One Last Breath

Abigail had taken over what had been Jack's cabin on The Fancy. She still could not believe that she had her life upturned by her father's obsession for a second time. The first time she had lost her father, and now she had lost one of the remaining connections to him. She had not even asked William if there were any objections to her taking this berth. She was still fuming over the events that had happened on Tabbakust. Her life had only been endangered because of William's actions.

She was pacing in the cabin that was now her home and wearing a dress that was several sizes too big for her. Running for her life meant there was no time to pack. She was not sure if she would have been willing to accompany William if the circumstances had been better. She still harboured a lot of resentment for how this had consumed her father and ultimately taken him from her.

Abigail had secluded herself within the cabin, only really coming out to briefly talk with William and Kitty when she wanted some food. She was aware of the crew mourning the loss of the person whom Edward had killed and the other man who had been captured. She was sad for them but knew neither of them.

She was not even sure that William had a plan. There had been mutterings about witches and that one of the crew had apparently been a girl all along. Something about her meant they could sail north to find them. Abigail considered herself to be a woman of science, of practicalities so the matter that William had been discussing with Thorvenhold was surely just poppycock. All she knew was that she was now cold as they sailed into the largely uncharted northern seas. She grabbed a blanket and decided she would make a rare appearance above decks.

Abigail stepped onto the deck and pulled the blanket close around her shoulders. She saw most of the crew were now wearing thicker clothing. She could see lines of frost across some of the rigging. She saw Thorvenhold and Finn standing upon the prow. She wandered closer to them she was annoyed at being curious by their actions. A thick mist hung heavily over the ship, and she saw that visibility was fairly poor. Finn was sitting atop the railing, with Thorvenhold standing behind her. Despite the revelation regarding young Finn's sex, she was still dressed like a young boy.

"I can feel something out there in the mist." Finn declared to the larger man.

"Something calling to you?" Thorvenhold replied.

"Yes, it feels stronger now. Are we nearer?" Finn asked.

"I can only see and feel glimpses of something out there," Thorvenhold answered.

"And what are we looking for?" Abigail questioned.

"An island. It is good to see you above decks, Abigail." The Ragnar told her.

"A secret island. Hidden from the world by grey witches? Surely you jest?" Abigail scoffed.

"I too was once a sceptic to the larger mysteries of the world. Then I saw things which changed my mind." Thorvenhold replied.

Abigail simply huffed, annoyed at the Ragnar being enigmatic. She was almost knocked off her feet as the Fancy cut through a rough wave, and the deck was splashed with freezing, cold water. She saw William approaching them and looked back to see another of the crew manning the ship's wheel.

"It is good to see you above decks, Abigail. " He told her.

"I thought I would pop my head out and defiantly proclaim that I am still alive", Abigail replied sarcastically.

The fog broke through another squall and the mist cleared. An island sat in front of them. It looked strange, as if it was out of place. Abigail was expecting a place frozen over with ice and frost, snow-capped peaks, and this instead looked almost tropical. It looked large but, in certain ways, as if it was attempting to challenge her perception of the place. In front of them was a large golden beach leading towards a thick jungle. The waters surrounding it were a clear blue.

Abigail caught sight of Finn looking at her, and it looked like she was gloating at her for being proven right regarding the island in the face of Abigail's scepticism. She scowled back at her and then found herself laughing, which proved infectious for Finn as well.

"Drop anchor," William called out to the crew.

The Fancy was quickly brought to a halt, and she watched William and Thorvenhold preparing the ship's tender. William noticed her observing them.

"Would you care to join us, Abigail? I feel we could use at least one wide watcher on these trips, and Oliver is Edward's prisoner." William asked

"I have been confined below decks for the last week or so," Abigail replied.

"I thought you had locked yourself away to wallow in your misery," Thorvenhold said bluntly.

"The four of us then," William advised, ignoring the childish conversation between the two of them.

William left them for a moment to find Master Rourke. With Ken gone, Jack captaining The Wren, it fell to Tim or Kitty to lead the crew when William was not on board. Abigail appreciated the strong bond William had with his men. He spent several minutes talking to him before returning to them. William, Thorvenhold, Abigail and Finn boarded the tender. Thorvenhold took it upon himself to row them to shore. The island did not appear to have any sort of jetty so they were forced to make a beach landing.

