The Devil's Bounty: On Deadly Seas

Captain Blackheart narrowed his cold black eyes and curled his translucent lips into a half grin. The rising sun in the great blue sky would have been comforting if only he could feel its warmth. But such things were frivolous to him because his day had finally come. His day for retribution…his day for revenge. 

“What be ye orders, Captain?” 

Blackheart turned his gaze to the husk of bones standing beside him. The lanky skeleton was just one of the Hellfire ship’s crew that once belonged to Bloodthirsty Annie. Their escape from Hades would be a story worthy of a trillion reads, but alas, there would be plenty of time for grand tales when the task at hand was finished. 

“Hoist the sails, you scallywag! We be headin’ to Fort Royal Carrabee for if it’s information we be needing, that is surely the place to be finding it, har har!” 

“Right away, Captain!”

Before Blackheart could utter yo, ho, ho, the Hellfire ship was already cutting through the blue sea like a newly forged blade before a blacksmith could douse the steaming steel with water. The Captain liked this newfound power. 

Every pirate in the modern world knew that if there was something lost or something to be found, Fort Royal Carrabee was the place to find it. The port city was well hidden in the Caribbean Sea by lava funnels that jutted out from the crisp waters like impaled rusty daggers. The dripping magma kissing the salty sea birthed a dense fog that only the most skilled of sailors could navigate. One false turn could spell a one way trip to Davey Jones’ Locker!  

Nestled within, Fort Royal Carrabee was a grand city spread out on three different island clusters. With multiple docks around the islands, there was plenty of space for ships of different sizes. Sailors, pirates, and wannabe seafolk were all welcome. There was no government to speak of, only free will and devious intentions abound! The shanty shacks were aligned around the islands in an upward slant and hidden amongst the swaying palm trees. 

Captain Blackheart knew someone on the island would know where Jack Sparrow was and how to find him and if they didn’t speak, he had ways of…persuading them! 

As the Hellfire made port, Blackheart ordered his skeleton crew to remain on the ship. The last thing he needed was everyone running away from seeing his spooky crew of misfits. He was soon greeted by a big bossoomed woman dressed in a blue dress that left little to the imagination. 

“Welcome to Fort Royal Carrabee, stranger. Are you lookin’ for some warm company…Eeck!” Her words revolted when the light caught Blackheart’s face underneath his tripoint hat. His translucent skin showcased a black skull that had been rotting away for over a thousand years. 

“As sure as ye be wanting to taste my firm wood, I must decline ye invitation, for I seek a Sparrow.” 

“A-A Sparrow?” the woman stuttered. It was all she could do to keep her words soft spoken because she felt the urge to puke as her nostrils caught the whiff of Blackheart’s sulfur scent. 

“Yes…” Blackheart scowled. “He likes to refer to himself as a Captain!” 

The woman took a step backward and rolled her green eyes. “Do you mean, Captain Jack Sparrow?!” 

“Why yes me does—”

Whack!

Before Blackheart could finish his sentence, the woman slapped him with the force of a hundred hurricane winds. 

“When you see that no good, scurvy pirate, you can send him my ill regards!” 

Blackheart grabbed his loose jawbone and cracked it back into place. “Har, har! Well, I’m sure he be deserving that, but I owe him much more than a meager slap, bonnie-lass! So, ye be not knowing where he is then?” 

“If I knew where he was, mister…he’d be deader than you!” 

Before the woman could bat her eyes, Blackheart whisked his hooked hand like an annoyed person swatting a fly, and stabbed the side of her head. A small stream of blood oozed down her temple. 

“Arrr! Since ye have no information me can use then I have no further use of you. Nor am I in the mood for games!” 

As he removed his hook from her head, the blood gushed out like a flowing river and her limp body fell to the wooden dock like an unwanted ragdoll. 

Only one passerby paid attention to what had happened because murder was commonplace in the free city. An old man with one eye, and a round belly full of rum approached Blackheart with a lopsided grin. 

“Speak fast, old timer,” Blackheart warned. “Me hook is still thirsty!” 

The one eyed man broadened his chest and spoke with fierce confidence. “If ye be looking for da Sparrow, there be but one man who knows all and sees all!” 

Blackheart grabbed the wrinkly man by his soiled, tattered, shirt and gruffed, “Who be this person? Speak quickly or there'll be another cold body laying here for all to see!” 

With a quick gulp, the old man said, “You need to see Argon The Great Seer!” 

“And where might I be finding this Seer?!” 

“Don’t worry… he will find you—” 

Konk!

When Blackheart opened his eyes the pulsating bump on the back of his skull screamed like a siren lost at sea. As he moved his arms, the sound of rattling chains kept him firmly in place on his knees. The cool damp cobblestone in which he was hunched smelled like rat shit. 

Standing over him was a mountain of a man with broad shoulders and a husky chest full of hair. His dimpled legs were like tree trunks and his dirty trousers smelled like methane. He was wearing a crimson vest that showcased his bulbous arms and around his neck was a necklace with decayed eyeballs stitched together from end to end. 

With a quick swipe through his bald, sweaty scalp, the man flung the sweat droplets into Blackbeard’s face. “Do you know who stands before you, little crow?” 

