A Leaf and Pebble

by Andrew Monroe

  A quick glance to the side showed something straight out of legend. My legs almost dropped out from me. Mottled purple and green, a sickly dark mix patterned the sea monster’s scales. It looked like pure malevolence had taken a physical form. The sheer size was baffling. The body was almost monkey shaped. Or more like half monkey and half fish. Then there were the arms. They streamed tentacle like from its central mass in clumps. Hundreds of smaller tentacles working in concert to create a spiraling limb. Its mouth was a wall of teeth, and could have swallowed a home whole.

  We wasted no time gawking. The girl and I ran like the terrified animals we were.

  The creature knifed through the water, oblivious to both depth and the stone causeway. Full speed ahead. Serpentine tentacles flowed behind the massive head. Based on its wake, it would seem most of the creature was still submerged. Waves pushed out in front of it, swamping the causeway even further.

  I grabbed the girl, and sent every bit of remaining will into my feet. I pushed Skill harder than I’d ever before through my feet, launching us skyward. Honestly, I didn’t know I could even get that kind of distance on the best of days. What sounded like thunder echoed beneath us in a spray of evaporating sea mist. I briefly looked back and saw shattered stone from where I’d launched.

  If it hadn’t been for the time the Natural had tried to manipulate the sea, we’d be dead. But I remembered the story, and connected its monster with this one. Projectile like claws had impaled the man, and had been then used to reel his lifeless body back into sea faster than anyone could comprehend.

  Completely off balance, we landed half way up on the cliff face. As I sprawled to a stop, the girl landed as gracefully as any bird alighting a branch. She gave me a withering look, just before I tackled her and we rolled. Stone cracked just above us, the spear like claw tips having thudded where we’d been moments before.

  She then jerked me to the side first one way, and then another, somehow tossing me up a good four paces onto the switchback above us. She jumped up just in time. Another set of twin claw-tipped tentacles, far longer than even nature’s twisted sense of humor should allow, cut the air with terrible ferocity. The girl was already moving as I stared at the sea monsters in awe. Tentacles were retracted. I scrambled on all fours behind the insanely athletic child, fear fueling my burnt-out limbs.

  “Down,” she told me, deadpan.

  I barely registered the faint warning whistle as I flattened and rolled. A single line of sharp pain lanced my shoulder before my ears nearly exploded from the sound of impact next to my head. I didn’t hesitate. Grit and pebbles slipped under my frantic limbs as I kept going.

  Emotionless eyes stared down at me from the carved niche at the top of the stairs she’d leapt to. She waited as I caught my breath. Not anxiously. Not fearfully, either. Curiosity was all I read in her weathered face. Such a young girl with such old eyes.

  A shadow fell over the cliff. Still scrambling, I craned my neck around to see the creature had risen out of the water, a gargantuan set of eyes locked onto us. It growled, almost comically, the noise was so pathetic. Squeaky and slimy. Not a sound I would have associated with the pants wetting terror that was about to engulf us.

  Unmistakably, a bow string twanged. An arrow streaked across the open space and struck home, dead center of one eye. Abrupt silence followed the arrow shot. First, the creature seemed confused. Then furious, with a range of bestial emotions raging between the two ends of the spectrum. All silently played out in a series of movements by its titan sized body. Another bowstring twang. A second arrow sunk in next to the first.

  Adrenaline shook me as I crouched in the cliff’s shelter next to the girl. We watched as the sea monster let out another bubbly growl and gave up, dropping backwards off the shore, displacing another hundred pace wave as the sea swallowed its awesome bulk. The breath I was holding exhaled as the finned tail sank beneath the waves and out of sight. Next to me, the girl still breathed steadily, almost frightfully calm. Her scarf had been pulled down, exposing the rest of her face. The hood had also been dropped back, giving way to her exceptional amount of curly brown hair.

  She looked me over, examined my still exposed back, and shrugged.

  “Is it bad?” I asked.

  “It’s not life threatening, if you have it cleaned,” she replied simply. “No worse than you deserve for bringing that octomantis from the deep.” She paused, a hint of curiosity in her eye. “However it is you did that,” she trailed off, almost a question.

