A breaker crashed into the side of the hull, an icy blast of water nearly knocking Wellynd off his feet.
“You good?” screamed Klof over the fury of Elaudri’s crashing waves and howling winds.
Wellynd gave his friend a thumbs up as water poured down his brow.
Klof nodded and turned back to stand near Henry, who was perched atop the small guster’s podium closer to the bow of the ship, arms raised toward the front mast, a screeching wind billowing the sails as the Brinebreaker cut through the black waters.
Wellynd stood with Filch near a cluster of empty crates, checking that the ropes were battened tight as the ship was jostled every which way by the storm. Normally, Laine would keep the empty crates below deck, but the urgency of their mission required them to have everything ready for when they landed at Vellen Kellek.
If they made it there.
Wellynd watched his friend imitate Henry’s stance. He wasn’t sure if Klof was actually adding anything to Henry’s already fierce wind, but the fact that he was already gusting on a voyage made Wellynd a bit ill with envy. Then again, it could have been the waves.
He unconsciously rubbed his hand over his pocket, feeling the edges of the stone. Since his experiments on the beach, he’d made the decision to never go anywhere without it.
“Storm wall south!” screamed Laine from atop the helm, the boat keening as it responded to Laine’s touch, carving down the side of a wave towards a wall of clouds stretching to the heavens.
On their way to the warehouse, Laine had explained to Wellynd that they needed to sail that night in order to make it to the desert and back before the growing storm bloomed to full strength.
If they missed this opportunity, they might not be able to sail again for months.
Having spent most of his life with his Uncle, Wellynd was familiar with these end of season trips. He’d never been on one, but he remembered that when he was young, Laine would sit him atop his desk and explain how the storms of Elaudi formed unevenly, leaving spaces of calm waters. These pockets would eventually disappear as the season-long storm grew to its full strength, but, as Laine put it, such conditions provided a unique opportunity.
The Brinebreaker would shoot across the intermingling pockets of storm and calm waters in a dash to the desert, using Henry’s powerful gusting as a way to get through the storm in short bursts. It allowed time to repair or reinforce the boat, and also allowed them to re-evaluate if they needed to turn back.
Laine called it pocket hopping. And the Brinebreaker crew were the only ones left on the island who were bold enough to do it.
When they were successful, they were able to sell skald at a premium price, since the rest of their competitors had docked their boats for the season.
Wellynd looked up to the helm. Laine stood staring straight off into the distance. He looked unbothered, unmoved by the storm’s assault as he held the wheel steady amidst the chaos about him.
The trap door in the middle of the deck swung open and Bilge appeared, his face hardened in focus. He walked by Wellynd and gave him a wink before shouting up to Laine.
“Hull’s holdin’, but she could use a short break!”
The large man looked over to Wellynd and grinned.
“Havin’ fun Welly?” he yelled.
Laine just pointed towards the approaching storm wall. Bilge glanced at it and nodded before disappearing into the cabin.
Wellynd glanced back at Filch to see that he’d been joined by Briv, the Brinebreaker’s current Fulmin. Briv only came out with them when they went on skald runs. Wellynd knew that men like Briv were useful for extracting valuable minerals from the desert’s abandoned mines, though he'd never seen them in action.
All Wellynd knew was that Fulmin had short life spans. The crew had gone through four in the past five years.
Briv looked up at Wellynd, a toothy grin spreading across his clean shaven face, his piercing blue eyes dancing with excitement.
“How goes your first skald run?” he shouted, leaning up against the crate next to Wellynd’s as the boat crested another enormous wave.
Wellynd braced as they sailed down its slope, lowering his stance to absorb the impact as they planed out.
“Well, I thought it’d be a little dryer!” yelled back Wellynd.
Briv laughed and patted Wellynd on the back as the boat jostled from side to side.
A bell rang out from the helm. They were about to push through the storm wall.
The Brinebreaker sliced a cut in the side of a wave as it lilted to make itself completely perpendicular with the storm wall.
“One last push till’ we reach a pocket” sang Filch.
“One more gust to go!” responded Bilge, re-emerging from the cabin, with a deep harmony.
Wellynd saw Henry turn his head to Klof, and the boy responded by raising his arms.
The boat surged forward with a fresh gust of wind and broke into the wall of thick clouds. Wind seemed to whip in every direction as if the boat had sailed directly into a cyclone. Moments later, the boat shot out through the other side. Henry and Klof lowered their hands and the boat slowed to a near halt on the inexplicably calm waters.
