by Bill Mays
“I won’t argue with you there, Drackmoorian, but what’s done is done.” Kottia smirked, “I judge a man by how he handles himself in a bad situation. You proved your strength, gladiator. Not many alive can challenge the Dark Lord and live to tell about it. At least the tales of this encounter will lend strength to my name and my crew’s reputation, if we survive,” she chuckled.
“Captain, we’ve got problems!” The dwarf rushed up to the group.
“What is it this time?” The pirate woman growled.
“Look there!” Sarry pointed one stubby finger directing them all to a portion of the storm.
The dark clouds of the storm were now crackling with crimson electricity. One large cloud began to swirl. From it descended a funnel pulsing with the same red lightning.
“What is it?” Kreasha asked nervously.
“It looks like an evil tornado!” Nivit gasped.
“There’s no such thing as an evil tornado, stupid fairy,” Ado glanced out from inside the backpack and his eyes nearly spilled from his face. “W-we h-have to get a-away from it!” Ado stammered.
“Calm down,” Xina tried to reassure the frantic gremlin. “We are safe here.”
“Not from that we aren’t! That is the same kind of storm that tore Kandair’s capital apart! I saw it with my own eyes. It’s pure evil!” The little tremlin was adamant.
“So it is an evil tornado,” Nivit whispered in awe.
“Tore Kandair apart? What did ye do to make that old wizard so mad?” Sarry gasped.
“I’m scared, Mr. Tark,” Nivit whispered.
“That tornado reeks of power. Are you sure that we’re safe?” Kreasha whined.
Xina could feel the overwhelming energies growing with the demonic tornado’s formation. She hesitated to answer the lady.
“Xina, I know that look,” Kottia snapped. “Don’t tell me you’re starting to have doubts?”
“The power in the storm is of a similar energy as the warrior’s artifact. Honestly, I don’t know what to think. It radiates -- pure chaos.”
“Radiates chaos? What is that supposed to mean?” Kreasha groaned.
“It means we may need to brace ourselves for a rough ride,” Kottia mumbled. “Everyone prepare to enter the storm again!” The captain shouted to her crew. They all had to tear their eyes from the growing vortex to resume with their duties.
“Where ssshould I take usss, captain?” Sslath hissed.
“Hold your course, we make for Gurdail as fast as we can!”
Tark struggled to stand. “I have to do something,” he muttered. “This is my fault.”
“What are you going to do to a tornado?” Ado chided. “Use your head for something besides a place to grow hair, you big oaf! We need to take shelter!”
“I think Mr. Ado is right, Mr. Tark. You can’t fight that,” Nivit whispered nervously.
“It’s getting bigger and it’s coming right for us,” Kreasha whimpered.
“We should probably be bracing ourselves,” Sarry announced.
“Captain!” One of the crewmen called out from the crow’s nest. “That tornado just dropped something into the water, some kind of creature, something big! Whatever it is, it’s heading for the Siren and it is moving fast!”
“Another issue to deal with, great,” Kottia grumbled. “Ready the ballista, and the harpoon! One way or another we’ll knock that thing out of the water!” She shouted as she ran to take the wheel from Sslath.
One of her crewmen moved to man the front-mounted ballista, and Sslath headed for the harpoon. The lizard man was the strongest member of the crew and the best at using the large weapon.
“What can I do to help?” Tark shouted to the lizard man.
“Ssstay out of the way!” Sslath hissed back as he pushed past the gladiator. “You’ve done enough!”
Ado peeked out from Tark’s pack in time to see an enormous ridged tail ending in a huge fin slide beneath the waves. The tail alone was half the Siren’s length.
“We’re all going to die!” He squeaked as he dove back inside the pack.
Tark scanned the deck for anything to use as a weapon. It probably would not do a lot of good against that beast, but it sure would make him feel better.
“Looking for this, gladiator?” Kottia shouted from a distance. Tark turned in time to catch the trident and sword belt that was being tossed to him. She had sent one of her men to fetch them. “Might as well have everybody at their best,” she smirked as she drew her own shiny cutlass from its sheath.
