Tiara & Tempest

by Jeremy Dwyer

  “Set your course,” Pradrock said.

  “With pleasure. Perhaps the war can be dragged on even longer,” the ghost of Captain Tychon said, delighting in the thought that ship would soon be destroyed and his subservience to Pradrock would end.

  The ghost of Captain Tychon steered the Everlasting Pain in the direction indicated.

  ~~~

  On board the Tidal Sovereign, a light scout said: “I see a ship approaching. A fleet of ships.”

  “Position the ship on the other side of the island,” Victoria ordered.

  The crew of the Tidal Sovereign converted the ship to airship mode and raised their altitude just a few feet up so as to be able to travel above Ixilonotu Island. They traveled to the other side, where they returned to sea level and waited.

  ~~~

  The Everlasting Pain arrived in the air near Ixilonotu Island.

  Again, Va’Qileren drank anew of the waters of the Lujladia Ocean that he carried and looked out with his powers of far sight to see at a distance and around corners, and he saw that Victoria’s ship was on the far side of the island.

  “Her ship is in the waters on the other side of the island,” Va’Qileren said.

  “It’s an ambush. We should go over the island, not around. That will surprise her,” Claudia said.

  “Clever. Always alert and ready to strike first. How I could have used one such as you…almost like you, anyway,” the ghost of Captain Tychon said.

  Pradrock considered this and said: “Take us over the island, although she will be watching. I would prefer that we were not on the water if the tempest begins again.”

  “You aren’t frightened of a storm at sea, are you, captain?” the ghost of Captain Tychon asked.

  “That’s the course we will travel. Keep an even pace, that the whole fleet can strike at once,” Pradrock ordered.

  The ghost of Captain Tychon steered the Everlasting Pain slowly over the island, and it was flanked by the Feasting Dragons fleet around it.

  ~~~

  On board the Tidal Sovereign, a light scout said: “They are approaching, all of them.”

  Victoria held out her arms again, and the tiara, not fully expended, had its blue diamonds glow again. The tiara channeled the powers of the waters of the Kazofen Ocean and great waves of water rose up. These, however, brought another sort of might. They rained down on the colossal stone warriors, and the Kazofen Ocean waters gave power over stone – not just diamond and ruby, but granite and slate and other forms. Victoria exercised this power, and caused the stone statues to move. Though they were not alive, they moved as if they were, and swiped their mighty stone arms and struck each and every one of the ships in the Feasting Dragons fleet, crashing them to the ground, but not utterly destroying them. However, they were no longer airworthy or seaworthy, and so they rested on the island.

  ~~~

  “Maximum altitude, now! Evade!” Pradrock ordered.

  The ghost of Captain Tychon moved the Everlasting Pain to a higher altitude, but it was nearly too late. One of the colossal stone warriors struck it and knocked the ship to the side. It was damaged, but not destroyed.

  The ghost of Captain Tychon struggled to gain control over the airship, but it lurched forward and sideways, not according to his direction because the sailwings were damaged and thus could not be steered straight. As a result of Tychon’s skillful and diligent efforts – under Pradrock’s orders – the Everlasting Pain came to rest in the waters on the far side of the island, near to the Tidal Sovereign.

  ~~~

  On board the Tidal Sovereign, the voice of the demon, Matatirot, spoke to Victoria again, saying: “Stone itself obeys your every decree. Now bring their flesh under your command. With violet eyes you shall soon see, and spirits shall haunt the mortal land.”

  “Move the ship near to theirs. Guard me closely. I must see them, and they must see my eyes,” Victoria said.

  The crew of the Tidal Sovereign moved the ship closer to the damaged ship – the Everlasting Pain.

  ~~~

  On board the Everlasting Pain, Claudia saw the ship approach and said: “They’re going to attack us directly. We need to position the ship above them and drop in. Now!”

  “So sorry to disappoint you, but the ship is damaged and cannot be steered – or raised above sea level,” the ghost of Captain Tychon said, not sorry at all.

  “He’s telling the truth,” Akantha said, reading Tychon’s spiritual form.

