• Prologue

    The era of pirates is a dangerous one. The land flooded with oceans and small islands. The world was plunged into war between the Navy and the Pirates. The threat among the scurvy dogs, were the crew of Red Twilight. It was said that they left no man alive. They would kill so many that they made the east sea red with blood. They say the pirates spared no man, not even the innocent.

    Though, most of these were rumors. Captain Larin was the farthest thing from a man of malice. Yes, he tried more than anything to keep his identity a secrete, but he was a kind and trusting man.

    The winds were right for sailing, and the water was bright and clear, on a night like this a sailor wouldn't know the meaning of a storm. Today was a perfect day to try out the latest plot by the mastermind Larin.

    “Captain, why are we here,” asked his First Mate, “If we get spotted by a Navy ship, we'll be dead for sure.”

    “Ah, Nara, don't worry,” Larin laughed, “Everything will be fine.”

    The galleon was deep into Navy territory. Larin had one of his crazy schemes, they were going to steal form the highest level of the Navy. The Council. As a Navy child, Larin knew the outline of every major island in the area, and every building on them.

    They came upon the island they were looking for. It looked small underneath the large structure. Larin could see the light through the small windows carved into the stone.

    “Weigh Anchor!” Larin shouted to his men. The ship came to a stop about eighty yards away, “Nara, Kakoro, I need you guys on this one. Sarai you come too. Gero, as usual, your in charge!”

    Nara, Larin, Sarai, and Kakoro piled into one of the life boats. They were lowered into the dark water and sprayed with small droplets. The small group rowed their way over to a large tower at the back of the structure.

    Nara and took out grappling hook and threw it up to the window. It clanked against the stone wall. Larin motioned him to be quieter. Sarai grabbed the hook and threw it. A perfect grasp on the window.

    “Good luck dad,” Sarai whispered as he handed the rope to his father.

    “No kid. Go with Nara,” Larin ruffled his son's silver hair.

    “What,” a smile formed on Sarai's boyish face, “Serious?”

    Larin just smiled. He held the rope as his son pulled himself up. Sarai supported himself by stepping on the wall. Nara followed.

    They came upon a small room. It had sort of a homey feel. There was a small four post bed, a large wardrobe, and even a dead Navel General beside a table with a half eaten dinner.

    “What do you think happened to that guy,” Sarai asked pointing to the General.

    “Probably poison,” Nara looked around the room, “I heard there's been dispute between some of the council members. We have to hurry, people might come, he looks important.”

    “Why would they kill a general,” Sarai walked over to a bookshelf, inspecting the wall beside it.

    “Look closer Sarai, he's not a general. If you look at his lapel, there is the mark of a certified council head.”

    “Sorry.”

    Sarai traced white scratch marks on the wall, on the left of the shelf. Some of the wall paper was torn. He walked over to the shelf itself. He inspected the dusty books. Then he saw what he was looking for. Underneath a red book some of the dust was distorted, and clear marks where a hand had gripped the book.

    “A bit cliché,” Sarai pulled the book about two inches, “but it'll do.”

    “What,” Nara looked over at the ten year old. He watched as the bookshelf on the opposite side of the room slid to the left revealing a hole in the wall. “Nice one kid.”

    “Do you know how to crack a safe,” Sarai stared at the large steel door.

    “step aside kiddo, this is where I shine!” Nara put his ear to the large (and cliché) door. A few turns of the dial and a click was heard.

    “You are so weird Nara,” Sarai helped Nara pull the giant door open.

    “Your not tired are you, Rai,” Nara raised a skeptical eyebrow.

    “Hn, no... of course not,” the boy grunted.

    “Then help me out.”

    Nara took out a brown sack and began to pile tons and tons of gold inside. Sarai helped too. Each time they filled a sack they would drop it out the window to the little ship below. They filled about six of these sack when a group of council members and generals walked in.

    Usually in these situations the robbers would freeze, such as in movies and story books. Well the Red Twilights weren't idiots. Nara immediately scooped up Sarai and his sack and jumped put the the hole in the stone wall.

    “ROW!” Nara shouted to his captain.

    They did as told. Quickly rowing their way over to the ship eighty yards away. Shouts could be heard, the news spreading of the robbery and death. The boat and gold were hoisted onto the ship.

    “No time for celebrating!” Larin shouted to his crew, “Char, send the winds south-west!”

