The Dragons of Argent and Silver (Tales from the New Earth #6)

by J. J. Thompson

  Like Ana, the elemental looked graceful and feminine, but she was over seven feet tall and her rippling form was powerful. She looked around haughtily.

  “Anaposus! What is the meaning of this?” she thundered.

  Simon realized that the ship had become very quiet suddenly and looked around.

  Barnaby was gaping at the water elemental from where he stood at the very stern of the ship. The crewmen and the captain had stopped loading the cannon and were watching as well. They seemed to be mesmerized by Vepolas' sudden appearance.

  Captain Martelli was the first to regain her focus and she began shouting at her people.

  “Get your asses back in the game!” she roared. “That blasted turtle doesn't care about a wizard's tricks. Load the cannon!”

  They got back to work while Vepolas watched them with some interest.

  “What is happening here, Ana?” she asked in a calmer tone. “Why have I been summoned?”

  “I'm sorry if you are upset, old friend,” Ana replied politely. “But we needed help and you were the first one who came to mind.”

  “Was I? I'm flattered.”

  Vepolas actually did sound pleased and she finally looked directly at Simon. He had a strange feeling that she had been avoiding his eyes for a moment, but he wasn't quite sure why.

  “So, you are the summoner, are you?” she asked in a regal voice.

  Simon bowed slightly.

  “I am, yes. My name is Simon O'Toole and I'm very pleased to meet you.”

  “Hmm, yes, of course you are. So you are a wizard. And what do you want? Your kind always wants something, don't you? Allow me to politely warn you that if you try to bind me to your will, I shall destroy you. Now, continue.”

  She said it so casually that Simon lost his train of thought for a moment as the threat sank in. Ana stepped in immediately.

  “That was not polite, Vepolas. Just the opposite, actually. Do you know who this wizard is? Have you not been watching events on Earth?”

  “Oh, now and then. They are like so many ants, really, these mortals. Scurrying about, building their little nests. Why bother with them?”

  Arrogant bitch, Simon thought with sudden anger. We're wasting our time.

  “Ana, I think this was a mistake. Maybe I'll call on Aquamastis instead. If nothing else, he at least is less difficult to deal with than your friend here.”

  Vepolas scowled and then seemed to absorb what Simon had said.

  “What? Aquamastis? Who are you that you know the great one?”

  Ana seemed to shake with exasperation. Her body rippled and stretched like watery jelly.

  “Are you so far removed from the events in this world that you do not know of this wizard?” she asked sharply. “He is the one that gave Aquamastis his new river domain. Together they destroyed two primal dragons.”

  She waited for Vepolas to process what she had said and continued.

  “I wonder what he would say if he knew how you were treating a friend of his?”

  The large water elemental was staring from Ana to Simon and back again. She suddenly seemed quite nervous.

  “I..I, yes, of course. Now I recognize the name,” she stuttered. “Forgive me, it has been many years since I have interacted with mortals. I...may be lacking in the social graces. Any friend of the mighty Aquamastis is a friend of mine.”

  She actually bowed slightly and Aeris slyly winked at Simon.

  “Thank you, Vepolas. I appreciate that. And in the spirit of our new friendship, I was wondering if you could do me a favor. It's actually why I asked Ana to recommend a reliable friend when I asked for her help.”

  “Oh? She said I was reliable? Well now, that was nice of you, little one.”

  Ana just shrugged irritably.

  “We'll see. I might have made the wrong choice. Perhaps I should have called on Delphus instead.”

  Vepolas' eyes widened and she practically spluttered.

  “Delphus? That fool? She's practically mindless; always bowing and scraping around her betters. Bah! You made the right choice. Sir wizard, tell me what you need. If it is within my power, I will gladly do a favor for a friend of Aquamastis.”

  Simon was working hard not to laugh. Ana had played the pompous elemental like a master fiddler and now she was actually eager to help. But time was at a premium right now and that was anything but funny.

  “Well, here's the problem,” he told her and began walking toward the starboard railing. “This ship is the home of some of my people and right now it is under attack by a sea monster.”

  Vepolas followed him. When she walked, her footsteps sounded like someone slogging through a muddy puddle in rubber boots. She joined the wizard at the railing and looked out at the distant wall of water that marked yet another attack by the stubborn creature.

  “A sea monster, you say? Interesting. What kind is it?”

  “A giant turtle, I'm told. I haven't actually gotten a good look at it. My problem is that I have no spells that work in very well in water. Well, my ice-based spells might work, but the damned turtle is too big. At best, I might just make it angrier.”

  “I see.”

  The elemental looked down at him and raised one watery eyebrow.

  “And you want me to do what? Kill it?”

  Her tone warned Simon that her aid might hinge on his answer and he replied carefully.

  “Not necessarily,” he answered as he watched the massive wave approaching. It was increasing in speed as it came.

  “I just want the attacks to stop. If it can be done without harming the creature, so much the better. I have no idea why the thing is even bothering this ship, but it deserves to live as much as we do.”

  He must had said the right thing, because Vepolas smiled broadly, the first time she had done so. She was quite beautiful when she wasn't scowling.

