“Beautiful Place in My Heart: treasures of the Emerald Isle”
In all of space, there is a certain group of wanderers more dangerous than anything else. They go by many names— Haunters, Malice, Fangs, Devourers— and they are feared far and wide as the most cruel, the most savage, the most relentless, and the most terrible force that has ever crawled out of the Infernal Pit. The UCM is largely powerless to stop them, as only their greatest warships stand a chance against them, and the most desperate traveler will sooner risk uncertain paths than face them. Pirates have been known to take elaborate measures to avoid them, and even the Ozmund Company is not immune to their evil. Their only saving grace is that they are so small in number: the Malice, as they are best known, are but five hundred at most, and they rarely stray from their territory, a tiny niche carved out of an unwanted sector, merely a few planets to their name, and a society, bloodthirsty as it is, that does not normally venture far. But few who have met the Malice ever returned, and those that survived chose quick death once their story was told.
On his way to the third planet in the Helios system, Captain Barbarossa of Der Fliegende Hollander, Hendrick van der Decken, came across a ship owned by the Malice, though not by intention. Completely indiscriminate, the Malice set upon him like ravenous ants, washing his ship in flames. The Dutchman did not fire a single cannon in return; he remained silent and still, waiting to exact a subtler revenge. No craft made by mortal beings would scratch his ship, nor could any power under the stars alter his immortality. The ship was left perfectly intact despite the barrage, to the consternation of the Malice, and they summoned their brethren from nearby worlds to aid their attack. Soon a fifth of the entire Malice population was upon the Flying Dutchman, a fleet that would’ve laid waste to an armada in a matter of hours. Their shots flew so viciously that only the silent, empty vacuum of space saved the surrounding area from total obliteration.
When the smoke finally cleared, not even a single splinter had been misplaced.
Furious, the Malice boarded the ship in droves, suffocating it with their incredible numbers. They found the unflinching Captain at the wheel, an otherworldly force of discipline, strength, and ferocity, so unlike their own that a mere glimpse from his ancient eyes sent a few reeling back. This was no man; this was an element, like fire and water and time itself. The Malice had finally found something to fear and were enraged by it. One set upon van der Decken immediately, claws, horns, and teeth of inhuman proportion rending him to shreds. Yet the Captain stood his ground— pierced, torn, ripped, impaled, slashed, and crushed though he was— a stoic and immobile force beyond comprehension, Man’s face but God’s flesh. He approached the Malice and smashed his head between his fists— then turned to the group proper. Horrors beyond thought were dancing in his flaming eyes: the false hell had met the real Inferno at last.
The Malice had once overrun an entire Dreadnought in an hour, spreading like a disease until the ship had been picked clean. Now they could not move fast enough as the Dutchman waded into their ranks and gave them fresh horrors. An accidental meeting between an entire species of daemons and a man damned demonic had turned into an unlikely, one-sided bloodbath. The Dutchman had a thousand years of strength behind his attacks and tore the Malice apart like an elephant would tear stalks of grass from the earth. Their bodies were hardened like steel and their bones were solid iron, but under Barbarossa’s glacial rage, their flesh was as jelly. A horde of them fired their guns, riddling his eternal body with ravenous metal; one climbed onto his back and cleaved his head in two with a single bite, but the Dutchman was unfazed, and turned to puncture the monster with his fist.
He finally drew his sword and scores fell by his wrath. Few survived an encounter with the Malice, but nothing lived for long once Barbarossa began his pursuit. Several Malice jumped ship and chose to face the icy crushing grip of space rather than certain destruction. Others continued to fight, ripping his arms and legs and body to pieces— to no avail. The mutilated segments refused to stay separated, and flew back to their source like raindrops returning to the ocean. Fire could not burn him and ice could not freeze him. He desired death and could not find it. Those who attacked him were obliterated. He could not be stopped.
Twenty minutes after the attack began, Der Fliegende Hollander continued its course, undisturbed, leaving behind a graveyard. The Malice would forever be gripped by this terror and would abandon space, never to be heard from again.
……
“If we’re going to find this artifact of yours, let’s do it right. Let’s console the book.”
[Yes.] Lyara and Sharyn sat huddled around the Tome of Treasures, flipping through it for information regarding the three artifacts of prosperity. Sharyn had known about the Standard of Andvari and the Breath of Vulcan since she was a child; they were parts of an ancient epic poem describing the origin of New Avalon and how three virtuous souls brought the land to fruition. According to that legend, they used a Standard to inspire the people, Vulcan’s breath to give energy to the world, and a certain sword to drive away evil. Two of the items (or their close facsimiles) had been destroyed by various means, but the third was unaccounted for. There were at least ten-thousand entries in the Tome of Treasures regarding swords, and a thousand regarding those on Earth. It seemed like an impossible task to find the right one.
“Wouldst thou know anything concerning this device, Gwen?”
[No.]
“What does it say in your poem?” Lyara said. Sharyn shook her head.
“Origins and functions alone, I fear. Name, maker, shape, size…naught is known. It cometh from an ‘isle of emeralds’, I know for certain, and is ‘a blade irresistible’, whatever that entails.” Lyara leaned back in her chair, totally baffled. Sharyn knew a large portion of the poem by heart and could probably improvise the rest, but none of that would be helpful.
“Still at it?” They turned to see Aseria wandering by, her blue hair shimmering in a ringlet around her head. These days, she and her lover rarely took interest in the affairs of their crew; they seemed more content to stay in isolation, so it was unusual to see her taking an interest. She smiled sadly at the newly-christened lovebirds and suggested, “Why not just ask someone from Gaia? If anybody knows what the hell an island of emeralds is, they would.”
“Eavesdropping suits thee not, lady,” Sharyn muttered. Aseria responded by stroking her long, pointed ears, giggled, and walked away.
