The next morning, Khaska’s prayers were interrupted by a knock on the door. He came to it and found Simtor standing there.
“Simtor!”
“I heard about what happened on the docks yesterday, and wished to come see if I could help.”
“Your company would be most welcome. Will you join me in my morning prayers?”
Khaska and Simtor spoke and prayed together. Khaska made sure to prepare the Gentle Repose spell, as he was planning on casting it on Fan’s body at the morgue. He would do so every few days, so that she could be returned to her family with as little change as possible.
The clerics spoke, and Khaska was glad of the company. Then Simtor asked his help on something. “Several that were there on the docks or on nearby ships said that you gave a benediction over Fan’s body, and that it was beautiful. I would learn this benediction from you, if that would be appropriate.” Khaska gladly taught him the words, and the older cleric repeated them over and over until he had them memorized. To Khaska the very room seemed a sacred place, with the two clerics speaking to each other of rites and rituals, of holiness, and of friends now departed.
The older cleric accompanied him to the morgue, lending him strength by his presence, helping him see the broken, lifeless body of Fan lying on a slab. He cast Gentle Repose on her, and watched as the magic settled in.
“I am glad you came with me this morning,” Khaska said.
“I will be at the shrine where we first met,” Simtor said. “Should you need anything, please come. We have evening prayers as the sun sets. You would be most welcome, even if we do not worship according to your custom.”
“Perhaps I can learn from you, as this morning you have learned from me.”
Simtor smiled, and with that, turned and left. Khaska took a deep breath, watching the other Maha’i cleric depart. Then he turned. There was investigation to do. The city watch had not yet found where the laundrywoman was, so he began investigating other things on his own.
Discovering the spells employed by the cult members the other day was easy enough, talking briefly to a local wizard at their magic shop. Chain Lightning was what had been used to kill Fan. The weird echo from their voices was likely Message, which was usually used for whispering messages, but would accurately transmit as loud as you cared to make your voice to the other person.
He searched and talked about Twilight and the Tawruian monastery at the skyship port. Many Halflings and gnomes had visited the place in their nomadic travels. It was on the other side of the planet, but eventually he was able to find someone who had been there recently, just a few months ago.
“There’s trouble in Twilight, I tell you,” the gnome said. “Why do you think I came here? Used to work for Bjorik and Sons, mostly small stuff, private transports and quickly needed transactions, things like that. My ship is small and fast! Perfect for such things. But with the trouble with the local goblin lord, the miners have had more and more troubles keeping their quotas, and Miss Redhair didn’t have much work, even for me. So I came here to meet old friends, swap stories, and see if my ship and I could get more work!”
“What are the local goblins doing?”
“Attacking! Used to be that Kagu the Cunning would harass the miners a little, but nobody ever got injured. Well, not seriously, anyway. But the last year or so . . . well, the goblins have started killing people. Still plenty of miners, but now they need armed guards, hazard pay. It’s just slowing the whole thing down.”
“And do you know of a monastery there, built many centuries ago by the Knights of the Silver Dragons?”
“Eh? A monastery? By Twilight?” He laughed uproariously. “What a terrible place for a monastery!”
“It was abandoned over a hundred years ago.”
“Ah! Well, that might be the very place that Kagu lives now! Big old stone building several leagues outside of the city itself, alone atop a plateau. Always seemed a bit out of place, and now I guess I know why. Who knew?”
Khaska was unable to discover anything else relating to Twilight or to Tawru. He saw neither Jenika nor Rynn that day.
However, the next morning, the ranger was sitting at a booth in the inn’s bar. Khaska sat down across from him. Jenika joined them a few minutes later. Somberly, Khaska let them know of his findings about Fan and her family, as well as what he had learned about the magic employed by the cultists, and about Twilight.
Rynn was saddened by the news about Twilight. The ranger had spent some time there, and knew about the area fairly well. Kagu’s stepping up attacks seemed an unfortunate turn of events.
They checked in with the precinct, and this time Captain Redale had news for them. “We’ve found the lady that Joss was to get his money from. We wanted to send some people to go question her. Do you want to come? I know you’re all involved in this, what with your friend dying and all and your other friend joining these cultists. When we arrest her, the Knights wanted to talk to her too. And we’re still holding Azkabar Muldoon, until we get to the bottom of all of this.”
“I would love to come and hear what she has to say,” said Rynn. “I hope their cell has been broken up by the death of their leader.”
“If this Irina is a cultist, there may yet be others in the city,” said Khaska. Jenika, still mulling over the events of the past few days, merely nodded assent. Captain Redale himself led the squad, assisted by a single Knight.
Irina Heppler’s laundry service was near the docks, and it looked like it was mostly for sailors’ clothes and for repairing torn sails. She was an older woman, mostly grey hair pulled back with a scarf, grimy, coated in sweat and water from washing, and was sitting in a small courtyard with a large sail when the squad came in, a few needles sticking out here or there from the sail as she repaired a tear in it.
