“That could be marketable, don’t you think?”
“Aye. Got yer message ‘bout that. But with Lexington’s port up north, it’d be a real challenge getting more people to think about ours. We haven’t the catch they bring in.” He wagged a finger at the prince. “And if no one buys within the day, it’ll all go to waste! Think on it before you start shelling out money on spoiled profit.”
“Perhaps not the big ones, then,” Wisdom said. “But I could see the smaller ones in town.”
“Pah!” The old man shuffled back inside the doorway, waving the comment aside. “Do what you please!”
Wisdom grinned. “I intend to. But I appreciate your advice.”
A mumble.
“So where’s Josephine?” Wisdom stayed outside while the old man rummaged around some of his tool boxes near the window.
“Shirking his chores again!” was the gruff response. The thud of heavy metal tools being swapped from different boxes reverberated off the walls in the small space. There was a moment’s pause before the shipbuilder stepped back in the doorway. “He went out at sea on The Merionaus. One he’d been working on for a while. Wanted to see how she faired, I suppose.”
“He built a ship?” Wisdom’s eyebrows raised in surprise. “He always said that’s what he wanted.”
“Na! Older ship. Needed work. She’d been practically rotting all these years! But Joseph... He has the hands of a master craftsman. He can do good work.” There was a hint of pride in the man’s voice before changing tone on the last few words. “If he’d put his mind to things!”
Wisdom chuckled. “Tell him I stopped by?”
“Aye, then listen to him go on and on ‘bout that!”
About to take his leave, a call from the docks turned both their attentions to a few men scrambling to the water’s edge.
“Catch something?” Wisdom tried to see around the group to what they heaved on land. A snip of deep red briefly caught his eye between gathering onlookers. A sudden splash of tentacle curled over the dock. “Is that..?” But Mr. Phine was already ahead of him.
“Oy!” The shipbuilder scrambled to the docks. “Not here, ya louts!”
“What is that?” Wisdom followed suit. For an old man, Mr. Phine could pick up speed when he wanted. They were soon with the group, which moved aside to let them through. A long, oblong-shaped head resembled that of warped jellyfish. Yet it retained tentacles of an octopus, complete with suction cups that kept sucking on the planks. Every pull produced a loud creak.
“Kha’lari,” Mr. Phine grumbled. “A yung-un in comparison.” He slapped at a hand that dared to touch one of the stinging tentacles. “Ye daft, son? Get stung by that thing, it’d be no better than gettin’ struck by lightning!” He pointed to the long strands of red wavering in the water. Part of a fishing net had been partially wrapped around some of the body. “Ye’ll have to drag it back out and cut the lines!” He stamped a foot over a tentacle attempting to wind around his leg. “Take it all the way out! Last thing we want is one of these lurking where our food comes from.”
The men started heaving the large head back into the water, mindful of the rest that continued to squirm and stick to the boards. They tried to secure more lines around it, but its suction-plated tentacles ripped it from the men’s hands.
“Allow me.” Wisdom stepped forward to call upon his magic.
Digging deep into his memories, he conjured up images to fuel his inner energy. Not too much. Hatred toward his past would take things to an uncontrollable level. Instead, he focused on fusing aggravated energy to where a faint glow along the coils gave it life. Motioning for the men to let go, the ropes dove into the water themselves to secure the Kha’lari’s body to the boat’s side.
Three men stayed onboard to help tow the Kha’lari back out to sea. The rest watched from shore, though Mr. Phine kept an eye on its constant moving arms spilling over the vessel’s side. The suction cups could be heard puckering over wood. Now and then they gave off a loud pop!
Wisdom saw one of the men struggle to unwrap one of the tentacles.
“They ain’t gonna’ make it,” he heard the old shipbuilder mumble. He then ordered some of the men over to another fishing vessel. As they prepared to join their comrades, the sound of splintering wood drew everyone’s attention.
The boat had barely made it out to open water when a jagged opening tore down the side. Water gushed in. One man tripped over a loose line. As he struggled to find his footing, the Kha’lari’s tentacle snagged his leg.
