

Embremere

by

William Kenney
Copyright 2012

William Kenney

Smashwords edition

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Also by William Kenney:

In the Shadow of the Black Sun series

(All ages epic fantasy)

Book 1: A Dream of Storms

Book 2: Shards of S'Darin

Others

Undergrowth, a horror novella

Blog:

AuthorWilliamKenney.blogspot.com

Email:

WilliamKenney_author@yahoo.com

CHAPTER ONE

The circular stone was pulled away as Grivvin struggled against the guards. A hole, roughly twice the width of his shoulders was revealed, the sound of the churning water crashing below easily heard. The ferocious storm had not relented for six days, battering the city of Embremere and costing the fishermen many days work. The rain beat so hard against the cathedral windows on this night, that he fully expected them to shatter from the force.

"Can you stop the storm now, Wychan? You'd better give us a display of your abilities or you'll be feeding the bottom dwellers," growled the guard known as Thax. Like most of the royal soldiers, he kept his head shaved, giving him a most sinister appearance.

"It doesn't work like that, I told you!" Grivvin explained as he tried to back away from the gaping hole to no avail.

"You are a Wychan, fool! Of course it works like that. Your father was a Wychan and his father before him. Since your dear sisters are away, you are the last of the bloodline. Now, stop this bloody storm!"

"My father's power didn't reach its full strength until he was nearly forty years old. I'm only seventeen and there's no one left to teach me! How can you expect me to bend the weather to my will at my age?"

Footfalls echoed throughout the room as another figure joined them. Grivvin could not see the man, despite twisting in the guards grip.

"You have the books. Can you stop this storm or not, Wychan?" said the commanding voice. Grivvin recognized it, the voice of Kelt, Prince of Embremere, he of jet-black hair and soul.

"Your grace....I-"

"Can you stop it?"

"No, your grace, but I-"

"I have heard enough! Throw him in!" Prince Kelt ordered and walked off into another chamber. "I've had enough of his disobedience. Wychan, eh? The word seems to mean incompetence."

"Wait, wait! You can't do this!"

The Prince chuckled, his voice barely audible. "I can do anything I want, boy."

With a shove, Grivvin dropped through the hole. He had enough sense to inhale deeply just before the turbulent waves took him in. The force of the water was unbelievable and struggle as he might, it tossed him about like a ragdoll. And it was cold, his muscles tightening in response as the current pulled him along violently and at an alarming speed. His body spun several revolutions, causing him to lose all sense of direction. With the darkness of night, he could not be sure which way was up.

Suddenly, something wrapped around his waist, entangling him, preventing him from swimming for the surface. His lungs were near to bursting as he fought against the thing, hands pulling at its thick, cold length. He knew that soon his body would surrender, the air in his lungs no longer enough to sustain his life, and on reflex, he would gasp for air. Upon inhaling the water, he would drown. It was inevitable. Something slithered beneath his arm and tugged hard, trying to pull him away to some deep and hidden lair. The pressure in his head was now unbearable and he felt his consciousness slipping away as he rose in the water. Something had pulled him free of the thing, but it mattered not. His air was gone. He had nearly reached his lungs capacity and would die here, floating in the Lake Embremere. He felt his head break the surface, moonlight filling his eyes as he opened them in shock. He gasped painfully for air, spitting out lake water, the constriction of his chest excruciating.

"Stop flailing about! You'll drown us both!" someone called out next to him, she that had pulled him from the creature's grasp. She had slipped her arm over his chest and was pulling him along on his back. He did his best to stop struggling and allow the panic to fade. He would not die this day.

She pulled him roughly out of the water and dropped him upon the hard wooden planking. He spit and gagged for several moments, then rolled to his back to look at her. He had heard stories of this place, The Under, and had hoped to never visit. The refuse of Embremere ended up here, the criminals and outcasts, the poor and the ill. It was essentially a city under the city, constructed within, and connected, to the massive beams that held Embremere far above the surface of the lake. Years ago the first outcasts had begun its creation, and now it was a dark maze of hobbled-together buildings and floating platforms.

She had turned away from him and was digging through her knapsack frantically. From where he lie, he could see that she was very fair of skin, as he imagined most of the Underdwellers were, hidden from the light of the sun. The color of her hair, being a shocking shade of pink, stood out starkly in the dim light as did the assortment of jewelry that she wore. There appeared to be five black lines tattooed around her left arm and other markings along her neck.

"Damn. This thing always gets tangled," she muttered to herself.

He coughed and she turned toward him.

"Just be grateful that you were cast out during such a storm, my friend," she called out over the storm, never really meeting his eyes. "Here, there are those that keep watch over the holes, waiting to steal anything you have or to kill you for sport. Besides, the predators below the surface now know exactly where to expect an easy catch. With weather such as this, even they are hidden away. Good thing this didn't happen to you in the dead of winter. Hitting the ice from such a height..."

She held in her hands a bundle of thin rope bunched into knots. On one end, there was tied a bright yellow float, roughly the size of a man's head. This she handed to him. Her wrists were decorated with colorful bracelets fashioned from shells and other aquatic objects. She also wore many necklaces, the foremost being a small fossil, the bones of a tiny fish.

"Hold this while I untangle this mess," she said, her fingers working feverishly to accomplish the difficult task.

"What are you doing?" Grivvin asked, clearing his throat.

"Shhh. I'm trying to concentrate."

She quickly had the knots unraveled, the rope wrapped in a neat coil and slung over her shoulder. She took the float from his hands and finally met his gaze.

"Don't go anywhere. It's not safe here for you, not with those clothes. You look far too wealthy to be one of us. Too...soft. Just stay here. I'll be right back."

She jumped off of the wooden platform and swam off in the direction that they had come, dragging the float behind her. She was lost to him quickly, concealed by darkness and the spray coming off of the crashing waves. He noticed that in the distance there were tiny green lights dotting the Under, illuminating the buildings with a ghostly glow. Fear began to grip him, the feeling of loneliness creeping into him at the realization of his situation.

Cast out and for no good reason.

The royal family asked for things that were impossible and when he could not provide them, he had outlived his usefulness. He had assumed wrongly that his position was safe. After all, he was the last Wychan in Embremere. They needed him.

Apparently not.

They knew that the charms he had set would eventually wear off, didn't they? They had put their security at risk by banishing him, the fools. There were other far more trivial charms, but those upon the gates and doors were of significant importance. Intruders could never penetrate the castle without uttering the exact words. Once the charms had faded, brute force could be used to enter the keep.

That was no longer his problem. No, he had a fresh set of problems to contend with. How did one such as he survive in the Under? In the distance, he could just make out the shadowy shapes of buildings, some swaying with the movement of the waves, others standing solid against them. The small yellow rectangles of light among them gave evidence of the people sheltered inside. Perhaps four stories above, he could see the underside of the platform that supported the city, stretching as far as could be seen, an impenetrable ceiling, the filthy sky of the Under. Torrents of rainwater fell through from above, the small waterfalls resembling shimmering curtains scattered about in the darkness. At the top of each massive support beam was a nest of metal wire, razor-sharp, a deterrent to those that would attempt to climb to the platform.

The girl's head suddenly emerged from the water near his feet and she quickly pulled herself back on to the floating pier. She reached into a pack at her waist and retrieved a pair of black goggles, which she slipped over her head. She once again faced out, her eyes scanning the water to the west and stopped with a smile.

"Safe and sound," she said and pulled the goggles off with one quick motion.

Grivvin stared at her, puzzled. She turned to him, seeing the confused expression on his face.

"What?" she asked.

"Where did you-" Grivvin started.

"Back to where I rescued you. Quite a mystery you've discovered, I'd say."

"Back there? You could've been killed! That thing had me and was pulling me down. What kind of creature was that? Whiteshard Serpent? Squid?"

She simply stared at him for some time, amazed at his ignorance. She shook her head in disbelief.

"I placed a target near that chain. There's something important down there and I'm coming back for it."

"Chain?"

"The chain, yes. It was wrapped around you. You would have drowned if I hadn't freed you from it," she said in a tone dripping with sarcasm. "Whiteshard Serpent," she said with a chuckle.

His face flushed with embarrassment and he attempted to immediately change the subject.

"Uh, what do you mean you placed a target on it? What are those spectacles that you were using?"

"You really don't know?" she asked, her forehead wrinkling as she studied his face. He just shook his head.

"Do they teach you anything up there?"

She attempted to straighten her hair, running her fingers through the tangled pink mess, all the while studying him. He noticed a small six-pointed star tattooed near her left eye and several metal studs piercing her ears.

"We have to get you inside. You're going to get killed out here. Follow me," she said as she headed down the swaying platform taking a very narrow alley in between two buildings. The structures here seemed to have been fashioned from whatever the builders could find. Each building was constructed from many different materials, some bits of wood, some sheets of metal, a tarp tied down here and a wall made of shipping crates there. And every surface had been painted with bright and colorful murals, some of which had been defaced at a later date with obscene graffiti.

As he walked behind her, he noticed the short swords at her side, the knife on her thigh. She had many layers of thin clothing and he could imagine that she concealed many items within. Underneath it all, it appeared that she wore a body suit of black eel skin, slightly reflective and tight. She was quite attractive to him and he fought to distract his mind and think of other things. It wouldn't be right, a Wychan of his age with impure thoughts.

"Wait here," she called out and disappeared into a black doorway to their right. A decaying sign hung above the door read, 'Traders and Traitors'.

She suddenly rejoined him and shoved a bundle of cloth at him.

"Put that on. We've got to make you look like one of us. You stand out like a pearl in a pile of s-"

"It stinks!" Grivvin remarked as he opened it, revealing a light brown and wrinkled jacket that reeked of dead fish and ale. It was decorated with shells all about the shoulders and the sleeves were pierced by numerous fishhooks.

"Oh, I'm sorry, your majesty. All of the jackets that smelled like water roses were sold out. Look, I am trying to keep you alive. Why? I have no idea. Against my good judgment, I jumped in and saved your sorry arse. Now, put the thing on, so we can make it home in one piece."

He slipped the soiled jacket on, his eyes watering at the stench and fought the urge to vomit.

She smiled.

"Nice. It suits you."

He scowled at her as she headed down the alley once more.

The rhythmic and steady pattern of water beat down upon the tin roof back at the girl's place, her small residence built directly under one of Embremere's many rain outlets. The place was essentially two rooms, with the addition of a storage closet along one side and lit with the same pale, green globes as the city. He examined one of them closely, finding a species of eel coiled within the round glass container. It was this creature that produced the light that illuminated the room. A small cot had been placed along the opposite wall, an old wooden crate in the corner. Onto this she threw her various packs and swords, then began to strip off the outer layers of her clothing. Grivvin turned his face to the side, unsure of how far she would undress. She removed all but the bodysuit and combed through her hair as she stared into a broken piece of mirror affixed to one of the wall supports.

The skin-tight suit accentuated her curves and he could see the muscles of her back and arms through the material as she made herself more presentable. Evidently satisfied, she turned to him, wrinkling her nose.

"You're right, that thing stinks. Give it to me."

He gladly removed the jacket and threw it to her. She opened the door to the other room and tossed the garment into a makeshift bathtub fashioned from a section of a small fishing craft. There was a long rope that ran through a pulley system overhead and hung nearly to the floor. She yanked on it and suddenly water began to pour from the ceiling above and fill the tub. She grabbed a dish from a shelf containing peach-colored powder and tossed a pinch in with the jacket. The room was immediately filled with a sweet and fruity smell as the substance began to bubble upon dissolving in the water. She let go of the rope, which stopped the flow of water from above and picked up an oar that had been leaning against the wall. She used it to push the jacket underwater and stir it a bit to let the powder do its work.

"That should take care of it. We'll let that thing soak for awhile," she said and shut the door. She threw herself upon the cot and exhaled loudly, her eyes closed. She opened one eye and stared at him, still standing in the middle of the room.

"Well, sit down. Grab a crate."

"What are we doing?" Grivvin asked as he sat.

"I'm working on a plan," she said, her eyes still tightly shut. "I know the waters around here. That chain is something new. I'm guessing that this crazy storm has stirred something along the bottom and I want to know what it is. You realize that even the chain alone is worth some serious coin, don't you? In the Under, there is no such thing as garbage. We don't throw away anything. Nearly everything can be used for something and metal is very sought after."

"So, how are you going to find it?" he asked.

"I told you. I placed a marker on it," she started, then stood up and walked to the other crate, digging through her pack. She pulled out the goggles and walked over to him.

"Here, put these on. I'll show you."

He hesitantly slipped the band over his head and adjusted the lenses over his eyes. He looked left, then right.

"What is supposed to happen?" he asked.

She pointed behind him.

"Turn and look in that direction."

He slowly spun to his right, facing the wall. As he did his vision changed in color to a yellowish hue. He glanced once more to the left, his eyes saw normally once more. Back toward the wall and everything glowed again.

"Wow."

"The lenses are made from enchanted crystal and tuned to the tracker. When you're looking in the direction of the thing that you've marked, the crystals change color. Nice, huh?"

"Absolutely. The goggles will always lead you directly to it. These are great," he said.

"And expensive," she responded.

"How much did they cost you?"

"Oh, I didn't say I bought them," she said with a mischievous smile.

"Heh, heh. I see."

"In this place, you do what you have to, to survive...especially if you're a woman," she explained as she took the goggles from him.

"Yes, I can see that," he said, returning her smile. "So, you plan to return to the chain and steal it somehow?"

"My gut tells me that there is something important at the end of that chain. Call it a hunch or a woman's intuition, there is something of value there, I know it."

"How do you plan to get to the lake bottom? It's too far down. You could never hold your breath that long," Grivvin reasoned.

"You're right. That's where I'm stuck. The only ones that can dive that far are the Cuda. No one else has the equipment for such things."

They both became quiet, lost in thought for a moment, staring at the floor.

"Are you hungry?" she asked. "I've got some fruits and vegetables, a loaf of bread..." She reached to the floor and grabbed a loop of rope and pulled up. A trap door swung open, revealing a large storage area below the floor. In a net, she had many types of edibles and began to rummage through the contents. She stood up suddenly and held out her hand.

"Here, do you like avocados? This one's just right, not too soft." She grabbed the knife from her pack and handed it to him. As he reached out to take it, she drew back with a gasp.

"Your hand. Oh my- let me see that. Hold out your hand again." He did as she asked and she saw it once more, the elaborate symbol branded into the flesh of his palm. It was largely a triangular glyph, with many small runes surrounding it.

"Wychan. You're a Wychan!"

She backed away, bringing her hand to her mouth.

"I thought they were all dead. If the Cudas find out...you have to keep that hidden. Don't ever show that to anyone and don't tell anyone what you are. I've got some gloves in here somewhere..." She began rummaging through her supplies and finally produced a pair of men's gloves, blue and covered with the scales of a fish. She helped Grivvin pull them on and suddenly her eyes lit up.

"Wait! With your magic, you can help me with that chain! That shouldn't be a problem for one such as you. Hold on, why did they cast you out? A Wychan? You must be pretty important in the Over, right? What happened?"

"The power is not what it once was. Every generation, the magic has faded and our numbers have dwindled. There are no elders remaining, no one to teach the ways of the order. I've been on my own for several years now. I have all of the books...but I am lost."

"This infernal storm put an end to me, to be honest. It has cost the royal family dearly and it shows no signs of stopping. They ordered me to use my powers, end it." He paused for a moment.

"I couldn't," he finally admitted.

"But you can help with the chain, right?" she asked.

He shook his head.

"My powers are weak. I know many of the charms, have them memorized, but I can't fully connect to the Spiral."

"Spiral? Oh, right, right. I've heard of it. There's some limitless mass of energy floating about that you Wychans draw your powers from, right?" she asked.

"Exactly. Those of the blood can feel its presence and pass through the veil that surrounds it. Once you're through the veil, you take what you need from the Spiral or at least, that's the theory. I've never managed it myself."

She frowned.

"So, you just need to learn how to pass through the veil and reach the Spiral." She thought for a moment. "Look, I will look after you, help you survive and you help me with that chain, agreed? I know someone that might be able to help you with this Spiral business. I should take you to see Mucker. He's the smartest man in the Under."

"No offense, but I doubt if this Mucker fellow will know-"

"You would be surprised. Wait, what's your name anyway, Mr. Wychan?" she asked.

"Grivvin and yours?"

"I'm Lyrica. Nice to meet you, Grivvin," she said with a broad smile and extended her hand to shake his.

"Lyrica, eh?"

"Yes, my father was a songwriter in his day. Hence, the name."

"I like it," Grivvin said with a nod. She smiled at him with a tilt of her head.

"Me, too."

When morning came, the storm's rage had calmed somewhat, yet still it pitched the floating piers of the Under to and fro. All was still cast in grey, but the light of day, albeit slight, rendered the city much clearer to Grivvin's eyes as he followed Lyrica's path. He marveled at the multi-leveled structure of the Under, most of the buildings floating, but some attached at differing heights to the great alder beams that supported Embremere above. By the look of it, much of the refuse from above had been gathered and re-used in the construction of this city.

For the first time, Grivvin got a look at some of the other residents that lived here, the populace now going about their daily business. To his eyes, they were all very wild-looking, tattoos and bright feathers in their hair. Their clothing was put together much the same as the city, with remnants and collected pieces sewn together to create something useful. The mixture of patterns and colors was shocking to the eyes at first, but he soon grew accustomed to it.

"Do you have any coin?" she called over her shoulder.

"Just a few silvers, that's all. I didn't know I'd need it," he answered. She spun and faced him.

"Silvers?" she whispered. "Are you kidding me?"

He reached into his pocket and produced five gleaming coins bearing the mark of the sailfin, Embremere's adopted symbol. She quickly closed his fingers around them and stared at him intensely.

"You can't just hold them out for everyone to see, fool! In this place, that is a lot of coin. Put them away. Someone's going to gut you like a gator."

As they exited the narrow alleyway, the loud sound of a crowd suddenly reaching them, Lyrica grabbed his hand in hers. They abruptly stepped into a wide-open area filled with vendors hawking their wares from stalls set in concentric circles. Each stall bore a colorful cloth awning, the name of the establishment embellished upon it. People moved about, many carrying large straw baskets filled with goods.

She pulled him along, directly through the center of the market, weaving her way in between the groups of customers. Grivvin was hit by a wave of strange and exotic smells, reaching him from the many stalls that sold food. His stomach rumbled in response, having had little sustenance since his banishment the night before.

They drew to a halt in front of a large stall, its wooden face painted in red, with sword, shield and axe inscribed upon it. Scrawled in black, read the words, 'Things to kill with'. Sitting behind the stall on a high stool was a wiry young man with an untrustworthy grin.

"Lyrica...hey, princess," he said slowly and rather distastefully, licking his lips. He wore a skin-tight skullcap, dark grey in color with white triangles painted at the temples. His flesh was nearly white, like the underbelly of a fish and his shirtless torso nearly glowed amongst all of the colorful decorations. Like many others in attendance, his body was covered with markings, skulls and banners, tattooed gills at his ribs. Behind him were several racks of weapons, swords and knives mostly, but also clubs, axes and spears. There were two iron shields affixed to the two rickety supports that held his awning aloft.

"Waterwolf," she said with a sideways glance. "I need something."

Waterwolf grinned from ear to ear. "I knew you'd come around. But, who's this guy? He your new shacker? I don't like uninvited guests."

She leaned in closer.

"I need a boat."

"Well, why are you askin' me? Boch is the boat man. Go ask him," he said, pointing across the marketplace.

"Not that kind of boat, Waterwolf."

He raised a thin eyebrow.

"You know where I can commission one, yes?" Lyrica asked.

"Of course. Waterwolf can get you anything. They don't call me the Under Wonder for nothing, ya know."

"They don't call you that. I won't mention what they do call you," she stated. He stiffened and leaned closer to her.

"What's in it for me, princess?"

"Three coins."

"Make it five," he countered.

"Fine. Five coins when you deliver."

"You know, this is a big risk I'm taking, Lyrica. Wherever you're going with that boat, it better be important. The Cudas see ya, you and your friend are dead. No one uses the boats in their waters without their permission and I'll need a deposit as well, in case you run off with the boat."

"Fine," she said. "How soon?"

"Oh, I can have it by tonight. Meet me in the Grokkmyr District, behind Drowned Souls. You'll have your boat." He then shot Grivvin a threatening and envious look.

"Waterwolf, if you don't show up, I'll come looking for you," said Lyrica and he met her eyes.

"I wouldn't do that, princess. I remember what happened last time...or should I say my face remembers."

"Good."

She turned away then and led Grivvin away from the stall. Her attitude became more relaxed as they stepped into the gathered throng and headed toward that which was creating the delicious scents in the air. Soon, they stood among the food stalls, smoke rising into the air and gathering under Embremere's platform above.

"I'm starving," Grivvin said, holding a hand to his stomach.

"Well, you can't pay with the coins you have. It would bring too much attention. Let me take care of it," she offered. "What would you like?"

"Right now, it all smells good," Grivvin mumbled. He peered over the shoulders of those standing in front of him and saw many types of fish on the grill, vegetable dishes, even water snake.

"Ghost trout is one of my favorites and Melynia makes it the best. You should try some," Lyrica said and upon receiving a nod from Grivvin, she moved ahead and soon placed her order. In minutes, she had returned, a sizzling plate in her hands. She motioned with her head for him to follow and led him to a cluster of tables near the water.

"Grivvin, try not to stand out so much. Try to look like you fit in. You're sitting too stiff. Relax your body. If I were one of the Cuda, I'd pick you out from leagues away as an outsider."

He shot her an angry look while stuffing his mouth with trout.

"You don't like the way I sit? Let me explain something to you. Serving the royal family requires a certain...flair. Manner of dress and yes, even posture is important in holding that job. It might take me a bit to come down to your standards," he said.

"No offense," Lyrica explained. "It's just that...well, down here, you're a bit of a tad."

"A what?"

"A tad. You know, tadpole? New and inexperienced."

He rolled his eyes.

"I'll do my best to slouch."

They spent the remainder of the day mostly outdoors, with Lyrica showing him the sights and instructing him on the ways of the Under. Around midday, she brought him to a rather dangerous part of her neighborhood and changed his silver into something more easily spent. Now, instead of six silvers, he had nearly fifty new coins apparently fashioned from beautiful nacre.

Strangely enough, for a city that consisted of the trash from Embremere, the people were generally a happy and pleasant sort. Most were poor and existed on little, but their smiles were some of the widest that Grivvin had ever seen. Their laughter was contagious as well and soon he had joined in with them, his spirits lifted by the life of the place.

Darkness came quickly in The Under, for unless you dwelled on the outer perimeter, the light of the falling sun was blocked by the city itself and by the mass of Embremere. The rain had mostly stopped, only a steady mist in the air, but the wind blew hard and the water still undulated as if giant serpents wrestled beneath the surface. Lyrica had led him to the docks, wherein many small craft were moored. She produced a key, unlocked a gate and they climbed into her small boat. As she sat, she threw him an oar.

"Lend me a hand, will ya?"

Honestly, he had never rowed a boat in his life, but he would not mention that to her lest he be referred to as a tad once again. He simply followed her lead as he sat behind her, pushing them through the water.

"So, we can't take this boat to see this Mucker you spoke of?" he asked.

"No, it's much too far. It'd take us a week to reach him in this thing. No, Waterwolf will bring us what we need. He can be quite the snail, but I've known him since I was a little girl. We've been through some rough times together, he and I."

Ahead, Grivvin noticed bright lights of many colors coming from a large building supported by stilts and surrounded by numerous watercraft. As they drew closer, he could see the words 'Drowned Souls' painted in yellow across the entire back wall of the place. Voices in conversation could be heard as they approached, coming from those gathered just outside.

"This is the place," Lyrica announced as they began to slow. "It's a popular place, a tavern. My father performed here...when he was still alive. He was well known in these parts. His old friends still look out for me." She lowered her head, searching under the pier. In the darkness below the platform, she saw a brief flicker of light and then another.

"There," she said and pulled hard on her left oar, spinning them to face it. The boat quickly slid between the supports and was engulfed in the blackness of the space below. A few short oar strokes later and they slowed, bumping into one of the stilts and coming to rest.

"Waterwolf?"

"Yeah, it's me," a voice called out and the orange flicker of flame bathed his face in light. "Come on, hop in."

They moved themselves and their belongings into his boat, their weight rocking it back and forth.

