by Eden Redd
“I’m blind! I shouldn’t be steering the ship!” the half-breed cleric cried out again.
Syndra ignored her. Dark hands took hold of five, small cannonballs. Memories drifted across her mind, remembering that the Captain had told her there was a limited amount of heavy explosive rounds and they should only be used in dire emergencies.
“This is an emergency,” the witch grinned as she lifted and cradled the five small cannonballs in her arms.
Moving swiftly, she loaded the two front cannons and the three starboard cannons. Closing each end shut and cocking back the hammer, the shadow elf looked over her work before stepping to the communication tube.
“Cannons are loaded! Wait for my command!” Syndra shouted.
Eryn made worried noises, her hands tight on the wheel.
“Vala, guide me and the sad witch below deck.”
“I heard that! Just wait for my commands!” Syndra shouted, covered the tube and laughed to herself.
Syndra moved to the forward cannons. She peered through the portals, her crimson eyes taking in the sheer cliff face. She glanced to the side and saw the rickety stairs far from where the ship pointed.
“It will have to do,” the witch smiled before slamming her hands down on two triggers.
The forward cannons stabbed out flashes of light as cannonballs exploded into white, hot fireballs. They streaked above the water, leaving a trail of light behind them. Syndra watched with shrewd eyes as the twin streaks reached the side of the mesa-like island and thundered with an explosion. The very side of the entire island cracked, stones breaking free and crashing into the water. Sharp spires along the waterline were obliterated from falling rocks.
“Hard to port!” Syndra shouted with manic glee.
Eryn shook her head before leaning into the wheel, spinning it in her hands. The Dark Heart turned, the ship tilting on its side and starboard cannons pointing along the thick cracks across the high island’s cliffside.
Syndra cackled as she slammed her hand down on triggers, one at a time. The cannon’s flashed, one after the other. Cannonball’s exploded in white hot energy as they streaked upwards. Each one struck with a thundering blow, the entire cliffside crumbling from the damage and spilling into the ocean below. Part of the island crumbled, creating a landslide into the sea.
Inside the pit, sea elves turned to see part of the pit falling apart as the very ground shook. Elves ran away from one side as dust and debris billowed. When it began to settle, starlight glowed as the pit opened up to the night sky.
Many cheered as they grabbed their loved ones and charged to the V shape opening. Screams of joy filled the air as sea elves rushed up the debris and down the other side. The ocean called to them and they answered by diving into welcoming waters.
Eryn moved to the side of the upper deck. She watched in the darkness, many balls of fiery souls appearing.
“We have come to liberate you! Swim to freedom!” the half-breed shouted and waved.
Syndra sat back and leaned on a cannon. She watched through the cannon portal as sea elves splashed and swam to freedom.
“Aye,” the shadow elf whispered, her thoughts shifting to Lilly, Jon, and Zelda and her heart beating with true love.
***
The remaining guards rushed into the castle. On the other side, they boarded small boats that hung from chains. They pushed levers, the boats rapidly descending to the ocean waters. Oars slipped out and they began to row with fevered energy as freed sea elves shouted and called them cowards.
Jon stepped from the tower and into the courtyard. The entire island shook as explosions flashed in the night sky. Despite weary weakness, he managed to stay standing.
The courtyard was filled with many bodies of the guards that didn’t make it and some dead sea elves. Jon’s heart sagged in his chest, wishing this wasn’t the outcome he wanted, but one he had to accept.
From the crowd of sea elves, Lilly stepped out and walked toward Jon. The Captain was covered in dirt and blood. She eyed Jon as she sauntered closer, the little knife still in her hand.
Jon stared as Lilly approached. The two stood before each other, the Captain bowing her head.
“I must be a sight,” Lilly said in a small voice.
“A beautiful sight,” Jon smirked.
“Jon… I,” Lilly began.
“We can talk later. Let’s get everyone to the sea.”
Lilly nodded when Jon’s hand reached out, grabbed her arm and pulled her close. The two stared into each other’s eyes for what seemed eternity.
“I love you,” Jon said.
