The Boy With a Dream
 

Well, I have decided to start writing my own story. This story will be about Christopher Ironhawk and the many adventures and the many adventures of his life. He was just one boy with a huge dream. This dream will soon turn into a reality.
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Prologue

Since age 7, young Christopher Ironhawk sat on his porch for hours at a time, admiring the glorious War Galleons, Frigates, and Ships of the Line travel through the ports of Cuba. The sails looked so white, and clean. Christopher simply loved to gaze wonderingly at the chests and crates that sailed into port each day. He always dreamed of opening one up and discovering the wonders that are shielded by the golden lids.

On the day after Chris's 13th birthday, he was strolling through the docks with a certain spirit; a spirit that made him feel more empowered than he had ever been. That could've been because he felt that he would find an amazing discovery, or maybe just because he was now going out into the world as a teenager. Whatever the reason was, it gave him happiness. While he was walking through the marketplace, he heard a raspy voice. The man speaking said something that sent chills down Chris's spine: "pirates".

After hearing this, Chris immediately started looking through the crowd for the source of the raspy voice. Then, Chris saw him. Standing before him was a brawny man with shoulder-length blonde hair. His face was decorated with charms and jewelry or every color of precious stone. There were was emerald green, diamond clear, and ruby red. But what really caught Chris’s eye was the way this man was dressed. The large man was covered in colorful clothing that really stood out.

"There I was, face to face with a monster so ugly, it might as well have come from the fiery cave of the devil himself! Why, I was looking straight into the eyes of Davy Jones, the master of Davy Jones’s locker! It is here that you go after your life has been taken by the sea. When you are in The Locker, you would like to take a vacation to Hell! Wanna know what I did?” He looked around to make sure everybody was listening, “I took my sword and I cut off one of his tentacles! The beast let out a shriek so blood-curdling that I, meself, was forced to cover my ears! After that, I feinted. I don’t know how or why, but I did. When I awoke, I was lying on the bed that I grew up in, at my old mother’s house.”

After the story was finished, Christopher did not hesitate to talk to the colorful pirate.

“Excuse me, good sir. I could not help but notice your colorful clothes that you have on, especially your hat. If you would be so kind, mister, would you please tell me where you acquired such a fine taste?” Christopher asked. “I would like to see if I can strike a bargain with the merchant.”

The colorful man was wearing a bright green top hat with an intricate design with all green shades you could imagine. He placed a big, hairy hand on Christopher’s shoulder.

“Son, thank you for the compliment. It just so happens that I am in the market to sell this hat, if you are interested.”

“Yessir, I am very much interested. But before we negotiate a deal, I would like to ask you something. Your story was very interested. I have never heard a more thrilling one. But what were you doing so far out in the sea so Davy Jones could find you?”

The decorated man laughed, “Son, I like the way you think. I was out in the Hinderseas looking for ships that I might be able to steal treasure from. I could not have had worse luck, running into Jones.”

He went on, “I am a pirate. Perhaps you have heard of us. We roam the world, looking for treasure. HAVE you ever heard of us?”

The boy was in awe that he was meeting a real pirate! Chris had so many questions for the man, but he did not want to waste the pirate’s time.

“Oh yes sir! I have heard stories about pirates!” Christopher exclaimed, “How they roam the globe looking for treasure! And they are free; truly free. I have always wanted to sail aboard a mighty ship, like the war ships that sail into the docks every day! Do YOU have a ship, mister?”

“Of course I have a ship! What is your name, by the way?”

“The name is Christopher Ironhawk, sir. Future pirate captain.”

“Christopher Ironhawk,” he let that name sink in. “I like the sound of that. The name is Captain Kim Vo, Chris, owner of the Shadow Executioner, the finest War Galleon to ever sail the Seas.”

Christopher was beside himself. He could not believe that he was actually face to face with a real-life pirate!

“Wow… A War Galleon… I watch those sail into port everyday. They look to be the most majestic ships, with many cannons. I feel bad for your enemies,” Chris marveled. “Yesterday was my 13th birthday, Captain. I was home alone; no one bothered to celebrate in any way. Not even my own parents. I sat on the porch and watched ships sail in and out of port all day long. Sir, as long as it doesn’t cause you too much trouble, would you be willing to take me aboard? Just to see the deck?”

“OF COURSE! Tell you what, Chris,” he proposed. “I will take you aboard, and you will get to drive her! What do you think of that, Christopher Ironhawk?”

At this point, Christopher could not believe what he was hearing. All of his dreams were coming true, one after the other!

“Are you sure, Captain?” Christopher asked, unsure of his abilities to drive. “I have never driven anything before…”

“I am very sure, Chris,” said Vo in a reassuring voice. “Besides, I will be right there with you, guiding you throughout the process.”

“In that case, I can’t thank you enough, Captain Vo. You are making all of my dreams come true.”

