Melody of Mana 4 E-Book

Wandering Agent

• Herausgeber: Podium Publishing
• Kategorie: Für Kinder und Jugendliche
• Serie: Melody of Mana
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 425

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

Bardic mage and otherworlder Alana takes on sea monsters, secrets, and her own past as this captivating series blending epic fantasy and isekai continues.   It's been almost two decades since Alana woke up from an accident on Earth to find herself transported into the body of a child in the kingdom of Bergond. In that time, she's faced war and famine, deadly political plots and dull courtly traditions, magical mayhem and romantic entanglements, and she's thrived through it all. Newly graduated from magic school, she's ready for her next adventure: a quest to uncover long-buried secrets that will take her far from the city of Lithere and deep into the kingdom of the elves.   Only, Alana's long voyage isn't without its own set of complications. Between an encounter with a hurricane whale, a run-in with goblins, and less-than-friendly greetings upon reaching her destination, Alana's cunning and spellcasting prowess are taxed from the moment she steps on the ship to leave her homeland. But none of those trials compare to what she will find when she lands in Atali: an ancient power that could forever transform Bergond—and a startling connection to a life Alana thought she'd all but left behind . . .   With swashbuckling action on the high seas as well as the blend of politics, friendship, and intrigue that has defined the series thus far, Melody of Mana 4 is a must-read chapter in this irresistible progressive fantasy.   The fourth volume of the hit progression-fantasy series—with more than three million views on Royal Road—now available on Audible and wherever ebooks are sold! 

Leseprobe

Melody

of

Mana

✦ BOOK 4 ✦

WANDERING AGENT

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without prior written permission from Podium Publishing.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living, dead, or undead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2023 by Michael Robert Taylor

Cover design by Podium Publishing

ISBN: 978-1-0394-4382-2

Published in 2023 by Podium Publishing, ULC

www.podiumaudio.com

CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1 SILVERSTONE PORT

CHAPTER 2 INTO THE HORIZON

CHAPTER 3 FIRST DAYS AT SEA

CHAPTER 4 DARK SKY

CHAPTER 5 AGAINST THE LEVIATHAN

CHAPTER 6 AFTER THE BATTLE

CHAPTER 7 ONE TO ANOTHER

CHAPTER 8 FOLLOW THE BIRDS

CHAPTER 9 MAKING SHORE

CHAPTER 10 ISLAND INHABITANTS

CHAPTER 11 ARRIVAL

CHAPTER 12 EMISSARY

CHAPTER 13 THE PALACE OF THE ELVEN KING

CHAPTER 14 OBVIOUS HINTS

CHAPTER 15 VARIOUS PERSPECTIVES

CHAPTER 16 THE SNAKE BACK HOME

CHAPTER 17 WATERFALL SCENE

CHAPTER 18 THE BROKEN MAN

CHAPTER 19 RE-ARMING

CHAPTER 20 THE HUNT BEGINS

CHAPTER 21 ATRIUM

CHAPTER 22 EXPLORING THE RUIN

CHAPTER 23 POWER ON

CHAPTER 24 GOLEMS

CHAPTER 25 ANCIENT SURPRISES

CHAPTER 26 THE FALL

CHAPTER 27 VENGEANCE’S END

CHAPTER 28 TRUTHS

CHAPTER 29 THE CRATER

CHAPTER 30 THE ANCIENT

CHAPTER 31 REUNITED COMPANIONS

CHAPTER 32 RUMINATIONS OF THE MONARCH

CHAPTER 33 PRIVATE CONVERSATION

CHAPTER 34 DELIVERING THE NEWS

CHAPTER 35 RECRUITMENT DRIVE

CHAPTER 36 CONNECTION ESTABLISHED

CHAPTER 37 DEBRIEF

CHAPTER 38 THE WORST TIMING

CHAPTER 39 GARDEN TALK

CHAPTER 40 EMPEROR’S INTERROGATION

CHAPTER 41 IMPERIAL COUPLE

CHAPTER 42 LOCKED

CHAPTER 43 ICE FIELD

CHAPTER 44 TESTS APLENTY

CHAPTER 45 ACROSS THE ICE

CHAPTER 46 SAUNA RUMINATIONS

CHAPTER 47 HOMECOMING

CHAPTER 48 A NIGHT IN

PREVIEW: MELODY OF MANA 5

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CHAPTER 1

✦

SILVERSTONE PORT

It had been a long and rather peaceful trip to get here. Composed primarily of recent graduates from magical and knightly academies, our crew included some of the best and brightest of our generation. After a three-year-long training process we were finally off on our first big mission.

Off across the sea and to the Elven continent we would go, seeking out information about teleporters our government sorely wanted to be able to recreate. Each member of our team had practiced skills in their chosen fields, but few could stand up to my personal mastery of the magical language because, unlike most of the people in this world, I had a head start and knew a few cheats. This was my second go at the game of life, and while my first might have ended badly, this one was … well, not easy or peaceful, but going well. The knowledge that I’d retained of my first world—and the fact that many of the ancient mages of power seemed to be like me in this regard—would do me all kinds of favors.

