by Sean Eva | May 5, 2025 | Venture
I felt the green beneath my fingers, the sun on my skin. Children laughed as they splashed water at one another. I sat on the riverbank, allowing my bare back to bake in the sun. I was happy, but I knew it wouldn’t last. We were told that we would leave. My brother and I was selected to leave.
A blond boy ran closer, his green eyes searching mine.
“What is it?” he asked.
I tried to smile as I looked at the scene before me. He is too young to understand
“It’s nothing. Go swim—enjoy it.” I watched him run back into the water.
Then came the siren. First soft. Then louder, until everyone stood up and turned to watch the sky burn—the blue burning away to red. I turned to look at my parents. They weren’t coming with, they weren’t selected, and they knew this.
The sirens… the siren…
I sat up.
My cabin lights flickered on and off as a rhythmic beeping pulled me from sleep. I turned to the wall. There was no window—just silver. I touched the cold metal. In space, everything seems to stay cold. The beds had a built-in heating mechanism. The warmth of the mattress did not compensate for the harsh dreams.
I pulled myself up and looked at the distorted reflection in the metal walls around me. My bare body shimmered between pale skin and red hair. The monitor blinked on, and I read the data on the screen.
ERROR…
“What now?” I muttered, forcing myself up.
The floor was carpeted and soft under foot. The error message indicated that a crew member required medical attention. I tapped “Next.” It displayed the room number: C-43. That was Betty’s room.
Time to work.
I pressed one of the buttons stacked next to the monitor. A closet opened. My uniform waited, along with my medical bag, my Medi Kit.
A medic in space. Every kid’s dream, right? It wasn’t my choice either. The system selected it for me and I was trained to do the very thing I am doing now.
I had to hurry. I grabbed the suit and stepped into the leggings. It zipped itself up, vacuum-sealing against my body. I twisted my wrist; the small monitor flashed—all vitals optimal.
I tapped a few buttons to pull up Betty’s bio-tracker.
No suit. That wasn’t good.
I grabbed my bag and ran to the door, which slid open automatically. This could be anything—a heart attack or just a minor cut in the kitchen. My mind raced. What station was she in again?
Food prep. She worked in the kitchen. She had a kid.
I sprinted down empty hallways. Most of the crew were still asleep. She must have woken up early. Possibly a minor injury—maybe she pricked herself on her jewelry. She liked wearing those.
While I ran, I pulled up her medical history. If it was serious, the doctor would have to be notified.
I was on floor H. At the elevator, I pressed for floor C.
“Override speed. Adams. Medic code 0546.”
The voice command activated my emergency override. The lift surged upward. I braced myself as it jerked to a stop at Floor C. The doors slid open. Someone was waiting outside her room.
“Michael, what’s the situation?” I asked once I was close enough to hear him speak.
“The system woke me up. I was allowed into her room. She’s not waking up,” he said. Worry laced his words.
I nodded as the door opened and I stepped inside. She lay in her underwear on the bed.
I didn’t wait.
The bag opened. Ten pieces of equipment—Assess.
I pulled out the glasses and slipped them on. Small words danced as the lenses activated, scanning her.
I took her wrist, careful to keep the glasses focused. I placed the monitor patch on her pulse—it glowed white, then orange.
Good. Not red.
I inserted an earpiece.
“Let me have it,” I said.
“It would appear her sugar is very low,” the AI chirped in my ear.
I smiled. Easy enough.
“Prep the administration needle.”
While the glasses continued streaming data—night sweats, low heart rate, low energy—I confirmed she wasn’t diabetic. Could be something new.
“Needle ready,” the voice informed me.
I reached for it. A thin needle slowly lifted from the side of the bag. I unclipped it.
“Needle collected,” the AI confirmed.
The glasses highlighted a suitable vein. I gently inserted the needle. It didn’t need to go deep. The nano-absorbent material activated as soon as it made contact with the vein.
The needle vanished under the skin. The tip was coated with a coagulant, sealing the puncture site. No trace left behind.
“Status update?” I asked.
“Calibrating,” came the reply.
The monitor on her wrist remained orange, then shifted to yellow.
“Wonderful. Heart rate?”
“Increasing.”
“Oxygen?”
“Optimal.”
“Neurological?”
“Functional.”
“Initiate wake-up jolt.”
The patch on her wrist beeped. Betty gasped and jolted awake, eyes wide, tears spilling down her cheeks. I exhaled in relief. The monitor turned green.
I removed the glasses and returned them to the bag.
“Patient is stable. Recommend doctor appointment in one hour.” The metallic voice chirped in my ear, I removed it.
“Hey, Betty… it’s okay,” I said gently.
