Once Upon A Miracle

Chapter 21: The Skrulls

"But would you kindly ponder this question: What would your good do if evil didn't exist, and what would the earth look like if all the shadowsdisappeared? After all, shadows are cast by things and people. Here is theshadow of my sword. But shadows also come from trees and living beings.Do you want to strip the earth of all trees and living things just becauseof your fantasy of enjoying naked light? You're stupid."

~ Mikhail Bulgakov (The Master and Margerita) 

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"The wheels were set into motion," Sherry began, clearing her throat, "the moment we decided to throw the sarcophagus into the ocean. That was our grievous mistake. It stayed there, for a while. And all seemed to have turned good. We seemed to have won. Everything was finally okay. But, of course, our momentary utopia was no more than a delusion. We should have expected him to return. And he did."

"Do you remember the men with those tattoos?" Sherry asked abruptly, pausing from her tale. "Like a snake slithering over a skull?"

Miracle nodded, a frown twisting his handsome, youthful face.

"They were pirates, did you know? Their tattoo was a mark of the life they had chosen. A symbolisation of their name, Skrulls. It seems impossible, doesn't it? That pirates would exist at this age? But, well, we of all people know it is a mistake to dismiss something as impossible just because they seem unreasonable.

"The Skrulls worked secretly – attacking vessels, trading illegally, looting away whatever they could find. But they were smart. They made it look like accidents. During one of their voyages, they found the sarcophagus. It should have been buried deep in the ocean bed. But, no, it was just floating above the water, tempting with its gold shine.

"It was Evil's doing, of course. He sensed them near. And despite being imprisoned, he had enough wit to control his own cage. He just needed someone to open it for him. The Skrulls assumed it was their day of fortune. They hauled the sarcophagus on deck, hoping to melt its gold and sell it illegally to merchants. Their celebrations were brutally cut short. Because the moment they unclasped the lid, they let loose the most dangerous of entities.

"In spite of being locked up for nearly decades, Evil was quick to work his way into their minds. He chose the captain as the host. It wasn't too hard, considering the pirates weren't the purest of men; they survived on debauchery and illicit activities, after all. But Evil wasn't satisfied. After being slayed and incarcerated into a box, he thirsted for revenge. Getting free was only the first phase. He didn't have time to indulge on petty crimes.

"He came to a decision, you see. He was furious with what Goodness had done to him and the way the rest of us had aided her. He swore an oath to rid this world of anything good at all, balance be damned. He was on a warpath. And suddenly, he knew what he had to do. He would capture them all – all things that gave humanity purpose and value. He would steal everything they cherished – happiness, love, fairness, hope. And he wouldn't stop there. He would destroy Goodness itself, he vowed.

"It was his kismet when he came across the navy vessel. There, he sensed the soul of Markus Jennings, the restlessness of the man, the urge to prove himself, to be more. He sensed something else too – something that would eventually be his perfect leverage. Nevertheless, it seemed like the will of fate itself because Evil knew he had found the perfect host. He shed away the body of the captain but he did not relive his hold on the pirates. That night, they attacked Markus's ship.

"It was no fight at all. With Evil assisting the pirates, the officers didn't stand a chance. They didn't even see it coming. Before the night could melt into dawn, Evil had a new body. Markus Jennings was his to control.