"Hey!" Mike blurted. "There's fish in the water."

Sure enough, A school of small white fish surrounded the boat.

"Nobody move!" Dafydd ordered.

He took a piece of beef jerky and tossed it out away from the boat. The fish took for it in a frenzy. The water boiled and frothed as the creatures tore into each other while trying to tear into the jerky.

"Yow!" Mike yelped. "Okay, swimming at your own risk."

"Oh!" Hannah got their attention. "Remember the book and letter? It said terror above and below. So, we better watch above us!

"Too right, Hannah." Dafydd agreed.

Gavin and Mike got headlamps on and started scanning the overhead.

"Cave opening, straight ahead!" Gavin called.

"Aye," Dafydd answered. "That must be the place."

Gavin stared into the round black abyss before him and looked around at the stygian waters surrounding the boat.

His vision of the hungry darkness, back in the desert, came flooding back to him. Vertigo dropped over him, and he swayed slightly. His balance failed. Darkness called to him in silent invitation. With an effort of will, he leaned away from the edge of the boat. An insatiable hunger came off the water in waves and tried to draw him into a headlong plunge. Gavin's feet shuffled forward with a life of their own. A coldness crept up his back and pushed. No! He raised his hands. Leaden force fought to hold them down. The ring burned and glowed red on his finger. Suddenly strength flowed through him, and he got his hands on the boat's edge. He pushed back with all of his will.

A hand clamped on his upper arm, and he jumped with a start.

"Gavin!" a strident whisper speared into his consciousness.

Light put out the darkness, and the ravenous hunger fled.

Gavin looked into Taeko's glimmering obsidian eyes once again.

"Gavin," she repeated. "What's wrong?"

He shook his head and rubbed his eyes. "I don't know. I'm okay." He sucked in a deep breath and panted.

"Fish puke." Taeko glanced around. No one was paying attention to her and Gavin. "Here." She pressed a steel cup, warm with tea, into his hand. "Drink."

Gavin took a long pull on the tea, draining the cup.

"Taeko? What's with you and tea anyway?

"I like tea," she shrugged. "And my mom made a big deal, all my life, about serving whatever you're drinking, before or whatever. It isn't a big deal. Besides, later on, I got it, how something simple like that can calm people down, help them center, you know?"

"You and your mom got it right. It works. Thanks."

Gavin dropped his eyes and took a deep breath.

"It's the darkness, isn't it, like it was that night in the desert?" Taeko stated.

He looked up, and she held his eyes.

"How did you know?"

"I see it too."

Gavin thought a moment. "Why? What? Why aren't you, uh, well, affected by it, like I am."

Taeko continued to hold his eyes. "I've seen it my whole life. My mother has too. She taught me how to rebuke the darkness and focus on the light."

"Just like that? Just that easy?"

"No. It's not complicated, but it takes practice."

Gavin frowned. "How come I never saw it before?"

Taeko looked away for a moment. "Because now it's attacking you." She put a finger on his chest. "I can see it going for you, trying to smother you."

"That's disturbing. Why? Who am I?"

"I don't know yet. But I can tell you this much."

"Yeah?"

"You're important, Gavin. You have some sort of destiny."

"Oh, come on. Like what? Doesn't everyone have a destiny?"

Taeko gave him a crooked grin. "No, Gavin. Everyone doesn't. I mean, I believe everyone has a purpose, but not everyone has a destiny."

"Okay. I'm confused. What's the difference? And what about this light and darkness thing? It's like a homemade sci-fi video."

"Look at Hannah, Gavin."

"Huh?"

"Just look."

Hannah was leaning on the edge of the boat next to Dafydd, talking and smiling.

"Really, look, Gavin. Can't you see the light from her?"

"Yes. Yeah. I think so."

"She always keeps her eyes on the light. And she knows her purpose. We all know it. Hannah's a healer and a caregiver. It's who she is. Her light is why people are attracted to her. But she's not going around worried all the time, like you, because she doesn't have a destiny. I don't either, if you're wondering."

"Interesting. And disconcerting. What about Mike and Dafydd?" Gavin inquired.

"Well. Look at them the same way you just looked at Hannah."

Gavin looked and looked again.

"What do you see, Gavin?"

"Nothing. What am I missing?"

"They don't see the light and the darkness, except as manifested in physical reality. Purpose and destiny haven't claimed them yet. On the other hand, they're open, so still a bit neutral."

"You mean they could go bad? Like, go to the dark?"

"No. But they could be deceived. For a short while, maybe."

