The Nextworld Invasion and the Death of Magic - 19. Chapter 19 - Finding Others

For five uneventful days, the Mermonster headed toward the archipelago that extended out to sea from the mainland, and Alydrael slowly began to heal. Tigath made a crutch for her out of some spare wood that he found down in the hold of the ship, and she was slowly getting used to walking with it. She was still in a significant amount of pain, but Nuji’s potions were making it bearable, and each day was a little better.

Two hours after noon on that fifth day, the ship snapped a rope and rattled a pulley, informing Kilial that the tip of the island chain was on the horizon. It was still several hours before the Mermonster arrived, and the first landmasses were little more than rocky protuberances, thrusting up from the water as if challenging the waves.

“If there’s an old meeting place,” Lestralin stated, “it would have to be on one of the larger islands.

The archipelago stretched for many leagues and led right up to the mainland. Its end, and the continent beyond, were not visible, but the Mermonster was heading straight for the island that lay farthest from shore.

Kilial unhooked her extendable handheld spyglass from where it hung at her belt and brought it up to her eye. “We should reach the first little spit of land in less than an hour. Doesn’t look like much, but I can see bigger islands beyond it. Can’t see the mainland yet from where we are. Hopefully we’ll be able to find the rebels quickly.” She lowered her telescoping spyglass again and a worried look came to her face. “Now that it’s upon us, and we’ve almost made it to one of the groups who are trying to resist the Humans…”

The others waited a moment, but when Kilial did not finish her thought, Nuji asked, “Are you having doubts?”

Kilial gave her fellow Rothian a barely perceptible nod, and she whispered, “What are we supposed to do against them? We didn’t know until a few days ago when that Human managed to communicate with us from Nextworld, that they are able to use magic. How are we supposed to stop them if they also have magic on their side?”

Alydrael hobbled over to the limby Rothian seawoman. “We can’t just do nothing,” she said weakly. She had spent most of the past several days in her cabin, receiving treatment by Nuji and her healing skills every few hours, and Alydrael was recovering.

Kilial was surprised by the young Urcai woman’s words. “You’re still planning on fighting, even in your condition?” She eyed the bandaged stump of Alydrael’s right thigh.

“I’ll do anything I can to help our people.” Alydrael’s voice was not strong, but her words were full of conviction and determination. The catastrophic injury to her leg had not diminished her spirit, and in fact, Alydrael already seemed to have accepted the reality of the matter and moved on with her life.

“You’re a tough kid, aren’t ya?” Kilial said with a chuckle, but to her surprise, Alydrael frowned at her.

“People keep calling me kid, but I’m not a kid. I’ve gone through a lot for being as young as I am, and I don’t feel like a kid, regardless of my age.”

Kilial put up her hands in a placating gesture. “Fair enough, I’ll call you by your name from now on.” Kilial chuckled and reached her long arms up to place her hands on the much taller Urcai woman’s shoulders. “I think you might be even tougher than me, Alydrael,” Kilial declared. “Alright, let’s see what we can find.” She turned and looked over the Mermonster’s bow. The nearest island appeared to be growing as the ship approached, but it proved to be no more than a rocky outcropping that stuck up out of the water. “Keep going,” Kilial said to the ship.

For another two and a half hours, the Mermonster wove through the atolls and sandbars that comprised the farthest stretch of the island chain, but there were no signs of other people. The largest landmass that they were yet to come upon began to rise as they approached, but a wispy trail of smoke was issuing from its top.

“A volcanic island probably isn’t the most hospitable,” Lestralin stated.

“Does that mean…” Nuji began, but she hesitated. “Are you saying you think there won’t be anyone there? Or are you saying you think that this is the kind of place where a band of rebels might be hiding?”

“Why don’t we sail around it and see what we can find?” Tigath recommended.

The Mermonster creaked in agreement, but circumventing the small volcanic island revealed nothing and no one, and the ship continued on to the next landmasses. The ship circled three more of the larger islands, but those aboard still did not find where the rebels were hiding.

