Leviathan (Lost Civilizations: 2) (6 page)

“What about Gog?” Joash asked. “I thought Shamgar was Gog’s city.”

“Shamgar is a den of refuge for pirates and slavers,” Captain Maharbal said. “However, like Red Cain did long ago in the Siga Archipelago, Gog has done likewise in Shamgar. The only disciplined force in the city is the Oracle. For you see, a temple has been built to the dreaded First Born. The temple is on the same site where the ancient Temple of Magog stood. From the temple, Gog’s Defenders and warrior-priests do his evil bidding. And to the temple go those who make sacrifices to learn what the Oracle can tell them about the future. Gog’s gift is the ability to see dimly into the future. He cannot see far, nor can he always see what he desires, but he sees much, too much. Of late, just as Red Cain did in the Siga Archipelago, Gog has taken over in the city. Maybe he studied Red Cain’s ways, and ironically, has applied the ancient lessons.

“In any regard, Lod has found allies in Shamgar: pirates who hate Gog. The First Born isn’t the only one who can study history. But whatever the case, Shamgar is where Lod has gone to find Irad.”

“Thank you, Captain,” Adah said. “That was quite a tale.”

“Yes, thank you,” Joash said, as they took their leave.

When Joash and Adah had departed the Captain’s Deck, Joash said, “It’s a good thing the Seraphs had those silver horns.”

Adah nodded.

“Have you ever seen a leviathan?” Joash asked.

“No.”

“Do they still live?”

Adah shrugged.

“What about the three silver horns?” Joash asked. “Surely the merchant-princes of Further Tarsh still have them.”

“Those things happened a long time ago.”

Joash wanted to ask why Lod hadn’t summoned leviathans when he’d rescued her from Poseidonis. Surely, Lod would have needed leviathans against the ocean fleets of Yorgash. Joash sighed. If he asked, it would only turn her thoughts to terrible Poseidonis.

The day passed. The swells and wind lessened. Night came. Joash woke from where he slept on the deck. Sailors climbed overboard, and into boats. Curious, he rose groggily, and peered over the railing.

By the light of the moon, he saw small luminous fish shoot out of the sea, and fly, before plopping back into the water. Joash went slack-jawed in amazement. Flying fish, who had ever heard of such a thing? He watched the sailors. They ignored the flying fish. Instead, they rowed to where the flying fish flew up from, and tossed nets. The sailors hauled aboard a squirming silvery bounty.

Bigger fish chased the flying fish. Joash smiled, delighted to have witnessed this.

The next day, the sun was hot, but the wind refreshing. They sailed far. Still, no matter where they went or what Captain Maharbal did, a slith always soared high overhead.

Adah talked with Lord Uriah and Zillith. It wasn’t long before Adah hurried to where Joash watched dolphins.

“What has you so excited?” Joash asked.

Adah pulled him to the stern. Zillith appeared with a sack of the silvery fish caught last night. Zillith stuffed dark pellets into each fish, and tossed them into the sea.

“What she’s doing?” Joash asked Adah.

Adah didn’t answer, but keenly watched the slith soaring high overhead.

Zillith emptied her sack, rinsed her hands in a bucket and calmly sat down and waited.

“Look!” Adah hissed, her fingers digging into Joash’s arm.

The giant pterodactyl slowly circled downward toward where the silvery fish floated far behind the ship.

“Ah-ha!” Adah said in glee, her small hands knotted into fists. “The slith is going to take the bait.”

“Poison?” Joash asked.

“Of course,” Adah said.

They watched the slith circle lower and lower. It skimmed the sea.

They waited. The slith flapped back up to its station high above them. A half-hour later Adah groaned in defeat. Zillith shook her head.

“If you know of a better way,” Zillith said, “speak.”

Adah stared earnestly at the slith. At last, she turned, and stalked off.

“Stay near her,” Zillith told Joash. “Keep her mind off Poseidonis. Lod told me about that isle. Her time there was ghastly.”

***

Adah stood behind the catapult. The Tarsh seamen had explained it to her, and let her test it. Its central feature was a heavy piece of steel, a bow lying sideways. A steel cord took the place of catgut, and a winch was needed in order to draw the steel cord back into place. In the grooved wooden slot, lay a three-foot dart, a thin piece of metal with a spike end.

