Chương 13: Chapter Thirteen: A Puzzling Nightmare

Serena's thoughts were muddled - like pushing through tar - she tried to figure out why the old stairwell was oddly familiar. She had been here before, but when? It felt like… the Vengeance's stairwell. However, things were different and not quite right. Where were the steel deck plates? Why were there greasy oil lanterns hanging from the walls instead of the usual aetherlights?

"I'm dreaming again," she muttered, the sound of her voice reaching her ears a half-second after she spoke. An unnatural fog clung around her, muffling sounds and preventing the light from reaching too far. Serena unhooked one of the oil lanterns and cast it about, peering through the darkness. The metal hinge on the lantern squeaked as she moved. There it was again. The heavy wood door stood before her. The familiar words etched into it. Fourth Deck. Why was she here again? Serena tried to think and remember.

There was something… something about Amelia. She looked down and found herself holding the key. The captain's key. Why was it here? Serena slowly moved her eyes to the defiant door in front of her. There was something sounding from within. Serena pressed an ear against the hardwood. Music. Singing. The mournful song flowed into her ears, and she couldn't stop a tear from falling down her cheek. Why would someone so talented be singing such a sad song?

Serena felt a chill, a sudden drop in temperature, and the song stopped. She looked down and saw she had inserted the key into the lock.

"No," she whispered.

"The fourth deck is off-limits, even to the captain." Serena forced herself to remove the key, and as she did, it evaporated into white mist.

"Only the one who made the agreement may enter," she mumbled. When had she learnt that? Heavy footsteps sounded above her.

"Who's there!?" she called out, the delayed and muffled sound disorientating her speech. Serena scrambled up the stairwell, chasing after the person.

"Wait!" She yelled, following the noises through twists and turns of the corridors, only her oil lamp giving her any light. Serena turned a corner as the sound of a door closing echoed in the space. It was a familiar door with familiar brass lettering upon it. Captain's Quarters.

"This is my room…" she whispered, placing a hand on the doorknob and twisting. She stepped through and found herself not in a room but standing on a field of fog that reached out as far as she could see. There were no walls and no ceiling. Just darkness and a floor of fog. No, there was something else. A man, sitting in a chair, facing away from her. He wore a brown uniform, and the edges of a grey bushy beard could be seen. On his head, he wore a triangle-shaped hat. A captain's hat.

Serena approached him but found that the closer she got, the harder the fog became to walk through. It was pushing her back, resisting her presence like it didn't want her there.

"Hey!" she called out. The man turned his head slightly.

"You're here," a deep, gruff voice croaked out. For some reason, it seemed oddly familiar.

"Who are you?" she asked, fighting against the fog. She was a few meters away from the man but could not get closer, no matter how much she exerted. The fog began frothing, becoming agitated at her continued attempts. It clung to her now, working its way up her body.

"You've committed a cardinal sin. There will be a punishment," grumbled the man.

"What sin!?" Serena yelled.

"Who are you!?" A moment of silence while the fog engulfed her, blocking her vision. At the last moment, she saw the man had begun to turn into white mist.

"Too late… You must protect the girl..."

"Protect who? Amelia!?" she choked out as her vision turned black, and she was wrenched from the dream into the waking world.

"Amelia!" Serena shouted, sweat running down her forehead.

"Hello! Yes, that's my name!" came the enthusiastic reply. Amelia, wearing her white and blue uniform, stood in the doorway to the bedroom. She was carrying a plate of steaming sardis. Her mouth opened as she tilted her head in confusion.

"Were you having a nightmare?" she asked. Serena took a few moments to calm down. Yes, she'd had a nightmare.

"Quick!" she exclaimed.

"Pen and paper!" Seeing Amelia hesitate for a moment, she leapt from the hammock and pushed past her into the office space. She sat down at her desk and began trying to remember the events.

"Fourth deck… fourth deck… was it open or locked?" She scribbled what she could remember. Was there music? There was a man. Someone had committed a sin. It didn't fit together! Damn it! Something at the end. She had to protect someone.

"What's going on?" Amelia asked. Amelia. She had to protect Amelia. Who told her that?

"Anathor," she said. The moose responded almost immediately.

"Yes, Captain?"