The afternoon sun was starting to cast long shadows as the ship approached the final island Kilial intended to search before nightfall. It was another volcanic mound, thrusting up from the seabed. The Mermonster rounded it, but the travelers still came upon no signs of any Urcai, Rothians, or Noktar, and the ship dropped its anchor.

“We’ll spend the night here,” Kilial stated, “and in the morning, we’ll continue our search.”

Alydrael looked in the direction they had been headed and focused on the next few islands. “I wonder how far away the mainland is. I still can’t see it.”

“The map only has a few of the larger islands that are closer to the port of Springdale listed by name,” Lestralin replied. He also looked out at the darkening horizon. “I don’t think we’ve reached any of them yet though. Everything we’ve passed has been uninhabitable.”

Othri suddenly spun around and sniffed hard at the air. “What is that? What’s that smell? It smells like…”

“Food!” Lestralin finished for him. “Someone’s cooking!”

“I smell it too,” confirmed Nuji, “but where’s it coming from? I don’t see any smoke; I mean, besides that.” She pointed at the summit of the volcanic peak, which was issuing up a hazy column.

“No, that’s food I smell,” Othri declared. “People are making food somewhere on that island.”

“Have we found the rebels?” Alydrael asked.

“Let’s hope so,” Kilial replied. She turned to the group. “A few of us should stay here with Alydrael, and the others should explore the island. Who wants to go, and who should stay here?”

Alydrael looked worried. “I don’t want to be a bother. If all of you want to go, I can stay on the Mermonster with Illiop.” The main mast groaned, and Alydrael let out a little giggle. “Besides, I won’t be alone.” She brought a hand to the railing.

“I’ll stay,” Nuji informed the others, and she looked at Alydrael. “I don’t mind, and I know you’ve had almost a week to heal, but I want to be with you just in case anything happens.”

“Thank you,” Alydrael said with a small smile.

Lestralin knelt down and scratched Illiop’s rainbow-furred head. “You’re going to stay here, okay?” The creature scampered over and sat at Alydrael’s foot.

“Very good,” Kilial concluded, “so unless any of you wants to stay too, we’ll disembark.” She grabbed a few supplies and lowered the Mermonster’s rowboat.

Tigath, Othri, and Lestralin joined Kilial, and she rowed the small boat to shore.

“I hope we’ve found the rebels,” Othri said to the others as they disembarked and Kilial tied the dinghy to the root of a mangrove.

Tigath began to reply, “This island doesn’t seem big enough to support an entire…” but he was interrupted by Kilial.

“There!” She was pointing at a small rise in the land, where a merry fire was burning.”

Lestralin leaned toward Tigath. “I think you’re right. I don’t think there are many people here. That’s a fire for a small camp. I would guess no more than a couple of folks, but whatever they’re cooking smells good.”

The quartet rounded a little rocky outcropping and startled an older Noktar man, who jumped up, snatched a wooden spear, and started jabbing it in their direction. His beard and hair were salt and pepper, and his skin was heavily weathered. He looked like he had been on the island for years, and he was by himself.

“Easy, friend,” Lestralin soothed. “We’re not here to hurt you, and we didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Yer not s’posta be here!” the man slurred. “Go away an’ lea’me alone!”

The group of four quickly realized what they had found. There was a small cave littered with miscellaneous refuse.

Othri let out a disappointed breath. “It’s just some old coot. He doesn’t know anything.” He turned and began to head back the way they had come, but Lestralin was still trying to calm the man.

“Please, sir, put the spear down. I’m Lestralin. What’s your name? How long have you been out here alone?” The man was snarling and aiming his weapon right at Lestralin’s face. “How old are you, friend?”

The man’s shoulders sagged, and the spear’s tip lowered. “Five-hundred-twenty-seven.”

Lestralin was surprised. “That’s astonishing! I’m only two-hundred-eighty-four, myself, but five-twenty-seven is incredible! I don’t think I’ve ever met a Noktar who has been alive as long as you. Do you want to tell me your name?”

“Mordoq,” the man answered. “My name’s Mordoq.” He let his spear’s tip fall to the ground. “Why… why are you four here?”