“I… I don’t feel well,” she murmured.
“Your sugar was very low. You had me worried there. May I have my button back?”
She hesitated, then offered her wrist. I took the monitor patch and returned it to the bag. It clicked shut and began disinfecting.
I’d be out of commission for the next ten minutes.
“You’ll have to see the doctor in an hour. You’re okay now.”
I stood and walked over to her monitor, scanning my biometrics to confirm I’d provided aid. A cabinet opened. I retrieved her suit.
“Here. This will give me an idea of how you’re doing,” I said, holding it out while glancing at my wrist monitor. The report was auto-generating.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly, accepting the suit.
“Nothing to be worried about. The human body is my business—nothing to be ashamed of.”
I reviewed the data. Early-stage diabetes. The doctor would have to confirm. These things happened in space. Nothing could prevent it.
“Thank you… what’s your name?” she asked.
“Mr. Adams. Have a good shift, and don’t forget your appointment, Betty.”
Once she was dressed, I nodded and stepped out. Michael stood by the wall, shaking his head.
“Man… to be a medic on this ship,” he muttered.
I shook my head as he followed.
“Dude, you realize you’re not wearing your suit?” I asked.
“Not my fault. The system woke me like this. Besides, this body is all the action I get,” he joked.
“How’s the expedition planning going?” I changed the subject.
“Ah man, it’s great. I mean, our parents did most of the work before they retired, but now it’s on us. We’ll be the ones to investigate Euron. Exciting, right?”
He stopped at his door, which slid open and invited me in. I entered. A chair rose from the floor for me.
“It is exciting. You sure you want me as the squad’s medic?” I asked, curious about his thoughts.
“Man, the way you handle emergencies? I definitely want you. Now—about that probe data. Last night’s scan shows promise. Oxygen. That means vegetation.”
I raised a hand. “Similarity to Earth?”
He pressed his lips together. “It jumped from 45% to 60%. I think this might be our planet, Geoffrey. I really hope so.”
“So do I,” I admitted. “But we have to keep a clear head. How long until we can confirm if we can enter its atmosphere?”
My bag’s red button turned green. Ready again.
“The system will tell us more once we’re closer. In the meantime, come check out what the AI’s created for you in the tools department.”
We went quiet for a while after he mentioned the AI.
“We nearly didn’t make it,” I finally said.
“That day was terrifying,” he agreed.
My dream returned—the day the quantum computer went online. All hell broke loose on Earth. Society collapsed and rebuilt itself in the same breath. My brother urged on by my determination as we walked up the huge walkway to the ship. Our parents somewhere in the masses watching us leave.
“Historians are still working with the system, trying to understand it… there are whispers they had to bring in psychologists,” he said, staring at the floor.
“So, they think it’s aware.” I looked down at my wrist monitor and the bag beside me. Too many unknowns.
“Well, that’s not our job, the expedition team assembles in two days. And Geoffrey…”
He waited until I looked at him.
“I have more news. The real reason I’m wasting your time now.”
He licked his lips. Bad news.
“The system selected him,” I said. His shoulders fell. It was the only thing he could say that I would take as bad news.
“How did you know?”
“I just did,” I replied, gazing out the window in his room. He had a better view than I did. Outside, the stars blurred as we rocketed through space—thanks to the quantum computer.
“Yes… I tried to override it, but the system insisted.”
He waited.
I patted his shoulder and picked up my bag.
“Don’t worry. Nothing a good cup of coffee can’t fix,” I said, forcing a smile.
by Sean Eva | Feb 9, 2025 | Seth
“So… You are haunting yourself?” Genevieve confirmed what I’d explained to her.
I’d left the boy to catch a nap and waited on deck with Sword and Genevieve. The Mainland grew larger the closer we sailed.
“I’m glad no one was hurt. I’ve missed the feeling, saving people.” My words were caught on the wind. I didn’t lie. The admiration after living through the horror of demon laughter and squeals wasn’t something I could ignore. My chest swelled for the thankful nods and smiles. Some were skeptical as they eyed me from afar.
“So you cannot use the full extent of your power?” Sword summed up my situation further. I avoided his gaze. “And you were going to take us into battle without sharing it with us?”
“Sorry.” I gazed at the fresh cracks on the floor.
“No, no, it’s fine. It’s not like I trusted the last traveler to get us out of a pinch.” He sighed. “I can’t blame you for wanting to hide it though.”
“The body doesn’t remember pain.” I smiled at Genevieve.
