He could just make out the dingy glow of the sun in the distance as it sank into the sea, which was a strange sight after days in darkness.

"I ain't likin' this." Beam frowns as his grip on the rail tightens.

"Same," he whispers as he scans the quarter deck.

The slight breeze was strangely charged, making the hairs on his arms and the back of his neck stand on end despite it being the calmest wind he'd ever seen.

Calm.

Strangely calm.

His fist tightens around the rail.

But he couldn't deny his gut., which was all but screaming that something was off.

How did a light wind feel like it was building in intensity?

As if it were slowly building up to roar, like a hurricane in his ears.

He frowns when he finds Uma staring at the still sails above them.

The feeling might be building, yet the wind was still unable to move the heavy canvas.

It was unnerving.

He takes a deep breath before he scans the shore with the last rays of the sun before the light vanishes, casting them and the Isle back into darkness.

A shiver runs down his spine as he turns back to the still sails.

Not good.

Empty sails meant they were relying only on the tide.

Which meant they hadn't reached the cove yet.

No wonder Uma seemed angry.

"This be some shit." Beam shakes his head as he clicks his tongue, "Fightin' wind an' rain for fuck only knows how long, an' the moment we really be needin' the help o' the shit-"

"Aye, this-" Uma gestures towards the sky, "is complete whale shit. What's Posiedon got to be so pissed about?"

"Who knows what the gods get worked up over," he shakes his head before he scans the dark shore again.

Even if she was out there, he'd never be able to see her.

Harriett.

When he'd found out she was safe, only to then discover her escape-

He hadn't even gotten the chance to see her.

Worst of all, he had to hide it.

Hide the anger that she'd ducked out on him, the fear of what she knew.

Because she always had theories.

Leads she was following.

But no, instead of talking, Harriett pulled a T.

And since now certainly wasn't the time to reveal their relationship to the Captain-

He wasn't sure how much more Uma could take without snapping.

"Aye," Uma frowns as she slowly turns on the spot, searching the complete darkness as if she were looking for an attack.

He frowns as he studies his Captain.

Something was wrong.

Or at the very least off.

He couldn't recall a time the girl had ever been so inarticulate. That was usually Deez's thing.

"What could they be up to?" Uma blinks and shakes her head several times, "T and Yensid? I uh- fuck. I- Dammit! Why is it so hard to-" she braces her forehead with one hand.

Beam furrows his brow as he pushes off the railing, "ya be okay there Kraken?"

"It's gettin' louder," Uma admits with a grimace, "like it's tryin' ta scramble my brain."

He glances over her curiously.

"She's been hearin' a buzz," Beam crosses his arms.

Uma nods before she clears her throat, "I don't like this," she huffs stubbornly as she rubs her temples with her fingers.

He collapses the spyglass-

His brow furrows at the lack of popping.

It was an old piece, and he hadn't been able to find the grease he usually used to keep it oiled since Uma quit her mother's chip shop.

A chill runs down his spine as he looks around.

The only light they had was the single lantern Sam was holding.

Was that why he hadn't noticed it before?

The darkness?

But now that he was focusing on it-

Or rather, the lack of it.

Where were the creaks?

The groans?

The noise of the waves lapping at the sides of the ship?

Uma's head snaps up as her lips move, panic flooding her eyes as she reaches up to cup her throat in confusion.

What the-

His eyes widen as he tries to shout to Beam-

Except there was nothing.

No sound.

Just the feeling of air leaving his lungs and his lips moving.

Uma's eyes widen as she claps her hands to her ears, mouth open in a silent scream.

Fuck!

He jumps forward, catching her by the elbows as she crumples to her knees.

He turns to Sam only to find the boy looking at them in concern before he turns to Beam.

His stomach churns when he finds the Urchin leader's eyes were wide with horror and glued to the Isle.

He pulls Uma closer as he turns to see what could hold the lanky leader's attention.

What the-

He stares at the strange pillar of dark light erupting from the ground not far from where they'd just left.

Where the docks had been.

His skin crawls as he watches the strange shifting darkness, part all-consuming emptiness, part an impossible dark light, as it swirls in on itself, reminding him of a water spout.

