The Panagea Tales Box Set

by McKenzie Austin

  Kazuaki rowed on. “Not far enough. We’ll have to land on Eastern’s shore. No way we’ll make it to Aggi’s division with what we have.”

  Everyone nodded. The surrounding atmosphere grew solemn. They suspected as much.

  With everyone's battle scars attended, each member picked up an oar. They needed every shred of strength they possessed if they would make it to Eastern’s shores in a lifeboat. The crew rowed until their arms screamed in protest. It felt as though the tearing muscles may never recover. And then they rowed more.

  “I just don’t understand it,” Elowyn panted as she forced her arms to continue moving. “How, in an entire ocean, did that ship happen upon us?”

  Rennington scoffed. “Only the luck of the gods could have sent them upon us,” he grunted as he pulled his oars through the resistant waters. “Maybe Darjal’s delusion had some truth to it and he was a god, after all. Fecker is haunting us, or some shit.”

  “I don’t think it was anything supernatural,” Nicholai murmured. He had sat quietly the entire time. His leg throbbed where Elowyn extracted the bullet. He felt every heartbeat within it.

  Elowyn cast her eyes to Nicholai. “If not by omnipotent force, then how?”

  The Southeastern Time Father squeezed the wooden oars. A strange feeling boiled inside him since Kazuaki hurled him into the lifeboat and he shared the same question as Elowyn. He took a lot of time to think about it. Worse yet, something inherent within him told him it was true. “The only other man who overheard we were going to Brechita,” he replied with a bitter taste in his mouth. “Edvard Addihein.”

  ✽ ✽ ✽

  It took two days of rowing for the boat to find Eastern’s shores. It was just in time. Though everyone tried to find resilience, the lifeboat grew claustrophobic. Kazuaki splashed into the waters and hauled the boat to the shore with Rennington’s and Nicholai’s help. The Time Father still felt the seething burn in the back of his leg as the saltwater seeped into his healing wound.

  Smog billowed from the tall smokestacks of Eastern, constant and concentrated. No glimpses of blue remained in the sky. Everything within eyesight adopted a dull, gray hue. The buildings, the roads, the atmosphere. Eastern was a colorless division, devoid of anything resembling natural life.

  “We’ll have to find a market,” Kazuaki muttered as he rifled through his pockets. He possessed no currency for the Eastern division. It went down with the ship. With any luck, they’d accept Southern money. He still possessed a few coins in his pocket. “Someone will have to stay with the ship—boat,” he corrected himself.

  His words were flat. Bermuda felt his defeat. She wished something existed she could do to ease the burden in his head, but everyone suffered. The collective was in no condition to survive in Eastern if they met any resistance. It was the most populated of all the divisions, packed with prying citizens who crowded every inch of the city. “I have doubts we’ll be able to cross Northeastern’s border on foot, Captain. Eastern has eyes everywhere, and we don’t know who’s on our side.”

  “Right.” He slicked his hands through his hair. They weren’t unassuming. Riddled with knife and bullet wounds and caked in dried blood, the crew would stick out like sore thumbs amongst the common folk of the Eastern division. “We’ll get what we can and float the rest of the way. We’ll stay far enough off the coast to avoid unwanted sightings, but close enough that we can land should a storm occur.” He looked over at the lifeboat. A disapproving sneer found its way to his face. Not even the great Captain Kazuaki Hidataka could keep that dingy afloat if an ocean storm was violent enough.

  The churning of factories in full production and hissing steam cars in the distance almost covered the sound of the cocking shotgun. Tired eyes followed the source to a woman. She stood on a hill overlooking the coastal embankment. The twin barrels peered down at the haggard group, threatening to fire at any moment.

  “Who goes there?” the gun’s owner asked, her words thick with fearlessness.

  Kazuaki glanced beyond the woman to a small, shabby building. He only saw the topmost part from his place on the shoreline, but the decrepit structure was likely her home. He did not think they’d find residential properties so close to the coast, but with Eastern maximizing the entirety of its land, it should have come as no surprise. “Madam, I am in no mood,” he growled, still feeling the negative effects of losing his ship.

