Post by Solana on Jul 26, 2014 12:51:41 GMT -5
Chapter Thirteen- Aqua Horizons
That's why dolphins have such affinity for humans. They're hoping to reach out to the lost souls trapped within... and bring them home to the way.
Dolphin, Aquaman
Joshua gasped as his head finally broke the surface of the Tethys Sea after what seemed like an aquatic eternity. He started gratefully sucking in lungful after lungful of honest fresh air until he felt like a man again instead of a fish. "If humans were intended to live as amphibians, we would have been equipped with gills," he commented once fully recovered.
Solana had surfaced much more demurely, and her gaze traveled to the west to be certain that Ridley was long gone. To her relief, only churning waves greeted her gaze in all directions. She glanced over at Joshua with an amused smile. "Or be able to breathe underwater like us Atlanteans. Besides, didn't the Oxyale in that pendant work for you? Aryn managed when we stayed with the mermaids in the Sea Shrine all those years ago." The special water that gave off air was a treasure, and enabled anyone to stay underwater for any length of time. It was a credit to the fairies in that world that the pendants still worked after all of these years. She couldn't resist making a few happy splashes, giddy with relief at her rescue and being in the sea she loved.
"It worked admirably, it is just...." Joshua paused as he searched for an accurate description. "I am still a bit unbalanced from escaping from a furious mob and dropping hundreds of feet into the sea, then remaining under the surface of said sea for quite some time." He took off the pendant and offered it back to her.
Solana motioned for him to put it back on as they both started treading water. Her expression turned deadly serious. "Joshua, I think we should try getting back to the Crystal Citadel. We don't know what Bachlan will do to Oriana to get the last piece of her essence, and we can't let him put Merna's people through a Great Rebirth with our power."
Joshua flinched guiltily at hearing Oriana's name. The image of Bachlan placing her into her crystal prison in that cursed workroom hadn't left his mind all this time. He only wished that he had spoken his mind then, despite knowing that it would have done no good whatsoever. "I believe you are correct. Even without our power we have our responsibilities to Merna and her people, and will have to plan well on the way." He glanced around pointedly at the horizons filled with nothing but water as realism set in. "But swimming there will take quite some time and no little effort."
"Maybe we won't have to." Before Joshua could ask for a clarification, Solana threw back her head and made an odd whistling trill that ended with a squeak. She paused for a second, then made the sound twice more and waited. Joshua raised his eyebrows, but said nothing and seemed inclined to follow her lead.
There it was...a response from the nearby whales she had heard before their jump! The call sounded like a pod of orcas, and soon proved to be so as a group of about twenty chattering black and white creatures were spotted coming in from the north. The younger calves were breaching in their excitement, and plumes of air from blowholes came closer and closer as the pod came to investigate who had sent out a locating call.
Joshua yelped as the pair was surrounded by the orcas all trying to get past their pod members to get a peek at these strange two-leggers. Greetings and questions flew through the air in the form of clicks, whistles, low moans, and even tail or fluke slaps on the water. A few even brushed them with their flukes, their dark eyes shining with curiosity and a kind of wisdom not to be found among those who dwelled on the land. Solana was delighted and responded to as many inquiries as possible while Joshua looked on in bewilderment, occasionally flinching away when a fluke brushed him.
Suddenly, some of the orcas scattered away from the pair. The matriarch of the clan swam in front of the Guardians, the very same individual that Del had tried so hard to understand only yesterday. The orca quickly recognized them and slapped the surface of the water with her tail in exasperation, looking like a crotchety great aunt scolding some naughty youngsters. "Can't you stay out of trouble for one day?!" she demanded in her own language, shaking her head a little. "I am Ena, and this is my pod. My son Baruti and granddaughter Siembra insisted on bringing you to that boy and girl's boat, yet here you are in the middle of the ocean again!"
A large male serenely dipped his head in greeting, while a particularly lovely smaller female playfully butted Solana's hand with her head to ask for a scratch.
Solana obeyed the little one's wishes, then quickly translated Ena's message for the perplexed Joshua. He didn't seem quite sure what form of protocol was called for when dealing with orcas, but it was nothing new to Solana. "Thank you for saving our lives, cousins. My name is Solana, and this is Joshua-"
"We know who and what you are," Ena interrupted slyly. Some of her pod sounded off their agreement.
Solana swallowed her surprise, remembering how orcas were infamous gossips. "You are much faster and stronger swimmers than we are. Please, could you help bring us back to the Crystal Citadel?" she pleaded. She quickly told the story of Bachlan's plans for a Great Rebirth.
The orcas talked amongst themselves for a few moments, but Ena came to a decision quickly. "We have heard many songs from other pods of you coming to heal injured cousins after storms and beachings, so we will help you gladly," she agreed. Siembra swam alongside Solana to serve as a lift again, but Ena nudged her away. "You don't have the stamina for this, baby girl. Best let your nana handle it."
"Thank you. I'm honored," Solana stated, easily climbing onto the orca's broad back after all her hours swimming with whales and dolphins over the millennia. The trick was to actually lie down in front of the dorsal fin, since the orca's powerful tail could easily throw off someone sitting behind the fin. Solana shifted her pack so that it rested comfortably on her own back and would be out of Ena's way.
"So you should be," Ena replied absently, her eyes on her son and Joshua. Joshua peeked out of the corner of his eye to see how Solana was positioned, and tried lifting himself onto the whale the same way. He slid back into the water. Baruti kindly dipped under the surface to help him out, and Joshua finally managed to clamber on top and carefully rearrange his soaked robes. Despite looking a little ludicrous with his bedraggled robes hanging on his slender fame, he still managed to convey a sense of dignity.
Ena took her position at the front of her pod with Baruti and Siembra flanking her. She used her echolocation for a few moments until she found the exact direction that she wanted. The matriarch then released three loud tail slaps to the surface of the water and waited. After each orca had slapped the water once in return, the entire pod swam off to the east.
Solana rejoiced to be alive, and safe, and among the creatures and element that she loved so dearly. The orcas soon proved to be superb companions. Being actually in the water meant that they presented very little visual target to any nearby boats, while those that came somewhat near were detected early by echolocation and easily avoided. Solana was quickly assured that the echolocation trick could even work for airships, but none had passed over them yet. The orcas also took turns carrying their 'cousins' and hunting to keep up everyone's strength.
Sitting back comfortably on Ena's swift-moving form, Solana began to ask the orcas what tidings they had of their world, and possibly their friends. The orcas were all too happy to oblige. Storms and hurricanes had indeed been rushing through the seas, but the whales pointed out that there had been a lot more plankton in the water than in times past. More plankton meant more fish, both for them and their prey higher up on the food chain. In fact, for a few generations now they had been eating better than any songs of the past had ever indicated.
Chaskel in Spira had been correct on that, it seemed. Solana felt a weight lift from her heart.
After the orcas had shared all of the latest gossip that they had gathered, Baruti suddenly spoke up. "Mother, don't forget the manner of payment for our services."
Ena flicked her tail at him nonchalantly. "I've not forgotten, boy. Solana, you and Joshua are welcome to pay our usual fee for help if you want."
Joshua, who was still holding tightly onto Baruti as if afraid he would be thrown off at any point, visibly stiffened at the request. "Fee? What possible use could these creatures have for money?"
Insulted at the man's tone, Baruti tipped his body slightly downward and slapped the water hard with his flukes. Joshua had to scramble to keep his seat and apologized while wiping water out of his eyes.
Solana chuckled and shook her head. "Not money, Joshua. Orcas like to collect tales and songs as their currency." She racked her brain for something that would please their escort, then decided to share her favorite story from her own childhood. "I can tell you about a very brave dolphin that saved my homeland of Atlantis. His name was Ecco."
Cheers from the younger orcas sounded, while the older ones whistled their approval. The calves swam up all around Ena, looking for all the world like children sitting down for a story. Ena grumbled a little about being fenced in, but said nothing aloud. Even Joshua was quiet, curious to hear this little known bit of his colleague's past.
Thinking back to how Kiel had told her this story so many times as a child, she began. "Long ago, there was a dolphin who lived in a warm bay of crystal clear waters. He was quite ordinary except for two things- five marks like stars on his melon, and his extraordinary love for his pod. One day while practicing great leaps, a terrible storm came and took away everyone he loved. Ecco knew that it was up to him to save his pod."
The orcas murmured approvingly amongst themselves. The concept of 'pod' was everything to them- family, identity, and a home amongst individuals. Places were for feeding and breeding, but home was where the pod was.
Solana went on, telling of Ecco's travels through bitterly cold polar waters with their icy dangers and through sunny coral reefs on his quest to find the one being that could help him- the Asterite. She described how Ecco had used Atlantis' own time machine to find the Asterite's lost globe in return for new powers to face down the Vortex drones and later their queen. Later, Ecco had traveled to Planet Vortex itself and brought his pod back home.
Unfortunately, the good times were not to last. The Vortex Queen had followed Ecco to his own world after that fearsome battle.
"What about the As-erite? Was the mean queen mad at it for 'elping Ecco?" a calf asked fearfully.
Solana nodded solemnly. "She was very angry, and killed it. But the Asterite had never been defenseless, so it called to Ecco to find all of its globes and put it back together."
She told of Ecco's second quest, and how he was brought to a dolphin paradise future by his own descendent Trellia. Lost in her tale, a part of her mind wondered whether her homeworld would get to know that nirvana with a conscious ocean, floating dolphins able to swim in a sea of air, and all the waters of the world being connected. Perhaps she would live long enough to see it be so, and now so would her people.
Getting back in gear, she told how Ecco succeeded and this time was gifted with the Asterite's own Aura to help it, and how the other dolphins and their songs were recruited to help him vanquish the Vortex threat forever. The Vortex Queen was defeated again, but not destroyed. Although injured and pregnant with many more drones awaiting birth to carry on her work, she struggled to make her way to the remains of Atlantis. Ecco's own blood on her claws from battle served as the key to the time machine, and she escaped to millions of years in the past.
But the world of the distant past contained such creatures as the Queen could never defeat- gigantic lizards, flying creatures, and enormous sea monsters with gaping maws prowling the tropical seas. Unable to combat them, she was forced to become a part of the very same ecosystem that she had struggled to conquer. Her descendents eventually evolved and lived on in harmony with the other individuals of their new sea.
"The Asterite told Ecco to destroy the time machine, to prevent any more splits of time. But Ecco did not listen, and remembered how my people had left clues and help for him. Knowing that he would never see his pod again, Ecco used the machine to join my people and protect our city from the attack of Planet Vortex. The Asterite's Aura was given to our Elders, and Ecco lived out the rest of his life in the Marble Sea as a hero," Solana finished, her eyes teary with reverance.
"So the A'lan'eans had a happy ending, like Ecco!" the same calf said happily.
Solana paused. Ecco had given them many more millennia of life, but her land's fate had only been postponed and given to the hands of another. Yet now some of her people were living on, building a new life for themselves and passing on their wisdom and ways to the younger ones. Their city was gone, but their culture and way of life still had a place in the Universe. Smiling, she agreed, "Yes, little one, we did."
