Ruin & Reliance

by Jeremy Dwyer

  “Revived?” Captain Duvall asked.

  “In the first age, amazingly deadly predators dominated the world: land, air and sea. They were vicious and venomous beyond anything today, and they actively hunted people. The powers of the Gradaken Ocean waters were the best way – sometimes, the only way – to subdue these creatures. However, telepathy, spirit powers, and even music, could all be used by someone skilled enough, if their water was pure enough. Ultimately, these predators were hunted to extinction because they were considered too dangerous,” Duchess Sarita said.

  “If Cardinal Briar-Malgier wants to revive these predatory creatures, we can’t trust him and we shouldn’t deal with him. He may become part of the problem if we get him involved,” Captain Duvall said.

  “This poison, if it is made, will wipe out the creatures that exist today. It will be lethal to all of them. The Cardinal won’t want that to happen. If I can convince him of the danger, he may be able to put a stop to these murderers,” Duchess Sarita said.

  “That still involves finding them before they make the poison. I’ll do whatever you order, Duchess, but this plan has too much uncertainty,” Captain Duvall said.

  “I agree. We don’t have a telepath to help us find the murderers. We don’t have a light scout to spot them at a distance,” Captain Lusala said.

  “We can prevent them from getting here. The Cardinal can summon a swarm of serpents to surround these islands and drive away any ships,” Duchess Sarita said.

  “This is a weak tactic, my lady. Using animals in battle sometimes works, I will admit, but it is not reliable unless we know the location of the enemy,” Captain Duvall said.

  “I know. I wish I had more resources to work with, and more time,” Duchess Sarita said.

  “Where should we steer the ship, my lady?” Captain Lusala asked.

  “Sail to the central western coast of Lemikozen Island,” Duchess Sarita said.

  “Uzoma, chart a course,” Captain Lusala said.

  Uzoma consulted an atlas to learn the coordinates of Lemikozen Island. He then drank anew of the waters of the Atrejan Ocean from his vial to be energized with the power to listen to the sounds of the stars. He concentrated to learn their paths and positions. From this information, he charted a course and sailed the Sky Lion toward that island.

  As they approached the island’s coast, Duchess Sarita drank anew of the waters of the Ursegan Ocean from her vial to be energized with the power to slow time. “I can’t be too careful. I need time to react, in case something goes wrong,” she said.

  “I will go ashore with you to protect you,” Captain Duvall said.

  “I recommend against that, Captain. If anything happens to me, you will need to escape and notify my relatives. Some of them can help you,” Duchess Sarita said.

  “And some of them will only serve to make matters worse,” Captain Duvall said.

  ~~~

  Captain Ibriy sailed the Cypress Advantage eastward across the Gradaken Ocean, heading into the region known as the Provincial Isles. A sea serpent – sixty (60) feet in length – leaped across the deck of the ship and dove back into the ocean.

  From inside the wheelhouse, Captain Ibriy, Erikkos, Kastor and Judith could see the animal.

  “A sea serpent of that size is especially dangerous. Be careful, Captain,” Kastor said.

  “They’re dangerous at any size. And their venom is especially useful. Keep sailing, Captain,” Erikkos said.

  Judith recorded the brief sighting of the creature into her book.

  Captain Ibriy continued sailing the ship until reaching a point along the western coast of Lemikozen Island. Once he arrived, he pulled levers to drop the anchor and extend the boarding ramp.

  “We will need to find an herbalist and give the instructions to formulate the poison,” Kastor said.

  “First, we will need to work in secret and gather all the remaining ingredients. That way, when we go into a port town and issue the commands to a skilled herbalist, they will carry them out immediately and finish making the poison, before anyone else in town can overhear us and attempt to interfere,” Erikkos said.

  “That is reasonable, assuming we can gather the ingredients without their help. However, the herbalist would have a Gradaken waterbinding, which would be useful to summon the creatures and control them, so we can extract the venom,” Kastor said.

  “You are so old, Kastor, tens of thousands of times my age. You’ve traveled across every land and ocean and have no doubt met with extraordinary people and read arcane books whose existence is lost to myth. Despite all of that, you know so little about music,” Erikkos said.

  “I was born in a different age, young man. The culture and etiquette were more proper then, and those traditions are still with me. Please do not think it is acceptable to insult a friend and fellow explorer, Erikkos,” Kastor said.

  “It’s not an insult, Kastor. It’s a fact,” Erikkos said. He exited the wheelhouse and went out on deck. Kastor and Judith followed. Lieutenant Plamen and his soldiers and archers, along with the sailors in service to Captain Ibriy, were all standing on deck, awaiting their orders.

  Judith then drank anew of the waters of the Ursegan Ocean from her vial to refresh her power to slow the passage of time. She exercised this power to both extend her own lifetime and to observe fast-moving events around her. She expected terrible things to happen soon, and needed to see them happen slowly, in vividly horrifying detail.