The walk to the Executioner was short, mostly because the marketplace was so close, but Captain Vo was also helping by pushing people around, making them squeal. Chris liked this man even more now. After a few short minutes, Chris stopped abruptly. Captain Vo knew why. Looking down at both of them was the Shadow Executioner. Christopher tried to show self control, but the force was too great. Chris flew right past Captain Vo and up the gangplank. When Vo got there, Chris was petrified with amazement. What the young boy saw was a large lower deck, complete with 10 cannons and gleaming floors that were just begging Christopher to step on them. He did.

After Chris took in the sight of the ship, Captain Vo escorted Christopher up to the Captain-Only deck. From there, the captain started shouting orders to his men, who, in his absence, were sleeping. Vo’s men were so well-trained that in a matter of minutes, the Shadow Executioner was on it’s way out of port. The captain beckoned Chris up to the helm, where Christopher Ironhawk would drive his first ship. For some reason, Chris was shaking out of his clothes. He was excited, yet terrified. What if I mess up? What if the ship goes down? He needed to get these thoughts out of his mind. So, he took hold of the wheel, and lets all of his worries go.

They sailed for a great deal of time, until daylight turned to dusk.

“Did you enjoy yourself, Christopher Ironhawk?”

“Yes, sir. I have never felt more free, more alive.”

“That is how a pirate is supposed to feel,” the Captain said. “I have something for you. In the marketplace, you mentioned that you like my hat. Well, now it is yours. Take good care of it, Christopher Ironhawk.”

As Captain Vo placed the hat on Chris’s head, he said, “I have another surprise for you, as well. You showed such a great interest in War Galleons, and specifically the Executioner. That is why, Christopher Ironhawk, I have decided to purchase a War Galleon for you. She will be built in about a month,” he paused for a moment. “Of course, you will have to find a crew and name her, but I have gotten you started. While the ship is being built, I would like to personally train you to captain and drive her. Take the Executioner back to port, Captain Christopher Ironhawk. I would like to place the order today.”

“Captain Vo, you have no idea how much this means to me. You are making all of my dreams come true. This is the best birthday ever!”

“It has been my pleasure, Captain Christopher Ironhawk.”
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I have not figured out a set day of the week that I will post yet, but I will be posting weekly.

I personally liked this chapter, mainly because it shows how one life can change another. Just like that.

You guys know what authors like. Anything about my story is relevant here. Please praise and critique as much as you'd like. This is the first progressive story I have ever done, so I am still developing.

~Chris Ironhawk

I like it Chris. Its nice. As you said, it shows how one life can change another. My favorite chapters are always the Prologues. The prologue sets up the whole story, and one sentence in it can affect the whole story ahead.

Very nice, I'll be watching this thread....

Love it :)

Pretty good Chris!

WOW I loved it Chris!
I need a Captain Vo in my life :pirate2:
I can't wait to hear more of Christopher Ironhawk and his adventures!!
Great job!

This is one of the more interesting stories, instead of a dark and dreary story, (*cough* Del *cough*) this is a more of a light and happy beginning.




Yikes I said light and happy.

What can I say? I like death and destruction ;)

Nice job so far, Chris! Looking forward to see the rest!

Oh believe me..... There will be death and destruction in chapters to come.....

nice story bro.

I like it Chris! It gives a good intro and sets the story up nice. Now lets see how Chris fares being a Captain....

I love it. :D It's a very cute, classic story that has a lot of potential. Post again soon! (Because I also like death and destruction) :p

Enraged
 

OK mates... I will be posting every Monday, but since I had this chapter done, I decided that I would post a day early, just for you. So, without further ado, I give you:

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Enraged

Once Christopher had turned 16, after his ship, the Shadow Executioner, had been built, and he had recruited his closest friends, William Goldwalker and Pirate Guy, to be on his crew, they were soon ready to begin the maiden voyage of the Executioner. While the crew was loading the ship up, their parents stopped by. They were all saying how proud of their children they were, how, hopefully, they would rid the island of the dreaded, demonic Royal Navy. There had always been a rule in this part of the island that pirates were not to be spoken of. The parents forgot about this rule.

Before the young men could do anything, their parents were forcefully yanked into the middle of a large circle, composed of Navy Sergeants.

“Speaking of pirates, are we, ey?” yelled one of the guards.

“After this, I think you will be able to keep your mouth shut!” shouted another one.

The soldiers started a mosh pit, pushing all of the adults around, and laughing. This went on for about 5 minutes. During this time, Chris was busy thinking of a way to rescue them. Nothing came to him. Instead, he shouted, “Leave my parents alone!”

He was pushed out of the way by one of the guards. “Bloody boy! Do you not see what is happening to them?” he questioned “Do NOT let this be you, kid!”

