Leviathans

Rayne huffed in frustration, and threw the flame orb against the wall before falling backwards onto the bed. Lucy stood against the open doorway into their room, and looked at Rayne curiously. “What are you trying to do again?” she asked, and Rayne mumbled something unintelligible in response. “Ray. What?” She asked again, arms crossed. “Trying to open it.” Her friend answered, just loudly enough to be heard.

Lucy couldn’t suppress a laugh. “You’re having trouble opening a flame orb?” she teased, and Rayne sat up quickly, a flash of annoyance on her face. “You try opening it then.” Came her response. Lucy sighed, deciding to humor Rayne to calm her down. Her feet carried her smoothly across the wooden floors, past the dresser. The orb had tucked itself against the foot of the bed and the wall. She bent down to pick it up, turning it around in her hands. “Lucky this thing didn’t turn on and set the whole airship on fire.” She chided, and Rayne huffed again.

“Open it then.” Rayne insisted, and Lucy pulled it up to examine it, looking for the nine buttons on the side. Her fingers found the small depressions, pressing each of them once. A shrill chime sounded, and Lucy glanced up at Rayne triumphantly. Rayne’s smug smile quickly turned Lucy’s gaze back down to the orb. She twisted, expecting the orb to open and reveal the power source within. Instead, it stood firm in her hands.

She twisted harder, grunting. Nothing. She brought it up closer to her ear, and pressed each of the buttons again, whispering a mnemonic designed to help her remember what each of the sounds meant. Her fingers pressed the buttons again. Once more, the chime sounded. Still, the orb would not open. “I’m sure I did this right” she complained, frustrated. She looked up at Rayne, whose smugness was now even more evident than before. “Fine. You win. This thing is awful.” Lucy admitted, handing it back to Rayne before sitting down next to her.

She watched as Rayne traced the lines in the orb with her fingers. No other flame orb she had ever seen had them. “What do you want to open it for anyway?” Lucy asked, staring up at the ceiling. Rayne paused for a moment, looking at Lucy out of the corner of her eye. The stone seemed to burn in her breast pocket. Rayne patted it through her jacket, and looked at Lucy seriously. “Let me show you.” She said, setting aside the orb.

Rayne opened up her jacket, her left hand slipping deftly into the breast pocket on the inside. Her fingers brushed against the stone, sending a tingling sensation up her arm, a deep breath, and she pulled it out and held it up in front of Lucy. The girl stared at it for a moment, breath caught in her chest. The stone’s ever-shifting colors seemed to glow brighter as she watched.

“Ray… what?” she whispered, as mesmerized as Rayne had been. She reached out to touch it. Her finger brushed against it, the warmth of the stone causing her to pull it back in surprise. “I have no idea.” Rayne answered, just as quietly. “That’s what I want to find out.” Lucy swallowed, and tore her eyes away from the gem. “Okay, but what does this have to do with the flame orb?” came the question Rayne was expecting. She stared down at the gem in her hand, and she told Lucy where it had come from, and who had given it to her. More importantly, she told Lucy about her episodes.

As Rayne told the story, Lucy listened intently. Her interruptions, already few in number, were concise. As Rayne explained what the sphere Master Ethan had given her looked like, she began to have an inkling. As Rayne explained what it had been like to open it, she grew curious, and then amazed. As Rayne explained what was inside of it, she understood.

“So you think there’s another… whatever that is, inside of the flame orb?” Lucy asked, gesturing at the stone with two fingers. “Maybe. Only one way to know for sure.” Rayne answered with a shrug. “Why don’t you just do the same thing as you did with the last one?” Lucy asked, her eyes glowing with anticipation. “I don’t know how.” Rayne sighed, her shoulders dropping. The excitement seemed to bleed out of Lucy’s face. “Sorry.” She whispered apologetically, and Rayne shrugged again. “It is what it is.

Lucy paused for a moment, watching as Rayne blinked slowly and stared at the ceiling. She looked frustrated. Tense. “Let’s get out of here before we go stir crazy.” Lucy suggested, grabbing Rayne’s hand and giving it a slight tug. “Sure. Yeah.” Rayne responded, letting Lucy lead her out of the room and off of the airship. The smell of the docks, which had faded somewhat while they were inside the airship, hit them again full force. Spices, sweat, meat, and the sickly-sweet smell of fruit that had been left out too long.

Rayne looked around, watching the few soldiers milling around the docks. Very few of the dock hands were still out this late, and the ones that were had been drinking. Their raucous laughter and singing filled the night, the different voices and languages intermingling into an unintelligible cacophony. Rayne cracked a small smile as she watched a soldier join one of the groups in a song about a dockside prostitute, his patrol companion moving away in embarrassment.