  ~~~

  Cardinal Briar-Malgier watched as a ship arrived at the coast nearby and the boarding ramp was lowered.

  “They are not frightened away, Cardinal. The other ship has also landed, further north along the coast,” Munroe said.

  “I will take care of this, Munroe. Just remain watchful,” Cardinal Briar-Malgier said. He touched the nine (9) foot long snake coiled around his neck and it slithered ahead of him, ready to strike.

  A lone young woman stepped off of the ship and approached. “Cardinal Briar-Malgier,” she said as she came near.

  “You know me. Yet, who are you?” Cardinal Briar-Malgier asked.

  “I am Duchess Sarita, former subject of King Hamza Bazavador, who has been murdered by intruders in his castle,” the woman said.

  “I was not on good terms with the Bazavadoran dynasty. What business do you have in my domain?” Cardinal Briar-Malgier asked. He gestured and the nine (9) foot long snake moved toward the young woman – Duchess Sarita – poised to strike her upon the cardinal’s command.

  “The men who murdered King Hamza Bazavador entered into his castle library and gazed into the lightkeeper crystals archived there. These assassins learned of the formula for a poison so lethal that only a drinker of the purest Trerada water could hope to survive it. The Ursegan waters would only slow the effects. If this poison is created, every unprotected living thing – human, plant or animal – could be killed. The ingredients include the nerium oleander along with the venom of scorpions, spiders, the asilidae and sea serpents. These can all be collected in various ways, but only an expert herbalist can mix them properly,” Duchess Sarita said.

  “If this is true, I would act to protect every creature I possibly could. They are all sacred and under my care. However, why should I believe your story?” Cardinal Briar-Malgier asked.

  “If I didn’t need you, I wouldn’t have come here. We’re not friends. I have no illusions of that. I’ve read the history of conflict between you and most of the rest of the world regarding your intentions of reviving extinct apex predators. I am not here to help you in that purpose and I would prefer that you failed,” Duchess Sarita said.

  “You admit, then, that we are enemies,” Cardinal Briar-Malgier said.

  “In that respect, of course we are. However, I believe that you can stop these murderers before they succeed. The Provincial Isles are home to the only herbalists capable of mixing these ingredients properly. If you were to prevent these men from arriving in this region, perhaps by summoning serpents to g
uard the coasts of every island in this group, we might stand a chance of avoiding the creation of this poison,” Duchess Sarita said.

  “You are a fool to think that would work. It may have already failed. There are seventeen thousand two hundred fifty-three (17253) known islands that make up the Provincial Isles. Although this is the fifth largest island in the group, it is certainly not the only island where these murderers could go to find a skilled herbalist. Even if I am willing to believe you and help you, your luck and timing would have to be extraordinary to stop this from happening,” Cardinal Briar-Malgier said.

  “I need help, Cardinal. What would you do?” Duchess Sarita asked.

  “I would assume that the poison will be successfully created and used. Therefore, I would search for an antidote. Give me the formula and I will help you,” Cardinal Briar-Malgier said.