  “That’s what I was afraid of,” Claudia said.

  “We’ve been through worse together,” Akylas said, thinking back to the difficult times he and his sister had endured on the seas together.

  “It’s worse. The demon is with them. I can feel it. They’ve got something evil planned,” Akantha said. She felt movement in the spirit world that was more threatening than the usual haunts she felt pass by.

  “What have they done that wasn’t evil?” Akylas, her brother, asked in surprise.

  “They kill people! Of course they have something evil planned!” Caroline said.

  “It can always get worse!” Akantha said.

  “That’s most delightful to hear you say. Optimism at is finest,” the ghost of Captain Tychon said gleefully.

  “A new plan is needed,” Claudia said and she started to climb up the main mast, ready to jump down. She kept her own daggers ready. She also drank anew of the waters of the Elanatin Ocean from a vial she kept and she was energized. Claudia reached out with her mind, trying to discover what Victoria was planning by attempting to read her thoughts.

  The Tidal Sovereign was close enough that its crew could begin boarding the Everlasting Pain. As they did, Claudia dropped down onto the edge of the deck of the Everlasting Pain, with daggers in both hands. She then stood immediately in front of Victoria, looking directly at her.

  Claudia could see directly into Victoria’s eyes – and saw that they were violet. Now, Claudia was locked in a trance and couldn’t move a muscle – or exert her powers over Victoria.

  Victoria looked directly at her and said: “I have been looking forward to your arrival. I wish to meet everyone on board your ship.”

  Both light scouts and archers and dark scouts surrounded Victoria, and some of their numbers had already gone ahead of her and secured the Everlasting Pain.

  Soon, everyone on board the Everlasting Pain was facing the deadly tips of arrows pointing at them.

  Claudia stood by and watched as events unfolded.

  Victoria approached Akylas and he saw her violet eyes and was locked in a trance.

  “What a handsome young man you are – and a star reader, as I can see by the markings you have on the vial of Atrejan waters that you carry. I should like to taste of your masculinity, and then drink your sacrificial blood to please my master, as you have only the one good use,” Victoria said to Akylas.

  Victoria then walked up to Akantha who said: “I see the demon around you, within you. Your end is near. Your condemnation is certain! There is no hope for you.”

  Akantha then saw Victoria’s violet eyes and was locked in a trance.

  “I’ve heard enough of your nonsense and filth,” Victoria said

  Pradrock looked and saw that Claudia was not moving, apparently under the same spell as Akylas and Akantha.

  Victoria approached Caroline and recognized the woman from the time in the Port of Kemalorin. “We have met before. I remember that clearly. You are Caroline, mother of Taesa – the girl who sings so beautifully that her music heals,” Victoria said, not directly using the violet eyes against her…yet.

  Caroline then remembered their earlier meeting and said to her: “You’re Victoria – the one who sails the world and attacks the storm victims. You have no respect for the lives of others.”

  “You don’t know what true beauty is. You can’t see it in me. You can’t see it in your daughter, either. I can. That is why Taesa now loves me,” Victoria said. Then, she looked at Caroline with the violet eyes and C
aroline was locked in a trance.

  Victoria walked toward Farovaxen and stared into his eyes with her violet eyes and he was locked in a trance. She did the same to Va’Qileren. She did not recognize them, however, or what they stood for.

  Victoria then approached the ghost of Captain Tychon and said: “Captain Tychon, your merciless piracy is a legend not lost.”

  “I am a spirit now. You have no command over me, mortal woman. The demon within you, which I can plainly see, is all that keeps your broken body alive. When your flesh is left to fail, into the Maelstrom will you plummet,” the ghost of Captain Tychon said, in a condescending tone.

  Victoria knew that her violet eyes were not going to bind a spirit, but she was angered by his other words: “My master will not abandon me!” Victoria yelled, furious.

  “Indeed. Demons, loving and loyal as they are, never betray anyone, of course. Who would ever think that?” the ghost of Captain Tychon said, in a clearly mocking tone, thinking Victoria to be an utter idiot.