He jumps when Uma's terrified cry nearly deafens him.

One of many that echoes and joins the cacophony of accompanying screams.

"Shit!" Beam curses before he flies down the steps.

"Sam, take the helm," He orders as he stands with Uma in his arms.

"Aye!" Sam shoves the lantern into one of his brother's hands before taking the wheel.

"James! The screams!" Uma's tear-filled eyes look up at him as he rushes down the steps.

"Aye, I be hearin' 'em too."

"Get-" Uma's voice cracks as tears fall down her cheeks, "Please. I-"

"We be retrievin' 'em Cap'n, don'nah ya be worryin'." He assures her despite his own fear. "Ain't forgettin' yer Baby Girl an' Sweet Boy."

"Please…"

He kicks the door open as Uma's eyes roll to the back of her head.

"Fuck!" He growls as he races to the bed and lays her down.

The fuck was happening?

He looks her over in concern before his eyes widen.

Shit.

He reaches to wipe the blood dripping from her ear.

"Fuckin' sea gods-" He breathes out in concern.

What the fuck had done that?

What was wrong with her?

Yensid.

Notebook.

He needed to find out if the others-

Orders to make for the cove and the notebook.

That's what he could do right now.

Finally.

She wipes her hand across her face before she pulls herself out of the uneven pool.

Not her best work, but she didn't feel like complaining.

Not when her stomach was tied up in knots and her lungs were nearly vibrating.

All she had left to do was break her makeshift sea wall and the pool would be ready.

"It's just the filling!" She calls out as she walks out onto the ledge to melt the rock in the deep groove that would funnel waves to-

Her brow furrows at the still water.

When had it stopped throwing a tantrum?

She swallows hard before she destroys the barrier and watches the thin trickle flow towards the pool.

And when had it gotten so light out?

And the rain-

"Night?" She calls out in concern.

What was wrong?

When had everything changed?

The skies were clear.

The sun was just a thin sliver in the distance, barely visible through the orange of the barrier.

The barrier!

It was crystal clear, not a single barrier between her and its shimmery orange dome.

She slams her hand to her stomach as disturbing discordant vibrations nearly send her to her knees.

Her heart slams in her chest.

What was this-

Her stomach churns violently as a burn races up her throat.

Sick?

Was she going to get sick?

"Treasure?" Gil returns sounding just as concerned. "Stay there," He calls down.

"Nono, let-" She throws herself away from the edge of the step, "Let me climb up! Something's wrong!"

"Already on my way down."

She shivers as she turns to face the sea, her eyes glued to the spot in the distance where the sun had vanished.

Was another wave coming?

Had the waves stilled before pulling out last time?

A strange note leaves her reeling before she drops to her knees.

"Gil?" She cries out as she braces her palms against the uneven molten rock, fighting her stomach to keep her dinner in place.

"Fuck-"

And then a splash.

Darkness.

The sun was gone, and even the light of the barrier seemed to dull with its absence.

"Gil!" She screams as she scrabbles to the edge closest to the splash.

"Here," he states as he pulls himself up, "I'm here." He gathers her to him.

"Stop! I- I think I'm-"

She doesn't' finish the warning, the only thing she can do is turn away as the burning in her throat wins.

She gags on the bitter taste, her whole body trembling as the strange notes continue to dance disgustingly over her skin.

"I've got'cha." Gil shakily breathes out as he rubs her back with a trembling hand. "I'm here."

Her vision blurs, light and darkness warring in the attempt to blind her.

What the-

What was making the-

She couldn't call it music.

It wasn't even a sound.

It was knives and daggers, swords and-

Magic?

It was some kind of magic.

But where Gil's magic was like music playing against her skin-

This was a brutal assault.

A harsh, dissonant pulse that made her heart skip erratically as it thrummed against her.

Now that she'd connected what she was feeling, it was like she couldn't ignore it.

It was everywhere.

Jarring notes pulsing down her throat.

Agonizing blades ripping at her flesh.

Blood-

Her senses were filled with the dismal overture of pain and suffering.

Torment.

"I've got'cha." He repeats weakly as he moves them to the wall of the cavern before curling around her.

"Magic?" She forces the word past her shivering lips.

