by Pedro Urvi
“Sir,” Lasgol replied respectfully. “How are the wounds?”
“They’ll leave some pretty scars,” Olsen assured him, “but there’s nothing to worry about. I’ve survived worse things, wounds as well as illnesses. I’m an old sea-lion, hard to kill.” He winked.
“The Captain’s an experienced man,” Eicewald said, “and he knows how to handle himself. I’m sure this isn’t his first encounter with pirates.”
Olsen smiled. “And it won’t be the last either, I’m afraid. By the way, I’ve already said it to the great Mage” – he gave Eicewald a deferential glance – “but I haven’t had the chance to say it to you. I’d like to thank you for the way you fought during the raid. It was truly impressive, something exceptional. I’d never have thought six people could repel a pirate raid.”
“They aren’t just any six people,” Eicewald pointed out. “They’re six extraordinary Rangers. That’s something that was made very clear during the fight.”
“More than clear. I still find it hard to believe the way you fought and saved the ship. It was amazing. I’ve carried Rangers before and seen them fight: very good and very well trained, always efficient. But I can assure you that the way you fought is on another level altogether. It was truly spectacular. If all the Rangers were like you, I’m sure we’d conquer all the known seas.”
“And half of Tremia,” Eicewald added with a smile.
“Thank you, sir. We only did what we could to repel the attack.”
“Please pass on my congratulations to your companions. Now, tell me, what was it you needed?”
“I was wondering …” Lasgol began, feeling a little like a child with an awkward question.
“… how long before we reach our destination?” Eicewald finished the sentence for him.
“I’m sure everybody’s thinking the same thing,” Olsen said.
“We’ve been traveling for a long time, and we’re not used to it,” Lasgol said apologetically.
“It’s natural. Only old sea-lions like me enjoy spending a lot of time at sea. You’re all mountain cubs, and here in the middle of the ocean you’re lost.”
“We’re getting close,” Eicewald put in.
“We are?” Lasgol looked at the horizon and could see nothing but water.
“The problem is that we haven’t any certainty of where this archipelago is,” Olsen explained. “We only know the approximate location, and that’s right here.” He waved in front of him.
“It’ll come into sight soon,” Eicewald added confidently.
“It’s there, and we’ll find it,” the Captain said. “At least we won’t see pirates again, they don’t venture into these waters. Ships tend to vanish in this area. It has a bad reputation.”
“That doesn’t sound very encouraging,” said Lasgol.
“Don’t worry, seamen speak of an area that’s cursed, enchanted, but actually it’s an area prone to heavy storms, nothing more than that. The rest is hearsay, fear and superstition. There’s nothing supernatural about it. I’m telling you this to put your minds at rest, because the crew must already be telling you ghost stories about the waters we’re coming into.”
“Yeah, we’ve heard some already … about giant sea monsters … huge whirlpools in the middle of the sea that swallow ships … deadly storms with a thousand lightning bolts, and so on …”
Olsen waved dismissively. “Nonsense. Don’t you believe anything they tell you. Sailors tend to be superstitious and very much afraid of the unknown.”
“Like most Norghanians,” Eicewald added, although he was probably thinking about magic.
“Even more so, but you shouldn’t believe them. Now take it easy, we’ll soon see our destination.”
Lasgol nodded respectfully and went back to his friends. When he told them everything that had been said, they seemed to relax. Over the following days they received many congratulations and expressions of gratitude from the sailors, in particular from the wounded whose lives they had saved. The six friends took it gracefully, making light of the whole thing. The sailors, like their captain, knew that the Rangers had saved them from falling into the hands of the pirates, and some of them expressed their thanks very effusively. This charmed Nilsa, although Ingrid less so.
Viggo and Gerd went on practicing close combat. The giant was improving with every lesson, although Viggo never acknowledged the fact to him. Astrid was also helping Ingrid and Nilsa in that area, so their time was fully occupied. Lasgol sat down and practiced communicating with Ona and Camu at different distances in the ship, as if it were a game.
