The Captain's Sister

The ship’s crew watched and waited, fighting the rigging, keeping one weather-eye on the waves and the storm, the other on the figure making its way to the island that had emerged from the seas moments before.

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The majority of the crew believed they were on a fool’s errand and if not for the confidence of the Captain, would have mutinied many times before arriving at their destination.

“Drop anchor, Cap’n?” the First Mate asked, already making ready to drop the massive chunk of rock and metal utilised to keep the ship from drifting.

“Nay, belay that order!” the Captain shouted.

The words, “But Cap’n,” never entered the First Mate’s head, he knew better than to second-guess the Captain’s order. He had seen first-hand what happened when anyone questioned the Captain. Demotion and flogging were the best they could hope for. A missing limb, a missing eye or tongue and a helping hand overboard only had to be performed once for everyone aboard to get the message.

The crew watched the emerging island. Their erstwhile passenger disembarked from the ship's boat.

Slick rocks dripped black water as they rose from the sea.

Lightning hissed as it hit the churning, roiling water too close for comfort. The Wizard’s staff would have to be utilised in a more pedestrian manner for the time being.

One hour before the fortress began to sink beneath the waves once more.

One hour to climb to the top of the rocks and mount the staircase hewn into those rocks millennia since.

Only then would the staff be used for its true purpose, to knock on the door and demand entrance.

Then, the battle could begin in earnest.

The Wizard had trained many lifetimes for this moment. Since the last time the fortress had emerged, seven centuries since, lessons had been learned, spells and incantations had been developed. And at least one soul had been condemned to eternal damnation in the quest for the treasure that was held inside the fortress.

At the top of the steps, the rumble of rock crunching against rock heralded the return to the sea for the fortress.

“No! Not yet! I haven’t finished what I was doing!” The voice of the Wizard sounded cracked and ancient, yet decidedly female.

She threw back her hood and dropped the cloak behind her. Once the cloak had been discarded, time once again discovered her and her skin and limbs began to age.

She ran, using all her magically-retained youth and made the fortress door as the waves lapped at the bottom step behind her.

Lightning struck a rock to the side yet she took no heed of it. She had but one purpose and she was going to succeed this time!

She hefted the staff and bashed its head against the door seven times.

It took an age but the door opened slowly. Once it was open enough for her to squeeze through, she pushed her way in.

“I claim my treasure!” she yelled – to no one.

“It’s yours!” a voice called from the other side of the door.

“What?” she looked around, puzzled as the door closed.

“The treasure, the Fortress, it’s yours to keep,” the wind caught her words and whipped them to the Wizard’s ears as though the storm itself was taunting her too. “You’re welcome!”

She watched from the window at the side of the door as a young woman sprinted down the steps, plucked the cloak from the water, hopped into the boat waiting for the Wizard and waved triumphantly.

As the boat arrived at the ship, the Captain yelled an order. “Help my sister onto the ship and let’s be away!”