See Part One for Disclaimers

Chapter Three

Firouz moaned and stirred in his sleep.  Bryn stretched and stood up.  She frowned in concentration and tried to probe the inventor's mind.  Suddenly, she was flooded with images of swirling blackness and cold, and she pulled back in panic and surprise.  It took a moment for her to calm herself and try to reestablish the contact, but nothing came.  She wished for the hundredth time she had more control over these powers she seemed to possess.  Whatever demons that she had sensed in Firouz's dreams, she had a feeling they came from his past, and somehow that storm was connected to this.  Bryn gritted her teeth.  That was no storm, she thought, that was black magic.

None of this was making any sense.  Whatever that dark force, what had Sinbad called it?  Egan.  Whatever that Egan was, it had wanted Firouz.  That was what was so perplexing about this.  For as long as she had known him, Firouz wanted as little to do with magic as possible.  All his scientific explanations for things that were so obviously conjured by magic.  And now, here it was seeking him out.

Firouz stirred and stifled a cry.  Bryn pulled his covers up around him.  She laid her hand on his forehead and frowned.  He was getting feverish.  She started for the door to get some cool water and cloths.  The door swung open as she reached for it and Doubar stuck his head in.

"How is he?" the big man asked.

"He's getting feverish.  I was just going to get something to try and cool him down," Bryn said, glancing back over her shoulder.

Doubar nodded.  "I'll keep an eye on him."

Bryn slipped around Doubar and started down towards the crew mess.  She turned back.  "Doubar?"

Doubar looked at her.  "What?"

Bryn open her mouth to say something and then shook her head.  "Never mind.  I'll be back in a moment."

Doubar grunted and closed the door.

Bryn was surprised to find Sinbad and Rongar in the mess.  Sinbad sat at the big table toying with his dagger.  Rongar paced around the room like a caged animal.

She poured water into a bowl and started to collect a few cloths.  Finally, Sinbad broke the silence.  "How's Firouz?"

"I'm concerned about him Sinbad," Bryn said.  "He hasn't woken up yet and he's become feverish."  She grew quiet for a moment.  "He's having nightmares.  I can sense it's something like dark demons haunting him."

"They are," Sinbad said quietly.  Rongar stopped and stared at the captain.  He made a quick gesture to Bryn.

"That's what I want to know," Bryn said slamming the bowl down.  Water sloshed onto the table top.  "Sinbad, what is going on here?  And what is this Egan you mentioned earlier?"

"Egan is a who, not a what.  He was Firouz's master.  Firouz was apprenticed to him when he was young."

"Firouz's master?" Bryn said in disbelief.  Rongar's face mirrored surprise.

Sinbad took a deep breath and laid his dagger on the tabletop.  "I had better start at the beginning.  It was back when Doubar and I were still serving aboard Aden's ship the  Adventure.  The ship had been damaged in a storm and we had barely made it back to port.  The  Adventure was so damaged she had to be dry docked for a time.  Doubar and I didn't have the money to stay land locked that long.  So, with Aden's permission we hired ourselves out to another Captain until the  Adventure was ready to sail again.  We found a captain who would take the two of us on.  Captain Rungil of the  Shadow Moon.  He was a fair captain and needed a cabin boy and a bosun.  He had lost a few of his crew in the same storm that had damaged the  Adventure.  We were just about to ship out when two passengers came aboard..."

******

Sinbad scrunched up his young face and tried to understand the voices he heard from above deck and then decided to check it out.   Zegin, the old cook, was slicing up a loaf of fresh bread and Sinbad deftly snagged a piece on his way by.

"Belay that, ya' pirate!" Zegin laughed and made a swing at the boy.  "You keep that up and you'll find yourself swabbing decks for a living."

Sinbad ducked and ran up the stairs as fast as his young legs could carry him.  "Not a chance, Zegin," he called back over his shoulder.  "I'm going to be a captain of my own ship someday!"

Zegin chuckled and turned back to he bread.  "Aye, lad.  I believe you will at that."

Sinbad ducked behind some crates stacked on the deck and watched Captain Rungil and his first mate, Yendin, talking to a tall man dressed in a fine black robe.  As the man moved, Sinbad saw a boy about his own age, maybe a little older, standing behind him.  The boy was carrying a large bag that the man in the robe seemed to be ranting about.  Sinbad crept closer to hear what they were arguing about.

