by Brandon Mull
“The village is surrounded,” Tanu said. “How do we get past them?”
“It’s too bad we can’t swim,” Hako said. “The people of the deep move on the ocean floor. They don’t float.”
“We could swim right over them?” Knox asked. “Are we too deep to cancel the elixir?”
“Almost certainly,” Hako said. “Especially since we would have no way to breathe.”
“Do we try to wait them out?” Vanessa asked. “Or consider returning another time?”
“The drowned ones could be here indefinitely,” Hako said. “At least until we renew the protections of the sanctuary. If we want to get into the village, now might be as good a time as later.”
“And we can’t afford to wait too long,” Kendra said. “The Underking has Bracken. And the Sunset Pearl. And Seth. Who knows what will happen to Bracken and Seth if we leave them there too long? And once we lose that last moai, the whole sanctuary falls.”
“We have to succeed,” Warren said. “And nobody gets helped if we’re dead.”
Hako looked around. “I don’t see any of the people of the deep up here. If there were any behind us, traveling the switchbacks below us would leave us extremely vulnerable. Once we start down, we could get trapped.”
“If those on the valley floor see us coming, we’re in trouble too,” Vanessa said. “If they come up after us, our only option will be to retreat.”
“And once we’re on their level, they could swarm us,” Tanu said.
“I think there is only one chance,” Hako said.
“A sea serpent attacks them?” Knox asked.
“Wouldn’t that be nice?” Hako said. “We go down quietly. I will distract them. When they come after me, you run for the village.”
“Is that your only move?” Knox asked. “Sacrificing yourself?”
“I should be able to get away,” Hako said. “The loyal harpoon can carry a person through the water—even a Dry Depths Elixir drinker like me, though it may be slow.”
“Doesn’t have to be fast if you can get out of reach,” Warren said.
“Those are my thoughts,” Hako said. “It won’t be easy. I may draw some of the zombies off, but you’ll still have to fight your way through.”
“Anyone have a better idea?” Tanu asked.
Nobody volunteered a plan.
“I’ll take the lead,” Warren said. “Vanessa will guard the rear. Tanu, cover Kendra and Knox.”
“I wish I could use potions,” Tanu said.
“I’d rather not be mummified,” Knox said.
“So much depends on descending quietly and unseen,” Hako whispered. “Hold the crystals in your hands. Don’t let light leak between your fingers. Stay low, tread carefully, and keep away from the edge of the path. I’ll hang back on the last switchback. You’ll know when to charge. If a way doesn’t open to the village, remember you can backtrack to the switchbacks and flee.”
Kendra remembered running from zombies at Obsidian Waste. She was worried about tangling with zombies again, especially if these were more capable.
They started down the trail. It was dim, but there was enough light to see where to step. Hairpin turn after hairpin turn, Kendra stayed low, without a view of the sandy valley below. She hoped that since she could not see the undead, they could not see her.
After descending nine serpentine switchbacks, Hako hung back at the turn while the others descended the final stretch. Kendra kept as low as she could as the path joined the valley floor.
“If the zombies chase us up these switchbacks, I hope I’m not the slowest,” Knox whispered.
Kendra glanced up. The top of the trail towered above them. She had to agree that an escape up the path was not appealing. What if she got eaten by zombies simply because she lacked better cardiovascular endurance?
Warren held a finger to his lips and motioned for them to stay down and wait. Looking toward the glowing village, Kendra could see the silhouettes of many shuffling figures. The near side of the village was little more than a hundred yards away.
“Who wants fresh meat?” Hako called to the multitude.
Kendra looked up the path to where he stood at the previous turn. Hako had uncovered his crystal and stood at the edge with his harpoon over his head. Leading with the harpoon, he leaped off the path at least sixty feet above the valley floor, but instead of falling, he was carried forward by the weapon, dangling from the shaft. He gradually lost altitude until he landed in the midst of the people of the deep. All of the sea zombies in view converged on Hako.