Being an orca, Ena could sense a thousand emotions swimming in Solana's heart regarding the home she loved. Wanting to back off from a delicate topic, she added, "Now, Solana's been nice with a story, so don't you think we should tell her one of ours?"
The calf let out a happy squeak as Solana gave Ena a subtle pat of thanks. Ena twitched her tail in reply as she looked around, then spotted the quiet male swimming near Baruti. "Blaze, would you like to sing of our scaled cousins for our guests? Be sure to go slow so she can translate."
The orca nodded solemnly. He closed his eyes to summon the words to mind, giving each one a special inflection that nearly brought them to life. "In the long, long ago, before the time of the Great Birth, all of Merna belonged to the sea. While lightning danced throughout the dark skies and firewater crept from cracks in the depths, only one species flourished on Merna- our scaled cousins, the sea serpents. This is the tale of the first to be gifted with wings."
The calves cheered at hearing a favorite tale again. Solana thought of the sea serpents back in Atlantis. While in many worlds the creatures were thought of as nuisances at best, and destructive monsters at worst, they had been allies in her homeworld. The serpents were excellent philosophers and mages, and Kiel had had the highest respect for the individuals he had encountered. She wondered what wisdom the Mernan ones possessed, and if a similar alliance could be forged here one day.
Joshua gave an undignified snort, eyeing the orca with skepticism. "Impossible. Even in the few sightings of the serpents over the millennia, no one has ever documented one in flight."
"And why is the only wisdom in this universe to be found written somewhere by our humanoid cousins?" Ena demanded.
Joshua couldn't think of a proper retort, so Solana cut in. "We're always discovering new knowledge from the depths. Blaze, will you continue for us please?"
"While life was indeed difficult, they had no competition, and developed much knowledge and a unique culture. Our world, however, was most unhappy being able to support so little life, and so decided to reform itself via the Great Birth. The serpents, recognizing the change for the greater good, chose to adapt and live in harmony with their new neighbors," Blaze continued.
He took a deep breath, and his voice turned sadly solemn. "But not all of the serpents managed so well. Two siblings, who loved each other like the sun and the moons, were out playing on the day of the birth. A great mass of land began to rise between them, separating the waters into what humans call the Tethys and Boreas seas. The female was trapped here in the Tethys, while her brother and other members of her colony were trapped in the Boreas."
The other orcas gave a croon of sympathy at the loss of a podmate.
"The young serpent sang endlessly for her brother, bemoaning the fate that had separated them. The other serpents heard her call, and took pity on her. Those in the Tethys gathered together, and told her to sing a song of reunion. As she did, the magic of all the gathered serpents flowed into her, giving her two great pairs of wings. With these, the young serpent was able to fly over the land mass and reunite with her colony," Blaze explained majestically.
Joshua raised an eyebrow at this, but bit his tongue. Solana found herself leaning towards the whale, drinking in every word.
"The young serpent eventually became the great mother of all the winged sea serpents, which have only a very few born every generation. The serpents regard the tale as one of their most noble, displaying the choice we have in misfortune. Do we allow it to isolate us? Or do we join together to rise above it?" Blaze finished.
Solana clapped enthusiastically, while the other orcas splashed the surface with their tails. Joshua was frowning thoughtfully. "What if one has no choice?"
Ena's tone filled with sorrow. "Poor cousin. You who know so much, but understand so little. There is always a choice." Joshua scowled and turned his face away. Another calf burst in with a demand for another tale, so Solana began telling more stories of her journey with Aryn.
But her colleague remained silent.
The rest of the day passed smoothly, interrupted only by a stop on a small island for lunch. The orcas had used the opportunity to trade gossip and insults with the resident seagulls, as well as obtain the best nearby hunting locations. Solana managed to find some wild sea lavender growing on the island, which when mixed with a little seawater made an excellent poultice for her wounds. More of the plants were tucked into her pack for later. She blessed Oriana for teaching her herbal lore and other nonmagical healing methods as part of her training.
When the first cool winds began blowing over the surface of the Tethys, making Solana and Joshua shiver in their still damp clothes, Ena led the pod to a medium-sized island tucked in the middle of the sea. It was quite far from any continent and too small to support a population, but traces of fresh water runoff told Ena that there was a spring for their passengers. Clusters of palm, banana, and other tropical trees would provide some shelter and even food for the pair.
Blaze and Baruti brought the Guardians as close to the beach as they could before letting them slide off their broad backs into the balmy water. "We are leaving for the hunt, and will return for you at the first high tide. Shall we bring food for you as well?" Baruti kindly offered.
"Thank you, but we'll be all right. We both have supplies and will restock what we can here," Solana assured the whale, giving him a grateful kiss on the head.
If orcas could have blushed, the pod would have been treated to a sight of a rose red orca. "May you have excellent hunting," Joshua added, and Blaze slapped his tail appreciatively as the pair rejoined their pod. Ena figured the direction for their next hunting spot, and the pod swam off to the north and out of sight.
The Guardians splashed ashore onto a powder white beach lapped by soft aquamarine waves. The air was perfumed with fruit and flowers, and there was a low moaning sound of sea lions farther down the coast. A rocky beach about half a mile away would be an excellent place to catch some supper, and Solana remembered Joshua's fondness for seafood.
They quickly got to work making camp. Joshua had managed to put together a well stocked travel pack in Ridley, packing plenty of food in addition to camping necessities and even some fresh clothes. Fallen wood from the small grove served to make a roaring fire, and they took turns stepping into the forest to change into dry clothes and laying out the wet ones to dry.
Nearby was the small spring of fresh water to refill water bottles and use for cooking. Joshua gathered fruit and coconuts and kept an eye on the fire while Solana went to the rocky area near the shore and came back with a fine selection of small fish and clams. She showed Joshua how to cut up the fish and make a simple clam chowder for supper. After a few tries, he got the hang of it and was as swift as she was.
"I suppose you and Aryn have been camping a lot during your travels," he commented, dropping the last piece of fish into the bubbling pot sitting near the fire. He then poured a small measure of tea, (although not the spring rose tea) into two plain cups from Solana's pack and waited for the teapot's water to boil.
"Yes, in the beginning we were afraid of pursuit," Solana admitted, her face screwed up in concentration as she carefully stirred fresh herbs into the chowder. Aryn had insisted on teaching her how to cook over a fire, claiming that anyone who starved due to lack of knowledge was a fool. "But later on, we were able to relax and make some wonderful friends in the places we stayed."
"But your tales to the orcas, are they all true?" Joshua asked, tilting his head inquisitively. "Living underwater with mermaids, staying with kings and queens in frozen palaces, and that place called the Shrine. There was also something about Atlantis."
Solana kept stirring, her thoughts following a similar pattern. "They are all true," she finally replied.
She gazed down at Joshua, wondering what he was thinking. His blue eyes were soft in the dancing firelight, but as usual they gave no clue to what was surely turning over in his mind. He methodically finished brewing the two cups of tea while Solana dished up the clam chowder. One of the coconuts was standing by for dessert, while some of the fruit was cut up and roasting over the fire to bring along.
Joshua waited until Solana tried the chowder first, then carefully blew on his spoonful before trying a tiny bit. Heartened, he continued on while Solana shook her head. Maybe some things had changed in forty years, but Joshua's caution obviously had not. Then again, considering what had happened in Ridley, it was probably just as well.
They finished supper in companiable silence, then buried the coals from the fire under a shallow layer of sand for warmed sleeping areas, a trick that Aryn had taught them. Joshua settled down a few yards away on the other side of their firepit, already yawning widely. After tending her wounds once more, Solana stretched out on her own warmed sand. She was comfortable with her cloak for a blanket and the cadence of the waves in her ears.
Even so, she was suddenly restless and couldn't drop off to sleep quite yet. Her thoughts, which up till now had been pushed back by the joyful company of the orcas and the menial work of making camp and preparing supplies for their journey, were now allowed to the forefront.
Her ordeal in Ridley suddenly came back to her in a rush, and her body shuddered involuntarily. Flickers of pain shot through the scraped skin on her wrists and ankles as if to echo the memories.
Those people had tried to kill her, and had almost succeeded. Solana had known that she would have enemies on her return to Merna because of her journey, but she had never dreamed it would have possibly gone this far. The cold, cruel way that they had tried to execute her, with so many involved, shook her more than any attempt on her life during the wars and various dangers of her travels. She had to keep trying to set things right in her adopted world.
But it was obviously going to be far more than a matter of stopping just one man.
Solana glanced over at her colleague, wondering if he'd be up for a talk to help clear her mind. Joshua was curled up in his white robe, his back to her, but his tense form suggested that he was not asleep yet either. "Joshua?" she asked uncertainly.
He rolled onto his back, drawing in a breath of annoyance. "Yes?" The response was cool and clipped.
She would try anyway. "I wanted to thank you. You saved my life back there."
Joshua closed his eyes warily, as if wondering how to speak his mind. He took a few more breaths before replying. "You cannot judge all of Monsee from the actions of a few. You see, Solana, the emperors and empresses believe that they are the delegates of a higher power. Unfortunately, this same philosophy has allowed those who are bestowed it to interpret that meaning in ways that have proven both benevolent and harsh." He turned to face her, his blue eyes sharp as he met her silver ones. "Those who are benevolent believe that they answer to this higher power with their own actions, and so concern themselves with justice and mercy for those who are in turn under their care. Those who are harsh see themselves as direct representatives, and that to cross them is to cross this power. They see a strict heirarchy where each person is in a separate caste with certain duties and loyalties to other members."
"If Kuro and Atolla are any indication, then the current monarchs are of the second line of thought," Solana guessed bleakly.
"You are quite correct," came the reply.
Solana thought back to their offspring, Del and Clymene. Clymene had said herself that she disagreed with her parents, and even Del had shown signs that his interests belonged on another path. Perhaps the next generation might harken back to the benevolent way of thought.
She then remembered the philosophy book that she had pored through, that should have warned her to be more cautious. That was a lesson she wouldn't soon be forgetting. "There was a book I was reading that emphasized the stricter way of thought. I didn't realize how strict. And then when that ambassador was crossed out..." Oh, what had his name been? Of course... "Luzio. Head Ambassador Luzio."
Solana didn't see Joshua's eyes widen in shock, his entire body tense. She had no idea of the torrent of thoughts that went screaming through his head. He opened his mouth to speak, found it dry, then waited a few moments to call more moisture into it. "Then-then perhaps that should have served as your first clue, correct?!" he shrieked in fury.
She stared at him in shock, recoiling a bit at the rush of anger in his tone. "But-"
"You were nothing but a traitor to them, Solana!" he yelled, apparently having lost his normal window of coolness for one of the few times in his life. He propped himself up on one elbow and glared at her with eyes like smoking ice. "You openly rebelled against your leader, and worse, you coerced Aryn into doing the same and abandoning your duty! Their usual course is to execute traitors! The far better alternative would have involved feigning to go along with them for your own safety! But you had to dive into that pool of idealism just as you always do, did you not?" Solana didn't answer. "DID YOU NOT?!" Joshua almost screamed.
