Persepera
The 26th of Thargelion
The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals
Arche and Tess pushed their way through the crowd at the docks while the others followed close behind. Aima was fully wrapped against the sun, back in her Efterpi disguise. They had neglected to tell the others her true identity. Arche trusted Helwan and Basil to follow his lead, but Cora was too rebellious to give secrets. The fewer people that knew, the less likely the information would get into the wrong hands. On a ship, there was nowhere to run, so they kept the secret between the three of them.
Basil’s family was already at the docks, along with whoever else they had convinced to come. As the sun neared its zenith, Tess pointed a finger at the sea of sails nested in the harbor.
“There, black sails. That’s the one.”
Arche navigated the throng, dodging dockhands and fisherfolk carrying supplies. Loud voices issued orders and threats in equal measure but none were directed at him so he paid them no heed. Finally, they reached the ship and his jaw dropped.
More than a hundred people waited to board the gangplanks onto a massive ship that easily dwarfed everything else in the harbor. Arche whirled on Basil.
“A few people? This is your idea of a few people?”
Basil gave a sheepish shrug.
“A lot of folks want to leave.”
“Do we even have the money to move this many people?”
Tess raised an eyebrow. “You have no idea how much a talent is, do you?”
“Not a clue.”
“Six thousand drachmae.”
Arche stared at her, slack-jawed. It took a few moments to get his mouth working again.
“All right, then. Yes, we do.” He turned back to the massive ship. “I guess we should get boarded.”
It took an hour to get everyone on the ship. Most of the passengers carried bags or pushed boxes, but some led goats, pigs, chickens, sheep, and other livestock. The cargo was meticulously noted by one of the crew before being taken to the hold. As Arche and the others finally reached the main deck, several stories above the docks, an imposing figure appeared out of the captain’s quarters. The passengers that hadn’t yet made their way below decks all froze, feeling the weight of intense pressure pushing on them, but the crew bustled around them as normal, preparing to cast off.
“Arche Enyalius, welcome aboard the Oikoumene.”
People made room, almost seeming to be pressed gently out of the way, as Blackdog walked toward them.
“Captain, thank you for having us,” Arche replied, very aware of everyone’s attention.
Ryan gave an easy, confident smile, then addressed all of them.
“I am Captain Ryan Blackdog. My crew will see to it that you are all situated and comfortable for the voyage ahead. Arche, Tess, I request your presence in my quarters as soon as you are settled. We depart in one half-hour!”
This last was met with a chorus of “Aye, Captain!” from the crew as Ryan sauntered away to attend other matters. A dwarf woman approached them immediately.
“Arche Enyalius and crew?” she asked. “You’d best follow me. Name’s Lykhtin, I’m the quartermaster, here.
Lykhtin had a mane of dark, brown hair that fell in braids down the back of her head. A large, double-bladed axe was strapped to her back within easy reach, no doubt there to send a message to anyone looking to start trouble. She wore a loose fabric shirt that was rolled at the sleeves, revealing muscles and scars from years on the sea, and dark linen pants. A myriad of necklaces hung below her throat, each carrying metal pendants with strange geometries. They looked like religious symbols, but Arche didn’t recognize any. He wanted to ask what they meant but she was already off and they had to push their way through the crowd to keep up.
She led them down two decks, then stopped in front of a door. Inside was a sitting area with several private rooms. Runic lights were affixed to various surfaces and a porthole gave a view of the docks.
“These will be your rooms for the voyage.”
Arche was taken aback, having expected hammocks or cramped bunks in a communal area.
“Is everyone in suites like this? How do you fit them all?”
Lykhtin smirked.
“The captain’s partnership with Bits and Baubles has allowed us to stay on the forward edge of shipping technology. I trust you’ve noticed that their shop is not all it seems?”
Arche nodded.
“The same is true of our ship. Once you are settled, I will take you to the captain.”
Arche walked into the first room on the right and found a bed, a washbasin, and a writing desk inside. He placed his bag on the desk, along with the Tridory. He kept the Mirror Shield in his inventory, just in case. He didn’t expect to be attacked onboard but it wouldn’t hurt to have a bit of protection. He still wore his mantikhoras armor, so once he’d dropped his bag and weapon, he was ready.
Tess and Lykhtin were already waiting for him when he shut the door.
“You are free to wander the ship during the voyage or you may spend as much time in your quarters as you wish. Meals are delivered three times a day to your rooms. One of the lads will be along later to note any dietary restrictions.” Lykhtin winked at them. “Wouldn’t do to go around killing passengers with a bit of crab legs, would it? Now, follow me and I’ll show you to the captain.”
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Lykhtin led them back to the deck, then to a large set of double doors near the back of the ship. There, they entered. Ryan had his back to them, a pipe propped to his lips by his prosthetic hand. He puffed a thin plume of purple smoke toward the glass. Lykhtin shut the doors behind them, leaving them alone.
“Ephyra’s a beautiful city.” Ryan lifted his mechanical arm in a lazy gesture. “The people are eccentric and the trade is easy. Don’t you agree?”
“The crime comes easy, too,” Tess said.
Ryan nodded, still facing the window.
“Oh, yes. I heard about your issues with the Hekatonkheires. And the little incident at the docks. Quite a stir, you two caused.”
“Is there anything you don’t know?” Arche asked, taking a look around.
In the center of the room sat a large, circular table of solid wood. The tabletop was made of glass and, peering through, a massive globe could be seen inside. The globe was three dimensional, depicting the buildings of the city as well as trees and waves in surprising detail. Arche could even make out the imposing Lyceum and the palace on their respective hills.
