by Eden Redd
Thoughts turned to Sylk and the mage let out a yearning sigh. He missed the siren terribly. This had been the longest they have been apart and he was feeling it. Silently he sent well wishes to her and asked to whoever was listening, a speedy return. The spot on his arm where she would be itched occasionally, Trystan hoped it was just her reaching out and letting him know she was okay.
“Trystan,” Kutter called out.
The mage turned and walked over to the stairs leading to the command deck. Kutter lazily turned the wheel as the ship floated on. When Trystan reached the ex-magistrate, he stood straighter despite the soreness in his muscles.
“Yes Kutter?”
“We should be at this secret location of yours by tomorrow morning. I suggest you get some rest tonight before we scout it out,” Kutter said while never taking his eyes off the horizon.
“You are coming with us? I thought you were just getting us here. I don’t want to chance….”
“If you think I’m going to let all of you go out and get killed then you have another thing coming. Jenny and I will be protecting all of you from this Damon Wick. I have heard of him and if the rumors are true then he is powerful and intelligent. Jenny and I have more than enough power to take him on and send him packing,” Kutter sneered.
“I’m sorry Kutter. I can be a bit over protective sometimes. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
Kutter glanced at the mage and his expression softened, “Trystan, you and your friends are very brave. I commend you for trying but the only way we will get through this is if we work together. You are not alone on this quest. Jenny told me the details about what Damon has done to you. Do not carry this burden on your shoulders.”
Trystan smiled, “Thank you Kutter. I have a feeling we will come out of this okay.”
Kutter let the edge of his mouth barely smirk, “We will. Now go watch the sunset and get some rest. Tomorrow will be a long day.”
The mage nodded and moved to the stairs. On the main deck, he moved to the railing and stared at the horizon. The sun was halfway down and the sky glowed like dim embers. Night was approaching with her ever-flowing shroud. A few stars blinked in the darkening sky and a gentle calm covered the ocean.
Trystan gazed out, watching the sun sink lower and lower. Seeing the islands pass made him want to explore each one. He thought how exciting would it be to have an expedition to the Broken Islands and come back with ancient artifacts. The young man daydreamed as the final rays of the sun disappeared behind the horizon. A burst of light lit up the sky before fading into the darken background. A nearly full moon rose up, slowly taking her place in the heavens.
The mage let his eyes wander to the water and his thoughts turned to Sylk again. Shoulder’s relaxing, the young man stood up and the water rippled below him. The mage’s eyes adjusted to the evening light when another tiny ripple made him peer over the side. Eyes widening, spells immediately came to mind. Black slick bodies silently moved up the side of the ship by the dozens. Slitted eyes glared upward at the mage, swords and spears tied to their backs. Reptilian snouts turned to the surprised mage but didn’t slow their climbing crawl.
“We are under attack!” Trystan managed as one of the lizard men leaped into the air.
The world moved in slow motion as the reptilian humanoid was airborne, drawing its sword over its shoulder and murderous intent in its eyes. The mage made a hand signal. The water on the creature’s skin pushed away from the mage, sending the lizard man sailing into the air and splashing into the water a hundred feet away. Trystan backed up from the railing as dozens of slick bodies crawled over the railing a second later. The mage lost count as he prepared another spell.
Reeko backed up as he too saw more scaled bodies rise over the railing. Mist flowed off his body and Wendy appeared with a big club in her hands. The ogre wasted no time as she bashed outward. Thin muscular bodies dove out of the way except for one. He went flying as the club struck him in the chest. Wendy growled a battle cry as she swung repeatedly. Lizard men made it onto the deck and moved with blinding agility. Bodies flipped or dodged the ogre as she swung her club back and forth. A lone lizard man rushed passed the big familiar with a spear pointed at Reeko. The goblin whispered a word. The metal spear point shattered into several pieces. Those metal pieces zipped through the air and right back at the attacking lizard man. The attacker lifted up and twirled his spear now turned staff. Sharp metal imbedded into the wood with amazing skill.
