A Gleaming Path

by Jeffrey Pawlak

  Raissa’s face reddened for a moment. She seemed uncomfortable with the reminder of the Serenity that she hid from him for so long. “I’m sorry that I could never tell you, but even father thought it was best not to let anyone besides Tiroku and a few scholars know about it. He never wanted there to be too much commotion while I was younger, and Tiroku agreed. They both felt it would have hindered my progress in understanding Serenity.” She stopped for a moment, shooting a brief glance in Alamor’s direction. “In the end, it seems that it may have been for the best, considering what we’ve already accomplished.”

  Tridian gently patted her on the shoulder with a chuckle. “It’s all right, Raissa, you don’t have to explain yourself. I understand why father would have wanted to keep that secret.” The Prince of Tordale looked up from his sister, aiming his gaze back at Dayneth and Tiroku. “But what I don’t understand is how the Radia will be enough to save Tordale. Do you really believe that we can stop Baldaron with their magic?”

  Tiroku nodded confidently. “They are the only answer we have to vanquishing the man who is essentially Scourge incarnate. We have already made great progress in a short amount of time by acquiring the Radia of Gallantry, which Alamor and your sister were able to find all on their own.”

  “May I see it?” Tridian asked.

  Tiroku looked at Alamor, and Alamor knew right away that the Champion of Light was offering his approval to reveal the sacred vessel. Alamor reached into the pouch at his waist and pulled free the luminous gemstone for all to see, while Tiroku told them the legend behind Ralu’s and Xogun’s final moments in the world of the living.

  Alamor doubted that any of the soldiers and sailors could sense its awesome power, but he saw the fascination in their faces as they stared at the Radia. He felt powerful by flaunting Xogun’s Radia, basking in the number of awestruck expressions from the gathering of men and women who looked upon him.

  Tridian still did not appear to be impressed, and Tiroku seemed to discern the prince’s continued uncertainty. “It may not seem like much of a weapon, but be assured that nothing else in this world will come close to matching the wicked magic behind Baldaron and his army,” the Champion of Light said.

  The Prince of Tordale straightened in his chair. “How exactly will they allow us to do that? You have told me at length of the power within them, but you haven’t explained how we will use them to actually defeat our enemy.”

  “That is not for me to say,” Tiroku said. Tridian’s brow furrowed, but Tiroku was ready with clarification. “Your sister and Alamor will be the ones to wield the Radia, and that is another reason to be assured that we can succeed. The two of them have proven incredible ability as Spiritcasters, greater than my own. There are no better people in the kingdom to combat this darkness that we face.”

  As Alamor began to put away the Radia of Gallantry, he noticed Tridian cast a glance toward him. No one else in the hall seemed to sense the tension that filled the air, but Alamor felt it as soon as his eyes met with Tridian’s. In just one instant, Alamor felt the Prince of Tordale direct a stream of doubt and cynicism at him.

  It was only when Tridian looked back at Raissa and her beaming face that his expression softened, once more.

  “Believe me, Tridian,” Raissa said, “Alamor and I will be able to do this, especially now that you’re helping us.”

  Tridian nodded, forging a smile that he could not possibly hide from his sister. “If that’s how you truly feel, then I will do my best to trust in you and assist you in any way that I can.”

  They eventually drifted into conversations of different matters, more cheerful talks that had little or nothing to do with their quest at hand. The dining hall began to boom with discussions and laughter. The grave subjects were left behind, and for another hour or two, everyone on board the Balcryst enjoyed one another’s company while forgetting the dire circumstances over the kingdom.

  It was well into the night when the gathering dispersed. One by one, every person in the dining hall left, either to attend to other duties, or to go straight to bed. Although Tiroku, Rawner, and all of the others eventually went off to find their rooms, Alamor waited patiently for Raissa. She stayed by Tridian’s side for as long as she could before the Prince of Tordale was called to take care of other matters aboard the armored galleon.

