Sanctuary

by Nally, Fergal F

  Travin used his time to train and gather his own strength. He worked closely with Jotkim's lieutenants and was familiar with their strengths and weaknesses. He poured over maps and strategies with them. It was decided. An all out attack on the Magister garrison at Numibar was agreed.

  All the training done. All the planning over. Now was the time for action. It would be impossible to keep a force this size a secret once they crossed into the frontier lands. They would commit to a simple and direct strategy. Defeat the Magisters in their lair of power.

  Travin stretched his wings and prepared for war.

  ~

  Luana stared at Elias. He was a bad colour. Moose had checked him for bite marks. None were found. If the infected had broken his skin with their teeth, he would have turned by now. But he had not turned. Something was keeping him unconscious.

  Elias's mask had been torn from his face by the waves. Luana looked upon his flame-ravaged skin. Most of his face was scar tissue. His nose was gone; two holes all that was left. No eyebrows remained and most of the hair on his scalp was gone; thin wispy tendrils remained. By some luck, Elias's eyes had been spared and even though they were closed, Luana found she remembered them clearly.

  Elias was a damaged, imperfect man. She, herself, was damaged in many ways. Then, who wasn't? This life, this journey was hard. It took its toll. Luana had seen a strength and beauty to this man. An unwillingness to bend or give up. A willingness to help and do good. She was conflicted; she felt something move within her; something warmed to this damaged soul before her.

  Moose entered the small cabin. "How is he?"

  "No change, still out cold. His fever's broken though. I think that concoction they poured down his throat may have helped a little."

  "I'll sit with him, you should rest. We'll be at Stedfastgate soon. In a few hours I think. We'll need to prepare ourselves for the next thing. You think you'll be able to help Fingal?"

  "Like I said before Moose, I made no promises to Ducet. I said I'd try my best, that's all. If he's still alive, trapped here like us, there must be a reason. I'll just need to see if I can find that reason."

  "Thrall magic doesn't need any reason. Perhaps the Magisters have kept him alive so they can find a way to Echo Island. Perhaps he's like some kind of signal to them."

  "Moose you've a vivid imagination. But you may have something. Fingal's been kept alive for a reason. Ducet said the rest of Fingal's crew were wiped out. His ship ran aground on the Storm Coast. The Magisters could have taken his ship and its contents but no, they left it for the pirates to reclaim."

  "It stinks."

  "I agree, it stinks. It has Magister thinking all over it. Thrall magic. Did it ever occur to you that we might have been kept alive by thrall magic? Do you think we're being used? I keep feeling we're being played by someone."

  Moose shifted uncomfortably. The ship lurched, Luana held on to a bulkhead. Moose looked away leaving her question unanswered.

  "Well I'd better get some sleep. Let me know if Elias comes around. He's…a good man, I think."

  Moose nodded. He was puzzled by her last words. He sensed a change in Luana. He took up his vigil beside Elias and was soon lost in his own thoughts.

  Luana returned to the sleeping quarters. She climbed into her hammock and was asleep in minutes, held in the rocking embrace of the pirate ship.

  Calim Dove sensed this opportunity and his consciousness invaded Luana's dream.

  "Luana, you must awaken Rafael from his slumber at Angel's Landing. You will inform him that Magister Nix intends to bring back Anurein, the Serpent of Chaos, using the Rhapsody Spell. She searches for the Raven Heart as we speak.

  "Once she has found this, it is only a matter of time before she unlocks the power of Rhapsody within the thrall magic she already wields. Then, it will be too late. Rafael must know this; you have to tell him. It is up to you… Rafael needs to recall the Seven from the other dimensions and unite them to defeat the Magisters…"

  Luana's body tossed and turned as her dream swept around her. It felt so real, the voice, the same as before, passed right through her, holding her in a vice like grip. She let out a low moan; her hands grabbed the hammock webbing.

  The voce repeated its message, burning it into her memory, then left her. She spent the next two hours in a fitful sleep and awoke stiff and unrefreshed.

