the Dark shall do what Light cannot

by Sanem Ozdural

  Twilight’s Hand scrutinized the six ships. I don’t believe their intent is peaceful, he decided. And their target was likely to be the Flying Fish. The pirates fought. It was their way of life. Twilight’s Hand was generally not judgmental about such matters, but under the present circumstances… Teodor was not to be trusted, so Patron must be safe! So that she can take my daughter…

  Cypress looked out at the six ships uncertainly. Should she swim out there? Is that what her brother would want her to do? Were these fishermen? They were big ships, pirate ships. They were nothing like the small boats that the fishermen used. She bit her lip. They were far away, and the sea, although not as stormy as when she had first arrived, was still messy with waves. Besides, her arm still ached a great deal. She recalled the difficulty she had experienced swimming to shore. It would be impossible to swim the distance to the ships with a broken arm. Maybe I could use my legs only, she wondered. But it was such a long way… Besides, Kaya had not told her to go to the pirates. She remembered the pirates vaguely, but Mother and Father had never let her go near them, let alone speak to them. Cypress curled up against the rock and watched the tall ships on the horizon, holding tightly onto the crocodile hanging around her neck.

  * * *

  “For the hundredth time, Patron, we do not know how the life transfer works – if it works at all on animals,” Orion said impatiently.

  “Yes, you said that before,” she said. “So? What do you want me to do? Leave her behind?”

  “You’re not leaving her behind,” Orion sighed with frustration.

  “She would live out her normal lifespan like other dogs,” Father Griffith said patiently, which seemed to annoy Patron even more than Orion’s warnings.

  Orion held up his right hand – the one without the scorpion. “All right. All right. We will imprint Hazel too.”

  “Good. And Sofia if she wants,” Patron said obstinately.

  Orion cast a quick glance in Bruce’s direction. “If Bruce agrees.”

  Bruce remained studiously absorbed in the great open spaces. Next to him, Sofia sat upright and alert. “There he is, I think,” he cried, pointing eagerly to a speck on the horizon. “Can you hear it?”

  The distant roar of an engine was audible, and as they looked carefully, they could make out the approaching shape of a boat.

  “There are six ships, and the captain is Teodor of the Green Dragon,” Peter announced to the small, expectant crowd that had gathered around.

  “Six against one. Seems unfair,” Father Griffith said.

  Patron grinned. “He must have felt confident that he would catch us unawares.”

  Father Griffith looked at her with a puzzled expression. “You mean– you mean there would be more?”

  Patron nodded vigorously. “If we were at open sea – I mean on the other side of the Veil – there is not a ship, not a single ship, that could catch the Flying Fish! And we’re heavily armed,” she added. “But it would be no good if we were to sail right into a trap. I know Teodor,” she continued, addressing the information Peter had imparted. “But is he the captain?” she demanded impatiently.

  “Yes, of course,” Peter replied.

  “Well, what did he say?” Cat asked, also displaying a marked impatience.

  Peter let a slow, mirthless smile spread across his features. “He accepted the challenge. The captain of the first ship to be incapacitated gives up his or her life.” He removed a transparent sleeve containing a document from within the recesses of his coat.

  “I thought he would,” Patron said, reaching for the document. “Teodor would. Another captain…might not have.” She waved the document in the air. “He signed it.”

  “Good,” Bruce nodded. It was the document they had drawn up, based on the pirate code as ratified by the charter of the APCU.

  “So that means the other ships are under contract to him, right?” Patron demanded. “You did make sure, I assume?”

  Peter nodded. “The other five were contracted to Teodor. I spoke with the captain of the Silent Dark. She said they are contracted to Teodor, so whatever he does, they will follow. If he’s taken up your challenge, he is on his own, and their contract has been nullified.”

  “Good,” Patron said.

  “I showed her Teodor’s signature, of course,” Peter added.

  “That’s Silva – the captain of the Silent Dark,” Patron chuckled as though to a private joke. “I’m surprised she got involved… she didn’t happen to disclose what she was promised, did she?”

