Chapter LXXVII: The Soulflayer on the Ship

On the third day of their voyage, Kkel began showing signs of unease. Pixel was by his side constantly, the soft lullabies she played having less and less effect as time wore on. The Soulflayer paced incessantly about his small cabin on the Proteus. At first, he and Jinxie had engaged in long conversation about the Empire and his role in it. By the second day, he had begged off extensive contact, complaining of feeling hungry. When she had come to visit him today, Pixel had met her at the door and quietly requested she leave him be for the day. Thus she stood above deck, watching the Silver Seas fly by underneath them, praying for just a little more time to do what had to be done.

The crew of Arvin’s vessel was already nervous enough having women on board. When they had brought back Kkel and introduced him as the Sunserpent himself, their anxiety grew exponentially. They had, of course, concealed his form beneath his dark robes, hiding his transformed state. Most or all of the men on board had at least one outstanding warrant in Aht Urhgan. The idea of having a Serpent General on board with them had them looking over their shoulders constantly, despite the fact that he had not left his cabin since coming aboard.

She sighed, looking up at the moonlit skies above. It was a relief to have natural light above her again. Mindartia was blanketed in darkness, and her time in the Emptiness had been anything but natural. How Kkel remained sane in that place was beyond her. How Pixel managed to . . .

A flash of worry passed through her. Would Kkel attack Pixel if he regressed too far? She was the only one he would let near him now. They were alone together, and if he truly was a creature as hideous as a Soulflayer in mind as well as body, what would stop him? Jinxie peered up at the multitude of stars dotting the night sky. This ordeal would end soon. The Proteus was almost back to Whitegate. A little more time was all she asked for. Just a little more time. She suddenly longed to hold her baby again. She had never been away from Drake so long before. Now that she was so close to seeing him again, she felt their time apart that much more sharply.

Footsteps alerted her she was not alone before the sound of a familiar voice did. “Stargazing?” Isset asked her, the mechanical Shoki trailing close behind.

Jinxie turned to face the Puppetmaster. The black-haired Hume was back in her formal attire, a set of brilliantly colored performing wear with puffy orange sleeves emerging from an ornately inlaid black leather breastplate. The entire ensemble was a colorful blend of black, white, orange, and purple, with golden decorative embellishments. Her colorful outfit belied the strategic utility with which she had seen her get from the automaton. As usual, whenever she moved Shoki mimicked her motion. Thus both puppet and Puppetmaster had one arm folded over their stomach, supporting a hand pressed thoughtfully against a cheek.

“No, I . . . “ turning her gaze skyward again, Jinxie listened for a moment to the waves crashing against the ship’s hull. “I was just thinking of my son. That’s all.”

Isset leaned across the rail, staring out into the sea. Most everyone was below deck now, save for the random crewman passing by, most of them staggering more than walking. “We’re practically back to the Empire now, Jinxie. Once we confront Razfahd this will all be over.”

“Will it?” The blonde woman leaned forward, resting her chin against her wrists. “I just can’t shake this feeling that something about this whole business was wrong from the start.”

Isset shrugged, putting her elbows to rest against the rail. “I live the life of a mercenary. We were given a job to do and we carried it out successfully, this is just another mission.”

“Why did you approach me, outside the palace that day?” Jinxie was suddenly curious.

She grinned. “Working for Naja is all the same. The recruits are sent to stand guard in Al Zahbi day in and day out. If you’re lucky you might be asked to help raid some unimportant beastmen lair. Some of the higher-ups get pretty good work now and then, but the trials you have to go through for a promotion are ridiculous.” Shoki shook his head emphatically at her statement. “Then I see a foreigner being admitted to the palace, asking for help with a foreign war against demons. No sooner do I seek her out than I find myself fighting a Hydra, sailing with pirates, and searching for a Serpent General in a strange dimension. And so far, it’s all worked out. You’re good luck, Jinxie. I believe everything will work out just fine.”

“Maybe,” Jinxie was non-commital. “Where are the others?” she asked, changing the subject. “We need to be ready to leave as soon as we hit the docks.”

“Speed’s asleep,” Isset responded with a roll of her eyes, “and I haven’t seen Xaerus all day.” She pursed her lips at that last thought. “How a blind woman keeps herself hidden on a ship this small is nothing short of remarkable.”

The Red Mage narrowed her eyes. “One day soon I’m going to have to get some real answers out of her. About all of this. How she found me, how she knows Razfahd, what her role in all of this is – I’m tired of feeling like I’m being led around by a pair of invisible hands. Like a . . . like a . . . “

“A puppet?” Isset offered with a smile. Shoki lifted its tiny arms up over its head emphatically.

Jinxie allowed herself a slight grin. “I suppose so,” she mused, gazing again into the evening sky.

“Ahoy there!” Both women turned at the sound of a voice which still held a boy’s tenor. Akisu was sliding down from the crow’s nest, two bare feet slapping down against the deck. He smiled brightly at the two women, spindly arms drawing up into a brief salute.

“Akisu,” Jinxie acknowledged the ship’s cabin boy. “What are you doing up?”

“Manning the lookout, ma’am! Captain Arvin says there’s bound to be Imperial Cruisers this close to the Empire.” The youth carried himself tall, obviously proud of being given such a responsibility to handle. “But I heard you all down here and wanted to make sure there wasn’t any trouble.”

Jinxie smiled at the youth. He seemed oblivious to the poor treatment doled out to him by Arvin and the ship's crew. The sandy-haired youngster was just overjoyed at the prospect of being a pirate. It must have seemed a wonderful kid's game to him. "We're quite alright," she reassured him. "Just anxious to be back on dry land."

