Chapter 25

Lurg and his fellow prisoners found themselves surrounded in a large arena by nearly a dozen starving raging beasts. Always quick thinking Lurg had a plan.
Oy, Captainess Kittie, do ye know how to make fire? Lurg asked.
Ay, I do Lurg, what do ye have planned? She asked.
Lurg went on telling his plan to the crew.
What I need ye to do is to cast a ring of fire around us, which will keep out that big 10-foot long hog beast, and should keep the wolves away. And what I am thinking is that the lions, tigers and wolves are all starving, and if there is a ring of fire around us then they wont attack us, they will all go after the hog.
Once Lurg was finished telling the group the plan, Captainess Kittie, made a large ring of fire around the group. The ring of fire was able to keep the hog away, and much like Lurg had predicted the lions began to hunt the hog, and the wolves cluttered together and howled. But leaping through the flames came the five tigers, fierce, showing their teeth and drooling as they slowly inch their way towards the prisoners. Hackin Eve jumped forward and started to smoothly talk to the animals, for Hackin Eve had a way with animals, and she could try to reason with them. Lurg warned Hackin Eve that her ways with charming animals wouldn’t work on the tigers but Eve was persistent. The tigers didn’t want any sweetness, they were hungry and wanted to eat. One of the tiger reached out its paw and sliced Hackin Eve across the face. Lurg had seen enough. Lurg quickly pulled Eve away from the tigers, and in the same second took Burt’s sword and slit his throat, killing him…. He then grabbed Burts’ body and in doing so covered himself in blood, and throw Burts’ body to the tigers; they bounced on it at once. The prisoners were safe… for the moment. Something was unleashed in Lurg, he began is crazed warrior, with Burts blood on his face, chest and hands, a dagger in one hand and a sword in the other, he jumped out of the ring of fire, and ran towards the hog, which was being closely stalked by the lions, Lurg raced up to the hog jumping onto it back. And stabbed his sword into the back of its neck, but not enough to kill the beast, but enough to control the movements of the beast by turning his sword. He had the beast race back towards the ring of fire. The lions managed to jump out of the arena and attack some of Cleggs guards who were in the stands. Meanwhile back inside the ring of fire the prisoners were bandaging up Hackin Eves bleeding cheek, and closely watching to make sure the tigers didn’t finish eating their meal yet.

Yelling to Kittie, Lurg said: Take away the flames… get rid of the flames!! Kittie complied, and the flames were gone just as the hog came rushing over, directed by Lurg. And in a thunderous crash of blood, bones, beast, and amazing ness the hog plowed into the tigers trampling them to death. Screams could be heard as the tigers were crushed. Lurg shifted the blade of the sword a few inches killing the hog of a beast. Clegg from his seat in the stands screamed, as his beasts didn’t kill the prisoners. Gates to the arena opened and the wolves and lions ran out into the outside, a few minutes later the BlueBeards guards came into the arena taking the captives back to the dungeon.




Meanwhile back across the island at the bottom of the cliff Skully was getting pretty pissed that there was someone following the crew.
ARGH matey, I cant stand it… the darn fools not even doing a good job to be sneaky! And every time I turn to look at him, he doesn’t hide well. I just wanna throw a rock up there and knock him out! Skully said to Barron and Richart.
Skully grabbed a rock and threw it at the person that was following the group around the island. The man who was following them was on a ledge on the cliff and the rock hit him in the head. The man shook his head in dazement then realized that Skully and Barron were looking straight at him. In trying to hide from the views of Skully and Barron, the person covered his eyes with his hands (one of his hands was missing its ring finger).
Eh, we can still see ya matey—Barron said to the fellow. But he still covered his eyes.
Yes, yes I see ye, hello, I see you—Barron kept saying, as Skully grabbed another rock and hurled it at the fellow. Once he got hit a second time he lost his balance and fell from the ledge onto the ground in front of Barron and Skully. Cannons and FlayBlade picked him up, as he was screaming “not the hair!!! Don’t mess up my hair!!”
Why are ye following us—asked Skully, as Barron held his moon star to his throat.
I was told to, replied the man.
By whom?—asked Richart.
A friend of ye’s, he wanted me to make sure that ye are goin abouts the right direction to get onto the plateau and into the palace—said the man.
Who? Asked Skully. Just as Finale and Jolly Roger came running up to Skully.
Captain—began Finale—we’ve found a cave up ahead… there’s something in there that ye may want to see. Skully, Richart, Finale and Jolly Roger went up ahead to the cave as Barron stayed with this new fellow. They got to the large cave and walked inside. And to his surprise Skully found his mateys that he had leave the sinking ship were there waiting for him, it was Tobias Brower, Deidre Vasquez, Maximo, Radley Cutler, Elmer Knifenose, and Skull Cleave.
Ye met our friend eh? Asked a mumbling Tobias Brower.
Ah yes, we’ve met him… who is he? Replied Skully.
His names Jaques Rumswiller…. He was a former mate of mine, on one of me ol’ ships, he was captured by the BlueBeards, but escaped and has been living on this island for years now. He’s good and will help us get into the palace and destroy the BlueBeards—answered Tobias.
Is that Bella Dizzy the Bitter, over that pirates shoulder? —Asked Jaques Rumswiller.
Aye, it is mate—answered Skully. Ye know her, eh?
Aye, I do… we dated many years ago, and she fell in love with me, and I didn’t have the same feelings for her as she did for me…. She was much more into sex than I was, and it was just not working out. So I broke up with her by leaving a letter on her bed. And in the past 4 years I have only ran into her once and it didn’t turn out well. Tis the reason that I only have 9 fingers… I’m the reason she’s BITTER! And I feel horrible for it, that and I’m scared out of me mind of her wrath. Explained Jaques.
Ah very interesting—Responded Skully.
Oy, what happened to her, she’s unconscious? Asked Jaques.
Oh, she got shot in the forehead, and due to brain trauma, and or massive loss of blood she is now mentally insane. Answered Skully.
That’s temporarily insane… it should dissipate over time, chirped in Cannons McGee.