  Peter shook his head. “No, but she did say that her understanding was that it was really an attack on Orion rather than the Flying Fish.”

  “What nonsense!” Patron cried indignantly. “An attack on my ship is an attack on my ship! If someone has a problem with Orion, they could very well try to bump him off when he was on land. There would be plenty of opportunities. There is absolutely no need to get my ship involved!

  “By the way–” she continued, turning to Orion, “Who do you think is trying to put you out of commission?”

  “I don’t know, but it’s a good sign,” Orion said, looking pleased.

  “What sort of a pirate is Teodor?” Bruce asked. “What can we expect?”

  “He’s young and … well, he’s not a bad pirate–” Patron said grudgingly.

  “Now what happens?” Cat asked.

  Patron ignored her. “Have you decided?” she asked Bruce, “About Sofia, I mean?”

  Bruce said nothing. He knelt by the young Doberman who quickly rose to her feet, and started wagging her stump of a tail vigorously. Bruce stroked the glossy dark head and spoke to her softly. They could not hear what he said. Eventually, he rose. “Yes,” he nodded somberly. “I want her to be imprinted too.”

  “We will imprint the dogs here on board,” Patron announced. “And then Peter and I will take the LifeBank beyond the Veil to imprint me and Teodor.”

  “Isn’t that dangerous?” Father Griffith asked quickly. “What if Teodor decides to attack you and take the LifeBank?”

  “He wouldn’t dare,” Patron replied.

  “What about us?” Cat asked. “Bruce, Roland and I, I mean. Are we staying on the ship? I thought the plan was to dump us on an island somewhere.”

  “You will all leave the ship,” Patron said with emphasis. “Including you, Orion. You are my most precious cargo sent for specifically by Shadow. I will deliver you to Pera, or as close to it as possible if it kills me!”

  “As Patron said, we will leave with Peter and the LifeBank in the lifeboat and make our way to one of the islands nearby – the Island of Birds is the most likely choice – and we’ll stay there until the Flying Fish comes back for us.”

  Cat refrained from asking, what if she doesn’t come back? She said instead: “The ship looks completely different. I bet those pirates out there won’t even be able to recognize it!”

  Patron and Orion gave each other a meaningful look.

  “Right, let’s get going,” Patron said briskly. “Come on Peter. Let’s get the dogs imprinted.”

  Imprinting Hazel proved significantly easier owing to her small size. Patron simply picked her up and placed her paw in the slot, not heeding her protestations. Hazel bounded away from the LifeBank, interested in the new network of reddish lines that marked her front left paw. Sofia was more challenging, and required the manpower of both Bruce and Orion to lift her and place her paw in the machine.

  “Well that’s done,” Bruce said, looking at Sofia apprehensively. “You’re a good girl,” he told her. “It’s all going to be fine.”

  “All right, Peter, you’re with me,” Patron said. “Come on get the LifeBank loaded!”

  * * *

  Twilight’s Hand watched with consternation as the small flashing boat sped towards the Light Veil. Where is she going? Will she return?

  * * *

  Cat looked back as they left the ship. It grew smaller as she watched. And suddenly, it was no longer there. It had b
een replaced with a picture of open sea lit by the grey light before dawn. She sighed.

  “We’ve crossed the Veil,” Peter said.

  So the ships are real, thought Father Griffith grimly, staring at the six behemoths that loomed ahead. He noticed that the water around them glittered. What is in the water? he wondered, leaning over the side.

  “We’re sparkling!” he cried.

  “Yes, the boat’s coated with a special variant of Moonlightsmear,” Orion explained. “It allows us to pass through the Veil.”

  “And the whole of Patron’s ship is painted in this?” Father Griffith asked nervously.

  “Yes.”

  “Oh dear,” Cat said. “Now I understand why they didn’t want to just waltz in…” She looked back with a worried expression.

  “Don’t worry,” Orion said.

  How not to worry…

  Bruce also looked behind him with considerable concern.