"I think the ship is trying to talk to me. I'm having dreams again."

"Hmm… Can you understand it?"

"I don't know!" Serena stopped her hands from grabbing her horns.

"It's all… foggy. It vanishes from my mind as soon as I wake. It feels different from the previous times. Has the ship said anything to you?"

"... No, Captain, although…" Anathor paused for a moment.

"It has been more… active recently. Ever since Miss Thornheart cast that wonderful healing spell."

"Me?" Amelia questioned.

"Did I heal the ship?"

"I do not know, little one," Anathor replied.

"There is a chance… some of your magic soaked into the fourth deck. It may explain some of the things I have been sensing. Have any of you been hearing… music at all?"

"Music?"

"Yes."

"There was music in my dream. Someone singing… I think," Serena said, rereading her notes.

"I can't remember anything else! Are you hearing music, Anathor? Amelia?" The girl shook her head.

"Sometimes…" the gruff voice mumbled.

"Is it something that's a concern for us?" Serena eyed the moose.

"... No. Only echoes of the past. If Miss Thornheart could avoid casting that spell again unless absolutely needed… if it happens too many times, we could be in violation of the agreement." Serena rubbed her eyes. She would need to ruminate on this later.

"How far from Kenhoro, Anathor?"

"Two hours, Captain. Mainland will be within visual range soon."

"Are we still being escorted?"

"Yes, Captain."

"Before any of that…" Amelia interrupted, placing the plate of sardis in front of her. Its delicious smell finally reached her nostrils, causing her stomach to growl.

"Eat before it gets cold!" the healer exclaimed with a smile.

"You got us breakfast?"

"I got you breakfast. I wanted to eat together, but couldn't resist! I had my share on the way back! The head cook gave me a little extra. So…" Amelia shuffled on her feet, looking everywhere but at Serena.

"So…?" Serena mimicked, placing the first piece of sardis in her mouth. Seven hells, it was even better than yesterday! She could immediately feel her mood improving and the stress of the nightmare fall away.

"So what's the plan, with me?" Serena swallowed.

"Since you're up, head to Tomes' quarters. He's got something to give you. There's not enough time for a lesson on your letters, but he can give you some more information about Kenhoro, so you don't do anything completely stupid."

"You're not going to keep me trapped on the ship!?" The girl raised both hands in the air.

"Thank you!"

"You thought I would keep you locked up in here?" Serena asked, seeing Amelia nod in response.

"When we make land, we'll all find quarters in Kenhoro. Only the engineers need to stay close, as they'll be making use of the dock's cranes to repair the ship as well as install a new turret. They'll be working day and night, so the noise from the steam grinders and rivet guns will prevent anyone from sleeping.

"Some crew members have family homes they can stay at. Most will stay in the barracks. I don't think putting you in a barracks and mixing with other crews is a good idea, so we'll be renting a place."

"We?"

"Yes, we," Serena said, not missing the sparkle in Amelia's eyes and the grin she failed to hide.

"I'm keeping you close until you understand a bit more about how things work. After a week or two of supervision, I don't see why you can't be left to wander about the city and surroundings yourself. I can't keep you chained to me forever, can I?"

"I suppose… not." Is it me, or did she sound disappointed? Serena thought.

"There are some hotels I've stayed in before. A family friend owns one, so we'll try there first. It's well regarded and we can count on their discretion."

"Okay!" Amelia gave a characteristic thumbs-up.

"I'll head to Tomes' then… but before that… can you give me your hand?" Amelia reached out her hand, palm upwards. Serena narrowed her eyes. What was she up to now?

"Why?"

"So I can heal you! You had a nightmare, right?" Serena blinked.

"... I don't need healing," she replied.

"Well, I need the practice. Please?" Amelia wobbled her hand, inviting Serena to grasp it. She hesitated for a moment before sighing and accepting the request. They held hands, and for some reason, Serena found herself oddly conscious of the warmth of Amelia's hand. For a few seconds, nothing happened.

"Well?" Serena asked.

"Ah, sorry! Here I go!" Golden light with blue flecks flowed down Amelia's arm and into Serena's body. She felt the familiar sensation of a comfortable hug spread across her entire self. Her mind settled, her emotions stabilised, and she felt fully awake, despite not having her morning coffee.

