Ascension

by Michael James Ploof

  She waited for more than half an hour. Her eyes were heavy, and a headache throbbed in time with her heartbeat. She was exhausted from Bursting so much, which made staying awake a struggle. Min should have been afraid, but she was too tired for that. She used her energy to listen to the night instead.

  When the dragon finally arrived, Min was half asleep. It landed so abruptly that she jumped in surprise. When she heard Ryker’s voice, she hurried back down the chute, watching the opening as she climbed down.

  Min waited at the bottom, listening. Ryker was talking to his dragon, but she couldn't make out what was being said.

  “I know you're down there!” he suddenly yelled down the chute.

  She shuffled her feet, pretending to run away.

  Ryker groaned then began climbing down.

  Sunrise was fast approaching. She had to get moving. She crawled back through the tunnels that opened into the cavern. It took her a while to find the tunnel she had originally come through, but she squeezed inside when she located it.

  “Min?”

  She jerked and hit her head when she heard his voice.

  “Can we stop this ridiculous cat and mouse game?” Ryker's voice came from the cavern, but he wouldn't fit in her tunnel. She almost felt safe.

  She continued on, inch by inch, and soon she was back to the opening on the mountainside. The night sky was turning blue.

  Sunrise was still half an hour away, which worried her because Ryker was startlingly close. If he found another tunnel leading to the cliff face, she would be caught.

  The minutes passed by excruciatingly slowly as she waited to see the Majestic come around the point. Ryker could land on the edge of the alcove any moment.

  Her only hope lay in Captain Varis, and she feared he'd changed his mind. Without his ship, she had no hope of thwarting Ryker and continuing north. Where was Ryker anyway? If he had made it to the surface and was patrolling with his dragon, they might see her.

  Her heart leapt when she spotted the Majestic rounding the point. She thanked the god of luck and moved out of her hiding place, scanning the sky as she stood. The drop from the ledge was a few hundred feet, and the ship was still far away, but they couldn't get any closer.

  It was now or never.

  She Burst off the cliff, sailing out over the water, wind whipping her ears. She fought the urge to scream as she dropped toward the water and used her power again as ocean spray off the rocks covered her in a fine mist.

  The sun rose behind her, casting golden light across the water and turning the distant clouds pink. She was on course for the ship. A small adjustment, another burst, and she would be there.

  She didn't dare look over her shoulder. If the dragon was there, she would soon know it.

  She saw Varis on deck, pointing at her, and she could hear the crewmen cheering her on.

  Idiots, she thought. Shut up or the dragon will hear you.

  A final Burst took her over the last stretch of ocean, and she prepared to land. The ship was moving slowly, but it was still a moving target. At the last moment, she realized she had misjudged her speed and was coming in too fast.

  Luckily she hit the mainsail. It enveloped her almost lovingly, and she slid toward deck, swallowing screams. A small Burst at the end slowed her down, and she landed safely, albeit on shaky feet.

  The crewmen shouted approval, but Min anxiously searched the sky. When she saw no sign of the dragon, she breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Glad you could join us,” said Varis, sauntering over to her. “Let's get you out of sight.”

  She thanked him and followed him to his quarters.

  “I assumed you would be hungry.” He gestured to the long sofa, where a plate of food waited on a silver-trimmed table.

  She plowed into a roasted chicken thigh and seasoned potatoes while Varis regarded her with interest as he sat across from her in one of the plush chairs. “So, what's your story?”

  She remembered her promise to herself not to give information away too easily, but she had already told him just about everything. “I already told you,” she said with a mouth full of chicken. “Got anything to drink?”

  He went to a small bar and returned with a mug of water and a bottle of rum, which he uncorked with his teeth before taking a long swig.

  “You always drink in the morning?” she asked.

  “I always drink,” he said, full stop. “Answer my question. Why are you running from the Unbound if you want to be a dragon rider?”

  She didn’t intend to answer, but he wouldn't stop staring at her expectantly. “I don't think they have good intentions.”

