The Captain's Stand

by Kat Mandu

  “I am stealing the fairy and running for ma damn life,” Richard said, looking at him. “I am nae a hero, even at full swinging ability. I do nae want to test ma mettle against something that has the name ‘immortal’ in it. I need a ship, nae a death wish,” he said, heading for the door.

  “That is very sensible,” Boss admitted. “A little cowardly, but sensible.” Richard ignored him, moving towards the door.

  “Now then, to find that fairy,” he murmured, walking down the hall. The hall was rather long as Richard wondered why despite the stone and little in the way of light his vision hadn’t left him. Boss and Jill moved behind him as he frowned at Jill for biting at the strap.

  The hall opened up and he found himself standing at the edge of a long balcony. Below him was a massive throne room. The throne itself was five times the size of any chair he had seen, made of white marble with a massive, muscular grey figure sitting in it. Bright green vines were growing over top of everything, even the figure itself. Floor to ceiling windows rested on one wall, displaying the western horizon between the Greek-styled pillars that lined every wall. And in the center was a square stone with a giant crystal ball hovering over it. And inside it, was the fairy.

  “Is it still alive?” Boss whispered. Richard leaned over the ledge, noting a pair of wings similar to a butterfly and some sort of black dress on the mystical wish granter that was pooled at the bottom of the prison.

  “Nae sure, I cannae even see a way to open it up. How could something live without food or water?” Richard asked in a hushed voice.

  “Magic,” Boss reminded. Richard rolled his eyes, nodding as Jill came over. He opened one of the pouches and pulled out a length of rope. He knotted one end around the balcony and tossed the other over the edge.

  “Stay here and keep a lookout. If anything goes wrong, try to give me a warning that doesn’t involve anything loud.”

  “Better idea: I lower you down and pull on the rope if anything goes wrong,” Boss said, grabbing the rope and tying it around Richard’s waist. “And if anything goes wrong, I’ll cut my losses and use you as a distraction.

  “Okay,” Richard drawled, giving him a sidelong glance. After a moment of dangling in the air, he felt his feet hit the ground and the remaining rope pooled at his feet. Richard frowned, unknotting the rope with his left hand. He didn’t trust Boss, even more so after his last comment.

  He moved quickly and quietly to the crystal ball, realizing that the prison really was levitating. He drew his sword, poking at the glass. The ball seemed to move a bit and the fairy’s wings started to stir. The Fairy had short dark hair, and her dress while short in length had loose long sleeves and a black corset strung up in the front, with a short sword at her side. Richard glanced over his shoulder, noticing a massive door fit for the giant on the throne. He glanced back, noticing no movement from the Gargoyle. With a single push, he placed his palm on the ball. He felt nothing but cool glass. But it was enough to wake the fairy up.

  She glanced around, looking over her shoulder. Her sleepy expression turned to panic as she fluttered to the air and let out a massive scream. Richard winced, fully expecting some kind of ear pain but realized that he couldn’t hear a thing.

  “Must have muted her. Now, if only all women could come with that option,” he thought to himself. He felt his chest rumble at his little joke as he glanced around.

  The fairy was now wide awake and seemed to hover in place her pericing ice blue eye following Richard. Richard rushed over to one of the windows and grabbed onto the long, faded curtain. The fabric snapped easily enough while he looked back at the throne: there was still no movement. He rushed back to the ball, quickly wrapping the cloth around it before tightening it and obscuring the fairy. He tugged on the rope and they began to vanish back up the wall. Richard grabbed onto the rail as soon as he could but a slow ripping sound reached his ears.

  “Shit,” he whispered just as the fabric spilt, spilling the ball on the ground. It hit with a resounding thunk. Boss and Jill looked over the edge as the ball bounced, rolling toward the throne and spinning the poor mystical creature around.

  Richard dropped to the ground, racing after it. He placed both hands on the glass, stopping it from moving. The fairy’s head seemed to sway as she regained her balance on the bottom. She threw him a hard glare and Richard raised his hands in protest. A low chip sounded and his eyes trailed upward as the stone creature moved on it’s throne. The vines ripped away as the Gargoyle rose. Richard and the fairy looked at each other and he took his only option.