"Thanks. That… helped," she said slowly. Amelia's magic was truly something special. Serena felt full of life, as if she was prepared to face whatever the world threw at her. The healer flashed a triumphant smile.

"No problem! Can I do this every morning? It helps me practice and would help you… start the day?" Amelia's eyes took on a pleading look, and once again, a memory of the wolf pup she had raised as a young girl came to mind.

"... Fine," she muttered. It would be foolish to refuse, right?

"Thanks!"

"You can let go now," Serena said, eyeing their joined hands.

"Can I also put a ward on you? For protection?"

"You can do that? Maintain it from a distance?" Serena asked. Amelia maintaining wards on her own body was impressive enough, but for her to do that to another person was a whole other level of capability. It was like a warrior maintaining an aura on a weapon that wasn't in their hands. Although given what she suspected Amelia to be capable of, it wasn't that surprising.

"I think so… I'll have to see. Can I try?"

"Which ward?"

"The Ward of Thew. It gives a general boost to all your… uh… to your capabilities. Makes you a bit stronger and gives you an all-around defence against physical attacks. It should stack well with your own aura."

"First-circle, right?"

"Yeah, I want to start with something small first. See how my aether reserves handle it," Amelia explained. Serena considered chastising her for referring to an Aseco ward as something small, but decided against it. They had been holding hands for nearly a minute now, and Serena didn't want to drag it out any longer. It would be awkward if her hand started to sweat. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

"Alright, try it."

"Okay! One moment!" Amelia's eyes focused on empty space, and Serena sensed the spell forming within her. Amelia's aether frothed and twisted as it got ready to be expressed by its master's intention." First-circle. Ward of Thew," Amelia chanted. Serena's body began immediately glowing with golden light. She clenched her free hand and then, removing her other hand from Amelia's, clenched that one as well. She was definitely stronger. She knew her capabilities very well.

This was at least a quarter increase for sure, maybe more. Unbelievable! Something small, she thought dryly. Moons, what would she consider as something big?

"How's your aether holding up?" she asked Amelia, who was grinning at her wildly.

"It's good! I want to see how it changes with distance!" Amelia bounced to the far side of the room and then back.

"Doesn't seem to be any difference. However, I can sense the aether flow between us. How does it feel?"

"Great," Serena replied honestly.

"I never imagined I would be touched by Aseco's grace of gold. It's incredible, really." Thankfully, the only witnesses to this were Anathor and the two of them. If it got out that a demon had been warded by Aseco spellwork, it would cause a diplomatic incident between Cascadia and Christdom.

"I can't exactly walk around glowing, though, can I? Best to cancel it for now."

"Not just yet! Let me try something else! Hand!" Amelia reached out to Serena, who accepted the request once again. Amelia closed her eyes briefly, and the aether inside her tumbled and boiled before suddenly settling down.

"No, not like that…" Amelia mumbled, and the aether again became frantic.

"Like that!" Amelia said, opening her shining eyes." Third-circle. Cloak of Secrecy," she invoked. Immediately, the golden glow dimmed to almost nothing. Even with Serena's enhanced perception, she had trouble catching it. She resisted an urge to swallow. Did this idiot just cloak an externally cast ward? Wasn't that considered an elite skill amongst mages?

"Have you ever done this before?" she tentatively asked.

"Yes! Although not in this… You know." Amelia trailed off, shrugging. Serena released her hand from Amelia's once again and focused inward. She could feel the ward still, a subtle shimmer, like her aura. They were laced together, forming something far stronger than what they could do alone. Serena stood up and walked around the quarters, adjusting her body to the change.

"How's the aether now?" she asked.

"Still good. I'll cancel it from a distance if it ever becomes a problem, but for now, I'd like to keep it going." Amelia explained, suddenly looking shy.

"After what happened at the port… I'd feel a lot better if I could protect you in some way." Serena stopped, noting the girl had begun to blush a little. This idiot kept doing things that were making her heartbeat rise. She resisted a sigh. From the dream she had just experienced, it was possible that the ship was requesting that she protect Amelia. If that was true, then she wasn't sure what she was supposed to do! The one who was supposed to be under her protection was protecting her!