By the time the man had finished talking to Chris, the soldiers had moved on to a gruesome part of their humiliation. The men had their bayonets and swords drawn, ready to strike. First one blow, then another. After only 30 seconds, the crew’s parents were bruised, cut, and stabbed. Seeing this caused Chris to become enraged. Far more enraged than he had ever been before, times ten. The crew’s parents were scrunched together in the center of the circle.

Then came the truly horrific part. Six men disbanded from the circle and grabbed one of the parents each. Now bruised, bloodied, and man-handled, the parents did not resist. They were lined up shoulder to shoulder. An officer walked down the line, inspecting each one of the accused.

“So, you think you can talk about pirates, do ya?” he questioned happily “About how they are going to someday free you filthy peasants from the divine ruling of the Royal Navy on your island? Well think again! I run this island! I DO! There will be no talk of pirates amongst ANY of you! And just to make sure that this does not happen again, I will make you a deal. MEN!”

The moment the officer spoke this word, each man who was holding a prisoner was joined by another soldier. There were now a total of 12 sergeants in front of the officer. Just then, as if it were second nature to the sick, cruel soldiers, they uniformly pulled their swords out and held them to each culprits’ neck.

“I will give each of you peasants one more chance.” said the officer “Recant what you said, about the pirates rescuing you from our clutches, and you will be freed. If not, you will be sent to the fiery depths of below. If you wish to recant, do it now! Anyone? No one? Good……”

The way that the officer said that last word sent chills down Chris’s spine. He said it with such happiness, as if he were happy that he was sentencing six people to death. Chris only saw the officer nod to one person, yet one after the other five of the bodies fell. The only one left standing was Christina, Christopher’s mother.

As her turn for death approached, she spoke “I love you Christopher.” She said, dripping with tears “You are destined for great things. I know it.”

Everything after that happened in slow motion for Chris. The blade in the sergeant’s hand started to move. Terrified, Christopher watched, etching her mother’s bloody, broken face into his mind. This image would forever haunt him. He saw the scarlet-red blood starting to drip from her throat. He looked down, seeing only more brokenness. Her hands were shredded to pieces. Her chest, bruised from bayonets. Chris watched in pain, but as the body started to fall, he forced himself to look away. He heard the body fall, and that was it. The street was abandoned. Six bodies lay in the middle of the road.

“Time to go, mates,” Christopher said. “It is time to set this island free. Finish loading up the ship, then tell the crew that we are sailing towards Port Royal.”

“WAIT!” a female voice shouted breathlessly “Captain Ironhawk, I would like to join your crew.”

“Why in the world would you want to come with me?” Chris spat out.

“Because I saw what those guards did to your parents. They did the same thing to my parents. Right down to the taunts. The four of us have the drive and the fuel to wipe out the Navy.” she explained “Plus, I think that I would make a great addition to your team.”

“Oh yeah?” Ironhawk questioned “Why’s that?”

“I can work a voodoo doll. Very well. I was trained by Tia Dalma herself. She taught me the ways of the art. I do not like to attack, but when I do, I can silence an enemy permanently in one shot.” she went on “My healing is very powerful. I can patch up a gash in nearly seconds. Like I said, I would be a good asset to the crew.”

Chris thought about this for a moment. “Do you realize how dangerous this will be?” he questioned “You may not make it out with your life. You sound like you would be a good asset to my crew, and I am willing to allow you to help, but you need to realize that you will be risking your life.”

“Yessir, I understand. I truly think that this is my destiny,” she said with passion. “to help you in your quest against the Royal Navy.”

Chris liked the way this girl thought. “Alright, meet us on the Executioner in exactly 10 minutes. If you aren’t here, we are leaving without you.”

She was so excited that she was back in seven minutes, bags and all. Captain Ironhawk showed her to her sleeping quarters. Then, it hit Chris that he had not asked her for her name. “What is your name, anyway?”

“Goldcastle. Charlotte Goldcastle.”

“OK, Goldcastle, I am Captain Christopher Ironhawk. Welcome to the crew.”

She looked to be no more than 20 years old. But anyone who could handle a doll as well as she could was welcome on his ship.

On the ship, Chris spent many of the days at sea on his top deck, where the Captain was able to clear his mind. On the third day at sea, Charlotte came up to see Ironhawk.

“Is everything alright, Chris?” she asked sympathetically “You have been up here for days. Is something on your mind?”

Chris hesitated for a minute, then said, “Before my parents were killed, I thought that I was just doing this to save my country form the evil grasp of the Navy.” he paused “But now, now it is personal. I WILL avenge my parents’ death. The Navy had no right to do that. I will make an oath to strike down every Navy swine that I come into contact with. As we do this, their forces shall shrink, and ours shall grow. When I believe the time is right, we will raid their most heavily-guarded fort, Kingshead. That will teach them. That will teach them to mess with Christopher Ironhawk, the most powerful pirate to ever sail within the Caribbean.”

