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  “Here,” Marlin’s voice said. “Come along this way, I will help you find them.”

  Erik turned and saw Marlin standing in the thick, cold mist. Not knowing what to think of the sudden change in the area around him, Erik called upon his powers of discernment once more. Still, they told him that Marlin stood before him, offering sincere help. “Is it really you?” Erik asked.

  Marlin nodded. “Of course it is, but come, we don’t have much time. The cassowacks are coming.”

  “The what?” Erik asked.

  “The cassowacks,” Marlin replied with a slight frown. “The giant blue-feathered birds you saw earlier. They prey upon animals, and they are highly territorial. The only reason they didn’t attack you is because they recognized the area you were in as belonging to the spiked koshots. Had you still been in the marshes, the cassowacks would have attacked you for certain, and they are not only large, but extremely silent, as you have already discovered. Come, we must get you across the stream.”

  Erik nodded. He followed Marlin through the mist. The prelate’s ghost could only go a few steps before waiting, otherwise Erik would lose sight of him, but Marlin was careful to remain close.

  Lady Arkyn and Rafe continued to call out, and Erik would answer them, explaining that Marlin was helping him locate them. Their voices sounded closer with each call, but Rafe was still very disapproving of Erik’s trust in Marlin.

  “He isn’t your friend!” Rafe kept yelling into the thick vapors.

  Erik ignored him and continued to exchange progress updates with Lady Arkyn instead. At least her voice was pleasant and she was happy to have any help that brought them all back together. Within a few minutes of wandering in a snaking pattern through the mists, Lady Arkyn and Rafe broke through the fog and nearly stumbled into Erik.

  “How did you get so far away from me?” Erik asked.

  “I told you, this island plays tricks,” Rafe replied. “Now, where is this Marlin fellow I keep hearing about?”

  Erik pointed to Marlin, who was standing just a foot behind Rafe. Rafe turned and looked, Marlin waved, but Rafe apparently didn’t see, for the sailor turned back around and glared angrily at Erik while shaking his head.

  “You still can’t see him?” Erik asked.

  “You’re blindly following an apparition that likely wants to eat you. I suggest you wise up, and fast,” Rafe snarled.

  “I say we follow Erik,” Lady Arkyn said. “I trust his judgment.”

  The fog started to clear away to the west, so the trio continued that way, Rafe begrudgingly murmuring all the while.

  “Don’t mind him,” Lady Arkyn said as she wrapped her arms around Erik’s. “If you say that you can see Marlin, then I believe you.”

  “Thanks,” Erik said.

  Marlin walked beside them for some time, silently scanning the area around them and glancing back over his shoulder as the fog seemed to close behind them. Erik felt more than a little comforted to have him there. After a few moments, Erik realized that other than getting hopelessly lost in the mist, there were no pressing dangers, so he gave in to his curiosity, and started asking Marlin questions.

  “Tell me what happens when you die,” Erik said. “Is there not a way to reach Volganor?”

  Marlin shook his head. “Volganor is sealed off from Terramyr. There is a Plane of the Dead, to which many souls find their way, but it is not the same as the Heaven City. It is a sort of limbo, where souls wander and socialize with each other. A few of the strong ones can remain here, and sometimes we are permitted to help those in need.”

  “How did you find me?” Erik asked. “I mean, how did you know I would be here?”

  Marlin smiled with his milky eyes twinkling at Erik. “You find it surprising that I would watch over you, my young friend?”

  Erik shook his head. “No.” Still, as he thought about Volganor, he remembered that Hiasyntar’Kulai had taken his mother and father across whatever gulf there was between Terramyr and Volganor. Surely there had to be some way across, even if only the Ancients could traverse it. “The Father of the Ancients took my parents to Volganor,” Erik told Marlin. “After the battle at Fort Drake was ended.”

  Marlin nodded. “Yes, I am aware of that.”

  Erik paused mid-step. “How did you know that?” he asked. “That occurred after you had been…” Erik couldn’t bring himself to finish his sentence.