"I see. Let me know if it becomes a problem. Don't hesitate to cancel it if you need the aether, especially when we're separated over greater distances in the city."

"Mmm! I'll keep it in mind!"

"Good." Serena collected her thoughts.

"I need to wash up, then head to the bridge, make sure the docking goes alright." She pointed a finger at Amelia.

"You head to Tomes' now, alright?"

"Okay!" Amelia bounced to the door, poised to open it.

"One more thing!"

"What is it now…?" Amelia gave her a cheeky grin.

"If you keep snoring during the night, I'm going to kick you in your sleep!" She flung the door open and vanished before Serena could respond. Tsk! What an idiot she was!

"You're the one who snores!" Serena grumbled to no one in particular.

"Captain on deck!" Dagon called out, causing everyone on the bridge to scramble to attention.

"At ease," Serena intoned, waving a hand to prompt everyone to return to work. The core officers were present, apart from the chief engineer, who had left his second in command here. The rest of the subordinates were running at half-staff as the bridge didn't need so many hands on deck when it was just cruising.

"Navigation?" she asked, not barking the order. It was early in the morning, and she was in a good mood after being healed.

"Twenty knots! Bearing two hundred and ten degrees! Seven thousand meters!" the navigation officer read out from the pitot – static instrument.

"Eastern Terra-Firma should be visible any moment now!" Any moment turned out to be only a few seconds.

"Home visible!" the sensors officer called out. Serena peered through the bridge windows, just about making out the distant mountain tops. A swell of cheers and applause broke out in the bridge room. They were home again, having survived yet another battle. Unfortunately for Serena, over the next few months, she knew she would be fighting some very different battles. Ones that couldn't be solved with the speed and power of the Vengeance.

"First Officer, when did we switch the propulsion engine on?" she asked Dagon. Serena had noticed the distinctive hum of the engine as she had made her way to the bridge.

"About half three in the morning," Dagon responded.

"Trade winds died down."

"They normally carry us all the way."

"It's about the time of the year the eastern sky rift starts throwing out storms. Likely caused a knock-on effect." Serena nodded to that. Soon, merchants travelling the eastern skies would need to hunker down as storm season ravaged the airspace. The Vengeance could push through a storm if it needed to. It was heavy enough, unlike the lighter civilian ships that ran the route between the Eastern Terra-Firma and the Sabanis Dominance.

"Have our new friends given us any trouble?"

"No, Captain. They seem content with just observing. We had them send us a list to see what the Kenhoro stockpiles look like." Dagon waved over Thorne, the weapons officer.

"Bled bone dry, Captain," Thorne said.

"Looks like the fleet took spares of everything and then spares for the spares. The only silver lining is that there's a logistics convoy from Ponan en route, which is due next week."

"Do they at least have the girders and armour plating we need for repairs?" Serena asked. Delaying the turret replacement wasn't the end of the world. They didn't seem due for a combat mission for a while, courtesy of the Dragon and potentially her father's influence. However, fixing up the armour was a priority. Those steel plates they had patched the hole with looked impressive from the outside, but the half-inch metal wouldn't stand up to much shellfire.

If she thought about it, with the Ward of Thew running, she could potentially punch through one as she was now without channelling any higher auras or Speaking. She would have to test that later.

"They do on the list, but you know how things are… the list never matches what's actually there. Things get moved, paperwork dropped… underhanded deals… You name it." Thorne shrugged. Serena clicked her tongue in annoyance.

"If it comes to it, we'll pull military law and source some from the civilian industry. We'll wait till the Ponan shipment arrives first. We don't want to upset the locals unless we have to."

"Aye, Captain."

"Let's begin our approach. Helmsman, pitch down. Three degrees."

"Pitching down! Three degrees!" the reply from the helmsman came as he operated one of the levers next to him.

"Pitch down! Three degrees!" the engineer on duty yelled into the speaking tube. She was one of the only other women on board, and her feminine voice, although a little coarse, stood out on the bridge mostly full of men. She was the niece of her chief engineer, Allston. Serena had once challenged the man on whether her position wasn't an act of nepotism, and the man had shrugged and told her, ' She's a damn better engineer than I am.'

