Enlightenment

[Crue Sarish]

Three small fishing rafts sat atop the sand. They had been constructed from two logs that had wooden slats running between them to act as seats and the ends carefully tied so that the pieces remained in place. As Dekeft dragged a boat toward the water, Crue followed up behind them with a long palm branch, wiping away as much evidence of their movements as she could and trusting the wind and waves to take care of the rest. Dekeft had Crue sit in the front as he pushed the boat out into the ocean, jumping on as soon as it drifted far enough out. Once beyond the reach of the tidal waves they headed north.

Crue?s fur was soon slicked with sweat as they rowed along the side of the island. The land to their left rose steadily, sandy beach turning into rocky cliffs. After a half-hour, Crue looked up and saw the rope bridge swaying between the mongoose village and the sacrificial grounds at the base of the mountain. Tall rocky spires jutted out of the water below the bridge, forcing the two to row further from the cliffside.

They took a few breaks for Crue?s sake, her paws and arms aching. As they sat, Crue wished that Dekeft would engage her in conversation, but he appeared too lost in his own thoughts and she couldn?t think of a way to draw him out. Instead, she stared out at the waves, enjoying the freshness of the salt air. The irony was not lost on her in that this was the first boat she?d worked on where the crew was as honorable as she?d always hoped for.

About two hours later, Dekeft spoke up, ?T?ere it ees. T?e hole in t?e mountain.?

Crue squinted as she scanned the cliffside. Eventually she saw the place where the mountain opened up to the sea. ?I see it.?

With their objective in sight, Crue found a small reserve of energy and together they headed in. She was so focused on rowing and making it to their destination that she was startled when Dekeft suddenly exclaimed, ?Ayah!?

Crue?s head snapped up, and looking ahead she saw hull after hull after hull lit up in the moonlight. The further they rowed, the more Crue saw that this wasn?t a simple opening in the mountain or the home for the ?floating den.? This was a harbor, and the ?teeny bridge? that Dekeft had mentioned earlier had become a series of docks at which rested a number of corsair vessels. Surprisingly, no beasts were around to guard them. Closest to them, facing the open ocean sat a vessel whose mast was fitted with black sails, and whose black hull matched the dark water beneath it.

?There it is,? Crue murmured. Her mind was drawn back to that night where she had nearly been killed -  the deafening boom, the feeling of being thrown across the deck, falling over the side, and nearly being drowned by her own bag. She whispered to herself, ?I still miss that bag.?

?Vat?? Dekeft asked as they continued rowing.

?It?s nothing.?

The further they traveled into the harbor, the more slowly they moved, careful that their movements made as little noise as possible. It took twenty minutes to cross the water, but eventually they arrived next to the Ghost Ship, where Dekeft steered their small craft underneath the dock and tied it in place. He steadied the raft while Crue climbed up, and she then proceeded to see if any beasts had shown up. Once she was sure the coast was clear, she waved Dekeft up and the two of them headed toward the gangplank at the bow of the ship.

?T?is is t?e den ef te Fiyah Gott!? Dekeft whispered loudly, his eyes wide with a mixture of wonder and disbelief.

Crue?s eyes traveled up the black ship, its timbers defying the moonlight that sought to illuminate them. Its name, Phantom, lay on a cracked and rusted frame, a forgotten name for a ship as lost as the rest of piracy. In the quiet harbor, hardly a timber creaked, causing Crue?s steps to once again sound thunderous in her ears. As Dekeft ran ahead up the gangplank, Crue wished he?d walk a touch more softly.

Once aboard, Crue wondered why Blade would leave his prize unguarded. No beast?s head turned toward their approach; neither did a door open or a hatch rise to acknowledge their presence on the ghost ship. She believed in ghosts as much as she believed in a Fire God, but she couldn?t stop the fur on the back of her neck from standing up in the eerie quiet.

Blade must either trust his men more than I thought possible, or there?s something keeping them off of the ship.

She stepped lightly across the deck until she stood next to one of the masts. Her eyes followed Dekeft while he let a paw drift across the railing as if assessing the validity of its existence. He bent down to touch the deck, the wood gleaming in stark contrast to the hull, before he stepped over to a set of steep stairs that led to the forecastle deck. Another staircase led down toward a door carved with what seemed like large bones, but when Crue drew closer, she didn?t recognize their strange shape. The objects were cylindrical, with raised bumps at each end, and next to each one was the carving of a beast holding a stick toward it.

