Ways of Power 1: Power Rises (22 page)

Lylith glared from Momma to Rancoth, her eyes now wet with tears. Her voice croaked as she continued. "It launched itself out of the water, and caught Elija before he ever even got wet. Luckily crocs won't eat their prey until it’s dead. So if their first bite isn't fatal, they lock their jaws and drag their victims beneath the water until they drown. Titch who
was
thinking, suspended the monster in the air. Thank you my old friend, if it hadn't been for you, my son…would be dead." Her voice broke as she continued to cry. The old kineticist reached out and squeezed her hand.

They all sat in silence for some time before the healer knocked softly and walked into the room.

"How's Elija? Can I see him?" Lylith asked, jumping to her feet.

              "Yes, yes, he will be fine. You can see him in a moment. I managed to strengthen his immune system and the production of blood in his body. This will take care of any infection and heal his wounds quite nicely. Unfortunately his foot was already dead, and Orlian no longer has a necromancer, and I can't reanimate something that the life force has abandoned. I had to sever the dead flesh from the living, and attach a wooden limb in its place."

              "But he's going to be alright?" Lylith said almost pleadingly.

              "Like I said, he'll be fine. I just wanted you to know everything, and that there will be some challenges ahead for you and him. But he will be perfectly all right. With that, the healer ushered them all into the next room.

              Elija was sitting up in bed, studying the wooden peg now attached below his knee. Lylith ran to her son and they embraced amidst much apologizing and proclamations of love.

              "Let's give them some prrivacy," Dorbin said. Everyone returned to the waiting room. "Now that we know the boy's going to be all rright, I'm going to head to the docks and find out if anyone's hearrd frrom Grrecrrum," he whispered to Rancoth. Dorbin then informed them all that he would return shortly and he took his leave.

              An hour or so after Dorbin left, Lylith asked Rancoth to join her and Elija. The three spoke at length and made amends--none of them wished to part on bad terms.

37

              Rancoth walked along the white sandy beach. He enjoyed the gritty warmth that tickled his bare feet between his toes. He continued to wear his robes in a manner that allowed the breeze to kiss and cool his skin. He carried his staff, feeling more naked without it then he did baring his chest to the world. He had come down to the beach to practice; using the weapon in solitude helped relieve stress, but little practice had been achieved while sauntering the shoreline.

He hadn't been prepared for the sparkling gemlike beauty of the water. He found himself wandering the shore every morning since the
Dancing Seahorse
and her crew started back north. The Mother's Boot stretched endlessly across the horizon and made love to the land in foaming white waves that crashed against the beach.

The call of white seabirds filled the salted air as the winged creatures circled in search of food. He could hardly believe later that day he would be skipping across the sky with the small acrobats.

Dorbin had learned that Grecrum was unable to find a sailing ship willing to brave the Mother's Boot during the hot summer months. It was simply too dangerous while the sea dragons churned the waters in the midst of their mating season. Cousins to the river dragon that Kujos dispatched just days before; sea dragons were three times the size, and were known to attack whole ships in their bloodthirsty frenzies.

Grecrum was however able to charter one of the rare Elfkin cloud ships to transport them from Orlian to the Elfkin capital of Elu'Menashan. Rancoth had often wondered what the world looked like from high above, and not for the first time since he started his adventures he found his heart skipping with anticipation.

The world seemed to be far vaster than he could have ever imagined sitting in the safety of the Great White Tower. There was so much to learn and experience that he hadn't been taught by Dorbin, Karakas, or even Grecrum. Now that he was out in it, Rancoth wasn't sure he could ever go back to living in the mundane Light Magi capital. There was simply too much to see and do.

As the sun finished its morning dance of color, Rancoth made his way back to the docks. From there it was only a short distance to the small inn where he and Dorbin had been staying. It was a pleasant resting place while the cloud ship underwent some repairs, and finished stocking up on supplies.