  Alamor was more than pleased that Raissa came straight to him once Tridian had left. She greeted Alamor with a tight, affectionate hug. “Thanks for waiting,” she said, looking up at him with a smile. “I didn’t mean to pay so little attention to you today. I’m still just overjoyed to see Tridian again.”

  Alamor returned the hug. “I would expect you to feel that way,” he replied. “You’re just lucky that I don’t get jealous very easily.”

  Raissa released her embrace and laughed at Alamor’s joke. Alamor offered a wide, satisfied grin. When Raissa stopped laughing, Alamor waited for her to look up at him before he spoke again. “Remember when I told you that it was a good idea to come out here on the ocean, in case we could find Tridian?”

  Raissa’s smile brightened. She nodded.

  Alamor flashed her a wink. “I told you we would be able to find him.”

  “I’m so happy that we did,” Raissa said. “I wasn’t sure for a while if we ever would, or if he would even still be alive.” She stared at Alamor fondly. “I should have been more optimistic, like you were.”

  “I think it’s like Tiroku said to me the night we sailed out of Sleekleaf Forest—sometimes, the answers only come when we have faith,” Alamor said. “All of us probably just need to have a little more faith that we’ll be able to stop Baldaron.”

  Raissa suddenly seemed embarrassed by something. Her eyes briefly shot down the hallway that Tridian passed through as he left the dining hall. “Please don’t be mad at my brother. I know he doesn’t fully trust our plan, or in the Radia, but I’m sure he’ll come around, eventually. He’s probably just as overwhelmed by all of this as we were at first. He has so much else on his mind, being the acting king, and all.”

  In truth, Alamor remained perturbed by Tridian’s doubts, specifically what he believed the Prince of Tordale directed at him. He was not sure what Tridian’s reasons may have been, but Alamor sensed that Tridian had a particular distrust of him, perhaps even so much as disdain.

  Alamor did his best to conceal those thoughts and nodded at Raissa. “I agree, it must be a lot for him to deal with all at once. He’s just doing what he feels is best for the kingdom, and for you. He can’t be blamed for that.”

  Raissa appeared to be relieved by Alamor’s empathetic response. “Thank you for understanding. I promise, once he has a few days to think this over, he’ll be more supportive.”

  “It’s good to have him around,” Alamor said. “He’ll be a big help to us along the way, especially if he cheers you up this much.”

  “You both do that for me,” Raissa replied.

  Alamor grinned. “I’d hope so, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve almost gotten killed protecting you over the last few weeks.”

  Raissa laughed heartily, and Alamor was just as pleased by her mirth as he was before.

  “Maybe I’m bad luck,” Raissa said in jest.

  “Well, if you are, I guess I’m in trouble for a while, then,” Alamor said.

  Raissa turned toward the hallway that led to the Balcryst’s decks above. “Why don’t you come make a wish for better luck, then? I was going to head on deck and see what stars were out tonight, if you want to come with me.”

  “I’d love to.”

  Alamor followed behind Raissa, and they left the dining hall together.

  4

  Alamor awoke to a single ray of morning’s first light lancing through the window in his room aboard the Balcryst. He got out of bed with a great yawn—not one of weariness, but out of relief after a peaceful night’s sleep.

  As he dressed himself in his armor, Alamor could not keep his eyes off of the calm, cerulean waves th
at swirled beyond his window. He, Raissa, and their companions had been out on the ocean for three full days since sailing from Sleekleaf Forest. Two were upon the trading boat they discovered along the Cabos River, and now a full day on the mighty warship that Tridian commandeered from the naval base in Lansuu.

  If the continent of Tordale was a vast place, than the ocean was even vaster, it seemed. After three days of sailing, there was no change in the world around them to tell what kind of progress they had made; nothing but water and the sky running in all directions.

  Once Alamor dressed, he left his room and started through the hallways within the Balcryst’s hull. He made straight for Raissa’s room, hoping to find her before anyone else that morning. When he came to her cabin, however, it was already empty. Even Dayneth was nowhere to be found. He went to Tiroku’s cabin next, thinking that the Champion of Light may know of Raissa’s whereabouts, but he found Tiroku missing, as well.