  “What if they all attack?” Bruce asked. “I know they said they wouldn’t, but can we trust them?”

  “Yes,” Peter nodded. “Look at their flags. They are now all flying at full mast. That means the contract between the ships is broken. They are now just bystanders. They will not interfere, but they are probably curious, so they’ll stay.”

  * * *

  Twilight’s Hand felt enormous relief as the boat returned from the Veil and this time its destination was not the Green Dragon but… so please the Dark One, this very island! Even though the Flying Fish must still be beyond the Veil, she had sent one of her boats! He turned and made his way down the rock, but this time instead of climbing the hill to his house, he took the road to the shore where boats were permitted to moor…

  Peter jumped off the boat, followed by an over eager Sofia, who in turn was followed by Bruce attempting to hold her. Together they pulled the boat to the shore. Orion stepped off the boat as Twilight’s Hand reached them. He was panting a little as he addressed Orion directly.

  “Hunter–”

  “Twilight’s Hand,” Orion acknowledged taking a step towards the tall man dressed in the thick white robe. His shoulder length hair was black and tangled. The bones of his pale face were fine and angular, and his eyes were black with a flash of red at the very back.

  He is nervous, thought Father Griffith. Of us?

  “We will stay a short time–” Peter was beginning to explain, but stopped speaking as Orion raised his left hand to silence him.

  Hunter, Cypress is here. Take her with you. Please.

  “I know,” Orion said. “Where?”

  Twilight’s Hand visibly sagged with relief as he pointed. “The other side of island,” he said, explaining how they could skirt the Dark Rock to moor near the caves. His eyes fell on Sofia boisterously sniffing her surroundings.

  She is scared. She is alone.

  “She will not harm anyone,” Orion assured him, nodding towards Sofia. “Let’s go,” he ordered Peter. “Get Sofia and everyone in the boat. We’re going to the other side of the island.”

  “Why?” Cat wondered.

  “She wants to run,” Bruce said, indicating Sofia. “I will walk with her. She’s been cooped up for days. It’s not far, is it?”

  “It’s all right,” Orion said, addressing Twilight’s Hand who was looking apprehensive. “I will walk too. Peter, you take Cat and Roland.”

  “Come on girl, run? Run, Sofia!” Bruce clapped his hands and jogged behind an ecstatic young Doberman.

  They ran together, over the rock and across a pebbled beach…

  “Here, Sofia!” Bruce called out, watching the dog bound towards the caves. “Not the caves, Sofia. We don’t know what’s in there. Come here, girl!” he shouted. Sofia sprinted back and started dancing around him.

  “It’s all right,” Orion assured him. “We are going to the caves.”

  After making sure that Bruce was following her, Sofia doubled back to the caves. Bruce sighed. “What is it, girl?” he muttered. “Did you find a dead bird? Sofie, come here!” he said angrily, walking with Orion into the entrance of the first cave…

  Patron turned to her crew who had assembled on deck. “You know your orders.”

  They assented.

  “Take your stations.”

  * * *

  “Come here!” Bruce shouted and waved. “Here!” he cried urgently to the boat in the process of mooring.

  Cat looked at Father Griffith, puzzled.

  “Let’s go to him,” Father Griffith said, taking the lead. They disembarked from the boat and walked to the mouth of the cave where they had seen Bruce standing.

  The Flying Fish gathered her armor about her. She drew in her fins, and pushed out her tail, which would propel her forward. When the time came, the lightfuel would give her the strength she needed.

  The Flying Fish sank slowly and silently into the black water.

  At first it was too dark to see anything, but soon their eyes adjusted to the semi-darkness.

  “Come here.” They heard Orion’s voice. It was almost a whisper. They went towards it.

  On the beach, Twilight’s Hand remained standing outside the entrance of the cave, his head bowed. In shame. In pain.

  There is blood in the water

  To remind you of this wrong…

  Patron stood ready at the prow of the ship-turned-submarine. She could feel the engine come to life as it propelled them forward.