  “Because you're a woman?”

  She offer him a withering glance. “Obviously.”

  He laughed. “You should be more worried about the church.”

  “Why are you helping me?”

  “Because you are going to help me.”

  “With what?” She motioned to the bottle.

  He grinned wryly. “Do you always drink in the morning?”

  “I've been up almost a day-and-a-half.”

  He handed her the bottle. She took a swig and swallowed. The rum burned at first and gave her the willies, but it warmed her belly and left her feeling relaxed.

  “What is it you need help with?”

  “A heist.”

  “A what?”

  “A heist.”

  “I'm not helping you steal anything.”

  “You are if you want to get to Saedryk Island anytime soon.”

  “And what exactly is it we're going to steal?”

  He grinned and sipped his rum. “A dragon.”

  Chapter 10

  “How do you steal a dragon?” Min blurted.

  “This particular dragon is bound in chains from snout to tail. I believe the Azzarrians found it up north somewhere. How the hell they captured it, I have no idea, but the beast is scheduled to be killed in a few days, during the spring solstice. The Azzarrians have a grand celebration to ring in their new year, and this year they intend to sacrifice the dragon to the winged god. Something about bringing good fortune or some such rubbish.”

  “And you intend to free it?” Min asked.

  Varis guffawed. “Of course not. I plan to harvest it. Do you know how valuable dragon horns are, not to mention the teeth, claws, and hide?”

  “But those things are illegal to sell.”

  “When has that ever stopped anyone?”

  She felt like a naive child for having said such a stupid thing, and Varis was giving her a look that suggested he was thinking the same thing.

  “You're no mere fisherman,” she said, hoping to sound clever. “You're a pirate.”

  He cringed. “Such a harsh word, that. If I was a pirate, do you think I would have dropped anchor in the same harbor as the navy?”

  “A little bit of everything then?” said Min. “Fisherman, pirate, merchant marine?”

  “I'm someone who knows an opportunity when he sees one. I've known about the dragon for less than a week, then you show up, a girl with the power of the Unbound, seeking passage north. The way I see it, this is all meant to be.”

  Min thought of the old soothsayer, and a chill went through her.

  “What part do I play in your plans? And what's my cut?”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Your cut is passage north.”

  “Not if we're talking about a small fortune in dragon hide and horns.”

  “You haven't heard what I need you to do yet.”

  She hoped he didn't say she had to kill people. If that was part of the plan, she didn't want any part in it.

  “Don't worry,” he said, seemingly reading her mind. “You only need to create a diversion.”

  “I can do that.”

  “Good. We'll go over things soon with the rest of the crew. Until then, make yourself at home. You can sleep on the sofa if you're tired, which I imagine you are. There’s water in the basin for washing up.”

  “I'm to stay here,
with you?”

  “I figured you'd feel more comfortable here than with twenty men in a room full of swinging hammocks.”

  Min nodded. “Thank you for your hospitality.”

  He went to the door, but stopped and glanced back at her. “Good to have you aboard, Min.”

  “Good to be aboard, Captain. Thank you.”

  After he left, she let out a long pent-up breath. She wanted to strip down and wash, but didn’t want to be caught in the process. She was relieved to discover a curtain that could be drawn partially across the room that would offer her some privacy. She stretched it as far as it would go and peeled off her clothes, careful not to touch her sore leg. The bloody bandage needed changing. Naked, she tiptoed across the room in search of something to replace it with. Finding nothing appropriate, she decided to wash up and worry about it later.

  The water was cool and refreshing, and the hand towel was soft as silk. There was even a bar of soap, white and marbled with emerald colored swirls. It smelled like wild flowers and invigorated her like a fresh morning breeze.

  When she was clean, she wrapped a towel around herself and tossed the dirty water out the starboard porthole. She strolled around Varis’s quarters in her towel, reading the titles of the books on the shelf and looked over the many maps spread out on a drawing board. She gazed at the ocean through the windows with his many looking glasses. The sun was on the left, so she knew they were headed south.

