Adventures of Captain Xdey

by Laura Dasnoit

  Nadine smiled. “Perhaps another meeting of the Elders would suffice.”

  “Perhaps,” Zaren said, rather quietly. “Do not say I did not warn you, however.”

  When they left him alone, he stood from the chair, holding his jacket. He slid his hand into the side pocket. A cloud of smoke seeped through his fingers. A figure began to take form before him. Isena, the old wrinkled seer of Yorego, smiled. “Well done, Zaren,” she said. “They will carve out their paths, but must you place Xoey in danger in your little spy game?”

  Zaren pushed aside the mug that he’d placed on the table. “I will do whatever it takes for her to succeed. She must learn what she is capable of.”

  Isena shook her head, and her webbed silver hair swayed. “You could do more harm than good. She might not be ready.”

  “Only one way to find out,” said Zaren.

  The seer pursed her lips. “I hope you are right.” The cloud of smoke vanished.

  “Me, too,” he said rather softly.

  While thinking of dinner, Xoey came up with a plan. The cook was found in the small galley breaking bread into small pieces. He looked up at her. “Dinner ain’t ready yet.”

  Xoey pulled up a chair across from his large working table. “Be needing a favor. Cap’n wants me to feed the captured and I feel the older the better.” He introduced himself as Hew. Hew paused to wipe his hands upon the stained apron.

  “If ya looking to make them sick, you gotta get creative. No man is gonna just eat the inedible for giggles,” he said, while pulling out an empty bottle of cider from a spare cauldron.

  “Most be willing to drink rather than eat.” He referenced himself and therefore she cracked a grin. “Especially when their spirits are low—ain’t been enough time for them to get used to the life.”

  She couldn’t help but wonder if Hew was captured himself, but she knew better than to ask. If he wanted to share, he’d do so.

  Though she wasn’t paying much heed to what he was putting in the bottle, she swore he dipped it into the waste bucket. With a crinkle of her nose, she was glad it wasn’t going down her throat. “There ya be, lad.” He handed over the concoction. “Just don’t go expecting me to clean up the mess later.”

  Out of curiosity she sniffed the top and surprisingly it actually smelled like cider and cherries. Hew winked at her. “Best go on before someone undeserving takes that from you.” Xoey gripped the bottle tight and began her descent toward the back of the ship, closer to the overpowering smell of bilge water and the rats that never seemed to hold a fear of swimming.

  The men were cramped in the quarters and they looked just like the rest of the crew in tattered clothing. She gently tapped on the door frame. The oldest of the lot stood from the chair. He brushed back his dark brown hair and glowered at her. “What brings you over here?”

  To keep to her false secrecy, she shushed him and set the bottle on the floor. With that, she took the allotted amount of steps back that the ship would allow. “Don’t go saying nothing,” she said before scurrying out of sight.

  Xoey slurped a mix of meat and broth from the deep bowl. She swung in the sea of hammocks in the center of the ship. Ramos popped his head up on the side of her. “I hope you are never hunted while eating. You could be tracked a mile away with how loud you are.”

  She smiled. “If you notice.” She poked him with a metal rod through the bottom of the hammock. “I’m always prepared.” He called her a liar as Nadine alerted her arrival when she slipped down the stairs. Xoey shrugged. “Not my fault that you need lessons from the Shinobi.”

  “Any idea about what you are going to do to find the traitor?” Nadine asked, attempting to change the subject away from her embarrassing fall.

  “They should be green as the leaves on the Koli.” The Koli was a vine that could grow on just about anything it touched. “In about ten minutes, we can listen to see who they blame. It’s generally the Cap’n.”

  “What are we going to do until then?”

  Xoey drained the bowl. “We can see what the Shinobi are doing.”

  Nix groaned in the tight quarters of the carriage that bopped its way through Upper City. His right arm tensed, stiffened, and locked at the shoulder joint. He gritted his teeth. Rachine leaned over. “When will Gesler return with the Dijnn?”

  Nix coldly responded, “Tomorrow evening.” He placed his hand flat on her face and pushed her away from him. “Stop coddling me, woman.”