Trystan turned to see Wendy and Reeko keeping some of the lizard folk away. Above them, white light blazed. The mage could barely make out Kutter’s form as he was airborne, white mana shaping into ancient handguns from Lurth’s distant past. Weapons drawn, the attackers surged forward. Kutter spun midair, white guns firing mana bolts in all directions. Trystan turned to a group of lizard men, feet from him. White bolts struck each one dead on, sending them off the ship or dropping to the wet deck. Horror gripped the mage as he thought they were all dead. A second later, he saw a chest heave from a fallen lizard man, taking in a breath.
All lizard folk on deck were immediately struck down. Kutter landed on his booted feet, turning and taking aim at anything that moved. Claws took hold of the railing and two dozen lizard bodies climbed over. Trystan moved back until he was at Kutter’s right. Reeko and Wendy moved back until they were at Kutter’s left. The group stared out, as the enemy unsheathed their weapons.
“There is no way they could have found us unless someone is directing them,” Kutter said calmly.
“How do we stop them?” Reeko said through clenched teeth.
“They are superstitious creatures. A display of power will send them back to the water unless they are controlled. Either way, I will handle it. Get below deck and bar that door. Don’t open it unless I give the all clear,” Kutter said as the lizard men took a menacing step closer.
“Are you going to kill them?” Trystan asked with an edge of fear.
“We are not here to create a bloodbath. Get below deck, now!” Kutter commanded.
Scaly tails whipped behind the invading force as they closed in. Kutter cleared his mind and stilled his heart. Mana surged and the ex-magistrate’s guns glowed brightly. The lizard men hissed and gripped their weapons tighter. The leather-clad ex-magistrate’s eyes focused and the world burst into blinding flashes of light.
Trystan could barely keep his eyes on Kutter as he moved like a force of nature. White guns shoved into scaled chests, bursting with light. Lizard men were thrown in the air from each explosion of light. The invaders could barely keep up as a blur of motion zipped through their ranks. The attack was devastating, sending bodies in the air almost simultaneously. Mist flowed from the blur. Tyler the gargoyle took to the air, grabbing two lizard men and tossing them over the side. Turning sideways in midflight, clawed hands reached out and grabbed a few more attackers, sending them over the side.
Trystan, Reeko and Wendy backed up as Kutter appeared frozen for a sliver of a moment, blasting a lizard man and blurring to the next one. In five seconds, the invading force was landing to the deck unconscious or careening over the side. Trystan felt a stab of relief until more clawed scaly hands gripped the side and lizard bodies pulled themselves up.
The three reached the door when it burst open. Nia, Sunara and Aznara spilled out into the group, eyes wide as lizard men climbed up the side. An explosion rocked the ship, causing everyone to slid and stumble to one of the side railings. Kutter turned and kept up his relentless assault. A column of smoke rose from the rear into the night sky.
Jenny closed her eyes and opened them again, color returning. The librarian stood up and stumbled as the ship moved underfoot. Several lizard folk were already on the command deck and rushed the blonde-haired woman. Jenny spoke a word. All the air in the attacker’s lungs vacated. Choking and gasping, they fell to the wooden deck and passed out. Jenny released the spell and all the fallen attackers took an involuntary inhale. The busty librarian looked over the side and spr
ead her senses. Scenes played out before her eyes. The explosion in the back opened part of the ship and they were taking on water. Lizard men were entering through the broken hull and ripping open doors. Her friends were all on deck, surrounded on all sides. Kutter moved like a maelstrom, taking down the enemy almost as fast as they tried to board. The librarian was about to act when dark mana surged in their direction.
“Trystan!” Jenny shouted over the side.
Shadows opened up and arms reached out. Sunara raised an arm as fingers closed down on her. She let out a grunt before being dragged into the darkness and disappearing. Trystan looked for a target, spells at the ready. Another shadow rose from the deck, hands reaching for Nia. The young man made a hand signal, water bolting from around them and striking the outstretched arms hard. The shadow screamed in pain. Nia called up a fireball when another shadow rose up from behind her. Black tentacles wrapped around her, causing the fireball spell to fizzle. Nia screamed as her body was pulled into the darkness. Reeko took hold of her ankle before she disappeared completely. He held fast as Wendy took hold of him. Muscles bulged as the ogre pulled her master and Nia from the inky darkness. A tentacle shot out, striking the goblin’s hand like a whip. Reeko grunted as his wrist broke and released his hold on Nia. The fire mage was sucked in and the shadows melted back to its former spot against the hull.