“Stay here!” Wisdom ordered before leaping off the dock.
He shifted in mid-air. Blood rushed the required forms to his ligaments, changing them to resemble a dark ‘Keyarx. Ignoring gasps of surprise, he focused on the Kha’lari.
The creature had managed to drag the human halfway over the side. Now grasping the splintered wood, he held on in a desperate attempt to keep away from the stingers. The other men tried to help, but a tentacle slammed into the boat’s side. While the men were tossed around like rag dolls, the vessel dipped sideways. Fishing equipment washed overboard. A good majority already floated around the boat.
Another failed attempt to reach their captured companion forced the two fishermen to abandon their rescue. They swam for their lives as stingers washed in where they once stood.
The prince pumped his wings harder, a dark reflection over the water’s rippling surface. He was careful of flailing sails tangling with dislodged netting as he angled his descent. A tentacle lashed upward, narrowly missing his left wing. He swiped a taloned hand at the one around the man’s leg before climbing back up on air currents. The effort was met with success, as the writhing tentacle loosed enough for the fisherman to squirm out of its coils.
But he was far from safe.
Stingers drifted everywhere. Diving, Wisdom grabbing a handful of netting on his way back up. Pulling hard, he began dragging the thing out to sea, away from the damaged boat, away from the lone fisherman still clinging to its side.
The prince marveled at how long its trailing appendages wound into the depths. From this vantage point, he counted at least six red strands of stingers. Compared to the constant movement from its suction-plated arms, these merely drifted along the currents.
And this is an adolescent? Can only imagine what a fully grown one is like!
The sea foamed around the half-submerged head. Now and then a tentacle slapped against the surface, but Wisdom continued out. He was glad the water supported much of its weight. It was only when he had gone out far enough to where the port of Trully dotted the horizon did he release the Kha’lari, nets and all. It did not take long for the thing to sink down, dark red wavering eerily beneath blue-green waves.
A rumble of distant thunder drew his attention to the cliffs of Sapphire. With the Kha’lari gone, he studied the dark clouds draping just over the jagged rocks. Wisps of dark fog seemed to roll down its bank, meeting the sea where it raged against land.
If I controlled the sea, I’d raise it enough to drown out everything the horn touched!
You would destroy a lot more than just territory, a warning pounded through his head, and he knew it was Osha. His gaze trailed along the cliffs back to Trully.
Raising sea level in one location would raise it in another, he realized. It wins no matter what.
The prince swallowed back his anger and started flying toward port. He checked the area a final time for signs of the Kha’lari; however, it was a wave of flag that drew his eye. The dark wood of a lone ship matched that of the shadowed cliffs towering above.
“Is that..?” But there was no mistaking the one who called out from the top of the crow’s nest. “Josephine?”
The Merionaus bobbed along gentle waves in all her majestic glory. Josephine had outdone himself, from the detail of her finely crafted deck railings to the curved designs below. She seemed solidly built with cream colored sails raised at full to catch the wind – except she seemed to be neither coming nor going.<
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Deciding against the dark ‘Keyarx look, Wisdom shifted into a hawk to not scare anyone as he approached. He allowed his thoughts to open to Josephine and crew, announcing his presence before landing on deck.
“I can’t believe I just witnessed an actual shape-shifter!” Josephine called down once the prince had shifted to his true form. “Did you see that? Ahoy, Master Wisdom!”
“Josephine!” The prince saluted back.
“So this be the new prince.” A stout man strode toward him, his right side dipping in a stiff limp. As the prince noticed the knee incapable of bending, the man introduced himself. “Welcome aboard The Merionaus! Captain Easton, at yer service.”
“A pleasure.” The prince slightly bowed in greeting. “I was taking care of a little business when I saw your ship. Just thought I’d drop by and make sure everything was well.”
“As well as should be,” the captain said, though he eyed some of the sailors tugging on lines secured to the mast and sails. “Though we do have...a slight problem.”
“Let me guess; you’re not moving.”
