Seeking

by D. R. Grady

  “What is concerning you?”

  “We need to consider how often we will need to visit the treasury. Depending on how bad the trip is, we could dread all visits to the treasury. Something we might need to do regularly.”

  She had yet to pick up her fork.

  “Did the trip to Lucy’s treasury last evening bother you?”

  “It did not. It is a different world, there under the sea.”

  “It is. Felix and I enjoy the water. This treasury we are planning to form is going to be massive. Having to traverse through the depths of an ocean seems like an excellent deterrent to even the most determined of thieves.”

  “You are not thinking about humans so much.” She searched his face, but in the same manner as her, he gave little away.

  “One portal has been opened. There are plenty of creatures who are as vicious as desampus. Or more so. But there are others who are more like humans, only who live far longer. What those beings all have in common is they all require funds.”

  “Our hope is that sinking as far down as we can is not an option for them. The depth is very much in our favor.” She finally picked up her fork which meant he was free to do so as well.

  “That is my thought. It might be that Atlas is too far. We can determine that today.” It did not take long to finish breakfast. They had a place to be so they finished, paid their tab, and left.

  Felix greeted them as they approached the cave.

  “Have you eaten?” Rykert struggled to determine if his dragon was hungry.

  “Yes. Maeze went out to get a feel of the place. She said she likes to do that.” Felix glanced at Felicity but Rykert could tell the night had not gone as well as the dragon might have wished. Rykert clapped a hand to his shoulder as Felicity nodded and headed unerringly in the direction Maeze had taken.

  He waited until she was out of earshot. “It is the first night. We cannot entertain high expectations.”

  “I am a failure as a male dragon.” Felix huffed out a huge gust of dragonfyre.

  “Easy, you might set the place on fire and no one wants that.” Rykert squeezed the shoulder muscle under his hand. “Keep in mind that Maeze is new to life. She is not experienced, we know next to nothing about females, and here we now have two of them.”

  Felix brightened. “So I can still redeem myself?”

  “I am certain you can. Right now we have to impress these womenfolk that we not only know how to get to Atlas, but that we can actually get them there safely today.”

  “Oh right.” Felix’s deflation eased. “It will behoove us to get everyone safely there and back.”

  “That is the idea. We still have a chance to impress the women.” Although he could sympathize with Felix. “Remember females are different. They need time.”

  Felix pondered that. “I hope so. I thought Maeze liked me.”

  “She does. That is clear. However, she has not yet reached two years old.”

  The scales on Felix’s cheeks deepened. “I forget about that. She is quite young.”

  “My guess is she is not ready to be mated because she still has a lot of living to do first. Which she is doing with us. Felicity has some reservations and they are valid. But they are with us, so let us do what we are supposed to do and have faith that everything will fall into place when it is supposed to.”

  “I can see where that is the proper course.” Felix straightened his shoulders, but his tail swished. “Living as long as we have can rather be a burden.”

  “Yes, it certainly can.” By then Maeze and Felicity returned and indicated they were ready to meet the day.

  He exchanged a look with Felix before climbing aboard. They did have an awaiting adventure and the outcome remained a mystery. One could not have an adventure unless they took the first step.

  Or in their case, until they reached the heights of the sky, then the depths of the sea.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  A small knot made itself known in Felicity’s stomach as they approached the waters that buried Atlas. Maeze circled the area and none of them could detect that the island existed below the surface. They had to search it out for themselves.

  Felix plummeted in a head first dive and Maeze copied him. Felicity took one last breath of the fresh, crisp air before they blasted through the water and began the descent to the lost city. Her heart beat in time with Maeze’s paddling feet. The dragon’s blue tail aided her too.

  They took their time as this allowed their bodies to adjust to the pressure of the water surrounding them and pounding down from above. She had no trouble breathing which made little sense. However she accepted this gift as she did the many others Aasguards enjoyed.

  It took far more time to sink than either of the treasuries they visited yesterday. Lucy’s was half as deep as this one so it took twice as long to descend. They also went slower as this part of the open ocean teemed with aquatic life. It proved difficult for her to keep watch because of all of the fascinating creatures.

  Rykert did not even need to mute Felix’s bright scales due to the vast number of fishes who boasted similar colors. They darted here and there and Felix blended in. Many of them inspected him and Maeze, and even her and Rykert but none seemed inclined to nibble.

  This was just as well because both Felix and Maeze enjoyed munching on fish themselves. But no time for snacking right now. They went deeper and deeper and as they descended, the evidence of life thinned. The teaming early depths gave way to less and less life. Although they did spot creatures here and there.

  These lurkers were of the more dangerous variety. However, after a cautionary burst of dragonfyre they darted away. Both Felix and Maeze used it and she and Rykert surrounded their little contingent with a barrier of sorts that was a must in water fighting. This protected the dragons from above, behind, and below. Their dragonfyre took care of the remainder.

  Felicity opened all of her senses, muted by the water, but still on high alert. She kept watch, opposite of where Rykert assessed, in the way of warriors. Their continuous scanning is what kept their kind alive.