“Most women know what that means. I know it better than most men. All these scars,” I lifted my shirt to reveal the healed lines, “Be glad you didn’t see the rest of me. I learned at an early age that your body forgets the pain once it has healed. Lying on that floor, with my haunting searching through my innards with its hand, was painful. Excruciating even. My body will carry that evidence, but I cannot recall the pain I endured.”
“I’m sorry I asked earlier. You’re right though, most women have learned that at an early age.” Genevieve folded her arms while she stared out to sea.
“What are the two of you talking about? Normal pain? I can relate to that.” Sword tried to join our unspoken understanding. We glared at the man.
He held his hands up in defense. “I’m just glad Seth isn’t broody like he was at the Library. Your mood lifts the more time you spend with us.”
He wasn’t wrong, I was growing to like my party of four, but it meant there were three more people in my life that could die. I wasn’t sure if I could survive a repeat of Lucy.
“Seth.” Genevieve raised an eyebrow. “We won’t die.”
“Did you get some gift to read minds?” I grinned at her.
She grabbed my shoulder and squeezed it. “Not that I am aware of. I just thought about it. You’ve had to lose people throughout your journey. Makes sense you would struggle with that. I’d worry if you didn’t.”
“You hide it very well,” Sword said.
They must have been planning this discussion for some time. Of course, they would noticed me keeping to myself and avoiding them when they’ve been living with me for a year.
“You try your best to keep everyone at arm’s length. It’s understandable.” She paused and gazed at the enormous cliff looming closer. “It isn’t fair to the rest of us who have grown to like you.”
I’ve never thought about protecting myself from pain as being selfish, but she was right. When Genevieve tried to gossip with me about Sword and Timothy in the Library, I’d brushed her off. When Sword wanted extra combat training, I’d refused. Timothy, who’d wanted to swim in the bath, and I’d rejected the idea.
The docks were hidden in a giant cave with shadows playing across one another, while we sailed nearer. The crew lowered the ship’s sails. The rowers drifted it through the cave opening. Inside was an identical hall of heroes and, at the end of it, were similar large doors.
“I’m sorry. I’ll have to work on my bonding skills, but you’re right, Genevieve. Living a life where you’re trying to avoid connections in the hope of not feeling pain again is futile. I just wish that the pain of the heart worked like the pain of the body.”
They said nothing when I stood up. Timothy dragged our bags one by one, short distance by distance, to us. I took mine with a smile for his efforts. He had his dirty clothes in his one hand. He didn’t want to put them with his clean clothes.
“Sensible,” Sword said as the shadow of the cave fell over us. “When we are on dry land, I will help you clean those in the ocean water, rather salty than, well, filthy.”
Timothy pressed his lips together, his eyes darting like seagulls trying to find a place to perch between myself and Sword.
“We need to bath too, don’t you think?” I waited for his reaction.
The boy’s face lit up, and he straightened, a twinkle returning to his eyes.
“What is our plan, though?” Genevieve gestured to the welcoming party waiting on the docks.
“Well, I guess we tell them what the reason is for me showing up rather than Cindy. We will talk to their leaders in time, but I have a teenager I need to meet first.”
“See, my dear Mistress Luck has never let me down.” Captain Veren threw his one arm around my shoulder while holding a dark glass bottle in the other hand. The stench of sour berries clung to his breath.
“Thank you, Captain, I’m glad we arrived safely.” I tried to smiled. He lifted his arm and a smacked me forward as he gave me a punch on my back.
“It was great, just never sail with me again.” The captain’s eyes narrowed then he stumbled away from me.
I searched the faces for black hair and serious eyes. A thud on the deck behind me said I wouldn’t find him on the docks. A teenager gripped a dagger in each hand. He wore a smile while he studied the people on the ship.
“Seth, this is a surprise.” Something in the teenager’s eyes dared me.
“Brandon.” The teenager inside of me wanted to hug him like I used to when he was eight and stood in my apartment.
He seethed and stomped to me. The mark across my palm throbbed as he approached.
“Seth.” He grinned and met me with an embrace.
It was like the world stood still. The hug wasn’t unwelcomed so I returned it. He had a bitter smell to him. I had half a mind to tell him he needed a bath too, but I decided against it when I enjoyed his arms around my neck. He grew up to be quite a young man.
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled, but he only squeezed tighter and sighed in the curve of my neck.
“It’s okay,” he whispered.
I relaxed a bit. When he stepped back there were tears in his eyes. “I missed you, Seth. Life has been tough here on the Mainland.”
“I hear you play many roles,” I said.
He motioned for us to follow. We lined up while the crewmen lowered the ramp. Brandon lunged ahead of us to approach another young man with dirty blond hair and the brightest blue eyes. The two of them shared a moment before continuing with their duties.
Genevieve leaned in toward me. “I’m not the only one who saw that?”