“Just give it a try. And tell me when you’ve found something! I’d like to stretch my legs, and a crazy adven…” The rest of what she said was muffled by distance. Lyara stared at the Tome for another second before standing up, stretching, and walking away.
“Wilt thou take her advice?”
“I’ll try asking the Acherons first. Since they were pilots-for-hire before they signed up with us, I’m sure they’ve been around the most.”
“Then let me accompany thee.” Sharyn smiled timidly and held Lyara’s hand. Her palm was calloused from many years of wielding swords, and her grip was strong and firm, but Lyara would not have it any other way. She had grown up in a rough environment, after all, and wouldn’t have fallen in love with a weakling. Sharyn continued to surprise her, too: sometimes scathingly naïve, other times seasoned and wise; blithe and doubtful, courageous and aggressive, even sensual and erotic. Time and again she told herself she had chosen the right person, and worked hard to demonstrate this gratitude. Lyara would get nothing from this adventure, except for the experience and time spent with the woman she loved, yet that was all the reward she could ever hope for.
For once, the Acherons were not having sex on the bridge; they were reading. Each woman read a different book, using a prop to hold them up as they turned the page. This would’ve been an unsettling scene a few months ago, but…well, after everything they had went through…
“An island of emeralds?” Kayleigh repeated after they told her their discoveries. “That’s easy. Your treasure’s on Ireland.”
“You said it was a sword?” Teleah said. “I only know of two Irish swords famous enough to be named: the Caladbolg and the Claim Soul, or something. I can’t pronounce it.”
“Do either of those mean anything?” Lyara asked. Sharyn and Gwen both came up with the same answer: no. Lyara decided to look them up in the Tome, and found the following: the Caladbolg was said to be a two-handed sword that made a circle like an arc of rainbow when swung, and to have the power to slice the tops off hills and take out an entire host. Teleah was mistaken on the other sword: it was the Claíomh Solais, an irresistible weapon that could not be defeated— and more interestingly, one of the four legendary treasures of Ireland.
“That settles it!” Sharyn exclaimed as she pointed to the page. “We shall descend to Ireland and seek out the Cla…uh…this most sacred sword.” She blushed and tittered; it was a difficult name to pronounce. Aseria, who had naturally been eavesdropping from a safe distance, grinned sinisterly and rubbed her hands together when she heard that there would be legendary treasures— and four of them at that! She didn’t care so much about the sword— let the cute little knight have it— but the other three…
“What about the other three?” Teleah asked, mirroring Aseria’s thoughts.
“We’re not after them. It would be a waste of time.”
“A moment, love! Let us read further before making assumptions! We may come across a thing more enticing!” Silence hung in the air for a few moments. Then—
“Oh my,” Aseria purred. Not since leaving Alfheim had she been so impressed. Who knew that Gaia contained such wealth? “Well, I’m glad I told them I was interested! But knowing them, they’ll leave me out of it anyway. I’d better find Lil so we can strong-arm a position. I’m not missing out on this!”
“So it’s decided,” Lyara stated in the meantime. “You’ll take us to Ireland and pick us up when we give you the signal. Are you sure it’s okay for us to take the Tome with us?”
“You’re going to need it!” Teleah snorted as she headed for England. Ireland had no spaceports so they would have to dock at Heathrow. “How much do you know about this place?”
“Well, nothing.”
“And what about the treasures? Do you know anything about them?”
“Only what Sharyn knows,” she stuttered.
“Then you’re going to need that book,” she pointed firmly. “Nobody’ll mind. Everyone else will either be with Marsa or off exploring on their own.” She had a good point, so no further arguments were made. Since this matter only concerned Sharyn, Lyara didn’t ask for anyone else to come along and didn’t expect them to— but as the Dauntless docked and they made their way to the garage, some “volunteers” showed up to surprise them.
“And where do you think you’re going?” Aseria looked pissed off, to say the least, and Lillianne seemed no better. “Didn’t I ask you to come to me when you found something? I’d expect this neglect from you, Sharyn, but not from a fellow elf.”
“This is Sharyn’s quest and not yours,” Lyara answered. “The only reason I’m accompanying her is because I love her, and I promised I would.”
“I don’t think you understood us,” Lil grunted. “We’re tagging along whether you like it or not. If you still refuse, you’ll have to fight your way through, but I gotta warn you: I’ve got five lives left and I ain’t going down easy!”
“What sort of talk is that, ‘number of lives’, this is no game, Lady Markus, no, I prefer to see it as a business venture, yes, they say one of the Irish treasures is a cauldron that can feed an army, can you imagine that, a limitless supply of food, I’ll be rich without even trying, you know, I don’t care about any of that other stuff, but I would appreciate it if— I mean— I would make it worth your while, yes, I’d heavily compensate you for y— ”
“Vimmy decided to come along too,” Lil grunted, shoving her foot in the Norgrim’s face. For that gesture alone, Lyara considered inviting them. It looked like there would be significant conflict if they refused, and the last thing Lyara wanted was a fight, especially against Aseria. Besides, Amy did say that the crew should not engage in battle while on the ship.
“So what is your answer, cousin?” Aseria smirked. Lyara crossed her arms stuffily.
“It would be more of a pain if we refused. As long as you don’t cause unnecessary trouble, I suppose we can take you along. But I don’t trust any of you.”
“Well-spoken, never trust a merchant, and I’m one of the best, but really dear, Sharyn still has a debt to pay me, don’t you think I’d be your friend until I get what I’m owed, trust can be bought, I think this treasure will compensate all, and these two are rather excellent fighters, they can be useful b— ”
“Her we can leave behind,” Lil grunted as she gave the petite creature another jab. Vimmy yelped and waddled after them, and would have been left behind if Sharyn wasn’t so chivalrous. She stooped down and allowed Vimmy to ride piggyback, but only on one condition:
“A ride for a ride, milady. Thou carried me and now I hath carried thee. Let this foolish debt be cleared.”