William and Thorvenhold secured the small ship as best they could. Abigail watched Finn playing with the sand; she picked up some in one hand and was enjoying herself by pouring it between her hands. Abigail found it strangely reassuring, with everything they had been through, one of them experiencing a childlike wonder in this way. She was glad that Finn could shake off whatever hardships she had endured and experience joy again. Abigail was distracted when she saw the thing that was approaching them.

It was humanoid, if larger than a man, although she noted it was of similar height and build to Thorvenhold. The head resembled that of a great white shark, the mouth quite broad across, and she could see multiple rows of teeth. The eyes were two small black orbs on the side of its head. It had thick arms and hands that looked like they could easily crush a skull in them. Abigail was uncertain if it was hostile or not. Its skin was a mixture of grey and blue. Its nasal ridge and forehead were entirely blue. From the shape of it Abigail believed it looked to be female.

It stopped a short distance from them as if it were monitoring them before finally coming close.

"The mistresses are in an enclave." The shark creature told them, although it had difficulty with its pronunciation of certain words.

William saw that an envoy appeared alongside Abigail. Thorvenhold joined them a moment later.

"We would seek an audience. The matter is of grave importance, but we would not wish to disturb them." William explained.

"You already have William." A soft voice told them.

A dark-skinned woman hung in the air, above the sand near them. She wore ceremonial robes, rust red in colour and earthy brown in places. From the waist down, the dress was covered in panels adorned with symbols. Her hair had been styled into dreads, several of which hung in the air around her. Around her neck were several metal necklaces, and her fingers were adorned with rings. Despite her feet not touching the ground, she still left footprints in the sand.

"I told them they were not to disturb you, matron." The shark wailed.

"You are not at fault, Mako. You may return to your duties." The Umthakathi told her

They watched as Mako headed back towards the jungle.

"I regret the timing of our visit, Nomvula," William told her.

Nomvula ignored William and turned to face Thorvenhold.

"Remove the defiler from our beach, William," Nomvula ordered.

"He is here with me," William advised.

"Do not try my patience, William. I could strip the flesh from your bones with a thought. Reduce you to a simpering fool not even good enough to clean our latrines with his tongue. Remove the defiler from our beach. I will not ask again." Nomvula raised her hands as she did so.

They watched as sand began to rise in front of them and spin in the air.

"Nomvula, please." William pleaded.

"Now." Nomvula screeched, her voice sounding like glass being scraped across the ground. The single word was delivered in a way which made the listener want to submit to the command.

Thorvenhold raised his hands in supplication. "I'll return to the ship if it appeases the grey witch."

The Ragnar turned and stomped down the beach towards the water. Instead of waiting by the tender, he began swimming back to the Fancy.

"Then there were three," Abigail stated.

They watched, and Nomvula's posture changed. Seemed to relax now that Thorvenhold had departed.

"Why are you here, William?" Nomvula asked.

"Twenty years ago I came to this place. I asked a boon of Umthakathi that you would remove memories of something I did, so even if I wanted to, I could never remember what I did with it." William answered, sounding regretful.

"Time flows differently for us. What you describe is little more than a blink of the eye." Nomvula stated.

"At the time, I thought it the best way to keep that information safe. Now a foe from my past has resurfaced. He will stop at nothing to recover it. I need to know what you made me forget. I have to reach it before him." William continued.

"Your kind are so fickle. What you desire one day and then change the next. What you seek is dangerous, but perhaps it would be better in your hands than his. I know your intentions at least."

For the first time, Nomvula turned to face Finn.

"You have at least brought us a gift. You are known to us, Fionnula. We called out to you from across the sea. Our voices whisper to you in the dark, offering you solace when you felt there was none. You are welcome here, and your timing is auspicious. Perhaps the tides brought you here at this very moment, as this is where you are needed to be. William would have been lost without you." Nomvula addressed Finn.

"This place feels like home," Finn replied.

"Because it is, child," Nomvula told her.

"Your familiar mentioned that you and your sisters were gathered in an enclave?" William asked.

"One of the eldest of our order, Seravka, her time draws near. We gather around her as she fades from us. She has guided us for almost a millennia. Even I have memories of her from when I was a child, and she was one of our most revered voices. Fionnula's arrival at this time cannot be by chance. We would rarely allow visitors to watch when we're vulnerable like this, but I feel there are other forces at work here. Follow me"

Nomvula turned and began moving back towards the jungle. William, Abigail and Finn started chasing after her. Her movement was not impeded, but they struggled a little to keep up running across the sand. She slowed as she reached the jungle, allowing them to keep up. She guided them through the undergrowth until she reached a large circular clearing. Gathered within it were at least forty Umthakathi. They wore black and were gathered in circles. At the centre of the clearing was a large stone platform a body was resting on it, which they assumed was Seravka.