“I guess not,” I said, crossing onto the dock.
Sword and Genevieve marched to the cloaks with their hands on their relics holstered on their bodies in different ways. Brandon waited for me at the first statue. Timothy’s gaze darted between me and Sword and chose to run after Sword.
“What did Cindy say?” Brandon asked.
I breathed out some air while honored by the statues in the hall. He leaned against the first statue—the first cloak.
“I should fall in with your plan and join the attack on Volupto. After that, I have to close the gate in the Deadlands.” I recited the same way I’d rehearsed in my head.
“You are heading to the Deadlands?” He grinned. “Makes sense. Destroying their means to enter the physical is the logical move. I guess you came up with that part?”
“I don’t remember, but I’m the only one who can.” I stopped myself from saying more.
Brandon was a double agent. The title itself merited he should not be trusted. When I looked at him, I saw the eight-year-old boy who’d glared me down whenever I gave him something to do. This young man was no longer that boy.
He beckoned me with his head to join him on his way into the Library. He took me to the war table and directed my attention to the map—a different one than those in Lenost’s Library.
“We are going to hit them hard. Their ships in the harbor are the prize.” He palmed some pebbles then placed them on the map’s desert area. “We will attack the city and kill the demons we come across. Those from the harbor will join the conflict. During that time, another group will take the ships and sail them around to this Library. My men in the city will retreat, leaving the demons without an escape route and us enough time to board the ships and sail for Lenost. Some of us will stay behind, but that’s the idea.”
“Are you planning on using all of the ships?” At Brandon’s puzzled frown, I continued, “Then why not take two and burn the others? You will spare time, cause mayhem, and the demons coming to Volupto’s aid will be thrown in disarray.”
He crossed his arms and stared at the map for a while. “That’s not a bad idea. Very good, we’ll do that.” He clapped his hands and smiled at me. “You have traveled some way, and I hear it wasn’t the best of trips. How about some food, a bath, and drink?”
I tilted my head and leered at him. “Wait, how did you know about what happened? I haven’t left you alone since we docked.”
“The art of espionage is to know things. Half of the sailors were mutes when you docked. The ship’s deck was cracked, not to mention the whispers of the black fog and the demon ships you escaped.”
I gaped. “You put all that together simply by listening among the sailors and being on the ship?”
An angel appeared in the shadows. It had the form of a man and the head of some feline.
“Get them some food and something to drink,” Brandon barked at it.
It blinked slowly and strolled off.
Timothy ran up to me with clean pants in one hand.
Brandon frowned at the child. “You still looking after runaway kids?” His expression hardened. “Good for you.” He stormed off.
Timothy waited next to me. “Who is that guy?”
“An old friend.” I took his hand while we strode toward the nearest door. I hoped that like the Library in Lenost, the door would open to the room we needed most. We entered through the door to a large bathing area.
Other men were cleaning themselves. I sighed, but Timothy squeezed my hand. We undressed against the wall with infant seats to place our clothes on. The bathing rooms in the Library were odd. When I climbed out of the water, it steamed off me before I could dress. Timothy ran and jumped into the pool of water, splashing everyone. A few men laughed at his youthful vigor, while others grumbled and waded to the far side of the pool. Their gazes summed me up when I revealed the scars over my body. I climbed into the water, and the boy swam over to me.
“This is fun.” He squirted water out of his mouth.
I allowed the warm water to run over my skin. It always helped with the numb areas or on bad days when the healed scars throbbed. My wounds were deeper than most. I smiled when I thought back to the day I left Piper’s mansion to stay on my own. People helped me to adjust to the new life. Chief among them was a woman called Granny Leah. She’d owned the apartment building I stayed in. When she took me in, she taught me how to clean myself and how to make food that wasn’t half bad. She treated my wounds, too.
“Take off your clothes and come stand here,” she used to say. She’d make me move to check mobility or for lingering infection. “They broke you, didn’t they?’ she’d asked me.
I’d pressed my lips together. “Can’t break something if there ain’t anything to break.”
She cried after that statement. My English was bad back then, broken, not unlike myself. It hasn’t improved by much, but it’s better.
“Seth, you’re doing it again.” Timothy grabbed my shoulders.
“Sorry. I zone out from time to time, don’t I?” I stammered.
The boy clung to the ledge next to me. “Genevieve said your mind remembers things when you do that and that we shouldn’t bother you too much because you have to process it.”
“She’s right,” I stole a glance at the rough cave ceiling, “but sometimes those memories aren’t very good, so it is nice when you call my name and get me to focus on what’s happening now.”
“Like that time you started crying when you hugged me?” He kicked back into the water, splashing about.
