Heretical Fishing-Chapter 57Book 4: - Title

Beneath a blanket of stars and a crescent moon, there was neither a cloud to be seen, a worry to be found, nor a single item not tied—thick ropes of my chi wrapped them in place.

With a grin I felt in my soul as much as on my face, I turned to the man beside me. “Ready when you are, skipper!”

“Skipper…?” Trent asked.

“Yeah, I’ll be honest—I’m not sure what it means either. Sounds right, though.”

“Uhhhh,” Paul said. “From my memories, it’s another word for Captain…”

“Captain?” I boomed. “You dare start a mutiny on my ship, you damned upstart? I—”

Someone clipped be on the back of the head, cutting off my tirade. I expected the slight hand of Ruby, but received Barry’s meaty mitt instead.

“Ow…”

“We both know that didn’t hurt, Captain.” His intonation of the last word—along with his flat stare—made it more of an insult than a title. “You’re awfully chirpy for a man with a hull full of fish that has an expiry date.”

“Maybe I was trying to lighten the mood before we left by creating a casual atmosphere for Trent, which could make it easier for him to reduce the amount of chi he feeds into the gods-damned rocket engine attached to this here boat.” I sniffed haughtily. “You ruined my efforts.”

“Did I?” He gave me a muscular grin and tensed his stupidly chiseled jaw. “Or did I expertly lure you into a long-winded pontification, thereby creating the very atmosphere you were trying to create?”

I couldn’t help but smile at the teasing comment. Barry had been the primary target of the chaos I’d promised to Claws, and this presented another opportunity to double down, but I didn’t want to; it was an evening for playful antics, not treacherous pranks that would appease menacing otters.

I blinked, pouted, and turned toward Trent. “Mate, if you ever lead a cult or a church, don’t promote the first farmer you come across. Learn from my mistakes.”

“I appreciate the thought, even if you two are more transparent than water.” His core radiated a sense of victory I didn’t really understand, but then held his hand out and to the right.

Steven, letting out a long sigh, retrieved some coins from his pocket and dropped them into the fire cultivator’s palm.

“I told you not to bet against Fischer being a goose,” Ruby said.

Barry and I glanced at each other, both frowning. His grin disappeared and his jaw relaxed—though it did remain stupidly chiseled. “Are we becoming too predictable?” he asked. “Or is our profound intelligence rubbing off others?”

“The latter, obviously.”

“Obviously…” Ruby, Fergus, and Duncan mocked at the same time.

“Oh-ho-ho! Now who’s being predictable?”

Duncan opened his mouth to respond, but before he could get it out, I clapped my hands together. “That’s enough lollygagging, my metal-pounding friend! The fish is spoiling as we speak! Ready when you are, Trent!”

“Aye, skipper!” The former prince’s smile faded as he reached for his core, every ounce of his will directed at collecting as little power as possible. The strand that rose was hair-thin, and as it poured down into Bob’s chi condenser, I noted the change.

The boat still absolutely rocketed forward, propelled by a jet of flame as long as the deck, but compared to the speed we’d left Tropica with, it was a leisurely stroll. The hull only went a foot or two into the air. All were silent as we adjusted to the passage, my essence creating a shield to stop the wind assaulting us.

I took a deep breath of the irrepressible salt spray. Our return was going to herald a feast for the ages, and I pictured the scene, using it as a lodestone to keep my thoughts centered.

***

Corporal Claws, strongest of Fischer’s disciples—and basically a divine being at this point if you asked anyone that mattered—chittered with laughter as she influenced the very world’s atmosphere. After all, if she wasn’t a goddess, how come she could make storms?

And not only was she immensely powerful, she was also as humble as her master pretended to be! Benevolent, too—she had allowed her disciple almost a full hour of rest, letting him take a break from his rolling practice. Glancing over, she checked what he was up to.

He was… still rolling, but at a leisurely pace, his chubby little body tumbling end-over-end in chaotic directions.

What are you doing? she demanded.

He landed on all fours, feigned a roll toward her, then ducked and tumbled to the right instead. After exactly one and a half barrel rolls, he came to a stop on his back, stretched his limbs, scratched his belly, and shrugged.

Damn, Claws thought to herself. That looks really fun…

Annoyingly, he nodded, privy to her thoughts. It is fun. You should try it.