"Lyrica, you know the deal. I want the boat back in one piece, yeah? That means, don't get caught by the Cuda, don't bring attention to yourself."

"Of course," she responded as she situated her pack upon the floor. "And here is your coin as promised."

She counted out five of the nacreous coins and dropped them into his palm as he grinned.

"I think I'll go right upstairs and spend me some of this."

"Yes, I thought you might," she replied with a shake of her head.

Hopping into her boat, he grabbed the oars and started to pull away.

"Be careful, princess. I don't know what you're after, but I've seen that look in your eyes before."

She waved him off as he passed out of sight.

"All right, let's get out of here. Grab the oars and head back the way we came," she said. It was nearly impossible to see under the pier, but they soon came back out into the open, the bright lights of Drowned Souls nearly blinding them. They moved through the water and passed the crowd, some of them singing along with the music inside. Soon, the sound and light faded and they glided smoothly down the open waterways.

Grivvin looked around their present craft with a frown. Why was this boat any better than the previous? In size, it was bigger, but they rowed just the same. He exhaled in confusion.

"All right, drop your oars," Lyrica called out and motioned him to the back. He joined her as she unlocked a long wooden box built into the floor. From this box, she pulled out what seemed to be a rudder of sorts, but at its end was a crystal globe about the size of his fist. She lifted the rudder and slung it over the back of the craft, fastening it into a cradle with rusty bolts. She then let it fall, the crystal sinking below the surface of the water.

"Dybinlore Eurad Eergydyo," she whispered.

His eyebrows raised in surprise as he sat next to her. "That's a Wychan ch-"

The boat suddenly lurched forward, nearly pitching him to the floor and began to gain speed.

"Yyn araph, Yyn araph..." she called out softly and the boat slowed slightly, becoming more easily controlled.

"Those are Wychan charms you're using, Lyrica! How do you- That's not possible. You're not Wychan."

"The magic's not coming from me, Grivvin. It's the crystal," she explained. He moved to the back of the boat, leaning out and staring at the white glow beneath the vessel's wake. The power from the crystal was pushing them forward and Lyrica's hand on the rudder changed the direction of their course.

"How did this happen?" he asked. "The Wychan are forbidden from sharing their magic in this way. In all of the textbooks, it is the first rule."

"There was a Wychan who lived among us for a short time, exiled just as you were," she explained as he once again sat down, facing her. "He gave to us the magical items that we possess, the goggles, these boats, just a few small things to make our lives easier. It is said that when he lived in the Over, he was made to assist in the creation of the fence that surrounds us so that we can never escape this place. He told us that he regretted doing so. He was a good man. I met him once in Dockreven, where he gave a speech at the assembly hall there. The Cuda saw him as a dangerous man. He could control the Under because so many believed in him. They put an end to that."

"What happened? They killed him?" Grivvin asked.

"No one's really sure. They took him away and he was never seen again. Kindin Lo'Rynin. The people miss him."

Grivvin nearly fell from his seat.

"Kindin Lo'Rynin? He was my father!"

CHAPTER TWO

The dim onset of day had come and still they sped through the water, the Wychan crystal constant, Lyrica's skillful steering weaving them in between the grouped buildings that floated or stood upon stilts in their path. Grivvin sat, staring at the floor, his hand upon his chin and lost in thought.

He had told her of the royal family's apparent lies regarding his father's death three years prior. He knew that his father would never have ended his own life. That would have been impossible. After his sisters had been sent away, his father had fallen into depression, that was true, but he would never have taken the coward's way out. The possibility that he was still alive was very slim, she had told him, much to his dismay.

They had cast him out as well. But he had such power, how could they afford to lose him? He felt like an idiot, having visited his father's tomb on a near daily basis. He realized now why they had never let him see his father's body. Damn them.

How he wished his sisters were here now. They needed to know. He had thought it odd, that they had been sent away so suddenly. The King had ordered them to Aesen, on the opposite shore of Lake Embremere, many leagues away. An ancient Wychan tome had been found, one that would supposedly bring the power back to them and they were to retrieve it. On a great sailing ship they set off, under cover of the night, an armed guard as their escort.

Grivvin never had a chance to see them off and they still had yet to return. Evidently, a storm had run their ship aground and the repairs were costly and time-consuming. Still, they should have returned by now.

He needed to warn them of the Prince's betrayal. Surely the royals would lie to them, never informing them of Grivvin's exile. What elaborate fabrications would they create to keep them in line?

His thoughts were interrupted as the boat began to slow, Lyrica steering it over to an overhanging dock that led to a small cluster of buildings. With a thin cable, she tied the bow to one of the supports and started to climb up and on to the dock. Other travelers were passing by, moving along the waterways and there were many people milling about just across the channel in another neighborhood.

"Lyrica, you're just going to leave it here?" Grivvin asked.

"What, the boat? The crystal's dead. We've got to let it recharge and besides that cable is something else your father created while he lived among us. It's unbreakable and can only be reopened with this."

She produced a thin metal rod from an inner pocket of her jacket and waved it at him.

"Come on, not to worry. We'll get something to eat and rest a bit, then we'll be on our way." She gave him a smile and wink and pulled him along. They walked down a side street, past several merchants and a small residential section. Eventually, they came to a restaurant, tables and chairs arranged outside, makeshift umbrellas overhead. They had just seated themselves, when Grivvin noticed several groups of diners to his right rising quickly from their seats and walking off, panic upon their faces, their meals uneaten. When he turned back to his plate, he noticed that someone now stood on the opposite side of the table, across from him. He took another bite and looked up. The man, very tall and thick in the chest, wore clothing as white as snow that clung to his body like a second skin. He was hairless, both head and face, even lacking eyebrows, giving him a very odd appearance.

He was an altogether ugly thing, grey of skin, his nose very wide, eyes tiny and when he smiled down at Grivvin, an uneven cluster of teeth were revealed, differing shapes and sizes.

"Is there a reason you're still sittin'?" he asked of Grivvin. Lyrica stood quickly, grabbing her pack and motioned for Grivvin to join her.

"We apologize. We were just leaving," she said.

Another man, there were three, put his hand upon her shoulder and shoved her back into her seat.

"You still haven't answered my question, lilly," the man growled, placing his freckled and huge hands on the table. Grivvin noticed that each finger was connected by a thin, nearly translucent webbing of sorts.

"Let's go, Grivvin. We have errands to run," Lyrica said. "We're sorry about the misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding?" Grivvin asked. "There's no misunderstanding. We're trying to eat and these brutes are interrupting us." He motioned with the fork and knife in his hands toward the water. "I suggest you look for trouble elsewhere, gents."

The man stood up straight, a shocked look upon his face which soon faded to anger. Once again, he placed his filthy hands upon the tabletop and lowered his face to within inches of Grivvin's.

"You suggest?" he asked, spittle forming on his lower lip. His breath was most vile and Grivvin could not help but pull his face away. "Lilly, stand up. I want your woman to see it clearly when I gut you." The man reached behind him with his left hand, apparently in search of a weapon.

With incredible speed, Grivvin drove the knife he held through the top of the man's hand and into the tabletop beneath, fixing it there. The man howled in pain and those that accompanied him rushed toward Grivvin with blades drawn. Jumping to his feet, he backed away toward the outer wall of the restaurant. Behind him, he heard someone engage the lock on the entry door.

He curled his fingers into fists and brought them both up in front of his face, while shifting his stance to the side, offering his attackers the smallest target possible. The first of the men did not hesitate, charging straight at him with his knife, lunging for Grivvin's throat. His body thrown off-balance, he was an easy foe to dispense of as Grivvin side-stepped his attack while bringing the bony ridge of his forearm across his windpipe. The strike took the man off of his feet, dropping him straight to the ground, grabbing at his throat and gasping for air.

The second attacker, seeing this, was far more cautious as he approached, waving his two blades menacingly in front of him. He swung at Grivvin wildly with the first, the metal's edge whistling just in front of his nose as he pulled away. Grivvin threw a solid punch into the man's kidney as his body spun. He grunted in pain, gathered himself and faced Grivvin again.

"I'll let you walk out of here unharmed, if you leave us be," Grivvin explained, never dropping his guard.

Their leader, his hand still impaled upon the tabletop, cursed in pain. "Kill the bastard! What are you waiting for?" he screamed just before Lyrica smashed a wooden serving tray over his head, rendering him unconscious.

Grivvin's opponent, flashing a near-toothless smile, leapt at him again with both arms raised overhead. He simply ducked under the attack and using the man's own momentum, threw him bodily through one of the windows of the restaurant. When all had settled, the man did not move.

The door creaked open, a white-haired woman peering out with a scowl upon her wrinkled face.

"What have you done?" she asked. "The Cuda are going to be all over us now because of you. We let them have their way and they leave us alone."

"Alone? Hardly," said Grivvin as he strode toward Lyrica. "They seem like thieves and ruffians to me. You just let them walk in and take what they want?"

Lyrica looked about with a frown.

"She's right. By nightfall, this place will be crawling with them. No one ever stands up to them. They'll want blood. By the way, I didn't think the Wychan believed in violence."

"We do avoid it at all costs, but we do not allow others to do us harm without defending ourselves. Physical combat is part of our training. I had no others to train with, no Wychan, so I sparred with the King's soldiers."

"I'd say you trained well," she said with a grin. "I'm impressed."

Grivvin turned to the old woman.

"Look, I apologize for the damage that I've done. You cannot allow these men to rule over you in this way. You have to stand up for yourselves."

"We tried that, fool, and we lost most of our husbands and sons. We don't argue anymore. They take what they want and we go on living," the woman explained. "No, they'll want more than free food and ale this time. This time, they'll want coin. They'll take it all."

Grivvin reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of the nacreous coins and held them out to her.

"Take these. Pay them off. Is it enough?" he asked.

Her eyes grew wide as she picked several from his outstretched palm.

"Enough? Gods, son. Yes, it's enough."

Lyrica put a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, we need to go. Now."

Together they broke into a sprint, racing toward the dock. Quickly, they were once again seated in the boat and Lyrica had them underway, the crystal once again thrusting them through the water.

"Now we have to take the long way around. There are places that we must avoid at all costs. They'll be searching for us," she said, her hair whipping in the wind. The waves had once again grown very strong, the storm on the outside evidently picking up again.

"Are their boats as fast as this?" Grivvin asked.

She threw him a serious look.

"The Cuda don't need boats."

"What? What do you mean?" he asked.

"You didn't notice? The Cuda are part fish. They'll leap right out of the water and into the boat after us."

"Are you saying that they can swim this fast?" Grivvin asked with a startled expression.

Lyrica simply nodded.

"Our only chance of avoiding them is to cut through Pox Fen. They can't go there."

"Why not?"

"It's deserted, had to be. Actually, most of those that once lived there are dead. It was once one of the dumping areas for the Over, so the people thrived, existing on the garbage from above. One day, several barrels came down and when they were opened, the poison inside was released into the water. Over the next few weeks, people started to die. Now, the place is empty, ruined."

"Do you think it was on purpose?" Grivvin asked. "Do you think those above knew that they were going to kill people like that?"

"Of course they did. Those of Embremere knew exactly what they were doing. They don't care. Thousands of people wasted away in no time. I had cousins that lived there, Grivvin. Now, dead."

"I would argue, but after discovering their lies and being thrown from the city, I cannot. I agree. I believe that they killed your people on purpose. I am sorry that I never thought much about what happened here in the Under, the people, the families, trying to survive in this trap. Until now, I've never wanted or needed for anything."

Lyrica suddenly glanced to the side, standing slightly.

"Damn!" she shouted. "They've found us! Hold on!"

Grivvin followed her stare and saw glowing lights, in pairs, below the water, the eyes of the Cuda. The boat lurched forward, Lyrica pulling more power from the crystal. They were traveling through narrow waterways and navigating them now became treacherous.

"Take this!" she screamed and tossed one of her swords overhand to him. As the blade was arcing through the air, he caught a silvery shape as it flashed in his peripheral vision, shooting out of the water in his direction. He knew he had to act fast. As soon as the sword was in his hand, he spun, leaning as far back as possible to avoid his descending attacker. He felt the blade rip into the Cuda's skin, the cool spray of blood hitting his face and the weight of the body rock their boat as it landed.

At the stern, another launched itself into the air, aiming for Lyrica. Grivvin ran awkwardly toward her, the craft pitching to either side as his feet hit the bottom.

"Move!" he shouted and she ducked just in time as the Cuda flew past her and slammed headlong into his chest, throwing him down. The creature rose up, one clawed hand in the air, screaming. It was naked and Grivvin saw the slits of six gills along its ribcage, twitching in response to the open air. As it came for his throat, he shoved the tip of the sword into its belly and drove it up, piercing the heart. It fell to the side as he jumped to his feet.

Two of the Cuda had managed to climb on board and were moving in on Lyrica, who stood poised with short sword and knife. She slowly backed toward Grivvin as they hissed and growled at her. The boat had begun to slow with her hand no longer on the rudder and he could see more Cuda moving in from below the surface of the lake, their eyes like twin glowing beacons streaking through the water.

"I need to get back to the rudder, Grivvin." she said never taking her eyes off of the Cuda. "This channel doesn't run straight forever."

"Get behind me," he said as he stepped forward. The Cuda hissed and foamed at the mouth. These seemed to be of a different variety than those he had faced at the restaurant. They never spoke, were more animalistic than their brethren. He extended his blade out in front of him and with the other hand, ran his fingers delicately along the blunt edge of the metal.

"Xhiego..." he said in a low tone and the sword began to give off a faint light. The Cuda stopped as they noticed the glowing tip swaying before them. Once again, Grivvin repeated the word while waving the sword. The creatures were suddenly transfixed by the ghostly movement of the blade, their heads following it from left to right, as Grivvin continued the chant.

"Vin Xhiego!" he shouted and the Cuda stopped in confusion. They brought their webbed hands to their faces and touched their eyes. Grivvin ran toward them, slamming into them with his shoulder, sending them overboard. Lyrica jumped to the stern and grabbed the rudder just as they neared a turn in the channel. She pulled it hard to starboard, throwing Grivvin to the floor, as she narrowly missed the footings of a pier. Just then, the boat slowed and Lyrica looked down to the crystal, its light now faded and dim.

"No. We're almost there," she said, glancing behind her. As she feared, there were dozens of Cuda eyes moving toward them below the waves. Grivvin joined her and placed his hand on the handle of the rudder.

"Let me try," he said, closing his eyes in concentration. He whispered several phrases repeatedly, in a language that she could not understand and immediately the crystal was once again filled with an internal light. The boat felt as if a strong wind had shoved them forward.

They came to a crossing with channels that led to the left and right.

"Take the left!" Lyrica shouted and Grivvin pulled hard on the rudder, sending them in the direction she had indicated. She took a quick glance at him and noticed the beads of sweat that had appeared on his forehead, the intense look in his eyes.

"Lyrica, how much longer?" he asked, the veins protruding along his temples and neck.

"Nearly there, Grivvin. Don't let up now."

He gritted his teeth, struggling to retain command over the spell, but his strength was fading. He had transferred energy in this way before, but never for this duration. He began to feel weak and light-headed.

"Lyrica..." he moaned and his legs gave out, his body collapsing to the floor of the boat. Everything went black as he lost consciousness.

"We made it!" was the last thing he heard as the darkness took him.

The sound of muffled drums reached his ears and he stirred. For a moment, he began to drift back to sleep, but the drums became more insistent, coaxing him from the pleasant comfort of dreams. The drums became a melody, somewhat clearer with defined patterns, raising and lowering in pitch. He shook his head, his eyes still closed, as the steady sound became a voice, Lyrica's voice.

"Grivvin? Please don't be dead," she begged, lightly slapping his cheek. He opened his eyes, blinking repeatedly and saw her face above his. She had tears in her eyes, but still she smiled.

He smiled back at her and tried to sit up, but his head still spun.

"I thought you were dead. You had no pulse, your heart had stopped."

He finally managed to right himself, glancing around, his eyes blurry. Everything seemed to have a greenish hue, the water, the buildings, even the underside of Embremere's platform high overhead.

"It's a Wychan defense mechanism. If our energies are depleted so far in battle that we black out, it appears as though we are dead. I suppose the theory is that if the enemy thinks you are dead, they will leave you be long enough for your power to regenerate."

Lyrica frowned at him.

"How am I supposed to know if you are truly dead?" she asked.

He thought for a moment, chewing on his lip.

"You won't," Grivvin said with a shrug.

"Guess I just wait around until you start to rot, eh?" she asked, obviously agitated.

"Yes, the smell should give it away."

She slapped his arm with a shake of her head.

"Well, welcome to Pox Fen, Grivvin. Whatever you do, do not touch the water."

By now, his vision had cleared and he scanned the area around them. The surface of the green water, as far as he could see, bubbled and frothed like a kettle set to boil. The air was pungent with a slight sulfurous odor that burnt the nostrils and throat. Many of the buildings had collapsed and their decaying frames lie half-submerged, sitting in the water at odd angles. At the water line and creeping up the nearby structures was a lichen of sorts, attached like barnacles to the wooden and metal ruins.

"We have a problem, Grivvin. My plan was to hide out here for a short time and then be on our way, but now the Cuda know that we are here. We cannot escape without their knowledge. There's no way out."

"And our boat is dead, correct?" he asked.

"For now, yes," she answered, running her hands through her pink hair.

"Well, until the crystal has recharged, we have no choice but to paddle. Grab the oars, maybe we can find a place to disembark."

"Right. We can't stay this close to the boundary. The Cuda might become brave and risk the Pox Fen to get at us," she agreed. Together, they set the oars into their metal eyehooks and clamped them down.

"Go very slowly, Grivvin. No splashing. The water in here is deadly, even a drop."

"I can tell by the way it has eaten the homes. It's like the wood is dissolving," Grivvin said.

"Imagine what it would do to your flesh," Lyrica responded.

They moved the boat gently forward and headed into the remains of the vast village that was once Pox Fen. Many of the structures still had painted signs designating the business name and services provided. It made him sad to think that all of these people were most likely dead. In most instances, the skeletons of the buildings still stood tall, the walls and floors having long since decomposed, giving the place the appearance of a dead forest. As they passed, they could peer inside each of the structures, many still retaining the furniture and personal items of the former residents. It was a very eerie feeling, sliding quietly through what was essentially a massive floating cemetery.

Just then, Grivvin thought he saw movement to his side and his eyes shot up to the roof of one of the few buildings that still seemed intact. Lyrica noticed his change in posture and stopped rowing.

"What is it?"

"I thought I saw something, there on the rooftop," he explained, pointing to the spot above them.

"Impossible. Nothing lives in here," she said, wrapping her hands around the oars again. The dark silhouette of a head popped up and disappeared as quickly.

"There! I saw it! Lyrica, there is something on that roof. This place is not as empty as you think it is."

She stopped again, studying the roofline above intently and raised her eyebrows as she, too, saw something appear and then vanish from sight.

"How..? How could something survive in this place? She pulled on the oars and began to move their craft closer to the leaning front of the building.

"What are you doing?" Grivvin asked.

"I have to see what that thing is," she answered, continually studying the wooden frame that jutted from the water. "Help me. Move us down just a little. I think we can get on the platform there. Just don't touch anything green."

Grivvin shook his head. Now he wished he had never said anything about what he saw. He may have just cost them their lives. The boat smacked against the house sideways and Lyrica jumped to her feet, cable in hand. She threw it around one of the wooden poles that still stood and clasped it, securing the boat in place. With one foot on the edge of their craft, she leapt as far as possible, landing just inside of the frame of the outer wall and avoiding the poisonous lichen.

She turned to Grivvin, her arms outstretched.

"Come on," she called out.

He followed suit and landed safely next to her.

"Away from the water, it seems safe enough. That green stuff doesn't reach very far past the water's edge."

Much of the ceiling above had fallen long ago and they saw movement through the holes overhead as if several forms sought out a hiding place. Lyrica drew one of her swords and threw another to Grivvin, motioning toward the staircase that still stood against the opposite wall. As they ran for it, they narrowly escaped falling through a gaping hole in the floating platform on which they stood. They reached the stairs and bounded up, coming out onto the rooftop. From this vantage point, they could see that many of buildings were connected, their roofs still strong. Directly in front of them, several small and thin figures ran to escape, jumping from roof to roof.

Lyrica immediately set off after them, with Grivvin in tow. Strangely, those that they pursued had stopped running and stood still, three buildings away. Lyrica slowed as she approached, her blade raised in defense.

"I can't believe they've survived. Look, there are six of them!" she whispered.

In moments, they had reached the roof upon which the six people, now obviously children, stood. They were horribly thin and their bushy hair was long and hung in their faces, mostly concealing their eyes. They had arranged themselves in a half-circle around the bundled form of an apparently dead body. At each step that Lyrica took, the children drew closer together until they clung to one another in obvious fear. She lowered her weapon.

"It's all right. We won't hurt you," she said softly. "Where are your parents? You have parents, don't you?"

The children separated, each extending a filthy arm, pointing to the supine figure lying on the roof.

"I'm so sorry. This is your...father?" she asked and received nods from the strangely silent children. Lyrica moved closer, looking at the shape of the wrapped body at her feet. From the weathering of its shroud, it had obviously been in this position for years.

"Gods. How have you survived, little ones?"

They looked up at her with their large eyes and she could only hear a slight grunting sound from their throats.

"I don't think they can speak, Lyrica," Grivvin said with a sad tone.

Upon the dead man's stomach, there sat a leather case, fastened at one side with a metal clasp. Lyrica knelt down next to their father's body and turned to them.

"May I?" she asked and they nodded their assent. She carefully lifted the case and opened it, tipping it to the side. Several thin books slid out and into her hand. She opened the first, studying the writing there and realized that these must be the journals of their father. As she read, the history of these strange children slowly came to light. Their mother had been pregnant when the thing fell from the platform above and poisoned Pox Fen, very pregnant. In her condition, it was impossible to move her, so she and her husband remained behind. They had decided to leave the place after she had given birth and was out of any immediate danger.

That which turned the surrounding area green also had an unfortunate effect on the woman and in a few short weeks, the child inside of her had transformed, mutated into six children. It was too much for her body to handle and she died while delivering the children. The father, grief-stricken, no longer had the will to live and vowed to never leave her side, though she had passed. Somehow, he survived, raising their strange and inhuman offspring until their seventh year, when the poison took him as well. He had evidently taught them well, for they now appeared to be young adolescents.

"How do they live here?" Grivvin asked and each of the six cocked their heads to the side, pondering his question. "There is nothing to eat, the water's poisoned. How could they survive for so long?"

One of the children grunted and pulled at Grivvin's sleeve, motioning for them to follow. He looked at Lyrica with a shrug and together they traced the path of the children as they began hopping from rooftop to rooftop. They traveled in this manner for several hours, wondering if there would ever be an end to the journey, when the six pulled up short. Before them was a makeshift staircase pieced together from gathered parts of the buildings surrounding them. It stretched from the rooftop upon which they stood and connected to one of Embremere's thick supporting beams far across the bubbling water.

"That does not look safe," Lyrica announced, her brows coming together with concern. One by one, the children made their way onto the rickety contraption, the entire structure swaying as they stepped on to it.

"They built this to reach the Over. They sneak in and steal what they can," Grivvin said as he watched their wiry frames scurry up the ladder. "We can get out of Pox Fen in this way!"

"If we're seen, we're dead," Lyrica said as she carefully climbed onto the structure. "An Underdweller and an outcast Wychan shouldn't be too easy to pick out. This is one of those moments where having bright pink hair does not work to my advantage."

"Can they help us find our way to Mucker? Is there a way back down into the Under close to his home?" asked Grivvin, his knuckles white as he gripped the swaying ladder. Up ahead, one of the children turned, a smile upon his face and nodded excitedly.

"I suppose that's a 'yes'," said Lyrica.

They eventually made it across the shaky apparatus to the huge alder beam, the children quickly climbing it and disappearing through the platform above. Grivvin could see that the razor-sharp metal fencing had been removed at some point, allowing them access to Embremere. There was just enough space for a person to squeeze their body through without being cut to pieces.

Scrap pieces of wood had been nailed to the surface of the beam, creating rungs, enabling them to climb the sheer face. In moments, they emerged in a dark space, obviously inside of a building, sheltered from the storm outside. As their vision adjusted, they could make out stacks of crates and barrels, sacks and bottles. The children had given themselves a route straight to a storeroom, full of every kind of food and drink that they would ever need.