  After a time Felicity noticed a shadow of colossal proportions below them. She froze until she ascertained what this bulk was. Her heart beats picked up after she determined this must be the island of Atlas. It took long moments for her vision to adjust but once it did she could see where the city had once thrived. Buildings and streets and even plant life were all very much in evidence. The eerie part being the lack of life. At least human life.

  It didn’t take long to spot the creatures of the deep who had moved in and appeared to be enjoying their home. She noted several she couldn’t name but enjoyed their sleek bodies as they glided through the waters, inspecting them. Maeze took all this in stride and Felicity joined her.

  They were here to do a job and she would perform above expectations.

  Last evening she and Rykert had discussed their plan of action. Head for the heart of the city first. There they should find the former palace where Lajos and Fricassa had once served. If they could locate where the two had lived, both suspected they would find treasure there. They would then determine whether that area and the surrounding tunnels could serve as one massive treasury.

  It had not been all that taxing to descend. Perhaps only tedious because it took time. The early part of the trip had been enjoyable due to the darting fishes and plentiful aquatic life.

  Now Felicity surveyed the sunken city. Enough of the streets remained that they provided an obvious means of navigation. Her senses remained alert as she and company perused the buildings they passed. Several looked promising. They’d have to quiz Lajos and Fricassa on a handful of them.

  After traversing several of the roadways, one building loomed with the immensity and grandeur they had been seeking. No doubting but this had been the home of royalty. Here she and Rykert dismounted as it would be easier for all of them to swim. She and Rykert exchanged looks before they left the street to enter through the front door.

&nbs
p; The door had not opened when the island fell. Rykert leaned forward to grasp the door handle. It took him some doing and Aasguard strength to shove open the door.

  A dark, sleek shadow darted directly at them. Twin jets of dragonfyre illuminated the area and this enabled her to identify the shadow as a fleeing eel. A massive one.

  The eel slid into the darkness beyond and they all eased into the palace foyer. A grand area, resembling that of Montequirst. This city had been old indeed and its majesty hadn’t been lost in the sinking of the island. Despite the crushing ocean water and the salinity, this structure was long ago forged from rock. Therefore it withstood the test of time and ocean water.

  Gold, dulled by the elements still reflected here and there, as did some of the crystals from the chandeliers. One of them eerily glowed and she started. Then remembered the eel. It must have been an energy-generating one. At least she hoped so. Otherwise the reason why that crystal glowed this many decades later made her nape hairs rise.

  While they did not know the layout of this palace, both she and Rykert had lived in plenty such places and could navigate through the halls to the steps that inevitably led downstairs to the treasury. They navigated around a few pieces of furniture too heavy to float and random debris.

  Soon enough they discovered the doorway that would take them into the nether regions of the palace. The stairs disappeared into a twisting darkness. This did not deter any of them. Due to the tighter confines, both Felix and Maeze needed to shrink themselves.

  Rykert took the lead with her and Maeze following while Felix watched the rear. Felicity just as easily could have taken the head or the rear, but she followed Rykert in swimming down the stairs where they emerged into a foyer of sorts. On dry land, smell alone would have pointed them in the right direction but in the water they needed to explore all the avenues.

  The first few doors led to what must have been storage rooms. Another to the dungeons and additional storage. No doubt many of these areas would have held provisions for the palace.

  With less options they finally stumbled upon another staircase leading down and chose that one. No doubt this would take them into the exact area they sought. It should funnel them into the treasury and also into the underground tunnels. Felicity blinked at the colossal effort required to drain the ocean water from said tunnels.

  Most treasure could exist in water, but dry conditions were preferred. They turned a corner and this far into the palace, were not prepared for the massive dark creature that launched rows of razor sharp teeth at them.

  ‡‡

  Rykert denounced the water as it took far too long to grab his sword. Not that the drag would aid him, and he blinked as Felicity bypassed her own sword to instead brandish her crystal. It glowed bright in the watery darkness and the creature flinched.

  Too many teeth still showed and the size of this beast rivaled Aern. The only good part of the entire scenario was Felix. He swelled in size and erupted with dragonfyre.

  The creature screamed in agony as Maeze prepared to follow suit. She had not grown to the same proportions as Felix, but she carried plenty of dragonfyre and was clearly prepared to use the defense.

  Felix expanded to the size of the creature which Rykert finally identified as a sea dragon, or sea serpent. Fierce and massive, with slimmer bodies than a land dragon, they were fast and powerful. He had never encountered one this close before but had heard stories that they carried their own magic.

  These sea dragons were better equipped for the sea but in the manner of their land counterparts, could traverse the land. Long and narrow in body, with flippers, they used those flippers as legs on dry land. This serpent’s flippers were more modified so it appeared it could walk as easily as it could swim. Impressive creatures.

  Just as he fished out his own crystal, Felicity raised her arm again. But in the universal stop motion. At the same time a bright light blinded all of them. A portal opened and Mozark stepped through. He created a bubble of sorts that sucked out all of the water and also added a globe of light. The sea serpent witnessed in the light and dry environment was truly terrifying.

  “At ease Punzel. These are friends.” The mage spoke quickly and with authority.