The following day, Camu decided to practice ‘making Ona vanish’ when she was next to him and he himself was camouflaged, which surprised Lasgol pleasantly. He decided to challenge Camu to see whether he could manage to put his skills into practice faster this way, or strengthen them.
Happy about making Ona disappear?
Very, his little friend transmitted, along with a feeling of happiness.
Let’s see if you can make me vanish.
I can, Camu said confidently, even though he had never done it before.
I don’t think so. In fact, I doubt it. A human is very different from an animal. You won’t be able to.
Yes I can, he replied stubbornly.
Try it.
The creature came to stand beside Lasgol, who sat down beside the dragon-head at the bow. Lasgol could not see him, but he reached out and touched him. As usual, he was surprised by how cold he was. He gave him a few encouraging pats, and his friend began to try and reproduce the skill, this time with Lasgol himself as the object. He could not manage it. He spent the whole afternoon trying, without success, and by dinnertime, exhausted, he was reluctantly forced to give up. He slept all night to recharge his energy, and the following day they tried again, with no more success than before. Lasgol encouraged Camu to keep trying, although without much hope of success. Some skills had restrictions which even they themselves did not know.
For a whole week they went on trying. Every night before going to bed Lasgol told Camu that he would succeed the following day. Finally, after ten days of fruitless attempts, he concluded that it would be best to stop trying. He tried to persuade Camu, who refused to give up.
I do it, he transmitted stubbornly.
Camu … you’ve been at it for days without rest. I don’t think it’s possible just now. Perhaps further ahead.
Ona moaned, to show that she agreed with Lasgol that it might be better to leave it for the time being.
Get some rest. We’ll try again later on, Lasgol transmitted. He got up and together with Ona, went to where Viggo was chatting with Nilsa. He was showing her the pirate captain’s weapons, which from Nilsa’s expression and gestures obviously interested her. Lasgol joined in the conversation, and Ona lay down beside them. They handed him the sword and he studied it carefully. It was extraordinarily fine.
“By all the stormy heavens!” Viggo cried suddenly.
Lasgol and Nilsa looked at each other in puzzlement, and Ona started in surprise.
“What is it?” Nilsa asked in alarm.
Viggo put his hands to his eyes and rubbed them. “Either I’m going crazy, or else I’m getting sunstroke, or what the heck is going on here?”
“I don’t follow,” said Nilsa. “What d’you mean?”
“The big guy … something’s wrong with him.”
Nilsa and Lasgol looked to where Gerd was having a quiet nap, lying on the deck with his back to the gunwale.
“What’s the matter?” Lasgol asked. “He’s just taking a nap.”
“I’d swear he wasn’t there a moment ago.”
Nilsa giggled. “I don’t think he’s moved in a good while, judging by his snoring.”
“I’m serious. He was there and then he wasn’t. It was super-weird.”
“Have you been at the Nocean wine again?”
“I wish, but unfortunately there’s not a single drop of alcohol left on the whole ship. Believe me, I searched long
and hard.”
“It must’ve been some odd optical effect,” Lasgol said. He did not think it was very important.
“Yeah … I must’ve seen wrong … even though my sight’s excellent, and so is my perception. Anyway …”
The three friends went on chatting about the weapons and how much gold they might get for them. Nilsa did not want him to sell the sword and dagger, which were too beautiful to get rid of as mere weapons.
“Now I’m really hallucinating!” Viggo exclaimed suddenly. He pointed to where Gerd was peacefully asleep. When Nilsa and Lasgol looked, they understood the reason for his surprise. Gerd was not there. They looked around, but could not see him.
“Has he gone?” Nilsa said. “I didn’t even notice.”
“No, me neither,” said Lasgol, who was beginning to suspect that something very odd was going on.
Viggo threw his head back and stared. “I’m losing my mind! I’m going crazy!”
Nilsa and Lasgol followed his gaze and saw Gerd as they had seen him before, napping, oblivious to the world. At last, Lasgol understood.
