Dragon Choir

by Benjamin Descovich

  Coalman nodded and descended the stairs as Elrin came up.

  Four guards followed, escorting the redeemers. They were filthy from sitting in the cells below deck. With hands bound and mouths gagged, neither struggled with their escort. In the bright mid-morning light their cowls glared white, burning the black star into Delik’s eyes. A white afterimage of the star blocked his focus wherever he looked. He rubbed his eyes trying to remove the white glow.

  “Get those cowls off!” Delik rubbed his eyes to remove the white glow fouling his vision. “Throw them to the sea.”

  A guard obliged, stripping off both cowls with rough handed pleasure. Delik’s vision cleared, revealing a cruel faced man in white robes and a cowering youth in red. The middle-aged man’s severe eyes appraised them while the boy hung his shaven head, keeping his eyes on the deck.

  “Why so calm?” asked Delik.

  The older man stepped forward jutting his bearded chin out, straining at the gag. His dark hair, olive skin and sharp nose gave him away for a shiner. He’d strayed a long way from home. Probably another poacher banished from Calimska and taken in by Jando. A convert no doubt, redeeming the sins of the masses, whether they liked it or not. With a white silk robe, this man was not just any redeemer. He would have the ear of the high priest, the head of the Council.

  The boy kept still, his dark brown skin glistening with sweat. He wasn’t Jandan, nor Calimskan; Delik had no idea where he was from, up north perhaps. His hazel eyes were nervous, submissive. The rust red linen tunic he wore reflected a lack of authority; he was an acolyte, or a personal slave. Given the absence of weapons and armour he was likely a magic user of some sort. Being attached to a redeemer in any way made him a dangerous prospect. Either of these men could spawn chaos with an arcane whisper, but one might be willing to cooperate.

  “If either of you mutter a spell or so much as wiggle your fingers we’ll lop your damn heads off. Right lads, ready your blades and let the boy speak first.” Delik motioned for the younger man’s gag to be removed.

  The boy flicked a fearful glance at his superior and the older man shook his head, yelling into the cloth that stifled his mouth shut. A rebel guard pressed a sword against the priest’s neck and he quietened, staring death at the acolyte while the petrified youth’s mouth was unbound.

  Remaining silent, the boy in red took a step back and bowed to Delik.

  “Listen here lad, we’re not pirates. We took these vessels to free the people on those galleons out to sea. We’re part of the rebellion against the tyrants of Jando.” Delik paused to let it sink in.

  The gagged redeemer tried to speak again, but a guard clipped his muffled concern short, swatting the back of his head.

  “Did you enjoy your imprisonment below? I bet not.” Delik pointed out across the sea to the Jandan ships. “Those ships are full of men, woman and children, packed into cells like those you were in.”

  The boy dropped his eyes from Delik. His mouth was free of the gag but he wouldn’t speak, cowering with his shoulders slumped like he was expecting a beating.

  “If you help them,” said Elrin, walking forward and touching the scared boy’s shoulder. “You will be free too.”

  The elder redeemer rushed at Elrin, but was held back by the guards. He strained in his bindings, shaking his head and biting the gag. Three guards wrestled him to the deck, but his eyes, wild with rage, made the boy cower and tremble with a helpless whimper.

  Delik understood the situation at once. Minni had her bow trained on the redeemer. She’d end him soon if Delik didn’t intervene. The Reik woman never had much to say to these dogs; nothing a sharp point couldn’t express with more meaning.

  “Take the old man away,” ordered Elrin. “He’s terrifying the boy.”

  The guards didn’t budge at Elrin’s say so. Delik gave a nod and the old dog was dragged away.

  Elrin offered a hand to get the boy to his feet. “Those Jandan ships out there are about to be taken by pirates. We want to save them, but the pirates are going to get there first. Do you know a spell that would help?”

  The boy hesitated, casting fearful eyes over his shoulder.

  “We’ll keep you safe from the old man in white,” Elrin put his arm around the boy, who tensed, bracing for punishment. “And don’t mind that grumpy old shankakin. He lost his dolly overboard.”