Captains. Tobias said to Skully, Barron and Richart. This cave will lead us up onto the plateau and into the palace. But I must warn ye, it is heavily guarded, and we are very low on weapons.
The 3 captains looked around to see that the crew in fact didn’t have enough weapons, only a few knives, one sword that was Barron’s, a pistol, some daggers, and many held rocks and sticks.
Aye, if there’s one thing these pirates know how to do its fist-to-fist battles. We should be ok—Barron said to Tobias. After a few minutes, all the pirates began their way deep inside the cave.

Back inside the palace Clegg had Venom Kisser and Liza Dregg brought from the dungeon to his chambers. It was there that Venom Kisser learned that her mother used to work for Clegg and that she still paid monthly dues the BlueBeards. It became clear the Venom Kisser that Clegg and Liza were romantically involved, and that Liza had a baby with Clegg, but in an effort to keep the baby save she hid the baby somewhere.
Can you imagine that there’s another Venom Kisser/Bella Dizzy in the world, Venom Kisser thought to herself.
Clegg was pissed at Liza Dregg and wanted to know where his child was, but Liza Dregg refused to tell him.
The only reason that I have not killed you yet Liza Dregg, is because you have my child, but when I find out where the child is, you’ll be dead! Clegg said to her.




It was along walk up the cave, about a mile or two. Deidre Vasquez used her magic to light all the lanterns on the wall therefore allowing the light to expose their path. And luckily for the pirate clan they now had Jaques, who know the path in the cave to get to the palace, so the clan would not take the wrong path.

After nearly an hour of walking in the cave the clan got the a fork with two tunnels going off in either direction, one direction lead to a hallway in the palace, and the other lead to the dungeon. The clan decided to break into 2 groups. Skully and Barron would lead one group and Richart would lead the other. They would leave the unconscious Bella Dizzy in the cave, with Maximo to babysit/ guard her.

Suddenly a large wall from the palace began to turn and open and five guardsmen came running out. They seemed surprised to see the pirates in the cave, but before they could turn around and alert anyone, the clan attacked.
The pirates stripped the guards of their clothes once they were killed. Plans were now changed. Barron would still lead a group into the dungeon and free the prisoners… Richart and a small group would try to find the princess’… And Skully and four others would put on the guards uniforms and go under cover and find Clegg.

Skully took Audra, Cannons, Flay Blade, and Jolly Roger with him, all dressed as guardsmen. They snuck out into the hallway of the palace. And walked down the hallway to a window, and jumped outside onto the grass. Skully felt that they could move around the palace easier from the outside, it will cut down the risk of running into any of the BlueBeards, and they could pretend to be on guards duty outside if anyone came near.

The day was growing dark and turning into night as the palace was being infiltrated by the pirates. Skully knew it wouldn’t be long until the BlueBeards would find out about their presence, especially once Barron destroys all the guards in the dungeon.

Skully and the other undercovers' came beneath a balcony that was 4 stories up. Up on the balcony they could see lights and hear and see people moving about. Audra began to climb the stone fortress of the palace. And made her way up almost to the balcony but just a little lower. She was able to see Clegg, the princess’ Liza Dregg and Venom Kisser. Meanwhile down in the dungeon Barron and his group had just begun their attack on the guards. And Richart and his group were in a heavy battle in the grand ballroom.