The captain, a small red skinned Elfkin named Don'Kiean, visited them the night before. He informed them that the ship would be ready to leave by noon today, and strongly advised them to be punctual.

"Wherre have you been?" Dorbin demanded as Rancoth entered the room. "We haven't got all day you know. And we can't miss that ship. It's going to cut ourr trrip time down frrom a month to about thrree days!"

"I know, I know, and trust me I have no intention of missing our flight!" Rancoth said with exuberance as he started packing his things.

Dorbin grumbled something about already being packed, and needing to get his belly filled as he left the room. Rancoth made quick work of packing his own items, and then joined him downstairs for brunch.

After eating their fill, Rancoth made arrangements with the innkeeper to pay for the inn's kineticist to help bring their stuff to the air dock.

The air dock was a large raised platform atop a small hill above the traditional docks. There was what appeared to be an enormous white cloud tethered to what looked like a sailing ship with a flat bottomed hull. It was unlike any ship either of them had ever seen.

It looked as though someone had taken the canopy of a great tree, stripped it of its leaves, turned it on its side, and lovingly shaped it to resemble a sailing ship. One mast jutted into the air like a mighty untamed branch. It rose from the center of the ship to vanish in the heart of the cloud.

The ship was crewed entirely by Elfkins. Some were naked in the traditional Elfkin way, but a few had loincloths covering their most intimate parts.

Captain Don'Kiean came out to greet them as they arrived. He was small for an Elfkin, not much taller than Dorbin. His pale red skin was accentuated by hot pink hair, which gave him an almost warm look.

"Welcome to my ship, gentleman. Do you need any help getting your items aboard?" His voice carried a slightly musical quality.

Rancoth's head was craned back as he took in the enormity of the air ship. "That’s not really a cloud, is it?"

The captain chuckled. "No. You're very observant. If it were, it would swirl much like the crown of your remarkable staff."

When Rancoth glanced away from the ship, he noticed that Don'Kiean's orange cat-like eyes were as fixed upon his staff, as his had been upon the ship.

Don'Kiean hardly blinked as he asked, "May I see it?"

Rancoth had grown accustomed to people’s reaction to Dorbin's gift coupled with his mother's sphere, and lowered the globe for the Elfkin man's scrutiny.

"What do you call herr?" Dorbin asked, as he continued to looked over the ship.

The captain shifted his piercing gaze to the Dwalish man. "Her who?"

"Yourr ship?"

"I'm sorry, I don't understand. The ship is mine," the captain said with a slightly confused look.

"Aye, I know that. But what's its name?"

"It doesn't have a name, it's simply mine."

Dorbin scratched his head. "Well, how do you tell the differrence between yourrs and the ships o' otherrs?"

"They are not mine, and besides there are only two other cloud ships. And they belong to my brothers, so it really doesn't matter. Does it?" Captain Don'Kiean said with a toothy grin.

"Well, I ah--suppose not." Dorbin turned and tossed a coin at the kineticist who had been waiting patiently. The woman nodded, and bid them thanks and luck before she departed.

"So if it's not a cloud, what is it then?" Rancoth asked, bringing the conversation back to his own curiosities.

The captains' grin grew. "It's a type of fabric draped over a lightweight aluminum frame."

"How does it fly?"

"Me or one of the other fire dreamers sits atop the mast which goes into the belly of the balloon," he said, pointing up to where the mast disappeared. "We heat the air up. Once it gets hot enough we float. One of my wind dancers then pushes us in the desired direction and we fly."

"Won't the fabrric catch on firre?" Dorbin asked.

The little Elfkin man laughed and shook his head. "No."

"Why not? What's it made out of?" Rancoth asked.

The captain carefully eyed both of them before answering. "Now if I told everyone that, then there would be more than three ships in the air." He turned and waved two of his crew over.