Solana had rarely seen Joshua angry, and never THIS angry. He was breathing hard, his fists were clenched like a vice grip, and sweat glittered on his forehead. But the strangest part was that she would swear that he wasn't quite looking at her, but somehow past her.
"Joshua, whatever I said to upset you, I am truly sorry," she said humbly. "The fault is mine for not realizing how things have changed in forty years."
That seemed to deflate his anger a bit. He turned away as if he couldn't even bear to look at her anymore, and his voice dropped to normal tones. "How would you have known? We had no opportunity to converse, and it would not seem that the little girl would have told you much to instigate what would ensue."
"Actually, she did," Solana replied lightly, and repeated what Clymene had told her.
"Then perhaps there is hope, between her and the youth," Joshua commented, then let out a huge sigh. "There is no changing the past or our lapses in judgment. There is no point on dwelling on such things when a far more vital task lies in our future. Perhaps when we have the luxury of time such things can be thought of, but not now."
"Joshua..."
But the Light Guardian was clearly done with conversation for the night. "I bid you have a pleasant rest, Solana. We have much distance to cover and will require every iota of our strength. Good night." He tucked his robe more securely around his body and turned his back to her once more, saying no more about either Ridley or his unusual outburst.
Solana watched him as she resettled her own cloak around herself. Joshua wasn't asleep yet, but she knew better than to try to restart the conversation. Instead, she curled up and allowed the gentle waves of the sea to lull her to sleep. In her dreams, the lapping of the Tethys had shifted to the splashes of the Marble Sea....
Slip! Slap! Slip! Slap! A teen Solana's sandals angrily slapped the marble floors leading out of the Hall of Reasoning as she followed Kiel out. Solana was allowed to speak openly to this man who had been a father to her, but she also knew that it was bad form to scold an Elder in public and was waiting until they were on their own. Kiel, who knew her heart better than anyone, was giving her the opportunity sooner rather than later.
He led her into a small lecture hall that was currently empty. Despite looking a little tired from hearing cases affecting the ecosystems and well-being of Atlantis all morning, he had all the time in the Universe for her. Besides, hearing the cases and giving her opinions was part of her education. "Speak now, little dolphin. What is it that angers you so?" he calmly asked.
"That last case, with the family of poachers," Solana replied shortly.
Kiel wasn't surprised, as it hadn't been an easy one to decide. A merchant family of four had recently lost their fortunes when a ship carrying a huge cargo of their goods to sell in foreign ports had sunk in a late storm. They had gone from being one of the richest families in Atlantis to one of the poorest, and things hadn't been easy. Their pride had kept them from asking family for support.
Their money mostly gone, the adults had gone to the Aquamarine Bay in the middle of the night and had caught some of the extremely rare peach treefish to cook up for food. Unfortunately, peach treefish were protected by law, and the couple had been caught by poacher-savvy guards on their way back home. Their case had come to Kiel, the Elder most knowledgable about the ecology of their home. Kiel had heard their case, and had sentenced the adults to three months of working for the hatcheries of endangered species.
"Peach treefish are very rare. They have been overhunted to the point that even the loss of one individual could devastate both them and their niche. Even now, it will take countless generations to restore the lost genetic diversity," Kiel explained, his hand heavy on her shoulder.
Solana backed off rebelliously, not wanting to understand. "Just three fish? But they were starving! What would YOU have done if you were hungry?!"
Kiel shook his head sadly. "Child, child. You fail to see what I tried to do. Their work will give them other skills, and an income to use until they can get back on their feet. As an Elder, I am responsible for the welfare of ALL of Atlantis and the individual at the same time." He put his hand on her shoulder again, and this time she let it be. "What could I say to future generations if an ecosystem collapses due to the loss of a species through carelessness?"
Solana looked down at her feet, ashamed of her outburst. She knew Kiel better than that. This was the kind of thing that she was supposed to be learning to see for herself, instead of waiting for it to be pointed out.
He put his finger under her chin and made her look up at him. Even under his 'lecture look', there was still love shining in his eyes. "My little dolphin, you are an idealist. That is simultaneously your greatest strength and weakness. But it need not be so, if you can temper it with realism."
"I don't understand," Solana confessed.
"Then think of it this way. There is a sea cave that is filled with beautiful treasure and guarded by a large octopus. The idealist will go for the treasure and ignore the octopus, and be captured. The realist will see the octopus and never try for the treasure, and miss out." He smiled broadly. "But one who can embrace them both will see both the treasure and how to get into the cave safely at the same time. You must keep your eyes on your goals, AND what is around you to know how to get there."
Solana slowly nodded, carefully digesting what he had told her. "And that's possible?"
"More than possible, it's vital," he replied, then gave her a one-shouldered hug. "But you'll understand precisely what I mean one day. Come, let's go see how those rescued seahorses are doing before we let them back into Aquamarine Bay."
Sniff. Sniff. The sensation of a cold, wet nose in her ear and whiskers brushing her cheeks woke Solana up the next morning. She opened her eyes to see two pairs of button black eyes staring at her, belonging to a pair of sea lion pups. Their glossy brown fur was slicked down and water dripped from their whiskers, proof that they had already enjoyed a morning swim. One gave a soft bark, wondering when this possible playmate was going to get up and go play in the waves with them.
Solana slowly sat up and began scratching the inquisitive one behind the ears. The other thrust her nose under Solana's arm, demanding attention as well. The Water Guardian obeyed, grimacing a little at how stiff her joints were after the ordeal in Ridley and riding orcas all day yesterday. After hanging out with landlubbers for so long, she was out of practice.
A louder bark belonging to a watchful mother sent the pups scurrying back down the beach like aquatic puppy dogs. Solana raised her shoulders in an apologetic shrug. The mother whuffed! and went splashing into the water to look for breakfast for her family. The pups stayed near the rest of the harem, casting forlorned glances in her direction until a trio of others came to play with them instead. Solana was forgotten.
Youngsters are the same no matter their species, Solana thought to herself in amusement. Joshua was still asleep, so she quietly gathered some fruit to nibble on for breakfast and walked off a bit down the beach away from the sea lions. She found a nice sandy patch and sat down, letting the waves splash over her feet. She breathed deeply, enjoying the salt smell of the Tethys imbued with the freshness of a new day.
Solana thought back to her dream and its meaning. It had been one of Kiel's most important lessons, and one that she was certain that she had already mastered. But so far, this trip and the events in Ridley had proven that that wasn't the case.
She would have been wiser to wait and see just how severe Ridley's philosophies were before attempting an alliance, as Joshua had. As a result, he'd had to plan to save both their necks.
She should have considered that Bachlan would have cooked up something nasty in his workroom. As a result, Oriana had had to save them all.
Solana groaned, putting her head in her hands. Kiel always told me that a leader is not the one who does everything, but the one who binds together several people into a team. That's why they had so many Elders. They see what they have to work with and make a plan. I've always looked ahead to the future. Having Kiel and so many of my people back in my life has taught me the importance of the present. Now I have to become a road builder to join them. What do I have to work with now?
She looked up from her hands, gazing around her. Joshua was still asleep behind her, still stripped of his power. She felt the ties to her Seal and her Asterite Aura, though her water essence was gone.
More than mere magic. Look around you.
The sun was just rising over the sea to the east, painting brilliant beams of color on top of the glistening water. Pelicans were the most common birds here, swooping out over the smooth swells of water to gather their breakfast. Tiny crabs scattered here and there on their own hunt, sandpipers danced perilously close to the waves to snatch bits of food before retreating, and there were the sea lions bellowing that could be heard over the roar of the sea. It was this peace and harmony that had helped sustain her on her quest, and her eyes softened.
When had this great love for this part of the world surfaced? After examining that question for twenty thousand years, Solana still didn't know. Merna was a world named after the sea, and Atlanteans honored water above all other elements, but it wasn't entirely due to that. Those environments had merely served to nurture the seed that was already in her heart.
Perhaps it was due to the fact that in water, Solana saw the origins of life and also its protector. Yes, even though Aryn liked to argue that fire was its catalyst, while Eziban enjoyed pointing out that there was a planet named after his own element, and Raoul quietly added that the brain and nerves required a touch of lightning's spark. But then, perhaps that was why they had all been drawn to the essences and paths they had. Each of them stood to guard what they saw as the true source of life.
Staring out at the eternal blue expanse that stretched to the horizon, picturing her other seas and lakes and rivers all around the world, she thought of Bachlan turning these into weapons against Merna itself. Using them to drown the people and animals and plants, and to do on purpose what she had done accidentally all those decades ago. Her friends having to watch their home be killed and resurrected into Bachlan's ideals, and losing everything they loved.
Her fists clenched, and her eyes closed as her famed determination rose. She would not allow it. Merna was her home, too, and had accepted her as a foster daughter. Its seas and creatures sang to her as those of Atlantis had, and she felt the same love for these two lands that had given her life and purpose. Solana had watched one homeland die despite all of her power and that of her friends, and she had promised herself that she would not lose another. Her friends should never have to know the pain she had felt on the day that Atlantis had died.
Blue sparks could be seen beyond her closed eyelids. Startled, she opened her eyes and gazed to sea again, then her mouth opened wide in astonishment.
Sparkling blue and silver light could be seen passing through the sea in streams that were getting nearer and nearer. These streams began breaching like the dolphins back home, spinning around and going above and below each other as they came closer and closer. Suddenly, the lights merged into one and left the water to come straight to her.
Solana gasped in surprise as the light began to fill her. She knew this light...it had been mastered under almost twenty thousand years in the Crystal Citadel, and been under her own will and direction for over forty. This was the power of the water essence! Somehow, Merna had returned it to her, as if wanting to help her in her quest.
Solana would not let them down, not her world and not her friends and not her seas. Not even the orcas that were....
The orcas! Solana gasped as she remembered what the lovely creatures were most famous for. A plan was beginning to form in her mind, and for now she could only hope that her scattered friends were thinking similar thoughts. Perhaps soon, she would know for certain.
Solana went to go wake up Joshua, ready to get to work.
Joshua was impressed at this change in Solana, and not the least because her essence had somehow been restored. She had been near despair after her ordeal last night, but after getting her essence refilled seemed galvanized into action. He was grateful that she said nothing about his outburst last night, but was instead looking ahead to what they should do next.
"What precisely happened when your essence was restored?" he asked, wondering if he could do the same.
"I was looking at the seas, and thinking about how I didn't wish to see them become weapons," Solana answered thoughtfully. "Also, that I didn't want the rest of you to know what it's like to lose a homeworld."
Joshua tried gazing at the sunshine around him, even taking sneak peeks at the sun itself, and then thought about how deadly yet life-giving his element could be. (Like them all, now that he thought about it.) Even so, he wasn't really surprised when nothing happened. No doubt there was something more required. Deciding that the answer would probably be revealed in its own time, he instead concentrated on nothing more complicated than breakfast for now.