  Somewhere out on deck a man shouted.

  "Land ahoy!"

  Luana blinked, her eyes temporarily unfocused. She remembered where she was and clambered out of the hammock. Her memory reeled from the strange dream. She staggered up the stairs onto the deck.

  She blinked in the strong sunlight and looked around. She saw land and a stockaded settlement on the coast. The ship approached a harbour where people were waiting. She looked back out to sea and saw a thick blanket of fog across the horizon.

  A voice behind her spoke; it was Ducet. "That's what makes Echo Island so hard to find. It protects us from the Magister fleet. This place is permanently surrounded by that fog bank. It takes three days to cross. Impossible to penetrate, unless you know the way."

  "And how do you know the way?" Luana asked.

  "A long story, but suffice to say if it wasn't for the fog we'd have been hunted down a long time ago." Ducet opened her hand and revealed a strange looking compass. Its black needle pointed directly at Stedfastgate.

  Luana allowed her eyes to explore the island's outline. It was mountainous and well forested. The settlement was sheltered in a wide lagoon, which acted as a natural harbour. They drew near to the jetty.

  "Where's Angel's Landing?" Luana asked Ducet.

  The captain smiled and met Luana's gaze.

  "All in good time. First you have to meet my brother, Fingal."

  "Of course. It'll be good to see him. I fear Elias is in the same position. He's neither moved nor spoken since our rescue. I feel he's locked in as well. You'll bring him ashore?"

  "Yes, we'll disembark. You'll be taken to your lodgings and you'll have time to freshen up. I'll collect you later this evening. You'll meet my brother then." Ducet smiled and went forward to supervise her crew.

  Luana watched the pirates working. Sails were hoisted and the ship steered expertly into the harbour. The slaver vessel followed behind and moored further along the jetty. A flurry of activity was triggered by their arrival. Before long, the first mate appeared and spoke to her.

  "I'll take you to your lodgings now. Your companions will be brought along later."

  Luana nodded and followed the first mate. They disembarked and wound through the throng on the dock. People shouted, greeting each other. Cargo and treasure was unloaded from the two vessels. The freed slaves were brought along the dock to their new quarters. Some looked in a sorry state but the relief on their faces at being free was unmistakable.

  The first mate delivered Luana to a two story wooden building. She was greeted by a woman who showed her upstairs to her room. The woman gave her fresh clothes and a basin of water to bathe in. A cool wind blew in through the window.

  Stedfastgate assaulted her senses. It stank. The smell of unwashed humanity filled the air. The place was rank; the streets were littered with the detritus of human existence. Rats scurried this way and that, freely and in the open.

  Luana steeled herself and set about washing as best she could. Her new clothes were rough and scratched her skin, but they were better than her old rags, which she discarded. Once she was ready, she left her room and explored the building. She found a long corridor, which led to a veranda. She looked out over the street. It was late morning and Stedfastgate was busy. At first sight, the scene below seemed chaotic but order was just below the surface.

  The spoils from the pirate ship were processed and filtered down through the streets to various destinations. She saw weapons being stored, repaired and redistributed. Nothing was wasted; even uniforms were kept as well as oddments of armour.

  She glimpsed rich cloth and tapestries being whisked a
way. Then there was the food and drink. Barrels of salted meat and wine were carried to the tavern. She strained and was just able to read the sign over the tavern's door; "The Crooked Timber." A smile ghosted her lips.

  These pirates had their own society, their own code. She had heard many things about them when she had lived in Numibar, most of them not good. She had heard stories of pirates killing children and raping women.

  From what she could see, the pirates were just like everyone else; just trying to survive. She thought about Elias, herself and the pirates. It was ironic that the only people with any freedom left were outlaws, those beyond the reach of the Magisters.

  It seemed to her that the Magisters knew this and were set on destroying the pirates, the highwayman and herself. Well she, they, would fight back in their own way. She smiled; it was an adventure. She knew it would end in tears. Luana heard a sound and turned.

  Moose stood before her. "There you are. How are you feeling?"