"Unbelievable," Lyrica whispered. "With a back door to this place, you would never go hungry."

"These crates are marked with the seal of the royal family. These goods are meant specifically for the castle." Grivvin said.

Lyrica chuckled. "They're stealing straight from the King," she said, lifting the lid from a crate and peering inside. She let out a low whistle.

"Fresh fruit! This stuff is hard to come by," she added and pulled an orange from the container.

One of the children pointed above their heads to the far stone wall. The crates were stored in tall racks and where they were fastened to the wall, there was a small rectangular window. The children began to excitedly climb for it.

"That must be the way out," Grivvin whispered and began to follow them. The climb was much easier than the previous, with no razor-like barrier, no dizzying heights. Soon, they had passed through the opening and into a dark crawlspace. It took some effort to keep up with the children, for they moved more like animals than human beings. In short time, they came to a second window with a wooden grate across it that looked down upon an avenue in the open air of the city. One of the children removed the grate and stuck his head out, glancing left and right. When satisfied that the avenue was empty, he jumped down to the street and the others followed.

The wooden planking was slick when they landed, wet from the constant deluge of rain and Grivvin nearly lost his footing. Here there were no street lamps, all was very dark, allowing them to conceal themselves in the shadows. The youngsters ran ahead of them, leading the way, motioning when the passage was clear. It was obvious that they had visited the Over many times in the past for supplies and knew their way around. Each alley or street that they took was dark, the lamps having been broken or removed at some point. They could barely make out their stooped frames moving in the distance and Grivvin feared losing sight of them as he quickened his pace.

He suddenly heard voices behind him, several figures having stepped out from a nearby alleyway and he glanced fearfully at Lyrica who strode along beside him. From the sound of it, there were three of them, all men and their speech was loud and slurred, evidently having spent the night in a tavern. Grivvin could swear that he had heard their voices before and he risked a glance over his shoulder.

They were all wearing the uniforms of the palace guards, the white shape of the Sailfish emblazoned on the chest and he knew each of them. They were the same group that had cast him out at the Prince's order. How could he be so unlucky? What were the chances that on this very night, Thax would be wandering the same streets?

"Wait!" He heard him call out from the rear. "It can't be. Grivvin? Is that you, Wychan?"

Grivvin ignored him and tried to move faster after the children.

"It's not possible," Thax mumbled. "You there, turn around!"

He then addressed Lyrica.

"And you! You're definitely not from around here. Both of you stop, on order of the King!"

Grivvin came to a halt and Lyrica joined him as he turned to face the guards.

"It is you! How in- never mind. You know the sentence for defiling Embremere after being banished, don't you?"

Grivvin nodded as Thax pulled his heavy broadsword from his belt.

"I'm going to enjoy this, Wychan. Never did like you much. You and your magic spells that never quite worked. No one will miss your useless hide, will they?"

As he stepped within striking range, Grivvin saw the blur of one of the six children move between he and Lyrica, like a black shadow. The child stopped in front of Thax as he swung and threw one hand in the air in front of him, a harsh scream coming from him. Thax stopped moving, frozen in place along with the other two that accompanied him. The child turned back, grabbing Grivvin and Lyrica by the arms, pulling them away and into the darkness again. Grivvin took one look back, seeing his attackers as still as statues in the middle of the alleyway.

CHAPTER THREE

They gathered together in a dark alcove, Grivivin, Lyrica and the six wild-haired youngsters. After the incident with the guards, they had run for some time, stopping now to catch their breath. Glancing at the skyline above, shining turrets and soaring manors, Grivvin felt a sudden sadness. He could never return to this world, not on a permanent basis. This was the only home that he had ever known and he loved the city. With his new discoveries of the treachery of the royal family, his mind was in shambles. He could not believe that Embremere, the city that he adored was ruled by such evil tyrants. With this new information, even if returning were possible, he could never do so. What would happen upon his sisters' return? They were completely unaware of what had transpired. How could he warn them?

He turned to the children, hidden in shadow.

"How did you do that? You have the magic? You are of Wychan blood?" he asked, but they did not answer, simply staring at him.

"You can speak," Lyrica said and they nodded. "Then why don't you speak to us?"

They shook their heads in frustration, pointing to their open mouths.

"What? What is it? Just say it!" she commanded.

"The voice is the power..." one of them whispered and suddenly the ground shook and a crack ran up the wall behind them. The children looked around in fear, staring at the damaged wall.

Grivvin and Lyrica looked at one another in shock. Even the simplest of words spoken by one of the six would create a dangerous and dramatic effect. They could not speak without releasing the magic.

"Pox Fen did this to them? What is in that water?" asked Grivvin.

"All we know is that it was dropped from the Over and it gave these unborn children the magic of the Wychan," said Lyrica.

"And I thought my family were the last ones in the bloodline," Grivvin mumbled.

"Now, you have six more brothers," Lyrica said with a laugh. "I've heard that at one time, Embremere was filled with Wychan. Is that true?"

Grivvin shook his head. "I doubt that, Lyrica. There is no mention of it in the history books. It is a fact that there were more of us in the past, and that we were much more powerful, but I don't think the city was filled with us. It seems that there were only a handful of us alive at any given time. It is a rare bloodline indeed."

"If there were more Wychan, you could storm the castle. You could force the royals out. How could they stop you?"

"If I could step through the veil and touch the Spiral, I would make them pay for what they have done to my family. They only kept us around for the few charms that we could perform. As the Wychan grew weaker, we outlived our usefulness. Now, they are finished with us. They tossed us out like trash. I fear for my sisters. What type of treatment will they receive upon their return?"

"You can be sure that your banishment will be kept a secret," Lyrica said.

Grivvin rubbed his temples with his fingertips, a helpless feeling creeping over him. He shook it off and turned to address the six.

"Let's get out of here. We need to see Mucker, my friends. Take us there, please."

In the near-darkness, they shook their heads and set off down another alley. Even the side streets of Embremere were beautifully crafted, arched passages and colorful awnings stretching out overhead. Grivvin knew that in the light of a summer's day, the walls of the buildings nearly glowed, a shimmering blue color. Of course all else was dwarfed in comparison to the castle of the King. It was a monumental achievement, its construction, so many tons of stone all built upon the wooden platform that stood above the lake. It seemed impossible for such a structure to stand upon the platform and Grivvin wondered if Wychan magic had played a role in its creation.

There were no more encounters with residents as they weaved their way along the winding streets and narrow passages, eventually coming to a tall wooden wall that curved away from them, decorated with carvings of turtles and sea birds. There were several statues that sat atop the wall, each a figure in royal dress, hounds at their sides. In the distance, Grivvin could hear the muffled conversation of several men that stood along the wall, just out of sight. Guards, perhaps?

The children motioned to the top of the wall, pointing with their fingers.

"Over the wall?" Lyrica asked quietly. They nodded.

"Wait!" Grivvin whispered, pointing to the statues above them, the rain dripping from their stone features. "Looking at that statue, I would say the grounds are protected by dogs. Dogs?" He suddenly recognized the man they represented. "This is Duke Mikan's estate! If we're caught inside-"

"Shhh..." said Lyrica. "They seem to know what they're doing. I trust them. At this point, we really have no choice, do we?"

Quickly, the children began to pull themselves over the wall, motioning for Grivvin and Lyrica to follow. Grivvin offered her a hand, but she pushed it away and was soon sitting astride the wall, waiting for him. He jumped up and pulled himself into a sitting position next to her. She flashed him a smile and slapped him on the shoulder.

"This is quite the adventure we've set out on, eh? I never thought I'd see the Over, Grivvin. It's really beautiful."

"It doesn't seem as beautiful to me as it did yesterday. The bastards threw me out."

"Don't worry, the Under isn't as bad as you think it is. You already have a friend," Lyrica said and gently kissed him on his wet cheek. She then dropped down from the wall, her feet hitting the moist grass with a splash.

Grivvin touched his cheek in surprise. Because of the strict Wychan rules, he had never had a relationship with a girl. All of the books warned against such things, how it sapped your power. He had followed the instructions to the letter, especially after having believed his father had died. Perhaps his emotions were taking over, but he was considering defying the books and their teaching on the subject.

When he landed next to her, a surge of energy shot up through his legs and into his chest, taking him by surprise. For a moment, he felt stronger and filled with courage. He wasn't sure what to make of it and quickly dismissed it, being distracted by the beauty of the garden. There were hedges and very tall trees everywhere within the walls. Only the very wealthy could afford to have dirt carted in and gardens planted within Embremere and the Duke was one of the wealthiest of its citizens. The many pathways were like a maze as they wound their way after the children, the stained wood littered with small pink blossoms that had fallen from the nearby trees. In the daytime, this would have been an amazing sight, for there were countless species of flowers planted here, but Grivvin could only experience the beautiful perfume that reached his nostrils as he passed. Many twists and turns later and they had come to a circular area, paved with small rectangular stones and surrounded with fancy, flickering lamps.

In the center was a large structure, carved from a single piece of mahogany with four seats, each facing a compass point. The backs of each seat butted up against a tall, square planter containing a small fruit tree. The children quickly ran to the seats, crouching and moving stealthily as they grew closer to the light of the lamps. They pulled on one of the wooden panels of the planter and it popped off with a cracking sound, revealing a black interior. The children pointed inside, indicating that it was the passage back to the Under.

"Finally!" Lyrica said and knelt to crawl inside the low opening. "We can't be trapped here in the day-"

There was a muffled and fleshy sound near them and Lyrica let out a scream. As she rolled to her side, Grivvin could see the shaft of a crossbow bolt protruding from her calf.

"Stop! You are trespassing on the property of the Duke! Stay where you are!" a voice called out from the manor house. Panic hit the children and they scrambled to get Grivvin and the now-injured Lyrica into the passage and back into the Under. Two of the children remained behind and began to approach the location of the voices. Grivvin turned as he crawled into the shelter of the planter and watched the children as they stopped in the grassy space that led up to the building. He thought he could hear the two children mumbling.

Then, his hair was blown into his face as the wind became more powerful, bending the trees nearly to the ground. As he was pulled below the platform, his eyes caught a flash of brilliant blue lightning that lit up the entire garden. Something exploded in the direction of the manor house and he could hear men shouting and screaming in pain. On his way down the alder beam, he could see the children carrying Lyrica down the rungs. He could hear her breath coming in gasps as she fought against the pain. They carefully descended, avoiding the remaining razor wire and finally stood upon a tin rooftop in the Under.

Grivvin immediately went to Lyrica's side as she lay on her back, the others tending to her leg. The bolt had fully penetrated the muscle of her calf, the dark blood flowing freely upon the roof. Her forehead was covered with sweat as she looked up at him, gritting her teeth. He studied the wound and the bolt without touching it, not wishing to cause her further pain.

"We'll have to break the shaft," he said, taking her hand. "It's gonna hurt, Lyrica. I'll do it as fast as I can."

She shook her head with tears in her eyes. "Take my knife. U-use the serrated edge. Cut a groove to make it easier to break. I've seen it done for spear fishing injuries."

He removed the knife from its sheath and turned to the four children, studying their faces.

"You will have to hold her down. Do you understand?"

They nodded and moved to her sides, hands at her shoulders and thighs. Grivvin took the bolt in his left hand as gently as possible, but still she jumped as it moved. He glanced a last time at her face and swallowed hard. Grabbing the shaft, close to the fletching, he began to drag the blade across the wood.

Lyrica screamed and he immediately stopped.

"Are you trying to kill me?" she asked between breaths. "Don't take all night to do it. The faster the better."

"All right, all right. Here goes."

He grabbed the shaft and quickly dragged the edge of the knife back and forth across the shaft, carving a thin groove into it. The entire time, Lyrica groaned in agony and the blood began to flow more freely onto the rooftop. Once satisfied with his work, he stopped, throwing the knife down with a clang. He wiped the blood from his fingers upon his trouser leg and moved back up to her.

"I'm sorry," he said, brushing her now sweat-soaked hair from her face. "I really don't want to hurt you, but there's no other way."

She nodded frantically. "I know, I know. Just do it."

He forced a smile and returned to the bolt. He put a hand on either side of the groove, took a breath and snapped it, grimacing as he heard Lyrica cry out. Swiftly, he pulled the remaining piece of the bolt out of her calf and through to the side. His mind was moving so fast, stressed by the situation, that when he saw the bleeding begin, he simply wrapped his bare hands around the wound. Looking up, he saw the children nodding almost maniacally as he did so, urging him to continue. They were motioning to him, but he could not understand their meaning.

"They think you can heal me, Grivvin, with your power," Lyrica moaned.

"No, no, my magic is still weak. I-"

One of the four slapped him hard across the shoulder blades and pointed furiously at Grivvin's hands. As he gazed down, there appeared to be a faint bluish glow emanating from Lyrica's wound.

"What?" Grivvin said.

"It's the Wychan magic!" she said. "You can do it. Just try."

He suddenly felt a surge of electricity run through his arms and his eyes fluttered and eventually closed. Before him was a vision of the Spiral, multicolored and spinning, much clearer than he had ever seen it in the past. For some reason, he was standing within the veil, not beyond it and the Spiral was easily within reach. Each of the elemental forces of nature was represented there and tugged at his mind like a gentle breeze. He extended both hands and touched the ancient source of Wychan magic, never having felt more alive.

He pulled from it fire and the spirits of the wind. These combined began to heat the wound and stop the flow of blood as a nearly blinding light surrounded them. It took no time at all and soon the light faded and the Spiral faded, returning him to pale reality. He stared down at his vibrating palms and watched as the brand upon his hand pulsed and then returned to normal.

Lyrica's voice snapped him to attention and he turned to face her.

"Gods, Grivvin! You did it! The pain is nearly gone and the bleeding stopped," she said, staring at him with wonder.

He could feel the beating of his heart in his chest as he came to the realization that for the first time in his life, he had truly stepped through the veil. He had touched the Spiral. He was elated, wanted to scream it to the heavens. All that he had strived for, all of the research had finally paid off.

"Why? How?" he asked, mostly to himself. "How did I do that? Could I do it again?"

"Right now, it doesn't matter," she answered. "You took care of me. You may have saved my life."

"But, I-" he stammered.

"Come here," Lyrica said and pulled him toward her. This time, her kiss was planted firmly on his mouth and she did not release him for several moments. She drew back with a smile. "Thank you."

He shook his head and ran his hands through his hair.

"No, thank you."

They both laughed as the children looked away in embarrassment.

Sounds from overhead suddenly reached them and all eyes shot upward. One of the other children made his way down from the platform in a hurry and soon joined them, a somber look upon his face.

"Where is the other?" Lyrica asked as Grivvin helped her to her feet. The child shook his head and walked over to embrace the others.

"They captured him?" asked Grivvin.

The child shook his head negatively, nearly in tears. He was already trying to pull them off of the rooftop.

"I think they killed him, Grivvin," said Lyrica and the child nodded in agreement, motioning that they should leave for fear of pursuit.

"No," Grivvin exclaimed. His grief quickly became anger. They would kill a child, the monsters?

Together, they climbed from the building and were soon traveling along the streets and alleyways of the Under. They had to get as far away from the Duke's manor as possible, blend in with the Underdwellers. In the shadows of this world, Grivvin could not tell night from day and he supposed it didn't really matter. It was always dark and always seemed dangerous. The waves tossed the buildings about on their platforms, the storm on the lake never ceasing. At least in the Under, one was sheltered from the driving rain. Unfortunately, one was also kept from the warmth and light of the sun.

Nearly an hour later, at the edge of the platform, the children turned as if to leave.

"Wait, where are you going?" Grivvin asked. One of the children stopped as the others faded into the darkness. He pointed out into the water, smiled and followed his siblings back into the alleyway.

"We're almost there, Grivvin. They brought us almost to Mucker's front door."

"But why would they go back? There is nothing for them in Pox Fen," Grivvin asked, staring back toward the buildings.

"I suppose that's all they've ever known," she answered. "They'll be fine, I'm sure. Now, we need to find a boat. The Mucker lives out there."

She pointed in the same direction as the child had, to an area of open water, the only buildings to be seen were very distant and only visible by the lamplight in their tiny windows.

"I still have some coin. Let's go get one," said Grivvin. "You know, you surprised me back there when..."

"You mean the kiss?" she said with a smile. "Be careful, it might happen again."

After acquiring a small vessel, they had set off from the pier and headed due east. The lantern at the bow cast odd flickering patterns across the waves as they pushed the boat forward. In short time, Grivvin's arms and shoulders were aching and he counted the minutes until they reach Mucker. Somehow a flash of lightning reached them from above and he could make out a strange silhouette jutting out from the surface of the lake ahead. It was cylindrical and stood up out of the water as high as Grivvin was tall. As they drew closer, he could tell that the object was fashioned from scrap metal, most likely cast down from the Over, just as he had been.

There was a misshapen door there in its side and several handles that had been fastened to the exterior of the tube. To this, Lyrica tied their boat, the small craft knocking against the thing as each wave pushed it aside.

Grivvin cast Lyrica a sidelong glance, his face expressing confusion.

"This is the Mucker's home," she explained and stepped out onto a small landing that had been attached below the door. She still favored her wounded leg, but seemed to be almost fully recovered.

"What are you talking about? This place is barely big enough for someone to stand in, let alone live in."

"Just be quiet while I knock."

Grivvin shrugged as Lyrica faced the door. Taking out one of her knives, she rapped on the metal door several times, the sound echoing throughout the Under.

"Well, if he can't hear that from two inches behind the door, he's deaf," Grivvin commented with a grin. Just then, there were strange hissing sounds and vibrations that shook the entire cylinder. The water around them began to bubble, increasing Grivvin's growing concern.

Suddenly, the door popped open with a sound that resembled a loud exhale.

"Ah, there we go," Lyrica said and stepped to the side to pull the door open wide. Grivvin peered around her, seeing only a small and empty chamber.

"What?"

Lyrica stepped inside and to his surprise, began to descend. He leaned forward, seeing the rungs of a ladder fastened to the inner wall of the cylinder.

"The Mucker lives underwater. Come on," she called out as she dropped away from him. "And close the door."

As they climbed down, the pressure in their ears became quite noticeable and Grivvin studied each seam in the passage, looking for the telltale signs of leakage. There were none. The passage grew pitch black and began to slant slightly, causing them to drop to their backsides and push themselves along until finally they had reached another door. Scrawled there on the surface, in bright red paint, was the name Mucker and his handprint. Lyrica pulled on the handle and the door swung outward, bathing them with golden light.

The room was immense, much to Grivvin's surprise, perhaps five times as large as Lyrica's place and beautifully furnished. A plush sofa sat to one side and a great carven table, covered with open books stood in front of it. There were amazing paintings and tapestries on every wall, but what astounded Grivvin the most was the light source. There were four crystal balls, one embedded in each wall, glowing with a warm light. He could feel it inside, they surged with Wychan magic and filled the room with energy.

An aged man stepped into the room from another passage, carrying a tray overloaded with fruits and cups, smiling. His hair was grey and long, held behind his head in a ponytail and he had a short, scruffy beard. He wore a long, dirty robe that drug the floor as he moved.

"Well, hello there, guests. What brings you to Mucker's keep?" he asked with a smile as he sat the tray upon the table. He motioned for them to help themselves and sat upon the sofa. "Young man, you look familiar. Haven't I seen you before?"

"No, sir. My name is Grivvin. I..."

"He was cast out of the Over," Lyrica finished, snatching up a ripe pear and biting into it.

Mucker's eyes grew wide and his mouth fell open.

"Grivvin Lo'Rynin? Gods...I knew your father, Kindin. That is why you look familiar. You're the spitting image!"

"Mucker, what happened to him? Is he dead?" Grivvin asked, anxiously.

"I'm really not sure, young man. In my heart, I like to believe that he still lives, but...he would have returned. We became good friends, he and I." He paused for a moment, lost in thought. "No, he would have returned."

Lyrica sat down next to Mucker.

"Grivvin is a Wychan as well, Mucker, but his power is weak. Is there a way for us to help him unlock the magic and touch the Spiral?"

"Ah, I see. Your father asked me the same question, son. I'll tell you what I told him. In all of my studies, history shows that as Embremere's might increased, it had the opposite effect on those of your order. As you know, many years ago the citizens of Embremere began to migrate onto the lake. They built the gigantic wooden platform that now supports the city. Before that, the city sat upon the land, but outgrew the coast. You've seen the mountains, I'm sure, the ones that hug the coast. They are what prevented the residents of Embremere from expanding. So, those with more coin began to construct manors upon the water. It became a sign of wealth, the farther out on the lake you lived, the more important you were, until all of the people had left the land."

"Now the place is referred to as Old Embremere and is a veritable ghost town. There was a great temple there dedicated to your order called the Wychanhaeme. Back then, your kind were so ungodly powerful that even the King feared them, but the power faded, as you know."

"Wychanhaeme...why have I never heard of this place?" Grivvin asked.

"No one knows about it. Even your father was surprised when I showed him the ancient books that I had come across. An artist from years ago had even rendered the temple's likeness and a rough map of the place."

"May I see it?" asked Grivvin.

"Of course, son. Of course." Mucker said and rose from the sofa. He stepped back into the passage, motioning for them to follow. "Come with me to the library."

Tremendous bookcases had been attached to the walls in Mucker's library and Grivvin could not believe the size of the place. He had been poring over the ancient books for hours, his mind lost in the past, when Lyrica touched his shoulder. She and Mucker had left the room, giving Grivvin time to study the books and the history of the Wychan order.

"Are you all right?" she asked, seating herself next to him. On the pages before him, she could see drawings of people and buildings, arcane symbols and quotes.

"This is amazing, Lyrica. We have lost all of this knowledge. There are charms here that we never knew existed and whole chapters dedicated to the way of the Spiral. All that I have read thus far, leads me to one conclusion."

"What's that?" she asked.

"The secret lies in Old Embremere. If there is a place that will reawaken the magic, it is there. I want to go there immediately."

"Now, now, son," Mucker said as he entered the library. "Don't talk like a madman. Your father said the same thing after reading that very book. He never got the chance to try, of course. The Cuda took him."

"I'm going," Grivvin stated, looking up from the book. "Old Embremere is the answer. I feel it."

"You know as well as I, that place is impossible to reach. Once the residents had all migrated to the lake, your King had the Wychan make sure of it. The coast is a sheer stone wall now and the waters are filled with the most horrible of creatures."

"I still don't understand why they did that. Why build such a wall? Why keep people from the old city?"

"If you believe the stories, ships from afar began to appear on the shores of Old Embremere. They began to settle the city and call it their own. The king allowed this to carry on for some time, until it appeared that the foreigners were hostile toward the new city. According to all accounts, they were planning an attack on New Embremere. The king ordered your kind to destroy the newcomers and once that had been accomplished, to create the wall and Maelstrom, preventing outsiders from ever reaching the ruins again. Preventing foolish young men from reaching them as well."

"I have to try...for my father."

"Do you think he wants you dead? That's what will happen. No boat could ever make it to the coast, Grivvin."

"How do you know?"

Mucker reached down and raised the hem of his long robe. Where his right leg should have been, was a thick wooden peg.

"I've tried."

"Gods..." Lyrica backed away a bit, shock in her eyes. "What happened?"

"After Grivvin's father was taken, I thought I owed it to him to find out the secrets of Old Embremere. I made it my quest. I even had one of the boats that he designed. There aren't many left, ya know. I gathered my supplies and headed off to the east, determined to uncover the truth of the Wychan powers."

"Oh, I made it to the wall, the cliff that surrounds the old ruins, but that's as far as I got. There are predators out there, Grivvin, giants of the water, with teeth as long as I am tall. They capsized the boat, smashed it to bits and then came for me. One of those monsters took my leg, but I had never let go of the rudder, you see? Your father's invention got me back here. With it, I managed to get back to the Under. I nearly bled to death, but the Underdwellers at the eastern edge saved me."

"Do you still have that rudder?" Grivvin asked, his eyes still trained on the pages before him.

"Well, yes, but..."

"If you were truly my father's friend, then you will let me use the rudder. Let me finish your work, Mucker. I will make it to the ruins. I will unearth the hidden truth of Wychan power."

Mucker looked away, biting his lip. It was the least he could do to honor the memory of his dear friend. He feared the worst, that Grivvin would suffer the same fate.

"Very well. I think you are a fool and if you are going with him..." He pointed at Lyrica. "Then you are a fool as well. I wish you the best of luck, but you haven't seen what swims in those waters."

