The Nextworld Invasion and the Death of Magic - 9. Chapter 9 - Elstall

It had still been early in the morning when the Noktar woman with her mushroom-barge dropped off Tigath, Othri, Nuji, and Alydrael on the northern bank of the river. For half of that day, the four travelers hiked north into the rolling grasslands. The following morning, they turned east and made their way to the ocean at a region that was far to the north of the devastation in the Yellow City. It was another two days’ journey north along the coast before they arrived at the fishing village of Elstall. None of them had ever been to a coastal city, and when they eventually found it, Elstall astonished them.

Deep in the forest, the city of Vuliburge had been designed to grow with the trees. The people learned ways to bind their structures to the living world, and the city possessed an intrinsic connection to nature. Elstall was no less vibrant than Vuliburge had been, but the coastal town was more different from the forest city than the four could have imagined.

However, their first sight of Elstall in the distance was no more than a lone lighthouse. It blinked with steady repetition, and the little group made their way toward it. They had not realized that the land before them was an optical illusion. The coastline began to rise away from the sea, even though it appeared level from a distance. The grasslands still stretched west, and to the travelers’ right side, the coast became sheer cliffs that dropped to the ocean. The cliffs were not more than fifty feet at their highest point above the water, and the starkness of the landscape was striking.

The group was led to the lighthouse by the coastline, which began to curve inland, forming a protected bay, and Elstall sat above the calm natural harbor. However, only the lighthouse was visible from the grasslands, because the town of Elstall was built right into the rock wall of the cliff itself. Ladders, stairs, and steep pathways led down the face of the cliff, and signs were positioned to be visible from above and below. The weary quartet could see inns, shops, cafés, markets, and more.

Despite the severity of the steepness, the paths into the city from the grasslands above were easy to use. The group began by taking a stairway that cut into the rock and made its way along the exterior of the cliff. They could see a few of the town’s inhabitants on the lower levels, and they could hear the murmur of yet more people.

Alydrael peeked down a ladder that led to a café, and she descended it with ease.

“Come on, you three!” she called to Tigath, Othri, and Nuji. “Let’s get a cup of tea!”

Nuji was almost to the bottom of a separate stairway, and she called out, “How do I get there from here? Oh wait, there’s another path. I’ll be right there.”

Tigath was closer to Nuji, and he followed her, but Othri was still at the top of the stairs, and he took the ladder behind Alydrael.

“Drop Town Teahouse,” Alydrael read aloud. The words were etched into the shop’s window. She pulled open the front door, and a bell chimed.

“Drop Town?” Othri repeated. “As in, stuff drops from it?”

Someone inside let out a booming laugh. “You got that right! Stuff drops from up above all the time!” Behind the counter was a barrel-chested Urcai man with vibrant pink eyes and hair. “Come on in and warm your souls with a nice cuppa. Welcome to the D-double-T. If you folks sit by the window, you’ll likely see something drop.” He laughed again.

There were only a few local patrons in the teahouse. Each was observing the strangers.

“What can I get ya, friends?” the teamaster asked.

“I’d love a glass of water,” Tigath requested. His long purple hair was tied back, and he let it down as the man replied.

“I’ll pour one for each of ya.”

Nuji picked up a drink menu, and Alydrael scooted up next to her to look at it. Tigath and Othri shared another, and the pink-eyed man set the waterglasses onto the countertop.

Othri placed his drink order. “May I please have a peppermint cocoa?”

The owner of the teahouse smiled and asked, “Dark or creamy chocolate?”

Othri looked excited. “Oooh, can I have half and half?”

“Indeed you can!”

Tigath playfully elbowed Othri. “Hot chocolate?” he teased.

“It’s some of the best in the land!” the man behind the counter responded. “And what about you, friend?”

Tigath chuckled. “I’ll just have a simple blue tea with a touch of cream.” The teamaster nodded, and Tigath turned to Nuji and Alydrael. “Have you two decided what you want?”

“I think so,” Nuji replied. “I’ll take an eagle’s ear mushroom tea.”

“And I’d like your three teas sampler, please,” Alydrael added.

“You got it, kiddo,” the teaman replied. “Our trio today includes one iceburn tea, one spiderbreath tea, and one deadlights tea.” He was already preparing the drinks, and soon, his four guests each had their beverages.