Joash had listened to the explanation, and had seen that Adah was a good shot. He waited with her as she tracked the slith.

“It has to make a mistake, and come too close sometime,” she said.

Joash wasn’t so sure.

“I’m going to kill it,” Adah said, grimly.

Joash had tried to take her mind off the slith. Nothing had worked. He’d tried to talk to her about Poseidonis. She’d remained tight-lipped, finally saying, “You love me for who I am, correct?”

“Of course.”

“Then don’t pry into what I can’t talk about.”

He didn’t like to hear that, but he accepted it. He became worried when she began to gnaw her lower lip. The failed poisoning seemed to have left her bitter.

Two hours later found them exactly as before, only her lip was worn, and a little bloody. Suddenly, Adah hissed.

Joash had almost nodded off. He looked up. The slith flew lower.

“Just a little more,” Adah whispered, with the catapult aimed skyward.

The slith circled, but seemed wary of the ship.

“He’s slipping to the left,” Joash said.

“I can see that!” she snapped. She sighted, with her hands white with tension. Suddenly, she pulled the trigger. The steel cord snapped, and the dart hissed. It flew flat, directly for the slith. The beast gave a vent of rage, and tried to climb. The dart dipped toward the sea, and missed, flying ten yards underneath the creature, before the dart plopped into the water.

Adah madly cranked the winch, her eyes wild, her lips tight. When the steel cord clicked into place, she slotted another dart, swiveled the catapult skyward, and shot again. The slith was farther away than ever, however. The dart missed. Adah wildly cranked again.

Joash put his hand on her arm.

She whirled on him, her lips pulled back in a snarl.

“It’s out of range,” he said.

For a moment longer, Adah strained against his hold, and then tears welled in her eyes. She wiped them savagely. “I have to kill it!” she said.

Joash stared up at the slith. A plan was beginning to form in his mind. But, there was no way he’d tell Adah. If there were any danger, he would risk it rather than risking the woman he loved.

“Stay at your station,” he said. “I’ll get you something to eat.”

Adah nodded. More slowly than before, she readied the steel bow. Once more, she kept her eyes fixed on the circling slith.

***

Joash explained his plan to Herrek. The Giant-Slayer studied the airborne slith for a time and then gazed shrewdly at Joash.

“There are flaws,” Herrek said.

“Granted,” Joash said, “but the pterodactyl still needs killing. Otherwise, as Captain Maharbal and Lord Uriah have said, pirate galleys will soon appear on the horizon.”

“We should tell Lord Uriah your plan.”

Joash shook his head.

“He might point out improvements,” Herrek said.

“He’ll also discuss it with the others. I don’t want Adah trying it.”

“Lord Uriah won’t let her,” Herrek said.

Joash snorted. “I don’t think Lord Uriah could stop her if she gets it in her head to try. Oh, he might tie her up, but that’s the only way. I’ve watched her. She hates the giant pterodactyl, and means to kill it herself.”

Herrek nodded slowly. “You have feelings for her.”

“I think everybody knows that by now.”

“Amery knows it,” Herrek said.

“Huh?” Joash asked.

“Never mind,” Herrek said. He rubbed his chin. “What about sharks?”

Joash shrugged.

“Or, what if you miss?” Herrek asked. “You’ll only have one shot. The slith might destroy you.”

“It would have to use its claws, and I don’t think it would risk that. I have the feeling that if the pterodactyl lands in the water, it will never get out.”

Herrek studied the soaring creature, the eyes of their enemies.

“We need to destroy it,” Joash said. “This is a possible method.”

“I should take your place.”

Joash shook his head. “You’re too big. I’m almost too big.”

“Adah is even smaller.”

“No!” Joash said. “I won’t have Adah risking the open ocean.”

“Do you think I wish you to risk it?”

“I’m a groom, training to become a warrior.”

Herrek inspected one of his wrist-straps. He seemed deep in thought.

“You must let me try,” Joash pleaded.