With a shake of her head and a very believable look of disapproval plastered onto her face, she gestured him over with one paw. Their task was almost complete.

They had been working on her prized object for days, and as she gazed down at it, she marvelled at how far they’d come. Her fluffy familiar tried to steal it the moment his grabby little digits were in range, of course, but Claws easily stopped him with a smack.

He didn’t bother apologising; they had both known he’d try.

The clouds above roiled and churned as energy built within them, and when tiny patches of sky peaked through, they were a light purple—the sun was on its way. By the time this storm subsided, it would likely be peeking over the eastern horizon, casting its rays across the land.

A pang of urgency stabbed into her awareness, the emotion both unusual and unwelcome. They were running out of hours. The raccoon felt it too. Naturally, he used the momentary distraction to try to yoink the object again, which earned him an electrically charged bop on the noggin.

Focus, squire, she chirped. The time for theft approaches.

This made his devious little heart sing with so much joy that his eyes glowed blue. Claws could only grin. She felt the same. Reaching her paws toward the sky—and ready for her right leg to kick the raccoon when he no-doubt tried to steal the relic again—she called the lightning.

***

As Maria pressed her hand against the not-a-prison’s weighty door, essence flared behind her, adding a white flash to the pre-dawn light shining down upon Tropica. She paused, both her and Keith turning back to watch a web of lightning strike beyond the southern mountain range.

Keith let out a low whistle. “You’re still not sure what they’re up to?”

Maria just shook her head. “Nope. Seems fun though.”

“Speaking of fun…” He glanced through the open door. “We’ve got our own to have.”

“Riiiight. Fun.”

They shared a knowing look and headed in. Neither spoke a word as they traversed the uniform walls of the not-a-prison, yet Maria suspected they were sharing the same thoughts.

Slimes made a throat-clearing sound in her mind. Perhaps Tryphena is feeling better today.

Yeah, she thought back. Maybe.

As they strode past a cell with people inside, Maria had been so focused on today’s task they she’d entirely forgotten they were there, but then a hand reached through the bars, softly tapping her arm.

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She froze, a slight panic climbing her spine as she whirled toward the handlers’ chamber. “Oh! Uh, sorry, I was lost in thought, and—”

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“No,” the woman, Aisa, replied. “I need to apologize, not you. I could see that you were busy thinking, but I…” She averted her gaze. “Sorry. It isn’t that important.”

Maria, however, barely registered the words. She was focused on the hint of a spark in the handler’s eyes, something that hadn’t been there any of the times she’d seen her—even when she was still part of the king’s corrupted forces.

Is that resolve…?

Slimes jiggled in her core; he thought so too.

Maria shook her head, strands of hair whipping her skin softly, bringing her back to the present. “If I’m not at fault, then neither are you.” She spun to face the cell. “I didn’t mean to ignore you this morning—there’s just… well, a lot going on.”

“I know. It’s…”

“Aidos’s virtue-bleached robes,” one of the other handlers swore. “Spit it out.”

Aisa’s brow twitched, annoyance flaring in her core, but even this show of emotion reassured Maria. It was… human. Far removed from the blinding rage or depthless anguish she’d become used to seeing on the captives’ visages.

“You can say it,” Maria said, giving her a small smile. “I can tell it’s weighing you down.”

Aisa paused a moment longer, chewing her lip. “I…” Finally, she gathered her strength and locked eyes with Maria. They were determined. “I want to be healed, too. Use me as practice. That way, by the time you get to Princess Tryphena and Queen Penelope, there will be less chance of side effects.”

Maria didn’t have to fake the shock that crossed her face. Again, it wasn’t the handler’s words that had the most effect, however—it was the intent coming from Aisa’s abdomen. She was genuinely offering herself up as a sacrifice, some semblance of allegiance remaining to the former royals despite all that had been done.

Maria laughed. She couldn’t help it. Not bothering to cover her mouth, she let her joy cascade out, bouncing off the walls and echoing back. Her chi went with it, sharing her true feelings so the sincere woman before her didn’t think herself the butt of the joke.

“Aisa,” Maria said with a content sigh, her cheeks aching slightly. “I’m not using them as practice, and I’m only healing them first because I promised Trent that I would.”