“I love you,” Lilly whispered back before she pressed her lips to his.
The two held each other close, kissing deeply as their souls burned bright.
Webbed hands reached around them and picked them up. Jon and Lilly broke their kiss as Zelda hefted them up and began running to the main entrance.
“The Dark Heart is below!” the sea elf giggled.
Jon and Lilly’s eyes bulged out of their heads as they were carried along. Sea elves raced alongside them to the entrance.
The door slammed open. Sea elves dived off the top and splashed into the waters below. Zelda put down her Captain and her lover, the three of them jumping many steps at a time as two elves waved to them from the Dark Heart below.
Syndra and Eryn smiled brightly as they waved.
Jon’s heart leapt in his chest, seeing the shadow elf still alive. Without a second thought, when they reached halfway down the stairs, Jon grabbed the simple railing and jumped off. Lilly and Zelda laughed as they did the same. All three dove down until they hit the water.
A soothing comfort washed over Jon as he opened his eyes under water and saw many sea elves swimming away to freedom. Kicking his legs, he burst through the surface water and began swimming, Lilly and Zelda at his sides.
The trio reached the Dark Heart, a rope ladder unfurling and splashing into the water. Jon was first, climbing the ladder. When he was on deck, he rushed toward Syndra’s open arms, grabbed her by the waist and lifted her up, joy in his eyes.
Lilly and Zelda rushed to them, all four hugging each other tightly. Tears welled up as they didn’t let go.
Eryn smiled as she stared blankly. Four flaming souls burned brightly in the darkness of the cleric’s gaze, almost forming a single soul. A sea of bobbing, magical orbs filled the dark beyond the crew of the Dark Heart with mystical light and unfettered love.
Fourteen
Jon opened his eyes to the gentle rocking of the ship. He lay on the comfortable bed as colored light filtered in from stained glass. The young man lifted his head, seeing that he was in Lilly’s bedchamber. The bed was wide. A desk and table sat to the side. A rack of wine bottles was carved into a wall as upside down glasses hung from holders above. The room had Lilly’s scent, blended with the sea and Jon drank it in.
Memories flowed into his relaxed mind. He remembered being on deck and so happy that Syndra had survived. He remembered the tears from all of them, their hearts beating as one. A faint memory touched his mind’s eye, the thrill wearing off and his arms and legs turning to jelly. There was a moment of falling, Zelda reaching out to grab him and slow his fall. Lilly produced a piece of Ambrosia fruit and pressed it to his lips. The young man took the piece, bit down and chewed as everything started to go black. The last thing he remembered was Lilly smiling.
Jon blinked in bed as he stayed on his back.
The exhaustion must have been too much. I wonder if I was rested, I could have fought longer?
An odd sensation itched at the back of his neck. Jon moved his arm and touched raised skin at his neck. He felt it, indents and curved lines forming a circle and something within. It was so strange that he sat up and let his fingers linger on the spot. Glancing around, he saw an oval vanity mirror over a low dresser but no other mirror to reflect the image.
The sounds of the ocean outside brought him back as he sat, thinking about Lilly and the others.
Throwing the blanket off of him, he saw that he was stark nude. On a nearby chair, his pirate clothes hung. With a leap, he was off the bed and taking hold of his shirt, smiling to himself as he heard the murmur of the crew above him.
***
Lilly manned the helm. The shadow of her hat kept the sun out of her eyes as she stared at the horizon. Sea mist splashed up as the Dark Heart made its way through ocean waters and a lightness touched her heart as five elves on the upper deck with her spoke to each other rather loudly.
“It could be a rumor. There is no possible way the Empire can create a blockade just for us,” Syndra said with her eyes closed and arms crossed along her belly.
Eryn was leaning against a railing, her hands holding onto it and her gaze downward. “I have blessed some who divulged these hints of plans. Some of the Empire’s sailors have spoken to me, confessing what is to come, days before you arrived. The Emperor knew you would come back and he prepared for it.”
“You should have told the Captain the moment we arrived,” Zelda said in a low tone.