"This is, what did people use to say? Heavy, yeah. It's a little overwhelming."

Taeko gave Gavin one of her rare smiles. "You got this, Gavin. Just keep your spiritual eyes open, and don't overthink things."

"Yes, ma'am. How'd you get so smart about all of this?"

"As I said, my mother taught me. So now we're almost at the cave. What should we be doing?"

Gavin withstood the urge to blurt out, 'how should I know?'

Instead, he looked again at Taeko. "One thing you should be doing is smiling like that more often."

Her eyes sparkled, and she smiled again. "We'll see. Now. Give some orders, will you?"

Gavin thought for a moment and divorced himself from the conversation to focus on the upcoming tunnel.

"Okay, everyone! If there's terror above, it'll probably be in this tunnel since it hasn't happened yet. Let's get our hand weapons ready. The tunnel looks a little close for bows or pistols."

Mike got his ax in hand and Taeko drew her spatha.

"Hannah?" Dafydd asked. "Could you take the tiller for a bit? Thanks." He got his short sword out and pulled a mailed gauntlet over his left hand.

They all looked anxiously at the pitch-black maw of the tunnel entrance. Gavin felt a palpable tension between everyone on the boat.

Darkness emanated from the tunnel like a malignant intent to harm. Gavin tried to project his thoughts. No! Not anymore. You're nothing but an absence of light. You have no power. The ring flashed for a second, and, like flipping on a switch in a room at night, the darkness fled from Gavin's mind. Finally, he was able to move and focus again.

The boat passed into the tunnel.

Everyone scanned in all directions, yet the tunnel was eerily empty. The breeze and the current flowed their way and carried the ship along. The walls and ceiling were grey stone, dark and moist, like a dungeon.

"Gavin," Mike whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Look real close at the roof, man. See all those scratches and grooves? Something or somebody did that, 'cause it sure ain't natural."

"Yeah." Gavin glanced around. "Heads up! Keep alert! And I see light up ahead. Looks like daylight."

"Ah," Dafydd brightened. "A light at the end of the tunnel, eh? Has to be a good sign, that."

Hannah drew her Kel-Tec, holding the tiller in her left hand.

"And why are you doing that?" Dafydd asked.

"I don't know. I just have a bad feeling."

The light grew into a circular opening, just wide enough for the ship to pass. They all saw open water and blue sky under a yellow sun.

Gavin heard something, and he turned his head, opening his mouth slightly to focus on the sound. A high-pitched screeching vibrated his nerves like a plucked string as it grew from nothing up to painful. Shadows flitted around the cave opening.

"Incoming!" was all he could think of to call out.

A solid wave of leathery wings and long beaks rode a breaking wave of excruciating noise, filling the tunnel and blocking out the daylight.

"Everybody to the back of the boat, form a circle!" Gavin yelled. They all jumped to comply.

Hunger and death fell on them in a wild frenzy of feral ferocity. The flapping wings blew a foul carrion stench over them. Shrieks pierced their ears. Swords bit into flesh as the five shouted, struck, and dodged the snapping beaks. Long rows of shark-like teeth lined the monster's mouths.

"What the heck are these things?" Mike yelled. "Mini-pterodactyls?"

Shouts and pistol shots echoed off the cave walls. Sickening thuds and crunches of blades impacting bodies added to the din.

Gavin noticed the flying reptiles were getting in each other's way more than attacking together. The observation helped him replace fear with confidence.

As he slashed and thrust, Gavin felt the ring on his right hand burn. He spared a quick glance at the red stone. It glowed like a flame.

Suddenly, the sword in Gavin's hand felt feather-light, and it moved as an extension of his body. The dark blade gleamed red as it struck, flicked, and slashed, supple as a cobra. Each strike found its target. Gavin's sight expanded as if he were watching from above, and he could see everything his companions were doing. Doubt and certainty warred in his mind. What was happening? He gave in and accepted the speed, power, and sight.

Mike held his ax with both hands, striking out with the blade and the end. Dafydd was thrusting with the point of his gladius, then flicking bodies off with twists of his wrist. Taeko held her sword with both hands and slashed with short strokes, keeping her elbows in. Hannah twirled like a ballerina, dagger in one hand and pistol in the other. She parried with the short blade and placed aimed shots into reptilian heads.

Sunlight blossomed around them as the ship sailed out of the cavern and onto a large body of deep blue water. Its surface flashed with the sun's light, which was low on the horizon. Then, just as quickly, the attack stopped. After that, there was nothing in the air save for a few giant gulls wheeling in the distance.

