Captain Black Shadow

by Janina Franck

  Aestiva on his shoulder, Griffin followed his father to the Marine Corps headquarters. They were to stay there, within the safety of those thick walls, only a few feet above the dungeons.

  The rooms given to them were nice. They were spacious and decked out in blue. It reminded Griffin of the sea. He felt himself wake a little from his passive stupor. It wasn’t quite over yet. They were still alive. Maybe Selene had a plan and they would escape. And then they would come for Griffin because, after all, he had the compass and her pendant. He was one of them. He was a part of their family.

  Joshua told Griffin the dinner was taking place the next evening, and the execution the morning after. With that weighing on him, Griffin tried to sleep. It didn’t go all too well. It took him a long time to drift off. When he finally did, he was plagued by nightmares, all of which involved the impending doom of his friends, waking him up. At first light, Griffin gave up. He sat by the window and watched the sun rise. Soon, Aestiva joined him.

  “Will it be okay? What do you think Stiva?”

  The cat looked at him.

  Reassurance; Images of every member of the crew in their strongest moments.

  “I guess you’re right.” He began stroking her fur. “If anyone can get out of this, it’s them.”

  An image of Griffin himself.

  He looked at Aestiva, surprised.

  “What do you mean, me?”

  Aestiva meowed, jumped on Griffin’s lap and began to purr.

  He sighed.

  “We’re going to have to come up with something.”

  “Now, dear, don’t be shy, these are all very nice people. And they all agree that you did wonderfully, alright?” His mother gave him one last briefing before walking over to the butler so he could announce them to the society gathered at this dinner. Griffin missed Aestiva. He hadn’t been allowed to bring her.

  The boy entered the room. It had a high ceiling with a painting of cloudships stretching across it. It was disturbed only by three crystal chandeliers. The marble walls were covered in medals of distinction, along with paintings of sea battles and legends. The floor was covered in a red, velvety carpet. There was a large window at the far wall, taking up the entire space from floor to ceiling, looking out over the harbor, though only the lighthouse at the other end of the bay could be seen in the dark of night.

  Griffin could feel everyone’s gazes scrutinizing him. He instantly disliked every person here. He couldn’t even look them in the eyes… so he focused on the paintings instead. Beautifully realized scenes, though nothing compared to some of the sights he had seen over the past year – the golden chamber, the Veil at sunset, and even Garillya in flames came to mind. At some point, his gaze drifted over a familiar face. An old, grumpy face that never showed anything but disdain. Griffin forced his way through the crowd, all wearing fancy dress, holding dainty glasses of sparkling wine, until he stood in front of Robert Ference. His appearance at this event could mean only one thing.

  “You!” he whispered full of white, hot anger. Not a trace of passiveness was left.

  Ference looked down at him with the usual air of superiority.

  “Before you say anything you may regret, we should both sit through this dinner and listen to these scallywags hold their idiotic speeches. I want to talk to you afterward. Be there. I’ll make sure your parents know where you are, so they don’t send a war vessel after me again.”

  Griffin flinched at the last comment. Ference had spoken evenly, without even a hint of accusation in his voice, but it had been Griffin’s fault they had been captured. How could he even consider blaming someone else?

  Joshua showed up next to them.

  “Ah, Sir Ference. I’m honored to make your acquaintance. I have heard much about your work as head tactician and professor of the Emperor’s University! It is truly inspiring. My wife attended one of your lectures about twenty years ago, and she still hasn’t stopped talking about it! I trust you were keeping a keen eye on my boy while you two were in captivity. We’re forever in your debt. If you’re interested, my wife and I would love to have you for dinner at our home some time,” he said cheerfully.

  Ference tilted his head slightly in acknowledgement. Then he took Joshua by the shoulder, leading him away, engaging him in conversation. Griffin was left standing amidst strangers.

  Ference was smart. Maybe he had figured out how to help the crew escape. After all, someone like him – thirsty for knowledge, for learning what no one had learned before him – wouldn’t let a chance like this go to waste. Griffin knew that Ference desired to know what lay beyond the Veil just as much as he did, maybe even more.

  Griffin and Ference were seated next to the head of the table, facing each other. Between them, at the head, sat Admiral Philnys, a broad-shouldered military man with harsh features. After a little chit chat, he tapped his knife against a glass to silence everyone. He shattered it. He was left holding the stem of his glass in his hand, but also the requested silence. A butler immediately went to work disposing of the shards. The admiral gave a polite cough. Then he began his speech.

  “You all know why I gathered you here today. This is a celebration; a victory for Jianlah and the Emperor against those vagabonds who use the name of Black Shadow. We have captured him and his entire crew. And it is all thanks to these two men, Robert Ference and Griffin Symes.” He opened his arms to present Griffin and Ference. “For without their presence in the captivity of those terrible excuses for human beings, we would likely not have had the means to find them. I also wish to use this occasion to thank Griffin’s father, Mr. Joshua Symes, for building the proudest ship that ever set sail under the flag of the Marine Corps: the Gryphon. It is unfortunate we had to discover that the horrendous Black Shadow was none other than the distinguished academic Balthasar Renol.”