  Marlin swept his arms out wide. “As a spirit, I am not bound by my previous limits of knowledge. I can see many things. I have been at your side since the day I was slain in battle at Fort Drake,” Marlin replied.

  Erik resumed walking. The answer seemed like it should satisfy him, but Erik had trouble fully accepting it. Marlin had been very wise during his lifetime. He had extensive knowledge of many subjects, but Erik had never once heard him speak about the afterlife in such terms as this. There were several occasions when comrades had died when Marlin could have comforted them with the knowledge that certain spirits were able to linger on as guardians… but he had never approached the subject like that before.

  “I can see what troubles your mind,” Marlin said suddenly. “In my spirit form, I can read your thoughts as easily as if you were speaking.”

  Erik stopped walking again. Lady Arkyn tugged on his arm.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  “Just a moment,” he replied as he held up a finger. “Marlin, if you can read my thoughts, then how do I know it’s really you? You could have given me the answers I needed by taking them from my own head.”

  “Exactly!” Rafe shouted. “Now you’re getting it.”

  Marlin stopped and sighed as he looked at Rafe. “He does not trust me, and I do not blame him. If you wish, I will allow you to scan me with your gift another time. Or, if you are untrusting, then I can leave. I will not force you to follow me. While alive, I never forced you to trust me. The choice was always yours. I am the same man still. Make your choice, and I shall abide by it.”

  Erik smiled. No, this was Marlin. He extended his hand outward toward Marlin. “No, it is you. It is good to see you once again!”

  Marlin put his hand out to take Erik’s, but his form went through Erik’s hand with an icy chill. “Ah, sorry,” Marlin said with a sheepish smile. “In my enthusiasm for seeing you once more, I forgot I cannot interact with you physically.”

  Erik shrugged it off and motioned for Marlin to lead the way.

  “Is everything all right?” Lady Arkyn asked.

  Erik nodded. “It’s him, I am sure of it. Marlin will lead us to safety.”

  They walked for another hour before Marlin stopped and waved good-bye to Erik.

  “I’ll find you again, if necessary,” Marlin promised. “You should be able to work your way around the head of the stream from here without me. The cassowacks have lost your trail. Best of luck, and tell Lepkin hello for me when you see him next.”

  Erik nodded. “I will for sure, but, do you have to leave us so soon?

  Marlin nodded. “It is difficult to remain visible to you. Those of us in the spirit realm are meant to be hidden from those still alive. Continue on, and you should be all right.”

  “Before you go,” Erik started. “Can you tell us why the giant octopus and Vodklyk came after us? I had been under the impression that the monsters in the waters were all illusions, meant to drive sailors mad and cause them to wreck upon the rocky outcroppings.”

  Marlin gestured toward Rafe. “As your friend has said, most of the time that is true, but sometimes the corporeal monsters do come out as well. Vodklyk is known to prowl the waters from time to time. Perhaps it was merely an unfortunate coincidence, or maybe the dark forces sensed your presence and wanted to come out and test your abilities, I am not certain. You have ever had a gift for finding danger. Now, I must go, I am growing weaker.”

  “Thank you, my dear friend,” Erik said with a smile. Marlin then disappeared and the fog to the west lifted nearly entirely, allowing for the three of
them to see their way around the end of the stream of black ooze.

  “All right, I admit we should have come this way from the beginning,” Rafe said. “Sorry I doubted you, Erik, it’s just that I know a lot about the Natchy Moors, and I thought west would lead us into certain peril.”

  “No worries,” Erik replied. “Let’s just keep moving.”

  They walked around a large, pond-like spring of babbling and schlurping ooze making its way up out of the marshy ground and slowly pushing downstream as bubbles of green gas broke through the surface and erupted in the air above.

  As they rounded the back of the spring, Erik heard something approaching from behind. He turned and saw two cassowacks running toward them. One of the birds squawked and redoubled its speed.

  “Cassowacks!” Erik shouted.