When the squad entered, she looked up for a moment, and then looked right back down, continuing her work. “I suppose you’re here about Belim,” she said. “That right?”
Redale gave a start. “Yes,” he said. “How did you know?”
“He was never that bright, and I knew he’d be caught sooner or later. Rumors started a few days ago, and I put two and two together. Was always reluctant to give him my share of the gifts for the cause.”
“And what is your cause?”
“Won’t tell you.” She wasn’t even looking up from her work, focused on the repair work, her stubby fingers flying as she sewed. “I haven’t done anything wrong. You might not like it, but I make an honest living, and what I do with my money is my own business. I choose to give it to Belim. Though, I don’t know what became of it since then.”
“So you admit to being a member of the Cult of Skyrnyn!” the Knight asked.
“Yes. What of it? My beliefs are my own.”
“Not if they cause you to commit crimes!” replied the paladin.
“Are you daft? Hard of hearing? I have committed no crime. You want to drag one of your clerics here. Cast a Zone of Truth! You’ll find I’m right. I give my money to Master Sandgrin for the cause.”
Rynn was troubled. “The cause” was a phrase that Amara and Belim had both used repeatedly when he had been “captured” for the sting operation a few days ago. What was “the cause?”
“I’m afraid you’ll have to come with me, ma’am,” said Redale.
“On what charges?”
“Conspiracy, to begin with. We’ll work from there.”
“I’m not coming.” She still hadn’t moved from her spot, though the other workers were clearly getting nervous. Several of the washers strewn around the courtyard had stopped their work, the suds from the soap still on their hands.
“Yes you are!” Redale motioned to two of the guards and they moved forward. Irina sprang up as they approached, giving one a shove. The man was unprepared for it and fell, but the other quickly grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her. For all her fiery temper, she was no match for a trained soldier.
“Let go of me!” Another soldier brough forward irons to bind her hands.
“You are to come with us. Rider Lystria will interrogate you personally!” the Knight said.
“Rider Lystria!” Irina said, startled. The shock of the announcement was such that her mouth stayed open for a few seconds. Then she nodded. “Why didn’t you say so? Let’s go!” She had been kneeling down as they shackled her hands behind her back, but came laboriously to her feet the moment she could.
Jenika and Khaska glanced at each other. That was a sudden change in mood.
----------------------------------------
The chapterhouse of the Knights in this city was more towards the skyship port, a good hour’s walk away. Despite her obvious discomfort and having her arms bound, and her heavyset body, and the heat, and her dirty clothes soaked in sudsy water, Irina seemed to want to make better time than even the city watchmen and the Knight.
Rynn, Khaska, and Jenika were let in with Captain Redale and the Knight who had accompanied them. “Rider Lystria will want to speak to you as well,” the captain said.
Rider Lystria was wearing just the simple robes of an acolyte, and there were inkstains on her fingers as they entered the room she was in. Khalisara himself, in his human form, was lounging on a couch off to the side, reading a book. He was dressed in different clothes than they had seen before, at the skyship port. This time it was all white, with gold trim. He looked very out of place, a nobleman in a garrison, a member of the higher classes condescending to live with peasants. Rynn felt self-conscious just being in his presence as the dragon’s eyes swept over all of them, assessing them in a glance.
“Captain Redale,” Rider Lystria began. “Thank you for bringing . . .”
The moment Irina was led through the door, she burst from her guards and fell to her knees, facing Khalisara.
“Oh great one! I am honored to be in your presence. I ever hope that the cause will be successful and that you will one day be free from your enslavement!”
Khalisara dropped the book down a few inches, his eyes fixed on her from across the room. Everybody else had gone silent. “You wish to free . . . me?” Again, his voice was slightly off, a deep human voice with overtones of something darker, more power, more sinister. “How intriguing.”
“You work to free Khalisara?” asked Rider Lystria. She waved the guards out, and they left, shutting the door behind them.
“That is our cause. That is what we hope to accomplish! You have enslaved the dragons! With no good dragons, you have turned against everything they stood for and reduced yourselves to slavers, hoping to accomplish with brute force what virtue alone should be able to accomplish.”
“You do know that if he were free he would kill you without a second thought?” asked the Rider.
“Well, not now,” came the silky voice from across the room. The dragon had stood, and had taken a step towards Irina. “She’s intrigued me. Besides, I wouldn’t kill everybody here anyway. There needs to be those to tell the tales about me, right?” With that he laughed, and the laugh morphed between a human laugh and the half-dragon voice that occasionally slipped out.
“Be quiet!” Rider Lystria snapped, her hand going to the Orb of Dragon Control around her neck.
Khalisara stopped laughing, abruptly. He glowered at Lystria for a moment, then sat back down on the couch.
