wet now, he thought. And then
that thought died.
Before him rose a great being. It was like a
grey, shiny snake with rubbery arms. It crashed down, grabbed the
bottom of the boat.
Riley! But she didn’t move!
He fired the SIGPEW at it. Light exploded,
connected. He didn’t let go. The light pulsed, connecting him and
the creature.
He couldn’t see Riley over the glow. All he
knew was the creature.
A high pitched squeal erupted from it. The
boat was tipped, the bow rising from the water.
And the light stayed
And then he saw something, in the shadow
behind the creature. A fish person. A spear.
More of them! They jabbed and fought. The
light pulsed.
‘Riley!’ Vann cried above the squeal, ‘are
you there?!’
If there was a response he didn’t hear.
And then… then it was falling. Vann dropped
the SIGPEW. He lunged forward. The creature was coming down.
Fall backwards! He prayed.
Riley was in his arms, slippery and slimy
but there!
And there was a huge splash. The boat
rocked. An alarming amount of water came in. He saw then that he
was looking out at ocean. Part of the back was missing.
‘Riley?’ he said. Was part of her missing
too?
‘I… like… dirt…’
Vann was speechless for a good few
seconds.
‘What?’ he finally asked weakly.
‘It’s… nicer… than.. cave mould.’
‘Riley, darling, getting hit by a lightning
rod is nicer than cave mould.’
Vann was hugely relieved when Zap Zap
returned near dawn to tell him what had happened.
‘Ehlkrid.’ Zap Zap said. ‘Warriors fought.
It strong. Tried to lead away.’
Vann wasn’t surprised to learn it hadn’t
been a gemeng. The SIGPEW was fully drained.
‘Is everyone alright?’ Vann asked.
Zap Zap shook head. ‘No. But fish people
used to fighting things stronger. Together, clan is strong. Vann
helped. Zap Zap!’ and he grinned.
‘Yeah…’
‘Vann’s boat broken?’
‘Yeah. The ehlkrid grabbed it. We’re
sinking.’
‘Vann seems a bit closer than usual.’
‘You think so?’
‘Vann not worry. Fish people help. Easier to
splash now.’
‘I don’t think you need to splash
now.’
But with the fish people dragging the boat,
they managed to stay afloat. Vann moved his things to the driest
section of the boat. Riley had to concentrate now to stay in the
boat and not fall out. And he and Zap Zap kept talking to her.
And soon, Vann recognized mountains far
away, on the land. And the coastline changed from beach to
cliffs.
And they were at Harsh Wave.
Chapter 13
W hen Adila showed up at
their beach Aerlid was surprised and horrified.
‘Adila!’ he greeted her, trying to keep his
alarm from his voice. ‘What brings you here?’
‘I could ask you the same thing.’ she said
as she looked around the beach. ‘Maelid felt something terrible
happen to your mountain. He’s quite upset. He wanted to come
examine it himself, but Rose said no. So I am here.’
‘That was nearly two months ago!’
‘I know… it took a while for Maelid to tell
us.’
Aerlid sighed. ‘The mountain caved in,
Adila. I don’t know what happened, but most are dead. You mustn’t
tell him.’
‘I will not. But how? And the Queen’s
daughter, she must be alright!’
‘I… I’m not sure.’ Aerlid rubbed his eyes.
‘I… maybe I need your help.’
‘What is it?’
‘Adila, I think I need to make her a new
body.’
‘What? Is she so badly injured?’
‘My skills are not what they used to be.
I’ve tried healing her, I’ve tried making a new body. But there
were so many others injured. She is alive, but perhaps I focussed
on others when I shouldn’t have.’
‘No, do not say that. Certainly, I can try
and make a new body.’ she frowned. ‘What you ask is very difficult.
Are you sure what I make could be any better than what she
has?’
Aerlid nodded.
‘Perhaps I can help you heal her.’
Aerlid shook his head. ‘She’s in a very
delicate state, she wishes no one to see her. Even my presence
upsets
that thought died.
