Island Shifters: Book 01 - An Oath of the Blood (48 page)

“Of course,” he said, laughing, and it sounded like a gurgle. “Haven’t you figured it out yet, Master Atlan? Everybody in Aquataine is a watershifter.”

Beck was stunned. “Watershifter! I…. I did not know it was possible. I thought there were only the four metamagics of power?”

“Four? Highworld, no! There are many metamagics known to us, and many more that are not. What kind of shifter are you?”

“Earth.”

“Well, then, we shift the water the same way you do the ground. As you may have noticed, we have also started to take on the characteristics of water beings and can now move rapidly through the water without even shifting.” Digby pointed to his bare webbed feet and webbed hands. It was not something particularly discernible unless you knew what to look for.

“You know,” said Beck. “I saw another of your grates before. In Pyraan.”

“Yes, we did have one in Pyraan, but it has since been destroyed.”

“So, you are aware that Pyraan was flooded and no longer exists?”

“Sadly, yes. It took quite a bit of effort to get our ports sealed again.”

Both men were silent for a moment, thinking about the devastating effects of Adrian’s spell.

“Are those gills on your neck?” he finally dared to ask. Digby nodded with a grin. He was proud of his magic and the manifestation of that magic on his physical appearance.

The watershifter steered through the cave entrance and said ceremoniously, “May I present the city of Ebba!”

A city of waterways instead of roadways, it was bustling with activity. The canals were crowded with people swimming or riding porpoises or steering rafts similar to the one he and Bajan were riding. The people came in all shapes and sizes, but it was easier than he first thought to distinguish the men from the women due to their facial features, mannerisms, and hairstyles. Buildings were situated throughout the city, some on stilts, and some on the sandy shore. Much like any other city in Massa, there were merchants selling their wares, taverns, and inns. Along the beaches, couples strolled happily arm in arm, laughing and then somersaulting into the water. Children waved and shouted at Bajan as they glided by.

From what Beck could see, it was a utopian waterworld and he wished Kiernan was here to see this undiscovered and magical place.

Digby guided them ashore in front of a modest temple constructed of limestone and clay, the front portico supported by three pink, granite pillars. “Word was sent ahead, so the Elders will be expecting you,” Digby informed him. “As soon as your meeting is finished, I will show you the way out.”

“I will need to go fast.”

Digby chuckled with a sly grin. “You have never seen a watershifter in action, have you?”

Beck smiled back. It was hard not to like the young, congenial watershifter. He reminded him of Airron.

Alighting from the raft, Beck and Bajan approached the temple and walked through the pillared portico to an archway that led to the dim, cool interior of a vestibule. A young girl appeared and motioned them inside. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw the Draca Cat, but she quickly lowered her head and held out a towel to Beck. He looked around uncertainly and then realized the towel was for him. He took it from the girl and patted the wetness from his hair and clothes, hoping that was what was expected.

The girl glanced up and nodded her approval. When he was finished, he handed the towel back to her and started to walk further into the room.

“Mister!” she admonished in a whisper, her face pale in shock. “Your shoes!”

“Huh? Oh, right.” He quickly bent down and removed his boots. Satisfied, the girl beckoned and she led them to the back of the temple to a large great hall with brightly colored walls inscribed with hieroglyphics unfamiliar to him. Directly ahead was a raised pulpit on which three men sat. All of the men had varying lengths of white hair and wore white robes, the first piece of clothing Beck had seen since coming to Aquataine.

He approached the pulpit with Bajan.

The man seated in the middle and who appeared to be the oldest of the three, spoke. “This is the first time in a very long time that an outsider has entered our world,” he croaked out in the same watery voice that was distinctive to the watershifters. Beck remained silent. Whatever the Elders had to say to him, he wanted them to say it fast.

“We have several entrances into Aquataine,” the Elder continued, “but since magic is required to enter, we have never feared discovery from Massans. We know there is great turmoil brewing on the island, but we cannot be involved. It is not a decision based on cowardice, but on necessity. Because of our affinity with the water, we would perish outside of Aquataine. We need the water to live and breathe. In fact, we can no longer visit the Surface World for more than a few hours at a time.”

The watershifter looked uneasily at his companions and said, “We require an Oath of Silence. You will always be welcome in Aquataine, as are all shifters, but you must never bring a non-magical entity into our world. The lives of our people are at stake.”

Beck looked into the eyes of each Elder and was surprised by what he found.

Terror.

They were terrified that he would not agree to take the oath. Terrified that, as the protectors and wisemen of the watershifters, they would be unable to ensure the safety of their people.

“With all due respect, Elders, it is not necessary. If keeping your world a secret will preserve the people of Aquataine, then I shall keep that secret. I am already bound by a blood oath to protect the people of Massa. The magic that courses through my veins is more powerful than any verbal oath I could give to you.”

The Elders looked at each other again, and Beck could tell that they were still nervous.

