The Nextworld Invasion and the Death of Magic - 13. Chapter 13 - No Port in the Storm

For three uneventful days, the Mermonster traveled toward Kroave Island, but the Humans had already arrived and laid waste to the community that had thrived there. The ship was aware of the destruction even before the city was visible on the horizon, and it creaked to Kilial.

Nuji heard its words also. “We can’t go there,” she stated.

“No,” Kilial confirmed, and she turned to the map of West Sea.

“What do you mean?” Tigath asked. “Why can’t we go there?”

“The Humans got there first,” Kilial said flatly. “One more fallen city…”

A wicked screech rang out far off the starboard side of the Mermonster, and everyone onboard turned in horror to see one of the Human’s insectoidal crafts bearing down on the ship from the clouds above. It raced toward the surface of the water.

Tigath’s purple eyes flashed from the metal vehicle to Othri and back again.

“No!” he cried out, and darkness swallowed him as he fainted and collapsed to the deck.

To the shock of the others, an enormous geyser of ocean water erupted from beneath the Human’s sky-ship, colliding with it and sending it spinning off course. The thing rotated faster and faster as it plummeted, hitting the surface of the sea and skipping twice before exploding in a fireball of metal shrapnel.

Othri dropped to his knees beside Tigath’s unconscious form, and Nuji joined him. “What happened?” she asked. “Why did he black out?”

“I don’t know. It’s just like…”

“Just like what?”

Othri hesitated. “It’s just like when the trees slaughtered those soldiers back in the forest. Tigath passed out then too. You don’t suppose…”

“No,” Nuji replied quickly, “you Urcai have no access to magic. He can’t be responsible for whatever just destroyed that Human ship.” She focused on her fellow Rothian. “Kilial, is the Mermonster already taking us away from the island? We’d better be gone before any other Humans arrive.”

“Don’t you worry about that,” Kilial replied. “We’ve changed course.”

Alydrael stepped up behind Othri. “How long was he unconscious last time?”

“Over an hour.”

“Should we try to get him down to his room?” Lestralin offered.

Several minutes later, Tigath was settled on his cot, and the others were abovedeck again. No land was in sight.

“Where are we going now?” Nuji asked Kilial.

The five of them focused on the map.

“Here’s Kroave Island,” Kilial stated, “but I’ve changed course to head toward the mainland. We should arrive at Port Tarinbell in another two days.”

“What do you suppose we’ll find when we get there?” Othri asked.

“I hope the Humans haven’t taken it out as well,” Lestralin added.

With no sign of other Human sky-ships in pursuit, Othri made a recommendation to the others. “Since our plan was to eat our next meal in the city on Kroave, Lestralin and Alydrael, would you two like to help me prep some food?” They graciously agreed, and Othri added, “Lead the way! I’ll follow you down.” As they began to descend into the ship, Othri leaned close to Kilial. “What about your boyfriend?” he asked quietly.

Kilial’s shoulders sagged. “I’ve been trying not to think about that situation. I’ve been focused on the tasks at hand as they present themselves, and I’m trying not to let my feelings cloud my thoughts or judgment.”

“I’m so sorry there’s no way for you to reach Ursine,” Othri replied. “We’ll find him someday.” He followed Lestralin and Alydrael down to the ship’s kitchen.

Kilial’s emotions threatened to overwhelm her, and she tried not to let Nuji see how she was feeling.

“Do you want to be alone?” Nuji asked.

That was all it took. Tears filled Kilial’s eyes, and she choked out her lover’s name. “Ursine Eighth Light, I miss you.”

“I’m sorry,” Nuji whispered, and she also left Kilial alone, to feel her sadness.

The Mermonster’s wheel in Kilial’s hands let out three little clicks.

She sniffed hard. “It’s okay. I don’t know why Uall Island brought us all the way to the other side of the world, and I realize it’s going to take us a long time to get back home, but I’m not mad at you. I just miss Ursine.” Kilial took a ragged breath and added at a whisper, “So many of the free peoples have been slaughtered by the Humans.”

Below deck, Nuji peeked into Tigath’s cabin to check on him. To her relief, his eyes were open. “Are you alright?” she asked as he pushed himself up to a seated position.

