The Storm

     Gods, why didn’t I think about this?

     The long fingers of the ravenous storm that would soon devour the yacht had reached them, swelling the ocean, raising the winds, and spitting rain down from the sky. Chieko piloted the vessel, doing all within her powers to get them safely to the harbor. Regret pulled at her… What kind of captain would sail across an ocean without drilling her passengers on emergency procedures? In her unbending optimism, Chi had neglected to form such a plan, and to make sure that there were enough life vests on board for all of the passengers. As it turned out, there were enough, but…

     “None of these really fit,” Kazuki announced dejectedly. It was a gross understatement. Even when he could force the largest of the bunch onto his body, it didn’t come anywhere near being able to be fastened. As though that weren’t trouble enough, he nervously added,

     “I can’t swim.”

     “Mina,” Harata shouted over the noise of the air compressor he was using to inflate life rafts. “See if you can figure something out.”

     The Sabian complied with only a nod and set to work.

     “I can’t swim either,” Ayame confided to Keisuke. She looked with foreboding at the wind-driven rain outside.

     In a rare show of tenderness, he kissed her swiftly on the cheek and squeezed her hand.

     “You’ll be ok,” he assured her. “It probably won’t even come to swimming. I’ve seen worse storms than this.”

     Ayame attempted to let Keisuke’s easy manner comfort her.

     Takaeyama stared out the windows. He didn’t even turn his head when Blue asked,

     “You know how to swim, don’t you?”

     “Yeah,” he replied without emotion.

     “Then perhaps you wouldn’t mind giving me a hand should I need it?”

     Takaeyama turned from the window, a look of surprise and bewilderment in his ice-blue eyes.

     “S-sure.”

     “Thanks.”

     Though the Corduran turned his gaze back to the storm outside, Blue hoped that he’s achieved what he’d intended. He’d guessed where Takaeyama’s mind had wandered to, and had been afraid. “I think I would be better off dead.” It would be naïve to assume he hadn’t seen an opportunity there in the churning waters- a nameless, tragic accident. For a moment, Blue found himself wondering if he would ever salvage the man Takaeyama, or if he would merely be the custodian of his existence until the final day of the Task. The thought of the troubled Corduran’s soul immolated in a pyre of self-destruction brought a funny feeling to the pit of Blue’s stomach. It will be what it will be, he told himself, but peace took longer to descend than usual. Blue turned his gaze to Kat, who stood in silence not far away, clutching Kinjal.

     She stoked the rabbit’s fur hypnotically. He nestled in her arms obediently, both wearing vaguely similar expressions. Kat alternately looked both outdoors and at the faces of the others. She stood tall, courage born of pride her prop, yet a new bravery had grown within her as well. She knew fear now, understood the nervous tension that preceded it. Unlike past encounters with the emotion, however, now she worried not only for herself. As readily as she prayed for her own safety, she longed that the others be protected as well. Her heart ached at the thought of any harm befalling them. Kat’s eyes wandered back to the barely visible deck where Yukiiae stood alone, lashed by the wind and pelted by rain. Though she hadn’t said why she’d handed the rabbit to Kat and gone out into the elements, the Empirian was able to surmise. While Kat may appeal to the gods to ensure their safety, the Decameron no doubt was making her attempts with more worldly- though no less fantastic- forces.

     The yacht had made it only as far as the harbor when the brunt of the storm hit. The waves swelled enormously and the wind howled. Even in the relatively calmer harbor, whitecaps shone on towering waves, glowing in the rain-beaten darkness.

     “We’re going to run aground.” Chieko was crying in frustration. Two large tears welled and ran down her cheeks as she spoke. “Brace yourselves.”

     The yacht did run aground as predicted, bottoming out on a narrow sandbar that embraced the harbor. The vessel shuddered. Kat was knocked off her feet, sprawling on the floor. Harata pulled her up swiftly.

     “Get out. Now!” Chieko demanded. She herded the rest of the Champions out the door, grabbed the first of the life rafts and plunged over the side of the yacht with it.

     “Kat, go,” Harata said firmly. She looked at him pleadingly. “Go. I’ll see you on the shore.”

     She nodded, biting her lip, and turned to descend the ladder. Kazuki followed her, terror on his face. Ayame went after, Keisuke not far behind. The yacht rocked ominously as it was pummeled by the waves. Once the first raft had departed, Harata took the second and went over the side with it. Mina descended the ladder quickly. Yukiiae was nearly thrown as the yacht was hit by another large wave. Ghost-white, she descended.

     “You go next,” Blue said to Takaeyama without a hint of worry in his voice. “I’ll be kind of slow.”

     “But-“

     “But nothing. Just go.”

     Takaeyama did as he was told. The metal ladder was slippery and the boat was now listing precariously. He made it to the bottom and leapt into the raft. Looking up, he could barely make out Blue in the darkness, about halfway down the ladder.

     “Jump!” Harata shouted from behind him.