Blackheart shook his face and watched the sweat beads flee from his beard. “Let me guess…. You must be the great seer I’ve heard so much about!” 

“ARHG!! My name is Argon The Great Seer!!” 

The hollow dungeon echoed Argon’s words ten fold. 

“I hear tell ye be seeking Jack Sparrow! Tell me now in words so little I can understand ye!” 

“Aye, tis true,” Blackheart said with a quick gasp. 

“Well, well, well…. Then this be ye lucky day, you puny man for I happen to know where that foolhearty Sparrow went!” 

Blackheart’s fiery vengeance erupted and he lunged with all his might against the chains that kept him in place. “Then tell me and release me so I can kill this bird!” 

“Ah…if it’s information ye seek, I shall tell ye in due time, but nothing is for free. Tell me, scrawny man….are you willing to pay?” 

“Aye… Me hath a chest full of gold that this Sparrow stole from me along with me ship. So, I shall pay ye with me devil’s bounty in due time!”

Argon wrinkled his sweaty forehead. “That is not good enough! I shall take payment as I see...fit!” 

Blackheart watched Argon reach to a table behind him and wondered what this game was. He had no time for such foolish things. He hungered for revenge! 

“What’s that?!” Blackheart spat.  

Argon waved a wooden spoon through the cold air like it was a magical wand. A menacing grin was plastered on his face. “This? Why it’s just a spoon, ye stupid fool.” 

“A s-spoon?” 

“Yes, it’s to collect me payment!” 

Before Blackheart could scream, Argon was upon him. He placed one hand firmly on Blackheart’s skull and held it firmly in place. Then he stabbed the spoon into his left eye socket and scooped out his eyeball. It was held in place by bloody fibers, so Argon used his rotten teeth to snip the cords free. 

Blackheart screamed so loud the entire port must have heard him. As blood gushed from the empty socket, Argon tied the eye to his necklace making it a permanent fixture to his collection. He grabbed another item from his table and tossed it before Blackheart. It was a black eyepatch. 

With a shaky hand, the only good one he had left, Blackheart grabbed the eyepatch and put it on. 

“Ha-Ha! As promised for your payment, you can find Jack Sparrow in the Deadly Seas that lie west toward the end of all things. A place where the flowing waters end!” 

“Why would he venture out there?” Blackheart wondered aloud.

“Careful, old timer…” Argon warned. “Information is expensive and I don’t think ye want to lose another eye, but I like ye, so I’ll give ya this one for free. Legend tells of a mighty megalodon shark who roams those waters. If one should kill this fearsome beast and consume its heart, that would bring everlasting life and restore the consumer's humanity.” 

“AYE…so that’s what Jack’s after! Release me from my bonds and let me go asunder!” 

“Very well,” Argon said in a low tone. “Take heed of my warning for no man who has ventured into those waters has ever been seen again!”   

Blackheart ignored Argon’s warnings for he did not care about such things. Vengeance was the only thing his undead soul cared about. Regaining his bounty was a one way redemption ticket to the promised land where he could rest in peace among the heathen pirates of old. It had long been the desire of every pirate to spend the ever-after with the legends of old—Pirates who contributed great wealth and power to the craft of dastardly deeds. 

The journey west to the Deadly Seas was a relentless gauntlet of obstacles that had to be dealt with accordingly. There was the matter of a baby kraken who latched its tentacles around the Hellfire ship only to taste the flames of death. Blackheart had no patience for the creature. He ordered the ship ablaze and torched the kraken to a fine crisp! The skeleton crew ate well that night. 

And then there was the dolphin parade who appeared like friendly navigators through the treacherous waters only to lead Blackheart’s crew into a raging hurricane. The winds were fierce like a thousand dragon breaths against a stone castle. The wrath of thunder strikes or pouring rain did little to hinder the Captain’s resolve. Blackheart pressed ever forward because he wanted nothing less. 

Emerging from the deadly storm, the Hellfire found itself in overcast skies above and murky waters beneath. In the foggy distance, Blackheart saw a large apparition that looked like a mountainous monster searching for its next meal. 

Captain Blackheart pulled out his telescope and extended it to its full girth. His one good eye brought a smile to his evil face because the ghostly silhouette in the distance was not a monster or creature of old. It was the Black Death! His one true ship that Jack Sparrow had stolen from him.  

“There she be boys!” Blackheart yelled to his skeleton crew. “Cast thy doubts to the side for salvation is at hand at long last, har, har!” 

Elation swept over Blackheart’s cold body as the Hellfire crept ever closer to the Black Death. Caution was abound like the air beneath a seagull’s wings for Blackheart was expecting cannon fire from a scared Sparrow, but no shots were fired and no arrows were flung! 

The Hellfire was positioned next to the Black Death which now appeared to be nothing more than a ghost ship. Blackheart took it upon himself to board the lonely vessel. The smell of rotten wood and rum-soaked planks tickled his nostrils. He was home. Home at last! 

Jack Sparrow was nowhere to be found, but alas, the devil’s bounty was laid bare on an empty table next to the steering wheel for Blackheart to seize at long last. All signs pointed to a trap because reclaiming his treasure should not have been this easy. 

