The radiant sun slowly rose above Matumi Beach's rolling waves. The salty sea air rippled through Soraya's long strawberry blond hair, making it dance along with the flag raised at the top of Marlot's sky ship.
"The Black Dog?" the girl asked curiously while gazing up at the crows nest sitting atop the wooden pole, reading the red letters in the flying black banner.
"Aye, I renamed this beauty," Jonathan patted the cherry wood helm like one would a pet. "My parents had a black Labrador for a short period of time. He was the smartest dog I've ever met."
His multicolored blue eyes seemed far away for a moment before he blinked and looked back at the girl. "Ned disappeared as quickly as he had arrived, as if he were on a mission. He helped me during a time when I was feeling depressed about dealing with my bloodlust. He comforted me when I needed it, so I named this ship after him."
Pangs of sadness plagued Soraya's heart as she thought about Yabo. "I miss my pandacoon so much!" she sobbed, burying her face into her hands.
They had held a small funeral for her beloved pet by burying him in the purified patch of grass under the tree with the symbol of the Gods. Red ferns had grown in his burial place the next day.
Jonathan pulled Soraya into a hug, allowing the girl to cry on his shoulder. "Yabo's in Heaven, and you'll see him again someday," the man reassured her. "He knows you love him."
A few more seconds passed before Marlot pat her back and let go of her. He then dug out a tissue and handed it to the girl.
"Thanks..." Soraya blew her nose and tossed the rag into a trash bin on the deck of the ship.
Jonathan pulled out a pocket watch and grimaced at the time. "Are you sure your friends are coming?"
"I know they are!" the girl said adamantly, stomping her foot into the planks beneath her feet. "They'll be here soon, you'll see!"
Marlot chuckled at her childish outburst, causing the girl's cheeks to redden.
Only one week had passed since Alizon Doorfeather and Liza Demarko's failed kidnapping attempt had occurred.
Mr. Demarko had closed Darkwood Academy's doors for the Matumi Police to properly investigate the misconducts of MagiCorp, to look for clues in solving why Josephine Macklin was now a strange blob of skin, and for the school's staff to clean up the bloody mess Alizon had left behind. This meant all the kids had to return home early and wait to complete their schooling the following semester.
Thanks to Jacquelle forging paperwork, Jonathan was successful in persuading the principal that he was Soraya's uncle and to release the girl into his care until Tishva Thenayu was found.
Jonathan and Soraya had taken advantage of the situation by stocking up on supplies and preparing for their trip. The girl knew it was time to leave Matumi and search for her father and Yosef, along with hunting down the other demonic hybrids and saving the abducted girls.
"Hey!"
The girl's heart leapt joyfully in her chest at the sound of Rhys' voice from over the ship's railing. She flew to the side and gazed down in adoration at the older Shadelkin twin.
"We came to say goodbye..."
Rhys, Ujuu, and Zaruna stood off to the side with Mr. Leyo while Jacquelle and Moiya wore backpacks, carrying suitcases in one hand and cased instruments in the other.
"Of course!" Soraya beamed, then turned to grin at Marlot. "See? I told you so!"
Jonathan lowered the plank so the girls could walk aboard with their belongings. "Signed permission slips from your parents for traveling abroad?" he asked sternly, holding out his hand.
Both Moiya and Jacquelle gave him their paperwork and passport, which he read through and pocketed in his black coat.
"It was easy convincing my parents to let me play music to earn more Lari," Moiya winked at Soraya. "Especially since they are busy working and don't want me arriving back home early."
"My Dad was also glad that I'd be traveling and playing music," Jacquelle puffed her chest out with pride. "He's not too sad about mom mysteriously dying either, neither one of us miss her."
Soraya threw her arms around both girls, pulling them into a hug. "I'm so happy you're coming with me!" she laughed while leaning into them both. "I'm so glad you're all here!"
Rhys, Ujuu and Zaruna joined in the group hug, every one of them grateful to be together again.
Soraya thought back to the previous week when she and Jonathan had sat down and spoken with the Leyo and Markies families. The two couples knew the group's true intentions behind their travels and had decided against allowing their three children to join.
"Papa," Rhys spoke up as he watched the girls board the ship. "Please, let me go too."
Mr. Leyo frowned. "We already decided no..."
"Just me, not Ujuu and Zaruna," the boy's wine colored eyes danced with a raging fire behind them. "The end of all things is at stake if Soraya and Jonathan lose, we would all die anyway."
Myrl closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Rhys, please-"
"I'll run away to join them then," Rhys stated. "Just like Mom ran away from her family to be with you," he looked up at his father. "It's the same thing. Would you rather know where I am or not?"