  “Boss, get the damn door!” Richard shouted, moving to the side. Boss dropped off the balcony, racing for the door as Richard pushed the ball and rolling it forward.

  Boss slammed the door with his shoulder. Jill leaped off the balcony as well, growling at the Gargoyle as it slowly stretched to it’s full height. Richard felt another pair of hands join him in pushing the ball.

  “That fairy is going to be pissed when she gets out,” Boss replied. They both looked into the ball to see her hovering in the center, glaring at both of them.

  “That is nae good,” Richard admitted. There was a loud crash behind them and they both looked back to see the Gargoyle holding the throne room door over it’s head. Jill shot past them down the hall. “That is nae good either!” he shouted. The ball hit a wall and they both rotated quickly to the far side. The poor fairy was rolling around inside of the ball as the Gargoyle threw the door. It hit about half of the wall they had just passed.

  “Just keep running!” Richard ordered. He glanced back and forth, a wicked smile appearing on his face. “Take a right, if this castle keeps working like this, we are going on a trip!” he shouted, his laugh trailing after them.

  They spun around a corner into a massive hall of angled mirrors that opened up before them. “I have a feeling that Gargoyle is nae all that bright. Or else, we would have rushed into a brick wall,” Richard commented. “Now, follow ma lead. Left, then a sharp right!” he ordered, beginning to bark out orders. The Gargoyle seemed to appear in front of them. The ball rolled into another direction as the sound of breaking glass erupted around them. They took another right and were back in the normal halls.

  They both glanced back when the monster roared.

  “So now what?” Boss asked.

  “We find a place to hide and wait for dark. We need to crack this thing open and head north. I am nae sure how many days are left before she can grant another wish,” Richard replied.

  “How do we open this thing?” Boss asked.

  “I have no idea,” he admitted, watching the fairy walk around drunkenly, trying her best to keep her balance. “Let’s hope her durability holds up,” Richard said, looking back up. “All right for the exit, and where in the world is Jill?” he asked.

  The sound of rapidly approaching paw steps grabbed his attention. “Lot of help you were,” Boss commented. Jill automatically lowered her head.

  “Says the guy who threatened to leave if things went south,” Richard said, glancing over at him.

  “I didn’t, it didn’t seem right. Besides, it would have been back to the fog for me. So, a quick honorable death over a prolonged one,” he said, holding out his fist.

  “Agreed,” Richard said, returning the gesture with a bump. Richard tapped the glass and the fairy looked up at him. He motioned that she levitate and they quickly rolled it out of the room and found a hiding spot further away.

  Later, they sat in a room while the rumble of destruction echoed outside. Richard sat on a three-legged stool, staring intently at the door. He glanced at Boss sitting next to the ball, his arm resting on it while Jill curled up near the door. The ceiling let loose some dust and a bit of stone from the Gargoyle’s continued destruction, the two were sitting in one of the small buildings outside of the castle not too far away from where they had come in from.

  “So, what are the odds of him finding us?” Boss asked, a little concerned.

  “No idea, I
would have to say that it’s up to random chance. We just wait and see. In the meantime, let’s see if you can at least read,” he said, moving closer to the glass prison. He breathed on it, fogging up the surface. With his finger, he wrote down: can you read?

  The fairy breathed on it as well, mirroring his act. He squinted but could not make out what she had written. She pointed at it and Richard leaned as close as he could, but there was no way of reading it. Instead, she flew up and began to make the letters as big as possible. And he finally got the message.

  I am Richard and this is Boss. Do you know how we can free you? he wrote down. She looked it over.

  For a while, she didn’t move, as if weighing her options on the matter. Jill stood up and looked at the ball, her interest sparked in the matter. The dog sat next to Richard and he patted her head, more than ready to play the waiting game. He could be as patient as he needed to be.