  Duchess Sarita reached into a pocket in her dress and pulled out the sentinel lightkeeper crystal that held the image of the events in the castle library. It showed the scene of the murder, as well as the page from the book in the other lightkeeper crystal that gave the formula for the poison. “Look in the facets of this crystal and you will see it,” she said.

  Cardinal Briar-Malgier looked into the sentinel lightkeeper crystal and saw what he needed to see. “This poison is complex and the mixing of its ingredients will take extraordinary skill. These arachnid and snake venoms, along with the oleander’s plant secretion and the asilidae venom, will not readily bind together. Instead of combining into a singular powerful poison, they will remain as separate, weaker toxins,” he said.

  Munroe used his powers to bend light so that he could also peer into the crystal. He read the same ingredients and mixing instructions, but could not fully understand them.

  “Are you saying there is no threat?” Duchess Sarita asked.

  “Correct. There is no threat…unless a master herbalist was to mix them together, in the precise ratios,” Cardinal Briar-Malgier said.

  “I came here to find those master herbalists, and warn them,” Duchess Sarita said.

  “I am the greatest of them all, the master among masters,” Cardinal Briar-Malgier said.

  “You said you would search for the antidote,” Duchess Sarita said.

  Cardinal Briar-Malgier drank anew of the waters of the Gradaken Ocean from his vial to be energized with the power to control plants and animals. “Follow me, Duchess Sarita. We will gather the ingredients that may be necessary, and then I will work to find a suitable mixture that will counteract the poison. Munroe, you are to wait here and continue watching the coast, including the other ship,” he said.

  “What other ship?” Duchess Sarita asked.

  “Another vessel has landed, five (5) miles north of here,” Munroe said.

  “We must move quickly. That could very well be the enemy,” Cardinal Briar-Malgier said. He began to trek through the swamp, followed by the nine (9) foot snake and Duchess Sarita.

  Munroe remained standing on the island’s western coast and continued watching the movements of ships near and far.

  ~~~

  Erikkos stood on the deck of the Cypress Advantage and drank anew of the waters of the Pirovalen Ocean from his vial. He was thus energized with the powers of music and song. He began to sing the classic song known as the Summoning of the Wild, and the music could be heard far and wide:

  This song now resounds,

  In the kingdom of the sea around me,

  Where wild creatures live,

  Let them hear this enchanting melody.

  Through the waves that tower,

  Swimming across every ocean blue,

  Summoned by the music's power,

  They come into my view.

  (Refrain)

  Nature, hear my symphony,

  as I sing your name.

  This music has majesty,

  Commanding the wild to be tame.

  This song now resounds,

  In the kingdom of the sky above me,

  Where wild creatures live,

  Let them hear this enchanting melody.

  Through the breezes and the gales,

  Flying across every mountain tall,

  Summoned by the music's scales,

  They come according to my call.

  (Refrain)

  This song now resounds,

  In the kingdom of the land beneath me,

  Where wild creatures live,

  Let them hear this enchanting melody.

  Through the deserts and the plains,

  Running across every fertile field,

  Summoned by the music's refrains,

  They come to me and yield.

  (Refrain)

  The creatures of the land, air and sea began to gather nearby. Sea serpents reared their heads from the ocean below. Scorpions, snakes, spiders, alligators and rats crawled across the swamp and stood waiting at the ramp leading up to the ship. Flies swarmed around the heads of the gathered beasts.

  “Impressive, my young friend. Apparently, your musical abilities go far beyond what I had expected. Only the finest musicians can exercise such precise control,” Kastor said.

  “Kastor, have Lieutenant Plamen direct his soldiers and archers to take spare vials from the ship’s supplies, and then collect the venom of these creatures in them,” Erikkos said.

  Kastor turned to Lieutenant Plamen and said: “Direct your warriors to gather spare vials from the ship’s supplies and fill them with the venom from the creatures that have been summoned here.”

  Lieutenant Plamen ordered his three hundred thirty (330) soldiers and seventy-five (75) archers to take spare vials from the ship’s supply cabin and then go down the boarding ramp. The creatures willingly produced venom into these empty vials. The warriors then returned to the Cypress Advantage.

  Judith recorded all of this into her book, including the song and its effect, as well as descriptions of the creatures that it summoned.