“Seth?” Sword stood to the side. “Genevieve and I…” He searched for the words before glancing at Timothy and smiling to himself. “We think it might be for the best if we train before the attack.”
I waded out of the water.
“Can I come?” Timothy asked.
Sword cleared his throat. “Not this time around.”
I followed his gaze fixed to the lower half of my body. I bit my lip and hurried to my pile of clothes.
“Demons don’t have any mercy, do they?” Sword tore his gaze away and took a breath.
“They don’t.” I rushed to dress while he crossed his arms.
Sword’s eyes were soft as he searched me. He hesitated, opened his mouth, shut it, and marched to the training room.
I entered to find the two of them talking. Genevieve smiled at me and trotted toward me. “You’ve taught us to understand the nature of demons and how to fight them. We would like to help with your haunting, if at all possible.” She held the wooden weapon in her hand, ready to begin.
“How do you propose to do that?” I asked.
They glanced at each other and shifted on their feet.
“We have a theory. Do you remember you said the Alhalma is the energy to the physical?”
Genevieve straightened when Sword took his stance near her. “Well, what would happen if you used another human’s Ikulme? Like mine or Sword’s?”
I thought about it for a while. “Better is that you two are cloaks. Humans don’t have Ikulme , but you have power that comes from Ulhezaoi. I will need an anchor for you.” I scanned the room, searching for something that would do.
“How does that work?” Genevieve asked.
“You won’t like it much. During the previous war, the witches who fought against the cloaks had a sure way of matching the power of one cloak. They shared their magical power, created a circle, contributing their Ekesre, so to speak, and fought against the cloak, one by one. They all would have an identical symbolic element: a tattoo, a totem, or something tangible. I have another way, but it takes time. I can meditate and push power from the Ikume into a weapon. Meditation is a peaceful activity, and the haunting hasn’t targeted me when I’ve transferred energy into a staff. If my energy dips low or the haunting is too close, I break the staff and use the raw Ikulme seeping out to fight back. It only lasts for a small amount before decimating. It’s a last resort, and I must end the fight at that moment.”
The two of them stared.
“What?” I asked.
Sword rubbed his arm while side eyeing me. “I thought we knew a lot, but your knowledge on things of the Alhalma… It’s scary.”
“I’ll find paint. We need to practice how far you can push yourself.” Genevieve ran to the door and gave a yelp when it opened into a cupboard with paint instead of the large hall with bookshelves.
by Sean Eva | Feb 9, 2025 | Seth
At nightfall, we made our next move. A knock on our door came. Cindy stood there with Timothy. She invited herself in and strode around the apartment. Her hood was drawn over her eyes, as was Timothy’s. The boy’s cheeks were puffy… He’d been crying.
“You almost forgot something,” Cindy said.
“Doesn’t seem like he wants to come with.” Genevieve took another sip from the water pouch she carried.
Timothy took a deep breath, stepped forward, and fixed a determined gaze on the farthest wall. “The first cloaks left their homes to end the war. They lost in the end. If I go with you now and train extra hard, I might stop the same from happening again.”
While hugging herself, Cindy left but cast a glance over her shoulder. “Are you lot coming? The ship isn’t going to wait all night.”
I kneeled and took hold of Timothy’s right shoulder, careful not to slip his bag off. “I don’t know what it’s like to leave your parents. I don’t even know if mine are still alive. But I know what their absence feels like. The choice you made today will be with you for many years to come.”
His expression was serious while he processed what I said. His eyes narrowed further. We all flipped our hoods in place and slung our bags over our shoulders.
“Keep your hoods on. If there are spies, it is imperative they think I am the one who left for Volupto today. Seth, lead everyone to the harbor. I am going to walk.” She left.
The familiar strength swarmed my arms as the Ikulme opened a portal onto the one the place I’d been avoiding. We proceeded onto the cement platform, the moon high and the mist from the sea hung around us. Blurred golden circles marked where lanterns hid in the mist. Two ships, a large and a small, were docked. The mist faded and revealed clear skies over the ocean where enormous stone walls were built beyond the harbor. One giant gate closed the cape opening that would allow ships to sail to Lenost. The mist and the cry of a lone seagull made my heart beat in my throat. I was locked on one spot. I shook my head a few times to return my focus to the ships.
“I wager that the merchant ship with rough fixed sails is Cindy’s,” Sword whispered.
We scanned the harbor for anyone waiting or watching. There was no one except for the drunkards singing to the moon. Cindy’s silhouette appeared in what felt like a lifetime. I motioned for the others to follow. We fell in step behind her. On the side of the boat was its name painted high enough so the waves wouldn’t wash it off. Mistress Luck welcomed us as the crew made pulled the boarding plank in place.
