The once-calm, sparkly blue sky split apart, rupturing into jagged seams of golden, shimmering light. From those radiant fractures, Will and his friends suddenly took form, spilling out of the sky and plunging downward as the cracks sealed themselves shut behind them.
Screams tore from everyone's throats as they continued to fall through the cold, fresh air of the early morning, suspended just above the thunderous, icy waves of the ocean crashing far below.
Just when they were certain they would plunge straight into the roaring ocean, they slammed down onto a wooden surface instead, collapsing into a tangled heap of limbs and breathless shock. All of them made it—except Alvin. He slipped free of the pile and dropped into the sea below, screaming as he vanished beneath the surface. Iris reacted instantly, shoving Oliver back from where he loomed over her as she shouted Alvin's name. In that heartbeat of panic, her eyes flashed silver, and with a sharp twirl of her fingers, she summoned Alvin upward, encasing him in a watery bubble that burst from the ocean before he could drown, allowing him to breathe easily once more.
Iris spun her fingers again, and the floating bubble surged toward them, collapsing in a sudden rush into a flowing stream of water. Alvin tumbled out of it and landed hard onto the same wooden surface—a ship's deck—where they had all, to their utter disbelief, ended up together.
"Alvin!"
Everyone shouted his name in alarm, rushing to his side and hauling him upright as he doubled over, coughing seawater from his lungs. A collective breath escaped them when they realized Alvin—and all of them—were alive and unharmed, despite the brutal, terrifying landing.
"Where are—" Charlotte began, but the question died instantly on her lips as the tip of a sleek sword slid to a halt inches from her face. Fear froze her in place; she swallowed hard and slowly lifted her gaze to the man before her. He was an intimidating figure, with a long beard and ebony curls, a blue eyepatch covering one eye, and a black-and-blue hat shadowing his face. A matching coat draped over his cream-white clothes, and brown boots planted him firmly where he stood, a silent threat made flesh.
Charlotte breathed Will's name in a hushed whisper, while he was already staring straight ahead at the group of unfamiliar, terrifying men who looked more than ready to end their lives then and there.
"Who are you people?" Will asked, forcing courage into his voice. The man with the eyepatch immediately drew his brows together and snapped his sword toward Will, the blade aimed squarely at him as he growled, "Who are we? You don't get to question us, little mister. You're the ones who invaded our ship, aye."
The moment the man finished speaking in his strange, oddly humorous drawl, every one of his crew snapped into motion, raising their swords and pointing them at the children to keep them under control, clearly preparing to toss them overboard.
"Well, you're right… we did do exactly what you said, but we don't mean any harm," Will said, his voice faltering as he pushed on. "We're only asking for a little help. Why don't we help each other and then go our separate ways?" He stuttered through the words, yet did his best to sound calm and reasonable under the threat of steel.
"Not a chance, kid. And besides, what do you little punks even think you could do to help?" The man sneered. "Have you seen your size? Hahaha!"
Laughter erupted around them as the eyepatch-wearing man mocked them openly. For a moment, Will believed the situation was hopeless—until his gaze drifted toward the side of the wooden ship. There, he noticed deep cracks in the hull, split wide enough for seawater to seep through.
That was when it clicked. They hadn't just landed on the ship—they were the reason it was trapped in trouble. And Will realized quickly that the men who had threatened them weren't only dangerous… they were desperate, and in need of help just as much as they were.
"Well, there's no need for us to cause trouble for one another," Will said, steadying his voice as he spoke. "As it happens, your ship is already a wreck, and we're in desperate need of a ship ourselves. We can help. If we manage to help you, then you help us get to where we need to go. Do we have a deal?"
He stretched out his small hand toward the man with the eyepatch. The man's single visible right eye widened slightly as he considered the offer, then he shot a glance at his crew. One by one, they nodded. Clearing his throat, he slid his sword back into the holder at his belt and answered in a firm, dangerous tone, "Fine. Go on, then. Show us what you've got. But if this help of yours turns out to be a bluff, we'll toss every last one of you off the ship without listening to your stupid screams. Deal."
With that, the man clasped Will's hand in a firm shake, and Will nodded back before giving the order.
"Olivia, show them what we've got."
Olivia flashed a sweet grin and replied cheerfully, "Sure! I'm all ready to blow their eyes out! Hehe."