  She thought about her father as she contemplated the towering clouds rising from the horizon and wondered if he was there among them, looking down at her with her mother by his side. Sorrow and loneliness overwhelmed her suddenly, and her eyes filled with tears. Her throat tightened and burned, but she refused to cry.

  She was all alone now.

  She had to be tough.

  Exhaustion came over her, and she lay down on the sofa and let out a tired groan of pleasure. She fell asleep instantly but was tormented by wyvern fire and the screams of the dying.

  “Min, you should wake up now.”

  Her eyes shot open. Varis stood a few feet away, not looking at her. She rubbed her eyes, confused by his posture, but then she noticed the towel had fallen open and left one breast partially exposed.

  “What are you doing?” she asked and pulled the towel tight.

  “My apologies,” he said. He turned and their eyes met. “You’ve been asleep for ten hours.”

  Min glanced at the dark window. “Ten hours? I’m sorry.”

  “Nothing to be sorry for. You had a long day. We’re going over the plan soon. Can you be ready in fifteen minutes?”

  “Yes, of course,” she said, embarrassed about what he may have seen.

  But his smile was kind, and there was nothing predatory about his demeanor. “Are you hungry?” he asked.

  “As a bear.” A small laugh escaped her.

  “I’ll bring you something from the galley.”

  He left, and she quickly got up and changed back into her undergarments and leather armor. She checked her blades and sheathed them with confidence. Her sleep had been troubled at first, but then she had slept like the dead. She felt refreshed and alert, and ready to learn the captain’s plan.

  Varis entered the room a few minutes later with six men in tow. He lit half a dozen lanterns and introduced them to Min.

  “So this is where you’ve been keeping the mysterious lass,” said a portly man with rosy cheeks that Varis referred to as Booker.

  “You see what she did to Chum?” said a dark haired man named Kym. He looked like he had some Azzarrian in him.

  The men had a good laugh and welcomed her warmly, all but one—a tall, hawkish sailor called Faerek. He stared at her with dark eyes, thin lips pressed in a straight line.

  “Gather ’round,” said Varis. He handed her a plate of food and moved to the drawing table.

  She took a bite of fish and settled beside as he unrolled a map of Azzarra. The other men spread out around the round table and watched intently.

  “The Ceremony of the Sun will take place here, on the eastern coast in the city of Xenning.” Varis pointed it out, then removed the map from the table and handed it to Faerek, who rolled it up carefully. Underneath it was a detailed map of the coastal city. Varis opened a drawer under the table and pulled out a few small models. He placed one of a dragon in the center of a large coliseum, which was less than a mile from the coast and the Xenning harbor. “This is where the sacrifice will take place.” He placed a small wagon outside the coliseum and a boat in the harbor. Then he set seven male and one female figurine on the map. “Faerek and I will be here, near the entrance. Min, I want you with us. The rest of you will be outside waiting with a team of horses.

  “We will enter the coliseum as spectators and wait for the right moment. When that moment comes, we will incapacitate the wagon drivers who will bring the dragon into the coliseum and take their places.”

  “Do you mean kill them?” Min asked.

  “Not if we can help it,” said the captain. “The rest of you are to make sure the eastern gate is open and clear. When the executioner kills the dragon, Min is going to create a distraction. When that happens, Faerek and I will drive the dragon’s carcass out of the coliseum, down to the harbor, and onto the ship. It is up to all of you to get back before we set sail, which will be almost immediately.”

  “Just like that?” said Min. “Won’t they come after us?”

  “Of course they will, but soon after we lift anchor, six dozen smoke bombs will go off. Trust me, no one will be able to do anything for a good twenty minutes. Kym is responsible for the bombs.”

  “Aye, captain. Kym is feeling festive,” said Kym.

  “Then we sail north?” said Min.

  “Then we sail north,” answered Varis.