“How would your cult succeed in this task?” the Dragonrider asked the quaking dwarf woman on the floor.
“I do not know all the details, fiend!” At that, Captain Redale took a step forward, but Lystria brought her hand up and signaled him to stop. “We give our money to our leaders, and there is some plan to help free the dragons. I know not what it entails!”
“I don’t believe you,” Lystria said. “Unfortunately for you, we have been tracking this cult for a long time. I am going to cast Zone of Truth. If you do not answer all of my questions completely and thoroughly, I will turn you over to the authorities and they will imprison you for conspiracy to steal and commit murder!”
“And resisting arrest,” muttered Captain Redale.
“And resisting arrest,” Rider Lystria echoed. She turned to the party. “The murder is that of your friend. I am terribly sorry for the loss of this Fan. I was unable to find the ship yesterday. It will have traveled too far to catch easily now, but now we know to look for it. Word will be spread through all the chapters of the Knights, depending also on what I find out here.”
She didn’t even wait for a response before moving toward Irina. Captain Redale jerked her to her feet. The paladin muttered a prayer, invoking the spell. She seemed to glow slightly for a moment, and all three of the party felt its influence, even from across the room. This was no surprise to Khaska. He knew that Dragonriders were powerful paladins, and the spell would extend for some area.
“Now!” Her voice was sharper. She was in no mood to play now. “Do you know more about the plans of the cult?”
Irina was clearly struggling, and did not answer. Her jaw set.
“If you don’t answer me, you will be in prison for a very long time.”
“You think you’re so righteous, but you’re the worst. Yes! I know more! We’ve been collecting gifts, hording money, stealing from your grain stores and water collections for years!”
“Why?”
“To buy their freedom!” Rider Lystria backed up. Khalisara laughed, but he shut up at a glance from his rider.
“You intend to buy the freedom of the dragons?” Rider Lystria’s voice was strained. She was very nearly snickering.
“At least some of them. Or some eggs. Something. If nothing happens, they will all die! You will be the front lines of a years-long war with the Arkenos forces! All of the metallic dragons died last time! And we will be in a world with no more dragons!” Irina began to cry. “You will be responsible for the genocide of the most noble race of creatures, even if all the remaining ones are evil!”
“Your concern is touching,” Khalisara said.
“You will be dead too!” Irina wasn’t finished. “But the remaining Knights. The ones who survive. The blood of all dragonkind will be on their hands! The death of an entire species, and for your own selfish goals! Enslavement! Entrapment! Death! Are these from the Code of the Good Dragons? I fear you should trade your shiny armor for black armor!”
“What about slaves?”
“What about them?”
“Does the cult do slave trading?” Rider Lystria was pacing now.
“Not that I know of. Belim thought it would be stupid and draw too much attention to us in this city.”
“So it was suggested?”
“I guess so. He mentioned it to me once when I gave my tribute to the cause.”
“What about the Adder Invictus? Do you know of that ship?”
“Never heard of it before.”
“A woman named Gulnith?”
“I don’t know who that is.”
“Belim was your leader. Who did he report to?”
“I don’t know.”
A few more rounds of questions like that and it became obvious that Irina’s usefulness as a source of information was at its end.
“Anything else you want to say before I release the spell?”
“I didn’t do anything against the law. I may believe in the cause, but I got mouths to feed at home. I donated what I could, but I never did anything else. I don’t know what the others did.”
“Others?”
“There are others in the city. We don’t have meetings though. Master Sandgrin is a cleric. I’m a laundress. Anybody who believes in dragons can join! Anybody who thinks your vaunted Code is a farce! Anybody who wants these ancient, noble creatures to survive the Dark Times! Anybody who believes . . .”
“That’s enough. Thank you. Captain Redale, take her and lock her up. We’ll discuss charges later.”
“Great one!” Irinia shouted, again dropping to one knee. “It had been an honor.” The captain grabbed her arms and hoisted her to her feet. “I haven’t done anything wrong! I swore to it! You know I’m telling the truth!” But the captain opened the door and dragged the screaming dwarf woman out.
Rider Lystria turned to the group. “You’ve had dealings with this group for a while. One of your friends was a member, this Amara. You went with her to capture Belim, but he is dead and she is gone. What can you tell me about the cult that Irina may not have known? She is not evil. I would have sensed that.”
“Just stupid,” growled Khalisara.
Khaska spoke up first, and explained everything that had happened with the cult since they had arrived. Rynn and Jenika filled in as they went. From the first encounter with them on Godfrey’s ship to the raid on Belim’s house (and secret shrine to the Dragon Queen) and Fan’s joining, keeping tabs on Amara, and finally Amara’s breaking free. Rynn showed her the ring he had gotten from Amara. Rider Lystria showed it to Khalisara, who confirmed the significance of the rune—the draconic symbol for “worship.”
