A Snow Breaker Ship

A short story about a small part of a larger world I'm in the process of creating.

   The Meeting  

     "There is a saying among the older sailors in the Snow Breaker fleet." The man paused as he turned away from the hearth he was staring into. His dark blue eyes turned icy in the shadow cast by the fire. "A Snow Breaker ship never sinks, it becomes one with the sea." The man sat with his wooden block of a chin on his knuckles. His hair could have been a mirror of the flames in the hearth.

     "But Murray, have you ever know or heard of a Snow Breaker ship sinking?" The slender figure across him said in a sort of chiming voice. "I've been on a few of your ships and they were all over two centuries old by my estimate." The woman brushed back dark bangs out of her face. 

     "You wild mages sure have odd taste in hair, if not for your," Murray paused a bit trying to choose his words. "Proportions, someone might mistake you for a very pretty man." he picked up his mug and drew a bit, the foam getting stuck to his mustache.

     "We prefer to be called Casters, and I happen to like my short hair." She blushed a bit. The choice to cut her hair was made because of her banishment from the Mages Guild and Murray knew that. "You're avoiding my question, I've never heard of one of your fleet sinking."

     He sat staring into his mug. "I suppose I might become one of the first in over five centuries if I take your job." He tipped his mug till the ale touched the brim on one side then set the mug back down. "Sayren," The name felt odd after knowing her by another. "Demo Xeo Enseada, no one has ever ventured there and returned according to the legends."

     Sayren stood and patted him on the shoulder. "All the more fame to your fleet if you do return, not to mention your fee for helping me." She smiled "To the heart of Ice Demon Cove and back. Think on it my friend." Lifting the hood of her cloak she opened the door into the cool Crown De Ven night and left.

The Path of Ice

     "I'm such a fool." Murray muttered to himself as the Path of Ice became closer to them. Rubbing his chin he though of the right way to enter the path. "Why don't we have a shifter on our crew this mission?" he said as he turned to his First Mate.

     "Frankly sir it's because of the destination acting as a deterrent." Henrich Stood stalwart at Murray's side.

     "Your a good sailor Henrich and your penchant for straight talk is as impressive as ever." He laughed and jabbed Henrich in the arm. "Haul in to half sail!" His shout was deadened by the breeze coming from the gaps in the Icebergs. "Taller than the tallest castle!" The crew echoed his shout and began a song.

Taller than the tallest Castle

Through the rugged path we go

A prayer to the king of the deep

A prayer to the queen of the wind

With hope the light of Port Crown will shine on us again

Man the ropes and mind the wind

Today we'll dance with ice again

     "An old prayer your men sing." Sayren stood next to Murray who was at the helm. "At least in Ven. No one worships the old ones. Magic and money have become religion." She let out a depressed sigh. "The legends say the Old Ones taught us magic." A small flame flickered in her hand. 

     "The Old Ones taught the first sailors." His voice was full of pride. The wind came on stronger as they closed on the Icebergs. Spotting an opening barely wide enough for his ship Murray spun the wheel slowly. "Henrich, send out the scout boats. Well follow on our oars with furled sails." The stout man turned and left to carry out his orders. "Look at them Sayren," the pride in his voice now replaced by calm cold. "They may look stationary now, but as soon as you pass through you'll see them move." His grip on the wheel tightened. "Titans of ice moving to crush anyone fool enough to sit for to long in one place."

     The Ice on either side made an imposing sight and despite the howl of the wind the air was sullen. They oars dipped in and out of the water. The Singing had stopped while all the men stood quiet and intent to carry out any order with all haste. A shrill whistle bounced off the walls of Ice. The men slowly urged the boat in the direction of the whistle.

    A loud thunderous crash echoed from behind as the walls of the entrance slammed into one another. "No going back now, only forward or down. Pray it's not the latter." The pace of the closing ice began to get faster and the men began to urge the ship forward harder. "Stay light men, she wont catch up to us, we don't want to be going too fast and hit the wall ahead of us before we can turn.

