Barrett waved to the ships waiting off shore. In due course a landing craft paddled up to the docks filled with his bitter-faced men.
"Fear not comrades your captain yet lives!" he announced, the statement did not change their mood.
"We've been stranded here too long," said a tall tan-skinned bald man,
"Dear god are you men or kittens?" Barrett rebuked.
"We want mercenary pay or we're leaving," the marine retorted
"Fine! Have you lads forgotten where we are? This is Darfix, the golden city. It's treasures are ripe for the taking,"
Without a word the man lowered a plank onto the dock and one by one the troops stepped off. He then blew a whistle to call in the rest of the privateers.
Peasants scurried into the crumbling buildings as Barrett and crew strolled through the streets. They found the treasury building still intact and under the command of a bandit gang. A few of these brigands made feeble resistance but most fled.
At last Barrett stood before the vault, admiring the engraved iron door, dreaming of what lay on the other side. One of his men dragged before him a trembling little bald man.
"He says he can open the vault," said the marine.
"Yes, yes sir! That's how I've gotten on these years, whoever owns the place I'll open and close the vault for him," he rambled.
Barrett lifted the poor fellow by the shoulders, stared furiously into his eyes, and then said,
"Good to meet you my friend! What is your name?"
"Ch-Chalmers," he stammered.
"Well then Chalmers work your arts!"
The man drew a necklace out from under his shirt. On the chain were three keys. He inserted them one by one into various key holes, in a sequence Barrett couldn't quite keep track of. At last a very loud CLICK! signaled the vault was open.
Barrett took a torch and entered the cavernous room, his foot steps echoing through a space larger than some manor houses. He crept deeper and deeper, some of his troops following behind, tentatively, as if some monster could wait inside. Instead, in the very back corner, they found a pile of gold and silver. Normally such riches would have been dazzling, but they seemed minuscule in a room that must have once held ten times as much.
"That's it?" someone asked.
"It doesn't matter how much it is," Barrett announced, turning to his men with a grin on his face "This is the treasure of Darfix. Congratulations mates, we're all legends!"
