by Jeremy Dwyer
Counselor Daciana was relieved before Garland even finished speaking, because she knew what the woman was going to say. It was bold on the part of such a reserved and timid woman who only recently was afraid for her life and virtue. Now, she was strategizing against a global tyrant, which was an unexpected turn of events. However, Daciana did have a possible explanation for this: when a person becomes too afraid, they can possibly become certain of their own demise, and then the fear turns into boldness to face the danger to have a chance at survival.
“That is quite a claim, and few would believe it. Even this king is searching for a water that already gives all powers, not a way to combine them all, which has eluded people for ages,” Matoskah said.
“If the king believes that there is a unified water, he will seek its location. But if he believes that we have the knowledge of how to make it from the other waters, then he will seek us. We should lead him to an isolated location, where his influence is little or nothing, so that he cannot give commands to the people he has enslaved. The value of all that he has done will be diminished, or eliminated, making him vulnerable,” Garland said.
“Some of what you said makes sense. Do you have a way to convince the king of this?” Matoskah asked.
“Illusions will work, as will darkness. Several different powers can be manifest by different persons, each hiding under the cloak of darkness. A vial of Dead Waters, ordinarily of little value except for hydration, would be enough. It could be passed around to many, to appear to be a water that gives all powers, and yet be safe,” Garland said.
Another woman – Kassia – spoke up and said: “My name is Kassia. We can do even better. Once we convince this king that we have any water that is close to what he is looking for, he will move in. We lead him as far away as we can with this ruse and then use an illusion to impersonate him. The impostor will direct everyone to stand down from their search, and from using their telepathic and other powers, which perpetuate the spell that they’re under.”
“I volunteer for that,” another man said. He stepped forward in the crowd, drank anew of the waters of the Lujladia Ocean from his vial and was energized. He bent the light around himself and changed his appearance to be that of King Xander while everyone watched.
“You are?” Matoskah asked.
“Derek, formerly of the Civilian Perimeter Guard of Ihalik,” said the man who now looked like King Xander.
“You appear to be the king, yet those who are loyal to him may see through this by reading your thoughts,” Matoskah said.
“I can help to make them believe. My name is Daciana, and I drink the Elanatin waters,” Counselor Daciana said as she stepped forward.
“I can conceal you under a cloak of darkness,” Daley said as he stepped forward. He drank anew of the waters of the Ikkith Tar Ocean from his vial and was energized. He then created an area of darkness around himself and around Counselor Daciana to prove his point. She knew this was coming, having read the thoughts of those around her.
“His name is Daley, in case you’re wondering,” Kassia said.
“This ruse may yet work. Some of you will come with me, and we will spread the message of the combined waters, as has been suggested. When the king follows, we will go far to the east, out into the Trerada Ocean, and find an island where the king will be away from his people, so that he cannot command them. The apparent king can then order the people to stand down from their search. We should go at once, and take for ourselves one (1) of the ships we find,” Matoskah said.
The group followed Matoskah and made their way down the mountains and to the northern coast of Ihalik after seven (7) days of travel on foot and on riverboat.
Once there, they took hold of an unoccupied and dilapidated ship named the Crystal Visage.
Matoskah said: “Derek, Daciana, Kassia and Daley should take this ship, along with a minimal crew, and travel into the heart of the continent. There, they will stage the arrival of the king apparent, so that the enslaved people are led away from the actual king. Garland and I, along with the rest of our numbers, will spread the rumors of the discovery of the greater water.”
~~~
Derek, Counselor Daciana, Daley and Kassia, along with twenty-one (21) other people having various skills, boarded the Crystal Visage and converted it to an airship. They traveled over the land into the center of Ihalik where there was a large crowd of people, hard at work digging into the ground, searching for the unified waters, according to the command of King Xander.
Once there, Derek drank anew of the waters of the Lujladia Ocean from his vial and was energized. He bent the light around himself to present the appearance of King Xander as convincingly as possible.
Daley drank anew of the waters of the Ikkith Tar Ocean from his vial and was energized with the powers of darkness. He provided the cover of darkness for Counselor Daciana and for himself.
Daciana drank anew of the waters of the Elanatin Ocean from her own vial and was energized. She projected the telepathic suggestion that the people in the crowd should believe in the apparent King Xander.
Derek spoke out to the people in the crowd, saying: “I, King Xander, command this: you are to take rest now, so that you may better serve me at a later time. Rest, and seek nothing, and nothing shall you find but rest.”
~~~
With Matoskah’s lead, according to Garland’s suggestion, rumors were spread through the crowds of people about a greater water that had been found in the north. Those among Matoskah’s followers who drank Lujladia and other waters used these to create the illusions and other impression of powers, while passing around a vial that held only the Dead Waters. They spoke of having many powers joined together, unified in a new way, with secret knowledge. The word of this made its way through large parts of Ihalik after ten (10) days.
