(An excerpt)
Blue fire arched across the sky at regular intervals. Savine tried to guess the direction of each projectile, but could find no discernable pattern to the torrent of fireballs. Every blast was in turn preceded by a low hum, an eerie thrumming tone that pulsated through the thick moist air. Savine imagined an extremely large animal wailing into the night, every fiber of its being acutely broken by the sight and smell of its fallen mate. A deep, sorrowful, droning song of sadness and defeat. The low hum increasingly rose in pitch until it threatened to shatter the very molecules of sanity. At its most feverishly shrill whine, Savine would wince in pain and hold his breath. In that fleeting moment, a great rushing sound joined the sonic forray before a blinding flash. As his eyes adjusted from the flash, Savine could see the blue ball of fire appeared to rise above the forest of boulders. A sickly whistle split the air that parted in its wake. He let go his breathe and refilled his lungs with the cold, humid air that now contained an acrid burning smell, not quite smoke, but something else… something chemical, like kerosene fumes.
Even the mariner flinched perceptibly at the brilliant spark that preceded the blue fire. He even arched his head once or twice as a fireball whirred overhead, back in the direction of his ship. A worried look creased his brow. “The tribe is on another level tonight,” he said gripping the small red stone in his hand. He rubbed it instinctively with his thumb, a warm glow emitted from the spot. He relaxed slightly. “The ship should be well protected in the lee of that mountain, but we’ll have to convince them to stop this madness before we can safely make the eastern passage.”
Savine had been half hunched over as they made their way closer to the camp, past boulder after boulder, but after hearing those words he stood a little taller. He was glad the usually stoic captain had chosen this moment to speak. What they were enduring must be an unusually harsh barrage. Savine looked down at Cray. The small cow was still shivering. She nestled closer to the boy’s leg. Could the mariner be planning to give over the whale he’d said was so rare? If so Savine couldn’t allow that. Cray may be valuable, but she was a creature with a mind of her own. She’d already been through so much, torn from her mother. Savine couldn’t allow the bond they’d formed to be broken now. He wouldn’t let that happen no matter what. His fear had left him. Having found his resolve, Savine found the strength to ask the question that had been eating away at him since he’d been chosen to accompany the mariner. “What do they want from us?”
The mariner took another step and then stopped. A low hum began again… very close now. He looked at the boy and his pet. He saw fear in the boys eyes, but strength there too. It wasn’t that long ago that the mariner had been a young man, about that age. He remembered feeling the fear of the unknown, and how he’d never allowed that fear to determine his fate. He’d chosen action over and over again. When he acted, regardless of direction, the fear went away. As he got older the fear had gone away altogether, replaced by a sadness from time to time. His decisions he no longer struggled with, but he’d begun to regret them when others were hurt. He had never used to feel that.
The low hum became an ear piercing shriek, and with a rush of foul smelling air, the blue fire rose above them like a screaming ghost. Savine dove for the ground, his cow at his side. The stone in the mariner’s hand burned hot with potential. He slipped it back into its pouch and pulled the boy up. He wondered where this boy would end up, what direction he would choose… if he would succeed. And then he felt the sadness come over him. His eyes burned, and he wiped the smoke from them.
“Whatever happens remember this,” he said as he placed the small pouch with the red stone into the boys hand, “these people have forgotten what it means to live freely.” He pulled his weapon from his belt, “You have always known freedom. If you ever forget it, rub that stone and dream of your family.”