She took a deep breath of the cool night air and stretched. “I wonder if we can find a way into the beetle” Rayne mused. Lucy stopped next to her, glancing around at the guards. “What’s stopping us?” Lucy half-joked, smirking. “Bet you we can.” Rayne pushed, eyes glimmering in the lantern-light. Lucy looked around again. Who would really be paying attention? At the worst, they could say they were two technomages who were new to the city. She bit her lip, heart speeding up slightly. “Let’s try.”

They made their way into the city, discussing what they knew. “something this size has to have multiple entrances.” Rayne argued, eyes searching the ground and walls intently for anything that seemed out of place. “It’s too big for something central, it’d take forever to get from any point to anywhere else.” She continued, and Lucy nodded.

“You’re right. Which means it should be easier to find a way in.” the blonde girl whispered, keeping her voice low. “And please, Ray, try not to talk loudly enough that everyone in the city can hear us?” Lucy begged. “Sorry” Rayne apologized, having the decency to look embarrassed as she did. Lucy smiled at her, but her eyes were somewhere else.

They searched the city, street by street. They passed more of the street vendors, some of them still open even at this time of night. Occasionally, a beggar would approach, and the girls would quickly send them away with a few bronze bonds. They talked as they combed the city. Not about anything in particular. It was less about the conversation, and more about the fact that they were together. That was the important part.

As thorough as they were, they almost missed it. It was Rayne that saw it. A small indentation in the stone bricks of an otherwise normal dead-end street. The circular pattern was too regular to have been worn away naturally, and the two girls stared at the small latch which was cleverly hidden inside one of the bricks. Lucy kneeled down, her fingers finding a hole in the raised side of the slightly off-color stone. She pulled, and a section of the brick slid upwards before the entire indentation swung open on a hinge neither of them could see.

The smell of stale air rushed upwards to meet them, and what seemed like years of dust blew into their faces. Rayne and Lucy coughed violently, scratching at their eyes to try and get it out. After a desperate minute, they had mostly calmed down. In the hole below, was darkness. A metal ladder attached to the wall descended into the depths. Rayne and Lucy looked at each other. “Well. We found it.” Lucy remarked, looking particularly unenthusiastic. Rayne, on the other hand, looked incredibly excited. “Let’s go!” she suggested, reaching down to grab the latter before Lucy stopped her.

“Absolutely not. We have no way of knowing what’s down there, and it’s obviously abandoned.” She argued. “What? We found it and now we’re just going to leave?” Rayne huffed indignantly, and Lucy nodded. “We don’t go down there unless we’re prepared.” She answered, looking up into the night sky. “Besides. We should go see if the others are done selling the runic tech.” the girl mused before looking over at Rayne. The raven-haired girl was pouting, her arms crossed. “Ray, it’s not just going to disappear” Lucy pointed out, exasperated. “Fine…” Rayne sighed, pushing the entrance closed with her foot. She stared at it longingly for a moment before glancing at Lucy. “Let’s go.”

The two girls moved back through the city. This time, as they weren’t distracted by cracks in the ground that might be entrances into the beetle, they tried to take in the city’s sights. It felt to Rayne like things had somehow changed, in the few days they were gone for the delve. When her eyes found darkness, she felt her chest tighten with apprehension. Now that she wasn’t distracted with a purpose, now that her curiosity didn’t push everything else from her mind…

Rayne paused for a moment, forcing her breathing to slow. The voices in her mind that flinched at every shadow felt like tendrils digging into her. Lucy said something, but Rayne raised a hand, the gesture telling of the concentration she didn’t want interrupted. Her eyes searched the darkness. Her ears followed the sounds of the night. A deep breath filled her lungs. The darkness hid nothing. The air held only the sound of insects and the occasional laugh. Her breath escaped from her lips, and she pushed her encroaching fear away.

Her eyes found Lucy. The girl looking as fearful as Rayne had felt, just a few moments earlier. “Ray, can we please go?” she begged, her voice almost a whimper. Rayne’s hand found hers, and she squeezed. “There’s nothing there Lucy.” She said, trying to soothe her friend. Lucy glanced at her for less than a second before turning her eyes away again. “How do you know? There could be more of those men, like earlier today.” Lucy answered. She looked to Rayne like an animal ready to bolt at the slightest noise.

“We’d see them coming. We’d run. But that’s beside the point. I trust Aria. They’re gone.” Rayne pointed out, grabbing Lucy’s shoulder to steady her. Fear slowly began to melt out of Lucy’s eyes, just as they had faded from Rayne’s. “That’s it.” Rayne breathed, cocking her head as a thought struck her. “Besides. If anyone was after us they’d have attacked us when we were looking for an entrance. We weren’t paying any attention then.” She commented.

