by J C Maynard
“I can light all of those up at once, and can protect us from any fire we receive. The problem is that the ships are too far apart. I would need them in a tight circle around me for my Taurimous to reach them; they’re shaped in an arc now.”
Eston looked at Raelynn. “You can’t destroy this whole fleet.”
Raelynn turned to Eston, nervous about what she was about to say. “There’s a way . . . but it would mean this would be my last spell.”
“What are you talking about?” asked Eston.
Raelynn circled black fire around her hands. “If a sorcerer frees their Taurimous . . . it would be big enough to wipe out the fleet.”
Eston looked hopelessly at Raelynn. “We’re running out of options. If Cerebria takes the city . . .”
Raelynn nodded. “I know.”
“We would need to get the ships closer together.” said Eston.
“I’m already on it.” came the voice of the fisherman, who had just finished untying the boat from the dock and attaching a rope from it to its neighboring fishing boat.
“What’s your plan?” said Eston.
The fisherman stepped into the neighboring boat. “You won’t like it if I tell you . . . just trust me.”
Eston and Raelynn promptly stepped into the boat beside his. The wall of fire that spread throughout Aunestauna was creating its own weather and changing the direction of the wind. The man adjusted the sails on the two boats and pushed off the dock with an oar. The man continued to walk around and jump between the boats as the two began to sail away from the dock. “Sir,” said Raelynn, “We’re sailing the wrong way, the fleet is over the-”
The two boats began to turn toward the fleet in the distance. The fisherman laughed and opened his left eye wide, which Raelynn and Eston had not previously noticed to be slightly glazed over. The old man smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. “Men are only blind by choice.” The half-blind fisherman turned away and adjusted a rope. “Help me row.” he said, and the two grabbed oars.
Eston’s heart pounded as he saw the fleet ahead grow nearer. “Sir,” he said, “you still haven’t told us your plan; why are we taking two boats.”
The fisherman ignored the question. “It’s probably time to start blending in, isn’t it?” He nodded to Raelynn.
Eston touched her shoulder and what previously looked like charcoal on her hands grew. The black smoke circled around her body and onto the deck of the small boat, travelling up the mast and over the sails and onto the next boat. Eston could not see anything on the ship but a cloud of blackness as he rowed in a sea of smoke that surrounded the boat, but the fisherman walked around normally, adjusting ropes and latches.
“Sir, what is your plan?” Eston asked.
The fisherman ignored him. Meanwhile, the Cerebrian fleet drew closer and the two fishing boats traveled onward through the calm water. The fisherman looked at Eston as he stepped backward onto his boat. The fisherman untied the rope connecting them.
“Sir, what are you doing?” Eston asked again.
The fisherman breathed in. “Don’t touch anything, let the wind carry you forward. I will position the fleet how you wish. Don’t conceal my boat in magic. Have trust in me.”
“But sir, we can’t protect you if you aren’t with us.”
The fisherman shook his head as his boat drifted away from Eston’s and Raelynn’s. The black smoke covering it disappeared, and it gleamed silver in the moonlight, leaving small eddies behind it as it travelled away from them. Raelynn slowly placed her oar back in the boat. “Do what he says, your Majesty.”
Eston stopped rowing and watched a few snowflakes fall and disappear into the black smoke around him. The night was silent as they drifted in the harbor, save for the distant clamor of swords and the crack of cannons. Eston could no longer see the boat and the black Taurimous around him seemed to thicken. “What are you doing? We won’t be able to see.” Raelynn paid no attention to him, and Eston fell silent.
The wind of the fire blew them gently forward through the water, and in a few minutes, Eston saw a massive wall of wood to the side of the boat. Another one appeared just twenty feet to the other side of the boat; they were threading the needle between two massive Cerebrian ships. Eston held his breath, hoping with all his might that they wouldn’t see their ship passing through. Raelynn’s Taurimous concealed the boat as they passed through without hitting either of the massive ships. Eston jumped as he heard the crack of a cannon close to him. Raelynn made her Taurimous vanish just enough for them to see a little glistening fishing boat far in the distance. The old man sat silently as his ship sailed into an open end of the mass of ships, all of which began to fire cannons at him. The ships at the end of the arc set their sails and headed toward him, trying to blow up the boat. Raelynn whispered below the cannon fire, “He’s using himself as bait and luring the ships in a circle around us.”