  A surprised murmur went around the room, but the Admiral wasn’t done yet. “It might also surprise you to know that we identified some other members: former Marine lieutenant commander Ryo Kah, and Lord Joseph Marcus, son to Lady Giselle and Lord Cillian Marcus, two personal friends of mine. We have also retrieved a test subject – a dangerous shapeshifter – which was taken from the custody of our scientists several years ago. Now, our seas are safe. Our children can sleep at night once again. This truly is reason to celebrate.”

  A cheer erupted around the table. Griffin and Ference were the only ones not to join in. No, that wasn’t true, Griffin noticed. Marielle also didn’t quite seem as joyful as everyone else. She was looking at him with a contemplative expression. He wondered if she had started to believe his tales from the Bat.

  Then the dinner began. The food was tasty, but Griffin could barely take a bite. He couldn’t wait for this awful event to be over so he could find out what ideas Ference had about saving the others. Time dragged on until the end. Griffin and Ference were cordially invited to watch the execution with the Admiral the next day. Griffin had to bite his tongue so as not to say something out of order.

  Griffin left with Ference. They remained silent until they reached the roof. Even then, they stood quietly next to each other, looking over the city.

  “I’m not doing this for any of you,” Ference stated.

  “I know,” Griffin replied. “You just want to be the first to know what’s on the other side.”

  Ference nodded. “Good. Now that we have an understanding, I have a plan. It’s risky. We may all end up dead. But it’s the only chance to get some of us out here alive with a ship. Listen closely so you don’t muck it up. I won’t repeat any of it.”

  Griffin edged closer, listening carefully to every word leaving Ference’s mouth. He went from anxiety and nervousness to optimism and new-born hope. It could work. They might all die. But it might also work.

  CHAPTER 20

  Griffin returned to his family’s chambers. He needed to make sure they wouldn’t miss him at any point throughout the night. This was crucial to their success; if Griffin c
ouldn’t do his part tonight, then all was over and there was no chance of them getting out alive. Patience was essential.

  Only his mother was there. She told him Joshua had been called away and might not be back until the next day. For the plan, it meant one less potential obstacle, but for Griffin, it meant he might never get a chance to speak to his father again. Maybe if he left a letter in his mother’s care? But no, that would mean giving himself and the plan away. It was too dangerous.

  They sat together for a while, and Griffin listened to her talk, just like he used to. But instead of fantastical stories of cloudcaptains or exciting adventures, she now spoke of mundane things, such as how nice the dinner had been. Griffin felt guilty seeing her like this. He couldn’t help but feel that it was his fault she had lost the wonder in her eyes.

  After a while, he tenderly took her trembling hand and led her to her room.

  “You should sleep,” he said gently. “Tomorrow will be a long day.”

  His mother looked at him with big, teary eyes.

  “I love you, Ma,” he said, kissing her forehead.

  A tear rolled down her cheek and she threw her arms around her son.

  “I love you too, Griffin,” she sobbed. “Please don’t ever, ever go away again!”

  She went inside her room and closed the door behind her. Griffin remained motionless in front of it for a moment. He was about to cause her so much more pain. The thought of her crying made him clench his hands into fists. Not even a week had passed, and he was already going to leave them behind again without a word. This time for good. He could try explaining again, ask them to help or even come along, but how could they? The crew of the Bat were pirates.

  Griffin was very much aware that they had burned an entire city to the ground. They had torn families apart; they had killed parents, wives, husbands. And they had been doing it for years. They were criminals. And now they were getting the punishment they deserved. That was how the world saw them at least. Griffin saw them as soldiers, fighting to the last breath for what they believed in. They had no country, no tribe backing them up – they were their own nation. And they were at war. Griffin had joined them. He loved them all dearly. They weren’t evil. They took care not to harm the innocent. Sure, they had still done bad things, unspeakably terrible things, but so had the Marine. The difference was only propaganda, rumors, public opinion, and power.

  But no matter how he twisted it, the fact still remained that he was going to hurt his parents. Again. They were going to suffer because of his choices. He hoped they wouldn’t be held accountable for his actions. If he didn’t tell them, they should be okay. Hopefully.

  Griffin turned away and went to his own room, where Aestiva was waiting for him. He explained Ference’s plan to her and asked her to relay it to the rest of the crew if she could.

  There was a ledge outside, a little way below his window, to which he fastened a rope so he could climb down easily. Then he made sure he still had the compass and pendant before he paused in front of the writing desk, staring at a blank piece of paper. Should he leave a message after all? He took the quill and twirled it in his hand. Leaving without a word would be cruel. But could he risk it without posing a threat to the plan?

  No.

  But he couldn’t leave without another word. He couldn’t do it. So he wrote: I’m sorry. This is something I have to do. I love you both.

  As he finished writing the last word, he heard a polite cough behind him. He stood up straight and turned around to face his mother.

  “Ma, I–”

  “I already know,” she interrupted him. “Your cat told me a few things.”

  Griffin looked to Aestiva in surprise.