?Psst!? she called to Dekeft. Once she had his attention she pointed toward the door and the two of them stepped toward it.

Crue stepped down the stairs and reached for the silver handle. It turned smoothly in her paw, and not a creak came from the hinges as she pushed the door open. The lower deck was as dark as midnight on a moonless night and she looked around about for a candle. She didn?t see any at first, but to her right a row of hooks held a dozen metal objects that resembled lanterns, only missing the glass that would allow light to shine through. She walked further into the room and pulled one off of its hook. Holding it by the ring, she tugged on the rope attached to the bottom.

The metal made a scratching sound as a panel slid down the lantern and a burst of blue light filled the exposed space. ?Ahh!? she shrieked, dropping the whole thing. It clanged when it hit the deck and she reached out her paws to shush it. Certain that every beast in the mountain heard the noise, she turned to Dekeft and whispered, ?Shut the door!?

He complied and as the room grew dark once more, she reached down to where the lantern had fallen, feeling around until her paws contacted metal. She carefully felt for the ring at the top and held it up once again. She turned her face away to avoid being burned too badly and pulled the rope again.

A small spark lit the center, but nothing happened. When she released the rope, she could hear the metal move back into place. She pulled once more, but the lantern was dead. Crue stepped toward the wall where the lanterns hung and took another one down, putting the spent lantern in its place. Now knowing what to expect, she closed her eyes and pulled on the rope.

Even with her eyes shut she saw a flash of white. When she opened her eyes, she could see a substance burning in the center, providing just enough light to see the area immediately around her. A post stood a couple of feet away with several hooks waiting to hold the now-lit lantern. She was able to tie the rope in place and then she grabbed two fresh lanterns. Handing one to Dekeft, they made their way further into the ship.

?I wonder what those could be,? Crue mused as she came across a couple of large metal cylinders on wooden carts. It didn?t take long for her to recognize that they were the objects that had been carved on the door. Nearby sat a couple of small barrels and a wooden crate with a dozen iron spheres inside, each about as large as a coconut. She pulled the lid off of one of the barrels, revealing a dark powder inside. Unable to see the substance clearly, she leaned in close and set about lighting her spare lantern.

Dekeft?s claws latched on to her arm, keeping her from pulling the cord. He shook his head in warning and stated, ?T?is ees fiyah powah.?

Crue squinted, trying to see what he saw. ?Are you sure??

He nodded. ?Boom.?

?Ooh!? Crue?s eyes widened as she made the connection and her paw moved the lantern away from the barrel. ?Boom.?

?Shuga has t?is for sacrifice, but Fiyah Gott no give heem es mush es t?is!?

?Blade,? Crue revealed. ?Your god?s name is Captain Blade, and he?s no more a god than you or I.? Crue touched a claw to the black powder in the barrel and wondered how it would go boom. She then recalled that one of the substances the slaves were mining was sulfur, which didn?t mix well with fire. ?I?m guessing he has much, much more!?

?How you know t?is??

?He turned my friends into slaves.?

??Slaves??? Dekeft repeated.

?He forces them to work for him, to? find the things in the mountain that make this powder.?

Before Crue could get on with telling him more about what a slave was, Dekeft exclaimed, ?T?e Fiyah Gott hef ot?ers get fiyah from mountain? He no make himself?? Dekeft scoffed. ?Lazy gott.?

She stood still and wondered how Dekeft had come to focus on the ?fire power? than her imprisoned comrades. He took that time to take another lantern off of the wall and tell her, ?I look at den more, Crue. You go up and watch.?

Dekeft left her standing there, assuming she?d do just that. She paused long enough to see him push open a window to the the side of the ship before she sighed sadly and headed above-deck to keep a look-out. She was surprised that no one had come already after the ruckus she made minutes before.

Closing the door behind her, Crue stayed low. She thought she heard voices a ways off in the distance, but that could have been the breeze playing with the sails on another ship. Still in the stairway, she looked up and saw more of the lanterns hanging above her all along the masts. She couldn?t help but admire Blade?s ingenious inventions.

A voice quietly called down, interrupting her ruminations. ?You don?t actually think Blade came up with this all on his own, do you??

