Black Warrior

by Jolie Jaquinta

Chapter 30 – Inspiration

  Makaira paused at the edge of the current and scanned the depths beyond. There was mud, sand, and occasional massive rocks jutting out. It wasn't natural. It was not what the ocean should look like.

  He could tell his companions felt the same. Their glances, their body posture, all spoke to being somewhat unsettled. It was hard to place, but something about the land beyond just wasn't right.

  But it was along here they had returned. It was where Winter had gone and where Cindarina had sent them looking for him. They had travelled the length of where it bordered the Northern Seas, and were now travelling back. Every hour or so they stopped and called, as they did now.

  They formed a line along its edge. First Makaira called, and then the others joined in. Each picking a resonant pitch depending on what vocal range they could sing. They grew tired at different intervals and had to draw breath, but there were enough of them going at any one time to keep the chord sounding out across the sea floor.

  After a minute or so Makaira stopped, and stayed silent. In their turn each of the rest ceased and the sound drained away. They hovered in the water for a while, getting their strength back and listening intently.

  Faint echoes came. First from the larger rocks nearby. And later from other landforms hidden in the murk of the water. There was no clear reflection from a ridge, a dappled one from a shoal of fish, or signals that could easily be read. More of the unnatural terrain with its erratic stones stuck up like the rotten teeth of a shark.

  When the last echo died Makaira slumped. He signaled to one to break out the food and they all paused to eat. “After this, herding mullet will be a snap”, joked one. With all the practice, his crew was getting quite good at sounding. They harmonized perfectly across the whole spectrum of their range. Makaira smiled wryly. At least they had a future in fisherding.

  Then, Makaira paused, mid-bite. He stood straight again, straining. He thought he had heard something. He motioned the rest quiet. They all became attentive. There was definitely some noise in the water. It wasn't the trill of a dolphin, or the clucking that some fish made. It was low, and continuous. Something he had never heard before.

  He looked to the rest. They all heard it but were equally confused. Then, one pointed. There was a small wake coming from the blighted area. As they watched, something drove through it, straight at them and impossibly fast. They put down their food and reached for their weapons.

  It was hard to make out. It had a pointed snout like a sword fish and the rest of it was hidden by the wake. It did not flex side to side or top to bottom. It had no fins to speak of. It just bore down upon them making an increasingly louder buzzing sound.

  And then the sound stopped. The wake peeled away and there was Winter, torpedoing through the water like he had just dived from a high rock. His speed reduced and he moved into his normal swimming stroke, ceremonial cloak flapping behind him. He came up to them and then stopped, facing them.

  Makaira bowed. “My Lord, Winter. Glad are our hearts to have found you!”

  “I heard your cries and came”, said Winter. His face was stern, and his eyes were distant.

  “We were sent to be of aid to you, if we might”, said Makaira.

  Winter's focused turned to them, and took in their arms and weapons. “I see”, he said. “That you might. That you might.”

  “Cindarina has received warnings of the far off war”, said Makaira. “Those who once followed your father fight upon its fields.”

  Winter nodded slowly. “I figured as much.” But he smiled thinly and bowed. “But it is good to have confirmation. Thank you for bringing it to me.”

  “Do they seek your leadership?” asked Makaira. “Will you go to them? Do you claim them as your birthright?”

  Winter raised his eyebrow. “I don't think they have any idea I exist”, he said, kind of amused. “I imagine they will be rather surprised to find out.” He swam down their length, inspecting them. “But, yes, I will go to them. And I would like for you to come with me. Although I do not order it so.”

  “I could not possibly decline your request!” said Makaira. The rest nodded enthusiastically.

  “Be very sure”, said Winter, cautiously. “I do not know where this path leads. I am not happy that these time lost warriors make war upon my mother's people. But they, also, have suffered a terrible wrong by callous gods now dead. I'm not sure I have any claim over them. Or if they would acknowledge one if I had. But since I'm connected to this all somehow, I feel I should see if I can do something about it all. Somehow.”

  “Sire”, said Makaira. “The soldiers of Romitu stationed in our lands have regaled us with many tales of how they followed their Queen into the pits of the demons. Are we not as brave as they? Would we balk at following our King onto any field of battle?”

  Winter smiled, a trace sadly. “I am no Queen Jesca. I do not know what I have done to inspire such loyalty, but you do task me to live up to it. I thank you, then, for pledging your tridents to me. There is, at least, one thing that I do have that Romitu does not.” He pulled back his cloak and a thoroughly miserable looking black and white bird clung to his shoulder.

  The Tritons stared, incredulous. “A bird underwater?” said Makaira. “It isn't even a sea bird.”

  “No”, said Winter, grinning. “It was one of my father's advisors. He's full of all sorts of useful information.” He swam around them, and then, suddenly, was holding a mighty spear. “Let us go to war then.”

  ARC 4