“Now,” Warren said quietly, dashing forward.
Holding her harpoon ready, Kendra raced behind, with Knox and Tanu beside her. The sandiness of the seafloor kept her from reaching her top speed, but not by much. The people of the deep still strode toward Hako, allowing Kendra and her friends to advance several steps unnoticed. Kendra and her group dashed through the spaces between the unaware zombies. Hako yelled and swiped with his harpoon as the zombies swarmed around him.
The zombies looked bloated and otherworldly, their hair and clothes billowing because they were underwater. A crusty old guy with a limp and a tricornered hat noticed Warren coming and turned to face him, raising a corroded cutlass. Warren hacked his head off cleanly before the man could swing, Seaslayer a blur. But the action caught the attention of other sea zombies.
Waterlogged faces swung to face Kendra. Some of the zombies shifted course, leering and increasing their pace. Warren cut down another zombie, and Kendra felt more vacant eyes turning in their direction.
A woman with her head tightly wrapped in a scarf came at Knox with an upraised knife, apron flowing, and he stabbed her with his harpoon before she got near enough to strike. Her body twisted, wrenching the harpoon from his grasp. She dropped her knife, then gripped the harpoon with both hands and started pulling it out of her torso. On the other side of Kendra, Tanu used his harpoon to deflect the thrust of a gaff. Warren lopped the arms off a weaponless zombie coming at him.
Kendra and her group were moving faster than the people of the deep. Hampered by the water, the zombies stepped slower, but their reflexes were quick. Kendra was less than halfway to the village when she noticed the zombies massing ahead of them, blocking their route. Warren cut sideways to go around the mob, but zombies encroached from all directions, and the gaps between them were getting scarce.
“We may not make it to the village,” Tanu said.
“Fall back,” Warren called.
Though the zombies pressed from all sides, they were sparser behind the mortals. The group reversed direction, which put Vanessa in front. She turned her harpoon and used the blunt end to drive zombies back and deflect blows.
“We’re in trouble,” Knox said, dodging outstretched arms, weaponless.
Kendra handed him her harpoon, and he plunged it into a heavyset man reaching for them with bloated fingers, again losing his weapon as the man’s hands closed around the shaft. Warren stepped up to fight beside Vanessa, carving space for them to move forward, but the way to the switchbacks closed off as more zombies crowded to block their retreat.
Kendra wondered if she should get out her sack of gales. If it didn’t stabilize her underwater, she might end up like a failed rocket test. She also considered seeing if the unicorn horn would keep the zombies back, but she worried about losing it. She would save it to try as a last resort.
Slack, discolored faces approached from all sides, some clutching weapons, most without. Their numbers made weapons irrelevant. Each time Warren dispatched one zombie, three pressed forward to take its place.
“Above you,” called a voice.
Kendra looked up to see several mermen and a few mermaids swimming about ten feet above the swarming zombies. Their long fishtails with wide fins undulated gracefully. Both men and women had long hair, but the females wore pearls and
combs in their tresses. Their wide shoulders and impressive musculature reminded Kendra of Olympic swimmers.
“Take the line,” a mermaid urged.
Kendra realized they were dangling slender ropes. Kendra grabbed one with both hands, and a pair of mermaids lifted her off her feet. Tails flailed and muscles strained as the women elevated Kendra above the zombies. Her full weight was evidently a lot for them to handle.
Her friends were being lifted above the zombies as well. Three powerful mermen were having a hard time with Tanu. The potion master kicked at people of the deep until a fourth merman joined and they hoisted him out of reach.
Kendra clung tightly to the line. The small knots in the slender rope helped Kendra just enough to support her weight. The people of the deep crowded beneath her, greedy hands reaching upward. The mermaids holding her line grimaced, tails sweeping vigorously, and began making slow progress toward the village.
“They feel full of iron,” one of the mermen complained.