Othri’s peppermint cocoa came in a stout little mug. Tigath’s blue tea was served in a tall glass with a handle, and there was a layer of foam at the top of his drink. Nuji’s mushroom tea was in a goblet with a thick stem and a wide base, and the trio of teas in Alydrael’s sampler came in tiny matching cups.

“Where are you folks from?” the teamaster asked, but his question caused a dark cloud to form among the four of them.

“Do you know about the Yellow City?” Tigath asked.

The man’s enthusiasm faltered, and his shoulders sagged. “Yes, it’s horrible.”

“Do you know about Vuliburge also, the attack that happened about three weeks ago?” Tigath added. “We came from there.” He indicated Othri.

“You two are the first survivors from Vuliburge I’ve had in here, glad someone made it. And where are you folks headed?”

Tigath sighed. “We were almost to the Yellow City before it was invaded by the Humans. Now we’re just trying to find anywhere that hasn’t been…” he trailed off, but a squeaky voice behind them finished his thought.

“Destroyed.”

The four new arrivals turned to see a rugged Rothian woman seated at a tall table. She was dressed like a sailor. “What are you four really looking for?”

Othri responded immediately. “Retaliation.”

The Rothian seawoman’s eyebrows rose, and her exaggerated features made her look very curious. “Against the Humans?”

Othri nodded. Nuji was standing beside him, and she also nodded.

The Rothian seawoman stood, stepped up to the group, and introduced herself. “I’m Kilial. I’ve got a ship, and I’ve heard about a gathering of Rothians on Ixtix Isle. I’m headed there, and if you want to fight back, maybe you oughta tag along. It’ll take three days to get there by sea, and I leave in the morning, so good timing on your parts.”

Tigath did not like the prospect of traveling by boat, nor that the plans had suddenly escalated. “I don’t know about all this.”

Othri took his hand. “This is what we talked about, isn’t it?” He turned to Nuji and Alydrael for confirmation.

“But we’ve literally only just heard this idea,” Tigath implored.

“Hasn’t this been our plan from the beginning?” Othri replied. “Aren’t we trying to help? Aren’t we trying to find others who are willing to fight the Humans?” His orange eyes focused back on the Rothian seawoman. “I’m Othri. This is Tigath, and these two are Nuji and Alydreal. It’s good to meet you, Kilial.”

“What else can you tell us about the gathering of Rothians?” Nuji asked.

Kilial turned to her fellow Rothian. “The strongest spellcasters from our people are working together to develop a way to resist the Humans en masse, and I’m headed there to be part of it.”

Othri perked up at her words, turned to Nuji, and declared, “Nuji, that’s you, right? You’re one of the strong Rothians; you told us you were.”

“No, and I’m not going,” Nuji declared with a frown.

“But I thought you wanted to fight the Humans,” Othri countered.

“On my own!” Nuji looked from Othri to Tigath to Alydrael. “I can’t cast a spell in a huge group of other magic-users. What if I set one off and it kills everyone? I don’t want that to happen!” She huffed a frustrated breath.

Kilial scrutinized Nuji. “What are you talking about? Rothian earthmagic doesn’t kill people.”

“Wait a second,” Othri interrupted, “aren’t the Rothians who are meeting on Ixtix going to be casting killing spells to take out the Humans? Weren’t you talking about a group that is fighting back?”

“The Rothians are fighting back with earthmagic,” Kilial reiterated, as if that explained everything.

“I’m sorry,” Tigath interjected, “but I may not know enough about earthmagic to understand. What are the Rothians planning on using their magic for?”

Kilial put her fists on her hips with her long skinny arms akimbo. “They’ll be using healing, protection, and rejuvenation spells,” she explained. “They’re going to be working together to repair the damage done to nature and the planet by the Humans at Vuliburge and the Yellow City. Rothian magic is used for good.”

Tigath took Nuji’s hand and gave her long fingers an encouraging squeeze.

Kilial focused on her fellow Rothian. “If you really are a strong spellcaster, then you should come with me. There’s room on my ship for all of you.” She let out a little snicker to herself, but the others did not know what was amusing her. “So tell me about yourselves,” Kilial insisted, and she waved a spidery hand toward the table where she had been sitting.

“Nuji’s magic is wonderful!” Alydrael declared.