“A little dizzy,” he replied in a quavering voice, “I mean, I know we’re on a ship that’s rocking, but it also feels like the room is spinning. My head’s all wobbly.” He ran his fingers through his long purple hair. “Wait a second, what happened?!” Tigath remembered the Human sky-ship. “What happened to the vehicle that was coming after us?”

Nuji put one of her spidery hands on his shoulder and smiled at him with her wide mouth. “We’re alright. We got away. Their ship was destroyed.”

“Destroyed? How?”

“We aren’t sure, but it seemed an awful lot to me like nature was fighting back. I don’t know how it happened, but the sea came up and hit the ship out of the air. It crashed and blew up.”

Tigath was surprised by what he heard, but also disappointed that he had missed it. “Why did I faint again right when nature did something incredible?”

“You mean, like back with Othri, when he said the trees killed the soldiers who stabbed him?”

Tigath brought a hand to his forehead and squeezed his purple eyes shut. He was having a difficult time concentrating. It felt like there were marbles rolling around in his brain. “Right,” he mumbled, “why don’t I get to watch?”

“Lay back down, Tigath,” Nuji encouraged. “Get a little more rest. Othri and the others are cooking. When you wake up, there will be a lovely meal waiting for you.”

Tigath did not require any convincing, and he reclined onto the cot again with a groan. “Yeah, okay.”

Nuji stepped out into the hallway and shut the door behind her. She could hear laughter coming from the galley, and she headed toward the others who were preparing food. Illiop poked his rainbowy head out of the kitchen’s doorway, squeaked at her, and disappeared inside again. Nuji chuckled, but before she entered, she noticed an odd glow coming from one of the other cabins. She stepped beyond the entrance to the kitchen and approached the door with the soft illumination.

“Lestralin’s room?” she said to herself, pushing open the door.

Leaning in the corner was a metal beam, and light was emanating from one side of it. Nuji had seen Lestralin bring his few possessions onto the Mermonster when he left Uall Island, but she did not know what she was looking at. She exited his cabin and approached the galley. Alydrael, Othri, and Lestralin were still laughing.

“Excuse me, Lestralin?” Nuji interrupted.

The trio turned to her and tried to subdue their laughter.

“Yes?” he replied, wiping a tear of amusement from the corner of his eye.

“Something in your room is glowing.”

Lestralin became very serious. “My tilthial?”

Nuji looked over her shoulder toward the glow. “That thing in there is your teleportation doorway?”

Lestralin rushed past her, but he paused at his cabin’s door. “It shouldn’t look like that,” he said to himself, and he entered the room. “Oh no, no, no…” He began making adjustments to the glowing metal beam.

“What’s wrong?” Nuji asked behind him.

“My walking door has only ever worked with the matching door that was in my home, but it’s been destroyed, and I think someone is trying to use my tilthial and come through to here.”

Alydrael stepped up beside Nuji. “How could someone else access it, and who do you suppose they are?”

“Tilthial gateways use thaums, magical energy,” Lestralin explained.

Nuji added, “Like how Rothians have a muscle that produces thaumic energy.”

“Exactly,” Lestralin continued, “tilthials draw ambient energy from the earth, but they function with such complex spellcraft that most folks don’t possess the capacity to handle the thaumic charge. Very few of these doorways exist. No one has ever used this walking door besides me.”

“So then who do you suppose is strong enough to tap into it?” Othri asked, peering into the cabin.

“And can you stop them?” Alydrael added.

Lestralin replied through his gritted teeth. “I’m trying.”

A brilliant flash from the metal beam caused them to shield their eyes, and suddenly, four Human soldiers charged through the gateway into the tiny room!

Lestralin caught a club in the stomach, and he crumpled to the floor, gasping and coughing. Alydrael screamed and stumbled backward into the hallway, and the wood of the Mermonster creaked in anger. Two of the Humans grabbed Othri and began dragging him toward the light that was coming from Lestralin’s tilthial gateway.

A blue flash from one of the Humans’ terrible weapons cut through the room, missing any people, but blazing a hole through the ship’s walls. The groaning of the Mermonster grew to a wailing.

Othri leaned into one of the soldiers who was holding him, and he kneed the man in the groin. He felt the grip on his arm loosen, and he yanked himself free, but a fist collided with the side of his face, and his legs buckled.

