by J E Feldman
“This is absolutely ridiculous. I just want my shawl back so I can go home.”
“Please? It will only be one evening, then you can go home and we’ll leave you alone,” Douglas gazed up at her with the most innocent, pleading face. The woman grimaced down at him and grunted briefly in annoyance.
“Fine. One evening. But before we do anything, who the hell are you kids, anyway?”
Kaci and Douglas proceeded to introduce themselves and soon after found out the strange woman’s name was Cordelia. The two children briefly described where they were from but left the specifics unknown. Cordelia remained unamused and described very little about herself, but agreed nonetheless to the children’s half-baked plan of adventure later that week. Still fussing about her shawl, Kaci and Douglas refused to relinquish the garment until after their short journey was completed.
The day following the recruitment of the woman, Kaci and Douglas made their way to Michael’s house. The pair’s plan was finally coming to fruition and they did not hesitate to blurt it out to their friend upon his opening the door to his home. Standing in awe for a brief moment, Michael confirmed it was not a joke before laughing at them anyway. Irritated by this, Kaci gave him a piece of her mind and Michael regained his composure before agreeing to their plan for the sake of, “seeing how well this plays out.”
The small group of three children proceeded to acquire some easily concealable weapons. Michael’s mother was a well-respected blacksmith and shop-owner in Calyx and thus stock was easily available to him. Despite being predominantly bookish, Michael had learned proper combat skills from his mother early in his life from her previous profession as a Techknight of Vekshur. Immediately upon acquiring the blades, he gave his friends a short lesson on safety and technique so that no one would unintentionally injure themselves.
Kaci split from the group to find out the specifics of her father’s schedule to verify the availability of a small boat. Shortly after her departure, Douglas left for the library to acquire a map of the general area that the shipwreck is rumored to be around. Meanwhile in Thiovlo, Cordelia anxiously awaited the children’s return and argued with herself about traveling down to Calyx to find them before she was summoned for the adventure. Concerned they may have lied to her about returning her shawl, she gathered up a small bag with some general supplies and hurriedly traversed the flowering fields and large bridge that connected Thiovlo to Calyx.
Cordelia cautiously navigated the streets of Calyx, examining the well-maintained yet modest architecture style of the city. The structures were relatively simple in design compared to those of Thiovlo and with a much smaller palette of colors—predominantly earth tones and blues like that of the ocean surrounding it. Similar to the bathhouse that Cordelia had attempted to enjoy just the other night, most of Thiovlo was very ornate in contrast to Calyx’s near simplicity. Much like the difference in designs between the two cities, the common fashion was also very distinguishable. Cordelia lowered her head as she averted her gaze from curious passersby—their attention drawn not by the worth of her garments, but by the sheer brilliance of the small gems that adorned the edges of her clothing. Sheepishly she thanked every compliment she received, ultimately searching as quickly as possible without seeming overly suspicious. Most people would find the overall friendliness of Calyx to be inviting but Cordelia found it horrifying to draw so much attention. Back in Thiovlo, to be dressed so lavishly is commonplace and dressing simply is what would raise questions there.
“Douglas,” Cordelia stated firmly upon witnessing the child walking away from the local library.
Nearly jumping from his shoes, Douglas whipped around to meet her narrowed eyes. “Yes?” he stammered in response.
“Where is my shawl and when are we leaving?” Cordelia demanded an answer in a low voice so as to not attract too much attention.
Douglas gulped hard and glanced over his shoulders. “Follow me,” he beckoned for her to walk with him as he returned to meet with the rest of the party.
With a rolled up map beneath his arm, Douglas returned to the group with Cordelia close behind him. He greeted them and Cordelia reluctantly went through introductions with the child she had not yet met. Douglas spread the map on a nearby flat rock and the group began to organize their plan of action for the upcoming night’s activities.