The Cerebrian fleet continued to fire at the fisherman, but failed to notice the cloud of black smoke below them. A cannonball splintered the mast of the fisherman’s boat and rocked it sideways. The fisherman sat quietly as another cannonball shattered the end of his boat. Within seconds, the man and the boat were gone.
The Cerebrian fleet completely circled Eston and Raelynn’s ship, but could not see them.
Eston turned to Raelynn, “It’s your choice . . . but it’s now or never.”
A tear slid down Raelynn’s face. She closed her eyes and began to yell as the smoke-like Taurimous around them grew thicker and spread outward. It began to spiral slowly, and then faster causing a breeze to sweep Eston’s hair. A cannon fired close-by, but it shattered on an invisible dome that surrounded their boat. A burst of orange light pierced through the smoke and another cannon fired at them, but broke on the impassable field ten feet from them.
The vortex of black smoke increased its speed as it drove into the sides of the ships, igniting the piles of their explosives. Massive thundering balls of fire danced in the cloud of spiraling smoke. A blast blew Eston to his knees onto the rocking deck of the fishing boat. The air roared as it tore apart the ships. Cannonballs continued to fly over their heads and shatter into Raelynn’s dome of energy.
Eston looked up at her and sprung backward in horror; her face was black, seeming to be made of ash, and she bled from her mouth as she screamed. Her black Taurimous continued to violently escape from her body and rip apart the fleet around them, churning the water of the inlet. Massive waves swelled and sank with each rotation of the blackness that roared with the fire of the ships. Raelynn’s scream pierced through the tornado of shadow and fire and Eston clung to the sides of the boat as it rose and fell in the waves, nearly capsizing from the wind. His ears throbbed under the pressure waves of the explosions. The never-ending whirlwind of darkness consumed every flame and timber. Raelynn’s face seemed to crumble away as she screamed, and all at once, the blackness dissipated, and Raelynn fell to the floor of the boat, returning to her normal image — stripped of her sorcery.
Eston crawled over to Raelynn, who lay unconscious but breathing. He traced a hand along her pale face. The prince looked up; his boat sat in a sea of burning rubble. A Cerebrian troop vessel burned brightly in the distance and disappeared below the water. The flakes of ash began to fall faster. Eston turned around only to see more sections of dozens of ships sinking. All of the explosives had detonated, sending a large series of waves onto the nearby Rich docks, all of which were now ripped to shreds. In the distance, Aunestauna burned in one massive fire that sent a huge column of black into the otherwise clear night sky. Eston spun around again to examine the harbor, not a single four-masted ship floated nor any green banner waved. The fleet was destroyed; but thousands of Cerebrian troops still pressed forward through the city, meeting Ferrs who defended the streets with nets, barrels, and spears.
Having limited knowledge of sailing, Eston lowered the sail and grabbed an oar and began to paddle through the flaming wreckage of the Cerebrian fleet. Stroke after str
oke, he passed burning planks and other floating debris. In the distance, a young boy in green armor trying to stay afloat on a plank of wood fell off into the frigid water and struggled to grab it again; but he could not keep afloat. Eston paddled silently toward him. The boy called out for help in a little Cerebrian accent. “Please! Help me! I can’t swim much!” Eston paddled toward him, the front of the boat knocked wood aside that drifted away in the waves. The boat drew nearer to the boy. “Sir! Please let me aboard!” Eston positioned the boat ten feet from him. The boy cried as he tried to stay on the surface of the water fighting against his heavy armor that pulled him down. Raelynn lay unmoving on the floor of the boat. Eston looked the Cerebrian in his puffy red eyes. “Please, sir!” The prince looked up at the shore of Aunestauna, which blazed in a massive column of orange.
