Tobias sent a message to Eralar, as they took foot back on the docks. On the mostly empty dock, he did not spot her. Farther down the dock, The Snapper was bobbing. The old man had set them up. Two good old-fashioned ropes helped keep her steady. With some of the tech The Snapper had, it felt like a waste. Onyx took off and began climbing the stairs to Kains office.
To the water again, it would have been nice to have a break from the sea. As long as we stop somewhere for the night. Heading right to our destination would be dreadful. I should check up on Solace. Haven’t heard a peep from him since the annals. Tobias thought. He took out his holoframe and attempted to get in contact.
A foul smell hovered through the air. The usual gunk and salt was replaced by something else. Tobias looked for signs of dead squid or octopus. None, which was good. They did not have to worry about getting stomped into bits.
This number is no longer reachable. Greeted him.
That’s odd. Did he forget to charge it? Turn it straight off?
He looked to the Snapper, then to Grant. Who attempted to hold both hammers in one hand and give Kain a high five.
Kain was really showing his age now. A moment too slow and he whiffed the exchange. He just cackled then gave Grant a handshake.
“Sorry guys, I believe the two young-ins just finished up on the snapper. Had run into some trouble earlier.” Kain said.
“No problem. You came through and got us ready.” Tobias said.
“Of course! We aren't fully immobile down here on the docks just yet.”
“What happened to you today? You do look the part, and exhausted.
Kain stood there slouched. His eyes drooped.
“Well…the four of us, youngins and Tom had a run in with that black stuff.
“Had some drains clogged and what not. Checked them out, to find that sludge or whatever may be building up behind it. Just left it as is. I will contact the city to check it out, once I see you off.”
Everyone just glanced at each.
“Don’t you worry now. I feel fine so far!” Kain said, trying to ease their tension.
“If you say so old man, just let us know if anything happens. We will come back and help you.” Tobias said.
“I appreciate the concern. Kain said, giving out a wink.
“Don’t know what we’d do without you.” Tobias said. He took out his holoframe. To check if Solace had sent him a message. It was not like him to be late, let alone not contact them.
From the direction of the ship, a loud “HEY KAIN!” caught everyone off guard. Beth and Bowen came running to them.
“What's the matter now?” Kain said. Tobias swore the bags under his eyes sunk lower.
“We finished prepositions but--” Beth said.
“There is a strange lady on the ship.” Bowen said, cutting in. Said she was friends with Tobias and Maxwell.”
“With those strange symbols on her arms, I don’t trust her one bit!”
“Don’t worry kids. She is with us.” Tobias said.
“She was grinning at us while speaking in another language, so weird!” Beth said.
“It would have been less scary if she hadn’t that book in front of her. We could have a curse on us!” Bowen said.
“Trust me, in this day and age you would be in worse shape. Having just a curse on you would be a blessing.” Tobias said with a grin.
“Wow. Thanks. I’m going to check on Tom, she's all yours.” The siblings quickly scampered off keeping their eyes on the snapper.
“I’ll go in and see how she is doing.” Tobias said.
Maxwell nodded and gave Tobias the go ahead motion.
Tobias stepped on the Snappers cool deck, the ink had mostly been cleaned up.
Wonder what they decided to do with the carcass. Tobias thought.
He ducked into the cabin, eyes focused on where that thing formed. A single coin gleamed from the floor. Tobias went over and picked it up slowly. From one of the seats, Eralar followed his eyes to the ceiling. Then back, puzzled.
This seemed like the one coin Mathias was always flipping around. However, the coin had the etching of Ovoroth into it. Tobias' fingers clenched and encircled the coin. On the back of the coin, multiple anker's across the sea. The front, a single giant crystal in the middle. With the landscape delicately drawn on.
What is the meaning of this? Mathias was our friend. Those beasts tore him apart but he himself was from Ovoroth. Tobias thought.
He felt a vibration go along his hand, where the hilt was located. The dragon's voice entered his mind.