Myrl sighed. "Always so logical," he sighed, then took out a piece of paper from his pocket and wrote out a permission form for Jonathan to keep. "We'll have to go back home and grab your belongings-"
He stopped when Rhys opened the trunk of his father's car and pulled out a backpack, along with his violalin case.
Ujuu smirked. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you, bro," He fist bumped his brother's hand, then pulled Rhys into a tight hug. "Don't die, or I'll kill you."
"Same with you," Rhys patted his brother's back and let go. "Zaruna, look after Ujuu," he winked before giving her a gentle hug.
"Of course I vill," she beamed, tears brimming in her magenta eyes.
"I love you Rhys," Myrl hugged his son for a brief moment, then let go. "I'm proud of you. You are just like your mother. There's no stopping her when she has her heart set on something."
"Love you too, Pater," Rhys bowed to his father, then took Soraya's hand. "So, where are we off to?" he asked while boarding the ship with her.
The girl gazed into his beautiful crimson eyes as they glinted in the rising sun before placing a hand on her chin. "Well," Soraya pondered. "I think I should use Telpathia. I want to see if I can find the demon's lair so we have an idea of where to go."
"You heard the lady," Marlot said, stretching his knuckles till they popped. "But maybe let Rhys, Jacquelle or I do the negotiating if they happen to sense your presence, alright?"
"Hey!" Soraya pouted, causing the rest of the group to laugh at her.
Seconds later, Marlot stood behind the helm. Soraya was next to him, searching for other demonic souls within her left eye. Rhys held her hand, giving her a gentle squeeze.
"That cluster is really far away," Soraya commented, pointing at some floating, fiery orbs hovering just over the horizon. "That dark red one is glowing the brightest..."
"Let's look into that one then," Rhys suggested as he looked out over the Valtic Ocean despite not being able to see it. "You can call it over, right?"
"Yes, if I really focus on it while curling my fingers," the girl explained while doing the motions. The orb moved across the ocean towards them at a steady speed, then stopped several hundred feet away.
"Did you get it yet?" Moiya asked, her green gems sparkling.
"No, it's still super far from us," Soraya admitted.
"Oh come on!" Jacquelle sighed impatiently. "It'll take forever at this pace!"
"Hold on," Marlot laughed. He used Air Magic to unfurl the sails, then switched to Water Magic for hoisting up the anchor. "We'll set sail and get closer."
The Black Dog rose and took to the skies. The kids waved at Mr. Leyo, Ujuu and Zaruna on the dock below and watched the shore and land fall away from the bottom of the ship. The ground shrank in size the higher they climbed into the air.
"Almost there!" Soraya exclaimed. "Just keep going straight."
Several minutes went by before she was able to successfully summon the orb and have it float in the palm of her hand. "Everyone, quiet," she said before leaning her face into the fiery red sphere. Although the flames crackled and danced with intensity, the ball was filled with darkness.
"Hello?" Soraya called into it.
Instantly, the demon hybrid she had contacted opened its eyes.
"Igo no sorehsan, adiuva sodse!"
The girl almost fell backwards in shock.
My older sister, save me?
"Malik," Soraya whispered. "Igo no fratello?"
"Jai! Adonia va nos no mamasan-" the boy went silent and turned his head, listening to approaching footsteps echoing around the white room.
"Oh my, you shouldn't be awake," a slick tongued voice slithered from the orb in Casmerahn. A man with long, silvery hair and eyes of the same color came into view. "Can't have you causing trouble, little demon King."
"Kill this man!" the boy screamed in Casmerahn. "Kill Zinvi and set me free!"
The urge to obey the child's command overtook Soraya's body, but she didn't know how to carry out the order since she was miles away from her younger brother.
Rhys and Jon were careful not to speak aloud, but they inched forward and eyed the girl warily, making motions with their hands to grab her attention.
Soraya held up a hand to let them know she was alright before leaning close to the orb again.
"Who are you talking to?" Zinvi demanded as he plunged a needle into the boy's cuffed arm and drew blood from him. "Are you trying to contact someone and have them save you?"
The vision within the orb narrowed. "Your army will turn on you," Malik continued in Casmerahn. "They can't help but obey me-"
"Since you won't answer my question, back to sleep you go!" The silver eyed man laughed while injecting another needle into the kid's arm. This one was a syringe filled with a dark yellow liquid. "It's my army," Zinvi clicked his tongue. "Don't forget that."
The imagery within the orb clouded over, turning black once more when the boy fell into a deep slumber.
"The powerful one in Zinvi's possession..." Soraya told her friends in a shaky voice. "The one who Mülock wants me to kill... it's my younger brother, Malik!"
*1,828 Words