by Jeremy Dwyer
“Captain, I’m Yared, a member of Tomiko’s crew. We’re the people you rescued from the ship in the Zovvin Ocean,” Yared said.
“This is the Port of Hedraltic Island. You can find a ship to anywhere from here,” Captain Vanadour said.
“Is this ship headed to Emeth? If so, can we pay you to take us?” Yared asked.
“Yes. Emeth will be one of our stops. We’re scheduled to be there in eight (8) days, although I’d like to make it in six (6), if the dock workers and my sailors can move the cargo quickly,” Captain Vanadour said.
Yared telepathically probed the captain’s mind, as well as that of the man inside the wheelhouse – a forty-two (42) year old navigator named Breixo who was suffering from extreme anxiety about pirate attacks to the point of undereating.
“I am Silvius, Chronicler of two thousand ninety-seven (2097) years. Under the authority of the Oath, I will be traveling with you,” Silvius said.
“The price is three (3) platinum coins per passenger, not including the Chronicler,” Captain Vanadour said as he reached the open door leading into the wheelhouse.
“Captain! The Fertile Fields Sixteen is leaving without us, heading eastward!” Breixo said.
“Did they finish loading their cargo that quickly? Are they sailing ahead of us to save time? That kind of high efficiency could put us ahead of schedule and decrease our costs,” Captain Vanadour said.
“No, Captain. I didn’t tell them the charted course! They have to follow us to Ihalik next! They can’t sail ahead of us because they don’t know where they’re supposed to go! That means pirates took over the ship!” Breixo said.
“I’ll have to file an insurance claim,” Captain Vanadour said.
“I’ll do whatever I can to help you get your ship, crew and cargo back,” Yared said.
“Don’t worry about it. Everything’s insured,” Captain Vanadour said.
“Then we’ll help you to rescue your crew,” Yared said.
“They’re insured, too,” Captain Vanadour said.
“If pirates took that ship, they’ll kill your crew!” Yared said.
“That’s what insurance is for. Now please go and wait in your cabin. When we arrive in Emeth, I’ll send the crew to notify you and you can pay the transportation fare then,” Captain Vanadour said.
The Chronicler Silvius recorded the statements of the captain and the navigator into his book.
~~~
Yared walked away from the wheelhouse and returned to the cabin, with the Chronicler Silvius following closely behind him. They went inside and Nina was standing there, waiting.
“Well? Any dirt?” Nina asked.
“One of the ships in the fleet was stolen while I was talking to the captain. I offered our help, but the captain said everything’s insured – cargo, ship and crew. He didn’t seem to care. Deep down inside, all he cares about is money. He plans to make up for the losses by filing insurance claims,” Yared said.
“Unfortunately, we have no ship, so we’re not in a position to help,” Tomiko said.
“We can’t fight every fight. I wish we could help everyone. For some, it’s too late,” Carter said.
“Where’s this ship headed?” Gabrielle Ramalaxis asked.
“Emeth. The captain said it will cost three (3) platinum coins each, when we arrive in six (6) to eight (8) days,” Yared said.
“That’s high, but I doubt we’ll get a much better deal from anyone else. I think we have to pay up and be patient,” Tomiko said.
“Sometimes, that’s all life is – a waiting game,” Gabrielle Ramalaxis said.
“It doesn’t have to be unproductive. Tristan, do you still have your vial of the liquid from the ocean in the cavern?” Genevieve asked.
“Not any more. I kept it on the Escapade,” Tristan said.
“I kept mine,” Genevieve said.
“With you? Now?” Tristan asked.
“Yes,” Genevieve said. She reached into a pocket in her coat and pulled out a clear vial. The liquid within gave off a faint glow.
“It still glows, but not as bright as before,” Tristan said.
“I’ve got a few theories as to why, but I can’t test them without some help. Why don’t you take a closer look?” Genevieve asked. She held out the clear vial of glowing liquid.