Ahh, the symbol of home. A part of the core splintered off from starlight. This fragment, Heatherweald, has been silent for so long. I have not felt any of her reverberations. A shame, all of her power must be gone.
Tobias was unaware of Eralar. Focused on the hilt and the coin.
It was vast, granting species with the power to grow life, evolve. The dragon said.
Now that you mention that, I have not asked, do you have a name? Tobias asked in his mind. Still focused on the coin, the crystal taking all his attention.
I do. Srpahgentum Grael.
“I’m just going to go ahead and call you Grael.” Tobias said.
Eralar put her hand on her check and watched him. She smiled as antsy fingers tapped the curves of the chair.
“Am I missing something here? A secret message on the wall. Perhaps a secret section of the ship? No? How about something only augmented can see.” Eralar said.
“No, sorry nothing just zoning out. Perhaps actually, has that name ever come up in your history escapades? Grael?” Tobias asked.
She moved her fingers to her chin. She lightly stroked her face and tapped a foot on the ground.
“Nope I have not! Did you manage to get the armor customized?”
“Yeah, Lydon got it done for you.”
“It better be made out of some decent material. Would prefer to not be smashed into tiny pieces of beef right away.”
“They found some decent stuff. We should be fine.”
Well now. I thought we were having a nice chat there. If you would not mind. I feel the need to stretch soon. Being confined in this blade for so long is making me rather brash. Grael said.
Tobias' hands gripped the hilt just a little tighter and went: shh!
Eralar did pick up on this and looked at the hilt.
Tobias sat down adjacent from her with an awkward toothy smile.
“I do have an update on our work here as you can see.” She held the book out in front of her. With the symbols on her hands, she smacked the book a few times.
“Great news!” How did it go?” Tobias said.
“Take a look.” She motioned him over.
He got up and stood next to her. Unable to get any farther it seemed. The next page had little on it. At least it had a front and back side. The first page offered a few words in another language. The other a drawing of what looked like ocean waves.
Vo’ ne Filesch
Xa Vo’ Mahwaa Vays
Dohl Eru Petun
Mallu V
Read the caption on the next page. Whatever that had meant was accompanied by another drawing below. A sphere held in the grasp of someone's hands. Tobias tried relating it to something, anything that had transpired recently. Between both pictures, it just made him shrug. Noticing that, Eralar returned the gesture.
“Sorry, that's all I could get undone.” Eralar said.
“No problem. It's an ancient relic.” Tobias said. It however cut deep. He was hoping they would have been able to get more information on the crystals, beast and Archveil in general.
“If we want to look into more, it needs special attention. If I add any more liquid, the pages are just going to rip apart.”
“I bet you Lydon can piece it back together with technology from Ballistic.”
She shook her head.
Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.
“There is a strong chance that the ink will simply bleed into each other. Then it will be lost.”
Tobias finally sat next to her and sighed. He placed the hilt on the book. The moment the paper and the hilt touched, pages flew and his vision raced. Balls of fire falling from the sky. A giant crystal, vast as the sky itself descending down. It broke off into hundreds of pieces, the main body of it causing a huge explosion. He saw a giant piece, pierce the ground. It sank into the soil and submerged itself. Over many lifetimes, it is impossible to say how many people came to this crystal. They worshiped it, as it gave life around it. Springs, fruit, health and calm.
Eventually the brilliant green began to fade. The crystal sank farther. White clouds huddled next to him. He was in the air. Down below he saw a vast landscape. One he began to recognize as time flickered. It was Ovoroth. Their navy, patrolling the waters. Groups of people going underground. A city built above where the crystal had landed all those years ago. Down in the depths, something stirred. Beast he had not seen, writhing in pain and bursting out of the surface. All of them had black substances streaming out of their mouths. Into the water it went.
People had locked them away. Others had seemingly been sick. As they showed the same symptoms. In a cell. He saw the book with comets. Draped in a long hooded robe, someone was writing into it. He could only make out the boney hands, shakily writing in the book. The scene and vision he had came to an end. He was back next to Eralar.