  “You knew what that thing was?” Surprise and shock caused my voice to rise to a girlish pitch.

  Again, she just eyed me calmly before continuing up the switchback stairs.

  Expecting Volant, I was surprised when a stocky woman was waiting for us. I mentally made her the newest person on my list of people-I-owe-my-life-to. She was tall, and nearly as muscled as the men on Captain Andreska’s ship, but with decidedly feminine curves to dissuade any confusion the sleeveless and carved arms would cause. She was too tanned to be from Erset, too tall to be from Tryst, and too dark haired to be from anywhere else.

  “Now that was a sight to see!” She clapped me on the shoulder, broad smile showing more joy than I could imagine ever feeling again.

  I cringed as my back reminded me of its mistreatment. “Something else, that was,” I tried to agree. “Name’s Nil.” Most of my wounds were bleeding in some form or fashion from my lack of immobility. My mother was going to kill me.

  “Cassiopia, hunter extraordinaire,” she said beaming. It looked like she was going to hug the possibly insane girl from the causeway, but turned back to me when the small girls penetrating eyes warned her not to.

  Far too happy of a person, I thought to myself. This could get annoying. “Thank you for saving us. I can’t imagine a scenario with us living if you’d not come along.”

  “Nonsense! The pleasure was all mine,” Cassiopia crowed. “Such a beast that was. You’ve given my life a fresh breath. I’d worried I was nearing the end of my hunting days. But the rumors were true!”

  “You want to hunt the octomantis?” The strange girl asked without any emotion whatsoever.

  Both Cassiopia and I turned to her. I’d momentarily forgotten about the child.

  “But of course!” A wide grin threatened to engulf her face. “Imagine the fame! And what was that name again?”

  “Octomantis,” she answered. “Like a mantis shrimp and an octopus had an oversized baby.” The girl stared a long while, taking in our savior’s worn leather on cloth look. “You can’t kill a god,” she said softly, before directing her gaze to me.

  I had no idea what a mantis shrimp was, but I doubted I would want to meet one. I shrugged when Cassiopia gave me a questioning look, though still smiling. Then, I did a double take, finally noticing the bow she held in her hand. It looked like someone had banded together every type of wood and bone in a mosaic of layers until they’d created a wooden rainbow with too many curves. Before I could take in the bows make, Cassiopia had whipped out a pair of arrows, holding them out to the two of us.

  “I owe you my gratitude for showing me such a creature. This arrow will be a symbol of my devotion for your help,” she said solemnly, or at least as solemnly as her huge smile would allow.

  Baffled, I took one of the shafts. Like the bow, the arrow was comically large. Half as thick as my arm, and almost twice as long, it was tipped with an equally curvy piece of steel that could pass off as a small knife all on its own.

  “But, you saved us,” I stammered out.

  “Doesn’t count,” Cassiopia began.

  “When the intention was not to save us, but to kill the octomantis,” the girl interrupted. “Our rescue was a side effect, right?”

  Sheepishly, Cassiopia grinned even wider. “You’re right. I just wanted the beast for myself.”

  “Well, I guess that’s fair?” I replied, puzzled. “If you two think so, who am I to argue, eh?”

  Cassiopia prompted the arrow
at the girl. “And you are?”

  Taking the arrow, the girl examined it minutely before answering. “Shazina,” she stated.

  “Shazina?” I echoed.

  With a chuckle, Cassiopia slid the bow back behind her. “Odd name, little one. Where is your family? This one looks nothing like you, and seems to know even less, so it can’t be him.”

  Arrow in hand, Shazina began walking west, towards Erset. “I need to speak to a leader,” she said simply.

  Not wanting to let the child out of my sight, I gave a hopeless gesture to Cassiopia and followed after the girl. At the eternity river’s edge, she paused only a moment to admire the water's clarity. One enormous leap, and she cleared the watery obstacle.