Crue?s head snapped up to stare at the ferret lounging on the forecastle deck. The healer may have found the nonchalant posture disarming with another beast, but her eyes were drawn to the elaborate longcoat and its embellishments. A brief flash of panic crossed over her face as she realized that she wouldn?t be able to do anything before the captain called for someone to take the trespassers into custody. Crue forced herself to remain calm. Perhaps Dekeft was still close enough to hear her if she called.

Then again, the ferret hadn?t immediately turned them in. Perhaps Crue could keep her talking long enough to glean some information about what was going on. Keeping her expression neutral, she admitted, ?It would take a great mind to develop lanterns such as these, not to mention the means to destroy another ship from a hundred yards away! It?s one thing to hear the story of a ghost ship, but quite another to make one.?

The pirate looked up, the moonlight illuminating the soft gray and white fur on her face. ?And what does he use it for? Light shows and mass murder? A true visionary.?

Crue took a closer look at the ferretmaid?s face, sure she recognized her from somewhere, but she couldn?t quite put her claw on it. ?Does your captain know you think so highly of him??

She turned her head and stared at Crue, clearly unamused. ?Not as highly as you seem to.? As Crue?s expression darkened in anger, the ferret stood and stepped lightly down the stairs, trying to avoid being heard by the mongoose wandering somewhere on the ship.

?Now,? she continued as she stood between Crue and the gangplank, ?what is your business aboard this ship? Sabotage? Espionage??

Crue took a moment to wonder, Why the sudden interest in conversation? It would be much easier to call a guard over. Carefully weighing how much truth to share, she answered, ?Enlightenment, actually.?

The captain?s eyes lifted in amusement. ?I suppose that?s one way of putting it. So are you or your mongoose friend there the one being enlightened??

?In all honesty, both of us.? Changing the subject, she asked, ?Did you pull the short straw and get stuck with guard duty tonight??

She paused before answering, ?Yes and no. I happened to be in the area and wanted to find out what you were up to before I called the guards.?

Crue looked down at the captain?s sheathed cutlass and swallowed, knowing that any moment now their conversation could end in either her capture or her untimely demise. ?Well,? she offered, ?if you must know, I was wondering how this ship managed to tear apart the scow I ended up on about three weeks ago.?

The ferretmaid scowled but kept her voice low as she declared, ?The Silver Maiden was a no scow!?

Surprised by the sudden outburst, Crue took a closer look at the pirate captain and realized why she looked so familiar. ?Oh, that captain!?

?Excuse me??

?You were the captain of that ship!? Crue thought back to the last time she?d seen the ferretmaid, on that fateful day when the Fire God had shown his face. She recalled the affection that Blade had shown toward his fellow captain, how he had released her associates, and how she had callously turned away from the one member of her crew with any shred of decency in him. Crue wished she could remember her name. ?Captain? Bogle, is it??

?Captain Ciera Ancora!? she replied proudly, obviously offended that Crue could have guessed so poorly.

Crue held back a number of questions she wanted to ask. She wanted to learn more about the Phantom, but realized she would have to ask her questions carefully. ?So, which ship did Blade give you to replace the one he destroyed??

One of the ferretmaid?s eyes twitched slightly. ?I haven?t decided yet.?

Two weeks and she still doesn?t have a ship? ?He?s giving you your choice??

?I?m weighing my options. I find the best time to evaluate a ship when it?s quiet, when beasts aren?t breathing down your neck and trying to sway you one way or another. It?s not a decision to be taken lightly.?

?And you?re now evaluating Blade?s flagship??

Ciera shrugged. ?Who said this was still his flagship??

?It?s not?? That would explain the lack of guards aboard, she noted. Something must have changed in the last two weeks if what Ciera said was to be believed. ?Why would he abandon this ship now? It seems like it?s served him well for the last ten seasons.?

?You know how boys are with their toys. They find something new and shiny and suddenly their old toy is useless and boring and they throw it to the side.?

Crue?s brow furled as she pondered what the ferretmaid told her. If he had a new flagship, it would most certainly not be left unattended. Given that she hadn?t seen a guard on any of the ships in the harbor, then Blade?s new toy must not be in the harbor. Why not? Why would it be out at this hour? And why would he abandon the Phantom... unless this new ship had fire power, too?

A question from the ferretmaid broke through her thoughts. ?Now, how long do you think you and your mongoose friend will last when the guards come by and find us chatting??

