Chapter Eleven – The long stay in the great ocean.
Fake and Andin returned to the same strip of secluded beach the next day. They basked in the morning sunlight. “The air is so clear here; in Beldur if it’s not a snowstorm it’s ash from a volcano clouding your vision,” said Andin.
“I’d like to visit there as well,” said Fake.
“You know they say the treasures and terrors of Pelagos are all hidden beneath the waves,” said Andin as he stood up and approached the water. He dove beneath a wave.
Fake couldn’t see his friend past the foamy wash. “Andin?” he said worried. Fake stood to get a better view; Andin remained hidden.
In a massive swell the sand beneath Fake’s feet lurched and tossed him into the air. Fake screamed as he tumbled into the waves. Andin broke the surface to watch his friend catapult into the water. Reveling in his mischief Andin was crippled with laughter. Fake lunged and tackled Andin into the surf.
Fake waved his hand to create an illusion to continue the attack, but nothing happened. After getting a hold of his laughing fit Andin asked, “It doesn’t work with this sand does it?”
Fake shook his head, “I think it has to be sand from my plane.”
“We’ll get your sand tomorrow; best to get settled quickly, we’ll likely be here for a while.”
“We can’t go home?” asked Fake
“No, there is no known way to control where a portal opens up to, and it only opens to one plane once a year,” said Andin as he sat back down on the shoreline.
“Well how long will it take?”
“Could be next year, could be a hundred years, most portal openings are to wild planes; planes that have no gods or civilized beings. Considering recent events, I suspect we may not have to wait so long.”
“What will we do here then?” wondered the illusionist.
“There is one thing I want to do here, but mostly wait, study, prepare.”
“Prepare for what?” asked Fake as he started digging in the sand.
“A doorway back to Beldur – or one to Torment.”
“The Plane of Torment? Why?”
“To kill Garruk, their god,” said Andin with fervor.
“Can gods be killed?”
“Fake, a portal has never closed early until your plane; this is a special time. Just because it’s never been done before doesn’t mean it can’t be.” said Andin relishing in the impossibility of his task.
“Why try to kill him?” questioned Fake.
“He’s evil and evil must be destroyed, and an old warrior asked me to.”
Andin stood up, he assumed he would eventually tell Fake more, but for now the conversation was over. “Let’s go find some barrels for tomorrow,” said Andin. “What for?” asked Fake. “Your sand, we should take as much as we can manage.”
In the morning Fake and Andin left their room by the docks. They headed for the portal site. Normally there was always a steady stream of traffic through portals, but the Brothers had forbidden anyone to cross over. Qin stood watch at the portal site.
“Damn,” whispered Andin. “What is it?” asked Fake. “He won’t want us to go through – especially you, wait here, stay out of sight,” said Andin. Fake hid behind one of the many newly constructed battlements surrounding the portal.
“Lord Qin,” said Andin as he bowed.
“Fire prince, what brings you to the portal?” asked Qin sounding irritated.
“I would like to collect some samples of the sand to study; though mundane in appearance it could have some useful properties.”
“Yes, like giving your deceptive little friend the weapons to create any falsehood he wishes.”
Andin had hoped Lin would be at the portal site, but he was prepared for Qin as well. He pulled out five small glass vials from his tunic. “Just five small samples Waterlord; four of which will go to Lin and his magi,” said Andin.
Despite his reservations Qin knew Lin would want to study the material more closely. Qin motioned to Andin that he was free to cross through. Andin crossed through to the eerie black expanse of sand. He filled the glass vials and scanned the horizon. “Nine hundred years here alone… incredible,” said Andin thinking aloud.
Andin returned to Pelagos vials in hand. He immediately handed four to Qin, “When can we discuss the arrangements for my and Fake’s long term stay here?”
“There is an admiralty meeting tonight aboard the Bitter Chain, we will negotiate our terms officially then.”
“And Fake?” asked Andin.
“The deceiver will not set foot on my flagship.”
Andin couldn’t have been more pleased with the news. Even his limited experience with portal magic would be a powerful bargaining chip. He bowed to Qin and left the portal site. Fake joined his friend as they headed back to their private beach. “Your first real mission is tonight,” said Andin as he pulled a full bota from under his tunic.
