From alt.pub.dragons-inn Wed Mar 9 10:06:16 1994 Xref: netcom.com alt.pub.dragons-inn:7090 Path: netcom.com!csus.edu!wupost!howland.reston.ans.net!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!newsxfer.itd.umich.edu!nntp.cs.ubc.ca!alberta!cab002.cs.ualberta.ca!aaron From: aaron@amisk.cs.ualberta.ca (Aaron V. Humphrey) Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Subject: [SQ] Deus Ex Marina Date: 7 Mar 1994 01:28:02 GMT Organization: The Anna Amabiaca Fan Club Lines: 283 Message-ID: <2ldvv2$kfv@scapa.cs.ualberta.ca> Reply-To: aaron@amisk.cs.ualberta.ca NNTP-Posting-Host: cab002.cs.ualberta.ca Originator: aaron@cab002.cs.ualberta.ca "I believe right now if I could I would swallow you whole I would leave only bones and teeth We could see what was underneath And you would be free then I am friend to the undertow, I take you in, I don't let go, And now I have you..." ---Suzanne Vega, "Undertow" The Kelsie was getting bored. Following Radan could have been mildly interesting, but those merfolk had the nerve to warn her off! And they'd had something to compel her, too. She didn't like that--magics that could control her. Even those that were part of her nature, that kept her bound to Bronwen, and now Mistletoe too. So she swam around as a dolphin, playing with the sailors, talking to some real dolphins--they were neat! She'd have to do this more often--but mostly being bored. When Bronwen summoned her, she remembered what she always forgot--having something to do was worse than being bored. But she sighed and complied. The dolphin shape didn't work too well on the ship, so she had to go back to her girl form. Well, she didn't have to, but she knew Bronwen would insist on it, so it was best to save her magic in case she wanted to change into something else later. Bronwen was in Remi's cabin. She wondered if they'd been doing that thing that humans did--fairies did it too, but better, of course, so it didn't count--but decided they hadn't. They had just been talking. Bronwen looked kind of disturbed. "I'm still not sure about this," she said. "It's for the best, darling," Remi said. "The Seaguard are probably more concerned about the Ceruputhon than about finding us, and frankly, so am I. You remember what almost happened to the Kelsie?" The Kelsie herself shuddered. She didn't like to remember it... *** The Kelsie had probably been the first to notice. The mages on the Seaguard ship--she could tell they were mages because they _looked_ like mages, with those funny auras and everything--were supposed to be keeping the air-sprites in the sails. She didn't like how they did it, with bindings and things. Her way was much nicer--she set it up as a game, to see who could blow the ship the farthest. When some of them got bored, she brought in new ones who had been watching and gotten curious. Everybody had fun that way. They were having even more fun since Remi had told her to play a game with making the biggest clumps of water-vapour they could. It was getting hard to see--at least the normal way. But now some of the mages let go of the sprites and started building up some kind of energy in their auras. That couldn't be good, the Kelsie thought. They're probably going to blast the Red Whatever. She could never remember the name of the boat. She made up her own names for it when she was really bored. But then she thought, if Bronwen and Mistletoe die, then I'll be free. Of course, if I could have done something to save them and I didn't, then I'll have broken an oath, and the Seelie Court won't be happy with that. She sighed. Mortals were such a pain. Some of the mages were still keeping the air-sprites bound, though, trying to disperse the fog she was creating. Or at least they were trying to. Just as the Kelsie was about to turn back to the Vermilion Poof and warn those pesky mortals, she saw two new creatures suddenly appear. The first was a big powerful air-sprite. She'd seen one or two of those hanging around Rameshan, but hadn't talked much with them--they weren't all that nice, really. Djinn, they called themselves. Only this wasn't quite a djinn. It was just as big as one. And it was heading directly for the Seaguard ship. When it reached it, it took the bound air-sprites and rent their bindings like they were made of sponge cake. The mages holding the binding spells suddenly flashed as the binding energy fed back onto them, and they collapsed. The Seaguard mages who had been readying their blasts dissipated the energy they'd been gathering as they tried to figure out what had happened. Then the Kelsie noticed that the big sprite was also bound. The bindings looked really odd, though--they were big, but there were a whole bunch of bands making them up. Only one of