  Nicholai took gimping steps ahead of the captain and held up his arms. Kazuaki was not in the best frame of mind. None of them were. He needed to intervene before the hostility escalated and their cover blew even further. “We mean no harm to you or your family, I assure you.”

  The woman scoffed. “Even if you did, doesn’t look like y’all could do much damage.”

  Nicholai mustered a charming grin despite everything that ravaged him up to this point. “Well ... you’re certainly right about that.”

  Her pressure around the gun’s trigger eased, but she did not risk lowering her protection. “If you ain’t here to cause trouble, what are you doing crawling out of the bay like sea scum?”

  “We’ve just come in search of food and water for our travels. We’ll be gone in the blink of an eye,” the Time Father replied, a gentleness in his tone.

  The woman stared, unrelenting. She studied each person, but her eyes lingered on Nicholai the longest, analyzing him with great scrutiny. “If you leave your weapons in the boat,” she started, “I’ll give you a warm meal and a floor on which to sleep. Won’t be much, but you don’t look like you’re in a position to complain.”

  Nicholai smiled. “Right you are again, m’lady. We’d be most grateful.” He turned to Kazuaki with a quizzical shrug.

  The captain mulled over the offer for a moment before he nodded to his crew to leave their weapons in the boat. Should any real confrontation arise, Kazuaki remained confident they could use their fists as a temporary solution. The woman’s primitive home was as far from the city center as they would get, though it still lingered too close for his liking. “Someone will still have to stay with the boat,” Kazuaki said, turning to face the crew.

  “I will,” Rennington volunteered, placing a boot on the lifeboat’s floor. “Could use time to myself, anyway.”

  “Nonsense,” Elowyn looked to the elder Platts brother. She did not wish to leave him alone in his state. “I’ll keep you company.”

  “You can bring ‘em out some food, so long as I get the bowls back.” The woman at the top of the embankment rested her shotgun against her shoulder.

  “Right,” Brack grinned, rubbing his hands together as he looked up at the gun-toting maiden. “Well then, love, what’s for eats?”

  The food was warm, the house even warmer. Their assailant introduced herself as Mairyn Catteral but assured them they could call her ‘Catty’ for short. She never asked for their names in return. Her home was simple but well kept, with three children dwelling inside the one-bedroom establishment with her. The quarters were tight with the rest of the crew inside, but there were no complaints. It was far better than being crammed in the lifeboat, where it was hard for one to stretch his or her legs.

  Revi played cards with the kids, two boys and a girl. He showed them various magic tricks and illusions in between structured games. It was the first time since Nicholai laid eyes on him that he wore a genuine smile on his face. The man seemed every bit the father, sitting there with those kids.

  Catty returned from her bathroom with a handful of things: gauze, medicines, astringents. She set them on the tabletop after Penn and Brack cleared all evidence of the meal they ate earlier. "There's not much here," she said, offering half-empty bottles, “but you’re welcome to take whatever you need.”

  Nicholai looked over the belongings before returning his attention to Catty. “You’re too kind, Miss Catteral. I know we look every bit the sorry bunch, but you don’t have to give us your things if you require them yourself.”

  The mother leaned back in her chair, watching as Rev
i engaged her children in play. “You take what you need, Nicholai. You’ll need it more than we will.”

  The Time Father blinked when she addressed him by name. He knew he never gave it to her; and if she had asked, he would have given her a false alias. It was too dangerous to introduce themselves to potential enemies. “Excuse me?” he uttered, unsure of what to say.

  She flicked her green eyes toward him. “Don’t be too shocked,” she replied. “In a world as grim as this, good news spreads quick. People crave any shred of hope they can get.” She motioned to the visible Chronometer chain peeking out from his clothing’s collar. “Caught a glimpse of it in the light outside. Very identifiable piece of jewelry you have there, my friend.”

  Nicholai glanced down at the Chronometer. Instinct issued him to rest a hand on the metal that hid beneath his shirt. “I suppose it is,” he admitted, looking back at Catty with an apologetic smile. “I hope our presence hasn’t put you in any danger.”

  “Not yet,” she replied, fatigued. “Truth be told, I wish you arrived sooner. Maybe then Mr. Catteral would still be with us ...”