The sun had long set and the air was brisk with the seabreeze that wafted over the isle. Three children piled into a small wooden boat with Cordelia seated at the bow. She suspiciously eyed them briefly, hoping her shawl was in one of their backpacks. The rope that tethered the boat to the dock fell into the deck of the vessel with a faint, rumbling thud and the small hands of Kaci and Douglas pushed the boat away to begin their travels. It was a peaceful, quiet night and they watched as the lights in the city went out one by one. The gentle waves brushed against the sides of the humble watercraft with only the moonlight to guide them until they were far enough away from the city to turn on a lantern.
The party made their way north, passing below the cliffs that Thiovlo was perched high upon, keeping relatively close to the shore so as to not get lost in the night. Rounding the corner of the highest cliff, the dimly lit outline of the hills beyond Thiovlo came into view, illuminated only by the flickers of fireflies and glistening rocks reflecting light from the moon above. For a short moment, Cordelia admired the coast’s beauty before the worry of her missing shawl returned to mind. She crossed her arms and held her barren shoulders tightly.
Tall rocky cliffs broke away from the coastline and arched over to a small, fractured island directly north. The crew aimed the bow toward it and they slowly drifted closer, eventually finding a clearing they could dock at. With their meager supplies in hand, Cordelia and the children ventured onto the island, searching the beach for remnants of the rumored shipwreck. After a bit of walking, they finally stumbled upon some obvious pieces of an old ship protruding from the sand and nearby water. Excitement took over and Douglas quietly cheered with the confirmation that the rumor of the shipwreck was true.
“This is it, guys,” Douglas stated, promptly examining the remains.
Kaci followed the debris along the shoreline until the beach turned to jagged rocks. Peering around a towering bit of stone, a moderately-sized cave entrance could be seen despite the darkness.
“Hey,” Kaci beckoned for their attention. “There’s a cave over here. Let’s check it out.”
Cordelia gulped and clenched her teeth for a moment. “Are you sure this is such a good idea?”
“You can turn into a dragon, right? What’s the worst that could happen?” Douglas responded to her.
Cordelia sighed and looked away, unable to form a response given her knowledge. Again, she was reminded of her bare shoulders but could not bring herself to be honest about the true importance of the garment. I have a bad feeling about this. Nevertheless, the party proceeded toward the cave, carefully climbing over the rocks, and stepping into the shallow water that fed into the entrance.
The splashing of footsteps echoed off the rocky walls of the cave with the lantern casting ominous shadows off its rough texture. Bits of the broken ship lined the walls, the pieces getting smaller the deeper they ventured in.
“That’s weird. How did all these pieces get all the way in here?” Michael spoke up after a bit of walking.
“Maybe the waves pushed them in during high tide,” Kaci responded.
“I bet if we’re going to find anything, it’ll be in here,” Douglas chimed in, raising the lantern up a bit.
Several minutes later, a faint, fluttering groan could be heard.
Kaci stopped walking and grabbed the back of Douglas’ shirt. “Did you hear that?”
“Did I hear-” Douglas stopped mid sentence as the peculiar groan could be heard again.
Cordelia’s heart jumped into her throat and she quickly urged the children for her shawl.
“Not now, Cordelia,” Douglas replied.
“No,” Cordel
ia was visibly panicked. “If you want me to protect us, I need that shawl now.”
“What?” Douglas’ brows furrowed. “Why do you need it?”
Cordelia whipped her head around as there was a gentle splash in the water nearby. Soon, the weathered face of an almost ethereal woman could be seen in the soft glow of the lantern. She was dressed in drenched, tattered garments that draped from her thin frame. Her nails were long and sharp, her eyes an unsettling darkness that consumed what would normally be white. She slowly sauntered toward the group, her body leaning into each stride as if it were a slow dance. The light from the lantern reflected in her wide, glossy black eyes.
“Now!” Cordelia screamed.
