Hiro, stood at the bow of the mighty frigate. The chill in the morning sea air rides over his skin. The top-knot loose his hair floated in the breeze. It had been such a long journey and it wasn’t about to end anytime soon. The toxin had been flowing through his veins for months and he was slowly feeling its effects. He had slowly felt his strength leave him. He had been in exile looking for a cure. The spider bite that was slowly taking his manhood was winning; he had to find a cure soon.

He was an outcast among outcasts. His clan unpronounceable by his shipmates were ninjas, (though commonly known for their prowess in assassinations). They were rogues, just like his new found companions. Hiro hoped his shipmates were equal to the task, though all he had to guide him was a sealed scroll which pointed to treasure and the cure. “Here you need ta keep yer strength up laddie.” If Hiro didn’t find a cure soon he knew he wouldn’t be laddie, but m’lady. Argus, his new friend passed him cup of cabbage soup. Hardly appetizing for the morning, but he needed to keep what strength he had left.

The privateers they called themselves, most called them pirates. Captain Vulture was once known as King of the Oceans. He was now the Bane of the Seas. The Captain paid his debts especially when the debt was the price of his own life and the lives of his crew. Hiro found the floundering ship washed against the shoals of the last island he visited. The inhabitants had gone mad. They were overcome with perpetual bloodlust. Zombies, who cared for nothing more than to cannibalize the living.

The Captain in a last ditch effort to seek help for his overrun crew was to send Argus to swim to the impromptu encampment on an adjacent island. There he found Hiro. The pair paddled their way to the distressed vessel embroiled in the desperate battle. The undead were streaming from the shore clamoring up the hull. Hiro and his honed katana would arrive in time to draw enough of the fight away for the Captain to set a charge of black powder upon the sandbar and blast the zombies back and the ship into navigable waters.

Hiro’s skill impressed the Captain who waited long enough for Hiro to depart the island of the undead to make the 50-meter swim to the freed frigate. The Captain asked Hiro to name his price for his aid. Hiro thrusted the sealed scroll to the Captain. A mainland he had never navigated. The markings were unfamiliar as was the seal. One lone island on the map was the touchstone. The Captain set his second to set course hoped for winds to carry them.

Hiro rubbed his shoulder the bite was gone but he could feel his budding mounds of flesh on his chest begin to harden with another gust of the sea air. He looked over at Argus, a physique, that once matched his own. The lustful thought clouded his mind as he wondered how long he could keep his desires in check. Hiro hoped that he could reach the land of the cure in time. One more look at Argus. Maybe the disease wouldn’t be so bad.