  Gesler motioned for the pilot to take them above the clouds. It was restricted by the laws of everyone in Grittle to go above a certain altitude. Nix, of course, made the laws to prevent anyone from peering in on their objectives. The pilot did not question Gesler. He knew who he was and who he worked for, and more importantly, what he was capable of if you said no. In very short time, they sailed above the thick blanket of clouds.

  Roe sat on the edge of the bed. He rubbed his face. He hadn’t slept since they were taken from their children. Nell was hunched under the patchwork quilt. Worry worm didn’t describe her appearance. Nadine and Mal were capable of taking care of themselves, but with Nix in the mix, Roe wasn’t certain of his intentions against them. They could hear Gesler’s booming voice, “It’s time!” Roe sighed. He removed his glasses, rubbed his face, and wearily stood up.

  “One of these days,” was all he could say.

  Roe moved on deck with a cup of bitter coffee in his hands. Gesler eyed his intentions, but said nothing in regard to the drink. He simply motioned to the skyline around them. “You’ll find that despite the cloud beasts, the air Dijnn are an easy capture. Once we have obtained a few here, you’ll be escorted back to Upper City.”

  “And released?” Roe inquired.

  Gesler smiled politely—a little too politely. “Yes, of course. We do not keep families apart for long. It would be rude.” He motioned for Roe to put on the goggles. “Keep a look out. The air Djinn should be lurking about.”

  In the ship below, Nell sighed. A small knock interrupted her thoughts. She opened the door to find a boy standing there. “Hello,” he said.

  He ran into the room and motioned her to shut the door. Nell looked down the hallway. Once she was content it was vacant, she shut the door. “You’re Gesler’s son.”

  He frowned, not wanting to be associated with the name. She regarded him. He couldn’t have been older than nine, and despite his father’s pristine appearances, Gesler didn’t seem to care for his son. “Not by choice,” he responded. He gestured her to move in closer so they could whisper. She knelt down to his level and he continued, “In the very bottom of the ship, there are two shoulder-chutes. I’m going to venture down there and get them.”

  Nell shook her head. “I appreciate your help, but we cannot allow you to get into trouble.”

  “Indeed,” a voice said from behind them.

  Nell craned her head to see Gesler standing in the doorway. He gestured for his son to move by his side. The boy crinkled his nose, but did as he was told.

  Gesler bowed his head at Nell. “I shall need to speak to my son.” He held his son’s shoulder tightly. She rose and attempted to protest, but was met with a closed door.

  The Shinobi, dressed in black from head to toe, were found on the main deck. Lined up in rows, they practiced their sword techniques. The silver weapons flashed in the rising sun and with every strike their voices thundered across the ship. It was a marvel to watch their unison in every movement—no one stepped out of line.

  Xoey whispered, “They train every morning to greet the sun to thank it for rising.”

  Ramos could understand the respect and it warmed his heart. He desired nothing more than to be in the lines with the Shinobi. The eldest who stood in front turned out of the line, and as though he read the warrior’s mind, he gestured for Ramos to join them. Xoey grinned. “That’s a great honor.”

  No words were
spoken between the eldest and Ramos. They gestured between them, and soon enough, Ramos was taking his first steps to learn the ways of the Shinobi. Nadine elbowed Xoey. “Zaren’s afraid of how far Ramos would go to follow you.”

  Xoey looked down at the towering adolescent. His sword movements were choppy and she noticed in the battle, he preferred to hack rather than glide the weapon. “Why?” Xoey asked. “Does it matter?”

  Nadine pulled out the parchment that Isena had given her. “I didn’t have time to look it over until now.” She handed it over.

  The paper felt soft to the touch. It could have been spun from a thousand spiders’ webs or be the finest leather known to man. Regardless, it was the softest material she had ever touched. The words foretold the legend of the child born of the sea.

  A white-haired child, born of the sea and moon, will stand in a battle with five against the mechanical beast and his following.

  These six will be:

  The white-haired pirate who commands men, women, and children alike. A leader the world has never seen.

  The one born of long lost magic of the moon combined with the sea. She will be blessed to hone her true powers.