We rolled up to the gates, letting them check our papers. Despite being fairly generic, the documents were necessary because we were obviously bringing a sizable number of casters into town. The guards gave us a once-over and, after deciding that they didn’t want a fight, just waved us through. Normally this would have been impossible after sunset, but if you’ve got all the right things in order almost anything is doable.

We weren’t the first to arrive, but the second of the three caravans to roll into town full of mages and gear. Something they couldn’t outright ignore.

A man in slightly fancier armor than the other guards greeted us as we made our way through, stopping the little caravan. I had my window open and was looking around a bit, so I got a good view of what had happened. He went over to Olnir’s carriage.

“How can I help you,” the little wizard asked as he leaned out toward the guard.

“Just a few questions, sir, if you don’t mind too much. What is your business and where are you headed?”

“Ah, I understand your position, but those details are need to know, and quite frankly, you don’t need to know.”

I winced. Olnir was right in that he didn’t have to answer the guard’s questions, and their town mayor would be able to confirm that we were official, even if rather low key.

“You’re bringing in a large group, after dark, and from what our man on duty tells me, with lots of magic. I may not need everything, but I have my duty to perform,” the guard responded, sounding rather peeved.

“Then ask your superiors.” Olnir was really doing us no favors as he still refused to answer.

An hour later, the runner who was sent to get info from the mayor returned, seeming in no hurry. I suspected that the head guard here had told the boy specifically to take his time and make us wait. It was a petty move on his part, but my boss was also being a little jerk. The page handed an envelope to the guardsmen and a few moments later we were let out of the entryway.

It was only after the third inn told us that they were full, I began to see the heart of the guard’s plan. This late in the evening most places to rest were either closed or full, particularly in a busy port town such as Silverstone. Well aware of this, the guard’s decision to delay us at the gate meant that the only place we could find to rest was a stable.

I’d slept rough before, and the carriage that I shared with the other ladies was by no means the worst sleeping arrangement. As a matter of point we’d slept in here several times during this trip already, since we often couldn’t spend the night in a sizable town. Sleeping rough wasn’t the issue that kept me up grinding my teeth; it was the fact that Olnir—my boss on this trip—couldn’t muster the slightest hint of diplomacy.

As the sun rose the next day and I began to work out the inevitable kink in my neck, I looked around. I was not the first to rise, nor was I the last. The guys were all up and wandering about looking sour while the rest of my own carriage slept soundly.

After I’d slipped out and conjured up a bite for breakfast, I looked at them. “So, what’s the plan for today?”

Robert stretched as he rattled off the day’s events, “Olnir went off to see if the other groups had arrived. I’m supposed to head to the ship here in a moment to see if they’re ready, want to come?”

He was a nice sort, and I didn’t have anything else pressing. “Sure. Do you know the way?”

“Not at all! I do, however, know the ship name, so I’m thinking I can just head down to the port and check in on them,” he said excitedly. Seems the idea of adventure, even small, appealed to him.

“Lead on, then.” I waved toward the door. “If nothing else we’ll at least get an idea of the layout.”

We moved into the bright mid-morning sun and joined the small crowd of people walking to-and-fro on their various businesses. Being a port town, Silverstone was bustling, but we seemed to have missed the morning rush. I didn’t mind that, as a bit of a more peaceful stroll felt more my speed for this trip.

While the city was on the upper end of what one normally saw in this kingdom it didn’t compare at all to the city of Lithere, where I’d made my home for the past few years. It was also hilariously easy to find the direction we needed to go, since one whole side of the city was taken up by the various docks. Of course, that didn’t mean we had any clue where our ship should be, or even how the port was organized, but that was a problem for when we arrived.

“So, I hear that you’re our resident item expert?” Robert offered as an opener.

“Yeah, sort of. I mean, I’m better at those than a lot of people, but I view myself more as a general caster.”

“Hey, don’t sell yourself short. Dras told us that you were one of the best he knew.”

“Well, maybe, but there’s still a ton to learn. What about you? My understanding is that you’re a really good healer.” I leaned over to look at him as I spoke and he blushed, seeming a bit nervous.

“Yeah,” he said, scratching his head as he spoke. “The village Leah and I grew up in didn’t have any priests or anything, so I ended up patching a lot of people up. When we finally got to school, I guess I just signed up for all the healing classes and it kinda went from there. I’m no priest mind you, but I can still treat most stuff.”

My guess was that Robert and his sister were a year or two older than me, but I wasn’t sure. I’d never run into them at the academy, but I pretty much kept to my small friend group, so that wasn’t odd.

“That I understand,” I said, nodding at his story. “My village went through a rough patch too. Except with us it was the famine that was worse than any injuries.” I looked off a bit as I remembered the place, which from my understanding was now nothing but ruins.

“Damn nobles didn’t care about anyone but themselves.” He spat. “Let the rest of us rot while they stayed in their little manors sipping wine and eating cake. Emperor Durin kicking those lazy bastards to the curb might have been the best thing to ever happen to the country.”