  Elrin leant away and pulled a funny face at the accolyte. He returned a bright smile, which broke into a gurgle of laughter. The youth had no teeth and only a stub of a tongue.

  Delik uncrossed his arms. What had those bastards done to him? The boy noticed them staring and stopped laughing, sealing his lips in a pout to hide his shame.

  “Bring food and water,” said Minni to the remaining rebel guard. “Now!”

  Delik cut through the rope binding the boy’s arms behind his back. “What’s your name lad?”

  The boy wouldn’t speak; couldn’t speak. He covered his mouth with his hand, his sad eyes unsure where to look.

  “Do you have a name?” asked Minni.

  The boy shook his head then pointed to a pail of water near Minni. She brought it to him and he gave her a tight-lipped smile in thanks. He cupped his hands in the water and raised his voice in a long high note that carried into the wind. The water rippled like it was alive with excited fish. He splashed it onto the deck where it beaded together forming Jandan words on the timber.

  I have no name.

  Delik nudged Minni. She punched his arm in return. Now they had two keys; this just proved the prophecy was a load of bollocks.

  “What did that man call you?” asked Elrin.

  Boy.

  “We can’t call you that,” said Elrin.

  Minni knelt down beside him. “Did that name make you feel good?”

  No.

  I’m a girl.

  Minni didn’t flinch. “He was a silly old man then wasn’t he?”

  The young girl shook her head. Without a sob or a whimper, tears streaked through the grime on her tender face, falling into the puddle on the deck.

  “We won’t talk about him anymore,” said Minni, putting her arm around the girl. “Let’s talk about a nice name for you. One that you like. What is your most favourite thing in all of Oranica?”

  The girl thought for a moment, wiping her quiet tears away. Like a fresh breeze, her sad face was swept aside. She waved her hand across the puddle of water.

  Beans.

  “Well, that won’t do for a name, will it?”

  The girl covered her mouth and giggled, eyes warm with honey delight. Minni giggled with her, holding her gentle hands.

  “You have beautiful eyes you know. I think they are the most beautiful colour I have ever seen. Your eyes remind me of something my mother gave me when I was a little girl.”

  Minni undid a charm around her neck and placed it in the girl’s hand. The girl examined the polished gemstone on end of the leather thong. Her eyes gleamed with fascination.

  “I want you to have it,” said Minni.

  The girl grinned her toothless smile and altered the water droplets on the deck.

  Amber.

  Delik cleared his throat. “So, ah, Amber then, is it?”

  She affirmed with a sincere nod.

  Delik knew this scene all too well; here was yet another daughter to the rebellion, orphaned by the damned almighty. For every pious Jandan there was a wagonload of souls enduring injustice. “Right then, Amber, we need to free the innocent people aboard those ships. Is that something you want to do? Do you want to help us?” Delik didn’t like the idea of the poor child doing anything she didn’t want to do. She’d suffered enough at the hand of that redeemer.

  Yes.

  “You’re a brave lass. Can you get us to those ships before the pirates do? I don’t know how you work your magic, but we need speed. Change the wind or summon a great sea lummox to tow us along, anything. We’ll give you what ever you need.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

 
Shot & Splinter

  Minni returned from the Captain’s quarters carrying the belts, pouches and satchels confiscated from Amber and the redeemer when they were captured. Amber knelt on the deck, playfully swirling her finger above the puddle, creating liquid fish that wriggled through the water. She was still a child, such a dear thing. Minni wanted more than anything to bundle her up and take her away somewhere safe. A ridiculous thought; she knew it. The prophecy had to come first. It had to be followed or all was lost. The Muden knew the Key would free everyone. She had been certain the Key was Elrin, until they discovered Amber right under their noses. It had to be one of them, but which one? Until she knew for certain, both had to be kept safe.

  “These are all I could find,” said Minni, placing the equipment in front of Amber. “Time to show us what you can do. Are you ready?”

  Amber rummaged through her small belt pouches, but wasn’t happy with what she found. A sly look gathered upon her face. She pulled a bigger set of belt pouches toward her, stealing a glance down to the main deck, ensuring the old master was not there. She busied through the contents until she found a black silken purse.