  “But why do you have to go? I just got you back. Can’t I keep you for a little while longer?” His mother continued. “Why do you have to choose a life that could bring about your death any day?”

  Griffin remained silent and looked into his mother’s eyes, which were slowly filling with tears.

  “I don’t want to see my son hang someday.”

  She burst out crying.

  Griffin walked over and took her into his arms.

  “I’m sorry. I really am. The last thing I want is to cause you grief. But this year away has changed me. I love you both so very much, but I’m not your little boy anymore. I’ve made friends, seen incredible things. But not for a second have I forgotten about you. It’s time for me to go my own way. And this is the path I’ve chosen.”

  He loosened himself from his mother’s grip to look into her face.

  “But why did it have to be them? Why couldn’t it have been good, honest people?” she asked.

  “Ma… There’s no such thing as ‘good, honest people’. There is no good and bad, no black and white. There’s only grey. Weren’t you the one who taught me that?” He smiled at her, but she didn’t return it. “No person is ever entirely pure or entirely rotten. We all have our good and bad qualities. But even the ‘good’ and the ‘bad’ are just figments of our own moral identification. They’re concepts created by our conscience.”

  He paused, trying to think of how to make her understand.

  “Imagine someone who has never learned anything but how to hate and be cruel. How could you expect them to know how to be kind? Their image of white and black won’t be the same as ours. You don’t know how people are when you’re not looking.

  “Yes. They’ve done a lot of horrible things. But so has the Marine. I’m not saying they acted rightly. I’m not defending their actions. What they did was horrible. But I can’t condemn them. I’ve learned so much about them and their lives. I can’t say for sure that I wouldn’t have acted similarly if I’d been in their situations. And because of that, I could never claim to be any better than them. Nor any ‘purer’. There’s only grey. Good and bad combined. People can do bad things without being entirely evil.”

  A sob shook her, and her hand clasped around his. Slowly, she raised it to her cheek. He could feel the warm tears flowing down her face, making his chest ache with the knowledge of how much he was hurting her.

  “I’m sorry.”

  He knew she understood. She didn’t have to answer. Holding her tighter, he rocked her in his arms.

  “You need to go,” she whispered. “You don’t have much time left. Go.”

  Griffin watched her tenderly. She was doing her best to stop the tears and give him an encouraging smile.

  “I believe in you,” she said. “May the winds be in your favor and your ship sail to the stars.”

  With that ancient blessing, she took his hand and pushed a long, ornamented dagger with its sheath into his hand. The one her grandfather had given her when she’d been his age. Not knowing how to express his immense appreciation for the gift, he fastened it to his belt.

  Then he nodded. He reached his hand down to Aestiva, who leapt onto his shoulder.

  “I love you,” he said to his mother, smiling as he jumped out the window. Landing on the ledge, he saw her rush frantically to the opening, but upon seeing him safe and sound, skillfully scaling down the wall, she smiled, crying again, and mouthed the same words back at him. Then the young man and the cat vanished into the dark of the night, on their mission to rescue their friends.

  Ayalon was locked away on the outskirts of the city in the only shed of the dragon breeding grounds currently in use. It took Griffin a little while to find him. Eventually, he made it to the stall in the back, where the emerald dragon was being held. Ayalon’s mouth was bound by a muzzle and his wings were tied to his body by several leather straps. In addition to that, the stall was shut with a bolted metal door.

  Griffin could hardly believe they had gone to such lengths. But it made sense. The Marine knew Ayalon was connected to Black Shadow, so of course they had to fear that if they didn’t take precautions, he would go on a rampage and destroy everything that tried to stop him.

  Ayalon’s eyes were closed, defeated
. But they tore open with fierce intensity when Griffin got to work on lifting the iron bolt that was barring the door. Ayalon growled but stopped once he recognized his friend. Getting the door open wasn’t as difficult as Griffin had feared. Once he had lifted – and dropped – the iron bar, he only had to pull using his weight as leverage. Ayalon helped, pushing from the other side as much as he could.

  Griffin didn’t need to explain anything. Aestiva had already done that job, so he swiftly cut off all the restraints with his mother’s dagger.

  “Are you ready?” Griffin whispered when he was done. Ayalon stretched his wings as wide as he could and beat them once, almost blowing Griffin over with the gust. Then he nodded.

  “Let’s do it,” he growled.

  Around them, the dragons in the other stalls became restless. They shuffled around, some growled, and Griffin realized that they were no less prisoner than Ayalon was. They weren’t here by choice, and he couldn’t just leave them. He looked to Ayalon, who nodded.

  “Brothers and sisters,” Ayalon began, his voice reaching the farthest corners of the stalls, “like us, you have been robbed of your freedom. The Marine has never asked about your wishes, never allowed you to have a voice. We will give you back your freedom and strike our enemies at their core. In return, I ask of you, please help us to free our companions so we may all be a thorn in the Marine’s eye for eternity!”

  As Ayalon spoke, Griffin began freeing the dragons. There were about a dozen of them. Those who were no longer wearing muzzles growled in agreement, although they still sniffed at Griffin distrustfully. Within minutes, all of the dragons were free.