“What…Happened?” Tobias said.
“Well, you placed the hilt down on the book. It opened up. Why didn't you just do that before?” Eralar said.
Tobias looked at the book. The last page was blank.
He rolled up his sleeves and took the hilt back. The hilt singed him, as it fell to the floor and began to warp. Sharp dragon claws pierces into the snappers deck. Long whiskers flowed out from a scaly face. Grael had come out from the hilt. The dragon was tiny. Like the size of a newborn pup. Unlike his vision towering over him, the tables had turned.
Tobias' eyes darted to Eralar, who was just staring at him. More specifically the tattoo on his arm. He cleared his throat then immediately looked to Grael, who had stretched out and blew puffs of smoke into the air.
“My, my. It has been too long. I’m stiff as a rock. It will take me some time to get used to my usual self.” Grael said. Bones popped as his tail smacked against Eralar. Scales hardened and his Gray eyes observing the room.
“Well Eralar, meet Grael. Met him for the first time yesterday.” Tobias said.
“Hi there. Eralar Raiv. We are about to have a problem, are we not.?” Eralar said.
“Whatever do you mean?” Grael asked.
The rest of the gang came in. Stumbling in carrying their new equipment. With most of it blocking their sight, they wadded through.
“I got your armor you requested in the back. Let me know how it fits, can fix it up if we need to. Lydon said. He put down everything was carrying.
“Well time to hi– IS THAT A DRAGON? WHAT THE HELL.” Lydon said. He ducked behind a seat. He peeked to the side with his glasses up, mouth agape.
“Well hello everyone. I’m–”
With a crashing, cans fell to the ground glass shattered. Something had hit and slit across the floor. Someone else had stumbled through the front door. Long brown hair drooped over their face. With one hand he brushed it out of his eyes.
“Hey gang. Starting to get rather foggy out there. Can't see that well.” Metlock said.
“Metlock! Glad you could make it. You still look like hell.” Tobias said.
“One too many, my friend.”
“You may need another before we head off.” Lydon said. He waved a hand at Metlock to come over. He knelt beside him, Maxwell and Grant came closer to get a better look. Tobias ran his hand up his face and through his hair.
“Your friends sure have impeccable timing to barge into our conversations. Hello everyone. I am Grael.” He said.
The group could not keep their manners, as they stared at the dragon. White and gray whiskers wisped their way up the curved seats. Tobias sat down and arms floundering. He explained what had happened with the sword and the book.
Eralar was squeezing her fist so tight. It almost looked like she dug her nails into it and drew blood. As inklets of blood, water and ink softly hit the floor. Tobias had thought of what her nightmare had been. Everyone gathered and an obscuring mist. They seemed to be safe. No chaos, besides the startled men looking at the small dragon. Until a yell pierced the air. Followed by many more and sounds of strained puking. Grael, transformed back into his hilt. By sleeking up Tobias arms and to where the hilt usually rested. His tattoo that resembled the color of the dragon and the hilt, began to move.
Something is in the air. Malice seeps from it. This could be one of those creatures from Archviel. Prepare yourself. Grael said, speaking in Tobias’s mind.
The group made their way outside. Hands on their weapons as they observed the scene in front of them. They tried to anyhow, as the fog was dense and nearly impossible to see through. Besides a couple of feet in front of them. Most of the dock workers were on the ground. Some had been rolling over clenching at their throats. Black sludge and ooze poured out of their mouths. Pores on their bodies struggled. With swift motions, as if tilting water in a glass, skin ruptured. In the backdrop of the mist, creatures jumped on the roof tops. Sudden screams, then silence as swift shadows descended.