“Aye. There be that.” Captain Easton gestured to the sails. “Not a thing wrong with the wind, and Joseph’s eye for detail keeps us clear of the shallows. It’s a mystery why we’re still in one spot.”
No sooner had the thought of Kha’lari come to mind when the ship jolted as if running aground. Both the captain and prince held to the side lines. Crew members scrambled to keep their footing while the ship began tilting to one side.
From the crow’s net, Josephine called down. “Tide’s out!”
“Impossible!” Easton peered over the railing to the bubbling waters below. “Tide doesn’t go out for several more hours!”
“It’s the storm!” Wisdom eyed dark fog continuously rolling down the cliffs and dissipating at the water’s edge. “It’s starting to affect other elements.”
“Do like you did with the bottle!” Josephine called. “Lift the ship!”
“You do realize there’s a considerable difference in weight!” Wisdom tried to keep his footing as the ship teetered even further. He allowed himself to slide over to the edge and cast a hand toward the water. Fear for his friend spurred a burst of power.
A ball of energy bolted below the water’s surface, throwing up enough spray to douse a few crewmen. They held their breaths as the ship seemed to creak back the other way. Sand-churned water fizzled with large bubbles popping around the ship’s hull. As the vessel stabilized, Wisdom felt the tightness of worry release in his chest.
“I think that did it.” He watched the water continue to swell.
“Red Shells! Portside!”
“What?!” Wisdom whipped around with Captain Easton giving him a quizzical stare.
“What did you do, Prince?” he accused as he hobbled over to the opposite side. “Stir up a whole colony, ye did!”
Wisdom followed suit and peered over the railing. At least twenty melon-sized crabs scrambled against the ship, their solid red tops tipped with thorny stubs. Dawning large pairs of claws that snapped and bit into the wood, a few were able to get footholds and start climbing.
“Hey, now!” Josephine scolded, a hint of jealous pride in his tone. “They’re wrecking all my work! Hit ‘em again!”
“All hands on deck!” Captain Easton commanded. “Grab a weapon, lads! Fend ‘em off!”
“Of all the luck today,” Wisdom murmured under his breath as he withdrew the sapphire staff from his travel necklace. Though he wished the staff’s tip still retained lightning, the length was enough to start whacking a few of the Shells.
They climbed fast, and with purpose. Wisdom was sure of that. This is none of my doing. This is the horn’s game.
In sudden realization that the ship was tilting again, he called for the men to balance out the added weight of the crabs. “We need to stand on the other side! We’re heading right for them!”
“And if those things get in the ship itself, we’re all in for a world of hurt!” Easton said. “See what you can do, Prince! If ye can’t lift the ship, weigh it down!”
Wisdom nodded and dug his staff into the deck to keep from slipping. As plots of water drained past, he caught his reflection in one. Time seemed to slow as thoughts raced between himself and Osha.
This isn’t my element! Water won’t supply me the energy I need! And the rocks aren’t close enough to summon any foliage off of them! We need help!
There is another who may be able to serve you, came the unicorn’s soft voice. To summon him, you have only to perform a single note.
Wisdom thought back to the gift from his stepfather. The pan flute! He quickly dug around in one of the pouches always carried on his belt. How does it go?
Allow me, and lifted the reed pipe to his lips.
Wisdom had never heard such a sound, and from the looks of the others on board, neither had they. It was a droning, solitary note that seemed to penetrate the depths of the waters. Even the Red Shells momentarily halted their snapping claws to listen.
Osha must have thrown in her own magic with it, for the ship began to right itself.
“The bloody hell?” followed by a string of captain swears.
Mesmerized, some of the crew were lost in its trance. As though a Siren had lulled them from the world into their own, they ignored the returning sounds of snapping and splintering wood. From above, Josephine hollered and pointed as several Shells flopped on deck.
“Watch it!” Wisdom smacked a crab with his staff while stuffing the prized flute back in his pouch. “Snap out of it!” Backhanding a sailor was one way to get attention. The other came from a blood-curdling scream.