The Guardians ate speedily, then cleaned up their camp and repacked their supplies and added the food that they had prepared last night. After settling the last bit of dried fruit into her pack, Solana had a question for Joshua.
"Joshua, you know the geography of our world better than anyone thanks to your travels as our liaison. Where do you think we are right now?"
"Mmmmm," Joshua murmured in thought. He grabbed a stick that hadn't made it into their cookfire and knelt down on the sand. He carefully drew the outlines of the main continents of Merna, starting with the largest that held the Crystal Citadel and some of the biggest cities, then fit in the Monsee empire to the west and many more. Next, he filled in the largest islands and archipelagos, doing his best to keep everything to scale. He tapped the stick in the sprawled collection of islands that lay many days away from the Citadel. "It is difficult to say for certain, as Ridley's location is random and we have seen no landmarks as of yet. But judging from the tropical climate, I would surmise that we are somewhere around here."
Solana studied his scrawlings, agreeing with him. Even by swift-moving orca, there would be many days of travel back to the mainland. "Maybe the orcas could give us a better idea?"
Joshua shrugged and stood up, brushing sand off of his knees. "Perhaps. It is clear that these creatures are far more intelligent than the populace would give them credit for."
Solana hid a smile as she did the same, amused that he had left himself out of that generalization. Evidently Ena's chastisements had started to have effects. "There may be something else that they can do for us." Solana took a look at the beach, noting that the water was approaching the high tide mark made of flotsam and jetsam.
The orcas were nothing if not punctual. At precisely the first high tide of the day, there was the familar call of Ena's pod. Solana responded with a loud whistle, and the pod approached.
Joshua glanced at the waves hesitantly. "Would there be a way that we could stay dry as we go to them? The wind can be brisk, even in this climate."
Solana nodded. "Leave it to me." Borrowing water from the sea, she carefully crafted a solid ice bridge that led to the pod. Several of the orcas backed away until they realized what she was doing. The end was formed into two docks, and she made certain to give the top a pebbly surface to aid their footing. She stepped on it carefully, pleased that it held, then gestured for Joshua to follow her.
Today it was Blaze and a female orca named Tetra that offered their services for transportation. Joshua was far more confident today as he climbed onto Blaze's back, not even watching how Solana got on Tetra. Once they were settled, she melted her bridge and they were on their way.
After a quick word to Tetra, Solana found herself next to Ena who was leading as usual. The matriarch looked up at her curiously, waiting for her to speak. "Ena, I have another favor to ask, but only because I know of no one else to trust it to," she began.
"I'm listening," Ena replied slowly.
"You have ties to the creatures of the sea, even those on the shores. They in turn must have ties to the other creatures, am I right?" Solana asked. Ena nodded. "I'm hoping that you could use this connection to find my friends, the other Guardians. I want to get in contact with them."
Suddenly, Ena laughed as only an orca could. Puffs of air came out of her blowhole and her head tossed back and forth in unholy amusement. "Cousin, what do you think we were doing yesterday at your lunch stop?" she asked. Solana's eyes went wide in shock as Ena laughed some more. "Please, I am a crotchety old whale who has been leading this pod for many years. I know their ways. Pod members are unhappy when broken up, and only together can they prevail. The seagulls are the biggest gossips in the sea, and have ties to the land."
"One cannot do everything themselves, and that is why we travel in pods," Baruti added, amused. He was Ena's son, all right.
Solana was too stunned at their insight for words. Ena spit a bit of water at her in play. "Let us do the hard work for now, cousin. Enjoy the gentle tides while you can." She bobbed her head, which Tetra took as a signal to return to her former 'post'.
Solana stretched out on Tetra's back, letting one hand lazily reach down to the cool water as Tetra swiftly cut through it. Ena was right. She couldn't make the orcas move any faster, and couldn't get in contact with her friends until they'd been located. Any offers to take orca shape herself or try some teleportation spells to speed things up would be taken as an insult, and possibly interfere with Ena's messengers finding them again. All she could do was enjoy the company of the whales and Joshua as well as the feel of cool spray on her face.
Maybe Aryn had had the right idea this whole time, to take advantage of what down time they'd had during adventures. Maybe that's how anyone who wished to be a leader kept from being overwhelmed, to trust others and take what joy could be found on the ride.
Joshua had guessed right as to their approximate location among the uninhabited archipelago of islands sprinkled in the Tethys. Every night the orcas had found them suitable islands to camp out on, with water and food sources and inhabited only by sea creatures. They would even stop at sand bars to let their riders take a break and stretch their legs on land for a bit.
He had to admit that this was a fine way to travel, if one didn't mind the constant taste of salt and cold baths in springs. He was quick at spotting new foodstuffs on each island they stayed on and was always willing to do his share of chores.
Solana had been surprised at his ability to 'rough it' after pampered life in the Crystal Citadel until Joshua had reminded her that his duties as liaison had often involved travel to remote parts of their world. In many societies, it would have been considered an insult to have arrived in one of the Guardians' fine airships, so he had often traveled like the locals to give honor to the leaders, give more income to the locals, and get a better idea of how well various places were truly doing compared to written reports. So much of his job had depended on the little details such as these.
Even here, Joshua was finding outlets for his interests. After getting over the fact that, yes, these creatures were as intelligent as people, he became fascinated by their ways and connections to Merna and her other children throughout the world. Ena and the other adults answered his questions through Solana with good humor and had many of their own, while the calves laughed and teased the 'ignorant landlubber'. Joshua took their jibes with good graces, and even brought them a floating toy he had made one night out of a coconut shell. The teasing was swiftly replaced with requests for him to throw it for them to race after. He found himself uncharacteristically relaxing amongst the orcas' honesty and complete lack of guile, and treasuring the respect that the orcas seemed to hold for him and vice versa.
One morning after several relatively lazy days spent trading stories and customs, Joshua became convinced of the true worth of their alliance.
The orcas had arrived at their latest campsite with important news. Siembra was breaching constantly in her excitement, while Baruti tried to calm his daughter and demand his mother share her news in almost the same breath. Ena slyly demanded that the Guardians get seated and that they get started on the day's travel before she finally succumbed and told them what they wanted to know.
"I heard from an osprey just this morning that the Lady of Fire and the Lady of Air are far to the south in the big fire rocks. They are making their way north towards the floating crystal palace," she began, going slowly so that Solana could translate.
Joshua wondered which of the two would strive to do harm to the other first. He hadn't forgotten the caramel and feather incident, but the fact that they hadn't killed each other yet was a good sign. He tilted his head in thought, trying to think of what the orca meant. "'Fire rocks'... perhaps you speak of the Great Simbel Range? It has more than its share of volcanoes."
"Very good, cousin," Ena said approvingly. "Not only that, but the Lord of Earth and the Lord of Thunder are in the great wooded area off to the east of the floating crystal palace."
"Deynain," Solana filled in. The homeland of the elves. Raoul would be in his element, and his links to Malika and her family would probably be enough to keep him and Eziban safe.
Joshua pictured a giant map of Merna in his head, filling in their relative locations. Bachlan had managed to scatter them to the four winds, but the girls were already heading back to the Citadel and the boys weren't too far away. Even apart, they were already acting as a team.
"Cousin, is there any way that you could pass messages to our friends through yours?" Solana asked suddenly.
"Yes, that might be possible," the orca admitted, "Think on what you wish to say, and I will do what I can."
Joshua looked confused, so Solana translated for him. "It's amazing how much more intuitive these creatures are," he commented thoughtfully, "Imagine if we could forge an alliance with them."
"What do you mean 'if', human?" Ena demanded, "In some worlds, cousins are already working together. We've been waiting a long time for someone to come along to teach you humans how to communicate with us. After all, we can understand you just fine."
Joshua looked stunned, while Solana gasped as well. "How have I never thought of doing that?" she muttered to herself.
"Because you're not an orca?" Tetra suggested impishly. Solana wrinkled her nose at the orca and splashed a little water in her direction, earning a laugh in reply.
Joshua's mind was busily taking in that suggestion. An alliance with creatures that not all could understand and that held no loyalties to any human kingdoms could be priceless. Animals were all over, where humans were not or where humans couldn't find them readily. They could speedily pass on news from one member or species to another, and had been proven to be brilliant in their own way. Solana could already understand the language of creatures of the sea, and could call in favors from her past efforts to care for beached or injured individuals. He made a note to himself to master the orca's language as soon as possible.
While Joshua was mentally working out some future plans, Solana had pulled out her magical book from her pack and one of her wax pencils. She bit the end of her writing utensil, pondering what to say. Finally, she started scribbling on the magically protected paper. "We can meet in the Ayadoia Glade. It's nearby the Citadel and will serve as a good camp until we all arrive."
"Wise. Do not forget to mention the replenishing of your water essence," Joshua said mildly.
"I won't," Solana assured him. She wrote out a copy of the first note, doublechecked them, then rolled both into tight little bundles. She glanced over at the pod. "Who would be interested in carrying these?"
"I will do it," Baruti offered, coming up to join her. "I'm one of the fastest swimmers and can find a flock of seagulls to bring these on land. If you have any... oh, what do humans call it, that's used to make those 'nets'..."
"'String', my boy," Ena filled in.
"Ah, yes, 'string'. You can make a circle to fit over my dorsal fin for them. Our gulls are quite good with their beaks," Baruti offered.
Joshua rummaged around in his pack and managed to find a hank of strong cord. He made two large circles and knotted a bundled note to each, then slipped them over the orca's dorsal fin. Considering the fin's height, they wouldn't be accidentally slipping off unless the orca flipped over.
Ena touched her son's melon with her mouth gently. "Safe hunting, my son. Listen for our calls and to the voices of the sea."
"Safe hunting, my mother," Baruti replied. He then gently touched his daughter Siembra with a gentle fluke as if to bestow his blessings on her and began swimming fast due east.
Meanwhile, Joshua was still going through his bag and was dismayed at how little food and other supplies they had left. "Solana, perhaps it would be wise to stop at an inhabited location to replenish our packs. We cannot count on every island between here and the Crystal Citadel being hospitable."
"You're right, even I'm running low on some things," Solana admitted after taking a peek through her own pack. She hadn't been expecting a long journey when she had last refilled it in Sagia. "Where did you have in mind?"
Joshua leaned back to think, absently giving Ena a scratch on the back. "Let me think a moment. Judging from where we are now, if our direction remains east southeast, we shall encounter-" He paused. "No, we will keep going until the next one."
"Joshua, what's wrong?" Solana asked in alarm.
Joshua hesitated, trying to think of a gentle way to break this. No solutions came to him, so he opted for plain honesty. "The next city is Miniki."
Solana turned deathly pale, her eyes haunted with memory. "I thought so. We can bypass it and pick up supplies in-" Joshua began.
"No," Solana interrupted, shaking her head. "No, I have to face it. It's only right that I see for myself what I wrought with my power."
"If you insist," Joshua acquiesced, though his gaze remained worried. Ena, too, looked as uneasy as an orca could manage.
They had reason to be.
