Camille's Adventure

Chapter 30: The Battle (Part 1) Confronting Fears

"I can't see anything. The fog is too thick." Drinian reported to Caspian as he gripped the wheel on the poop deck.

Camille looked at Caspian who looked at Drinian. The captain's face was etched with worry. They had finally entered Dark Island's domain.

Unbeknownst to them, a ghastly green mist came around the back of the ship. It's deathly arms laced through the ship's crew members standing on board the ship.

"You are a great disappointment to me. You call yourself my son, then act like a king."  The mist spoke accusingly when it took the form of Caspian and Camille's father.

The terrified look on Caspian's face frightened Camille. "Are you alright?" She asked, gripping his arm.

"As long as you're here," Caspian replied, pulling Camille into a tight hug.

Camllie sighed and watched helplessly as the evil green arms of the mist floated around the deck, even going below deck.

"Edmund,"  the voice of the mist whispered in Edmund's ear. It took the form of what Camille assumed was the White Witch.

"Come with me and be my king."  The thing floated over to the other side of the ship.

"Go away. You're dead." Edmund shot at the mist lady. Camille knew he was doing his best to be strong.

"You can never kill me,"  the mist lady responded in a sickly sweet tone. "I'll always be alive in your mind, silly boy!  I can take you away from here. After all, Camille's with Marcus now. Don't you fear Marcus has taken her from you?"

"Don't believe her, Edmund!" Camille cried, appearing beside him.

She saw his hesitation and tried to get to him again, "Focus on me."

Her nightmares were happening again only it was a fight against fear now.

"I'm still here with you!" Camille knew what was going on in his head because Caspian had told her of their conversation in the cabin.

"Come," the mist lady tried again as it faded into the poop deck area.

"No!" cried Edmund firmly.

"Edmund," Lucy asked from behind Edmund, making him turn around, "are you alright?"

Edmund hesitated for a moment as he found his voice and shakily responded, "Yeah."

He turned to Camille, "What will I do without you?"

"Not much I'm afraid," Camille managed a weak smile.

Suddenly, she felt a dagger of complete terror shoot straight to her soul. She almost fell over but Edmund caught her. Marcus! She thought instantly.

"Camille," Edmund exclaimed frantically. "What happened?"

"Marcus!" Camille cried, "Something's wrong with him!"

She rushed off to where she had last seen the boy.

"You've got no life here. Your parents are dead and your own foster parents don't want you. You don't belong, so face it!"  Marcus still clutched his weapon but the words swirled in his mind.

The ghastly green mist took the form of a man. A tall, courageous warrior, but one Marcus didn't recognize. It was his biological father. "You are my son and have great power in your hands but you don't use it. That light inside you is powerless. Give it up and I can show you real purpose."

Marcus felt torn in two, like someone was literally pulling him apart. He no longer held a rigid stance, but clutched the ship's railing tightly, feeling faint.

"Give it up and come with me. You'll have real purpose."   The mist tried again.

Marcus collapsed to his knees as Camille arrived beside him. He didn't know how he was going to survive this, yet didn't Coriakin and Lilliandil say 'Be strong'? 

"Oh, stay with us Marcus, please! We need you," Camille urged desperately.

"You have a significant purpose here." Coriakin's words echoed in his mind. Was he right? Was Liliandil?

A small flicker of light sparked from Marcus's weapon but quickly died unnoticed. Marcus quickly stood up and took a deep breath. 

"Everything alright?" Camille asked, helping him up.

Marcus looked at her but before he could answer, a shout arose from the starboard side.

"Keep away! Keep away!"

Camille and the others rushed to the side.

"Who's there?" Caspian called into the darkness.

"We do not fear you." Camille alerted the voice.

"Nor I you!" the voice, which was now distiguishable as a man's voice, replied.

"Keep away!" the voice came again.

"We will not leave." Camille told the voice.

"You will not defeat me!" It retorted with tortured insanity.

Edmund grabbed his flashlight and switched it on, shining it in the direction of the voice. In the light was indeed a man, but he was old and withered with age. He had a wrinkled forehead and greying hair and beard that both went to his waist. His voice was strained and cracked and he held up a rusted, old sword.

"Caspian!" Camille exclaimed. She immediately recognized the man from his drawing.

"Caspian, his sword!" Edmund called.

"Lord Roop!" Caspian exclaimed as he ran down the stairs from the poop deck to Camille's side.

"You do not own me!" Lord Roop yelled at them, still not in his right mind. He ran along the rocks he stood on, but Edmund kept his light on the man.

"Stand down!" Camille ordered and the men lowered their weapons.

"Let's get him on board." Caspian added.

Some of the crewmen stepped forward with grappling hooks, but Eustace had other ideas. He swooped in from behind the man, grabbing him from the rock in his claws and lowering the lord onto the deck.

         "Help him up." Camille ordered the men.

Lord Roop looked around wildly, swinging his sword recklessly at the men.

"Be calm, my Lord!" Caspian yelped as he jumped out of reach of the deadly blade.

"Off me, demon!" the man cried.

"No, my lord. We are not here to hurt you." Camille addressed the Lord. "I am your Queen, Camille, and this is king Caspian the X."

"Caspian? Camille?" Lord Roop looked surprised.

"My Lord?" Caspian addressed the Lord.

"You should not have come. There is no way out of here." Lord Roop informed them.

"Quickly, turn this ship about, before it's too late." Caspian ordered.

"We have his sword," Edmund interjected, "let's go!"

"Quick Drinian," Camille called as she hurried to the ship's hatch to go below deck. "Let's turn her about."

"Aye-aye, your Majesty!" Drinian turned to leave, but Lord Roop stopped them all.

"Do not think," he warned. "Don't let it know your fears or it will become them."

Caspian eyes instantly widened as his mind jumped to worry for Camille.