However, that meant items which could be collected from the monster carcasses were extremely valuable. The risk was great, but so was the reward and this was how Zarim knew Swul and Ekala would follow him on what he feared might be a suicide mission. Although he wouldn’t let the rest of the crew see it, he was concerned about Master Quand’s request this time around. Normally, Zarim would go wherever the wise man sent him, regardless of danger. But this, on so little information? It definitely was not Master Quand’s style. And that worried Zarim.
He remained silent as he stood on the bridge, his hands kept firm on the large spokes that extended from the rim of the steering wheel, his eyes continually glancing at the navigation gyroscope which gave a fairly accurate estimate of the Excalibur’s present location.
Ekala and Swul were in the common area, seated at a table and engaged in a game of cards. A pile of coins sat in the middle of the table and each player held a set of playing cards in their hands.
“I’m tellin’ you, I don’t like this,” said Ekala. She placed one of her cards in the discard pile and drew a fresh one. Swul watched her movements, then glanced back down to his hand. He murmured something, muffled by the cigar clamped between his teeth, and discarded two cards to draw one.
“I mean, this whole thing is crazy, right? Just jumping any time Quand says it’s time to?”
The faerie held the cigar over a tray and tapped it against the tip a few times to shake the loose ash. He shrugged in response to Ekala’s question before puffing on the rolled tobacco leaves once more.
“Y’know, you could offer some sort of input,” said Ekala.
“What’s the point? Y’ just want someone to agree with you.”
“And you’re saying you don’t?”
“Nah, didn’t say that at all,” said Swul. “All I know is we can get big money for some of those rare breeds. Besides, weren’t you just all gung-ho about goin’ to Rolyeh?”
Ekala couldn’t help the redness in her cheeks. “I’m not talking about that. I mean the principle of it. I thought we were free agents.”
“We work for whoever pays.”
“And when was the last time Quand paid us?”
“Yeah but this time, we can get paid. Maybe not directly—but hey, money’s money.”
“But we’re still basically doin’ a job for him for free.”
Swul groaned. “Quit quibblin’ over details, girl. We got a job, we’re gonna get paid, so why are you complaining?”
Ekala shrugged. “Just don’t like it is all.”
“Yeah well, yer gonna like this even less.” Swul placed his cards on the table, face up. “I win.” He reached for the coins, but Ekala threw her cards over the money pot. Swul’s eyes bulged when he saw the hand she held.
“Is that so?” she asked with a grin.
Swul pulled away, still puffing on his cigar. “Yer a lousy cheat!”
“You say that every time and you still haven’t found a shred of proof, little man.”
Zarim’s voice broadcast over the ship’s intercom system, putting a halt to their discussion. “We’ve reached Rolyeh. We’re about ready to touch down. Hope that goes for the crew as well.”
Ekala stood and walked towards a large cabinet with Swul hovering after her. She released the latch and slid the door to the side, revealing a small arsenal of weapons. Swords, daggers, axes, staves, a few pistols and some incendiary weapons were all lined on the shelves. A pair of boomerangs were Ekala’s weapons of choice, which she holstered at her hips. In addition, she took a small bandolier of throwing knives, and hung a few explosives from her belt. She finished equipping herself by holstering a handheld grappling gun at the small of her back.
“Outta the way,” said Swul as he pushed her to the side. He rubbed his chin in thought, examining the arsenal. With a smile, he reached for a twin-bladed battle axe and hefted it. Ekala snickered.
“What?” he asked.
“Thing’s bigger than you,” she said. “Overcompensating for something?”
“Smart ass.”
Zarim appeared on the catwalk above and descended the metal staircase to the arsenal. He went simple, taking his pistol and his sword, with its ornate pommel. He threw his cloak back so he could sheath both at his belt. His hood was down, green eyes focused on her. “You ready for this?”
“Ready to do another job that doesn’t pay jack?” Ekala herself, following it up with a nod of her head. “Oh yeah, I’m ready.”
She slammed the cabinet shut and ran up the staircase to the bridge. Zarim watched her go as he addressed Swul. “What’s wrong with her? I thought she was all gung-ho to get her hands on some monster carcasses?”
