They boarded the boat, where Vega, Heath, and Sloan waited below decks out of the sun. Without bothering to come up, Vega smiled and waved a hand through the hole in the hatch.
“Glad to see you made it back safe, Jackson! I’m afraid our good captain is right, though. We don’t have much time to spare after your little misadventure.”
Anger flooded Jackson. They’d almost been killed by their little “misadventure” and Vega was acting like Jackson and Fiona had wandered off and gotten lost. Jackson opened his mouth to protest when Kay laid a calming hand on his arm.
“Come on,” she said in a quiet voice. “Let’s get you two some food and water. We can worry about everything else later.”
Jackson forced a smile and waved down to Vega. “Sorry for the inconvenience!”
For a split second, a cold look passed Vega’s face, then it vanished, replaced with his regular overly-happy self. Heath and Sloan just stared up at Jackson. He didn’t know why, but he felt like he’d done something to put himself on their bad list. Was Heath still sore about Jackson beating Black after he’d lost? He didn’t know what Sloan’s deal was — she’d hardly even spoken, but she always looked like she was ready to kill something.
Kay pulled Jackson away from the ladder toward the back of the boat. They were already out in the open water, skipping across the waves as Black steered them toward their destination. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and in spite of the recent danger, Jackson had a new, unique, and powerful Djinn on his team. He should have been thrilled.
But as Kay chatted away, filling Jackson in on everything that had happened since they’d been separated, Jackson couldn’t help but feel uneasy. He caught Fiona’s eyes from where she sat on a bench across from them. For an instant, she grimaced then shook her head and looked away out over the water. Jackson felt his stomach drop and was keenly aware of Kay sitting beside him. He wished, not for the first time in the past several months, that life was easier to figure out.
Chapter Twenty-Four
In spite of his time on the island and the almost as harrowing romantic dilemma he faced, Jackson slept soundly that night. It had never been the plan for them to sleep on the ferry, though the top deck provided enough room for Black, Jackson, Fiona, and Kay while Vega, Heath, and Sloan slept below on the couches. They had claimed the area without so much as offering it to anyone else, but after they’d fallen asleep, Black quietly closed the hatch and gave Jackson a wicked smile.
“That fancy boy and his cronies are going to roast down there,” she said. “It’s much more comfortable up here where there’s a breeze. They’ll cook like roast Bovan.”
Jackson, Fiona, and Kay shared a quiet laugh before spreading out their sleeping bags. As a whole, the trio hadn’t had much conversation together. He and Fiona were certainly in an awkward position and it seemed that Kay had picked up on something, although Jackson felt sure she could only guess. He’d tried to have a quick word with Fiona a couple of times, but the small quarters of the ferry made it all but impossible for a private conversation, and she didn’t seem to want to bring anything up where someone else might overhear.
Prior to nodding off, Jackson figured it was as good an opportunity as any to allocate Aquestria’s DJP. As a wild Djinn, over the course of its life, it never had anyone to allocate these points to their different stats, and as such, it still had a whole lot of untapped potential to be unlocked. Jackson pulled up Triton’s stats on his holo-watch.
GENERAL STATS AND INFO
Djinn: Aquestria
Level: 21
Name: Triton
Element: Water
Species Rarity: Somewhat Common
Tamer: Jackson Hunt
HP (Hit Points): 270/270
EP (Elemental Power): 34/95
XP (Experience): 965 to Next Level
DJP (Djinn Points): 40 Unallocated
Attack: 85
Defense: 65
Speed: 90
Accessories: None
Items: None
Status: Neutral
Bond: 15%
Move Set: Swipe Left to See More >>>
Part of Jackson wanted to hold off until he saw Briggs next, as his coach would likely have some thoughts on how best to direct the monster’s stats. But it was always possible that in the remaining days on the archipelago, Jackson would need to utilize his new Djinn in some way, and he wanted to prepare as much as humanly possible, should that need arise.