“Christopher, I know that the Navy did a bad thing. I do not agree with them, but I think that you are taking this a bit far. OK, you are mad, and you want to get them back, but do you realize how many of them there are? For all we know, there could be 10’s of thousands of them!”

“I know this, and we will figure it out when we get that far, but for right now, we will do all we can to stop the Navy from doing anything that will upset the balance in the Caribbean. The war between the two forces has been going on for years, centuries, even. But today, today, this war becomes personal.

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This chapter was pretty hard to write because of how descriptive I had to be during the executions. The thought of losing parents, aye? I can't imagine the feeling. But I think that I nailed the feeling that I would have if my parents were taken from me.

I can just imagine Char dragging all of her suitcases up the gangplank, filled with her potions and dolls. Love ya, Char!

Anyways, did I do awesome? Terrible? Should I stop writing all together? Let me know what you think, mates.

~Chris Ironhawk

You did horrible. You should never write again. Never in my life have I read such an atrocious story.
Guess what? IT'S OPPOSITE DAY! :D

Wunderbar, Chris! That was sad when they died, but hey, what's a good pirate story without a few good people dying? :) I love how you're including PNC peoples, too. :] Char is pretty awesome. I wonder if she's in the guild... I don't think I've met her. ;)

Re-post ASAP! ^^

Love that story!! :D don't let it be like mine, were i wrote two chapters then droped it.

And I know this sounds selfish, but am i going to be in the story? and if i am, when? thanks :)

You shall come soon enough.... I have not decided how you will be used yet, and i have a list of people that I am using in the story.... Just be patient..... Will and Pirate happened to be first on the list, they somehow, in some weird way, fit the description that I needed...

Thanks for the compliments, guys! Love ya guys!

You better not stop writing, Christopher Ironhawk!

That is all.

Man chris! That story was spicy!!!!!!

Finally got around to reading your next chapter. Very good mate, very good. I'll say that for a first time writer, your description is very, very good. Not easy to imagine the death of parents, and you did a good job of it. I applaud you.

Rum's on m... uhh... Savvy!

Wow Chris that was awesome! Thanks for including me ;)

This is a great story so far Chris! You are a good writer! A lot of deaths early on though :O

Oh you have no idea how excited I am to be included in your story that is sososos awesome! And when you said you could see me doing that you really DO KNOW ME!! That is me, always early, eager and on of the best friends you could want.
Oh Chris I am forever grateful for you to include me - it means so much!!
love love love ya!
Char :stpat_05:

The Man
 

Hey guys! Chris here to post another chapter of the story of a boy with a dream, Christopher Ironhawk!

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Chapter 2-The Man

“LAND HO!” shouted the first mate and helmsman, William Goldwalker “Port Royal! Directly ahead!”

Captain Ironhawk was sitting in his cabin, playing with his prized sword, the Masterwork Cutlass. He had received this sword as a hand-me-down from his father. His father had taken this sword from an EITC Assassin at the great battle of Kingshead. The pirates had lost, though Chris’s father had made it out alive with this sword… It was Christopher’s pride and joy. Now that his father had died by the hand of the Royal Navy, Christopher swore that he would use the Masterwork Cutlass to kill any Navy scum that he ever came into contact with.

“Land? Already?” yawned a tired Charlotte walking out of the deck of the Executioner. “The winds must have been on our side last night! Fine sailing, Mr. Goldwalker!”

“You are bright and cheery, aren’t you, little blondie?” asked Second Mate Guy “I have never once came across a woman who is actually a morning person.”

“First of all, you will never call me Little Blondie again.” Threatened an annoyed Charlotte “I am five years older than you and you shall treat me with respect or you shall suffer by the wrath of my arsenal of dolls! Second of all, I have always been a morning person… I wish that I would have woken up a bit earlier, though; just so I could watch the sunrise. I tend to be in a better mood when I witness the daily beauty of our sun at its peak.”

“Fine, fine. I will never again call you ‘Little Blondie.’ I just thought that it was appropriate, since you have blonde hair.” said Guy, panicking.

At this point, Chris abruptly stepped in. “We may not be hitting land as quickly as we thought, mates! Here comes a Navy War Sloop, and they don’t look like they want to sink us. In fact…” Chris paused for a minute “READY YOUR WEAPONS, MATES! WE ARE BEING BOARDED!”

Chris unsheathed his cutlass. The others followed in suit. Charlotte had run below deck and back, now holding two dolls. One looked like a monkey, and the other, a beautiful woman. Guy and Goldwalker had also grabbed what looked to be long sticks.

Puzzled, Chris asked “What are those? And why are they aboard my ship?”

Laughing, Goldwalker replied “They’re voodoo staves. Our fathers had been teaching us to use them, just in case.”