     Blue plunged into the water as the yacht was hit by an enormous wave. The vessel tilted again and crashed into the water, capsized. The wake swallowed the raft, which dumped its passengers gracelessly into the harbor.

     “Swim for the shore!” Harata screamed into the night as soon as the life jacket he wore popped him afloat like a cork. He couldn’t see any of the others, but he didn’t have much time to look. It seemed he was pulled back for every stroke he took forward, the sea hungering for his flesh. With all the strength he had, he set off for the coastline, his mind offering up a silent prayer that the others would make it.

     The first raft had gone a considerable distance ahead. The passengers paddled with ferocity. They thought of nothing but the shore, driven by their need for land. The swells grew until the tiny craft could no longer navigate them. The sound of Keisuke’s voice swearing was drowned in the shush of water in Chieko’s ears. She came afloat, disoriented and screaming. She turned in the water until she sighted the barely visible lights that marked the coast.

     “Kazu!” She cried.

     “Chieko! Just go! Get to land.” Keisuke’s voice called back, bodiless in the fearsome dark.

     “No!” She sobbed back.

     “You gotta go! He’ll make it on his own.”

     If he drowns, it’s my fault. Yet Chieko could feel herself being drawn out to sea, waves breaking over her head, choking her. She had no choice but to swim for it.

     Each Champion, cut off in the dark, eaten by terror, fought their own battle against the forces all around them. None could be quite sure if they’d ever stand on the sand of the little stretch of dirty beach that enclosed the harbor.

     “Nan quin ke pal eres?”

     “Lakshi. Haran fel bin traven.”

     Harata coughed, a wet and aching exhalation. The grit of sand on his cheek was the first sensation he was aware of. Heavy, his eyelids lifted. His eyes burned.

     “Hera! Hera!”

     He felt something poke his shoulder. Groaning, he lifted his head.

     “Ke pal eres traven en?”

     “What?” the Clanless sputtered.

     “Diasumani.”

     “What do you doing here?”

     Harata squinted up at the man who stood above him. He had the bearing of a soldier or policeman, and was armed with an outdated rifle. Turning his head, Harata located the source of the other voice.

     “S-storm.” He coughed out, letting his head fall back to the sand.

     “Lakshi, kerr. Entren to intae, se. Hera, intae.”

     “Intae, kerr. Zun nan qui quinten?”

     “Nan qui.”

     Harata, through the haze within his head, forced himself to roll over. The sky above showed evidence of an overcast dawn. Slowly, he sat up. Not far from where he’d been lying, he could see Mina sprawled on the sand.

     “He’s with me. Her, too. Same boat.” Yukiiae’s voice spoke slowly from somewhere. Harata swiveled his head until he saw her. Her red locks were plastered to her head. She looked pale and haggard, and was holding a matted Kinjal, who’d managed to survive the ordeal by some miracle.

     “You made it, man.” Harata reached up and patted the rabbit. His eyes moved higher to meet Yukiiae’s. “Have you seen anybody else?”

     “Just you guys.”

     “Same boat?” One of the Otherlanders cut in.

     “Yes. Same.”

     “How many?”

     “Ten.” Yukiiae held up ten fingers, resting Kinjal in the crook of her arm.

     The Otherlander who’d been speaking to them turned to his companion.

     “Kan.”

     “Kan, pal? Hen.”

     Another man came running toward them through the sand.

     “An viv! Inki eres.” He pointed in the direction from which he had come.

     “Diasumani?”

     “Kerr.”

     “Zen kan.”

     “Kan, pal? In intae eres maks.”

     The first man turned back to them.

     “What looks like other travelers of you?”

     “Four men,” Yukiiae answered. “Three women.”

     “About men?”

     “One is tall. Hair is blue.”

     The man turned to his companion, relaying the information. A headshake indicated negative.

     “One is also tall. Very, very big. Short hair.”

     No.

     “One is small. Black clothes, black hair.”

     “Kerr! Kerr!”

     “That one,” answered the Otherlander. “About women?”

     “One is medium-sized. Yellow hair, not very long.”

     “Kerr!”

     “One is a little tall. Long brown hair. Pretty.”

     No.

     “Purple hair?” Yukiiae asked tentatively.

     “Kerr.”

     They’d found Keisuke, Chieko and Ayame. The man who’d joined them turned abruptly and ran back down the beach. On the sand, Mina stirred and spitting, muttered to no one in particular,

     “That sucked.”

     “Mina,” Harata said, turning to her. “You ok?”

     “I’m not dead,” she answered, “So I guess so.”

     She pushed herself up. Looking around, she asked,

     “Just us?”

     “Ayame, Chieko, and Keisuke are on the beach somewhere.”

     “We’re so screwed,” Mina replied, falling back into the sand.

     They remained in silence for a while, until another man came running up the beach. After a brief exchange, it was revealed that Blue had been found as well. Not long after the man’s departure, two more Otherlanders came marching up the beach, Keisuke, Ayame and Chieko trudging along between them.