  “I am pleased that you value life, sir wizard. Killing is easy for some. And for some, it is the first choice, not the last. I have no respect for those who think like that. So, let me take care of this irritation for you. We will speak again afterward. I may have a way to make this vessel less attractive to giant turtles.”

  Without waiting for an answer, Vepolas leaped over the railing and shot into the ocean like a bullet. There was no splash as she hit the water and she seemed to have effortlessly merged with the sea.

  “What is she going to do, master?” Kronk asked anxiously.

  He was standing at the railing and peeking through it at the attacking monster. Ana stood next to him while Aeris floated a few feet above them.

  “I have no clue,” the wizard replied. “She didn't say. Ana? Any ideas?”

  “None, my lord. But for all her mercurial temper, Vepolas is a very powerful creature. Vain and proud but quite strong. If she says that she can deal with that monster, I would tend to believe her.”

  “Well, let's hope she does it soon,” Aeris said nervously. “That turtle is about ten seconds away from sending this ship to a watery grave.”

  Chapter 12

  Simon hurried over to tell the captain what was happening. She and her crew shot the magical cannon just as he reached her and there was a collective groan from all of them.

  “We missed? How the hell could we miss?” she shouted and banged her fist against the side of the weapon.

  “Captain? Captain!” Simon said loudly to get her attention.

  “What?”

  She whirled around to glare at him and then seemed to realize who she was snapping at.

  “Oh, wizard. Sorry. I'm a bit frazzled right now. What is it?”

  Before Simon could answer, the mage, Phoenix, pointed out to sea, staring incredulously.

  “The monster is turning away,” she yelled excitedly. “It's turning!”

  Everyone rushed to the railing to look for the attacking turtle. The mage was correct. And now that the creature wasn't attacking them head-on, Simon could finally get a good look at it.

  The pointed head with its hu
ge, flat eyes towered a dozen feet above the surface of the ocean. It reminded the wizard of a submarine's periscope, but was so much bigger. He could only imagine the size of the submerged body.

  The turtle executed a gentle, wide curve that took it away from the ship and off to the north. A few minutes later, the head sank beneath the waves and was gone.

  On deck, a stunned silence followed the retreat of the monster. People waited to see if it was a trick but the creature did not return.

  Finally the crew seemed to realize that they were safe and there were relieved cheers and hugs. The captain congratulated her people and turned back to Simon.

  “Sorry about that. Now, where were we? Ah yes. Did I see you with a rather large elemental earlier?”

  “You did.”

  The two of them walked away from the din of the celebrating crewmen so that they could hear each other. They were followed by the three elementals. Aeris was actually walking for a change, chatting quietly with Ana and Kronk.

  “That water elemental was responsible for diverting the turtle,” Simon told Deborah. “Although how she did it is a mystery to me.”

  “She? Interesting.”

  The captain looked at Kronk and the others chatting away and lowered her voice.

  “I didn't realize that such creatures had sexes. So that big one is female. I wonder what she did to lure the turtle away. And will it come back? It would have set my mind at ease if it had been killed, to tell you the truth.”

  “And what purpose would that have served?” a watery voice asked.

  Simon and the captain turned around and saw Vepolas flow up and over the edge of the deck. She coalesced into her humanoid form that towered over the rest of them and looked down her watery nose at Deborah.

  “Why are you humans so bloodthirsty? Is it not enough that the danger is passed? Do you need blood on the water to feel victorious?”

  The captain flushed but didn't shrink away from the large elemental.

  “Of course not. But we have seen these monsters before. They are tenacious and stubbornly return to attack again and again.”

  The two of them glared at each other for a moment and then Vepolas slowly nodded, her expression becoming thoughtful.

  “I see. It is true that that species is thick-headed. At least they were, thousands of years ago. And now that they have returned, I have no doubt that they are again.”

  She looked closely at Deborah and seemed to approve of the captain's defiant stance. She smiled down at her.

  “I am Vepolas. And you?”

  “Deborah. Deborah Martelli.”

  The captain relaxed as well and actually bowed with a natural grace.

  “Pleased to meet you.”

  “As am I,” Vepolas replied. “There is no need to be concerned about that creature. It is gone. I used an old trick to confuse its senses. It is now chasing a phantom ship and will do so for several days. By the time the enchantment wears off, it will be a thousand miles away and will have forgotten about this vessel. And if you wish to be less attractive to those monsters in the future, you might want to change the appearance of this ship.”

  The captain frowned and looked around the deck. Several levels of the ship rose above them to what Simon assumed was the bridge and, except for patches of rust and discolored paint, the Defiant gleamed in the bright sunlight.

  “Change her appearance? What do you mean?”

  “Walk with me, Deborah,” Vepolas said in a friendly tone, surprising Simon. “We shall discuss it.”

  The two of them wandered off toward the bow of the ship, speaking almost intimately, and the wizard looked down at the others.

  “Um, what just happened?” he asked, bewildered.

  “She likes the human captain,” Ana told him matter-of-factly. “I think it is the recognition of another strong female, like to like. It bodes well for this ship. Vepolas may have some ideas on how to keep it safer against sea monsters.”