While they were talking, the Navy thought that this would be a good time to send someone flying in and attack Charlotte. There is never a good time to attack Char. With a simple movement of an arm, she flung the soldier into the air, making him landing back on his on ship. More followed in suit; this time, actually landing ON the deck of the Executioner. Guy seemed to be happy that they were all bunched together, in a little herd. Christopher shot him a weird look, then continued attacking. Ironhawk saw Guy and Goldwalker raise the arms with the staves in them. After a few seconds of this combined with chanting, a fiery ball appeared at the top of each staff. Christopher jumped out of the way, and it is a good thing that he did. The two casters flung the staves hard, sending the flaming balls into the group of soldiers. They just stood there, like deer in headlights. It seemed that the flaming balls were moving in slow motion, or maybe Chris was. When the balls hit, they had a bowling ball effect. All of the soldiers flew across the deck. The crew cautiously approached them. Char checked all of them for heartbeats. Nothing. They were still on fire a bit, too.

Ironhawk’s crew swung over to the other ship to look for things to plunder. They immediately went below deck. Guided only be candlelight, they proceeded to move from room to room. A few minutes later, the crew met up on deck. “Anything?” They all asked.

“Nothing…” They all said, disappointed.

“Well, it wasn’t a total loss, mates.” Captain Ironhawk said.

They all looked at him with a confused look.

“Hello?!? Do you not see the ship that we have just taken from the Navy? We have just added a new War Sloop to our fleet!”

Just then, the crew heard a voice. “Do you really think that you are going to take this ship from me?”

A large man popped out of a barrel that they had not noticed before. He was holding what looked like a broadsword. Immediately, the Executioner’s crew drew their weapons. The man started attacking Chris first. Ironhawk easily parried all of his attacks. Charlotte pulled out her monkey voodoo doll. She started mumbling chants, making the man scream like a little girl. Christopher looked at him in shock. Bloody, dripping cuts started appearing all over the man. At the same time, they all heard a blood-curdling shriek. Chains were literally popping out of the deck of the War Frigate. They wrapped themselves around the man, making him scream even louder. An uncanny hole opened up beneath him. The shackles started pulling him down; a permanent vacation to Davy Jones’s Locker.

Once this ordeal was over with, Ironhawk told William Goldwalker to take the wheel of the new ship. He also told Pirate Guy to stay behind on the new ship to help Goldwalker hoist the sails. Charlotte and Christopher swung back over to the Executioner. This would give him some time to talk to Char about what happened. From the War Galleon, Admiral Ironhawk yelled to Goldwalker, telling him to continue towards Port Royal.

“So, tell me; what were those chains that pulled that man under?” Christopher asked Charlotte.

“They are called Grave Shackles.” she explained “When I chant a specific line of ancient Pirate Lore, they appear from literally anywhere and take my victim to the depths of Davy Jones’s Locker. It is truly the most tortuous curse I know.”

“Wow. Just don’t ever use that on me, kay?” Chris laughed.

“Deal.” Char agreed “So, do you realize that you are now an Admiral? We have two ships now. That puts you in the position of an Admiral.”

“Yes. This is amazing. It seems that everything has been going my way lately. I wonder how long that will last.” He continued “When we port at Port Royal, I will hold the coronation for Will into the position of “Captain.” He is the best helmsman that we have, and he knows what he is doing.”

“Excellent choice.” She replied, giving Chris a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

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So, I will continue to showcase Charlotte as a main character in my story... Hope you liked it!

As always, comment, pick apart, critique, etc. I will be a big boy and take the hits!

I will be back next Monday with yet another chapter!

I love it so much Chris!!
I am very honored that you feature me! It warms my heart!!
Love you bunches!
Char

I hope i can be put it :)

Love it... the way you put voodoo into it was nice.

Good chapter Chris! But the Little Blondie part you put that Guy called Charlotte Little Blondie, and in the next sentence William was the one commenting :P Tell me if I am mistaken though.

Hehe, of course William is the sailor :D

Its pretty good Chris. I like how you have a plot that moves along fairly quickly. Its good writing.

And yes, good incorporation of voodoo. :)

I giggled. ._.

Excellent chapter, Chris! :D I think you're hitting the character's personalities really well. I agree with the voodoo, too. You made it 10x scarier than it's portrayed in the game (although for obvious reasons). Nonetheless, it was very effective on the chapter. :) Well done.

Wow Chris, the second and third chapter are very detailed and well thought out and amazing! I typically don't read stories but this one, I will surely be keeping up with!

Colors
 

Hey guys! Here is a new chapter for you all to go omnomnomnomnom on! Enjoy! :D

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Chapter 3-Colors

As Admiral Ironhawk's mini-fleet sailed towards Port Royal, Christopher gave Charlotte sailing lessons. As it turns out, she is a natural sailor. Ironhawk was amazed by how fast she picked up the skill of sailing. For the remainder if the trip, Chris acted as the deckhand. Although she was older than him, he had really taken her under his wing. Chris made a mental note that she was a definite possible captain.

