The World Shaker

by Abby Dewsnup

  “Beside the point. Anya, please?” He asked, taking a few steps up the trail. I didn’t know when Jay and I had become so casual with each other, but I nodded and pressed up to the path, taking delight in the rain seeping through my scarf and dripping from my hair.

  My mother loved the rain, I knew that much. I could remember when she took me up the Ridgeline and reached her hands out, her fingers straining to feel the storm. I never touched the sunlight in those days, my five-year-old hands having grown too scared of the monsters from the outside. It wasn’t until much later, when she left, that I began Light Smuggling. I guess I had possessed this wild hope back then that I could bring her back if I only touched the world she had escaped into.

  And yet, here I was, walking in the rain miles from home, with that same wild hope that somehow, somewhere, she would know her daughter was close. I pushed the thought aside, closing my eyes for another short moment. James needed me more than she did, I reminded myself. He was the one I was going to find, not some distant parents who left their children behind.

  “Gah,” Maddox said as he pulled his scarf above his head. “Blasted rain.”

  The houses nestled in the treetops weathered the storm, their slanted roofs dispelling the water and pooling it on the ground. I raised my hand above my head and let the water drip down my fingers.

  We passed a thatched hut that seemed to be trembling beneath the jungle trees. Smoke poured from the hole in the roof, and I could just make out a bubbling cauldron inside. “Medicine man?” I asked Maddox. In the Caves, we had doctors and Medicine Men, but never with such strange equipment.

  “Aye,” he said. “Or a Spirit Summoner. It is hard to tell in these jungles.”

  I gazed at the hut with a new-found caution. I noticed a still figure, her face painted white and eyes sweeping across the trail. Her gaze met with mine and she held it there, staring back at me with a fervent disposition. I grew uncomfortable, aware of her eyes burning into me. I was glad when we passed the hut and the lady vanished from view.

  There was a faint drumming ahead, and it grew louder as we approached. The storm I had enjoyed was now painfully muggy, clinging to my skin and mixing with my sweat. I missed the dryness of the desert. How did anyone live in this humidity?

  Jay was fingering his sword, water dripping down his shirt and causing it to stick to him like glue. He had removed his desert scarf, and I copied him, tucking it away in my pack.

  “So what exactly is this favor you have to complete for the Coppice leaders?” Jay asked Maddox, suspicion unmasked in his voice.

  I was growing angry at Jay, but that wasn’t anything new. It was true that Maddox had proven untrustworthy, but he’d been genuinely interested in our story. If he had wanted us taken, he would’ve done so back in the Boneyard desert. If Jay didn’t trust Maddox, he shouldn’t be traveling with him through a foreign city.

  “My main job is a Glass Trader, but I also deal with other businesses on the side. You’ll have to see when we reach the palace.” Maddox said.

  Jay turned and looked at me deliberately. “If you turn out to be shady, just know Anya and I grew up on the streets of the Caves, and we aren’t afraid to use a blade,” he warned the Glass Trader.

  I wanted to laugh. Jay was a foot taller than Maddox, and he was much younger and sharper. True, we could be walking into a trap, but why would anyone want us captured? We were hardly fugitives. My only fear was being sent to the Glass Cages.

  “You left all your men behind,” I ventured.

  “We travel together, but we don’t stick around when the day is over. My next trading job isn’t for another week. I’ll meet them through a Cutlass in the Purple light district.”

  We crested the hill, and the view forced me to stop in my tracks. A tree towered high above the others, a beacon against the storm. Branches tangled and twisted, each as wide as the path we walked on and dripping with leaves and moss. The sky was dark enough that I could make out veins of bioluminescent light coursing through the bark, and glowing mushrooms sprouted like warts in various places. Much like the other trees, houses were nestled deep inside. I knew there could be dozens of colonies in this specific tree, each connected with rope bridges and living among the leaves.

  What struck me the most were the boats that floated in the sky. In the Caves we had underground springs that people could canoe in, but I had never seen boats with such large masts and sails that rippled in the wind. I noticed some were small, much like canoes or small skiffs, while others were meant for an entire crew. And, in place of water, they soared in the air. Each ship was tied down to the tree with a thick rope.