He spent a solid ten minutes mulling over the best way to spread out the Djinn Points. He thought back to what Briggs had told him when he first started out with Asena. It was usually best to have a Djinn that excelled at certain things, rather than trying to balance out their stats. Newts often made this mistake in not leaning into the Djinn’s inherent strengths. At the end of the day, the Djinn will be one of a team, and this team will be made up of monsters that complement each other.
With the Aquestria’s inherent strengths in Attack and Speed, it made sense that most of the effort should be spent there. Especially in Speed. Jackson had a feeling Triton’s Water Channel ability would be one hell of a trump card in battle if the ring ever got doused in water. To up that ability with Speed would be a solid move.
Jackson proceeded to go all-in on this strategy, allocating 15 DJP to Speed, which rose the stat from 90 to 138. He distributed 10 DJP to Attack, which brought it up to 123. He gave 5 DJP to the last remaining stats: HP, EP, and Defense. HP rose to 282, EP rose to 112, and Defense rose to 80. He glanced at the new stats.
GENERAL STATS AND INFO
Djinn: Aquestria
Level: 21
Name: Triton
Element: Water
Species Rarity: Somewhat Common
Tamer: Jackson Hunt
HP (Hit Points): 282/282
EP (Elemental Power): 34/112
XP (Experience): 965 to Next Level
DJP (Djinn Points): 0 Unallocated
Attack: 123
Defense: 80
Speed: 138
Accessories: None
Items: None
Status: Neutral
Bond: 15%
Move Set: Swipe Left to See More >>>
Jackson had to admit he wasn’t too thrilled with these new stats. They were solid, but Triton wasn’t the strongest in any one regard compared to his other Djinn. He wasn’t better than Scrappy at Speed and he wasn’t better than Asena in Attack. Jackson reminded himself that he hadn’t even used the Aquestria in battle yet, and that there was plenty of time to cater the Djinn to his strengths. Plus, while Scrappy was a fast Djinn, it was also an airborne Djinn. The Aquestria’s Speed on the ground and in the water, and would help bring a whole different dynamic to his lineup — or so he hoped.
After taking one last reaffirming breath, Jackson shut off his holo-watch and nodded off.
Jackson awoke at sunrise, and Black was already back at her post steering the ferry. He couldn’t tell if their captain had slept at all, even though she’d told them that the boat could cruise on its own to a specific waypoint. The older woman looked no worse for wear if she had pulled an all-nighter, though, and Jackson admired her fortitude. She was certainly as tough as she looked — and that was saying a lot.
Vega and the rest stumbled out of the bottom quarter looking frazzled, miserable, and sweaty. His white summer suit was wrinkled and it took him several long moments in front of the mirror projection on his holo to slick down his hair before he was satisfied. Heath and Sloan looked hot but unfazed, leaving Jackson to wonder if they ever slept, either.
“What a miserable night,” Vega said. “I can only imagine how hot it must have been up on the deck — I’m sorry there wasn’t room for everyone down below.”
Black winked at Jackson, Fiona, and Kay behind Vega’s back and they all found a sudden interest in the surrounding islands to keep from laughing. “It can get pretty hot around here,” Black said in a completely neutral tone. “You sure you’re up to trekki
ng on the island, fancy boy?”
Vega smoothed down the wrinkles on his jacket and smiled at Black. “I think we can handle ourselves just fine. How much farther is it to our destination?”
Black gestured at a large, towering island directly in front of them. Like the island Jackson and Fiona had been on, this one had a large conical spire as well. Unlike the other island, the tower of rock before them looked easily five times as big, and rose out of the morning mist like an ancient castle. Through the murk, Jackson thought he saw smoke drifting out of the top and realized it wasn’t just a mountain, it was an active volcano.
“Don’t worry,” Black said as if reading Jackson’s mind. “She may smoke like a dock worker, but Mount Ahina hasn’t blown her lid in years. That’s where you say you’re heading, isn’t it?”
Jackson looked at Vega, who stared at the volcano, overjoyed. He pumped his fist in excitement, like a giddy tamer who’d won his first battle. “That’s it! I can’t believe I’m actually seeing it with my own eyes!”
