A/N) --sigh-- Still no new reviews. Honestly I thought that you guys would be jumping at these new chapters. --sigh-- Regardless, I'm writing this for me and putting it up for you, but I'm not going to stop putting the chapters up because I don't like having incomplete works on my page. So, if you like this chapter please leave a review...and know that chapter 10 will be posted tomorrow.
Chapter 9: Searching the Seas I
Several nautical miles away from the Pearl, the Dutchman was flying at enormous speeds in order to get to 'shipwreck cove' before dawn. The entire crew was tense but no more so than Elizabeth and Will.
"I am so sorry," Elizabeth apologized for the hundredth time feeling as though this was all her fault. "I should have kept a better eye on the key...if anything happens..."
"I wasn't your fault," Will insisted as he held her, watching out of the corner of his eye as his father and son piloted the ship. "I should have had the key on me, but I didn't. I left it on the bed. Should anything happen it's will not be your burden to bare..."
"But it will," Elizabeth insisted. "It will. If anything were to happen to you, I would never forgive myself," a small sob escaped her and Elizabeth tried to quell the raging panic. "I've lived ten years without you Will, I don't know if I could survive the rest of my life without you by my side."
"You would survive," Will maintained as he kissed his wife slowly. "You would survive to protect our son, you would survive to live and be happy for the two of us."
"Aye Captain Turner," agreed a disembodied voice. "But even 'appiness and simply living can see one through de 'ard times..." then before them Calypso appeared and both Will and Elizabeth could see that there was worry on the face of the goddess. "Where be Jack?" Calypso asked suddenly looking around. "Why is 'e not 'ere with you?"
"Jack's going to Florida with the Pearl to find the fountain of youth." Will answered drawing Calyspo's attention to him.
"And where be you going?" Calypso asked. "Ye not be heading towards Florida and de fountain."
"No," Elizabeth agreed answering in place of Will. "We're headed back to shipwreck cove."
"And why is that?"
"Because some shadow creature got its hands on my key." Will answered, watching as Calypso's eyes widened. "We have to get the chest before they do."
"This be most serious indeed." The goddess whispered her eyes glancing to the deck of the Dutchman. "I 'ad no idea dat Eris had gone dis far nor do I 'ave any idea 'ow far she be planning to go."
"Eris?" Elizabeth asked remembering the name from a long forgotten lesson in Greek. "Isn't she the-"
"De goddess of discord," Calypso answered, interrupting the former pirate king. "Aye lass, she be a goddess and me sister to boot."
"And what is this...'goddess of discord' want with my heart?"
Calypso's face was dark. "Eris lives for one ding and one ding only. To cause chaos an' discord...if she be after your 'eart den she be wanting to not only get even wit me but also cause a problem with the ferrying of de dead."
"Why?" Elizabeth asked her panic mounting again. "Why would she want to do that?"
"She is de goddess of discord," Calypso answered sadly. "She be de queen of de realm Discordia and de consort of the Lord of Chaos 'imself. She does what she wants, and dere be no one dat can stop her. If she be after your 'eart William Turner, den dere be no 'ope at all."
"I don't believe that." Will stated firmly. "There is never no hope, not so long as there are people willing and ready to fight for it." He paused and glanced first at his father and his son and then to his wife. "I for one have a lot to live for, far to much to give up without a fight...so if this Eris wants some chaos then I'll give her some."
Calypso smiled. "Dat be de spirit William Turner," she nodded knowingly and called up a stronger wind to speed the Dutchman along. "Ye do what de fates ask, and I shall keep a wary eye on my dear, beloved kin."
And with that Calypso was gone, and as the Dutchman sped through the night, Will couldn't help but wonder if Jack and the Pearl were making any process. Because the young captain knew whether he liked it or not that Jack and his quest for immorality was the only hope for himself and Elizabeth.
---
Meanwhile, like the Dutchman the Pearl was processed with such unnatural speed. It flew across the ocean and while Barbossa was wary, Jack knew that it was the goddess of the seas who was aiding them. "Calypso must be running out of time," Jack whispered to Anamaria as they stood at the 'bough' of the boat watching the sea and horizon come rushing towards them. "Otherwise she wouldn't give us such speed."
"I agree," Anamaria stated with a slight shiver from the wind. "She seems to want us to get to de fountain quickly."
Jack merely nodded and took off his long trench coat and placed it around Anamaria's shoulders. It was a tender gesture that surprised both Jack and Anamaria but neither was willing to acknowledge the act. And so, the Pearl sailed on until suddenly a freak storm arose causing the ship to lurch suddenly to one side. When the storm dissipated- as quickly as it arose- the crew of the Pearl including Jack and Anamaria could see a dense mist in front of them, and an island appearing from its depths.
---
The Pearl docked at the rickety wooden shafts that protruded from the shallow water and a select few decide to disembark and explore the mysterious island. "Surely we can't be at de source of the fountain already"
"I don't believe that we are," Jack stated as he step foot on the shores of this misty isle. "So far as I know, Florida is never shrouded in mists."
"So if we not be at de fountain, den where do we be?" Anamaria asked as she stepped beside Jack. "I do not recognize this place."
"Dis be de shores of Avalon," answered Calypso's disembodied voice. "You 'ave been blown off course by my meddling sister Eris. Yet what ye seek can still be found. Stay, search...and see what de Isle of Apples 'olds in store."
Taking that to be an invitation; Barbossa, Anamaria and Jack continued to walk along the shores of Avalon, determined to find what they sought.
It was a couple hours later, just as they were about to come back when the trio came upon a cave nestled into the base of the large mountain in the centre of the island. The entrance was barred by a wooden gate and there was a plaque hanging over the entrance which served as a welcome- and warning- for all those who trespassed.
"Here within this tomb of earth on the Isle of Avalon lies he who shall rise again- the mighty King Arthur," stated Jack as he read the faded, weather beaten words. "This noble king with the grail in tow shall deliver the world from evil and bring upon the earth a new age free of sickness..."
"Well," Barbossa stated as Jack trailed off. "If there was to be a world without sickness den it would be a world of immortality surely."
"Then we are in agreement..." murmured Jack as he reached for his small dagger to pry open the rusted lock that held the wooden gates together. "...let's see what's hidden within eh?"
With that, the wooden doors opened with an anonymous creek and Jack followed by Barbossa and Anamaria walked into the misty gloom beyond.
---
It seemed as though they had been walking forever-and just as Jack was beginning to question the sanity of walking through the dim misty cave they came upon a large chamber. The chamber was lit by a large skylight in the roof and at the centre of the pool of light was an altar with a shining gold cup standing solitary upon it.
"De Holy Grail..." Anamaria whispered her eyes going wide.
"Immortality," Jack and Barbossa murmured at the same moment. And a split second later, after briefly glancing at one another both of them dove for the Holy Grail causing it to fly off the altar as they ran into it.
"Look what you did!" Barbossa cried out in fury as he rose to his feet, the golden cup in his hand. "You've gone and broken the bloody Holy Grail, a source of immortality."
"How is that crack my fault?" Jack asked his eyebrow raised in confusion and before Jack could say another word Barbossa had dropped the grail and pulled out his gun. Jack followed suit and the two were close to blows before Anamaria spoke.
"Wait minute boys," she stated coming tentatively in between them. "Neither of you caused this crack."
"Wha?" Jack asked.
"What are you going on about?"
Anamaria rolled her eyes and held out the cup for them both to look at. "This gold chalice has had the crack for ages; you can see de moss dat has grown within the space."
For a moment there was a horrible tense silence, but then both Barbossa and Jack broke into laughter put away their guns and made their way out of the cave and back to the pearl.