“This cult is dangerous,” Khaska finished up. “They have no compunction to achieving their goals in any manner, even killing some of their own to do so, and with no regard to the lives of others.”
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
“The slavery is what most worries me,” Rider Lystria said. “Though apparently the cell in this city wasn’t involved in that. Slaves would be a good bargaining chip, it’s true. Hostages, I guess.”
“Slaves,” Rynn chimed in. “When I was pretending to be captured, they mentioned that they were actually using the slaves somewhere on the death side.”
Rider Lystria frowned. “The other dragonriders and I have been trying to stop the slave trade on that side of the moon for years. Decades. It’s very difficult, though. If one slaver is stopped, two more spring up in his place.”
“It appears the cult is joining with other evil people, though,” said Jenika. “We found evidence that they are working with a group out of Darkcrest. They seem to be linked to vampires somehow. We are going to try to intercept a former compatriot of mine that will be escorting one of these people in their dealings with the cult.”
“There are many vampires on the death side of the moon,” said Lystria. “The cycle of the sun makes for a safer environment for them, more freedom.”
“That would make sense, depending where they were,” said Rynn. “In some places I bet the sun is only visible for a few hours a day.”
“You’ve been to the death side?” asked Khalisara.
Rynn was quiet. He hadn’t expected to be answering questions from the dragon. He looked at Rider Lystria, who nodded for him to answer.
“Not that deep into it, but that’s where I began my training as a ranger.” The dragon was already reading his book again. He had made substantial progress on it in the few minutes they had been here, flipping the pages at a very fast rate.
“So what do you intend to do with Muldoon?” asked Rynn.
“That’s the gentleman that was arrested with Belim, but wasn’t a cult member, right?”
“Yes,” said Khaska. “We have notes of his that link him to the cult, but only superficially. Our guess is that he works for a mercenary, Jenika’s former compatriot. She will work for the cult, if she gets the notes.”
“Well, there’s nothing inherently wrong with being a mercenary,” said Rider Lystria. “And releasing Muldoon would help you track down this old friend of yours?”
“She’s not my friend.” Jenika’s tone was flat.
“Ah. Vengeance will not satisfy you, Jenika.”
“Justice will, I hope,” said Khaska. He was aware of the depth of Jenika’s feelings on this subject, and wished to avoid a moral disagreement with a Dragonrider. Apparently Lystria felt the same, and dropped the issue. She continued.
“My understanding was that the local authorities didn’t have any reason to keep him, but wanted to keep him locked up while this cult investigation finished up. Now that it has, they were just going to release him.”
“That’s what we want,” said Jenika. “We will know where they will be in the future to meet up with this official or whatever. This Lady Maramos.”
“What is your plan? Just attack your friend?”
“I haven’t decided,” said Jenika.
“Well, I wish you luck. Muldoon will be released, and given back his things, including the letters.”
“We wished to make copies of them, do you know of a place or someone who could do so?” asked Khaska.
“Copies?”
“Forgeries,” said Rynn. “If we had convincing forgeries, it’s possible we could take over Kaylee’s contract and escort this Lady Maramos through her meetings and discover more of what is happening with the cult.”
“A clever idea. Are you sure you can be the equivalent of this Kaylee? If you are not up to the task of playing bodyguard, then you may very well merely end up dead.”
“We will see,” Jenika said softly.
“I am here on assignment to train skyships in aerial combat, and don’t know much about the local city. You need to ask one of Sir Alquaban’s Knights about forgeries and such things. He is the chapter head here.”
There were a few more questions that Lystria had for them, but a few minutes later she dismissed them. Rynn noticed that Khalisara had finished his book and watched them leave, the dragon’s sharp eyes following them as they left.
Captain Redale knew a man who was skilled enough at forgery that they took the documents to him. The man charged them 9 gold, and an hour later they had their documents. Rynn’s ring served as the source for the sealed wax sign from Rickas Yrthraz, and making the extra mark to indicate the draconic superlative was easily enough done before the wax hardened fully.
Jenika partially wanted to go after Kaylee now, trailing Muldoon. However, Khaska and Rynn persuaded her that the offer from Godfrey was too good to pass up. They could head to Twilight and save months of overland travel, and it would be simple to give Fan’s body back to her family on the way. Jenika was convinced. Besides, they knew were Kaylee would be in a few months time. So it was finally decided and Captain Redale let Mr. Muldoon out, returned his things, and let him go free. He was given the originals.
Khaska and Jenika went to the skyship port to tell Godfrey and Akle about their decision. Godfrey was excited. “I had wanted to find a place where trade is going on a lot, and Twilight was on the list, so it’s perfect!”
Akle was more reserved, catching up to them as they walked away from the ship, inquiring about their reasons for going around the moon to Twilight. Khaska was slightly unwilling to share his reasons, though, for their personal nature and his secrets of Tawru. Akle seemed not to mind, really, but seemed more serious as he pulled Khaska aside, replying.