“I was wondering the same thing about you, Mordoq,” Lestralin replied. “What brought you way out here, and how long have you been here?”

“And the more pressing matter,” Othri interjected, “any idea where the rebels are?”

Mordoq replied without hesitation. “Ashtrilth Island.”

Othri perked up at the information and turned back toward the man. “You know where they are?”

“Of course I do. Their leaders came to me for a recommendation of where they should set up a base, and I told them.” Mordoq focused on his fellow Noktar. “I had a schoolteacher called Lestralin when I was a child. And to answer your question, after my partner died, I wanted to be alone. I studied this volcanic island chain in my younger days, and when life took a hard turn for me, I decided to come out here. I was already five-hundred-twenty when I came here. Honestly, I thought I would have died off a long time ago, but my life on the island has been quiet, peaceful, and healing as I approach my end. I know I’ll eventually die here, and I’m good with that.”

“Five-twenty-seven is an impressive stretch,” Lestralin commented. “I can understand welcoming the end. But you’ve been out here for longer than you expected; do you feel like you’ve missed out on things?”

Mordoq chuckled. “I love these islands! Do I feel bad for getting to spend longer than I expected on them? Not at all!” He laughed again. “If I live here another five years or only another five days, it will have been worth it. I love it here.”

Kilial spoke up, “So which one is Ashtrilth Island?”

“Ashtrilth is a large island that is just barely within sight of the mainland,” Mordoq replied. “It’s also volcanic, and from the peak, you can see the port city of Springdale. That island where you’ll find the rebels. They’re led by a pair of Noktar olliags.”

Othri suddenly became more enthusiastic. “Shadow warriors are in charge?”

“That’s right,” Mordoq confirmed. “I don’t know their names, but both of them are in command of several contingents of shadow warriors. There are also a few Urcai and Rothians among the rebels.”

Othri had a thought and leaned toward Kilial with a mournful expression. “I’m so sorry we are so far away from your partner.”

She sighed. “Ursine is with his fellow olliags on Ixtix Island, way back up in the north. He’s doing what needs to be done, just like we are. Someday he and I will be reunited… someday.” Kilial focused on Mordoq. “Does Ashtrilth Island have any unique features?”

“Yes indeed, Ashtrilth’s volcano has erupted four times in the past decade. They weren’t major eruptions, but during each, thick basaltic lava flows oozed out, which formed a wide stretch of beautiful black coastline. Sailing toward the island from here, the cooled and hardened lava flows reach out into the ocean this direction. You won’t be able to miss them. The other volcanic islands have been less active and don’t have any newer lava features.”

Kilial looked from Mordoq to Lestralin, Tigath, and Othri. “I think we’ve got a plan. Shall we head back to the Mermonster and go on to Ashtrilth Island?” She turned her gaze to the elderly Noktar man again. “Thank you for sharing your information with us, Mordoq. I’m sorry we startled you when we first arrived.”

Kilial reached one of her long-fingered hands toward him, and he took it in his with a smile. “I realize you can’t stick around, but it was nice to have visitors.” He chuckled. “Safe journey, travelers!”

An hour later, the Mermonster was cruising past more of the islands, none of which were volcanic, but there was a trail of smoke rising from the horizon.

“Do you think that’s it?” Alydrael asked Kilial.

“Hard to tell, kid. Erm, sorry, I mean Alydrael.”

The young Urcai woman smiled at the captain correcting herself.

As the Mermonster progressed, it became clear that quite a few of the islands closer to the continent were volcanic.

“I still can’t see the mainland,” Kilial commented.

The night was growing dark.

The ship sailed past a small, rocky chunk of land with a column of steam issuing from an opening at its low summit, and Alydrael said, “Wait a second, what’s that?”

The peaks of several ship masts were visible, and as the Mermonster rounded the smaller volcanic island, multiple anchored ships were revealed on its other side.

“We found the rebels!” Kilial shouted, and the others came to the bow from different parts of the ship.

Tigath, Othri, Nuji, Alydrael, Kilial, and Lestralin stared in silent wonder at the array of gently rocking vessels. Then they spotted movement on land. A single Noktar individual was walking across the hardened lava flows Mordoq had mentioned. The person was waving.

