by Riker Kane
“You can’t. You’ll just hurt yourself.”
“Oh, come on! Just lemme try.”
Clayton sighed. “Fine. What does it matter? Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He held the hilt out slowly and she snatched it from him. Wrinkles of confusion came across his forehead as the dainty woman gripped the sword with both hands. “How did you…”
“You know, for a broken sword, it’s still pretty heavy. I don’t think I can actually swing this thing.”
“I guess it’s not active when there’s no Maledict around…”
“Maledict? What’s that?”
“It… Never mind.” He swiped the sword from her and stuffed the two pieces back into his sheath.
“Don’t worry. I’m not gonna steal your sword. You love that broken thing so much… Maybe I should call you that… Broken Sword… Broken Blade… BB… Yeah… BB. That’s got a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”
Clayton raised an eyebrow and shook his head. “Please don’t call me BB…”
Kailani ignored his request, switching her attention to tending the fire.
He watched her for a moment before heading out toward the water and looking at the kraken. “I have to get off this island…” He considered his options.
The easiest way to leave was to go back home. He could simply will it and he’d back in the last place he’d been on his world, the comforts of his apartment. He wouldn’t have to worry about krakens or crabs or whatever else might be lurking. But there would be no way for him to return to Xeylon. The means of getting him back were in Nalore and there was no telling if Jalise or Rena were even alive to do so.
Clayton knew he could never take the chance doing something like that anyway. It was his fault Jalise and Rena were lost at sea. He couldn’t just leave them without doing anything.
“I can’t leave… No… I have to look for them…” He spun around. “Kailani. Do you have a boat I can borrow?”
“Borrow?” She arched an eyebrow at him. “Something tells me you wouldn’t be giving it back…”
“I need to find my friends.”
“Sorry… I don’t have a boat and even if I did, it wouldn’t be fit enough to head out there.”
“What do you mean?”
“What do I mean? Uh, do you see that giant squid out there? I can give you a nice little rowboat but I’m not about to just watch you sail into that thing’s mouth… How would I get my boat back?”
“But my friends—”
“Ask yourself something, Clayton. If your friends knew you’d made it to shore, would they tell you to come looking for them around the mouth of that thing?”
Clayton stared at the kraken with Kailani’s words ringing in his head. “I’ve faced giant Maledict beasts. Creatures the size of buildings. I’ve gained the kind of strength here that would take me years to do back home. I have abilities like something out of a fairytale. But that thing out there is the most unnerving thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”
“There’s no shame in being scared of something like that. Look at how freakin’ big it is! What is it with guys always trying to be so macho…”
“It’s not about being macho… But if Jalise or Rena were here, they’d tell me to keep pushing forward. They’d talk about them holding me back. We didn’t travel all this way from Nalore for nothing.”
“Nalore? You’re from Nalore?”
“You’ve heard of it?”
“Something in an old story… A faraway land. You know how that goes.”
“Nalore isn’t that far. A few days at sea.”
“Hmm… Maybe when the kraken goes to sleep, you can head back and search for your friends.”
“And how long will that be?”
“Days. Weeks. Months. Depends on how long it takes for it to get its fill. Speaking of which…” Kailani stabbed at the smaller crab and split open its shell. Clayton hid his disgust as she pulled its guts out, reminding himself it was no different from the crabs back home, only bigger.
Fleshy gray meat was skewered and held over the flames. It wasn’t long before the smell of it filled Clayton’s nostrils. Fortunately for him, his hunger was something he could actually take care of.
He took a seat across from her and skewered some of the crab meat.
“There’s plenty to go around,” she said. “There’s enough meat in these things to last for weeks. Most of the time it goes bad though, since nobody could actually eat all of that.”
“Couldn’t you take it back to where you’re from?”
“You see how big it is. I’m not about to lug all that crab meat. We’re not starving back in the village.”
“The village… How far is it from here?”
“Not far. Maybe half-a-day.”
“Kailani… What is it you’re doing out here exactly?”
The gray crab meat on her stick had cooked to a juicy white. She poked at it with her fingers and the steam rose. The first bite she took was big, the juices of the crab smearing around her lips and cheeks.
“Sometimes, you just wanna get away from the village. I like to come out here and relax on the beach. I was planning on hunting crab. Didn’t expect the big one.”
“You’re telling me you were just strolling along and happened to see me fighting that crab because you were looking for a place to relax.”
“Why? Is that so hard to believe?”
Clayton looked around the beach. For a moment, he appreciated the peaceful scenery and steadied himself. With all of the things he had to deal with, at least the view was nice. “No… I guess that’s believable. It’s a good thing you decided to come by. I think I’d still be fighting that crab…”
“How about you? What are you doing out here?”
“My friends and I were traveling.”
“Traveling… Where?”
He shrugged, spinning his skewer over the flames. “Nowhere. Anywhere. We were just traveling, looking for what Xeylon is all about. Didn’t think things like that existed out in the sea.”
“They call it the Great Sea for a reason. Nobody knows what’s out there exactly… What do you plan on doing now?”
