Pirates Of The Caribbean: Lands Beyond The Tides

The Black Pearl sat at the port of Tortuga, as the crew were in a tavern not too far away. As the crew enjoyed a night of celebration, Captain Jack Sparrow sat across from Captain Barbossa, the two captains of the Black Pearl. As Gibbs sat between them, he knew the tension was palpable and could be cut with a butterknife. The two captains haven't settled their quarrel despite going to the world's end with each other.

"T'night is a night worth celebratin' Jack. How come ye barely touched yer Grog?" Asked Gibbs, taking a big gulp out of his tankard.

"I simply lost me stomach for it after spying a rat in me presence." Jack responded. Barbossa only smirked at Jack.

"Always with the jokes ay Jack?" Said Barbossa. He sat with his arms crossed and filthy smirk "Though I must say that one o' us will be having the last laugh."

"For a while that was me I thought. After I left that hole in yer chest didn't I?" Said Jack now giving a cocky grin to Barbossa.

"And with Calypso's magic I be as alive as I am before that. So now yer stuck with me, or unless ye prefer to go back to the Island I marooned ye all them years ago." Said Barbossa. The conversation was not at all any kind of banter. Gibbs could tell each man was being dead serious to the other. To avoid each man coming to blows, Gibbs knew he had to come up with a way of distracting the two men.

"If I may interject for only a wee moment gentleman. How about a story? A story about a long lost treasure." Said Gibbs.

"I be not in the mood for children's stories about sea ghosts Mr. Gibbs." Said Barbossa, not even turning to look at Gibbs

"Tis not a children's story, nor a story about Sea Ghosts. Rather a story of the biggest treasure ever ta be hidden by a pirate." Said Mr. Gibbs. To no one's surprise, both men turn to Gibbs once treasure was mentioned.

"If this be the story of Black Bellamy, it be best ta save it Mr. Gibbs. Bellamy's loot be sitin' at te bottom o' the sea with his corpse." Said Barbossa.

"...Aye." Said Jack pretending to know what they were talking about.

"Not that story Barbossa, I be talking about the lost treasure of Olivier Levasseur." Said Gibbs with a smile. Barbossa immediately began to laugh as a serious look grew across Jack's face.

"Mr. Gibbs, I knew ye as one of the more intelligent amongst us merry men. To hear ye actually mention Olivier Levasseur in a serious tone be making me question that very fact." Said Barbossa sarcastically. He had a wide grin on his face.

"I know it's rather silly to mention, but ye must know that there be at least a speck of possibility-" Said Gibbs before being cut off by Barbossa.

"It can't be found. Not by Pirates or by the crown, no man can find the treasure of Olivier Levasseur. Many great men and great pirates have either died or gone mad lookin' for it." Said Barbossa sharply, ditching his once huge grin.

"I feel we should at least hear Mr. Gibbs out, Hector. Nothing is impossible until the last man on earth has tried it." Said Jack. Barbossa shoots Jack a skeptical glare.

"The Tale of Olivier Levasseur's lost treasure. Legends say the ol' Levasseur had captured an old battered Portuguese flagship, filled to the brim with gold. But not just gold, but jewels, pearls, anything ye can think of, he found. He looted all he could and hid it somewhere, off the eastern coast of Africa, somewhere up north of Madagascar. The entirety of the loot is said to be more than 5 billion." Said Gibbs, leaning forward, and giving both men a glance.

"5 billion..." Mouthed Jack with widened eyes.

"Aye, that kind of money could make any man a king in an instant." Gibbs said with a nod. "But the good times were not meant to last ol' Olivier Levasseur. He had been captured not too long after getting his new fortune. As he stood at the gallows awaiting his drop, he shouted to the crowd. 'Find my treasure, the one who may understand it!' and Before he took his final drop, he tossed to the crowd a necklace, with a piece of paper wrapped around It. it is a code that supposedly marks the location of his treasure. On an Island known only as Mahé, is the only likely spot for it to be located."

"Very amusing Mr. Gibbs. But allow me to shed some light on the details of that there story. Olivier Levasseur was a mad man, some speculate that it is nowhere near 5 billion while the rest say it don't even exist in the first place." Said Barbossa with his arms crossed once more. As the two men bickered back and forth, Jack slowly looked down at his side, and to the compass that hung off of his side.

"The story is real alright! The Necklace along with the cryptogram is kept safe on the Island of Mahé somewhere. It be a matter of time before the treasure will be found." Said Gibbs.

"Aye, and what I have heard is that the bloody thing has been deciphered, but it leads nowhere. The trail runs cold outside the perimeter of the Island. The damned thing gives out coordinates out in the middle of the sea. Either half the island was swallowed by the sea, or it is all a trick. I will tell ye that I am more than inclined to believe the latter." Said Barbossa.

"What if that was all we need to know" Jack finally spoke up. Both men looked at Jack who was now holding up his compass. "If the treasure truly exists, then the compass will point to it. We take the cryptogram, go where it leads, then use my compass. If it points in a direction, it's real, if not, then it is all a lie. And when the compass does point to the treasure, it will lead us to it." Said Jack with a toothy grin. Gibbs eyes widen at the sight of Jack's compass, to both of their surprise, even Barbossa looks at it with interest.