Jenny leaped over the side and landed on the deck. A shadow rose up next to Trystan and the mage slashed his hand upward with hand signals. Water turned to ice in an instant and stabbed deep into the shadow. It continued to move, unaffected by the mage’s attack. Jenny stepped toward it, hand raised and lighting streaking forth. Blue lightning struck it and dispersed the inky black shadow. Three more shadows rose up, tentacles and hands reaching out. Trystan called up spouts of water from the ocean behind him and commanded them like a symphony, lashing out in all directions. Water surged into a shadow, knocking hands and tentacles away. Another surge blasted a shadow like a canon, forcing the shadow to bend like a tree in the wind before dispersing into nothingness. Jenny continued to step toward Trystan, eyes focused on the last shadow and lightning pouring from her delicate hand. The energy rippled as electricity caused the shadow to scream before melting away.
Chaos reigned as the ship rocked back and forth. Aznara poured fire from her hands, chasing lizard men off deck and back into the water. A shadow opened up behind her and tentacles lashed out. The succubus growled as they whipped around her arms and legs, pulling her toward the darkness. The demoness sent fire blazing at one tentacle, melting it from existence but the other tentacles pulled harder. Clawed fingers gripped the sides of the open shadow, muscles straining.
“You fuckers aren’t taking me!” Aznara shouted with jagged menace.
Several more tentacles wrapped around the succubus’s waist, arms and legs. The demoness mage tried to call up another spell but the strain was too much. A leg slipped off the edge and then another. Her upper body was holding on, growling and straining. Tentacles wrapped around her head and mouth. The succubus bit down as they pulled.
Trystan caught sight of Aznara struggling to stay out of a raised shadow. He called up a water bolt spell when something moved underneath him. The spell fizzled as hands and tentacles wrapped and gripped his legs. Jenny was nearly too him as his body sank into the darkness. Hands out, Trystan and Jenny clamped onto each other. Aznara angrily screeched as more tentacles wrapped around her and pulled her into the black shadow.
“I….have…you……don’t…let…go…” Jenny managed as she held onto Trystan.
The young mage looked to her with wide eyes, shadows and hands pulling him into the darkness, “Jenny….find us!” Trystan said with wild fear in his eyes.
“Don’t let go!” The librarian half shouted, half pleaded.
Trystan knew this was Damon’s plan all along. He wanted him to come here and bear witness. This was a losing battle and the mage knew in order to win, he himself had to be defeated. Jenny could see the look in the young man’s eyes as he resigned himself to his decision. Before she could say anything, Trystan let go, fear turning into acceptance.
“NO!” Jenny screamed.
Darkness closed in all around the mage. The final image he saw was Jenny screaming for him before the abyss closed in and blanked out the world.
Fifteen
The dark world was still and silent as a tomb. Trystan floated with patient indifference. Half-awake and half asleep, he kept his mind rehearsing his spells as his muscles rested. He knew he was asleep but could not bring himself to wake up. The warm darkness spread on, a void with the only point of reference was his mind and sanity.
Ripples pulsed along nerve endings. A buzzing filled the blackness far off in the distance. The mage continued to rehearse his spells. Time was running out and the mage had to prepare up until the last moment. The buzzing grew louder and louder until the abyss vibrated from it’s terrible droning. Gritting his teeth, he closed his eyes to block it out. The buzzing turned deafening and the mage opened his mouth to shout at the endless barrage of sonic vibrations.
Eyes blinked open and a mosquito buzzed away. A hazy world glowed and shifted before his weak eyes. The mage willed himself to focus. Wavy lines stood straighter and the lights dimmed into a recognizable form. Trystan felt his arms were over his head as he blinked away the mental cobwebs. Metal clinked as he moved slightly, wrists straining against chains. Sitting, he looked around and took in his surroundings.