"Not me," Akisu asserted, putting a bony thumb to his chest. "I was born for the sea, ma'am!" The ship suddenly lurched on a wave, and the would-be pirate frantically waved his arms as he was thrown off-balance. Jinxie caught him as he abruptly spun on his heel and toppled backwards, landing safely in her grasp. She righted him with a wry smile.

"Well," he coughed, "I'm not quite as great as Captain Arvin yet. But I'll get there!"

"While we're waiting for that day, you're at least entertaining," Isset quipped. She clutched the rail as another wave suddenly shook the Proteus. "Wonderful," the Puppetmaster muttered, "this scrap heap is going to make me seasick."

Jinxie began thinking of Kkel again. She knew Pixel had told her to stay away, but even hitting rough waters now worried her for his state of mind. She was about to excuse herself to go check on him when the door to the Captain's cabin swung open, and Arvin swaggered out onto the deck.

"Ahoy!" The Corsair called, He took a few steps forward, then halted himself, swaying slightly. He brushed off his imbalance with a swig from the flask at his hip, then continued on towards the other three. "What be all this noise interuppt'n me? Akisu!" His bleary-eyed gaze fell on the scrawny young man. "Din'nt I tell ye t' watch f'r Imperials? What're ye doin' down here?"

The lad opened his mouth to answer, but Jinxie stepped in front of him. "He came to check on our well-being," she said coolly. "The boy has far more courtesy than his Captain does."

The sailor barked out a laugh. "Aye, it'll be some time yet a'fore we break 'im a' that nasty habit." Arvin took another draft from his flask, wiping his lips on the sleeve of his tattered black coat. "There ain't room for yer dry land niceties 'n such on th' open seas." He jabbed a drunken finger at Akisu. "Now scamper back up t' th' crow's nest 'n keep those eyes peeled!" The ship lurched as another wave passed through it, and Arvin staggered as much from the drink as his dilapidated vessel's unsteadiness. "Blackbeard's breath th' sea is unsteady tonight!" he swore.

"I'm going back below," Isset said. "Hopefully to get some sleep. You should think about it too, Jinxie." The Puppetmaster walked away, Shoki trailing close behind her. Arvin unabashadly watched her hips as she walked below deck, then took another drink.

"Don't know how anyone c'n sleep with a bloody Serpent General aboard," he muttered, fixing a pointed stare at Jinxie. "Ye do un'nerstand th' lot ye've fallen in with, don't ye lass? Us 'n th' Empire are out f'r each other's blood. This be like given' yer own headsmen a lift t' th' block."

"You're being very well compensated for doing little more than sailing back and forth, Captain," Jinxie retorted, folding her ams.

"L'il more - " lines of anger furrowed his brow. "Th' firs' night ye were on my ship we nearly got caught by Imperials! Then ye have me hole up at Mhaura with who knows what kinnae spirits makin' a home on me ship! I'll need t' 'ave th' whole Proteus ex'rcised! An' f'r what? T' sail a bloody Serpent General back t' Nashmeira's waitin' bosom!" The pirate scowled, clenching and unclenching his fingers. "I knew it was bad luck t' 'ave a woman aboard, let alone three crazy witches."

"Red Mages," someone spoke from behind Arvin. The Captain whirled around, and gave a shout of surprise when he found Xaerus standing behind him. "We are Red Mages - and Isset is a Puppetmaster, hardly a witch as her abilities are technological in nature."

Arvin growled in surpressed indignation. "Ye're th' worst a th' lot," he accused, "always prowlin' about. What business does a blind woman 'ave movin' like th' sighted? It's not right, I tell ye." Jinxie hoped her face revealed nothing, but in this instance she found herself sympathizing with the pirate. Xaerus's mysteries were a source of growing frustration.

"Be that as it may," she replied, brushing past Arvin, "there are other concerns besides my eyes to address." The Mithra turned her nose upwards, blindfolded eyes searching the skies. "Is it nighttime, now?"

"Yes ma'am!" Akisu responded, to which Arvin shot the cabin boy a dirty look. He sheepishly backed away, but the Captain brushed off the incident.

Xaerus was nodding. "Ah, Akisu, it's good that you're here." She planted her staff on the deck. A moment later, another wave tossed the ship about, jolting everyone else off-balance. "You were to watch for Imperial cruisers tonight, were you not?"

The youth nodded vigorously. "I just came down from the crow's nest. Not a ship in sight!" He fumbled about with a pouch slung to his side for a moment, and from it produced a slim spyglass. "The Captain gave me his own looking scope to search the perimeter with."

"Aye, that I did," Arvin concurred. "Th' ol' bauble's kept me clear a' many a danger o' th' sea, it has."

Another wave jostled the Proteus, and Jinxie had to clutch the railing for support. Arvin cast a glowering look at the ocean, as if trying to reprimand the tide.

Xaerus turned her head of white hair towards the Captain, her face inscrutable. "Then I should inform you, Arvin," she suddenly crouched down, bracing herself against the deck, "that your telescope is long past due for a replacement."

A sudden boom shook the length and breadth of Arvin's ship. Jinxie was tossed backwards, and nearly fell over the rail before Akisu snatched her hand. Arvin shouted an oath, clutching at the deck as the Proteus rocked back and forth. Xaerus alone remained steady.

"What th' devil?!" the pirate stood, eyes darting back and forth as he drew forth a gun from his belt. Shouts were coming from below deck and the prow as crewmen were violently woken up. Akisu turned the spyglass in his hand, and then gasped as he examined it closely.

"Captain!" He shouted, turning Arvin's attention towards the instrument.

"What d' ye - oh, curse me f'r a novice." His voice was despairing as he noticed the black smudges of old gunpowder smeared across its lens. A moment later, a hundred lights seemed to ignite at once, casting a near blinding spot on the deck of the Proteus.