“I- I can’t swim much!” yelled the boy. A tear slid down Eston’s face, and he grabbed the oar of the boat and pushed through the water. “No! No! Please.” cried the boy. Eston rowed away in the water, passed more burning debris. “Come back! Please!” Eston’s vision blurred as tears streamed out and he continued to paddle away. After a minute, he stuck the oar straight down in the water to stop the boat. He spun around to look for the boy, but the sea was desolate and lifeless. Rocking in the waves, Eston sat for some time staring back toward the wreckage.
Ashes
Chapter Twenty Eight
~During the Night
An hour after Eston climbed out of the freezing water onto the rocky beach, the entirety of Camp Auness arrived in Aunestauna led by Qerru-Mai, pushing back the thousands of Cerebrian forces. Eston commanded the few loyal Ferramish Guards until the reinforcements from Camp Auness arrived, and then ordered the officers to move half their platoons, on boats, down the central river and west through the city to get behind the Cerebrians, who also had been slowed by the citizens defending their city. The troops then formed their ranks on the western half of Aunestana, pinning them between the two groups of Ferrs. After hours of fighting, enclosed with no way to push forward through the entire nation of Ferramoor and no way to return home, eight thousand Cerebrian soldiers, along with a hundred disloyal Ferramish Guards, surrendered in the second district. The Cerebrians and Guard were then marched to Camp Auness — a newly-designated prison.
~Just Before Daybreak, November 5th
Eston stood in his bedroom just before dawn. Flakes of ash drifted down from the gray sky where a ceiling previously stood. The Palace was destroyed and still burning in the north wing. The roof and walls of the top floor had crumbled; and from where his bed used to be, Eston could see the entirety of Aunestauna in the open air, as though gazing from a mountaintop. Aunestauna, once a gleaming city, now either blazed or sat in a pile of ash. The second district took the hardest hit, only the stone buildings still stood. The bazaar, normally filled with produce and other goods meant for thousands of people, was gone. Far in the distance, Eston could see the theatre square where his small attic shack remained; the square was mostly untouched by the fire; the citizens of the neighborhood who had emptied their wells had stopped the spread of the fire, saving the fourth district.
A strong breeze blew his tattered clothing around him and charred papers blew passed his boots. His head throbbed from his concussion, which hadn’t bothered him during battle due to the adrenaline. The smell of smoke and blood filled the air, and the heavy haze blocked much of the light coming from the orange sky where the sun would soon rise, transferring him into another body. He had come to the conclusion after the last night, that the rising sun is not the only thing that could throw him into another body. He had been transferred the night of the royal ball, during the Battle of the Great Gate, and when his mother died.
Eston walked over a pile of stone and to his shattered dresser, picked up the small skipping stone, which had fallen on the floor, and placed it in his pocket. “Eston.” Fillian and Qerru-Mai walked up a crumbling staircase and over to Eston. Qerru-Mai’s eyes were red. Fillian tried to put a hand on her shoulder, but his wound which was now properly treated, pained him.
Fillian crossed his arms as another cold breeze blew. He turned to Qerru-Mai. “You know you saved Ferramoor by travelling to Camp Auness?”
She looked out into the city of ash and burning timbers. “It doesn’t looked saved.”
“Aunestauna is destroyed,” said Eston, “but Ferramoor is not. We will move some of our government operations to Abendale because it’s the most naturally fortified city, and evacuees from Aunestauna will travel to Nottinberry, Wallingford, and Ifle-Laarm. Meanwhile, here, we will rebuild and make Aunestauna stronger. I’ll bring in the best architects in the nation and we’ll create work for everyone who lost their businesses in the fire. Over there, along the waterfront, we’ll make the docks closed in an inner harbor, with ramparts on the windward side. We’ll send special missions into Gienn to steal the Cerebrian Cannon, and we’ll manufacture them here. We’ll rebuild streets in the burned areas to make them easier to defend. We’ll create channels off of our rivers to supply the city with better water and transportation. That’s just the beginning . . . Fillian, have you received a reply from Father?”
“No, but I’m sure word has reached him. I would guess he’ll be here in four or five hours.”