Tristan drank anew of the waters of the Kazofen Ocean from his vial to be energized with the power to manipulate crystals and stones. He received the vial from Genevieve and analyzed the low-level structure of the liquid crystals within by connecting through the solid crystal of the vial walls. “The crystals are decomposing – they’re collapsing, actually. This isn’t liquid at all,” he said.
“I think the crystals were gaseous before they were liquid. Something condensed them, and now they’re separating, and leaking out of the vial,” Genevieve said.
“What do you think this means?” Tomiko asked.
“For now, I just don’t know. I want to study it further, but that’s the last of the sample. I’m going to need to collect more of the liquid to run more experiments,” Genevieve said.
“I don’t recommend going back down into that cavern to get it,” Yared said.
“After what we saw – and what you told us – I agree,” Tomiko said.
“We shouldn’t forget about it,” Genevieve said.
“We can’t expect to find every answer. Even the spirit world is still a great mystery. We know very little about its true nature,” Carter said.
“Even if the answer is discovered, it might not be in your lifetime,” Gabrielle Ramalaxis said.
“Even the spirits don’t have all the answers. Some mysteries may be revealed to us after death, but there are still secrets beyond the limits of what ghosts can know,” Carter said.
“Such a cheerful crowd. I’ve never been happier. Really. Not,” Nina said.
“Music can cheer everyone up. It can bring inner peace and help us find answers,” Stephan said.
“If it means I don’t have to listen to anybody talking, then yes! Please give me music!” Nina said.
Stephan drank anew of the waters of the Pirovalen Ocean from his vial to be energized with the powers of music and song. He began playing on his lyre and producing melodies beyond what the string instrument could do on its own.
The Chronicler Silvius recorded all of this conversation into his book, including the musical notes and the appearance of the clear vial of glowing liquid.
~~~
Inside the wheelhouse of the Seasonable Profits, Captain Vanadour said: “Breixo, you said you have the charted course to Ihalik.”
“Yes, Captain,” Breixo said.
“Set sail now,” Captain Vanadour said.
Breixo pulled levers to retract the boarding ramp and raise the anchor. He steered the Seasonable Profits out of port and sailed it northeastward across the Gradaken Ocean, going around the Provincial Isles, toward southern Ihalik.
CHAPTER 54: Pearls of Knowledge and War
Hedraltic Island contained a small lake of Gradaken waters, measuring three (3) miles from east to west and two (2) miles from north to south. The southern edge of the lake was four (4) miles north of the port city. At the center of the lake was an artificial island measuring one (1) mile square. Parabolic wooden bridges – thirty (30) feet high at the vertex and reinforced by wooden beams – crisscrossed the lake, linking the main island to the tiny interior island, where fishers stood along the shore and cast their lines and nets out into the water. Dozens of small boats were anchored at various points upon the lake while their crews trawled for their next catch.
A king cobra measuring sixteen (16) feet in length slithered across the bridge leading from the southern shore of the lake toward the artificial island. A woman in her fifties – having gray-and-black hair and wearing a brown-and-gold silk dress – walked beside the snake. She stepped onto the small island and the king cobra accompanied her as she trekked across the island’s interior and approached a fishing boat anchor
ed along its western shore. She walked up the boarding ramp and stepped onto the deck of the fifty-six (56) foot long vessel, keeping close to the viper the entire time. The ship’s two (2) masts were pivoted downward and the sails were folded.
A portly man of fifty-four (54) years – who was wearing a heavy coat and sporting numerous scars on his face and neck – came out of the wheelhouse. “Anena Hathus, I can only assume by your presence that you finally finished the violin. I must admit that I’m surprised it took so long,” he said.
Anena Hathus – the woman in the brown-and-gold silk dress – said: “Yes, Counselor Belasco, I was able to finish it. The design was complex, and many adjustments had to be made. Not all rosewood trees are of suitable quality for the delicate construction necessary. Even though I can control the harvest and accelerate tree growth, I cannot achieve the necessary precision if I am hasty. Natural variations in the wood occur, and they affect the sound of the violin, so I have to allow extra time for proper formation of the trunk and the branches. Even then, imperfections in the rosewood require me to compensate with careful crafting.”