“There are plenty of things I don’t know. For example, why did you bring a vampire onto my ship?”
Ryan turned and fixed his eye on Arche. The full weight of Ryan’s presence bore down on him, as if trying to push him to the floor, but he pressed against it by walking forward.
“She will not harm anyone. I give you my word.”
“And how am I to know that she has not enthralled you?”
“You’ll have to trust me. We’re paying for safe passage. If she harms anyone here, I’ll kill her myself. If someone dies, you may kill me as well.”
Ryan cocked his head slightly, not taking his amethyst eye from Arche. Then he snorted.
“For all the good that would do. Very well. If you vouch for her, I’ll accept it, this time. I don’t like trafficking with the undead. It’s bad for business. If you could have only heard the screams when Zell was aboard.” Ryan shook his head. “In any case, your poor choice in traveling companions is not why I invited you here.”
Tess gestured toward the globe.
“You need us to guide you to Myriatos.”
Ryan snapped his fingers, the prosthetic making the sound metallic.
“Indeed. The Sylv is large and wild. The Forest of Mycenaea even moreso. I know the general location, but I prefer a more specific approach.”
Arche peered closer at the map, seeing no inland rivers.
“How are we going to sail there? Is there passage farther along the coast?”
The doors opened and Lykhtin stuck her head inside.
“Ready for departure, Captain.”
“Cast off. New sights await.”
Lykhtin shut the door and shouted something to the crew. A moment later, the ship lurched and began moving. Ryan gestured for them to come forward to the windowed wall. From there they could see the wake as the Oikoumene cut through the waves, rapidly putting distance between them and the city. Arche’s stomach gave a whirl as the ship pushed up against his feet. The shoreline swung upward and he stumbled from a quick bout of vertigo. The truth dawned on him a few moments later. He turned to Ryan, eyes wide and full of awe.
“Is this an airship?”
Ryan cocked an eyebrow. “You haven’t heard the stories, then?”
Tess took Arche’s hand, her eyes fixed on the shore growing tiny before them.
“I didn’t know they were true,” she breathed.
Ryan watched them, smiling.
“Oh, to be young again and see the wonders of the world for the first time.”
“This is incredible,” Arche said. “It’s like a zeppelin. How many of these are there?”
“I don’t know what a zeppelin is, but this is the only airship in Tartarus.”
“Wow. What makes it fly?”
“More enchantments than a kingdom could afford, courtesy of one Rune Oyl.”
Arche’s fingers twitched as he thought of the skill books in his inventory, waiting to be read. There was so much to learn. They had a task to complete before he could read, however.
“You said you needed us to chart a course, right?”
“Nothing so involved.” Ryan waved a hand dismissively. “Just tell me where your village is located and I will take care of the course.”
Arche and Tess leaned over the mapping table. Ryan manipulated a dial on the side and the globe rotated slightly to show a better view of the Mycenaean Forest. Tess was the first to find their valley, spotting Mount Hyperion and pointing to a blank region nearby. That section of the map was less precise. The river was missing and the landscape was flat and uniform with trees.
“There’s a valley here, with a river flowing south from the mountain. Along the eastern bank is Myriatos.”
“Mount Hyperion.” Ryan puffed on his pipe. “That’s quite a ways into the wilderness. Very well. You both are free to return to your quarters or wander the ship as you wish.”
They left the captain to his own devices. The wind swept against their faces as they stepped out onto the uncovered deck. Tess rushed toward the edge, holding onto the railing as she stuck her head over and looked out at the water below, then twisted to see the rigging up above. Arche couldn’t help but smile at her excitement. As Alex, he’d flown in planes and helicopters, but it wasn’t the same. The wind in his face, the crew chatting and laughing with one another, Tess’s childlike excitement at the tops of the sails piercing the clouds. It was a welcome reminder that there were still beautiful experiences in Tartarus, despite all the pain.
A huge bird landed on the railing next to Tess, forcing her back a step back. It was white, with a long neck and even longer, narrow beak. It hopped onto the deck and shifted, its feathers rippling and roiling as it transformed into a man.
“Good day,” the man said.
His skin was dark and chiseled like it had been carved from stone. He was barefoot, dressed in a soft, white fabric and had black, curly hair streaked with gray. His eyes were brown and intense, and his nose had a dramatic dip that gave him a striking appearance.
“Hello,” Tess replied. “You are?”
“Looking for the captain.”
Tess blinked a few times in rapid succession, then lifted a finger and pointed toward Ryan’s quarters.
“Thank you.”
The man strode off and entered the captain’s quarters without bothering to knock. Arche wanted to try to Examine him, but he had a feeling that it wouldn’t actually do anything. All the truly interesting people seemed to be resistant to it and he was lucky that no one had gotten upset at him yet for trying, though he was sure it was only a matter of time.
“That was weird,” he said to Tess. “Any idea who that was?”
“None.” Her voice was small, as though she were still working through what happened. “He was a bird. How can he be a bird and a man?”
“Maybe he’s neither, maybe he’s both. Probably not worth dwelling on right now.”
Tess shook her head, looked out at the horizon, then turned back to Arche.
“I think I’m ready to go back to our rooms, now. What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to study enchanting and see what I can learn out of it.”
“See you for dinner, then.”
Tess disappeared down the stairs, leaving Arche alone on the deck, except for some members of the crew and a few passengers who muddled about nearby. Arche put his hands on the railing and looked out, craning his neck to see in front of the ship. In the far distance, turned blue by the atmosphere and nearly hidden, he could just barely make out Mount Hyperion, its peak hidden by the cloudbank. A week’s journey and he would be home.
He only hoped that Lyssa hadn’t had too much trouble while they were gone.