“Well, we all has our secrets, doesn’t we, Khaska?” Akle looked at him. “Some we share, like what you found back where we were attacked on our way here, and some that we does not. Even friends must keep secrets from each other sometimes, so don’t mind.” Khaska had the distinct impression that Akle was implying that there was some secret that he was keeping from Khaska. The gnome gave a goofy smile, and then finished. “But whatever. If Twilight is where you’s headed, then I’m with Captain Godfrey!” He disappeared up the ladder to the ship.
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Rynn, however, had a few things he wanted to attend to. After Fan’s death he had spent a few days in the woods and fields nearby, wondering again about the weirdness of civilization, and whether he fit in. However, in his reflections, he had thought of a few things he could do in cities. Tracking in a city would be different, but he has a hypothesis of how it could be done without relying on smell or spoor or tracks or anything like that.
And so it was that he began asking questions. He inquired with Captain Redale and Knight Franmore. He asked around at jewelers, tracking anybody who may have seen a ring like Amara’s—now his, actually. He asked around Irina’s place, and even watched for a few hours. That was how he discovered another member of the cult. A Maha’i came in and Rynn’s sharp eyes noticed that he wore a gold ring with the cult’s symbol on it. The Maha’i entered, then left a few minutes later.
Rynn followed him at a distance, eventually tracking him down to a lumberyard on the south end of town where business was wrapping up for the day. A large number of wooden planks—Rynn guessed for shipbuilding—were being stacked on a cart just outside the lumberyard. The ranger watched for a few minutes from across the street, wondering if he would have to keep tracking this Maha’i all evening, too. But then one of the workers stumbled on the cobblestones and fell to the ground, his leg caught under the beam. Rynn half jumped into the situation to help before he realized what he was doing, pulling the wood off the man with the help of the others. He was not seriously injured, just a nasty bruise, but the man limped off back inside the lumberyard, helped by a friend.
“Friend, could you help me stack these last four or five?” the Maha’i asked Rynn.
“Me?” Rynn was a bit startled.
“I’ll buy you a drink after for your trouble. Just a few more left and we’re driving it to the shipyard tonight.” Shrugging, the ranger acquiesced. There were indeed just a few left, and after stacking and tying them down, which only took a few minutes, another employee of the lumberyard came out and drove away with them.
“Thanks for your help, stranger.”
“Rynn, at your service.”
“I’m Hedaya.” The two shook hands. “I’m going to grab my things. I was serious about that drink, if you want.”
Rynn hesitated. Remembering what happened the last time he joined someone for a drink.
“Just one drink,” he said. “I probably shouldn’t drink any more than that.”
The Maha’i took him to a tavern and ordered them both an ale. Rynn ordered food, too, wanted to try to offset his potential inebriation. Eventually Rynn pulled out the ring. Hedaya’s eyes got a little wide.
“You are an adherent to the cause?”
Rynn didn’t want to lie, but the alcohol in him aided his being slightly tricky about it.
“No, but I had a friend who was. She recently left town and I got her ring, and I wanted to know more about it. I saw that you had one, and wanted to ask you.”
Hedaya basically gave Rynn a rundown that they had already discovered from Irina. The Cult of Skyrnyn was dedicated to freeing the dragons by acquiring money. The money was collected and given to the local cell leader—at least, that’s how it was done here. “Belim was killed a few days ago, we don’t know who did it,” Hedaya whispered. “So I’d be careful. Whatever he was collecting has surely been either shipped to the Citadel, or taken by whoever killed him. It was probably a good deal of money. I don’t think the higher-ups in the cult come by that often.”
“What’s the Citadel?”
“I heard Master Sandgrin mention it once or twice. I think it’s the headquarters of the group, but I don’t know for sure. It’s at least where the offerings for the cause are sent.”
“Do you know where it is?”
Hedaya snorted. “No. A little above my paygrade though, I’m sure. Probably hidden in some old dragon lair where it will be hard to find. Who knows?”
Rynn and he talked for a little while. Eventually, Hedaya had to leave. “Don’t want to keep the wife waiting. Hey, if you wanted to talk more about Skyrnyn, you should talk to Irina Heppler. She runs Heppler’s Laudry Services by the docks, and she’s as dedicated as anybody I know. She got me into it.”
He left a few silver on the table as a tip and then got up and left. Rynn followed a few minutes later, after finishing his meal.
As he wandered back to his inn, he pondered on his investigations. It seemed that many low-level members of the cult did not know about what the leaders were doing, or rather, how the leaders were doing it, even if their general objectives seemed the same. The information about the Citadel . . . that was interesting. He would have to follow up on it in the future. But so far his instincts had proved him right; in a weird kind of way, he was able to use talking and gossip as a means to track people down. He had been trained by Arandur as a ranger in the wild, but even in a city one could adapt the principles of life in the wild. He was satisfied with the day’s activities.