    The mage Char cast the spell needed to control the wind. The sail dropped and the anchor was reeled up. The galleon sailed quickly (with the help of magic) out of Navy territory and into the region of pirates.

    After about twenty hours (magic induced, remember) they reached the pirate sanctuary, Pirate Cove. The island was full of pirates. This was where all pirates began their journey, and where rival crews could drink together. Any fights and one would be banished. The only place where peace and sea dogs come together.

    “Tonight men, we DRINK!” Larin shouted to his crew as they docked ship. Shouts of agreement excitement were heard up on deck.

    The pirates rushed off deck and headed to the local bar. Sarai laughed at the crew's excitement. This was traditional, after a nice get, they drank like no tomorrow.

    Sarai leaned off the edge of the ship. His dropped pebbles in making his reflection ripple.

    “What are you doing,” Sarai felt something tug on the back of his shirt.

    He turned around to see a small, tender, amber haired, thirteen year old girl, “What does it look like I'm doing, Rahna?”

    “Trying to fall in the water lil' bro,” Rahna stuck her tongue out at her brother, “just don't fall off, okay.”

    “Aw, Rahna, that compromises my whole plan.” Another boy came from the cabin room.

    “You were going to drop me off the edge, Nova?” Sarai asked, raising a silver eyebrow.

    “Maybe,” Nova answered with shifty eyes.

    Sarai frowned at the boy. Nova was his father's apprentice, and even though he loved to get on Sarai's nerves Nova was his best friend. Rahna was his 'adoptive' sister. When she was a baby their parents, Larin and Sina, had found her in an abandoned life boat.

    “I'm going for a walk on the beach,” Sarai left the two teenagers on the ship.

    The feel of sand under his boots was a nice change from the wood. The classic sound of the waves crashing on the shore was music to his ears. The moon shining brightly on the ocean. It was the perfect night.

    “Hey kid,” Char sat on the rocks, “what're you doing out here?”

    “Oh, hey Char,” Sarai sped up his step, “why aren't you drinking with the others?”

    “I don't drink,” Char smiled at the boy's confused look, “I gave up drinking when my sons were born.”

    “You have kids?”

    “Yeah, they're six. Twin boys. When your dad came to the island looking for a spell caster, I couldn't pass up the opportunity. They say they're proud to have a pirate for a father.”

    Char laughed, but Sarai understood the boys' feelings. He loved being the son of a pirate captain. Even though they were technically bad people being a pirate meant being free and living life in a vast sea of discovery. Who wouldn't want that for their father.

    “Come on,” Char stood up, “Lets get something to eat.”

    The two walked back to the ship. Most of the crew had come back. Each of the men were leaning against the side of the ship, some trying to steadily walk. It was actually a funny site.

    They made their way down to Gally, or kitchen of the ship. Sarai peeled his favorite fruit, the orange. The air smelled funny, something was off...

    There was a shout from a young boy that rang through the Red Twilight Ship, “FIRE!”

    “Hahaha, sorry about this Gale,” Nara shouted pushing his captain out the door of the bar, “I can't believe you guys.” Nara snapped at the First Assistant (Gero) and Second Mate (Kakoro).

    “Aw, come on, Nara,” Kakoro draped a hand over Nara's shoulder, “You have three beers and call it *hiccup* a night!” Kakoro and Gero started laughing.

    “Would you, err, you people, shut up,” Larin said trying to support himself without the help of his first mate, “You, ugh, guys are so, uh, annoying.”

    “Larin, you can't walk straight drunk, you'll fall over.” Nara helped his captain support himself, “And you two, someone needs to be sober aside from the children.”

    “Those kids can operate the ship all on their own,” Gero said, “There are like eight of them right.”

    “There are three of them, one ten the other two thirteen,” Nara said trying to get Larin to stop dancing.

    “Yo ho yo ho a pirates life for me!” Kakoro shouted while waving his beer bottle in the air.

    “We pillage, we plunder, we rifle, and loot!”Gero and Larin joined in. Some of the pirates in the streets began to sing along.

    “Hey! Hey! What the hell is that!” Larin pointed to a burning ship in the distance.

    All of the singing sea dogs stopped and ran towards the inferno. There they saw a group of men pushing the blazing ship into the crazy currents of the ocean.

    “Mezin! What the hell are you doing!” Larin shouted to the man shouting orders.

    “Eliminating the competition.” The man Mezin said.

    “You b*****d!” Larin punched Mezin in the face.