Crue?s eyes snapped up and she wondered what prompted that question. She didn?t hear a patrol coming and she knew there weren?t guards aboard the ships. Ciera had hinted at the possibility of turning them in, and yet she hadn?t shown any inclination toward doing so. Crue guessed that Ciera didn?t actually have a ship here, so why was the captain slinking around in the dark? What secrets was she hiding?

Perhaps if she could maintain the upper-hand in their conversation, she could find out. She opted to turn the captain?s words back on her. ?What?s to stop me from calling the guards myself and telling them you?re stealing this ship?? She watched Ciera?s eyes widen at the bluff and then narrow dangerously.

Before Crue knew what was happening, Ciera drew her cutlass and placed the tip of the blade mere inches from the healer?s neck. Crue backed away a step, startled by the captain?s overreaction. Through gritted teeth Ciera hissed, ?That would be a stupid thing to do!?

I have obviously touched a nerve, Crue mused after seeing Ciera?s reaction. ?You can?t afford to lose their trust, can you??

Crue could almost hear Ciera?s knuckles tighten on the hilt as the pirate contemplated her next move. She opened her mouth to speak, but before any words came out, a blur of light brown fur slammed into the captain and tackled her to the ground. The cutlass flew out of her paw and clattered to the deck far out of reach. For a fraction of a moment Crue was upset that someone had interrupted them just when she was getting some answers, but it didn?t take her long to recognize her friend.

?Run, Crue!? Tooley shouted. ?Run!?

?Get? off? me!? Ciera clamored as she rammed an elbow into Tooley?s side.

The weasel held on and Crue cried out, ?Don?t hurt him!? Tooley was no match for the battle-hardened captain and Crue moved forward to try and pull the two apart. She barely heard the door open behind her before Dekeft grabbed Crue?s arm and dragged her back inside the ship.

With the door closed, Crue once more found herself in the dark. Dekeft didn?t stop and Crue found herself pulled further into the lower deck. He stopped after about twenty feet and Crue?s eyes were briefly assaulted by a bright flash before adjusting to the dim, blue light of a lantern that the mongoose had opened. Crue tugged on the paw that held her and pointed back toward the door through which her friend fought. Her eyes pleaded with him to go back, although she had no idea how they could help him now.

Dekeft frowned and shook his head. Still holding the rope of the lantern, he signified that he would be turning off the light and they would go further into the ship. Crue sighed with resignation and took a look to see what obstacles she would need to avoid in the dark. The lower deck stretched toward the far side of the ship and was surprisingly bare. She saw the two cylinders that she had noticed before, but given the number of windows she could see along the side of the ship, there should have been more.

She was still thinking when the light went out. She could hear a shouting match taking place between Tooley and Ciera, but their voices grew even more faint as Dekeft pulled her slowly along toward the stern. Eventually, Crue heard his paw tap the side of the ship, and he quietly tapped until one of the windows opened a crack. They stood there, waiting for the silence that would let them know it was safe to leave.

The scuffle of boots and a cacophony of voices hit her ears, Tooley?s shrieks among them. Crue bit her tongue to keep from calling out to him and she clung to Dekeft?s arm. Eventually, the noise subsided, retreating into the mountain. Crue sobbed, her tears flowing onto Dekeft?s arm as she realized what fate would befall her friend. Tooley wouldn?t be made a slave. For this, the poor fool, her friend would die. He would die and it would be her fault for having the audacity to have come here.

No, it wasn?t her fault, but she hated that she was partly the reason that Blade would claim the life of another one the few people on this island who had truly shown her kindness, who had made her smile, who had made her feel appreciated. If Tooley was going to be killed, it was up to her to see that those who killed him were punished for their crimes. It was more important than ever that she get the mongooses to not only see Blade for who he was, but to help her stop him.

When the clamor had subsided and all that was left was the sound of the water hitting the ship, Dekeft opened the window further and pointed at the opening. Crue nodded and stepped backward through the window, holding onto Dekeft?s paws as he lowered as far as he could toward the water before letting her go. Dekeft followed, his entry making a small splash that would be hard to distinguish from the crashing of a large wave. Together they swam slowly toward the dock and toward their raft.

Just as Dekeft was helping Crue out of the water, she heard a pair of boots move above them. Both she and Dekeft tensed, wondering if they?d been spotted. Once the boots reached the end of the dock, Ciera?s voice spoke calmly above them. ?The coast is clear.? The captain sighed before adding, ?That weasel sure picked a bad time to grow a spine.?