"This could return the Wychan to power. I have to try," Grivvin explained.

Mucker reluctantly left the room and returned shortly, the wooden rudder, clear crystal at its base, in his hand. He handed it to Grivvin with a frown.

"I hope to see you again, young man. I know that nothing I say will stop you. Good luck and be careful."

CHAPTER FOUR

It took nearly a day for them to reach the easternmost edge of the Under, weaving the boat along the winding waterways, in between clusters of buildings and piers. All the while, Grivvin imagined unlocking the secrets of the Spiral, bringing the magic back to life. His mind also kept returning to the kiss between he and Lyrica and the way it made him feel. He wanted that feeling again and felt the blood rush to his cheeks when he looked at her. The more time he spent with her, the more incredible he thought she was. Not only was she beautiful, but so strong, a survivor.

Is this what it's like to fall in love?

They had gathered supplies at a general store called The Final Pier and when asked about their trip, were laughed at by the proprietors and other customers within the place.

"Just save your money and I'll kill you myself," said the storeowner with a laugh. "That's suicide, my friends. You can't be that foolish."

Grivvin smiled uncomfortably and paid for the goods, rope, climbing tools, provisions and long, wicked gaffs for defense.

"Son, I'm serious. Don't do it. You and your girlfriend have no chance of crossing the Maelstrom. Trust me. Do you want to get her killed?"

He smiled at Lyrica at the mention of the word girlfriend and nodded to the man.

"I appreciate your concern, sir. Thank you for the warning, but we're going just the same," he explained.

"There are beasts in those waters, boy. Whirlpools as well that'll drag your boat to the bottom of the lake. If you're not eaten, you're drowned for sure and how in the world are you going to get over that wall at the coast? Impossible."

They left without responding, feeling the stares of all that were present and hearing more than one person whisper, "fool".

Once back at their boat, they loaded the supplies and affixed the rudder in its cradle. In the east, they could see the first of the jagged spears of stone that rose out of the lake like thin daggers pointing at the sky. These marked the boundary of the Maelstrom and the dominion of the creatures that inhabited those waters.

"Lyrica, you don't have to do this. Perhaps you should stay and wait for me to return," Grivvin said, tossing the last of the provisions into the boat.

"Do you think you can do this without me? No way. Besides, I can't let you out of my sight. You promised to help pull up what is on the bottom of that chain, remember?"

"I know and it's still a promise. I don't want to see you get hurt, that's all."

"Grivvin, if I don't go, when will I get a chance to sneak in a kiss again?" she said with a sly grin.

He laughed and moved in close to her.

"How about right now?"

This time, it was her turn to blush, her eyes going to her feet.

"We might as well. According to everyone else, we'll be dead before day's end."

She embraced him and their lips came together. It lasted much longer than their first, both being willing participants. Her body felt good against his and he did not want to let her go, savoring every heartbeat. Finally, they separated, their eyes bright with passion. He brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes and smiled.

"Let's prove them wrong. We'll make it across the Maelstrom and into Old Embremere. When we return, I will have unlocked my Wychan abilities and returned honor to our order."

"As long as you don't get eaten first," she answered with a grin.

"Well, that goes without saying," Grivvin said as he jumped into the boat, laughing.

Many hours later, with the constant rain pelting them, the rock formations loomed over them as their boat passed through and into the dangerous territory of the Maelstrom. Ahead, there were so many similar towers of stone that one could not see the mainland. As they had traveled, a current within the lake had developed, pulling their craft gently forward. Grivvin felt certain that were they to disengage the rudder, the water would continue to pull them until they had reached the territory of the monsters that everyone had warned about.

It was an odd thing, seeing the water pull away from them, winding its way in between the giant, knife-like stones. They knew it led to an expanse of whirlpools bent on sucking anything that entered its vortex, below to be smashed upon the rocky lakebed underneath. They did their best to avoid the stones, carving the current with their oars.

Within minutes, their shoulders and backs grew sore from the effort and there soon could be no doubt that the Maelstrom was doing most of the work. They eventually surrendered to its force and did their best to guide the craft with the rudder. They did not use the power of the Wychan crystal, deciding instead to save it until desperation called for it. The small boat smashed repeatedly into the tall islands of rack until they feared its seaworthiness. Lyrica found herself constantly checking the bottom for signs of leaks, but with the boat filling with rainwater, it was difficult to tell, and thus far it seemed to hold strong.

Where once their voyage had been mostly silent, only the occasional rumble of thunder, now the continuous splash of rushing water filled the air as the pull of the Maelstrom became stronger. They had noticed evidence of other attempts at reaching Old Embremere, previous travelers having constructed rope ladders along the face of the stones, some even managing to build bridges from one island to the next. They were quickly swept past a large, angular island, a cavern hollowed out in its side and within the darkness, they could see a mass of hunched figures. There were numerous fishing lines tied at various points all along the mouth of the cave, disappearing into the swirling depths.

How long had they been trapped here?

Those clustered within turned their heads slowly, forlorn looks upon their faces, watching as the boat slipped by in front of them. A few moments later, they saw the first of many skeletons along their route. It hung upside down, its foot entangled in the ropes that led to the peak of the stone. Its mouth hung open as if in a perpetual scream and Grivvin could not take his eyes off of the thing. He now began to feel the risk that they were taking, the possibility of death seeming much more real.

From what they had been told, once they had passed through the many jagged islands, the Maelstrom would open up before them, countless whirlpools spinning between them and the coast. Within those spinning vortices prowled the creatures of the Maelstrom, huge serpents bent on destroying all who entered. It was they who had taken Mucker's leg and with it his hope to ever reach the ancient ruins.

"I don't like this, Grivvin. The boat's out of our control and we aren't even out of these stones yet," Lyrica said, using an oar to shove them away from the rock face of an island.

"We have to let the Maelstrom pull us in. Once inside, we'll use the crystal's power. I hope that is enough to get us to the coast." Grivvin answered.

"What then? What happens when we get to the coast?" she asked.

"I'm not sure. There has to be a way to climb that wall or get around it somehow. Nothing is impossible."

"You haven't seen it yet," she added, holding on tightly to the side of the boat.

"Well, we can't turn around now," he said.

The vessel lurched forward suddenly, a strong current thrusting them ahead and the dark maw at the center of the first whirlpool could be seen like a bottomless hole. Just the sight of it was enough to make one pray to the gods and Grivvin found himself doing exactly that. Varinleah, the goddess of nature, was the patron deity of the Wychan and it was to she that he whispered his prayers. He found himself begging for the safety of Lyrica more than his own as he watched her grip both sides of the boat and brace for the coming vortex.

"I think it's time to bring that crystal to life," she called out over the slurping and gurgling sounds of the water ahead. He shuffled backward toward the stern, wrapping one hand around the rudder's handle and tilting it to submerge the crystal. There was a white-hot glow from below the surface as its energy was activated, Grivvin feeling the sensation move through his hand and into his arm.

Their boat jerked to starboard and listed slightly as the spinning circle pulled them in, nearly sending him from his feet. It was a smaller vortex and they circled it quickly, beginning the slow descent into its black eye.

"Hold on!" he shouted and as the boat reached the easternmost edge of the whirlpool, he powered it forward. It slid ahead and quickly out of the vortex, in moments out of reach of its strong pull.

"It worked! Grivvin, we did it!"

"That's only one and a tiny one at that. Let's hope the crystal is strong enough to overcome the large ones at the center of the Maelstrom," he said.

The boat seemed to momentarily stall as it sat in the calm area between two of the spinning whirlpools, then they could feel the gentle tug as they were pulled into the suction of the next. Navigating this vortex proved much the same and they came out unscathed on the other side. Then, the serpentine body of a black creature rose up slightly from the water just ahead of the boat, sliding back under without a sound. It was enormous, the section that they had seen easily dwarfing the vessel.

Lyrica turned from the bow, her eyes wide with terror and stared open-mouthed at Grivvin. He swallowed hard, paralyzed with fear, his hand turning white as he gripped the rudder's handle. He knew that if he did not snap out of it, they would die.

"Grab one of the spears!" he shouted and steered the boat into the next vortex. This one was much larger and the speed at which it spun, far greater than the previous. They grew dizzy as the water hurled them in an ever-tighter orbit around the center, the black hole moaning deeply as they drew closer.

Lyrica straddled the wooden seat at the bow, spear now clutched tightly with both hands, dreading the reappearance of the unknown monster. Her weapon would have little effect on a creature of such size, she knew, but she had no other choice. She began to feel nauseous as the boat spun and tried to keep her eyes on the floor below.

"Get us out of here, Grivvin!" she screamed.

He powered the craft forward with a sudden jolt and for a moment thought it would not be enough to free them. Inside, he tried to reach out for the Spiral, draw more power from it and send it into the crystal, but he was not sure if it was working. Then, the boat rocked and pitched over the edge of the whirlpool, throwing them both to the floor. Grivvin immediately regained his feet, slipping on the wet floor, grabbed the rudder once more and scanned the water for signs of the massive animal that he knew awaited them. His heart sank as his eyes took in what stretched out before them.

A whirlpool easily ten times the size of those that they had navigated lie ahead, the dark hole at its center as large as the biggest sailing ship he had ever seen. Behind the sound of the raindrops hitting the boat, he could hear what appeared to the ears to be a roar coming from it.

"We can't make it..." he mumbled to himself. "There is no way this boat will last."

"Grivvin!" Lyrica cried out. "Do something!"

He called out her name, but the sound of the rushing water was so loud, she did not hear. The boat tipped forward, hesitated for a heartbeat, and rushed headlong into the gigantic vortex. The roar was deafening as their craft settled into the bowl of water, picking up speed at an alarming rate. Lightning flashed and Grivvin saw an immense silhouette behind Lyrica. He shouted to her to no avail, rushing toward the bow with spear in hand. Seeing the look on his panic-stricken face, she slowly spun to see what she had feared would be there.

The head of the thing towered over them on a long, scaled neck, torrents of water running down its form as it studied them with luminous green eyes. Suddenly, Lyrica's eyes grew large as she pointed behind Grivvin. As he spun, a thick black tail covered in fins, lashed out and knocked him to the bottom of the boat. He struck his head on the small wooden crate there and was, for a moment, stunned. He could hear Lyrica calling out for him, but try as he might, his body would not move. The spinning of the great whirlpool did not help matters, adding to the dizzy feeling that filled his head.

He heard the cracking and splintering of wood and Lyrica's frightened screams, but he could do nothing to help her.

Spinning faster and faster, the roaring of the great funnel obliterating all other sounds, it felt like a nightmare. He could feel the boat shifting as Lyrica moved, trying to fight off the monster.

Get up! I have to get up! She'll die fighting that thing!

With every ounce of strength left in him, he rolled to his side, shaking his head. Upon looking up, he saw the most frightening, yet amazing thing he had ever seen. As lightning forked through the black sky, Lyrica stood, one foot on the edge of the boat, swinging the spear as the great water dragon attacked. There were several deep wounds along its neck that ran with blood, sending a ribbon of red along the whirlpool.

He searched the floor with his hands and upon finding his spear, moved shakily to help her just as the monster struck again. Its head shot toward them at an incredible speed, its mouth gaping wide, filled with countless fangs. Its jaws snapped shut just inches from her face and she jabbed at its chin with the spear tip, driving it back.

From behind Grivvin came a horrible growl and turning, he saw another of the dragons bearing down on them, slicing through the water like a knife. It was coming amazingly fast and he knew they would not survive the impact.

"Lyrica!" he screamed to get her attention, pointing at the monster as it approached. She spun and upon seeing the creature, tried to make it across the slippery boat to him. In seconds, the dragon would smash into them. He looked into her eyes one last time, seeing the dragon from at corner of his vision.

"I love you!" she shouted and they were broadsided with an ear-shattering sound, splintered wood flying into the air. They were both tossed out of the boat like dolls, flailing as they hit the spinning whirlpool and were pulled under. Grivvin struggled to reach her, his muscles straining, lungs burning as the pressure kept him submerged. His hand brushed her leg in the darkness and he grabbed it, trying like mad to pull her to him.

Just then, something struck the back of his head, most likely debris from the disintegrated boat and all went immediately dark.

Rain splashed against his face, waking him where he lie, hard stone surface beneath him. His eyelids fluttered as he regained consciousness and the intense pain in his body made itself known. Every muscle screamed out as he rolled to his side, coughing.

Lyrica was there, stretched out on her back just a few feet away, eyes closed.

Was she breathing?

He tried to call out to her, but his voice would not come, instead another coughing fit wracked his body.

He began to panic, his heart racing.

She's dead. Gods, she's dead and it's my fault!

He managed to pull himself up on all fours and crawl to her side. The skin on her forearms was scraped and bruised where it was visible and her knuckles were battered as well.

"Lyrica?" he said, finally able to coax a whisper from his throat. He took her hand in his and it felt cold.

No.

"Lyrica?!" he shouted and her eyes suddenly popped open.

"Unnngghhh..." she moaned and turned on to her side to face him. "Why are you shouting?" Her voice was hoarse and gravelly as she spoke.

"I thought you were dead! Thank the Gods!" Grivvin said, putting his head in his hands.

"Well, one thing's for sure, I feel dead."

He helped her to a sitting position, checking her for serious injuries. She had a small gash on her right cheek, but it no longer bled.

"What happened? How did we end up here?" he asked. They were sheltered in a small and shallow cave within the cliff wall that separated the mainland from Lake Embremere. Occasionally, the higher waves would spill water onto the ledge where they sat, so he knew that they were not very high up the cliff.

"Something very strange happened, Grivvin. I pulled you to the surface when I felt your body go limp. You were bleeding from the back of your head." She hesitated for a moment, staring at the ground. "That monster rushed us. I thought we were dead, but the thing suddenly stopped as if it saw something that frightened it. It came very close, Grivvin. I could feel its breath! Then, it vanished below and left us alone."

"Why would it do that? Why didn't it just have us for dinner? I don't understand..." he responded.

"I don't know. What makes us different? The dragons certainly didn't stop in Mucker's case. They took his leg and most likely would have eaten him whole had he not escaped."

Grivvin thought for a moment, gently touching the back of his head. It was quite tender and his hair was crusted with dried blood.

Wait. Could it be?

"The blood...could it be my blood?" he asked.

"What? What are you talking about?"

"The creatures, this wall, the Maelstrom...all put in place by Wychan ages ago. Could the creature have smelled the Wychan blood in the water and withdrew?"

"It sensed the power of its creators. That has to be it! There is no other reason for us to be alive." Lyrica said.

Grivvin shook his head in amazement.

"For once, my Wychan blood has proven useful."

"Oh, come on. Your blood is useful to me, Wychan or not," she said with a smile.

He laughed as he stood, body aching and head throbbing. He stepped to the edge and looked up at the towering cliff wall above. It was so sheer and the stone so smooth, it seemed impossible to climb. Of course, that had been the entire purpose of its construction years ago. They had made it this far, now what?

"Grivvin..." Lyrica called out from behind him.

"Yes?" he answered, still studying the wall.

"Grivvin, you need to see this," she said, her voice more commanding.

He turned and noticed that she had moved to the back of the cave, nearly hidden in the darkness. He walked over to join her.

"What's the matter?"

When he reached her, she was pointing into a small hidden alcove, one hand over her mouth. Grivvin squatted to peer into the narrow place and as his eyes adjusted, he could see what had her so upset. Stacked there was a pile of bones, obviously human, perhaps ten in number. He involuntarily pulled away, then moved forward for a better look. Among them, were several metal shovels and pick axes. What had initially appeared as a solid wall, now revealed itself to be a roughly hewn set of steps carved into the very stone of the cliff.

"These people may have dug their way to the city," he said as Lyrica joined him. "Let's see how far this goes."

Together, they began to climb, their hands feeling the walls and steps to guide them in the utter blackness. At times, the way would turn and they would run into a solid wall before they realized it, soon continuing upon the new path. They traveled in this way for some time, the air becoming very dense and breathing difficult. Eventually, they noticed a dim light reaching them from above and in a few short steps, emerged onto a grassy hill.

Grivvin felt a surge of energy hit him, the pain of his injuries rushing away, replaced by strength and power.

Before them, in the distance, they could just make out the silhouettes of the ruins of ancient Embremere, tall stone towers reaching high above, nearly to the clouds.

"Lyrica, we did it. We did it!" he said and hugged her to him.

CHAPTER FIVE

"It feels strange walking on solid ground." Lyrica asked as they moved between the first of the crumbling stone buildings. "I've gotten so used to the swaying of the water, that I feel awkward and clumsy. I suppose it's no different for you."

"I feel great. I feel like I could kill those dragons barehanded. I suppose I'm just excited about finally reaching this place. Imagine, once this was a beautiful and bustling city, filled with thousands of people, families who lived and died here. I wonder if they were like us or somehow different?" he asked as he touched one of the exterior walls. Its surface had become fragile and crumbled like chalk as he ran his palm across it.

The streets of Old Embremere were now overgrown with weeds and littered with fallen blocks of stone. They carefully made their way between buildings, their eyes searching the dark alleyways to either side. The farther inward they traveled, the more the buildings seemed intact and not as weathered as near the lakeshore. Grivvin felt a growing sadness as he moved into the dead city, the original home of the Wychan. It was here that their power had grown and flourished, where they had commanded respect, where they were treated as important. All of those years ago his order had honor, now they were discarded as useless and weak.

They passed the remnants of a shipbuilder's warehouse, the decayed skeletons of the vessels still standing tall, propped up by thick timbers. Evidently, when the decision was made to move Embremere on to the water, some had stayed and continued their business. Eventually, the ancient city was abandoned by its residents and left to rot just as these ships had.

When the lightning flashed, it left an eerie feeling inside, the dark shapes of homes and other structures illuminated momentarily like ghosts in their vision. The wind whipping down the old streets produced a frightening sound, like the howling of-

Wolves.

Grivvin and Lyrica could suddenly see several pairs of eyes reflecting the pale light, unmoving, watching them from the shelter of a ruined cottage across the street. Just as they noticed them, a low growl could be heard, growing in intensity.

"What are they, Grivvin?" she asked, he sword now in her hand.

"Wolves. I've read about them. They hunt in packs and are savage killers. You've seen dogs before, right?"

"Of course. Some of the wealthier Underdwellers keep them as pets."

"These are like large, vicious dogs," he explained, never taking his eyes off of them.

She threw him her knife.

"Here. Since you lost my other sword in the whirlpool, that'll have to do."

"Just walk slowly down the street, no sudden movement. Hopefully we can find a secure building to hide from them."

The eyes followed them as they walked, the growling a constant reminder of their presence. Once they had passed three rows of houses, the wolves moved out into the street and began to follow them silently. The rain began to pour, the wind picking up and it became difficult to see very far ahead of them. The wolves were slowly growing closer and Grivvin sensed that, at any time, they would suddenly attack. There was a small hole in the ground, unbeknownst to him and as he stepped into it, his ankle turned and buckled under him, sending him headlong into the mud. Lyrica quickly helped him to his feet, her eyes always on the animals. To their right was a building that still seemed structurally sound, but had no door. Along its western wall, however, was a flight of stairs that led to the roof. Grivvin decided to make their last stand there and pulled Lyrica along after him.

At the foot of the stairs, Grivvin pushed her up ahead of him and began to climb them backwards. Quickly, the eyes of the wolves came into view and then their entire shadowy forms. These were no ordinary wolves. Their bodies seemed to shift as if made from vapor or smoke. The nearest one howled, an eerie and echoing sound and Grivvin could see the orange glow of fire in its throat. Thick reddish liquid dripped from its gums as it closed its jaws, steaming as it hit the ground.

"Grivvin, come on!" Lyrica screamed from the roof. He quickened his pace, knife held out in front of him. He was halfway to the top, when the first wolf began to climb after him, its claws clicking on the stone surface. The rest of the pack immediately joined it, growling and slobbering as they came.

Grivvin could feel his pulse pounding in his ears, his hands growing clammy. Sweat ran into his eyes and as he wiped it away, he saw flashes of color for an instant. He blinked several times, unsure of the cause and tried to focus on the approaching beasts. Again, the flashes came, but this time a strange feeling came through his body. Electricity or fire would be the only way to describe it, slowly working its way up from his feet. Inside, he began to feel an unbelievable pressure as if something were trying to burst out through his chest.

Just then, the first wolf reached the rooftop, his eyes trained on him, its fangs revealed as its rage increased. Grivvin and Lyrica backed away, moving close to the edge of the building.

"Lyrica, I'm sorry I got you into this," he called out over his shoulder.

"What are you talking about? I brought you to Mucker. He's the one that told you about this place. I am the one who should be sorry."

"I want you to climb down the other side. Jump down and run," he said.

"No, Grivvin."

"But, if I fall-"

"If you fall, then we die together," she shouted. "Besides, I can see from here. There are wolves everywhere."

His vision became strange again, the images of the wolves blinking in and out of focus as he shook his head. He felt short of breath, his hands tingling.

The first wolf leapt at him, its fangs aiming for his throat, paws extended. Its full weight hit him as he threw one arm up to deflect the creature as it took him to the ground. He thrust upward with the knife, stabbing the wolf in the ribs repeatedly. It seemed to have little effect, the snapping jaws inches from his face. The lava-like fluid dripped from its mouth and wherever it fell, on Grivvin's chest and shoulders, it burned.

This was it. It was over. There was no hope. He would die at the fangs of these demon wolves and then they would take Lyrica. He could not let that happen. Never.

"No!" he screamed and his left arm lit up like white fire, an explosion sending the wolf into the air and off of the rooftop, burning.

The other animals backed away a few steps at the sight, unsure. Grivvin jumped to his feet, staring at his left hand, still glowing with magic.

"I feel it. Lyrica, I feel the Spiral! I'm inside of it!"

"Grivvin, look out!"

He turned and six of the wolves had launched themselves at him. He defensively threw his hand out in front of him and somehow they stopped, suspended in the air as if hung there by wires, their limbs kicking frantically as they fought to break free. Grivvin stood stunned for a moment, his newfound power coursing through his veins and with a wave of his hand, sent them all flying through the air, smashing to the ground below.

The other wolves hesitated, then turned tail and fled, some whining and whimpering as they ran. For a short time, Grivvin watched them scurry down the street, weaving in and out of the rubble, then he simply stared at his hands in disbelief.

Did I do that? Is this what Wychan magic is supposed to be?

Something had awakened in him, something powerful. He turned to Lyrica and saw that she stared at him in fear, her hand over her mouth.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I-I don't know...it's just frightening. I've never seen anything like that," she said, her voice quivering with terror. "You killed them with such ease."

"Don't be afraid. I would never hurt you."

"You didn't see what I saw, Grivvin. When you turned to me, your eyes..." She let her voice trail off. "It seemed as if the magic was in control."

Grivvin thought for a moment, trying to relive the event in his head.

"I'm not sure...the magic protected us. Does it really matter?" he said and suddenly noticed his arms. In the cool rain, his skin steamed, small wisps rising into the air. He began to feel somewhat frightened himself . It was all new to him, this power, and he was uncertain as to how far it would go. Was that the extent of it or would he grow stronger in the future? He could not imagine possessing more energy than that which he had just released. Was he in control? Did the magic have a mind of its own? He stared at her with concern. If he could not control it, anyone near him would be in danger, including her. He shook his head to clear his thoughts.

"You don't have to worry. I am on your side," he said with a smile, walking up and taking her hand. He pulled her to him and held her tight. Eventually, she relaxed, her head upon his chest.

"I don't think the wolves will bother us again," she said and they both broke out in laughter.

"Let's get off of this building and find shelter," he said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. Once they had returned to the street, it did not take long to find a suitable place to rest and dry off. Lyrica still had her pack and produced flint and steel from inside. Broken furniture and timbers were plentiful and soon a small fire crackled in the center of the room, its warmth comforting to the weary travelers. For a long time, they did not speak, simply holding one another in the fire's orange glow until they drifted off to sleep.

A loud crashing sound woke them with a start, both sitting straight up, searching the room with their eyes.

They were surrounded.

Perhaps a dozen people, dressed in rags and bearing weapons glared at them where they sat. A wiry young lad, his dirty hair in a ponytail, stepped forward in a threatening manner and spoke in a whining voice.

"What's this, eh? Squattin' in the land o' the Exiles? Who are you? You from the eastern side? You Blinders? Speak up, damn you!"

They quickly got to their feet, the blades of spears and swords in their faces.