Before him rose a great being. It was like a
grey, shiny snake with rubbery arms. It crashed down, grabbed the
bottom of the boat.
Riley! But she didn’t move!
He fired the SIGPEW at it. Light exploded,
connected. He didn’t let go. The light pulsed, connecting him and
the creature.
He couldn’t see Riley over the glow. All he
knew was the creature.
A high pitched squeal erupted from it. The
boat was tipped, the bow rising from the water.
And the light stayed
And then he saw something, in the shadow
behind the creature. A fish person. A spear.
More of them! They jabbed and fought. The
light pulsed.
‘Riley!’ Vann cried above the squeal, ‘are
you there?!’
If there was a response he didn’t hear.
And then… then it was falling. Vann dropped
the SIGPEW. He lunged forward. The creature was coming down.
Fall backwards! He prayed.
Riley was in his arms, slippery and slimy
but there!
And there was a huge splash. The boat
rocked. An alarming amount of water came in. He saw then that he
was looking out at ocean. Part of the back was missing.
‘Riley?’ he said. Was part of her missing
too?
‘I… like… dirt…’
Vann was speechless for a good few
seconds.
‘What?’ he finally asked weakly.
‘It’s… nicer… than.. cave mould.’
‘Riley, darling, getting hit by a lightning
rod is nicer than cave mould.’
Vann was hugely relieved when Zap Zap
returned near dawn to tell him what had happened.
‘Ehlkrid.’ Zap Zap said. ‘Warriors fought.
It strong. Tried to lead away.’
Vann wasn’t surprised to learn it hadn’t
been a gemeng. The SIGPEW was fully drained.
‘Is everyone alright?’ Vann asked.
Zap Zap shook head. ‘No. But fish people
used to fighting things stronger. Together, clan is strong. Vann
helped. Zap Zap!’ and he grinned.
‘Yeah…’
‘Vann’s boat broken?’
‘Yeah. The ehlkrid grabbed it. We’re
sinking.’
‘Vann seems a bit closer than usual.’
‘You think so?’
‘Vann not worry. Fish people help. Easier to
splash now.’
‘I don’t think you need to splash
now.’
But with the fish people dragging the boat,
they managed to stay afloat. Vann moved his things to the driest
section of the boat. Riley had to concentrate now to stay in the
boat and not fall out. And he and Zap Zap kept talking to her.
And soon, Vann recognized mountains far
away, on the land. And the coastline changed from beach to
cliffs.
And they were at Harsh Wave.
Chapter 13
W hen Adila showed up at
their beach Aerlid was surprised and horrified.
‘Adila!’ he greeted her, trying to keep his
alarm from his voice. ‘What brings you here?’
‘I could ask you the same thing.’ she said
as she looked around the beach. ‘Maelid felt something terrible
happen to your mountain. He’s quite upset. He wanted to come
examine it himself, but Rose said no. So I am here.’
‘That was nearly two months ago!’
‘I know… it took a while for Maelid to tell
us.’
Aerlid sighed. ‘The mountain caved in,
Adila. I don’t know what happened, but most are dead. You mustn’t
tell him.’
‘I will not. But how? And the Queen’s
daughter, she must be alright!’
‘I… I’m not sure.’ Aerlid rubbed his eyes.
‘I… maybe I need your help.’
‘What is it?’
‘Adila, I think I need to make her a new
body.’
‘What? Is she so badly injured?’
‘My skills are not what they used to be.
I’ve tried healing her, I’ve tried making a new body. But there
were so many others injured. She is alive, but perhaps I focussed
on others when I shouldn’t have.’
‘No, do not say that. Certainly, I can try
and make a new body.’ she frowned. ‘What you ask is very difficult.
Are you sure what I make could be any better than what she
has?’
Aerlid nodded.
‘Perhaps I can help you heal her.’
Aerlid shook his head. ‘She’s in a very
delicate state, she wishes no one to see her. Even my presence
upsets
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