"Attention, Proteus," an amplified voice boomed. Jinxie struggled to see through the sudden halo surrounding them. She began to make out the source of the light. A plank's length away from Arvin's floating wreck was an Imperial battleship, with at least a score of archers lining the rails. She didn't need to see them to know that their cannons were armed as well. "This is the Imperial Naval Ship Sea Wolf. Lay down your weapons and prepare to be boarded."

"Ye'll nev'r take me alive!" Arvin declared, brandishing his short-barreled gun menacingly.

"Captain," Xaerus said, laying a hand on his shoulder, "Consider your situation and truly think about that sentiment for a moment."

Arvin bared his teeth, leveling his gun at the Imperial ship. Jinxie could clearly see the archers drawing back their bowstrings. Then, with a disgusted snarl, the Elvaan tossed his weapon aside. "Women," he spat, "I always said they're bad luck."


The Empire's navy was remarkably efficient. It took them less than an hour to completely round up the crew. To Jinxie's surprise, they were allowed to continue roaming the ship freely. No one was cast in irons and thrown in the brig save for a few of Arvin's less cooperative sailors, or those with unnaturally long list of outstanding warrants. Arvin himself, however, was confined to his quarters, and Jinxie could still occasionally hear him complain about the indignity of his situation. By the time dawn had broke, the Proteus was in the Sea Wolf's tow, speeding back towards Aht Urhgan.

Even more remarkable than their speed or leniency was that they knew exactly what was onboard.

"Please," Jinxie had pleaded, throwing herself in front of the door to Kkel's cabin, "don't go in there."

The sailor, somewhat higher-ranking she judged by his uniform, stepped back respectfully. "Ah, so that is where he is." He gave a smart salute, then turned on his heel, the other two with him following behind. "Please inform the Sunserpent that we respect his wish for privacy, however the Grand Vizier expects him above once we reach port." She didn't know whether or not to breath a sigh of relief. This was no random arresting of a rogue Corsair. They had been on the lookout for the Proteus, probably since the very night they stole away from Nashmau. But was Razfahd's purpose to speed their arrival, or . . .?

Her answer was quick in coming. That very afternoon they docked in Aht Urghan. The smell of the sea and the noise of the harbor flooded Jinxie's senses as they returned to Whitegate. The scents of salt and brine mingled with fish and sailors occupied the same space as perfumes and exotic spices. Accents ranging from those of her native Bastok to the nasal Qiqirn dialect competed to be heard. There were even Tshayans and Yagudo mingling with the crowd. The harbor was alive with ships, but only one of them had an Imperial guard surrounding it.

Jinxie found herself flanked by a column of soldiers. Isset and Xaerus were next to her, and behind them Speed was being pushed forward.

"Hey, not cool man," he complained. "I ain't hasslin' nobody."

"Stay quiet, Speed," Isset snapped.

"Huh? Oh, Issy, what are you doing here?" He looked around, squinting at his surroundings. "When did I move to the port?" He wondered aloud. Isset gave a long-suffering sigh as the soldiers surrounding Speed exchanged confused glances.

Then, a sound which was smaller than the squeak of a mouse compared to the bustle of the Empire port somehow overrode everything else. Pixel, garbed in a beautiful manteel and turban, stepped out onto the deck. Gjallarhorn was in her hands, and its song played endlessly from her lips. As she was guided towards the others, she lowered it for a moment and gave a bright smile. Her eyes were sunken in from lack of sleep. Jinxie realized the Tarutaru must have been playing for Kkel endlessly the last two days. Sure enough, she raised the horn to her lips quickly, and resumed her gentle melody.

"Serpent General on deck!" a soldier suddenly declared.

The entire column stepped to the side and assumed a salute. Jinxie bit her lip. This was the moment of truth.

Kkel shambled into the sunlight, visibly wincing at its touch. His head and hands were completely concealed by his robes. The staff he held drooped out from his sleeve, clacking against the wooden deck. He walked haltingly, and a slow hiss rose from behind his cowl. The Imperial soldiers looked visibly unnerved, not getting what they were expecting at all. For a moment, Jinxie allowed herself to breath a bit easier. No one was attacking him or declaring him a Soulflayer. So far, so good.

Until she looked down below, to the gathering awaiting them in Port Ephramad.

Razfahd was dressed from head to toe in extravagant black and gold armor. A cape bearing the Empire's sigil blew out from his shoulders. His stony face looked up dispassionately at Jinxie and the others as they were made to descend towards him. The sight of the Grand Vizier was unnerving enough. They had come for a confrontation with him, true, but these were hardly the circumstances Jinxie would have wished for. It was the grouping behind him which she knew truly put them at a disadvantage.

Two brown-haired Humes stood off to his right. One of them, a woman, had an enormous bow strapped to her back, the other a massive white scythe. To Razfahd's left, a Galka and a Mithra loomed ominously. The Galka had a pair of bladed knuckles strapped to his side, and the Mithra grasped the handle of an outrageously large spiked club. Directly behind him was an Elvaan, tall and proud, the points of a great double-bladed sword sunk into the ground. The first four all wore identical armor of burnished red inlaid with glittering gold. The Elvaan, however, was in his own uniform, remarkable for how plain its simple red and gray hues were when compared to the others. Jinxie knew them by sight, as did anyone who had spent any extended time in the Empire of Aht Urghan. These were Najelith, Gadalar, Zazarg, Mihli, and Rughadjeen. The Five Serpent Generals had all gathered to accompany Razfahd in greeting Kkel.

"Bastokan," he curtly acknowledged her, tone as imperious as ever.

"Razfahd," she returned. "Can't thank you enough for the escort."