He returned to the inn as Khaska and Jenika were eating dinner. Khaska was about to leave to go to evening prayers with Simtor and his congregation, but he had a few minutes left. They discussed a few things. Godfrey was still looking for a few sailors to fill his crew—many having taken their leave of him after he was cut from serving in the Jenoan Air Navy under the Knights. It would be a day or so before preparations were complete to leave. Rynn would look to purchase a few more items in the meantime, and he and Khaska and Jenika talked about what they could do in the city for a few days. Khaska expressed interest in visiting the library a few more times as he could. Jenika, however was sitting quietly in her chair. It was Khaska who first noticed the monk’s lack of conversation.
“Are you troubled, Jenika?” the cleric asked.
“Just thinking about Kaylee.”
“Oh?”
“Still seems like following Muldoon might be a good idea.”
“I thought we had decided on going to Twilight first?” said Rynn.
“We did, but . . . part of me still wants to rush after Kaylee right now.”
Khaska put a hand out. “That may not be wise,” he said. “A rush to confrontation. Besides, we do know where Kaylee will be in a few months.”
“We should still get there early,” said Rynn. “Set a trap. Figure out what the cult cell there is doing. Gain the advantage. Wherever Muldoon is going, that’s Kaylee’s territory, likely where she lives while not being what I assume is a well-paid mercenary. I, for one, vote we set up our own territory, to gain the advantage, or at least neutralize hers.”
Jenika sighed. “I suppose you’re right. I’m still not entirely sure why Twilight holds such interest for you, though.”
“This seems the opportune time to go, with a free trip on airship to the other side of the moon,” said Khaska.
“Yes, but why Twilight?” Khaska put down the piece of bread he had been eating. He looked down at his plate. Somewhat ashamed of himself, he realized that in all their travels together these past few months, he had never told Jenika of his discovery in Hammerdine. The secrets of Tawru.
“Can we speak of these things in private?” he asked. Furrowing her brow, she nodded.
“Do you want me to come along?” asked Rynn.
“Yes. It would be good to tell this tale again, with friends to lend me strength, for it is painful, though it grows less so with each telling.”
They took their food up to Khaska’s room, where he sat on the bed and pulled out the scroll that Dragonrider Reitman had made. “I have mentioned the hero of my people, Tawru, before.” Jenika nodded.
“I remember the basic story,” she said. “Maha’i paladin, betrayed by the Knights centuries ago. Freed the slaves here in this city, correct?” Khaska nodded, then continued.
“What I have not shared with you before now is this. I discovered this in the library of the Knights in Hammerdine. This is a copy of the original. So far, I have felt to entrust its secrets with very few. Dragonrider Reitman, Rynn, in our time after the,” he glanced at the ranger, “. . . incident with Adam. Then Loremaster Onasus . . .” he held it out to her, “and now you.”
Jenika took it and read it.
“So that is why you want to go to Twilight?”
Khaska nodded. “And Loremaster Onasus tasked me with taking a brooch of his to the monastery. He was a friend of this Treewind. And Twilight is the last place Tawru’s scimitar, Kvanir, was known to have been.”
Jenika rolled the scroll up. “I hope we will be successful.”
“I pray Markus grant us success, as well. But I must be going now if I am to attend the services tonight at the church near the dock. We will speak on this more later, I hope.”
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Rynn tossed and turned in his bed that night, unable to sleep. Eventually, he came out of his room, packed his stuff, and checked out of the inn just after midnight. He and Ranna made their way to the skyship port where he laid out his bedroll near where the Skycutter hovered a few feet off of the ground. Akle was sitting on the side of the ship, carving something with his small knife. The gnome gave a jaunty wave before returning to his work. Rynn settled down and remained camped there until they were ready to leave.
As expected, it was a few days before the supplies could be gathered for the skyship trip and the crew fully assembled. Rynn stayed around by the Skycutter aiding as he could. He found he enjoyed the work of preparing a ship, though he didn’t think he had much knack for it. Godfrey was quite happy to have Rynn help, just making sure his work was checked by a more competent sailor. He and Khaska were both able to upgrade some of their equipment and armor in the city, and Jenika made a few purchases in the meantime as well. Eventually, though, the time came to leave. The city held many bad memories, now chief among them Amara’s betrayal and Fan’s death. All those months ago they had met up in the Niktean Wastes, but now their numbers were just three. First, Orensland, running from his father with the shadowdancers, then Amara’s betrayal and joining the Cult of Skyrnyn, and Fan, though she had been their friend for just a day, had died. Just the three of them now, making the journey to Twilight.
