Log 2

This was one of the most frightening moments of my life. All of us were panicked, all of us scrambling around looking for someone to take us somewhere safe. Even I felt lost and confused for a few moments. Thoughts raided my mind. Where's the best place to go? Where's "Mad-Eyed" Jason? More importantly, where's our mother? It took a few minutes for me to get my senses straight. Once I did, I took control of the situation, and started to guide my siblings into our hidden basement, The Secret Spot. I was counting heads, when I realized that the troublesome trio wasn't there. So I collected Jason's arsernal of weapons and strapped them to me, and got my silk scarf out of my pants' pockets and tied it around my mouth and nose. I always wear pants with many pockets, in which I keep many tools, and such that I think will be usefull for that day. So I told Silvia to not let anyone in unless they gave three hard knocks. She kept begging me not to go, but I told her that I had to, and that they would die if I didn't. That brought tears to her eyes, and I just left...

Those were the last words I spoke to her...

So, when I went back out, the entire house was filled with smoke from the explosion. I hung my head low and went out as quick as I could, and started calling out for them.

"Josh! Mark! Will! Come on out, I'm here, just come out, and I'll bring you to everyone else!"

I got no response from them. I didn't get a response from them for five minutes. But finally I got a response. They were inside a room that its' doorway had caved in. I couldn't find a way to them, that was safe anyways. I heard them whimpering, and I kept on reassuring them while I searched. After a minute I gathered that I couldn't get to them without going through the burning debris. But soon I heard a voice that didn't belong to any of the trio of boys. I couldn't quite hear what it was saying, but I picked up a few words.

"Here... under cloak... going... jump... ready? Hold on!!"

Next thing I knew the wall of debris burst outward and "Mad-Eyed" Jason jumped out of the dbris, carrying the Trio in his arms. This baffled me to no ends. Why would a Sky Pirate risk his own life for a couple of kids? I wanted an answer so I asked him.

"Why would you, a Sky Pirate, risk your life for a bunch of kids you don't know?"

"Too be honest... I don't know. Maybe I'm not a Sky Pirate anymore."

And now that I think about Jason, he was a Sky Pirate, to the bone, just neither of us knew it at the time.

So we went back to the Secret Spot, and dropped off the Trio and Jason and I started back out.

"What do you think you're doing kid?"
"Going to find my mother!"
"Stay here kid, for your own good. The Sky Pirates will be here any minute for me, and you don't need to be getting mixed up in this."
"Well I'm going to find my mother, no matter the cost."
"All right fine. Just stay away from me, and I'd like my arsernal back."

I just handed him his pistol, and I kept the rest.

"Um... I'm going to need more than just my pistol."
"Fine, here's the other pistol."
"What do you need my rifle's for?"
"In case you double cross me."
"What?! You still don't trust me? Even after I saved those kids for you?"
"Yeah... it's hard to earn my trust."
"Hmph, for a kid who hates Sky Pirates, you sure act like one."
"No I don't, I'm the exact opposite."

So I started walking away, and I heard Jason mutter 'Hot-Shot'. I just scoffed and kept on going. Little did I know that it would stick.

I searched the entire house. I had stayed in there too long. I was starting to hack and cough and I was getting dizzy. So I went outside to get a breath of fresh air. So I got outside and realized that it wasn't much better than it was inside. A dark cloud of smoke fogged the night sky. The town could be seen in the distance, ablaze. Then I realized there was not one, but two air ships in the sky. Unfortunately they were both Sky Pirate air ships. I swore under my breath under the pressure. Then I looked again. The two ships were fighting each other... I noiced the one on the right was the one that I saw when this all started. It had the same emblem that was embedded on Jason's cloak. The other one had a skull with a crack over the right eye that went through the eye. These ships were wooden, so every hit blew a good hole through the ship. Machinery was scarce these days, so Sky Pirates could only get engines and other simple forms of machinery for their airships. I've heard rumors bout the Navy working on 100% machine airships, but that was still unconfirmed.

My thoughts were disrupted by a loud boom that came from the house. I went over to the back of the house quietly, and I saw Jason with my mother. I was so happy that I nearly cheered for joy. But I saw someone zoom by on a Hover-cycle. The hover-cycle was modeled after the Old World's motorcycle, only it didn't require wheels. There were very few of these around. Technology had taken a huge fall when the New World was born. But I saw that technology was starting to kick up again, and possibly surpass the technology of the Old World.