  “The Coppice people fly in boats?” I asked, knowing just how odd my question sounded.

  “No, those are native to the Skysailors, they must be passing through,” Maddox replied. “Lousy weather for them, I’ll bet.”

  “Skysailors?” Lynx asked in her small voice.

  “They’re nomadic. They chart the stars,” Jay said, his serious gaze breaking to reveal wonder as he stared up at the boats. “I thought they were a myth, some fantasy for a younger me to read at night in the storybooks.”

  “There are a lot of things you’ll find aren’t a fantasy above ground, lad,” Maddox replied with a smug expression. “They’re open for anyone to join, if that’s what suits you.”

  “Maybe one day,” Jay said. “I could come back with Kye. He’d like that.”

  As we neared the tree, I noticed several hanging rope ladders for us to climb. The main building, situated in the middle of the tree, glowed with warm light. I wiped my eyes clear to squint through the pouring rain, trying to grasp onto the slick ladder.

  As we climbed, I watched the valley come into view. The trees skimmed the sky, sprawling for what seemed like an endless jungle of green. I figured that the trees held some sort of bioluminescence, because tendrils of light spanned throughout the land. I could only imagine Coppice at night, illuminated like the stars in the sky. Did the people possess some sort of magic that made it so? Did they glow, too?

  James would love it here. I tore my gaze away from the trees at the thought, choosing instead to focus on scaling the trembling ladder. Thinking of James made a lump rise in my throat, but I swallowed it and blinked away raindrops as lightning split through the sky.

  We reached the center of the tree, and I swung onto the branch. The rain still thudded on endlessly, but the leaves acted like a covering overhead, and we were momentarily protected.

  Jay shook himself off with a scowl, removing his shirt to wring it out. Next to him, Lynx stood like a frightened puppy. I made a mental note to ask her how old she was.

  Two men stepped forward, wicked-looking spears in their hands and black furs dangling from their backs. “Our translator is not here for Chief to speak,” they said in broken words.

  “I have an appointment,” Maddox said in his rough voice. “Tell him Maddox is here to see him.”

  The beads hanging from the doorway behind the guards swished apart. An aged, dark-skinned man stepped over the threshold, his face coated in white powder and his eyes gazing at us with prominent wisdom. “Jeb, let the man enter,” he said with broken words.

  His hut was adorned with beads that hung from the windows and walls. Even his fur pelt was adorned with wooden pieces, some of which glowed like the mushrooms outside. I figured that this entire building was his, but this room was like a dwelling back at home — a personal living space.

  “Maddox,” the elder said, extending his hand in a gesture. “You visit in bad storm, so must be important.”

  We sat on the fur mats across from him. “This is Anya, Jay, and Lynx,” Maddox said, gesturing to us in turn. “I promised you a favor in return for the, uh, specialty items you gave me last month, and I am here to fulfill it.”

  The elder man looked away from Maddox and fixed his gaze on me. “I am Kincho,” he told us. “I can sense what young travelers seek. Is far from here, hard journey.”

  Jay a
nd I shared a look. “We were told you could tell us about the Light Kingdom,” he said.

  Kincho was still watching me. “The Light Kingdom I know of, but I cannot speak it in this tongue. Maddox must translate.” He proceeded to speak with Maddox in a series of odd words and sounds. I couldn’t pinpoint a single word in their conversation. Jay, Lynx, and I sat in silence until they finished.

  “You’re to help me with the favor,” Maddox said, scratching his head as he said it. “And then Kincho will tell me all he knows about the Lucents. A favor for a favor.”

  “What’s the favor?” I asked.

  Maddox smiled grimly and pushed aside his dripping mop of greasy hair. “See, I borrowed a large sum of specialty items not long ago, and the Coppice villagers caught me in the act. Instead of killing me, Kincho decided I would act as an exterminator for the day. And I’ll need you kids to help if I’m gonna do it.”

  “What’ve we got to exterminate?”

