"Cut the ropes, Bonnie!" Berek tried to scream. "Cut the ropes before he kills you!" He moved slowly through the mass of attacking Rogers, brandishing his cutlass as best he could. It was like cutting through molasses. The pirates fell only to reform around him, stronger and deadlier than before. On the other side of them, he saw the ship - his ship - being torn apart by Captain Reis. Crewman after crewman stepped forward to challenge the bloody beast, and one by one he tore them apart. Harry, Roger, Celedoine... none could stand against the laughing fiend. Berek pressed harder against the wall of pirates, trying vainly to reach his crew before they were all devoured. He cut faster and faster, pushing through the countless Rogers who rose to block his way.

He reached the Dawn just in time to watch Reis cut McGee in half. She screamed in agony before falling to the deck, her blue eyes filling with blood Berek howled in fury and charged towards the murderer, but stopped short as Reis focused his attention on him. The face was not human, but a demon from Legion's Pit: fiery eyes and skeletal jaw hanging open in a leering grin. In a moment, Berek faltered. His sword arm quavered, and he felt his footing slip under the blood on the deck. Reis's fanged mouth opened in an inhuman laugh as he raised his scythe to cleave Berek in twain. The Avalon felt fear gnawing at his hart and he stumbled backward, only to find himself falling, falling into the cold merciless sea...

"Bonnie!" he screamed, jolting himself awake. His sheets were soaked with sweat and his body shook uncontrollably. He shook his head to clear it and then fell back against the cot. Another nightmare.

The walls of the small cabin creaked quietly and the smell of the sea wafted in from an open porthole. Berek closed his eyes and tried to calm himself. He felt weak and dizzy, and his gorge rose every time he tried to stand up. I must look a fright, he thought as he mopped the sweat from his brow.

The door opened and a smiling Castillian entered the room. Tall and imposing, he wore a blue bandana over his black hair, and a red captain's coat not unlike Berek's own. He held a tray in his hands, containing what appeared to be a modest breakfast.

"Good morning," the stranger smiled jauntily. "I'm glad to see you're up."

Berek's eyes widened with recognition. "Allende?" he started. "The Pirate King?"

"Don't call me that, please." The Castillian set the tray down on a nearby table. "It smacks of ego."

"What... where am I?"

"The Hanged Man," Allende answered. "Specifically, my first mate's cabin. Before that, you were in the Forbidden Sea somewhere south of Vodacce. You're lucky we found you. We don't normally travel that far out of our way but certain parties were rather insistent."

"The Forbidden Sea," Berek mused, then started in horror. "Oh Theus! My crew... they-" He tried to stand up, but his muscles didn't want to cooperate.

"Your crew is out of reach for the moment," the Allende leaned over and handed him a bowl of what smelled like oatmeal. "Eat this."

Berek looked ready to retort, then he caught a whiff of the food and his hunger overcame all other concerns. Allende watched him wolf down the gruel with a crooked grin on his face.

"You're making progress. This is the first night you haven't vomited your dinner on your sheets."

The Avalon mumbled a reply through mouthfuls of spoon, and Allende laughed.

"When you've finished, perhaps you could enlighten me on what brought you to the desperate circumstances we found you in."

It took several more moments for Berek to polish off the bowl. When he had, he handed it back to hid host with a nod.

"My crew and I took a risk to find you," Allende's face took a more serious look. "We have problems enough without taking on yours as well. Tell me a tale, Sea Dog. Tell me how the most notorious privateer in ThŽah ends up half-drowned in the middle of the Forbidden Sea."

"In the first place, thank you," the Sea Dog began. "I'm grateful for your hospitality, and I believe that you've saved my life."

"Your gratitude is appreciated," Allende leaned forward. "You can demonstrate it further by telling me what happened."

"The Crimson Rogers," Berek smiled bitterly.

"They attacked you?"

"Like rabid wolves. We had stolen something of theirs and they wanted it back."

Allende's mouth opened in surprise. "You stole from Reis?!"

"I was quite the cheeky lad, wasn't I?" His words dripped with self-loathing. "Stupid, cocky, headstrong idiot."

"I assume that the Rogers weren't going to accept an apology," The Castillian pressed for more of the story.

"You could say that. I've never seen a ship move as fast as his. It came on us like a thunderstorm, and was taking no prisoners. They crossed in a heartbeat: William Toss was dead before he could take a step and the rest of us looked sure to follow."

"So what did you do?"

"I told my bosun to cut the lines, then crossed to face their captain alone."

Allende didn't bother to hide the shock. "Madre de Theus! Were you that mad, or simply suicidal?"

"I thought I could take him," Berek explained. "I thought that Fortune would find some way to help me. Fortune always helps me..." He grimaced.

"Not this time, though."

"He cut me to pieces and threw me to the waves. I was alive when I hit the water, but I knew I was done for." He paused for a moment, lost in thought. "At least the Black Dawn got away."

"It appears, then, that your luck had not entirely abandoned you."

"No, though perhaps it should have. Stupid, pig-headed lout... I should have been eaten by the sirens!"

He rose again, and this time, his muscles supported him. "I have to find my crew! They got away, but Reis will be looking for them, and my bosun has a stubborn streak. She might be headstrong enough to-"

"To head straight for harbor and not look back," Allende held his hands up gently. "I have a contact in Carleon who says your crew hasn't left Avalon waters in nearly a week. Your bosun may be headstrong, but she's not stupid. Even Reis would think twice before taking on the entire Avalon fleet."

The explanation seemed to calm the Avalon somewhat, and he allowed himself to sit back in his bed. "I suppose I can wait then," he muttered. "As long as they're not paying for my arrogance."

"That's good," Allende said, "because I would have insisted otherwise. My first mate Alesio is a fate witch, and seems to believe that you will play an important role in the Brotherhood's future."

Berek looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"We didn't just happen by when we picked you up. Alesio sent us out there - to that exact spot - solely for the purpose of rescuing you."

"Why?"

"I wish I knew," Allende frowned. "But I don't need a fate witch to tell me that we could use the help. These are dangerous times for the Brotherhood. We have enemies both subtle and direct, and not all of our foes are easily dissuaded." He scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Less than a month ago, the General came within a hair's breadth of capturing us; others wait in the darkness, waiting for us to show a weakness. I can smell darkness approaching, and I fear it will get worse before it gets better.

"We found you in the middle of nowhere: Alesio lead us to the exact spot of empty ocean where you happened to be. Destiny surrounds you, and it was no accident that you are sitting here. My mate believes that you can save us, and even if she's wrong, you're a good sailor and a fierce captain. I'd be a fool to abandon such a man on the eve of an unknown threat. So I entreat you: stay here as our guest, recuperate your strength. Whatever fate has in store for us, it will make itself known soon enough, and I want you by my side when it does. What say you? Will you stand with us?"

Silence reigned for several moments.

"I'm ... I'm grateful to you," Berek said at last. "If I'm important to your future - important enough to pluck from the sea - then I should remain and see it through."

Allende smiled. "Gracias. The Brotherhood of the Coast is grateful for your patience."

"It's the least I can do," Berek shrugged. "You saved my life after all." The Castillian laughed quietly. "Don't worry señor. If what my first mate says is true, you'll have plenty of chances to return the favor."