  Nicholai observed the woman with visible pity. He did not wish to pry for further details and extended his compassion. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

  Catty leaned forward, resting her chin on her open palm. “Thank you, Nicholai, but waste no pity on me. Everyone has losses. It’s just nice to know there’s a band of people out there trying to make less of them for people like me.” She looked at her children. “Like us. It’s every bit worth the risk.”

  Bermuda eavesdropped from a chair she found in the main room. She locked Catty’s words away into a far corner of her brain, should she need to revisit them later if doubts about what they were doing resurfaced. It felt good at the moment, knowing they honored the desires of a woman like Catty. Knowing they paved the way for a better future for her children. She’d use that to keep her moving.

  “I’ll send some food off with you,” Catty motioned to the small cupboards of her kitchen. “Water’s a bit harder to come by. Rations have gotten low. They use a lot to put out the fires. I have some in the rain barrel out back, but the smog in the sky gives it a foul taste.”

  “Whatever you can spare,” Nicholai said with a small smile. It felt wrong to take food from this woman’s home, but no matter how they looked at it, they needed it to complete their journey to Northeastern.

  Catty leaned forward, reaching across the tabletop to grab Nicholai’s hand. She squeezed it in hers. Though Mairyn Catteral presented herself as a strong, fierce mother, he felt a vulnerability in her hold. “Thank you, Nicholai. The people have heard of the Earth Mother’s efforts as she climbs through the divisions. Know the change is small, but we see it. We feel it. You are doing right by us, and by Panagea.”

  Nicholai stared down at the woman’s hand, pressing his lips together. He did not know how to respond. He lifted his gaze back to her, absorbing the gratitude that emanated outward. “We’ll keep trying, Catty. We’ll fix this.”

  She gave his hand a final squeeze before she let it go. The woman sat back in her chair, a peace about her he didn’t notice hiding in her rigidness before. She nodded. “I know you will.”

  Morning came fast for the exhausted group. Catty’s quarters were small but comfortable. Kazuaki traded posts with Rennington and Elowyn halfway through the evening, offering them the shelter of the indoors while he took up the watch of the lifeboat. As well-rested as they could be in the short time they had, the crew felt a small sense of rejuvenation as they readied themselves to continue their journey to Aggi Normandy. Revi had the hardest time leaving. The kids wrapped themselves around his limbs and pleaded for him to stay.

  “You don’t need me here,” Revi replied to the young ones with a smirk. “Your mum’s got all the qualities you need to learn in this world. She needs no man to do right by you three.”

  Catty smiled, handing Revi the last of the food she set aside for them. “Good luck, Mr. Houton.”

  Revi accepted it with gratitude. “Best of luck to you too, Miss Catty.” He looked down at the kids. “Be good.” With that, he traipsed toward the lifeboat, loaded it up, and helped Kazuaki push it off into the waters once again.

  Catty watched for some time on the shores of her Eastern home. Her children retired to the home’s interior. Though the lifeboat was long gone from her sight, she lingered, letting the feelings of hope creep through her veins. Having met the Time Father now, and those in his company, she felt a new life breathe into her bones. It felt good. She was about to return to her home, but something caught her eyes. On the ground rested the two cleaned bowls Rennington and Elowyn left on the shoreline. Catty started for them, bending down to scoop them up into her arms.

  A noise from the right trapped her attention, and she turned with haste. A small vessel, identical in appearance to the lifeboat the crew departed in, pulled up down the shoreline. Her eyes narrowed. She didn’t have time to fetch her shotgun.

  The mother watched as a dozen men crawled from the craft and collapsed onto the shores of Eastern. All donned Southern military regalia and looked as haggard as Nicholai and his crew.

  Jernal heaved the boat onto the dry rocks of land with the last of his efforts, breathing hard as he did. When he caught movement from the corner of his eye, he jumped. Catty stood several feet from him, fearless.

  “Pardon me, miss,” Jernal said, exhausted, “it seems we found ourselves on your property.”

  “Yes,” she replied, her tone sharp. “It seems you have.”

  “Forgive the intrusion.” He tried and failed to look presentable. His eyes scanned the shoreline and Jernal turned a quizzical eye to Mairyn Catteral. “Pray tell, I know it may sound odd of me to ask, but have any other men washed up on your shores?”