Through the bridge windows, the edge of the Eastern Terra-Firma was now clearly visible. The Cascadian continent floated in the sky at a height of almost four thousand metres. From their current height, the mountain tops – where the population centres were located – could be seen. A few minutes later, the green of the wilderness that carpeted the majority of the Empire could be made out. As more of their home became visible, the mood on the bridge improved.

"First Officer."

"Yes, Captain?"

"Before we let the crew out into the city, make sure they know not to be too forthcoming about Amelia."

"Aye, Captain. But…" Dagon rubbed the back of his neck, a sheepish expression on his face.

"The men will drink, and drink makes men talk…"

"I know, but let's minimise the spread of information where we can. Make sure to remind them of the military consequences concerning accepting bribes for information about this ship or anyone upon it." She gave Dagon a hard stare. This was important, and she would flog or hang those who became too greedy or easily swayed while on land leave. Loose lips sink ships, after all.

"... Aye, Captain," Dagon responded. With that dealt with, Serena turned away and occupied her mind with thoughts about all the events that had transpired over the last week. She thought about the crew. She thought about Korvus. She thought about her dreams and the ship. Most of all, she thought about Amelia.

"Hang on, why are all of the major cities on mountains? Doesn't it make farming difficult?" Amelia asked.

"Did the captain not go over this with you?"

"Not really, she said you would give me a history lesson." Amelia was sitting in Tomes' quarters, which were the epitome of organisation. She couldn't yet read the numerous labels that were attached to everything, but she could see there was some highly complex system of colour-coding that Tomes had applied to the room. Tomes had been giving her the rundown on the city of Kenhoro.

Being close to Centralis and to a country called the Sabanis Dominance, it had a constant stream of travellers and merchants, human and demon alike. Apparently, about one in five of Kenhoro's population were human, and there were even human-majority districts in some parts of the city. She'd interrupted him, however, as he commented offhand about how the entire city was located in the mountains like all the others.

"I see…" Tomes rubbed his chin.

"I guess I should start at the beginning and get you up to speed."

"Yes, please!"

"One thousand years ago, many–""Wow, when you say 'at the beginning', you really mean it, huh?" Amelia couldn't stop her outburst. She quickly found herself shrivelling under Tomes' glare.

"Sorry…" she muttered.

"One thousand years ago," Tomes continued, intentionally pausing, daring her to interrupt again.

"One thousand years ago, many nations – both demon and human – inhabited the Cascadian continent. Back then, there were no airships. No firearms. Inefficient steel production. The divine Words were unknown to us. Everyone lived on the ground, prospered, fought wars and got on with life. The continent bore witness to it all, floating in the sky as it always had done… and then!" Tomes flourished with his hands, bringing his two fists together.

"A collision!" Amelia felt her eyes go wide. She had to admit the man had a talent for storytelling. She felt like a kid being told stories by a kindly grandfather.

"Our continent collided with unknown dark lands in the far north, and from these treacherous lands came legions of black beasts! Titanic creatures that sought to destroy all life!" Tomes threw his hands dramatically in the air. He was enjoying himself, wasn't he?

"Oh my!" Amelia exclaimed.

"They were led by the chaos god known as Anathema, although most people refer to it as the Malignant Darkness." Tomes raised a finger to his lips.

"Don't say the first name out loud, it brings bad luck!" Amelia nodded frantically.

"They butchered their way across the continent in a century-long invasion we call The Long Discordancy. Outmatched and facing extinction, humans and demonkind fled to the mountaintops and plateaus, where we built our fractured civilisation on higher ground. The invaders spread with them an inhospitable wilderness, the ancestor to the great forest that blankets the world even today!

"And it was in one of these desperate small plateau kingdoms," Tomes continued, raising a finger, "that a young woman was born, a talented mage and warrior, who led her subordinates to battle against the enemy forces. Her hellfire spells burned the black legions to ash. Her flaming spear pierced their thick skin. Bit by bit, demonkind began to win!

"Only then did the avatar of the enemy appear. He was far stronger than anything that had come before! Hellfire tickled his skin, and swords broke upon him! Our young hero battled him for seven days and seven nights, but she was not strong enough! It was then, when all seemed lost, all her subordinates lying dead around her, that the future Empress communed the First-Word and Spoke for the very first time!"