  I blinked back surprise. She didn’t seem to have used any Skill. But it was beyond a normal person's ability. Maybe she was a Learner and just more subtle than anyone I’d ever met. Not having enough energy to do the same either way, I worked my way down until I found a series of stepping stones that got me across. Even more surprising, she had waited for us to catch up.

  “Considering no one from your land has crossed the bridge to mine,” she said as soon as we were moving again, “I assume it’s been just as impossible for your people. Therefore, I’ll need you. You’ve witnessed me coming over, and will be able to verify my story.”

  “And what story is that?” I asked.

  She didn’t look at me, ignoring the question completely.

  “How did you do it?” I asked, stopping in front of her. I had trouble believing it was possible, considering her age and the fact that no one had ever even been rumored to have crossed the causeway. Boats couldn’t survive the sea any longer than a person trying to walk the causeway.

  “I’m young and skilled enough, to put it simply,” she said in a matter of fact tone. “It’s different for each person, but my talent doesn’t attract attention. Another year, and it would, I think.” She went back to walking.

  I’d never heard age being a factor around the causeway, but then all the Naturals were discovered shortly after birth. First thing you learned was to go nowhere near the sea. Curiously, the girl was just making a beeline in the hopes of finding civilization. After we passed a few trees that would have given us access to the city above, I took pity on her and explained the markings that would indicate it being an entrance to the city above. Now I was leading the way. Once we’d entered and spiraled up the inside of an enormous redwood, she began to lose some of the cold disdain she’d shown only moments before, and a hint of interest sparked behind the frosty demeanor. Still, compared to most people’s reaction to seeing the tree homes for the first time, she was downright unimpressed. Her eyes slowly took in the ropes and bridges spider-webbing between trees, and merely looked to me to continue with grim determination.

  “Left hand,” I laughed. “I don’t even know who to take you too. Most of the city’s leaders were killed when I got these.” Vaguely, I gestured towards the still healing wounds.

  “You let all of your leaders be killed?” True shock ringed her face now. It was refreshing to see she wasn’t actually a walking statue as I was beginning to assume.

  I shrugged. “I was mostly trying to stay alive. Barely succeeded, honestly.” One good thing about the sea monster, I had an exceptional excuse for reopening all my cuts.

  “Food?” She asked, a sudden vulnerability in her voice.

  “Finally! Now you’re getting those priorities straight,” I proclaimed. “But aye, I couldn’t have thought of something better myself. We will think of who can help you once we have a bite.”

  Shazina glared at me, without actually showing much more emotion than had been the standard so far. Having nothing on me but bandages and some shredded clothing, we wandered about until finding a back entrance to the baker’s shop. Unlike the street vendor up in the higher reaches, this legitimate bakery had everything one could want. And technically a window isn’t a back entrance, but neither Cassiopia nor Shazina argued with me.

  “Hold here for a second. I’ll be right back.” I winked at her, and vaulted up into the window.

  Inside, cured meats hung from hooks, bread in various shapes and sizes lined wooden racks, and assorted combinations of the two sat near a small, wood fed fire that was keeping them warm if needed. People moved just past the swinging door. Voices joked while an order was also being placed up front. I grabbed four of the meat buns, a favorite treat of mine, not to mention incredibly filling, and jumped back out the open window, leaving a minimal trail of blood in the process. A lack of shouting gave me peace of mind, and I had us hustling back the way we came, oversized roll steaming in each hand.

  She ate mechanically. I, over exuberantly. Cassiopia with a hint of caution. But hey, nothing like free food.

  Cassiopia leaned over to me. “I have coin,” she whispered. “That was quite unnecessary.”

  “Where I’m from, we pierce the ears of thieves. Sets of two rings per offense. That way, when a thief is near, you can hear them,” Shazina said before she took another bite.

  “I’ve always wanted an ear piercing,” I mused. Finished with mine, I noisily sucked at my fingers. It had the desired effect.

  “Quit that,” Shazina snapped. “You are disgusting.”

  Shaking my head, I smiled. “Just making sure you’re annoyable as any human.”