  Catty gauged Jernal from head to toe. She examined every tear in his outfit, every healing injury, every symbol of the torment he’d been through. After a long pause, she returned her gaze to his, unwavering. “Not a one.”

  ✽ ✽ ✽

  It was much easier getting into the lifeboat the second time around. Refreshed from Catty’s generosity to the point of being able to function, the crew ferried down the coast of Eastern into Northeastern territory. In their chests, the men and women remained warm despite their exhaustion. Mairyn Catteral filled them with enough life to push their tired bodies onward without risking mental collapse.

  The currents were favorable. The wind accommodated them. Flowing on the calm ocean waves almost made it difficult to remember what a sorry state the land was in though they caught glimpses from their position in the water. There was a minimal exchange of words. Everyone tried to conserve their energy to allow their slow-healing wounds an opportunity to rest. But as soon as the tip of their lifeboat pressed into the Northeastern shore, adrenaline returned. Touching welcoming land was a huge, unadulterated relief.

  “What should we do with the boat?” Penn asked as he removed the last of the supplies from inside the small vessel.

  Kazuaki looked down at the lifeboat, emotionless. He placed his boot on the vessel’s edge and gave it a hearty shove. It floated back into the sea. With nothing to hold it down, the waves carried it farther and farther away.

  That was not enough for Kazuaki Hidataka. With unreleased frustration, he withdrew his gun, and fired multiple rounds of unnecessary bullets into the vessel, until his pistol’s chamber emptied.

  “Guess that answers that,” Penn muttered. The boat was slow to take on water, but he knew the rest of its life existed at the bottom of the ocean. He shrugged and trudged up Northeastern’s shore.

  The city that greeted them bustled with activity. It, too, experienced negative effects from the disasters that frequented Panagea, but people were active in their repairs. The damage was greater than they could keep up with. Many decrepit buildings remained, but it was the most encouraging effort the crew witnessed in their travels. They walked farther into the city, not fearing any retaliation in the h
ome town of Aggi Normandy. The Northeastern Time Father made it clear in his letters he wished them nothing but wellness, and with Emont to back up his words, they exercised no caution.

  The peak of Aggi’s tower loomed in the distance. It would take at least a mile of walking and weaving through the city’s streets to reach it. Nicholai looked back at the crew. His leg still bothered him, and their injuries continued to plague them too. It would be an effort to reach the tower, but nothing worse than they had already endured. As he was about to cross a busy street, he spotted a familiar face.

  The soft, silver hair blowing in the wind was unmistakable. The flawless skin, the delighted smile: he’d recognize it anywhere.

  “Umbriel!” Nicholai grinned as he ran toward her, his excitement quelling the sting in his leg. Relief showered over him knowing she arrived at Northeastern’s borders, safe. He scooped the woman up in a tight embrace, lifting her feet from the ground before he set her back down. “How did you know where to find us?”

  The woman smiled, tucking strands of hair behind her ears after she pulled out of the embrace. “I felt it in the earth,” she said, as if it explained everything. Her gaze found Kazuaki, Bermuda, and the others across the street. The Earth Mother waved with joy, wrapping her arms around each of them as they met her.

  Kazuaki looked over to Granite and smirked. “Thanks for keeping an eye on everything.”

  Granite, who was silent as he stood beside Umbriel, nodded an acknowledgment. His faithful canine stood beside him and jumped onto everyone’s legs, wagging its tail in the commotion. Rennington stooped down to pet it, happy to see the amputation did not slow the beast’s classic exuberance down in the least.

  “You all must be dead tired,” Umbriel gazed at the various wounds that inflicted them all. “Let’s get you back to Aggi’s home.”

  ✽ ✽ ✽

  The beds were like rectangular slices of utopia, the most comfortable things any of the crew slept on in months. Aggi Normandy's introduction was short. At first glimpse of their weary bodies, he immediately issued them all a place to rest, as they looked in dire need. Feeling a sense of safety surrounding them, the members slept an entire day away. Twenty-four hours of rest for their aching bones somehow did not seem like enough, but everyone was grateful for the opportunity.