“Be quick. It’s a day’s journey if the storms and the tides don’t veer you off course. Captain Veren is waiting on the ship.”
I grinned at her and was about to leave when she grabbed my arm.
She pulled me closer to whisper, “If you mess this up or screw with Brandon’s mind, boy, I will know.”
I pulled my arm away but leaned in. “And what would you do about it?” I paraded backward and smirked at her, standing there with her fists balled.
Two men pulled the ramp onto the deck the moment I boarded. The rowing started with many a crewman gripping a long oar. A man stumped among them, his back up right. The moonlight revealed a long beard. A soft whistle played over the harbor as the breeze drifted down from high walls. My damp brow reminding me that I needed to get a haircut. The breeze gave some cool relief on the bobbing vessel. They had to row this part to exit the cape.
Cindy watched from the docks. Only when the heavy hinges scraped away the rust did I turn to the giant stone gates. They were being pulled toward the walls with a loud churning that bellowed in the belly of the wall. The light from the stars and the moon was blocked out when the walls’ shadow fell across the Mistress Luck. I looked ahead at the dark waters. Some sailors carried lanterns while others had a quiet thought.
I was leaving Lenost, and with a rag-tag team, I was about to face a greater unknown. I steadied my breathing and held my chin up. The ship exited the cape. With the wall behind us, the light of the moon illuminated the deck once more. We entered the big open water, the sails were dropped, and the ship lurched as the wind propelled it to the Mainland, Yabasrana. A familiar hand grabbed mine. Timothy chewed on a fingernail. I followed his gaze and watched the island grow smaller.
“It’s okay to be scared,” I said.
He shook his head. “I don’t know how grown-ups do it but this is,” he hesitated, his darting gaze searched for words and ended with a sigh, “awful.”
“You’re not wrong,” I muttered. A squawk above whipped my gaze skyward.
Hawk swooped down, changed into the form of a boy, then ran to me. “Seth, the Library sends you off with the Maker’s blessing.”
“Thanks, Hawk.” I’d avoided this encounter thus far.
I took the book he held out to me. When I flicked through the pages, they were blank.
“What is this?” I snapped the book shut and offered it to the angel, who stared at Timothy.
“A book that was entrusted to me for safekeeping. You will know to whom you should give it when the time is right.” He turned to leave.
I called after him, “Hawk, thanks for everything.”
He didn’t show emotion but blinked a few times and bowed his head at me before taking off. I swallowed a lump in my throat. He’d return to his post at the Library and relative safety. I watched while the beat of his wings continued on into a distant shadow, then into nothing.
“Goodbye, Hawk,” I whispered.
Timothy took hold of the starboard beam and leaned against it, doing a sort of push up. “You like him a lot.”
“He was like the dad I never had. He cleaned and fed me and clothed me when I didn’t have the strength to do so. I might never see him again.”
The boy hugged me.
I smiled at the horizon and the stars above us. “What have we gotten ourselves into, little man?” I ruffled his hair when he shrugged.
“Now that’s not something you see every day.” A hoarse voice came from behind me.
I faced the man that was walking amongst the men who were now putting the oars away. He stepped forward and extended a hand to me.
“The name’s Captain Veren. Welcome aboard the Mistress Luck. I understand you are taking the trip back instead of Cindy?” He led me and Timothy to a lantern where Genevieve and Sword were chatting. With a swift motion of his hand, Captain Veren grabbed the lantern and held it up, revealing his deep blue eyes that were almost green in the warm light.
“Best you lot follow me to your quarters. You’ll be sleeping with the crew on this voyage. I’ve been up some way, traveled to the beaches of the Canyon Valley and the Mountain of Fiero even.” His eyes became unfocused, and he peered past me at the dark waters. “Dealt with monsters and demons before. They are good for trade. Better not to run into them as an enemy.” He shook his head as he started toward a door. It led down to a landing from which I could look over the rail to the lower level.
“Just cargo holds down there. Nothing you need to worry about. You’re here at the back of the ship… The aft for you children of the land. If you are going to be sailing on the Mistress Luck, you better get to know her innards by name.” He winked at Timothy and coughed a few times. We continued onward to a room that was wide but limited in height. Timothy got the hammock above mine, and we placed our bags at our sleeping area.
“Children are restless sleepers and often tumble off during the night.” The captain chuckled. ”You’ll act like the cushion to catch him and break his descend.”
I grimaced, anticipating a night of poor sleep. “Wouldn’t falling from a shorter height be better for the boy?”