“These are depth walkers,” another merman said. “Their great weight is legendary.”
“She is too heavy,” one of the mermaids holding Kendra complained. “Should we just feed her to the floorscrubbers?” She glanced down at the zombies.
“Please don’t,” Kendra said. “We were sent by the caretaker.”
Tails still flailing, the mermaids looked down at Kendra in surprise.
“You speak Corilli?” the one with the orange tail asked.
“I speak many languages,” Kendra replied.
“We’ll try to save you,” the one with the blue tail said. She looked at her friend. “I’ve never missed the golems more.”
“Golems?” Kendra asked.
“Four golems guarded our village until recently,” the one with the orange tail explained, groaning, veins standing out in her neck.
“A lich came and drained their energy,” the one with the blue tail said.
“Without the golems to ward them off, the floorscrubbers surrounded the village,” the one with the orange tail said.
“Where are the golems now?” Kendra asked.
“Too many questions,” the one with the blue tail said, short of breath. “Carrying you is harder than it looks.”
“Try hauling the big one,” one of the mermen holding Tanu grumbled.
“This is important,” Kendra said. “Are the golems still in the area?”
“One is right over there,” the mermaid with the orange tail said, jerking her head to one side. “They lie where they fell.”
Kendra saw a jumble of large sea rocks where the mermaid had indicated. “What exactly was drained?” Kendra asked. “Magical energy?”
“How should we know?” the mermaid with the orange tail said.
“Magical energy,” confirmed one of the mermen toting Tanu, muscles bulging, yellow tail swishing forcefully. “These golems have turtle shells at their core that can store vast amounts of energy.”
“Cyclonic turtles,” another merman added.
“I think I can revive the golems,” Kendra said. “I’m fairykind. I’m a well of magical energy.”
“How would you revive them?” the mermaid with the blue tail asked.
“By touch,” Kendra said. “If you can get me over to one.”
“You might survive,” the mermaid with the orange tail said. “The floorscrubbers don’t climb on the golems.”
“They might if they had a target,” the mermaid with the blue tail said.
Kendra looked over at the heap of rubble that once was a golem. Would touching the stones be enough? Would direct contact with the shell be necessary? What if she was wrong? What if her energy didn’t translate? If the golem didn’t revive, she might be killed. Or zombified!
The mermaids jerked the line to the side and a harpoon glided past Kendra, thrown from below. Struggling, they lifted her higher. Kendra realized that if she fell, the impact alone would injure her.
More merfolk swam out from the village, several of them armed. Two mermen took Kendra’s line from the mermaids. One of the mermen had red hair and a purple tail, the other, black hair and a green tail. Both bore spears, the heads shaped to imitate crab claws.
“I am Faro,” the merman with the black hair said. “This is Lars.”
“I’m Kendra.”
“What took you so long?” the mermaid with the blue tail complained, rubbing the muscles in her arms.
“Word of this rescue is spreading,” Lars said. “Some are debating whether we should help.”
“Meanwhile they would die,” the mermaid with the blue tail said.
“It’s why we skipped the discussion,” Faro said.
“Kendra believes she can revive the golems,” the mermaid with the orange tail said.
“She is fairykind,” the other mermaid added.
“How would you do it?” Faro asked.
“I just need to touch the golem,” Kendra said. “Or maybe the turtle shell.”
“Getting to the golem is no problem,” Lars said.
“Once you reach the seafloor, your safety could be compromised,” Faro said.
Looking down at the rioting zombies, Kendra wondered if she should just let the mermen carry her to the village. Getting dragged in by them would not be a very impressive arrival. However, if she could revive their golems, the merfolk might feel they owed her a favor. Plus, letting the golems clear out the people of the deep would make her departure a lot easier when the time came.
“I want to try,” Kendra said.
The mermen veered away from the village toward the golem. They swam considerably faster than the mermaids with her weight, though they were straining as well. At least the golem was much closer to them than the village was.