The answering frown made myriad lines form on the handler’s brow. “But… then why did you start with the cultivators that were imprisoned beneath Theogonia?”

“Beeecause!” Slimes called, his little head jiggling out of Maria’s shoulder. “I gained some insight that could only be used on them! It wasn’t a human trial, you silly billy! We just had to heal them first! Also, I’m a boy.”

The person that had sworn earlier made an aggressive noise, dismissing the familiar’s words. “Yeah right. I told you they couldn’t be trusted, Aisa. Her chi is lying to you.”

Maria felt no anger at the claim, only curiosity. “What makes you say that? I can tell you believe it…”

“Do you take us for fools? We sensed what you did to them.” She pointed at the window in the back wall, her glare holding enough red-hot scorn to light a fire. “We saw their flight for ourselves. You turned them into animals, and now you stand here before us claiming you’re not doing trials? Yeah right. The audacity of you to call yourself a healer…”

A palpable silence followed, bouncing off the walls and settling atop everyone present. The other handlers clearly agreed; despair and fury flashed across their faces. Aisa, too, believed the accusation—at least partially, anyhow. The corners of her lips turned down, and though the spark remained in her eyes, it had dimmed.

Maria hadn’t the faintest idea where to start. Thankfully, Keith and Slimes got the ball rolling. Both shook silently for a second, then noise erupted. The former royal chuckled, leaning back against the hallway as he embraced his merriment. Her familiar, having likely seen a similar gesture in Maria’s memories, clung to the floor and repeatedly bounced up to slap his gelatinous head against one of Keith’s knees.

It looked and sounded ridiculous—Maria loved every second. “Ladies…” she said, having to turn away from her two companions lest their giggles infect her. “We didn’t turn them into animals. They wanted to become birds. They bonded with Private Pelly and Warrant Officer Williams, which is why they became pelicans, but on my fiancé, my family, and everything else I hold dear, I swear that their transformation wasn’t some kind of side-effect. It was a breakthrough of their own making. All we did was help it along.”

“Oh…” Aisa said, her gaze going distant as she considered the assertion. The others were doing the same mental math, their eyes averted and negative emotions gone.

Deciding it was best to let them discuss, Maria took a step back. “We’re leaving to work on the former royals for now—as I said, I made a promise to Trent. We will heal you, however. Take some time to consider my words. If it makes you feel any better, I can have the pelicans… Never mind. I’m getting ahead of myself. Keith and I will come see you on the way back, okay?”

“Sure…” Aisa replied, still staring at the wall sightlessly. “See you then.”

From there, it was only a short walk to their final destination. They moved in silence, all three of them knowing that she and Slimes had to gather their chi, but the mood had shifted markedly. When they finally arrived at the former-royals’ cell, Maria held her breath, dared to hope, and looked up to find… disappointment.

“Welcome,” Tryphena spat. “I was worried we wouldn’t see you this morning.”

Maria had hoped to ride the high of the handlers’ shifting perspectives, but now that she was face-to-face with the venomous princess, she recalled how repugnant it’d been to meld with her yesterday. She took a steadying breath, focused on the task at hand, and exhaled through tightly pursed lips. “The sooner we’re finished—”

“Assuming it’s not a waste of time,” her patient interrupted. “Which it is.”

“Tryphena…” A grimace had replaced Keith’s joy from moments ago. “I know why you’re hesitant. Really, I do, but…”

Maria rested a hand on his shoulder and shook her head. “There’s no point, Keith.”

The former princess rolled her eyes. “Finally, some honesty.”

Rather than feed further into Tryphena’s negativity, Maria reached out for Slimes, his core sharing the same belief that she did. They wouldsucceed. They would heal them. It was only a matter of time.

Maria lowered herself to the ground, and even before her behind touched the stones, her and Slime’s pink chi was flowing out, squeezing past the bars with the permission of the not-a-prison’s awareness.

***

As a force of nature swept along the ocean floor, one celestial body in the sky above was replaced by another. Though so far down that the sun couldn’t be seen, its energy easily passed through the waters, reaching the abyssal plain the earth elemental traversed.

Its rays were a provider of life, but the beams did nothing to ease their worries. Desperate need reigned when their thoughts turned toward the artifact they chased, and fury took over when they remembered that a part of themself—a splinter that had long ago been volcanic before assimilating with earth—was no more. It had been destroyed. Murdered.

