The Dragon God (Book 2) (11 page)

“Thank you, Bridazak,” she said.

“You are welcome. What is your son’s name?”

“Kaiym.”

The crowd watched in silence as Bridazak walked closer to the roaring fire and turned back to the mother and son. In a loud and authoritative voice, he said, “This child’s very name means life. Your future leader resides inside Kaiym. Raise this little one as a symbol of what happened this very day. Teach him the ways of the true God, through loving one another and helping those in need. Blessings from Heaven will continue to rain on your village. Celebrate each year in remembrance of this day of redemption.”

The tribe instantly fell to their knees and bowed to their future leader; the boy named Kaiym. The mother held her son high into the air and looked around in amazement. Bridazak then walked off into the shadows of night, already beginning to pray in thanks. He may not have the orb anymore, but God’s voice really was still with him.

“How does he know these things?” Dulgin asked.

There was no response. The old woman with one blind eye came forward and walked toward Spilf.

“I have something to show you child-man. Come with me.”

Spilf looked to Dulgin and Abawken and they both waited for his decision. Spilf stood and the three of them followed her.

“What is this place?” Spilf gently touching the faded pigments on the stone wall of the cave she led them into. The pictographs depicted a lengthy history.

Dulgin and Abawken held torches inside the small alcove nestled inside the granite of the mountain.

The aged woman limped forward and pointed, “It’s a timeline of events. This is when my people invaded your village.”

Figures of humans with bows and spears were attacking. Then she indicated the Thaloc creature and a dome encompassing the forest. They saw other depictions of importance for her tribe but then spotted a small creature with hair on its face.

“What is that?”

She pointed at Dulgin.

“Dwarves?”

She nodded, “The stories as told from generations say they tried to trade with us, but we sent them away and considered the bearded-ones to be a bad omen.”

“How does this help us?” Spilf asked.

Dulgin responded, “It means there are dwarves around here and it is possible that your village sought refuge.”

“Which direction did the dwarves come from?”

“Along the mountains to the west, beyond the old settlement Saybrook. Before the fall of our people and the vanishing of our men had begun, there had been expeditions, and they discovered altars two days travel from here. Perhaps they belong to the bearded-ones.” Dulgin blurted out in realization, “Brook, I get it! Say-brook!” Dulgin finally understood the joke the ordakians had shared at his expense.

A spark of excitement came over Spilf and he smiled at Dulgin and Abawken, too eager to even tease Dulgin. He took off back to the village, yelling, “I need to tell Bridazak!”

“Dwarves leave markers for their kind to find, but outsiders won’t know what they have discovered. Dwarves don’t openly announce here we are,” Dulgin said to Abawken.

“If nothing else, it has given our friend hope. Looks like we have a new direction to go now.” The human fighter followed after Spilf.

The old lady hobbled after Abawken but was stopped suddenly by Dulgin.

“Do you by chance have any more of that delicious rice food we had earlier?”

A
Pinch of Luck
was never so lively as it was in the open ocean under full sails. Each member of the crew masterfully manned his post and attended to his duties, while below deck, Elsbeth pointed out the locations on the old sea map in her private quarters.

“It will take us three days to get to the Singing Rocks,” the captain explained.

Raina and El’Korr nodded, understanding their passage through the Great Illustrya Ocean—named after Illustrya herself, who travelled these waters for centuries in the Unknown Age—would take some time.

Elsbeth continued, “Then at least two more to get to Pirate’s Belly. We will restock there, and then head out to the Whispering Sea. Captain Yasooma’s compass will lead us to his sunken ship.”

“Pirate’s Belly doesn’t sound good to me,” El’Korr responded.

“We will be fine. I know the locals, and have built a relationship over the years that will garner us safe passage.”

“If you say so.” The dwarven king shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He was not accustomed to being off land as it was. Adding pirates to the mix was not his favorite idea.

“Come, let us get some fresh air,” she motioned them with her hand toward the exit.

El’Korr, Raina, and Captain Elsbeth stepped out from her cabin. The salty air filled their lungs. The ship crashed through the rolling hills of
water. Heavy ocean spray showered the crew who worked the rigging to perfection. The sails flapped incessantly, adding to the unfiltered chorus of the unsettled white-capped ocean. Skath and Myers called out orders to the men as needed.

Suddenly, Rondee the Wild ran past them, draped himself over the ship’s railing and barfed last night’s dinner into the angry sea.

“Will your friend survive? This is only day one,” Elsbeth asked.

“Dwarves are meant for mountains, not the sea.”

“My priest, Anders, has a remedy. Take Rondee below deck.”

El’Korr made his way over to his dwarven protector, who moaned in discomfort. Rondee grabbed his King’s beard to look him in the eye, and said, “Te dufett.”

“Nobody is dying today my friend. C’mon, my loyal Bodyguard. Let’s get your stomach back in order.” El’Korr hauled Rondee away.

