Chapter Sixteen - Ship Shape

The three cultivators, two young men and a young woman, bowed gracefully before my companions and I. I could sense that they were nervous, both from strange looks directed my way, and from glances to Elder Frost.

Still, one of them stepped up.

He wore the grey garb of the sect, though his outfit lacked any robes. Instead he wore loose pants and a tight shirt under a grey overcoat. His mask had a large visor over his eyes that likely allowed him a good deal of peripheral vision. He also wore a peaked cap. "I'm captain Ashmud, of the Flameskimmer. Inner disciple of the Ashen Forest sect."

"Hello, Ashmud," Cinder said. There was warmth and coldness in her tone, and I sensed something of a history between the two.

The elder cleared her throat, then gestured for the other two to present themselves.

"Greetings, honoured guest of the Ashen Forest," they said in unison, then the young lady took a small step forwards. "I am Greyflake, outer disciple of the Ashen Forest."

"I am Char," the young man said. "Outer disciple of the Ashen Forest."

Greyflake had a dress on that was similar to Cinders, though of lesser quality. It was white and grey, with some simple embroidery woven into the cloth to create the image of a many peaked mountainscape. Her loose dress allowed plenty of room for hidden weapons, which she was putting to use.

I suspect that the thin girl's weight was half weapon. She had knives strapped to her arm under loose sleeves, more along her waist, some on her back, and more sheathed around her thighs. All artfully hidden within her dress, but there were so many that it was impossible not to notice.

Char, on the other hand, was a big lad. He looked like the sort of young man that ate well and grew well as a result. His mask was small and simple, and he wore less protective equipment over himself than the average Ashen Forest sect member.

His only combative equipment was a cudgel by his hip, and a pair of knuckle dusters on a bandoleer for ease of access.

"Captain Ashmud, Greyflake, and Char," I said. "Are all of the names in the Ashen Forest so... evocative of your ashy home?"

"We earn new names for ourselves as we become disciples of the sect," Cinder said. "Most of these are given to us by older, more experienced members. Char here is one of those that I named myself."

"Ah, I see," I said.

Not an entirely uncommon practice. It made the division between a member's current and past life, pre and post joining of an organisation, a lot clearer.

"His name used to be Charles," Cinder said.

I paused for a moment, then cackled slightly. Charles becoming Char! I wondered if there was more wordplay under the surface here.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all," I said with a nod. Next to me, Alex curtsied, then nudged Rem who grumbled, but did her best impression of a butler's bow. Mem was staring at the water, entirely unaware of what was going on. "So, if I understood correctly, we'll be traversing the lake today onboard the Flameskimmer?"

"Aye," Captain Ashmud said. "The old boat's not the greatest or the prettiest, but she's reliable. She's been with the sect for half a century now!"

"The mountains which are our destination can be reached by land, but the path is long, arduous, and utterly utterly utterly unmapped," Cinder said. "Traversing the lake is also a danger, but less so."

I nodded along. "Very well, then. Are we ready to take off right away?"

"Leaving at this time of day isn't the easiest, but it's not a task that I'll be unable to accomplish," Captain Ashmud said. I had the impression he was grinning under that mask of his. "Come on, outer disciples, let's get her ready to depart." He gave me a nod, and Elder Frost a short bow before returning down the pier towards the ship. The outer disciples had far more elaborate bows to give before they ran off after the captain.

"This is where I'll be leaving you," Elder Frost said. She eyed me for a moment. "Keep Cinder and the disciples safe, please. I know that you are someone of another league, one who has defied the heavens and succeeded, but still, the Ashen Forest is a good sect beset by hard times. I dearly wish to see it flourish, for the flower to pierce the ash."

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"I'll see what I can do," I replied. "This has mostly turned into a fun side-expedition, and those are always ruined when someone dies horrifically. It would bring the mood down for the rest of the adventure."

"If the cost of your help is our entertainment, then we will do what we must," Cinder replied rather cryptically. "May I have a few moments with the Elder? I'm certain the outer disciples will be glad to show you the ship."

"Certainly," I replied before gesturing Alex and the mantises forwards.

The Flameskimmer wasn't the most modern vessel I'd ever embarked upon, but it was well designed for its environment, and well-maintained. Captain Ashmud seemed to take great pride in his ship, judging by the lack of ash on deck and the well-polished railing.

Its sails were an interesting choice. Full battens, running their entire length and set half a necrometre apart. It would make for sturdy, rigid sails as opposed to the more loose sails I was used to seeing.

"Welcome aboard," the captain said. "This old junk doesn't have too much room, but the largest compartment below is yours."

"Oh, that's fine, thank you," I replied. "I hardly need to sleep, and I don't take up much room. It might be best to leave the room for the mantis sisters. Alex, would you mind squaring our things away."

"Of course, Daddy bones," Alex said with dazzling grin. "Come on Rem, I'll teach you how to sort things for a trip. Mem, come along too, please."

Alex easily crossed the deck, but I found myself a little unbalanced as the ship rocked below me. I considered taking some time, plucking out my legs, and replacing them with my sea legs, but it was likely unnecessary. I'd grow accustomed to the shifting deck in due time. Besides, this seemed like it wouldn't be a very long trip.

"Forgive me for bothering you, captain," I said while Captain Ashmud was quickly reeling in some rope and coiling it into a bundle. "But how long is the voyage from here to the opposite coast?"

"Hmm, it'll be overnight. If the winds are fair we'll be there by morning. Otherwise, with no wind, we'll have to row some ways, and that'll mean arriving in the afternoon."

"I see. Thank you. Though, I don't see how this large of a ship could be rowed by a crew of three, seven if you count all of your passengers as well," I said.

Captain Ashmud's eyes lit up behind his visor. "Let me show you, then," he said. I had seen similar expressions before. This was a man about to show someone a project that they'd poured lots of time and effort into and which they very much cared about. "You're right, a ship of this size would need a few of perhaps a dozen rowers, at minimum, to move anywhere. It's even worse in this lake."

"Because of the ash?" I asked with a gesture towards the waters. They were grey. Not the grey of a lake under an overcast sky (it was actually bright and sunny today, the sky a brilliant blue past a thin layer of rippling clouds) but the grey of deep pollution.

"Exactly. The top layer of the lake has a film of ash on it. It clings, like mud. You wouldn't think it, but it actually slows ships down considerably. Although it also means that the waves are weak, on the surface. Beneath, the current is stronger, but the lakebed is covered in a thick soup of old ash as well. If you stir it up with some oars, it becomes much worse."

"I see," I replied.

He brought me to the edge of the ship, where some sort of device was tucked in next to the railing. "So we came up with this. Well, I did, and I had engineers and carpenters from Shitake work on it."

The captain unfolded the device, then brought it back before extending a few arms from it. Finally, it clicked into place. It was a set of six long oars, each interlinked. The links themselves were connected to a second device, a sort of false oar that that captain held low.

"Ah, I think I see," I replied. "Clever."

"With this, one cultivator can move multiple oars. The added weight and the added resistance from the water would make it impossible for a mortal man, but as cultivators, that is no issue! Ingenious, no?"

"Are you done showing off your toys?" Cinder asked as she stepped aboard. "We're ready to depart as soon as you are."

***