The man who Othri kneed was clutching his crotch. “You green-skinned asshole,” he moaned, trying to push himself upright.

Othri was dazed from the blow, and he was only vaguely aware of what happened next.

Another blue flash discharged from the Human’s weapon, and despite the close quarters and the soldier’s difficulty aiming, this time, the blast made contact. Alydrael let out a cry of agony, and she collapsed. She had been shot in the right knee, and her lower leg had been blown off.

However, to the shock of Lestralin and Nuji, who were both fully coherent, the quartet of Humans suddenly exploded! Each of their torsos burst from the inside with fireballs that shattered their flesh, spraying their innards out in all directions with a gruesome rain of blood and body parts. The walls, the cot, and even Nuji, Othri, and Lestralin were covered in guts and gore. The flames died as instantly as they appeared.

The severity of Alydrael’s wound caused her to slip into shock. She was unconscious in the hall, and her destroyed leg was freely bleeding.

Nuji wiped the gore from around her eyes and rushed to Alydrael. “We need to make a tourniquet, now!” she commanded. “And seal that gateway!”

“I’m trying,” Lestralin replied.

Nuji was surprised to find Tigath unconscious next to Alydrael. “What’s he doing here? Othri,” she called, “stand up! Get Tigath back to his room.” She was busy tightening off a thick cord around Alydrael’s thigh.

Othri shook his head and wiped some of the blood from his face. “How did he get here, and why did he pass out again?”

“Wait,” Nuji said urgently, “help me wrap this gauze over the remains of Alydrael’s leg first!”

Othri left Tigath where he was and joined Nuji in dealing with the horrible wound.

“And the more pressing question,” Lestralin interjected from within the gruesome cabin, “is how did the Humans get through?” The light from his magical portal died.

Othri looked in at him. “Is there some way to dismantle it so they can’t access it again?”

“That’s exactly what I’m doing,” Lestralin replied with a grunt as he detached and hoisted the top half of his gateway off the bottom and leaned both sections in the corner. “Done, now how can I help?”

“This is only a temporary binding,” Nuji stated. “I need to give Alydrael’s leg proper treatment. Help me get her to the deck above so we’re out in the sun where I’ll be able to see everything more clearly. I need to prepare a large amount of healing ointment,” she continued, as Othri and Lestralin carefully carried Alydrael up the flight of stairs. “Her leg needs tons of stiches, and she’s going to need her blood replenished.”

“Could you use my blood?” Othri offered.

“Probably, thank you, Othri.”

Kilial shouted from the wheel as soon as she saw them. “What have you been doing to my ship?! The Mermonster hasn’t been able to explain what happened, only that it’s all screwed up! What did you do?” Then Kilial saw Alydrael, and she whispered, “By the wind and waves…”

“Lay her on the bench here,” Nuji instructed, and the two men obeyed.

“Can you reattach her leg?” Othri asked quietly as he and Lestralin stepped back.

Nuji shook her head. “There’s no way, not even with the most advanced magic.”

“What should we do?” Lestralin added.

“I need to blend some ingredients before removing the gauze and stitching up her leg. Othri, grab my satchel, and Lestralin, go get my medkit.”

“I’m on it!” he replied.

Othri had Nuji’s bag to her in less than thirty seconds, and she pulled out three tiny containers.

Kilial was staring at Alydrael, and her wide mouth was open in horror. “What… what happened to her?” she asked.

Lestralin answered as he ran to the top of the stairs. “Humans somehow broke through my walking door. They did that to Alydrael and damaged the ship.”

Kilial looked at the wheel in her hands. “What do you need me to do for you?”

The Mermonster creaked, and its riggings rattled.

“Stop trying to be tough,” Kilial replied. “How bad is it?”

The ship groaned.

“Alydrael is in Nuji’s hands now,” Kilial said to it. “I’m going below to check you out.” She locked the wheel in place and followed Lestralin.

Tigath was beginning to stir, and the Mermonster squeaked a pulley that was hanging from the ceiling to inform Kilial. “I’ll deal with him,” she responded, and she stepped up to him and knelt. “Hey there, welcome back. Why do you keep blacking out?” She helped him sit up from the floor of the hallway, but then he saw the gore-filled cabin.

“What is that?”