those bands was still whole, though, and it seemed to be weakening. And what was it bound to? The water obscured the aura somewhat, but even so she could tell it was a powerful creature. It was big and primal, not quite a God--which was good, fairies tended to stay clear of Gods, and she'd had more than her share already. More like a Beast, she decided. She never studied her Beasts, though(fairies were not strong on studying at all, except the few that enjoyed quiz contests and things, or that were bound to serve sages and the like), and she had no idea which ones would be on this plane anyways. But it was definitely what was binding the big sprite. Then its head reared above the water. A big sea-serpent thingie, she decided. She should probably tell Bronwen about that, too. She fluttered through the fog, giggling as she dodged through a game of air-sprite tag, and to the deck of the Amber Bidet. "Bronwen," she said as soon as she saw the woman, who was standing next to Remi, "the mages on the Seaguard ship were going to blast us with magic except that a big sprite came along and ripped away all their air-sprites and they got distracted and there's also a big powerful sea-serpent that's got the sprite bound." Bronwen, who hadn't really been listening, looked confused. "Pardon?" she said. "Remi, I think you should hear this." Annoyed, the Kelsie repeated what she had said. Remi's brow furrowed. "The Ceruputhon," he whispered. "This could either be our doom or our one chance for escape." Then his jaw firmed. "There's no time to lose. Kelsie, get those air-sprites back into our sails. The Ceruputhon will keep the mages more than occupied." Remi didn't have the power to order the Kelsie about, which he usually forgot, but Bronwen, who remembered, said, "Do what he says." So she flew off to tell the air-sprites to go back to the old game again. As she did, she kept a cautious eye on the other, larger sprite. It was keeping air-sprites away from the Seaguard ship, leaving it totally becalmed. That single bond was definitely weakening. In fact, when the Kelsie looked closer, she saw that the big sprite was sending all the air-sprites away. Odd... The Seaguard mages were trying to blast the Ceruputhon. It wasn't doing them a lot of good, apart from making it annoyed. It dove under the water and came back up right beside the hull, whacking it with its neck. Several mages lost their balance and fell into the water, to be snapped up in the serpent's gaping maw. The Kelsie nodded. They were definitely going to be kept busy. Then there was a snapping sound. Or not precisely a sound, but a loud shock that felt like a sound. The Kelsie wasn't good at figuring those things out... As she suspected, it was the big sprite. Having sent all the air-sprites away, it was apparently free from the oath that had bound it. Performing some number of services, she guessed. Strangely, much of its size seemed to leave it as it left the bond with the Ceruputhon. After a glance to make sure the air-sprites were assiduously and gleefully blowing the sail of the Pink Elephantiasis, she flew to intercept it, curious. "Hey, hey you!" The sprite turned to look at her. "I'm free!" it shouted. It was definitely just another sprite now, no more powerful than she herself. "So long I've been bound to that thing--a thousand services I had to perform. And now I'm free!" It winked at her. "You better make sure you're out of the way before it finished eating...that's how it got me back then. Its last servant got free, and I didn't get away in time. You may the first ship to get away from the Ceruputhon in years, if it doesn't get another servant in time...otherwise you'll end up like those fools." It indicated the Seaguard ship, whose hull splintered as the Ceruputhon dealt it another blow. She could hear the screams, and see the crackles of more ineffective magics. Then what the sprite was saying sank in. "What? It could bind me?" The thought of being bound for so long filled her with horror. The other sprite was already speeding away, whooping with joy in its newly regained freedom. They had to get away! And, more importantly, they had to get all the other sprites away or else it'd just be a matter of time for them. She let out a great yell. "Okay, sprites, a great game! See who can be the first one of you to get to Etarus'ia!" It worked like a charm. The sprites had all come to know that the Kelsie was great for games, so they set out in all directions, whooping. If any of them got all the way to Etarus'ia, good for them. They'd probably get bored halfway, or something. But at least they'd get out of the way soon enough. Then she realized her mistake. The sprites blowing the Scarlet Pimp forward had disappeared with