Miniki was the city that Solana had accidentally destroyed with a mudslide over forty years ago.
That's why dolphins have such affinity for humans. They're hoping to reach out to the lost souls trapped within... and bring them home to the way.
Dolphin, Aquaman
Joshua gasped as his head finally broke the surface of the Tethys Sea after what seemed like an aquatic eternity. He started gratefully sucking in lungful after lungful of honest fresh air until he felt like a man again instead of a fish. "If humans were intended to live as amphibians, we would have been equipped with gills," he commented once fully recovered.
Solana had surfaced much more demurely, and her gaze traveled to the west to be certain that Ridley was long gone. To her relief, only churning waves greeted her gaze in all directions. She glanced over at Joshua with an amused smile. "Or be able to breathe underwater like us Atlanteans. Besides, didn't the Oxyale in that pendant work for you? Aryn managed when we stayed with the mermaids in the Sea Shrine all those years ago." The special water that gave off air was a treasure, and enabled anyone to stay underwater for any length of time. It was a credit to the fairies in that world that the pendants still worked after all of these years. She couldn't resist making a few happy splashes, giddy with relief at her rescue and being in the sea she loved.
"It worked admirably, it is just...." Joshua paused as he searched for an accurate description. "I am still a bit unbalanced from escaping from a furious mob and dropping hundreds of feet into the sea, then remaining under the surface of said sea for quite some time." He took off the pendant and offered it back to her.
Solana motioned for him to put it back on as they both started treading water. Her expression turned deadly serious. "Joshua, I think we should try getting back to the Crystal Citadel. We don't know what Bachlan will do to Oriana to get the last piece of her essence, and we can't let him put Merna's people through a Great Rebirth with our power."
Joshua flinched guiltily at hearing Oriana's name. The image of Bachlan placing her into her crystal prison in that cursed workroom hadn't left his mind all this time. He only wished that he had spoken his mind then, despite knowing that it would have done no good whatsoever. "I believe you are correct. Even without our power we have our responsibilities to Merna and her people, and will have to plan well on the way." He glanced around pointedly at the horizons filled with nothing but water as realism set in. "But swimming there will take quite some time and no little effort."
"Maybe we won't have to." Before Joshua could ask for a clarification, Solana threw back her head and made an odd whistling trill that ended with a squeak. She paused for a second, then made the sound twice more and waited. Joshua raised his eyebrows, but said nothing and seemed inclined to follow her lead.
There it was...a response from the nearby whales she had heard before their jump! The call sounded like a pod of orcas, and soon proved to be so as a group of about twenty chattering black and white creatures were spotted coming in from the north. The younger calves were breaching in their excitement, and plumes of air from blowholes came closer and closer as the pod came to investigate who had sent out a locating call.
Joshua yelped as the pair was surrounded by the orcas all trying to get past their pod members to get a peek at these strange two-leggers. Greetings and questions flew through the air in the form of clicks, whistles, low moans, and even tail or fluke slaps on the water. A few even brushed them with their flukes, their dark eyes shining with curiosity and a kind of wisdom not to be found among those who dwelled on the land. Solana was delighted and responded to as many inquiries as possible while Joshua looked on in bewilderment, occasionally flinching away when a fluke brushed him.
Suddenly, some of the orcas scattered away from the pair. The matriarch of the clan swam in front of the Guardians, the very same individual that Del had tried so hard to understand only yesterday. The orca quickly recognized them and slapped the surface of the water with her tail in exasperation, looking like a crotchety great aunt scolding some naughty youngsters. "Can't you stay out of trouble for one day?!" she demanded in her own language, shaking her head a little. "I am Ena, and this is my pod. My son Baruti and granddaughter Siembra insisted on bringing you to that boy and girl's boat, yet here you are in the middle of the ocean again!"
A large male serenely dipped his head in greeting, while a particularly lovely smaller female playfully butted Solana's hand with her head to ask for a scratch.
Solana obeyed the little one's wishes, then quickly translated Ena's message for the perplexed Joshua. He didn't seem quite sure what form of protocol was called for when dealing with orcas, but it was nothing new to Solana. "Thank you for saving our lives, cousins. My name is Solana, and this is Joshua-"
"We know who and what you are," Ena interrupted slyly. Some of her pod sounded off their agreement.
Solana swallowed her surprise, remembering how orcas were infamous gossips. "You are much faster and stronger swimmers than we are. Please, could you help bring us back to the Crystal Citadel?" she pleaded. She quickly told the story of Bachlan's plans for a Great Rebirth.
The orcas talked amongst themselves for a few moments, but Ena came to a decision quickly. "We have heard many songs from other pods of you coming to heal injured cousins after storms and beachings, so we will help you gladly," she agreed. Siembra swam alongside Solana to serve as a lift again, but Ena nudged her away. "You don't have the stamina for this, baby girl. Best let your nana handle it."
"Thank you. I'm honored," Solana stated, easily climbing onto the orca's broad back after all her hours swimming with whales and dolphins over the millennia. The trick was to actually lie down in front of the dorsal fin, since the orca's powerful tail could easily throw off someone sitting behind the fin. Solana shifted her pack so that it rested comfortably on her own back and would be out of Ena's way.
"So you should be," Ena replied absently, her eyes on her son and Joshua. Joshua peeked out of the corner of his eye to see how Solana was positioned, and tried lifting himself onto the whale the same way. He slid back into the water. Baruti kindly dipped under the surface to help him out, and Joshua finally managed to clamber on top and carefully rearrange his soaked robes. Despite looking a little ludicrous with his bedraggled robes hanging on his slender fame, he still managed to convey a sense of dignity.
Ena took her position at the front of her pod with Baruti and Siembra flanking her. She used her echolocation for a few moments until she found the exact direction that she wanted. The matriarch then released three loud tail slaps to the surface of the water and waited. After each orca had slapped the water once in return, the entire pod swam off to the east.
Solana rejoiced to be alive, and safe, and among the creatures and element that she loved so dearly. The orcas soon proved to be superb companions. Being actually in the water meant that they presented very little visual target to any nearby boats, while those that came somewhat near were detected early by echolocation and easily avoided. Solana was quickly assured that the echolocation trick could even work for airships, but none had passed over them yet. The orcas also took turns carrying their 'cousins' and hunting to keep up everyone's strength.
Sitting back comfortably on Ena's swift-moving form, Solana began to ask the orcas what tidings they had of their world, and possibly their friends. The orcas were all too happy to oblige. Storms and hurricanes had indeed been rushing through the seas, but the whales pointed out that there had been a lot more plankton in the water than in times past. More plankton meant more fish, both for them and their prey higher up on the food chain. In fact, for a few generations now they had been eating better than any songs of the past had ever indicated.
Chaskel in Spira had been correct on that, it seemed. Solana felt a weight lift from her heart.
After the orcas had shared all of the latest gossip that they had gathered, Baruti suddenly spoke up. "Mother, don't forget the manner of payment for our services."
Ena flicked her tail at him nonchalantly. "I've not forgotten, boy. Solana, you and Joshua are welcome to pay our usual fee for help if you want."
Joshua, who was still holding tightly onto Baruti as if afraid he would be thrown off at any point, visibly stiffened at the request. "Fee? What possible use could these creatures have for money?"
Insulted at the man's tone, Baruti tipped his body slightly downward and slapped the water hard with his flukes. Joshua had to scramble to keep his seat and apologized while wiping water out of his eyes.
Solana chuckled and shook her head. "Not money, Joshua. Orcas like to collect tales and songs as their currency." She racked her brain for something that would please their escort, then decided to share her favorite story from her own childhood. "I can tell you about a very brave dolphin that saved my homeland of Atlantis. His name was Ecco."
Cheers from the younger orcas sounded, while the older ones whistled their approval. The calves swam up all around Ena, looking for all the world like children sitting down for a story. Ena grumbled a little about being fenced in, but said nothing aloud. Even Joshua was quiet, curious to hear this little known bit of his colleague's past.
Thinking back to how Kiel had told her this story so many times as a child, she began. "Long ago, there was a dolphin who lived in a warm bay of crystal clear waters. He was quite ordinary except for two things- five marks like stars on his melon, and his extraordinary love for his pod. One day while practicing great leaps, a terrible storm came and took away everyone he loved. Ecco knew that it was up to him to save his pod."
The orcas murmured approvingly amongst themselves. The concept of 'pod' was everything to them- family, identity, and a home amongst individuals. Places were for feeding and breeding, but home was where the pod was.
Solana went on, telling of Ecco's travels through bitterly cold polar waters with their icy dangers and through sunny coral reefs on his quest to find the one being that could help him- the Asterite. She described how Ecco had used Atlantis' own time machine to find the Asterite's lost globe in return for new powers to face down the Vortex drones and later their queen. Later, Ecco had traveled to Planet Vortex itself and brought his pod back home.
Unfortunately, the good times were not to last. The Vortex Queen had followed Ecco to his own world after that fearsome battle.
"What about the As-erite? Was the mean queen mad at it for 'elping Ecco?" a calf asked fearfully.
Solana nodded solemnly. "She was very angry, and killed it. But the Asterite had never been defenseless, so it called to Ecco to find all of its globes and put it back together."
She told of Ecco's second quest, and how he was brought to a dolphin paradise future by his own descendent Trellia. Lost in her tale, a part of her mind wondered whether her homeworld would get to know that nirvana with a conscious ocean, floating dolphins able to swim in a sea of air, and all the waters of the world being connected. Perhaps she would live long enough to see it be so, and now so would her people.
Getting back in gear, she told how Ecco succeeded and this time was gifted with the Asterite's own Aura to help it, and how the other dolphins and their songs were recruited to help him vanquish the Vortex threat forever. The Vortex Queen was defeated again, but not destroyed. Although injured and pregnant with many more drones awaiting birth to carry on her work, she struggled to make her way to the remains of Atlantis. Ecco's own blood on her claws from battle served as the key to the time machine, and she escaped to millions of years in the past.
But the world of the distant past contained such creatures as the Queen could never defeat- gigantic lizards, flying creatures, and enormous sea monsters with gaping maws prowling the tropical seas. Unable to combat them, she was forced to become a part of the very same ecosystem that she had struggled to conquer. Her descendents eventually evolved and lived on in harmony with the other individuals of their new sea.
"The Asterite told Ecco to destroy the time machine, to prevent any more splits of time. But Ecco did not listen, and remembered how my people had left clues and help for him. Knowing that he would never see his pod again, Ecco used the machine to join my people and protect our city from the attack of Planet Vortex. The Asterite's Aura was given to our Elders, and Ecco lived out the rest of his life in the Marble Sea as a hero," Solana finished, her eyes teary with reverance.
"So the A'lan'eans had a happy ending, like Ecco!" the same calf said happily.
Solana paused. Ecco had given them many more millennia of life, but her land's fate had only been postponed and given to the hands of another. Yet now some of her people were living on, building a new life for themselves and passing on their wisdom and ways to the younger ones. Their city was gone, but their culture and way of life still had a place in the Universe. Smiling, she agreed, "Yes, little one, we did."