Crimson mixed with seawater rolled about deck. One man dropped to his knees and crawled away from a Shell, part of his pants-leg missing – as was his foot!
Wisdom cursed and cast a hand in the crab’s direction. Anger fueled a clap of energy that smashed the creature against the ship’s railing. It was just enough force to push a hole through the wood, receiving a harsh word from Josephine.
One gone. Ten more to go! Wisdom counted those crawling around deck. He noticed the crew, having come out of their trance, desperately swinging buckets, mops, anything they could grab. Yet, these were not trained warriors. They had not come prepared to defend against sea creatures. As more crabs joined the first set, a lot of men began retreating to higher locations.
“Wisdom!” Josephine’s warning came too late as the prince’s staff was wrenched from his grasp.
While the staff clattered one way, Wisdom was thrown another. He hit the deck hard, pulling himself up to the sound of pinchers thrusting toward his face. Defensive energy instinctively threw the thing back. Thankful his magic was more alert than he, Wisdom forced himself toward the ship’s bridge where the captain and others had gathered.
As the ship continued swaying, both men and crabs slid from one side to the other. At one point, he could not retain his footing to pass a Shell. Grasping a loose line instead, he swung overtop and dived for his staff rolling between two other Shells.
“Anytime now, Osha!” Wisdom cracked one overtop when it took hold of his pants-leg.
“Up here, Prince!” Easton offered a hand, which Wisdom grasped and allowed himself to be pulled up to the bridge before he was overwhelmed. “Don’t need ye losing a leg as well!”
“We need to get off the ship!” Wisdom gestured to his necklace, then swiped at a crab. “I can transport you all back to land.”
“A captain stays no matter what!” Easton defended. “Remember that next time ye have something attack yer clan! And what was that tune? Thought ye’d lull ‘em to sleep?”
“I called for support!” Wisdom said, noticing the disabled crew member huddled against the helm. Bare-chested, his own shirt bandaged the place of his missing ligament. “The sea is not of my element. I need someone who either has the ability to control water, or at least knows how to counter the things that live in it!”
Wisdom checked on
Josephine’s position. The young man could be seen pacing within the crow’s nest, calling out alerts as needed. The majority had taken higher positions. On deck, crabs easily outnumbered those who still remained fighting.
Their efforts, however, were futile. Shells scampered across water-strewn boards faster than the men could move. Large pinchers easily clipped off hands and feet. One man’s gurgling screams ended in a pile of thrashing red. Stained seawater sloshed under their shifting weight as they clambered over one another. When Wisdom looked again, all that was left was a fleshy carcass rolling about deck.
Yet the fight did not stay on deck. While Wisdom and crew continued battling Shells trying to get to the bridge, he could hear those down in the hold as well. It was not long before Shells crawled back out, trailing blood behind them.
Even while fighting, Wisdom kept his thoughts open to Josephine. A sudden change in thought alerted him first before the crew.
Ripples from the water drew Josephine’s attention, as did the prince’s. Darting over to the side, Wisdom watched those once crashing waves against rock cease. Instead, it swelled from something moving just beneath the surface.
At once, Red Shells scattered. They dashed for the sides, clattering over one another to spill back into water. As Wisdom contemplated the meaning of their hasty departure, the captain congratulated him.
“Whatever ye did, it worked!”
“Was’t me.” Wisdom eyed the continual swell of water near the cliffs.
Something red diffused the norm of gray-green. He checked Josephine’s thoughts. Alarmed at the lack of activity, he probed the mind further. Only one word seemed to stand out.
“Does the word ‘king’ mean anything to you?” Wisdom turned to Easton, whose face suddenly paled.
“King Red Shells feed on smaller ones. Don’t’ tell me you—”
A crash of wave slammed into the ship, flinging some of the men back on deck. Having held on to the railing, both Wisdom and Easton were able to keep their footing long enough to witness a large, red claw thrust up from the sandy bottom. Both rock and foam sprayed across the surface. It held a moment, a monument in comparison to the smaller Shells. Then it slammed down, producing another dizzying wave that tossed the ship about like a toy.
Healer Page 14