  He wandered throughout the hallways for a few more minutes until he eventually heard a deep laugh boom nearby. When he turned in its direction, he spotted Rawner exiting a room and starting down the corridor.

  “Looking for someone, kid?” Rawner called out to him as the man approached.

  “Well, I was looking for Raissa, but right now I’d be happy to find anyone,” Alamor answered.

  “Unfortunately, I know as much of their whereabouts as you do,” Rawner said. “I haven’t see any of them this morning. I’ve been in the mess hall this whole time sampling the cooks’ breakfast.”

  “That doesn’t surprise me at all,” Alamor said with a laugh.

  Rawner grinned. “Laugh all you want, but one of the cooks in that kitchen sure knows how to make a good pancake, as big and as fluffy as they come, and even better when you cover it with some of the syrups they have back there. It might be the best pancake I’ve ever had in my life.”

  Alamor’s eyebrows lifted in surprise. “Even better than Chef Drengo’s back home at the Red Helm?”

  “Believe it or not,” Rawner confirmed. “Just don’t ever tell him I said that to you; he’ll stop giving me extras whenever I ask for them.”

  Alamor quickly began to see the appeal in going to enjoy a good breakfast. He looked down the corridor toward the mess hall and rubbed his stomach. “You think they have any leftovers? I’m starting to get hungry now that you’ve mentioned all of this.”

  “Don’t worry about leftovers, kid, they’ll whip up something fresh for you,” Rawner said, patting Alamor on the back and setting them forward toward the mess hall. “I’ll even come with you and help myself to some seconds. I’ve still got room left for more of that grub.”

  “Again, that doesn’t surprise me at all,” Alamor remarked.

  They went to the kitchen and were quickly served some of the steaming-hot pancakes that Rawner lauded. Just as the man had claimed, the pancakes were among the biggest and fluffiest Alamor had ever seen. Each piece that he cut off with his fork was enough for an entire mouthful. They doused their pancakes in a number of different syrups made from raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries. After eating two platefuls, Alamor felt as if his stomach was stretched to its limit, but he had to agree with Rawner that they were perhaps the best pancakes he had ever eaten.

  When they were finished with their breakfast, they made their way up to the main deck. As soon as they emerged from the ship’s hull, they spotted Hinton and Pauma on the aft deck. The Bachus peered over the railings, their bodies shaking with excitement.

  “Look at those clouds it’s billowing out!” Hinton said aloud as Alamor and Rawner approached. “Those things are big enough to fit right in the sky! You could cover a village with those things!”

  Rawner visibly restrained his laughter when he and Alamor joined the Bachus at the railing. “What’s got you two all fired up this morning?” he asked.

  “The steam vents on this boat, of course!” Pauma answered, and pointed down along the Balcryst’s stern. “Take a look for yourself!”

  Alamor and Rawner looked over the railing to the great steam vents that jutted from the Balcryst’s armored hide. There were three, in all, each one a giant, steel cylinder that was as thick as a tree trunk. Masses of white steam poured out of the tubes, fluttering over the ocean’s surface until they gradually ascended and dissipated within the warm, summer air.

  “Well, I’ll be darned,” Rawner said. “I didn’t realize that this ship was outfitted with a steam engine.” He glanced up and peered out across the ocean, toward the Bluetreader and the Waveskimmer. Traces of white steam could be seen emerging from behind their sterns. “Or that the other two boats were, as well. The Prince picked out some fine vessels to voyage with.”

  “I didn’t realize that ships even had steam engines,” Alamor admitted, still staring down at the vents. He was not surprised to hear that steam engines existed, as the races of Tordale had long ago discovered that machinery and turbines could be powered through the boiling of water—he was just surprised to see that their use had now become so widespread that they were being put inside ships. He always believed that they were too big and too heavy to be transported, and were kept primarily to places like the mills and factories in Caldeya’s River District.

  “Steam engines aren’t especially common, at least, not yet, but they’re popping up more and more among battleships in our navy,” Rawner explained. “The scientists employed by the military are the ones credited with inventing them, after all, so they know best how to load one of the big machines into a ship. As the years go on, I won’t be surprised if they figure out how to drop one into every craft possible, even little guys.”