While Xan and Lufra began to explore the deck, Raina ventured, “Captain, now that we are alone, what can you tell me of the elements that Yasooma had collected on his ship?”

“I was wondering when you were going to ask. I can tell you he was a very private man. The elements became an obsession of his. I’m not sure why, but then, I suppose every man has a quest in his heart to make his mark in this world. I do know that he had acquired two of the elements before becoming captain of
The Wave Rider
—the Earth Stone, and the Fire Opal. In our travels he discovered the location of the third element—the Pearl of the Deep. We headed out to the Whispering Sea to recover it, and that is where the sea gods swallowed our ship. It was—,” she paused, recalling the terrible details. “It felt as though the ocean rose up against us. I blacked out and woke aboard a pirate ship alongside Yasooma, but I was the only true survivor. Yasooma became a shell of a man, damned his life, and brought a curse upon his family. We lost everyone, and it haunts me to this very day. Heading back there is not something I ever imagined I would do. Perhaps it is my destiny—” her final words trailed off.

Raina could see the pain in Elsbeth’s eyes as she recalled the event. She had mentioned three elements, but Raina knew there was a fourth, due to Lufra supplying her with Yasooma’s personal journal—the Sky Diamond. “Come, half-sister, you have seen and experienced much to bring this heavy sadness you carry. I will share with you a story of hope about a prophecy, an
ordakian, and the Orb of Truth.” They stepped back into Captain Elsbeth’s private cabin and closed the door.

As El’Korr made his way below deck, taking Rondee to the priest, he wove his way through rows of hammocks swinging back and forth from jumbled ropes attached to wooden columns. Some were occupied by snoring sailors resting before their shift. The stench of old sweat and salty fish permeated the air, and the beating thuds of the ocean against the ship’s hull with every dive resounded in the ears.

They approached the stern and heard the voice of Anders the Priest conversing with a sailor who had suffered a gaffing injury to his left shoulder. Rondee’s arm hung over his king’s shoulder as he stumbled along. Anders noticed the dwarves approaching.

“Well sailor, be more careful next time. You could have lost your arm. Now go and get some rest. I will inform Myers of your modified duty.”

“I can see why the captain named the ship
A Pinch of Luck
,” El’Korr said in jest as he set Rondee down on a wood chair.

“It looks like your green friend can use some of my Gut Check remedy, as the boys like to call it.” Anders stood up and spoke to Rondee, “Listen my dwarven friend, if you feel the need to purge then use the bucket next to you.”

The mere mention of vomiting caused the warrior to lurch for the container, into which he deposited chunks of partially processed food. A strong smell of fish and alcohol assaulted their nostrils. El’Korr and Anders turned away in disgust, their faces sour.

“Looks like he experienced an old sailor initiation last night.”

“He was drinking with some of the men,” El’Korr acknowledged.

“Yeah, well, they weren’t being sociable. It is their way of welcoming a newbie, but he should take it as a compliment.”

“Let’s not let Rondee know about it. He might not see it that way,” El’Korr whispered.

They brought Rondee, who was moaning and holding his stomach, to a sitting position. His finger-length beard had vomit residue streaming through and dripping onto his leather hide armor.

The priest withdrew his pouch and produced a stringy substance resembling tobacco. He stuffed the concoction into Rondee’s mouth, and maneuvered it to rest along his jawline; it bulged out his left cheek.

“Rondee, make sure you don’t swallow any of the juice. Spit as needed into the bucket. Your stomach will settle within the hour. Do you understand?”

The dwarf attempted to speak, “Fluffy chuckemba clouds,” and then slumped back into the chair. Anders then began to speak a blessing over him.

“To the God of the seas and of our hearts—” he began, but then stopped as the strange coughing returned.

El’Korr squinted and then noted this was the second time Anders had a coughing fit. He suddenly realized that the attacks happened only after the priest began to pray.

“I could probably help you out with your cough.” Anders put up his hand to keep El’Korr from approaching as he continued to hack loudly.

“It is my infliction to bare and I am grateful to be chosen,” he sputtered.

“Chosen? You feel God has given this to you then?”

Anders cough subsided, “But of course. How is one to have their faith increased if not tested? You being of the cloth should know this.”

“A father tests his child, yes, but in order to increase the strength of faith. Our God whom we both serve, I do not believe would cast such a burden on one such as yourself.”

Anders stared deeply into El’Korr’s eyes and said, “Well, to each his own. I have accepted my fate and embrace it as a gift.”

El’Korr was going to respond but Rondee moaned loudly, holding his stomach, as the ship continued to sway back and forth.

“Will he be alright?” El’Korr asked.

“He will be fine and should be back on his feet in a couple of hours. I will watch over him.”

“Thank you for helping my friend.” The dwarf walked away.

“That is good Lufra. Well-done,” Xan stated while parrying his sabre.

“My father taught me a few things before the curse killed him.”

“Now let’s work on your defense.”

“I’m ready; show me what you’ve got,” the energized boy readied himself.