Ilus Rises: Chapter 11 Part 2 of 2

She let the wind pick up around her, making conversation hard as one got close, at the same time she made a funnel between her and the inspector leader.

“—bastard. Anything with the gold for it he lets into the damn cove. Kren cares only for the gold that’ll line his damn purse! I know that it was one of the ships he let in that brought that hacking cough plague.”

“Be careful Lirina. He’s already got most of the docks under his control. He acts as if he has no care in the world, but crossing him is a quick and final thing.” Her guard said.

She let out a deep sigh and turned to lean against the railing to look across the ship. Desari didn’t turn from looking off the side of the ship, her eyes unfocused to let her see everything in her peripheral. Like Iros moving to the railing in front of the helm and giving Valter much less enthusiastic and frequent adjustments.

Mya and Petor chatted, relaxed, but with their eyes on the inspectors.

“Ship of this size with four people to crew it,” Lirina said, “I can’t get a reading on any of their cores Josef. One mage moving this entire ship? I don’t like any of it. And that snake Zilthor.”

“You know how the Lizardian take being compared to their more regressive cousins.” Josef’s chiding full of mirth.

“At least Crixim and Thalios are the good sort,” Lirina ran her hand over her short ponytail pulled tight to the back of her head.

They were among the docks now, ships of all kinds, some two or three deep. Single docks spread out from the island, splitting as they went.

The mist was picking up as well.

“They don’t look like the bad sort,” Josef said.

“Oh, each of them is a trained an competent fighter. The kind that sends a shiver up my spine.”

“You could take them,” Josef said, sure in his words.

Lirina let out a dry laugh. “There’s no knowing just how strong they are. Four people with a ship this size. I can tell you that I won’t be the first to clash with them. Remember, they have one mage moving this entire ship and she ain’t even breaking into a sweat.”

Josef glanced back, Desari careful to not react.

“Just up ahead there, past the warship.”

“Gotcha,” Valter said.

“When we pass that ship, Valter I want you to crank that helm all the way to the left, Desari ground out the front and give us more push on the rear. We’ll swing around put the dock on our port and get us facing out towards open water,” Mya’s voice in Desari’s ear.

Iros kept staring at Mya, too far to hear. Though Desari doubted he would have been able to hear her even if he was right next to Valter or herself.

“Just tell me when,” Valter said.

“I’ll be ready,” Desari felt the currents moving through the water and started to build a spell that would draw the current to the front of the ship and spin it under the hull, creating a sort of ‘hook’ that would then draw them towards the dock.

She refined the spell as she went, tightening up her work, adding in some wind to assist, less on one side, more on another. Several smaller spells, each focused, adding power to the whole. Petor was still sharing his mana with her, nearly doubling her regen. He’d slipped up a few times but he was getting better at it with time.

She was intrigued with what he and Valter would do with their spells in the future. Excited might be another word. With their knowledge and ability it could lead to all kinds of possibilities. Desari let those thoughts slip from her mind, checking on the framework of the spells each a separate part of the whole.

“Ships coming up to take mooring lines,” Iros pointed to the boats moving towards them.

“Now,” Mya said.

Valter threw the helm, the wheel spinning as Desari fed power into the spells.

The water twisted, turning the ship on nearly its center point.

She’s got a good eye. The corner of Desari’s mouth drew up as they spun.

The Inspectors let out noises of surprise.

Iros grabbed onto the railing.

“What are you doing?” He yelled.

“Docking,” Valter said, the wheel coming to a stop.

“You’re going to smack us right into the damn dock!” Iros’ voice rose to screechy levels.

The inspectors were moving around. People on the dock were shifting away from the berth.

Mesurial creaked and groaned, it almost sounded pleased to Desari’s ear. Mya patted the railing with a smile.

Learning how to speak boat now. Desari patted the nearby railing gently as she used her spells.

People started yelling as their bulk turned.

The dock, some twenty meters wide  barely moved up and down. Floating on the surface of the water as Mesurial’s waves pushed up against it.

People started running up or down the dock as the ship swept around. Desari switched from the hooking spells to the pushing ones.

“Level out the helm now,” Mya said. She and Petor walked across to the port side of the ship.

Valter cranked on the wheel, bringing it back to center.

“Are you mad man!” Iros nearly screamed.

“Don’t think so,” Valter said.

Mya and Petor grabbed mooring lines, twirling the leg thick ropes above their heads, letting out more length before throwing them. They covered the dozen meters between them and the dock, catching the bollards.

“Cut the spells,” Mya said.

Desari released them as Mya and Petor pushed open hatches, they took out wooden handles before putting one end into the hatch and hauling backwards.

Metal clicked and ratcheted, the rope pulled back into the ship.

Handle came out, put back in and pulled again, dragging them closer to the dock.

“Secure the helm, then give us a hand if you can,” Mya’s voice rang in Desari’s ears.

Between the two of them they were pulling the ship up to the dock.

Valter tied up the helm and Desari moved down to the top deck.

“How the hells?” Iros muttered to himself. “You’re not supposed to do that in Misty Cove waters!”