  Rafe and Lady Arkyn turned around and prepared to fight. Lady Arkyn pulled her bow and Rafe drew his sword, but before they could launch an attack, Rafe called out a warning.

  “More!” Rafe shouted.

  Erik spun around and saw seven of the creatures running toward them from the other side of the spring of ooze. Marlin was right, the birds were extremely sneaky. Erik pulled his sword.

  “Careful, no fire,” Lady Arkyn said.

  Erik nodded. “I’ll take these two back here, you both work on the larger group.”

  The two cassowacks slowed when they saw Erik’s sword. They squawked and pawed at the ground with their long, deadly claws, but they didn’t come closer than fifteen feet.

  “Kill them!” Lady Arkyn shouted as she loosed her first arrow. A cassowack made a sound like a honking goose and then stumbled to the ground.

  Erik advanced on the two cassowacks slowly. He didn’t want to be out-maneuvered and flanked by the pair of large birds.

  The cassowack to his right squawked loudly and pawed at the ground frantically. It then extended its right leg. Erik noticed a red X on the leg. That was odd. It almost looked like a brand of some sort. The cassowack on the left then squawked and stuck its right leg out. It also had an X.

  “Don’t hesitate, Erik, kill them before they strike!” Lady Arkyn shouted from behind. Erik heard the bowstring snap into place, followed by another honking cassowack.

  “Go for the neck!” Rafe shouted.

  Erik readied his sword, but as he brought up his arms into a high guard position, he noticed that he also had a red X on his right forearm. He stared at the mark and then back at the cassowacks. They anxiously waved their legs and squawked. Erik turned around and looked at Arkyn and Rafe. Rafe slashed through a charging cassowack’s neck with his sword, lopping the head clean off and dropping the body. Rafe then turned to ready for the next strike, but as he did so, Erik noticed that there was no red X on the man.

  What did it mean? It had to mean something.

  Lady Arkyn turned around and glowered at Erik. “Kill them!”

  The fury in her voice was something he had never experienced before. He was now equidistant to both Lady Arkyn and the two cassowacks behind him. He looked back and forth, trying to figure out the red X on his arm. Lady Arkyn looked and saw the mark too, and then her face became harder than Erik had ever seen before.

  Lady Arkyn snarled and charged in at Erik. She was running at him, but her cadence seemed off somehow. As he watched, an arrow flew over his shoulder from behind and slammed into Lady Arkyn. For an instant, Erik’s heart leapt into his throat and he was about to go into a rage, but then the image of Lady Arkyn melted away, revealing a cassowack with an arrow through its right eye and protruding out the back of its skull.

  Erik wheeled around and saw Rafe and Lady Arkyn smiling at him. Rafe tapped the red X on his forearm and then touched his nose. Lady Arkyn prepared another arrow and fired. Erik spun around to see a second cassowack catch the arrow in the throat. The giant bird jerked to the side and stumbled into the bubbling black ooze. It made no sound as the goo pulled it down into its depths.

  Beyond the spring, where the other cassowacks had been coming from, there was nothing but clear marsh. No bodies, no charging birds, nothing.

  “I don’t understand,” Erik said.

  Rafe came up quickly, his hands in the air as Erik nervously held his sword up.

  “It’s us,” Rafe assured him. “I promise.”

  “But how?” Erik asked.

  “As I said, this island plays tricks on the mind. The first time you saw Marlin, it likely was your friend. Or, it could have just as easily been a part of these creatures’ attempt to lure you away from the group. Who knows? Either way, after we took you to the cave with us, we had already encountered something similar. So…” Rafe stuck his right arm out and displayed the red X.

  “So you decided to—”

  Lady Arkyn reached out and clamped a hand over Erik’s mouth while making a sign with her other hand to be quiet. “Whatever we speak of on this island can be used against us.”

  Instantly Erik understood. The X was a visual cue, a sign to tell the real from the fake. He nodded his understanding and Lady Arkyn pulled her hand away. “Why not…” Erik displayed his arm and the mark, hoping they would understand that he was asking why they didn’t tell him earlier.

