Hey everyone! I didn't say it on the main page but this is the Sequel to my story, The Fated Partings. Don't worry, it can be a stand alone fic because I will explain everything again but if you want you can go and read that one first and understand it a little bit more! Enjoy!
Chapter One: The Light
The Night'n Gale cut through the ocean like a sword, her prow turning the water around her like the blood on blade as she cut towards her destination, the Island of Light. Brian Williams stood at the side with some of the other unneeded crew; his bare chest hair standing on end with excitement and cold as a chilly wind blew from the north.
Behind him, his best friend, Jack was puffing and heaving, lifting down heavy boxes to the men in the bottom quarter of the ship, high explosives inside the crate. "You do realize I could use a hand." Jack said, tearing Brian's attention from the nearing island. "I know you're captain's special boy but we would rather not blow ourselves to tiny slimy bits because we dropped one of these heavy creates here…and it would mess up you're hair." He blew a strand of dark brown hair out of his face.
"And mine." Peter Carey, another young man their age agreed, smiling at Jack as he smoothed his red hair back from his face. "And my complexion is all wrong for a red and black charred face." Jack handed the crate down to the man beneath, laughing.
"Oh, very funny." Brian snapped but he couldn't hide his humor as he stepped from the railing. Finally, he to smiled and ran a hand over his face, "You're just jealous."
"Of what?" Jack asked, "You're beautiful eyes?"
"Or your wonderful figure?" Harry Brown, who had been working aft, now joined them and they all broke into raucous peels of laughter again.
The captain watched the young men from the wheel, his red sash blowing about his face. Mac, his first mate, joined him also watching the boys and looking grim. "Told ye we shouldn' 'ave brough' those young lads board Cap'n." He said, indicating them laughing and cracking jokes below. "Wha' 'ave they got ta offa, huh?"
"Harry's got muscle." Mac said, watching the dark young man. Compared to the others he was positively a giant at six feet with bulging muscles visible under his billowing white shirt. Black hair sprouted from his face around blue eyes and he had an infectious smile. A young man like that was sure to go places in the world. He could easily get on Blackbeard's crew and they were lucky to have him.
"Young Peter's got spirit." The old Captain continued. "He can take any situation and turn it into humor of some kind."
"Spirit yes, Cap'n. I don' trust 'im though…'is eyes is where it tis." Mac growled, watching Peter with a strange look on his face. The captain had to admit Peter did have an odd intelligence about him and that look was a set for mutiny no doubt. He'd always watched him though and as long as he had his other friends with him, the captain didn't think anything would happen.
"Jack will look after him." The captain said, indicating the longhaired, tanned, high cheekboned young man. Jack at the moment was talking and leaning on Brian, his near perfect teeth glinting in the sun. "Jack's tough and true…terribly intelligent."
"Bit daft." Mac said. The captain nodded.
"That's what he wants you to think, that's how he reels you into a false sense of security. He knows almost everything that happens around him." Jack, at that moment, looked over. Mac tried to hide the fact that he'd been watching but the captain didn't. He held Jack's gaze for a moment before the young man looked back to his friends and forced another laugh. The captain could tell though that he was still watching them.
"And then there's Brian." The captain continued after a short pause. The blond haired young man Jack was leaning on was so loving and gentle; it was amazing he was a pirate and not something sappier, less dangerous…a blacksmith or something. He had enough muscle but the heart was too much. "He's just got something."
"Yeah, no brain an' a weak 'ead." Mac growled, clenching his fists. The captain shook his head and smiled.
"I'll be getting myself a better ship soon, ditch this one." He announced. "The Navy's looking too hard for this one." Mac nodded knowingly.
"Aye captain." He said, "A' what of the crew?"
"They'll stay here, under me." The Captain answered. He pushed back the tendrils of his red bandana and tugged at the thick black sash around his waist. Jack and Harry had gone back to work, Peter was walking away across the deck and Brian had again turned to the island. "They're a good crew. How long until we reach the island?"