  “He said there’s been a creature on the loose, one that’s been causing mayhem in the villages. They call it the Dark One; some sort of legend. Shouldn’t be too hard to kill, if you ask me,” Maddox said quickly. “And then you’ll hear all you wanna know about your Light Kingdom”

  Jay crossed his arms. “Seems to me that Kincho had this deal already formulated when we arrived. What’re you playing at?” He asked Maddox.

  Kincho said something to Maddox in his native tongue, and they exchanged briefly. Maddox turned to me, ignoring Jay’s question. “Considering the enormity of the favor, Kincho will also ask the Skysailors to ferry you to their next destination.”

  Jay turned to Maddox. “We’ve only just met you and your shady group. No way would we help carry out a favor you’re too scared to do yourself.”

  Maddox crossed his meaty arms. “My men would gladly carry out the favor, I only assumed you lot would like the chance to receive some information from a reliable source.”

  I watched as Jay gazed back at Kincho, doubt prominent in his eyes. “I’m sure Kincho knows many things, but you have no way of proving that this favor will result in a fair deal.”

  “The world isn’t made on fair deals,” Maddox looked pointedly at me. “The girl knows that much; I can see it in her eyes. I’m a man of my word. If you lot get rid of the Dark One, an easy gamble, you can have all the chief has to say on the Lucent people.”

  I looked over at Jay, raising my eyebrows. He copied my expression mockingly, and shrugged. “It seems like you’re the leader here, Anya,” he said. “It’s your decision.”

  I turned away, pushing away just how much he infuriated me. “We’ll take the deal. Show us where your fabled creature is. I’m sure it’ll be a piece of cake.”

  Maddox chuckled and offered me his hand as I stood. Kincho looked pleased, crossing his vein-riddled arms with a smile on his ancient face. “May the gods be with you,” he said with a nod. “May they be with you all.”

  “And what gods do they believe in?” I asked Maddox in a hushed whisper once we left the room.

  “Ancient, world-destroying ones,” Jay interrupted from behind. He looked at me with slight disgust, as if I had deliberately made the wrong decision. If he thought I was choosing wrong, he should’ve spoken up. “I’m not sure they’ll like us killing a creature on their land.”

  “You worry too much.” I called over my shoulder. “I’m just carrying out exactly what you had planned — gathering information on the Light Kingdom. Or is that not what you wanted?”

  Jay’s jaw muscle flexed as he grit his teeth. “It is what we should do, but I have a bad feeling about killing a legend that has its own official name in a city full of warriors, that’s all.”

  We scaled the ladder back to the ground, and I was glad to be away from Kincho’s strange tree. “You have an official name — doesn’t mean you’re anything to fear,” I replied.

  “Shut it,” Lynx piped in. “You two fight too much.”

  A boy approached us, his hair braided down his back and his chest streaked with glowing paint. “Come with me,” he said. “Kincho requested that you have a hired Bounty Hunter with you.”

  “Great,” Jay said.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you express this much emotion over a single issue,” I commented.

  “You’ve known me for less than a day,” he retorted, exasperated.

  We followed the boy beneath a protruding tree root. The roots enveloped us as the pungent smell of earth leached from the dirt walls. Lanterns lit the area, exposing a few tunnels that ran further below ground. People milled about, speaking in hushed whispers and dwelling in dark corners.

  “Shady place,” I said.

  “Shady people,” Maddox agreed, his back turned to me. “I’m just surprised they have business beneath their chief’s tree.”

  Propped up in a corner booth, his arms crossed and steely gaze watching as we approached, was the Bounty Hunter. His face was rough and scarred, thin white lines dashed across otherwise clear skin. His hair was pulled back in a small, unkempt ponytail. I noticed he wore leather armor pulled tight over dark clothes, and a bow was slung over his back. He was silent and brooding, everything I expected a Bounty Hunter to be.

  Only his eyes were exempt from this description. Despite gazing at us with a violent expression, his eyes were young, gray, and lacking the coldness within them that comes with age. I guessed he was younger than he had initially appeared, only a few years older than I was.

  The Bounty Hunter’s eyes wandered over to Jay, and I could tell he was sizing him up, assessing the risk. He looked my way, and I saw humor cross his expression. He thought we were a joke.