He tossed the bag to Fake and said, “That’s as much as I could get safely.” Fake uncorked the suede bota and his black sand poured out. Andin held up the vial, “I’m going to keep this bit; I really do want to examine it more closely.” Fake cheerfully sent swirls of his sand around the palm trees.
The sand settled into a miniature of one of the ships at the docks. “The Brothers won’t be at the portal tonight, that will be your chance to get more of your sand,” said Andin. “This should be enough to conceal me but how am I going to smuggle whole barrels out of my canvas?” asked Faked.
“You’ll have to play it by ear; the soil here is too soft and sandy to tunnel safely to the portal site. If the barrels are too risky just get what you can manage. You must stay hidden Fake, don’t create any monsters or anything dramatic, the Brothers will know it was you and our stay here will become unpleasant.”
The model ship disintegrated. The two worked on Fake’s concealing illusion until sunset. “Good luck, I’ll see you at the docks,” wished Andin as he left for the meeting. Fake was excited, in his canvas he would play games like this to entertain himself, but it was no substitute for the real thing. The sand swirled around the illusionist and concealed him.
Fake moved stealthily towards the portal site, the sun had taken its last bow above the horizon. His illusion wouldn’t hide him perfectly, so he was counting on using the battlements for cover. He reached the exterior defenses, the sand concealing him fell to the ground as Fake caught his breath. He resumed the delicate spell and headed inside the large ring of defensive structures.
Andin boarded the Bitter Chain and formally introduced himself to Lady Pria who sat adjacent. “I meant no insult the other day at the portal, my friend and I just needed some time away,” said Andin in an attempt to calm the waters. Pria was unimpressed, “You’re lucky the Brothers were so lenient, it is likely they will not be so lax tonight.”
Under his cloak of shadows Fake moved to the next ring of defenses. His eyes locked on a marine fearfully, but the marine ignored the soft ripples in the air and stood looking bored. Peering around the stone wall Fake saw two clusters of barrels. A group of magi walked by, forcing the illusionist back into hiding. When they passed he dashed for it.
Andin played close attention to the meeting’s discussion points. The more information he possessed the more freedom he would be able to garner. It was obvious there was some sort of power play by the admirals in their gods’ absence, something the Brothers were rightfully displeased with.
Fake gently pushed on one of the barrels to check its contents. They were far too heavy to be empty; he would have to get to the other storage area. He withdrew back to the previous ring of defenses to get closer to the other group of barrels. He froze in fear as a group of marines appeared seemingly out of nowhere. They walked by unaware.
“I think the laws we set in place five hundred years ago are quite clear as to how the fleet should operate in our absence, Admiral Verra,” said Qin. “The reports of your subversion against Lady Pria’s direction are grossly upset
ting,” added Lin. Verra looked ill, but worse were the two admirals sitting opposite of him, who had yet to face the wrath of the Brothers.
Fake was near his limits when he reached the second storage area. His illusion fell while he hid amongst the containers. What would have normally been an easy task was made exhausting by the limited supply of sand. When he was sure no one was watching Fake’s cloak of shadows extended over one of the empty barrels. He grabbed it and moved for the portal. He threw the first barrel into his canvas and retreated back to the storage area.
“Though dishonorable, your actions do not warrant public humiliation, you will announce your retirement immediately,” said Qin to Verra. Verra looked relieved. “As for you two,” said Qin turning to the two frightened looking admirals. “Your flippant disobedience of multiple orders from your acting Fleet Admiral will not go unpunished,” said Lin.
Fake tossed the second barrel in. He scanned the portal site before taking the third. The marines and magi were still unaware of Fake’s presence. Fake threw the third barrel in and crossed through after it. He made it home. He lay in the soft black sand calming his nerves and saying goodbye to his home, “And that was the easy part.”
Qin and Lin scheduled a disciplinary hearing for the two power hungry admirals. Most at the meeting were dismissed; Andin, Pria, and a handful of the Brother’s most trusted admirals remained. “So Prince Andin, what is it you wish to accomplish during your extended stay in Pelagos,” asked Lin. This would be Andin’s best chance to secure as much freedom as possible.
With a wave of his hand Fake quickly filled the three barrels. “Damn…” said Fake aloud as he realized the barrels were unnecessary. Fake gathered up as much of the sand as he could safely control and formed it into a large transparent cube. The crossing back into Pelagos would be the most dangerous part of the mission.
