The Dawning of Power

by Brian Rathbone

  "I had hoped to see him again, but I think he's gone."

  "With such a rare and mystical creature, I don't suppose you'll ever know what to expect."

  * * *

  In the light of her cabin, Catrin prepared herself. Before her was the dragon ore and the sharpest knife she could find. To the side sat a leather bag she would use to collect the chips and shards, each one precious. Taking a deep breath, she picked up the knife before she lost her nerve. Using only light pressure, she pulled the knife against the stone. Not even a scratch was made in the glossy surface. Trying again, she used greater force but achieved no greater effect.

  Brother Vaughn watched with anticipation. "Apply your will," he said.

  Opening herself to a trickle of energy, she tried to keep the torrent from pulling her away. Despite greater understanding, her power remained difficult to moderate, and a bead of sweat formed on her brow. Directing her energy along the fine edge of the knife, she pulled it toward her, and blade parted stone. A tiny shard separated from the dragon ore and sat, perched, atop the gleaming knife.

  "Well done," Brother Vaughn said. "Now do it again."

  * * *

  "When we get back," Osbourne said, "I'm gonna eat for a week. Ham, bacon, sausage--anything but fish."

  "Bread and apple butter," Strom said.

  "A big, juicy steak with potatoes," Chase added.

  "Slices of pepper sausage with chunks of smoked cheese," Kenward said from behind them, and they all turned. "Aye, a seafarer I may be, but I've a love for land food."

  "Do you think we'll ever make it back home?" Osbourne asked.

  "We'll make it," Kenward said. "And when we do, the first meal is on me."

  "I'm going to hold you to that," Strom said.

  "You've all earned it. I've spent most of my life at sea, and I can think of no passengers I'd rather have on my ship. Hopefully you'll find some reason to take to the seas again someday."

  "So there's no chance you'll stay on the Godfist?" Strom asked.

  "Not for long," Kenward said. "I tried it once, but life on land didn't suit me. All those invisible lines that divide one man's space from another's were beyond my understanding. The sea is the sea. No one can claim it or take it away from me."

  In a way, Osbourne could see his point, but it did nothing to dampen his longing for home. To feel the grass between his toes or to run through the forest would be glorious indeed. Things that had seemed mundane, even boring, in his old life now had new meaning, new significance. If ever they make it home, he thought, his life would be forever changed, and he would no longer take for granted the things he now knew he loved the most.

  After finishing their meal in silence, they dispersed, each having tasks waiting. It seemed on a ship, the work was never done.

  * * *

  "If we run full sail," Kenward said, "we could make to the shallows just before the full moon."

  "We need to fish while still on this side of the shallows," Nora said. "Or have you forgotten the sharks? Your ship is in no condition to face any foe, let alone make full speed. It would be wisest to take it slowly and fish while we wait out the cycle of the moon."

  Pacing the deck, Kenward struggled. Why must his instincts always push him to do the exact opposite of what his mother suggested? He valued her council, no matter what she thought, but he had learned to follow his gut. "We can't sail the shallows with a full hold, and we'll have to fish on the other side either way. Raise full sail," he said. Nora made an annoyed sound in her throat and walked away.

  "She doesn't look happy," Chase said as he approached.

  Kenward just shrugged. "I have that effect on her."

  * * *

  Wiping the sweat from her eyes, Catrin squinted, trying to figure out the best way to make the final cut. Before her was the physical manifestation of the image she had seen in her mind. Despite her rudimentary carving skills, it was, in its own way, beautiful. Turning the tip of her blade carefully under a delicate section, she trimmed away a tiny sliver, though she nearly cut herself when someone shouted: "Shallows ahead!"

  After carefully placing the sliver in her now nearly full bag, Catrin went to the gunwales, secretly hoping to find Kyrien waiting for her.

  "Get the gear ready. We fish," Kenward said, and the crew scrambled. Despite their efforts, the fish simply weren't biting, and they caught only a few small sharks. As the light began to fade, the frustration was palpable. "We need to catch enough fish to feed us for a while. I didn't want to fill the hold, but I didn't want to starve either. If we don't catch something soon, we are going to have to wait another moon before we cross the shallows."