“Oh, dearie, you don’t understand, I sacrificed time and fuel to pick you up, and New Avalon was so dusty, I got a little under the weather there for awhile, hmm, yes, it’s not nearly the same, no, I still think you— ”
“Then you can walk!” Sharyn wriggled fiercely until Vimmy fell off, then ran to catch up with the others. The unfortunate Norgrim was left to hop around angrily until she could hire a taxi to remove her from the spaceport. After that, it was a matter of consoling the Tome and traveling across beautiful Erin’s Isle in search of four sacred artifacts.
……
What inspired Aseria to join Sharyn on her quest was not lust for a mere sword, or even lust for treasure itself. Alfheim had wonders beyond imagination and they were available to her whenever she wished— but there are some joys even the wealthy do not see every day. The Claíomh Solais, or “Sword of Light” for the brilliance it was said to cast, was just one of four legendary Irish treasures, or so the Tome claimed. According to its data, the mythological Tuatha Dé Danann were recorded as coming to Ireland from four cities on four islands: Murias, Falias, Gorias, and Findias, bringing with them four treasures, also known as the Hallows of Ireland.
The first was Lia Fail, the Stone of Destiny, which was supposedly located near the Hill of Tara in County Meath (tourist information confirmed this as a real item and a real location). It supposedly cried out beneath every king of Ireland. This seemed more like a novelty by itself, but there was also something called the Spear of Destiny, or Spear Luin. No battle was ever sustained against it, or against the one who held it. To have perfect assurance in battle was something even the Sindarin could not claim, and Aseria wondered if she might take it for her own.
The sword of Nuada, Claíomh Solais, was a weapon which no one ever escaped from once it was drawn from its deadly sheath, and no one could resist it. A sword in the National Museum in Dublin claimed to be this weapon, so this is where the group headed first. Finally there was Dagda's Cauldron, a bottomless pot capable of feeding an army. No company ever went away from it unsatisfied. It also had the power to heal, which was of great interest to Vimmy (and, she presumed, Fuuka as well, although that arrangement would have to be…negotiated). Lillianne was the only one there with a general interest in all four treasures: she wanted to study them for their archaeological value, to see if their antiquity had any connection with the lost world of Mu— or maybe a civilization even beyond that.
The first night they spent outdoors was brief. Everyone was too weary to stay up and meditate on their situation, even Vimmy, so they pitched three tents and settled in. The next evening, though, felt more energetic than any other night they had spent so far, for it had the alacrity of an emergency, the romance of a starlit summer, and the peace of a river. Theirs was a journey spent in leisure; they had simply been too busy to experience this joy yesterday. They had to take a vehicle from the Dauntless and they had to fight their way through customs— then they had to consider rations, equipment, maps, and hiding the Tome itself (at least a few of them remembered they had stolen it and were probably still fugitives). Now they could take the night and love her properly. The sky above was bright and gorgeous with stars— not merely the ones you could glimpse at in spite of light pollution, but practically every single one, a literal ocean of light that served better than anything that could be fashioned in imitation. Lyara was resting her head against Sharyn’s shoulder, drifting in and out of drowsiness, looking pricelessly adorable.
“So much for asking around,” Aseria muttered as she flipped through the Tome. There was very little information regarding the four Irish treasures in its electronic pages, and fewer still circulating among the locals. They knew where to find Lia Fail, and had a good lead for the Claiomh Solais, but the other two were mysteries that even the Tome could not solve. “And so much for the preservation of legends…although if they were that easy to find, they would have been found by now. If that’s the case, then the sword in Dublin is likely to be a fake.”
“And the stone?” Aseria flipped the Tome to a section titled “Treasures of Alfheim” and paused.
“National monument. Sacred ground. It’d be like interfering with…oh, drat, what’s a famous Gaean structure? The Parthenon, I suppose. Everyone knows where it is but nobody’s foolish enough to claim it as their own.”
“So we should not,” she whispered. Aseria shrugged and closed the book.
“It depends on how badly you want it. Personally, I just came for the fun of it. I have all the wealth I need; it’s not as if one more bauble will make me happier. Say, is she asleep? I have a question I’ve been meaning to ask.” Lillianne was out jogging and Vimmy was engaged in a remote business deal; the three of them were alone. Sharyn stirred her love gently and the elf woke up with a soft groan. She felt Sharyn’s lips touch her mouth and was revitalized.
“Apologies, darling. Lady Tolan hath inquiries.”
“Oh. I had the strangest dream about an exploding sink.”
“Then may thy next dream be sweeter,” she giggled. Aseria rolled her eyes and nudged her distant cousin.
“Something’s been on my mind for awhile now, Tanith. You liberated Avatar and turned everything around in a matter of days. Everyone there loves you and begged you to take over their world. You could have been Queen by now, but instead, you just left it all behind again and kept on traveling. Why?”
“Is it really such a difficult question?” she stated. “Why did you leave the comfort of the Sindarin court? As you said, you had wealth to spare— yes, I heard that part— and at least two lovers that I know of, possibly more. You had command of your own vessel and everyone practically worshipped you. Eventually you’d become one of the most powerful people in the galaxy, yet here you are. Are your reasons so different from mine?”
“Clearly,” she muttered snobbishly. Lyara cuddled up to Sharyn again, now resting her head on the lady’s lap.
“I made the right decision. That’s not my home anymore. Daniel and Nalia…could take better care of it than me. As long as I have her…” She yawned and drifted back to sleep. Sharyn smiled sweetly and didn’t dare wake her angel; instead she ran her fingers through her long bluish-white hair, and bent down to kiss her ear.
“Love thee.”
