by Raymond Cain
Flynn hadn’t known his brother was hired to help replenish the golems lost in the conflict, but it made perfect sense. Tasker was likely the best engineer in the city. “I found it, Tasker.”
Tasker turned back toward the round blob of crystal-enriched water and buried his hands in it. The blob was shaped halfway between flat and round, but the water began to stir after he touched it. “Found what?”
“You remember that tomb with the images of our people fleeing an ancient city before we established Seahaven?”
“Obviously,” Tasker said. “I documented the images. One of them titled the city Deepstone.”
Flynn’s green eyes twinkled as he locked gazes with his brother. “Well, I found Deepstone.”
Chapter Eight
“You found Deepstone?” Tasker said, skeptically. “And it is located where, exactly?”
The tentacled water arms on his brother’s helm focused on Flynn as Tasker spoke, giving him the feeling that he was speaking to a crowd. “In The Abyss.”
“The Abyss?” Tasker repeated with a condescending smile. “The ancient city our people migrated from five-hundred years ago is in The Abyss? And you’ve seen it?”
“Well, not exactly in The Abyss,” Flynn conceded. “An opening in the cliff face inside The Abyss leads to it. And no, I didn’t see the city itself. But I was in the adjacent tunnels.”
Tasker pinched his chin between a thumb and forefinger, skepticism etching itself more profoundly into his face. “And what occurrence triggered this excursion into The Abyss, exactly?”
Flynn hesitated, unsure of how Tasker would react once he learned the one who murdered their parents was still alive. “Theoric and his ship rose from it.”
“Theoric’s alive?” Tasker replied, his tone turning more serious.
Flynn nodded.
Tasker removed the water-tentacled helmet and set it on the worktable before him. “What did you see there?”
“I didn’t go far down the tunnels. But I did encounter some azuran patrols, and some of them were discussing a shipment of slaves that Theoric dropped off. And I found a human woman trapped in ice.”
Tasker raised a curious eyebrow. “Trapped in ice for five centuries? That would require a lot of crystal and an extremely skilled engineer.”
That surprised Flynn. “An engineer? I would have thought a sorcerer. . .”
Tasker waved the notion away as though it were a buzzing insect. “A sorcery spell would have expired long ago. Ice retaining solidity this long is the work of a gifted engineer. The girl may have survived the ordeal, but we won’t know for sure until I break the enchantment.”
“Break the enchantment?” Flynn said, staring incredulously. “You mean you want to go there? It’s full of azurans! I barely made it out alive.”
“She could provide fascinating insights about the city and what happened there,” Tasker replied in a matter-of-fact tone, dismissing Flynn’s objections with a wave of his hand. “And she could be our guide if we choose to go deeper.”
“What about the hundred golems you need to build?”
“They can wait. Investigating Deepstone and rescuing one of its citizens takes precedence.”
“You’re crazy,” Flynn said. It felt strange to be the one discouraging reckless behavior, but he was the one who knew what lay in wait for them. Going back there was not worth the risk. “I’m not going.”
“Of course you are,” Tasker said in an annoying matter-of-fact tone. “Because I’m going, and if I have to spend all day scouring The Abyss and dodging azuran patrols in the tunnels, I will. Your protective instincts won’t allow me to do it alone.”
Flynn opened his mouth to say something but whatever words he tried to form, they died before they escaped his lips. His brother was right. Infuriatingly so. And the argument seemed frustratingly similar to the one Fitch used to persuade Flynn to let him come along.
Tasker picked up Stingray and a pulse of magical energy shimmered along its crystalline barrel. He placed a steel bolt in the end of the barrel and the water inside drew back like a coiled spring, ready for launch. A liquid strap half-hung, half-flowed from each end of the weapon like a leather strap, and he tossed the weapon over his shoulder. The strap separated, the two halves flowing over his right shoulder and under his left arm, before reconnecting into one strap over his chest.
Once the strap reconnected, Tasker looked up at Flynn, “You ready?”
Clenching his teeth and shaking his head, Flynn could not dispute his brother’s logic. As intolerable as Tasker was, Flynn could not let him go alone. The two of them left the laboratory and entered the Pool Room.