The crew had no problem porting at the secret pirate dock in the back cove of the island. The Admiral walked on to the new War Sloop.

"William Goldwalker!" Ironhawk shouted. "Front and center!"

"Yes sir?"

"You have been my friend since before I can remember, Mr. Goldwalker." Ironhawk said. "Before today, you were my First Mate; you were my helmsman for the Executioner. Today, a new door has opened up for you. After we commandeered the Navy War Sloop, we would need a captain for it. Mr. Goldwalker, would you accept the position of ‘Captain?”

“I would gladly take said position!” William said happily.

“Fantastic!” exclaimed Admiral Ironhawk, placing a diamond into William’s hand. “Take this into town and sell it. Then, I would like to you pick out some nice sails for her. Oh, and, be thinking of a name for her, aye?”

Captain Goldwalker nodded and ran off of the ship, up the hill, and out of the secret cove. The other three retired to their cabins for some much needed and deserved rest. As Christopher sat in his cabin, wandering through his odds and ends in the cabinet directly opposite to his squeaky bed. He came accross a small notebook which he had not seen before. He opened it, and read:

Christopher,

If you are reading this, then you have become comfortable enough with your ship and its procedures that you have found time to relax. Congratualtions. Relaxing, especialy without rum, is very hard to do as a captain. I started off as a pirate almost the same way that you did, and I would like to share that with you:

My parents were executed by the Royal Navy about forty years back, when I was seven. It was horrible. I wanted to look away, but those devils made me watch. They were stabbed, and tortured, and bruised, branded and stripped; stripped of all confidence as people. Then, they were executed. They Navy didn’t even bother to bury them they were bunrt right there, on the spot. When I was about your age, I came accross an old, wise pirate, named Lyze of Keil. He took me under his wing. Me, a teenage boy, whose life was ruined by the redcoats. Hw showed me what it was meant to be free. I spent years like that, sailing under Admiral Keil. He eventually gave me my own ship, to do what I wanted with.

Christopher, I do not know your destiny. You do not know your destiny. But I know that I met you for a reason. In this cabinet, you will also find a compass. Handed down through generations, this compass will get you where you need to go.

There is a voodoo priestess who lives deep in the swamps of an island far, far away from here. I have spoken with her. She watches you. She knows that you have had great turmoil in your life. She sees great potential for the dark arts in you. Go see her. She is waiting for you.

~Captain Kim Vo

Christopher read and reread that last paragraph. How am I supposed to go see her if I don’t know where to find her?” He reached back into the cabinet to find the compass that was mentioned in the book. He pulled the small brown box and studied it closely. The intricute dedigns looked years ahead of its time. He opened it up and studied the needle closely. It wasn’t facing north! Chris looked back at book. This compass will get you where you need to go.

Just then, Ironhawk heard footsteps above deck. He slipped the compass and the leather book into his pocket and climbed the narrow flight of stairs to the deck. Goldwalker was waiting for him at the top of the stairs. “Hi Will. Did you find everything alright?”

“Boy, did I ever! I found a brand new set of sails! Also, I found a flag designer in town. I asked him what his price was, and he said that they are 5 gold pieces each!” William said excitedly. “This is a great opportunity to buy our colors.”

Christopher thought about this for a minute, then said, “What the heck! We need to start building a name for ourselves here! We’ll leave Guy here.” Chris exclaimed. “Have you thought about a name for your new ship yet?”

“Actually, I have. Back in Cuba, I always walked past this one wood shop in town. In the wall of that shop was a two-word phrase. ‘Black Cobra.’ That is what I am choosing to name the War Sloop in your fleet.”

“Then it shall be!” Christopher exclaimed. “Charlotte! Get ready! We are going into town!”

Charlotte emerged from her quarters, ready to rumble. “Let’s do this!”

At the flag shop, Christopher saw a hot pink canvas buried deep in the stack of flag making materials. Immediatly, he said, “I want that as the backing.”

“Ya like pink, ay?” said the shopkeeper. “I would be happy to help you design a flag.”

“Let’s cut the chitter chatter.” Christopher snapped. “I want it to be bright pink. I have a very colorful sense of style, and I want my masterwork cutlass, a voodoo staff, and a voodoo doll on it. I want ten of them. I will give you fifty gold for each one if they are ready by high noon tomorrow.”

With this, Christopher walked out of the store without a glance backwards. They all got back to the ship and turned in for the night. Christopher was not tired; however, he somehow managed to doze off.

”I love you Christopher. You are destined for great things, I know it." The images of the horrific events that happened only three days before came back. The dripping blood. The blood-curdling shrieks of the Navy’s victims. It all came back. Christopher’s mother screamed.