Kilial grinned at the tall, green-skinned teenager. “I’m sure it is.”

“Earthmagic doesn’t exactly sound like fighting back,” Othri mumbled to himself in a doubtful tone as he picked up his cocoa.

Kilial raised one of her eyebrows and gave him a smirk. “My boyfriend’ll be there, and he’s one tough cookie. He’s an olliag, as a matter of fact.”

Othri perked up. “He’s a Noktar shadow fighter?! What name did he take for himself when he finished his preliminary training?”

“He chose Ursine Eighth Light as his new name,” Kilial replied with a beaming smile. “He realized he was supposed to be a man when he was one-hundred-sixty-four, and he’s been the toughest person I know since that day.”

“What a great name,” Othri cooed, “can’t wait to meet him! How old is one-sixty-four in Rothian or Urcai years?”

“It was like Ursine was in his mid-thirties when he transitioned,” Kilial replied. “I’m not sure you can join up with him and his fellow olliag fighters; he and the other Noktar are planning something secret. He couldn’t tell me what it was over our correspondence, but I think it’ll be big.” As the group seated themselves, Kilial admitted, “I can’t remember your names, but I’m glad to make your acquaintance.” Tigath said each of their names again, causing Kilial to let out another laugh. “Yeah, thanks,” she replied, “but it’ll take more than that. Alright, you, the young one,” Kilial said, nodding to Alydrael, “what’s your favorite thing in the whole world to eat?”

Alydrael and the other three were caught off guard by the mundane and seemingly unimportant question. “Urm… I don’t know. I really liked pickled dilifish when I was a kid.”

“You still are a kid, kid,” Kilial replied with an even bigger laugh. She focused on Othri’s orange eyes. “Your turn.” Before he could reply to the question Kilial had asked Alydrael, which is what he expected, she asked instead, “When was your first kiss?”

Othri was surprised, and he actually blushed. “Oh, goodness, wow,” he replied. “I haven’t thought about him in years, probably a decade. We were preteens, and neither of us knew what we were doing, but I remember thinking that kissing another boy was like magic.”

“More than adorable!” Kilial exclaimed.

Nuji was smirking at her fellow Rothian, and she thought she was prepared for whatever Kilial had to say. She was mistaken.

Kilial focused on her and whispered in a sultry voice that caught Nuji unaware. “Now, on to the sexy Rothian. What’s your kink, hottie? What naughty thing turns you on?”

Nuji snorted a laugh and brought one of her long-fingered hands to her wide mouth in embarrassment, but she freely admitted, “I love a big, round, jiggly ass!”

“My man has a big ol’ booty,” Kilial declared, “and it’s divine!”

Nuji burst out laughing, and the others could not stop themselves from joining in with the merriment.

Tigath was laughing along with everyone else, but he was well aware that Kilial was likely going to ask him something next.

Through the windows, the five of them saw an object whiz by toward the waves below.

“What was that?” Alydrael asked.

“It’s usually just branches or plant debris,” Kilial replied. “I’m not sure what it was. Now listen, if you’re serious about joining me, meet me at the docks at sunrise. And you, sexy Rothian,” she added, giving Nuji a flirty smile, “come with us. I don’t know what you’re worried about, but if you’re as strong as she says,” and again, Kilial nodded at Alydrael, “then you should be there to add your magic with the other master casters.”

Nuji frowned. She may have enjoyed her extended time on the journey through the wilderness, being around other people, but she knew it had always been temporary. Nuji’s plan was to leave Tigath and Othri with someone who could help them, and then to return to her lonely home in the forest. That was still her plan.

“No, I can’t be part of it. I can’t go with you.” Her wide mouth curved into a slight smirk. “Thanks for saying I’m sexy though.”

“You’re sickeningly sexy!” Kilial replied with a mischievous grin. “Isn’t she, kid?” Kilial gave Alydrael a sidelong glance.

“What? I don’t… she’s…” Now it was Alydrael’s turn to blush. She could feel her green cheeks heating up.

“Exactly!” Kilial exclaimed with a cackle. “The sexy Rothian is almost too sexy for her own good…” she paused and repeated, “almost.”

Tigath was still waiting for a question directed at him, when Kilial knocked back the last of whatever she was drinking and stood from the table. “Right, I’ll see you at sunrise.” She turned to the door and was gone.