"I thought this city was deserted, Grivvin," Lyrica whispered.

"What's that you say, woman?" the lad asked as their weapons were taken. "Deserted? What are you talking about? Wait- you're from out there!" he pointed in the direction of Lake Embremere.

He began to laugh and was soon joined by the others in his company.

"Been some time since we had visitors from that city of devils. Don't you worry now, you'll get the same hospitality that was given to your friends," he said with a grin. He then drew the blunt edge of his knife across his throat with a grimace. The others cheered in a bloodthirsty manner.

"You plan to kill us? Why?" Lyrica asked.

"Isn't it obvious? You're from that accursed city. You are demons and we deal with demons in one way." They grabbed Grivvin and Lyrica by their arms and led them roughly out of the building.

"You've had other visitors?" Grivvin asked as he was shoved down the street.

"Not that often, but yes. Once in a great while, someone makes it past that wall. They usually don't last as long as the two of you, though. The wolves always get 'em. How did you avoid the wolves anyway?" the wiry lad asked.

Lyrica began to explain, but Grivvin interrupted her with a glare.

"I suppose we were just lucky. We never ran into any wolves," he lied. Lyrica held her tongue, realizing Grivvin's plan to keep his abilities a secret.

"Heh! Good for you. You'd be dead now if you had. Those wicked beasts would tear the two of you limb from limb. Soft dwellers of the demon city would be no match for them. You know nothing of hardship or struggle. Everything is handed to you, living in luxury out there upon the water. We see your sparkling towers. We see your tall sailing ships."

Lyrica could feel her anger rise. She had known nothing but struggle her entire life. Luxury? She had never experienced such a thing.

It seemed that hours went by as they walked deeper and deeper into the ruins of Old Embremere. They saw no other people on their way and never encountered the wolves again, although they heard their distant howls. Here, many of the dwellings looked to be in better shape than those near the coast. Evidently, the winds and water from the lake weathered the buildings there. Here, they were much more sheltered and some still appeared new.

They turned to the south at the end of the street and came abruptly to a large wall built from tall timbers. Along one side, there were rungs hammered into place and the leader of their captors began to climb. The others prodded Grivvin and Lyrica up the ladder as well. Coming over the top of the wall, Grivvin saw a thriving community spread out before him, all separated from the ruins by immense walls. Hundreds of people milled about, moving from building to building and a small marketplace could be seen at the far end of the street.

Once they were over the wall and on the ground again, their wrists were tied and they were led down the street to the curses of the crowd. Some threw handfuls of dirt and small rocks at them as they passed. They were brought into a windowless building full of empty iron cells and thrown inside the nearest, the heavy door locked behind them. The place seemed unused and covered in dust.

"Why haven't you used the magic to free us?" Lyrica whispered once they were alone. "They're going to kill us. You're aware of that, aren't you?"

"I need to learn as much as I can about this place. This is where my order began. I want to know what really happened here," he explained.

"It looks to me as if everyone has lost their minds. Somehow, people still live here, but they're obviously insane," Lyrica began, sitting on a low bench that had been placed against the wall. "Could they truly be the descendants of the original residents, living here for generations? How did they get here? If I remember history correctly, once the city had been moved onto the lake, Old Embremere was emptied, the royals made sure of it."

"So it is written," Grivvin said. "Living on the water was a sign of wealth and success. No one wanted to remain on land and they left the old city behind."

"Could they be what is left of the foreigners?" she asked.

"I suppose that is possible."

Several hours later, the glare of many torches filled the room, as the door was thrown open and a group of people rushed in, with a crazed look in their eyes. Their cell was unlocked and they were dragged from the building toward the southern end of the street. A flight of wooden steps had been constructed to reach the top of the wall and they were forced to climb them. At the summit, an odd ritual had begun, fire and chanting greeting them like a slap in the face. Evidently, the entire population had gathered to witness the event, their faces wild with excitement.

"What is going on, Grivvin? They're all insane," Lyrica said as they stood atop a large platform in front of the crowd. Tiers of seats had been fashioned there to allow the spectators to view the proceedings.

"Lyrica, I feel strange. The power that I felt earlier, when I fought off the wolves, it seems to have faded," he responded. "I don't understand it."

"Gods! Are you saying you can't defend us?"

"Silence!" shouted an old man, his hair long and white as he stepped out in front of the audience. He wore a long black robe, tattered and filthy where it drug the floor, and leaned upon a crooked cane. He quieted the gathered throng, his gnarled right hand in the air, palm forward.

"Friends. Brothers and sisters," he began in a calm, smooth voice. "Once more, we have found interlopers in our city. As is our custom, they can be dealt with in only one way. Do not feel for them, they deserve no pity. Their forefathers imprisoned us here on this now-lifeless rock, while they enjoyed the bounty of the water. We are the forgotten, my children. We are the Exiles."

The crowd burst forth in cheers and applause, many rising from their seats, fists in the air.

"Now, I realize that the Blinders," he started and the crowd hissed upon his mention of the name. "they would accept these demons as a part of their flock, take them in, treat them as equals. Why? Do they deserve it?"

"No!" shouted the crowd in unison.

"I could never reward such a crime," he said motioning to those that had brought Grivvin and Lyrica to the platform. They roughly grabbed them by the arms and led them forward to the edge, overlooking the ruined buildings outside of the wall. Another set of wooden steps had been built there, a heavy iron gate securing it against intruders. The gate was unlocked and they were pushed down until they had reached the cobble-stoned street below.

There was a clearing there, as if it had been a gathering place in the past, a wide circular area with thick wooden stakes driven into the ground between stones. Hanging from each stake was a chain and manacle and at its base, the telltale signs of bloodletting. They were both led to stakes next to one another, their wrists encircled and the restraints secured.

"And just so we can make a sport of it and give you a fighting chance, you can have your weapons back, little good they will do you," the old man said from the top of the wall. A man tossed Lyrica's swords within reach and they snatched them up.

"Grivvin, do something! Call upon your magic again. Get us out of here," she insisted.

"Something is wrong," he answered. "I cannot feel the Spiral now, no matter how I try. The power seems to have left me."

"This is not a good time for that to happen," Lyrica shouted. "Concentrate!"

Try as he might, the magic would not return. He clenched his fists in anger, eyes closed, trying to reach out with his mind and find the Spiral. How had he touched it before? What was different now?

Distant growls reached them suddenly and they raised their blades in defense. The wolves had returned. Soon the streets and alleyways began to echo with their calls, howling like long-dead spirits in the ruins.

"No," Lyrica said, pulling hard against the chain. Luckily, the posts were close enough for them to stand back to back and they did just that. The glowing points of the beast's eyes appeared as they entered the clearing.

As the wolves approached, it soon became apparent that those in the forefront were nearly twice as large as those that they had previously encountered. Whatever strange sorcery they possessed, it seemed to be much stronger in these creatures. Their shifting forms played tricks on the eyes. One could never truly be sure where their physical bodies were, many stuttering images appearing and flashing about as the creatures drew closer.

The beast that led the others stood as tall as Grivvin at the shoulder and was heavily muscled. The fiery magma dripped from its jaws as it slowly padded toward them, head low and ears pinned back against its wide head. It stopped a stone's throw away and stared at Grivvin, its eyes solid red and glowing in their sockets. Its upper lip curled as it let forth a deep growl, revealing sharp yellow fangs.

"I'm sorry, Lyrica. The Spiral is beyond my reach. I can't summon the magic," Grivvin explained as he stared at the animals. They were getting dangerously close, the thirst for blood evident in their predatory posture, bodies poised to strike. Quickly they were surrounded, the animal's jaws snapping within inches of them as they shoved their blades out to keep them at bay. How much longer did they have before they attacked?

The giant alpha wolf shot forward, its jaws set to bite Grivvin's throat as its immense body came down on him. He spun to the side, deflecting most of the weight and digging into its ribs with his dagger. It did not seem to phase the wolf. It spun, salivating red droplets upon the steaming ground, preparing for a second attack. At the same time, the creatures threw themselves at Lyrica, who fended them off with her sword.

"Dammit! My first time on land and I'm going to die like this?" she screamed, her blade flashing like a blur through the air, her back against his.

"Lyrica, if we die..I just want to say..." Grivvin started. "I've never met anyone like you. I- I like being with you very much. Thank you for helping me when you did."

"Those are the nicest last words that anyone has ever said to me," she said with a laugh. "I like you, too, Grivvin. Very much."

The wolves came at them hard, teeth chomping and claws tearing at them. It was only a matter of time before one of their strikes hit home and Grivvin was the first victim. One of the lesser wolves managed to get his jaws around Grivvin's left wrist as he fought off one of its kin. The creature was so strong. Try as he might, he could not wrench his hand free, the fangs tearing into his skin. He screamed out in pain, kicking the other wolves away and jabbing it in the eye with his dagger. He tore his hand away, his entire glove coming off into the creature's mouth. Blood ran down his hand and dripped from his fingers, staining the stones at his feet. He heard Lyrica cry out behind him and spun around to help her. One of the beasts pulled at her trouser leg, now dark with blood. Grivvin kicked it hard in the snout and as it released her, shoved his knife into its throat. It fell lifeless to the ground. He sensed danger and looked over his shoulder, but too late. The full weight of a wolf brought him face down to the cobblestones, claws scraping the skin of his back through his jacket.

I don't want to die like this. There are too many of them. Where is the Wychan magic now? Father, I've failed you.

A loud trumpet sounded in the distance and all went suddenly silent, the wolves frozen as it echoed down the streets of Old Embremere. He felt the weight come off of his back as the wolf there stepped away. Rolling to his side, he saw all of the animals turning to face the sound of the horn as it blared out once more.

"No!" he heard people shouting from the wall. "The Blinders! They have no right!"

From where the wolves had come, entered a procession of robed figures, each bearing a long staff that glowed at its tip. Grivvin stared curiously at them as the wolves began to back away and one by one, flee into the city, when something caught his eye. Upon the front of each robe, was painted the same symbol that marked his palm, the symbol of the Wychan.

Could there truly be so many of his order left in Old Embremere?

He struggled to his feet, turning to be sure of Lyrica's safety. Other than scrapes and bruises, she appeared unharmed. He smiled and raised his hand toward the approaching group, but the blood loss hit him suddenly and his head spun, bringing him to his knees. Lyrica spoke to him, but her voice was muffled as if she spoke from underwater. His heavy eyes saw the robed ones run to him, but then a curtain of darkness fell over him as he lost consciousness.

"Grivvin? Grivvin, my boy, I know you're in there," came an old man's voice from very close. Grivvin heard him, felt the gentle shaking of his body, but had trouble waking, his head feeling stuffed with cotton. He rolled his head from side to side, his eyes fluttering open enough to see the shadowy forms that stood around him and the vibrant pink shape that stood out in contrast among them. He smiled as he came around, realizing that Lyrica was there, his vision and mind becoming clearer as she moved to his side.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, smiling with tears in her eyes. "I thought you had died. I remembered what you had said about a Wychan's heartbeat, but when it was still for so long..."

He reached up and stroked her hair.

"Grivvin..."

"I know, Lyrica. I know and I feel the same," he said. She put her head on his chest and hugged him tightly.

"Don't leave me like that again."

Over her shoulders, he could make out the apparent leader of the group, the Wychan glyph standing out in gold upon his chest.

"Master Grivvin. It is good to have you back. We are honored with your presence, holy one," he said proudly.

Holy one?

"We have waited many long years for your return, Archmage and we have followed the teachings to the letter, as you will see. I think you will find everything in order, Master."

Grivvin stared, open-mouthed for a moment. He was in a rather stately bedroom, delicate curtains hanging from the large windows, overstuffed mattress beneath him.

"I'm sorry, you'll have to explain this...uh, who are you?"

"I apologize, Master. How inconsiderate of me. I am Chan Gedwin, Elder of the Minders. You are safe within Fainen Flats, our sacred home. When you are able, we would love to show you the fruits of our labors."

Grivvin nodded in agreement, completely confused by the man's explanation.

"We will be serving a meal soon, if you feel up to joining us. Otherwise, I will have someone bring it to you here," the old man said with a deep bow and backed out of the room, leaving he and Lyrica alone.

He looked at her, one eyebrow raised.

"What is going on? Have they all lost their minds? Who do they think I am?" he asked as he sat up against the headboard.

"They've seen the mark on your hand. They know you are Wychan and apparently you are like a god to them. They all seem very excited that you are here. I heard the elder talking about prophecies and how one of your order would come to bring the city back from the dead. They worship you, Grivvin."

"This entire city is a madhouse. To think, everyone out on the water believes it to be empty. To one side, I am hated and would have been killed. To the other side, I am divine. Do they realize that I have very little power? I am not like the Wychan of old," he remarked, examining the bandages wrapped around his left arm and hand. There was a burning stiffness there as he moved it and flexed his fingers.

"The saliva from those demons had gotten into the wound. It looked horrible when we arrived here, but they had some sort of salve that they applied to it. It began to heal immediately and the bleeding stopped. I believe that just as some people in the Under use magic items that have been left by your order, it is the same here. Their staves seem to be lit by the same glowing crystals as Mucker's home and it is the only explanation for their amazing medicine. I've never seen a wound heal that quickly."

He rose from the bed, rubbing the back of his neck and stretched his back. He shoved his feet in his boots and wrapped one arm around Lyrica's shoulders.

"Well, shall get something to eat? We are gods after all," he said with a grin.

"Hey, you're the one who's a god, not I."

"If I'm a god, then you must be my goddess, right?"

"If you say so."

They stepped out into the hall, a long and rather luxurious corridor, trimmed above and below in dark wood, intricate tapestries upon the walls. The warm glow of lamplight could be seen to their left so they headed in that direction. Soon, voices could be heard and the clatter of eating utensils, immediately joined by the delicious smell of a meal. They rounded the corner and were greeted by cheers and applause from the several score people that sat at the large table.

"Come, Master Grivvin! We've saved a seat for you and your friend. Yours, at the head of the table, of course," announced the elder. Taking their seats, they saw before them a veritable feast, meat and vegetables, fruit and bread. A young boy brought platters around to them and served them a portion of each. There was also a multitude of wine to go around and tankards of ale.

Grivvin found himself surprised at the plentiful victuals, the feast seeming improbable in the crumbling ruins of Old Embremere. Where their captors had seemed poverty-stricken, the Minders seemed to be thriving within the abandoned city.

All of those gathered around the table could not keep their eyes off of Grivvin, staring at him uncomfortably as he and Lyrica ate. Their faces were bright and hopeful, their mood exuberant as they talked among themselves. Finally, a middle-aged man could contain himself no longer and spoke to Grivvin from a few seats down the table.

"Master Grivvin? May I be so bold as to ask what your first order of business will be? What would you have us do? We know that your visit to us means the return of Embremere's glory. What is the first step in your plan, holy one?" asked the man, sheepishly.

He could not bring himself to destroy the man's beliefs, could not shove the truth in his face. He thought for a moment and decided it best to humor them.

"There are many things that must be done," he said with mock authority. "Many of these things must remain secret until they are set into place. The first thing that I must do, now that I have come, is to visit the temple."

Shocked faces appeared all around the table, the Minders frozen with disbelief. Gedwin, the elder, stood with a grin.

"The master is toying with us, trying to be funny and lighten the mood," he said and the others relaxed somewhat and began to laugh and chuckle amongst themselves.

"It is not a joke. I will go to the Wychan temple as soon as possible. It is the only way," Grivvin explained in all seriousness.

All was silent again.

"Master...it is forbidden. The commandments of all Wychan lore state that no one is to set foot near the temple. It is to be avoided at all costs. We cannot allow such foolishness," Gedwin said in a near-whisper.

"That place is cursed," another Minder began. "There are shades there, spirits. In recent years, ghostly lights can be seen to move within that place. Even the animals avoid it. No bird lights under its eaves, no rat scurries along its foundation."

"I have no choice in this matter," said Grivvin. "Lyrica and I will travel to the Wychan temple. There are things lost that must be found and they lie within that place. Now, you can either help us or you can stand by and do nothing, but those that sit on their hands...I will remember you."

Lyrica was impressed by his commanding voice. She almost believed the things he said, his speech was so powerful.

"Very well, holy one," said Gedwin, his eyes cast downward. "Upon the morrow, we will take you as close as we dare. Your quest is our quest, master."

"Thank you, all of you. Believe me, if we want to return the city to its once glorious state, this has to be done."

Grivvin smiled at Lyrica and began to devour the food in front of him.

CHAPTER SIX

It was morning, although it was difficult for one to tell, the dark grey of the storm still present over the area. The walked the rain-slicked stones of Old Embremere, led by six of the Minders, their robes soaked and their long staves tapping out a chaotic rhythm upon the street. There was fear in their eyes as the first of the tall spires came into view, its surface stark white against the cloudy sky. The Wychan glyph that had been painted there, as tall as a house, had been nearly weathered away, its color now faint and pale.

This is where it all started, the origin of the Wychan order. I can't believe I'm here.

The feeling inside of him was hard to explain, reverence, respect and admiration for those that had come before him. This was a sacred place, for the Wychan, the most important place that existed. Generations had lived here, perfecting their art and passing the knowledge down to their children. He would be the first to set foot inside in hundreds of years.

"This is where we leave you, master. We will not set foot within the temple grounds. Good luck to you and may you find that which you search for. We will await your return within the Flats," Gedwin said, eyeing the spires suspiciously.

"Your help is greatly appreciated, elder," Grivvin replied. "We will see you again soon."

They waved as they quickly backed away down the street and disappeared out of sight.

He and Lyrica climbed a steep hill, the grand edifice of the Wychan temple coming into view. A massive stone wall surrounded the building, crumbling in places. The gates stood open, huge iron doors decorated with aquatic scenes set in relief upon their surface. Lightning flashed, revealing all of the hidden details of the temple, its many towers and balconies, the large stained glass window set high in its facade. Most of the glass had fallen from the frame, but a few shards remained all of brilliant color.

"Grivvin, look at this," Lyrica said. He stepped to her side as she ran her hand along the outer wall. What had at first appeared to be random engravings, now were obviously depressions formed by thousands of hands. Within each handprint, a name had been inscribed.

"I think these are the names of all who became Wychanmore, the highest possible rank within our order. Amazing..." He carefully placed his palm inside one of the depressions, thinking of the past and those that had dwelled there. Everyone who had left their handprint here was now dead and long gone.

"Should I wait outside? I feel strange going in. I'm really an outsider in this place," Lyrica said studying the wall with her fingers.

"Nonsense," Grivvin said, pulling her along beside him. "You'll be much safer in there than out here, don't you think? Come on, let's go see what secrets are hidden inside."

"Do you know what you're looking for?" she asked.

"No, not really. The magic has been fading for so long. I hope to find some clue as to why. Maybe then I can learn how to reawaken it."

Stepping through the gate, their attention was immediately drawn to the large circular mosaic on the ground in front of them. Many of the tiny, colored stones were missing now, but it was evident that, at one point, it had been the Wychan glyph. Other than the mosaic, the rest of the courtyard was overgrown with weeds, grasses and wildflowers. As they began to wade through these toward the front entryway of the temple, Grivvin felt the pulse of energy once more, surging through his body. It took his breath and he stopped for a moment, blinking his eyes and shaking his head.

"What is it?" Lyrica asked.

"It's just as before. I can feel the power again, very strong. Why now?"

"Is it because we are on the temple grounds?" she asked.

"That wasn't the case before, but I suppose anything is possible. How do I control this? How do I turn it off and on?"

"I wish I could help, Grivvin. It has to be frustrating. Let's get inside, maybe the answers are there," she said and walked with him to the door. He pushed against it with his hand and it swung open easily on its hinges. Oddly, there were no cobwebs as one would suspect, the place being so old. It was dim inside, but they could see a large entry hall with many tall statues on wooden stands. A dozen steps later and they entered a circular room with bookcases lining the walls. Above, there was a second floor, a metal railing hugging the perimeter. Most of the books were still in place, untouched all of this time. The tables and chairs showed signs of weathering, some of them now broken in pieces upon the floor.

From this room, many corridors led away to other parts of the temple and Grivvin decided that he should explore all of them before leaving this place. Lyrica walked up to the closest bookcase, tracing the spines of the thick books with her finger.

"Gods, where do we start?" she asked. "It would take a lifetime to read all of these."

"Based on everything that I have been taught, I know that these books are not the ones that I am looking for. Those would not be kept in the library. They would be hidden away and kept secure. We need to look deeper," Grivvin said, looking around at the various other hallways. Next to each passage, a large glyph had been painted, each different and unknown to him. He studied the first, trying to make sense of the symbols when a clattering sound from across the room snapped him to attention. He glanced at Lyrica, his eyes wide and together they moved toward the passage from which the sound had come. It was too dark down the corridor for them to see anything and they paused for a moment. Grivvin scratched his chin in thought.

"Do you have an idea?" she asked.

"I've memorized dozens of charms over the years. I've never had the power to cast them. Now I do."

"Go on."

"Maybe it's time I try them out. I may never have the chance again," he said. She nodded with a smile.

He placed his fingertips together in concentration and began to produce a deep humming sound in his throat. He brought his hands out and away from his chest, then back in.

"Pok Pok-den, Illuminus...."

Three heartbeats passed and a ball of light appeared within his hands. He held it aloft like a glowing ball in his palm, illuminating the hallway in front of them. Lyrica grinned and rubbed his back.

"You did it, Grivvin! Incredible."

He exhaled and smiled, proud of his first real Wychan incantation. It felt amazing to live up to his potential. Never before had a charm been successful in this manner. In the past, only the tiniest of spells would work and not to their full strength. He moved his hand around in the air and watched as the glowing trail of magic moved about like a ghostly serpent, always attached to him.

Another loud noise came from farther down the corridor and Lyrica drew her sword. This time, once the commotion had ended, they could hear a man's voice cursing not far away. They stared at each other in confusion and started cautiously down the hall.

"I hope you have something a little deadlier prepared in case they aren't friendly," Lyrica whispered.

They passed several closed doors on their way toward the source of the sound, eventually descending two flights of stairs and coming to a tall, iron door standing slightly ajar.

Grivvin leaned around the door, peering into the room. He could see the back of a man hunched over a large and cluttered desk, long greying hair and thin frame. Something within the room was giving off a strong, green light, bathing everything in an eerie hue. Upon the desk were many glass containers, their lids cast aside, full of various powders and liquids of many colors. He could hear the man mumbling to himself as he raised one hand in front of him. There was a small flash and the sudden odor of sulfur that culminated with the man slamming his fist down in anger.

Grivvin stepped forward.

"Excuse me, sir?" he said as he entered the room.

The man visibly jumped where he stood, startled and spun to face him, his eyes wide.

"Who-? Heaven save me...Grivvin! Son!"

Grivvin was taken aback, unable to believe what he saw. His father had aged a great deal since last he saw him, a full beard covering his face, reaching to his chest. The wrinkles in his forehead were far deeper than they had been upon their last visit.

"Father? Th-they said you were dead!"

He ran to him and they roughly embraced, both near tears.

"Gods, I can't believe you're alive! They said that you killed yourself. I knew it wasn't true."

"No, they tried to kill me, tried very hard. In the end, I escaped- wait, wait. What are you doing here, son? How in the world did you reach this place?"

Lyrica joined them, waving politely to Grivvin's father.

"And who is this? Oh! She is an Underdweller? You've been to the Under? Wait...they cast you out as well? Why?" his father asked.

"They wanted me to stop this never-ending storm. I don't have that kind of power." Grivvin explained.

"Oh, son. I have so much to show you! I've learned amazing things since I came to this place. I had no idea that when the order was founded, the Wychan were elemental in nature. We used the elements of nature to touch the Spiral! Have you noticed anything strange since you've been in Old Embremere?"

Grivvin thought for a moment.

"Just odd instances of sudden power, as if I was struck by lightning and filled to the brim with magic, but then it would vanish just as quickly. In fact, just now, when I stepped into the courtyard, it happened again."

"That's it, son. You stepped across the courtyard. Across the ground. Don't you see? It's the very earth itself, the soil, the dirt. That is what we've been missing all of these centuries!"

Grivvin thought back to those moments when the feeling had entered him. Within the duke's garden he had walked upon the soil. He had fallen in mud, been covered in it, when he fought the wolves. It made perfect sense. The soil of the earth had been the missing component in Wychan sorcery.

"Why did the Wychan leave this place? If we need the earth to reach our full potential, why leave it?" he asked.