“It looks like I’m stuck here for the time being,” he sighed. “If I have to be stuck anywhere, I guess this is the place to be. I don’t know how long I can survive on the beach before I go insane though…”
“I’ll take you back to Tamwa.”
“Tamwa?”
“My village.”
“Maybe I should do that.”
There weren’t many options for Clayton to consider, so he didn’t protest.
Kailani giddily heaped more of the crab meat onto a new stick and roasted it. Clayton wasn’t sure what to make of her. Even though she’d helped him so far and her attitude was welcoming, he’d still only just met her.
“Don’t worry, BB.” Kailani noticed him staring at her intently.
“What?”
“You look worried. I was telling you not to worry.”
“I’m not worried. I just wonder… It’s always strange visiting a new place.”
“Oh… I get it… Well… Whatever you’re thinking about my village, it’s not that.”
“Oh, that’s good—”
“It’s worse.”
Kailani winked and took another giant bite of crab, chewing with her mouth open and a big smile on her lips. Clayton sighed at her amusement and helped himself to more food, his only comfort at the moment. He could only hope to find what he was looking for in Tamwa.
Chapter 4
The walk through the island was less stressful for Clayton. Even with everything weighing on his mind, he could still appreciate the scenery. The tropical palm tree forest was as lush as he imagined it could be. The sun shined through the treetops and illuminated the dirt path before them. All around him, the sweet floral scent flooded his senses and made him even more relaxed.
Kailani maintained her cheery disposition. Despite having some reservations, Clayton admired the
view from behind. He chuckled softly to himself, thinking about how Rena would admonish him for thinking about that even at a time like this.
The animals jumped through the trees and lurked in the brush but Kailani assured him there was no danger from anything. The most harrowing part of the journey was how long it took.
The sun went down. The moonlight shined but there was still a comforting warmth in the air. A bit of fortune for Clayton, considering all of his gear had been lost with the ship.
“You really go out to the beach to relax?” he asked. “It seems like a long walk just to eat some crab meat and sit in the sand.”
“Trust me. When you’ve been living in a village like Tamwa all your life, you’ll spend half the day just to spend a few hours away from it.”
“Are you sure it’s such a good idea you should be bringing me to your village?”
She stopped in her tracks and turned around. “Why? Is it because you’re an offlander?”
“Offlander… Is that what you’d call me? Are there many offlanders in your village?”
“There no offlanders in any of the villages in Hilamau.”
“Oh… Now I get it. You wanna bring me back to the village to show off the strange offlander you’ve discovered. Is that it? You don’t know me very well. I could be dangerous.”
Kailani crossed her arms, one eye closed while she examined him. “I almost saw you get your ass kicked by a crab. You’re not a threat to anybody, BB.”
She giggled then skipped forward. It took a moment for Clayton to respond. “Hey! How am I supposed to know the crab’s got a weak point?” Kailani was already so far ahead she barely heard his retort.
It had been hours since they left the beach. Clayton didn’t want to admit he was becoming weary but he was spared the embarrassment when the forest started to clear.
Kailani pushed the brush away and stepped through. Clayton followed behind her and looked out into the open field.
“Is this…”
“Welcome to Tamwa.” She held her hand out with that friendly smile of hers.
The town was quiet and quaint, Clayton thought to himself. But it wasn’t like the village below the keep in Nalore. Nor was it even like Wenham. The buildings appeared to be huts made out of trees with canvas stretched across them for walls and roofs. None of them were any bigger than the smallest one-story homes in his neighborhood.
The dozens of homes lined the paths while all around him, there were fields with people working in them. Even at this time of night, they dug into the soil like a farmer would in the morning.
“Are they farming?” he asked.
“Here in Tamwa, everybody’s a farmer. Day or night. Rain or shine. We’ve gotta make sure the crops are being tended to. People think this tropical weather is great but the food we grow doesn’t appreciate it as much. It’s meticulous work.”
“I can imagine.”
“Come on. You’ll have plenty of time to gawk at the locals.”
“I think I’m the one they’re gawking at. I wonder if it’s because of my clothes or something else…”
Some of the villagers took notice of Clayton, staring at him as he walked through the fields with Kailani. They appeared just as fit as she was, their skin a healthy, admirable tan.
The farmland stretched for what seemed like miles to the point Clayton was impressed.
“I thought you said this place was worse than what I was expecting…”
“Isn’t it? We’ve got nothing but huts and dirt all around us.”
“Those huts do enough to deal with the weather?”
“It only occasionally rains out here. No storms or hurricanes or typhoons.”
“Sounds nice.”
“Sounds boring. The days when I’m trapped inside my tent are enjoyable just because it’s a nice change of pace.”
Clayton smiled at the thought of being trapped inside, considering he spent most of his days willingly in his apartment. Now wasn’t the time to think about any of that though and the view of the sprawling farmland made him forget about home.
The villagers took more of a notice of Clayton but did nothing more than stare. Clayton tried smiling at some of them and they did the same in return. Even that kind gesture had his mind racing.