Small burning braziers illuminated the stonework. The sky was dark and the horizon held a dim glow as if the sun had just set. Turning his head, he could see figures standing on the other side of the stone floor; tall trees and ocean beyond them surrounded the area. The figures across from him were in hooded black robes, heads nodding and gentle conversation on the wind. Calmly, the mage looked to his right and to his left. Two pillars to his left held Nia and Sunara while the one to his right held Aznara. All of them chained to pillars. Heads forward as if they were still unconscious.
Trystan tugged at the chains again while turning his eyes to the hooded figures. They didn’t seem to noticed he was awake for none looked his way. The hard metal held fast and gave no inch to his feeble tugging. The mage prepared to summon Kira so she could melt the chains when a robed figure appeared on the opposite from him. The other cloaked figures stopped talking and moved to the side as the gray robed figure walked forward. Behind him in the night sky, the full moon began to rise.
A tremble of panic ran up the mage’s spine. Had they missed an entire day? Where was Jenny and Kutter? Are they too late? Trystan tried to calm his rapidly beating heart and focus. The flaming braziers glowed brighter. The gray robed figure walked to the middle of the stone floor and pulled back his hood. Damon Wick centered his eyes on Trystan’s and smiled.
“Trystan, so glad you are awake to bear witness. I was concerned you might sleep through the ceremony.”
Trystan sat back against his pillar, “The chains seem a bit much.”
Damon nodded, “I agree but they are temporary. I want you to see what is going to happen first before I let you go.”
“You are pretty confident that this event cannot be stopped. I don’t see how keeping me and my friends chained will change the outcome.”
Damon spread out his hands and bowed, “Trystan, you continue to impress me, trying to bait me by playing to my ego. Bravo on the attempt but I must listen to my council on this very matter. They have given me great cause to keep you in binds for the moment. If it were up to me, you would be by my side through the entirety of the ritual.”
Trystan smirked, “The great Damon Wick must bow to a higher authority?”
Damon smiled back, “He must. We must keep order in these trying times.”
“How about I make you an offer? I will stand by your side if you let my friends go. They don’t need to be here. You wanted me to bear witness so I will do as you wanted but only if they go free.”
Damon let his hands
drop to his sides and stared at the chained mage for a long moment, “Admirable but your friends have nothing to fear. They will not be harmed. You on the other hand may wish to save your strength. My council has seen fit to punish you and they have ignored my advice to the contrary.”
A smaller black robed figure stepped forward and pulled back their hood. Trystan remained silent as Freya stared back with an evil smile.
“Hello lover,” The shadow mage said simply.
“There will be plenty of time for you two to catch up in the near future. First we must perform the ritual and carry out our divine duty,” Damon said as he turned and walked back to the group of hooded shadow mages.
Freya stayed where she was. Trystan looked down to her feet and could see intricate symbols carved in the very stone floor. A circle surrounded her with three human-like grooves equal distance from each other carved into the stone. From his vantage point, the mage guessed they were atop a pyramid. The Broken Islands contained many in hidden places.
“Devva, Paula, bring them out,” Freya said as she opened her robe to reveal her nude body in the firelight.
Two shadow mages pulled back their hoods. One was a dark-skinned woman with long dreadlock hair. The other was an albino with pure white skin and hair. The albino’s eyes were red and practically glowed in the fire light. Several other shadow mages moved aside and three lizard men stepped forward. Devva and Paula led the three lizard folk from the group of shadow mages to the circle with Freya in the middle. Devva was first to shed her robe, dark firm body lit by firelight. Paula was next to shed her robe, white skin glowing in the night.
Nia moaned and Trystan turned to see her eyes fluttering open. Soon Sunara and Aznara began to stir. The mage calculated how much mana he needed to crack the stone or damage the circle. A lizard man moved to Freya as one moved to Devva and another to Paula. The three women touched the lizard men and spoke a command. The lizard men bowed their heads and removed what little clothing they had. They stood again, naked and their members erect. A moment later, they lay down over the humanoid grooves in the floor and relaxed into place.