“Does he know about Mother?”
Fillian nodded his head, trying to hold back tears. “I told him in the letter.”
“We’ll need a new Guard and we’ll need them fast. Those soldiers who remained loyal, I won’t let them be tried for treason. There’s been enough blood spilled in this city today.”
“We need to find out how Whittingale’s plan succeeded.”
Eston nodded in agreement. Just then, a ray of sun pierced through the haze, and Eston opened his eyes in a tree, looking up at Gallien.
◆◆◆
Tayben lay on a massive tree branch in Endlebarr with bruises all over his body. He looked at his hands, relieved that he was, in fact, still alive. “Where are we?”
Gallien helped Tayben sit up. “We lost . . . the Great Gate was destroyed by the sorcerers.”
Tayben looked around. “What time is it?”
“It’s midday and we’re about thirty miles northeast in a forest valley in the Taurbeir-Krons, quite secluded. You took a massive fall from the upper floors of the Great Gate. We didn’t think you’d survive when we saw how badly you’d been injured . . . broken bones sticking out of your skin and everything — but for some reason, your wounds healed faster than any of us have ever seen.”
“Is anybody else wounded?”
“Ferron was burned pretty badly and Shaenler lost a finger. We’re waiting on orders from the government, but Vaya Irroy is still on the other side of —”
Tayben stared behind Gallien. “What’s that?”
Gallien turned around and followed his gaze. “What’s what?”
“Right there, behind you.” Tayben reached over behind Gallien, trying to touch a small glowing flower.
“What are you doing?” asked Gallien.
“The glowing flower . . . I want to see if I can —”
Gallien shook his head with a worried look. “There’s no flower, Tayben.”
◆◆◆
Kyan pulled himself off the shore of the inlet and walked along the beach, taking in the scene of desolation. The Guards Eston had ordered to watch over Kyan and Fillian had taken Fillian to safety and forgotten about Kyan. Kyan stepped on a piece of fabric, a torn green banner. He picked up the Cerebrian flag and placed it gently over a nearby timber. He looked over the harbor where a dark haze had settled over the water that had become the grave of so many: countless soldiers, the old fisherman, for whom Kyan realized he had never asked a name, and the Queen.
A familiar fishing boat rested on the beach nearby. Kyan approached it and cautiously leaned over its edge, where he saw Raelynn lay unconscious. “Raelynn.” he whispered. “Raelynn.” She lay still, weakened from the expense of energy used to destroy the f
leet. Her Taurimous was gone, spent. Kyan reached inside the boat and lifted her out. Raelynn’s head rested against his chest as he carried her inland.
Passing endless piles of rubble and crying townspeople, Kyan carried Raelynn through the city, her blonde hair hung covered in flakes of gray ash. After some time, Kyan reached the portion of the city not burned down; however, Ferramish and Cerebrian corpses lay scattered across even these streets. Reaching the theatre square, Kyan stopped to look around. Why was this not burned? Yes, Kyan helped prepare thousands of citizens to fight, but still, the number of people who had defended the city was more than Kyan could have influenced. What if Vree helped save my district?
Unable to carry Raelynn up to the roof of the theatre, he walked through it, and up the staircases to his attic. The shack built into the attic of the theatre was mostly untouched, save for a few items blown around by the fire’s wind. Kyan set Raelynn down on a pile of blankets in the corner and tended to a sword’s gash on her ankle. Throughout the day, Kyan helped clear the nearest streets of debris and Raelynn slept until sunset. They had little food for the evening, but it was certainly not the most starved night Kyan had lived through.
When Raelynn awoke, Kyan told how he had found her unconscious in a fishing boat. She confessed her identity as a sorceress and her role in destroying the fleet at the expense of her power. Kyan, wanting to solidify their allegiance and friendship, expanded on his lie that he was Eston’s spy.
“I am close to the prince, an agent,” he said, finding it strange to have to refer to himself in third person, “and he often has meetings with me.”
“I would think that if you’re close to the prince,” said Raelynn, “he would give you a better place to live, even if you are an agent.”