  ~~~

  Cardinal Briar-Malgier heard the song from a distance and was troubled by it. The nine (9) foot snake that accompanied him moved away from him and toward the music.

  “You commanded that snake. How is the summoning song so powerful that the snake obeys it and not you?” Duchess Sarita asked.

  “I intend to find out and take control of the situation!” Cardinal Briar-Malgier said. He walked back toward the island’s coast and saw the creatures migrating toward the sound of the music. Duchess Sarita followed. When they arrived at the point along the coast where the animals were being led, they saw a ship docked with various creatures gathered around it. Soldiers and archers were collecting the venom of the serpents, the spiders, the scorpions, the snakes and even the poisonous flies. When the warriors were done, they returned to their ship.

  ~~~

  On board the Cypress Advantage, Kastor caught sight of the white-bearded man standing next to a young woman on the ground down below. “I know that man, Erikkos,” he said.

  “Who is he?” Erikkos asked.

  “He is someone from a different age – a powerful man who is more than a myth – Cardinal Briar-Malgier, the greatest master over creatures and plants,” Kastor said.

  “Master over plants? Perhaps. But over creatures? My song was the greater summons,” Erikkos said.

  “Do not underestimate the cardinal. He can help us. I will go to meet him,” Kastor said. He walked down the boarding ramp and exerted the power of his violet eyes. He looked directly into the eyes of Cardinal Briar-Malgier and into the eyes of the woman.

  “Who are you?” Kastor asked of the young woman.

  “I am Duchess Sarita, former subject of King Hamza Bazavador,” the young woman said.

  Kastor looked at the vial she wore and read the symbol carved into it. “You drink the Ursegan waters, correct?” he asked.

  “Yes,” the young woman – Duchess Sarita – said.

  “Both of you, follow me,” Kastor said.

  Neither Cardinal Briar-Malgier nor Duchess
Sarita had the necessary willpower to overcome the command they had been given. They followed the man with the violet eyes as he went aboard the Cypress Advantage.

  “He is a Gradaken drinker?” Erikkos asked after looking at the symbols carved into the vial that the white-bearded cardinal wore.

  “Yes, the greatest in recent ages. He will mix the ingredients correctly. I doubt your song can do that,” Kastor said.

  “I don’t claim to be skilled at all things, Kastor. I know my limitations,” Erikkos said.

  “Good. Humility is necessary for learning. Now, the master herbalist will go to work, for I am his master. Show the formula to the cardinal,” Kastor said.

  Erikkos reached into his pocket and pulled out the lightkeeper crystal holding the image of the book with the formula for the poison. He showed this to Cardinal Briar-Malgier.

  “Lieutenant Plamen, have your soldiers and archers gather the nerium oleander, as well as the vials of venom, and bring them here,” Kastor said.

  Still under the command of the violet eyes, Lieutenant Plamen directed his warriors to bring the toxic plant ingredients out from storage and gather around in four (4) concentric circles, all centered on the cardinal. The innermost circle of combatants held the vials of ingredients, four (4) to a person, except for a single warrior who held only three (3) vials.

  “Cardinal Briar-Malgier, take the nerium oleander and the venoms of these serpents, arachnids, spiders and asilidae and mix them according to that formula,” Kastor said.

  Unable to resist the command, Cardinal Briar-Malgier did as he was ordered, mixing and melding the plant and animal toxins according to the formula he saw written in the facets of the lightkeeper crystal. He produced three (3) vials of poison this way.

  “We will need to test a dose of this poison, to be sure of its lethality,” Erikkos said.

  “Cardinal, give one (1) vial of poison to Duchess Sarita,” Kastor said.

  Cardinal Briar-Malgier took a vial containing a small dose of the poison and handed it to Duchess Sarita.