  "Aye," Nora said. "Nothing to be done for it but to keep trying."

  "Fins to port, sir!" called the lookout.

  Glossy fins parted the water, tossing a wake on each side as they came. Then, as if they understood the fear it would instill, they slipped beneath the dark water. Catrin tried to prepare herself for an impact, but not knowing exactly when it would come made it nearly impossible. When the sharks did hit the ship, it felt as if all of them hit at once, and the Slippery Eel rolled to one side before slowly righting herself.

  "Pull in the trawl tubs!" Kenward ordered. "As soon as they are in, we raise full sail and make for the shallows. Prepare yourselves!"

  In a frenzy of activity, the crew readied the ship to come about, but the men retrieving the trawl tubs cursed. They had caught something, and whatever it was, it was big.

  "Now the fish decide to bite," Strom said as he helped the men struggling to turn the windlass.

  "Sir, some of our repairs have been knocked loose. We're taking on water," Bryn reported.

  "Lock the windlass," Kenward said then, with a single stroke of his belt knife across the tensioned rope, cut the trawl away. "Full sail. Now!"

  The Slippery Eel thrummed as the sharks slammed against the hull again, and the crew needed little urging to make speed. Catrin clung to the railing, a sick feeling in her stomach. The sharks seemed determined to sink them, and she knew that, in the water, they would make an easy meal. Though the moon was nearly full, a thick covering of clouds blanketed the skies, and the shallows were barely visible. Sailing full speed into those waters seemed in itself suicide, and that was assuming the sharks didn't get them first.

  "There's someone in the shallows, sir! Light ahead!"

  Chapter 15

  To depend solely on a single food source is to risk starvation.

  --Ruder Dunn, farmer

  * * *

  Near complete darkness hindered the crew's efforts to find a clear path when entering the shallows. Though the firelight was still distant, it cast dancing reflections across the water, making it even more difficult to find obstacles. In a bold spectacle, the sharks pursued the ship into the shallows. At times it seemed they would surely become trapped in the sand, yet they remained a threat.

  "Bring out the spears!" Kenward ordered. "There's no place for them to hide in the shallows, and I want them to feel our sting!"

  Catrin watched as crewmen leveled long spears at the sharks. Some simply stabbed at those that drew too close, others threw their spears with all their strength into the sharks that circled the ship. Most had little effect or simply missed their mark, but one landed a mortal blow. The badly injured shark thrashed wildly, churning the water, and its brethren turned on it, quickly tearing it apart. The grisly display made Catrin's stomach churn as she imagined what it would feel like to be pulled apart. Deeply disturbed, she kept her eyes toward the firelight.

  The closer they came, the larger the fire grew, as if feeding off their very energy. Occasionally, a dark silhouette blocked out parts of the fire, but little more could be seen. When finally the sharks were left behind, Kenward slowed the ship. "It would be risky to go any farther in these conditions," he said. "We could do it if that fire wasn't ruining our night vision. I want to know who started it."

  "You're starting to show the wisdom of a seasoned captain
," Nora said.

  "If you call being scared out of my shorts wisdom, then I guess it's so."

  "Fool boy."

  "Drop the boats," Kenward said. "Arm yourselves and be ready for a fight. I've no doubt they know we're here, and they may be laying in wait."

  Despite the fact that whoever it was probably already knew they were coming, the crew did their best to remain silent. After the boats had been lowered, Catrin stood next to Chase, waiting her turn to climb down. "You stay here," he said. "We'll go find out what's going on."

  "Not a chance," Catrin said, and she grabbed the railing and jumped over. Scrambling down the boarding net, she gave no one else the opportunity to dissuade her. Waiting on the ship would have been pure torture; better to see for herself.

  Farsy climbed into the boat with her, handed her an oar, and dipped his own. Soon they glided through the relatively calm waters. The fire could be seen through the withered remains of saltbark trees, many of which appeared to have been smothered in volcanic ash. An oily film coated the water and at times was so thick that it clung to their oars. As they moved past a small island, their view of the fire was finally unobstructed, though there seemed to be no one about.