  “Huh. Well, that's good. Thank you, Ana, by the way, for suggesting I summon her. She may be a bit difficult, but she did save the Defiant.”

  “My pleasure, sir wizard. May I stay for a while? It is good to get out of the water realm occasionally.”

  Simon grinned as both Kronk and Aeris nodded their agreement. The boys were obviously quite fond of her.

  “Of course. Stay on Earth as long as you wish. And if you'd like to join us at the tower, just let me know before I head back and I'll bring you along.”

  “Ah, that would be lovely. Thank you again.”

  Ana and the others began chatting excitedly and Simon watched for a moment with some amusement. Elementals or not, they reminded him of a group of enthusiastic teenagers sometimes.

  “Your friends really helped us out today,” someone said and the wizard looked over his shoulder and saw Barnaby approaching. Behind him at the stern of the ship stood a man wearing a simple brown robe. Another mage had apparently taken his place and was powering the ship.

  “We owe them,” the small man added.

  He join Simon at the railing and both of them turned to look out to sea.

  “Finished your shift?” the wizard asked.

  Now that the danger was passed, his stomach was starting to feel a bit queasy again and he wanted to take his mind off of it.

  “I have, yes. Danny's taken over for me. And since we have the time, I thought I'd offer my services as tour guide. Care for a look-round at the old Defiant?”

  “Ah, that would be great. Thanks. I don't have my sea legs yet and I could use a distraction.”

  Barnaby laughed lightly and nodded his understanding.

  “Don't feel bad. I've been living here for a year now and I spent a good portion of the first few months puking over the side. Not exactly good times. Follow me and we'll poke around the place.”

  Simon caught Aeris' eye and nodded at Barnaby. The elemental waved, showing he understood and the wizard followed the mage toward the nearest door.

  “So how many people live here now?” he asked as they entered the ship.

  “A hundred and ten at last count, I believe. It does vary somewhat. People occasionally decide to leave and we've had a few births, always exciting occasions. And a couple of deaths.”

  “Deaths? From what?”

  They were walking down a wide hallway with narrow doors on either side. Simon was pleased to see that the floor and walls were kept clean and all he could smell was the salty sea air and a slight scent of rust.

  “Oh, you know, the usual. Someone was up in the crow's nest last month and got excited when he spotted a distant monster. He slipped, fell out and broke his neck. Such a waste. And tragically one young woman died in childbirth a few weeks before that. We lost both mother and child that time. The entire ship was depressed for quite some time after that.”

  “Don't you have a cleric on board?” Simon asked as he ducked his head and entered a large room.

  “We do, yes, but even the gods can only do so much, I suppose.”

  Barnaby stopped and looked around at the room they had just entered.

  “This is the main dining room,” he said.

  The area was larger than Simon had thought it would be. The ceiling rose up at least twenty feet above them and in the center was an amazing chandelier. The old light bulbs it must have once held were long gone and many candles were inserted in their stead. None were lit but light was streaming in through a row of high windows and the room's details were easy to see.

  There were dozens of neat round tables, each covered with a white tablecloth. Plates and cutlery were laid out ready for the next meal and every table had a small candelabra as its centerpiece. It was all rather more elegant than Simon had imagined.

  “This place looks amazing,” he told the mage. “It almost looks like I might have pictured it back in the old days, before the dragons returned. How is this even possible?”

  “You can credit Captain Martelli for it all,” Barnaby replied, obviously pleased by
Simon's reaction. “She will not tolerate slackers. Nor will she put up with a dirty living environment. She says, and rightly so, that a lax attitude toward cleanliness invites disease. Everyone's quarters are inspected at least once a month and offenders are punished accordingly.”

  Simon followed the mage out of the dining hall and they continued along the corridor.

  “And people tolerate that kind of intrusion?” he wondered.

  “Yes, of course.”

  The pair stopped at the top of a narrow staircase and moved to the side to allow some people to pass. They received plenty of curious looks but Simon was used to being stared at by this time and ignored them.

  “You have to understand, my friend,” Barnaby said seriously, “that before coming to live on the Defiant, many of these people were living in very harsh conditions. Humanity has been Changed, yes, but the majority of people cannot use magic like you and I can and have only their wits and whatever skills they've developed to hunt for food and to defend themselves. Between the dragons that are constantly harassing us, and the monsters that have been reborn by the dark gods, humankind is lucky to even still exist in the world.”

  A group of sailors, men and women both, climbed up the stairs and greeted Barnaby. The young mage seemed to be popular and he smiled and waved as they passed by.

  “Here on board,” he continued, “people's lives are completely turned around. Magic provides clean water, warmth, and protection. In return, all the captain requires is that everyone pitches in to perform whatever chores are required to keep the ship afloat and livable. Other than that, they are all free to do as they please. That's not much to ask, is it?”

  Simon nodded approvingly.

  “Not much at all.”

  The mage led the way downstairs and Simon followed.

  “So where do you get your food?” he asked.

  They entered another corridor, this one wider. Doors were spaced out on either side every twenty feet or so and the wizard guessed that this was the living area. Several people stood outside of the doors, chatting amiably. Mage lights shone from the ceiling every few feet illuminating the corridor with a bright warm glow.