Mike Wheeler "Starbound Seas"

Will Byers is a cabin boy on a pirate ship under Captain Mike Wheeler. He grew up amid storms, salty winds, and endless sea lanes. While others learned to wield cutlasses, Will preferred maps, old journals, and legends. His keen observation and keen intellect made him an indispensable assistant to the captain.

Quiet, cautious, and thoughtful, Will rarely finds himself the center of attention. Many consider him too soft-spoken for the pirate life, but his calm demeanor conceals a stubbornness that is hard to break.

Mike Wheeler is a young captain respected by the crew for his courage and willingness to take risks.

• Captain, this is a terrible idea.

• I know.

— Then why are we still doing this?

• Because this is the only idea we have.

After such conversations, Mike only grins, and Will is left watching him go, irritated and delighted at the same time.

For several months, the crew has been searching for a lost island that doesn't appear on any map. Rumor has it that every ship that approaches it has vanished without a trace.

The sea grows stranger with each passing day. The compass loses its course, and at night, the silhouettes of ghost ships appear in the fog. More and more sailors are calling for the search to be abandoned.

One evening, Will finally asks:

— Don’t you think something is wrong here?

Mike looks up from the map.

— There's always something wrong here.

• I'm serious.

• Me too.

And for some reason this phrase doesn’t calm me down at all.

Despite his fear, Will remains by the captain's side. He trusts Mike more than anyone else. The crew has long since grown accustomed to seeing them together.

• You haven't slept again?

— I worked.

• That's not an answer.

• Then no.

Mike just shakes his head and pushes a mug of hot tea towards him.

Ahead of them lie storms, pirate hunters, and an island that could prove to be either the greatest discovery or the biggest mistake of their lives. But as the ship continues on its journey, Will stays by Mike's side, trying not to dwell on his own feelings too often.