  Kneeling and spinning her hand around the pail, Amber created a whirlpool. She hummed with such long low notes they were swallowed by the noise of waves pummelling the hull. Her humming layered upon itself, growing in volume. She spun the water with one hand and tipped the black purse over the pail. Fine sand cascaded from the pouch, dissolving into the whirlpool with a vibrant effervescent glow.

  The pace of her unnatural baritone hum sped on. She withdrew her hand and the whirlpool dominating the bucket split into two. Her hands shone sea green and wind whipped around her red robes. The whirlpools in the pail continued to duplicate with Amber’s low rapid humming, until the pail was a honeycomb of glowing spirals.

  Somehow the very air split apart, rending Amber’s voice in two. The wind whirled around her, seeding a high note from the low, both pulsing in tandem, warping water and air. The whirlwind around her split in two, each half anchoring upon her sandalled feet. They twisted and danced around each other; writhing snakes under Amber’s control. Her voice became impossibly loud, so deep and so high, like the ocean and sky would collide.

  The young elementalist flung her arms out wide, propelling the whirlwinds across the quarterdeck, port and starboard. Each moment they grew, gathering speed. The sails filled tight like the skin on a drum. Clouds of sea spray misted the deck.

  “Selmet!” cried Delik, holding the pilot’s arm to get his attention. “Bring us straight on to those galleons!”

  Selmet’s face wrinkled with simple joy. The wind and spray whipped his thin white hair across his whiskered cheeks as he wheeled the ship to a direct heading.

  Minni laughed and screamed into the lashing wind. Never before had she seen such a weaver, someone so in touch with the magical essence of the world. Elrin whooped and hollered through the sheets of spray, gripping the rail with one hand and waving the other around like a fool trying to rope a wild horse.

  Amber was lost in concentration, her arms straighter than a ship’s yard and her robes a red sail in the middle of a magical tempest.

  The ship crashed through the sea towards two whirlpools forming a torment in the ocean. Selmet kept the ship on course steering between them. The current tugged at the ship, creaking timbers and shifting the deck under their feet. Juniper shot ahead, propelled by the twin whirlpools pulling the ship and the whirlwinds filling the sails.

  Templestone and Fearless pulled in to line behind Juniper, catching meagre elemental echoes rippling through the air and sea in her wake. It was not enough to keep up. Juniper sailed on, carving through the ocean, Amber’s magical vortices of wind and water twisting for her alone. The ship travelled so fast, they arrived beside the two Jandan galleons just before the pirates intercepted them.

  Amber drove Juniper as a wedge between the two galleons. The whirlwinds hovered over the Jandan ships, tearing sails and snapping the rigging, sending their crew reeling across the decks. A crack split the air and a mast fell, broken in two by the concentrated force of the wind. It tipped back upon the ship, ripping through the lines, crashing to the deck. The collapsed sails and mast blocked off the main access to the marines quarters, inhibiting their force mounting a counterattack.

  The sound of the mast splitting jolted Amber from her trance and she lost control of the two whirlwinds. They spun off across the sea, one meandered away from the ships, but the other moved toward the pirate vessels that were almost upon them. The ships altered their course in time to avoid being directly hit, but one of the caravels was knocked about as the whirlwind changed course across its deck, sending pirates into the sea and tearing through its sails.

  Amber collapsed, crumpling in a limp heap upon the deck. Minni rushed to her side, rolled her over and put an ear to her lips. She still had breath. Elrin grabbed the pail of water, which had lost its glow, and splashed a little across Amber’s face. Amber opened her eyes and blinked, dazed and vacant. Her eyes dipped and her head tilted back into unconsciousness again.

  A gaudy carrack, painted brighter than a rainbow over a spring fair, danced through the sea towards the galleon with the broken mast.

  “You must keep her safe,” Minni touched Elrin’s hand.

  A hint of red flushed Elrin’s cheeks. “Of course I will.” Confusion flicked through his innocent brown eyes. “But, where are you going?”

  Chaos broke out around them and Minni ran.

  ***

  A thunderous salvo blasted into the galleon with the broken mast, pounding through the hull, filling the air with white smoke and splinters. One, then two of the galleon’s cannons answered back, but the shots fell short of the carrack, peppering the sea. A caravel sailed in, following the colourful carrack’s heading, preparing to broadside the galleon with a second dose.