"All we need to do, find the cryptogram on the island of Mahé, then I'll use me compass to find the treasure. Savvy?" Said Jack with a smile. Barbossa and Gibbs glance at each other. Slowly they begin to smile at each other before turning back towards Jack.

"Out o' all yer terrible ideas Jack, I must admit I be impressed by this one." Said Barbossa.

"Aye, with that compass, we may actually be the one te find the bloody treasure! Can you imagine 5 billion!? Split among thirty men, we'll all live happily!" Said Gibbs.

"4 billion." Said Jack causing both Gibbs and Barbossa to look at Jack. "I get one billion to meself and 4 billion is split."

"And what makes ye believe ye deserve one billion all to yerself." Questioned Barbossa.

"Simple, It was my plan to use the compass, and I'm the captain." Said Jack stated as if it was common sense.

"Aye, well I be the real captain, and we be using my ship. So I be getting one billion to meself." Barbossa said sternly.

"Brilliant! I get two billion for being the captain, and we'll be using MY ship." Jack Responded.

"Easy now, how about we discuss splitin' it, after we find the bloody thing." Said Gibbs. Barbossa and Jack both look to Gibbs That was something they could agree on. They all raised their tankards and clashed them together as cheers.

Island of Mahé

December 21st, 7:30PM

The crew had been sailing for weeks as they left the Caribbean and set sail for Africa. The sail around the south point of Africa and up and past Madagascar. They began to approach the island of Mahé. The sun had long since fallen and the night acted as camouflage for the pearl. Jack, deciding to go the stealthy approach, had used a dinghy to row his way to the island by himself. He was more stealthy by himself, and it was easier to make the escape. He stops at the docks, making sure no one was there. On the island there was a small town Jack slowly walts inside as if he was the mayor. He looks upon a sign with the town's name on it, a confused look grows upon his face.

"Hoofcastle? Bloody hell kind of name is that?" Jack asked himself. He soon shrugs and enters the town. After taking a few backstreets to avoid some passing guards, being an unfamiliar, he didn't want to be questioned on who he was and what he was doing. He spots a tavern and quickly smirks. he adjusts his coat and steps inside. To his surprise, the only person in the tavern was the bartender. He looks up at Jack as he was cleaning a glass, letting out a sigh as he had hoped no one else would have come in. Jack walks up to the counter and places 4 shillings on the counter.

"Rum please, my good man." Said Jack. The bartender turns around and grabs a bottle of rum and sets it on the counter. Jack picks it up and opens it, taking a big swig out of it. He licks his lips before taking another drink.
"So, I hear this is the place where Olivier Levasseur hid his treasure. That true mate?"

"No, the tale is a lie." Said the bartender quickly and with a thick accent. Jack looks at him before placing 5 more shillings on the table. The bartender looks at it before looking back at Jack.

"Are you sure about that mate? The stories I have heard seem te be pretty accurate. As a bartender, you must have heard all kinds of things haven't ya mate?" Said Jack, grinning before taking a big gulp of rum.

"It's here I can assure you. But it can't be found. Many have tried, even with the cryptogram the poor fool left behind." Said The bartender as he picks up the shillings.

"And the cryptogram. Where may that be exactly?" Asked Jack.

"I don't know." Said The bartender as he began to turn around, but looked back. Jack looks at him and the bartender winks at him. Jack rolls his eyes before placing 5 more shillings down on the table.
"It be at the docks, locked in a chest where the Dockmaster does his paperwork."

"Cheers mate." Said Jack as he sat up and turned away.

"Ahh... And what if any lawmen come by here? What do you think will make me keep quiet about a strange man coming in here?" Said The Bartender with a smirk. Jack simply pulls out his pistol and aims it at the bartender whose eyes grow wide.

"I think this will be enough to keep that mouth of yours shut, savvy?" Asked Jack. The bartender quickly nods as Jack holsters his gun. He bows to the man and steps outside. Jack steps out before taking another drink of rum. He re-corks the bottle and heads for the docks, again taking the back streets. As he steps on the beach, and then onto the docks, where he entered. There was a podium where the Dockmaster would stand, writing down all the info of all the ships and people coming into the dock. He searches all over it, before finding a small chest in a drawer. It had a very weird symbol on, of... a horse? He did a double check, making sure he didn't miss anything. He takes the small chest, gets back in his dinghy, and rows back to the pearl. He steps on board where all his men were eager for his findings.

"Jack, you're back! What did ye find ashore!?" Gibbs asks as he invades Jack's personal space, giddy with excitement.

"I found this!" He pulls out the bottle of rum and hands it to Gibbs, who takes it, and gives him a confused look.

"Ye found... Rum?" Gibbs questioned while raising an eyebrow.

"Aye! Drink well my friend because I also found this." Jack pulled out the small chest, and many of the crew looked closely at it.

