Chapter 16: Companions and Shadows ---------------------------------- "Something didn't seem right the whole time. Not the man and kid. They were all right, admittedly an odd pair, but there's nothing wrong with that. It's not as if Kebah and I made a perfectly normal pair either. It was something else around. A feeling in the air that permeated everything. For the most part, I ignored it. I was far too worried about Doma. I ignored almost all else. "But this thing wouldn't be ignored, and finally, it showed itself to me - to all of us. It was death." * * * * * * * * * * * The city was quite close when Kebah suddenly dashed off behind him. He turned about wondering what had gotten the creature to turn back so quickly. The moth had stopped only a few feet away, fluttering slowly in the air, hovering, and blocking Kindar's view of whatever seemed to be agitating the creature. He stepped to the side, and Kebah moved in front again. This little game was repeated several times until finally, the man spoke, "Kebah, settle down. What is it?" A voice from behind the beast spoke, "I was about to ask you the same, stranger." As the moth came to the ground, a man and a youth were revealed a few yards away. Both appeared as if they had seen better days. The man was haggard, yet stern. The boy looked as if he had just fought in a rather violent wrestling match, what with the bruises and torn clothing. "Hmmm? Oh, Kebah?" He paused. "To be honest, I couldn't tell you." The youth spoke up, "Where'd he come from?" Kindar looked him over. "I could ask you the same. I came across the little guy underground. A bit different then..." he trailed off. "What's with the city here?" asked Kindar. "I've no idea," said the man. "We were hoping you could shed some light on that. We came from the Zozo area. Just got here ourselves." "Zozo?" Kindar sighed. "It has been to long." "Why are you here?" Kindar looked up again. "I'm going to Doma. It's under foreign control. I mean to find out what's being done to fix that." "Hey! Back home!" said the youth. The other rubbed his chin thoughtfully a moment. "Doma... Yes... If I remember, that is fairly close. May we join you, then?" "If we're heading the same direction, I see nothing wrong." He extended a hand. "Name's Kindar. You know Kebah, there." The man grasped it. "Zap. The boy's Koro." "Good to meet you both. Shall we find ourselves a ship?" * * * * * * * * * * * The port was rather small considering the size of the city. Nevertheless, several trading ships lined the ocean shore. However, after various requests, no captain was going to Doma. Most grunted and walked away, seemingly disgusted with the idea which only made Kindar more fearful of what had happened. Tired of questioning the men, the trio abandoned the pier and took to a small pub at the edge of town. It was easily the cleanest and best kept bar they had ever seen. "What did you expect from Jidoor?" asked Kindar. They sat at the counter sullenly. Koro spun around on the stool. "So how we getting to Doma?" Kindar shook his head. "I've no idea. I'm not flying across the ocean again." Zap gave him a questioning look. The other man glanced at him. "Never mind." "So. You three are looking for trouble?" They all looked up to see a man washing glasses behind the counter. His hair was perfectly combed, his mustache trimmed exactly, and his clothing rich, the exact mark of a Jidoor native. Zap nodded. "You might say that. Why? You have a way to get it for us?" The man nodded. "Yes. I just happen to know of a way. There's a captain in South Figaro. He sometimes shows up around the docks here, though there's not much call for him in this area. You see, for the right price, he's willing to take you anywhere you want to go. I've been told he went down the great whirlpool for five hundred thousand gold. Not that I believe it, but the point is the same. If anybody will take you to Doma, it's him." "All right!" said Koro. "Goes by the name of Blackrunner. If he won't take you there, nobody will." Kindar nodded. "Thanks for the information." He turned to his new companions. "I'm going. Koro sounds like he's joining me. Zap?" The man nodded and tossed a gold coin to the counter. "To South Figaro." * * * * * * * * * * * "Gentlemen, how are we planning to afford this?" Koro shrugged. Zap shook his head. "I didn't find too much in my old home. Not enough for an ocean voyage. What of you?" Kindar shook his head. "All my money has been lost. I'm not sure where some of it went. Some underground, some over the ocean, I guess. Doesn't matter. Point is, I don't have any." Zap thought for a moment. "Can you give me some time? I can make a few fairly decent blades to sell, I suppose." "I don't want to spare any more than a week," Kindar replied. "All right. I think I can make a few by then. Perhaps we'll pull together enough through them." The week went painfully slow for Kindar. It seemed that time was being drawn out and pulled into infinitely long strands. Each day lasted longer than the last. All he could think of at this point was the fact that he was trapped there. On the way to find Doma, only to be stopped, waiting in Jidoor. The consoling thought was that Zap had the skill to do anything that would gain money at all. He thanked the man for his generosity and did what he could to help, but