  "Do you see anyone?" Farsy asked in a whisper.

  "No," Catrin said. The fire was built on a wooden platform that extended between the roots of a saltbark tree and a nearby rock outcropping. Looking back to the other boats waiting in the distance, she saw Chase slip into the dark water.

  * * *

  "Looks like a trap," Chase said. "Hold back." He and Bryn used their oars to slow the boat, keeping it in relative darkness. "Wait here." Flexing the muscles of his arms and shoulders, Chase silently lowered himself into the water. With his belt knife between his teeth, he slipped beneath the surface.

  Swimming as far as he could on a single breath, Chase moved to the other side of the fire, and there he slowly broke the surface. Not far away, someone else watched from the water. Giving them no time to escape him, Chase moved closer. With one swift motion, he brought his knife up to the man's throat. "One move and I give my knife a good yank."

  Behind him the water stirred, and Chase had no time to react before the tip of a crude spear was driven under his chin, slamming his mouth shut.

  "One move and you'll be a head on a stick."

  * * *

  Trying to locate Chase again, having lost sight of him when he went underwater, Catrin looked about, cursing the darkness and the light. A commotion on the far side of the platform got her attention, and she leaned out far, trying to get a better look.

  "By the gods! Is it you?" came Chase's voice over the water. "Benjin! Fasha!"

  Still overextended, Catrin's knees buckled, and she nearly fell face-first into the water, but Farsy grabbed her and pulled her back into the boat. Their boat swayed, nearly capsizing, but Catrin looked up in time to see Benjin climb from the water.

  Standing on the platform, the flames casting a rosy glow over him; he looked nothing like the man Catrin remembered. Long, mostly gray hair was plastered to his face and fell to his shoulders. His beard, which he had always kept trimmed, was now long and straggly. Thinner, but still well muscled, he wore only a loincloth.

  A moment later, Fasha and Chase joined him. She wore little more than Benjin, and her skin shone like gold. Catrin could form no words and began to sob. A wave of relief crashed over her, and she tumbled in the surf. Only Farsy's strong hands kept her from falling over, and she clung to him, overwhelmed by emotion.

  "I'm here, li'l miss!" Benjin said, his voice rough and gravelly. Catrin could take no more. Standing, she jumped into the water and swam as fast as she could to meet Benjin, who immediately swam to meet her. When at last they touched, Catrin latched on to him and would not let go. Still sobbing, she clung to him all the way back to the Slippery Eel.

  "I thought you were dead," she said haltingly. "We searched--"

  "I know you did, li'l miss. I know. The currents carried us away, and though we saw you, you could not see us. You never made it close enough to hear us, but we know you tried."

  As the water slipped by, Catrin looked up the see a dryad peeking around her saltbark tree. With a silent thank you, Catrin closed her eyes and cried.

  * * *

  Shaved, washed, and clothed, Benjin looked more like the man Catrin remembered, but the gray dominating his hair and beard made him look much older. As he raised a mug of water, his hand trembled, and she tried to hide her concern.

  "A few planks of my deck held together," Fasha said. "Benjin and I used it as a raft and paddled our way back to the shallows. We nearly lost the raft when the cloud of fire came. We both ducked underwater and held our breath for as long as we could. When we came back up, the raft was far away."

  "Fasha is a strong swimmer," Benjin said, pride in his eyes. "She caught up to it and brought it back to me."

  "You could've caught it yourself," Fasha said, "if you hadn't already begun to take a chill. Thought I was going to lose him for a while there, but the saltbark leaf seemed to help a great deal--that and being dry and warm."

  "Wood was hard to find," Benjin said, "and neither of us wanted to be without a fire. When I was strong enough, we swam to the Zjhon ship and, each day, we brought back more wood. The Zjhon had fairly well stripped the ship of anything else of use, but we were happy to burn what was left."

  "I wanted to build a boat and sail back into trade waters, but Benjin insisted you would come back. Thank the gods he was right. Otherwise, I might've had to feed him to the sharks."

