“I know.” Sevana felt that Nia Reign was leading up to something and so left it at that.
“Do not concern yourself with anything other than the isle and the mainland. We will take care of our own territory.”
Sevana’s eyebrows rose in surprise. That was a lot of ground…sea?...to cover.
Master deferentially cleared his throat before offering, “Nia Reign, we do have other magicians and Artifactors on their way. I expect one of them tomorrow. We can offer you help as you need it.”
The Unda Queen shook her head, the manner gentler than before. “I think you have enough to do, and working in the sea will be difficult for you. We can manage. I request only that I have updates on your progress here, and of course I want to be informed when you notify the Jade Emperor. He and I will…discuss…Tian-Mu.”
Sevana had absolutely no intention of missing out on that conversation. She and the Jade Emperor were going to have a discussion of their own. “We haven’t been able to reach him. In fact, he’s been unreachable for months.”
“Oh?” Nia Reign’s head tilted in consideration. “I see. Hence this debacle.”
“Exactly so,” Aran replied. “If we’d been able to reach him, I think all of this could have been avoided.”
“I have my own ways of communicating with him. I will try from my end.” Nia Reign half-turned, ready to leave, only to pause and look back. “Sellion, did you see where Tian-Mu went?”
That was the thing that burned the most for Sevana. “No. The ash was too thick for us to see anything. Da-Yu is under the impression that she went directly north, but that’s only a feeling on his part.”
“So we have no way of knowing where she went, or what she has done with Feng-Huang.” Nia Reign didn’t like this one bit and the frown she wore conveyed that clearly. “I see. Continue to try contacting the Jade Emperor. Inform me if you succeed.”
“I will. Do the same.”
Nia Reign’s mouth curved in a wicked, fleeting smile of agreement before she disappeared back into the sea.
Sevana watched her go into the ocean and had every intention of keeping that promise. There were some petty gods here that needed a comeuppance and if she had an Unda Queen willing to help her kick some arse, so much the better.
Ash was a highly irritating substance for a human to come into contact with. Not only was it dangerous to inhale, as it could cause respiratory problems, but even skin contact was not recommended. It would cause severe skin irritations with any kind of exposure. The eyes had to be protected as well, of course, as they were the most sensitive of all.
Because ash was so light and easily stirred up, any movement created problems, and it was hard to contain the ash with it constantly up in the air. Master created numerous breathing filters, to fit over nose and mouth. Cheng-Huang used his building ability to craft goggles for everyone, and for the most part, this protected them. Everyone wore long layers and gloves, and wrapped scarves around their heads to keep the ash off as much as possible. It made the already grey landscape look like some ghostly survival camp.
The only truly helpful thing was that Da-Yu, with his power, was able to guarantee clean water to drink. Without him, they would have been very shortly in dire straits.
The shield protected the town from the lava, of course, but that was all the buildings had been protected from. The ash had run free and because of that, they had a large quantity collected on their roofs. Some of the buildings were damaged because of the rocks that flew over the barrier. That part she didn’t need to worry about at all, as Cheng-Huang had made it clear he would fix the damaged buildings. To avoid increasing his workload, Sevana focused on the ash first. Ash was very heavy when in great quantities like this, and if left alone for too long, it would cause the building to collapse.
Sevana drafted Ho-Han and Ji-Gang, the village elder’s grandsons, to come up and work with her. As they scaled the ladder to the top of the first roof, she cautioned, “Be careful up here. Ash can be very slippery to work on and if you fall from here, I will not be able to catch you. We do not need injuries.”
“Of course, Artifactor,” Ho-Han assured her. The elder of the two, he was scrawnier than his brother, but she had watched them both work and knew they were about equal in strength. “What do we do with it?”
“Master gave you two pails, didn’t he? Those are Vanishing Buckets. Whatever ash we put in those, it will be disposed of. Start on the outside and work your way in, let’s avoid putting additional body weight on the center of the building just yet.” The walls gave more support to the roof, it would be the safer place to stand and work for now.
Sevana had her own Vanishing Bucket but she ignored the small spade and handheld broom on her belt for now, using the bucket to scoop up the ash directly. It was a good three feet thick, so it wasn’t like she needed another tool just yet. Because they weren’t transferring ash into the buckets by hand, the area was cleaned up faster than she expected it to be and they moved on to the next roof.
She had to stop regularly to rest and inhale some Fine Mists Salts. Despite the breathing mask on her face, some of the ash still snuck in, and it set off a coughing fit every time. Her joints ached because of the physical labor as well, a culmination of it from the day she had arrived, and she literally didn’t have the energy or strength to push hard. The boys, fortunately, seemed to realize she had some sort of sickness so they stayed well behaved and didn’t ask any annoying questions.
They came down only twice, to eat and drink plenty of water, before going back up. Sevana’s was not the only team working on the roofs, there were two others, and with nine dedicated adults working they were able to clear the rest of the roofs from the worst of the ash before nightfall. They were not completely clear, but at least the worst was removed, and the threat of collapse was gone.
Everyone retired early, beyond exhausted with the work, and were up again with the dawn to do it all again.