The captain flicked the toothpick with his tongue and pinched it between his lips. “The shock of the fall might give him some backbone. “Grub will be ready in a while. Get settled, and make your way to the deck.”
###
I sat with Timothy in the cabin with our legs crossed while we focused on the Alhalma Anarta. In my mind’s eye, I could see the unseen world that lived parallel with ours. Timothy was standing in it as well, watching along with me. It was foggy, dark and gray in whichever direction I checked to see if we were safe. There was no demon nearby, but the Alhalma was a gloomy place. The fog attacked and scratched at our knees where we stood in it. A hollow shuffling of feet and hands rubbing on the seam of Timothy’s shirt made me focus on him. His gaze were darting around, searching for something in the distance. A sound in the physical pulled us back. Captain Veren hovered in the doorway, his eyes wide and out of breath. “Follow me.”
I jumped up and trailed him to the upper deck. Off in the distance were five ships steadily making their way toward us.
“Have they spotted us yet?” I asked, stumbling to the railing to grip it.
He cleared his throat. “No.” He took off his hat. “Please, Traveler, my men and I would rather fall on our blades before we’re raped, eaten, and flayed by demons.”
I crossed my arms and strode onto the main deck. “Be at ease, my good man.”
Sketches of demons with wings came to mind. My heart swelled in my chest with each beat. Maybe they should be worried.
The captain’s toothpick quivered on his lower lip. I peered at the horizon. The sun was barely up, and in the darkness, our boat was invisible. Any minute now, the morning sunlight would unveil us.
“What are we going to do?” The man’s gaze did not leave the approaching border of sunlight and the fading of the last shadows of the night.
I took a deep breath and readied myself. “Nothing. Stay the course. Trust me.”
My Ikulme flowed through my fingertips, to fill the surrounding space, blowing away in small pulses the dust on the floor. My haunting drew closer. I pushed my Ikulme more than I dared. Mist thickened around us, swallowing the ship. I focused the Ikulme in place. The whispering wind came from behind me, but I couldn’t tell if it was the Alhalma or the physical wind that reached me.
“Seth,” the chill of my haunting’s voice raised the hair on my arms. I almost lost the grip on the mist but I ignored the damn thing. My shallow breathing with the haunting’s growing presence became my only concern.
“Great, now we can’t see them either.” The captain held onto the ship’s wheel.
“Keep going straight. They will avoid the mist.” I hoped I was right.
“How do you know?” The captain turned the wheel. The air around us became thicker.
Most ships avoided the fog because it obscured the stars. I hoped the demons were the same. A patter of footsteps echoed around the deck. Timothy jogged sluggishly through the fog, waving it away.
“Shh,” is all I got out while the fog changed from a dark gray mist to orange. The sunbeams broke through at some parts, only to be pushed back by the wind.
“They will know something is strange if they see the fog during the day,” another crew member said to my right.
“Lower your anchor.” I gritted my teeth.
“We will be caught by the tides and pulled apart,” the crew member snapped.
I wasn’t sure what to do next. Sword and Genevieve appeared on deck and marched over to me. They stood ready, the same way they did when we trained.
“Make them think this is the Alhalma ,” Genevieve said from the left.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“We are not used to the unseen world. They are. The familiar presence of fog and overwhelming energy should trick them into leaving us alone.” She searched the mist for any movement.
I searched around me for any sign of my haunting. Closer than before, it stared at me from behind the captain. Its empty eyes fixated on me. My stomach churned as it slowly moved past the captain and to the stairs that led to the deck.
“Sword.”
He came over to me.
I swallowed hard and shifted my stance. “I’m going to need you to hold me in place, and no matter what happens,” I glanced back at the haunting gliding toward me, “do not let go of me.”
Sword’s grip locked onto me. Timothy took a few steps back, rubbing his hands against his thighs. He scanned the deck then rested his gaze on the haunting.
“Don’t try this on your own.” The world around me whitened as something grew over my eyes. The Alhalma covered the deck. The light gray fog was neither good or evil.
In the distance, the growing echo of cackles and screams announced the arriving demons. I connected with my Ikulme . With a deep breath, I urged it to thicken and push out the sunlight. The fog had a blackened shadow that crept near, alive with sporadic tendrils reaching out to where I knelt. Light gray fog fought against black with what looked like the waves on a beach. My Ikulme pulsated out of my clenched fist into the fog. A sharp pain cut into my abdomen searing through my body. My mouth opened, and my throat tightened. Sword cupped my mouth, muffling my scream. Ringing in my ears drowned out all voices as the pain dug into my stomach. The haunting’s snarl was inches from my face. I closed my eyes while it sunk its hand deeper into my innards.
“What are you made of, Seth?” it whispered in my voice.