"Spare me," the Grand Vizier replied, stepping forward as they were finally all brought in front of him. He brushed past the others, stopping in front of Pixel and Kkel. "So, Bard, have you come to return the Empire's relic?"

Jinxie thought she could feel a wave of malevolence wash over her from Kkel. The Serpent Generals apparantly felt it as well, each one eyeing the other nervously, or perhaps it was Razfahd's comment itself. Pixel, however, only smiled up at him.

"What do you mean, Grand Vizier?" she responded.

"That instrument is a great boon to our military. It belongs to the Empire, like the Algol, or the treasures of Balrahn." He gestured briefly towards Rughadjeen's gleaming sword.

"But I am not a subject of the Empire," Pixel told him sweetly, "and Gjallarhorn would like it if our tour continued just awhile longer."

His expression soured as she began playing again, the wondrous sound of her music wafting through the background noise.

"Solaar," Jinxie looked up to see Gadalar stepping forward. The Hume appeared cautious, eyeing the great robed figure suspiciously. "Is it really you?"

"Altana man, you've been gone for so long - what happened?" This time it was Zazarg, the heavily-muscled Galka obviously more cordial than Gadalar.

"Silence!" Razfahd ordered, the tone of his voice taking the two aback. Then he himself faced Kkel, peering into the robes he wore. The Soulflayer's cowl emanted a cloud of impenetrable darkness. Only his labored breathing made it through, but Jinxie could see him restraining himself. Whether he was about to attack Razfahd from anger or hunger though, she could only guess.

Kkel Solaar inhaled slowly, a dry, rasping sound. "Razfahd," he managed, Pixel's music growing louder.

"Welcome back, General Solaar," he said in a tone devoid of welcome. "I was beginning to think we'd never see you again."

"My mission," he stopped, drawing another labored breath, "had undue complications."

"Kkel, my comrade," it was Rughadjeen now who stepped forward. The Elvaan had beautiful blue eyes, and moved with impeccable grace, yet had the unmistakable air of command about him. "Welcome back to the Empire. On behalf of all the Serpent Generals, I want to say that it's good to see you again. We've sorely missed your presence."

Assent came from each of the generals in turn. "Rughadjeen . . ." Kkel rasped, gazing intently at the Skyserpent.

"Enough!" Razfahd roared. Everyone was taken aback by the force of his sudden anger. With smoldering eyes, he turned back to Kkel. "Mercenaries, you may report to the Empress. We'll find some contingent of soldiers to escort you back to your homeland, as promised. You have fulfilled your duties and are free to go."

To Jinxie's surprise, the column of soldiers surrounding her and the others immediately stepped aside. The Port of Aht Urghan stretched out before her, the path unimpeded.

"You, however, General Solaar. . ." he turned away from Kkel, clenching his fists resolutely. ". . .you are under arrest, pending an investigation regarding desertion of the Empire."

"What?" Rughadjeen burst out.

"Sir, you can't be serious!" General Najelith objected. "General Solaar's record alone - "

"Quiet, all of you!" Razfahd sliced his hand through the air. "General Mihli, General Gadalar, escort Kkel Solaar and Pixel to the dungeons. And confiscate that horn."

"You can't do this!" Jinxie cried out, even as Xaerus placed a restraining hand on her shoulder. She brushed it off, breaking free and confronting Razfahd. A pair of soldiers appeared, crossing their swords in front of her path. The Red Mage seethed behind them.

"I advise you not to tarry here any longer, mercenary," Razfahd said darkly.

"You'll advise nothing!" Jinxie lashed out an accusatory finger. "Kkel was ambushed on his mission, and you know full well what happened to him, because it was you that set him up! Admit it Razfahd, you just don't want the truth getting out!

Whatever reaction Jinxie expected from the Grand Vizier, she was completely unprepared for the glance of complete confusion he threw her way.

“What nonsense is this?” He scoffed, then dismissed her with a wave of his hand. “Begone, woman. This is no longer your concern.”

Jinxie was momentarily taken aback, but when another wave of malicious intent struck her, she knew she had to keep talking. “Then what happened, Razfahd? Only you knew about his mission! How did he get found out?”

“Guards, this mercenary is becoming unruly. Escort her to a holding cell to cool off for the night.” Razfahd turned back to Kkel, apparently ignorant of the Soulflayer’s seething. Jinxie struggled as two guards suddenly seized her by the arms. “Whatever happened or didn’t will be covered in investigation.”

“That would be extremely inconvenient.”

Razfahd gasped, turning at the voice. Everyone on the pier looked upwards, shocked to find a man standing atop the docking station. His arms were folded in front of a thick chest. Two knives hung at either side of his waist, and a thick white mantle blew off the sea breeze from his shoulders. He looked down on them with angry dark eyes. Most noticeable about him was the fact that his head, shaved completely bald, was lined with highly detailed tattoos. With a single leap, he reached the heart of their gathering, directly in front of Razfahd. The Serpent Generals drew their weapons as one, even as soldiers came rushing in front of the Grand Vizier.

“You failed us, Razfahd,” the bald Hume chided.

The Imperial balked. “You’ve been given everything you wanted. What are you – “

“He was supposed to stay gone!” He pointed vehemently at Kkel. “We’re withdrawing our support. The organization I represent has decided to pursue other alliances.”

“What are you talking about, Chiz?” Razfahd demanded, advancing on the white-cloaked man threateningly.

Chiz looked down on Razfahd. It was the first time Jinxie had ever seen the Grand Vizier be on the receiving end of such a gaze. “You’ll find out soon enough. For now though, you were right about one thing – that horn will be extremely useful.”