“No, take it easy, you’re not going crazy.”
“Hey, I think I’m seeing strange things too,” said Nilsa in bewilderment.
“Give me a moment,” Lasgol said. Camu, are you making Gerd disappear?
It works? the creature asked excitedly.
Yes, I think so. Gerd vanished for a moment, and now he’s back again.
I try again.
Suddenly Gerd vanished again before the eyes of the three friends. Viggo muttered an oath, and Nilsa gave a small cry.
It definitely works. I don’t know how you’ve done it, but you made Gerd disappear. Are you beside him?
Yes. Beside.
Congratulations. You did it. It’s wonderful.
I do it. I tell you.
Yeah, yeah, I wasn’t so sure …
I know.
I’m really glad you did it. Particularly when I was thinking you never would. It’s a great achievement. Now make him visible again before Viggo and Nilsa have a fit.
I do.
Gerd appeared again. Nilsa and Viggo started in surprise.
“Don’t worry, there’s an explanation for this. There’s nothing wrong with either of you.”
“It had better be a good one,” Viggo muttered, “because this is the weirdest thing.”
Lasgol told them how Camu had developed a new skill which allowed him not only to camouflage himself, but also someone beside him. Lasgol was thrilled by this, his friends less so. Viggo cursed the little fiend and all the inconveniences he was causing him, and as for Nilsa, the moment she realized that Camu had used magic she left them angrily, muttering curses. They decided to find a name for Camu’s new skill, as Egil had recommended they always should whenever they developed a new ability. After much discussion, they named it Extended Camouflage because Camu-Smart, which was the option Camu wanted, lost with the votes of Lasgol and Ona against his own.
This new event helped to make the following days go by quickly, especially because now Camu could amuse himself getting close to one of the team members when they were away from the others and using Extended Camouflage without the person realizing. According to Camu it was very funny, though not so much for the victim.
Astrid thought it was funny, and Camu adorable. The rest of the group did not share her opinion in the least: Ingrid because it was puzzling, Gerd because it gave him the creeps when someone vanished in front of him, Nilsa because she hated magic, and Viggo because he was Viggo and exaggerated any annoyance Camu caused him.
In the end Lasgol had to forbid Camu to use his new skill, because apart from the displeasure of his friends, he had noticed that a number of sailors had been left puzzled by these games. People disappearing and then reappearing again out of the blue at a moment’s notice was decidedly puzzling. Luckily they attributed it to the area they were journeying through and its bad reputation.
A few days later a new threat appeared suddenly, in the blink of an eye. The sea was calm, with a gentle breeze. They were sailing peacefully westward when suddenly a storm appeared on the port side, closing in at great speed. The sky turned black as if a tornado were about to engulf them. Strong winds and huge, threatening waves appeared out of nowhere. It was as if the sea-god were seeking to throw them out of the area immediately, as if it were refusing to grant them permission to sail there. It all happened in a moment, so that they barely had time to react. Captain Olsen, with great skill and experience, veered to starboard, and by ordering his crew to row faster, managed to outrun the storm. They had to cling fast to avoid the winds carrying them away. The huge waves made Gerd and Viggo throw up all over again.
Two days later they found themselves in a similar situation. Another terrible storm appeared behind them and came very close to sinking them. Once again they were saved by Captain Olsen’s expertise and knowledge. Now they understood why so many ships had vanished in this area so strangely. These violent storms had sunk them: storms which appeared at a moment’s notice, struck, and then vanished again.
Finally, the following dawn, they had good news.
“I think we’re finally getting close to our destination,” Ingrid said as she scanned the horizon.
“Really?” Nilsa said, without much hope. “How do you know?”
Ingrid pointed to the north. “I can see a mist. A lot of mist.”
“That’s right! I can see it too!”
“Maybe it’s just sea-fog,” Gerd commented. He had one eye closed, and the other fixed on the mist.