The Searunners’ hatch doors opened as the brothers drew near. Flynn plopped down on the liquid pilot’s chair and pulled the breathing helm on. The crystal doors slid closed and liquid belts criss-crossed over his chest. Still shaking his head in exasperation, he dropped the vessel below the surface.
Flynn let out a deep breath. “This is such a bad idea.”
A glance over his shoulder revealed Tasker was right on his ship’s tail, literally, as he descended. The stone door slid out of the way and the two vessels entered the ocean. Flynn was the first to rise from the crevices but in a rare showing of enthusiasm, Tasker took the lead.
“You’re crazy,” Flynn repeated, shaking his head in bewilderment. Shoving the acceleration lever forward, he retook the lead. His brother determinedly headed onward and despite Flynn’s frustration, his brother’s uncharacteristic display of courage made him smile. It would be interesting to see how courageous Tasker was once they reached The Abyss.
Marine life whipped by Flynn’s crystalline hull, broadening his smile. The thought of returning to Deepstone’s tunnels tied his stomach in knots but it was good to see Tasker out of the laboratory and cruising the ocean at Flynn’s side, eager to explore a long-lost civilization. He felt like the heroes of old that his mother read stories to him about.
A giant vampire squid swam in Flynn’s path. Although not technically a squid, it closely resembled one, and its eight arms were connected by a webbing of skin that resulted in a cloak-like mantle. The underside of the mantle was jet-black and its arms were covered in sharp spines. The gelatinous body flared red and its arms reached for Flynn but he flipped the Searunner sideways and swerved out of its reach. Tasker swerved around the other side of the creature and the two ships leveled off and cruised side-by-side over the seascape.
The checkerboard landscape of square farms looked much like a graveyard. The vampire squid was one of hundreds of predators scouring the area for an easy meal and the ground was littered in bones. Many of the bones were covered in osedax, feathery-plumed worms that fed on skeletal remains. The bones were quickly becoming devoured and it wouldn’t be long before the only evidence of battle was the damaged terrain.
Once Flynn was further from Seahaven, the ground changed from colored square farms to colored patches of vegetation. He soared over a field of yellow-brown seaweed flanked by areas covered in thick orange sponge and soft purple coral. He and his brother increased their altitude to soar over a forest of red kelp, the feathery branches swaying in their wake.
Before long, they approached The Abyss. Flynn maintained his speed and he slowed to give his brother some time to decide about proceeding further. Part of him believed his brother would turn back but Tasker cruised over the edge of the massive crevice without hesitation. Their crystal crafts skimmed over the blackness like a pair of glowing jewels speeding through a sea of ink.
“Sailing over it takes guts,” Flynn said, approvingly. “But let’s see if you have enough to enter it.”
As Flynn neared the cliffs on the other side of the fissure, he drew back on the acceleration lever. He circled until he spotted the distant blue glow of the aquazite portal through the sea of shadowy creatures below. The other Searunner hovered patiently beside him and the edges of Tasker’s mouth lifted into a slight grin, as though daring him to enter.
“Ok
ay, Flynn,” he said to himself, gathering his nerve. “You’ve done this before. You can do it again.”
After a deep intake of breath, Flynn clenched every muscle in his body and dropped down into the darkness. His stomach contents rose and he swallowed, forcing them back down. His arms were covered in goosebumps and sweat beaded on his forehead.
Glimpses of blue light below kept him oriented enough to know which way was up and down. Tasker’s Searunner descended with him, nearly close enough to cause a collision. The countless lights from marine creatures disappeared as dark forms closed over the vessels.
The shadowy forms clawed at their ships, creating a spine-buckling screech that made Flynn cringe. He fought the impulse to turn around and he increased his speed instead. The two crystal vessels roared through the blackness and the ghostly creatures parted, allowing them through.
“I’m impressed,” Flynn said, nodding approvingly at his brother.