Both were large powerful looking Elfkins, one light brown with bright green hair, and the other purple with white hair. He instructed them to carry Rancoth and Dorbin's things onto the air ship, and then invited them to take a quick tour before liftoff.

Both of them enthusiastically agreed to be shown around what would be there home for the next three days. Unlike the rugged
Dancing Seahorse
the Elfkin ship felt beautiful and refined. No light streamed into the lower decks between gaping boards from the solid deck above. Instead there were natural gapes throughout the walls of the body of the vessel. These not only let in plenty of light, but allowed the air to flow freely through the ship.

All of the wood was highly polished and smooth to the touch. Much of it was bent and shaped into flowing curves and elegant swirls which only accented the innate beauty of the wood itself.

The whole ship felt more like some distinguished state room at the Great Tower than it did a transport and cargo vessel. Dorbin and Rancoth each received their own rooms adjacent to one another. The rooms were spacious with plenty of storage and large beds made from a soft spongy moss.

"What happens if it rrains?" Dorbin grumbled as he eyed one of the larger natural openings in the wall of his room.

Don'Kiean cocked his head slightly and smiled. "Then you will be clean, and smell far better than you do now. We shall pray for rain while you are here Master Dorbin."

Dorbin growled and Rancoth laughed. It was his turn to instantly like their captain. From the living quarters they moved up to the main deck. From this angle it could be seen that the cloud really was some sort of cloth draped over a vast frame and tethered to the ship by dozens of thin cords.

"Is there some way that we could go up and see the balloon from the inside?" Rancoth asked, eyeing the soft flicker illuminating the top of the mast inside the cavernous space.

The captain shrugged. "Now is as good a time as any, I suppose. Once we get underway you would find it far too uncomfortable up there, I'm afraid."

At the base of the large mast was a small doorway. Entering, it was revealed to be hollow with a long ladder leading to the top. Rancoth ran his hand across the inner wall, and was surprised to feel how soft and pliable it was. He could push his finger into the surface slightly, leaving a dimple that vanished after a few heartbeats.

"This isn't wood?" he said questioningly.

"No, if it were we would have to worry about the whole ship catching on fire," the captain said in a matter of fact tone.

"Anotherr trrade secrret?" Dorbin grumbled.

The captain merely smiled and began the ascent to the top of the mast. Dorbin rolled his eyes and Rancoth shrugged as they followed the little red Elfkin man.

At the top of the mast was a small circular platform. It was surrounded by a rail that rose to Rancoth’s hips. The three men barely fit to one side of the platform, giving space to the fire dreamer who sat cross legged in the center.

The naked Elfkin woman was almost identical in color to the captain. Her eyes were closed, and her hands rested palm up on her knees. She was whispering a slow chant, and her whole body gave off a warm glow.

The deck, far below, was riddled with tiny colorful people scurrying about to finish preparations for launch. The white canopy above looked more massive from the inside than Rancoth would have guessed. While the huge cloudlike structure had been impressive from the outside, standing in the middle of the cavernous space and seeing how far it was from edge to edge was breathtaking.

"Shi'latrum we will be departing soon. Are you focused and ready?" the captain asked.

Without breaking her chant, the nude woman barely nodded her head.

"Good," the captain said. "We shall leave you then. Be sure to signal when you are in need of relief--I know how exhausting a takeoff can be."

Again the woman nodded, and the three men left her to her meditations.

38

Shortly after returning to the deck the captain was informed that the airship was ready for departure. He closed his eyes, and chanted a few words. His skin began to give off a red glow like the woman's on top of the mast. He then flung his hand into the air, and a small trail of fire left his fingertips, shooting up into the voluminous balloon above. The tiny spark burst, illuminating the whole interior.

Briefly, after the captain opened his eyes, the echo of his words could be heard from above, but from another higher pitched voice. This was quickly muted by the ensuing inferno which roared into life. The smell of burning air wasn't quite what Rancoth expected. It was something akin to the clean sent left after a rain storm, and yet slightly acrid.