Tobias ran straight into the mist holding onto the hilt. He only had one thought. Protecting old man Kain and the others. As he charged forward the others ran after him. His face was met with something long and cold. It felt like he had just run into concrete, as he was knocked down. Purple veins, dotted in mashed clusters, climbed a gray and sickly white skin. The legs were massive. Death and sickness from the surrounding area bored into their senses. Pairs of hands gripped his shoulders and dragged him up.
Red eyes lit up like a lighthouse. They devoured the particles of light in front of them. The way to the current shore, bathed in light, straight from hell. Corpses rolled in front of their feet, as a giant maw opened. The stench of millennium poured out. Large teeth the size of pillars, dripped with water, blood and algae. Its mouth was dark brown. Stained by all of its feast throughout the ages. Gills pulsed with life. As moisture gathered inside.
Two large eyes lowered down and fell on them. An aura of oppression kept them stunned. Veiny and strained. Bloodshot eyes circled the surrounding area, then back on them. Tobias noticed four tendons that looked like hands. However they leaked water, and were more fish-like Several giant fins bobbed like buoys against the buildings as it moved..
“Oh for fucks sake. Shoot me now.” Lydon said.
“What in the lord's name is that?” Grant said.
“Can't believe I did not notice. I'm so stupid. The ride in, the mist and fog. Just seemed like a casual day in Insmourn. It was following me, damn! It has come to claim its prize.”
Tobias shoes slipped as he took steps back. The sludge had been slippery, mostly vomit from the workers. One had suddenly grabbed his ankle. Before he could speak, his mouth filled with liquid and he passed away.
“It’s the Tulere Piscus!” Lydon yelled.
Tobias, in a rush, tried scanning to find Kains office. He could make out two figures struggling high up in the mist. They fell and tousled on the balcony. Red, from the crazed Tulere, lit up the scene. A cry of pain, followed by the toss of a body. One of them had pulled the other up, with one hand. Before hurling the body of the railing, into the blanket of gray.
Metlock could not stand the sight. Before Tobias could say anything, he fired Lockjaw at its pale, oozing body. If the bullets hit, they did something. As one eye quickly turned and glared at Metlock. The Piscus was near the height of the building. It lowered its head and drug its mouth along the ground. Teeth tore apart the docks and consumed the bodies of the deceased. It had ignored them. With a violent tear, Kains building had split open. It lunged its head into the air. To make sure it drug everything to the depths of its stomach.
This ancient creature. It is like the ones in the book. It seems craved and overly violent. What if that's how it always was? Tobias thought. Stone and wood tore at his feet. The water reached his ankles. Like hands waiting to drag him into the abyss.
You must do something now. Wield me. Or you will perish here.
After the destruction of the east side pier, and part of the city, Tobias couldn't think clearly. All the death he had seen, from that one accursed day they lost Mathias, till now. This creature feasting on them with no remorse. Tobias feet had stood him up and he charged at one of the Tulere’s legs. The green blade became solid. It punctured through the ancient creature's legs. Warm and steamy blood splattered on his face. An indescribable roar boomed out of its mouth as it was struck. It raised its leg, spewing its blood all over the dock. Instead of hobbling or moving back, it came straight down. Tobias looked straight up at the massive webbed foot. It covered him and he only saw darkness and felt nothing.
Above the foot, chaos truly spilled out. The mist seemed to thin. Shelled creatures, with twenty to fifty legs raced across the decks. The drug corpses the Tulere missed into the water. Like a funnel, they spilled into the ocean.
Others had come and attacked the crew. They had shouted at Tobias as he ran. Metlock was the first knocked down. With authority, he kicked the beast off and drove a foot into its carapace. With a stone face he shot into it.
Lydon took the anchor and chain he found at the scrap. Skin turned pale as he held it with fury. He swung at one skittering at the outskirts of the fog. The chain gleamed as it raced to its target. Miss. The creature took a turn and lunged at him from farther back. Lydon angrily smashed in front of him as it retracted. With sunglasses still on, he whipped it at one more time. Blue lit up at the chain's end as it connected. In a violent burst, its body now littered the dock. Legs still twitching as if trying to reach him.