  Luana shrugged. "Tired Moose, tired."

  Moose stared at her. "It's back, isn't it?"

  Luana nodded and looked around over the street.

  "What did it say this time?"

  "Oh, I've just got to persuade an archangel to save the Erthe…" Her voice trailed off. "I don't want to talk about it Moose, not now."

  "All right. Do you want to see Elias? He's been asking for you."

  Luana's body stiffened, she swung around. "Elias? He's awake? Why didn't you tell me? Let's go."

  Moose smiled. It was good to see Luana's face light up for once. They had been carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders these last weeks.

  He led her down the stairs and across town to the infirmary. In a small back room lit by candlelight, they found Elias. His eyes were closed. His old clothes had been removed; he lay on a bed, covered by a blanket. The burns on his face seemed even more livid in the half-light.

  Luana sat down on a low stool beside the bed and watched the rise and fall of his chest. She took his hand and waited, he stirred slightly. She spoke his name.

  "Elias."

  His eyelids fluttered. A bead of sweat rolled from his forehead. He coughed. Luana heard a noise from behind and saw Moose had left, closing the door behind him. Elias's hand squeezed hers and she looked back.

  Elias let out a sigh. "Luana, you're here. It's good to see you."

  Luana knelt beside the bed and looked into Elias's eyes. "Yes Elias. I'm here now. You just get better, you're in a good place, they'll look after you here. Something happened to you on the beach. You're lucky to be alive, thank the gods."

  Elias closed his eyes, his face relaxed. He slipped back into sleep. For the first time in days, Luana felt a flicker of hope well up in her chest. She stayed by his side for the next few hours. Once, a woman came in, applied some healing oil to Elias's forehead and gave him some water. He seemed peaceful and the colour slowly returned to his cheeks.

  Then, in the late afternoon a knock on the door snapped Luana out of her reverie. Ducet walked into the room, her face looked drawn.

  "He's improving I hear."

  Luana looked at the captain. "Yes he's gaining ground. I'd like to thank you for bringing us here, helping us escape."

  "It's all good. I'm afraid I need to take you away from him again. My brother awaits your presence. Fingal's here too. Come with me."

  Luana squeezed Elias's hand and rose from her stool. She followed Ducet out the door and down the corridor to a flight of stairs. They went up a floor to a large room, which overlooked the bay. A four-poster bed with rich linen drapes occupied the chamber. Incense smoke coiled lazily through the air. Lauana could make out a figure lying on the bed.

  "This is my brother, Fingal. He's held in this state by thrall magic. The Magisters have his spirit and deny him peace. He cannot go forwards or backwards, he is trapped. Please sit with him, hold his hand as I have done and get to know him. I'll leave you awhile. I'll come back shortly."

  Luana nodded. Ducet met her gaze then left the room. Luana found the incense heavy and cloying. She went to the long windows and pushed them open, letting light into the room. She looked into the distance and saw beyond the town to the sea. The fog clung to the horizon. Stubborn; steadfast.

  The fresh air cleared her head and she turned. She went to the bed, pulled the drapes back and took a long look at the young man lying prone there. His face was peaceful, his breathing strong. She called his name and watched for any response. None came. She picked up his hand and sat on the edge of the bed for a long time. She quietened her mind and allowed her breathing to mirror his.

  She squeezed his hand and spoke his name again.

  "Fingal, wake for me. I've come to take you home. It's time for you to return. Your sister needs you."

  A breeze blew the curtains into the room, the candles fluttered. The incense swirled around Luana's consciousness. She felt her throat prickle. Then Fingal's hand gripped hers tightly and painfully. She pulled back but he would not release her.

  Fingal's eyes snapped open. He glared at her, baring his teeth in a rictus smile. His body shook, he snarled, sticking his tongue out at intervals. His body spasmed, his arms and legs twisted at odd angles; joints cracking. Fingal's mouth contorted as if trying to speak but only spitting, guttural sounds came.