     “Harata!” Chieko called out as soon as she recognized him. She wanted badly to break into a run, but could not understand the words of the men who found them, and was afraid to. She hugged the Clanless tightly as soon as she was close enough. Keisuke stood a bit apart, aloof, as Ayame and Yukiiae embraced. He nodded at Mina, who did the same in return.

     “Where’s everybody else?” Chieko asked nervously.

     “Blue’s around here somewhere. We don’t know about the others yet.”

     “Oh…” Chieko’s face was solemn. “I’m scared.”

     “It’ll be okay.”

     “But… but what if it’s not?” The GelbFaust sniffled.

     “It’ll be ok. Just be patient. It might take a little while to round everybody up is all.”

     Chieko didn’t say anything in reply. Nobody said a word, in fact, until Blue arrived, accompanied by an Otherlander. The man reported that the brown-haired girl had been located and would be arriving shortly.

     “Why you on boat to here?” asked the man who’d first spoken to Harata.

      “We need to see the Guardians,” answered Yukiiae.

      “Guardians? Guardians… Pal. You Decameron Clan?”

     “I am, but they’re not.”

     “Not? How they come with you? Hera! Only is Decameron ok. No another Clan. Is trouble.”

     He turned and began rapidly conversing with the other men. Voices rose and fell. Finally, the man turned back to Yukiiae.

     “We go to Port Authority. They knowing this rule. I don’t knowing well. We are Coast Guardians. Not know about people coming in. Not speaking the talk of your country well. Another girl comes, we go.”

     “What about the others?”

     “Boat find them. Maybe die the death of breathing water.” The man watched Yukiiae’s face fall and a look of compassion replaced the stern one that had been there. “We care of them. You not worry that. Hera! Another girl comes, we go.”

     “I’m afraid this is a very unusual case, indeed.”

     A handsome, dark-skinned, bespectacled young man faced Harata from behind a desk. He’d looked over all of their ID cards and listened to Harata and Yukiiae, who sat across from him, tell their tale. The other Champions sat behind them in restless silence.

     “I am familiar with the Legend of your people, and have heard of you all on the news. As to whether or not you are who you claim to be… there really is no way to prove that. As Miss Nakamura has mentioned, there have been some odd natural phenomena occurring of late- last night’s storm an example. Highly unusual for this time of year. However, if you are here for less noble purposes, the implications for the country of Anrakshi are troubling. I’m sorry to say that I, as a mere public servant, am not in a position to decide your fate. I’m going to refer your case to the Queen’s Council. You shall be escorted there promptly.”

     “Yes, sir,” was all that Harata could think to say.

     “While we wait for your escort to arrive, I’ll have an aide bring you all some coffee. Anrakshi is famed for its coffee.”

     “That would be great, thanks.”

     “Oh, and I’ll put in an inquiry about your companions. We should have some word of them when we arrive at the palace.”

     “Thank you.”

     The man pushed a button on the intercom and began speaking rapidly in his native language. Not long after that, tow more men in suits arrived bearing trays of coffee and funny little cakes that none of the Champions had ever seen before. Nobody was really hungry, but everyone, even Keisuke, nibbled at the treats out of politeness. Harata was strongly reminded of that night a few months ago when the Diasminian police arrested him and Blue. The difference in the behavior of the authorities here was shocking. The dignity with which the Champions were being treated stood in stark contrast to the beating he’d received at the hands of his countrymen.

     The Champions were driven to the palace along with their armed escort. The young man from the Port Authority, who called himself Ari, went with them. As the van they rode in wove through the city, Chieko couldn’t help but be mystified by the sights and sounds around her, so unlike those of Mianuus. Despite her grief and worry, she was entranced by the crowds of dark-haired, dark-skinned people who wore vibrant clothing and strings of brightly colored beads. Occasionally she caught snatches of songs sung by the merchants advertising their wares. Unlike the behemoths of Mianuus, the buildings of this city did not tower into the sky, but rose only to a modest height. All were painted white and adorned with colorful accents- moldings, flags, awnings. Some of the buildings had windows made of colored glass. Momentarily forgetting her sorrows, Chieko wondered what it would be like to grow up in a place like this.

     The Majrah Palace was an astounding sight. It was located in the center of the city, surrounded by lush greenery. Here and there, fountains gurgled and splashed. Numerous colorful and exotic animals roamed the grounds. Pathways of bright mosaic wound up to the pure-white building with its enormous dome of colored glass. The Champions were led by their escort into a large antechamber where they would await their hearing.

     The room was a large rectangle of space with a floor or beautifully inlaid polished marble. Brightly colored cushions were lined against the walls, on which hung equally colorful tapestries. The light within the room was soft- the day was overcast after the storm. Only Keisuke, who had traveled extensively in the Otherlands, was not impressed by their surroundings.