  The Flying Fish was sea-borne.

  There would not be a lot of time once they crossed over the Veil, for, even underwater, she would eventually be spotted. She was too bright to miss. They would have a momentary advantage, but that was all. Patron was decidedly unhappy about having to reveal her ship’s great secret, her most treasured weapon: the ability to travel underwater, but it was a necessary sacrifice. She did not look at her left hand. Next to her, Hazel happily played with her rabbit soft toy, accustomed to such maneuvers in her short life.

  “Crossing the Veil!” cried an anonymous crewmember.

  “Lightfuel!”

  The ship shot forward. Patron trusted that Peter had provided accurate coordinates. If he had not… well, they would know soon enough.

  * * *

  “Hello, darling,” Cat said gently, kneeling next to the young girl with the long, straight, bedraggled dark hair. She had large hazel eyes set in a fine-boned face. Her fair skin was faintly translucent. She shied away from them, huddling against the dank wall of the cave. “We’re not going to hurt you, sweetheart,” Cat continued gently, reaching out to stroke the girl’s hair. “You’re hurt,” she cried, noticing the bandaged arm in the sling.

  I know you, thought Father Griffith, wanting to cry and scream in rage and agony, but unable to do either as something cold and strong appeared to have twisted itself into a knot in his throat.

  I was your rose, your brightness.

  It was all lightness…

  Cat continued to talk to the girl in a soothing voice. “It’s all right, hon, we’re not going to hurt you.”

  The girl gave Cat a furtive glance but remained silent.

  “It’s all right, darling,” Cat said. “You’re safe, now.” She looked up at Orion. There was a question in her glance.

  “She is Cypress,” Orion said softly.

  “I know,” said the priest in a strangled voice.

  “She’s hurt,” Cat cried. “Look at your arm, for a start. Poor mite, you look half-starved. Peter, why don’t you bring that bag with the food?” she called out brusquely. “Don’t we have medical supplies?”

  Orion knelt by the girl and quickly examined her arm. Her quick intake of breath was the only sign she gave of the pain his examination caused.

  “It looks broken,” he announced. “But you managed to set it all by yourself. Good girl,” he smiled at her. She looked at her feet. “She’s done what she could,” he explained to Cat. “We can’t do anything more until… we get back on the ship,” he added meditatively. Rising, he went to the entrance of the cav
e.

  “Well, you should definitely have something to eat,” Cat said. “Peter, just bring that bag, and we’ll see what we can feed this poor child.”

  “No, thank you,” Cypress said in a timid but precise voice. “The nose rock,” she continued as though in explanation.

  “I’m sorry?” Cat leaned forward. “Say that again. I thought I heard something about a rock.”

  The girl scrambled to her feet, appearing all arms and legs. She gave Cat a nervous look and sprinted to the rock near which the boat was anchored. They followed and saw her reach into a hollow in the rock and pull out a packet. She offered it shyly to Cat.

  “What is this, darling?” Cat asked, unfolding the wrapping of soft, slightly damp cloth. Inside, wrapped in a paper bag, were a slightly soggy chicken sandwich, a green apple, and a glass bottle of milk.

  Bruce joined Orion at the entrance of the cave and looked out towards the open sea. The six ships were there, but there was no sign of the Flying Fish.

  “They have not crossed over yet,” Orion said.

  The Fish jutted out at a thirty-five degree angle from the nose of the ship. Its serrated fins were still. The horn of the Fish was long and sharp and strong.

  Patron could feel the other ship… it was close now. The serrated blades of the fins started to whir, cutting through water, for now…

  “Where is she?” Bruce wondered out loud. “I thought they would be through by now.”

  “You won’t see her,” Orion told him.

  Bruce glanced at him sharply. “Why not?”

  Orion nodded towards the ships that were more visible now in the light of early dawn. “Look!”

  They saw one of the ships buckle and sway dangerously.

  “What’s happening?” Bruce asked urgently. “Is that – is it the Green Dragon?”