Where was the fighting? Where were the harsh words of anger? Where was Jack Sparrow? 

As Blackheart looked around the ship and peered out to the cool waters, he noticed the sea swallowing the Hellfire ship like a thirsty whore. 

“What foul trickery is this?” Blackheart said with a gasp. 

A deep solemn voice rang out in reply. “Now that ye task has been fulfilled, the Hellfire returns to the depths from which it came! Ye didn’t think ye could keep Bloodthirsty Annie’s ship forever did ya?” 

Blackheart spoke loud and clear to the voice behind him. “Well, now… we finally come skull to skull at long last, Jack Sparrow—” 

But as Blackheart turned, expecting to see the foolhardy bird that had eluded him at every turn, he saw the Pirate Lord of Destruction, Finn Skullcrusher instead!  

“I see you’ve found the bounty ye promised thee!” 

“Skullcrusher…. What are ye doing here?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I grew tired sitting on me throne in Hades. Sparrow made promises he couldn’t keep and ended up here only to find his death and ye…well, let’s just say that ye made me a promise that demands instant collection. The devil’s bounty…hand it over.” 

“So, the Sparrow is dead?” Blackheart said, drawing out his words nice and slow. He hung his head low, and stared at his gold coins safely tucked away in the tattered chest. “How did he die? His death should have been by me hands!” 

“He somehow weasled his way into the mighty megladon’s mouth hoping to kill him to steal his heart, but just as he removed his musket loaded with one bullet, the trap jaws of doom came snapping down and killed him instantly. And so goes his luck, I’m afraid.” Skullcrusher lowered his eyes to the golden coins and repeated, “Now, be a good boy and give me what is mine!” 

Blackheart shook his head slowly. “No…this is me bounty. I’ve worked hard to reclaim me gold! With the Sparrow dead, this is all I have left. I plan to use it to enter paradise to rest in peace with the heathen pirates of old!” 

“Oh, that’s a big mistake little bones because once I grind your body to dust, there will be no peace for you!” 

Skullcrusher grabbed Blackheart’s throat and chokeslammed him through the rotten wood on which they stood. The Black Death was a strong ship, but it had seen better days. Now, in the girth of the ship the two titans battled each other for the devil’s bounty which had also been dropped and scattered all over. 

“Ye shall never claim me treasure!” Blackheart roared, rising to his feet. Standing strong and true he opened his mouth and blew out a fiery brimstone that licked Skullcrushers face.

“HA-HA,” laughed Skullcrusher. “I was born in the flames of HELL!!! Do you really think this will hurt ME?!”

Blackheart knew this was folly. He tempered his flames, reached into his pirate vest, and pulled out two mini anvils alight with green flames and swung them wildly. Skullcrusher kissed the salty air with a light smile and charged at Blackheart like a raging bull. He tackled the evil captain like a thousand linebackers in one! They crashed into the ship’s outer wall like a cannonball. The cold sea water gushed in and sent them crashing into the other side like crash test dummies. 

Skullcrusher had the advantage at this point because the impact of the water allowed him to be on top of the Blackheart, which he took full advantage of. He alternated his punches with each fist until the evil captain’s black blood stained the water. 

“I told you, that treasure was mine to collect...MINE!!” 

The salty sea water burned Blackheart’s fleshy wounds and he desperately looked for a weapon to fight back. A loose board or an oar to smack him with, but out in the far reaches of the water he saw a monumental dorsal fin pop out from the depths like a monstrous mountain. It was coming straight at them! 

As Skullcrusher continued his relentless pounding, Blackheart kneed him in the stomach, which allowed him to spin his tormentor around just in time to see the megalodon’s mighty jaws close in on them. 

Their blood turned the seas red for a week and for the longest time all was dark….

Blackheart opened his eyes and saw nothing but white skies. The warmth reminded him of the smooth beaches he used to walk on as a child. The smell of coconuts tickled his nose and the taste of bittersweet pineapples lingered on his tongue. Was this the promised afterlife he had hoped for?

A quick look around gave him the answer.

On the distant shore line, he saw the great captains of old gathered around a fire laughing and drinking rum. Indeed, the great Captain Blackheart had finally come home!

“Oh…You finally made it huh? I was afraid that I was going to have to drink this huge barrel of rum all by me lonesome, savvy?” 

Blackheart’s smile faded as he turned and saw Captain Jack Sparrow’s loony toon grin. 

“Sparrow….sparrow….SPARROW?!! NOOOOOO!!!” 

“Well, that is me name, mate. Don’t wear it out if you know what I mean. It’s unbefitting!” 

“I can’t believe it,” Blackheart roared. “Why are you here? I thought you were dead!” 

Jack raised his jug of rum and took a mighty swig. “Well, I would have come here a lot sooner had I known the afterlife was this sweet, but things arose and ensued.” He pointed to the other captains gathered around the great fire and said, “Now, be a good chap and bring me one of those white, sticky, fluff fluff thingies they call a marshmallow….they look yummie!” 

“ARRR! I’m going to kill ye!” Blackheart screamed.