“I’m inclined to agree. I still know a few people who were nobles, and not all of them were that bad though. One or two were decent enough people, but a lot seemed either too proud or … apathetic to what happened to the common folk. Personally, I think that can be worse than just hatred, because it’s not that they want to do harm, it’s that they just don’t care if it happens.”

At a quizzical look from him I gave a brief telling of how my home had been doomed by the local lord forcing us all to be locked in our city palisade, robbing us of our ability to stockpile our food, and wrecked parts of our infrastructure.

“That’s insane! How did you all survive if you had to waste that much of your stock?”

“Well, I made a small mountain of bread for people, but in the end we didn’t. The town isn’t there anymore.”

He placed a hand on my shoulder and gave me a reassuring squeeze. “I’m sorry.”

“It … wasn’t good, and not a great time for me either. On another note, I think we’re about there.” I pointed and waited for his eyes to follow.

We’d made it almost all the way to the port, and the ships were now clearly visible, their rigging standing over some of the smaller nearby buildings. I hadn’t noticed it before now, but I could hear the gulls making their racket over the soft sound of the waves splashing against the wood and stone that lined the harbor.

There was no beach, only a small stone path that led to the various docks where all the vessels were anchored. The salty smell was strong and fresh, and it was with a smile that I noticed something I’d seen only in my old world. The cement that made up the walkway and its various small walls here had shells mixed in with it, giving it a rather unique look and feel.

We made our way down the dock looking for our boats. Most of these could be ruled out with little more than a glance, though I had to explain to Robert why.

“It’s none of those, look at them,” I said.

“They’re all too small, and the nets. Those are fishing boats, not merchant ships. You’d never be able to cross as far as we’re going with them.”

“Oh … have you ever been on one before?”

“No, but that doesn’t mean I’m wrong. What about you?”

He shook his head. “First time at the coast too. The ocean is just so … big.”

“More than I think either of us know. Come on, those look promising.” I pointed at a grouping of many-sailed behemoths bobbing in the harbor to one side. Their dock, sitting out farther than the others, looked much more private.

CHAPTER 2

✦

INTO THE HORIZON

Our boats were all moored at the same pier.

The ship that I would be traveling on was known as The Crystal. Boasting three massive masts, she was the largest of the nearby vessels … With square-rigged sails, she resembled a carrack, but with specific differences to what I knew of Age of Exploration ships from back home. For example, The Crystal didn’t have gunports in the hull.

The captain was an old man named Tom who looked almost carved from the same wood as his vessel. He barked harsh, rather expletive-filled orders to his crew as he trudged down the gangplank toward us, apparently now informed of our arrival.

He seemed embarrassed when he realized that a young woman awaited him. “Ah, sorry miss,” he said. “The language is a bit crass and I’d’ve liked to have a talk with you lot first. You’ll have to abide it though; the men are too dense to listen to any else.”

“I can’t speak for anyone else, Captain,” I said, “but honestly, so long as all of us make it safely to our destination I don’t give a fuck what kind of language you use.”

Both men in this conversation blinked at me for a moment before the old sailor burst into laughter. “Well, ain’t that somethin’? A fair breeze after a blistering day you are compared to the delicate flowers we normally see when moving noblewomen.”

“There are no nobles anymore, Captain,” Robert said.

Since the regime change, many saw it as a major faux pas to compare people to the nobility of the past.

“Aye, forgive me, lad, old habits are especially hard to break when one doesn’t spend much time ashore. I know things have changed and—so far as I can tell—for the better.”

Curious, I asked, “Have things changed much in your business then, Captain?”

“Day to day? Not too much change. Still folks in charge, and still folks that got shipments to run. I will say, though, that the import dues are a sight better for us, and ports seem to be runnin’ a bit smoother. The coasts are being scoured … well some places not as well, but overall, more regularly.” He scratched his chin and seemed to shake himself out of a thought. “Enough of that though. I understand some of you lot are wizards?”

“We’re all magic users, though of different types.”

“Oh, that’s good then. Is there a priest or a weather wizard among you?”

“No priests,” Robert announced. He looked to me, his eyes asking a subtle question. When I gave him a light nod, he added, “But, when it comes to weather control, I believe my companion here can be of aid.”

“Limited,” I offered, making sure to undersell my abilities. Better to be underestimated, I decided. “I have some control but only for a bit.”

“Excellent! Best thing to have on board is a weather wizard. Shame on the priest, though, seeing as none of the Elven lads have that talent.”

Robert seemed a bit flustered. “Captain, most bards can heal.”

“That so? Can’t say I know too much about magic.”

His statement wasn’t odd considering that many common folk didn’t understand casters. Sure, everyone knew that priests and wizards were a thing, and most probably knew that some people could punch a hole in cement. However, the distinctions between types of caster and the particulars of magical practice were outside of what commoners needed to know. While many of Captain Tom’s crew had some level of magical ability, it just wasn’t at a level that could have the broader effects he was hoping for. While the elves probably possessed more skill, the captain either didn’t know or didn’t care.

“Regardless, Captain, we’re not planning on leaving until all our groups arrive. So, at the least you’ll have today,” Robert said.