Being an orca, Ena could sense a thousand emotions swimming in Solana's heart regarding the home she loved. Wanting to back off from a delicate topic, she added, "Now, Solana's been nice with a story, so don't you think we should tell her one of ours?"
The calf let out a happy squeak as Solana gave Ena a subtle pat of thanks. Ena twitched her tail in reply as she looked around, then spotted the quiet male swimming near Baruti. "Blaze, would you like to sing of our scaled cousins for our guests? Be sure to go slow so she can translate."
The orca nodded solemnly. He closed his eyes to summon the words to mind, giving each one a special inflection that nearly brought them to life. "In the long, long ago, before the time of the Great Birth, all of Merna belonged to the sea. While lightning danced throughout the dark skies and firewater crept from cracks in the depths, only one species flourished on Merna- our scaled cousins, the sea serpents. This is the tale of the first to be gifted with wings."
The calves cheered at hearing a favorite tale again. Solana thought of the sea serpents back in Atlantis. While in many worlds the creatures were thought of as nuisances at best, and destructive monsters at worst, they had been allies in her homeworld. The serpents were excellent philosophers and mages, and Kiel had had the highest respect for the individuals he had encountered. She wondered what wisdom the Mernan ones possessed, and if a similar alliance could be forged here one day.
Joshua gave an undignified snort, eyeing the orca with skepticism. "Impossible. Even in the few sightings of the serpents over the millennia, no one has ever documented one in flight."
"And why is the only wisdom in this universe to be found written somewhere by our humanoid cousins?" Ena demanded.
Joshua couldn't think of a proper retort, so Solana cut in. "We're always discovering new knowledge from the depths. Blaze, will you continue for us please?"
"While life was indeed difficult, they had no competition, and developed much knowledge and a unique culture. Our world, however, was most unhappy being able to support so little life, and so decided to reform itself via the Great Birth. The serpents, recognizing the change for the greater good, chose to adapt and live in harmony with their new neighbors," Blaze continued.
He took a deep breath, and his voice turned sadly solemn. "But not all of the serpents managed so well. Two siblings, who loved each other like the sun and the moons, were out playing on the day of the birth. A great mass of land began to rise between them, separating the waters into what humans call the Tethys and Boreas seas. The female was trapped here in the Tethys, while her brother and other members of her colony were trapped in the Boreas."
The other orcas gave a croon of sympathy at the loss of a podmate.
"The young serpent sang endlessly for her brother, bemoaning the fate that had separated them. The other serpents heard her call, and took pity on her. Those in the Tethys gathered together, and told her to sing a song of reunion. As she did, the magic of all the gathered serpents flowed into her, giving her two great pairs of wings. With these, the young serpent was able to fly over the land mass and reunite with her colony," Blaze explained majestically.
Joshua raised an eyebrow at this, but bit his tongue. Solana found herself leaning towards the whale, drinking in every word.
"The young serpent eventually became the great mother of all the winged sea serpents, which have only a very few born every generation. The serpents regard the tale as one of their most noble, displaying the choice we have in misfortune. Do we allow it to isolate us? Or do we join together to rise above it?" Blaze finished.
Solana clapped enthusiastically, while the other orcas splashed the surface with their tails. Joshua was frowning thoughtfully. "What if one has no choice?"
Ena's tone filled with sorrow. "Poor cousin. You who know so much, but understand so little. There is always a choice." Joshua scowled and turned his face away. Another calf burst in with a demand for another tale, so Solana began telling more stories of her journey with Aryn.
But her colleague remained silent.
The rest of the day passed smoothly, interrupted only by a stop on a small island for lunch. The orcas had used the opportunity to trade gossip and insults with the resident seagulls, as well as obtain the best nearby hunting locations. Solana managed to find some wild sea lavender growing on the island, which when mixed with a little seawater made an excellent poultice for her wounds. More of the plants were tucked into her pack for later. She blessed Oriana for teaching her herbal lore and other nonmagical healing methods as part of her training.
When the first cool winds began blowing over the surface of the Tethys, making Solana and Joshua shiver in their still damp clothes, Ena led the pod to a medium-sized island tucked in the middle of the sea. It was quite far from any continent and too small to support a population, but traces of fresh water runoff told Ena that there was a spring for their passengers. Clusters of palm, banana, and other tropical trees would provide some shelter and even food for the pair.
Blaze and Baruti brought the Guardians as close to the beach as they could before letting them slide off their broad backs into the balmy water. "We are leaving for the hunt, and will return for you at the first high tide. Shall we bring food for you as well?" Baruti kindly offered.
"Thank you, but we'll be all right. We both have supplies and will restock what we can here," Solana assured the whale, giving him a grateful kiss on the head.
If orcas could have blushed, the pod would have been treated to a sight of a rose red orca. "May you have excellent hunting," Joshua added, and Blaze slapped his tail appreciatively as the pair rejoined their pod. Ena figured the direction for their next hunting spot, and the pod swam off to the north and out of sight.
The Guardians splashed ashore onto a powder white beach lapped by soft aquamarine waves. The air was perfumed with fruit and flowers, and there was a low moaning sound of sea lions farther down the coast. A rocky beach about half a mile away would be an excellent place to catch some supper, and Solana remembered Joshua's fondness for seafood.
They quickly got to work making camp. Joshua had managed to put together a well stocked travel pack in Ridley, packing plenty of food in addition to camping necessities and even some fresh clothes. Fallen wood from the small grove served to make a roaring fire, and they took turns stepping into the forest to change into dry clothes and laying out the wet ones to dry.
Nearby was the small spring of fresh water to refill water bottles and use for cooking. Joshua gathered fruit and coconuts and kept an eye on the fire while Solana went to the rocky area near the shore and came back with a fine selection of small fish and clams. She showed Joshua how to cut up the fish and make a simple clam chowder for supper. After a few tries, he got the hang of it and was as swift as she was.
"I suppose you and Aryn have been camping a lot during your travels," he commented, dropping the last piece of fish into the bubbling pot sitting near the fire. He then poured a small measure of tea, (although not the spring rose tea) into two plain cups from Solana's pack and waited for the teapot's water to boil.
"Yes, in the beginning we were afraid of pursuit," Solana admitted, her face screwed up in concentration as she carefully stirred fresh herbs into the chowder. Aryn had insisted on teaching her how to cook over a fire, claiming that anyone who starved due to lack of knowledge was a fool. "But later on, we were able to relax and make some wonderful friends in the places we stayed."
"But your tales to the orcas, are they all true?" Joshua asked, tilting his head inquisitively. "Living underwater with mermaids, staying with kings and queens in frozen palaces, and that place called the Shrine. There was also something about Atlantis."
Solana kept stirring, her thoughts following a similar pattern. "They are all true," she finally replied.
She gazed down at Joshua, wondering what he was thinking. His blue eyes were soft in the dancing firelight, but as usual they gave no clue to what was surely turning over in his mind. He methodically finished brewing the two cups of tea while Solana dished up the clam chowder. One of the coconuts was standing by for dessert, while some of the fruit was cut up and roasting over the fire to bring along.
Joshua waited until Solana tried the chowder first, then carefully blew on his spoonful before trying a tiny bit. Heartened, he continued on while Solana shook her head. Maybe some things had changed in forty years, but Joshua's caution obviously had not. Then again, considering what had happened in Ridley, it was probably just as well.
They finished supper in companiable silence, then buried the coals from the fire under a shallow layer of sand for warmed sleeping areas, a trick that Aryn had taught them. Joshua settled down a few yards away on the other side of their firepit, already yawning widely. After tending her wounds once more, Solana stretched out on her own warmed sand. She was comfortable with her cloak for a blanket and the cadence of the waves in her ears.
Even so, she was suddenly restless and couldn't drop off to sleep quite yet. Her thoughts, which up till now had been pushed back by the joyful company of the orcas and the menial work of making camp and preparing supplies for their journey, were now allowed to the forefront.
Her ordeal in Ridley suddenly came back to her in a rush, and her body shuddered involuntarily. Flickers of pain shot through the scraped skin on her wrists and ankles as if to echo the memories.
Those people had tried to kill her, and had almost succeeded. Solana had known that she would have enemies on her return to Merna because of her journey, but she had never dreamed it would have possibly gone this far. The cold, cruel way that they had tried to execute her, with so many involved, shook her more than any attempt on her life during the wars and various dangers of her travels. She had to keep trying to set things right in her adopted world.
But it was obviously going to be far more than a matter of stopping just one man.
Solana glanced over at her colleague, wondering if he'd be up for a talk to help clear her mind. Joshua was curled up in his white robe, his back to her, but his tense form suggested that he was not asleep yet either. "Joshua?" she asked uncertainly.
He rolled onto his back, drawing in a breath of annoyance. "Yes?" The response was cool and clipped.
She would try anyway. "I wanted to thank you. You saved my life back there."
Joshua closed his eyes warily, as if wondering how to speak his mind. He took a few more breaths before replying. "You cannot judge all of Monsee from the actions of a few. You see, Solana, the emperors and empresses believe that they are the delegates of a higher power. Unfortunately, this same philosophy has allowed those who are bestowed it to interpret that meaning in ways that have proven both benevolent and harsh." He turned to face her, his blue eyes sharp as he met her silver ones. "Those who are benevolent believe that they answer to this higher power with their own actions, and so concern themselves with justice and mercy for those who are in turn under their care. Those who are harsh see themselves as direct representatives, and that to cross them is to cross this power. They see a strict heirarchy where each person is in a separate caste with certain duties and loyalties to other members."
"If Kuro and Atolla are any indication, then the current monarchs are of the second line of thought," Solana guessed bleakly.
"You are quite correct," came the reply.
Solana thought back to their offspring, Del and Clymene. Clymene had said herself that she disagreed with her parents, and even Del had shown signs that his interests belonged on another path. Perhaps the next generation might harken back to the benevolent way of thought.
She then remembered the philosophy book that she had pored through, that should have warned her to be more cautious. That was a lesson she wouldn't soon be forgetting. "There was a book I was reading that emphasized the stricter way of thought. I didn't realize how strict. And then when that ambassador was crossed out..." Oh, what had his name been? Of course... "Luzio. Head Ambassador Luzio."
Solana didn't see Joshua's eyes widen in shock, his entire body tense. She had no idea of the torrent of thoughts that went screaming through his head. He opened his mouth to speak, found it dry, then waited a few moments to call more moisture into it. "Then-then perhaps that should have served as your first clue, correct?!" he shrieked in fury.
She stared at him in shock, recoiling a bit at the rush of anger in his tone. "But-"
"You were nothing but a traitor to them, Solana!" he yelled, apparently having lost his normal window of coolness for one of the few times in his life. He propped himself up on one elbow and glared at her with eyes like smoking ice. "You openly rebelled against your leader, and worse, you coerced Aryn into doing the same and abandoning your duty! Their usual course is to execute traitors! The far better alternative would have involved feigning to go along with them for your own safety! But you had to dive into that pool of idealism just as you always do, did you not?" Solana didn't answer. "DID YOU NOT?!" Joshua almost screamed.