  Luana felt like screaming but she held her ground and waited for the spasm to pass. She wanted Moose in the room with her. After a few minutes, Fingal's body relaxed, his breathing steadied. His eyes still glared at her unblinking. Then he spoke in a peculiar rasping whisper.

  "We know you are there. We know what you plot. We are coming for you. We will take you all, rip your hearts out and feed them to our plague dogs. Give in now and we will consider a quick death for you. There is no room for your kind on our seas. You have two days."

  Luana sat, shocked at the words. This was not Fingal speaking but the Magisters speaking through him, using his body as a vessel. She looked down and saw his nails had drawn blood from her skin. She was surprised at her reaction. Instead of feeling frightened, she felt angry. She felt a surge of strength and lent forwards.

  She looked into Fingal's eyes and spoke slowly and calmly.

  "I know you are there, bitch. You are nothing. You came from nothing and you will return to nothing. You think you are invincible but I swear to you, all this power you have is nothing to the power that is coming to hunt you down. You are running out of time…"

  Fingal's eyes remained unblinking. Luana noticed tears collecting on his lower lids. It was as if Fingal's body protested at the forces occupying it. His mouth twisted into a shape and three words fell out.

  "You are dead."

  The words pierced Luana like a blade.

  She screamed long and loud.

  CHAPTER 14

  Sacrifice

  Magister Loth stepped back from the scrying bowl. The location of Echo Island was his. He would dispatch the fleet; they would destroy Stedfastgate; the last thorn in the Magisters' side. With the pirates routed, the Storm Sea would be theirs; power in the west would be absolute.

  He was taken aback at the clarity of the link through Fingal Rake's body. He had connected with a girl in the pirate camp; she did not buckle to his power. This surprised and intrigued him. He had ended the connection, as the woman had grown too near to his thoughts.

  Loth stood in the Nictiam storm tower. He and his two fellow Magisters had been successful in cleaning up the city. They found and destroyed the plague dogs and had almost cleared the streets of infected. The plague pits were bursting and the city stank of burning bodies. They would cleanse Nictiam of the filth and start again. There were plenty of people willing to leave the slums of Numibar and resettle in Nictiam.

  It would take three months at the very latest to re-establish normality in the city. The slave rebellion was a minor inconvenience. The recklessness of the ninth army commander had been the main problem. Unforgivable. He paid the ultimate price with his own death. Magister Loth was
charged with the clean up operation; which included the pirates that operated in the Storm Sea.

  Loth closed his eyes and thought. This contact using Fingal Rake was…disconcerting. He detected something unfamiliar at the other end. He reached deep into his recollection of the encounter and searched for more. His breathing slowed, his nostrils flared. His skin changed colour as magic coursed through his body.

  Then he saw it. He saw through Fingal Rake's eyes; the face that had defied him burned clearly in his memory. A girl's face; Luana.

  Close behind her he saw her death shadow.

  ~

  Farrar went first. The steps were narrow, slick with moss. He put his left hand to the wall; it was wet. He descended, the burning torch in his hand. A familiar feeling welled up. He remembered a similar stairs years ago when working for a mercenary unit down in the Stone Perches. They were involved in the kidnapping business to supplement their income.

  He could still see the woman's face. He had brought her up from the darkness along stairs just like this. She had been down there for a long stretch. The daughter of the Duellist King had been held for ransom. Her pathetic father had refused to pay until they sent him the first finger from his daughter. Then he changed his tune. For some reason her face came back to him. Why this moment? Why this time?

  He stopped on the stairs, the torch created flickering shadows at his feet. He saw her milky, unseeing eyes again. They seemed to accuse him, to reach out to him over the years.

  "Commander, why've we stopped?" A voice from behind broke his reverie. He snapped back to the present and grunted in reply. He continued on, wondering if this subterranean world was enchanted. They descended another forty steps and came to a corridor. It was damp; water dripped from the ceiling.

  He turned to his two men. "Let's see where this goes. Keep your wits about you. I don't like this. I sense sorcery here." They nodded and gripped their weapons.