In a flash, the Hume vanished, only to reappear beyond the circle of guards. There was a gasp as the music which had permeated the entire meeting was suddenly cut short. Chiz had Pixel in his hands, holding the struggling Tarutaru with a malicious grin.

“Goodbye, Aht Urghan,” he said, and then he sped off in a blur too quick to follow.

Jinxie cried out, but her voice was drowned out by another.

“PIXEL!” Kkel Solaar’s rasping scream knocked back the soldiers around him. Violently, he swung his arms around, clutching his staff tightly. A whirlwind of unrestrained power threw Razfahd and the Serpent Generals to their knees. “PIXEL!” he cried again, and threw back the hood of his robes.

A collective scream rose as they saw Kkel Solaar as he was. A Soulflayer. Rughadjeen was already back on his feet, rushing in to stop him. At that moment, nothing could have been more hopeless. The Skyserpent ended up several yards away, armor making a grating sound as it scraped against the docks. Kkel simply brushed the others away, creating an opening. Surging through it, he moved faster than Jinxie thought possible, all the while shouting Pixel’s name.

She took advantage of the confusion. A whisper of magic escaped her, and the two already-stunned guards holding her slipped into a daze. They fell over one another, and she easily leaped past them. Razfahd cried out for her to halt, but she brushed by him. Instead, she followed Kkel. She sprinted, chasing after the raging Soulflayer. The people on the harbor screamed as he passed through them. Mothers clutched at their children, traders hurriedly closed up their stalls. People who were too close collapsed at his passing, shivering and cold on the ground. Jinxie followed the trail of screams, leaping past obstacles and trying to keep up.

Kkel burst through a pair of gate guards, sending them reeling as he rushed into central plaza, Serpentking Square. Here he paused for just a moment as the crowd which passed through every day fled shrieking at his appearance. His head swung about frantically, until he suddenly snapped his attention to the east. Jinxie had just gotten close to him when he began moving again, snarling through the tendrils on his elongated head. When he glided across the fountain in the center of the square, the water turned an inky black where he touched it. Then he passed through another gate, and emerged into the Way of the Devout. The expansive walkway which led to the Imperial Palace was crammed full of everyone from clerics of Walahra to mercenary agents.

Some of them fled in terror. Others attempted to bar the Soulflayer’s path. Regardless, there was nothing that could keep Kkel from his objective. Following whatever trail he had, he pushed through anyone in his way, be they mercenary or Imperial guard. When Jinxie arrived, there was a trail of unconscious bodies in her path. Some of them looked white as sheets, staring blankly into nothing as she ran by.

Then she saw a door which had been blasted off its hinges, and ran inside. A Tarutaru in an official-looking uniform was backed into the corner, gibbering madly. Jinxie looked up just in time to see Kkel on some sort of giant glowing platform, already fading away.

With no hesitation, she ran after him. She vanished within a halo of purple light as soon as she touched the glittering rune embedded in the floor. The Hall of Transference went silent, save for its keeper’s frightened mutters, quietly whispered at no one. It remained that way for several moments before the alarm sounded.


“After them!” Razfahd was shouting. Isset didn’t know what to do. Shoki reacted to the emotions sent through her animator, and began running in a circle with its arms waving in the air. There was confusion and chaos all through the docks.

“Razfahd!” General Rughadjeen was shouting at him. Isset had never seen him so close up before. The Elvaan was just as regal as the ballad sung about him in the teahouses made him out to be. “Who was that man? What do you know about this?”

“Away from me, Rughadjeen!” The Hume seethed. “What I do for the security of the Empire is necessary! Now get after them, none of them can be allowed to escape!”

His soldiers tried to organize themselves, but the shock at both Chiz’s appearance and departure as well as the revelation that Kkel Solaar had become a Soulflayer were quickly overwhelming discipline. Even the Serpent Generals seemed taken aback.

“Grand Vizier,” it was Mihli Aliapoh, the Waterserpent General. Isset had heard many conflicting tales about the Tshayan, but it was clear she had a frighteningly strong presence. “What did he mean by “pursuing other alliance?” The Mithra held her massive club with clear intent to use it.

“That is about to become obvious.” They turned to regard Xaerus, standing calmly amongst them.

“What are you blathering about, Xaerus?” The Grand Vizier demanded.

She turned her head westward, her feline ears twitching once in the wind. “Only that the punishment for your secret offenses is about to come due, my dear Razfahd.”

Razfahd opened his mouth, face a storm cloud, but his voice was drowned out as an alarm suddenly blared across all of Whitegate. Isset blanched. She recognized that alarm. Everyone who lived in Aht Urghan knew it well.

“Attention!” A soldier’s voice called out from amplifiers strung throughout the city. “Al Zahbi is under attack! I repeat – Al Zahbi is under attack! All non-combat personnel return to the Commoner’s Ward! Martial law has been declared!”

The Serpent Generals scrambled as one, launching towards the outer district of the city. Shoki was leaning forward, awaiting a command. Isset was unsure of what exactly to do. Soldiers and civilians were running everywhere, two tides rushing against each other to either meet the enemy or flee from it.

“Speed, Isset,” Xaerus said, moving forward. “We’ll be needed here.” Her calm was infuriating.

“Who is it, Xaerus?” Speed asked. “I know this drill, it’s uh . . . it’s those lizard guys. Or the Trolls. Or those skanky snake-chicks.”

“Yes,” Razfahd suddenly grabbed Xaerus by the shoulders, shouting into her unseeing eyes. “Whom are we being attacked by? Whom have they allied with? The Trolls? The Mamool Ja? The Lamiae?”

Xaerus brushed his hands aside and walked past him, heading through the panicked throng and towards Al Zahbi. “Yes,” was all she said.