……
Fortunately, Lyara still had enough energy that night to make love to Sharyn— twice— and rest naked in her arms as they talked about their future together. Morning was greeted in haste: Vimmy had picked up a distressing tip regarding a certain bounty hunter who was after them, and was advised to leave as quickly as possible. She was afraid that her more duplicitous business ventures were finally being discovered and someone had singled her out for elimination (but really, considering who all composed the crew, it could’ve been anything). The others wouldn’t have cared so much, except that they were now Vimmy’s accomplices and would have to run with her if they wanted to survive.
“Figures,” Lil grumbled as she scrambled to pack everything. “I always knew she’d be the death of us. How many times have I said it, Aseria?”
“You mean this week? Probably twelve.”
“There, see? We need to get rid of her once and for all.”
“Oh, what does it matter?” Lyara snapped. “Just hurry up and pack everything! She’s not the only one here with a price on her head!” Poor Vimmy was shouting and gesticulating too quickly for anybody to make sense of. A Norgrim in a panic is either very comical or very irritating, depending on the situation. She was so distressed that she was calling for Mink, and (when she could be understood) offered huge sums of money for her “bodyguards” to save her. The phrase “I knew we shouldn’t have come here” kept coming up, but leaving seemed to be the last thing on their minds.
“We should at least find Sharyn’s artifact. I’ll not leave until I fulfill my word.”
“And thou should consider the loan of my blade as permanent recompense for thy troubles,” she beamed. For all her guile and mercantile wisdom, Vimmy knew that she had finally been beaten and agreed to call off the “debt”, just so long as she was alive when they left Earth.
“Leaving Gaea is a little too drastic,” Aseria said. “We only need to find this treasure and be gone. Lily, could you please hang in there for me? I honestly haven’t been this excited in a long time.”
“Anything for my princess,” she groused. Vimmy was still flailing around in a panic but then suddenly came up with what seemed like a brilliant idea:
“Ah, oh, wait a second now, why can’t we stand our ground and fight, I don’t think there were very many in that report, probably just one, and aren’t we a dangerous lot, but I could also bribe them, it’s certainly bound to be more than they’re being paid, but if we must escape, everyone, we really, really, REALLY must get back to our transport, honestly now, do you expect to outrun them on foot, I certainly co— ”
“Shut up!” Lil snapped. “I don’t like to fight unless I know who my enemy is, so we can forget that!” She began flinging their belongings into the craft they had borrowed from the ship’s garage.
“Everyone relax,” Lyara said as she helped her. “We’re fine. I noticed on our map that we’re close to the city where Sharyn’s sword might be. Even if we don’t find it, we’ll at least be safe. Hide a person amongst people, yes?”
“And hope we don’t stand out,” Lil grumbled, taking a look at the eclectic bunch. Not a one of them was close to what you could call “normal-looking”; even she had her opulent clothes and bare skin.
“Oh dear,” Vimmy groaned, mopping her forehead, “it’s enough to turn my skin black, yes, really, but I suppose we must, so very well then, hmm, let’s head to this city, yes, with all haste!” She hopped into the transport first, but noticed the others were not in the same hurry that she was. “Damn you all, sluggards, what’s taking you…so…long…” Her mouth hung open and she was silenced as an immense ship, modeled after the ancient galleons from a thousand years ago, its sails flapping in the breeze, eclipsed the sun and cast a great shadow over the land. The name Der Fliegende Hollander was etched on the side in gold and the bust of a winged maiden protruded from the bow.
“I…think they caught up with us,” Lil squeaked. Aseria dashed in front of her lover and thrust her palms out, shouting in the Sindarin language. A fierce gust of wind battered against the vessel, but it continued to descend, completely undisturbed by the gale. The dark-skinned elf suddenly turned pale.
“Run.”
……
Apparently the vessel did not see them, or if it did, it was looking for a place to land. Heathrow had been a pain but now that pain was working to their advantage: whoever that was, they would have to dock there first, then cross the ocean, rent a transport, and somehow find them amongst the emerald hills. In short, there was no way that bounty hunter would catch them now. That didn’t mean they could explore Dublin at leisure, though: there was a haste in their step that Vimmy herself could approve of as they searched the city for the National Museum, and then the Museum for the sword. The blade on display was a pitiful-looking artifact made of bronze, crafted fairly well but hardly glowing as the legends claimed. Sharyn squinted at the so-called Sword of Light for a long time, judging whether or not it was one of the items she had been looking for. At last she turned around, defeated, shaking her head.
“Nay, but what did I expect? What museum would keep such a weapon so openly available to the public?”
“I told you,” Aseria grumbled. They left the museum gloomily and decided to head to County Meath next in search of the Stone of Destiny. The quintet all agreed that it would be meaningless to bring it along with them (even Lillianne and Vimmy agreed that stealing it would be a desecration); they just wanted to study it, hoping it would bear some clue. Most of them were aware that behind every legend and myth is a grain of truth, even the most outrageous ones. Humanity might never have built the Tower of Babel, but they were certainly divided by their uncommon languages. Arthur might not have existed, but a Welsh-Roman general may have shared his qualities. There was probably never an Odysseus lost in the Mediterranean, but there was a Trojan war preceding him.
It would not have been possible for the small team to find County Meath a hundred years ago, or even fifty. Alien life was abundant on Earth, and this included Ireland, but they were still relatively new and thus took on a “generalized” appearance. They were not all little green men, but they were hardly what you could call Men; some were more conspicuous than seductive Lillianne or flustered Vimmy (at least Sharyn was welcomed warmly. Apparently she embodied the spirit of Ireland, having such exquisite emerald skin). Although they got plenty of stares for their looks, they also received the directions they required, and were soon flying over the countryside in search of the Hill of Tara.