Gavin wiped his blade and turned. Strength flowed out of him, and he panted. Sweat ran into his eyes, his knees wobbled a bit, and he tried to catch his breath. Then, as soon as he could get a full breath, he called out.

"Is anyone hurt?"

No one answered. Taeko was gulping deep breaths of air, shoulders slumped and eyes down. Mike was scanning the sky, and his ax held high. Dafydd was looking around with wide eyes, sword still in hand.

Hannah stood near the tiller, eyes wild and flashing, stained dagger twitching. She pointed the pistol around, her index finger clicked on the trigger of the empty gun, over and over. Her head jerked in quick movements.

Everyone seemed to wake up and notice Hannah as Gavin reached her side. He wasn't sure what to do.

Mike cried "Hannah!" in a stricken voice and reached out towards her. Hannah flinched back away from him.

Dafydd called out, "Careful! Don't startle her!"

Taeko stuck the point of her sword in the deck and leaped over to Hannah. She shouldered Mike and Gavin aside and grasped the shocked girl's wrists with gentle firmness.

"You guys get lost," she commanded over her shoulder. "Clean things up."

"Come on, guys," Gavin said in almost a whisper.

Gavin, Mike, and David got all the reptile pieces over the side and tried to rinse things clean.

"I didn't see any reaction when we threw the guts overboard," Mike noticed.

"I guess those white piranhas stay in the caves," Dafydd suggested. "Let's hope this water is safe."

"Not holding my breath, man," Mike griped.

Miraculously, their first skirmish cost them only some minor cuts and scrapes, except for Hannah's reaction. And it was a few minutes before Taeko coaxed Hannah out of her fugue. After that, they were all quiet and subdued. Dafydd dropped a stone anchor over the side and lowered the sail so they wouldn't drift aimlessly. He then joined Gavin at the bow. Mike was leaning on the mast, trying to keep an eye on Hannah and Taeko without looking like it.

"So, Gavin. What the blazes happened to you during that fight?" Dafydd asked.

"What? I don't know. What do you mean?"

"Don't be funny. Maybe the others didn't notice. Your first fight is a hard thing. But I saw how fast you moved. You managed to strike everything in front of you while taking out reptiles attacking any of us from behind. That's the only reason we got off so lucky. But no, it wasn't luck. I've seen men go berserk, but that wasn't it, was it? It was like you got a burst of speed and had eyes in the back of your head. Now, give. What happened?"

"Sorry, man. But I really don't know. It's not like it's ever happened before, and it's just like, weird. Everything around me seemed to slow down while I got faster. I didn't even have to think. My sword took on a life of its own, and, well, I don't know, it's like I was watching the whole thing from above, and moving myself, strange, moving myself like I was an avatar in a video game, you know?"

"Yeah. Maybe. Somehow, Gavin, you got a thing, I think. Some guys in a battle seem to see everything that's going on and help all their teammates. The clinical term is "situational awareness." But it's more than that."

"You've seen this before?"

"Yeah. I had an officer once. Whenever we got into a fight, it was like he was everywhere at once and calling out orders as if he knew what each guy in the team was doing and facing."

"What? Am I a freak or something?"

"No, man. You just unlocked the thing, whatever it is. All I know is I feel a lot better with you as the officer-in-charge. Me? I'm just a pessimistic enlisted guy following orders. That's who I am. Just one thing."

"Yeah?"

"Trust it."

Gavin remembered his conversation with Taeko about the light and the darkness. And now this. For some reason, he wasn't feeling any kind of empowerment. He was scared. How could he trust in things he didn't understand? What if he needed this stuff, and it failed him, and he failed his friends?

"Uh, Gavin, you're the leader and all. But if you don't mind me saying so, this is also one of those moments you need to lead. Your friends are in shock. You've got to get them together. Help them out. These things are just as important as the fights and catastrophes, mate."

"Right." How much is there to being a leader I never knew? Can I handle all of this? God, Father, please help me and guide me! Not for me, but so I can take care of my friends.

Dafydd slapped him on the back. "Hey, buck up now. You're doing great. Just keep doing what you're doing, alright?"

"Okay, man," Gavin grinned.

Before doing anything else, Gavin took a moment to revel in the rich scene of blue water, green and white shores, clear skies, and the rising golden sun. Everything had such vibrant color and crystalline clarity as if it were all just created that morning. It was his vision when he was stuck in the tunnel, including the smell and taste of the air.

"So, this is Avalon," Gavin remarked.

"So, it seems," Dafydd agreed.

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Chapter image by Ally White from Pixabay