"Fuck I hope not." He places his head against hers.

She wanted to hold him.

To feel like everything would be alright.

But she knew.

Somewhere deep down she'd known something was off all day.

She closes her eyes against the spinning of the cave.

Please, don't let it be another wave.

She had no control this time.

She begs, prays over and over in a corner of her mind.

Desperate.

Her heart was racing.

Please.

Her lungs were straining.

Not another wave.

Cold.

Everything was cold.

Not wave…

Darkness.

Please-

Gil frowns as he feels Deez go limp in his arms, his hand blindly searching in the dark for her wrist.

It takes longer than he wants, but finally he feels her racing pulse beneath his shaking fingers.

He swallows as fear-laced tears gather in his eyes.

Was she right?

Was this magic?

His stomach rolls and rebels as another sickening wave washes over him.

Filthy.

Vile.

Foul.

Like it was brushing against him.

Trailing its fingers over every crevice of him perversely.

As if it was trying to reach into his soul and suck out everything he'd ever found happiness in.

He shudders as he looks around, desperately trying to find the culprit.

Please, he pleads to anything listening.

Please.

His vision blurs as he holds his Treasure.

Please stop!

Make it stop.

Please just make it-

He knew how to handle a ship.

Knew how to handle a crew.

Fuck, he'd learned to handle forty-foot waves in a storm.

But this?

People-

Kids dropping to their knees or falling on their faces, as if some unseen force was attacking?

And Uma?

What the fuck made her ears bleed?

What kind of fucking sound did that?

"Dude!" Beam smacks his shoulder, "Dude-dude-dude- Tell me your fuckin' seein' that."

"All these kids fuckin' droppin'? Aye, I see-"

"No!" Beam grabs his shoulders and yanks him to look towards the Isle, "That."

His heart drops.

It was dark, nearly imperceptible..

Which was strange with how clear it was.

How completely visible the barrier surrounding them was.

How clear and empty the sky was beyond it.

But it was nothing compared to the strange twisting pillars of illuminated darkness looming in vast arches over the Isle, connecting to one massive column shooting up from the mountain.

"What the hell is-"

Those weren't water spouts.

He looks away, looks back to the scared and panicked groups formed around hopefully unconscious bodies.

He might not know what it was doing, but he knew what it was.

Magic.

"We-"

Now that he'd seen it-

Fully acknowledged it-

It was as if he couldn't ignore the shivers racing up and down his spine.

The ice water replacing the blood in his veins.

What the fuck could cause this much dread by just existing?

It was foul.

Like the hottest, most rotten trash piled barge had just been tossed over them.

And they weren't near it. That was just from looking at the massive thing.

He turns back to Beam, "I- I don't- Nothin' good, I be knowin' that much."

"No shit!" Beam pulls at his hair as he turns to look at the fallen kids and back. "Think we gotta 'nough time ta move 'em?"

"We-"

His nails dig into the wooden rail as the middle column-

Eats?

-consumes the smaller, snake-like pillars before darkness, a darkness that was so bright he has to look away, explodes.

"SHIT!"

"LEADLINES!" He bellows as he turns blindly to race for the mast, counting his steps and relying on his memory of where he'd seen groups.

"AYE!" Sam shouts back.

The last time something happened with magic they had no idea it was coming.

But that?

A magical explosion?

Fuck if he wasn't going to cinch every last person together or toss them below deck.

He had no idea how long it would take something like that-

Wave? Wave of darkness?

But sea gods be damned if he wouldn't use every fucking second.

Dudes,

Like dudes.

Everyone in the Sea Fam is down for the count.

T/F/Y appear too late. The spell has been unleashed and with it-

Evil and agony has overcome the Isle once more?

What will our Protagonists do?

Did the build up in this chapter having you hold your breath?

Are you ready for the next chapter?

Fuck knows I am (6/28/22) it's been so long since we rewrote this again- This is my first actual read through since then-

I have so much trepidation of what ya'll think of this version. *fingers crossed* you're enjoying it.

(And as much as we keep telling you this book gets dark- We aren't trying to make this story unreadable. We're monsters not dementedly evil ass holes.

Much love and appreciation

-Twisted

Much love and appreciation

-Twisted