Crue growled at the callous remark. ?That weasel may not be the bravest beast, or the smartest, but at least he cared about someone other than himself.?

Several seconds of silence passed. ?I once had someone I cared about? but that is no longer a luxury I can afford.?

What does that mean? Crue wondered how caring for someone was a luxury, as if compassion was a coin that could be traded away.

?You should leave now before another patrol comes by.? Ciera?s voice was flat, betraying none of her feelings. Crue wished she could see her face.

?What are you going to do now?? she asked.

Ciera sighed. ?Something necessary.?

As the sound of the captain?s boots signaled her departure, Dekeft held out an oar to Crue. With a heavy heart, she took the oar and sat down. She put it in the water and half-heartedly pulled.

Crue, Crue, Missus Crue
Twist yer oar a liddle more?

An image of her first meeting with Tooley sprang to mind and as much as she fought against them, small sobs still managed to work their way out. She put her anger and sorrow toward rowing, knowing that the sooner they returned to the village, the sooner they could make plans to storm the mountain.

*****

Stiff from journey, Crue stood up and walked onto the beach while Dekeft pulled the raft out of the water. Once both of them were safely on land, they sat down to rest before returning to the village.

?Dekeft??

?Yes, Crue??

?My friends are still in that mountain.?

Dekeft nodded. ?Your? friend will be kill?t by Fiyah Gott.?

Crue didn?t want to think about that anymore. ?Tooley isn?t the only one he will kill. I have other friends that are still there.? She looked the mongoose in the eye. ?I can?t save them alone. I know I have no right to ask this of you, but I need your people to help me stop Blade and get them out of the mountain.?

Dekeft?s expression remained neutral as he stared at her, betraying none of what he thought of her statement. When he did not speak, she continued, ?He?s kept you happy and impressed by his so-called magic, but he would enslave you? make you work for him if he thought he could get away with it. My friends are dying while Blade and his men grow stronger! You and your people are the only ones strong enough to stand against him!?

Dekeft sighed. ?You haf shown me mush today, Crue, but I bringuh beck not?ing to show tribe vat I see. Ayah, eef I speak alone, few will follow me. I ken not help you now.?

?But the evidence is in front of you! Look at what your god has done! You told me yourself that he?s changed who you are. He?s completely changed your culture! He?s taken away your songs and the other simple things of life that once brought you peace and contentment. He?s removed your old gods and set himself up in their place. He?s taken away your authority as leader of the tribe and has given it to Shuga. He demands that you give him tribute and kill other beasts to gain his approval! And what does he give you in return? Sharp things and a corrupt priest as hungry for power as his master!?

Dekeft placed a paw on her shoulder, his expression conciliatory. ?Tonight, I see t?e floating den ef t?e Fiyah Gott, te beastuh who work for heem, an te fiyah powah t?at come from te mountain. I not see Hellgates unduh t?e mountain like Shuga say. You hef opened my eyes, Crue, but t?at is not enough. Even eef I kill Shuga, t?ose who follow heem would kill me, en? Fiyah Gott would just find new priest.?

Crue?s paws balled into fists and she pushed him away. Part of her wanted to scream at Dekeft because he was right. Part of her wanted to die right there just as her plan was dying. Amidst the turmoil in her mind and her exhausted state, further arguments sprouted like weeds on her tongue before fading away into silence. ?No! You? If you just? I? ?

Dekeft?s voice was gentle when he spoke, ?We nee? to return to village, Crue. We speakuh more tomorrow.?

Crue stood up, sloughing off his paw as she turned in the direction of the village. She had no more energy to weep as she thought, I?ve failed. I told Robert I would be there with help, and I failed.

They walked silently through the jungle and into the tranquility of the sleeping village. Aside from the mongoose who stood watch that night, they saw no other beasts until Shuga stepped out from Dekeft?s den. The smile on his face was victorious as he glared down at the First Atilak and the healer. Before they knew it, dozens of mongooses rushed to surround them on all sides; priests in their red robes, as well as a group of others who had been pulled from their beds to bear witness.

?Mi priests say you go to Dead Rock and invate t?e home ef t?e Fiyah Gott! You blaspheme hees name en? corrupt hees fait?ful.? He turned to his priests and ordered, ?Tie t?em en? take t?em to pit. Tomorrow, we sacrifice!?