Sighing, he said, “If it makes you feel more confident, I will do as you say.” He went to one knee. “Until released, I, Beck Jaimes Atlan, earthshifter, and
Savitar
, do solemnly vow to undertake an Oath of Silence regarding the world of Aquataine and all of its citizens to all non-magical entities on the Island of Massa.”

When Beck looked up again, he could see the relief in the faces of the Elders. “We are in your debt, shifter.”

Beck nodded. “Now, how do I get out of here?”

“You could have told me about the shoes!” barked Beck to Digby as soon as he and Bajan sprinted from the temple and leapt back onto the raft.

“Oops.”

Digby dove elegantly into the water, grasped the rear of the boat with his hands, and began to propel them at breakneck speed back to where he and Bajan first entered Aquataine. It was all Beck could do to hang on. It was staggering how fast the watershifter could move in the water.

Once clear of Ebba and back on the beach in the first cavern, Digby pointed out the concealed stairway that led back to the Surface World, as the watershifters called it.

“Thank you for showing me your world, Digby.”

Digby grinned ear to ear. “Of course. Good luck, Master Atlan. I hope to see you again soon.”

“And I you,” responded Beck genuinely. He jumped from the raft and started toward the stairs when something that one of the Elders said rushed back to him. His heart skipped a beat at the possibility. He turned back toward Digby.

“Digby!” he called to him. “Just where
are
all of the entrances to Aquataine?”

Adrian drummed his fingers on his desk as he listened to Lucin’s report. The Iserlohn Army was camped on the western lip of the Valley of Flame, but had made no further move as of yet. Whether they were there to surrender or fight was still uncertain. Of the twelve demons sent out weeks ago to harass the citizens of Massa, none had returned. Either they were still engaging the enemy or were defeated, the latter being a very unlikely possibility. The people of Massa were no match for a demon.

There had been no word of the
Savitars
. He had expected to hear from them by now, with Earthshine only days away. And, what of the armies of Dwarves and Elves? The scouts he sent on foot had not returned. It was taking far too long to obtain the answers he needed. He had no choice but to create more demons.

As usual, Lucin was being difficult and refusing to allow more of his soldiers to be sacrificed. The Cyman was very quickly becoming a dangerous liability and would have to be dealt with soon.

He looked at his Captain threatening. “I need them, Lucin.”

Lucin shook his head. “My soldiers will fight for you just as well as men instead of the abominations you wish to create.”

He laughed cruelly. “And, are you not an abomination of my creation, Lucin?’

The big man flinched. “We are not mindless, evil monsters.”

Adrian snorted. “Yes, something went horribly wrong there,” he murmured in agreement.

“Give the Cymans a chance, Master,” said Lucin.

“I do not have time for chances, Lucin. We are at war! I need information, and I need it now!” Enraged, he stood up from his desk. “Especially, since you refuse to give me the third prophecy. Do not for one single moment think that I cannot retrieve that information from you by force if I so choose. I could peel the skin off your body one strip at a time to get that prophecy! You and your army are serving a purpose, so you may keep your skin for a while longer. Now, run along and give me thirty soldiers for this evening’s rite or you will no longer serve that purpose. Can I make it any simpler than that for your thick skull? It is either thirty men or the entire Cyman Army!”

The doors to his chambers opened and his sister stalked in, black robe trailing behind her. “Well, well, some things never change. At it again, you two?” she asked, walking directly to the mahogany sideboard to help herself to wine. “Lucin, if this is about Adrian’s Demon Army, I assure you that I was as shocked as you about his ability to spiritshift. Unfortunately, Captain, we do need them.”

“For what purpose?”

“Prophecy, Captain.
‘For the dark to conquer the land of old, the spirits will need to sing.’
” she recited. “Adrian will need the aid of the demon spirits to be successful.”

Lucin’s shoulders dropped in defeat and he sighed. “I just want this to be over,” he said softly. “I just want to win this war and get my people back to Nordik.” He turned and started walking toward the door. “You will ‘ave your thirty men, Mage. I will send them at nightfall.”

And he was gone.

Adrian joined his sister at the sideboard. “What an idiot. Tell me, sister, is his son really still alive?”

“Of course not. He was too much of a threat to leave behind alive.”

“I am starting to feel the same way about Lucin,” he scoffed.

“Have you had any word about the Dwarven and Elven armies?” she asked.

He shook his head. “No, none.”

“Trust me, Adrian, I think they will fight. From what I have learned, these lands will not submit easily.”

Adrian’s eyes turned hard. “Then they will submit the hard way. It makes no difference to me either way.”

“The problem,” she reasoned, “is that the Demon Army can only travel at night. They cannot walk the land during light.”

Adrian walked away to study the camped army outside of Starfell. “I have been thinking about that as well. If my army cannot tolerate light, then I will give them darkness.”

Chapter 28