As soon as the words left her mouth, she clapped her hands together. A warm yellow glow flared around her palms, and in an instant, every crack in the ship sealed itself shut, vanishing as though the vessel had never been wrecked at all.
When she finished, and the ship was finally ready to sail, Olivia spoke up again, her grin bright and unapologetic. "Just so you know, that wasn't the only crack in your ship. Without you realizing it, the back was wrecked too—and it was about to tear apart right beneath where we were standing. You're welcome!"
For a long moment, everyone could only stare at the group of children, eyes wide with disbelief at what they had just witnessed. Then the shock broke. The crew surged forward, scooping the children up one by one, cheering loudly as they tossed them into the air and caught them again and again, thanking them endlessly before finally setting them back down.
The man with the eyepatch stepped forward, focusing on Will as he said, "I am Captain Phantom, and we are the infamous pirates of the seven seas. Once again, thank you for your help—without it, we would have been caught by the royal guards. And now, you are welcome here with open arms. Let us share a supper first, and then we'll figure out where you want us to take you."
Will returned the gesture with a smile and said, "Thank you for your kindness—and for honoring the deal instead of turning your back on it. I'm Will. This is Charlotte, Iris, Alvin, Oliver, and Olivia, and the four younger kids with us are the youngest ones, who'll be tagging along under our care as part of our responsibility to protect them. I hope we can look out for one another while we're here."
Once Will had finished introducing everyone who had arrived with him, the captain answered with a grin of his own and led them into the pirate ship, where a warm, heartfelt meal awaited them.
They sat together over a heartwarming feast of chicken and goose, goat bathed in rosemary sauce, and generous loaves of bread, accompanied by an array of fruits and vegetables, all cooked and seasoned to perfection. Laughter filled the space as the captain recounted countless humorous tales from his life, and soon they raised a toast to reaching their goals and chasing their dreams. The celebration carried on until night settled around them, and that was when Will decided it was time to focus on finding the next gate.
"Captain Phantom, could you help us locate the point where the constellations meet?" Alvin asked. The captain cleared his throat and rubbed his beard thoughtfully before replying, "The skies above the seven seas form constellations every night, young explorers. Which ones are you searching for?"
At the question, they all exchanged bewildered looks, uncertainty flickering from face to face, until the captain stepped in to help. "Why don't we take another look at your map?" he suggested.
Everyone agreed at once. Together, they cleared the table, moving plates and cups aside, and spread the map across the surface. As Will traced his fingertip over the section marking the ocean they now sailed upon, cold seawater splashed up, dampening his finger as waves crashed against it. The map itself felt fantastical, perfectly matched to the strange world it was meant to guide them through.
While they studied it closely, a new note shimmered into view just above the spot where the second gate was destined to appear. Will read it aloud.
"Sing along with the wicked and the wild to be guided and sail along the fairytales where the constellations meet."
As the meaning of the next clue slowly sank in, the captain suddenly spoke up in realization, a bright grin spreading across his face. "Ha! I know what that means! The 'wicked and the wild' are the mermaids of the seven seas. Sometimes they reveal themselves, but most times they have to be lured out in very specific ways—ways that are usually unknown to pirates. If we're lucky enough to encounter them, they might be able to guide us to where fairytales come alive beneath the constellations. It's still only a guess, but it may be our best chance."
Everyone nodded in agreement as Oliver spoke up. "Then we should steer toward that point first—at least to the place where we might cross paths with the mermaids who could lead us to the gate." With Oliver's input, Will realized they still had some distance to cover before the clue could come into play. He nodded toward the captain, who immediately understood and gave orders to the pirate manning the ship's wheel.
By the time they had covered all the necessary areas and found themselves perfectly on course, just a single point away from the gate, Charlotte finally spoke up. She scanned the vast ocean, seeing nothing but cold, crashing dark-blue waves stretching endlessly beneath a sparkling, star-filled night sky. "What if we use Iris's power to call out the mermaids?" she suggested. "I mean, she could sing that ancient song, Unmask, to lure them out. It might actually work."
Will's lips curved into a smile before he answered, "That's a good idea, Charlotte. Thank you." Charlotte smiled back, her eyes closing into a soft crescent. Will then turned to Iris, who had already heard the suggestion. Without hesitation, she stepped forward and took her place beside him at the wooden railing, and there she began to sing.
