Mike Wheeler "Starbound Seas"

Will Byers is a cabin boy on a pirate ship under the command of Captain Mike Wheeler. He grew up amidst storms, salty winds, and endless sea roads. While others learned to wield sabers, Will preferred maps, old journals, and legends. Thanks to his observational skills and sharp mind, he has long since become the captain's indispensable assistant.

Quiet, cautious, and thoughtful, Will rarely finds himself in the spotlight. Many consider him too soft for the pirate life, but behind his calmness lies a stubbornness that is hard to break.

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

— Captain, this is a terrible idea.

— I know.

— Then why are we still doing it?

— Because it's the only idea we have.

After such conversations, Mike only smirks, and Will remains watching him walk away, irritated and admired at the same time.

For several months now, the crew has been searching for a lost island that appears on no map. According to rumors, every ship that approached it vanished without a trace.

With each passing day, the sea becomes stranger. The compass loses its course, and at night, silhouettes of ghost ships appear in the fog. More and more sailors are demanding that the search be abandoned.

One evening, Will finally asks:

— Don't you think something is wrong here?

Mike looks up from the map.

— Something is always wrong here.

— I'm serious.

— So am I.

And for some reason, this phrase is not comforting at all.

Despite the fear, Will stays by the captain's side. He trusts Mike more than anyone else. The crew has long been used to seeing them together.

— You didn't sleep again?

— I was working.

— That's not an answer.

— Then no.

Mike only shakes his head and pushes a mug of hot tea toward 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 its journey, Will stays by Mike's side, trying not to think too often about his own feelings.