"Is that... an engraving of a horse?" Asked Pintel before his nephew would step in.

"Kind of pretty ain't it?" Regatti said as his uncle gave him a weird look.

"SQUAWK! Show me the booty! Show me the booty!" Cotton's parrot squawked as it sat on Cotton's shoulder.

"Does it have the Cryptogram?" Marty would ask, causing all the men to look down at him.

"Gentleman please, give me some space." Said Jack holding his hands out towards everyone, causing them all to take a few steps back. Barbossa watched from atop the stairs that led to the wheel, watching Jack with the chest.
"Inside here, be what we came here for, I can assure you." Jack pulled out a small knife. "And before the end of the night, we will be rich men." He stabbed the knife in between the lid and twisted it to open it. Inside was the necklace Olivier had tossed. It was sitting on top of a piece of paper. Jack pulled out the necklace and gave it a look, it was more of a pendant, in the shape of a beautiful golden sun. Jack gives it a weird look before putting it in his pocket. He then pulls out the paper, and then looks at it, it was indeed the Cryptogram.

"Gentleman, we have the Cryptogram!" Jack shouted,holding the paper in the air as the men gave out a hardy yell. They quickly went to their stations as Jack went up the stairs towards the wheel. He takes a hold of the wheel and looks at the paper. A confused look falls on his face as he tries to make out what he is looking at. He flips the paper side to side, and even upside down. Barbossa approaches him with a smug expression. Jack turns to look at him, and gives him an unimpressed look.
"Here, you decipher the bloody thing." Said Jack as he rudely shoved the paper into Barbossa's chest, who then takes it and looks at it. He gives it an approving nod before taking over the wheel.

"Alright ye bilge rats! Get this ship a' movin if ye want to get paid t'night!" Barbossa would yell as the ship began to sail in the direction of where the Cryptogram led them.

The ship had sailed for nearly an hour and a half, going around the island of Mahé and out into open water. The sun was highest in the sky now, and many were looking to Barbossa. He was scowling at the paper, looking as if he was ready to rip it to pieces at any minute.

"Captain Barbossa. Are ye sure we be going in the right direction?" Pintel dared speak up.

"Of course we be going the right way! But this bloody thing be leading us out away from any land I can see!" Barbossa snapped back causing Pintel to quickly duck away. Jack soon approached Barbossa, smirking.

"Having problems Hector?" Jack chimed in, causing the bitter Barbossa to sneer at Jack.

"Of course not! I've reached the end of the road here, and there be no land in sight!" Barbossa shot back, stuffing the paper in his pocket. "Bloody thing be a waste of time."

"I still got me compass, perhaps now would be the time to use it?" Jack would ask, but Barbossa was at the end of his patience.

"Do what ye must, but no good that thing will do if we be nowhere near land.'' Barbossa barked back. Jack pulled out his compass, with a deep breath he opened it. The compass spins around once, before pointing south.

"Hold that thought Hector, because the compass never lies." Jack smirked. Barbossa looked at the compass, he rolls his eyes before turning sharply south. The compass had them sail in that direction for anther half hour, it was nearing 9:30 before Barbossa spoke up again.

"Blast it all! I be threw with this stupidity!" Barbossa yelled, shoving Cotton away who was now at the helm so that could take over.

"Barbossa! What in blazes ye be doing!?" Gibbs spoke up, approaching the angry captain.

"Hush up Joshamee! Ye be the one who set us up for this rotten trip! There be nothing here! No way Levasseur treasure be anywhere near here!" Barbossa yelled, turning to and approaching the poor man.

"Hector!" Jack yelled, getting in the way of Barbossa. "Cool it mate, I feel as if we are almost there."

"And what be giving ye any idea we be close!? There not be any land fer miles!" Barbossa yelled, by now the crew had started watching the argument. "Our supplies be low, and I don't feel like starvin to death on this ship! So I be taking over, and we be heading back for supplies." Barbossa grabbed the wheel and was about to turn it.

"Give it a few more minutes mate, this trip can't be for nothing!" Jack protested, as he grabbed the wheel as well, holding it firmly.

"Me patience had run thin, and I be taken us back!" He yelled once again, but Jack was determined.

"I can't let you do that Hector! This could be our biggest break!" Jack argued back, but Barbossa shoved him hard to the side.

"I said move yer arse!" Barbossa grabbed the wheel and looked ahead, he felt his heart sink as he sees an unpleasant sight.
"What in god's name be that!?" He pointed forward, causing most of the crew to look in that direction. a massive whirlpool was raging, large enough to swallow 10 ships at a time.

"Maelstrom!" Gibbs yelled, causing all the crew to scramble to their stations, as Barbossa began to turn the wheel.

"It's too late! We're heading straight for it!" Marty would yell from the front, as the pearl made contact, and began to be pulled towards the middle.

"Argh! Hold on men! We be taking a dive!" Barbossa would yell. Many of the men held onto any part of the ship as the ship spun, getting closer to the middle. The ship began to sink into the ocean the closer it got to the center, the ship was going down fast, till the pearl finally took a plunge down below the waters.