  “This is Roland,” the guard said in his broken translation. “He is paid by Kincho for his dealings.”

  “Roland?” Jay crossed his arms and gave me a deliberate look. “Our companion is a known killer and you’re giving us his name? Or better yet, telling him our names?”

  “What is your currency here?” I asked, ignoring Jay’s question and fingering the glowing orb around my neck.

  “They don’t have currency, it’s against their customs.” Maddox intercepted. “It’s a trading business. I’m sure our friend here is gaining a whole supply armada in exchange for helping us.”

  “Something like that.” Roland stood, extending his hand for Maddox to shake. His voice was young, as I had suspected, but tinged with an unsettling something I couldn’t quite place. I wondered if he had a kill list, or how many people were written on it.

  Jay shook his hand next. “I’m Jay,” he said, his jaw muscles clenching as he pulled his hand away.

  “Anya,” I said, grasping his hand. Roland’s expression changed when our hands touched, his reptilian gaze staring at me with more interest.

  “And you’re all Cave-Dwellers?” He asked, never removing his eyes from mine. “From the Caves?”

  “We are,” I replied. Roland pulled his hand away, and for a moment there was a building tension. I knew he wanted to say something more. We hovered in the silence, waiting for someone to speak up. And then the moment ended and Roland smiled, a foreign expression across his face, and shook hands with Lynx as well.

  “Glad to have help in hunting a creature as famed as the Dark One,” he said. “I’ve been out on some business in the Light Districts and have only just gotten back, so you’ll forgive me if I retire early. Have a good night.”

  “Business, Anya?” Jay grabbed my arm and hissed into my ear. “He’s been out with some assassin, chasing down a fugitive no doubt. He’s a Bounty Hunter, and we’re not even trained in combat. What’ve you gotten us into?”

  “Kincho is a chief, and a superstitious one at that. He probably knows exactly where the Light Kingdom is. We need his information. Anyway, I’ll bet Roland will handle the panther and we can be on our way.”

  “Let’s not forget a hired Bounty Hunter called it the Dark One. This is a real legend we’re dealing with.” Jay replied, and let go of my arm with an exasperat
ed sigh. “You’re reckless.”

  I crossed my arms. “And you’re too careful.”

  We clambered back above ground without saying a word. Maddox led us to a rope ladder further up the tree, and we scaled up the coarse branches. Balancing overhead was a hut, isolated from the others. It provided cover from the rain, which was enough for me.

  Inside, a bowl of steaming broth sat on a mat. Three cots were shoved against the walls, and a bucket of clear water sat on the window ledge. “Stay here for the night, I’ll get you in the morn,” Maddox said in the doorway. “Try not to kill each other in the meantime.” He looked between Jay and I.

  Rain dripped against the roof as we spooned broth into wooden cups. I set my pack against the wall and sat cross-legged on one of the cots, sipping the mixture.

  “Do you know how to use that staff strapped to your back?” Jay asked, leaning against the wall.

  “I grew up Smuggling light from the Ridgeline. I didn’t have time to learn how to fight with a bo staff,” I replied. “I guess I can use a dagger or a short sword if I really needed to.”

  “You’ll have to learn.” Jay pulled away from the wall and grabbed my staff, weighing it in his hands. “I’ll bet Maddox is excellent at it. You should ask him for lessons.”

  “If I ever get the time,” I said.

  “I guess you’re set on this favor then?” Jay asked, my staff still in hand. “Do you really think it’s worth the risk?”

  I sighed. “We’ll scout it out. Besides, we have Roland and Maddox. And I’m not that shabby at hunting myself. If it’s just some jungle creature, I doubt it will be anything difficult.”

  “I’m not sure if we can doubt anything above here. None of us have stepped above ground before. We may be way over our heads.”

  “Maybe,” I said with a shrug, trying to keep my temper down. “I guess we’ll see what we’ve gotten ourselves into in the morning.”

  Jay glanced at me as he set the staff down. “I’m sorry for arguing with you,” he said, his voice softening slightly. “You’re really strong, Anya. I’m glad to have you here.”