The white paint of the ship gleamed in the moonlight, giving it the appearance of some ghostly apparition. At the dock, Gilliam Murdock led Sir Smith, followed by Philos and his friends, to the landing ramp.
"What are you planning, Gilliam?" Sir Smith said, agitated by the frosty knight's secretive disposition.
"Yeah," Alphonso spoke up from the back, "what are you hidin'?"
"I don't like secrets either!" Joseph said.
"Gilliam Murdock!" a boisterous female voice exploded from on deck. Everyone turned their gaze to source of the outburst. There in the moonbeams stood a dark figure, dressed in extravagant purple and blue and green clothes, the cool hues illuminating her dark blue skin. She cracked a pearly smile and laughed loudly. "I knew you'd come crying to me sooner or later!"
The air was silent as everyone looked up the ramp to the mysterious, blue-skinned woman in her flamboyant clothing.
"Hey, Gilliam..." Philos started, clocking his head.
"...who..." Uri added.
"Is this weirdo?" Astrid said, blank and unamused.
"Gasp!" the woman said, repulsed. "How rude! You're one to talk, Odd-Eyes! How dare you speak to the Pirate Queen in such a way! Why, I'll feed you to the sharks, I'll—!"
"Good to see you as well, Vyzera," Gilliam said with a chuckle, interrupting her ranting.
Vyzera scowled at Astrid; Astrid stuck out her tongue in reply.
"Well," the Pirate Queen said as she descended the wooden landing platform, "it's good to see you at least, Gilliam." Her pale green eyes turned to Sir Smith. "You weren't kidding when you said he was an Angel."
She and the Angel stared at each other for a moment, an oddly amicable air between them—one that Sir Smith seemed to not placate as he stood much taller than her, even with her large hat. Suddenly, she jolted forward, her hands reaching for Smith's halo. Instinctively, the Angel's hand shot forward with great speed, shoving her back.
"So it's true," she said, smiling, "they won't let you touch them." She spat on the ground. "You act as if I'm reaching for your groin."
Sir Smith's face flushed a bright red. "H-how dare you!"
"What would happen if I touched it?" she said, removing her hat to reveal a head full of hair as silver as moonlight.
"Your skin!" Alphonso blurted out.
"It's blue?" Joseph gasped.
There was loud clap as Vylet's hands crossed each of their faces simultaneously. "Don't be rude!"
"Of course it's blue!" Vyzera exclaimed with a cackle. "I'm a Darkling. Ya know, blue skin, silver hair, pale green eyes? I'm a Dark Elf."
"Darkling?" Uri said in awe.
"Yep," she said, "all the way from Hveria. We're in the southern continent, far away."
"Woah!" Philos said, eyes wide with excitement. "And you're a pirate?"
"A pirate?" she laughed, "I'm Vyzera Corlet Hzerro, the Pirate Queen!"
Astrid cracked a smirk. "That sounds like an exaggeration. You don't seem fearsome enough."
"That's mean!" the pirate shot back. "I am fearsome! The most fearsome!"
Astrid yawned. "Whatever you say..."
"Vyzera here is your ticket across the sea," Gilliam started, frost seeping from his mouth into the dark blue night air. "If you truly aim to help Sir Smith, Philos, then your first stop is going to be the Crimson Isle."
"Crimson Isle?" Philos repeated.
"Sounds ominous," Joseph said, scratching behind his cat ears.
"It is," Gilliam said with a shrug. "The Crimson Isle is home to one of the Five Angelic Lords. Her name is Kyza Valyri, also known as the 'Red Widow.'"
"She's no joke," Vyzera cut in, "and she's a vampire to boot!"
"V-v-!" Uri stuttered.
"Vampire?!" Vylet finished with a shiver.
"Yup," the pirate said, nodding.
Gilliam smirked. "That's not important, though, is it, Sir Smith?"
The Angel said nothing. Philos looked at him in the moonlight. There, under the faint light of his blue halo, his face was a stony scowl, as if he had a bad taste in his mouth or he was caught in the cut of a bitter memory.
"Then what is important?" Philos said.