Tark strapped on the belt and gripped the trident in both hands. It felt good. His body was still incredibly tired from the drain of using the artifact, but adrenalin was keeping him moving. The vortex continued to form and grow on the waves. Nivit hovered at the big man’s right side. The lady huddled to his left. Ado was still hidden in the backpack, praying for his life. A loud splash sounded, drawing everyone’s attention. A massive serpentine head on a long neck rose from the water. The creature had large, milky-white eyes. It lashed forward, snapping two unlucky crewmen in its expansive jaws at once. They were quickly dragged back into the water.
“What is that thing?” Kreasha screamed in horror.
“Those poor men, we have to help them, Mr. Tark,” Nivit cried out.
Xina and Sarry stood side by side on deck, close to the spot where the monster had surfaced. The dwarf held his sword in one hand and a throwing knife in the other. “Go ahead and show yerself again beastie!” He called out.
The pirate mage was already chanting the words to another spell. This time when the water broke, the spiny tail landed on deck. Sarry dove aside in time to dodge it while shooting his knife deep into its thick scaly hide. Xina released her spell and laid her hands on the tail as it swept into her. A jolt of electricity surged through the monster, but it continued on with its sweep carrying the mage off the deck with it. She fell into the water. Xina screamed out as she desperately tried to grab a hold of anything.
Sarry watched in shock as the woman was taken away and below the waves. “Xina! We have a woman overboard!” The dwarf screamed.
“Oh no!” Nivit cried.
“Is there anything you can do to help her?” Tark directed the question to Kreasha.
“Me? Of course not! I told you that my skills are very limited.” The lady seemed shocked and surprised that he would even ask her to go near the spot where that creature had surfaced.
“Then hold onto this, and watch after the fairy.” Tark tossed her his backpack and ran for the spot where Xina had fallen overboard.
Kreasha and Nivit both called out for him to stop. He dove off of the deck and straight into the swirling waters. As soon as he hit the cold sea, he felt at home. The gem was glowing steadily instead of pulsing and he could feel his body moving with an ease that was unnatural in the water. There was no time to dwell on these revelations, though. The beast was nowhere to be seen, but he spotted Xina thrashing wildly to reach the surface. The strong currents were pulling her down.
* * * * * * * * * *
Sarry watched the gladiator dive in and he longed to join the human in rescuing his friend. Unfortunately, like many dwarves, he could not swim. Sslath reached the dwarf with harpoon in tow. He had the line firmly attached to the weapon and secured around his waist. It was a deadly device used by the crew to kill predators they met out at sea. The predators were not usually this big, though. The muscular lizard man was poised to throw the harpoon, but there was no sign of the creature.
Ado pulled himself from the pack in Kreasha’s trembling hands. “Where did he go this time?” The gremlin squeaked.
“He went into the water,” Nivit sniffled. Tears were pouring down her cheeks.
“Into the water? He really is crazy!” The tiny mage shouted in disbelief.
Kreasha took both little ones and ran for the door leading down into the ship’s lower deck. “Where are we going?” Nivit protested.
“To someplace safe,” the lady replied withou
t slowing her pace. Ado offered no resistance, it sounded like a good plan to him.
* * * * * * * * * *
Kottia pulled on the wheel with all her strength. She tried to turn the Siren about sharply. She wanted to head away from the vortex that was now moving around into their path. The fierce tornado was too quick. It overtook the ship with the speed of wind and magic. As soon as the chaotic force of its lightning-filled winds touched the field of protection surrounding the Siren, all hell broke loose. There came a huge flash of purple light followed by a deafening boom that rocked the Siren to its core, and threw everyone from their feet. The might of the blast cracked the main mast and tore away one of the sails completely. The power of Meiron’s storm fell upon the defenseless ship and her crew. The demonic tornado partially dissipated in the process. Now it was merely a hurricane force that held them under its merciless assault.
* * * * * * * * * *
Kreasha had just opened the door to the lower decks when the light show and loud sound stunned her. She was partially blinded and momentarily deafened. The lady screamed out in terror as the force of the storm’s winds caught her off guard, slamming her to the ground. Ado and Nivit shrieked, too, as they were each ripped from the woman and hurled in different directions. They were both lost to the storm. The lady was scrambling desperately to keep herself from being carried away as well. There was nothing she could do for the fairy or the gremlin.