“Don’t be a wet blanket, big guy,” Viggo said. “It’s got to be the mist that surrounds the islands Eicewald told us about.”
Astrid saw that Captain Olsen was talking eagerly with Eicewald. “Olsen’s changed course. He’s heading towards it.”
“I think that’s the mist that hides the Lost Islands,” Lasgol said.
Nilsa clapped her hands in excitement. “Fantastic!”
“Thank goodness, it was getting so boring I was thinking about courting Blondie, just to make my life more interesting.”
Ingrid narrowed her eyes. “Shorter, you mean.”
Viggo smiled at her. “The one and the other.”
Ingrid was so pleased at the sight of the mist that she did not pursue the argument.
After Captain Olsen had spoken with Eicewald for a while, he changed course and turned the ship toward the mist. He ordered the great sail to be hoisted and all hands to man the oars. The ship moved on swiftly in the direction of the wall of mist which covered the horizon. The sailors rowed, but without much conviction. On their faces was fear: the fear of approaching somewhere accursed.
“Heave!” the Captain ordered. “All together!”
Eicewald meanwhile was consulting one of his tomes as he watched the strange barrier.
“I don’t know about you,” said Gerd, who was pale as a ghost, “but the closer we get to that wall of mist the more nervous I get.”
“It’s just fog,” Viggo pointed out. “Don’t be a scaredy-cat.”
Nilsa wrinkled her nose. “A very strange fog,” she said. She was watching the barrier of mist closely. It was more than sixty feet high, and wide enough now to cover everything as far as the eye could see.
“It’s certainly impressive,” Ingrid said.
“It looks solid,” Astrid pointed out. “As if we were going to crash into it and break up.”
Magic. Powerful, Camu warned Lasgol.
You can feel it?
Yes. I feel. Great magic.
Do you know what kind? Whether it’s dangerous?
Not know. Only feel.
Lasgol realized that Camu had not yet developed the ability to identify or quantify the magic he detected. The day he managed that – and he believed he would, since it was an innate part of his power – it would be a great skill that would help them in situations like this. Now they were sailing head-first towards a magical mist without knowing what a
waited them once they reached it.
Try to feel it and see what it transmits to you. Try to find out what type of magic it is and whether it’s dangerous or not. Is its source of the magic near, or far away? Everything you can find out. If you can, that is.
I try. I can.
If you can’t, don’t worry, it’s okay.
I can, Camu insisted.
Very well. Go ahead, Lasgol said encouragingly. He knew that once Camu set his mind on something, there was no way of making him change.
The ship reached the wall of mist. Nothing could be seen beyond it.
“Ready to go in!” Captain Olsen called out.
Astrid held Lasgol’s hand and turned to him. There was worry in her eyes.
The dragon-figurehead of the ship touched the strange barrier.
And they entered the Eternal Mist.
Chapter 23
The ship entered the mist gently, without bumping against anything. The effect of sailing straight ahead into a wall vanished from their minds. Suddenly they found themselves surrounded by a fog so thick that they could see no further than two hand-spans. At the same time a ghostly silence fell on the ship. They could hear nothing, neither the wind nor the oars going in and out of the water. Nothing.
Nobody said a word. They were all looking around them: the sailors with their hearts full of fear, the others of worry.
“The fog will cause you no harm!” came Eicewald’s voice. Unfortunately, it was not exactly the most relaxing of voices, and did little to calm the sailors.
“Lower the sail,” Captain Olsen ordered. “There’s no wind inside here!”
Several sailors set to work on this task, but the lack of vision meant that they found it a very difficult one.
“Don’t move from where you are!” Olsen called. “If anyone falls overboard, we won’t be able to save him!”
“That’s neat,” Viggo protested. “This is getting better every moment. First we almost die of boredom, and now we’re going to die of ‘blinding mist-itis.’”
“Stop talking nonsense, pumpkin-head!” Ingrid growled.
“You can’t see me,” he said in a provoking voice, “but I’m winking at you.”