Isset gasped when she realized her meaning. The Empire was being attacked by all its beastmen foes at once.

Chapter XLVI: Running Blind

“Ye got a problem with me ship?” Arvin asked, and by his tone he was quite serious about the question.

Jinxie struggled to keep her tongue still. Yes, she did have a very distinct issue with the bucket of warped boards and rotting lumber bobbing up and down on the waves of the Gugru Blue, looking like it would fall apart at the seams at any moment. The Proteus appeared to be held together with little more than rusty nails and wishful thinking, and on top of that it was completely filthy. Muck and bilge stuck to every corner, slime caking the deck and hull, with everything from rotten seaweed to rat carcasses draped over the sides. Even the sails, which she imagined had been white at some point, were so stained and dirty that they looked more like a patchwork mess of grays and browns. She could not imagine what had happened to actually leave the sails in such a state.

Arvin peered at her intently, and she saw beyond him to Akisu, his youthful face grinning reverently at the floating death trap in front of them. The scrawny boy was loaded down with Arvin’s luggage, carrying the Dread Corsair’s personal items in a number of cases that obviously weighted him down. Still, he was beaming like it was his birthday and he’d gotten a brand new chocobo as a gift. His attitude was at once worrisome and mystifying to Jinxie, but no matter what menial, back-breaking chore Arvin sent him on, Akisu seemed thrilled for the opportunity to serve the Captain. Now he stared at the Proteus like the decaying vessel was some holy thing risen up out of the waves. Actually, Jinxie thought, she wouldn’t have been surprised if Arvin had hauled it up from the bottom of the Gugru Blue.

“It’s . . . it certainly suits you,” Jinxie said honestly. The pirate gave a crooked grin, staring with bared teeth at his wretched vessel.

“She’s pulled me outta more scrapes then a pretty head like yours can imagine,” he boasted. “Proteus here is the fastest ship on the water. Ye got any chance at all a’ slippin’ outta here, it’s with me.”

Jinxie bit back her words before they could form. Her stomach was flip-flopping at the mere thought of stepping foot on the floating shipwreck in front of her.

“Whoa,” came a voice from behind them, and she turned to find Speed staring open-mouthed at the Proteus. “This place looks just like my house.”

“Aye, lad,” Arvin agreed, clapping the warrior on his bare back so hard that the lanky mercenary swung his arms wildly, then fell forward to the ground as the pirate chuckled, “it do be like home indeed.”

“It looks magnificent, Captain,” Xaerus remarked as she stared at the ship, walking past the scene with a single bag of belongings in tow. “It will do quite nicely.”

Akisu smiled as Xaerus walked by, the oversized grin looking almost comical on his youthful face. “That lady sure knows a good ship when she sees one,” he agreed, taking a step forward, struggling to keep his balance as he juggled the weight of Arvin’s belongings.

Jinxie looked around desperately for a sane voice to be heard, but as Isset walked by with Shoki, she offered only a shrug. Beneath her, Speed began snoring, and the Red Mage let her shoulders droop helplessly as she let out a sigh.

The day passed in Nashmau, giving way to a muggy evening on the wharf, not at all improved by the stink of sweat and brine thick in the air. The crew of the Proteus had been gathered together, nearly two dozen burly, thick-necked men sporting various degrees of facial hair and body odor. Some few of them had skin as dark as the night, others had only the color the sun had baked into them. By and large they were dressed in a manner befitting the crew of a ship like the Proteus; breeches spotted and torn, some seeming to have more patches than they had of the original fabric. They wore vests or shirts that reeked of liquor and cigars, and to a man the ones which were not shaved bald had hair which looked like it had never felt any water besides the ocean spray. Of all the men aboard, Akisu was the only one not laden with tattoos.

A bearded Galka whose face was dotted by a dozen different piercings served as the ship’s cook, and no sooner had he deposited Arvin’s luggage in the Captain’s quarters than Akisu was darting back and forth hauling sack after sack of carrots and potatoes from the dock to the galley. No one offered to help, though several of the sailors were already lounging about indolently, barely even taking notice of the scrawny boy doing the work of three men. Jinxie’s attitude towards the youth was quickly changing from astonishment to outrage at seeing how he was taken advantage of. Quietly, she reminded herself of the urgency of her mission, and bottled the swell of power she felt rising within her. She had no time to right every wrong she came across.

The Proteus was flanked by a score of other vessels all anchored at the same port, held in Nashmau by order of the Imperial Navy. Amongst the rows of ships all trapped in place until the ban on sea travel was lifted, activity was constantly going back and forth as traders of varying degrees of legitimacy scurried the wares off of their ships and then brought things on in anticipation of being able to set sail again soon. Some of the docks were empty, a sign that either it had been an Imperial vessel moored there, or the owner had come across a significant enough bribe to get his ship on the water again. Arvin scoffed at the idea of paying his way out, insisting that the Proteus was more than a match for anything the Imperial Navy could come up with. To cover the boarding preparations, he’d had his crew stagger their arrivals, even ordering a few to leave and them come back later, so no one watching the ship would see more than the usual couple sailors not wanting to pay for an inn and choosing to bunk in the cabins of their ship. By the time the sun had become a sliver of red and gold quickly fading along the horizon, Arvin’s ugly craft was fully manned and prepared.

The Captain himself came up on deck from his cabin when the first sign of stars began showing in the evening sky. Jinxie and Isset were both standing on deck in disguise, a pair of drab and heavily hooded robes concealing their faces and figures. The Dread Corsair brushed by them as if they weren’t even there, leaning against the port side railing and looking down into the sea churning against the stone and granite dock below.