Although Jackson’s reaction wasn’t quite as enthused as Vega, he had to admit that Mount Ahina posed a formidable sight. Unlike Vega, he wasn’t so sure he wanted to be exploring around on an island that looked big enough to hold twice as many dangerous Djinn as the one he’d just escaped. The smoking volcano only added to his uncertainty. He glanced at Kay and Fiona, who wore similar expressions of trepidation. All of a sudden, the ferry started slowing down.
“What’s going on?” Vega said. “Why are we stopping?”
“I’m anchoring here,” Black said. “The currents around Ahina can be nasty and there are a bunch of volcanic rock outcrops just under the water from the last times she’s blown. I’ve already had to fix an engine thanks to this trip of yours, I’m not going to tear a hole in my baby, too. We can take one of the small boats in. The water should be clear enough that we can avoid the rocks much easier.”
“Fine, fine.” Vega waved a distracted hand while Sloan and Heath retreated to gather all of their gear. After a couple of drops and miscues, he apparently decided the two helping hands weren’t doing a proper job and went down to more closely assist the packing. As soon as the researcher was out of sight, Black pulled Jackson and his friends aside.
“I don’t know about Fancy Suit over there, but you three had better take Ahina seriously,” she said, with more than a touch of strict motherly concern. “There are plenty of high-level Djinn on that island, including one of the largest Lyote packs in the entire archipelago. They aren’t like your Asena. If they decide they can take your group, they won’t think twice about it. You’ll be run down and roasted without question.”
Jackson thought back to the haunting calls he’d heard the previous nights and Asena’s reaction. A twist of fear and unease gripped him but he tried to push it out of mind. “How far is it to the volcano’s interior?” he asked. “That’s where we’re supposed to find the Everore.”
“Well, that all depends on how deep you go. It’ll likely be at least an overnight round trip.” Black said. “You’ll likely want to camp near the mountain’s base, leave early in the morning, and do most of your work inside the volcano while you still have daylight to head back. I’ve never climbed up the side of Ahina, but I know there are plenty of caves coming out of her — lots of nasty Djinn living in there, too. My advice is if you even do find this Everore — you should book it back to the boat as quick as you’re able. You’ve got your playoffs to worry about, sure, but more importantly, the less time you’re in the Lyote pack’s turf, the better.”
She leaned in closer, until Jackson could see every wrinkle, mole, and wiry hair on her eyebrow. “This isn’t some Djinn retreat where you go and watch Bobbities play in the sunshine. Got it?”
Jackson swallowed hard. “We — We’ll be careful.”
Vega chose that moment to clamber back up the ladder. His giddy schoolboy grin had returned. Heath and Sloan might as well have been headed to a funeral for all the emotion they shared.
“Right, then — we’re off!” Vega said.
Black had anchored the ferry about half a mile off the shore of Ahina, giving Jackson and company a short, scenic boat ride on the small speedboat. At first, Jackson had thought they’d just be boating in and then leaving the speed boat on the beach, but Black had shut that down right away when Vega asked.
“You’ve already wrecked one of my boats on this trip,” she said when she dropped them off on the island. “I’ll be waiting back on Lula. You should be able to get in touch with me on the short-range walkie now. If I don’t hear from you, I’ll swing by the beach tomorrow afternoon and wait. How long before you want me to call the rangers to come looking for your bodies?”
She looked between each of them. Vega appeared confused and Jackson forced out a dry laugh, but Black didn’t share his laughter.
“I’ll give you another whole day after tomorrow then,” she said as she pulled up to the beach. Everyone took turns hopping off into the knee-deep ocean water and onto the sand. “You should be able to reach the volcano interior by tomorrow afternoon and be back in the middle of the night. I think a whole half-day from there is a fair amount of time.”
With that, she hopped back onto her boat and released her Orcys from its ring. Black tossed a rope to the Djinn, who grabbed it in its mouth and towed the boat off the beach and out into the water. The old woman didn’t so much as glance back at them, and her absence left a strange, empty, and vulnerable feeling about the group.
