The Island With No Parallel

Sacrificed

With the wisdom from the Unseeables, the five Chosen managed to form an opposition against the Dark Ones that tried to impede their journey along with the invaluable help from Luca and Youssef's crew. The task proved daunting to say the least, but they knew that their battle was far from over.

The Unseeables were the key factor that brought them thus far, so they consulted them when they made plans before they reached the Island. It was clear what their biggest challenges would be. They needed to compensate for Nexa's ability to sense their intentions, avoid Pitrius at all costs, and above all, stop Cadri's sacrifice in time. By the time they reached the Island, everyone of them knew their role, and how they would proceed to the letter. If even one thing went wrong, they could lose everything. All of them knew that, from the five Chosen even to all the members of the ship's crew.

Yunara looked at herself in the mirror, dressed especially for today. She wore a dress that was cut above her knees, the sleeves cut short to accommodate the hot climate of the Island. It wasn't exactly modest, but it was practical which, at the moment was what mattered most. It didn't show anything revealing, so it would have to do. Her hair was braided in rows down her head to keep it out the way. At her side was the Ancient Weapon in all its glory.

She hadn't noticed how toned her arms had gotten until now. She supposed all of the action she'd been through did that to her. Though she had to admit, there was something different in the reflection that wasn't there before. She had the same dark complexion, same round face and gills along her neck. But even to her own eyes, the girl looking back at her was a great deal more mature. Just in the way she carried herself, she seemed more capable, more sure of herself. If everything went well today, she wouldn't become a queen, but she would emerge as someone who was certainly more than just a maid.

She was a maid to be reckoned with.

# # #

When they arrived to the Island, there was a ship already docked there. The Aracs had definitely arrived first, but it was impossible to tell if they'd been beaten by a few minutes or several hours. They hadn't seen any ships cross them on the way there, so there was no way to tell. They would just have to proceed as planned.

The five of them stepped off the ship and onto what might have been a tropical paradise if it weren't for what they knew inhabited the Island. The sun beat on them hard, but cool air carried the salty sea smell as a welcome relief. Fine sand blanketed the beach, golden in color, littered with seashells all over. Beyond the beach was a lush jungle that offered shade from the sun and colorful varieties of foliage. Nothing that would suggest it was the gathering place for the foulest of Dark Ones on the planet.

Then there was the sound of laughter, appearing to emanate from all over. They looked around, but saw nothing but paradise.

"It doesn't feel right," Kailu said, voicing what Yunara was thinking. She whispered, like someone might have been listening. "You get the feeling like we're being watched."

"We might be," Shi'ran speculated, hi eyes darting at everything like it could be a hiding place for a Dark One lurking in wait. "This is where they gather and scheme, so the rumors say."

"No." Kailu shook her head, her face deadly serious. Yunara had never seen her look this vulnerable. "It's like the Island itself is watching us. I can't explain it, but I have a bad feeling about this."

Manuel said, "If it was going to be easy, there would be no need for us to be here at all." He put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We've come this far."

She licked her lips, then nodded. "You're right. Let's go."

They all looked to Yunara. Taking a deep breath, she placed the handkerchief of invisibility about her face as the others all took hands. Manuel was the one that took hers and connected her to the rest. They tested it on the ship, but some part of her still feared that the handkerchief's power wouldn't spread to them after all. On the ship, as long as they didn't try with too many people, the handkerchief would last an hour before it lost its power. With more than six or seven, effects would only last a few minutes at best. Though they'd gone over the plan a million times, she still worried if an hour would be enough.