Barbarossa was not far behind. He did not require a spaceport to dock. All he needed was a body of water, a pier, and an anchor. If need be, he could even jump off the ship, falling kilometers to the ground, placing himself precisely where he wanted to be without a bruise or a delay. He had followed them from their resting spot, keeping a safe distance and watching their movements. They stopped in Dublin; he hesitated. Only when they returned to the wide open wilderness did he pursue them openly, unfurling all sails and letting the strong winds carry him hither. He drifted as silently as a cloud, blotting out the sun wherever he went, and if the quintet had bothered to look up, they might have spotted him sooner, and prepared for him— that is, if anybody could prepare for a fight against an immortal. Both parties reached the Hill in the end but one of them hung back: watching, waiting. He was in no hurry. He had all of eternity to spare.
“Is this the place?” Lil asked. Aseria, Lyara, and Sharyn sat upright, as if listening to something very far away. The two elves could sense something different, perhaps even otherworldly about this place, and Sharyn, who had immersed herself in stories, songs, and poems since she was a child, felt it reverberating through her muscles into her bone, down to every last cell in her body. She shivered and emerged, but also drew her sword.
“If not, tis’ a close proximity. Love, can you feel that?” Lyara nodded carefully.
“A strange power… It’s not at all like that cheap hunk of bronze we saw earlier.”
“I feel it as well,” Aseria murmured. “It’s something you can pick up very easily on Alfheim, but here…it’s so distinct that— ”
She was interrupted as something came crashing from above, like a meteor or a satellite or…or…
The enemy. Barbarossa climbed out of the hole his impact created and studied the five ladies before him. They had every right to be frightened; it’s not often a body plummets from the sky and walks away without a scratch.
“What the devil…” Vimmy gawked. The Dutchman closed his eyes and frowned. He had a very royal face, even beautiful in the most masculine sense, but behind his eyes were flames and fury and lifetime stacked atop lifetime spend at sea. Tens of thousands of hurricanes, storms, squalls, wars, conflicts, adventures, sorrows, and pains were a part of his majestic aura. Aseria likened it to meeting a god; Sharyn felt she was in the presence of a King. One did not know whether to bow in awe or scrape away in fear.
“Not quite the devil,” he replied, his voice deep and powerful as the oceans. “But very nearly. I presume I am in the company of the crew of the independent exploration vessel Dauntless?”
“And what’s your business with us?” Aseria growled. She reached into her cloak and brought out her large scythe. It was an enchanted weapon protected by magic: customs had been unable to see it. Barbarossa regarded it as you or I would regard a single blade of grass.
“My business with you, Lady Tolan, must wait until later. Yes, I know who you are: scarce are those who do not. The judgment of Alfheim and the Sindar royal family must be put off until a later time. My hand moves towards more current matters. You seem to be harboring agents of dissent.”
“What the fuck? Did this guy come out from under a rock or something? He talks just like you, Sharyn!”
“I see no resemblance, Lady Markus,” she grumbled. Barbarossa glanced between all of them and made his call.
“The woman in green I have no discourse with. The harlot, also, may go freely, and you, Lady Tolan, I shall preserve until I visit your homeworld. But the other two are a danger to the worlds and must perish.”
“Harlot?!” Lil shrieked.
“A danger?!” Lyara snapped. Vimmy moaned.
“Oh dear, oh goodness, I knew those choices of mine were poor ones, but yet so profitable, I earned most of my wealth from them, and I tried giving back, I really did, but it’s so hard, money brings you opportunities, um, sir, whomever you might be, perhaps if I offered you some kind of stipend, you might be inclined to, ah, look the other way just this once, what do you s— YAAAH!!!” Barbarossa drew his sword faster than anyone could see and buried it millimeters away from Vimmy’s feet.
“Thank you,” Lil sighed. He glared at the Norgrim with flaming eyes.
“Your very words damn you, avaricious toad! And you, elf-girl, have fared no better on Avatar, as I hear. The crimes you committed there go beyond my capacity for description.”
“My love is no criminal!” Sharyn exclaimed, standing before her. “I hath not seen a soul better in my travels! Thou accuseth her foolishly, stranger, lest your judgment is harsh!”
“I wonder how much you really know about this woman,” he mumbled. That was all Sharyn could take; she charged him and raised her sword.
“Draw your weapon, cur! I’ll not allow thee to insult her further!” He remained motionless as she swung, cutting off his arm and lodging her blade in his body. Barbarossa merely gazed at her, not with hatred but pity, and picked up his limb to reattach it. The wound healed up and he pulled the sword out with his own bare hands. “Impossible,” Sharyn gawked.
“You will not doubt for much longer,” he replied. “Admirable though your defense is, this woman remains a criminal, and a leader of criminals at that. Common sins I can overlook, but her group was a filth upon Nature’s brow.”
“Mind your tongue!” She swung again, chopping his head off— but it simply flew in the air for a second and landed back on his neck. Sharyn was brave, but she was also wise: she sheathed her sword with sweaty palms and stammered away, pale and breathless. Suddenly, Aseria charged in from behind, digging her scythe deep into Barbarossa’s chest until the point stuck out. He remained as tranquil as a fountain, though, and simply slipped away from the edge. Then, he turned around and struck Aseria hard, flinging her back.
“Did I not tell you to wait, wretched girl? Or do you want to hasten your demise?! Make good use of your remaining days, for I swear: Alfheim will be turned into a husk because of its wicked ways! Now get up! And do not cross my path until the appointed time! There is no use in running: I have outlived generations of your kind. The stars themselves may turn into dust, but I shall remain, unchanged and unchallenged, an everlasting testament to God’s might and wrath, a man damned to live. There is no power under Heaven that can— ”
Lillianne suddenly kicked him in the throat, sending him flying back.
“Holy shit!” she barked. “You’re as bad as Vimmy! Nothing but talk! Now get one thing straight, pal! I don’t care if you’re a god or a devil or anything in between. There ain’t nothing that can’t be killed and there sure as hell ain’t nothing that’s gonna hit my Aseria and get away with it! If you want some real pain, pal, look no further!!”