  The sea serpent, who must be named Punzel, sniffed the mage, then leaned over Felicity and sniffed her.

  “Mozark,” Punzel said. “This is a female Aasguard.” She blinked as she sniffed Felicity again.

  “I am. You know of Aasguard warriors?”

  What might have been a flash of sorrow crossed the serpent’s fierce face. “Yes. I do.”

  “I am Felicity the Valiant. The blue dragon is Maeze and my companion. The male Aasguard is Rykert the Bold and his dragon is Felix. The bright yellow one.”

  “Must we continuously comment on my yellow scales? They’re cheerful.” Felix stepped forward. “Punzel?”

  “I am Punzel.” The sea serpent sniffed each of them. “I apologize. My eyesight is not what it used to be. Living in the deep has dimmed my vision.”

  “Perhaps if you shared with us why you have been living in the deep instead of in the open ocean as you are built to do…” A faint note of exasperation colored Mozark’s statement.

  “It has not been my secret to tell. Aasguard warriors.” Punzel felt troubled, but he could not tell whether the creature was male or female. The massive sea serpent turned abruptly and left the bubble.

  They all stared in confusion at Mozark. “Punzel has lived here since Atlas fell, instead of in the open waters. Her body can tolerate these depths, obviously, but she has confined herself here and we have yet to ascertain why.”

  Ah, female then.

  “I can show you.” Punzel returned silently, only poking her head through the bubble.

  Mozark dissolved the bubble and they all followed the sea serpent. The mage had no trouble breathing underwater either. Rykert noted that information for later.

  The sea serpent swam through the open area where they first encountered her and into a tunnel that branched off to the right. Then through a series of interconnecting passages. She stopped to open a massive door that Rykert identified as a dragon door.

  Punzel ushered them all inside before she shut the door then pushed on a lever with her snout. The water inside the space drained out. She ushered them into another room. They were left standing in a dragon sized chamber with no water. But the serpent headed across the room. She crossed the space in a couple of footsteps for her, adept even without the benefit of water and opened another door.

  This must have been where the Aasguard warrior, Lajos at the time, had lived. He and Fricassa had been delivering a package for the king. They had missed the collapse of Atlas into the ocean.

  Now they all stepped forward and Felicity started. He glanced in the direction she did. In the shadows lay a warrior. One he recognized.

  “Fergus?”

  “Rykert the Bold and Felix.” A familiar voice emanated from the shadows. Embedded notes of pain accompanied them.

  Felix galloped across the space to greet the warrior who lay there. Rykert followed right behind him. “Fergus, you are alive?”

  “I suppose you could call my continual breathing alive.” The pained tones took on an agonized chorus.

  Mozark stepped forward. “What happened to you?”

  “You are a mage.”

  “I am. And you are the first Aasguard warrior to ever train. It has been believed all these years that you went on to your maker long ago.” Mozark spoke with an impassiveness that Rykert wished he could emulate.

  Introductions were made and he felt Felicity’s awe at meeting this warrior. Fergus had lived so long now he could nearly be a fossil. Rykert kept that errant thought to himself. How had this renowned warrior lived this long? Had he become bed ridden? Should he have passed on by now?

  He leaned closer to his friend to better observe. His mentor did not look a day older than he had the last time Rykert had met him. Yet he lay awkwardly on the bed. “What hap
pened to you?”

  “I was on my way here to visit Lajos, perhaps to say goodbye to him. I somehow managed to stumble upon a portal. One that opened and I was attacked by a creature I still know nothing about. After the encounter with it I soon realized I could no longer move from my waist down.” Fergus’s deep voice gave little away.

  “You remain in pain.” Felicity said this with finality.

  “In the century since Atlas fell, I have been without movement in my lower limbs, but they feel as though I am being tortured. We have not been able to determine what the creature was or how to combat its poison.”

  “You and Punzel?” Mozark ran his staff above the length of Fergus’s body.

  “Yes. Whatever the creature, my dragon managed to kill it. The creature left me unable to swim out in the open water. Fortunately, Punzel spotted what happened and came to my rescue. Atlas fell abruptly and Punzel was injured by tumbling rock. Between us, we were able to make our way here. By the time the debris settled the people had all died. The sea creatures feasted on them.”

  “Fergus knew of Lajos’s old chambers and his dragon’s so we came here. It has offered us a place to live. Although Fergus has not lived.” Punzel’s saddened statement was all for Fergus.

  “Punzel has been my faithful companion over the decades, she has kept me alive, but her life has been a terrible one.”

  “You never asked me to stay. You know I would never leave you to your fate.”

  A weary sigh emanated from Fergus. “I have longed for death, but that has never come. Not even to free Punzel.”

  “If you were attacked by vaspiris then you cannot die. Not until the venom is leached from your body or you are eaten.” Mozark’s eyes narrowed on the fallen warrior.

  “What does that mean?” Felicity asked.

  “It is a creature from another dimension. Vaspiris use their venom to paralyze their victims until they devour them. They prefer living prey. Their venom causes the exact symptoms you stated. Your dragon saved your life as dragonfyre is the only thing known to combat them.”