“When th’ moon’s high in th’ the sky, we’ll be takin’ off,” he said, not looking at either woman. They neither acknowledged he had spoke nor looked at each other. “Th’ ship’ll stay dark ‘til we get t’ open water. We’re flyin’ black sails tonight. If’n th’ clouds stay ‘n our favor, we’ll be past th’ Navy a’fore they know it.”

Jinxie let her eyes cast a look upwards. The evening sky was already turning overcast. It looked like luck was with her.

Arvin turned and began walking past them. As he did so, Isset gave an involuntary start, then went stock-still as the Corsair began whistling on his way back to the Captain’s cabin. Isset stared daggers after him, and once he was out of sight put a hand on her bottom sorely.

“He PINCHED me.” She growled indignantly. “Like some serving wench in a port bar.”

“Let it go,” Jinxie said, putting up a single hand to restrain the Puppetmaster as she took a step forward, her fists clenched. “Once we’re back in Nashmau with Kkel Solaar beside us, then he can get what’s coming to him.”

Isset caught herself, regaining her composure and trying to appear normal as she could. Knowing the Empire was watching every ship in Nashmau wasn’t making things easy, but within the hour it would be completely dark, and they’d be able to move freely. Even if that didn’t mean they could give the Dread Corsair what was coming to him quite yet.

Then, as the night grew dark and still, an anchor was slowly raised on a ship without a single light to be seen on it, and the Proteus began drifting out to sea.

Jinxie had chosen to remain above deck, as had Isset. Xaerus and Speed were below as Arvin, his silver eyes adjusted to the dark, manned the steering wheel. Akisu was in the crow’s nest, wearing all black and barely peeking out. They had rigged up a system in which the young boy could pull a string which sounded a faint bell beside where Arvin was steering a number of times indicating whether or not it was clear up ahead. Jinxie got the distinct feeling this was not the first time the crew had fled a port under cover of darkness. She heard two tiny peals, lost almost as soon as they came under the constant crashing of waves against the docks, and Arvin adjusted his steering to guide the ship away. Out in the distance, the Imperial blockade looked like a small town on the water, each ship lit up and active. In comparison, the Proteus seemed almost a ghost ship adrift at sea.

She held her breath as the black sails, crowded on only enough to get the ship moving, caught the night breeze and the Proteus started picking up speed. The crewmen started pulling and adjusting various lines, communicating with each other only with the briefest of glances, working on instinct more than anything. Some few would stop and deliver rudimentary hand signs to others, who would look at the signals and adjust what they were doing accordingly. The muscle-bound sailors were surprisingly silent in their task, working with the kind of stealth only a dishonest life can breed. The Imperial blockade was growing closer, but even as it did Jinxie could make out gaps between where the ships were settled. Arvin was aiming for one of those openings, hoping to drift by unnoticed long enough to get by them completely. The closer they grew, the quieter the ship became, until even the sound of Akisu’s bells had ceased. To all sides of them were Imperial cruisers, watching the oceans. In the pitch-black night, the Proteus was all but invisible to the naked eye.

Jinxie’s stomach was a butterfly nest as they ghosted past two of the Imperial galleons. She saw tree-like masts and realized that the occupants of the ships would notice that the lights from the adjacent craft would be covered up by the Proteus, even if they didn’t see the ship itself at first. If anyone was paying enough attention tonight, they would be spotted for sure. Her power began coming to her by instinct, and she hastily bottled it in fear of some Imperial wizard becoming aware of her. Despite the breeze of the ocean, she was beginning to sweat.

Then, just like that, they were through. The Proteus cut across the gap in an instant, and Jinxie had to struggle from letting an explosive breath of relief escape her lips. The crew, for their part, looked as focused as ever. They weren’t out of the woods yet. There was another ship behind the two they had made their escape through, a patrol vessel slowly skimming across the water. If they went unnoticed for just one more minute, they would be past it, but on their current course they were running perpendicular to each other, putting it practically on top of them. Jinxie found she couldn’t dare even blink as she watched the other ship bear down on them. Just a few more seconds was all they needed.

The clouds overhead continued flowing by, and then, without warning, the moon was plainly visible, casting pale light down upon the reflective ocean. The crew of the Proteus went dead silent, no one even daring to breathe as they were betrayed by the night sky. A moment later, the moon was concealed again, darkness gliding back across the sea. The tension was suffocating. A second passed and no alarm was raised. Jinxie allowed herself to inhale. They had made it.

A shout came from the other ship, and then another. She heard Isset gasp to her side as the Imperial cruiser began changing course suddenly. Jinxie was unable to restrain her gasp when she realized it was speeding up, and trying to pull up alongside them. Threats and warnings were shouted across the intervening distance, and the crew of the Proteus suddenly abandoned stealth, letting loose the sails and shouting orders back and forth at one another. Confusion began to overtake the ship as men darted across the deck, struggling with rigging and sails, not knowing which order to listen to first.

“Walahra,” Arvin cursed, spitting on the deck as he growled, grinding his teeth together. “They’ve spotted us, lads! Get ready f’r rough waters!”

The Proteus banked sharply starboard, and Jinxie heard Arvin curse behind the wheel as the masts creaked from the strain. The Imperial ship behind them compensated to close in, and missed by a space so thin Jinxie doubted she could have dropped a sheet of bast parchment freely between them. The dilapidated ship surged forward on a wave as shouts of activity sped across the wind from the Imperial vessel, shouts to cut off the Proteus and man the cannons. The crew began drawing their swords, preparing for a fight.

There was a jarring boom as the imperial ship launched a barrage of cannon fire towards the Proteus. Shrapnel and splintered wood burst up as lead tore through the ship’s hull, causing the entire vessel to shake. Arvin spun the wheel hard, and in response it began to tip over to one side, the force of impact and weight of the mast making the whole ship begin leaning in the direction of the centrifugal motion. The wind in the sails and sudden stress threatened to tear the ship apart, and it creaked out its distress as the Imperial ship readied another volley.