Even from a distance, they could see that her form looked withered, her hands and face heavily wrinkled, her skin showing spots of ageing. William could recall visiting before and recalled meeting Seravka then. She agreed to his request to be granted the privilege to witness her last moments, as if he were one of her sisters. He knelt out of respect for her. Abigail and Finn, not knowing the protocol for these moments, knelt alongside William. William looked up and could see her chest rising and falling very slightly.

Nomvula stood in front of Finn. The Umthakathi now stood on the ground on her own two feet.

"Attend me, child. She would want you to witness her final moment."

Finn stood, and the older Umthakathi accompanied her to Seravka's side. She instructed Finn to place her hands on Seravka's chest. Finn felt the older woman as she took her final languid breaths.

"The circle remains complete. Another of us joined us as one departs." Seravka said to them, her voice small and haggard.

"Rest now, mother," Nomvula told her.

Finn felt Seravka inhale one last time, and she exhaled heavily. Finn was fascinated as Seravka blew out her final breath, forming into a sort of spherical blue cloud. She could see points of energy within it that crackled slightly. Then it started to envelop her. Finn began to panic, but Nomvula placed her hands on her shoulders to calm her. Finn was not sure if this was the circle that Seravaka had spoken of. It swirled around her, and she began to consume it. Finn drew in Seravaka's final breath, what remained of her spirit. She felt for a moment she connected back along lines longer than she could barely begin to even comprehend. She knew that this was a gift one of the eldest of their order had gifted her essence unto her.

"Welcome, sister." Nomvula greeted her.

Finn turned to face her new sisters. She did not know why, but she began to cry. Nomvula pointed towards two other members of her order who promptly got up and came over to her.

"Take your new sister away to rest. She has done enough for now." Nomvula instructed.

They led Finn away, and Nomvula returned to William and Abigail.

"What will happen to her?" Abigail asked.

"Her training will begin soon. She was gifted with the remembrance of our departed sister. Perhaps one day young Fionnula will guide us like Seravaka once did." Nomvula told them.

"I cannot begin to understand your ways. I hope now you will be willing to speak regarding my request." William informed her.

"You would need to enter the Maelstrom. Which could easily have killed you the first time. A second may prove to be fatal." Nomvula told him honestly.

"Aye. There is no other way."

"I will lead you to it." She told him.

Nomvula led them further into the jungle. They came across another clearing, but far smaller than that which had been used to honour Seravka's passing. There was no plant growth within it, simply what appeared to be a pool of water. The surface of it looked like it was formed of obsidian that was almost as black as midnight. Abigail stood next to it she longed to touch it but caught sight of the Umthakathi giving her a stern look. She stepped back and looked in William's direction.

"Now what?" She asked him

"I enter the pool." He answered as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.

Abigail turned away as William began stripping out of his clothes. He placed his clothing down on the ground near to the pool. Abigail could have done without the sight of the naked arse of a fifty-year-old man as he stepped into the pool. William found it was cool to the touch; when he had stepped into it years earlier, it had been warm. He walked forward, moving towards the centre. The water of the Maelstrom's pool was not still, it began swirling around him, roiling with energy. He felt it spark against him. He felt his hair standing on end even while parts of him were submerged. He pushed forward and found himself descending. As he approached the centre, his head was barely above the water. Then he felt himself sinking. All the air felt like it had been pushed out of his lungs.

He felt himself being pulled down by some undertow. The energies of the Maelstrom were now chaotic, the whipped around him and felt like they were constricting him. William felt strangely calm. He felt that he should be struggling for breath, that he should be drowning, but was not. Some unseen force carried him down. The light of the jungle above him faded from view, and then it was gone completely.

William was standing on ground of some kind. He looked around, and where he stood was featureless it seemed to go on forever in every direction. He looked down and saw that he was fully clothed again, and then William knew he was not alone.

A young woman stood in front of him. A young flame-haired girl. She was wearing a simple blue cotton dress. She had wonderfully expressive green eyes.

"Who are you?" William asked.

"You never gave me a name"

"Madeline."

"Hello, Father."