"I must be allowed to bring my equipment aboard!"  The man was livid.

Captain Rungil made placating gestures to the man.  "Master Egan, I'm sure your things are very important, but I must know what is in the bag and the crates.  As you well know it's my job to protect the welfare of my ship and crew.  With the feud between the Caliph of Baghdad and the Caliph of Basra, there is a great deal of contraband people are trying to smuggle one way or the other."

"Captain, I resent that!  These are just scientific curiosities.  Experiments.  It wasn't as if I were trying to smuggle armed troops in there."  Master Egan pointed to one of the smaller crates.  Some of the sailors chuckled at this.  "Here," Master Egan dug in the boy's bag and pulled out a small brass disk.  "Here!"  He thrust the disk at the Captain.

Rungil took it reluctantly.  "What is it?"

"It's a small reflective lamp for seeing into small places," Egan said.  "My apprentice made it."

"Really."  Rungil flipped up a small, highly polished mirror attached to the top of the disk.  "Fine workmanship," the captain admired the lamp and handed it back to the boy.

The boy blushed and smiled, Egan gave him a swift rap on the back of his head.  "What do you say?"

"Th--thank you," the boy stuttered and ducked his head.

Sinbad felt bad for the boy.  From the looks of it, this Master Egan was a harsh teacher.  He was nothing at all like Master Dim Dim.  Something about this man made the hairs on the back of Sinbad's neck stand on end.

"See, Captain Rungil," Master Egan said.  "That is just one of the of things that is in this bag, and those crates."  He gestured to the crates still setting on the dock.  "Just harmless objects of science."

"Alright," the captain said.  "But I want it stowed below deck and out of the way."

"Understood."  Egan gave him a grave bow.

Captain Rungil glanced around the deck and spotted Sinbad in his hiding place.  "Sinbad!  Over here boy."

Sinbad scrambled to his feet and out from behind the crates.  He hurried his way over toward the Captain.

"Well, boy.  Since you seem to have enough time on your hands to be skulking around the deck, give Master Egan's apprentice a hand taking their gear below."

"Aye, sir," Sinbad said smartly and grabbed one of the bags on the deck.  He gestured towards the aft the ship.  "This way."

The boy bit his lip and glanced at Master Egan.  "Off with you," Egan said roughly giving the boy a push.  The boy nearly tripped over his feet in his haste to obey.  "Clumsy oaf, I don't know why I even...  Ahh."  Egan took a swing at him again, but he was already hurrying to catch up to Sinbad.

Sinbad stopped at the bottom of the stairs to wait for him.  The boy was still gnawing on his lip as he reached the bottom step.  Sinbad could see tears glistening in his eyes.

"This way," he said gesturing to the right.  "Your quarters are this way."  They walked in silence for a few moments.  "My name is Sinbad, what's yours?"  Sinbad held out his hand.

The apprentice smiled shyly and took Sinbad' hand.  "F--Firouz."

"Nice to meet you," Sinbad said.  "So, your Master Egan's apprentice."

"Y--Yes," Firouz said quietly.  Sinbad waited for more to come, but the other boy was silent.

"How did you get apprenticed to him?"

Firouz sighed and turned to look at Sinbad.  "My ... my parents died and my uncle didn't know what to do with me so he apprenticed me to Master Egan."  Firouz's words came out in a rush and then he fell silent again.

Sinbad struggled to find something to say in the awkward silence.  He was saved when they came up on the cabin.   "This is it."

The two boys entered the sparse cabin and dropped the bags.  Firouz glanced fearfully out the door.  "I...I had...I had best see if Master Egan needs me."  He quickly turned and rushed out of the room.

Sinbad stood there and watched him go.  Something was not right about this Firouz.  He just could not figure out what it was though.  He was going to talk to Doubar about this.

Things around the ship became very busy as she pulled out of port.  Sinbad found himself running from job to job as first Captain Rungil and then Yenden found things for him to do.   Everything from running messages back and forth between them to helping Zegin chase down bugs in the mess.  One of the bags of flour they had bought in Baghdad had been full of the biggest, nastiest bugs Sinbad had ever seen.  It was not until late that evening he finally had a moment to think about their passengers.

"Trying to see your future in those stars?" a voice asked from behind them.