Sevana’s mind was not quiet as she scooped up ash. It buzzed with plans of revenge. The problem lay in that she was reliant on others to find the Jade Emperor and Tian-Mu for her, as she had no means of doing it herself, and she couldn’t move until then. It burned, this sense of having to wait, and her plans became more creative as time dragged slowly on.
It was probably just as well that Jacen appeared that afternoon in one of the flying barges that she had built for him. He landed on the sea and then drew it in to park at the docks like it really was a water vessel. Seeing him come in, she dropped her bucket and half-jogged down to greet him, waving an arm as she went. “Jacen!”
Jacen waved back, already putting on a filter over his nose and mouth. “Sevana. Thanks for the call. I wanted to help but wasn’t sure where to start.”
Many were not quite sure how to interact with Jacen, because of his splintered mind, but Sevana had discovered that if he were given a task like this then he usually did just fine. It was stimuli that set off his condition. Relief work wouldn’t be enough to do it. Although she planned to keep him close to either herself or Master just in case. “We can use all hands so I’m glad you came. How bad is the mainland?”
“Bad, but…” he took a long look around before giving a low whistle, “not as bad as this. This is pretty bad, Sevana.”
“I know it,” she growled, vexed all over again. “But how bad is the mainland?”
“Lot of ash, of course, and it’s making it a little difficult to breathe over there. Cleanup has already started and all of the local magicians, sorcerers and Artifactors are basically in charge of their hometowns and working there. I don’t think we have to worry about them, they have plenty of help. Give them a few weeks, you’ll never know this happened.”
This relieved her and Sevana’s prickly mood lightened just a hair. “What did you bring?”
“Anything I thought would come in handy. I have goggles, respirators, water filters, as much food as I could stuff in here, Vanishing Buckets, and portable tents that act as giant
filters. I also have some ready medi-bandages for injuries. It will only work for cuts, sprains, and the like, though.”
“Well done,” Master praised as he came up to them. “That’s exactly what we need. You did think it through. First, let’s set up some of those tents so we have a clear space to prepare food in. That’s our major struggle at the moment. I’ll get some hands over here to help you.” Clapping a hand on Jacen’s shoulder, Master said softly, “Very glad you came.”
Jacen ducked his head and blushed a little. “You know I will if you’re calling me, sir.”
“I know, I know.” With a final clap, Master let go. “Your priority is getting some space clear, getting those tents up, and getting the food and bandages into the right hands. After that, come see me, I’ll tell you what needs to be done.”
“I will.” Jacen paused and really looked at Sevana. “I almost hate to ask this, but…ah, how are you doing?”
Knowing what he was really asking, she resisted the urge to start cursing. “I can’t use my magic at all at the moment, I melt things.”
“Oh. Um.” Jacen gave her a game smile. “We’ll really work on figuring you out after this, I promise.”
Jacen knew. This reaction soothed her as others hadn’t because Jacen knew what it was like to have your own body betray you and not function as it should. It was not pity from him, but empathy, and a promise from one friend to another to help as much as possible. She inclined her head in silent agreement. “Let’s focus here first.”
“Right. Sarsen you said is coming?”
“He’s going to probably arrive in the morning,” Sevana confirmed. “He was a little farther out than you.”
“Anyone else?”
“On that, we’re not sure,” Master responded, “as people were promising to help as much as they could, but some were being diverted to the mainland problems. But we’re not to worry about the sea. The Unda have promised to take care of it.”
Jacen’s eyes nearly fell out of his head. “I’m sorry, I can’t be hearing you right. The fearsome, ruthless Unda, known for their dark natures, are quietly taking care of their own territory and not making any demands or using the situation to their advantage? Did I understand that right?”
Master chuckled and shrugged. “Correct.”
“How did you negotiate that?” Jacen demanded incredulously.
Sevana raised a hand. “Me. Well, partly me. Aran did the initial contacting.”
“Ah, Arandur,” Jacen said in complete understanding. “I should have figured. That man can charm the devil into giving up his luck.”
Sevana glared at him but couldn’t deny it. “Let’s just get to work. Jacen, grab something and follow me, I’ll show you where to set up.”
Jacen obediently grabbed a few wands, a tarp, and shouldered one of his tents. Sevana grabbed the other two tents and struck off, not really concerned if he were keeping up or not. He was, and fell into step with her, eyeing her sideways. “You want to tell me why your mood is so sour?”
“I had a goddess throw a tantrum and cause a volcano to go off, a shield that failed to completely work and threw some lava into an ocean, and the Queen of the Unda come after my blood all within the space of two days. On top of that I can’t use my magic and am stuck with manual labor. You want to explain to me why I should be in a good mood?”
After contemplating this for a full second, Jacen ventured, “I don’t think I should comment. It will likely get me killed.”
“You’re a good friend, Jacen. I promise to only maim you a little.”
“Definitely not commenting,” he decided with a vigorous nod. “What about the wildlife here?”
Sevana generously decided to let him shift topics. Coward he might be, but he’d live to see another day. “Due to Chi-Lin’s efforts, about half of them were saved. Some of the animals dove into the sea, the ones that could swim, at least, and the Unda saved them. We still lost a good portion of them, unfortunately.”