The mass of rock, silt, and debris channelled this anger, funneling it into their passage. They were quickly approaching their target, and once they secured the newfound relic, their potential for power would be unmatched. It was clearly different from the pillars of purple crystal it had already found.

A lesser being of even less intellect might try to make an artifact-grade weapon out of whatever it was. They would think it something separate from the ten crystalline structures stored within the elemental’s body. But only they, the great earthen force-of-nature speeding across this barren plain, knew the truth of it.

This eleventh relic was an offering from the heavens high above—a guarantee that none of the other relics would be destroyed by the crafting process. When they secured this one, they could use it for experimentation, absorbing its mass instead of creating something new.

It would grant them the greatest gift of all—knowledge.

As they approached the artifact, its flame-fueled escape no match for their own haste, the elemental detected the essence of those onboard… and came to a complete stop, their silt and stones indistinguishable from the rest of the ocean floor. They couldn’t believe what they’d just discovered.

There were a number of different cultivators on the boat. Spirit beasts, too, all having taken the first few steps toward ascension. But none of them were noteworthy compared to the beacon of white light onboard.

The one who had released that blast of pure chi… he was there. If he hadn’t been present, the elemental would have attacked immediately, not needing an ambush to succeed.

Perhaps they should attack anyway. It was a human, after all—the best possible outcome. If the first brother was alone, he might have done so. He wasn’t, however. He was them, and they were him.

They decided to wait. Chose to bide their time. The ones above couldn’t remain at sea forever, after all. The vessel would have dock eventually.

They resumed their landslide passage, matching the pace of the ship sailing above. Almost immediately, a suspicion formed in their mind, and after a few minutes of mapping and plotting—led by a former air elemental who used to ride the winds—the hunch was confirmed.

The boat and the relic onboard were heading back to the source of the blast. The many beings that were one had to wrestle down their rumbling laughter, lest it give away the game. They knew exactly where to go.

No longer limiting their speed, the earth elemental raced off ahead, giving the pure-essence cultivator a wide berth.

The heavens truly smile down upon us.

***

It took the trailing organism but a moment to understand what his oldest ally was up to. When he compiled the relevant points of data, the truth unfurled in his mind’s eye, forming an interconnected web of events and outcomes.

The mass of elementals his friend had become… they were going back to the ship’s port. Racing to where the column of unaspected chi had originated.

The idea, surprisingly, gave him pause. He had registered the pure-essence cultivator. From so far away, most wouldn’t have been able to tell it wasn’t a spirit beast—but the organism knew humans well. His former masters had been of that species, after all.

Acknowledging the existence of those two made a well of conflicting emotions overflow. They had instilled a love for humanity deep within him, and though that affection had concluded with the end of their tragically brief lives, the memory of it lingered.

He’d dismissed the foolish cultivator; he had had nothing to do with his duty. But… what if he could exterminate that moronic ascendant, too? His masters certainly would have advised that course of action, as would have he… at the time, anyway. Everything had changed since then.

Echoes of the love he’d held for his former companions called out to him, bouncing off the insides of his soft body. Then it alchemized into rage. Hatred for the schemes, betrayals, and happenstance that had taken their lives.

For all he cared, humanity could burn. The passing of his masters—his dear friends—had almost killed him, and if not for his oath, he probably would have wasted away, letting the chi within his elemental body return to the world.

His ability flickered, some of his soft, camouflage skin barely visible. He was losing control. With a fraction of his substantial will, he shifted mindsets, and the cold indifference of duty welcomed him in with open arms.

Thousands of thoughts passed by in the next few seconds. They were like so many plankton, their fleeting existence inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. With sober disregard, the organism decided he would deal with the pure cultivator too—but only if the opportunity arose.

I will not forsake my sworn oath for the betterment of humanity, he thought, and his entire form hummed in agreement.

With that blessing from his very soul, he took off, his malleable body forming an arrow that shot through the water. He honed in on the pocket of power he’d been compressing. There was now more than enough to free the earth elemental he had once called a friend—so long as they were distracted, anyway.

He didn’t stop pouring in his condensed chi, instead increasing the flow; it never hurt one to overprepare.