Sun filtered in through the mist about them, the sky above lightening in the early hours of the morning. Other than the storm wall encapsulating the small pocket of calm, there was no visible sign that a violent storm raged all about them.
Light, water, and time all seemed suspended here.
Filch and Bilge sprung to action and began inspecting the masts and ropes.
Briv ruffled Wellynd’s hair before disappearing into the cabin.
Henry turned to Klof and patted him on the back, the two laughing together.
Not wanting to appear annoyed, Wellynd approached his friend.
“Looks like we’ve got another Henry on our hands” said Wellynd, grinning.
Klof laughed “Haha. Maybe. Just wait! Maybe I can do more.”
Wellynd nodded in agreement. Klof’s confidence had returned these past few weeks, and he was glad to see his friend back to his old self.
Even if it was at the agitation of his own envy.
Laine yelled out “Check for leaks! Straighten your spines! We’ve got three hours to get there, five hours to harvest, and ten hours to get back. Let’s give ourselves some breathin’ room, lads! We’re almost there! You’ve got five minutes til’ we’re breachin’ the next wall!”
Everyone threw up an arm in acknowledgement and continued in their roles, Bilge once again dropping below to check the hull.
Uncertain of what to do, Wellynd climbed up the ladder to the helm and stood beside Laine.
“So when are you going to teach me how to know where to go in a storm? I don’t know how you can see anything.”
Laine kept staring forward as held a match to his soggy cigar “Soon, Welly. I’ll try teachin ya, don’t worry. Let’s just focus on getting to the desert for now eh?”
Wellynd impatiently gripped the handrail “I know you and Leofer do the same thing. What is it? Do you just see ahead?”
Laine looked at Wellynd and raised an eyebrow before chuckling to himself.
“Sorta. Though Leofer can’t do what we do. No, as far as I know, other than the one who taught me, who’s long gone, there've been very few folks from the island that could do what I do.”
He gestured to the boat amidst the walls of the storm.
“Ah. Could my Dad do it?” Ursa’s comments earlier had him thinking about his parents.
Laine’s brow furrowed, the many deep lines on his weathered face making a sudden appearance.
He nodded slowly “Yeah. We learned together.”
His eyes softened as he continued “How do ya think we became such good friends? And how do ya think he was introduced to my sister? Right git for doin’ that but, well, it worked out. For a while. Surprise you want to know. Ya never wanted to talk about them before.”
“Makes sense. Was just curious. So which direction are we going in next?”
Laine gave his nephew a questioning glance before pointing directly east. “We’ll cut through there. One more should put us close enough to the coast. Once we...”
A wailing screech split the air and seemed to bounce off of the storm walls on all sides of the pocket.
The cigar dropped out of the captain’s mouth as his face paled.
“Ya gotta be kiddin’ me” he yelled before placing his hands on the rail, his eyes glazing over.
Bilge appeared from the trap door again and shot up the pegs of the main mast until he reached the top, casting his eyes southwest.
“Say it ain’t so Laine” yelled Henry, scrambling to the base of the mast staring off in the same direction as Bilge.
Laine stayed silent for another moment before shaking out of his trance and running over to the pilot’s wheel, spinning it with a powerful jerk.
“Unbelievable! Ten years!” he yelled “We need to turn around. Tighten yer belts, no more skald until next season lads!”
Despite the Brinebreaker’s slow speed, the sudden change in direction nearly threw Wellynd off his feet. He grabbed the rail and looked down at Klof, who was staring back at him with a look of horrific uncertainty.
Wellynd turned to Laine.
“What’s going on?”
“They’re not supposed to migrate for another two weeks. Henry, urge the wind westward. Filch, Briv - don the leather, we’re going to have company! Bilge, the Pub is open, get Welly to give ya hand!”
Laine turned to Wellynd and grabbed his shoulders. “Stay near Bilge. Help where you can. I’m sorry lad. I’m gonna need absolute focus for this. Bilge, lights on. Tear that sheet Henry! Klof, do yer best to back him up!”
The captain grabbed the wheel again, and Wellynd felt a wicked thrust of wind blast into his back, and he swore he felt the corvette lift off the water as they jettisoned back through the storm wall.
Lightning cracked and wind whipped up Wellynd’s hair as the boat emerged from the other side of the wall and began to climb the slope of a wave.
“What! What happened? Why are we…”
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He turned back to look behind him and nearly cried out as he saw several wakes being cut through the water behind them, following them up the side of the wave. Though it was dark, Wellynd could make out the silhouettes of monstrous shapes just below the surface of the water.
“DOWN TO BILGE WELLY” yelled Laine.