  Chapter 11

  They sailed southwest toward Azzarra for three days and three nights, and on the morning of the fourth day out from Bai Island, the sailor in the crow’s nest bellowed “Land in sight, land in sight!”

  Min ran to the rail to get a glimpse of it. In the distance a green and pink mound of earth rose slowly from the edge of the world like a beautiful behemoth from a fanciful dream. As they drew closer, Min realized that the pink color was due to never-ending forests of flowered trees. They stretched from one end of the island to the other. They covered the hills, and their fallen petals flowed from the tributaries to the ocean, painting it with fuscia and rose swirls.

  “Those are cherry blossom trees, and they only bloom a few weeks out of the year. Looks like you got lucky, kid,” said Varis.

  Min smiled at him, and she didn’t know why, but she leaned up against him. He put his arm around her and gave her a quick hug, like a father might, then slapped her back as he would a son. He returned to his crewmen, grinning and barking orders.

  She’d been sleeping on his sofa every night, but she hadn’t been alone with him in his quarters much. He kept strange hours and was more prone to napping for one to two hours at a time than sleeping a full eight or nine, like Min did. She soon realized how much more efficient and attentive it made him to the task at hand, and she tried to adopt his style. She was on the run from the Unbound and the church, and she needed to learn certain skills if she wanted to continue to evade capture.

  The Majesty pulled into port around noon, and Varis led her off the ship as the crew set to work preparing it to receive the massive dragon.

  “Welcome to Xenning, the capital of Azzarra.” He extended his hand dramatically, gesturing to the harbor and the bustling city beyond.

  The difference in culture to where she’d grown up was immediately apparent. Everyone was short, had straight black hair and slanted eyes, and wore a funny, cone-shaped hat that looked like they were made from the translucent fins of the mermaid fish. She couldn’t believe how many of them there were. She had only ever met a handful of Azzarrians, and in that moment, her world got a lot bigger.

  The quaint but stately homes were built on tall
stilts made from hundreds of bamboo poles wrapped together with what looked like fish netting. The homes were circular and appeared to have finely-grained paper walls. The whole village looked like it could go up like a tinder box at the smallest spark. Some of the homes were built over the water. These abodes, like all the others, bore long, flowing streamers in a variety of natural colors. There was pink, of course, which represented the cherry blossom, but also aquamarine that represented the pristine waters of the bay, vibrant green for the bamboo and cherry blossom leaves, light blue for the sky, yellow, red, and orange for the sun, and a translucent, rainbow array in honor of the fish from which they took nourishment.

  Seeing the way they lived made her instantly regretful of the part of the plan where she wreaked havoc at their festival. Decorations were strung from home to bamboo tree and lamppost. Children ran through the streets, setting off popping balls and colored smoke bombs. The enticing smell of food drifted across the water, making her stomach growl and her mouth water. The heavy scent of grease permeated the air, but with it were floral bouquets of fruit and vegetable and the wholesome aroma of freshly caught fish, vibrant seaweed, and above all else, the salty, mouthwatering tang of pork.

  “Please tell me we’re going somewhere to eat,” she said, rubbing her belly.

  Varis grinned and led her from the bustling harbor, past stacks of lobster and crab traps, endless piles of fish netting, severed fish heads and the children trying to steal them. They were dirty, with skinny arms and legs and smiles that showed off pearly white teeth. Merchants and fishermen half-heartedly shooed them away, grinning while they did it.

  Min was smiling and didn’t know why. Maybe she had wanderlust. Her father had told her about and warned her against it. “It’ll take a man from his home, over the land and across the ocean, and it’ll get him in all sorts of ungodly trouble.”

  To her knowledge, her father had never traveled. He’d always been a homebody, and when she was old enough to be trusted with money, he’d sent her to do the shopping and errand-running while he stayed home, sometimes for weeks at a time. The blacksmith shop was off the back of the house, where he worked at tirelessly, but she sometimes caught him staring down the street at the small bit of sea that showed between the buildings. She often wondered where, what, or who he was thinking about when he did that. Her mother perhaps.