Eralar was in trance, as her nightmare had become reality. She ran over to where Tobias had been crushed and grabbed at the Tuleres leg. Symbols from her hands oozed and formed on the fleshy white leg. Small chunks of flesh began to pop out from within the symbols. Pieces hit the ground and vaporized. Grant and Maxwell saw the opportunity and ran at the exposed pieces. Axes shred skin, and guns scattered more pieces into the air.
From the balcony of Kains office the figure that was left, drew a smirk. Further out into Clausum Mare, sirens rang out.
The Tulere Piscus raised its leg, rubble from the dock raining down on them. As it lowered its mouth to the surface once again. This time it spoke. In a guttural language. Everyone fell to their knees as pain racked their head.
Time. Dividers, crystal consumed. Gray metallic soldiers march. He born of chaos and the dark. Shall form the husk of this world.
Unknown fluids spilled from its gills as it took steps forward. Seemingly unaffected by their attempts, it marched off the docks and into the sea. It left an odd bubbling trail from its wounds.
Tobias took in the words as he held his hands above him. Gray and black scales grew across his arms. He lay on his back and stared into the fog. He did not get crushed to death.
You are welcome. That was a stronger blow than I was anticipating. That rather hurt if I'm honest. Grael said, speaking into Tobias mind. Tobias tried to move his arm but could not. He felt the same pain as Grael. With an elbow planted into the shattered deck he rose to his feet. The scales retracted and he looked around at the carnage. The other hand limp at his side. He then ran to Kains office. Before he did, he noticed his hat at the bottom of the stairs. Without breathing, he moved to the hat. He saw what he had hoped not to. Kain was on his back, eyes wide open. Tobias went to pick him up before a hand from his presumed corpse waved him off.
“I'm…not gone yet. Go after those freaks now. You hear? Give me a minute and I will take care of everything here. Kain said, in rasped tones.
Tobias knew better to argue with the old man. He picked up his hat, put it on Kain and helped him up. With ragged breaths he sat him on the stairs.
“Go now.” Kain said.
Tobias gave him a longing look saying nothing. He turned and saw the others had gathered at the front of the boat. Next was something he was also not ready for. Solace’s body was in Grant's arms. He picked him up and he looked to be in awful shape.
What is going on? Can't think, right now getting to Underbite and after the Tulere is more of a concern. When the boat is on its way, there will be time. Tobias thought as they all gathered into the cabin.
Maxwell approached Tobias.
“I’ve called in to the CGA. Something is going on in the city. Lots of sudden sickness. There will be back up here asap.” Maxwell said.
“That's fine. I hate to leave now, but Kain said he had it here.”
“I will set a course for us then. We can chat on the way there.”
“Yes we need to make haste. If we do not find out what's going on with that creature from the docks and Tulere, we could lose a lot more than I thought.” Tobias said. Outside the sky had darkened but the rain held back for now. Waves crashing along the ship. The crew put Solace in a room to rest up. Then talked about what had just happened. What was the Tulere talking about? Tobias knew the crystal was losing power. It also brought up the Dividers. So some things made sense.
About an hour into the voyage a small mass of land rose from the waters. Tobias took out his holoframe to check the route of the Snapper, Underbite was just ahead. He checked the news as well. Hospitals suddenly overwhelmed with the sick. Black sludge found in water sources. Some contaminated food stores as well.
Just like the fish barrels. All the creatures from Archveill and the Tulere, must be poisoning the waters. Just like in that nightmare. Is there anything you can tell me about Mathias? Tobias thought.
This quick respite, Tobias went to the stern. The cool ocean breeze refreshed him. Though something did not feel right anymore. He went over and leaned into a rail. His gaze fell into the dark waves.
Only a few boats could be seen and a few lights from Underbite. Eralar stood at the edge of the boat lost in thought.
The Snapper began to slow as it passed through a canal. The sea closed up behind them as they entered the town.