“Oh, sorry, didn’t know,” Valter said and followed after her.

Desari picked up one of the ropes, twirled it and threw, it was going to miss. Little adjustment.

The wind bent to her will, bringing the rope back down and to the bollard. Couldn’t have the other two show her up after that!

She found the hatch above where the line went into the deck and pushed it open.

Valter hooked his bollard too as she fitted her wooden handle to the oiled metal wheel in the decking she pushed it back, metal clicking against one another as she drew it tight.

“Heave!” Mya called out. She and Petor worked in concert.

“Change!” She removed the handle and moved it forward.

“Heave!” They repeated the process.

Desari and Valter joined them on the next.

The growing noise on the dock and the clicking of metal became background to Mya’s commands.

Something rubbed against their hull with the whisper of leather and wood.

“Half heave!”

Desari drew the handle till it was vertical.

Mya leaned over the railing and nodded to herself, the dock was two levels shorter than their ship. The other ships around them were mostly a deck or two above the dock.

“Alright that’ll be good.” Mya tapped out a pattern on the railing. She jumped up on the railing, holding onto the rigging that went up to the mast and the sails. With a grin she drew off her hat sweeping it around in her hand as she bent forward in a bow.

The chatter and noise from the dock turned into laughter, whistles and cheers.

“Thought we’d make our entrance the right way,” She yelled with her unenhanced voice, still carrying across the dock as one that commanded others was able.

She slapped her hat back on a jaunty angle and jumped back on the top deck.

“Alright, well thank you for guiding us into dock, anything we need to take care of?” She asked Lirina and her gaggle. Iros climbed down the ladder, looking at the dock and the ship.

“Need you to sign some papers and you’ll be on your way. Name of the ship, your crew and such.” Lirina pulled out a ledger from a pouch, flipping to the right pages.

A few pages of  paperwork and Mya signed off.

“Thank you, you got a gangway here?”

“We do, but not ones high enough for this Unless you’re another lord or the elemental lord himself,” Lirina said.

“Ladders it is then! Valter you know what to do.”

“Up ladder, down ladder, throw ropes, tighten them,” Valter muttered in faux sufferance.

Desari wasn’t able to keep down the rebel smile, catching Petor’s eye as it spread a bit further.

He tossed the ladder over the side.

“After you,” Mya said.

Lirina grimaced, stomping across the deck, followed by Josef and the others. They quickly jumped over the railing and scurried down the ladder.

“If you’re looking for a drink I frequent the Wet Whistle, grab you both a drink,” Iros put on his best smile. Pushing his hair back as his eyes darted to Mya and Desari before he jumped over the railing. “I’m off shift tonight if you’re interested!” He grinned and climbed down the ladder.

“Think he’s smitten,” Petor said.

Desari shot him a look as if to ask ‘tell me something I don’t know’.

Petor smirked and stood up straight. “Alright so what’s the plan now?”

“Get some gold and get passage,” Mya said. “Valter and I can go looking to turn some of our loot into cash. I’m hoping we make it big so I can make up for those ships.” She grimaced. “Barely worth the wood they’re made up from. At least they’re cleaned up a bit. Still all holy.” Her voice trailed off.

“Dunno if I’d like being here all year round, the constant wet is a bit mehh,” Petor turned back from the island and shrugged.

Desari drew in the water, compressing it and drank it.

“Its fresh water. Worth its weight in silver or gold here in the water plane.” She squinted against the gloom from the ever-falling water at the island.

The plume of water gushing out of the center made it look like it rose up, but it was actually nearly paper flat. Buildings dotted the place a ragtag of buildings under a sea of mismatched collectors made every material on hand that spread out across every open section of sky, shielding people from the hardest rain.

“They collect it everywhere that they can,” She pointed to the various collectors.

“Have plots for growing outside of where the mist falls,” Petor waved his finger at a series of buildings with nearly clear walls with plants growing within.

“Food and water in a realm covered in sea water. They’ve got a good section of the market cornered and people are sure to come from all over for just that,” Mya said before shielding her eyes and glancing at where the sun was.

“Bit later than I was anticipating, but we got more goods to sell and did our good deed for the month. I’d say there ain’t no time like the present. Desari, Petor you head off to find out more information on that there convergence point back home. Valter, and I will head off to the market and see what we can’t barter away.” He grin stilled. “Gah, I’m probably still going to be indebted to you all.” She dropped her head and sighed.

“There there,” Petor patted her on the back. “Don’t worry we’re not charging interest, yet.”

Mya staggered backwards, a look of horror upon her face as she held her heart. ”Interest.” She said the word as if it would summon a dread-god.

Petor’s smile was evil as it spread across his face.

Desari crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow with the grin on her face, barely holding in the laughter.

Mya backed up as she looked at them all.

“You monsters. My own band turned mutinous!” She pressed the back of her hand to her forehead and bowed backwards as if fainting.

“We’d best get to barterin’ then,” Valter said.

Mya bounced back up.

“To the markets! Victi—other merchants await!”