     After turning onto the path the whistle set them on, the passage they had come from was lost completely likely opening another path somewhere along the wall. Another shrill whistle came from the north. "Good, looks like we'll have a short time getting to Frozen Respite." As Murray said this the entire area around them began to close slowly. "Get the led out men! We need to make the next passage lest we meet our forefathers! Make Mahrlay dance on the waves men." The ship began to turn toward the north.

     "Murray, the northern passage looks to be closing as well. How do you propose we sail in a closed path?" Sayren mused a bit worried.

     "Look up," Murray pointed upward. "Provided the mast makes the height, the tops of the bergs will keep the bottom from coming together." 

     The two sides came together at the tops. "Brace for debris!" Large chunks of ice splashed and rocked the Mahrlay in the waves coming close to slamming her port side into the wall. "Easy does it. Paddle men." Another whistle came from the front followed by two consecutive whistles going from low to high pitched. "Almost to Respite men."

     They kept paddling on late into the evening on the same path not diverging and when the Mahrlay finally emerged into Respite's bay every man let out a cheer. The scout boats rejoined with the ship short one boat of the four that left. Henrich fell in beside Murray. "Sir, Dulane's boat was taken by The Path." His voice cracked a bit. "Topper, McLane and Rory have all returned."

     "Add Dulane's name to the ledger, we'll mourn him when we return to Port Crown. Anchor the ship. I want a small party to check the stores on Respite and bring in some water for drinking."  Murray took out his map.

     "Right away sir." Henrich turned about and started shouting orders.

     Murray turned and put his map on a table bolted down near the helm. "We are going to have to take the longboat from here." He walked down to his cabin to get some rest.

The Demon's Cove

      The three day journey on the longboat passed without much incident. Paths opening and closing weren't much problem because the size of the longboat. Heinrich was ordered to take the ship back to Port Crown as the captain of the Mahrlay if Murray didn't return after ten days.

     "This place is full of old death." Murray licked his lips and spat into the water as the boat glided toward the cove. "One of three places in The Path of Ice that doesn't move." He rubbed his chin.

     "I can feel the magic flowing through this place. It's amazing. It's much greater than the great barrier of Realtnaven, but it's intangible. A natural fountain of magic." Sayren wafted her hand through the air.

     A loud crack brought Sayren to her senses. "Get off the boat!" 

     "Wha..." Murray was cut off mid sentence as Sayren pushed him over the side and into the water. The ship exploded in fire and lightning. Coming up for air Murray managed a few words. "What in the name of The Old Ones is going on?" 

     "Mana Wraiths!" someone called out. Murray looked up to see two huge Mana Wraiths floating above the wreck of the longboat. They seemed to huge to be true.

     "This is amazing!" Sayren shouted. "They are massive compared to the butterfly sized ones found in nature!" Her head jerked as Murray took her arm and began swimming toward the near shore.

     "Save your gawking for when you're not in danger!" Murray shouted. "All hands to shore!" He began swimming faster. The Wraiths were still circling the wreck one sending bolts of lighting at the other and in reply came huge balls of fire. Aside from the sounds of fire and lightning the creatures were silent.

     "Blood of The Old Ones! Why do all the jobs I do for you entail some sort of disaster?" Murray said as he rolled onto his back on the rocky shore. Sayren stood looking at the two behemoths. "At least provide us with a fire master mage." He grunted. Without turning away a small fire bloomed on the shore well away from the water. "Don't stare to long, remember your quest." Murray laughed as he made his way toward the fire.

The Castle

     Walking the corridors of the old abandoned castle made the hair on Murray's neck stand on end. "Let's find your relic and be away from this place." Murray shivered.

     "Murray," Sayren's voice trailed off. 

     "Yes?" 

     "You don't understand this feeling. The power in this place frightens you." Her lips curled in a smile.

     "Are you alright Merana?" Murray winced at Sayren's dissolving smile. "I'm sorry Sayren." He stammered.