Douglas hastily rifled through his bag for Cordelia’s tangerine and maroon shawl, tossing it to her before backing up with the other two children. Cordelia caught the shawl and immediately slipped it on over her head, sliding her arms into place before raising her hands up to the bright gems upon the ornate shoulder pads. Pressing her thumbs into the gems, she channeled her magic into them and a bright flash filled the tunnel. The children shielded their eyes at the burst of light before peering over their hands. Before them stood a light pink dragon with maroon stripes and lemon-colored horns. Pale, rosy fins lined its back. The dragon was lithe with long limbs, deep blue claws at the tips of every digit, with a strip of matching hair that trailed from its chest to the tip of its tail, the underside adorned with long, yellow spikes at the very end. All in all, the dragon’s coloration was reminiscent of the coral reefs scattered across the Redeirya Sea.
“C-Cordelia?” Douglas stammered.
“Get out of here,” the dragon turned to them and demanded, her deep blue eyes with golden pupils pierced through them. Hesitantly, the children began running for the entrance of the cave.
The sea witch contorted her body and spread her fingers as if mustering some sort of magic in the tips of her nails. Cordelia quickly looked back to the entity before whipping her entire body around, slamming her tail into the sea witch and thrusting her into the cave wall. Bits of gravel fell from the ceiling by the sheer force of impact and Cordelia snarled, baring a mouth full of short but sharp teeth. The sea witch raised herself from the ground in an unnatural way, her spine snapping her body back up into a standing posture, tilting her head at Cordelia with lifeless eyes as if curious and unaffected by the injuries she had just endured. Cordelia stood her ground, digging her claws into the stone below before lunging for her. The sea witch shifted away from the tackle and started to chant in an eerie tone, conjuring some sort of black fog between her hands. Cordelia reached and took several swipes at her but when she thought she would connect, her claws slipped through her form like a shadow. Stomping her draconic feet, her tail whipped around wildly before her horns began to glow. Breathing in, Cordelia soon let loose a burst of magic energy from her dagger-filled maw. Neither fire nor water, this dragon’s breath was pure radiant energy. The dense cloud permeated the immediate area, appearing as particles of frost in a cold mist, glistening as if shining seawater on a warm day. The sea witch screamed in horror, her dark magic dissipating in the wave of the opposing force. Her cries fading into a low, raspy howl, the sea witch took off down the tunnel with Cordelia following close behind.
Douglas made it to the front of the cave first, gasping for air with his heart pounding in his chest. “Oh my god, what was that,” Douglas uttered beneath his breath.
“Some sort of sea monster,” Kaci responded, collecting herself. “I think my dad mentioned something like this before.”
Douglas bit his lip. “What if Cordelia needs help?”
“We have daggers. Cordelia is literally a dragon,” Michael commented. “The hell are we going to do to help?”
“I don’t know, but we should support her,” Douglas commented before running back toward the cave.
Kaci reached toward him but missed his arm. “Douglas, don’t!”
“Ah, dang it,” Michael groaned, looking to Kaci.
“We have to either help him or stop him,” Kaci stated, meeting his gaze. Michael nodded and the pair hurried after him.
Douglas’ feet splashed in the ankle-deep water in his stride, he took rapid breaths while holding out the lantern to guide his path. Deep in the chasm he could hear the pounding of claws on stone and sloshing seawater up ahead. He rounded a corner in the path and finally came into view of a wide clearing with an open space in the ceiling that allowed the subtle moonlight to enter the cave. In the very center of the chamber where the moonlight reached in, there was a small mound of dirt and gravel surrounded by the shallow waters. Cordelia could be seen off to the side still in dragon-form, the faint light reflecting off her blue and yellow eyes as she gazed toward the nature-made spotlight. The splashing of feet in water could be heard and soon the sea witch shambled out of the darkness and onto the dry dirt mound, clutching her stomach. Cordelia’s body glowed brightly as it did before, this time the silhouette of her shape condensed back down to that of a human’s. She casually walked forward to approach the sea witch as if the threat of violence had subsided.
“C-...Cor-...delia,” the sea witch croaked, her eyes finally clear—no longer the shiny black pits they were before.
“You can rest now, Maria,” Cordelia responded to her.