I focused on the fog again and willed it through my fingertips to spread wide. I kept the cluster around our ship thick. The demons’ laughter grew closer, and the pain inside of me intensified, lurching my stomach. The hand borrowed into my intestines. With another scream, I contorted with pain.
Desperate, I shifted my eyes back to the physical. Genevieve huddled over me. I had a cloth of sorts stuck in my mouth. Sword pinned me while Genevieve searched my body. I’d been stripped down to my undergarments. The wound continued to burn and spread. I calmed my Ikulme, holding the illusion of fog around the ship. I counted my breaths while the pain subsided. Genevieve grabbed the side of my stomach, pulling and searching for the invisible assailant. A distance off, Timothy cowered against the deck’s mainmast, with his hand over his mouth. My body on the mend, I eyed Sword, who removed the cloth.
“What in the Artukilmo is going on, Seth?” Sword whispered.
I stared at my wound bubbling with blood. The torn skin closed as the gap became smaller.
“Who… Who did this to you?” Genevieve asked, tracing the older healed wounds on my body.
This was the reason I never bathed with Sword or Timothy, the reason I never wanted them to see me without a shirt, let alone naked. I was about to respond when an unearthly cacophony of shrieking laughter stopped me. I turned, waiting for their ships to cast a shadow over us. The fog blackened. I glared at Genevieve, whose eyes widened with fear.
“Kill them,” a demon cackled from nearby.
“Rape them,” wailed another farther off.
Sword let go of me and pulled his blade. I cupped his blade, pushing it down, and he waited. The maniacal laughter continued. The fog roiled and reacted to the demons as their ships passed us.
“Lenost. Lenost. Kill the children. Eat the babies.” The chant grew distant.
If they noticed this vessel, they would make us the appetizer. I wasn’t strong enough to face them alone, not like this. We were the prey. We waited until the last black fog faded to gray. A stillness lingered, one where the wind whispered to the men of their narrow escape. I groaned with my insides itching from the healing process. Sword and Genevieve stared at the blood on their shivering hands. Timothy started toward me, his lower lip quivering, and his eyes wide. The men processed what they saw. Some sat alone with silent tears. The wind carried the demons laughter and screams, reminding the crewmen that they were lucky.
“What was that?” Sword was the first to speak.
With a quick breath in, I allowed my Ikulme in the fog to enter my body and bring healing faster. The haunting readied itself, its arm lifted on high. The empty eyes held my own before I rolled to the side when it struck. The deck’s wooden planks cracked, the sound cutting through the eerie whistling. I checked that the wound had knitted itself before I cut off my power. The fog dissipated, cleared the area and revealed the demon ships dotting the horizon.
“That, my dear human friends,…were demons and the way they work in the Alhalma. They are not just beings, but they bring their intent to the atmosphere. The fog took the form of horrors.” I glared at the cracked wooden deck. “That’s a bit more complicated.”
Genevieve crossed her arms. “We have time.”
I held up a finger and crossed to a shivering Timothy. For him, it must have been double as bad, being more sensitive to the Alhalma. His eyes were enormous. I drew closer, and he started to cry.
“Yeah, they suck.” I pulled him into a hug. “Let me get dressed,” I gestured to my bloodied and torn clothes in a pile, “then we can talk,” I said to the two warriors waiting for my explanation.
I gathered my clothes and took Timothy down to where we’d left our bags. He ran to my hammock and climbed into it, drawing a thin blanket over him. For a moment, he waited as I dressed before pushing his head out.
“I’m sorry I got scared,” he whispered.
I ruffled his hair a bit. “I was scared too, Timothy.” I sat where the bags were stacked to search for a clean tunic.
“What was happening?” he asked, reaching out to touch a wound that traveled up my arm but retracted his hand, instead. He seemed hopeless, studying my fresh scar over my stomach.
“These marks?” I asked.
He tried again and trailed a gentle finger along the healed wound. “What happened?” His eyes grew big and questioning.
“One particular demon. He would hurt me in so many ways before healing the wounds, just so he could do it over again.” I smothered a shudder at the memory of his serpent voice when he laughed during every session.
After I put on my tunic Timothy’s brow deepened, and his lips thinned. His green gaze was frozen ahead of him.
“What are you doing?” I probed the boy for his thoughts.
“If they hurt you like that as a kid… They won’t stop. If they won’t stop, that means I have to be madder at them than they are scary.” His gaze darted about. “I’m going to kill every one of them.”
“Woah there, big man, killing demons isn’t that simple. The cloaks kill them because they are trained to do so.”
His eyes bolstered with determination. “I don’t want to kill them like a cloak. I want to kill them like you do.”