  Victoria then approached Captain Pradrock and said: “Captain Pradrock, I’ve heard tales of you. The one who wagered his very soul to win command of this fleet of restless spirits.” Victoria then looked at him and he saw her violet eyes and was locked in a trance.

  “Now, I will command the spirits. Order Captain Tychon to serve me instead of you, such that his binding is to obey my commands,” Victoria said.

  Having been locked in a trance by the violet eyes, Pradrock turned to the ghost of Captain Tychon and said: “I now give my authority over you to Victoria. You are now bound to follow her commands.”

  The powers of the spirit world moved in great ways and the binding was, for a moment, broken. Then it was remade and given over to Victoria. The ghost of Captain Tychon felt this, as did the spirits on board the Everlasting Pain and all the ships of the Feasting Dragons fleet.

  “How shall I serve you?” the ghost of Captain Tychon asked Victoria.

  “You and the spirits of your fleet are to haunt the world and torment all others. You are to frighten them and startle them such that their mortal hearts are weakened until they beat no more,” Victoria said.

  “You are a mass murderer at the same time that you are a fool. Perhaps I can half-like you,” the ghost of Captain Tychon said, smiling. He delighted in murder, and was pleased at her orders. Yet, he suspected that Victoria’s time was short. When it ended, and she was taken into the Maelstrom, his binding would end altogether. Tychon knew that he would then be free to follow his own commands. At least he was now free of the disgustingly benevolent Captain Pradrock, whose honesty he found sickening.

  At this, the ghost of Captain Tychon vanished, as did the ghost crew on board the Everlasting Pain and all the ships of the Feasting Dragons fleet. They went on their way, by traveling through the spirit world, and sought out victims in the material world on whom they would inflict fear and torture according to Victoria’s command.

  ~~~

  Xal’Kativok came to the end of his long voyage on a boat heading upstream along the underground river. After forty-seven (47) hours, the boat stopped and he found himself in a small cave where light was pouring into the opening. He wondered if the boat would have gone faster had its direction been downstream, but that was a curiosity that would have to wait to be satisfied.

  He prepared a weapon that he had with him in case he should meet opposition when he left the cave.

  Xal’Kativok then moved out and found himself at the foot of a mountain on the coast of an ocean, but he was no longer underground. The sky was high above and a blue sun and four (4) red suns were visible.

  He saw ships near the coast and walked toward them. He was unafraid of them and did not come to this world to hide, but rather to seek.

  ~~~

  On board both the Tidal Sovereign and the Everlasting Pain several of Victoria’s guards noticed a man emerging from a cave in a mountain. They fired arrows at him, thinking that he was a threat to Victoria.

  ~~~

  Xal’Kativok saw arrows soaring toward him, but they narrowly missed. He had his own weapon – a small handheld lightbeam projector – and he used it to send an intense beam of light back at them. He struck two (2) of them dead, and burned Victoria severely, and she screamed, saying: “the dream of the burning light striking me has come true!”

  ~~~

  The other guards around Victoria moved around to face the source of the intense light beam and block it from hitting Victoria again.

  Torin could hear – and feel – the movements of those around him. He knew where Victoria was based on his keen senses that were overdeveloped to compensate for his blindness. Torin carried with him a small knife that he used to cut and shape swaths of sailcloth to make patches in damaged sails. He could do this with great skill despite his loss of vision and he moved in and struck Victoria in the back.

  Victoria screamed again, and she saw the blind boy and realized what had happened. Then, Victoria screamed yet again, saying: “the dream of being struck with the blade held by the one with closed eyes has come true!”

  Then, her guards quickly took her by the arms and escorted her back to the Tidal Sovereign. They needed an escape and retaliating against the boy was not their priority.

  “Master, take me from here!” Victoria cried out.