he had little eye for proper metals and the forging was far beyond his skill. He and Koro stood by the sidelines most of the time, offering to get water or stock the fire, but there was little that they could do. Finally, after five painfully extended days, Zap offered several fairly well done swords to the other two. "They're not what I had hoped for, but time was a factor. Now let's see if anybody is willing to buy." The people of the town were quite willing. Most had already picked up weaponry from the shops in town, but those that hadn't were quick to take Zap's with fervor, haggling them down to a less than reasonable price, but Zap consoled the others by explaining them to be less than reasonable swords. Average, but not better. By the time the selling was done, the people had explained what made them so willing several times over: the New Empire. The damage to the town was mostly their work. Kindar was more agitated. He thought of Doma and compared it to what had happened to Jidoor, and his mood darkened. "Let's go. If the Empire did this, Doma needs me. It needs me now." * * * * * * * * * * * The clouds were dark that evening, blotting the moon from all visibility. By midnight, the wind was tossing the ship about, sending waves crashing over the side. Kindar could sleep little with the constant motion, and he saw that Zap slept fitfully. He pulled on his pants and tunic and took to the deck. Rain pelted him furiously while the crewmen ran about, pulling various ropes and pulleys to protect the mast and sail. Their motions were heavily obscured, and they appeared as blurs of dim rushing about. Lightning coursed across the sky, forking into a myriad of directions, lighting the pounding water for an instant, and then returning the darkness to cover them. The echoing thunder was heard from all around making it difficult to understand anything yelled about. A hand touched his shoulder. He turned and faced an officer in a slick raincoat. "We need you to work the pump!" he yelled through the din. Kindar nodded and went below deck. He found several men jerking the levers of the pumps up and down furiously. One appeared to be losing his grip; his arms flailed about, and his motions, tired and strained. Kindar pulled him away by the shoulder and gripped the device himself. Time had no meaning while he pulled up and down on the lever. His muscles bore the strain for what seemed to be days when a flow of water rushed around the men's boots. A faint cry of "Breached hull! Abandon ship!" was heard throughout the vessel. Kindar flung the rod down and rushed up the stairs with the other crewmen. He dashed into the room where Zap was already shaking Koro and yelling for him to awaken. When finally all three were aware of what was happening, they quickly pulled on their gear and rushed to the deck. Kebah was blown about uncontrollably by the wind. He flew down and grasped Kindar around the torso tightly, his wings folded as best he could to avoid the tearing of the gale. Passengers and crewmen of all kinds were scattered about the wooden platforms, all trying to find a way to freedom, searching for the savior of a lifeboat. In the midst of the confusion, Zap pulled the group to one side. A large box was labeled simply "Raft." Without a word, the three yanked open the lid to find a yellowish mass inside. Koro fumbled about and found a red handle which he pulled vehemently. Within moments, a platform of rubber sat on the deck. Zap grabbed one side, Kindar the other. They flung it over the side and quickly followed. Other passengers followed them, but few survived the fall. Most were quickly carried under by the pounding waters. Others clung to the side of the raft with every ounce of strength. All paddled the platform away from the quickly sinking wreckage. In the midst of the storm, another ship appeared. Zap pointed to it and shouted to the rest. It passed fairly close to the raft and Kindar shouted for the people to try to get to it. Some couldn't hear him. Others shook their heads with mortified looks on their faces. "We'll die on the raft!" shouted Koro. "Come on!" Still, the people refused to heed them. Hoping Kebah would be all right, Kindar jumped into the water and swam for the boat. Zap, Koro and one other followed closely behind. By the time they had reached the side of the vessel, the other man was nowhere to be seen. Zap spotted a rope ladder hanging over the side, flailing about in the hurricane winds. He quickly moved toward it as best he could in the thrashing waves. After what seemed like an eternity, he felt his fingers close around the rope. He turned around to see Koro and Kindar close behind. Pulling himself up was difficult; every muscle screamed for him to simply give up and fall under beneath the waves, but his mind stood calmly, undaunted by the powering winds. The deck of the ship was close. There would be salvation. Finally, all three reached the wooden deck of the vessel. In the midst of the storm, there was nothing on the deck. No sound came from any direction. No winds battered them about. Kebah dropped to the ground and shook the water off his wings, no longer blown about. He looked up at Kindar worriedly. "What is this?" said Koro. "We stood a better chance on the raft, Koro," said Kindar. "Gentlemen, we're on the Ship of Shades."