At this, Christopher woke up. He was drenched in a cold sweat. He grabbed the small book that was left for him by Captain Vo and a quill pen. In it, he wrote:

Day 3

Mother, it has been very rough without you. The images of the soldiers hurting you has pushed me closer and closer to my breaking point. Please, wherever you are, help me. What would YOU do in a time like this? I have great responsibilities now. I need your help.

As Christopher wrote that last word, a tear drop landed on the page. He was crying. Christopher couldn’t find the will power to stop it, so he allowed it to keep going. He lay back down in bed, gasping for breath. With tears running down his face, and his breathing at an uncontrollable level, he sobbed. He couldn’t help it. Within two minutes, he had cryed himself to sleep. The horrible memory flashed back into his mind.

I love you Christopher. You are destined for great things, I know it.

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Awwww... What a softy, Chris is. I think that the "I love you Christopher. You are destined for great things, I know it." is going to haunt me in my dreams. I can hear her in my head, saying that. It is actually quite freaky.

Please comment, critique, etc. See you guys next week! <3

Wow Chris! This story is awesome!

I can imagine Chris and his fleet sailing the seas, with Chris in the lead sporting his pink flags on his ships. What a sight! Another fine chapter, keep it up!

I still can't believe you chose pink.... hahaha. Sorry, but while everyone else makes the comments on you having emotion, I'm choosing the flag.

Hi mates,

If you have noticed, I have failed to put out a new chapter two weeks in a row. This is because I have committed to posting every Monday. This has become a problem for me. Let me give you a glimpse into my Mondays...

7:30-3:15- school
3:15-5:00- soccer game
5:30-6:00- brother's piano practice
6:00-9:30- homework and things that need to be done for the next day

So, as you can see, I have a ton of things on every Monday. Therefore, I have decided to bump up my posting date to Friday night. this will be a a lot easier for me.

Thanks for understanding,
~Chris Ironhawk

Darn, I was looking forward to another chapter. As our reward, you must put out two chapters on Friday, savvy?

Lol, and Crest, I mentioned Chris' pink flag in my post too. :P

How about an extra-long chapter? :D

Alright... Sorry about the long delay between chapters... Here is the chapter that I have prepared for you...

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Chapter 4: The Woman

The scarlet-red blood dripped down his mother’s neck, staining her beautiful white garments. Christopher tried to scream, but his non-existent tears were choking him up. On the inside, his mind wanted to give out. Christopher looked again. No one was around, except for six bodies, drenched in the sticky red liquid.

Christopher awoke yet again drenched in a cold sweat. His eyes were burning from sobbing all night. The young man just laid there, unsure of what to do with himself at that point. Everything around him was quiet, except for his breathing. He decided t.o get started on the food for the food for his crew. It would relieve Charlotte from cooking for at least one day, and it would give him some time to clear his mind.

After almost spilling arsenic into the food a few times, he was finally able to prepare some nice, juicy rib-eye steaks for his mates. The crew woke up like normal; Char first, xv then William, and finally, Pirate Guy would crawl out of bed. They ate their steak without complaint, since they had all had a hand in finding and preparing it (it was form the Cobra).
At high noon, the crews of both ships started the long walk up the steep, winding hill to the town of Port Royal. They all walked in to the flag shop without a single word. Christopher approached the front counter, looking around for the person handling his order.

“Well hi!” exclaimed the man from behind a curtain. “I just finished your order. Would you like them packaged up?”

“No. This is fine.” Chris replied.

“Alright, then.” The short, pale man said. “I assume that are still looking to honor our deal?”

“Oh, I suppose…” Ironhawk said, looking quite sad while digging out his bag of gold coins. “Here you are. Five hundred gold pieces.”O?

“Thank you for your business, sir.” The man said, while the crew was walking out the door.

Ironhawk’s crew was not looking forward to walking the long way back down to the ships, so Chris made a quick stop at the King’s Arm, hoping to buy some fine rum for him and his crew. Chris was able to coax the bartender to sell him the last bottle of 1245 Rum, the finest the tavern has ever sold. After a few swigs of that, they were ready to get back on to the water. William was given one of the flags to take over to the Cobra. Admiral Ironhawk took the rest over to his ship. He was able to easily hoist the flag up the mast.

This was the first opportunity that he really got to look at his fleet’s new flag. It was pink, as he had told the flag designer. It had a giant stack of gold right in the center of it. There were also images of dolls, staves, and swords everywhere. Christopher was one satisfied customer.

As he came down, the three friends all gathered around the mast where Christopher was. “Well? What do you want?”

“Ships are ready to set off, Admiral.” William reported proudly. “Would you like to launch right now?”

“Yes. Set our heading for Uncharted Waters, east of here. We are going to see if we can intercept some riches from some ships. I had to bribe that guy a ton in order to get him to create ten flags in less than twenty-four hours."