Fan’s body was brought aboard the ship in a coffin, Akle himself had paid for it upon discovering the tragedy of her death. The crew was sympathetic to their slight detour, even when Godfrey himself laid down the law that they would be going to Pemmagadhra. Khaska renewed his Gentle Repose on the body one morning after his daily prayers. It seemed that all was in order.
The morning they were to leave, Rynn was up early with the sunrise. He was looking forward to traveling again, even if it would be in a skyship. He was no stranger to traveling this way, but Godfrey seemed much more relaxed about it than the other captains he had travelled with. But now it was time to move on. He sat on the side of the ship with Akle. Rynn had begun to make a new bow, and he and the gnome sat next to each other, both carving and crafting pieces of wood. Akle was still working on the carving of a silver dragon. Rynn tried to be surreptitious about it, but Akle’s work was incredibly detailed and exquisite. The ranger couldn’t help but stare sometimes.
Khaska and Jenika arrived from their inn, having checked out and prepared to go. Khaska was slightly nervous. It would be his first time flying. Jenika had been on a sailing ship, but the journey had not been difficult for her. From all reports, skyship sailing was easier than sea sailing, so she was not worried.
“There are a few more last-minute things to be put on,” said Godfrey to the party. “They should be arriving any minute, but after that I think we’ll cast off and head to the west!” The gnome was clearly having a good time, happy, and looking forward to the journey. His love of sailing was infectious.
Akle’s carving was almost complete, and Khaska and Jenika could see the serpentine form of a dragon in the gnome’s hands. Khaska walked over to the side of the ship (which was resting on the ground) to look at it.
“That is exquisite work, Akle,” said Khaska.
“Yous think so? I still don’t know if I get the head right. It doesn’t look anything like the paintings of silver dragons.” He leaned in close, whispering. “I’s like to think our saving friend would be happy with it, though. You know.” He winked.
He held it up to the rising sun, turning it over in his hands. “Maybe I’ll try for a gold dragon next, but the whiskers . . . that will be difficult.”
Akle looked up sharply, just past Khaska. “Trouble.” He whistled low behind him, then dropped down to the ground, leaving the small carving on the side of the ship.
Khaska turned just in time to see a small group of people arriving. They were all dressed in similar clothing, a uniform of some kind. Grayish colors, with various insignia on the shoulders. It took him a moment to realize what it signified—Skyfleet naval officers. Teadric Ashworthy was in front of the assembled group.
“Godfrey!” he called.
Godfrey appeared on the deck, walking over to the side.
“What do you want, Teadric?” His tone was frosty.
“Just wanted to see you off!”
“Well, now you’ve seen me. Goodbye.”
“Yous one of a kind, Teadric,” Akle practically spat. “What? You come here to brag about your appointment in the navy? Show off your nice new duds? Rub some salt in the wound of my friend here, eh?”
“You watch your mouth, you little weakling!” It was Caden. He was also in a new uniform. “You’re now speaking to an officer of the fleet.”
Akle smiled. “And what yous gonna do about it? Don’t matter what uniform you wear, I’d rather fly with Godfrey than any of you fancy-pants tweedledums.”
“Well, while you’re flying around transporting rocks or some such, we will be sailing the skies in defense of the moon!” Teadric said. “Goodbye, Godfrey!” The halfling waved and then turned and left. Several of his crew left with him.
Several did not.
“So,” said Jeremy, looking right at Jenika. “You’re still here.”
Jenika said nothing.
“Not even going to say anything?”
“I have nothing to say to you.”
“Boy, you’re something else. Leading a man on like that.”
“Go away.”
“No. I’m an officer of the fleet now. Skyship port belongs to me more ‘n it belongs to you!”
“I think,” Akle said, stepping forward, “that you should leave. We’ll be on our way soon.”
“Are you threatening me, little gnome?”
“You’re very perceptive.”
Rynn had jumped down too, and Khaska was there at his side.
“Officers of the fleet don’t have to be polite, I take it,” Khaska murmured. Rynn nodded.
Akle was standing right in front of Jeremy now, coming up roughly to his waist. The effect was slightly comical, but Akle wasn’t backing down.
“Akle, come back to the ship,” said Godfrey. “We’ll be on our way soon.”
“Yeah, knowing you couldn’t hack it in the navy. Crawling back to wherever you came from!” yelled one of the other men with Jeremy.
Jenika reached out a hand to take Akle by the shoulder, to guide him away.
“Oh no! Someone here needs to be put in their place!” Jeremy yelled. “You need to respect us!”
Jenika shook her head. And that was all it took to finally set him off. He closed in with the monk and threw a punch. Jenika nimbly dodged out of the way and he missed, but with a shout his buddies began to converge on them.
Khaska had been expecting this, and was already muttering a prayer to invoke a quick spell—Calm Emotions, which almost immediately had the desired effect. Several of the men with Caden stopped in their tracks, puzzled and blinking. They would not be a problem . . . people affected by such a spell would not take aggressive actions.
