The sea was too quite.
A dark ship drifted through layers of cold mist towards a forgotten island. Black cliffs rose from the ocean in an unnatural way, and at the center of it all stood a skull.
A massive skull lay half-buried in the ground , as if time it self has tired and failed to forget it. It was large enough to make the ship in itself feel small.
Even from a distance it's empty eye socket seemed to watch the ocean.
Mikeal rested against the railing , his dark hair socked in salt clung to his face , his expression remain unreadable but his eyes remained fixed on the island.
"That's it he said ; the place from stories.
Beside him little dark haired girl clung to the railing. Her voice was barely a breath.
"Is it true ?" she asked :
That it's cursed ?"
Mikeal didn't answer , not because he didn't know but deep down he feared it was !.
Below deck , the crew—preparing with electric anticipation. They had finally reached the forbidden island—the one sang about in old taverns. And for most of them that what it mattered.
But not for captain Azan.
In a dark cabin. The old pirate stood alone. His once-white hair had faded gray beneath years of salt and sea wind. His face covered in mark of battle and betrayals.— His eyes fixed on his hand.
A black round paper had appeared in his hand this morning.
He threw him self onto the chair, looking to the ceiling his long hair lies on his shoulder while some hangs below.
He sighed and whispered
to himself.
"spending a lifetime searching for a shore I cannot return from…."
A knock at the door.
Mikeal quietly entered the room, his eyes falls on the black mark —a second, another
and than one more than his eyes met Azan's. Mikeal didn't said anything he do
jot need to, everything was clear as day.
Azan finally broke the silence.
"You know Mikeal?
I always imagined this moment differently.
Thought victory would feel louder than this."
…Then silence
"Why does it feel so heavy?"
"so the black mark is real…. ? What are we going do now ?
Mikeal said.
Azan stood from his chair walked to window.
Beyond the glass the island stood motionless in the fog —waiting to be claimed and conquered.
After a long second he said quietly
"What are we going to do?"
A faint smile touched Azan's face. Not joy.
"We finish the voyage."
Mikeal's expression hardened. "And after sunset?"
"After sunset…" he murmured, "the sea can do whatever it wants with me."
Silence filled the room again. The lantern swayed softly above them .
"But until that sun dies"Azan continued "I
am still the captain of this ship."
He finally looked at Mikeal.
"And captains do not turn back when the shore is finally in sight."
"CAPTAIN! PREPARATIONS ARE COMPLETE!" some one shouted from above the deck.
Azan look at the black mark. he clenched his hand put the black mark in his pocket.
Than he looked at Mikael.
"its time"
Mikeal gave a quiet nod, but Azan stopped beside the door before opening it.
"When we reach the island…" he said, "the men deserve the truth."
Mikeal's eyes narrowed slightly. "You think that's wise?"
"A captain who hides the storm from his crew is no captain at all."
Then after a pause—
"If I fall before night ends… you will lead them back."
Mikeal immediately shook his head. "You're speaking as if you're already dead."
Azan said nothing and opened the cabin door. Cold sea wind rushed inside.
...
The boats were lowered into the water, and after a while, all ten of them reached the shore.