“Ah, the men’ll be glad for that, lad. It’ll give them some time ashore to … rest.”

“And give the local brothels business, surely,” I interjected. “If we get word on our time to head out we’ll send it forward to you.”

“Thank you then, Miss, I’ll see you then.” He left to inform his crew. The sailors, having received a similar message from the group that had arrived before us, were enjoying some time off at the port. As far as I could tell, the ship was crewed entirely by men. While amongst the mages there was a far more equitable feeling in the common folk gender norms much more like the past of my previous world still abounded. Almost every sailor was a man, and while in port, they were doing what sailors did. A fair percentage of the crew also appeared to be of Elven extraction, a clear benefit when sailing back and forth between our continents. This led to some interesting interactions, because while I’d been getting ogled by most of the sailors, this lot seemed rather respectful, and soon their companions noticed. Here and there, I could see the flickers of suppressed auras, and understood that these elves could see that I was a caster. From what I was seeing I was guessing that most of these were minor talents, though perhaps there was a possibility that some of them could use magic properly.

I’d been told in my classes that every elf had magic on some level. For most, this manifested as what humans would call a “minor talent,” allowing them access to a simple and small ability. My first maid had been such, able to create water from nothing, so were many of the other maids. It could even be a small physical enhancements. Though not the sort of blatantly superhuman stuff my dad or brother could do, the elves certainly knew enough to push just to the edge of what would be believable on Earth. We saw ourselves off. Not that we had a ton to do today other than find a proper inn, something I hoped the rest of our party had taken to doing without us. The stroll back was slightly more difficult because of the angle of the road, but it was still pleasant and we took all the time we needed.

Olnir had returned and, as it turned out, the first group had secured rooms for us at their inn. It made things significantly easier during the three days we spent stuck waiting for the last group to arrive and make their arrangements. On the last morning I woke up extra early to enjoy a bath, probably the last proper wash I’d get for the next couple months.

The other girls agreed, and we took turns, chatting as we utilized facilities I personally would sorely miss.

“So, what’s it going to be like on the boat?” Leah queried. “Do we have a room or something?”

“No idea,” I said with a shrug. “I imagine we’ll have something private from the guys, but I’m unsure on what all that will be. I’ve never been on a boat like this, so it could be a room smaller than one of those carriages.”

“Surely it’ll be larger than that. We’ll at least have beds Alana, and a desk or something.” Selene seemed to be very confused about the size of our vessel.

“I doubt that we’ll have anything like a proper bed. Space on a ship is a premium thing, and ours isn’t quite that large.”

“Well, we’ll have to have something,” Leah said, looking irritated at the very idea of not having proper quarters.

“I suppose we’ll see. No use worrying at this point.” With Selene’s final comment we finished what little packing we had to do and trooped out.

The trip from our inn to the docks was rather uneventful. The dew was still on the grass and the sun struggling up from its place behind the horizon as we boarded the ship one by one, welcomed by the captain. The crew was, for the most part, busy readying the ship to make sail, but a few of them gave a quick nod to our little group.

“Boy,” the old seaman shouted off to the far end of the ship. “C’mere and show the ladies to their quarters.”

An Elven lad—who looked to be no older than a human eight-year-old—came bounding out of a doorway which, I assumed, led to the lower decks. Upon seeing us, he blanched slightly and gave the captain a sharp, “Yes, sir!”

“Um … your quarters are this way, as for your luggage …”

Selene gave a light wave and our three personal trunks floated up a few inches. She’d managed this trick the whole way from the inn, and it didn’t seem to bother her at all.

“Oh,” the boy smiled. “That’ll do perfectly. This way please.”

From what I could see, the ship had several levels. There were two above the main deck at the stern, one at the bow, and, based on the heights, I would guess three more below, with a final area for the bilge. The lack of cannons probably allowed for more cargo space, and I knew for a fact that we were taking some along with us for this trip. I didn’t know, or care what that was though since it had little to do with me.

The cabin boy led us to a door toward the stern that opened not onto stairs leading down but into a dark tight area. Our quarters were hardly bigger than a closet. On either wall, two stacked wooden boards served as bunk beds. The only other furnishings were a lamp hanging from the ceiling and a tiny writing desk at the back of the room. With us all inside it was quite cramped.

Selene looked stunned at the size. “This can’t possibly be right.”

“Begging your pardon, miss, but this is the biggest private room, save for the captain’s. The mate normally has this room, and the bosun gave up his quarters for the gentlemen with your group.”

She looked at the boy with a quirked brow. “Well, where are they sleeping?”

“Down below with the rest of the crew.”

“It’ll be fine,” I interjected. This would have to do. “Is there anywhere else we can be where we won’t be in the way?”

“There’s room on the deck, miss, but the captain may be cross if you disturb the men while they are working.”

“We’ll head there once our things are secured, then.”

He left us to tie down our trunks, and we soon joined the rest of those on deck. I personally wanted to see everything as we made our way out. In that desire, I found a quiet spot well away from anyone messing with rigging or any of the other many jobs that went into running a ship, and settled in. Leaving port wasn’t a fast operation. Once we got going though, we pulled out into the harbor, making our way toward the bright ocean. Along the docks, a few women waved to the sailors as we left. Some passing men yelled as well, wishing us luck on our journey with a smile and a raised hat.