~~~
As she walked through the crowds near the palace grounds and beyond, Aura spoke in her sing-song voice. She continued to whisper and speak against the king and his mission, telling the people to stand down in their quest for the unified waters. She frequently drank anew of the waters of the Pirovalen Ocean from her vial to become energized once again, so that her voice continued to have its musical qualities and enchant the people according to her own designs.
Those same waters that gave Aura the power to control sound also made her more sensitive to hearing it, and she heard the whispers from afar – many miles away – that some few people had discovered a method to combine several waters into a single potion of water, to create something like the unified waters, and that it was safe to drink. Aura became afraid, and began to speak out against this, telling the people that they must spill this water, for it is a lie and that the waters are dangerous. Her words were spread from person to person, and carried over parts of Ihalik, and there were disagreements.
~~~
The Persistent sailed south across the Kazofen Ocean and was briefly converted to an airship to travel over the Glivoran Trail land bridge. On its southern coast, the Persistent returned to sea level in the Trerada Ocean and traveled toward eastern Ihalik.
General Joshua and his crew thus arrived off the coast of eastern Ihalik after a voyage of only two (2) days. He carried with him the Spirit Sword, along with an ordinary sword and several daggers. He drank anew of the waters of the Nabavodel Ocean from his vial and was energized with strength and speed.
The crew of the Persistent consisted of forty (40) drinkers of the waters of the Zovvin Ocean and twenty (20) drinkers of the waters of the Pirovalen Ocean. Each drank anew from their respective vials to energize themselves. The swarms of malevolent spirits sometimes came near them, but only a few came close, and most of these were easily dispelled by the powers to control spirit belonging to the Zovvin water drinkers. The musical chants by the Pirovalen water drinkers were effective at sending the rest of the malevolent spirits away, so that the spirits did not get near enough to any of the crew to assault them.
“There are more spirits nearby,
General, and they have adversarial intent. Yet, they appear to be headed to the north, and are not seeking to strike at us, but someone else,” one (1) of the crew members said.
“It is someone against whom many spirits appear to have a vendetta, General. I can sense their anger and it is toward a man by the name of Sebastian,” another of the crew members said.
“That is a concern for later. From where the spirits are coming, is that where the king is to be found?” General Joshua asked.
“From the west, a short distance away, but inland,” another of the crew members said.
“Move in,” General Joshua said.
“Yes, General,” several of the crew members said.
The Persistent was converted once again to an airship, turning its sails to its sides and rising up above the land. The ship sailed to the west over Ihalik, toward the place from where many spirits were coming, according to the guidance by his crew. The members of the crew who drank of the Zovvin waters did so again to energize themselves further and continue to be sensitive to the movements of the spirits. However, those who drank of the Pirovalen waters did not have the power to sense spirits, despite having the power to dispel them with musical chants.
~~~
Lady Onora and Desmond met with Captain Linette and her co-navigator Melony of the fishing trawler Frigid Cornucopia while they were standing on the docks of Emeth, busy unloading some of the fish-filled nets to market vendors.
“Didn’t think we’d see you again. You prepared to pay this time?” Linette said, recognizing Desmond.
“Now we can hear the stars again, so we don’t need your light bender for navigation,” Melony said.
“But he could still help us spot the fish, so that’s worth something…a little bit, anyway,” Linette said.
“We lost Celio, unfortunately. But we need navigators,” Desmond said.
“Where are you going?” Captain Linette asked.
“Ihalik, in the northwestern region,” Desmond said.
“This is no airship. I sail the Trerada waters, so I can’t take you that far,” Linette said.
“And they’re still under the king, so we’re not going anywhere close,” Melony said.
“How far can you take us? It’s important that we do as much as we can,” Lady Onora asked.
“Where exactly do you need to go?” Linette asked.
“Maybe you could help us, and take a look at some star charts, to look back to find this arrangement,” Desmond said, holding out the page of his book.
“This is going to cost you extra,” Melony said, also looking at the page of the book.
“How much?” Lady Onora asked. She held several coins in a pocket in her coat, and was prepared to pay generously. Being one of the foremost music instructors in Emeth, as well as a traveling instructor, she was not neither rich nor poor, but financially comfortable. The money was not used to live an opulent lifestyle, but to better serve the will of the One True God by spending the coins as needed. She had no husband or children or expensive tastes, and her largest expense was for extra purification of the Pirovalen Ocean waters that she drank.
“Reading star charts, two (2) platinum coins,” Melony said.
Lady Onora handed Melony the first of these and said: “I’ll pay you one (1) platinum coin now, the other after the reading.”
“You’re going to make me work for it, aren’t you? Well, here we go,” Melony said. She drank anew of the waters of the Atrejan Ocean from her vial and was energized. She then heard the sounds of stars and listened to where they had been, especially the yellow suns, and sought the time and place where their configuration matched the solar arrangement in the charts she had been shown. She searched and searched for several minutes, searching further back in time than she ever had, and came to a strange conclusion.
“Come on with me, and bring the other coin. This is going to be interesting,” Melony said. She led the way up the boarding ramp of the Frigid Cornucopia and Lady Onora and Desmond followed. Linette continued unloading the fish from the nets and selling them to vendors.