    Nara pushed past the crowding people and leaped onto the side of the sailing inferno. He climbed tactfully dodging most of the fire. Larin and Kakoro followed. Screams were heard, people burning, people trapped.

    “Sarai! Sina! Rahna!” Larin shouted for his family. He entered the captains cabin and saw the young pirate apprentice and a pregnant Sina.

    “Captain Larin! Sarai is trapped in the galley!” Nova shouted, “I can't find Rahna!”

    “Come with me,” Kakoro shouted. He held his hand out to the two.

    Nara went to the galley. Larin ran off to below deck to find his daughter.

    Larin found her hiding in the Hull. She was crouched in behind four barrels of gunpowder.

    “Rahna!” Larin shouted, “Rahna! Get away from there!”

    “Daddy I can't move!” she shouted back.

    “You have to, if you don't you'll die!” He reached his hand out to her, “Come on baby!”

    She quickly hurried away from the barrels. Larin covered his daughter as they headed toward the ladder leading out of the hull. He sent Rahna up first. She was halfway up the stairs when the ceiling collapsed.

    “Daddy!” Rahna shrieked. Larin was crushed under a large pile of burning wood.

    Nara broke down the door of the galley. Sarai was helping Char from underneath a large pile of collapsed wood.

    “Sarai!” Nara ran over to the boy.

    “Nara! Help!”Sarai gestured toward Char.

    Nara wasted no time helping the mage. The three quickly scurried out of the ship's kitchen. Char jumped ship first chance he got.

    “Nara where's Rahna!?” Sarai asked. He heard the bottom of the ship fall a little, and heard a girl scream.

    “Rahna keep going!” Larin shouted.

    “But dad!”

    “Rahna! Do as I say!”

    “Rahna up here!” Nara shouted. He reached his hand out to her. She quickly scrambled up the ladder. Nara held the two children in his arms, “Larin I-”

    “Go! Just Go!”

    They ran up through the many parts of the ship till they got to the deck.

    Larin watched as his First Mate ran off with his children. He had accepted his fate, he was going to die. He waited, and then, another part of the roof fell, but this time on the group of gunpowder. 'Sina, Rahna, Sarai, I love you' he closed his eyes.

    Rahna was already in the water when the gunpowder went off. Nara held Sarai close to him trying to cover the boy's body as much as possible. The two were propelled into the deep water.

    Clutching the small silver haired boy in arm Nara swam to shore. With the help of the ship's debris Rahna and Char was able to get to shore. Sina, Nova, and Kakoro made it back safely too.

    When Rahna and Sarai got to shore, their mother embraced them in a large hug. Sarai didn't return the hug, he couldn't. All he could do was watch as the flames float on the waves. His body shook and tears flowed down his face.

    The crowd on the shore watched. As debris washed ashore and the flames died down. They watched as the greatest pirate crew of their time died. The traditional way for a captain to leave the world, to fall with his ship and his men.

    Sarai lie awake under his covers. After the fire the surviving members of the crew were staying in the local hotel. Their latest hoard of treasure sunk with the ship, yet a lot was left with Gale, Sarai's aunt. She was an ex-crew member and very trusted by his father.

    Sarai got out of bed annoyed by Nova's snoring. He silently closed the door and walked down the hall. Snores were audible through the doors. Probably snores of other pirates.

    “I wont hear a word of it!”Sarai heard his mother shout. He rushed toward the stairs. “I just lost my husband, and you expect me to let my son be a pirate captain?”

    “Sina, please listen,” Char tried to calm her down, “You know it was Larin's dieing-”

    “Char I don't care! I almost lost my whole family yesterday! Everyday on that ship was a near death experience! I will not allow my only son to-”

    “Sina, relax,” Kakoro took over, “Sarai was trained for this his whole life. Larin made sure of that. Sarai is a good kid. Sina please, this crew needs a captain.”

    “What crew?” asked a disgruntled Gero, “Face it guys, it's possible this could be the end of the Red Twilights as we know it.”

    “Don't say that!”Sarai couldn't stand this talk, “Don't ever say that Gero! I don't care if mom wont let me be a pirate, but I don't care. I'm going to sail the seas. I'm sorry mom, but I'm going to captain the Red Twilight. I'm going to be the best damn captain this world has ever seen!”

    Second ch is up people! http://www.gaiaonline.com/arena/writing/fiction/vote/?entry_id=100296237