“Pain?” he stated, climbing to his feet and dusting himself off. Not even his voice had changed; he was as pure and calm as the moment he was cursed, a thousand years earlier. “If you can give me pain, young lady, it would have to be pain beyond the world’s endurance, pain beyond the sun’s ability to bear, pain that destroys creation itself— or creates amidst destruction. Do not think for a moment that— ”
“Shaddup!!” Lil moved in and pummeled him with all her might, flinging her fists like bullets from a gun, so sharp and fast that none could defend against it. She then slammed her elbow into his abdomen, kicked him hard in the groin, held his head, and bashed her fist into his face. Then, as he stumbled, she launched a flying kick, and finished by jumping on his ribs— twice.
“What you got now, bitch? Huh, huh? What you got now? That’s what I thought. You ain’t got nothing. I don’t know how you survived all those other times, unless you’re like me— and ain’t nobody can survive a beating that harsh, even if they got fifty lives! Come on, let’s go find this shit and get the fuck out of h— ”
“Lillith, watch out!!” Aseria screamed. Barbarossa had climbed to his feet and was burning with fury. The Sindar cast a spell and engulfed him in blue fire, then soared into the air and cleaved him in two with her scythe, from top to bottom. His body healed from the burns, however, and slipped back into shape as if she had never raised her hand. Needless to say they were all a little aghast by now.
“Like talking to a brick wall,” the Dutchman grunted. Lil charged him again, but he slapped her aside with the strength of an elephant. Sharyn charged again, but he caught her sword and flung her aside. Aseria called another spell, but he broke through it and continued walking. Lyara tripped as she tried to scurry away, and laid helpless before the invincible warrior as he drew his sword and stared down at her.
“Do you know the irony here?” he murmured. “There are fiends worse than all of you out there. You have taken up too much of my time. I will slay you quickly in order t— ” He never finished, fortunately: he was struck very suddenly by a large, heavy object, and something came out of that object to greet them.
“Hello, now is that good timing or what, all aboard now, we’ve got no time to delay!”
“Oh, god fucking damn it,” Lillianne grumbled. “Someone kill me, please. Don’t tell me that…”
“Yes, Vimmy saved us all, again,” Aseria grunted as she hopped in the craft. “No time to think about it, dearie! Is everyone all right? Come on, hop onboard while he’s still knocked down!” The crew jumped in without hesitation, and the vehicle took off as fast as it could. Sharyn was just about to thank Vimmy for saving their lives when she noticed the Norgrim was carrying a white stone almost as large as she was.
“Lady Fonester, tell me not that…”
“Yes, I’ve got Lia Fail or whatever you call it, I just found it right there, I wouldn’t have bothered but for this strange feeling I got, and once I touched it, dear, it was like I almost knew where those other treasures were, you know, the three we’re actually looking for, isn’t that a gas?!”
“Hilarious,” Lyara grumbled. But she had to look on the bright side. If this relic could point them in the direction of the other four treasures, it would cut their journey in half, maybe more. She took a relieved breath and smiled. “I gotta hand it to ya, Vimmy. Only an unscrupulous merchant like yourself would bother stealing a national monument.”
“Don’t fret, I’ll put it back once our mission’s over, you realize that even I have standards, and besides, it’s so cumbersome, and such an eyesore!”
“Reminds me of someone I know,” Lil grumbled.
……
Lyara was predictably quiet as the transport rolled over roads, hills, boroughs, and meadows, following Lia Fail as it guided them to the remaining three treasures. Everyone knew that her life had been a little shady before she joined, but they also believed that hers was the lesser of two evils by far, that her Night Hammers had been keeping the peace and holding back the real dangers on Avatar. They could only assume Barbarossa was referring to some isolated incidents of minor criminal activity that we all commit in some form or another: theft, destruction of property, murder in the name of self-defense, false testimony, deceit, things like that. Completely forgivable. The way Lyara looked, though, one nearly believed she was as bad as the Dutchman claimed.
“Do not let such pretentious talk cause thee grief, love,” Sharyn whispered, snuggling close and holding her hand. “If that man had known half my sins, he’d focus his misguided justice pon’ me. I know thou art a virtuous creature at heart.”
“No, Shar,” she murmured. “You only know half of me. You’ve seen me at my worst, when we first knew each other— I used to be like that all the time. I’ve killed people, Sharyn. I’ve stolen and I’ve thrown people into ruin. I won’t justify my actions by saying it was a matter of survival. I’m just trying to make up for what I did, one little act at a time.”
“Ah, so that’s the reason you left Avatar,” Aseria purred. “Didn’t want to tempt yourself, eh?” Sharyn grabbed her shoulder fiercely, but Lyara pulled it away.
“Don’t. She’s right.”
“But thou hast changed, love! And thine was a wholesome villainy— the kind a sex-crazed fiend like myself might love.” She smiled warmly, her face turning red. Lyara chuckled dryly— then was jerked in her seat. Vimmy had stopped very suddenly and nearly threw everyone overboard.
“The hell?!” Aseria coughed. With her usual meaningless blather, Vimmy cited the stone as the cause. Up until now, the reason she believed it could lead them to the other treasures was the “pulling” sensation it caused, the same that you feel when your conscience talks to you or when you know danger is imminent: something like a premonition that causes or prevents actions without any further explanation. Now the pulling had stopped, so Vimmy hopped out and tried to determine why. They were right in the middle of a wide open space, and were so exposed they might as well wear a bull’s eye.
“Oh,” Vimmy wailed, “oh, this is it, this is it, I can feel it, this is— yes…” She suddenly fell to her hands and knees, disappearing behind a hillside, and cried out for the others to join her. She had discovered a hidden barrows, or tomb, inside the hill, and wanted to explore it— or rather, wanted the others to explore it.