"What then!?" Amelia had drawn her knees up, lost in the story. She could see it now in her mind, a beautiful demon–who looked just like Serena–in shining armour, conquering a great evil!

"Then, Elana took her place on what would later be called the True Throne, fashioned out of the skeleton of the avatar himself, and began the long process of expelling the invaders from the continent, gathering all to her cause. This reconquista took eighty years, and during this time, Elana communed the Second-Word! The wilderness was pacified, and the most dangerous beasts were slaughtered. Some descendant species remain even today if you go deep enough.

"Once the enemy had been forced back to their home continent to lick their wounds, Elana –who was only a queen then–knew it would only be a matter of time before they communed their own Words. So she marched to the point of collision and prayed to the higher gods for seven years! Eventually, her faith reached a great god of hellfire, who communed the Third-Word with Elana, and when she Spoke it, the enemy land was driven from our sky, never to be seen again!" Tomes took a much-needed breath.

"Then, returning home, she was content in ruling as a benevolent queen. However, the kingdoms began to fall back into their own ways, fighting over land and religion. She knew they had to be united should the enemy ever return. Therefore, over the next century, Queen Elana unified much of the continent and formed the Empire of Cascadia and became Empress! That was a bit over eight hundred years ago, and we have prospered ever since under her rule! The end!" Amelia clapped enthusiastically.

"That was a great story, uh, not a story. A great telling of history! Thanks, Tomes! You did kinda skip over the last eight hundred years, though…"

"Hmm…" Tomes said, scratching his jaw.

"I remembered halfway through that I have two hundred crew payments I need to document and balance, so I skipped the latter chunk. Some of the books on the captain's shelves are history books, so you can dig deeper when you learn to read Imperial."

"Oh, okay! Well, it explains why all the major cities are in the mountains. Do many people live on the ground?"

"Yes, as populations grew and the need for more fertile farmland became urgent, more effort was put into clearing more forest. As of today, every major city has significant ground around it that is cleared for farming. Numerous small towns and villages have popped up there as well. Some lowland centres even reach the size of cities. The entire Centralis basin is cleared of forest and has been for a while now."

"I see! I can't wait to see Kenhoro!" Amelia was itching to walk on land. The time in Port Highwind had been so short, and then she'd been stuck on the ship for a week! She was getting cabin fever.

"That reminds me, take this." Tomes fished out something from his person.

"The captain gave this to me. It's a symbol of her house, the Halen House. There's a good chance you'll be stopped randomly and asked about who you are and what you're doing. Showing them this should clear things up." He handed her the dark metal piece, which had a silver carving of a wolf attached.

"Take this and wear it around your neck." He gave her a piece of string, which she threaded through a hole in the metal, tying the two ends together to form a makeshift necklace. She would treasure this for the rest of her life!

"Myself, Dagon or the captain will be with you at all times during the first week so that you find your feet in the city. We can give you an advance on your first month's payment, so you have some money to spend. Any questions?" Amelia shook her head.

"Nothing comes to mind!"

"Right. I have some work to do. We don't have time to start on letters properly, but we'll go over the numbers. Look here: This is the Imperial script for number one …." Tomes wrote down all the numbers from one to twenty and told her to go practice in silence. Amelia obeyed, happy to finally learn some Imperial. It seemed to be in base ten, but the numbers from ten to twenty had their own special symbol. After that, things seemed to flow in the same manner as they did in her old world.

She lost herself in the task, and before she knew it, she was filling out the fifth page.

"We're landing," Tomes said, barely looking up.

"We are!? Are we even moving? I can barely feel it!"

"The last part of landing takes the longest. Heavy ships like the Vengeance will spend twenty minutes coming into dock at half a knot or less."

"Why so slow?"

"Because the ship is made from thousands of tonnes of metal, wood and demon. If that hits the side of a building or a crane at anything above a knot, it'll plough straight through due to inertia. Battleships come in even slower." Amelia squirmed in her seat, her excitement rising. Soon she would be outside! On the mainland!

"Any moment now, we'll hit the keel blocks, and the shoring arms will attach to the hull to hold it in place…" As Tomes finished, a jolt rippled through the ship's structure. It felt similar to the last moment of a train pulling into a station. Amelia tapped her feet like an excited child. They had arrived in Kenhoro!