On board the Frigid Cornucopia, Melony took Lady Onora and Desmond to a room of maps and charts.
“What did you mean by ‘interesting’?” Desmond asked.
“These yellow stars took on this configuration more than once, over different areas of the land and the oceans at different times. You’re going to need to narrow it down a bit,” Melony said.
“How many different areas and times?” Lady Onora asked.
“Is one (1) of those areas northwestern Ihalik?” Desmond asked.
“Not as far as I can tell. The closest is eastern Ihalik. Adjustments have to be made for star positions that I hear and the positions you see. This chart might have been made without the adjustment, although someone really screwed up for the error to be that big to go from northwest to east,” Melony said.
“What other locations?” Desmond asked.
“You want a lot, don’t you?” Melony asked, holding out her open hand.
Lady Onora handed over the other platinum coin and placed it into Melony’s hand.
“There are three (3) other locations: southern Nataloridivu, western Volaraden and central Waderav,” Melony said.
“How long ago was the configuration over eastern Ihalik?” Lady Onora asked.
“About as far back as I can go. That’s why it took so long,” Melony said.
“That’s it. Let’s go,” Onora said.
“The trip’s going to cost you. That was just the fee for reading star charts,” Melony said.
“How much?” Lady Onora asked.
“Three (3) platinum coins each,” Melony said.
“When can we leave?” Lady Onora asked.
“Give her an hour to unload the fish nets and sell them off,” Melony said.
“It would be half that if you helped, wouldn’t it?” Desmond asked.
“I never wanted this job. I help when she really needs it,” Melony said.
After an hour, Captain Linette came on board the ship and looked for Melony, finding her in the chart room.
“I finished unloading and selling our catch. Are theses our new crew? Or paying passengers?” Captain Linette asked.
Lady Onora pulled six (6) more platinum coins from her coat pocket and prepared to hand them to Melony, saying: “If you’re ready to leave for eastern Ihalik, we’re paying customers.”
Captain Linette held out her hand and said: “Just two (2) each, and we’re ready.”
Lady Onora turned to face Linette and gave her four (4) platinum coins, taking back the rest.
“Were you going to keep the whole difference for yourself, to pay for all the extra work you do?” Captain Linette asked Melony.
Melony stormed out of the room and headed to the wheelhouse, where she began planning for the trip, charting lines on a map according to what she had heard from the stars.
“She never did like hard work, or getting paid just a fair wage for it. We don’t pick our sisters, though. Come on, I’ll take you to your quarters, unless you want to wait here,” Captain Linette said.
Lady Onora and Desmond followed Captain Linette out of the chart room and into another room where they could rest.
Captain Linette then went to the wheelhouse where she drank anew of the waters of the Atrejan Ocean so that she was energized.
“Eastern Ihalik? Did they tell you why?” Captain Linette asked.
“They said it was important, but nothing specific,” Melony said.
“You don’t even care. Don’t get us in trouble,” Captain Linette said, and she looked at the lines that Melony had charted.
“I know the way. I’ve got this,” Melony said and she began steering the ship southwest across the Trerada Ocean according to the star positions she heard and the chart she had been shown.
“I’ll set up the nets again, so that we can both make a living off my work,” Captain Linette said, and headed out onto deck where her crew helped her
with the casting of the nets around the ship.
CHAPTER 54: Pursuit of the Unification of All Waters
While waiting in his throne room in his palace in northern Ihalik, King Xander grew impatient for news of the unified waters. He had hoped to hear of some progress by now, so he stood up from his throne and descended the steps down to the floor of the throne room.
Gisella followed the king as he left the throne room and headed out through the receiving room and exited the palace.
Outside, they saw that the people who had previously been digging and searching in the ground appeared to be resting.
King Xander approached them, furious, and asked: “How is it that you have disobeyed direct orders from me, your king, to search tirelessly for the unified waters? Yet, I see you resting, not even working at the pace you were before? I should have you killed for your defiance. Yet, I will show you mercy that you may learn and serve me still.”
“Your Majesty, we were told to rest, by the woman named Aura,” one (1) man said, resting and appearing exhausted. Yet, he stood up for the king.
“I assure you, that is not what I instructed her to say,” King Xander said.
“There is word that the waters were found elsewhere, because someone knows how to combine them,” one (1) woman said, who was clearly pregnant and in need of the rest. She could barely stand, but she tried.
“Where were these waters found? Who can combine them?” King Xander asked, suddenly much less interested in what Aura supposedly said.
~~~
Using riverboats to travel through Ihalik, Matoskah, Garland and the other followers continued spreading the rumor of the powers of the combined waters. After twelve (12) days of travel on the meandering rivers, they arrived in northeastern Ihalik, near the palace, where they stepped on to the land at the riverbank. Crowds of people around them were resting. In that crowd was Aura, and she was searching for the source of the story of the combined waters, fearful that the king may learn of them.