  A man of true strength, grace, and the will of a warrior who follows the pirate until the end of their lives. He will sacrifice everything.

  The clever one who shall save them all. A quick-witted boy who possesses every mental prowess to hold back the fight when necessary.

  The one who is unlike the others.

  The youngest who shall appear when it is least expected. A falling star.

  Xoey looked at the map of Grittle. The warrior came from Desert Town, the boy of mental prowess and the magic wielder came from Upper City, the pirate was from Yorego, and the one not like the others was from Under City. The falling star was not on the map. “Uh huh,” she said. “I don’t see how or why anyone should be afraid of Ramos.”

  Nadine yanked the parchment out of Xoey’s hands and placed it back in her pocket. “He’s supposed to be a great warrior.” She gestured to the awkward one. “He’s clumsy.”

  Xoey wasn’t swayed. “He’ll learn.”

  “When?” Nadine sighed. “When do we have the time to teach him?”

  “I think you should be more concerned about who the falling star is. No one just falls from the sky.”

  Nadine huffed, unamused. “We have a lot more to worry about.”

  Xoey patted Nadine on the shoulder. “It’s time to check on the sick captives.”

  Beyond the cargo hold there was a smaller room reserved for the deadliest of prisoners, and despite the emptiness, it still held a tinge of fear—a smell so distinct, similar to blood in a sea full of sharks. If there was any place in the entirety of the ship that held souls, a hundred times over, this would be it. If the men did not die from malnutrition, they certainly found it in the deep blue.

  Xoey knelt down in front of the far bench. Her small fingers picked at the floor panels under it. She squeezed her small frame down into the belly of the ship. Her fingers held on to the floor until her toes touched the wood beaming, and when it was safe, she let go. The last thing she wanted was to fall as no one would ever hear her screams. Nadine squeezed through, listening intently to Xoey’s guidance. They carefully edged across the beam to the other side where the captives were stored.

  Nadine did not appear comfortable sitting on the beam as Xoey carefully pushed a panel up to listen. If they fell trying to escape from reaching hands, they would be in bilge water swimming with the rats. She could hear them squeaking below. “Come here,” a man’s voice commanded. Xoey froze in the moment, daring not to breathe.

  She was grateful that it was too dark for them to see the removed panels. “Yes, captain.” The scent of vomit reeked. Nadine covered her mouth. Xoey was deathly afraid that the perverse scent would make Nadine’s stomach churn. Slowly, Xoey’s hand reached out to the perpendicular beam for support. From where she sat, she could only listen as the only way to get their faces was to peek above the floor…and well, she wasn’t that brave, considering her white hair.

  “Rumor has it we will be reaching land in a few hours. That is when you will take control of the vessel.” She could hear the second individual moan.

  The captain continued. “No need to become hesitant at such a prospect. Nix is notorious for his illustrious affairs obtaining the pirates, and if we aid him in this endeavor, we can be heroes. Imagine the fame of turning over an entire crew.” The second one paused, perhaps hesitating.

  “But we are pirates, Captain Pene.”

  “That is what makes this plan so glorious.”

  Xoey slowly rose to her feet, keeping a tight grip on the beam that now rested at her back. She was inches from the opening. When she heard the name Pene, she almost fell backwards. Pene was the captain who disappeared after killing Captain Towler in the keel haul. Xoey quietly placed the panel back and gestured rather rudely for Nadine to hurry up.

  Xoey rushed into Zaren’s quarters without announcing her presence. Zaren motioned for her to calm down and speak coherently. “It’s Cap’n Pene.”

  Zaren’s face brightened. “Him? I captured the tyrant.”

  “He works for Nix,” Nadine said. “They want to take the ship.”

  “Then we must work on that plan of yours, Xoey.”

  “I just need them to talk,” Xoey said to Zaren. “His voice is deeper than the rest.”

  Nadine piped up. “Judging by his shadow he has a long, profound nose.”

  Zaren and Xoey paused. The deck’s hold tensed, the ship slowed—silence upon a ship was never a good thing. Zaren shoved a gun into Xoey’s chest. “Whatever you do, don’t go up.” Xoey watched Zaren disappear up the steps.