“I’ll be,” Lil whispered. “Even if we don’t find what we’re looking for, there’s bound to be something in there that’s worth something! Make way!” She dashed in first, heedless of the danger; Aseria followed at a more prudent pace, with Lyara and Sharyn at the rear (Vimmy’s fear was stronger than her greed, so she stayed behind). It didn’t take Lillianne long to scream in pleasure; a light was cast on the walls, revealing several coffins and boxes of treasures that had been buried with the dead.
“Wonderful!” she whispered over and over again, “Just wonderful! Some of these artifacts go back a thousand years…and these are fifteen-hundred years…and these! Pre-Roman Celtic design! That’s two-thousand years old! How were they preserved all this time?”
“I think I know the reason,” Aseria said. She threw her light into a corner, parting cobwebs as she knelt down to examine a large bowl-shaped iron pot. It couldn’t have been…but the pot looked as fresh as the day it was smelted, not a slivered crack or a spot of rust on it. There was not even any dust or webs: you could practically eat out of it right there. She moved it from its spot— Lil screamed— the hill began to quake violently, and it was all they could do to dash away. The hill collapsed just as the last of them dove free, sealing the Celtic treasures inside the earth forever. The Druids had protected Dagda’s Cauldron well.
“Do you really think it could be…?” Lyara wondered. Lil sighed and wiped the dust from her face.
“If it’s not, I’m not going to be very happy. Those treasures in there were easily worth a fortune.”
“Well, it’s not too heavy,” Aseria said. “We could at least take it as a souvenir.”
“We had better hurry,” Lyara said, pointing to the sky. A little black speck could be seen in the distance, and it was growing larger. She and Aseria knew exactly what it was and became anxious.
“Oh shit, you’ve got to be kidding me! Okay, where to next, Vimmy?” The Norgrim waddled back to the stone and watched patiently as it pulled itself in a new direction. She grinned and pointed, but before she could speak, she turned pale and gawked. She was pointing in the direction their enemy was coming from. Lil smacked herself in the face.
“Good joke, asshole! But seriously, where is it?”
“Shut up and get in,” Lyara demanded. “We may not be able to beat him, but we can certainly outrun him. He can’t kill us unless he comes down, right?”
“Or he could crush us with his ship,” Aseria noted. Lyara sighed in defeat, but Sharyn touched her shoulder and gave her an encouraging smile.
“We do not have to stay, love. I am satisfied beyond all material possession. Forgive my selfish desires; they have caused us such trouble.”
“We can’t exactly leave either,” Lil said evenly. “Remember, we’re nowhere near the Dauntless. We’ll have to go back to a city and call them. Personally, I’d rather not leave when all we have to show for it is some old pot.”
“Then let’s call a vote,” Lyara said. She and Lil were all for continuing the quest, while Vimmy and Aseria were against it. Aseria wanted an adventure, not a brush with certain death, and Vimmy apparently valued her life more than her wealth. The choice rested on the green lady of New Avalon.
……
After a brief delay, Barbarossa called his ship’s anchor down by remote control, catching it and riding it back up. The trail was cold by now but he didn’t doubt he could find it again— he had infinite time and infinite energy at his disposal. There was no device on his ship to detect magical energy sources, which would’ve been helpful for tracking the two elves; he would have to rely on his eyes and the heavenly bodies, and a knowledge of geography so intimate that he could walk through any land in complete darkness without losing his way. They would probably stick to the main roads and head for another city. He didn’t know what they were after, nor did he care; he just wanted to vanquish their evil, thereby hopefully absolving his own.
Believe it or not, it was sheer coincidence he was flying over the same area they were driving in. He was looking out for a city and spotted his quarry coming in his direction, either out of their minds or determined to confuse him somehow. He stoically turned the ship around, a slow process compared to the nimble fluidity of modern vessels, and chased after them, gradually gaining like a storm cloud. Their transport veered and turned to try and shake him, but even at their top speed, they could not hope to outmatch him. Barbarossa soon hung over them, blotting out the sun, and lowered his ship to intimidate them. He believed there were innocent people in that vehicle, and didn’t want to squash them if he could prevent it, so he continued to follow them, silent and swift, until they took a very sharp turn to the left and sped away. He didn’t have to worry about keeping up: the vehicle stopped soon.
“Are they giving up?” he wondered. “Or are they so foolhardy that they think they can kill me, even after what they have witnessed? I shall meet them regardless.” His ship hovered in the air as he rode his anchor to the surface. The smallest one was hopping around pointing to places, while the others were running around searching for something. Eventually, the small one indicated a place Barbarossa knew very well— the sea— and the others froze. Then one of them noticed him and all chaos broke loose.
“It’s just like I said!” Lil growled. “Once again, Vimmy has somehow managed to screw us all. But I guess it’s also my fault for listening to her! Hey, old man! You can have her for all I care! She’s caused us nothing but trouble!”
“Oh really now, Lillianne, can’t you please be civilized for a moment, we’re just one big leap from the treasures, I’m telling you they’re in the ocean, it’s a great hiding spot— ack, do something, distract him, save me, I beg you!”
“Even my chivalry has its limits,” Sharyn sighed. They were all excellent swimmers, except for Vimmy, but Lillianne volunteered to dive first, since she had a greater interest in the treasures. Sharyn went after her, discarding her armor, sending Gwen out to fight in her place. The little robot fluttered around Barbarossa’s head for a few seconds before he smashed it with his fist.
“I don’t know why she thought that would work,” Lyara grumbled. She decided to play defensively and buy as much time for her lover as she could. Too bad Aseria didn’t feel the same: she cast a spell of binding to fix the Dutchman’s feet to the ground. He jerked a little, then nonchalantly cut his own feet off, limping on stumps. Aseria next pinned his hands down, but he ripped them off his wrists and continued his approach. Panicking, Aseria sent an enchanted needle to his forehead, which exploded and sent pieces of his head everywhere, even splattering on her. Lyara was about to throw some of the chunks in the water, but then wondered what happened if he chose to materialize there. The head eventually came back to life, one sliver of goo at a time, followed by his severed limbs, which had broken the spell. Barbarossa was whole again and quite impatient with his prey.