“I told her to keep everything a secret until the time was right,” Lilly said in a commanding tone.
Ryta and Jyn were silent as their eyes turned to the red-headed Captain.
“Captain?” Zelda asked.
Lilly gave a wry smirk as Jon climbed the simple steps to the upper deck. A glow seemed to infect his entire demeanor as he stepped closer. Zelda and Syndra turned to their Shullkar and rushed him. Arms once again hugged Jon as they smiled. Eryn stayed by the railing, seeing Jon’s golden soul mobbed by two other souls.
“So glad you could join us,” Lilly grinned.
“Glad to be back. How long was I asleep?” Jon said as he gently broke the embrace and moved to the center, between all of the elves.
“A little over a day,” Lilly stated as she moved the wheel.
“I must have been more exhausted than I thought,” Jon smiled back.
The Captain nodded.
Zelda stepped over and curled her arm around Jon’s neck, pushing his face into the side of her boob. “Our lucky charm!”
Jon grinned as one eye was covered by Zelda’s cloth covered breast.
Syndra stepped closer and tapped Zelda on the arm. The sea elf smiled as she let go, Jon nearly losing his balance as he didn’t want to leave Zelda just yet. The witch’s fingers caressed the back of Jon’s neck, touching the strange rune-like tattoo inked into his skin.
“You didn’t have this before. I saw it when we laid you down, but the Captain told me you were never inked,” Syndra’s crimson eyes drinking it in.
“I felt a burning sensation when we fought Sawblade at the docks. I felt it again when I was dodging the guards in the courtyard. Once it fully burned out, I could move my body perfectly. I think the rum helped,” Jon explained.
“Let me feel,” Eryn said as she took an unsteady step forward.
Zelda moved to the blind cleric’s side and held out her arm. The half-breed elf took hold and Zelda guided her closer to Jon. Eryn let go and reached out, Syndra taking the cleric by the wrist and guiding her hand to the tattoo on Jon’s neck.
Fingers touched the raised skin of the tattoo. Eryn felt around carefully, taking in every nuance. The moment was quiet as Zelda and Syndra watched with interested eyes.
“Dragons have always loved elven rum and wines. It’s not that odd that your dragon spirit loved it too. It may explain why you could fight so well from what the crew has told me,” Eryn said as she continued to feel around.
Jon waited patiently as Eryn continued. When she squeezed his butt with her other hand, he knew she was finished.
“It’s a very old symbol. My dragon tongue is a little off but I believe the tattoo means Nimble,” Eryn said as her mind worked.
Syndra nodded. “It could mean that.”
Zelda looked to the cleric and the witch, “How do you know?”
Eryn smiled. “When I wasn’t blessing those coming to visit, I spent a lot of time reading. The monastery has an old library. And before you ask, ink is raised in books to allow those who cannot see to still read them. Some of the older tomes mentioned the dragons from long ago and even had some of their writings intact.”
Syndra nodded, “We will need to know more.”
Eryn shrugged. “There is not much else to tell you. I know about some runes, but all of this is beyond me.”
Syndra turned her attention to Jon, the young man staring at her with a happy smile. A blink later, he rushed her, wrapped his arms around her and hugged her close. The shadow elf didn’t fight, hugging Jon and not wanting to let go.
“I thought you were gone,” Jon whispered in her ear.
“I won’t leave you and the Captain’s side. We have so much work ahead of us and you owe me a date,” Syndra smiled.
“Many dates,” Jon corrected.
Zelda’s pupils were heart-shaped as her brother and sister watched the man and shadow elf with warm eyes.
When the pair broke their embrace, Lilly cleared her throat.
“Cabin Mate, to my side,” the Captain ordered.
Jon smiled as he stepped closer and took his place at her side. Lilly let go of the wheel with one hand and took Jon’s hand into hers.
“Thank you, for trusting me,” Lilly said in a small voice.
Jon nodded as he glanced to the crew looking over with knowing eyes.
“I told them everything,” Lilly said.
Jon nodded. “I guess I can know the whole plan?”