“Steady th’ blasted ship!” Arvin shouted out over the din. “Trim th’ sail or we’ll break th’ mast in two!”

“Find something to grab on to!” Isset cried, clutching on to the ship’s railing. “We’ll be tossed overboard!”

Jinxie’s feet went out from under her as the ship corrected itself, throwing her forward like a child’s ball. She tumbled head over feet, landing sprawled out on her back and acutely aware that the stars she saw had nothing to do with the sky she was suddenly staring into. The flaxen-haired Red Mage struggled to gather herself and rise, but the motion of the boat was playing havoc with her balance. She heard shouts begin to escalate and was aware that the Imperial ship was now closer than ever. In the moonlight, the featureless forms of Aht Uhrganian sailors preparing to board the Proteus were taking shape.

Clutching at the grim-encrusted deck, she scraped at the deck until she could right herself, trying to decide what to do. With enough wind she could throw the other ship off-course, but as close as they were they would likely collide with the Proteus and send both vessels to the briny deep. If she used lightning or fire, she could potentially kill the Imperial soldiers. She wracked her brain for some solution, trying to imagine how she could possibly stop that ship.

Even as she pulled herself into a sitting position, a dark-cloaked figure drifted by her, unperturbed by the activity around her. Jinxie turned to shout out a warning to Xaerus, but the Mithra stepped directly into the line of sight of the other ship. The sound of guns being readied was audible even over the crashing of the sea and the shouts from both sides. Xaerus lowered her head, her unseeing eyes directed at the floor with her hands clasped in front of her, as if in prayer. Jinxie called out a warning, but Arvin sharply threw the wheel starboard, trying not to present his broad side to the cannons of the Navy. The sudden shift threw Jinxie back again, and she found herself tumbling backwards, rolling to a stop against the mast. Xaerus was still where she stood, and beyond her there was a score of Imperials readying a deadly volley to let loose into her unprotected body. Jinxie tried to cry out a warning again, knowing Xaerus couldn’t see how close the other ship was, but there was too much noise for her to be heard, too much shouting . . .

Not shouting, she realized. Screaming.

The Imperial soldiers on the other ship were all screaming, their voices loud and fevered with terror. Xaerus, she realized, was obscured by an inky black cloud forming all around her, spreading out to blanket the ship in an obliviating embrace. She heard splashes as some fell into the icy waters of the Gugru Blue, and saw flashes of light as shots were fired into the air. It took a wild turn, tearing a section of railing off of the Proteus as the two vessels nearly collided, and then began to rotate in entirely the opposite direction. The screams rose, high-pitched with fear, and in the next instant, Arvin broke free of the deadly stalemate. The Proteus surged ahead of the Imperial ship, shooting forward like a rock from a sling.

“Now!” Arvin demanded. “Pile on that sail, ye worthless dogs! Catch th’ wind while we can!”

The sailors manning the masts and sails grunted with the strain as dozens of riggings were hastily tied into place, and the black sails of the Proteus unfurled in full force. The Proteus began picking up speed at an alarming rate, but nothing was too fast for Jinxie in that moment. She finally managed to right herself just in time to see the ship they had encountered becoming a rapidly-vanishing blot of light. The screams, however, carried far across open seas.

“What did you do to them?” Isset asked shakily as Xaerus turned, her path suggesting she was returning to the cabins.

The Mithra turned her head in the direction of the Puppetmaster’s voice, stopping in her path to gaze through blindfolded eyes with an expressionless face. The crew was leaning in as well, and even Arvin had stopped momentarily, looking at the tiny woman in their midst.

“I struck them blind,” she replied simply.

The crewmen gaped at the Red Mage as she strode wordlessly back down towards the cabin. Several of them exchanged glances, and audibly gulped.

Jinxie tossed her heavy cloak aside, her traditional red-and-black raiment clinging to her with perspiration. She grabbed on to a splintered rail and lurched halfway over the side, feeling as if the might retch. Nothing came up, and after a long period spent staring into the waters, letting her stomach stop heaving, she turned and collapsed to a sitting position on the deck.

To her side, she saw Isset and Shoki, similarly positioned. The silent puppet was furiously fanning its owner, and the dark-haired woman turned a sympathetic and long-suffering gaze on Jinxie.

“Is he worth it, Isset?” Jinxie asked, finally connecting with her breath.

“Who?”

“Kkel Solaar,” she answered, dabbing her nervous sweat off of her forehead.

Isset turned away, looking out across the deck as men scrambled like mad to correct the ship and assess the damage. Arvin was wrestling with the wheel, but grinning fiercely. Jinxie had to admit that the boorish Elvaan was right. The Proteus was indeed the fastest ship in the Empire, or at least faster than anything the Imperial Navy could offer.

“He’s the kind of man you have to see to believe, Jinxie,” the Puppetmaster finally told her. “With all the wars and attacks and the constant besieged state of the Empire, there are still people who think that the most serious blow we were ever dealt was the day the Sunserpent disappeared.”

Jinxie tilted her head back and closed her eyes, still breathing hard. Drake would be fine with Abquhbah and Naja, she told herself. She could find this Kkel Solaar and return him, and be done with Razfahd and his scheming once and for all. She longed to hold her baby, and, in a realization that made her lip tremble, to be held by Hubby. She bit back her pain, and started to rise.

The moon was once again visible overhead, but the Proteus was already too far away to be followed. They followed the stars west, heading ever closer back to where for Jinxie, it all began, and where she would bring an end to it as well.