Advent of Eternity - Chapter 18 (Patreon)

They made their way out of Fort Fellwater with Cyll at the lead. When they emerged into the room at the top, Cyll staggered toward the light poking through the holes, extending his hands as if to grasp it.

“It’s beautiful,” he murmured. “Ah. It hurts to look at.”

“Don’t stare at the sun!” Stix snapped. “Of course it does.”

“Ah. But it’s so beautiful,” Cyll said, tearing his eyes away and casting his gaze over the sea. “Where’s our boat? Or are we swimming to shore?”

“Just outside,” Knell replied, waving for them to follow him. He reached the edge of the rubble pile leading down from the house and scrunched his nose. Cyll ducked under the doorway behind him.

“That little thing?” Cyll asked, squinting at the Foamrunner swaying in the water before them. “Well, I guess we all have to start small.”

“It’s not mine,” Knell said. “Just a temporary ride.”

“Ah. Yours is bigger, then. Good.”

“I don’t have one.”

Cyll sighed. “Figures. Oh well, we can get one.”

Knell nodded, carefully studying the rocks and trying to figure out the safest way down. Before he could start, Cyll grabbed him by the back of the shirt and jumped, bounding down the rubble and sliding to a stop at its base in a small cloud of dust. He nearly dropped Knell, but managed to right himself at the last second.

For how thin the man was, he was surprisingly strong.

“Thank you,” Knell said. “But please warn me before you do that. I’d rather not jab my staff into your face on accident.”

Cyll snorted and Stix slipped down the stone to stand beside them. “Whatever. There’s food on that boat, right?”

“There is,” Knell confirmed. “I don’t imagine you’ve had the chance to eat much recently.”

“I’m strongly considering taking a bite out of you,” Cyll replied with a straight face. He glanced at Stix. “Or you. I’ve never had elf before.”

“Try it and we’ll find out just how unyielding you really are,” Stix warned, pointing her dagger at him.

“Maybe I’ll take you up on that sometime,” Cyll said with a cackle. He grabbed Knell and waded into a water, swimming toward the ship. Stix slammed the dagger back into its sheathe and swam after them.

Knell tried to make himself limp, but Cyll didn’t seem like he cared. As gaunt as the man was, he was a fantastic swimmer. They reached the edge of the boat only a few seconds later and Cyll climbed a rope ladder aboard, dragging Knell along behind him.

“Can I grab you?” Cyll asked once they reached the top of the deck and he’d set Knell back down. What little clothes he had had almost entirely disintegrated in the water, and Knell found himself very grateful for the other man’s incredibly long and bushy beard.

“You’re supposed to ask me that before you grab me,” Knell said.

“Ah. You should have specified,” Cyll said. Stix climbed over the edge of the boat, then wrung her hair out and started trying to get the water out of her clothes. “Where’s the food?”

“Back already?” Jasneh called, climbing out from below the deck. She spotted Cyll and froze, her eyes going wide as her hand darted to the blade at her side. “Who in Selenia’s name is that?”

“No need to bring that bitch into this,” Cyll said.

“He’s one of my crewmembers,” Knell explained.

“And you just happened to leave him here?” Jasneh asked disbelievingly. “Is there another boat somewhere?”

“It’s the punishment for disobedience,” Knell said. “He was only here for a short while.”

“No more talk,” Cyll said. “Food. Give it here, or you’ll all start looking tasty.”

He darted past Jasneh before she could stop him and disappeared below deck. She gaped at his back, then spun to look at Knell.

“I don’t believe you.”

“I didn’t pay you to believe anything,” Knell replied. “I paid you to sail, and you’ve gotten more than what you needed, have you not?”

Jasneh nodded slowly. “Yes, but–”

“No buts,” Knell said. He tapped his staff above the plank where she hid her smuggled goods. “You’ve got your secrets, and I’ve got mine.”

“Can’t argue with that, I guess,” Jasneh said reluctantly. “You’re a cruel bastard, aren’t you? Stranding someone in a place like this.”

“Some say he had it coming.”

Jasneh grunted and headed over to the anchor, starting to raise it. Loud crunches came from below deck and she jerked her head up, then muttered under her breath and returned to her task. “You’re responsible for any damage he causes.”

“The merfolk will cover it,” Knell replied, peering down the stairs. Several crates had been smashed apart and garments were strewn across the floor. Cyll was wearing a set of mismatched clothes that were far too small for him. He shoveled fruit and dried meat into his mouth, barely stopping to swallow as he ate. Tears ran down his cheeks as the food stores dwindled at an alarming rate.

“Don’t eat everything! Your stomach hasn’t gotten any bigger,” Stix snapped.

Cyll stared at her, then raised a mango in a toast and took a huge bite out of it, letting the juice run down his chin and stain his new clothes. “It tastes good.”

“Just leave enough for the rest of the journey. We’ve got a few days left,” Knell said with a sigh. “And we’re probably going to need to kill another merfolk at this rate. How did you manage to ruin both Jasneh’s goods and our food supplies?”

Polishing off the fruit, Cyll tossed its pit into the pile of clothing and shrugged. He clambered to his feet, already starting to look better than he had a few minutes ago. “Killing a merfolk won’t be a problem. And the food should have been more easily accessible.”

He walked back up the stairs, pushing the trapdoor out of the way, and went above deck. Jasneh’s flat stare pierced him, knowing all too well where his new outfit had come from.

“You’re going to need to kill more than one merfolk if you want to cover the damage I suspect I heard below my deck.”

“That’s what the Captain said,” Cyll said, rolling his eyes. “You’ll get your fishies.”

His eyes alighted on the crow’s nest at the top of the main mast. Cyll cackled to himself and clambered up to it. He kicked his feet over the edge and let out a long, slow sigh. “The sun is so beautiful. After you stare at it enough, everything starts going white.”

“That’s because you’re burning your eyes out!” Stix yelled.

Cyll didn’t bother responding.

“Is he insane?” Jasneh asked in a low tone, setting the sails and tying the rope into position.

“Only a little,” Knell replied. “He’s just been out of society for a little while.”

“Right. Well, keep him from destroying my ship or you’ll be paying for it. I’d have thrown you off already if you didn’t pay so well.”

“Noted,” Knell replied.

Jasneh strode to the helm and took the wheel as the Foamrunner caught the wind and cut through the waves, leaving Fellwater fort in their wake.