“Okay, we get it. Some of them are bad,” Angst said.
“Not some, Angst,” Faeoris emphasized. “All of them. They used to be a greater threat, thousands of years ago, and then something happened.”
“What?” Dallow asked excitedly.
“Nobody knows,” she said. “It was as if they were cursed. Half of them disappeared, the rest went into hiding. They’re still a danger, but one that can be avoided.”
“A lot can change over time,” Angst tried to explain. “You originally treated us like enemies, too. Now we’re friends.”
“True,” she said thoughtfully.
“Speaking of being friends, we need your help,” he pleaded. “The hole, the one in the ocean. Can you take us there?”
“That place is death. I will not take you to your death,” she said. “I would not be a good friend.”
“We have another friend down there,” he continued.
“Your friend is dead,” she said coldly. “That hole has no bottom. None who enters ever returns. We send the criminals there to die.”
“It’s not bottomless,” Angst replied. “It’s a city.”
There was a collective round of surprise and disbelief, and he barely suppressed a grin. Having knowledge that nobody else had was kind of fun. This must’ve been what Dallow felt like. His friend’s eyes immediately flashed white beneath the kerchief.
“How do you know this?” Faeoris asked.
“My friend, the mermaid,” he let this rest in the air, “brought me to the bottom of the ocean. She showed me an enormous city covered by a dome. There were people in the city, alive and moving. The city itself is beautiful.”
“A mage city?” Dallow asked hopefully. “I thought the Memndus stones showed us one close to Angoria, but it was hard to tell.”
“That’s what I thought,” Angst said. “But what other type of city could possibly survive being completely submerged?”
“Rose has to be there,” Dallow said, a touch of hope in his voice.
“Is this true?” Faeoris asked, peering at Angst with a calculating look.
Angst held a hand out to Victoria. With a deep breath, she reluctantly took it. He could’ve kept her out now, Dulgirgraut seemed to create barriers on its own, but he let the adventure trickle through—unfortunately, more than he’d intended. Her eyes widened with surprise before darkening. She swung out, striking him in the jaw. Angst dropped to the ground, landing roughly on his backside. Victoria stormed away, cursing under her breath. Faeoris looked confused at this interaction, and was even more surprised at Tarness’s laughter.
“That would mean it’s true,” Hector said with a satisfied grin, helping Angst to his feet.
“How did you swim to the bottom?” Faeoris asked, now more curious than ever. “How did you breathe?”
“You don’t want to know. Let’s just say I had help from a friend.” Angst hated this, more than anything. His relationships...friendships with Moyra, Faeoris, and Victoria should’ve been mutually exclusive, but instead were becoming a jumbled mess. He shouldn’t have cared, but did, and wasn’t sure why. Maybe because he felt so defensive on Moyra’s behalf and hated how everyone spoke about her. They were right, she could be dangerous, but she wasn’t just some animal. She’d controlled herself with him, helped him by showing him what he needed to know, and even saved his life. Moyra was a friend, more than a friend, and the way everyone spoke about her put his teeth on edge. “Will you take us there?”
Faeoris studied him, looking him over from head to toe. She glanced at the giant sword that hovered nearby before returning with a steady gaze. “Yes,” she finally said. “We will see you there safely, and I will stay to help.”
“No, wait.” He held up a hand. He couldn’t stand putting one more person, one more friend in harm’s way. No matter how strong and dangerous and indestructible that friend was. “It’s going to be dangerous.”
“Good,” she said dismissively, walking over to the three unconscious warriors, trying to kick them awake.
“I can’t ask you to do this,” Angst said, worry lacing his words. “You could die, Faeoris. Why do you even want to?”
She spun on her bare foot and looked at him with deadly sincerity. “That’s what friends do.”
His jaw hurt. Tori’s punch had landed hard. More mixed signals from his friend, who made him a naked sandwich, pushed him away, shared his dreams, and then punched him in the mouth. That last one wasn’t mixed at all—she was jealous. As much as he wanted to mend things permanently, he wasn’t even certain that was possible anymore. When he found her, he would tend to the wound, and hope it would last long enough to see them home.