Othri declared. “I like her,”

The next morning, the sun began to rise over the ocean to the east, and the surface of the water sparkled as the four travelers awoke. They were well-rested from sleeping in the inn’s comfortable beds, and as they headed down for a quick breakfast in the tavern, Othri pulled Nuji aside. They stepped out onto a balcony high in the rock wall that overlooked the sea. Othri was serious.

“Nuji, I had a dream last night, and I thought I should tell you about it.”

“Is this one of those visions? Tigath mentioned that you used to have strange dreams.”

Othri nodded. “It wasn’t quite a night terror, like they sometimes are, but it was unpleasant. In the dream, Tigath, Alydrael, and I were alone on the top of a mountain. Alydrael’s body was glowing, and she couldn’t move. Tigath was crying and speaking words that I couldn’t make out. There was a shadow, and it started to spread and swallow things. It ate me first, and even though I was surrounded by darkness, I watched from its insides as it consumed Othri and Alydrael. When her glowing form entered the shadow, I could see that we were all going to die. And then I woke up.”

Nuji waited for an explanation as she stared out to sea.

Othri plowed on, “I think your absence from the coming confrontation is the shadow, and I think things will go bad if you don’t join us.”

Nuji challenged, “What, you think your dreams reveal sinister mysteries or something?”

Othri pouted down at the much shorter Rothian woman. “I’m not saying that; this dream just felt important. Please come with us. I mean, look at my wound. You haven’t needed to redress it in two days. I’ve healed beautifully because of what you can do. I think we need you with us. Please come.”

“I can’t,” she replied with a defiant frown, and she repeated herself at a whisper. “I can’t.”

Othri took her spidery hands in his and looked into her eyes. “Nuji, I know we’ve only known you for a little while, but you’re one of us, and you shouldn’t have to be alone anymore. You’ve paid your penance for the accident in your youth that wasn’t even your fault, and you deserve to be with people who care about you. If it were Tigath having this conversation with you instead of me, he’d tell you he loves you, and he’d mean it. He’s the emotional one of the group.” Othri chuckled. “Don’t go back to your lonely life in the forest. Please take this journey. Besides,” he added, “I think our Alydrael would be heartbroken if she thought you really weren’t coming with us. She seems to have taken quite a shine to you.”

Nuji grinned up at him. “Yeah, the other morning while I was catching us some breakfast from the river, she confessed to me that she had loved an older Rothian woman when she was seventeen. I was flattered by what she was implying, but she’s too young for me.”

“Even still,” Othri implored, “please come with us. It’ll be good for you. Besides,” he added with a wickedly playful smirk, “you can be like the mom of the group.”

Nuji gasped and yanked her hands from his, slapping his chest. “You cheeky green fiend!”

Inside the tavern, Tigath and Alydrael ordered enough food for the four of them, and when Othri and Nuji came back inside, their breakfast was just being served.

“Eat up,” Nuji ordered. “If we’re going to make this journey by sea, we’ll need our strength.”

Tigath and Alydrael both looked surprised and delighted by her words.

“You’re coming too?” Alydrael confirmed.

Nuji was grinning with her wide mouth, and she nodded.

“Oh, good,” Tigath replied, “I was hoping you’d decide to join us.”

“And we need to hurry,” Othri added. “Kilial said she was leaving early. So let’s eat and find our way to the docks.”

In less than thirty minutes, the quartet of travelers were making their way down the cliff face along a path that led to the foggy harbor. There was only a thin layer of fog, but it hid the outlet to the ocean. To their surprise, a very strange ship was docked below them, and they saw Kilial carrying a crate up its gangplank. She spotted them as they stepped out into the sunshine from the path that brought them down.

“Ahoy! I see that you all decided to join me.” Kilial was grinning at her fellow Rothian.

Nuji let out an embarrassed laugh, and Othri put an arm around her, as she confirmed, “Yeah, they convinced me to come along too.”

Tigath was not thrilled about the prospect of spending the next three days at sea, and he nervously examined Kilial’s odd ship. He made an observation that confused him and asked, “Where’s your crew?”

Kilial’s grin widened. “You’re looking at it! Climb aboard, land lovers. Welcome to the Mermonster!”