Mount Ahina’s island made Jackson feel small — there was no other way to put it. Aside from the imposing, smoking volcano overhead, tall towers of rock crowned with stubborn shrubs and trees ringed the waters around them — easily the height of big city skyscrapers. The flying Djinn that made their home atop these spires circled around on updrafts high above, so far up that Jackson couldn’t even decipher what species they were. He felt just as small and insignificant down below, beneath the watch of the stone monoliths.
“Let’s get going — no time to waste, eh?” Vega said, rubbing his hands together. “Heath will take point with his Djinn and Sloan will bring up the rear. I’ll go second and the rest of you can fall in behind. We’ve got the course plotted out based on notes from your mother’s research, but there’s no telling what we might run into once we get into the trees. Off we go!”
Jackson, Fiona, and Kay all shared a skeptical glance and Jackson wondered if they were all hoping the other person would be the voice of reason and suggest they go back. The unease at being alone in the wild with Vega on a dangerous island was almost palpable without Black around. It wasn’t that Jackson thought Vega would hurt them — his hired muscle hadn’t threatened them in any way and Vega himself was about as harmless as they came. Rather, it was Vega’s exuberance and disregard for what Ahina might have in store for them that made Jackson nervous.
“Hold up,” Fiona said. The rest of the group turned to stare at her. She held a scowl as she crossed her arms. “I want to make sure we’re on the same page here. We’ve got four days before we have to make it back to the mainland for our flight. That means if we don’t make this entire trip back to the ferry by tomorrow night, there’s a very real chance I won’t make it to the playoffs in time. Sorry, I mean me and Jackson.”
“What are you saying?” Vega said.
“I’m saying that we need to put strict deadlines in place here. If we don’t find it right away, I don’t want you to force us to stick around until we do. There’s too much at stake here.”
“Ms. Sato,” Vega said, plastering on a smile like he was about to sell her a used car. “Trust me, I want nothing more than you and Jackson to be able to make your game.”
“It’s not a game, Vega,” Fiona’s eyebrow twitched. “And I’m going to need you to promise you’ll do right by us here. We came all this way knowing full well the timeframe.”
“A timeframe that was broken when you and Jackson got lost,” Vega said, showing an uncharacteristically con
frontational attitude.
“Hang on,” Jackson cut in. “We didn’t get lost. We were thrown overboard.”
“Be that as it may, it wasn’t due to any wrongdoing on our part.”
“Don’t you screw with us now, Vega,” Fiona said. “If you can’t make this promise, I’ll turn back now.”
“Fine, then,” Vega said, turning around. “Happy travels back home.”
“Vega, don’t be stupid.” Jackson said. “We can’t do that. She can’t go back on her own. Our only ride back is with Black.”
Vega wore an exhausted expression on his face as he turned back around to see Jackson planting his feet next to Fiona.
He took a deep breath. “Of course, it’s up to you,” Vega said. “You’re the one with the Lyote.”
“So…?” Fiona said.
“I assure you that if we are unable to acquire the Everore by tomorrow evening, we will return at once. The last thing I want to do is keep you and Jackson here out of the Bronze League playoffs.” He looked between Jackson and Fiona. “Does that sound satisfactory to you?”
Fiona looked anything but satisfied with any part of the trip at that point, Jackson guessed, but she gave a curt nod that Vega took as a wholehearted, enthusiastic vote of confidence in his expedition.
“Then there’s not a minute to waste! Lead the way, Heath!”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Heath released his Smilaguar and produced a machete from the side of his pack. As he started hacking through the thick undergrowth at the edge of the beach, the rest fell in behind.
The trip featured much of the same vegetation Fiona and Jackson came across in their previous excursion a few islands away. Everything was covered in thick vines, plants, drooping leaves, and trees so criss-crossed that the sun only reached the forest floor in faint checkered patterns. The good news was that the terrain wasn’t very steep, and wouldn’t be until the following morning when they would begin their ascent up the side of Mount Ahina. That didn’t exactly make this leg of the journey easy, though.
Djinn Tamer - The Complete Bronze League Trilogy Page 71