Solana had rarely seen Joshua angry, and never THIS angry. He was breathing hard, his fists were clenched like a vice grip, and sweat glittered on his forehead. But the strangest part was that she would swear that he wasn't quite looking at her, but somehow past her.
"Joshua, whatever I said to upset you, I am truly sorry," she said humbly. "The fault is mine for not realizing how things have changed in forty years."
That seemed to deflate his anger a bit. He turned away as if he couldn't even bear to look at her anymore, and his voice dropped to normal tones. "How would you have known? We had no opportunity to converse, and it would not seem that the little girl would have told you much to instigate what would ensue."
"Actually, she did," Solana replied lightly, and repeated what Clymene had told her.
"Then perhaps there is hope, between her and the youth," Joshua commented, then let out a huge sigh. "There is no changing the past or our lapses in judgment. There is no point on dwelling on such things when a far more vital task lies in our future. Perhaps when we have the luxury of time such things can be thought of, but not now."
"Joshua..."
But the Light Guardian was clearly done with conversation for the night. "I bid you have a pleasant rest, Solana. We have much distance to cover and will require every iota of our strength. Good night." He tucked his robe more securely around his body and turned his back to her once more, saying no more about either Ridley or his unusual outburst.
Solana watched him as she resettled her own cloak around herself. Joshua wasn't asleep yet, but she knew better than to try to restart the conversation. Instead, she curled up and allowed the gentle waves of the sea to lull her to sleep. In her dreams, the lapping of the Tethys had shifted to the splashes of the Marble Sea....
Slip! Slap! Slip! Slap! A teen Solana's sandals angrily slapped the marble floors leading out of the Hall of Reasoning as she followed Kiel out. Solana was allowed to speak openly to this man who had been a father to her, but she also knew that it was bad form to scold an Elder in public and was waiting until they were on their own. Kiel, who knew her heart better than anyone, was giving her the opportunity sooner rather than later.
He led her into a small lecture hall that was currently empty. Despite looking a little tired from hearing cases affecting the ecosystems and well-being of Atlantis all morning, he had all the time in the Universe for her. Besides, hearing the cases and giving her opinions was part of her education. "Speak now, little dolphin. What is it that angers you so?" he calmly asked.
"That last case, with the family of poachers," Solana replied shortly.
Kiel wasn't surprised, as it hadn't been an easy one to decide. A merchant family of four had recently lost their fortunes when a ship carrying a huge cargo of their goods to sell in foreign ports had sunk in a late storm. They had gone from being one of the richest families in Atlantis to one of the poorest, and things hadn't been easy. Their pride had kept them from asking family for support.
Their money mostly gone, the adults had gone to the Aquamarine Bay in the middle of the night and had caught some of the extremely rare peach treefish to cook up for food. Unfortunately, peach treefish were protected by law, and the couple had been caught by poacher-savvy guards on their way back home. Their case had come to Kiel, the Elder most knowledgable about the ecology of their home. Kiel had heard their case, and had sentenced the adults to three months of working for the hatcheries of endangered species.
"Peach treefish are very rare. They have been overhunted to the point that even the loss of one individual could devastate both them and their niche. Even now, it will take countless generations to restore the lost genetic diversity," Kiel explained, his hand heavy on her shoulder.
Solana backed off rebelliously, not wanting to understand. "Just three fish? But they were starving! What would YOU have done if you were hungry?!"
Kiel shook his head sadly. "Child, child. You fail to see what I tried to do. Their work will give them other skills, and an income to use until they can get back on their feet. As an Elder, I am responsible for the welfare of ALL of Atlantis and the individual at the same time." He put his hand on her shoulder again, and this time she let it be. "What could I say to future generations if an ecosystem collapses due to the loss of a species through carelessness?"
Solana looked down at her feet, ashamed of her outburst. She knew Kiel better than that. This was the kind of thing that she was supposed to be learning to see for herself, instead of waiting for it to be pointed out.
He put his finger under her chin and made her look up at him. Even under his 'lecture look', there was still love shining in his eyes. "My little dolphin, you are an idealist. That is simultaneously your greatest strength and weakness. But it need not be so, if you can temper it with realism."
"I don't understand," Solana confessed.
"Then think of it this way. There is a sea cave that is filled with beautiful treasure and guarded by a large octopus. The idealist will go for the treasure and ignore the octopus, and be captured. The realist will see the octopus and never try for the treasure, and miss out." He smiled broadly. "But one who can embrace them both will see both the treasure and how to get into the cave safely at the same time. You must keep your eyes on your goals, AND what is around you to know how to get there."
Solana slowly nodded, carefully digesting what he had told her. "And that's possible?"
"More than possible, it's vital," he replied, then gave her a one-shouldered hug. "But you'll understand precisely what I mean one day. Come, let's go see how those rescued seahorses are doing before we let them back into Aquamarine Bay."
Sniff. Sniff. The sensation of a cold, wet nose in her ear and whiskers brushing her cheeks woke Solana up the next morning. She opened her eyes to see two pairs of button black eyes staring at her, belonging to a pair of sea lion pups. Their glossy brown fur was slicked down and water dripped from their whiskers, proof that they had already enjoyed a morning swim. One gave a soft bark, wondering when this possible playmate was going to get up and go play in the waves with them.
Solana slowly sat up and began scratching the inquisitive one behind the ears. The other thrust her nose under Solana's arm, demanding attention as well. The Water Guardian obeyed, grimacing a little at how stiff her joints were after the ordeal in Ridley and riding orcas all day yesterday. After hanging out with landlubbers for so long, she was out of practice.
A louder bark belonging to a watchful mother sent the pups scurrying back down the beach like aquatic puppy dogs. Solana raised her shoulders in an apologetic shrug. The mother whuffed! and went splashing into the water to look for breakfast for her family. The pups stayed near the rest of the harem, casting forlorned glances in her direction until a trio of others came to play with them instead. Solana was forgotten.
Youngsters are the same no matter their species, Solana thought to herself in amusement. Joshua was still asleep, so she quietly gathered some fruit to nibble on for breakfast and walked off a bit down the beach away from the sea lions. She found a nice sandy patch and sat down, letting the waves splash over her feet. She breathed deeply, enjoying the salt smell of the Tethys imbued with the freshness of a new day.
Solana thought back to her dream and its meaning. It had been one of Kiel's most important lessons, and one that she was certain that she had already mastered. But so far, this trip and the events in Ridley had proven that that wasn't the case.
She would have been wiser to wait and see just how severe Ridley's philosophies were before attempting an alliance, as Joshua had. As a result, he'd had to plan to save both their necks.
She should have considered that Bachlan would have cooked up something nasty in his workroom. As a result, Oriana had had to save them all.
Solana groaned, putting her head in her hands. Kiel always told me that a leader is not the one who does everything, but the one who binds together several people into a team. That's why they had so many Elders. They see what they have to work with and make a plan. I've always looked ahead to the future. Having Kiel and so many of my people back in my life has taught me the importance of the present. Now I have to become a road builder to join them. What do I have to work with now?
She looked up from her hands, gazing around her. Joshua was still asleep behind her, still stripped of his power. She felt the ties to her Seal and her Asterite Aura, though her water essence was gone.
More than mere magic. Look around you.
The sun was just rising over the sea to the east, painting brilliant beams of color on top of the glistening water. Pelicans were the most common birds here, swooping out over the smooth swells of water to gather their breakfast. Tiny crabs scattered here and there on their own hunt, sandpipers danced perilously close to the waves to snatch bits of food before retreating, and there were the sea lions bellowing that could be heard over the roar of the sea. It was this peace and harmony that had helped sustain her on her quest, and her eyes softened.
When had this great love for this part of the world surfaced? After examining that question for twenty thousand years, Solana still didn't know. Merna was a world named after the sea, and Atlanteans honored water above all other elements, but it wasn't entirely due to that. Those environments had merely served to nurture the seed that was already in her heart.
Perhaps it was due to the fact that in water, Solana saw the origins of life and also its protector. Yes, even though Aryn liked to argue that fire was its catalyst, while Eziban enjoyed pointing out that there was a planet named after his own element, and Raoul quietly added that the brain and nerves required a touch of lightning's spark. But then, perhaps that was why they had all been drawn to the essences and paths they had. Each of them stood to guard what they saw as the true source of life.
Staring out at the eternal blue expanse that stretched to the horizon, picturing her other seas and lakes and rivers all around the world, she thought of Bachlan turning these into weapons against Merna itself. Using them to drown the people and animals and plants, and to do on purpose what she had done accidentally all those decades ago. Her friends having to watch their home be killed and resurrected into Bachlan's ideals, and losing everything they loved.
Her fists clenched, and her eyes closed as her famed determination rose. She would not allow it. Merna was her home, too, and had accepted her as a foster daughter. Its seas and creatures sang to her as those of Atlantis had, and she felt the same love for these two lands that had given her life and purpose. Solana had watched one homeland die despite all of her power and that of her friends, and she had promised herself that she would not lose another. Her friends should never have to know the pain she had felt on the day that Atlantis had died.
Blue sparks could be seen beyond her closed eyelids. Startled, she opened her eyes and gazed to sea again, then her mouth opened wide in astonishment.
Sparkling blue and silver light could be seen passing through the sea in streams that were getting nearer and nearer. These streams began breaching like the dolphins back home, spinning around and going above and below each other as they came closer and closer. Suddenly, the lights merged into one and left the water to come straight to her.
Solana gasped in surprise as the light began to fill her. She knew this light...it had been mastered under almost twenty thousand years in the Crystal Citadel, and been under her own will and direction for over forty. This was the power of the water essence! Somehow, Merna had returned it to her, as if wanting to help her in her quest.
Solana would not let them down, not her world and not her friends and not her seas. Not even the orcas that were....
The orcas! Solana gasped as she remembered what the lovely creatures were most famous for. A plan was beginning to form in her mind, and for now she could only hope that her scattered friends were thinking similar thoughts. Perhaps soon, she would know for certain.
Solana went to go wake up Joshua, ready to get to work.
Joshua was impressed at this change in Solana, and not the least because her essence had somehow been restored. She had been near despair after her ordeal last night, but after getting her essence refilled seemed galvanized into action. He was grateful that she said nothing about his outburst last night, but was instead looking ahead to what they should do next.
"What precisely happened when your essence was restored?" he asked, wondering if he could do the same.
"I was looking at the seas, and thinking about how I didn't wish to see them become weapons," Solana answered thoughtfully. "Also, that I didn't want the rest of you to know what it's like to lose a homeworld."
Joshua tried gazing at the sunshine around him, even taking sneak peeks at the sun itself, and then thought about how deadly yet life-giving his element could be. (Like them all, now that he thought about it.) Even so, he wasn't really surprised when nothing happened. No doubt there was something more required. Deciding that the answer would probably be revealed in its own time, he instead concentrated on nothing more complicated than breakfast for now.