The man on the Hover-cycle wore a red cape that flowed behind him. He came to a stop a few feet away from Jason and my mother. And without warning he leapt off his hover-cycle and fired five shots from a pistol. Jason had leapt in front of my mother just in time, and he took all five shots, to the back. Jason collapsed, and no more words left his lips... ever again...
The man raised his pistol to my mother and before even I knew it, I was standing in front of her, rifle raised right back at him. He seemed surprised, and then he lowered his pistol. I realized that his cloak was the exact same one as Jason's. He gave me a smile, and I didn't like the look of it. His eyes seemed to hhave a red glare coming from them, and his skink seemed really pale and ghastly especially against his white hair.

"You snuck up on me there. Didn't realize you were here till just now."

I just glared back at him. He started taking a few steps toward me, but I cocked the rifle and pointed it at his head and he withdrew, but he still smiled which was starting to freak me out.

"You'd make an excellent Sky Pirate. Would you like to join our crew? We are the strongest crew there is... I know you wouldn't settle for less. I see it in your eyes... they thirst for power, knowledge, and... love..."
"Apparently you don't know how to read. I want you out of here."
"Ah... but of course. I'd be happy to leave... just give me your weapons, they are a valuable part of our treasury."
"Sorry but, I'm keeping these. You want bullets? Just tell me where you want them, I think I could arrange something."
"Cute... but that won't get you anywhere in life."

Just then a call came from the corner in which I was hiding earlier.

"Oi, Crescent! What're you doing letting a kid get the better of you?"
"Shut it 'Scarface'!"

The man, Crescent, instantly got pissed when 'Scarface' arrived. I glanced over and saw that 'Scarface' was an old man who's hair was grey, his face was tough looking, especially with that scar over his right eye. This man was the prescence of power, you felt stronger every time he was near. I noticed that his cloak had the skull with the crack over the right eye, and I realized that he was the captain, the skull was an imitation of his face. I also noticed simalarites between him and Crescent. They both had feathers. Scarface had a white and a black feather tucked in his hat. Crescent, I noticed, that he had a yellow one tucked in his hair, and that his cape was made of hundreds of dark red feathers. I turned back and saw that Jason had a tattered green feather. I also realized that mom had fled.

"So what brings you here Crescent?" 'Scarface' asked him jokingly, "you aren't just here for the boy are ya?"
"No... that's hardly the reason. Just disposing of a traitor and supplies."
"So... why bomb the town?"
"Well, we like to leave a mark of where we've been..."
"Heh, you're looking for His log aren't you?"
"We could be..."
"Yeah, I thought so... who isn't trying to get rid of Black Spot?"
"So you're looking for it as well?"
"Like I said... who isn't?"
"So, you know too much..."

Before any of us knew what had happened, I had fired, but missed Crescent. Both the men looked at me bewildered.

"Do you have a death wish boy?" Scarface yelled at me, "Because I'd be happy to fulfill it!!"
"I beleive the boy was aiming at me..." Crescent said.

He was correct, I was aiming for him. I saw that he was about to shoot the old man, and I just didn't want to see any more killing done by that man. It was an odd feeling, but I went with it.

"Do you want to kill me boy?" Crescent hissed, with a smile.
"Heh, nothing would please me more." I replied, but I was bluffing yet again. I had a bad habit of bluffing, and still do. It has always gotten me into trouble.

"Well then, let's make a deal..."Crescent said, and I could tell he was up to something. So could Scarface, because he tried to stop him.
"You aren't planning to-?"
"Shut it Scarface! This is between me and the boy."

I was curious... too curious for my own good.

"What sort of deal?" I asked.
"That you'll kill me before next year..." Crescent answered, "It's more of a bet actually. So... do you accept?"
"Don't do it boy! You'll-!!!"

Crescent knocked Scarface in the back of the head with a gun, and put it back into its hilt. He turned to me again and asked me again.

"Do we have an accord?"

I hesitated. My mind was fighting amongst itself. One side told me to go ahead and go for it, what did I have to lose? The other side yelled, "Are you nuts?"

"Yes!!"

The answer slipped out before I even had fully decided. Before I knew it, Crescent had come up and shook my hand.

"Then let the countdown begin!"

He got on his Hover-cycle and sped off. As soon he was out of sight I felt a terrible pain in my hand, and it throbbed and I couldn't move it. The pain was ubeleivable. Could a handshake do that to a person? That was my final thought as my eyelids lowered and my body collapsed and the sound of the Airship battle overhead could be heard no more...