The moment their feet fell on the docks, something felt off.
It wasn't danger in the usual sense. No weapons drawn. No pirates shouting. No chaos.
It was the silence.
The port was active enough to function-ships tied up to old posts, crates stacked near warehouses-but no one lingered. People moved with a purpose and left quickly. Heads stayed down. Conversations were short, whispered, and ended the moment strangers came near.
Vivi slowed, only then realizing it. "It is as if this place feels. tired.
Robin nodded, eyes scanning the streets. "People here aren't just afraid. They're worn down."
Kaya looked toward a group sitting near the dock's edge. Children. Too quiet. Too thin. One boy shared a small piece of bread with a younger girl, tearing it carefully as if afraid it would disappear if he rushed.
"…They're hungry," said Kaya in a quiet tone.
Rael followed her gaze. Sunken cheeks, dull eyes, movements slow as if every step cost effort.
"This isn't just a bad month," Robin said. "This has been going on for a while."
They walked into town.
Buildings leaned precariously, as if tired themselves. Roofs were patched up with wood that didn't quite match. Windows were cracked and instead of glass held bits of cloth. Shops were open, but their shelves were bare or filled with rotten goods.
A fisherman happened to be passing them, bearing an empty net.
Vivi frowned. "Why fish if there's nothing in it?"
Rael replied softly, "Habit. Or hope."
-
Faces That Avoid Eye Contact
As they moved deeper, Kaya noticed something else.
They don't like to glance at them.
Not out of a fear of strangers—but as if they were afraid of being seen seeing.
As they passed by, one woman pulled her child closer. Another man turned his back completely, feigning interest in a wheel that was broken.
"This island feels like it's holding its breath," Kaya murmured.
Robin stopped near a well. It was dry.
"That explains the sickness," she said. "Malnutrition. Weak water supply. Limited food."
Vivi made fists. "Where are the pirates?"
Rael did not say anything immediately.
"Close," he said finally. "But not obvious."
Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, Drake, Chris Brown, Justin Bieber, Janet Jackson, Jay-Z, & Rihanna are some of the guests featured on this album.
Alley
The laugh cut through the quiet.
Sharp. Ugly. Loud enough to break the stillness.
Vivi turned first. "That came from there."
The alley was narrow; shadows stretched between the two buildings. A woman stood with her back to one wall, her hands shaking, as three pirates stood before her, blocking her avenue of escape.
One held her wrist. Another leaned close, grinning.
"Relax," one said. "We're just talking."
"Let go," she must have whispered, her voice shaking.
Vivi didn't need much more than that. "Get away from her."
Slowly, the pirates turned around.
"Well now," said one of them, his eyes openly roving over the girls. "Isn't this island full of surprises!"
Robin's arms had already bloomed from the walls before they stopped laughing. Two pirates were slammed hard onto the ground.
The third reached for his armament.
Vivi was already on her way.
Her kick wasn't wild. It was sharp, controlled. The man dropped with a gasp.
Kaya stepped forward, raised her cane, heart pounding-but didn't back down.
"Leave," Kaya said, her voice shaking, still firm.
They got up and ran helter-skelter.
-
Aftermath
The woman slid down the wall, hard of breathing.
"T-thank you," she said lowly, her head bobbing in one hundred and eighty degrees angles. "Thank you."
Vivi knelt beside her. "You're safe now."
The woman nodded, welling a tear. "For now."
Kaya looked around. "Why didn't anybody intervene?"
In an instant, the woman's expression changed.
She looked left. Right.
"…We shouldn't talk here," she whispered. "Please. Follow me."
She didn't wait.
Robin exchanged a glance with Rael.
Rael nodded once.
ETA -
A Home That Lost Its Shape
The woman's house was behind a crooked fence that barely stood; the door creaked loudly when opened.
Inside, he felt empty.
Not abandoned - but neglected.
Furniture was broken or missing, the floor was covered with dust, one table was leaning precariously to one side from a crack, and the air smelled damp.
"This is…" Kaya wrinkled her brow. "…your home?
The woman nodded. "It wasn't like this before."
She sat slowly, her exhaustion seeping into her bones.
"Before they came."
Vivi frowned. "Who?"
"Pirates," the woman said. "Not like the ones you fought. These ones stay.
Robin leaned on the wall. "They took over."
"Yes. Food first. Then money. Then people."
The silence of the room could be cut with a knife.
"We used to have festivals," the woman said, continuing. "Music. Lights. Ships came freely."
Her voice cracked. "Now we just survive."
Rael stood near the door, arms crossed, jaw tight.
It wasn't a dying island.
It was being drained. And whoever was at fault— Had gone too far.
---
Support me on P @t r e o n
join my patreon for more frequent upload.
P @t r e o n.com/Darking099
For 30+ Advance Chapters
Or
You can buy me a Coffee
ko-fi.com/darking099
For my motivation
---
For every 50 power stones= 1 extra chapter
And Support my Other Storie