Jacen rubbed at a temple. “Sad, but understandable. I’m impressed you were able to save any. The isle is intact, though?”
“More than that, the lava was controlled enough to add onto the north-east tip of it.”
“Well, that’s a bonus at least.”
“I should warn you that we’re having strange things happen with magic up here. It’s not just me, Master has noticed it as well. Sometimes when we’re invoking a spell, the magic splutters or hiccups. Sometimes peters out completely before it activates. It’s very strange. The magical fabric in this area is not reliable or consistent. So be aware of that.”
Jacen stared at her as if she had just announced that the sun was not actually in orbit, it was all a hoax. “Are you serious right now?”
“You’ll see for yourself shortly,” she sighed. “Just keep it in mind. Sometimes you have to try a spell twice before it will work right.”
“You’re actually serious,” he said in disbelief. “This job of yours is getting wonkier by the moment.”
Sevana had no argument on that. She stopped on the only ‘open’ spot just off the docks, before they got into the crooked and narrow streets of the village. It was usually the market day area, wide enough for multiple stalls to be set up, but right now it was used as a gathering place. It was one of the few areas mostly cleared of ash, although there was still a buildup in the alleyways. “Here. Pick a spot, just leave this building and the one beside it open to traffic.”
“Sure. Should I set up all three?”
Sevana didn’t even have to think about that. “Yes. One for food, the other two for treatments. We’re getting more injuries than I care to count.”
Jacen didn’t seem a bit surprised by this. “It’s common in disaster zones like this. I take it the ash is responsible for most of the injuries? I thought so. Alright, I’ll set that up first, so people have a place to go.” Looking about, he seemed to verify something before stepping in a little closer and lowering his voice. “If my memory serves me right, there’s quite a few saints, gods, and goddesses in this pantheon. I’m not seeing any of them, though.”
“Some of them are here, have been since the beginning,” Sevana denied. “I’ve been told that others have been notified and they’re on their way. If you do see any of them, don’t be shy in putting them to work.”
“Really? I’ll do that, then.”
Satisfied that he was up to date enough on the situation, Sevana gave him an analyst’s salute and went back to clearing ash. The sooner that was done, the sooner she could hunt down a certain goddess.
It might have been mind-numbingly boring, but the work did make time go faster. Sevana felt like she’d barely been at it any time at all when the light failed her and it was time to stop and eat dinner. She retraced her steps down the main street and to the tents Jacen had set up. For the first time in two days, she was able to enter a space that was completely clear of ash and sit down to a meal that wasn’t contaminated.
A slight smile on her face, she took a corner seat and looked around. There were new faces here, magicians that had likely arrived while she was occupied, and at least two gods that she didn’t recognize. It would explain why all of the streets and buildings were now clear of ash. With that much magical and divine help, of course the work would go a lot faster. Sevana might be freed from her obligations here sooner than she anticipated.
Master came in, pausing in the doorway to take a good look around the tent. It was magically enhanced so that it expanded whenever another person entered, but even so it looked crowded in here with half the village sitting down to dinner. Clearing his throat, he pitched his voice so that everyone could hear him.
“Attention for a moment, please! Thank you. First, I’d like to welcome and thank every magician and god that has come so speedily to the rescue. Truly, we’d be in dire straits without your very capable assistance. I’m happy to report that with the additional help of magicians and gods alike, we have officially cleared every building and street in
the village of ash and it is safe to walk through this area again.”
There was a loud cheer at this that brought a tired smile to Sevana’s face.
Master outright beamed at them. “Wonderful, isn’t it? I ask that our helpers not go away just yet, however, as we have the rest of the isle to clear. Our next goal is the fields so that we can replant them. I’ll divide you up in a moment and make sure everyone knows where they need to go and what they should be doing. I know we had two gods arrive this morning—do either of you have domain over plants or something of that ilk?”
Both of them shook their head.
“I apologize for my uselessness,” the goddess apologized with a contrite smile. Her plain robes were streaked with ash, as was her pale skin, dark hair in a sensible knot on top of her head. If not for the divine power that she shone with, one would have thought her a village matron from the sensible way she dressed. “I am Guan-Yin, Artifactor. I am the goddess of compassion and caring.”
Which would be why she was one of the first to respond. Sevana made a mental check in her head. Of course this goddess was perfect for this situation; she was basically victim support.
“Not at all, Guan-Yin,” Master assured her. “I don’t believe we’ve met, I’m Tashjian Joles. I’m very glad to meet you.”
“Likewise, Artifactor Joles,” she responded with a voice like smooth honey.
“I’m afraid I lost track of things partway through the day. Where were you spending most of your time?”
“The medical tents next to this one.”
“That’s perfect,” Master assured her. “Stay there as we’re terribly shorthanded in that department.”
They truly were. Sevana had seen that for herself the few times she had helped someone hobble along to the tents for treatment.
Guan-Yin gave him a nod of consent, the movement entirely graceful.
The Canard Case (The Artifactor Series Book 4) Page 16