With that, Ironhawk retreated to to his cabin. He retrieved the small journal from his blue coat's inner pocket. He fanned through the pages to see if there as anything that he had not seen before. Nothing. Oh well. He pulled out his cutlass to admire the intricate work of the forger. Looking at the handle, he noticed a deep carving of a cobra. It twisted all about the handle, eventually winding its way up the hand guard, with its head on the very top, looking as if it was ready to crawl across the blade and bite the victim. The blade was a dark silver, making it look all the more intimidating.

Before Christopher could finish admiring his magnificent blade, he heard a sharp knock on the brown door to his large cabin. "Christopher! Navy Sloop ahead!" yelled a hurrying Charlotte. "Would you like to start the boarding procedure?"

"Yes. Cripple them, then we will board them. After we are on, show them no mercy." said Christopher; you could just about see the deep hatred for the Navy dripping from his mouth. "Will, bring the Cobra to the starboard of it! Once you are in position, fire at will!"

Christopher had Charlotte steer the Executioner to the port of the Navy ship. "Broadside starboard!" He ran down below deck to light a fuse, which in turn lit all of the broadside cannons, an innovative method that Christopher had been working on since the battle with the Cobra. While they were at port, Christopher installed this new system in his War Frigate. When the other ship's cannons went off one after another, Christopher knew that it had worked for them, too.

A loud creaking sound followed the sounds of the cannons of the Cobra. Immediately, the Admiral knew that it was time. Time for another batch of revenge. "PREPARE FOR BOARDING!" Christopher screamed, loud enough for the Navy ship and Goldwalker and Guy to here him. Christopher looked down at his waist, jus tot make sure that his cutlass was still there. He ran up the stairs back to the main deck. Charlotte was already ready with her voodoo dolls. He looked over to Captain Goldwalker and Pirate Guy. They looked ready with their staves drawn.

With this, Christopher let out a loud battle scream, followed by the crews jumping over to the ship, and the fight had begun.

All four of them were immediately engaged by a rag-tag team of inexperienced Navy Cadets. Christopher's crew showed no mercy. They were not in this business to play games. The young men were letting out horrible screams, which Christopher assumed, was coming from Charlotte's victims. After Chris had dealt the final blow to his man, he heard the noise again. It was not something that Chris liked to hear, but then again, he loved the sound of it. Charlotte was sending two more souls to visit Davy Jones. Everything happened in slow motion. William and Guy brought back their staves in unison, and after about fifteen seconds, dropped their arms. This brought a huge tornado around the four of them. This immediately killed off the remaining people on the ship.

"Nice job guys." Christopher said, breathlessly. You three look through the hold for something to eat and treasure. I will look through the Captain's Quarters myself. Christopher immediately found the room. He opened the small wooden door and looked around. Cautiously, he walked in. Click.

"What you think you are doing?" asked a deep voice.

Christopher slowly turned around to see a small pistol pointed at his head. Not wanting to cause any trouble, Christopher put his hands behind his head. Just then, Christopher looked up at the man pointing the gun at his head. He knew this face. "You... YOU!" All of the events of only a week ago flashed through Ironhawk's mind. His parents' final words. The hideous laughs of the soldiers torturing the innocent people. "Do you know who I am?"

"No..." The Navy Officer scoffed. "I don't have a reason to know who the likes of you."

This made Christopher very angry. "You mean you don't remember my parents, who you EXECUTED in the market place? You don't remember the pain that you caused?!" Christopher had gotten very close to the Officer now. "YOU killed my parents!!"

The Officer was starting to look anxious. This was the best time for Christopher to strike. In one swift movement, he unsheathed his cutlass and held it to the man's neck. With his other hand, he knocked the Officer's pistol out of his hand. Christopher brought his mouth very close to the man's ear and whispered, "Listen to me, you Navy scum. You have committed a terrible crime against me and my family. If I were you, I would take off running right now and jump off the ship, just to avoid the wrath that I am thinking about just for you."

"No." the officer replied bluntly.

Ironhawk smiled slightly. "Fine then. Goldwalker, take him aboard the Cobra. We are making a slight detour."

After Chris handed the officer over to William, he proceeded looking around the captain's quarters. After several seconds, they heard a loud yell, "HELP!!"

The three remaining of Chris’s crew ran down below deck, from which the screaming was coming from. Far in the corner of the large hold was a small cage. In it, a woman was sitting.

Christopher quietly asked, “Who are you?”

“Why do you need to know?”
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Talk about a cliff-hanger, huh? Stay tuned till next week to see who the woman in the cage is.

~Chris Ironhawk

k.

Next Chapter.

Haha, sorry... just a bit eager! I hate suspension! You are an awesome writer, Chris!

Ok Give me the next one plz.

Great Chapter!

I liked it. Have you all been taking lessons from crest?

I like it.Oh,one other thing.Since you're an Admiral,why don't you use an Admiral's Cutlass?

Love it! And nice pink sails 0_0