“Please don’t resist any further. It’s useless. I don’t know what you’re up to and I don’t care. I have a mission to cleanse the universe of its filth and I will not be delayed any further.”
“Your problem is you talk too much!!” The sky blackened slowly as Aseria Tolan called out to the heavens for her greatest spell. Sindarin magic was one of the last vestiges of ancient learning left in the galaxy; as such, even the smallest incantation is seen as a powerful device. Now she was muttering long strings of words, waving her arms around and dancing like a sibyl drunk with rapture. Lyara and Vimmy both gave her a wide berth, and even shut their eyes and plugged their ears: no telling what she would do. The heavens opened suddenly as she completed her ritual, and a tower of electricity shot out, the bolt of Zeus striking van der Decken where he stood. Nothing remained but a blasted crater and too many bits and pieces to tally.
“Serves…you right,” Aseria gasped. How dare a mere human mock the might of the Sindarin Empire?— but then the pieces began to reform, the body was rebuilt, and in a matter of seconds, Barbarossa was whole again, not even blemished. Aseria, weary from her labors and stunned from their failure, collapsed on the ground; Lyara stumbled and crawled away; Vimmy whined and started to cry. The immortal Dutchman held his sword and methodically approached the Norgrim first. He raised his fist…
Something was wrong. Nothing happened when he swung his arm. He glanced at himself and noticed his limb had been cut off, again. Aseria had spent the last of her energy throwing her scythe. He calmly glanced at her, went to retrieve his arm— and was suddenly pierced by something that almost made him feel pain again. It was achingly familiar and wonderfully sharp; the point seemed to glow, and he staggered as it protruded from his torso. He touched it and saw his skin burn from the contact. With considerable effort, he managed to yank it out, but his hands were entirely scorched, and did not recover for a long time.
“Lillith!” Aseria cried out. The Mun stood triumphant, dripping wet and glowing with pride, her arm still wobbling from her well-timed throw. She had found the Spear Luin just in the nick of time.
“Sorry I’m late,” she announced. “We had a bit of trouble down there. Hey, prick! If you thought that was fun, wait until you get a load of what’s next!” Barbarossa wheeled around furiously, ready to hack them all to pieces, but staggered and even fell to his knees as an emerald-skinned warrior vaulted up from the cliff, wielding a blade so bright and glorious that it could’ve been made from the stars. This was the real Sword of Light, Claíomh Solais, so blindingly beautiful that none could look upon it, yet none could resist it. Sharyn seemed to burn with the same light as she gazed at her foe.
“With this my quest is at an end! The final piece of a three-part puzzle, the power to defend against wickedness and hold the darkness at bay! Thou shalt not harm us! We are the crew of the Dauntless! We have been favored above thy blade, devil-man, and thou hast no power before us! Begone!” She swung but once, and the power of the Claíomh Solais was so great that Barbarossa nearly felt agony— just as he had with the spear. Together Sharyn and Lillianne attacked with their new weapons, and their combined force ripped the Dutchman to shreds and scattered his body to the wind. Then they dropped their tools, their energy drained, and collapsed.
“Not even he could have survived that!” Lil gushed. Aseria shook her head grimly as she tended to her lover.
“I wouldn’t be so certain, Lil. He survived the worst I had to offer without even blinking. I have no doubt it will take a long time, but he will come back from that. At least we have what we came here for. For once I wish that dorky doctor were around— you both look awful!”
“Merely the strain of wielding weapons beyond the scope of our unworthy hands,” Sharyn panted. Lyara smiled warmly at her champion and held her hand. Vimmy suddenly got a great idea, and for the second time that day, was able to rescue her companions.
“I say, are you all hungry, we do still have that pot, you know, although I should call it a Cauldron, yes, you won’t think it’s so useless anymore, why, enough food to feed an army, and healing powers to boot, yes, it’s probably more useful than those silly weapons, why, we’ll never need to worry about supplies ag— ”
“Shut up, Vimmy!!”
Sigh. No respect at all.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Preview of next chapter
Valti: Okay everyone, let’s go play with the cute and cuddly cat-people!
Alala: Rrrgh, Felinis! We’re the Felinis!
Valti: Sure, sure, whatever. In the next chapter, a handful of beautiful, intrepid adventurers go on a mystical journey to recover sacred scrolls from distant lands! How exciting!
Chandra: Say Alala, does Marsa prefer women?
Alala: No, you idiot! She left Tigris because she wanted to lead a chaste life! She’s an example to us all!
Chandra: Chastity, huh? Boo-ring! Hey, maybe I can convince Yenae and Marsa to have a threesome with me!
Alala: DON’T YOU DARE!!!
Yenae: Aww, do you want me all to yourself, fluffy muffins?
Alala: Grr, that’s not what I meant!
Marsa: Oh my… Are they like this all the time?
Rebecca: Yeah, this is pretty much their whole shtick. You know, standard lover’s spats.
Alala: Lovers?!
Yenae: Tee hee-hee.
Rebecca: It’s adventure, peril, excitement, and lots of sexy fun in the next chapter, “Beautiful Place in My Heart: journey to the west”. So do you all still think I’m attractive, even with my wings?
Chandra: I’m actually more attracted to you.
Alala: I think you’re pretty.
Yenae: I’d totally hit that. Rowr!
Marsa: Chastity does look kind of dull now…
Rebecca: (blush) Oh my. Is THIS what my father wanted? My god! I’ve turned into a playa!
Back to Voyage of the Dauntless Index - Back to Original Fiction Shoujo-Ai Fanfiction