So, into the great blue sea we moved. Moment by moment, the land shrunk behind us as we made our way out toward the horizon.

CHAPTER 3

✦

FIRST DAYS AT SEA

It took us a few hours for the shore to fade to little more than a line. This boat wasn’t particularly fast, and even with a favorable wind there was little in the way of propulsion. I could have helped with the wind some, but only for a couple hours at most. But on a calm day like this, it wasn’t really needed. I’d been on several boats before, though only a few at sea. This, however, was slightly different, in that it was nowhere near as stable or comfortable as those. I suspected the fact that we had to sail with the wind didn’t help matters.

By noon, all three ships of our expedition were well away, the horizon now looking flat and blue in all directions. I could see the captain and a few others taking occasional measurements using a watch and the position of the sun.

“Captain,” I asked as he settled into a spot where he could watch over the crew. As it was, we were now cruising along happily, and they needed little of his immediate input.

“Did ya need something, lass?”

“Just a question. I saw you checking the heading, is there a reason you don’t use a compass instead?” I knew such things were available if a bit uncommon on land.

“A couple. While I do have a few it’s good to check by the sun. There’re a few creatures out in the deeps that can throw off your heading if you go by that alone.”

“What kind of monster can do that?”

“Oh, don’t worry, don’t worry,” he soothed. “While there are some truly massive beasties out there, none see a ship our size as a meal. The ones messing with the compass often aren’t even that big; little schools of fishes and the like.”

“Oh, that’s good. We had spine wolves back home. Hate to have to deal with that kind of thing on the water.”

“There are monsters, but our boats are big, and wooden. We don’t look like food to them unless we go for a dip. There are a few spots where you can find something that could and would take a ship like ours, but those leviathans don’t leave their home areas often, and we’ll be steering well and clear of all of those.”

“Probably need the mana concentration there.” That comment got me a curious look, so I went on. “Most of the really big things on land only live where there’s lots of mana. Under Lithere, there’s a whole system of tunnels, and the deeper you go the worse it gets.”

“Huh, I’d never heard that one. Makes sense though, I guess. Even at sea things tend to cluster around particular spots. Some deep in the ocean, some near reefs. There’s even tell of islands that no ship can get near to without problems.”

I wanted to know more about those, but from what I was hearing he didn’t know much about it. That was sort of unfortunate, but I could just ask around, either when we got back or found land.

For the moment though, I had a good seat to watch how things were done on a ship. For example, the drinking water was created on board. I watched as the cabin boy and another elf moved to a barrel and added the fluid several times throughout the morning. My guess was that they were using as much mana as they safely could before returning to their duties, and it was enough water to supplement what the crew would need. My guess was that there was still some stored fresh water, but probably much less than what ships from Earth would have needed for this voyage.

Beyond that, it was also interesting to see a man at the top of the mast exchanging messages with our sister ships. We looked to only be talking to the center ship in our formation, which was a simple wedge triangle with us to the far-right side. Occasionally, a pair of red and black flags were taken out, and the crewman waved them in various patterns. I wasn’t sure how developed this code was, but it seemed to have “check-in” and “reply” signals, at the very least.

Before long, the first of two lunch shifts was called. Our group was given priority in the serving line along with the captain and his officers. The food was surprisingly good, and it seemed that Olnir agreed with my assessment.

“I was told that the food on board would be rather plain, Captain, but this is about as fine a quality as you’d find in any inn.”

“Oh, don’t mind that, sir,” an officer offered while Captain Tom chortled. “We’ll be on ship biscuit and beans before too long, have no worries.” He said it with such a chipper smile that every sailor present got a good laugh before our host managed his own reply.

“Normal food, lad, is mostly a mixture of the biscuit—no sane man could call that bread. Ye might also get a bit of cheese, some salted pork, and beans. Every couple days, we’ll also have sweetened porridge with fruit that we’ll all be needing to keep off scurvy.”

I wanted to groan on how that could get old fast, particularly with the heavily watered beer that we were being given, but I’d survived on mostly summoned bread for a hefty chunk of my childhood, so there was no point.

“Oh, I see,” Olnir replied sullenly. Most of my companions looked a bit put out as well.

I, on the other hand, was less bothered, something which the captain seemed to notice. “I didn’t get the impression you’d sailed before, lass,” he asked with a slightly raised brow.

“I haven’t, sir. Not like this. I did, however, learn the lessons of sparse, bland food from my childhood, and brought my own herbs and tea.” There were several very tightly stuffed jars in my luggage which I hoped held enough to make it through much of the journey.

“Ha! Takes most men at least one trip across the blue to think of that. Not worried about any of the men trying to rob you, though?”

“Any man who tries to rob me will sorely regret that poor decision,” I answered. My chipper response got the old seaman laughing again.