In a matter of minutes the air in the balloon was heated enough to change in density. The ship began to rise--faltered, and then almost effortlessly floated off the dock. Two of the Elfkin ran the length of the ship, removing ropes that had anchored it down. A third blue colored Elfkin man began dancing at the back of the boat. A chant that had become familiar to Rancoth and Dorbin’s ears after three weeks on the riverboat rang clear in the air.

The wind dancer pushed them south, and within moments the ship’s shadow hit the pristine blue waters of the Mother's Boot. As the shadow sailed across the water, a mass of razor teeth and green scales leapt from the sea. The dragon gnashed and flailed at the phantom prey, releasing an enormous roar of frustration that shook the airship already a hundred feet in the air.

Rancoth and Dorbin looked at one another, realizing how incredibly close they had come to being lunch. The green land with its white sandy outline quickly disappeared behind them. The world became a double-hued blue dotted with floating white cottony puffs.

Off in the distance, a small flock of five dark birds zigzagged across the sky in a sharp V formation. Rancoth studied them for as long as he could, eventually however they veered off to the west and disappeared behind a cloud.

The sun seemed more brilliant in the air, bathing the ship and sea with its warm radiance. The higher the ship went however the cooler the air became and by the time it reached what would be its cruising altitude, Rancoth found that he was quite comfortable with his robe fully on once more.

"Well, gentlemen, how are you enjoying the trip so far?" the captain asked approaching them from behind.

Rancoth turned from where he had been watching the birds and gently rubbed a finger in his ear. "It's magnificent, but my ears have started to hurt, and everything is muffled. It's as though I'm listening to the world from underwater."

"Yawn."

"But, I'm not tired," Rancoth replied with a look of confusion.

Dorbin on the other hand did as suggested. "Just trry it, lad."

Rancoth cocked his head at the little man, but did as he was told. He heard two loud popping noises; the sounds around him became clearer and the pain lifted. "What was that?"

"I don't know, but it happens in the mountains too," Dorbin said.

Don'Kiean smiled. "Yes it does. I think it has something to do with the air the higher you get. Haven't you noticed it smells different too?"

Both Dorbin and Rancoth shook their heads; neither of them had the olfactory abilities of the Elfkin.

"You will just have to trust me then. It's--" the captain breathed in deeply through his nose and exhaled, "--cleaner. So, will you be joining us this evening for the festivities?"

"Forr what?" Dorbin asked.

The captain regarded them in confusion. "Surely the Dwalish and Magi still celebrate the Day of Freedom."

Rancoth had all but forgotten the most sacred of holidays. The day when the four races had won their freedom from the cruel Master Race thousands of years ago. It was of course simply a myth from antiquity. No one really believed anymore that the entire world had been ruled by one race--a race of demigods so powerful that a single member could destroy an entire city by only lifting a single finger.

The Elfkins however took the holiday far more seriously than any of the other races. According to legend, it was the first Elfkin chieftain, Gal'Rock who had started the revolution that ultimately destroyed the Master Race, wiping them from existence and leaving Earth to be inherited and divided among the four races.

A wide grin split Rancoth's face. "We would love to celebrate with Gal'Rock's descendents!" he exclaimed.

Shortly after takeoff, the captain took his own turn at keeping the ship aloft. He left orders that the celebrations began once his shift was complete.

As evening approached, Rancoth was surprised that no torches or lamps were lit. The illumination of the main deck was provided by the inferno keeping them afloat and later by a star strewn sky more brilliant than any he had ever seen. When it was finally time for the celebration to begin, all of the Elfkin found a place to sit facing the back of the ship. Dorbin remained standing, arms crossed as he leaned against the side of the hull.

Rancoth had never witnessed how the Elfkins celebrated the holiday, and felt very much like an outsider. He took his place beside his longtime friend to quietly observe without interfering with their formal ceremony.