“Women,” said Swul. “Don’t matter what species they are, tryin’ to make sense of ‘em is like tryin’ to punch the wind.”
“You’re a lot of help.”
“Not tryin’ to help. Just tellin’ you the way it is.” Swul’s wings began vibrating, moving as a bluish blur, carrying him up to the catwalk. He held the axe by its leather thong, allowing it to dangle beneath him. Zarim sighed and followed.
“How exactly are we supposed to find this Soulstone?” asked Ekala.
“Master Quand said when I’m in its presence, I should feel the energy it gives off,” said Zarim.
“Great, more hocus-pocus,” said Ekala. “Please don’t tell me it’s sitting in some cave, guarded by a dragon.”
Zarim checked the rounds in his gun. “You’ve got no appreciation for the classics.”
“Classics nothin’, I just don’t wanna get cooked by dragon breath.”
He grinned. “Might just be your lucky day, babe. Let’s move.”
The three proceeded from the bridge to the main hatch of the cargo hold. Swul went to a control panel on the wall and pushed a large, red button below, activating the hydraulic mechanisms. The top portion of the hatch detached from the ship, lowering to become a ramp leading to the grassy fields of Rolyeh.
Zarim descended first, Ekala stepping behind him. Swul’s wings raised him above the ground and he flew from the ship, holding the large axe with one hand and resting it on his shoulder. “So, your magic radar workin’?”
Their leader stood quietly in the field, the wind gently caressing his green cloak. He clasped his hands together, fingers pointed to the ground, and lowered his head with his eyes closed. Zarim concentrated on their goal, trying to suss out the flow of the energy. Once he set foot onto Rolyeh, he could feel a presence. As he concentrated, he felt it grow even stronger. Zarim opened his eyes and began walking.
“I take it that’s a yes?” asked Ekala.
Zarim gave no answer, just kept walking. Ekala and Swul moved to catch up with him. As he pushed his way through the thick grasses, Swul flew up and slapped a meaty paw on Zarim’s shoulder.
“Take it easy, kid!” He spoke in a hushed tone. “You gotta move with caution in this place.”
“You been here before, Swul?” asked Zarim, keeping his own voice low.
“Nah, just know the lore.”
“What makes you think it’s not all just some hoax?” asked Zarim.
“Not exactly itchin’ to find out.”
Zarim smirked. “No sense of adventure, little man?”
A screech echoed from above. The three pirates cast their eyes skyward and saw something with a very large wingspan circling overhead, before flying out of view. It was too high up to make out more than a silhouette. Swul focused back on Zarim. “Too much adventure can get you killed.”
“Point taken,” said Zarim. “I’ve got a bead on the Soulstone, come on.”
He took the lead, moving through the field’s tall grass, the spongy earth giving way to rockier ground as they drew closer to the mountains. A canyon cut through the jagged peaks, making a path just wide enough for one person to go through at a time. Zarim rested one hand on the hilt of his gun and moved through. Swul went next, gripping the axe tightly and holding it above his shoulder. Ekala had both boomerang
s drawn, eyes slowly moving from side to side beneath the brim of her hat.
They traveled this way for some time, but finally they passed through to the other side and Zarim stepped from the canyon, unhooking the strap that kept his gun affixed in the holster. He glanced around, but all he could see were hills and plains as well as a forest of violet and green in the distance. He breathed in relief and relaxed, turning to face his teammates. “Looks like we’re in the cle—”
As if sensing his relief, a tremor shook the ground. Zarim stumbled forward and Ekala braced herself against the walls of the valley. Swul hovered on his wings, unaffected. When it seemed to pass, Ekala began to move again, but another tremor nearly caused her to fall. She glared up at Zarim. “Don’t jinx us like that again, okay?”
“What was that?” asked Zarim.
“I’m guessin’ it was somethin’ with a pretty big footprint,” said Swul.
Zarim’s hand tightened around the gun. “Don’t scare the lady.”
Ekala snickered. “Judging by how tense you are, I’m guessin’ you’re referring to yourself.”