  “You think one day all ships will be steam powered?” Alamor asked.

  “It’s possible,” Hinton chimed in, clearly eager to join the discussion. “It’s just that it won’t be for a long, long time. I may not know much about the water and swimming and the like, but I do know that if you want something as big as one of these battleships to be fully powered by a steam engine, you need to have a big engine in there, one as big as a house. Then, on top of that, the ship itself needs to be sturdy enough to hold that thing without cracking or sinking. Might have to make those ships entirely out of metal, at that point. I couldn’t see even this beauty we’re sailing on right now being able to hold one for long before it was at the bottom of the ocean.”

  “So, how big is the steam engine on this boat, you think?” Alamor asked.

  “It’s actually a fairly little guy,” Pauma answered. “Not even as big as one of those machines you saw the Bachus feeding ores and minerals to in the forges back home. But then again, this ship was never built to hold something much bigger. The captain was nice enough to let us take a good look at it last night.”

  “And it’s still an impressive piece of machinery!” Hinton added excitedly. “That thing would impress all of the Pakas and Vashus back at the Bachu Caverns. It may not be powerful enough to move a hulking ship like this all the time, and even very fast, but it’s the perfect backup plan on a day where the wind isn’t blowing so perfect.”

  Alamor turned and looked back along the Balcryst’s decks. It was only then that he realized the huge sails laying along the masts were nearly limp and without any activity. The wind that day out on the ocean was light, and it only managed to catch a corner of the Balcryst’s sails, given the direction that it moved. If the ship was only able to use the wind, it would have been crawling across the ocean, but thanks to the steam engine laboring within its hull, it got an extra kick of momentum behind its metal-clad form to push on over the waves, however gradually.

  It was also then that Alamor spotted Tiroku. The Champion of Light stood on the opposite side of the Balcryst, near the bow. Tridian was with him, as was a host of other soldiers who encircled them.

  “I wonder what’s happening over there,” Alamor wondered aloud, and started across the decks. Rawner followed behind him, while Hinton and Pauma stayed at the aft deck’s railing to con
tinue watching the steam vents. Alamor and Rawner made their way across the Balcryst, and as they approached Tiroku and Tridian, they noticed that the assortment of officers surrounding the two watched and listened intently to whatever discussion was taking place. A number of other soldiers continued their chores nearby, most making a very poor attempt to remain discreet as they, too, listened in on the conversation.

  Alamor eventually spotted Joth near the front of the gathering. The man from the Arid Reaches stood with his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed. It gave him an unusually stern look.

  “What’s going on?” Alamor asked as he and Rawner joined Joth at his side.

  Joth’s surly eyes never moved from Tridian and Tiroku. “A bit of an argument, you could say,” he answered, sounding frustrated by the situation. “The Prince doesn’t seem to be very confident about our plan to acquire Ralu’s Radia, and he’s letting Tiroku know that.”

  “So, is he planning on just turning the ship around and sailing somewhere else?” Rawner asked, his tone softly sarcastic.

  “You may not be that far off,” Joth answered. “It seems that he wants to head straight for the mainland and avoid the Arid Reaches, altogether.”

  “Has the kid lost it?” Rawner blurted. “What good is that going to do any of us?”

  “Not very much, that’s for sure,” Joth said. “But the Prince is adamant about it. Apparently he has his own ideas on how to deal with Baldaron.”

  “I hope Tiroku has explained to him that, without the Radia, we’re no match for Baldaron’s army,” Rawner said.

  “Tiroku has made that point more than once,” Joth affirmed. “Unfortunately, the Prince doesn’t seem to trust in the magic of Serenity. He thinks that the brute force of our military is more likely to stop Baldaron. I’m not sure why he doubts the Radia, but whatever the reason is, it’s making it difficult for Tiroku to get through to him.”

  They went quiet then, and turned their full attention to Tridian and Tiroku, who continued their debate.