"I don't think the Wychan of old realized how drastic an effect it would have, removing one of the elements. That and I believe they were convinced by the royal family to leave land and move out onto the water. Based on what I have read, our order ruled the city. We were more powerful than the king himself in those days. I believe it was a plan to weaken us and bring the power back to the throne," his father explained.

"They tricked them. They convinced them to move away from here knowing that their magic would fade," Grivvin said.

"Exactly. A few generations later, they convinced the Wychan to create the cliff wall and the Maelstrom to protect this place from bandits. What they really did was seal it off from us, to protect their rule."

"I suppose they didn't realize the extent of the weakening. They still needed our powers, but they wanted to control them. It's been so long, do you think the royal family even knows this?"

"The king knows. I would bet my life on that. His family, probably not. I'm sure he never expected any of us to make it back to this temple, but the dragons were created by Wychan, they are forbidden to harm us. That is something they never would have guessed," said his father, motioning for Grivvin and Lyrica to be seated on a low sofa in the center of the room.

"I'm sorry, young lady. In my excitement, I've failed to introduce myself. I am Kindin Lo'Rynin, Grivvin's father and you are?"

"Lyrica, sir. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"And you as well," he said, joining them where they sat.

"What do we do?" Grivvin asked.

"Your sisters need to be warned lest the same fate befall them."

"They're gone, father. They were sent to Aesen some time ago."

"Aesen? What the devil for?" Kindin asked.

"Someone discovered a Wychan book there and they were sent to study it."

"It is true that an offshoot of our order settled in Aesen, but by all accounts they died out long ago. Having one of their books would prove most useful to us," his father said, staring blankly ahead. "Very well. You will stay here with me. Help me unlock the secrets of the ancient Wychan. We can bring our order back into power, son. Return this place to what it once was."

Grivvin imagined Old Embremere rebuilt and teeming with people, the wall coming down and the end of the Maelstrom. It would be truly majestic. He looked to Lyrica with a smile, but noticed to his surprise a look of sadness upon her face. It would not matter to her or the other Underdwellers whether the city thrived or not. They were trapped below the platform, scraping out an existence.

"Father, I can't stay. I've made a promise to Lyrica and with this new information you've given me, I can keep it. If I take a container of dirt with me, I can draw on its power," Grivvin said. "They need help, father. We can't just leave the Under the way it is. If we unlock the secrets of our magic, we should save them, free them from that prison."

"You sound like me," Kindin said with a smile. "Since I fell into their world, that's all I've wanted. I came close as well, but I was too much of a threat to the Cuda and their rule."

"Take Athiel Way. That street runs straight through the city and reaches nearly to the wall. You should make good time. Listen, I have several boats that I have gathered from the ruins, good vessels. They are docked in a small cove below an overhang in the cliff to the south. Take one, but be warned, these do not come equipped with Wychan rudders. Take this."

Kindin pulled a leather sack from his belt and handed it to Grivvin.

"Do not remove what is inside until you are on the water."

"What is it?" Grivvin asked, attempting to feel the inner object with his fingers.

"I want it to be a surprise. You'll love it."

His father stared at him silently for a moment, then stood, walking back to the desk.

"You can at least stay for the night, yes?"

In the morning, after an early meal, they stood together within the Wychan library. Kindin threw an arm around his son.

"You want to be with her, I understand that," he said. "You are your own man, after all and can make your own decisions. Do what you have to do, son. A promise must be kept, but please return here as soon as you can."

"Of course," Grivvin replied.

"Go with her, fulfill your obligations, but don't forget about what I have started here. Grivvin, we can bring our order back to its former strength. Every day, I discover something new! Listen, son, this is very important. The Wychan are far stronger when in contact with the ground. I've done some experiments and have found that if you take some of the soil with you, you can temporarily use its power. The magic fades quickly, though, it won't last long, you understand?"

"Fill your boots with a layer of dirt. This will allow you to pull energy from it, but choose wisely son. When you've depleted the soil, it's gone. If it is not in contact with the earth, the energy dies."

Grivvin nodded his understanding.

"I wish I could stay, father. I'm so happy to find you alive. You'll be safe here?" he asked.

"There is no safer place for a Wychan. Now go and hurry back, both of you. I hope to see you again, young lady. If you are important to my son, you are important to me. I can see in his eyes that he cares for you."

Grivvin felt the heat rise in his cheeks, somewhat embarrassed by his father's words.

"Thank you, sir," Lyrica replied. "I will get him back in one piece."

They both hugged Kindin and said their farewells, returning the way they had come. Just outside the entryway, sheltered from the misting rain, Grivvin removed his boots and scooped handfuls of dirt into the bottom of them. Lyrica grabbed his shoulder and looked at him with concern.

"Grivvin...you don't have to come-"

"I promised you, Lyrica. I know I don't have to do this, but you saved my life. I would have drowned that night and if not, the Cuda would have gotten me. We'll go back and find out what's at the bottom of that chain. I know the charms. Now I have the power to cast them. As you said, even the metal that the chain is made from is worth its weight in gold in the Under."

Athiel Way was a wide street, paved with large stones, many now missing, leaving irregular holes in their path. Despite this, they covered ground quickly that morning, the high spires of the Wychan temple soon out of sight. It was an odd feeling, passing through this once-grand city, the tall and majestic buildings standing like silent ghosts, staring with their darkened windows and open doorways like yawning eyes at either side. The farther away from the temple they traveled, the more wildlife they began to see, numerous birds, wild dogs and the occasional rodent.

"This place must have been truly beautiful," Lyrica said. "I hope your father is right. I hope the city can live again."

"If anyone can make it happen, he can. He's always been a very driven man, especially after my mother passed away."

"What happened to her?"

"I was still quite young. It was the white sickness. It killed many people in Embremere," Grivvin explained, his eyes on the street.

"In the Under as well. Where do you think they discarded the bodies? Oh, I'm sorry, Grivvin. That was thoughtless of me."

"I didn't know that. Their ashes were supposed to spread on the water. You're saying that my mother's body was probably dumped from the platform? Gods! That's another reason to hate the nobles. From what my father has uncovered, it seems that they have been at this for a long time."

"Once your father's research is complete, the Wychan will be strong again. You can have your revenge and I want to help," Lyrica announced with a hand on his shoulder.

"I would like nothing more than to destroy that entire castle, bring their precious palace into the depths for what they've done to my family and to the people of the Under," said Grivvin.

"I can't wait to see it," she said with a smile.

"You'll never live to see it!" called out a voice to their left. Just then, several figures stepped out on to the street from either side. It was the Exiles and their scruffy leader with the ponytail. He moved forward, swinging a long knife in a rather cocky manner.

"You see, we have unfinished business, we do. The Exiles can't exactly allow devils to roam the streets of Embrembere unchecked, can they? Looks like your saviors are nowhere to be seen," he said, receiving shouts and cheers from his followers. "Now, just where do you think you're heading?"

Grivvin put his hands up in frustration, hoping to quiet the lad.

"Last time, you caught these devils while they slept, remember? Now, we are prepared for you. I warn you, if you attack us, you will not be happy with the outcome," he said, pulling his knife from its sheath.

The lad raised an eyebrow, pondering, then, let out a laugh. The others followed suit, roaring in unison in support of their foolish leader.

"We've got some brave little devils here, don't we, boys?"

He stepped toward Grivvin, waving his blade threateningly and baring his rotten teeth. Grivvin knew the ways of the blade inside and out, he had trained for years amongst the royal guard and mastered the techniques. He was not about to let this fool best him.

He glanced at Lyrica who gave him a quick nod. He knew that she could handle herself as well and that he need not worry about her safety. As the boy approached, Grivvin's leg shot out, his boot catching his opponent's wrist, sending the knife flying through the air to land a stone's throw away. His attacker stared at his hand for a moment, dumbfounded, then ran to retrieve his weapon.

"Luck, that's all!" the lad screamed as he returned.

"You can't win. Take your rabble and go home," Grivvin offered, lowering his knife.

"I can't win?" his opponent asked, squinting at him. "I bet we all can! Come on, Exiles!"

With that, most of them rushed Grivvin, swinging a variety of weapons. This was a different story with multiple attackers viciously flailing arms and legs at him. He parried three thrusts from a rusty sword and kicked the man square in the midsection, dropping him like a stone. A fist came out of nowhere and he shifted his body weight just in time for it to skim across his cheek harmlessly. Honestly, he did not want to kill any of them, he felt sorry for them instead. Attacking with such ferocity, they left him little choice.

The leader rushed forward again, his sweeping blade passing just in front of Grivvin's chest as he jumped back. Grivvin quickly grabbed the lad's wrist, pulling it back to him while shoving his palm into his elbow with an audible snap. The boy let out a scream and stumbled away. Two men jumped in to take his place, one attempting to smash Grivvin's skull with a large club. Sidestepping, the club grazed his left shoulder and hit the ground harmlessly. This attack threw his assailant off-balance and Grivvin used the opportunity to bring the pommel of his knife down hard against the man's neck, rendering him limp and unconscious upon the street.

The second man's fist smashed into Grivvin's right cheek, sending him spinning and casting his vision in a reddish hue. He turned to face him and through the blur, saw Lyrica come through the air, leg extended, her boot catching the man in the side of the head, knocking him to the ground.

"Look out!" he shouted, seeing a hulking shape looming over her. Lyrica flipped her sword in her hand, the blade now facing backward and drove it into the man's abdomen. A horrible scream issued from the man as the metal pierced his stomach, and he fell to his knees as Lyrica pulled the sword free. He heard their leader cry out for retreat.

"They've killed Durmok! Into the ruins, everyone! Get out of here!" he called and as Grivvin's vision cleared, he could see the last of them vanishing between buildings.

Lyrica walked up to him, returning her sword to her belt and placed a hand on his face.

"Doesn't look too bad. That guy had no power behind his punches," she remarked with a smile.

Grivvin stared at the now-lifeless body of Durmok, his hunched body curled in on itself in the middle of the street, a dark pool of blood surrounding him. He frowned at the sight, regret creeping into his mind.

"What's wrong? You don't feel sorry for him, do you? They all deserved it," Lyrica explained.

"Oh, I know. There is no doubt about that. I...I've never seen anyone killed in front of me before, that's all."

"Oh, right. I had forgotten. In the Under, it's a pretty common occurrence. I was nine when I saw my first murder. It was a bar fight outside of Drowned Souls. My father was performing there. Because of that event, it was the last time I was allowed to attend. Mother would never let me go again."

She started walking along their path toward the west.

"We're just going to leave him here?" Grivvin asked.

"We have no choice," she called back. "Come on!"

Grivvin stared at the body for a moment, sighed and ran off to join her. They walked for some time in silence, the sun finally peeking through the clouds for a moment and soon they could see the shimmer of Lake Embremere in the distance.

"We're getting close," Grivvin said. "As soon as we leave this road, we head south and grab a boat."

"I'm not sure how we are supposed to cross the Maelstrom without the Wychan rudder," Lyrica said. "Two of us on the oars? The smallest of whirlpools will pull us under. Hopefully, what's in the bag will help us along. What do you think it is anyway?"

"I'm not sure. Another object imbued with Wychan magic perhaps? As you know, my father is quite the inventor. Perhaps it's a potion allowing the boat to fly," Grivvin stated.

"What? He can do that?" she asked in amazement.

Grivvin laughed.

"No, I don't think so. Flight, I believe is beyond even Wychan capabilities."

She playfully punched him in the arm as they made their way out of the city.

With his father's directions, finding his hidden boats proved simple enough and they were soon standing in a grotto within the cliff wall. The climb down was not easy, but they had made it to the water without mishap. There were five boats floating there, rocking with the waves and pieces of several others stacked along the rock wall where his father had been assembling them. A wooden box of tools and various other containers were collected in a depression in the stone shelf upon which they stood.

They climbed inside what appeared to be the sturdiest of the boats and untied the rope that held it in place. Grabbing the oars, they rowed the craft from the shelter of the grotto, out into the open water, the grey cliff wall soaring high overhead and the rainfall instantly showering them with bitingly cold water. Many leagues out, they could just see the first of the stone spires that marked the beginning of the Maelstrom.

"All right, Grivvin, let's see what's in the bag," Lyrica said.

He pulled the large sack on to his lap and unwound the leather strap that held it closed. He opened the mouth of the sack, reached in his hand and grasped a long wooden object of some sort. He pulled the bag off and dropped it into the bottom of the boat, while studying the object closely with his eyes. Lyrica moved up next to him, staring over his shoulder.

"What is it?" she asked. The thing resembled a small, thin club with many holes all along the end roughly the size of a fingertip. "It looks like a flute or something."

"That's what I was thinking, but there's no mouthpiece, just the holes on one end. Wait, there's a piece of parchment in the bag," Grivvin said and pulled out the paper, reading it carefully.

"Upon reaching the Maelstrom, place the object in the water and wait," he read.

"Uh, wait for what? He could've been a little clearer," Lyrica said in confusion.

"I don't know. Let's get to the Maelstrom and find out," he answered.

She grumbled, grabbed her oars and began rowing, punctuating each stroke with a curse.

"Well, that's not very lady-like."

"Oh, shut up," she said in mock-anger.

It took the better part of two hours to reach the first of the rocky formations that bordered the Maelstrom and by that time, they were exhausted, their hands and backs aching. They sat slumped, resting as they began to feel the familiar pull of the current on their vessel.

"Well, let's give this thing a try," Grivvin said, removing the object from the sack submerging it below the surface. They both stared down at it, its image bending and twisting with the rippling waves. There was no visible change.

"Why is it not working?" Lyrica asked, glancing to where the darkness of the first vortex could be seen, its pull slowly dragging them in.

"I don't know," he said, leaning out to get a better look at the rod underwater. "If something doesn't happen soon, we'll end up at the bottom of the lake."

He pulled the rod up, water dripping from its many holes, and examined it as Lyrica looked on. Frustrated, he shoved it back below the waves, his heartbeat quickening at the thought of navigating the whirlpools without magical assistance. Lyrica took her seat once more and grabbed hold of the oars.

"Come on. Help me. That thing's not gonna work."

He stared down at it, biting his lip. He trusted in his father. In anger, he shook the rod back and forth violently in the water.

"Do something!" he shouted at the thing. Just then, bright beams of white light shot out from the rod, radiating in all directions below the boat. "Hey! Get over here!"

Lyrica left her seat and jumped to his side. Her eyes grew large as she took in the bright spectacle that was taking place below. The light now resembled multicolored fingers, reaching and stretching as far as they could see. The waves became more pronounced suddenly, their boat beginning to rock uncontrollably and the force of the current growing immediately stronger.

"The Maelstrom is pulling is faster, Grivvin. How does that help us? Is that what that thing does, hurl us forward to our watery graves?" she asked, returning to the oars.

This time, Grivvin did not argue. Instead, he threw the rod to the bottom of the boat, took his own seat and began to row away from the current. It was no use. The vortex was far too strong and after several minutes of struggling against it, they surrendered to its pull.

"We're dead," he announced throwing his hands in the air. "It's just my luck, the one time that my father's inventions fail, we happen to be on the verge of death."

Lyrica pulled her oars in and settled them on the floor of the boat, a look of dread on her face. There would be no way to escape the whirlpool this time. Theirs was simply a boat and with no Wychan items, they were doomed. She joined Grivvin at his seat and threw her arms around him, burying her face in his neck. He held her close, his mind racing, trying to formulate an escape, but there was none. For the first time, Lyrica allowed herself to show weakness and began to weep softly upon his chest.

I can't let it end like this. There are no charms that I know that can save us from this. I have yet to master levitation. I could never muster the strength needed to push the boat forward without a crystal and only a master could control the water itself.

He felt the bow dip as the whirlpool took them and they began their slow, circular journey toward the growling black center. Waiting for the inevitable was agonizing. He held his breath as their craft settled into its tilted position.

Wait. That's it!

"Lyrica, I can do this!" he shouted. "The charm of water-breathing! I can use the power from the soil...no, that works on a single person. Well, good enough. I'll cast it on you. Save yourself."

"What?" she argued. "Save myself and let you drown? Are you insane? You think I could live with that decision?"

"I want to do this! If only one of us can live, I want it to be you," he said, grabbing her shoulders and pulling her close. He kissed her hard on the lips and then pulled back, his eyes intense. "We don't have much time. You can still make it if I cast the charm now."

"Grivvin, no..."

"Please!" he shouted over the increasing roar of the vortex.

She lowered her head, sobbing.

"I won't let you do it," she said. "The price is too-"

Something hit the bottom of the boat and it seemed to suddenly move contrary to the pull of the vortex, throwing them to the floor.

"What was that?" Grivvin asked. pulling himself up. He peered over the side and could see the surface of the water receding from them as the boat became airborne. Turning to look behind them, he saw the sleek, serpentine body of a water dragon below them, its long neck rising up to meet them. The boat now rested upon its head as they began to move out of the whirlpool.

"Grivvin!" Lyrica screamed as she also made the realization.

They rose far into the air, nearly as high as the rock formations that stood there and began to slowly move forward, the boat rocking slightly upon the great beast's skull. Behind, they could see the massive grey-blue flippers powering them onward, the long tail undulating just below the surface. Their speed increased and they passed through another large vortex with little resistance.

"Wha-? Is it helping us?" Lyrica asked, moving to the side of the vessel and peering down. "Grivvin, I think the dragon is helping us through the Maelstrom!"

Grivvin nodded with a smile.

"You're right. My father's invention called it. That has to be it. We signaled and it came," he said with pride.

"Just as it wouldn't harm you when it smelled your blood in the water. They were created by your kind after all."

They traveled amazingly fast through the countless whirlpools, weaving between the giant stones that stood there, the light rain pelting their faces. In no time, the creature slowed to a halt, lowering them once more to the surface of the lake. Off the starboard side, the creature's gargantuan head rose from the depths and regarded them with an expression of extreme wisdom. Grivvin raised a hand of gratitude to the dragon.

"Thank you, friend!" he shouted and it slipped quickly beneath the water and was gone. Lyrica stared at Grivvin, her mouth hanging open in astonishment.

"I cannot believe that just happened," she muttered. "I thought we were dead back there and now rescued by one of the water dragons. I'm still in shock."

Not far away, the platform of Embremere loomed above, and below it the shadowy realm of The Under. They grabbed their oars and set off, their moods much brighter and optimistic, having lived through the Maelstrom. An hour passed and they docked at the nearest pier, struggling with rubbery legs to climb out of the boat. They found the nearest eating establishment and satisfied their hunger, all the while being watched suspiciously by the other patrons seated there.

Finally, a serving girl approached them, refilling their cups with ale.

"The Cuda came in yesterday looking for you two. They offered a reward to anyone that would turn you in. Tore the back room up real good, threatened the owner and his wife. I suggest you finish your meal and get on the move as soon as possible," she said with a tense smile.

"We appreciate the warning," Grivvin said with a nod. His eyes went to the other customers and he checked his knife, preparing himself.

"They'll be on us in no time, Grivvin. They know our scent. If they know that we've left the Under, they'll be waiting somewhere near the outskirts for us to return," Lyrica explained, standing up from the table. Together, they made for the doorway, feeling the heat of the other's eyes on their backs.

"Why are we so important to them?" Grivvin asked as they headed down the pier toward their waiting boat.

"I think it's you that they want. You stood up to them, Grivvin. No one does that around here. And, of course, I was seen with you, fought by your side, so I'm next on the list."

"Sorry about that," he said as they passed through a dark, narrow alleyway.

"No need to apologize. This whole adventure was my idea, wasn't it? I just had to have what's at the bottom of the lake. Guess I'm greedy. Taking some of the metal from that chain will mean that my friends and family will no longer have to struggle."

They rounded a corner, stepping out onto the edge of the pier and pulled up short, backing once again into the shadows. There were three of the Cuda searching their boat, their noses held low, sniffing. These were obviously examples of the more-evolved Cuda, for he heard the rattling and guttural voice of one them addressing the others.

"It is them. They are here and they arrived very recently by the smell of it," the smallest of them said, grey and black skin glistening in the dim light.

"Modmargen wants them dead and what Modmargen wants, he gets," hissed another, the long gills twitching at his sides. "We'll comb this neighborhood once more. I know they're here."

Together, they slipped off the side of the boat and vanished below the surface of the lake.

"We'll have to find another way back home. I guarantee they have eyes on that boat now," Lyrica explained, staring at the platform of Embremere above. "It's a shame we don't have those Wychan children with us. Now would be a good time to use their secret passages to The Over."

CHAPTER SEVEN

They traveled as discreetly as possible for nearly an hour until they reached the western edge of the platform and a wide expanse of open water. In the distance, they could see two other neighborhoods, relatively large for Under standards. There were many people milling about and many vessels moving to and fro along the pier. There were far too many observers for them to steal a boat and they certainly could not swim to the next platform. They huddled next to a building, attempting to hide in the perpetually dim environment provided by the storm.

"You! You there at the wall!" a man shouted and they did their best to ignore him, but he walked swiftly up to them. "Why...you're the ones their looking for! Everyone, these are the ones that the Cuda want. Quite a reward they're offering as well."

Grivvin moved slowly toward the man, his hands out. "We don't want any trouble. We're just trying to get home, that's all. Maybe we can make a deal?"

"A deal?" the man shouted, attracting unwanted attention. In no time, people began to gather and point at he and Lyrica. "What kind of deal will keep the Cuda off of our backs when they find out? I don't think so. Someone find one of the fish-men and get them over here. We caught ourselves some fugitives."

Lyrica looked at Grivvin anxiously, hand on her sword.

"What are we going to do? We can't stand here and wait for the Cuda to take us. We have to fight our way out of here," she said.

Grivvin nodded.

"I can see no other way," he replied. "If I use too much magic, there won't be enough for me to help you with that chain."

"Don't use any, then. We'll fight it out the old-fashioned way, eh? Come on."

She ran toward one of the smaller fishing boats, pushing people to the side. Bystanders began shouting, alerting everyone of their attempted escape. Together, she and Grivvin jumped aboard the vessel and were immediately met by three large fishermen, shirtless and bearing fishing spears.

"Just what in the-" one of them started, but what quickly knocked senseless by a swing of Grivvin's fist.

"Just give us the boat! We don't want to hurt any of you!" Grivvin shouted as he ducked under another's attack.

"Like hell!" he heard behind him and then a loud grunt as Lyrica kicked the man in the kidney and threw him overboard. She then cut the mooring rope and the craft was adrift. Four stunned men sat at the oars, unsure of their next course of action. Grivvin approached them, knife in his hand.

"Row. Row now or suffer the same fate. We mean you no harm and if you do this, we will let you go," he said and the men looked at one another questioningly.

"Row!" Lyrica screamed and they immediately put their backs into it, pulling away from the pier and the shouting people there. They began to pick up speed and had gotten a good distance away when they saw the grey figure slither out of the water among the crowd. In seconds, it had spun, its eyes on their craft and dove into the water after them. Within a few heartbeats, the Cuda shot up from below, landing with a thud on their deck, its long thin fingers swiping at the air, ready to cut them to ribbons.

"Keep rowing!" Lyrica shouted as she and Grivvin squared off against the creature. It came at Grivvin, its head low and its jaws snapping, rows of yellowed teeth standing out against blood-red gums. Before he knew it, the Cuda launched itself at him, tackling him to the deck. Its arms rained down an assault of ripping claws that found home several times before Lyrica put her blade in its back.

The thing collapsed, a nearly-black pool of blood expanding around it. They suddenly noticed that the boat had begun to slow and turned to look at the men sitting at the oars.

"What are you doing?" Grivvin asked, moving toward them. As one, they pointed behind the boat where many glowing pairs of eyes could be seen below the surface.

"We'll never outrun them. No one can," one of them remarked.

Grivvin spun in time to see a dozen or so of the Cuda come out of the lake, hurtling toward he and Lyrica. They did not have a chance, overrun and thrown to the deck. Grivvin heard her cry out in pain and struggled hard to escape the claws of his opponents. He slipped free and smashed his fist into the cheek of the nearest Cuda, sending it to the deck. He felt searing pain along his spine as one of them attacked him from behind.

He saw Lyrica's sword fall from her hand and slide across the deck. He dove for it, catching it in his hand and turned to impale one of the creatures as it jumped for him. With both hands, he began to chop his way through the Cuda in an attempt to reach her where they had her pinned to the deck. She screamed out for him, her voice cracking and he felt helpless as he swung the blade like a madman. He should use the magic, he thought, but the charms would not come. The words failed, the chaos of battle breaking his concentration.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see more of the creatures climbing aboard and knew that all hope was lost.