Caden and one of the remaining men, however, were unaffected. Caden threw another punch and totally missed. Jenika dodged him completely. The other man went straight at Akle, but the gnome, surprisingly, grabbed ahold of his legs and threw him to the ground, pinning him in a choke-hold. Caden glanced at his buddy on the ground, then threw another punch as Rynn began to run towards them. Jenika ducked again. By now Rynn was with her, but Khaska’s words brought him up short.
“Honor and war are brothers sworn to the death. They have no honor to defend, and our honor needs no defense.” Rynn paused, he himself had to shake off the affect of Khaska’s spell. Caden threw yet another punch, and Jenika simply stepped to the side. The monk seemed to have this well in hand.
“You know,” said Akle. “I think your way is better, my monkish friend.” With that, he shoved his assailant’s face into the ground and then jumped back several feet. The man, enraged, flew at Akle, who ducked under him and scooted away.
“Jeremy, man, it’s not worth it,” said one of the Calmed men.
Akle’s assailant came up from the ground, throwing a vicious kick towards the gnome, who dodged as artfully as Jenika had.
Jeremy paused again, looking around, his hands still up in front of his face. “You cast a spell on my friends?” he said to Khaska.
“There is no need for fighting,” the cleric said calmly. “I merely brought that thought to the forefront.”
The officer looked at Jenika, still posed defensively. “And you are just going to sit there and take it?”
Akle laughed. “Take it! You ain’t been dishing it!” He cackled as he dodged yet another blow. “We’s can do this all morning if you want!”
Jeremy took a step back. He only had two fighting men, against four, no, seven, now that Godfrey and the other crewmembers were disembarking from the ship. With that, he dropped his hands.
“You ain’t even worth it anyway.” He turned to his unaffected friend. “Let’s go. Plenty more women willing and able out there.”
Confused, the man took one look at Caden, then took a final swipe at Akle, who jumped back yet again, causing the man to totally miss him.
“Fine!” the man practically yelled. He walked back over to Caden and the others. “Gnome’s made of iron.” He was rubbing his neck, red from where Akle had him in a choke-hold. “Couldn’t break free of the guy.”
“May you be in defense of the right moon when the time comes,” Khaska said. Caden shot him a dirty look, but kept walking. The six of them turned and left, trying to look dignified in the face of the other ships and crews nearby, almost all of whom were watching them leave a fight they had started, which had then fizzled, and in which they had not landed a single blow before clearly having to retreat.
Their attempt to look dignified resulted in a lot of smirks, both from Godfrey and his crew and the others from the nearby ships and camps who had watched.
Just then the cart with the remaining supplies pulled up.
“Well,” said Godfrey, “let’s get these supplies on the ship, and then we can cast off!” He was smiling.
“Jenika!” said Akle. “You fight good! Or, you dodge good, anyway!”
“Thanks.” The monk blushed. “I didn’t want to harm an officer. Even if he deserved it.”
Rynn helped load the remaining supplies onto the ship, and when they were finished, was the last one up the ladder. Godfrey made sure everything above deck was secured. “It looks to be calm weather, but if it gets rough, we have to put safety harnesses on.”
The crew ran about, making final preparations, but a few moments later they were ready. Godfrey went to a box towards the back of the ship, by the helm. He reached in and turned something. Slowly, on either side of the mast, the skyship crystals turned from facing one direction to facing the other. As they did so, Khaska noticed, they began to glow brighter, but more so at the tip facing up. The ship lurched and began to rise. The Maha’i gripped the edge of the railing, watching as the ground slowly diminished.
“Unfurl the sail!” Godfrey called out, and the men did so, the large tan sheet dropping down. The ship slowly began to pick up speed as the skyship port continued to get smaller below them. Soon Godfrey adjusted the crystals to maintain buoyancy, but not to climb anymore, and the wind at their backs pushed them forward. They were on their way.
The cleric had to step away from the railing. The ride was smooth, but he didn’t want to risk a sudden jolt. Being so high was also making him nervous.
Rynn, on the other hand, was utterly fascinated by the landscape. He was at the prow of the ship with Ranna, watching the land from this perspective. He had flown by skyship before, but never quite got tired of this sight. Akle joined him, the gnome grinning from ear to ear.
“I always felt at home among the clouds,” the gnome said. “Must be my nature.”
Jenika was indifferent to the travel, but noticed that Khaska went to the middle of the deck and sat down.
“Are you alright?” she asked him.
“I am, but . . .”
“Airsickness?” asked one of the crew.
“I believe you would call them ‘the jitters.’ I had prepared a spell to calm myself, if necessary, but . . . I had to cast it back there.” He smiled nervously. “I think it was worth it. But tomorrow perhaps I will prepare it again, I think.”