“No, I was just...shut up. We’ve got a job to do.”
Ekala emerged from the valley and rubbed Zarim’s shoulders. “Don’t worry, sweetie. I’ll make sure the big, bad monsters don’t scare you.”
The rumble came again. This time even stronger. Swul’s eyes bulged in their sockets. “You sure about that?”
Past one of the mountains, a large shadow fell on the plain. It seemed to block out the sun completely. An enormous creature covered with dark, green scales came into view. It moved on four legs, with a hard casing running up the length of its torso, up its long neck and ending at its head. The creature’s jaw was elongated, its lips pulled back to reveal rows of pointed fangs. The eyes burned like hot coals, and large, webbed wings protruded from its back. Lining the spine was a row of spikes, extending from the back of its head all the way down to the mace-like tail.
“Don’t. Move.” Zarim whispered. “If we’re lucky, maybe it won’t—”
The dragon’s head jerked in their direction and its glowing eyes narrowed. It let out a loud roar, proclaiming its dominance. It moved towards them deliberately, and Zarim reacted quickly, drawing his gun and firing. The dragon blinked as the bullet struck its snout and it let out a bellow of anger.
“This just isn’t my day,” said Zarim, drawing his sword.
The dragon charged towards him, and Zarim jumped from its path. He rolled on the ground, moving quickly back to his feet. It followed him, banking right before running into the side of the mountain, scraping off earth and clinging plant life, and causing a small avalanche of pebbles and stone. Despite this brief delay, its long strides quickly bridged the distance between it and Zarim, and he bent his head down to gobble up the scrambling pirate.
Before the dragon could strike, a boomerang drew its attention, striking its neck and ricocheting away. With his eyes, Zarim followed the boomerang as it flew back into the hand of its wielder.
“Find the stone!” shouted Ekala. “We’ll distract it!”
Zarim couldn’t help but admire the woman. Even though she wanted no part of this mission, that didn’t stop her from transforming into a consummate professional the moment it was necessary. He watched as Swul joined her in the battle, the two of them striking at the dragon from different points, dividing its attention to prevent it from focusing too strongly on one or the other.
He dashed through the field, following his instincts. As he grew closer to the Soulstone, his eyes began to take on a more ethereal color. Zarim tried not to look over his shoulder as he ran through the tall weeds, though he felt an unbelievable temptation to do just that. Into the forest, now moving past the boles of towering trees, Zarim heard a low growl. He came to a sudden stop, Zarim saw a pack of very large wolves slink from the underbrush, shoulders hunched, head and ears low, and coming on their hind legs, instead of all fours. Even in the afternoon sun, their eyes glowed with a strange light. Legends were told of the explorers who never returned from Rolyeh. Most official accounts believed them to be dead, but some theories held that they had gone native, transformed by the island. Until this moment, Zarim hadn’t considered how literal that might be.
There were only three of them ahead of him on the trail, and seemed mostly concerned with the carcass of a giant boar. Zarim knew he had to move carefully to get past them, get downwind so they couldn’t pick up his scent. He pushed his back to a nearby tree, and looked up, finally spotting a limb that seemed strong enough to support his weight. Zarim coiled his legs and sprang, but when he caught the limb, it caused the tree to shake, the leaves rustling.
That alerted the werewolves, and they dropped to all fours, moving to investigate the source of the noise, sniffing the air, low growls emanated from their throats. Zarim pulled himself onto the limb. He inched carefully along it, moving closer to the trunk. The tree was too wide to wrap his hands around and the bark was too smooth to afford much of a grip. Moving a hand beneath his cloak, he drew a pair of throwing knives. He jammed one of them into the bark and tested its hold. Satisfied, he pulled himself up and stuck the second knife above the first. After withdrawing the first blade, he saw a strong limb just above. With the daggers, he pulled himself up a little more and was able to climb onto the limb.
In the hopes of transferring himself to another tree, Zarim moved down the limb where it grew thinner, bending under his weight. The leaves attached to the branches rustled. One of the werewolves glanced up and howled. The other two looked up as well. Now the three moved around the tree, staring up at their prey. With their clawed hands, they began ascending the same tree.
