Compensation

Swords slashed, blood spilled, screams torn from their captive’s throats.

"One more time, tell me- where is it?"

The man gurgled his blood before he spat it at the beady eyed man's boots, "I don't know!"

The beady eyed man smiled cruelly, blood spekcing hsi drak frizzed beard "Do you really want to die a liar?"

"Who says I'm lying?"

....

“How are you feeling, sir?”

“...”

“It’s okay, sir- you don’t need to answer. Come with me.”

“Me name is Patrick?

“Yes, Patrick Styvuesant.”

“Thatnotmename”

“What’s that sir?”

“Not sir! Captain! I’mma Captain! Not sir!”

“Oh dear- I. Take a seat… Captain.”  

“...”

“Very good…. Captain. Dr. Morton will see you shortly.”

“...”

....

“Captain’? Do we throw him to the sharks?”

Cruel black eyes glittered as he turned to his first mate, a short blade pressed to the captive’s throat, “Yes- all of ‘em. This one last. He should see all the death he’s bringing upon his family.”

The ginger headed man struggled more frantically as the sound of dragging and blows drew nearer. 

Laughter from the cruel man’s crew.

“They call you ‘Captain’, but you are more than that, are you not? You are the Cruel King’s runaway brother. Prince Aaric.” It was a guess, they both knew.

The man's lips lifted into a smile, “Ya think royalty is this good looking? Ya been reading fairy tales all yo’ life?”

“Yes.”

“Well then, i’ll make your death poetic. You’ll watch as your beaten down family is thrown and destroyed by the sharks. Already drew ‘em near. Using your blood- they are circling the ship, biding their time for their first bite. Lucky ducks- they get a crew full of men.”

The ginger haired man, nameless- he’d die nameless (what a disgrace)- didn’t say a word.

“They are dying for ye pride- if you were to just relinquish the location, they’d live.”

Finally the ginger haired man spoke, “My name is Ozias. I was blessed by the gods- burdened with the secret of its location. I swore to the gods that I should never disclose the information. For if I do- i’d be a curse worse than most.”

Intrigued the Pirate Prince leaned back, taking away his knife “I love a good story.”

“It’s no fairytale. I can swear on that.”

….

“We are back down here- what happened Patrick? You were doing so well, you haven’t had any of these… nightmares in a while.”

“They are not night terrors. They’re the truth. I brought the Bubonic Plague down on-”

“Patrick, please remember that the Bubonic Plague-”

“The Black Death”

“In the 14th century.”

“So?”

“That’s hundreds of years ago, Patrick. And you are a very wealthy man of 32.”

“No. I brought the plague down on humanity! And it’s come again, I can-”

“Deep breaths, tell me everything.”

...

 “The cup- the treasure isn’t worth it. It destroys the mind- but even worse it’ll bring death and destruction down. Every few decades. Death and more death will come all because of you.”

“How so, ey? I wanted to see if the cup brings immortality, and why is that a crime?”

“If you found the cup? Would you drink from it? Would you take immortality for yourself?”

“Yes.”

Waves beat on the handsome ship, rain slid down their features. One man with burning eyes and the other with cruel ones. 

“That would anger the gods but worse… upset the balance. If you live an everlasting lifetime- you would be taking lives from others. In a cruel form, no one knows how. Just that you will.” His pale blue eyes reflected faraway lighting, his lips in a grim line.

Cruel laughter barks louder than the thunder, “And if I don’t care?”

“Being immortal will give you plenty of time to grow morals- believe me.”

“If that is your story it’s awfully horrid-” he turns for the man and signals Flaky Blake “bring out the first one.”

A shove and an old man staggers forward, he meets Ozia’s gaze and smiles “You brought me pride.”

Before anyone can say anything, he dives into the ocean. No scream, just a splash and then… he’s gone. Eaten by sharks. 

No one will remember his name- Aaric nods to his first mate. The next one.

They each dive off without a word of complaint, smiling proudly at their captain. Who was shaking with grief and the coolness of the rain. The youngest was last, Aaric felt desperation fuel his cruelty. 

“Hold the boy- this will not be a quick death.” 

Ozia screams in anguish at his words and that’s all it takes, the young boy of 14 jumps overboard and towards the sharks. Ozia’s screams turn to broken laughter, “There- pleased?”

The Captain, Aaric, saw red, he rushed forward- nothing holding him back.

….

“Alright, if that were true how would you explain these photos? Your family, your daughter?”

“’m immortal.”

“Continue”

...  

He raised a dagger, ready to take out those baleful blue eyes but then a cool hard hand grabbed his wrist. The fingers somehow wrap around the pirates thick wrist. 

“Halt Aaric, Son of A King and Tyrant, slave to Greed.”

The dagger slipped from the Captain’s grip, claterring uselessly. Before them stood a being of darkness...but could a being of darkness be so bright?

“You wish for the Cup of Immortality?”

The man sunk to his knee, “More than anything.”

“You understand the consequences of such a wish?”

“Yes, my Lord.”

“Good. Suffer.”

….

“So you brought pain upon us? Disease?”

“All of the death is to compensate for my long life, my eternal state. “

“...”

...

A cup had materialized in his hands, filled with clear liquid. Ozia pleas and warnings are unheard, his crew's jovial clapping and singing unnoted, everything is silent as he tilts the cup to his lips. His eyes meet the being- he was… smiling. 

A slow smooth smile- “See you never, fool.”

With the drink burning his body, from inside out. He became immortal. 

His ship docked and his crew died. Slain by the Bubonic Plague. 

…

“Do you believe me now?”

“...”

“...”

“I really thought you were improving, maybe a visit from your daughter can help raise your spirits-”

“No! I need to beg upon Death’s feet! I need to fix my error!”

“Sir? I’m sorry to interrupt your session but Miss Eliza refuses to see her father.”

“That… is her decision to make. Thank you, Jeremy.”

“No problem, sir.”

“I need to save the world! Stop Corona! I-”

“You need rest, let’s try again tomorrow.” 

“Argh!”

“OW! Jeremy! Get back-up! AGGRESSION!”

“Are you okay?” “Did he hurt you?” “Should we give him another dose?”

“I’ll… be fine. He’s too out of it. Send him to bed.”

“I NEED TO-....zzzz”

…

As they celebrate Ozia looks at him, disdainful “You will suffer for making a deal with the Devil, you arrogant fool. You will see death beyond proportions and you will know. It’s. all. Your. fault.”  

Before Aaric could do anything Ozia had jumped overboard. 

Taking his life and his warning with him.

…

“Poor old geezer.” 

“Oh, it’s terrible. Eliza can’t even acknowledge him anymore.”

“Jenny, have you heard his stories? About Corona being his fault?”

“It’s so terrible, Jeremy- he has been like this ever since his wife died of Corona.”

“I always thought he was a little weird- but I thought it was in the eccentric rich people way.”

“Jenny, Jeremy, you shouldn’t gossip about your employer.”

“Sorry, Mr. Morton.”

“Yes, sorry sir.”