Lucy stared at her incredulously. “Was that supposed to make me feel better?” she asked, and Rayne blinked. “Um… no? yes? Does it?” the girl asked, and Lucy burst into laughter. “Nevermind. Let’s hurry. The others are probably waiting.” Rayne smiled. Somewhat confused, but glad nonetheless that Lucy was feeling better. Her friend was right, Rayne thought, as she grabbed Lucy’s hand and began to run.

Not long after, they reached the door to the warehouse. Carriages were set outside. The guilds. Lucy thought, a twinge of regret shooting through her. The guards eyed them suspiciously as they approached the door. They heard a voice from within, raised high enough for them to hear the excitement in it. Rayne pulled the door open, and the two girls stepped inside. Richard stood at the podium, the resonator on a table in front of him. He spoke quickly, pointing at one or another of the men and women who were seating in the chairs throughout the room.

Rayne and Lucy slipped in quietly, none of those seated noticing them. Richard gave them a near imperceptible nod, and they went to stand with Heinric in one of the room’s corners. He nodded at them, his arms crossed. Rayne watched in fascination as the guild representatives bid higher and higher for the resonator, their voices becoming argumentative as they vied for the artifact. Finally, the number of bidders decreased. Some took what they had purchased and left, sparing not even a glance at the two girls. Others however, sat and watched.

Three representatives were still bidding fiercely for the resonator. The numbers had gotten so large that Lucy couldn’t quite imagine anything being that valuable. No wonder the masters only let the senior technomages handle them. She thought, as the price increased yet again. The bidders – a young man with skin the color of burnished copper, an older woman whose graying hair was pulled into a tight bun, and a muscular middle aged man – appeared to be openly hostile towards one other.

The symbols of their guilds stood proudly on their varied clothing. The young man wore common, yet colorful clothing. It was baggy, to keep out the heat, and the symbol – a silver eagle on a field of red – was embroidered into both shoulders of his long-sleeved shirt. The woman wore a typical technomage’s outfit. Her jacket was incredibly ornate, however, with delicate metal strands set into the leather in complex patterns. The symbol of her guild, a yellow flower, was displayed proudly across the front of the jacket. The man wore tight-fitting clothes, and his discomfort was plain in the way he pulled at the collar of his shirt and the sweat that ran down his forehead. A fox against a blue sky decorated the back of his stuffy shirt.

Rayne watched, half-expecting them to come to blows as they cursed at each other under their breath. Richard tried to get them to calm down, but it only served to egg them on. Finally, the man in the stuffy clothes stood, huffing as he turned to leave. He carried with him a small box of the less valuable artifacts. He glanced at Rayne and Lucy as he passed, the gaze lingering on them for a moment before Heinric shooed him through the door with a glare.

The younger man and older woman continued for another minute before the older woman stood and left herself. Richard declared him the winner of the bid war, and the room felt oddly quiet after all of the excitement. Many of the other representatives began to shuffle out, undoubtedly to take their carriages back to wherever it was that the technomages stayed while they were in the city. Rayne found herself hoping that wherever it was, the air was cooled. She would feel bad if the older man had left the admittedly warm warehouse for somewhere where he would remain uncomfortable.

Richard walked up to them, a triumphant smile on his face. “Well, that was productive” he said, and Heinric shrugged. “Do ye really need me fer these?” he asked, and Richard nodded seriously. “But of course, who would try to hold an auction for such valuable things without hired muscle? You make us seem more legitimate.” The doctor said, and Heinric looked as if he was trying to decide between being flattered or offended. Eventually, the old man shrugged. “Well then” Richard began, rubbing his hands excitedly “now that we have funds, we can discuss our next move.”

Their group once again sat at one of the tables in the hookah bar. It was much later than it had been the first time, well into the night. Still, the atmosphere felt lively to Rayne. Of course, it was possible this was only because Richard had told her how much they had actually made. Fourty seven golden bonds, each valued at one hundred iron bonds, and thirty two iron bonds. It was an incredible amount of money. More money than Rayne had every really thought about.

And part of its mine. Came the thought. Richard had said the money would be split evenly among the members of the group. There were six of them, and so it was seven golden bonds and eighty eight iron bonds each. It would be a long while before she and Lucy needed to worry about being able to afford supplies. Rayne smiled.

Her companions sat around the table, talking, joking. Aria did her best to appear uninjured, but her pain was still obvious by the grimace she wore when she thought the others weren’t looking, and the bandages that wrapped around her torso. Still, just as the others were, she was in a good mood. Richard smoked, with Lucy taking a few drags herself. Though she had coughed profusely the first time, Lucy found herself enjoying it now.