  The demon, Matatirot, heard her and opened up a portal and sent the Tidal Sovereign through it.

  ~~~

  The trance of the violet eyes broke and the crew of the Everlasting Pain was free to move again. They had been unable to act, but could see and hear what was occurring.

  “Nice work, kid,” Claudia said to Torin, having been looking in his direction when he moved in against Victoria.

  “At least she’s gone, for now,” Akylas said.

  “Tychon’s gone permanently,” Pradrock said.

  “Until he comes back to haunt us. That might be soon,” Akantha said.

  “One problem at a time,” Claudia said.

  “That’s a wish, not a guarantee. Tychon has a cruel streak – always did and always will,” Akantha said.

  “Something else hit her. A beam of light,” Pradrock said.

  “It came from over there. There was a man standing on the coast, and he bent the light her way,” Va’Qileren said, looking toward the man on the shore.

  “I don’t see anyone over there now,” Claudia said.

  “Victoria knows where my daughter is. She may even have Taesa under her control,” Caroline said.

  “Are you starting to believe the danger of these demonic powers now?” Akantha asked in a scathing tone.

  “It’s not demons! It’s whatever she did to us – all I remember was looking into her eyes. They were violet. It was some sort of hypnotic trick,” Caroline said.

  “That’s some kind of demonic power! You had better believe it!” Akantha said.

  “Victoria is trying to taunt you and distract us. That doesn’t mean she has your daughter,” Claudia said.

  “She just might! She’s a servant of a demon, who is pure evil – she’ll use anyone to get what she wants! She’s cruel and willing to do anything and say anything to cause pain!” Akantha said.

  “I know she’s evil! That doesn’t prove anything other than she wants power and will kill to get it. That doesn’t take imaginary enemies to explain,” Caroline said.

  “This debate isn’t getting us anywhere and time is short. We have to repair the ship if we’re going to be ready to confront her again,” Pradrock said.

  “I’ll help you,” Akylas said.

  “So will I. We need to get moving,” Akantha said. Like her brother, she had sailed the seas – and the skies – long enough to know how a ship works, and how to fix it.

  “I need you, Torin. You’re expertise in repairing damaged sails may need to be put to use,” Pradrock said.

  Pradrock, Akylas and Akantha began inspecting the ship to determine what repairs were needed, and directing Torin to work on various ripped
sections of sail. Torin didn’t need to see the sails, but was a natural expert in the handiwork of fixing them by their feel. None of the powers of the waters were involved – only innate talent and meticulous handiwork, done by touch.

  Caroline stared out at the sea, wondering where her daughter might be, and if Victoria was telling the truth. The woman was a murderer – Caroline had seen that. But Caroline also realized that didn’t mean she was above abduction when it suited her purposes.

  Farovaxen drank anew of the waters of the Atrejan Ocean in the vial he carried, listening for more messages that might come down from the red suns.

  Va’Qileren drank anew of the waters of the Lujladia Ocean in the vial he carried, looking for signs of any storms or adverse events at sea.

  Claudia drank anew of the waters of the Elanatin Ocean in a vial that she carried, telepathically reaching out to detect the presence of any enemy. None was close enough, however, as her range was limited, and did not reach out across a single ocean in the way that light powers could, or across the world and up to the sky in the way that star powers could.

  ~~~

  The Persistent arrived in the Kazofen Ocean, but the waters were calm.

  “We’re too late. The tempest here has ended,” Emerond said.

  Zoe drank anew of the waters of the Lujladia Ocean from a vial she kept. She was energized and looked out into the distance.

  “I see crashed ships…” Zoe said.

  “I see their wreckage. She was here,” Joshua said.

  “I’m not talking about the floating remains. On a mountainous island, over that way. A couple hundred ships, far inland,” Zoe said.

  “A closer look might be worthwhile,” Emerond said.

  “You think she might still be there?” Brant asked.

  “Maybe. It could be a snare, also,” Joshua said.

  “If she’s there, we have to move in and fight her,” Brant said.

  “I agree. Not necessarily with a sword, though,” Romana said.

  “Pray all you want. These blades have her name on them,” Brant said, still holding both swords.

  “I think that might be Ixilonotu Island. That’s the most mountainous island in this ocean. I’ve sailed these seas more than any others. It’s where most of the money is,” Rayner said.