  The fairy studied him and they locked eyes, his hand mindlessly scratching Jill behind the ear while her leg began to thump. The fairy appeared to take a deep breath and breathed on the glass, fogging up as much as possible. Her wings flittered as she began to write.

  “Looks like we are going to get somewhere after all,” Boss said, folding his hands in front of himself.

  My name is Spark. All I ask is to get off this damn island my wish is all yours.

  “Good to know,” Richard admitted, fogging up the glass as her message faded.

  How do we get you out? He waited for a second as she prepared her message.

  It dissolves in salt water. And if you shake me up like that again, I am going to be sick on you.

  “She seems feisty,” Boss said, standing up to his full height.

  “I am worried. She is giving us too much information and is being a little too willing to help,” Richard replied, a little put back by how easy it was.

  “Not everything needs to be complicated,” he replied. “By the way, I think the Gargoyle is starting to move away from us. We should be safe from discovery for the time being.”

  “Good, I think we should catch some sleep. I’ll take the first watch,” Richard said while Boss shrugged. “I saw a bed in the side room if you need it.”

  “Well, if you feel like you can’t stay up, feel free to wake me,” he said, walking silently into the only other room of the small house. Richard sat back down on the stool.

  “Let’s see how things pan out. So far, so good,” he told himself while Jill curled up at his feet. Spark stared at him from her prison, her big ice blue eyes seeming to look into his soul. He shook his head, not sure what she expected to see of him. A few minutes later, a small rapping sounded on the door. Richard froze, drawing his sword with left hand, but it wasn’t quite as steady as his right. Jill moved to the door and sniffed at the gap underneath. A pair of legs shadowed on the floor. Richard glanced out one of the windows near the front but he couldn’t spot anyone in the way.

  Grabbing the door with his foot, Richard pushed it open. A small figure peaked in with muddy brown eyes. It was a child, a very small one, staring back at him. The child had short blonde hair with a brown tunic belted around his waist. There were no shoes on the dirty feet that matched his stained face. With a reluctant move, he opened the door and let the child in. Jill licked his face and Richard sat back down before reaching into his bag and tossing the boy an apple

  The child didn’t speak but quickly fed on the fruit like an animal. When the boy moved in the dim candlelight, Richard noticed a scar on his neck where his Adam’s apple would be. He grimaced, subconsciously reaching for his own throat.

  Chapter 9 To The Sea

  Richard, kept his ears open, he glanced back at the child they had just picked up, then at Boss. Jill padded along before them as the two men slowly rolled the ball prison along the jungle floor, occasionally sparing a glance at the foliage above them expecting the Gargoyle to find them at any moment.

  “Let’s take a break and get some rest,” Boss said as Richard stopped as well, he frowned but didn’t argue, as he glanced back to see Sam lagging behind a bit. The child sat down on a root as Richard glanced up. The birds were as noisy as ever and the light that broke through the tree tops, he glanced back at lee as his left hand rested on his new sword, casually feeling the stone pommel.

  “So decided on a wish?” Boss asked as he found a stump to sit down on, as Richard leaned up against a sturdy tree.

  “I have given it some thought,” Richard admitted his eyes going to Spark who was sitting cross-legged at the bottom of her prison.

  “So one wish?” Boss asked,

  “Yeah, and its one every thousand years, I got lucky for a change and managed to find out in time,” Richard admitted,

  “How do you know?” Boss asked looking at Richard, “It could be a trick to get you to save someone.”

  “Skeptical, I understand your concerns but it lines up with history, while Fairies have gone missing, popular myth is they grant wishes. Its sketchy as to how or why different stories. Besides it is my first best option.”

  “How so, there is at least one ship and now captain,” Boss pointed out as Richard eyed,

  “People, I would need at least 30 people, not counting the possible losses as well as the need for a twenty-four hour crew. Well people wise I am bit limited,” Richard explained all the while keeping an eye on Boss’s movements.

  “It never hurts to have a backup plan, so the castle, odd that we found a passage under the mist ring,” Boss said glancing back pondering on the escape, Richard thought back as well.