Kilial positioned herself in front of him. “Just a mess we’ll deal with later. Let’s get you off the floor and into the sunshine. Up you go!” She pulled him to his unsteady feet and tried to prevent him from looking at the horrific remains. “Upstairs!” Kilial ordered, but then she spotted the damage done by the Humans to the Mermonster, and she remained below as Tigath climbed to the deck above.

He emerged, squinting in the light again. He made eye contact with Othri, and Tigath repeated Kilial’s question. “Why do I keep blacking out?” He saw the state of Alydrael and stepped up behind Nuji. “Oh no… can I do anything?” he asked quietly.

“She’s going to need blood from an Urcai,” Nuji answered, “and I can only take so much from Othri, so can I draw some of yours for her as well?”

“Of course!” Tigath replied without hesitation. “Can I help with…”

He stopped speaking as Nuji gingerly peeled the gauze from the ruins of Alydrael’s leg. She discarded the spoiled bandages, but blood was still oozing from the wound despite the tourniquet.

“Where’s my medkit?” Nuji shouted. She had already prepared a healing paste, and she applied it to Alydrael’s skin all the way around her thigh.

“I’ve got it!” Lestralin shouted, bounding up the stairs.

“Open it,” Nuji commanded. “Find my curved needle. It’s in a cylindrical case. And I need the lumen-thread.”

Lestralin looked up at her in surprise. “You have lumen-thread?”

“Find it!!”

He focused on the bag in his hands.

“Othri,” Nuji said to him, “I need you to find ingredients for the next potion.”

He held up her satchel. “Tell me.”

“Here’s the needle and thread!” Lestralin declared, placing the items onto the bench by Alydrael.

“In my bag,” Nuji said to Othri, “there are six things. Take out the dried dagger flower petals and dried furry leaves, smoked muddle weed root, wiggle willow bark, dehydrated froth tree bark, and frost fir bark. Quick!”

“One bark…” Othri said as he found the first ingredient, “two barks… here’s the root… the third bark…” He kept looking through her bag as he placed the items by the needle and thread.

Nuji turned to Lestralin. “Go get a clean, dry bowl. Bring it to me along with a jug of seawater.”

“You got it!” He rushed off again as Kilial reemerged from below.

“How’s the Mermonster?” Tigath asked her quietly.

“Nothing critical.”

“Good.”

Othri had collected each ingredient Nuji instructed him to find, and Lestralin quickly returned with the bowl and water. A moment later, Nuji’s pasty potion was ready, and she set it out in the sunshine. She then began the gruesome task that was before her.

“I hope these spells don’t hurt anyone,” she said to herself.

Kilial shot her fellow Rothian a confused look as she helped Tigath into a chair at the table by the stern of the ship.

Then words that none of them could translate came swirling through the air from Nuji. Even Kilial could only make out the odd word of her people’s traditional casting language every few lines that Nuji spoke; they were peppered throughout the complex spell, but most of what Nuji said was indecipherable. The lumen-thread began to glow, and Nuji fed its tip through the eye of her curved needle. She began to stitch as she continued to speak, and the others remained silent for her work. Her mystical words continued to flow, and for an entire hour, she spoke the incantation and sewed up Alydrael’s ruined flesh. When she stopped and turned her attention to the potion she had made from the ingredients Othri had collected, she fell silent. In less than a minute, she had smeared the paste over each stitch she had applied, but her treatment was far from over.

Nuji continued the task of sewing Alydrael’s leg and casting her healing spell. Another long hour passed before she set the needle down again and spread the remaining potion over the wound. Nuji rewrapped the stump of Alydrael’s thigh with fresh gauze, wiped her hands on a clean rag, and slumped to the deck of the ship in exhaustion. She leaned against the main mast, and Lestralin handed her a canteen.

“I’ve never seen anything like that,” he whispered in a voice filled with wonder as she took a long drink. “How are you able to cast such complex and powerful spells?”

“And why would you think a healing spell might have hurt one of us?” Kilial added.

Tigath was feeling much more like himself again, and he joined Nuji on the floor. “But you didn’t; you didn’t hurt anyone. Now how do Othri and I give our blood?” He pulled back his purple hair.

Nuji let out a relieved sigh. “Give me a few minutes to catch my breath, and I’ll set you both up.” She looked toward Alydrael. “I think she’s going to be okay.”