Wellynd forced himself to focus and clambered down the ladder, finding Bilge with his back up against the cabin.
The boat hurtled through the air as they crested the top of another wave, smacking against the water on their way back down.
Bilge outstretched his hand to the front of the boat. The four torches affixed to the two masts burst into flame, casting the main deck in light.
Wellynd could see Klof kneeled down, breathing heavily, behind a towering Henry, his arms firmly in the air. His friend looked back at Wellynd, fear plastered to his face, before standing up again and opening his arms like Henry.
The cabin door shot open, Briv and Filch striding out, fastening leather vests to their chests. Briv handed a knife to Bilge, who placed the blade between his teeth. Filch tapped Wellynd’s shoulder. Wellynd looked down to see a shortsword.
“What’s following us?” asked, gripping the hilt of the sword.
Filch looked grim.
“Sombernaughts, Welly.”
“In Arthus’ name what’s a Sombernaught?!”
As if in response to his question, a large shadowy form emerged on the port side of the deck, cutting through the water as it matched its pace with the boat.
It was hard to tell by the dim light of the torches, but the mysterious form seemed to be covered in a slimy dark skin.
Lightning flashed to reveal fins atop the form, closer to the head of the monstrous creature, that was now towering metres above the deck of the ship.
Another wail screeched out and half a dozen green etchings started to glow on the side of the great creature’s body.
They brightened, their light nearly too intense for Wellynd’s eyes before the skin beneath them shifted.
Wellynd tried to keep from yelling out.
Humanoid beings, at least a head taller than Bilge, sprung from beneath the etchings and jumped onto the deck of the Brinebreaker.
The men, creatures, whatever they were, appeared to be made of a similar substance to the skin of the monstrous being that had now submerged back below the water. Their heads were perfectly round and smooth, their featureless skulls glistening in the torchlight.
The one closest to them shuddered and then bolted forward, outstretching a three-clawed hand towards Bilge and Wellynd.
Filch sprung to action and darted toward his assailant, intersecting its intended path before dropping and sliding to the wet deck, pulling his sword cleanly through its ankles, the creature spasming and toppling to the ground.
Another one jumped at Filch as he recovered from his slide.
Briv was there. He ducked beneath a swipe of the creature’s claw before hacking at its swinging arm with a dagger and grabbing the front of its head with his free hand. Wellynd saw a glow of light flash beneath the man’s skin before the back of the creature's skull exploded, the rest of its body dropping to the deck and sliding away as the boat began to tilt.
“It’s been a while!” screamed Briv before engaging another one of the invaders.
Filch jumped to his feet in one motion and ran over towards Briv and his opponent, grabbing onto a mast rope and swinging in a wide arc before kicking the faceless monstrosity in the head, sending it toppling over in a mass of limbs.
A yelp sounded, and Wellynd turned to see one of the creatures scuttling rapidly on all fours towards Henry and Klof.
Henry yelled and waved his hand at Klof, his eyes locked onto the sail in front of him.
A reluctant Klof turned and outstretched his arms towards the incoming threat. He bent his knees and closed his eyes. The creature was ten paces away.
Five paces.
“Klof! Run!” yelled Wellynd.
Klof opened his eyes and a new gust of wind ruffled the back of his hair.
The creature slowed and was pushed up onto two legs from the fresh blast of air. It threw its arms in front of its face and took another halting step forward.
Klof was clearly pouring all of his might into the gust, but even so, the creature was gaining ground through laboured steps.
Klof screamed before collapsing to one knee.
Suddenly, Henry turned, the ship keeling at the loss of thrust, and sliced his hand diagonally through the air toward the attacker.
A gust of wind howled as the creature’s body was immediately flattened to the deck accompanied by the faint sound of crunching bone. Henry pushed his hand forward, and the mangled body shot off the side of the boat.
The seasoned Guster placed his hand Klof’s shoulder, before turning back, the sail once again swelling as the boat rocketed up a large wave.
“Welly, g’me a hand!” yelled Bilge through the dagger clenched in his teeth, turning to a large wooden trunk affixed to the side of the cabin and unfastened the latches on atop it
Wellynd ran over to Bilge.
“What do you need me to do?”
Bilge handed Wellynd the dagger, who quickly shoved it into his belt, and pulled open the trunk. Inside sat twenty or so black glass bottles, rattling in response to their exposure to the elements.
The large man grabbed two of the bottles and thrust them into Wellynd’s arms.
“Hold these Welly! Pub’s open and tha drinks are on me! Keep the bottles comin’”
He grabbed four more bottles and turned to scan the boat.