“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding!”
Zarim jumped to a limb on another tree. Two of the wolves tried to give pursuit, scrambling up the first tree. The third was still close to the ground, and he moved beneath Zarim, hoping he might fall. The werewolves’ claws allowed them to move up the trees as easily as if they were running on flat ground, and Zarim realized that in a few more moments they would overtake him, and when they did those same claws would rip him apart.
One of the werewolves leaped across the chasm between trees, easily alighting on the same branch as Zarim, and scrambling along it. He was within feet of reaching Zarim, when a great screech rent the sky above. Zarim cringed as the sharp sound stabbed at his ears and he circled the trunk of the tree trying to put something solid between himself and the werewolf. To his amazement, the werewolf didn’t pursue him any further, but both the werewolves in the trees ran headlong to the ground and disappeared into the underbrush with the third, leaving Zarim and the corpse of the slain boar behind.
Zarim’s relief was short-lived. Whatever had caused the werewolves to flee had to be even worse, and Zarim was now at a loss for what to do. He could feel the Soulstone’s presence coming from somewhere higher, perhaps even atop one of the mountains. The unholy wail came again, louder than it’d been before. He peered through the treetops, and saw a rapid blur fly past. Zarim shook his head, unsure of what it could have been. He tried to locate the Soulstone again, concentrating.
A massive talon burst through the leaves, wrapping around Zarim’s torso and pinning his arms to the side. Within seconds, Zarim was being carried high above Rolyeh. He craned his neck, trying to see what it was that held him so tightly. What he saw was a demonic, flying reptile with an elongated beak, leathery wings and skin. And he was now its prey.
CHAPTER 4
The dragon swung its tail, swatting the hovering Swul like an irritating fly. The faerie slammed into the mountainside and slid to the ground with a groan. Ekala drew three throwing knives from the bandolier over her shoulder and whipped them forward. Her aim was precise, the daggers striking the dragon’s neck. However, they were embedded in its hide, serving to do nothing more than to annoy the beast. The dragon jerked its neck towards her, steam blowing from its nostrils.
The dragon tracked her movements with its head, followi
ng her. Its gaping jaw opened wide and a stream of flames flowed forth. Ekala jumped to the side as flame scorched the earth, turning it black and sending up the stench of sulphur. She drew her grappling pistol. “This is exactly the kinda thing I wanted to avoid!”
She fired the cable, the hook of the grapple puncturing the dragon’s neck. As she dangled from it, avoiding the fiery jet stream, she hit the recoil button on the gun. The cable began retracting, zipping her towards the dragon’s neck. Ekala swung as she rose, moving under the dragon’s neck and when she reached the apex of the swing, disconnected the cable from the gun. She thrust her fingers between the great scales of the beast, and using these as handholds managed to lever herself onto the dragon’s back, using the spikes to stop her from skidding off. She straddled the sides of its neck and got down on all fours, using the spikes as grips.
“SWUL!”
The faerie shook his head, recovering from the dragon’s last blow. He turned and saw Ekala riding the dragon and his eyes widened. “What in the hell are you doin’?”
“As if I have any idea! Get over here and gimme a hand!”
Swul grabbed his battle axe and took to the air, flying towards Ekala and the dragon. “What exactly you expect me to do?”
“I dunno, I’m makin’ this up as I go along!” she shouted.
The dragon glared at Swul, its eyes glowing. Its mouth gaped and another burst of flames erupted. Swul swerved to avoid them, managing to get just tickled by the fire on his exposed arm and wings. The stench of burnt hair filled his nostrils and he cringed. He saw the dragon was looking to take another shot at burning him to a crisp. Swul dove, using his wings to propel him, before another burst could singe him again, and flew directly beneath the dragon. He turned with his back to the ground, his near-translucent blue wings buzzing. He held his battle axe low, between his legs and raised it up, the blade connecting with a part of the dragon’s hide that wasn’t protected by plating.
SoulQuest Page 3