After lunch, there really wasn’t much for me to do. I returned to my cabin, resolved to either work on my core or to do some reviewing of the Guide. This, at least, didn’t have me sitting in the sun all day. I sat and sunk into my own mind, letting myself drift a bit. Since hitting the second level of the core, I had noticed that I was becoming somewhat more aware of things going on around me. It was nice to be able to sense when someone wanted to come over to talk.

I spent several hours thus: making my connections, and building toward the third and final level of the core. This segment was absolutely massive, and I had little hope of finishing it anytime soon. The fact that almost nobody did probably had to do with how daunting the task looked. There would be a ton of time investment for any payoff at all, I just hoped that it would be worth it down the line.

After a few hours, I returned to the world at large only to notice that I was feeling a bit below the weather. I stood up, took a step from the bunk, and promptly doubled over, spewing what was left of lunch all over the floor. My hands grabbed for the bunk so that I wouldn’t fall in my own sick.

Ah, the smell of vomit, and the wonderful things it does when you encounter it. I got a second to briefly look at the mess before another wave of horrid nausea crashed into me, nearly sending me sprawling again. Around the same time, I heard small racing feet approaching followed by quick knocking on the door.

“Miss, you sick?” It was the voice of the cabin boy.

“Yeah.”

“Hold on, I’ll grab you a bucket.”

“Thank you,” I said thickly. After retching again, I called, “Just come in when you have it.”

It was only a moment or two later that he returned with the pail and a damp cloth. Upon opening the door, he groaned a bit before holding them out to me.

“Please try to hit the bucket, miss. I don’t fancy cleaning up even more.”

I quickly understood that he was the one in charge of cleaning our room if needed. After giving the bucket a nice warm-up, I sang a few notes.

Singing while trying to not puke was fun and all, but getting out enough to remove the mess and smell was priority if I ever wanted this to stop, which I absolutely did. I felt as I always did when sick: consumed by a deep and dark longing for ginger ale. If there was any chance of learning to make it someday, I would, if only to aid the upset stomachs of the blighted world.

“Thank you for the help … um … what’s your name,” I asked as I tried to keep myself together.

“It’s Elian, miss. That’s some spell,” he added, looking on in amazement as the cabin cleaned itself. “If only I could.”

“Right. Thank you, Elian. Sorry for embarrassing myself like this.”

“Not at all. Happen to a lot of our passengers. The lads were taking bets on you lot, and I’m happy to say I won.” He straightened, beaming proudly.

“Well, at least I made you some money.”

“Oh, not on you, miss. I bet that your boss would get the ocean stomach. You should’ve seen the bosun’s face when he got it right on his shoes! Had to go and hide, myself. If that old jerk saw me laughing, he’d tan my backside.”

“Well, I’m sorry I missed that too. Olnir’s kind of a jerk.”

That earned a laugh.

I spent several days cooped up in the cabin with my new and dearest friend, Mr. Bucket. The other girls had somehow managed to dodge the bullet while most of the boys had some level of seasickness. It was made clear to me that though I was feeling poorly, nothing could compare to what Olnir endured below decks. He was so bad that the other boys nearly kicked him from the cabin out of frustration. Sadly, I was a bit too busy with my own issues to witness Olnir’s misery, but such is life.

CHAPTER 4

✦

DARK SKY

When I finally surfaced from my seclusion, now used to the rocking of the ocean and several pounds lighter, I had a rather sad moment. While we were still guests, very well-paying ones, dining at the captain’s table, the quality of food had taken a noticeable decline. Having been consumed quickly by crew or by the natural passage of time, much of the ship’s stock of greens and other perishable foods was already gone. Meats and most herbs and vegetables couldn’t last much more than a week. Even flour, which I thought would be fine, spoiled. A question to my favorite cabin boy got me a graphic description of how bugs and other pests would get into it, thus ruining our supply.

After two weeks afloat, Dras approached to have a discussion with me after dinner one night.

“Hey Alana.” He froze under my gaze, and I narrowed my eyes. I knew well what he wanted.

“Yes.”

“Could you, maybe, help out with the food? Just a bit of fresh bread would make this so much better.”

The other girls had joined us at this point, and they each gave me a betrayed look. I’d never told them that I could make food on my own.

I let my lips creep upwards into a smile that didn’t reach my eyes. Before I went any further, I had questions of my own. “Dras, who have you told about my ability to make foods?”

“Well, nobody. I thought it’d be better to talk to you first.”

“Good, and make sure you don’t. You two either,” I added with a glare for Selene and Leah.

Selene blinked. “Okay, but why? It’s just for our dinner, right? Is it mana-intensive or anything? Not like we’re using much.”

“Well, yes and no. It’s not hard at all, but if the sailors get wind, which they will if I start making much, they’ll all want bread. I don’t want that kind of demand, nor do I want a refusal to stir up any ill will.”

“I get that,” Leah said with a knowing look.

“Wait,” Selene looked curious now. “Can all bards just poof food out?”

“In theory,” Leah offered. “Back when we were littler, Robert and I learned to, but we only ever made stuff for our family, and not bread. Food prices were insane and often supply was non-existent for some things.” She cringed and continued. “One of our aunties learned that my brother could make a passable cream, and she pestered him non-stop for, like, three years to supply her. Eventually, he blew up in her face and swore he’d never make her another drop.”