Sinbad started to smile.  "Nope, just trying to find the north star, Big Brother."

Doubar sat down on the crate beside him and pointed up into the night sky.  "There.  The bright one there."

"Thought so," Sinbad said quietly to himself.  Doubar laughed and ruffled his hair.  Sinbad made a face and ran his fingers through his hair trying to straighten it.

The two sat there staring out at the sea and stars for a time, the gentle rock of the sea lulling them into silence.  The steady breeze that had been carrying them ever since they had left Baghdad snapped at the lines of the sails, playing a counter point to the wash the sea on the prow.

"Doubar?"

"Hmm."

"What do you think of the passengers?"

"You mean that Master Egan and his apprentice?"

"Yeah."

"I'm trying not to."

"Why?"

"That fellow gives me the creeps.  There just something not right about him."

"What about his apprentice, Firouz?"

"Seems a nice enough kid.  Awfully quiet though."

"Yeah."

Doubar turned to look as his brother.  "Why this sudden interest in our passengers?"

Sinbad shrugged.  "I don't know.  Just curious."

"Uh, huh."  Doubar keep staring at him.

"The boy, Firouz, he seems scared of his Master."

Doubar sighed.  "He probably is.  Not every Master is like Master Dim Dim.  Some aren't very nice."

Sinbad frowned.  "I know that.  Doesn't mean I like it, but I know that."

"Speaking of which," Doubar said as if remembering something.  "We're picking up another couple of passengers tomorrow."

"Really," Sinbad said without much enthusiasm.  "Who?"

"Oh, just this old magician and his apprentice."  Doubar smiled as Sinbad's head lifted up in surprise.  "Master Dim Dim and Robis."

Sinbad jumped to his feet.  "Master Dim Dim and Robis!  When did you find this out?  Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Doubar started to laugh.  "I just found out.  Seems that Captain Rungil got a last minute message from the Caliph's man.  He's to bring Master Dim Dim back to Baghdad after we deliver our cargo and passengers to Karakus.  Something about the trouble with Basra."

"This is great!  Master Dim Dim will know what to do about Master Egan and Firouz."  Sinbad was beaming.  Master Dim Dim would make everything alright, he just knew it.

Doubar shook his head and said quietly.  "I doubt it will be that simple."

******

Egan sat staring at the large book spread out on the table but this mind was not on the elaborately scrolled words.  He glanced up at the sleeping form of his young apprentice.  He had such plans for the boy.  Nothing must be allowed to interfere with them.

"Having trouble sleeping?" a voice clacked behind him.  Egan whirled.  He saw the figure looming in the shadows and dropped to one knee.  "My Master."

Hellish light played across the creature setting in the darkness illuminating the curved horns adorning its head.

"Egan, my most loyal servant, you called?"

"Yes, my dread Lord Scratch.  I have run into a bit of a problem."

Scratch leaned back and eyed the alchemist.  "What problem?"

"There are passengers coming aboard who can disrupt your plans to take this land."

"Really?"

"Yes, my Lord.  A powerful sorcerer, named Dim Dim and his apprentice.  This Dim Dim is a practitioner of the ways of light."

"I see."  The demon shifted and leaned forward.  "I wouldn't worry about that apprentice of his.  His powers are weak and his heart is not nearly as pure as his pitiful master thinks.  As to Dim Dim," Scratch spit the name out as if it left a sour taste in his foul mouth.  "Kill him."

"But, my Lord, I don't..."

"Egan!"  Scratch reared back and struck the alchemist across the face.  "Get a backbone, for crying out loud."  The demon sighed.  "Think of something."  He glanced around and saw Egan's apprentice.  The boy was still asleep oblivious to the dark meeting.  A spell Egan had spread across the boy assured this.  The demon smiled cruelly.  "Use the boy.  That fool would never suspect that."

"But you promised me the boy."

"Things change, pray I don't alter them further.  I want this taken care of and no more excuses.  If you do this well, you may still get to keep him."

The demon looked out the small window in the cabin's far wall.  Dawn was starting to tinge the sky pink.  "My look at the time.  Got to fly.  Buh-bye!"  The demon disappeared in a cloud of sulfurous smoke.

Egan growled and grabbed the book off the table, flinging it across the room.  "Dim Dim, I swear you will pay for this."

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