"Don't kill her, you idiots," came a commanding voice at the stern. A more human-like Cuda stood there with a grin, a half-eaten fish in his hand. "Modmargen will have you for dinner if you do."

The other Cuda pulled themselves away from Lyrica, she stood up on wobbly legs, her left cheek bruised and her arm held close to her chest. Blood stained her clothing in many spots, the result of their wicked claws.

"You've given us quite the chase," their commander began. "I enjoyed it, really. It's been some time since one of the Underdwellers defied us in such a way. Fools."

"You should know your place. The Cuda rule the Under. Look at yourselves! You and your kind are the refuse of Embremere, unfit to live among them. You are their unwanted trash."

"I'd rather be trash than a scavenger. Your kind live off of the bottom of the lake," Lyrica hissed.

He narrowed his eyes at her and began to step forward.

"Things are not going to go well for you, young lady," he said.

There came a sudden jolt as if the boat had been hit by something below and its forward momentum completely stopped. Everyone on board looked about in a confused manner, reaching out for something to hold on to. Then, it seemed as though the vessel began to rise.

There appeared a sudden crack diagonally through the decking, the wooden planking splintering and creating an expanding gap as both ends of the boat began to drop. Loud cracking noises sounded out as a long, metallic spire forced its way up through the center of the boat, literally breaking the vessel in half and sending people and Cuda sliding off into the lake.

As the metal object rose, it grew in width until it revealed itself to be an underwater craft, built hodgepodge from various gathered elements. Grivvin and Lyrica clung tightly to their half of the sinking boat, lying stretched out on their bellies as it took on more and more water. As the strange vessel came to rest, a large rectangular hatch popped open with a hiss and there stood Mucker, wide-eyed with a grin.

"Hope I'm not too late. I just received word that these fishmen were after you. Climb aboard and let's get out of here," he called out, motioning for them to jump in and swim for the hatch.

"Mucker!" Lyrica shouted and together, she and Grivvin dove into the water. Instantly, the Cuda were after them, but Mucker threw out his hand and they stopped where they were, fear in their pale, glowing eyes. He helped them climb into the vessel, casting a warning glance at their pursuers and slammed the hatch. There was an odd breathing sound and a slight pressure in their ears as the craft began to drop below the surface.

It was tight quarters inside, with very little room to sit, but Mucker had fashioned simple seats from discarded planks of wood, which they settled in. The old man busied himself, pulling levers and turning metal knobs, controlling their speed and direction. They began to move swiftly through the water, diving ever deeper. Grivvin noticed the faint glow of light outside and craning his neck, he could see shining orbs built on to the shell of the vessel. More Wychan magic, it seemed.

Once satisfied that they were not followed, Mucker's demeanor became calm once more and he visibly relaxed in his seat.

"Now, listen. I can take you two as far as Dimbledowns, that's it. Any farther and I won't have the power to make it home," he said.

"Mucker...the Cuda are afraid of you," Lyrica said in confusion. "Why? They're not afraid of anything."

"I've kept it a secret for some time now, but I suppose it's out now. Your father was the first to notice, Grivvin."

"Mucker! He's still alive. In all of the excitement, I forgot to tell you," Grivvin explained. "He escaped the Cuda and reached Old Embremere. He's living in the Wychan temple."

"He's alive?" Mucker gasped in astonishment. "Thank the Gods! That is incredible news. Has he found anything, a way to bring back the magic?"

"He is doing amazing things. With his passion, it's only a matter of time. He will have the secrets unlocked before we know it."

"You've made my day, Grivvin," Mucker said with a grin.

"And you, ours!" he responded.

"Why do the Cuda fear you?" Lyrica inquired once more.

Mucker breathed out, his eyes closed.

"To make a long story short, I have Wychan blood. Just a bit, mind you, but Wychan blood nonetheless. Your father sensed it the first time we met. I suppose somewhere back in history, I had an ancestor that was Wychan. Your father taught me about the Spiral, helped me reach out to it and draw on a bit of its power. I will never be as strong as you, Grivvin, but I've learned enough to scare off the Cuda. Those foolish creatures think I am much more than I truly am."

Grivvin stared at the old man in amazement. Another Wychan, alive and well in the Under? Until now, he believed that his family was the last.

"So, it is possible that there are more people with a hint of Wychan blood..." he said to himself.

"Oh, absolutely. There must be more," Mucker said.

Grivvin imagined an army, thousands strong, filled with Wychan mages, assaulting the castle in Embremere. He ground his teeth at the thought of what they had done to he and his father, casting them out when they were no longer of use. He would love to see them pay for those crimes.

They traveled for several more hours in this fashion, submerged below the surface of the lake, the abundant aquatic life swimming curiously around their craft. Eventually, Mucker turned a few knobs and pulled hard on the levers, causing the craft to slowly rise in the water. More light began to come through the windows and they knew they were close to the surface. More hissing sounds began and soon they had come to a stop, bobbing there on top of the water.

"Dimbledowns. Here you are, my friends. I'm sorry that I could not take you farther. You should be safe from the Cuda for some time, but, mark my words, they will never give up. They have your scent and they want you dead. I would recommend taking care of your business and getting out of the Under. Right now, it is not a safe place for the two of you."

"Thank you, Mucker, for everything," Lyrica said. "Be safe."

The old man nodded and stared at them for a moment with concern as if there were more for him to say. He decided against it, waved and sealed the hatch behind him. The vessel began to breath loudly once more and sunk below the waves.

The houses and other buildings within Dimbledowns were painted a deep orange color like that of a sunset and when possible, the residents had included bits of driftwood, giving the structures a sculptural appearance. There were many people there on the pier, staring in wonder at the sinking vessel, and Grivvin and Lyrica disappeared quickly into the crowd. They passed down one of the main streets, always on the lookout for Cuda and slipped into an armory. Here they sold the rare and sought-after Blueplate, body armor made from the shell of the giant blue lobster. Being rare, it fetched a tidy sum.

"You need a better weapon than that dagger, Grivvin. An Underdweller without a good sword, is a dead Underdweller. You still have some coin, don't you?" Lyrica asked.

Grivvin dug into his robe and retrieved a few coins, handing them to her.

"What'll that get me?" he asked.

The burly shopkeeper sauntered up, one eye in a squint, as he stared at Lyrica's upright palm.

"Heh, I'd say, nearly any blade in the shop, my boy. Take your pick."

"Right, um..." Grivvin moved along the wall, studying each sword that hung there, from the straight, double-edged to the wickedly curved scimitars. He spied a beautiful blade, its length slightly curved, its hilt and pommel a striking copperish color.

"Let me have a look at that one," Grivvin asked and it was immediately brought to him. It felt good in his hand, natural. Its weight was very close to those that he had trained with among the guards, but it was slightly shorter over all.

"That's a damned fine blade right there. Won that thing in a card game over at The Black Tassel. Let's just say the man was not too happy to see it go. Amazing workmanship. I wish I knew where it was forged. I'd like to see what else that swordsmith was capable of."

"It can't be from around here," Lyrica remarked. "It's too perfect. Had to come in during a night trade."

"Night trade?" asked Grivvin, peering down the edge of the blade.

"Foreigners come on designated nights and trade with the Underdwellers through the fence that keeps us here. It's how all of the exotic stuff gets in here."

"Oh, I see," said Grivvin, sliding the sword back in its scabbard with a smile. "Sir, I'll take it."

"Great! I thank you and my family thanks you. Tonight, we can afford a nice dinner!"

They settled up at the counter, the shopkeeper all smiles and then they were on their way, Grivvin's new weapon slung proudly at his hip. They proceeded to the north, along a wide street, filled with shoppers visiting the many stalls and merchants that did business there. Just then, someone shoved Grivvin to the side and tapped Lyrica on the shoulder. She glanced around, expecting it to be Grivvin, then spun on her heel to face the man.

"Waterwolf! Hey, what are you doing in Dimbledowns?" she asked.

He grinned, sucking on his teeth.

"That's funny. What am I doing in Dimbledowns. You never brought my boat back!" he shouted.

"Oh, that. I'm sorry, Wolf. There were...unforeseen circumstances. We just got back ourselves," she explained.

"Yeah, yeah, that's fine. Now, if I could just get my boat back, I'll be out of your hair."

"The boat was destroyed," Grivvin interjected. "We were forced to leave it in Pox Fen."

"Pox Fen? You- you took my boat into the Pox Fen? You never said-"

"I didn't know, Wolf. I promise you, I had no idea we would be heading there."

"Look," Grivvin started, reaching into his pockets. "I still have some coin. I'll pay you for the damages," he offered.

"Pay me? Do you have any idea what a Wychan rudder is worth? A rudder that now lies in that dead and poisoned place, useless? You do not have the coin to replace such a thing. This is my business, you know? I acquire the things that people need. I rent boats. That was my most important vessel, my largest money-maker," said Waterwolf, his face flushed with anger.

"Should we tell him about our discovery, Lyrica?" Grivvin asked. "Perhaps he could share a piece of it? That should make up for his loss, yes?"

Lyrica stared at Waterwolf for a moment, contemplating. She then nodded with a smile.

"Sure," she said. "We've found a length of chain as long as the lake is deep. We're going to collect it now."

"What do you mean, chain? You mean metal? A metal chain?" asked Waterwolf with his hands on his hips.

"Yes, yes. Metal, with links as thick as your arm," Lyrica replied. "You know what that's worth."

"Absolutely," Waterwolf said with much frantic nodding. "Give me a few links and we're even. In fact, I'll even let you store it in one of my warehouses. I know you don't have a place to keep that much metal. It'll be under lock and key, perfectly secure."

"I'll think about it," Lyrica said. "Now, do you have a way to get us back home? Where's your boat?"

"It's just down the pier. Let's go," Waterwolf said, excitedly. "We'll stop by my workshop. We need something to cut through that thing." He knew what people would pay for that much metal. He wouldn't have to work for a year.

They took off at a fast walk, heading down the pier, weaving in and out of the others that congregated there. It was obvious in his posture that Waterwolf was anxious to begin the treasure hunt, his head held high and his pace quick and direct.

"Grivvin!" called out a man's voice from behind. He slowly turned to find the speaker with his eyes and recognized Adriul, a commander from the royal guard. It was he who had given Grivvin most of his combat training during his service at the palace. He stood, arms crossed among four of his men, their swords drawn and at the ready. He was an older man, nearly sixty years of age, his hair now sparse and grey, but he was still an imposing figure, broad of chest and powerful in presence.

The residents of Dimbledowns ran for cover upon seeing the soldiers from the Over, for they never descended below the platform.

"Thax reported seeing you in Embremere just a few short days ago, Grivvin," said Adriul. "You should never have returned. It was better for you when everyone believed you dead, but you just had to show yourself, didn't you?"

"You should have died that night, son. No one survives with waters that rough. Not even with your blood."

"Adriul..." Grivvin began, backing down the pier.

"We can't have you getting the natives riled up, can we?" Adriul asked as his men began to move forward, closing the gap between them.

"This is just what I need," Waterwolf called out as he turned and sprinted for his boat. "First I lose my best boat, now I lose my life! Lyrica, you bring me nothing but bad luck, girl!"

"Miss, you can go," Adriul said, addressing Lyrica. "We have no quarrel with you. You are free to leave."

Lyrica stood in place next to Grivvin, hand on the pommel of her sword.

"I'm not going anywhere. If you attack him, you attack me as well," she said.

"Please, little girl. Don't make my soldiers hurt you. Now, run along."

Lyrica leaned over and spat upon the pier in front of her as an insult. She then pulled her sword free with a flourish and dropped her right foot back into a fighting stance. Grivvin looked at her in amazement.

"You don't have to do this, Lyrica. I don't want to be resp-"

"Shut up and fight," she replied.

He shrugged and slid his newly-purchased blade from its scabbard with a smile.

Just as the first soldier swung his heavy blade at Lyrica's head, she pulled back just enough to let it whistle harmlessly by, then thrust her sword out, catching the man in the ribs. She heard him hiss as the point just pierced his skin. Lyrica laughed out loud, knowing it would anger the man and throw him off balance. He growled and came at her chopping from above, his fingers white as he gripped the sword's pommel. He narrowly missed her as she deftly stepped to one side, the blade sinking into the wooden planking underfoot and sticking for a just a moment, long enough for her to bring a knee up into his nose.

The force of the impact threw the guard's head straight back, showering blood in an arc through the air. He staggered back in a daze as Lyrica kicked him squarely in the midsection, dropping him to his knees. At the same time, two of the men launched themselves at Grivvin in a flurry of swordplay. The uneven music of steel upon steel rang out as they pressed in hard. They knew of his prowess with the blade and wished to take no chances, stabbing and chopping like mad as they attempted to drive him off the edge of the pier.

It's all in the footwork. One must not cross one's feet to step forward or back. One, instead must shuffle.

The words of Adriul rang in his ears, for he had heard them recited countless times within the training grounds. His attackers were very strong and Grivvin could feel his wrist beginning to fatigue as he parried their heavy blows. These were grown men and he was still small in comparison, but he held his own. He changed his strategy and instead of blocking every attack, blade to blade, he began to dodge and deflect the strikes. This technique was far less shocking to the arm and would help him retain his strength.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the fourth guard rush up to Lyrica, his wild swings aimed to decapitate her. Grivvin knew how fast she was, but still he worried for her safety. He glanced to his right and immediately felt a sharp, stinging pain as the tip of one of his opponent's blades gashed his forearm. The cut was shallow but served its purpose, to break his concentration. His moves began to falter, his body off-balance, his strikes no longer true. A light sweat broke out on his forehead as he did his best to recover, but then another strike found home, this time gouging into his left thigh.

"Ahh!" he cried out and spun away, retreating down the pier. It was no use, the guards were on him once again, showering down a torrent of attacks that he was barely managing to counter.

"Give it up, Grivvin!" Adriul shouted. "Surrender and I will make it quick. There's no way out of here, son. The royal family cannot have a Wychan on the loose in the Under. Who knows what kind of mayhem you could cause? Why, there could be an uprising!"

He broke out in laughter at the absurdity of the idea.

"Look at you. You're wounded. It's only a matter of time before they wear you down. Why postpone the inevitable?"

Desperation filled Grivvin's heart. The words rang true and he knew it. He was weakening, the persistent attacks draining his strength. He would fight on, but regardless of his skill, they had bested him. The distraction of his concern for Lyrica had cost him.

One of his attackers thrust his sword forward, nearly catching him in his chest as he jumped back a few steps. Lyrica was having a difficult time as well, her opponent much larger than she was, his weapon nearly three times the size of hers. She was also being driven backwards down the pier. Was this how it would end for him? Not only would he die at the hands of his teacher, but the girl that had saved his life would die for him as well.

"Look," one of the soldiers called out. "You can see it in his eyes." He pressed forward, swinging high at Grivvin's head and simultaneously kicking him in the shin. Grivvin's leg buckled and he fell to the pier.

They stood over him, victorious, glaring with a bloodlust in their eyes.

Lyrica fought on, but it was pointless. He saw blood running from the side of her head, the color darkening her hair.

"The Wychan is shaking in his boots, Commander!" one of them said with a chuckle.

Boots.

Grivvin had nearly forgotten. He didn't stop to think, instead he recited the five words in the charm and threw his hands out in front of him. He remembered the soil in his boots and the knowledge recently given to him by his father. There was no time to weigh his options. He had to act.

Jagged forks of crimson lightning shot out from his fingertips, striking each of the attackers in the forehead and sending them to the wooden platform of the pier, writhing in pain as flames began to crawl across their bodies. They thrashed about, screaming and clawing at their eyes, kicking their heels against the planks underneath them.

Adriul stood, eyes wide in shock, staring as his men shouted out for mercy, dying in the Wychan fire that quickly engulfed them. In moments, it was over, the four men lying motionless in front of them.

Adriul put his hands out in front of him as Grivvin stood, his hands still glowing with blood-red flame.

"Son, please. I was just following orders. You must believe me. I didn't want to see you come to harm."

"You were going to let them kill him!" Lyrica screamed in anger.

"What choice did I have? Grivvin, listen. You know me. You know that I could not defy the prince. To do so, would mean death. I did not want this mission. Assignments such as these usually go to Thax. I tried to talk my way out of it. Look, you are like family to me. Once you lost your father, I took you in, treated you like my own, did I not?"

"I know how good you are with the sword. I trained you. I was hoping you would defeat my guards. Now, I can tell the prince that I didn't find you and that the guards were killed by the fish-men that dwell down here."

Grivvin wanted to tell him that his father was not dead, but held his tongue. If they found out the truth, they would surely send soldiers into Old Embremere to find and kill him. He still did not trust Adriul, though he wanted to.

"Have my sisters returned?" Grivvin asked.

Adriul shook his head.

"No, not yet and I fear for them when they do. Your family has been doomed for some time it seems. Yours is the last with the power. If the prince cannot get your sisters to obey, they too will be cast out or worse. Soon, the lies of the nobles will catch up to them. It's all become a mess. There is no way to know the truth anymore. They had told me that you had died attempting a Wychan ritual. It broke my heart, for I had just seen you earlier that day. Now, they come to me and tell me that you were cast out and are alive in the Under? They don't even explain away the lie that they told me days before! They just expect me to accept it."

"How can you go back there, Adriul? They cast me out. If you truly think of me as a son, how can you live with that? Imagine how many more lies they have told you in the past. They are evil. When my sisters return, they will be in danger as well."

"To be honest, Grivvin, there are things going on in the cathedral that they keep hidden from me. Thax is in command of it and I know it is something horrible. I don't know what they are working on in there, but it is demonic. It is no secret how obsessed the royal family is with the Wychan magic and how they wish to control its power for their own gain. I fear that they were responsible for your father's death. I believe that they tried to control him, tried to corrupt him and bend him to their will. He would never have bowed to them. That is why he is dead now. I do not believe that it was an accident."

"Promise me that you will do everything in your power to protect my sisters, Adriul. Tell them that I am here. Help them to join me. It is the only way to keep them safe. I cannot be seen in the Over, you know that, or I would go myself." Grivvin said, lowering his hands.

"I will do my best to keep them from harm. If it is discovered that they have escaped into this place, the prince will stop at nothing to find them. My little search party will pale in comparison to the men that they will send after them." Adriul explained.

"Things are happening here, Adriul. The Wychan power will soon return, stronger than ever. Those that rule Embremere will soon fall from their throne. I have seen things down here that you would not believe. I will see you again and soon."

"I pray that I live to see that day, son," Adriul said approaching Grivvin with arms extended. The power had now faded from Grivvin's hands and he embraced the man as he reached him. "I'm just happy that you are alive. I wish your father were here to see the man that you have become. You have an important role to play, I sense it. Do what is right and honor your family. The nobles deserve what is coming, that is certain."

"If you can find a way to bring my sisters here, perhaps you can stay as well," Grivvin said with a smile and a slap on the older man's back.

"Don't think I haven't thought about it, son. They would send an army after me if they thought me a deserter. When things are different, I hope to know you again. You stick with this woman here. She put her life on the line for you. That's love, son. Don't let that slip away."

Adriul took one last look at the bodies of his fallen soldiers, then turned and walked off down the pier. Grivvin was sad to see him go. Most of the people from his old life he would never see again, he realized. He continued to watch the commander until he had disappeared down a side street, then looked at Lyrica who stared at him with concern.

"Are you all right?" she asked. "He must be important to you."

"He was like a second father to me and just as he said, when my father was thought dead, he took care of me, protected me. I'm afraid that I may never see him again."

They turned, hearing the sound of footsteps approaching at a fast pace. Waterwolf joined them, a crazed look in his eyes.

"Gods, I can't believe what I just saw! You're a bleedin' Wychan! The way you defeated those guards, the power...I'm happy that you're on my side," he said, visibly twitching with nervous excitement.

Grivvin suddenly turned to Lyrica with regret in his eyes.

"I shouldn't have used the power. What if I don't have enough left to gather the chain?" he asked. "No, I still feel it inside. The magic is still there at my fingertips."

"Do you think you can still do it?" Lyrica asked.

He nodded.

"Yes, I do. I feel strong. Let's do it. Waterwolf, your boat."

"Right away!" Waterwolf answered and led them down the pier. Many people had begun to gather around the bodies of the guards that lie dead upon the pier. Grivvin assumed, knowing the ways of the Under, that the bodies would soon be stripped of anything of value, metal objects first. The weapons would bring a high prize.

Ahead of them, Waterwolf hopped off of the pier and into his awaiting vessel. It was a narrow, canoe-like craft with the silhouettes of wolves at either side of the bow. He immediately took a seat and snatched up a pair of oars. Lyrica threw off the tether line and together, she and Grivvin climbed aboard. In no time, they had pulled safely away from Dimdledowns, their sights set on Red Rim.

Waterwolf had not stopped talking for a good half an hour, his obsession with Grivvin's magical display evident and eventually Lyrica could take it no longer.

"Wolf! Will you talk about something else or not at all, please?" she asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Was I rambling? It's just...he reminds me of Naden Vayle. It's amazing to have another Wychan in the Under. Do you intend to shake things up the way that he did? The Cuda hated him, didn't they, Lyrica? He did have a big mouth as I recall, always talking impossible things, expecting us to fight back against them. For all of his big talk, they got him in the end, didn't they? He was so busy telling us to stand up to them, but he couldn't do it himself!"

"Be careful, Wolf. You're talking about his father," Lyrica explained and Waterwolf grew silent, not meeting Grivvin's eyes.

"No offense, my friend," he finally said and Grivvin simply nodded. "You know, I was thinking...with your power, you could just build a new rudder, couldn't you? I mean, the original was built by your father."

"I haven't reached that level yet. Each Wychan's skills are different. Some are more proficient at certain things. At this point, I have not discovered my niche. My father is a gifted inventor, my sisters have a way with animals."

"I see. Well, it looks to me like your niche is killing soldiers," Waterwolf said with a laugh.

"I didn't want to kill them. I had no choice and I had to protect Lyrica," Grivvin added. She smiled at him and touched his arm.

"And you were very successful at it," Waterwolf agreed.

CHAPTER EIGHT

It took them three hours before they reached the outskirts of Red Rim, Grivvin and Lyrica taking turns at the oars. Grivvin found himself lost in thoughts of her. Even after retrieving the chain and that which it was attached to, he did not want to leave her. He felt whole when he was with her, like he belonged. He wanted to stay and be part of her world, if she would have him. He no longer had a place to call home and although his father had reclaimed Wychanhaeme, it was not home to him. It was a ruined and empty place. At least here, in the Under, there was life in abundance and he would be able to spend every day with her. The thought of leaving her made him sick and he decided, then and there, that he would not leave her side.

Some time later, he noticed Drowned Souls in the distance, the windows glowing yellow within and loud music reaching them as they passed. They made a stop at Waterwolf's workshop, he running inside to gather things and then returning with several large sacks, smiling and muttering to himself about riches.

"I left a marker just off of Blackgull Point," Lyrica explained to Waterwolf as they drew closer.

Grivvin recognized some of the buildings in the area and knew that Lyrica's home was nearby. This is where it all had started on that dark night. This is where his life had changed so dramatically from a life of spoiled luxury to one of survival in a strange, new world.

Lyrica donned her goggles and scanned the area to the west, the lenses suddenly glowing in their frames.

"Good thing I marked it. Just as I suspected, the storm shifted the thing far to the north. Row to the end of Blackgull and head due north. We're in luck. The marker is still there and that means it hasn't been disturbed. Our treasure awaits."

Waterwolf began to pull hard against the oars, unable to contain his excitement. A chain as long as the lake was deep? That much metal could be turned into so many things. He could have it cut up and sell it off in small chunks. He would definitely make an impression on the local ladies.

After reaching the end of the point, they turned the boat and rowed north. Lyrica cautioned them to slow as they closed in on the marker, her hand in the air to signal them to stop. Finally, she dropped her hand and they halted their forward progress.

"All right, we're here. First things first. If you think you have the strength, Grivvin, I need help reaching the lake bottom. I want to see what's down there. What's so important that it needs to be held down by that huge chain?"

"Yes, I can do it," Grivvin stated with a nod. "I think that Aerostaenum is the charm that would suit this situation. It increases the lung's capacity and should enable you to hold your breath much longer than normal."