Lucy watched, as Rayne joined in on the jovial conversation. Rayne leaned forward as she listened. Gestured as she talked. Her eyes met the eyes of those sitting with her. Lucy sighed, a confusing mix of happiness and loss running through her. It looked like Rayne had finally broken out of her shell. Rayne paused in whatever it was she was saying, the words gliding past Lucy’s inattentive ears. Rayne turned to face her, and the smile on the raven-haired girl grew wider. She gripped Lucy’s hand.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, magi” Lynn spoke, taking advantage of the short lull in conversation. “But I believe we are here to speak of what comes next.” He continued, and Richard smacked the table lightly. “Ah! Yes! Of course! Thank you Lynn, I had forgotten” Richard answered, embarrassed. He looked over the others, Lucy giving him an assenting nod, Rayne looking at him attentively.

“Very well then, I had told you our first delve would be a short one. A test.” He said, eyes pausing on Rayne and Lucy. The girls both nodded. “The next delve will be… more difficult. We’ll need more resources. Food. Equipment. Materials. And most importantly, manpower.” He explained seriously, counting off the items on his fingers. The group looked at him expectantly. “For this, of course, we’ll need funds.” He admitted, looking around the table before finding the two girls again.

Rayne found herself suddenly unsure. “And I’m guessing you need our part as well?” Lucy asked, after taking a sip from her drink. Richard nodded firmly. “Aye.” Heinric answered as well. They’d had the money for so little time. Not even a few hours. Rayne had spent that time thinking about what she would do with it. The different foods she would try, the places she and Lucy could go. She wanted to visit libraries, ruins, and cities. She wanted to know more about the stone. Money would help with that. And now Richard was asking for it back.

“We need the majority of the money we made to fund our next delve. Should you choose to help us, it will be an investment. We’ll be splitting the money we make amongst those who invest – that is to say, those of us here – first. If I’m right, it will potentially be one of the most important delves of our lifetimes.” Richard said, a spark of pride in his eyes. It was more than that, though, thought Lucy. The way he said it, the way his voice was stronger toward the end of his statement. It seemed like it wasn’t the money that he was after. It was something else entirely.

Rayne glanced at Lucy, and then back at Richard and the others. “should we choose to help you?” she asked quietly, and Richard nodded quickly. “We never intended to force you into coming. As with our first delve, whether you do or don’t is your choice. If you choose not to, your part of the money is yours.” Came his answer, tinged with a bit of disappointment. Rayne looked down at her hands, and then at Lucy. Lucy was looking at her strangely. “It doesn’t seem like you to give up an opportunity like this, Ray. When did you become the cautious one?” she pointed out wryly, and Rayne blinked.

A laugh escaped her lips. Lucy was right, Rayne thought. What did it matter? If they went, they might get to see even more than she expected. Hadn’t she seen the leviathan murals in the first delve? Found the flame orb? her curiosity struck her like a physical force. Lucy smiled at the glint of excitement in Rayne’s eyes. Then, she looked at Richard and frowned. “What do you mean by ‘If I’m right’?” she asked, and Rayne looked at her with an expression of disbelief. She looked back, and smiled “Being cautious is my job.” Lucy responded, and Rayne stuck her tongue out at her.

The others laughed at their exchange, but Richard frowned. “I would rather not speak in too much detail here.” He answered, looking around. “But I – We – have been preparing for this delve for years. Gathering information, garnering a reputation, gathering competent people. Like any delve, it is a risk. This one larger than most.” He admitted, and Lucy nodded.

The others sat around the table. Lucy looked at them, meeting the gaze of each one in turn. Aria’s arms were crossed. Her eyes, which had been hard and unreadable when they first met, were softer now. Not soft, by any stretch, but Lucy felt a measure of trust from them. Aria’s lips curled into a frown and then tightened as a stab of pain went through her. Heinric’s face was warm, the small nod he gave her almost tender. Lynn stared at her, an almost desperate hope in his eyes. For what, Lucy couldn’t tell. She looked at Richard, whose fingers were bridged in front of his mouth. His brow was creased in worry, but his eyes too held hope. Not as desperate. Mellower. More genuine.

Finally, she looked at Rayne. The smoke seemed to frame the girl’s face as the haze swirled in the air. Rayne blinked slowly, calmly. Lucy could see it though. Her excitement. Rayne squeezed one hand with the other, her foot tapping madly under the table. She looked determined. She looked like she had made her choice. And that meant that Lucy had made hers as well. “When do we leave?” she asked, and Richard smiled widely. “Only after we celebrate” he answered, as Aria pumped a fist in triumph.