“Pelagos’ renowned Academy of Sciences would be an ideal place to continue to study the portal-based magic. Svoi’s window to Fake’s Canvas was evidence enough that plane-to-plane communication is feasible. I’d like a teaching position at the Academy in exchange for access to your research facilities there.” Andin’s first request seemed reasonable enough; Lin nodded in tentative agreement before turning to whisper something to his brother.
Fake stepped through the portal with his large cube in tow, like him it wasn’t completely invisible, there were swimming streaks of distortion in the illusion. Fake was lucky; none of the portal guards were looking directly at the portal during his crossing. Fake didn’t have much time to escape before the illusion would fall. He steadily worked his way out of the ring of battlements.
After a whispered discussion Qin spoke first, “We will inform the Dean at the Academy of your arrival – so long as you understand that any progress you make in this area will belong to the Academy and subsequently the Pelagic Navy.”
“I understand, I only wish to make contact with my father in Beldur, open communication between the planes will be critical to our preparation,” said Andin.
Fake was at the outermost ring, the weight of sand and spell tired him greatly. He was running out of time. Unable to hide the sound of his labored breathing Fake moved for the first gap in the defensive wall. One last patrolling marine blocked his exit. When the sentry’s back was turned Fake went for it, but the bulk of the cube in tow pushed Fake too close to the guard.
“Preparation for what prince?” asked Lin.
“The coming darkness,” answered Andin.
A cloud of nervous tension filled the meeting room, the sense of foreboding around the portals had been silently growing over the years, yet none had spoken openly about it as Andin had. “On the high seas superstitious fear can tear a ship apart from within; it would be wise, fire prince, to tread with caution around such ideas,” warned Qin.
The sentry felt the force of Fake’s contact but saw nothing. Fake froze just beyond the reach of the marine. The weight of the cube was almost unbearable, the marine moved towards the strange distortion in the air. “Corporal, are you ready to be relieved?” asked a hidden voice inside the walls. The sentry shrugged off the encounter with the enticing idea of a soft bed and mug of rum. Fake sprinted away. The corporal told his relief to stay alert and took his leave.
“I also ask that my companion Fake be afforded the same hospitality you have graciously offered me – he has a good heart and I will watch after him,” said Andin doing his best to sound cool headed.
“Your friend will accompany you, but you will be responsible for his actions,” said Lin.
“Thank you,” replied Andin.
“However, given the unusual nature of you and your friend’s entry into Pelagos you will be accompanied by one of my officers wherever you go,” stated Qin in a tone that clearly indicated there was no room for negotiation.
A quarter of a mile from the portal site Fake collapsed. A large cube of black sand materialized above his head and dumped into the grass. Fake’s chest rose and fell sharply as he regained his strength. Fake had escaped with enough sand to fill twenty barrels. He laughed at his success.
Andin was worried something like this would happen, but there was no use arguing with Qin. Qin turned to Pria, “Lady Pria, your service during this time of crisis was invaluable, and though the death of Admiral Moro was regrettable you rose to the occasion and kept the fleet intact. As of now you are hereby promoted to Commodore and are to be given your first ship-pair.” Lady Pria glowed with the news.
Fake recovered and gathered his scattered sand; he moved towards the palm tree grove near the beach. He funneled the black sand into the hollow Andin had dug for him. It would stay hidden here until he and Andin could devise an alternative way to store the illusionist’s armament.
Lin leafed through a massive log containing information about the ships in the fleet, “Commodore Gunrow’s ship-pair, the Thresher and Moontide will be your next assignment.” “Milord may I ask what the Thresher and Moontide’s current area of operation is?” asked Pria eagerly. “Gunrow’s ship-pair operated with the Northern Fleet, however you will be given an alternative assignment,” answered Qin.
Fake finished hiding the smuggled sand. He wished he had not moved the barrels in the first place, but going back to his canvas to fix it would be too dangerous. He grabbed his bota and headed to the docks. His first mission was successful, Fake was elated.
Andin and the rest of the officers were dismissed from the meeting. Lady Pria was asked to stay behind to debrief the Brothers officially. Once the room had emptied Qin spoke, “Lady Pria, your ship-pair will be assigned to Prince Andin and the illusionist, you will escort him to the Academy and send us weekly reports on their whereabouts and activity.” Pria’s glow faded. “We trust only you with this task Commodore,” added Lin.