  Catrin told the tale of their adventures. Benjin and Fasha listened, obviously having a difficult time believing all they heard. As if he knew when his name was being spoken, Prios joined them, keeping his eyes downcast.

  "Do not fear us," Benjin said. "You helped save Catrin, and for that I'll always be grateful."

  Prios bowed his head to Benjin and Fasha then slipped into the shadows, seemingly reluctant to be the focus of attention. When Catrin began to tell more of Kyrien, a hush fell over the room, and Benjin looked thoughtful. "You're attached to this dragon in some way?" he asked.

  "I won't claim to understand it," Catrin said, "but yes. I think so. He was waiting for us when we reached the Keys of Terhilian, and part of me hopes to see him again, but I don't know if I ever will. He's so regal and beautiful, I find it difficult to describe. Belegra was willing to torture and destroy him . . . for this." Holding out her hand, she revealed the dragon ore carving.

  Even in the dim lamplight, Catrin's panther gleamed, its simplicity making it all the more striking. Smooth lines and subtle curves showed the mighty cat, alert and ready to pounce. So aggressive was its stance that it was uncomfortable to view the carving from the front, yet there was playfulness about it.

  "Where did you get that?" Benjin asked, reaching his hand out slowly, seemingly almost afraid to touch it.

  "Belegra used Kyrien to create dragon ore. I brought his chunk of ore back with me, but it seemed unbalanced, as if it needed to be in a different form. So I carved it."

  "How did you come up with the cat shape?" Osbourne asked.

  "It's a panther, I think. I just looked into the stone before I started carving, and I could see the shape of the panther already inside it, waiting."

  Waiting for you to set it free.

  Catrin gave a start and looked up to meet eyes with Prios.

  You set the panther free. Just as you did for me and for Kyrien. You freed the panther from a prison of stone, but you have forgotten something, something special, something important.

  "Is something wrong, li'l miss?"

  "I'm fine," Catrin said. "Sorry. Prios can speak in my mind, and he was reminding me that I've overlooked something." Looking into the eyes of the carving, Catrin opened herself to it, seeking its name.

  Koe.

  More a thought than a voice in her mind, the name came to her and she spoke it aloud. It felt powerful and right, and though the panther looked no differen
t than it had before, Catrin found she saw Koe in a new way. The name felt right.

  It's a good name, Prios said in her mind.

  "Seems quite fitting," Benjin said at almost the same time, and others nodded in agreement.

  "I saved all the chunks and slivers of stone that I cut away, and I plan to experiment with them. My gut tells me there is a great deal I can learn from them."

  "You must use caution," Benjin said. "You know the power of dragon ore and how devastating a mistake could be."

  "I know," Catrin said as she carefully slid Koe back into her pocket.

  "Can Prios speak in others' minds?" Fasha asked suddenly. "I mean, other than yours, Catrin?"

  I could speak to Belegra and the others in the cadre. I never tried with anyone else except you. It is more difficult over distance. I find it easiest if I can touch the person I wish to speak to.

  Catrin relayed his words, and Fasha seemed disappointed, but Benjin looked thoughtful.

  "If someone can hear Prios," he said, "then that would mean they almost certainly have access to Istra's power."

  Yes, Prios answered in Catrin's mind, and she relayed his answer.

  "Prios," Benjin said. "Would you mind trying to talk to those of us on this ship? If we know someone has access to the power, then maybe Catrin can help them develop their abilities."

  "I'm not so sure how much help I'll be," Catrin said.

  I want to do this. You can free these people too. I want to help you free them all.

  His words were an inspiration, but they also brought tremendous responsibility, the weight of which was nearly crushing. It made her feel as if she alone were responsible for the fate of the world. The feeling passed, and she told the rest what Prios said. His words brought tears to Fasha's eyes, and Benjin shook his hand. Prios seemed unsure of how to respond, but then he reached out and laid his hand on Benjin's shoulder. Benjin's eyes showed disappointment when Prios simply shook his head.