They drew near the rock pile, sea zombies following below. “Remember,” Kendra said, “I can’t just drop. I fall like I’m in air, so lower me.”
Faro and Lars gently let her down atop the rock pile. Weedy vegetation grew among the rocks, and small shells pimpled the rough surfaces. Touching the rocks had no effect, so Kendra scrambled around searching for the turtle shell.
After brief hesitation, one of the sea zombies stepped onto the rock pile, brandishing a large metal hook. Faro swooped down, stabbed him with his spear, and thrust him off the rocks. Lars joined the fight, skewering the next trespassing zombie.
Kendra moved from crack to crack, peering between the rocks. Deep inside one of the wider gaps, she caught sight of an iridescent turtle shell. Squirming in as far as she could, she stretched her arm forward until her fingertips brushed the shell. Upon contact, the shell blazed with light, and Kendra gasped as energy surged out of her. The rocks around her shifted, and she tumbled to the sandy seafloor.
Looking up, Kendra found herself overshadowed by a nine-foot-tall figure made of stone and sand. The robust golem had a large head with concave hollows for eyes, a thick torso, and outsized hands and feet. With two big sweeps of his long arms, the golem cleared away at least a dozen sea zombies.
Faro grabbed Kendra by one arm, Lars seized the other, and they swam her upward. The golem let them pass as they rose above the fight, then proceeded to punch and stomp sea zombies, crumpling bodies with every blow. For the first time, the people of the deep showed uncertainty, turning and trying to flee. Kendra heard shouts of relief from the merfolk carrying her friends, and cheering from the village.
“Are you all right, Kendra?” Faro asked.
“I’m okay,” Kendra said.
“Think you could do that three more times?” Lars asked. “We can use this golem to clear the way to the others. Our mystics can give it instructions.”
“Sure,” Kendra said, “if you two come with me. You can help me find the shells and keep hold of me so I don’t get dumped on the ground when the golems re-form.”
“Consi
der it done,” Lars said.
“We’re in your debt,” Faro said.
Kendra looked over at the rest of her group getting transported to the village, the golem hammering away at the zombies beneath them. Other merfolk were now streaming from the village to help.
“Let’s wake up those sleeping golems,” Kendra said.
Lord Quintus of the merfolk had silver hair and the upper body of a prizefighter. Rather than a throne, he rested on spongy cushions fitted inside of a giant clam shell, lying flat, like a bed. Kendra had seen no chairs in the large room, and, looking around, she realized that since the merfolk could float and had the lower bodies of fish, chairs might not even make sense for them.
Outside the village, the four golems had the people of the deep on the run. With the help of Faro and Lars, reenergizing the golems had been relatively simple. Each golem they reanimated helped drive away the sea zombies so Kendra could revive the next. Once all four were in action, the sea zombies had no chance against the tireless onslaught.
After revitalizing the golems, Kendra learned, to her relief, that Hako had made it to the village using his loyal harpoon. Now he, Tanu, Knox, Warren, and Vanessa stood with her before the leader of the merfolk.
“You have done us a great service,” Lord Quintus said. “Those floorscrubbers blocked access to many of the reefs and kelp forests where our foragers hunt and gather.” He held up the document Tanu had given him. “I see that Savani endorsed your visit. You are on an errand to recover the Sunset Pearl?”
“We know the Phantom Isle is almost impossible to find,” Kendra said. “But we have to go there. A map told us a demon called Remulon has a compass that will help us.”
“You are brave,” Quintus said. “The demon Remulon is more dangerous than almost any creature in the sea. I would never choose to visit his lair.”
“We have to try,” Kendra said.
“And the Phantom Isle is worse,” Quintus said. “If you can find it, the isle is guarded by the sea dragon Jibarro. Beyond lies the entrance to the Under Realm. Most would exert great efforts to avoid such a destination.”
“The land of the dead,” Kendra said.