Lynn smiled, waving over one of the serving girls. “If that is the case, I suppose we should have some more drinks, no?” he asked, letting Richard speak to the girl in her own language. Once more food and drink arrived, they began their celebration in earnest. It was only after the sun began to rise that they staggered to the inn. Rayne and Lucy both woke the next afternoon with splitting headaches, and resolved to spend the ensuing hours curled up in bed.

And so, it was the morning after their hangovers that the group once more went to the docks. Rayne and Lucy had spent the early morning hours, suitably refreshed and pain-free, making sure that the engine and other runic technology on the airship worked properly. Heinric sat on the deck, making more of his grenades. He was also, however, setting aside ingredients for something else. Something much larger.

Lynn had gone with Richard to find provisions. After all, they would need plenty of food and water. Or at least, Rayne assumed they had. Richard would be telling them where they were going once he got back. They hadn’t exactly been thinking about it while they celebrated. Aria, injured a she had been a few days prior, was resting on her bed in the airship. In all honesty, Lucy was surprised she had managed to make it to their gathering that same night. Aria was hardier than she had first imagined.

Still, there wasn’t much time to think about it. They had their jobs to do, and Richard wanted to leave not too long after he returned. And so, they worked. They diligently checked, and then double checked, every conduit they could find. Rayne was frustrated that the airship didn’t have blueprints in it, so that she could actually know for sure they had gone over everything, but it would have to do for now.

Soon after they had finished, and just after they started to lounge around waiting, Richard and Lynn returned. Behind them, a hired packman to pull their cart. Heinric slowly finished making one of the explosives, his movements deliberate. Then, he stretched, and looked over at the two arrivals. “Finally.” He grumbled, putting away his things and going to meet them. Richard handed the packman his money, and Heinric shooed him away. “Le’s load ’er up.” The giant commanded, and the girls quickly descended to help.

A short time later they were ready. With the exception of Aria, they sat around the table in the kitchen. “So Richard. Where are we going?” Lucy asked, leaning back into her chair. The man smiled, and reached into his ever-present bag. After a few moments of muttering to himself as he searched it, he pulled out a rolled up map. He stretched it out onto the table, revealing the world that Rayne itched to explore. He placed a large compass on one side to weigh it down. The girl’s eyes lit up as she looked at the map, drinking in the sheer amount of the world she had never seen. “Our ultimate destination is here. The kingdom of Altressa.”

“Isn’t that where Lynn is from?” Rayne asked, cocking her head. “Yes, magi. It is – was – my home.” Lynn answered with pain in his voice and longing in his eyes. Rayne blinked. “Oh. Sorry.” Lynn shrugged at her apology. The silence dragged on for a few moments longer before Richard began to speak, hoping to stop things from getting too awkward “On the way, we’ll be stopping in a few places. It would be nice to have an Arcanist, a shipwright or two, and a small group of soldiers. Other than that, we need less specialized labor. Workers to take care of the more mundane tasks so that we can focus on ours.”

Rayne nodded, crossing her arms as she looked at the map. “Where do we find them?” she asked, and Heinric smiled. “We’ll hire ‘em in Altressa” He said, with his peculiar accent dragging out the kingdom’s name. “An Arcanist will be more difficult.” Lynn said, rubbing the space between his eyebrows. “Aye. They don’ like Technomages.” Heinric agreed, surprising both girls. “What do you mean?” Lucy asked, and Richard shrugged, pointing at what appeared to be a city surrounded by dense forest on the map.

“The arcane college of Nekas. They frown on runic technology, and by extension technomages. Still, an Arcanist is useful, and we might be able to convince one to come.” He answered. “Other than that, we can hire men and purchase an airship in Altressa proper.” Rayne studied the map again, giddy with excitement. This was it. This is what she had wanted her whole life. Still, she couldn’t help but feel the hesitation in the pit of her stomach. She felt that something was wrong. Lynn seemed more tense than she had remembered. Rayne shook her head. He’d be fine.

“Well, Ray and I have double and triple checked the ship. We’re ready to go whenever.” Lucy affirmed, and Richard smiled widely. “Then let us be off. To Nekas.” He ordered, eyes glowing. Rayne and Lucy got up quickly, nearly knocking over the chairs they sat on. They began to run, eager to begin their journey. They didn’t get too far before Lynn called them back. “Wait!” he shouted after them, and the two jogged back. “Yes?” Rayne asked, before Lynn extended a now rolled up map and a compass to her. “You’ll need these to guide you.” He pointed out with a tight smile. Lucy grinned sheepishly in response. “Thanks”