A wry smile tugged Herrek’s lips. “I wished to track Tarag, but Lord Uriah wouldn’t allow it.” Herrek snorted softly. “
I’ll
let a warrior try, at least. You say you’re game. Yes, I’ll help you.”

Joash proceeded to tell Herrek his list of needs. When he was done, he said, “At dawn tomorrow will be the best time.”

“Then, let us prepare,” Herrek said.

***

Joash shivered as dawn approached, with the sea a vast, gray plain. His plan was a combination of Zillith and Adah’s attempts. Zillith’s poison hadn’t worked, but the use of bait had. Adah had almost hit the slith with the powerful catapult, but she had been unable to entice it near enough. Joash slid down a rope beside Herrek and Gens in one of the
Tiras’s
longboats. A sailor unhooked the rope, and Gens used a pole to push them from the towering ship. Soon, the two Elonites rowed while Joash steered with the tiller.

“Is everything ready?” Herrek asked later, the oars stowed.

Joash nodded as he stripped off his clothes, and rubbed himself with animal grease. The grease would keep him warm while he floated in the cold Suttung Sea. Hopefully, there weren’t any sharks nearby who would mistake him for a meal. Joash stared at the distant
Tiras,
thinking to see Adah at her station by the catapult. The low roll of waves, the endless expanse of sea, it made him feel small and lonely.

Joash slipped into the cold waves, and Gens handed him goatskin floats stuffed with straw. Joash tied them so he wouldn’t have to tread water to stay afloat, but could relax, and concentrate on his task. Next, Gens handed him a bag of dead fish. Then he carefully draped a green cloth over Joash and the goatskins. Lastly, Gens handed Joash a crossbow. It was fashioned from a stout, short bow laid sideways, and secured by cords, to a stock of wood. In it, lay a thick metal shaft with gull feathers on one end, and a wicked iron point on the other.

Joash recalled his days as an egg thief, when Balak had wounded a pterodactyl’s vast, leathery wing. If he could damage one wing so it crashed into the sea, Joash doubted the creature could flap well enough to leave the water.

“Are you all set?” Herrek asked.

“I’m ready,” Joash said, pumping his voice full of confidence. Now that he was here, he didn’t want the others to leave him all alone in the huge Suttung Sea. The thought of Adah chewing her lip until it bled as she watched the slith was enough to strengthen his determination. So he told them to hurry away.

They left, the dwindling clunk and splash of oars vanishing in the shallow troughs of waves.

The sea was quiet and serene, the long waves low. In the distance, sailed the
Tiras
, which now proceeded to haul in its sails. At the last moment, they had let Captain Maharbal in on the scheme. Already, Joash had to squint to see the longboat, which by pre-arrangement would wait halfway to the
Tiras
.

Joash opened the bag, and began tossing silvery bait. Soon, he tucked the bag onto one of the goatskin floats. Then he ensured that the green cloth hid him from view. The giant pterodactyl would see the cloth, of course, but hopefully it wouldn’t equate it with a man. Joash knew that Huri often put on deerskin disguises, complete with horns, in order to stalk deer and other forest animals.

The dead fish floated in the brightening sea. High above, hidden from view because of the camouflage cloth, soared the pterodactyl, the eyes of their enemies. Joash waited, growing more afraid as time went on. It was frightening, floating all alone in the vast Suttung Sea. Suddenly, one of the floating dead fish disappeared. A sea-creature had taken the bait.

Before Joash had time to shout, he heard a steam-kettle hiss. Goosebumps rose. It was the pterodactyl, and was somewhere close above. Joash almost threw off his cloth disguise so he could shoot. No, no, he told himself. Wait for the perfect shot. The creature would only give him one chance.

Another piece of bait was dragged under the water by a hidden sea-creature.

Then Joash saw the monstrously huge pterodactyl glide low over the water. Its huge black beak trailed in the sea, in order to scoop the quick fish. Joash was astonished at the size of the red-crested head, and he wrinkled his nose at the creature’s reptilian odor—the smell brought horrible memories. The pterodactyl seemed evil, the long rapier-like beak, and its fin-like crest too big for its leathery body. Tiny, almost obscene claws wiggled at the top edge of its wings.