I patted Leah’s shoulder in understanding. While I normally didn’t mind creating food, I’d been stuck with hungry people before and had no desire to be seen as the local bakery again. “So,” I said, “you and your brother can make cream? I’d be willing to do some work in trade to improve the tea a bit if you want.”

“Oh no, he can do cream. I do oil for cooking and lamps and stuff.” She gave a nervous look at our little conclave. “You are not to let Brother know I told you under any circumstances. Don’t ask him about anything like it, either, or he’ll be beyond mad.”

“Understandable,” I said with a nod. If it would cause problems with the group, I could abstain, at least until I found the right way to acquire what I wanted. If all else failed, adding a new spell to my list wouldn’t be the worst thing; especially since I couldn’t practice teleporting on a ship full of researchers investigating teleporting.

“Not understandable at all!” Selene’s tone was shrill. “If getting more food in is possible, I want to go for it as hard as we can!”

Leah, Dras and I took a moment to look at Selene with raised eyebrows. While Selene tried and failed to strike a hopeful pose, Dras went back to why he’d come here in the first place. “Selene’s excitement notwithstanding, I really do want some better food. Alana, you mentioned a trade?”

“I’ll talk to my brother. Privately,” Leah added quickly. “As for the rest of us?”

“Sure,” I answered. “I’ll pitch in a bit so long as it’s not much.”

“I’ll keep quiet if I must,” Selene conceded with a sigh.

“Of course,” Dras added.

Leah nodded. “Okay, then I’ll toss in some oil. There’s not much on the ship and most of that will be for lamps anyway.”

“Very well, then,” I began. “Let us now call the first meeting of the ‘Bards for Better Food Coalition’ to order.”

I was met with groans.

Dras raised a hand. “We’re not calling it that. We’re not calling it anything.”

“Do you not want to be part of the coalition then? It was your idea.”

“No, no it wasn’t. I just wanted some bread.”

In the end there wasn’t much to it. We managed to get Robert involved, though only through his sister’s urging. Our supply was enough, and hiding all of it from everyone else was a fun game too. Sure, people would be mad at us if or when they found out, but I couldn’t really be bothered to care that much. We weren’t hurting anyone, and it kept us busy and out of the way.

After four weeks of seeing nothing but blue in every direction, I was starting to get used to life on a ship. The rocking of the boat hardly bothered me anymore—though, before our return trip, I would be having a hammock made—and while the food had now dissolved into the most bland and terrible fare being served publicly, we had our clandestine arrangements.

I also picked up some new songs and a dice game from the sailors, one which my roommates and I were playing as a knock came on our door. I was used to the periodic visits from Elian, who joined us for a game when invited, probably because it was a good way to hide from work, but this knock was harsher than the cabin boy’s.

With a shrug, Selene stood and moved to the door, opening it slowly. “Captain? Is there something wrong?”

“Ah, probably not, but I’d like a word with Miss Alana, if I may.”

He didn’t bother to hide the serious note in his voice, and I quickly moved to the door.

“Something amiss?” I asked.

“I’d like a bit of help on deck. We need a bit of wind, if you could.”

It didn’t take me long to get ready and join the crew on deck. The mood was not one of levity. Olnir stood along the rail with the captain and a few of his officers staring at the horizon. Midnight black clouds billowed just within view, reaching up into the fair blue sky. It was unnatural the way they formed such a small area of the sky. All around that smokey bank the weather looked calm and normal. Within the churning column, dark blue streaks illuminated the roiling clouds.

“That,” I said, pointing, “isn’t normal, is it?”

“No,” Captain Tom confirmed. He didn’t seem panicked, but it was clear he sensed danger. “It looks like the doing of one of the larger beasts of the deep, and I’d rather be nowhere near it, lass. Can you sing us up a wind to speed us on ahead?”

The other ships in our convoy had pulled near. Though above us the red and black flags were being waved frantically, we were all close enough to shout to the next ship as we looked back and forth. The Crystal took the center position. I didn’t know for sure, but since weather magic was very uncommon, I might well be the best at it in our little expedition. I began singing one of my favorite shanties the crew had taught me. Within a few words, the men joined in, and soon the gestalt got to doing its work. The captain gestured the direction our wind should blow, and moments later the sails, limp and lifeless, filled and pulled taut from the gale. With so many joining me, the feat wasn’t too difficult. This ship, which had been so leisurely making its way through the waves, now cut like a sword along the ocean, all the officers at attention and pushing the men to their limit.

First, we maintained our heading, but it was no use. As we moved the little black patch on the horizon grew and grew, almost as if it was coming straight for us. Looking more disquieted by the moment Captain Tom turned the ship at the same time as the others. If it was headed the same way we were then there was no reason that we couldn’t get out of its way and let it pass us by.

As if it knew our position and course, the storm seemed to move with us. If this were the work of some monster, then it may well have chosen us as its prey.