In moments, they arrived at the twenty-foot-wide portal. The crystals around it shone pale blue and the shadowy creatures kept their distance. Anticipating that he would not want to wear his breathing helm in the tunnels, he removed it and fastened it to a hook on the ceiling. With the flick of a switch, the hatch doors opened and he held his breath as he pulled himself into the dark depths. He swam for the opening and pushed himself through the water-repelling barrier. After oozing his way through, he stepped into the air-filled tunnel, chilled but dry. Tasker stepped into the stone hallway right behind him. His complexion was paler than usual.
“You idiot!” Tasker replied. “I can’t believe you led me through The Abyss.”
Flynn jerked his head back in surprise. “That’s exactly where I said—”
“Well I didn’t believe you, obviously,” Tasker replied, his face reddening.
Flynn tried to keep a straight face but his brother’s anger made it difficult. “Sorry for being honest, I guess,” he said, without any attempt to sound sincere. “If it scared you that bad, perhaps we can find you a five-hundred-year-old pair of shorts. . .”
Tasker’s glare was so fierce, Flynn ended his sentence prematurely.
“I just can’t believe I followed you down here,” Tasker said, shaking his head. “I mean, what sane person would. . .” He looked at Flynn and nodded, as though he just answered his own question.
“Anyway,” Flynn said, staring down the three hallways for signs of azurans. None were in sight. “If you’re done alerting everyone within earshot of our presence here, perhaps we can go visit our frozen friend now.”
Tasker shook his head in exasperation. He held out his hand and the water strap that kept Stingray looped over his shoulder separated, slapping the crystal weapon into his open palm. He gestured impatiently with the weapon, urging Flynn to proceed.
The stale, smoky air left a foul taste in Flynn’s mouth and he pulled the collar of his kempcloth shirt over his face. He tiptoed along the blue cobblestones and soon spotted the room with the frozen girl in it. The broken door still hung on a single rusty hinge and he peeked around the doorjamb, ensuring nobody was in there.
Staring back at Flynn from the ice was the red-headed woman, a horrified look fixed upon her face. The only visible part of her was her face, where Flynn had wiped the dust away. He knew she hadn’t felt anything for centuries but he was still troubled by the idea of her being frozen in mid-scream for so long.
“I wonder who she is,” Flynn said, wiping off more of the dust to expose more of her face. “And why she was frozen.”
“We’ll soon find out,” Tasker said, looping Stingray over his shoulder and placing his hands on the ice. He faced the floor and closed his eyes.
After a few minutes, Flynn peeked out the doorway, ensuring nobody was coming down the hall. His brother didn’t seem to have made any progress. “What are you doing, exactly?”
Tasker scowled. “I’m communicating with a five-hundred-year-old genius.”
“What do you mean?”
With an exasperated sigh, Tasker shook out his hands as though they were wet, and he placed them on the ice. “Each engineer has a unique style of enchanting things, similar to the way each painter has a unique style of brush strokes or a stone carver shapes stone in a certain way. When I put my hands on an enchanted object, I get a sense of the person who enchanted it. Each part of the enchantment is like a thread, and all the threads are woven together into one intricately sewn piece of magical material.”
Flynn nodded as though he understood what his brother was talking about. There was no sign of patrols in the tunnels yet, but he felt certain it would not be much longer until they were discovered. “I thought you said you could free her quickly.”
Tasker sighed again. “The one who created this prison learned his art in a manner completely different from the way the engineering arts are currently taught in Seahaven. Trying to unravel his enchantment is like learning a new language.” He removed his hands from the ice and rubbed them vigorously to warm them. He scowled at Flynn before putting his hands back where they were. “And your interruptions aren’t helping.”
Flynn peeked down the hallways and saw nothing. For a moment, he thought he heard something but it might have been his imagination. He unsheathed his sword, just in case. The wide-bladed rapier felt comfortable in his grip. To pass the time, he traced his fingers around the gold filigree decorating the steel rings and plates in the hilt. Light from glowdiscs in the ceiling glinted off the gold.
“I think I got it!” Tasker said, the sudden outburst making Flynn jump.
A crunching sound emanated from deep inside the ice and a crack appeared at its base. The gap widened and split as it traveled up to the peak of the icy shell. The cracks continued splitting off from each other, and a large piece along the side sheared off and landed on the floor with a dull thud.