The long trek down the steps in his armor should’ve tired him, but a constant stream of power and energy flowed from Dulgirgraut, and he wondered if he’d even need sleep. The question was immediately answered—he would, but not much. He sensed something about needing dreams more than sleep, and as the explanation became more complicated, he let his mind wander.
Faeoris had taken care of several things—gestures of friendship he could never repay. Berfemmian warriors returned Jarblech and her remaining crew back to their geode. She’d also sent some to search the ship wreckage for their armor, some of which was found. Angst had his suit and red cloak, but no bracers. Tarness was missing his pauldrons and shield, and Hector’s was completely gone. His friend didn’t find it funny when a muscular Berfemmian offered to trade sex for her chainmail skirt and top.
Angst reached the bottom of the long stairs and headed to the beach. He was early, but never earlier than Hector, who sat and watched the ocean. He looked almost naked and unprepared in his dark tunic and leather riding pants, like a cat that had been dunked in a bucket of water. His friend pointed down the shoreline without even turning his head to look. Curious. Angst set Dulgirgraut on its tip. The blade glowed softly and sang in his head. The song now filled him with confidence, which he would soon need.
There were hoof prints on the shoreline, and he followed them away from the meeting place. They dragged through the sand for a quarter mile before fading into lapping waves, and Angst’s heart skipped a beat at the thought of Tori flying off and leaving him.
“I wouldn’t do that,” she said. “Well, I might think about it, but I didn’t. I can’t.”
She sat with her legs crossed on the beach, carving pictures in the sand. Like Hector, she wouldn’t look up to meet his eyes. She wore her tight leather riding pants, high boots, and chain Berfemmian top that looked nice from above. Her red cloak was in a crumpled ball behind her, and seemed to have been pummeled into place. Angst lowered himself awkwardly, attempting to sit in his black armor. He forced his legs to splay out to keep the armor from pinching anything, and leaned back on his hands. Getting back up won’t be fun, he thought with a sigh, and Tori smirked.
“I don’t believe you let her breathe for you,” she said, not wasting a moment on preamble or customary flirting.
“What was I supposed to do, Tori?” he asked. “Not breathe?”
“Yes!” she said sharply, stabbing the stick into the sandy image of a fish she’d been drawing. The fish had a human-ish face.
“I didn’t have a choice. You saw, and you know that.” He tried not to sound like he was pleading. “Why are you so upset...again?”
She was now throwing fistfuls of sand on top of the stick in a furious attempt to bury it.
“I thought you were my champ...” She let the word trail off. “I thought you were my hero.”
His heart wrenched—something she was incredibly good at. “I am,” he said. “That hasn’t changed. I have to be a hero for a lot of people. I’m pretty sure that’s part of the job.”
“But,” she spoke very softly now, “you’re starting to have feelings for her. For them.”
“They’re friends,” he explained. “That’s what happens when you go adventuring. You meet people, make friends. It’s great!”
“Could you try to make
less pretty friends?” she said.
“I’m not sure I know how.” He grinned.
She threw a handful of sand in his face, which spilled off an air shield he didn’t remember summoning.
Tori shook her head. “I take it back,” she said. “You try too hard now. This must be how Heather feels.”
“You’re not Heather,” he said.
They looked at each other. She was trying to get in. He wanted to let her, but was worn out by the constant hurt. Victoria was supposed to be his best friend, nothing else. This was supposed to be their adventure, probably the only one they would ever have. It shouldn’t have been riddled with guilt or pain; it was supposed to be fun. She’d crossed the line, many times, and he’d let her because she was so...Tori. He was hungry for her attention, still, but for some reason hadn’t expected the complications she’d discussed in their courtyard meetings to follow them all around Ehrde. He let this, all of it, trickle out of his thoughts.
Tori absorbed every ounce, but said nothing. She stood and brushed the sand from her butt, waggling it playfully, which made him smile. After shaking sand from her cloak, she put it on then offered him a hand. He took it, and as he began to stand, she let go. He rocked back to his rear in a noisy clatter. This made her smile.