"All right. Let's do it," Lyrica said, facing him. "Go ahead, cast the charm."

"Come closer," he said as he slid on the seat toward her. His cheeks grew slightly red and he became obviously uncomfortable as he began to explain.

"I...uh...you see, this-"

"What is it? What's wrong?" she asked.

"This charm requires that I..."

"Yes? That you what?"

"I have to place my hand on your chest to cast Aerostaenum," he said, not meeting her eyes.

"Yeah? So, go ahead."

"No, no. You don't understand. It has to be skin on skin for the charm to be effective. The magic must pass from my palm through your chest and into your lungs."

"That's what you're so worried about? You're blushing, actually," she said, wrinkling her forehead. "Give me your hand."

She took his hand in hers and pulled him closer. She slid both of their hands up and under her shirt until his palm rested against the warm skin of her chest. He could feel the thudding of her heartbeat and swallowed hard.

"That's not so bad, now, is it?" she asked, trying to help him relax.

"I never said it would be bad, Lyrica. It's just..."

"Don't be silly. It doesn't mean anything. Cast your charm."

Grivvin closed his eyes and concentrated on Lyrica's breath. He became acutely aware of the air around them and that which she inhaled, then exhaled. He began to chant the Wychan phrase, the heat rising in his palm as the magic began to build.

Lyrica's eyes flashed panic for a moment as the charm began to take effect. She opened her mouth as if to gasp for air, but found that she could not.

"It feels strange, Grivvin," she said, her voice a mere whisper.

"Don't worry, it's natural. Your lungs will remain filled with air until the spell breaks. You don't need to breathe."

"But...it feels odd not to," she said, placing her hands over his.

"I know. I've performed the charm on myself. Of course, back then, I didn't have the power that I have now. You'd better hurry, Lyrica. I can't be sure how long it will last."

"She nodded and stood, the boat rocking as she did so. Waterwolf stared at her in anticipation, eager to have his share of the bounty. Her skin gave off a slight blue glow in the dim light of the Under, the magic now saturating every vein and vessel in her body. She turned and glanced at Grivvin for reassurance as she took the eel-globe from Waterwolf. She fastened the globe to her wrist with a thin, leather strap, its light glowing brighter as the container was tousled about, then dove into the lake with hands outstretched.

Instinctively, she tried to take a gulp of air before she went below the surface, but it was not possible or necessary. Soon her body adjusted to the charm and though the feeling was unusual, it was not uncomfortable in the least. She kicked hard, pulling herself deeper with long strokes of her arms. The water was still quite turbulent, the incessant storm still covering Embremere and the surrounding territories, but she made quick progress.

Just as she began to relax, a dark shadow caught her eye and she threw her body to the side to avoid it. It was the thick chain that Grivvin had mistaken for a killer serpent days before, still being whipped about by the waves. She headed straight for it and upon reaching it, used its links to pull herself down faster toward the bottom. It seemed to take an eternity, the blackness of the deep swallowing her, the pressure in her ears now becoming painful.

Suddenly, within the greenish glow of the eel-globe, she could see a large rectangular shape, like a box resting on the lake bottom. She settled next to it, her boots sinking into the soft sediment that covered the bed beneath. The chain had, at one time, been completely wrapped around the thing, sealing it closed, the broken remains of a massive lock still hanging there from an iron hook. Whatever was inside was undoubtedly valuable and it belonged to them.

It was covered with a layer of muck and she began to wipe it away with her hand, revealing a smooth wooden surface. As she removed the mud from its top, she could feel raised areas like carvings within the wood and she began to work faster, knowing that this could reveal the purpose of the box. Along one side she found metal hinges, still intact and seemingly made from a yellowish metal.

Gold?

She went back to the lid of the container and began to sweep both arms across its surface, clearing as much sediment away as possible. She pulled back a bit, extending the eel-globe to illuminate the thing. There upon the lid was an elaborate carving of a Sailfish, the symbol of the royals of Embremere.

What is this thing? A treasure chest lost by the nobles? Perhaps there was a shipwreck and this container had sunk with the rest of it. The current could have swept it into the Under.

One heavy lock still secured the lid, holding it firm despite Lyrica's tugging and twisting of it. She pulled her knife from its sheath and wedged it into the space between the lid and the crate, trying to pry it apart to no avail. Disappointed, she took one last look at the thing and pushed hard off the bottom, rising quickly through the water toward the surface. She came up next to the boat, reaching up to steady herself against it.

"We've got to raise that thing. It's a royal chest! It's got all of the marking and its secured with a lock. There's something important in there, I know it," she said, her voice still bearing an odd quality.

"Woooo!" Waterwolf called out upon hearing the news. "Let's go!" He threw his many sacks out on the floor of the boat and began removing items from them. There were several lengths of heavy rope, long thin tubing and four large, leathery bags. From the last sack, he pulled out a round sphere-like object roughly the size of a human head. He began to connect all of these objects into a complex contraption, humming all the while.

"What is all of that stuff?" Grivvin asked, marveling at the speed at which Waterwolf assembled it.

"Oh, this? Well, you see, it's put together from old swim bladders. We take the empty bladders under and tie them to the chest. With this thing here," he kicked at the sphere. "We can inflate each of the bladders, hopefully causing the chest to rise to the surface."

"Wait, you've only got four of the bladders?" Lyrica asked.

"Yeah, why? Isn't that enough?" said Waterwolf.

"I don't know. The chest is big and with the added weight of the chain..."

"Well, that's all I have. We don't have much choice now. We have to try," Waterwolf explained, handing the assembly to Lyrica. "If it's not enough, I guess we'll have to come back."

"I really don't want to leave the chest unattended, now that I know what it is," she replied with a frown. "Let's give it a shot."

She dove back under, pulling the bladders, ropes and tubing behind her. Eventually, she reached the bottom once more and began to tie each of the bladders to the chain where it fastened to the chest. In short time, she had all of them attached and fished the end of the tubing into the first bladder. She then gave a good tug on the tubing to alert Waterwolf of her readiness.

In the boat, Waterwolf stood and placed his foot upon the sphere and started stomping on it, forcing air through the tube.

"I hope this works. What good's a treasure if you can't reach it?" he asked.

Grivvin found himself fascinated at the system that they had developed to raise something from the lake bottom. Below, Lyrica had filled the first bag and had now moved on to the second. She was having her doubts as to whether the bladders would provide enough lift to get the chest off of the ground. The second bag expanded, the bubbles from the end of the tube filling it to its limit. She moved on to the next and quickly had it full as well.

The chest still showed no signs of movement, regardless of the bladder's buoyancy, resting heavily in the sediment below. Lyrica affixed the last of the bags, pulling the rope tight and shoved the tube in its opening. The bag inflated and rose, pulling at the rope as she peered down at the chest. The water grew murky suddenly as the chest moved slightly, disturbing the lake bed.

We're almost there! If we only had one more bladder, we could lift it out of the water.

Cursing inside, she swam quickly to the surface again, spitting as she emerged.

"It's not enough. The chest moved, but barely. One more bag would do it," she said.

"Well, I don't have one more bag. These things are not easy to come by, you know? There has to be another way to get more air down there. Are you sure you've got every bladder completely full?" Waterwolf asked.

"Yes. There's no way to force mo- " She stopped for a moment, her eyes opening wide. "Wait! Grivvin, would your charm work on the air bladders? You made my lungs hold more air than they are physically capable. Why couldn't you do the same for them?"

Grivvin thought for a moment and could think of no reason why the plan would not work.

"The charm actually affects the air itself, giving it more energy, if you will. The air becomes more potent and strong. Yes, it should work," he said with a nod.

"I'll go back down and guide the tube," Lyrica said and was gone in a flash.

Waterwolf soon felt the familiar tug, alerting them that she was ready and Grivvin began the charm, his hands grasping the tube. It did not take long for the air to change, huge bubbles rising to the surface as if the lake had been set to boil. A few minutes passed and the first of the bladders appeared on top of the water, immediately followed by the others and Lyrica, the black shape of the chest hanging just underneath.

"Gods..." Waterwolf exclaimed as he saw the shape of the massive chain. "You weren't joking..."

"Quick, pull it over to the pier," Grivvin urged. "If the charm wears off, it'll drop straight to the bottom again."

Waterwolf jumped in alongside Lyrica and the two of them towed the chest, pulling on the chain as Grivvin rowed the boat toward the pier. Luckily, they were in a quiet part of Red Rim and there were no bystanders looking on.

It took perhaps ten minutes, but they managed to pull and push the chest to the pier. Waterwolf tied off one of the ropes, securing it to the wooden supports that rose up out of the water. He climbed out and quickly ran down the pier to a loading area for watercraft and returned with a pulley, which he fastened to the edge of the pier. Boats could be loaded and unloaded at any point along the platforms in the Under and these pulleys were everywhere. Locking it in place, Waterwolf dropped the hooked line down and Lyrica looped one of the ropes around it. Grivvin joined Waterwolf on the pier, having anchored the boat, and together they began turning the crank to lift the chest. Even with the help of the pulley system they had to strain to raise it, but eventually it reached a level where they could maneuver it onto the pier.

Lyrica climbed up to join them as they sat back, gasping from the exertion.

"We did it," she said with a huge smile, her hair slicked back against her head. "Look at this thing. I told you it was a royal chest. Look at the markings on it."

"You're right. There's no doubt where it came from. Now, what's inside?" Grivvin asked as he stood and walked over to it. Much of the mud had been washed away as the chest had risen through the water and the royal crest and other symbols were readily visible.

"Let's find out," Waterwolf said, jamming the tip of a sword behind the metal lock. He leaned on it with all of his body weight, then pulled to one side. The iron plate that held the chest closed bent and pulled away from the wooden face.

"Again, it's working," Lyrica said.

Waterwolf repeated the process and finally the plate broke free, the lock clattering to the pier. The three of them looked at each other, their eyes lit with excitement, then, together they put their fingertips under the edge of the lid.

"These hinges are gold, Lyrica. Did you see that?" Waterwolf asked.

She nodded with a broad grin.

"Ready?" she asked of them. Together, they began to slide the heavy lid back with anticipation. As soon as the chest was open, they knew something was wrong, for a horrible stench reached their nostrils, causing each of them to stand and back away.

"Ugh, what is in that thing?" Waterwolf asked, his arm across his nose. Grivvin moved forward, holding his breath and placed the heel of his boot against the edge of the lid. With one hard shove, the lid slid off and fell, leaning against the back side of the chest. He leaned down to look inside, for it was still very dim in the Under, his eyes nearly watering from the smell. Suddenly, to his shock, he thought he could see the shape of a body inside, wrapped in a cloth.

"Lyrica, bring your light over here," he asked of her. She reluctantly came closer, extending her arm where the eel-globe was still fastened. Grivvin pulled away slightly to allow the green light to reach the contents of the chest.

"It's a body," he announced, standing up and stepping away.

"No, Grivvin. It's two bodies," Lyrica said as she bent down to study the interior of the box. She reached inside and took the fabric of the cloth between her fingers, pulling it down and away from where the corpses heads should be. "Two girls," she said as their faces were revealed. They were in perfect condition, their skin flawless and pale. There were no signs of decomposition or decay that she could see. She pulled the burial cloth away and tossed it on the pier, exposing their bodies, dressed in bright blue satin, jewels about their necks.

One of them seemed to have something in her hand and Lyrica, fighting the urge to gag, reached out and opened the girl's stiff fingers. She jumped up with a gasp.

"Grivvin!" she called out.

"What is it?" he asked as he moved to join her. She could stand it no longer and walked away. He knelt there and looked inside.

His heart sank as he recognized them.

The bodies of his sisters lie dead before him.

No.

The youngest, her hand now upturned, displayed the Wychan symbol upon her palm. Grivvin felt his throat tighten, the tears beginning to well in his eyes.

Gods, no.

Raya.

Jynn.

No!

Finally, he found his voice and let out a horrible scream, the sound cracking with utmost grief. His cry echoed throughout the Under, reverberating from the platform above until he broke down into heavy sobs.

It can't be.

It just cannot be. Please, dear gods.

It's not them. They're supposed to be in Aesen!

He let his head fall forward into the casket and grabbed their hands in his, crying into their dresses. Lyrica and Waterwolf stood by, their moist eyes cast downward, their hearts reaching out to Grivvin, feeling the torturous grief that he must be experiencing.

Lyrica saw Grivvin's head raise up suddenly as his sobbing came to an abrupt halt.

"No," he stated. "They will not get away with this. They have all but destroyed my family. Now they will pay!"

She could see Grivvin's hands begin to glow with Wychan flame where they touched the chest. Something terrible was building inside of him. She could hear him mumbling as he knelt there on the pier and feel an electricity crackling in the air around them.

"Grivvin?" What are you doing?" she asked.

"Back away!" he shouted in a voice not entirely his. Just then, the whole chest became illuminated, the bright fire engulfing the bodies and Grivvin as well. He stood, his hands outstretched and his head thrown back as his voice grew louder.

"Come sisters. There is one last thing to do. I have the power now. Father has unlocked the secret that kept us weak. It is time to repay those that have so wronged us," he said.

Waterwolf looked on in horror as he began to slowly make his way toward the nearest alleyway. He witnessed, a lump growing in his throat, the transparent specters of the girls gradually rise up and stand before their brother. Their forms were shifting, their wavering outlines dancing in the air as they regarded Grivvin with unnatural eyes. There was very little wind at that moment, but their dark hair undulated around their heads as if acted upon by an unseen current.

"Go now, my sisters. You know who they are. Find them. Tonight, vengeance is yours. Tonight ends their reign. Tonight...the Wychan return to Embremere!"

The shimmering apparitions gazed up at the platform that supported the whole of Embremere and rose, floating up from the pier and passing through into the city above.

Many of the residents of the city were out that evening, the rain having lessened to a light mist. They passed to and fro, on their way to dinner or home for the night after work. No one expected that which was about to occur.

The Frazett family strolled casually along Cinderfin Avenue, heading for Magin's Ladle, a wonderful new restaurant specializing in sweet rosecrab. As they passed Munberry Street, an odd light caught their eyes, turning the entire group to the west.

The two ghostly forms moved toward them, hovering just above the surface of the street, their eyes wide and colorless. Their mouths opened then, impossibly wide and most horrendous of screams issued forth, causing the Frazett's to cover their ears and drop to their knees. A sudden blast of icy air passed through them, chilling them to the bone as the spirits passed into their bodies and out the other side, on their way to the castle.

Truggan stood alone on night watch, leaning against the high wall of court building number three, oil lantern clutched in his hand. He had always hated working the evening shift and tonight was no exception. He pondered sneaking off to grab and hour's nap on the docks just a few minute's walk to the south. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall.

Then, the sound reached him, an ungodly wail that began to build in the distance. His eyes popped open and he stepped away from the building to get a good look down the street.

"What in the name of-" he started, but the scream silenced him as it grew much louder. He then became aware of the glow that moved closer and the sudden appearance of the ghostly figures that floated toward him at an alarming rate.

"Oh, gods!" he muttered and turned on his heel, running for the door of the court building. He threw himself against it, grabbing the handle and pulling with all of his might. His heart was pounding with fear for he recognized the spirits and knew that they had come for him.

The door would not open, somehow frozen in place and immovable. He spun then to face them, his breath coming in quick gasps.

And they were there, just in front of his face, the two girls that he had taken to the cathedral by order of the prince.

"It wasn't me! I just took you there, I didn't kill you! Why? Why have you come for me?" he begged, dropping to his knees on the door stoop. He could feel the intense cold that emanated from them, as if it reached out to draw him in.

"I know, I know. I shouldn't have gone along with it, but what choice did I have? I knew what they were going to do...I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what happened to you. Please, have mercy."

The specter of Raya extended her arms as if to embrace him, smiling. Truggan managed a slight smile as well, a ray of hope filling him. Perhaps he had convinced them to spare him? They realized he was innocent.

Suddenly, Raya's smile became a disturbing and horrible thing, her mouth stretching open past its limits and her fang-like teeth protruding from her jaws. She rushed forward and engulfed him, enveloping him in her arms, dress wrapping around his body.

Truggan could feel the life being sapped from his body as she paralyzed him. It felt as though his very soul was being torn out from inside as weakness overtook him. He tried to scream for help, but only a pitiful moan could be heard as he dropped face-first onto the street, dead, the lantern shattering and spreading flaming oil along the street.

Thax and Morigen sat together in the barracks, tankards of ale upon the table, a game of Rune-tiles spread out before them. They had stopped playing some time ago, falling into a lengthy conversation about the shipping docks and the thieves that they had recently apprehended there.

"They're becoming too brave, these criminals," Morigen said. "We guards are too few to keep them under control and after seeing those from the Under in Embremere, who knows how many more may come to loot our city?"

"Believe me, Morigen, Adriul will find our beloved Grivvin down there and teach all of the Underdwellers a lesson. He is not one to trifle with. I doubt very much that we will have more visitors from down below," Thax said with a chuckle and a gulp of ale. "Besides, put your worries aside. The prince has been successful at last. So many times, he has tried to create his own Wychan bloodline and so many times, failed. Now that she has been born, the nobles will have magic on their side."

"Aye, that is true. And when she becomes a woman, she can give birth to more with Wychan blood, yes?" asked Morigen.

"Indeed. I remember their last failure. It was horrible. I was given the task of destroying the...things. They were monsters, Morigen. I was told to have them taken away by ship to the mainland. They wanted me to burn them in Aesen, in some sacred temple or something. Bah, why waste my time? The creatures were dead. Why bother?"

"What did you do with them?" asked Morigen, rearranging the Rune-tiles upon the table.

"I dumped them into the Under!" Thax replied with a laugh.

"You probably poisoned the lake, you fool," Morigen said with a smile. A high-pitched sound reached his ears and he turned to look at the closed barracks door. "Did you hear-"

The room was filled with an unearthly glow as Raya and Jynn passed through the door, their long flowing gowns trailing behind them in tatters.

Morigen did not have a chance to utter another word as Jynn dove into his body, disappearing for a moment.

"No. Morigen?" Thax said as he backed away across the room. Morigen met his eyes for the span of a heartbeat and then his body was ripped in half as Jynn ripped her way through it. Thax could only stare at the bloody remains there on the floor, completely stunned. He reached for his sword, pulling it swiftly from its sheath.

"We killed you, Wychan. How is this possible? Your magic was never strong enough for this!" he shouted, his back finally meeting the wall. He held his sword firmly in both hands, aiming the point at the spirits that hovered before him. "You can't come back! Prince Kelt told us you could never come back!"

He swung his blade like a madman, slicing and stabbing at them with no effect. Their forms simply shifted and gathered together once more as they regarded him with wicked smiles upon their faces.

"It doesn't matter! Kill me or not, we've won. You've all been destroyed. The only Wychan left in Embremere is the prince's daughter! In the end, she will rule, a Wychan with royal blood. She is not weak like your family was, no. She is like the Wychan of old!" Thax shouted, defying them even at death's door.

They came at him as one, their unforgiving claws tearing the flesh away from his bones, their power melting the very soul away from his body. He screamed, the sound echoing throughout the barracks until his voice grew hoarse and was no more. He collapsed onto the floor, his skin in crimson ribbons, his mouth stretched wide as his eyes glazed.

Prince Kelt sat at his beautiful wooden desk, a tall stack of papers in front of him and a quill in his hand. Signing decrees and granting licenses for businesses within the city had made his eyes tired. He wiped the tip of the quill clean, replacing it in its leather case and pushed himself away from the desk.

"Isn't there anyone else that can do this mundane work? I grow so tired of these menial tasks," he said as he threw himself onto the plush bed next to his wife.

"Shhh...you'll wake her," she said, looking up from her reading. "She needs her rest."

"Very true, darling. Our little girl will one day wield more power than anyone has in thousands of years. We are raising a goddess."

"I wouldn't go that far," Princess Aliah replied.

The door to the bedchamber burst open, a portly guard in a leather waistcoat rushing in, out of breath.

"Your grace, your grace! Something is in the castle! Some-" he shouted and fell to the floor in a heap, his heart frozen.

Through the open doorway, came Raya and Jynn, their bodies extended toward the prince as if they swam through the air. He stood from the bed, palms facing the ghosts, shaking his head.

"What is this? Is this some cruel joke?" he asked, his hands shaking.

"Kelt! Get the baby out!" Aliah cried as she jumped toward the cradle. The ghosts moved past her as if she did not exist, heading straight for the prince. She scooped up the child, who had now begun to cry, having been awakened by the shouts of her father.

"It doesn't matter!" shouted the prince. "It's done! You're all dead and now our precious Nia will rule. She will command the power that eluded you for so long. Your family was useless. You lived among us for too long. Without the magic, what are you but peasants? Just like the peasants, I spit on you!" he said, sticking his chest out.

Raya and Jynn swept him up, by each arm and drove him through the window, glass shattering and slicing his flesh. They were immediately outside, in the sky above Embremere, his body suspended as high as the castle towers. They carried him in this way until they had reached the market square, filled with people on a busy night. The crowd below, noticing the distinct light of the spirits in the air above them, raised their eyes, curiously.

People began to shout and run for cover. Mothers hid their children. The ghosts held him there for all to see, as he shouted profanities and at once, they pulled in opposite directions, tearing his body apart. They let the pieces fall, to the horror of those in the square and then dropped down, passing through the platform, into the Under once more.

Grivvin sat at the edge of the pier, his legs hanging over the water, his mind lost in memories of his family. Lyrica was next to him, her hand rubbing his back as she tried to comfort him.

"Was I wrong?" he asked, suddenly.

"About what?" she responded.

"I brought them back. I passed through the veil and used the power of the Spiral to pull them back across the edge. I forced their ghosts back into this world to exact my vengeance," he stated, eyes on the waves just below his feet.

"I would have done the same," she said. "Your sisters would do the same for you. No, you weren't wrong to do it. The royal family deserve it, for what they've done."

Above they could hear the alarms sounding in Embremere as people raced to extinguish the fire that had erupted outside of court building number three. It seemed that the city was in chaos and this gave Grivvin satisfaction, for he found himself despising the entire Over as he sat there. The spirits of his sisters appeared again, floating above the royal chest that they had emerged from. He stood, with Lyrica's help, and walked to them, a look of extreme sadness upon his face.

"Raya, Jynn..." he started. "I wish I could change all of this. I wish I could bring you back to life. Together, we could join father in Old Embremere and be a family again. I know that is not possible. Even in their prime, the Wychan could not break the laws of death's door."

"I will rebuild our order, I promise you and the Wychan will once again be respected. Go now, my sisters and be at peace. You may rest easy now. Those that have committed crimes against you are dead."

The ghosts extended their hands and placed them on each of his cheeks. For a moment, he felt the chill of death replaced by a comforting warmth as they smiled at him. They, then began to fade, disappearing before his watering eyes. He touched both of his cheeks, wishing that their touch would return, but it was not to be.

With Lyrica's assistance, he replaced the heavy lid on the chest and turned to find Waterwolf staring at him in shock.

"I need you to ready a funeral pyre. Can you do that?" he asked.

"Sure, of course," Waterwolf answered.

"We will set them adrift in the boat, where we found them and burn it all," Grivvin explained.

"Wait. Burn my boat as well? You're gonna cost me another boat?" Waterwolf asked.

"Wolf," Lyrica said. "Do as he says."

An hour later, Waterwolf sat grumbling as the boat and everything in it was consumed by flame just off of Blackgull Point.

"What now, Grivvin?" Lyrica asked, watching the fire reflected in his eyes.

"I saw it all. When my sisters touched my face, all that occurred in Embremere passed to me. The princess has somehow given birth to a Wychan child and they both still live. They plan to corrupt her, Lyrica. They wish to turn the natural abilities of the Wychan into a force for evil and use it to control the neighboring cities."

"You can't go back. They'll kill you on sight," she replied. He nodded.

"My only hope is to return to Old Embremere, study what my father has uncovered and become stronger. I fear that there is a battle coming. The royals will not be satisfied with one Wychan child. If they've somehow discovered a way to create them, there are more on the way," Grivvin said with a faraway look.

"Take me with you," she said and kissed him on the cheek.

"I was hoping you would say that," he said and turned her head to kiss her on the lips.

"How soon do we leave?" she asked.

"As soon as possible, Lyrica," he said, taking her hand and walking toward the nearest street.

"We have to prepare," Grivvin said with a last look at the burning pyre.

"There is a war coming."

THE END