the rest. "Big flaming fewmets!" the Kelsie cried. She'd have to blow it--and fast, or she'd get snagged by the stupid serpent...she hated blowing. But there was nothing for it. She dove to the task. And she wasn't quite fast enough. The Ceruputhon finished with its meal and its aura reached out. FAIRY, it said. YOU ARE BOUND TO ME. A THOUSAND TIMES YOU MUST SERVE ME BEFORE YOU WIN YOUR FREEDOM. She could feel its bindings, stronger than adamant, reaching for her. No! she shouted. She was already bound...maybe she could use that for her. She felt herself weakening. The force in the ship's sails slackened--if it was immobilized because of her struggle, that would do its work just as well, and then she'd have no chance to resist...she had to get far enough away, somehow. Bronwen responded. And she felt energy channeling into her. Mortal energy. For a moment she realized things about mortals she hadn't before. Because they were mortal, because their flames were doomed to burn out, they burned ever brighter. And that flame could, while it lasted, be more powerful than something that burned longer. Mistletoe, being an elf, burned more slowly than Bronwen--the priestess filled her with fire. Enough to keep the Ceruputhon's binding at bay as she resumed blowing. It seemed to last forever--the mixed pleasure and agony of mortals' fire burning in her, the pressure of the Ceruputhon's bindings barely held at bay, and somehow still finding the strength to move the sail. But slowly the strength of the bindings decreased, and she found more and more strength to fill the sail. She exulted in her victory. Soon the bindings dwindled in the distance, and she could hear a trumpet of defeat and frustration. She snapped back to herself. "Kelsie! Stop blowing! You'll break the sail!" Sure enough the sail was taut as if under a gale, and the mast and ropes seemed close to breaking. Gasping, she drew back. she cried to Bronwen and Mistletoe. Instantly she felt easier, as the mortalfire ceased to burn in her. She shuddered. She wouldn't do that soon again... *** No. She wouldn't do that again. "You see?" Remi said. "But what if it gets some other sprite as a servant?" "From what the Kelsie said, a sprite bound to the Ceruputhon is much more powerful, and she wouldn't be able to stand against it, even with our help. Better to set her free now, than let her perhaps get bound when, and if, it catches up with us." "But what if it doesn't catch up with us?" Bronwen asked. "I can't take the risk. She's more dangerous than otherwise, at the moment. I don't even know if it'll be safe to retrace our path back to Generica at the moment. Though if Radan takes any _longer_ trying to retrieve this Shade fellow..." Bronwen sighed. "All right," she said finally. She turned to the Kelsie and said, "Kelsie, I release you. You are free to go." The Kelsie, which hadn't caught the drift of their conversation, looked from one to the other. Then she broke into a broad grin. "Yay!" she cried. "Now get out of here before that thing comes after you," Bronwen said. "Never fear," the Kelsie replied. "I hear Cathay is lovely this time of year." And then she was gone. *** As Remi and Bronwen watched the Kelsie disappear, they heard another cry, swiftly silenced. Bronwen turned. "What was that?" As if in answer, Vanshar emerged from a cabin, his scimitar bloody. "Blythe is taken care of, as you asked. And Arbelec is willing to follow you. He knows which of the others can be trusted and which not." Bronwen turned to Remi, horrified. "You can't--" "I have to, my dear," the pirate said, his face hardened. "It is too dangerous out here. The Ceruputhon can still catch up with us if we stay here too much longer. And we can't go back to Generica--you'll be thrown in jail at the least, and Vanshar and I will probably be executed. We can't wait for that fool Radan, who's probably lost by now anyway. We had to take control for our own safety. Arbelec has seen that. He will be with me. Will you?" Without waiting for he answer, he said to Vanshar, "Take her to her cabin. Tell Arbelec to gather the trusted ones together. Be careful of the black warrior and the elf woman--tell them you have Bronwen hostage, if you must. And, for god's sake, clean off that sword!" The Rameshander grinned and took Bronwen's arm. As she gathered breath to scream, he put a hand over her mouth and, after a nod from Remi, clubbed her with the hilt of his sword. The mutiny was proceeding apace. He just hoped that sorceror Radan didn't return too soon and spoil everything... -- --Alfvaen(Editor of Communique) Current Album--Kraftwerk:Trans-Europe Express Current Read--Joan D. Vinge:The Summer Queen "Hold on to yourself--this is gonna hurt like hell." --Sarah McLachlan