“Filch, Briv! INCOMING!” yelled Bilge as he stepped towards the fray and chucked one of the bottles towards the group of creatures who had surrounded their prey.
Filch immediately grabbed Briv’s shirt and flung them away from the group.
Bilge pointed towards the air and a spark flashed as the bottle soared towards the creatures. It ignited and exploded, raining liquid fire onto all those who stood beneath it.
Rattling screeches erupted as the creatures were covered in flame, momentarily writhing before throwing themselves overboard.
Wellynd had no time to process what just happened before Henry’s voice sounded out from his podium.
“Cover Laine! Another drop!” the old guster shouted.
A wave broke against the hull and Wellynd felt the boat shudder as it bore the brunt of the force.
Another one of the massive creatures emerged on the other side of the ship, its iridescent skin blending into the storm. It slowed its pace, letting the Brinebreaker move ahead just enough so that when its glowing green orbs appeared once more, they were perfectly aligned with the helm.
Another bottle soared through the air and erupted into flame atop the massive form.
The greens orbs sputtered and seemed to lapse back into oily skin from whence they emerged.
“A third!” shouted Filch, as another form emerged beside the main deck.
Before Bilge could respond, eight more creatures shot out from the void and skid across the slick deck, immediately barrelling toward Filch and Briv.
Wellynd put his hand in his pocket and gripped the stone as he took a step forward.
“Stay.” yelled Bilge as he pulled the dagger from Welly’s belt and threw it at the frontrunner. The dagger embedded itself in the creature’s skull and it dropped to the deck, causing its followers to momentarily stumble and halt their advance.
Another bottle flew through the air and ignited over the group, who, like their predecessors, retreated over the side of the deck as the white hot flames jumped between them.
The captain’s bell rang out.
Wellynd looked behind him just to glimpse a series of green spots glowing behind the sheets of pelting rain.
Ten in all. Three of which started scrambling towards the ladder.
Wellynd dashed towards the helm, but Bilge grabbed his shoulder.
Wellynd, exasperated, made an inaudible noise and pointed toward the Captain.
Bilge nodded but maintained a stoic expression, despite the vein now pulsing in the side of his glistening shaved head.
“I’ll go. ‘elp the boys, but be careful” he shouted, clapping Wellynd on the shoulder before pulling a sword out of his belt and running towards the ladder.
Wellynd tried not to panic as he noticed one of the creatures from the previous assault, half blackened by the smouldering fire, pulling itself to the edge of the boat.
Several more horrifying screeches sounded.
Filch and Briv had already engaged the larger group of enemies, cutting them off their path to Henry and Klof.
Briv shore through one foe’s neck, a spray of green ichor spattering his face before he turned and plunged his sword through another one’s back, the blade landing mere inches beside Filch’s head, who had been grappling with the creature on the ground.
The oily-black monster went limp, and Filch threw it off of him, rolling onto his side before fetching his shortsword and readying himself once more.
Wellynd felt the Brinebreaker lurch as Henry shouted and jumped away from gusting to help in the fight.
A wall of wind smashed into two of the creatures, sending them tumbling back toward the far edge of the deck.
The other four had split off and began to surround the crew. One of which peeled off and interposed Wellynd from the rest of them.
“HENRY, WE NEED WIND” yelled Laine over a crack of thunder, but Wellynd could barely hear him behind the rushing blood in his ears.
He grabbed the stone in his pocket, instinctually extending his mind into darkness, desperately searching for a sliver of power.
But there was nothing; only a turbulent sea beneath his feet. Wellynd opened his eyes just in time to duck and avoid a swipe of its claws.
Its smooth, reflective face stared at him, devoid of all features. It shimmered slightly, as if the thing’s entire body had something rippling under its skin.
He thrust his sword forward, but the creature caught the blade in its claws and jerked its hands sideways, sending it clattering across the deck.
The thing slashed, and a hot streak raked across his body.
Wellynd felt at his side and just barely managed to catch the creature’s next attack at the wrist, narrowly avoiding its deadly claws.
The oily skin shuddered beneath his hand, and he let go, jumping backwards and sliding on the deck.
The next moments passed in a blur.
Wellynd lunged for his sword, ducking another swipe which threw him off-balance. He dove, grabbing the sword and turning as he skidded along the deck, the creature pouncing after him.
The creature flew at him, claws primed to lash out, but Wellynd thrust his sword toward and through the creature, impaling it before its claws could reach him.
It screeched as it slid down the sword, shaking violently before falling still, collapsing on top of Wellynd.
