daughter and wife.

"You know I won't allow that to ever happen."

"The future is not known to anybody. You are one man, captain. You cannot save everyone. Plenty of warriors have died fighting already. An innocent woman or child could well die if we don't act further. Just injuring them or knocking them out is not going to be enough. If they learn our rule is not to kill them directly, we're the ones who will be in trouble."

Morgan was starting to feel extremely unsure about this. Perhaps Nkudu was right? Say that someone was held hostage and he had to kill the person doing so? Wouldn't that only make him a hypocrite?

"I'm not forcing you into anything, captain. I'm trying to save our crew." Nkudu said, almost regretfully. He hated having to push Morgan too hard. He was a kind man, who wanted to protect even his enemies. But it had to be done to protect themselves over their enemies.

"So, think about it. Take your time, and think hard about it, captain. Us depending on you is nothing new, after all." Nkudu turned around to walk away.

"Uh." Hiding in a pathetic spot behind a couple of barrels across the deck were the four troublesome brats, Wallace, Johans, Okocha and Sheila. "What the hell are you idiots poking your noses into?" Nkudu yelled, and they scurried off downstairs. Sheila did manage to poke her tongue at him again before running off, though.

Morgan laughed. "Let the brats be. They have strange childhoods to begin with. I like seeing them play and poke fun at people. That's how kids should be."

Nkudu smiled ruefully. "I wish that's all you were, truth be told."

Morgan nodded, and returned his thoughtful gaze to the distant horizon.

There was a lot to ponder. A lot indeed.

* * * * *

"So that's the island, huh?" Eddie muttered as he peered through Brice's telescope at a small island city. It was an island city, in the sense that the entire island was covered with homes and other structures. What he could see looked awfully seedy and worn out, though.

Brice took his telescope and looked through it one more time. "Are ye sure ye all want ta go to that place? It's a nest of thieves an' all sortsa scum."

Eddie could barely understand anything Brice was saying thanks to his accent. But he got the gist of it.

"We have to go. We need supplies and an idea of what to do now. Jackie doesn't want to cause commotion there though."

Brice nodded in agreement. "Ye lot don't want ta get into trouble 'round there. Word has it, there's some drama goin' on with the royal family of Spain. Nobody wants nothin' to do with it."

Royal family of Spain, huh? Who would've thought they'd get involved so heavily in a place like this?

He looked at the direction of the island one more time before turning away.

It didn't make sense to him. What could possibly be on that island to interest the royal family?

Extras: Nkudu and Sheila

Nkudu: "Sheila, tell the readers why you hate boiled eggs so much."

Sheila: "Huh? Because it's just that gross. It's all soft and mushy. Eggs are way better when the yolk's fried. It's heavenly!"

Nkudu: "Nonsense, it's way better when boiled. I've heard it's much better for your health that way."

Sheila: "Oh come on, vice-captain. It's an egg. Of course it's going to be good for health either way. A little oil never made any difference."

Nkudu: "Fine, fine. Alright, so explain to us what your backstory is!"

Sheila: "No way. Hey, readers! Listen up! If you want our backstories, you're gonna have to be patient, hear me? You already got this idiot's backstory because he's a weak little bitch. But we're tough as hell, so you'll see more of us in time!"

Nkudu: "Sheila, stop harassing the readers. Let them make their choices-"

Sheila: "And let me say this, stop sending us crappy reviews because of petty shit like fashion sense. This series is a supernatural fantasy series. We don't need to follow along the likes of-"

Jackie: "Alright, that's enough of you. We're done here. That's a wrap."

Sheila: "Hey, I wasn't done yet! Jackie, are you listening?! Hey! HEY! WAIT!"

Jackie: "That's the end of the chapter! Please look out for more from Ocean's Rage, and thanks for all the views!"