"Not to long, Cap'n." Mac answered. The Captain smiled and nodded.
"Get ready to leave, ready the boys." He said. With a nod, the first mate left.
Jack took in a deep breath and tripped trying to get out of the rowboat bringing peels of laughter from his friends. He smiled and picked himself up, dusted himself off and made his way up the beach as though nothing had happened and crew around him got out to.
Brian caught up, laughing, and clapped him on the back as the other two huffed along behind them, nearly doubled up in silent giggles. "I really don't know what you're all finding so funny." Jack said monotonously, pushing Brian backwards into Peter. "Personally, I saw nothing more amusing then your faces."
"Ouch." Harry laughed, clasping his heart as though Jack had pierced it. "Good one, but not one of your best Kiddie!" David came up beside him and leaned his arm on Jack's shoulder.
"No, definitely not." The boys started laughing, all except Jack who pushed Brian away and made his tipsy progress towards the rest of the crew. The Captain reached out and grabbed Jack's long hair, halting him as he passed.
"Child, you take three men of your choice and go explore. Find anything you can for food and report back to me immediately." Jack tried to hide the look of mischief he could feel washing over him. Was the Captain stupid? Let them, go alone…to explore? Nodding, Jack turned and went back to the others who were now making fun of a shell on the beach. It was a cone shape with two lumps at the end.
"You know…it really does look like one." Harry was saying. Jack, catching on right away, sighed.
"It's kinda small. Peter, you must be jealous." Peter gave him a sarcastic smile. "Okay, let's go."
"Where?" Brian asked. Jack didn't answer. Instead, he walked to the other end of the beach and disappeared into the trees.
"Jack!" Peter grabbed him from behind and tried to halt him but Jack pulled away and continued along, pushing through dense bush and thick yellow/green grass that tangled around his feet and threatened to trip him up. Harry hacked at it with his sword behind but Jack didn't bother, his eyes were on the towering green hills and mountains high above him.
"Jack, were are we going?" Harry asked. Jack pointed ahead and kept walking. As the youngest crew members, most people expected them to be worthless but Jack knew different. They were headed to the hills where there would be fruit growing on the trees hidden on the slopes.
They pushed on silently for a time until they were in the shadow of the hills and the sun was falling in the sky and descending towards the tree line. Finally, Peter whined, "I'm so board, Jack, where are we going?"
"Over…" Jack started but, as he pushed through a bunch of thick brambles, he stopped with a gasp and his voice turned silent. "There…"
Ahead of them was a large mountain and a gapping hole. It cut deep into the side with jagged rocks and cones coming down like teeth. To Jack, it looked like the gapping mouth of some large animal ready to swallow him up and eat him the first chance it got but, with the Caribbean heat low on his neck, the blackness inside seemed cool and forgiving.
Harry grabbed his shoulder and peered at the cave. "There. We'll go there." He said. Knocking Jack out of the way, he walked swiftly across the field and entered the cave. The others followed slowly, Jack straying behind, eyeing the cave suspiciously. Harry's echoing voice floated out to them. "It's very nice in here." He called, coming back to the cave mouth. "Dark, but nice."
"Wait." Brian said. He went to the edge of the woods around them and began tugging on weeds and sticks. When he was done, he'd created a makeshift torch which he lit using two striking stones. "This will do."
The three of them tool off into the cave leaving Jack standing outside, alone. He had an uneasy feeling suddenly, as though his life would begin and end here. After a few minute, Peter poked his head out.
"Hey, are you coming or are you going to stand out here?" Jack sighed and entered the cave. He was wrong. It wasn't cool inside but…body temperature, as though the cave sustained itself. He joined the others who were grouped in front of a cave wall, staring at it. Jack looked up and saw by the flickering light, paintings on the surface.