Panting, he let go of his sword and rolled the creature off of him, as he squirmed out from under the wet grey monster. He glanced at his hands, now covered in a viscous green liquid, and grimaced as he wiped them against his pants.
Klof was yelling, clutching at his side, his tunic awash in blood, as Henry dragged him away from the fight.
The boy’s wild eyes locked onto Wellynd for a brief moment before his body went limp, head lulling to the side as he fell unconscious.
Another yell. This time Briv’s.
The Fulmin rushed forward, meeting two creatures at once, ducking and weaving their claws as they viciously swiped at the air.
Briv thrusted his hand toward one of the creatures and a bright red explosion flashed. Wellynd momentarily averted his eyes as he felt a wave of heat wash over him, a pained scream curdling the air.
Wellynd looked back to see Briv’s fist protruding through a creature’s body, his hand blackened and steaming.
The Fulmin’s teeth were bared, his head tilted toward his remaining foes.
Throwing the corpse onto the deck, Briv jumped backward, just narrowly avoiding another slash.
Wellynd swore he could hear the man growling over the winds of the storm.
The boat groaned under the pressure of a crashing wave, and his attention snapped back to Filch as he heard the man cry out.
Filch backpedalled as he riposted the attacks of two creatures. One, however, had broken away from the fight with Briv and lunged at his back, slamming into the man.
Filch doubled over, collapsing face-first into the deck, a shuddering creature standing overtop of him, claws embedded deep into his back.
Wellynd started to run toward the creature, but Briv got there first. He jabbed his hand onto the creature’s neck as a hot flash lit up in front of them, Briv aggressively cursing as the creature dropped to the floor.
A scorch of flame lit up above him on the upper deck as Laine shouted commands to Bilge.
“We’re outta ol!” hollered Bilge.
Immediately, the boat lurched south.
“We’re turnin’ into the storm! Henry! Give it all ya got!” screamed Laine, Wellynd unable to ignore the slight hint of fear in his uncle’s voice. Something he’d never heard before.
The boat keened as the wind howled to a high pitch, and they lurched forward as the sails fully tautened at Henry’s command. The man, skin pale and body slumping, was still in command of the winds, driving his hands forward as the now bombarding sheets of rain cut at Wellynd’s skin.
One of the creatures must have noticed the change in direction, as it immediately let out a series of short unintelligible sounds. The remaining group, still entangled with Filch and Briv, began to retreat.
Briv yelled as a claw raked against his side. Turning, he swung a wide punch into the creature's abdomen. Wellynd winced as a bright flash shot through the creature before it toppled to the ground, the massive hole through its stomach alight in burning cinders.
Briv doubled over, shaky blackened hands coming to rest on his thighs but managed to slowly stand, wearily, just as a retreating monster slammed into him. They tumbled to the deck, the creature regaining its footing quickly as two others began to drag Briv to the edge of the ship.
“Someone help Briv! Hold fast lads! Just one more swell! ” yelled Henry.
The ship careened at a steeper angle into the storm, rising with the water before crashing back onto the trough of the wave, slowly corrected as Henry manoeuvred the sail, expertly metering the power of his gusts.
Instinctively, Wellynd recalled Henry’s shape from the beach and how he’d asked the wind to do his bidding.
He charged forward, chest burning, as he began to pull in the ambient kose.
Holding his hands forward, he planted his feet and tried to fill the shape in his mind with the kose that burned in his chest.
It wouldn’t budge. The kose remained nebulous and unyielding. It felt stuck in his chest, and the wind would not yield to his command.
Hard sheets of rain pelted the bow of the Brinebreaker as it plunged deeper into the storm, driving the creatures to dive off the side.
Briv, head lulling from being tackled, snapped to attention just as the creatures hauled him over the edge, locking eyes with Wellynd momentarily before he slipped out of view and into the dark sea.
“Man overboard!” screamed Henry, wind immediately ceasing.
Rushing to the edge, Wellynd saw no sign of Briv in the messy waves that crashed against the hull.
Then, a flash lit the sea just behind, quickly followed by another.
Wellynd saw a glimpse of Briv, underwater, a mist of gore in front of him as the bottom half of a creature sank out of view deeper into the water.
Another flash.
There were more of the strange creatures. More than Wellynd could count.
Quicker under water, they swarmed Briv, and Wellynd watched as they enclosed the flashes of light, each successive blast lighting the ocean less.
The boat lurched forward again, Henry having already realized the inevitable.
Wellynd gripped the side of the boat and stared behind them as they soared up another wave, waiting for another sign of Briv.
But none came.