Vyzera smiled widely. "The cargo," she replied. "Our scouts tell us that a smuggler is en route to the Crimson Isle with a very special delivery. Whatever this thing they're delivering is, the Angels want it badly and they want it hush-hush."
"So we just get this thing and bounce outta there?" Alphonso said, cracking his knuckles. "Easy!"
"Not so much," Gilliam said.
"Yeah," Vyzera continued. "There's a couple problems. One, we won't be able to intercept it, which means we will have to take this cargo from the Widow herself." She paused. "And, two, the smuggler that seems to be the delivery boy is none other than Captain Arnold Cowell, or 'Deathwing.'"
There was silence as the wind blew gently across the harbor.
Philos smiled. "I don't know who that is."
"Me either." Joseph said, looking at Vylet, who simply shrugged.
"What?!" Vyzera exploded. "He's only the most fearsome pirate in all the seas!"
"More fearsome than you?" Astrid said with a smirk.
"Well—no—I—!"
"So do we know what this cargo even is?" Philos asked.
"Doctor Darwin Lyell," Sir Smith spoke up. "The 'Lifebreather.'"
Astrid suddenly felt a chill run up her spine. Do I...know that name...?
"Lehem!" Vyzera called out.
"Cap'n?" A tall and lanky Darkling in colorful clothing appeared above deck.
"Prepare for departure in the morning." She snapped her fingers. "We rest tonight."
"Foolish woman!" Sir Smith erupted. "The fate of the world rides upon this mission! Yet you would waste time even further?"
Vyzera shot a glance at the Angel, her pale green eyes frigid and stone. "Excuse me, Your Majesty, but my men are tired and hungry. I hope His Excellence doesn't mind?"
"Majesty?" Sir Smith raised an eyebrow, "Excellence?"
The Darkling pirate smiled. "Never mind." She turned to Gilliam. "We have three days. The Deathwing will reach the Crimson Isle in three days. After that, it just depends on what the Red Widow will do with the cargo that determines the fate of the world." She turned to the ship. "Lehem, Phenron! Show our guests their quarters."
"A real pirate ship?!" Philos exclaimed.
"Sounds super cool!" Joseph concurred.
"Lehem will show you around," Vyzera said. "Just don't break anything or drink our rum. It's ours."
"Vyzera." Sir Smith said as the others passed her and ascended the deck.
"What do you want, Angel?"
"You're a pirate, right?"
She rolled her eyes. "Yes. Why? Do you distrust me?"
Sir Smith narrowed his eyes. "How much is Gilliam paying you for this?"
"Not a dime."
There was silence.
"Then why are you doing this?"
More silence.
"I have my reasons, Angel."
Sir Smith sighed, then ascended the ramp. "Listen to me, Vyzera. Consider yourself not trusted."
Vyzera watched the Angel as he walked away. The night wind was cool and had softened to a gentle ocean breeze. She stopped and turned her eyes to the black horizon. Beyond the ship, the ocean was a black void with only all of the infinite stars above to light its waters.
"Why am I doing this...?" she said in a low, mocking tone. Vyzera reached into her pocket and pulled out a golden pocket watch. Her mouth dried and throat tightened as she ran her thumb along the designs drawn upon it.
Because, dear Angel, she thought, I have no choice...
Captain Arnold Crowell, the Deathwing, lay upon his bed in his quarters, his black-feathered legs crossed casually as he inspected the golden pocket watch in his hand.
How long had it been? He couldn't remember. A smile creased his lips. It had been too long, far too long. Of course, he knew that all rivers, no matter how far apart, all lead to the sea.
Such is the way men and fate, he thought, for the threads of fate are, though long and lonely, forever doomed to tangle.
He rose and walked over to the window, the blue light of the moon peering in through the window and revealing his scarred body. He looked at himself through the reflection on the glass. He moved his hands down his abdomen, then stopped as his fingers traced the remnants of a large gash upon his side.
No. He smiled. The threads of fate bind us too tightly, don't they...?
In the moonlight, his black feathers seemed like shards of night that blanketed his legs and shoulders.
Don't they...Vyzera...?