     "It's alright Murray. It's in the past. Much like my life in the mage guild." She wiped away a tear. "But maybe when I find this relic I will be welcome back.

     Murray ran his hand along a gash in the stone that spoke of an ancient battle. One of immense power. His mind thought of the two giant Mana Wraiths locked in an endless battle above the island. "Echos of the past." He whispered. Unable to stop fighting because their masters are long dead. The thought made him wonder what kind of relic Sayren was looking for, and the evil that it might posses.

     Reaching the end of the corridor they found the door to the throne room. Sayren tried to push one of the doors open enough to slide in. Murray had to push the door a bit more to fit himself in. As they entered the door shut and the torches light up with a sort of dark fire. 

     Murray readied in a fighting stance and Sayren stood with fire emanating from each hand. "The living shall not be permitted to leave."  The voice came from the skeleton sitting atop the throne. "Five have made it here and five have fled the living." The skeleton began to stand. It held a rod of metal that looked almost like quicksilver. Clothes began to materialize on the skeleton, sinew, muscle and skin as well. "King of the Damnd Edgar Thuwain  guardian of the secrets of this island." Black vest over a white silk shirt and a red velvet coat with silver linings. The face was that of one Murray had seen in paintings of legends. A handsome man with silver streaks through his black hair. 

     "Two more have come to my throne room and two more shall die." The voice was no longer coarse and gravely, now it was regal and deep. "The secrets of this island must remain eternally guarded." The rod in his had began to change. It split, one piece in his left hand and the other in his right. The first became an obsidian hammer and the other a light forged steel shield. "Darkness and Light, both great sources of power." He stepped closer and the hammer glowed with the same light the black flamed torches did. "And even in the light power can be misused." The shield began to glow bright with holy light. "Those who seek to harness the power of this land must die. I chose to become the eternal nullity, to protect the world from the forces within this place both dark and light. The darkness breaking on my shield and the light broken my my hammer!"

     Edgar swung the hammer toward Murray and an explosion of shadows came from its strike against the floor. Murray had rolled out of the way to the shield side of Edgar and Sayren jumped back and the shadows crashed into a wall of flames that surrounded her.

     "So the person guarding this relic of yours had a weapon of legend?" Murray said in between his panting.

     "No the weapon is what I'm after." Sayren shouted as the wall of flames became a cone of flames that was smashed into the shield and vanished. She held the  flames as Murray sneaked around with his huge belt knife.

     With a big chopping motion he removed Edgar's hand a the elbow and picked up the hammer. "Fool you cannot wield half the weapon! You will be driven mad!"  Edgar lost focus and the flames broke through the magical barrier. His body melted away leaving the shield. She picked up the Shield and looked at her reflection and saw Murray swinging down with the hammer but it was to late for her to react. The hammer opened a gaping wound on the back of her head and she fell limp to the floor.

     Murray laughed with a diabolic fervor as he picked up the shield. However after holding the shield he came back to his senses and realized what he had done. The hammer and shield became one again and turned into the quicksilver rod it had been before and He picked up Sayren's head and cried into her hair. "What have I done." He whispered.

Departure

     Murray stood on the bow of the Mahrlay Looking toward the open ocean. He was still the captain it seemed. Henrich just couldn't let him die on that island. There where now six names in the ledger to be mourned when they got back to Port Crown. One in particular at his own hand. He held the rod and drew a deep puff from his pipe. "Full sail men!" he shouted. "I think I spy pirates on the horizon headed for us." He strapped the rod to his back and walked back to the helm. As he held the wheel he thought to himself, The least I can do is use this thing to make the world a better place.

End     

      The blood that had dried had begun to become liquid again. a dim light began to engulf the corpse. The blood began to flow back into the corpse's body and the wound on the back of it's head began to heal. The light around the corpse began to get brighter as the color in it's skin began to return. Then the light vanished. 

     "I feel like I've been hit with a brick." The woman once dead spoke as she rose to her feet.

     "Ah good you're finally awake." A deep regal voice came from behind her. "Now I'll have someone to keep me company."

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