  “I think the castle bends to the needs of the people roaming it, how or why I don’t know,” Richard admitted,

  “We could head back and will a way strait to the ocean,” Boss pointed out, as Richard scratched at his facial hair as if thinking the idea over.

  “No, if the Gargoyle finds it, that would be a straight line right to us, and now isn’t the time to see how far the castle’s influence can stretch. It would explain the mist as a defense willed up by the Gargoyle.

  “Both fair points,” Boss admitted, “The stone bastard could still be at the castle trying to find us that way,” Boss admitted, glancing back, “Best not limit ourselves,”

  “Agreed,” Richard nodded, his own thoughts coming up with his own explanation, he didn’t want to be in close quarters with Boss, while he did help bail him out of a tight spot with the theft, there was a wish on the line and he wanted to be able to slip away if needed.

  Richard opened up the bag he had and pulled out a canteen passing the water to Sam first, the kid guzzled it before passing it back spilling water on the ground in the act. Richard then tossed it chief as Jill liked up the spill, Sam left as Richard was the last one to drink.

  Richard put the water away when he heard something rustle the foliage as he quickly snapped around his eyes and ears systematically hunting for the oddity. Nothing, “See anything?” Richard asked Boss as he threw the bag over his shoulder.

  “Not sure But I think we are being fallowed,” he admitted,

  “Sure we are,” Richard thought to himself as he eyed Boss, then at Sam, who couldn’t speak up, but he did look worried, so there may have been something to the idea. “We need to get moving,” Richard finally spoke up as Boss nodded and stood up.

  “Sam stay close,” Richard said pointing at the kid as Sam nodded and kept up as best he could as they rolled along again, occasionally they would have to maneuver around roots and off terrain, but as Richard kept his ears open found the trip to the coast was going smooth and uneventful, that made him even more concerned, something was either watching them or they were marching into an area that was avoided by most sensible creatures and either option was troubling considering were the bar had been set.

  “So are we stopping for sleep?” Boss broke the silence as they rolled along as the sun started to slowly set. “Stopping yes Sleep for the kid, not us, I can keep going for a good while without sleep and we should make it to the coast
in less time for the all-nighters to start hampering my abilities,” Richard quickly and ineptly explained.

  “Well thought out, do you always plan this well?” Boss asked,

  “Sometimes,” was Richard’s curt respond, “We should try and spot some place harder to sneak up on. I don’t trust the place not to fight me on this,” Richard admitted as eye eyed everything around him as if it were trying to take his hope of getting off the island.

  Richard frowned as he watched the kid and the dog sleep under a brown blanket he had packed. He glanced around as he sat against the three his ears doing most of the work as his eye looked up at the bright starry sky. Richard about choked he swore he heard “Eat’em up,” again but there was no sign of the bird or his attackers.

  “Soo, what are your plans after getting off this island?” Boss asked,

  “Making money, and a side dish of payback,” Richard admitted as Boss leaned up against a rock across from himself.

  “Sounds, profitable,” Boss admitted, the conversation broke into silence as Richard considered his own question.

  “What of you, I wouldn’t mind getting you off the island at least you got a destination in mind? Richard asked already expecting the answer.

  “Time isn’t giving me much of a direction, but whatever you do I wouldn’t mind hanging around, life around you seems interesting if nothing else.” Boss decided.

  “Haha,” Richard laughed shortly, “This is the most insane thing I have ever done.” He frowns quieting down, “Normally I am much more cowardly, but I guess my greed out ways my fear. Still I do plan on getting a ship, so if you want in Mr. Boss I wouldn’t turn you down,” Richard said with a calm smile. “If you don’t try to stab me in the back that is,” he thought behind his friendly appearance.

  Richard forced his body to remain still, he felt like his body was wound up, that so much as wings flapping threw the air seemed to cause his neck to twitch. “I want this to be over,” Richard thought to himself as his body seemed to be rebelling as his mind was aware of every little uncomfortable annoyance.