"We made it!" Lucy shouted louder so her entire crew could hear her. "We made it!"

Her crew cheered and applauded. Some howled in the air and shook their fists up.

Lucy faced her friends. "We have to get there now!"

Charles held up his paws. "Hold on. Our ship cannot continue until the crew repairs the damages."

"We shall sleep wit' the fishes afore we reach the shore," Walton added.

Lucy crossed her arms. "Then we'll use the rowboat."

"An lef di ship here?" Tashina asked.

"Yes, but not everyone will abandon it. I will choose a party to come with me while the others stay aboard. They will finish the repairs and wait for our return."

Walton nodded with a grin. "Good choice, poppet. Now who will join ye? The ship can only carry six passengers at a time."

Lucy studied her friends. "I think five of us should go. That includes me too. The rest can choose to stay on the ship. Raise your paw if you want to come."

Charles, Tashina, Ivy, Byron, rested their paws. Walton and Kiki kept their arms down.

"Okay, I guess Charles, Tashina, Ivy, and Byron will come with me," said Lucy.

Walton pointed his thumb at himself. "I be stayin', only t' 'ave the chance t' command this ship again. Hehehehehe. But don't worry. I won't leave ye as long aa ye bring back some booty."

Kiki shivered. "And ghosts will give me the creeps. Squawk! You'll need me to watch the ship too."

Lucy smiled. "Alright, Kiki and Walton will stay. The rest of us should grab some gear and plenty of supplies to help us survive. Whatever is on that island, we must be ready to fight. Now let's go!"

"Aye!" Her friends shouted.

Charles glanced at the island and whispered, "Hold on, dear sister. We are coming."

*****

Lucy sat with her friends in the rowboat, facing Byron as he swung the paddles through the water. She has plenty of health potions and elixirs in her inventory. However, she gave her fear bombs to Tashina, not sure if they will work against ghosts. As for the gold, she left them on the ship in a secured vault. Keeping her pockets empty should give her enough room in case she finds the treasure in the dungeon.

After the boat stopped at the shore, Lucy leaped out and glanced around the beach. Quiet and peaceful, although the cold winds sent shivers through her spine.

In her blood, she knew the island wasn't normal or natural. No matter how beautiful it looked, her instincts knew better.

Quest Completed! You received 1,000 EXP! You leveled up! One proficiency point received! You discovered Ghost Island! Years ago, a primitive tribe once lived in a hidden city called Zootec until a ruthless pirate claimed their island. After their demise, their thunder god, Raigon, punished the pirate and his crew by turning them into his ghostly servants. Then he cursed the island to wander across the sea like a wandering lost spirit. The island has wonders, but it is very dangerous. Whatever you do, avoid the night on the island if you wish to live. Quest Alert! Find the Zootec Temple

Now you found Ghost Island, it is time to find the dungeon. Great treasure awakes there, but you will face a true terror inside. Or you can just leave and keep your tail. The choice is yours.

Aye, or nay?

Lucy chose aye and closed the notification. The true terror will be her father inside the dungeon. Thinking about how much death he caused on the island crawled through her skin.

"What a beautiful sight, right?" Ivy approached Lucy and shook the water off her boots.

Lucy grimaced. "Wait until we see how scary it will be later."

"Maybe there are native girls here I can meet. Hehehe."

Lucy narrowed her eyes at Ivy. "Lizard girls? You know reptiles live here."

Ivy shrugged. "I can adapt."

Lucy giggled. Sometimes her cabin girl entertained her well. "Still, don't bet on it. They are all dead here."

Ivy sighed. "I know…"

"Come on!" Charles rushed toward Lucy. "We have to find Loretta!"

"Calm dung, wolf," said Tashina. "Mi sense dis island cursed."

Charles glared at the hyena voodoo priestess. "I know, but we can find her now."

Lucy placed her paw on Charles’s shoulder. "Don't worry, we will find her. First, we have to scout this entire island. If she sees us, she will come."

Charles pursed his lips, but he nodded in agreement. Patience counts for survival.

"Should we scout around the beaches first before we enter the jungle?" Byron asked while pulling the boat from the water.

Lucy glanced at the tropical and oak trees in the green brush. "No, we should walk straight into the jungle. We will find Charles’s sister first, and then the temple."

Charles smiled in appreciation.