“I don’t care how much work it required. I just want a masterpiece,” the portly man – Counselor Belasco – said. He drank anew of the waters of the Elanatin Ocean from his vial to be energized with the powers of telepathy and empathy. He probed the thoughts of Anena Hathus and also detected a man hidden in the darkness nearby.
“You should care. It required tremendous work, for which I expect to be well paid, as we agreed,” Anena Hathus said.
“You expect your payment in pearls, of course,” Counselor Belasco said.
“Yes, the finest,” Anena Hathus said.
“First, have your assistant uncloak himself and show me the violin,” Counselor Belasco said.
“Kolos, reveal the violin,” Anena Hathus said.
Out from under the cover of darkness, a powerful young man appeared. He was dressed in thick brown leather armor and holding a violin and a bow in his hands.
“Now, please give me the pearls, Counselor Belasco,” Anena Hathus said.
Counselor Belasco pulled a small metal box out of his coat pocket and handed it to Anena Hathus.
Anena opened the box and saw that there were nineteen (19) pearls inside. “I only count nineteen (19) pearls, Counselor. We agreed on twenty (20),” she said.
“Examine them closely,” Counselor Belasco said.
Anena Hathus drank anew of the waters of the Gradaken Ocean from her vial to be energized with the power to control plants and animals. She examined the pearls – which had organic material, and thus their low-level structure was accessible to her – to determine their quality. “These are of extraordinary quality, I will say that much. Yet, this is still an underpayment,” she said.
“You won’t have to discard any of these very fine pearls. Each of them is exactly what you need. You’ve already determined that. Typically, you set aside one third (1/3) of them because they lack the necessary luster,” Counselor Belasco said.
“You are attempting to justify underpayment with higher quality, Counselor,” Anena Hathus said.
“I’m not attempting to justify anything, Anena. I have delivered more than what you need,” Counselor Belasco said.
“You know how important these pearls are, Counselor. You know that my work is crucial,” Anena Hathus said.
“Of course I know that, Anena. The work is so important that you forsook your vow of celibacy and married Talmai, only so that he could legally include you in his inheritance,” Counselor Belasco said.
“Talmai is a thrifty man, Counselor. He is slow to share, and parcels the family wealth to me over the eons,” Anena Hathus said.
“You resent him deeply for that. You even blame him for the horrors of the fourth age,” Counselor Belasco said.
“Had he been more generous – and more quickly – much of that cataclysm could have been averted, and the remainder would have ended sooner,” Anena Hathus said.
“You believe that. Yet, your belief does not make it true,” Counselor Belasco said.
“It is true. The only question is how much of that tragedy could have been avoided,” Anena Hathus said.
“If it was properly constructed, the violin’s music will help to improve matters,” Counselor Belasco said.
“Play the instrument and listen for yourself, Counselor. Kolos, give him the violin,” Anena Hathus said.
Kolos handed the violin and the bow to Counselor Belasco.
“I am no musician, of course. If I were to play even a single wrong note on this instrument, it could easily disturb your reptilian companion, who might very well strike,” Counselor Belasco said.
Anena Hathus touched the skin of the king cobra, which then lowered its head toward her. She kissed the snake and exerted her power to calm it. “You have nothing to fear, Counselor,” she said.
“Just as well, I won’t suffer anyone of us to listen to my unskilled performance, especially since I have found a young woman with a Pirovalen waterbinding who has mastery of all violin techniques,” Counselor Belasco said.
“Is she from the Vitrian bloodline?” Anena Hathus asked.
“Yes, of course,” Counselor Belasco said.
“Even if you read her thoughts and she believes that, her belief does not make it true, Counselor. Her lineage may have been concealed from her to protect against abduction or coercion,” Anena Hathus said.
“I have researched the matter carefully, Anena. The central bank’s records are quite comprehensive and precise,” Counselor Belasco said.