This wasn’t just a small patch of darkness in the sky, no, it was massive. It was only the scale that had made me think it small, but as it grew closer and closer the size multiplied. We’d started our singing just after breakfast, when the billowing black was little more than a patch on the horizon. But by early afternoon, it obscured nearly a quarter of the horizon, the churning clouds reaching up high.

When the captain addressed me, half the sky was lost in the inky smoke. “You can stop singing, lass,” he said, voice was hoarse. “Need to talk to the men.”

Soon, the other vessels pulled close and ropes were sent across. Olnir and Captain Tom were shortly joined at the helm by those I assumed to be the other expedition leaders and ship captains.

“Well, no point in disputing it,” one of the other ships’ captains announced. “Only one thing makes a storm that big, and if it’s followed us this far we’re not getting away.”

A mage I’d seen once or twice at Mystien’s workshop stepped up and asked, “What are we looking at?”

“Hurricane Whale,” Captain Tom answered grimly. “Big, nasty beasts, that live in the deepest ocean. They can make one monster of a storm, but luckily they’re pretty rare. I’ve only heard stories of them.”

“I’ve seen one,” the guest captain answered. “We’ve only two choices: we can run, but we’ll fail to escape.”

“Or?” Olnir asked.

“Or we take the fight to it.”

The third captain looked dour as he answered, “They can be killed. We’ve harpoons aboard, and more casters than I could hope for. It’ll be a rough fight, but it’s that or let it chase us.”

“How will we even find it,” one of the other mages asked.

“Oh, that’s the easy part. It wants us anyway; we won’t have to look hard.” Captain Tom’s face had hardened to wood, afraid—probably terrified—but ready.

CHAPTER 5

✦

AGAINST THE LEVIATHAN

The crew wasted no time getting to work. Every man on board ran to and fro; readying harpoons, making sure the sails were in proper proportion, and battening hatches. As the hive of activity roared the captain approached me with a bit of rope where I stood near the wheel.

“Pardon me, miss, but you might be needing this.” He wrapped the rope around a nearby piece of railing then gingerly helped me tie it around my waist. “Can’t have you getting swept away. If something goes terribly wrong and you must, pull this line here. It’ll undo the knot I put in. Better safe than sorry,” he added, checking his work over. It was rather impressive, the way he’d done it up in mere seconds.

I watched as all our casters were similarly secured. We were guests, but in this case, there was no getting around needing to fight. Glen was the only one who refused the rope. As our physical user, he wanted to be able to move as needed. I also noticed that the stocky young man had acquired a hefty bundle of harpoons for himself. Having seen him throw things before, I felt confident he’d use them well.

The different bards were assigned crewmen to help them with their magic, and as one our ships changed course, forming a wedge with The Crystal at the lead. This close arrangement would make it much easier to keep the wind and shields going in a way that benefited all three ships.

Once we were all in position, we still had to make it to our enemy, who was not at all close. As minutes passed and the stress level rose, you could see the cracks starting to form in the crew’s resolve. We waited for contact with this monster we had no choice to fight but wanted to be done with.

Closer and closer to the storm we sailed. As our forces prepared to clash, I couldn’t help but feel like we’d made a horrible mistake. The storm bared down on us, the clouds soaring above in a wall of insurmountable darkness. I had to crane my head up to see the top as we neared its leading edge.

In the last few moments before we broke the wall of clouds, spells roared to life. A glowing shield formed a dome over each of our ships to protect us from the worst of the wind and rain. A ball of either light or fire flared at each bow, allowing our party to keep track of one another in the gloaming. Any caster who was using a combat spell got their magic working up. I was told in no uncertain terms that since we didn’t know how long this would take, my job was to maintain our wind and nothing else.

The edge of the storm looked almost solid, like it was constrained by a wall within only that area. Though the wind and rain howled, it did not stray from its designated column. As we breached containment, however, the change was immediate.

The waves, which had been getting rougher and choppier, swelled to massive heights. Around us, the sky blurred from the rain pummeling our shields. Despite the terrible visibility, we persisted.

I could feel the resistance of the storm to my own magic, but it was minimal. I got the feeling that whatever had made this wasn’t actively managing all of it like I was with my wind. The majority of the power seemed to be focused keeping the clouds and rain contained while building them. It was like the Hurricane Whale was heating up the inside like a kettle, a barrier, and then the rest of the energy pumped into building the tempest.

Everyone on the ship searched frantically, eyes darting about to find our enemy. As we crested each massive wave all we could see were more lined up against us. More waves poised to sink our ships to sweep us from these small vessels and into the gullet of the waiting beast.

I flinched as lightning struck near us, but held my concentration on my song. Quite suddenly, however, maintaining the wind became more difficult. By the moment, the strain increased. The glow around the ships shone as the rain came in sideways torrents, raindrops being thrown into our shields like a hail of bullets.

“Something’s happening,” I shouted to Captain Tom. Moments later, the twins yelled the same as their shield came under heavier assault.

The storm reached fever pitch. The Hurricane Whale breached the surface, flying higher and higher into the air. Backlit by a dozen streaks of arctic blue lightning, the shape of the beast hung above us, water raining down from it in glittering droplets. In that instant, I and the crew around me froze in fear.