The sea witch gasped for air as she began to fall to her knees in the dirt. Cordelia stood before her, the edges of her many brightly-colored silks soaked in saltwater. She gazed down at the sea witch as her body began to decay in front of her as if decades were passing within seconds. When all that was left was an old skeleton, Cordelia knelt down to place her hands along the sides of its head, but it crumbled to dust in her hands to collapse the remaining bones. There was nothing left of the sea witch’s body but dust settled atop water in a secluded cave. A single tear fell from Cordelia’s bright gold eyes.
“It’s not fair what happened to her,” Cordelia spoke, startling Douglas as he was unaware she had already known he was nearby. The other two children finally caught up and stood beside him to see what was happening. “She was cursed.”
“Cursed? Where is she?” Kaci asked her, glancing around hesitantly.
“She’s at peace now,” Cordelia looked up toward the gap in the ceiling, the moon visible high above. “Her name was Maria and we grew up together. I had no idea she would be here of all places,” she sighed. “She was so close, yet so far away. I could have helped her sooner. Maybe it wouldn’t have come to this.”
There was an awkward silence for a while until Cordelia stood up and snapped her fingers. Tiny dazzling orbs began to float around her shoulders before shooting out across the room. In the reflection of the mysterious light, sparkles of gold could be seen in various corners of the room. The children’s eyes widened in witness of the meager—but much desired—wealth.
“It’s not much, but it seems in her crazed state, Maria had been collecting some shiny things,” Cordelia stated, gesturing across the room.
The children set out to collect as much gold as they could find and carry while Cordelia walked off to the opposite side where one lone glittering orb seemed to beckon for her attention by blinking. Crouching down, the light followed her lead and illuminated some sort of black and green object beneath the water’s surface. Cordelia retrieved the item and channeled her magic into it causing it to glow white until the dark crust cracked and fell from the piece. It was an old silver bracelet engraved in an ancient language with several blue and green gems adorning it. Cordelia’s eyes teared up again and she held it close to her chest, remembering that this once belonged to her dear friend Maria.
The children waddled down the beach with heavy bags full of gold coins, miscellaneous trinkets, and gems that they managed to scavenge from the cave. The moon was reaching for the horizon and the group knew it was about time to head back. Cordelia had no interest in the treasure that could have been collected. She simply continued to grasp the silver bangle tightly, silently, immersed in he
r own memories of who she once knew. She sat at the bow of the humble boat just as she did before, her silks flowing in the evening breeze. Cordelia felt a deep sorrow—and yet, she felt relieved. Maria is finally going home.
The trip back to Calyx was exciting in the fact that they found what they were looking for, but anxiety-inducing for how late it had gotten. The children collectively hoped no one had noticed their absence and made plans to store the spoils of their adventure somewhere that their parents would not find it. The boat gently nudged the dock and Kaci hopped out onto it to begin tying up the boat as it was before. Douglas assisted her while Michael retrieved the bags. Kaci knew her father would be awake soon so she bid the three farewell and hurried home. Michael thanked Cordelia for her assistance and started off into town with two of the three backpacks. Douglas beamed up at Cordelia, standing in silence for a brief moment before Cordelia finally spoke up.
“What?” She grimaced down at him.
“You are super cool and amazing,” he responded with the widest grin. Cordelia looked him up with furrowed brows before tilting her head away.
“Okay,” she replied simply, dismissing his praise.
“And, uhm,” Douglas hesitated. “I’m really sorry about the...shawl thing.”
“It’s,” Cordelia paused. “It’s not okay,” she scowled and fell silent for a brief moment. “But it turned out okay,” her expression softened and she gave him a weak smile. The pair smiled at each other before Cordelia got serious again. “Seriously, though, if you kids had left my shawl here when we went out, we could have all died.”
“W-What?” Douglas stammered.
Cordelia motioned toward the gems on the shoulderpads of her silk shawl. “My people can’t transform without magical assistance. We’ve had this issue for decades. So, don’t ever take my stuff again,” she viciously scolded him.