The Guardians ate speedily, then cleaned up their camp and repacked their supplies and added the food that they had prepared last night. After settling the last bit of dried fruit into her pack, Solana had a question for Joshua.
"Joshua, you know the geography of our world better than anyone thanks to your travels as our liaison. Where do you think we are right now?"
"Mmmmm," Joshua murmured in thought. He grabbed a stick that hadn't made it into their cookfire and knelt down on the sand. He carefully drew the outlines of the main continents of Merna, starting with the largest that held the Crystal Citadel and some of the biggest cities, then fit in the Monsee empire to the west and many more. Next, he filled in the largest islands and archipelagos, doing his best to keep everything to scale. He tapped the stick in the sprawled collection of islands that lay many days away from the Citadel. "It is difficult to say for certain, as Ridley's location is random and we have seen no landmarks as of yet. But judging from the tropical climate, I would surmise that we are somewhere around here."
Solana studied his scrawlings, agreeing with him. Even by swift-moving orca, there would be many days of travel back to the mainland. "Maybe the orcas could give us a better idea?"
Joshua shrugged and stood up, brushing sand off of his knees. "Perhaps. It is clear that these creatures are far more intelligent than the populace would give them credit for."
Solana hid a smile as she did the same, amused that he had left himself out of that generalization. Evidently Ena's chastisements had started to have effects. "There may be something else that they can do for us." Solana took a look at the beach, noting that the water was approaching the high tide mark made of flotsam and jetsam.
The orcas were nothing if not punctual. At precisely the first high tide of the day, there was the familar call of Ena's pod. Solana responded with a loud whistle, and the pod approached.
Joshua glanced at the waves hesitantly. "Would there be a way that we could stay dry as we go to them? The wind can be brisk, even in this climate."
Solana nodded. "Leave it to me." Borrowing water from the sea, she carefully crafted a solid ice bridge that led to the pod. Several of the orcas backed away until they realized what she was doing. The end was formed into two docks, and she made certain to give the top a pebbly surface to aid their footing. She stepped on it carefully, pleased that it held, then gestured for Joshua to follow her.
Today it was Blaze and a female orca named Tetra that offered their services for transportation. Joshua was far more confident today as he climbed onto Blaze's back, not even watching how Solana got on Tetra. Once they were settled, she melted her bridge and they were on their way.
After a quick word to Tetra, Solana found herself next to Ena who was leading as usual. The matriarch looked up at her curiously, waiting for her to speak. "Ena, I have another favor to ask, but only because I know of no one else to trust it to," she began.
"I'm listening," Ena replied slowly.
"You have ties to the creatures of the sea, even those on the shores. They in turn must have ties to the other creatures, am I right?" Solana asked. Ena nodded. "I'm hoping that you could use this connection to find my friends, the other Guardians. I want to get in contact with them."
Suddenly, Ena laughed as only an orca could. Puffs of air came out of her blowhole and her head tossed back and forth in unholy amusement. "Cousin, what do you think we were doing yesterday at your lunch stop?" she asked. Solana's eyes went wide in shock as Ena laughed some more. "Please, I am a crotchety old whale who has been leading this pod for many years. I know their ways. Pod members are unhappy when broken up, and only together can they prevail. The seagulls are the biggest gossips in the sea, and have ties to the land."
"One cannot do everything themselves, and that is why we travel in pods," Baruti added, amused. He was Ena's son, all right.
Solana was too stunned at their insight for words. Ena spit a bit of water at her in play. "Let us do the hard work for now, cousin. Enjoy the gentle tides while you can." She bobbed her head, which Tetra took as a signal to return to her former 'post'.
Solana stretched out on Tetra's back, letting one hand lazily reach down to the cool water as Tetra swiftly cut through it. Ena was right. She couldn't make the orcas move any faster, and couldn't get in contact with her friends until they'd been located. Any offers to take orca shape herself or try some teleportation spells to speed things up would be taken as an insult, and possibly interfere with Ena's messengers finding them again. All she could do was enjoy the company of the whales and Joshua as well as the feel of cool spray on her face.
Maybe Aryn had had the right idea this whole time, to take advantage of what down time they'd had during adventures. Maybe that's how anyone who wished to be a leader kept from being overwhelmed, to trust others and take what joy could be found on the ride.
Joshua had guessed right as to their approximate location among the uninhabited archipelago of islands sprinkled in the Tethys. Every night the orcas had found them suitable islands to camp out on, with water and food sources and inhabited only by sea creatures. They would even stop at sand bars to let their riders take a break and stretch their legs on land for a bit.
He had to admit that this was a fine way to travel, if one didn't mind the constant taste of salt and cold baths in springs. He was quick at spotting new foodstuffs on each island they stayed on and was always willing to do his share of chores.
Solana had been surprised at his ability to 'rough it' after pampered life in the Crystal Citadel until Joshua had reminded her that his duties as liaison had often involved travel to remote parts of their world. In many societies, it would have been considered an insult to have arrived in one of the Guardians' fine airships, so he had often traveled like the locals to give honor to the leaders, give more income to the locals, and get a better idea of how well various places were truly doing compared to written reports. So much of his job had depended on the little details such as these.
Even here, Joshua was finding outlets for his interests. After getting over the fact that, yes, these creatures were as intelligent as people, he became fascinated by their ways and connections to Merna and her other children throughout the world. Ena and the other adults answered his questions through Solana with good humor and had many of their own, while the calves laughed and teased the 'ignorant landlubber'. Joshua took their jibes with good graces, and even brought them a floating toy he had made one night out of a coconut shell. The teasing was swiftly replaced with requests for him to throw it for them to race after. He found himself uncharacteristically relaxing amongst the orcas' honesty and complete lack of guile, and treasuring the respect that the orcas seemed to hold for him and vice versa.
One morning after several relatively lazy days spent trading stories and customs, Joshua became convinced of the true worth of their alliance.
The orcas had arrived at their latest campsite with important news. Siembra was breaching constantly in her excitement, while Baruti tried to calm his daughter and demand his mother share her news in almost the same breath. Ena slyly demanded that the Guardians get seated and that they get started on the day's travel before she finally succumbed and told them what they wanted to know.
"I heard from an osprey just this morning that the Lady of Fire and the Lady of Air are far to the south in the big fire rocks. They are making their way north towards the floating crystal palace," she began, going slowly so that Solana could translate.
Joshua wondered which of the two would strive to do harm to the other first. He hadn't forgotten the caramel and feather incident, but the fact that they hadn't killed each other yet was a good sign. He tilted his head in thought, trying to think of what the orca meant. "'Fire rocks'... perhaps you speak of the Great Simbel Range? It has more than its share of volcanoes."
"Very good, cousin," Ena said approvingly. "Not only that, but the Lord of Earth and the Lord of Thunder are in the great wooded area off to the east of the floating crystal palace."
"Deynain," Solana filled in. The homeland of the elves. Raoul would be in his element, and his links to Malika and her family would probably be enough to keep him and Eziban safe.
Joshua pictured a giant map of Merna in his head, filling in their relative locations. Bachlan had managed to scatter them to the four winds, but the girls were already heading back to the Citadel and the boys weren't too far away. Even apart, they were already acting as a team.
"Cousin, is there any way that you could pass messages to our friends through yours?" Solana asked suddenly.
"Yes, that might be possible," the orca admitted, "Think on what you wish to say, and I will do what I can."
Joshua looked confused, so Solana translated for him. "It's amazing how much more intuitive these creatures are," he commented thoughtfully, "Imagine if we could forge an alliance with them."
"What do you mean 'if', human?" Ena demanded, "In some worlds, cousins are already working together. We've been waiting a long time for someone to come along to teach you humans how to communicate with us. After all, we can understand you just fine."
Joshua looked stunned, while Solana gasped as well. "How have I never thought of doing that?" she muttered to herself.
"Because you're not an orca?" Tetra suggested impishly. Solana wrinkled her nose at the orca and splashed a little water in her direction, earning a laugh in reply.
Joshua's mind was busily taking in that suggestion. An alliance with creatures that not all could understand and that held no loyalties to any human kingdoms could be priceless. Animals were all over, where humans were not or where humans couldn't find them readily. They could speedily pass on news from one member or species to another, and had been proven to be brilliant in their own way. Solana could already understand the language of creatures of the sea, and could call in favors from her past efforts to care for beached or injured individuals. He made a note to himself to master the orca's language as soon as possible.
While Joshua was mentally working out some future plans, Solana had pulled out her magical book from her pack and one of her wax pencils. She bit the end of her writing utensil, pondering what to say. Finally, she started scribbling on the magically protected paper. "We can meet in the Ayadoia Glade. It's nearby the Citadel and will serve as a good camp until we all arrive."
"Wise. Do not forget to mention the replenishing of your water essence," Joshua said mildly.
"I won't," Solana assured him. She wrote out a copy of the first note, doublechecked them, then rolled both into tight little bundles. She glanced over at the pod. "Who would be interested in carrying these?"
"I will do it," Baruti offered, coming up to join her. "I'm one of the fastest swimmers and can find a flock of seagulls to bring these on land. If you have any... oh, what do humans call it, that's used to make those 'nets'..."
"'String', my boy," Ena filled in.
"Ah, yes, 'string'. You can make a circle to fit over my dorsal fin for them. Our gulls are quite good with their beaks," Baruti offered.
Joshua rummaged around in his pack and managed to find a hank of strong cord. He made two large circles and knotted a bundled note to each, then slipped them over the orca's dorsal fin. Considering the fin's height, they wouldn't be accidentally slipping off unless the orca flipped over.
Ena touched her son's melon with her mouth gently. "Safe hunting, my son. Listen for our calls and to the voices of the sea."
"Safe hunting, my mother," Baruti replied. He then gently touched his daughter Siembra with a gentle fluke as if to bestow his blessings on her and began swimming fast due east.
Meanwhile, Joshua was still going through his bag and was dismayed at how little food and other supplies they had left. "Solana, perhaps it would be wise to stop at an inhabited location to replenish our packs. We cannot count on every island between here and the Crystal Citadel being hospitable."
"You're right, even I'm running low on some things," Solana admitted after taking a peek through her own pack. She hadn't been expecting a long journey when she had last refilled it in Sagia. "Where did you have in mind?"
Joshua leaned back to think, absently giving Ena a scratch on the back. "Let me think a moment. Judging from where we are now, if our direction remains east southeast, we shall encounter-" He paused. "No, we will keep going until the next one."
"Joshua, what's wrong?" Solana asked in alarm.
Joshua hesitated, trying to think of a gentle way to break this. No solutions came to him, so he opted for plain honesty. "The next city is Miniki."
Solana turned deathly pale, her eyes haunted with memory. "I thought so. We can bypass it and pick up supplies in-" Joshua began.
"No," Solana interrupted, shaking her head. "No, I have to face it. It's only right that I see for myself what I wrought with my power."
"If you insist," Joshua acquiesced, though his gaze remained worried. Ena, too, looked as uneasy as an orca could manage.
They had reason to be.
Miniki was the city that Solana had accidentally destroyed with a mudslide over forty years ago.