  “Zaren’s one of the best.” She felt she was assuring herself, too.

  In the darkened captain’s quarters, they listened to every sound—or lack thereof.

  A low rumbling sound radiated through the room. Nadine dropped her jaw and before Xoey could ask, she pushed Xoey to the ground. They squeezed under the musky cot. Nadine refrained from speaking her thoughts regarding hygiene. The sound intensified as though a train was setting straight for the ship. Xoey peeped, unable to question. The two girls held onto one another as the wood pulled apart, the nails ripped from their holding place. Wind ripped through the decks, destroying everything in its path. Then Xoey, Nadine, and the cot were blown into the vortex of wind and rain.

  Nadine buried her head into Xoey’s shoulder. It was one thing to loop, but to spin in strong fast circles made her feel as though she was going to hurl. Xoey used the cot as a shield from the flying debris. They reached the top of the twister and were thrown out of the encapsulating wind. Nadine and Xoey screamed as they arched over the remains of the ships and plummeted into the ocean. Nadine held onto Xoey as Xoey swam up for air.

  Nadine reached for a floating plank of wood. “Here.” She turned her head away and hurled. The sudden stop sent her equilibrium to a very unhappy place. Xoey grimaced and paddled away from the floating bits of regurgitated food. Nadine swam to keep up with the pace of the current.

  “What just happened?”

  Nadine shook her head. “I don’t know. If I had to guess, somebody had a wind tunnel.”

  Xoey recalled hearing the name being called out in Under City. Nadine explained that when the large device is plugged in the interior fans spin at such a high rate it creates a large tornado. She went on to say that it was expensive and the gnomes would know who bought it. They didn’t need to ask. All instincts pointed to Nix.

  Xoey gripped a large mound of sand and pulled herself to land. Nadine rolled on her back. “Do you think the others are okay?”

  It was a question they wanted to avoid. Xoey shook her head. She wanted to say anything to reassure Nadine, but nothing came out. Xoey looked up to see a forest of tall white fans. Taller than
any building she’s ever seen. “Where are we?”

  Nadine tilted her head back to look. “We’re at the wind farm.” She explained that it was south of Storm’s Hold. They were a day’s trip or so from Old Town. Xoey groaned. She didn’t want to think about walking for five minutes, much less two days.

  Xoey pulled herself up and shivered. “We’ll need to find a place to start a fire.” She wanted nothing more than for her clothes to be dry.

  Nadine nodded. “There are woods not far from here. We can camp there for the night.”

  Xoey looked over the path beyond the large wind farm. Squinting, she could see figures beyond the ridge. Nadine reached out a hand and touched Xoey. “Run!”

  Happy to be barefoot, Xoey kept her stride beside Nadine. She was hungry, cold, and tired. Her stomach churned in disagreement as the burst of energy was limited. She knew they couldn’t run for long, but the sound behind them would keep the momentum going. She wanted to look back. She had to see what they were running from. She craned her head over her shoulder and wished she hadn’t let curiosity take over.

  Captain Pene, a man with dark eyes and a long nose, strode behind his crew. He walked with grace, as though he didn’t need to lift a finger. Xoey envied the loyalty, but it was only for a second before she reminded herself that she didn’t need to envy anything about the man.

  Nadine grabbed Xoey’s hand and yelled something, but her voice was drowned out by the large ship that was landing in front of them. Xoey pulled her to the right, hoping to zig and zag out of their range should they decide to shoot. She could hear shouting and clamoring on either side. Nadine slowed down; they were surrounded.

  Unhappy, Xoey watched as Captain Pene approached. His long dark hair was pulled back and tied tight with a red ribbon. He had a graveyard smile and long spindly hands. There was nothing about him that Xoey liked. Captain Pene forced a bow. “Shackle them.”

  Xoey’s hands were bound behind her back, and Pene kept a hand on her shoulder, pushing her along. Pene wore a frock coat, high black boots, and a large hat. He must have obtained his peacock clothing on the ship. His second in command, a large man with greasy hair of a dull brown color, shoved Nadine forward. Upon his white shirt was a black stain of something thick and likely toxic.