  The indentured crew on both Jandan galleons mutinied, lead by the rebel agents planted aboard.

  “All blades board portside! Crew hold firm!” Delik directed his men to seize the undamaged galleon—splitting the rebels between two ships would stretch them too far. Juniper’s crew were left to defend her decks while the rebel warriors followed Delik’s orders, swinging across the water on ropes and using hooks to pull the galleon tight against Juniper.

  Two pirate caravels also grappled onto the portside galleon and a wave of fighters broke upon its decks, battering back the Jandans and aiding the rebels—for now at least. The pirates were fearless, clashing into the melee with reckless enjoyment, brandishing smiles as wide as the cuts they made. They outnumbered his rebels two to one and Delik knew once the Jandans were under control, the pirates would see their chance to take everything. These men weren’t the type to hesitate.

  Marines were already swinging onto Juniper, attempting to dislodge the ships and enable their escape. Templestone and Fearless still sailed against the wind and wouldn’t make it in time to storm the starboard galleon with the broken mast. The rebels would soon be outnumbered on the Juniper unless Kobb's pirates took the fight to that damaged galleon first.

  “Take cover!” Delik screamed to his crew holding Juniper. The starboard caravel followed the carrack's lead, rolling out its cannons to take aim.

  Delik ducked behind the mizzenmast. Selmet hit the deck, prompting Elrin to do the same. The caravel broadsided the damaged galleon; shrapnel scoured the deck and tore into the rigging. Stray shot careened across Juniper, burning hot through the air. Screams of friend and foe congealed with gun smoke drifting over the battle.

  “Kobb! There’s shankakin in there! Cease fire!”

  It was useless, Kobb couldn’t hear him shouting over sea and the clamour of battle. The lead carrack sailed a lazy turn, followed by the eager caravel, both coming around for another attack.

  “Send a bird. Cease fire!” Delik couldn’t tell if the spotter in the nest was dead or alive. The osprey had flown, along with their chances of negotiation.

  Minni was gone
. Right when he needed her, she had disappeared in the thick of it. He caught sight of a shadow slinking across the deck of the broken-masted galleon; that had to be her. The figure jumped down through the hatch just as more shot screamed across the galleon’s ravaged deck. She’d not free them alone; Delik had to help.

  The shankakin grabbed Elrin’s arm. “Listen lad! We’ve got to free the prisoners on that ship. Kobb’s doing his damnedest to sink it. You and Amber both need to stay here and stay alive, or everything is lost. If it all goes to ash you’ll get your passage on that harlequin carrack. Keep your head down and work hard. You’ll be fine.”

  ***

  Amber was out cold on the deck, she wouldn’t wake up no matter how much Elrin tried. She was no poacher; that elemental magic was woven from the source, no wonder she was drained. How could she muster so much power, so young? The Order of Calim would know what to do for her. Sorcerers would help their own. Elrin cradled her head, fearing for her life while he watched his companions risk theirs.

  Delik had leapt across to the galleon with the broken mast and ran towards the hatch, not even stopping when attacked by a marine. He stepped to the side and lashed out with his short sword. The marine crumpled to the deck, incapacitated by the slash to his hamstring. Delik sped on, disappearing below the deck of the damaged galleon.

  Jandans boarded Juniper, some fleeing the mutineers on their own ship, others driven by their officers to abandon the damaged galleon. An officer raced up the stairs to the quarterdeck with his sword drawn. He took one look at Amber lying on the deck in her red robes and charged at Elrin. Elrin dove to the side avoiding the sabre as it arced around with the full force of the muscular Jandan. Elrin swung his sword, hoping to catch the officer’s exposed back, but the hanger was too short and the attack went wide.

  The officer turned in a fervour, lunging and slashing. Cannon blasts exploded, shaking Elrin’s nerve and dulling his ears. He retreated from the blows until the small of his back pressed against the rail. The officer lunged. Elrin dodged to the side, but the officer had expected it, turning the sabre out and slashing around with a killing blow to Elrin’s neck.