“Damn you old wizard!” She swore under her breath as she watched Nivit and then Ado be whisked away. Her thoughts had become little more than prayers for her own survival.
Kreasha slid along the deck and managed to catch a hold on one of the smaller masts before being swept off the Siren entirely. Two men flew past her screaming, only to be swallowed by the churning waters. A third crewman slid by flailing. He tried to grab her, but she dodged the flailing man’s grasp lest they both be torn away. The ship was spinning and rocking from side to side. There was no way to discern direction or speed. It was dangerously close to capsizing. The cold waves washed over them all, and carried many from the meager safety of the Siren’s deck. Luckily, the waters were able to douse the fires stray bolts of red lightning caused. Kottia dove to the side quickly as a bolt of electricity struck the planks at her feet. The pirate captain was still shouting orders, though few could hear or respond to her. She did not know what else to do. Her world was literally being torn to pieces all around her. She saw Sslath and Sarry headed her way. The hunched healer, Panni, was close behind them. All three were struggling as they stumbled from side to side with the growing waves. Suddenly, there was a giant, ridged tail, ending in a huge fin that came slamming down into the deck, nearly cracking the ship in two. Sarry leapt over the hole left in the creature’s wake, but Panni was not so quick. The ship’s healer went screaming down into the water-filled lower deck. Sslath pulled up short and aimed the harpoon with a deadly gleam in his reptilian eyes. Two bolts of crimson electricity came streaking down into the lightning rod that the harpoon had become. The lizard man was hissing in pain as he hurled the weapon anyway. His throw proved true and the huge barb embedded itself in the giant tail. Another bolt of crimson lightning struck the weapon and sizzled into the massive beast’s scaly hide eliciting a monstrous cry of pain. The line was attached and despite his considerable strength, Sslath was yanked from the deck and sent crashing into the sea as the creature submerged again.
“Captain!” Sarry shouted from his new perch. “What are your orders?” The dwarf was wrapping his arm and leg tightly in a portion of the rigging that was still attached to the main mast. Kottia looked to the dwarf with a half-smirk, half-smile. He was loyal to the end, and a good friend. All of her crew was loyal. She could not think of a better group to die with.
“We kill that damn beast before we go under!” She shouted back with a grin. Sarlence held his sword high in response.
* * * * * * * * * *
Tark dove for the amazon mage. Xina was trying her best to fight the current and reach the surface, but to no avail. The gladiator cut through those same currents with ease. He felt as if he were born to swim. The blue glow of the artifact lit his way. He held his breath, though his lungs were beginning to burn. The mage was so close. He saw the last bubbles of air seep from her lips, and the wild look of panic in her eyes. She was barely kicking. He wrapped one arm around the woman’s waist as he and Xina shot back to the surface near the ship. They broke from the water in time to see a bright flash of purple light and hear the boom that followed as the magic of both gems collided. Powerful winds hit them, slapping the mage back to consciousness. The woman had nearly drowned. There were many ropes hanging from the sides of the ship, dangling and whipping about above the water. They were pieces of torn rigging that still clung to the Siren’s masts. Tark caught hold of one and began hauling himself and the woman back to the main deck. His arms burned from exhaustion, but he would not give in. The ship started spinning and rocking violently. Men and women fell screaming from above, past them, and into the turbulent waters. Several of the crewmen struggled to stay afloat in the strong currents taking hold of whatever was not sinking. Tark looked down and felt his heart pound as they cried out for their lives.
“Go, help the others,” Xina coughed as she gripped the rope tightly. “I can handle myself, and thank you, warrior,” she smiled weakly.
“We are even,” Tark grinned back and then dove into the sea.
Without the man’s considerable extra weight, Xina was sent swinging and banging about the ship’s hull. It took all she had not to go tumbling back into the sea. She wrapped a leg and an arm securely in the rope and began inching her way up.