There was a light, as bright as day drawn on the wall. On the left side of the ball of light was a young girl, no older then seven, with long blond hair. Her skinny white face was broken into a smile which lit up twinkling blue eyes. On the right hand side of the light was the same young girl, her hair was black this time and grey eyes stared back at them. No smile lit her face but she looked wasted and…evil.
"She…she looks like my wife." Brian whispered. "Like my wife, Sara." Jack shook his head and shrugged, having never seen Brian's wife, he wasn't to certain on it. "Only younger."
"Huh." Peter said. He grabbed the torch from Harry and began heading down the cave's long rock hallway. Having no light, the others followed. They walked for a few more minutes before Peter stopped and pointed ahead.
"There's something…" He whispered. Jack stood on his tip-toes and looked over his shoulder to better see the pedestal in front of them. In the middle of the pedestal was a fountain but it pumped not water with the beats as spaced as a heart, but blood. Harry moved around Peter and held out his hand, moving it through the blood. He pulled away with a disgusted sound and wiped his hand on his white shirt, leaving a long red smear.
"It is blood." He whispered as though to himself. "It flows like a heartbeat."
"Well, that's gross." Peter said. He stepped around the pedestal and off down the hall. It didn't take them long until they reached a large cavern. A sudden draft of air hit them and the torch went out but they didn't need it anymore. There, in the middle of the chamber, surrounded by slick black rocks and rippling black water was a shimmering orb, as depicted on the wall. It was suspended over the water but cast no light on it's black surface. The bright white of it seemed only to hurt their eyes and light op the room but, in the water, there was no image of it.
"That was on the wall." Harry said. Jack was the first to push past them. He edged his way carefully along the slippery rocks towards the black water. He reached out a hand and let his hand fall into the pool. It was cold as ice on the surface but as his hand sunk lower, it grew warmer. He pulled his hand away suddenly as a small female voice filled his head.
"Jack." It called. Jack stared up at the light, ignoring his friends who had now joined him. "Jack, come to me." He shuddered and beside him the others did to. Suddenly, the light grew. It encompassed him, searing his body and piercing his heart. Screaming, he couldn't hear his own voice, only the rushing sound of the light and the giggling of a small girl.
As soon as it had started, it stopped and Jack felt the water all around him. He didn't know if he were upside down, right side up or sideways. It was all dark. Striking out, he pushed in the direction he believed was up and felt the water growing colder until suddenly his head broke the surface and he was staring upwards at the light. Harry, Peter and Brian had also surfaced, confused and afraid. When he saw Jack, Brian cried out and struck out, grabbing him. Together, they got to the slippery rocks and crawled up.
"What happened?" Harry asked. His question went unanswered. Shaken, the young men crawled from the cave and entered the dark hallway. They groped blindly, Jack running into the bloody pedestal. He felt warmth washing over his stomach but he ignored it and staggered around it, reaching out for the wall. In complete darkness, they managed to find their way to the mouth of the cave and fell there, on the floor, panting.
"What happened?" A voice asked. Jack opened his eyes and squinted against the sunlight all around him. The Captain was standing over them. Jack couldn't speal, he felt weak and shaky. The Captain saw the blood all over him and fell to his knees at his side, groping wildly at his shirt. He pulled at the fabric and managed to see his stomach below.
"I'm not hurt." He gasped. The Captain let him go and felt his forehead.
"He's fevered." He said, looking over his shoulder. The other men who were checking out Harry, Brian and Peter nodded.
"They are two, sir." They reported. The captain wiped at the dangling beads in his hair and pulled Jack to his feet.
"Come then, back to the ship and make haste." He turned and began walking to the beach. Jack followed first, supported between two other men. Next came Harry and Brian but Peter wouldn't allow himself to be touched. Jack pulled away and looked back at his friend.
"Peter, come on." He called. Peter looked up sadly, and then turned to the cave. Jack glanced at it briefly and then allowed himself to be pulled away.
Peter watched the cave for another long moment and then left on his own, without help. There was something he had to do.
I hope you enjoyed it and I'll try to update soon! Thanks!