“Our relationship is nothing like I have with anyone else,” he said sincerely. “It never will be.”
“Don’t you forget it.”
“Like you’d let me.” He pushed himself up and stood, without accepting her hand a second time. “I’d die for you. You know that, right?”
“How about keeping me from dying?” she said with a gentle push. “That would be a better idea.”
They walked the beach in silence on their way back to the meeting point. She felt closed off, friendly in a polite way, and he wished that magic could make it better. It was amazing at beating up monsters, pushing mountains around, and healing tiny cuts, but useless when it came to feelings. If he could just make it all better, if the relationship with just one of his ‘girlfriends,’ would come naturally, if one of them would completely understand them, he would have...he would just have...Heather. He thought about his wife, and her smile, and her understanding of all things Angst. For all their struggles, she might’ve been the only one who wanted him to be who he actually was. Angst.
They arrived to see Tarness, Dallow, and Hector talking with five Berfemmian, including Faeoris, who were all hovering overhead. Victoria turned her back on them with a grumble and began summoning her swifen.
“That’s not necessary,” Angst informed her. “Marisha is planning to fly you.”
Tori flashed Angst a look filled with malicious clarity that silently screamed, “If you think I’m letting that cute bitch fly me in there, you can jump off the cliff again!” It came out more like, “No, thank you.”
Angst held up his hands defensively and took a step back while she returned to her summoning. This reminded him of the many irrational arguments with Heather that he’d learned to just give into. “Sure, it can be whatever color you want.” “No, I’m happy to wear the tunic from your mother.” “Of course I’d rather go to your friends’ dinner than hang out with the guys.” His focus returned, and he saw her mouth quiver, and her eyes becoming glassy.
“We can ride your swifen, Tori,” he said.
“We don’t have to.” She took a deep breath and bit her lip.
“Are you kidding?” He pulled her into a hug. She tried pushing away, but he wouldn’t let go. “It’s my favorite way to fly.” And he meant it.
She nodded and sniffed.
“Are we ready?” Faeoris interrupted from overhead. “Angst and I will take lead.”
“Actually,” he raised a finger, “I have a ride.”
“I am no ride,” Faeoris bit off each word.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Angst muttered under his breath. He looked to the guys for support, but they were fighting laughter and avoiding eye contact.
Without further prompting, Victoria summoned her pink feathery unicorn. Its golden hooves and horn reflected brightly in the sunlight, and it stretched out its broad wings as if waking from a long slumber. Angst braced for scoffing and scorn from the Berfemmian warriors. Four of them landed around the creature, holding out hands to pet it. Their eyes weren’t judgmental, they were wide with wonder.
Marisha seemed most excited. “This is a fine mount.”
“Thank you!” Tori arched her back with pride and smiled at Hector and Tarness, who’d stopped shaking their heads just in time.
“We need to leave,” Faeoris said tartly, apparently unamused by the attention Victoria and her unicorn were getting. “Does that thing even fly?”
“It does when I’m here,” Angst boasted.
Tori’s fists clenched as she flashed him a burning look.
“Huh,” Faeoris said, her wings spreading wide and lifting her high into the air.
42
There was a hole in the ocean. They hovered far overhead, grouped in a circle, looking down at it. It was like one of the sinkholes approaching Unsel, but far larger than a mere mile across. This one could’ve engulfed the entire capital city, and Angst couldn’t begin to fathom its size. Ten miles across? Maybe fifteen? Just the thought made him shake his head. The hole was surprisingly close to Angoria. Not close enough for him to swim to, but he could clearly see the cliff wall coastline leading up to a mountain peak.
“That’s the tallest point in Angoria,” Faeoris said, pointing at the mountain.
“It looks close enough to swim there,” Tarness said. He looked uncomfortable in Marisha’s grasp, and she looked a little tired from the load.
“You’d have to be a strong swimmer,” Faeoris said. “And be able to dodge sharks and mermaids along the way.”
“Are you sure it’s down there?” Hector asked. His legs kicked at the air, desperate to seek ground. “I don’t see a thing.”