A high-pitched wail pierced the air as an Elfkin woman leapt down from where she had been concealed in the branches of the back hull. Her naked form undulated in the cool night breeze and the gathered audience began to pound their fists on the hard wooden deck, the rhythmic drumming moving in time with the performer's seductive motions.

The woman's form slowly began to change, her movements subtly going from erotic to torturous. At first Rancoth thought that he was imagining the change, until she began to sing in a soft mournful way.

The pleasures of life

cut down with a knife

wielded by those with no soul.

The once Master Race

who ruled without grace

were about to suffer a toll.

They beat the people down

because they wore a crown

and thought their power supreme.

They liked to watch us bleed

and killed those who would lead

because they dared to dream.

Then Gal'Rock rose to stop the tears

by creating his power spheres

so the Masters all would flee.

The Masters all fought

and devastation was wrought

but the people were finally free.

              The last line was sung by everyone on the ship. As the echoes of their song died off in the distance, they all leapt up with whoops of joy and began to dance. Food and wine was brought up from below deck and the real festivities began.

              Rancoth and Dorbin were both pulled into the mass of leaping and swaying bodies, caught up in the music of their stamping feet and wondrous voices. The captain and several others appeared with varying instruments; whistles, drums, and harp all added to the joy-filled raucous.

              As soon as he was able to slip away unnoticed, Rancoth made his way down to his sleeping room. He pulled a small flat package from one of his drawers and then headed back up to the main deck. He found Dorbin with his head pressed up against a purple Elfkin woman's stomach. Her bare breasts bounced atop his head while he displayed a grin wider than Rancoth had seen on the old man in a long time.

              Rancoth laughed, and shook his head, deciding his gift could wait. He slipped it under his belt and rejoined the merriment. It was several hours later when Dorbin came to find him.

              "I'm headed to bed," he said with a smile.

              "Tired already?" Rancoth asked.

              "Ah, no, not rreally," Dorbin said looking over to the stairs leading below deck. The woman Rancoth had seen him dancing with earlier was waiting with a hungry look in her eyes.

              "Oh, I see. Well have fun," Rancoth said with a wink.

              Dorbin nodded and turned to go.

              "Oh Dorbin, wait a second."

              "What? Can't you see I'm in a hurrry?" Dorbin said with a low growl.

              Rancoth grinned. "I just wanted to give you your gift," he said, producing the brown package.

              "Ohh, thank you lad," Dorbin said, taking it from him.

              "It's not a wondrous staff, but I think you'll like it."

              Dorbin undid the string holding the canvas together. Inside he found a small smithy hammer identical to the one he broke on the sphere when he and Rancoth returned to Tower City.

              "I bought it at one of the port towns on our way down the river."

              "It's beautiful lad. Thank you!" Dorbin hefted the little tool to get a feel for its weight. "Well balanced, it’s perrfect. I wasn't surre I would find one that I liked." Then Dorbin hugged him.

              "Well, good night. Don't keep your ladyfriend waiting.” Rancoth knocked the little man on the shoulder. “I'm sure her gift will be far more enjoyable for you."

              Dorbin tucked the hammer into the empty belt loop next to its twin. "Enjoyable maybe, but not as useful. Don't forrget to find some gifts to enjoy yourrself!"

              "I won't," Rancoth said, as he watched his mentor disappear below deck.

              The revelry lasted late into the night and struck up again with the rising of the sun. The festivities continued on into the day after that. Rancoth and Dorbin both lost track of time as they embraced the gifts offered by the cloud ship's generous crew. They in turn did what they could to show their hosts the appreciation they were due.

              Before either of them realized what was going on, the captain shot another signal into the belly of the balloon. The festivities ended, and the constant raging inferno above ceased. A couple members of the crew began untying several cords around the ship, opening little holes in the envelope above.

              As the hot air was able to escape, the ship slowly began to descend towards the emerald mass that appeared on the southern horizon.