“The central bank can be mistaken and they can also be deceived, Counselor. Even worse, they can be deceptive for their own gain. Do not place complete trust in their knowledge, abilities or ethics. Introduce me to this woman. I can examine her blood and give you a reliable determination of her true parentage,” Anena Hathus said.
“It would be best if her location and identity were kept secret for now,” Counselor Belasco said.
“You know my secrets, Counselor. Yet, I don’t know yours. If we can’t trust each other, how can we undo the damage?” Anena Hathus asked.
“My own telepathy defends me against anyone probing my thoughts. However, your thoughts are vulnerable to anyone you could meet during your travels. Our enemies are very active, and their spies are everywhere. Some secrets need to be kept for a while longer,” Counselor Belasco said.
“We need to confront our enemies,” Anena Hathus said.
“That does not always work out in our favor. As for trusting you, I will admit this much – that even I have failed in protecting important secrets in recent days. A man by the name of Nov’Talod – a weapons developer, who drinks the Ursegan waters – infiltrated this very island. By his swiftness, he stole the twentieth pearl that was to be paid to you,” Counselor Belasco said.
“What are his intentions, Counselor?” Anena Hathus asked.
“I can only surmise that Nov’Talod has strong temporal skill. Some of his deepest thoughts were mired in the slowness of time as he controlled it. I could not learn his plans in detail. I do know that he was a prisoner of Serfex for a while, and studied the madman’s designs while in captivity. However, his intentions were concealed from my telepathic probing,” Counselor Belasco said.
“That means your telepathic skills are weak, Counselor. You should have been able to distract him,” Anena Hathus said.
“I had to focus on preventing his direct attacks. He attempted to use weapons against me, and I was able to interfere with his thoughts and avoid the assault. My defense required all my concentration,” Counselor Belasco said.
“Either you need to improve your telepathic powers, or you need to hire protection,” Anena Hathus said.
“I did. He killed my guards. They were no match for his sudden maneuvering,” Counselor Belasco said.
“That is very disappointing, Counselor. If you’re not reliable, then I will have to deal with Nov’Talod myself,” Anena Hathus said.<
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“How do you intend to find him?” Counselor Belasco asked.
“I have many connections to old allies, Counselor. They will assist me,” Anena Hathus said. She turned about and said: “Kolos, go into the darkness, and escort me.”
Kolos drank anew of the waters of the Ikkith Tar Ocean from his vial to be energized with the power of darkness. The twenty-eight (28) year old man exerted this power to conceal himself.
~~~
Anena Hathus gestured toward the king cobra, and it slithered off of the ship. She walked alongside the snake as it went ashore on the tiny island. Kolos – under the cover of darkness – traveled alongside them as they trekked back to the same bridge by which they arrived and then crossed it to return to the main part of Hedraltic Island.
~~~
Inside a room of a traveler’s lodge located in the Port of Hedraltic Island, Nov’Talod sat on a chair and rested. He waited while a bloodied, scarred young woman sat on the edge of a bed and struggled to overcome the headache caused by the previous day’s drinking binge and the beatings she received from the ruffian she flirted with in the tavern.
A young man was sitting beside the young woman and he said: “Liora, you can’t do this anymore. You know this isn’t any way to live.”
The young woman – Liora – slapped the young man fiercely and said: “Shut up, Torsten! Shut up! I’ll drink when I want and I’ll sleep with whoever I want! What and who goes into me is none of your business!”
“He hurt you. That man took advantage of you and he beat you. The rum takes away your ability to see it but I see it. Please, Liora, don’t keep doing this to yourself,” the young man – Torsten – said.
“Soon, her mind will become clear and she will see what is best. Until then, I need you to put your own mind to work,” Nov’Talod said.
“I have to help her snap out of this,” Torsten said.
“You don’t have to help me with anything! You’re not my boyfriend, Torsten! And you’re not my husband! He’s dead!” Liora said.
“I just want to help, Liora,” Torsten said.
“You’re not my type. I need a real man, who’s strong,” Liora said.