“Maybe they’re really nice people… Or maybe they’re planning on killing me for a sacrifice,” he thought.
“You all right there, BB?”
“What? I’m fine.”
“You sure… You look a little outta sorts.”
“No… Just getting used to my surroundings.”
“We’re just farmers. You wanna see some real savages, I can take you to Leben.”
“Where are you taking me now?”
“You see that?” Kailani pointed at the largest tent in the distance. “That’s where the village elder is. Maybe he can help you out.”
“All right… Sounds like a plan.”
As the tent came closer into view, Clayton couldn’t help but admire the architecture. The trees that made up the foundation looked like they had been carved right on the spot with the roots still in the dirt. The brown leather hides that stretched to make up the walls were stitched together with the precision of a machine, though there didn’t appear to be any around. But there was something else about the tent that caught Clayton’s eye more than anything else.
“Is that…” He squinted in disbelief and walked right up to it.
“Oh, that thing? Yeah, it’s been around since the beginning, as the story goes. Just another monument.”
“This isn’t a monument. This is an essence tablet.”
“A what now?”
Clayton ran his hand over the stone. It took a few seconds but sure enough, there was a reaction. The flames appeared in front of him with the numbers appearing inside.
Kailani took a step back, her eyes wide. “Whoa… What the hell did you do?”
“I’m a Ferrum. Ferrum can activate these things.”
“You’re not about to summon a monster or anything, are you?”
“No… I can’t do anything except look at my essence and make a record. I… I should probably do that, just in case… If I ever die, come to this tablet. You’ll find my body here.” Clayton waited for a response but there was none. “Kailani, did you hear—” He turned and saw the confusion on her face.
“Of course… How could I explain to someone I’ll be here if I die?” He sighed and shook his head before pulling his hand away from the stone.
“Never mind,” he said. “Though I wonder what an essence tablet is doing all the way out here.”
“Like I said, nobody knows what it is or how it got here. Just something left behind by the ancients. Honestly, you can make up any story and people will believe it. I like to lean against it when I’m watching the sunset.” Kailani demonstrated it for Clayton to his amusement.
“The village elder—”
“Right! The village elder. Let’s go meet him.” She started to walk inside of the tent but came to a sudden halt. “Uh, just one more thing, BB. Can you do me a favor?”
“I don’t know if I like where this is going…”
“Oh, it’s nothing like that. The village elder… He’s… He’s a nice guy. Try not to take advantage of him.”
“I… I wasn’t planning on it.”
Kailani gave him an assuring nod and stepped into the tent.
“Strange…” Clayton shrugged then followed Kailani inside.
The tent was a lot bigger inside than he expected it to be. It didn’t have any of the electronic amenities he had in his apartment but it was more than comfortable. A table for eating was off to one side while a couple of chairs for relaxing were set on another. Multiple bookshelves lined the walls, filled with all sorts of texts. There were some beds, too. It appeared the living room, bedroom and library were all in the same spot within this one tent. It reminded him of the student lounge at school.
At the center of it, a small bonfire burned
with the smoke rising up through a small hole in the ceiling. Next to the fire was a man covered in leathers, hunched close to the fire.
Kailani approached him slowly when a voice came from him. “What did I tell you about heading to the beach before nightfall?” He spoke slowly, as if making sure each word was heard loud and clear.
“I did head out before nightfall. I just didn’t get back in time.”
“You know there is much work to be done if we’re to meet our quota before season’s end.”
“Relax. We’ve got plenty of time. We’ll have a surplus by the time we’re done. This time is different though. I brought someone.”
The man creaked his head in Clayton’s direction. Clayton was unsure of what to make of how he stared at him, so he just stood there.
The man got up to his feet, tugging on his leathers to make sure they didn’t fall off. Underneath it, his body seemed as fit as the other farmers he’d seen. His hair was gray but full. He didn’t look that much older but his eyes seemed full of wisdom, Clayton thought.
The man shifted his eyes up and down, examining Clayton and sizing him up. Clayton worried he’d done something offensive before the man spoke again. “What’s with your clothes?”
“I… What?” Clayton was at a loss for words.
Kailani giggled and slapped Clayton on the arm. “He lost everything in a shipwreck with the squid.”
“You were out in the water when the kraken was feeding? You should have known better.”
“Yes,” Clayton sighed. “I should have known better. And now I do. Is that why you brought me here? So this guy can call me an idiot—”
“I apologize. My name is Okari. I am elder of Tamwa village.”
“I’m Clayton Brooks.”
“Welcome, Clayton.” He shifted his eyes toward Kailani. “I trust my daughter hasn’t been giving you any trouble.”
“Your daughter?” Clayton gave a confused look to Kailani. “Wait… He’s your dad?”
Kailani shrugged. Clayton turned back to him. “Kailani saved me. She hasn’t been any trouble at all.”
“Really now?” Okari looked at his daughter skeptically. “I don’t believe that for a moment.”
“Well… She does seem like she’s having her fun with me—”