A blinding light flared out from the frozen prison, and ice chunks flew outward. Flynn was blinded by the flash and pieces of ice bounced off him, hard enough to leave a bruise. A chill passed through the room, sending shivers down Flynn’s spine.
It took a few moments for the remnants of the flash to leave his eyes before Flynn could see again. The icy prison was gone, replaced by melting shards on the floor. Amidst the frozen rubble crouched a fiery-haired woman armored in the jet-black hide of a creature he could not identify. It was as black as The Abyss and so supple, she appeared as though she were enshrouded in ink.
The woman’s hands were palm down on the cobblestones and her head hung down. Her hair was braided but strands were sticking out everywhere in a manner that reminded Flynn of a wild animal. Four throwing blades were sheathed in her swordbelt and two more were tucked in each boot.
Amidst the ice shards there were a pair of dark metal rods, each about three feet long. The jet-black steel was encrusted with red crystalline powder that branched and spiralled like veins along their lengths. Something about the rods pulled at Flynn, as though beckoning him to wield them. From one end of each staff protruded a red crystal the size of a fingertip. They reminded him of the aquazite crystals his people used in their weapons.
The woman shook her head, as though trying to regain her senses, and looked up for only a moment before shielding her eyes from the light. As she collected herself, Flynn sensed a certain strength about her. Initially, he felt they were rescuing an innocent girl imprisoned from ages past. After seeing her in the flesh, he wondered if she was trapped for a very good reason.
“My staves,” she whispered, fumbling through the ice for the metal rods. The red crystalline dust along their lengths glowed as she gripped the weapons.
“I have a bad feeling about this,” Flynn said, assuming a defensive stance.
“As do I,” Tasker said, readying Stingray and aiming it at her.
The red-headed woman looked up at them, and blinked her eyes numerous times. “I don’t recognize either of you.” Her voice was cold, emotionless. Her hands clenched tight around her staves and the veins of red crystal dust em
bedded in the steel flared.
“We don’t want to hurt you,” Tasker said.
“Don’t worry,” she replied, menacingly. She glared at them with cold green eyes. “You won’t.”
The woman sprang into action and Tasker fired.
Chapter Nine
Somehow, the woman blocked the bolt in mid-flight with one of her staves, sending it skittering across the floor. She rolled toward Tasker and spun around with one leg out wide. It caught Tasker by the ankles, dropping him hard onto his tailbone. Before he landed, she was already back to her feet, spinning her staves and marching dangerously toward Flynn.
Flynn slashed furiously and the woman parried his attacks effortlessly. He ended the barrage with a downward chop and she crossed her staves in an X, catching the sword. She pushed the weapon aside and smashed Flynn in the face with the butt end of one of her staves. She followed the blow with a sidekick that sent him flying back into the wall.
By that time, Tasker was back to his feet and loading another bolt into Stingray’s barrel. He fired at her and she swept the bolt aside as though it was a troublesome insect. She hurled her stave and it swung end over end across the room, striking Tasker in the stomach and buckling him forward.
“Tasker!” Flynn yelled, infuriated at the sight of his brother getting struck down.
As Tasker crumpled, rage pumped through Flynn’s veins. His opponent was down to one stave, a poor match against his rapier. He stepped forward, ready to kill, but he halted at the sound of others in the hall.
An azuran patrol stormed through the doorway. There were six of them, wide-shouldered men wearing black chain mail armor with skulls painted on them. They wore necklaces of teeth strung together and wielded swords and maces. Their white necks and faces were tattooed with black skulls and ghosts. Flynn’s heart pounded and he stepped away from the woman to focus his attention on the azurans, perceiving them to be the more immediate threat.
The woman tossed her stave straight up, removed two throwing blades from hidden slots in her armor, and hurled them. The blades struck the first two azurans in their throats and she caught the stave as it came back down. The warriors gurgled and fell to their knees, toppling over dead as their companions trampled over them. The fiery-haired woman held out her hand and the stave that lay on the floor next to Tasker flew across the room and slapped into her palm. Flynn had only seen people summon aquazite-containing weapons to their hands, but he set aside his surprise and focused on the matter at hand. The fiery-haired woman met the next two azurans while the other two went for Flynn and Tasker.