"Land Ho!"
Zathrian raised his head from the maps he was studying and walked over to the ledge of the ship where the rest of the crew stood watching in the distance as a distant blob in the distance became a hulking Island of sorts.
"We made it," Lorcan said, a hint of a smile in his voice.
"It only took a mad dash from Sirens, a sea serpent, and possibly dodging a Kraken," Kailani said dryly.
Zathrian cast a look at her in surprise. "A Kraken?" he asked curiously.
"Trust me, you'll be glad you slept through that one," Lorcan said shuddering.
"How do you dodge a Kraken?" Zathrian mused.
"Give it a harder target," Kailani said with some amusement in her eyes.
"Anyways the island is real. So Ha." Lorcan said pointedly to Kailani.
"You spent years tracking this one Island down. Please tell me it wasn't so you could prove me wrong." Kailani said dryly. She looked at the Island with some apprehension remembering all too well that the Lady Calypso had warned her against that very island.
"You look worried," Zathrian said softly, as the rest of the crew dispersed making arrangements for their voyage onto the island.
"I'm just remembering all the warnings against this place. They probably don't call it the Island of Death for nothing." Kailani said.
"Can you fly?" Zathrian asked.
Kailani turned to look at him in surprise. "What? Why would you ask that?" she said with a laugh.
"The girl that came to talk to you could." Zathiran pointed out.
"That girl is one of the rare mages that have the power to call the forces of nature. A more elemental type of Mage." Kailani explained.
"Does that mean she is more powerful than you are?" Zathrian asked curiously. Kailani smiled. She couldn't help it. She knew despite the questions they came from curiosity.
"Mages have always been around in the world. In the beginning, elemental witches and wizards were our leaders, protectors of the right to the Magicks of the world. Eventually, they faded, and eventually, those magicks became rare enough, that the ones that had those powers became the communicators."
"So she communicates between different Mages?" Zathrian asked.
"She brought me the message she did because as a Mage protector of a King, she knew I would be grateful to know that my King may be in danger of forces beyond the norm," she said.
"My sister," Zathrian said alarmed.
"So you can see that us surviving the island, is my utmost priority."
XXX
The Island itself was lush with vegetation the water that lined its beaches almost looking like coral quartz. Zathrian looked at the plants and the beach with apprehension.
"What is it?" One of the other Pirates asked.
"I would be careful of the plants," Zathrian said quietly. "It's been my experience that waters that look so beautiful tend to bleed into the plant life. There's something dark going on here."
"Noted." The Pirate said with a smile. "I'm Raoul by the way." He said putting a hand, out.
"Zathrian," Zathrian said shaking Raoul's hand.
"Our resident mapmaker." Raoul said with a smile.
"Lorcan? You wouldn't happen to have a map for the actual Island?" Kailani asked.
Lorcan grinned wildly, pulling out a square piece of paper. "Zathrian I will let you do the honors," he said passing the square patch towards him.
Zathrian unfolded the map studying it with a frown, he looked around the beach looking towards the south. "We need to head into the southernmost part of the island, we're heading to a rockface with a distinctive carving," Zathrian said.
"How distinctive?" Lorcan said.
"Very." Zathrian said gesturing to the map,"
"It looks like some sort of bird," Raoul said as he glanced at the map.
"It's a Pheonix," Kailani said quietly.
"Let's go," Lorcan said walking into the southern part of the forest. Zathrian looked at Kailani, who just shook her head and gestured him to follow, putting her hand out, and an orb of teal light floated in the center of her palm.
"Welcome to the Island of Death."
They walked through the forest being wary of the dark vegetation that seemed to inch its way to grasp the pirate's clothing. Zathrian walked between Raoul and Kailani his map out as he studied his surroundings and referenced the map as he walked.
Before they knew it they were at the rock carving of the Pheonix. Kailani walked up to it gazing up at the flames that licked the Pheonix's flame.
"I had hoped to never see her likeness again." She whispered.
"Who was she?" Zathrian asked quietly.
A goddess, like no other." Raoul said in a voice full of worship.
"A madwoman. She caused more war trying to prevent it." Lorcan said.
"She was both a hero and a villain. As is so many people with gifts that suppose the natural Magicks." Kailani whispered.
"Such a wise sentiment." A voice said out of the darkness.
Everyone looked around in horror. "Who's there?" Lorcan shouted.
"I could ask you the same seeing as you're on my island." the voice said once more.
"The Island of Death," Kailani whispered looking around and coming in front of Zathrian. She looked over at Lorcan.
"Thanatos."
"That's impossible." Lorcan hissed.
"Is it?" The voice said, and suddenly there was a darkness that filled the forest and the phoenix itself seemed to snarl, the ground shook and divided the Pirates and Kailani falling to their doom.