Tark saw people sinking all around him. Most of the crew had been lost to the Sorohl’s cold embrace. He darted in for one man and then another, holding his breath the entire time. He was carrying one under each arm. He kicked hard though his legs wanted to quit. Every muscle in his body burned. He was so tired. Tark headed back to the surface, but a huge shape passed over him. It was the beast. It launched its tail at the Siren with force enough to crack the ship’s frame. Large pieces of wood and rigging fell into the waves. There were pieces of ship and furniture from the lower deck being spilled into the sea. One large portion of a shattered mast slammed into the gladiator’s head, sending a cloud of blood into the water. The pain shot through him and he lost his grip on the pirates. Out of the darkness, the tail of the beast whipped through the water to strike him in his dazed state. It sent the big man twirling down into the depths of the sea. Both sailors he carried went spinning away in the currents. His breath was all but gone. His lungs were on fire. He tried to focus, but his mind was swimming away. His legs kicked weakly but it was not enough. Tark could hold his breath no more. Water poured into his throat as his injuries threatened to claim his consciousness. The cloud of blood around him continued to grow. Strangely enough, he could still breathe. He was breathing the water. Random visions began to flash through his mind as his eyelids fell closed. He strained to open them only to see a large portion of the Siren, a sizeable piece of the bow of the ship with the wooden lady statue still attached to it, go sinking by him. That meant they were all lost. He had truly failed this time. Tark could hold on no longer. The use of the artifact had drained him, and his injuries had stolen the rest of his strength. The sad realization of his companions, and the crew’s fate sapped the last of his energy. He let the cold water be his blanket as he drifted off to darkness. The last vision he had was of a strange-looking man, with wild greenish hair, staring into his eyes.
* * * * * * * * * *
Meiron watched with unbridled excitement as his storm shredded the small pirate ship. After his summoned beast struck the Siren a fatal blow, it resurfaced to be direly wounded by the sinking pirate crew. It did not matter to him, though. The beast was not necessary, and neither was the ship or her crew. All he wanted was the stone. Everyone had gotten what they deserved for opposing him, a cold death at sea. He only needed to find
the artifact. Meiron focused hard to locate the object. He was left weak by the use of the ancient magic. The storm was draining, but the vortex was the pinnacle of his might. As his pool rippled and changed views, he saw a most unsettling sight. The wizard screamed out in rage. His fury was unmatched, even with his strength being depleted. Arrivand came in hesitantly, after knocking several times with no response. He could hear the cries of his master and feel the power in the room, even through the solid, warded door. The apprentice entered to find the Dark Lord weak and frail once again. He was older, too. The air still crackled with the remnants of his master’s casting. He rushed to the old man’s side. Meiron was just too exhausted to push away the effort or reprimand his apprentice for entering without permission. Arrivand could not resist the urge. He casually chanced a glance into the scrying pool. What he saw there puzzled him.
“The tieress?” He questioned with a whisper. Why was his lord viewing them? Meiron’s secret plans were becoming more and more intriguing to the foreign mage.
- Chapter 30 -
A King’s Desire
Though Flade was not familiar with the wetlands or its inhabitants, he quickly grew accustomed to his new environment. He used his secret gift, as always to glean basic information from the wildlife. He learned things, like the fact that there was more than one race of humanoids that called the Acid Swamps home. The ranger also learned that fresh tracks were easily identifiable in the soft earth. At least they were when the ground could be seen through the murky waters and heavy rains were not washing them away. There were millions of insects it seemed, along with plenty of reptiles and amphibians. Turtles, lizards, snakes, and frogs were commonplace here. The boy, Petre, even stumbled upon a group of giant frogs. The things were the size of children. Flade attempted to contact them with his gift, but their general aura of hostility caused him to steer the group clear of the creatures. The new terrain did not offer an easy or especially enjoyable voyage. Mud was ever-present, sucking at their steps and the smell of the brown water was none too pleasant. Every so often, a geyser of sulfuric water would shoot into the air nearby, scattering small animals and falling back to the ground with a light sizzle. Flade quickly learned to identify the mud mounds that acted as spouts and to avoid them.