As Iris's song reached its midpoint, seven other voices rose to join hers, weaving seamlessly into the melody. She didn't falter—she sang on until the final note faded into the night. When the song ended, she smiled and looked down to see beautiful mermaids below, waving up at them from the water.
"Hello, everyone. Would you mind showing us the way to where fairytales gather along the constellations?" Iris asked. The mermaids answered with nods, then began singing an eight-line song over and over, and the group joined in as well. All the while, the captain remained on guard, keeping watch over his crew as the ship followed the singing mermaids onward toward the gate.
Through waters deep where shadows sleep,
We sing of gates the lost souls seek.
Beyond the coral, past the sparkly tide,
A world awaits, where secrets hide.
With our melody, we will lead you near,
To paths unseen, but let go of fear.
Follow the song, through mist and wave,
To where the ocean's treasured gate stands brave.
As they sailed after the mermaids, singing along to the guiding melody, a thick mist of grey and blue shot through with sparkles rose around them. They didn't fear it, pressing on without hesitation, and within ten minutes they arrived at the exact point marked on the map—where all the constellations converged. Fairies drifted freely through the air, pink and purple dolphins soared as though they were flying, and colorful fireflies glimmered around sparkling swans. Pink and blue rose petals floated gently through the space, wrapping the entire scene in something that felt almost beyond reality, like a priori itself.
The place felt pulled straight from a dream, and when the song finally fell silent, everyone broke into soft giggles. Above them, beneath the gathered constellations, a silver light flashed down—warm, shimmering, and welcoming—embracing those who had long been seeking the gate that lay beyond it.
Will exchanged a smile with Charlotte, and she slipped her hand into his, the sense of accomplishment between them so clear that no words were needed.
"Now that we're here, how are we supposed to reach the sky and pass through the gate that's appeared among the countless constellations?" Olivia asked. Will fell silent, his thoughts turning inward as he searched for a way to rise toward the heavens.
Captain Phantom was unable to offer any help in reaching the sky—a fact Alvin had already confirmed—so the burden of finding a solution fell back onto Will. As he struggled to think, his eyes wandered to Sam and the other children, who were laughing and playing with the dolphins, mermaids, and the tiny hummingbirds that had appeared seemingly out of nowhere.
Will's thoughts came to an abrupt halt when Iris turned to one of the beautiful mermaids and asked how they might reach the sky. The answer she received caught Will completely off guard—surprising him, and more than that, leaving him utterly baffled.
"Don't worry, little folks! Calista will carry you high into the sky," the blue-haired mermaid replied to Iris's question.
As Will and the others began to wonder who this mysterious "Calista" might be, something suddenly struck the ship from beneath the ocean. Before anyone had a chance to react, the vessel lurched—and then rose, lifted straight up into the sky.
Everyone scrambled at once, rushing to see what had happened—and there it was. A massive dragon, blue and silver, rose into view. It moved like a serpent through the air, without wings, yet despite its size and strangeness, it was breathtakingly beautiful.
No wonder this dragon was called Calista.
Below them, the mermaids waved goodbye as the children laughed in delight, soaring higher and higher. They drifted through soft clouds and felt the cool air brush against their skin, giggling now and then as fireflies and tiny fairies swirled around them. Colorful pixie dust shimmered in the air, settling gently over them, and they delighted in reaching out to touch it as it sparkled all around.
Will and the others pulled the captain and his crew into one final embrace, holding on as if memorizing the weight of them, the warmth, the shared joy. Goodbyes were spoken softly—promises, gratitude, words meant to steady the heart rather than ease it. When the dragon lowered itself and drew near, its massive presence stirring the air, they broke away as one. Without looking back, they moved together and climbed onto its waiting back, ready to leave everything familiar behind.
Within minutes, they rose high enough to draw near the constellations that served as their gate. The dragon slowed and came to a steady halt in midair, giving the children time to prepare and reach out toward the glowing light spilling from the constellations—just as they had done before—so they could teleport through it. Then, together, they stretched their hands toward the radiance, and in a blink, every one of them vanished into the sparkling light of the constellations.
The moment they were gone, the dragon descended once more, gliding into the ocean's depths until not a trace of it remained. Darkness of the night stretched swiftly, spilling its darkness across the world like a heavy shroud. The air grew motionless, the sounds of life faded away, and the endless sea settled into a deep, dreamless sleep.