“We’ve never seen a dome, or a city,” Faeoris said warily. She carried Hector effortlessly, gripping under his shoulders.
“It’s there,” Angst confirmed. “Let’s get closer.”
Victoria nodded, urging her swifen forward. Angst was impressed at how quickly she’d mastered flying, and glancing at his friends’ discomfort, he was grateful for the ride.
“I don’t mind being a ride,” Victoria teased.
“Ha!” Angst laughed. “I’ll remember that.” He gave her bare stomach a squeeze. That was his Victoria, and she’d read him without trying.
His heart raced as they dove, once again amazed and excited. This was the adventure he’d wanted. Surrounded by his closest friends, facing an unknown, and experiencing things that no one else could. Dulgirgraut gave him a sense of confidence and security, so instead of being nervous, he was exhilarated. They hovered mere feet above surface level. It was stunning. The waterfall had formed a perfect circle, endlessly filling the cavernous hole. The drop must’ve been a mile or more. The watery spray refracted sunlight, surrounding them with rainbows. Tori reached out, running her fingers through the mist and colors. Dallow’s eyes glowed brightly as he analyzed everything.
“I can’t even begin to understand the spells involved. Not yet,” he said to Angst’s unanswered questions. His grin was ear to ear. “I’m guessing the water just goes back into the ocean, but the fact that it doesn’t fill in is amazing.”
“Hey,” Hector yelled as Faeoris jerked him around. “Angst, look.”
His friend pointed to a monstrous shadowy mass trailing the edge of the waterfall. It was the thing, the enormous creature that had destroyed their ship, the oldest living creature in Ehrde. Moyra had hated it so much that Angst gritted his teeth.
“You okay?” Victoria asked.
“I’d like to take a shot,” he said, reaching for his sword.
“You can’t, Angst,” Faeoris said. She was flying right next to him. “It’s not safe, even for you.”
“We’ll see,” he grunted. Dulgirgraut war
ned him off, but he dismissed the sword. He cursed at the monster under his breath and tore his eyes away, looking deep into the hole. There was the barest reflection of light, as if off glass. A sheen that was almost hidden in the mists. He pointed to the center. “There. Let’s go.”
They moved in silent formation, spinning through the center of the hole like a flock of giant birds. Within minutes, the top of the dome appeared, colossal and glassy. Half an orb in the middle of a hole in the ocean. It glistened with wetness, the mist and sunlight dancing across it like waterbugs over a lake. Dulgirgraut hummed a trickle of information, infusing him with a basic understanding of the spell that had created this dome. It wasn’t enough, but when he asked for more, the foci tried teaching him the theories behind the combination of magic and air and water that had formed the dome. It was too much for Angst to fathom with his limited experience, so he wielded Dulgirgraut and slipped his leg over the swifen, letting himself drop to the dome.
“Angst, no!” Victoria shouted.
Angst landed with a moist thud. It was slick, and his feet immediately began to slide. He quickly set the tip of Dulgirgraut on the dome. It held firm, and his grip on the hilt kept him in place, barely.
“Wait,” he called out. “Just wait. There’s no footing, and we need to find a way in.”
“We can’t hover forever,” Marisha said, her tone annoyed.
“How do we get in?” Faeoris asked.
“Good question,” Angst shouted. “Dallow?”
His friend’s eyes shone as he sought through the seemingly bottomless catalog of information in his mind. Unfortunately, sometimes, it had a bottom. Dallow shook his head. “Not a clue.”
“You don’t have a plan?” Faeoris asked.
“Plan? Plan.” Angst smiled. “What is plan?”
Her expression showed her quite dissatisfied with his response.
“Mmkay,” Angst said. He pushed down and found Dulgirgraut already anchored. Maybe he could inch the foci in further. His hands slid on Dulgirgraut’s slick hilt, but the blade dug into the shield. There was give, but barely. He jumped up and tried to use momentum to push further. It wiggled more, inches more. With force and will, over and over, he tried stabbing the blade through the barrier, cursing in frustration. He kicked the foci and his legs slipped from under him. His grip failed, the back of his head smacked against the shield, and he began sliding down the side, quickly.
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