Lilly nodded and continued, “I had a plan from the start. I long ago tasked Eryn to find the location of Zelda’s family and her clan. When she did, she was supposed to give that information to Captain Thorn to bring to me. Rose owed me several favors and I knew she was quick to complete them so she was no longer in my debt. As much as we pretended to be rivals, our relationship simply ran its course.
“I had Captain Thorn ensure Sawblade would be the one to capture us. My prior dealings with him would ensure I had an edge every time we met. I knew his hatred for me and when I found out he was a courier between the Worm Pit and royalty, we would have our in.”
Lilly looked down, “The initial plan was to take his ship and sneak in. I wasn’t sure if we could do it. My back up plan was to hide lock picking tools on me and break out if we were captured. I didn’t account for the harpoons and Sawblade sinking the Dark Heart. When I thought we lost Syndra, it broke my heart, but we had to continue with the plan.
“The other back up plan was you.”
Jon looked to the beautiful Captain.
Lilly sighed. “There were a lot of moving pieces and I couldn’t chance anything slipping. If Sawblade had spies or anyone else overheard or were watching us, it would have undermined the entire mission.”
The Captain turned her gaze to Syndra and Zelda with a touch of sorrow.
Zelda beamed. “As we said, Captain, we love and trust you. We know you have our best interests at heart.”
Syndra shook her head. “Was it part of your plan to have the cleric molest me as she rescued me?”
“I saved your life,” Eryn grinned.
“If it was between death and you putting your hands on me, death would have been preferable.”
The cleric and witch smiled as they teased each other. Zelda let out a laugh.
Lilly looked over to her First Mate, “I knew your soul would never rest if we didn’t find your family. This was the best way to accomplish the goal.”
Zelda eyed her Captain with a razor smile. “I will follow you to the underworld and back and you never have to tell me why. I swear it to the gods.”
The Captain nodded before turning her attention to Jon. “I knew your luck would turn the tide at some point. I trusted it as I trusted you. If you had not distracted the guards, many more sea elves would have been killed by the cannon towers and the crossbows. You kept them busy long enough to free the prisoners and save us.”
“It seems we all saved each other,
” Jon smiled brightly.
“That we did,” Lilly said with a hint of shyness.
Jon stared at Lilly’s beauty for a long moment before he raised an eyebrow. “Where did you hide lock picking tools?”
“She hid them in her butt!” Zelda shouted and laughed.
The Captain nodded.
Jon laughed. “I didn’t know you were into any of that?”
“There are many things you have yet to discover, my Shullkar. We have a lifetime to discover them together.”
Syndra sighed. “We still have to decide if we want the cleric as part of our crew?”
Eryn wrinkled her brow in annoyance.
Lilly nodded. “Crew! We decide as one. Do we wish for Eryn Moon to be part of our crew and take on the position as Cleric?”
“Do I have a say in this?” Eryn grinned.
“No,” Syndra scoffed.
“What say you? Aye or nay?” Lilly asked.
“Aye!” Zelda, Jon, and Syndra said in unison, the witch saying it the loudest.
“It has been agreed upon. Eryn Moon, you now are a part of us and the Dark Heart for life!” Lilly shouted.
“Yay,” the cleric said with a slightly less than enthusiastic tone.
Jon grinned. “What’s the plan now, Captain?”
“There is a rumor the Empire will try to blockade us from entering the portal. For now, going home will be put on hold. We must find a safe place for the sea elf clans.”
Jon raised an eyebrow, “They are still with us?”
“They are swimming alongside the ship. If they returned to their home waters, the Empire will simply hunt them down again. No, they need to be safe until we can break the Empire’s reach.”
Lilly smirked, “That is why we are going to the Misty Sea. I just may know a place where they will be safe for a long time.”
“Aye, Captain,” Jon smiled.
“I can’t speak for everyone, but I need a swim,” Zelda grinned. “What say you, Jyn and Ryta?”
The two younger siblings nodded and smiled. Zelda blew Jon a kiss before running to the edge of the upper deck, jumped and dived into the waters below. Jyn and Ryta did the same, rushing to edge and following their older sister.