**Karcaw**
Captains of pirate crews in the Shackles loved me. It wasn't for my sailing ability. There's a belief that tengus such as myself absorb misfortune like a sponge. Those suspicious idiots paid a good amount of money just to have the privilege of having me grace their ships' decks. My shiny black feathers were a morale booster. No storms would catch us. No waves would wash us. No cannons would pierce our hull.
Well, what happens when a sponge is full? It stops absorbing. If squeezed, it overflows. Don't squeeze.
--
The job was a lucrative one; assist the Wise Canary around the Eye during the Free Captains' Regatta. The competition during the race was fierce, and my ability to command the wind would give us the edge. Is it cheating? Sure, but what's a little cheating among pirates?
That morning, a red sky signaled a bad omen. The Eye would be angry, perhaps too angry for a race. Pride and gold were on the line, and backing out would be seen as cowardly. No matter how bad the conditions were, the race would never be canceled on account of rain.
To be honest, what happened next was a blur. The storm was rattling all of us. The winds were tearing our sails and our masts themselves were at risk of splintering. Our captain made the call to take a shortcut through some rocks. A poor choice. A fatal one. The sea swelled 40 feet in an instant and then dropped down just as fast.
We plummeted onto the rocks, and the ship was demolished. I was thrown into the sea to fight for my life. It was a fight I lost. As I was taken by the waves my consciousness faded. The last thing I remember was a glowing blue light at the bottom of the ocean. Could it be.. a portal?