Birdflash oneshots 2

Sailing the high seas 2

After about two hours of searching, they concluded that the gold must've fallen on its own. "Let's send for the others. We can start to get this stuff out and bring it back to the base." Wally picked up the gold blankets, folding them. They were a little heavy, sure, but not too bad. Dick walked over to the throne, investigating a crown. It was solid gold, with jewels implanted in the sides. On the inside was a strange writing. Dick traced it with his finger, murmuring softly to himself. "If eternal life is what you seek, then I am yours to keep. An eternity you shall last, known to all in the past. Beware, though, all you fiends: you will be stuck down, and your victory will be demeaned. What the hell does that mean?" "Dunno. I don't like the sound of it, though." "I think this is the one thing we should leave here." "Ditto. Leave it in one of the pools, so none of our group get it."

Dick walked over to a secluded pool, hiding the crown in the side. He didn't understand why anyone would carve that on a crown. It was as if the creator was trying to scare people off. He shrugged, standing up and walking away. He needed to help Wally. He started grabbing some of the bigger stuff, such as the swords and goblets. Wally had the blankets and some necklaces in a bag, gently placing them inside. "We'll come back for the coins and stuff later. Right now, let's get some of the stuff with jewels. If we need to, we can sell the jewels." Dick set down the stuff in his arms, kneeling next to Wally. "Do you think This is enough?" "Yeah. We just need enough to prove it's worth the trip. This is more than enough." Wally tied up the bag, slinging it over his shoulder. 

Needless to day, the crew were more than happy to clear out the cave. They were warned of the crown, and swore they wouldn't take it. Dick stayed close to Wally, unease filling his stomach. They filled bag after bag anyway, carrying them out onto the ship. Loot like this was rather rare, so they wanted to spare very little. The cavern slowly emptied out, going from a shimmering paradise to a barren space. There was very little left, only a pile of coins and the crown. Dick didn't feel any better. This space still felt dangerous. "Just a little more, and we're done." "Wally whispered. "This still feels dangerous. It feels like something's here. Something bad." "We'll be out of here as soon as possible. Besides, it may be that crown. It may have some sort of curse around it." "But I touched it." "And you're not the only one feeling this way, so we know it's not activated by touch. We'll be okay."

A mist started floating up from the water, filling the cavern. "Uh, Walls?" "I see it. Let's get out of here quickly. Leave what's left. We've got more than enough." The mist started getting thicker, making it hard for them to see. Before anyone knew what was going on, the mist lifted, gathering in a central cloud. It started thinning out, until it formed a point, and pointed towards Dick. It moved before anyone else could, surrounding the youngest. Dick felt like he couldn't breathe. The air was so thick, he couldn't seem to find any oxygen. He could faintly hear the others outside of the mist, calling his name. He fell to his knees, eyes drifting closed. He couldn't find the strength to keep his eyes open. He couldn't find any energy at all. It was sucked out of him, leaving him drained and weak. He didn't have the strength to move and escape, didn't have the strength to gasp for air. He lost consciousness, the swirling mist still surrounding him.

He woke up to the sound of a bell, being rocked from side to side. Something heavy was on top of him, and he could hear the waves crashing against something. He managed to peel his eyes open, coming face to face with the ceiling of the captains quarters. He could feel a cool wash cloth on his forehead, and the glittering of gold filled his vision. He looked down to see himself covered with the gold blankets, which felt like they weighed a ton. The moon was filtering through the glass behind him, leaving pale light to reflect on bright gold. Dick managed to sit up, looking around him. Everything seemed the same. He could see the drawers that needed another coat of paint, the quill and ink that rarely got used, and the bed that had seen many nights of-

Okay, not going there. Dick kicked his legs over the edge of the bed, watching them dangle. He felt weak. He forced himself to stand from the bed, but his weak legs sent him crashing to the floor. The breath was knocked out of him, leaving him winded and sore. What happened to him? He remembered the mist, but he didn't remember what happened afterwards. How did he get on the ship? Why wasn't he dead? He was freezing, struggling to breath, and he was stuck on the floor. Had some mist really done this? Sure, it was thick magical mist, but it was still mist. Had it been because of the crown? Or had something else done this to him? Where was the rest of the crew? Were they okay? Had they been hurt?

Dick heard boots thumping against the wood before the door swung open, revealing a worried Wally. "Dick?" "W...Wally." Dick gulped thickly, watching as Wally ran over to him. The redhead sighed, kneeling down next to the raven haired boy and pulling him into his arms. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Dick grinned, leaning into Wally's body. "I don't think I'm hurt. I'm just tired. What happened? Where are we?" "The crown was cursed after all. Once a certain amount of treasure left, it would target someone well-liked. We reached the limit, and you were targeted. We managed to get you out before it took all of your energy, and we're headed to a healer right now. Are you cold? You're shivering." Dick nodded. He was really cold.

Wally picked Dick up, setting him on the bed and covering him with the blankets. "How long have I been out?" "A few days. We're close, though. Land was spotted about an hour ago. You just lay there and get some rest, okay? We'll take care of everything." "Thank you, Walls." "It's no problem, Dickie. Go to sleep. I'll be back to check on you in about ten minutes. Are you hungry? Or thirsty?" Dick shook his head, curling up and pulling the blankets closer. "Not really." "Okay. I love you, Dickie. I promise we'll make you better." "I love you too, Walls. I don't have any doubt about that."