“Well he looks friendly enough,” Tigath commented.

“Erm…” Lestralin interjected, “I don’t think that person is a man.”

“Oh my stars and moon!” Tigath replied. “You’re right! My mistake!”

The individual stepped out onto the very end of the lava flow, cupped their hands at their mouth, and shouted, “Are you here to fight?!”

“We are!” Kilial hollered back.

“Drop anchor and come ashore!”

Kilial turned to the Mermonster with a grin. “You heard them, drop anchor and lower the rowboat.”

The ship let out a series of happy creaks, and a few minutes later, Tigath, Othri, and Lestralin were in the little boat with Kilial rowing them toward the black rocks of the shore. Nuji stayed with Alydrael and Illiop on the Mermonster.

“Greetings!” the Noktar person called out as the rowboat approached. “Toss me your rope and I’ll secure it to one of these boulders.”

The group stepped onto dry land and introductions were made.

“Glad to have you. I’m Unda.”

“Lovely to make your acquaintance,” Lestralin said to his fellow Noktar, “and may I ask, are you a lithua?”

“I am indeed,” Unda answered with a broad smile. “I was never satisfied with the male designation I was given at birth, but I also don’t feel like a Noktar woman; I just feel like me, and when I started my training as an olliag, I decided to adopt the lithua lifestyle.”

“And letting go of both genders,” Tigath asked, “that’s what lithua means right? It made you feel like yourself?”

“That’s precisely it!” Unda replied, smiling even wider. “When I started wearing a blend of butch and femme clothes, I felt like I’d found myself.”

“I love that!” Tigath added. “I’m pleased to meet you, Unda.”

“Now,” Kilial said, focusing the group on why they were there, “how do we join the resistance? The Humans have destroyed so much of our world, and so many of our peoples have been killed. How are we fighting back?”

Unda nodded and waved their hand at the volcanic mountain. “I’ll take you into the cave where we’ve got our headquarters so you can meet our two leaders, Verilin and Edonish. They’re the ones who rallied us.”

“Lead the way,” Othri replied.

“We have information that they need,” Kilial added. “The Humans, they’re looking for this island and the rebels. They don’t know where you are yet, but they’re closing in.”

“Not to worry,” Unda replied with a confident smile, “we don’t intend on remaining here long. Verilin and Edonish are this way.”

Unda led the quartet of new arrivals toward a rocky wall of the mountain, and they realized there was a small opening that led to an immense cavern hidden within the island itself.

“Astonishing,” Lestralin whispered as the group entered.

Inside, there were many Noktar and Rothians, and even a few green-skinned Urcai. Many of them focused on the new arrivals, and several folks greeted them.

“Verilin and Edonish are in this antechamber,” Unda said with a wave, but the leaders emerged before the group could enter the smaller alcove.

“Welcome, my name is Edonish, and this is Verilin.”

“You four arrived at the right time,” Verilin added. “We’re on the verge of leaving Ashtrilth Island.”

“Good,” Kilial replied, “the Humans are hunting you.”

Edonish gave the group a solemn nod. “We suspected that we would only be able to remain here temporarily, so we’ve made our plans quickly. The Humans have somehow been able to overwhelm the free peoples of Earth over and over again. It’s like they have some sort of inside information about our cities and our people.”

Kilial spoke up again. “We may have the answer to that, but even now as the words are forming in my mind, the implications seem greater and greater, or worse and worse.” She paused and everyone focused on her. “The Humans are able to do magic. They’ve been watching us from Nextworld for, apparently, years… and the more I think about it, the more horrible it feels. They know all about us.” She sucked her teeth and repeated, “They’ve been watching us!”

Verilin, Edonish, and the other rebels near enough to hear Kilial’s words were startled and alarmed.

“What do you mean?” Unda asked. “How’s that even possible, and how’d you learn all of this?”

Kilial stared at the two rebel leaders. “A Human woman in Nextworld opened a magical window to Earth, and she spoke to us.”

The rebels were shocked.