  We found a less shaded spot, and finally took the time to sit. I let Shazina finish the meal in silence before trying to match her intensity. “Now, if I am going to help you, you need to start talking.” I crossed my arms. Locking gazes with her.

  Her mouth formed a tight line, eyes slightly narrowed. If it came down to it, I realized this child could most likely break me like a twig. Just little things, beyond her inexplicable survival at the causeway, were making me further convinced there was something seriously different. She moved too fast. Stepped too lightly. She was dangerous, I’d decided.

  “Very well,” she finally responded.

  “You’re going to tell me?” Surprise was an understatement. Embarrassingly, the words were out before I could play it smooth. Play it smooth, with a child that apparently crossed the causeway. I barely held back more laughter at the ridiculousness. This was going to be one of the weirder days.

  She rolled her eyes. “Yes, I will.” She sat up a little straighter, cleaning her fingers on a fallen leaf before beginning. “I come from across the sea, obviously. It took me,” she paused, closing her eyes half way while she calculated, “an exceptionally long time to get across. A horse would have made the first bit much faster, or even a boat, but I was not actually supposed to attempt the journey, so I had neither.” She paused, waiting for me to challenge her but I said nothing. “We’ve always had stories, you see? Stories about the lost tribe. The ones who first walked the causeway and never came back. Logically, everyone knows it never happened,” she grinned ever so slightly, gesturing expansively at homes around her. “But, there were always rumors. A bit of ship, made from wood no one recognized washes up on shore. A sea monster might be seen trailing the tattered remains of an odd flag. Various stuff like that which has kept the legend alive for supposedly thousands of years. And in case people didn’t believe in the lost tribe, there’s the books about people who could fly, and kill people without touching them. Or those who controlled the elements.”

  I stopped her, eyes wide with shock. “Are you saying no one can manipulate there?”

  She thought for a moment, before shaking her head ambiguously. “Not externally, not like the stories.” A tap on her head, right at the temple. “We can only do internal stuff.”

  “Which is?” I prompted.

  She seemed confused, albeit briefly. “No one can do it here? The internals?”

  I shrugged. “Don’t think so. Not sure what you mean.”

  “Speed, strength, reflexes, eyesight, pain receptors, just about everything, given the time and food.” She held out her arm, hand hanging loosely. “Move my arm.”

&n
bsp; Again, I shrugged. With one hand, I pressed down on hers. It was like trying to push down a wall. I grabbed it with both hands, yanking side to side and up and down. Still, the arm didn’t budge. Cassiopia gave it a try, pushing with her considerable size to no avail. This seemed to spark interest, and she nearly hummed with the excitement

  “OK,” I said sitting back down, out of breath, “that is bizarre. How does it work?”

  Shazina was back to her deadpan expression, but with a hint of smugness. “I can send Skill to different parts of my body, telling it how and what to do. I can jump higher, run faster, and consequently eat a lot more than most.”

  “Skill?” I practically laughed. “That’s the same here for what us Learner’s use. It’s why that thing came after us.”

  Her face hardened. “Oh, I know. They are sensitive to energy manipulation.” She finally lowered her arm back down to be folded demurely in front of her. “Most of the time. I’m young enough, so mine doesn’t.”

  I made a mental note about that part, but held off on chasing that thread. “Why just you?”

  “I’m the only one that could,” she replied.

  “Why risk it?” I followed up.

  “Risk is what gives life value,” she replied.

  I groaned. “True, but that’s not why you took this particular risk.”

  She grew even stiller. “No, that’s not why. We need the old manipulations to come back. We need the Unbroken.”

  “Unbroken?” I looked at Cassiopia but she didn’t know either.

  Her emotions were still non-existent, more or less. “You don’t know what the unbroken are?”

  “No, are they Learners or Naturals?” I asked.

  She stood suddenly, but with a fluidity that no one her age should be able to accomplish. She gestured for me to get up as well. “We’ve stayed here long enough. I’ll continue, but let’s walk while I do so.” She led the way, picking turns at random, a slow pace as she took in the sights.

  Cassiopia seemed content to follow us around, enjoying the conversation, but seeming more than willing to also stay out of it.