  “Watchers,” Rafe said simply. “Anything we say can be used to assault our minds, but there are others who watch.”

  Erik nodded. “But Marlin said he could read my mind, could the watchers not read your minds and see what you were thinking?” Erik asked as he looked at the mark on Rafe’s hand.

  “The thing you think is Marlin might very well be able to read your thoughts, but I would imagine that is because you gave it your trust. I, on the other hand, suspect everything on this island is out to kill me, so I am not trusting any of it, not even the bloody grass.”

  Erik had more questions, but the fact that they had survived a terrible trap was enough for him at the moment. “In any case, we can go around the stream now,” Erik said with a faint smirk.

  Rafe laughed and nodded. “Around the spring and to the north,” he said. “Hopefully with a bit more good fortune. By the way, you owe me big time, both for my ship, and for rescuing you from the cassowacks. They would have started eating you while you were still alive.”

  CHAPTER 16

  The remainder of the journey to the northern shore of the Natchy Moors proved challenging, but uneventful. Erik did see Marlin a couple more times, but this time he knew better than to trust the apparition, and it knew better than to come too close. The fog stopped at the northern beach, opening onto a scene of tranquil beauty. White sands and peaceful waves lapping at the shore. The water was crystal clear, enabling Rafe to spear fish with great success. While Rafe cleaned and cooked the fish, Erik worked on finding wood for their raft.

  There was a grove of pines some two hundred yards to the west of where Rafe had taken to spear fishing. Had Erik been able to change into his dragon form, he would have made short work of the trees. His wing would have given him pain, but that wasn’t what stopped him. It was the idea that Vodklyk’s poison might still be lingering on inside him, clinging to his dragon form somehow, and waiting to catch him. After they had arrived at the beach and appeared to have passed through all the horrors the Natchy Moors had to offer them, Lady Arkyn had confessed to Erik that she had never heard of anyone surviving Vodklyk’s poison before. She promised to consult with Njar about an antivenom, but until then, she advised Erik to not use his dragon form.

  Erik drew his sword and hoisted it up over his shoulders. He was grateful that his dragon form seemed to have absorbed all of the poison, though he wasn’t sure how the transformation into his smaller, human body had managed to save him from death. Right now, as he prepared to chop down trees with his indelible Telarian steel blade, he was also thankful that he could not feel the pain of the broken wing. He cut down five trees, limbed them, and then began dragging the logs back to camp. By the time he finished moving all of the logs, Rafe had the fish ready to eat, and Lady Arkyn had found some edible fruit that g
rew along a thin outcropping that jutted out into the sea northward. She had also gathered a large amount of leaves and vines, from which she could make coverings for Rafe and Erik so they wouldn’t get sunburned at sea the following day.

  The three of them ate their fill, and then set about building large fires all around their camp.

  They had heard the banshees cry every night while in Natchy Moors, and they had no intention of making it to the beach only to be harassed by the wicked creatures. When the morning came, Rafe made rope from long strips of bark from a copse of trees that Erik didn’t recognize. The sailor worked the fibrous material for a long time, and then began making braided cords before finally lashing the logs together on the beach during low tide. When high tide came in, Lady Arkyn sat in the middle of the raft while Erik and Rafe each took a side of the raft and towed it out into the water. When they could no longer touch the bottom with their feet, they pulled themselves onto the raft and picked up the paddles Lady Arkyn had made that morning.

  “Put these on,” Lady Arkyn said as she set out the tunics and sunhats made from leaves and vines. “Don’t need either of you blistering all up and down your backs. You’ll be no good to me then.”

  Erik was pleasantly surprised to find that the leaves were fairly comfortable. They were supple and flexed with his movements. He had worried they would be scratchy and rigid.

  “Leave it to the elf to weave cloth out of plants,” Rafe said with a smile. “Thanks,” he added quickly as he slipped his covering on.

  They paddled for hours, Rafe calling out commands and letting Erik know when they needed to adjust their pacing or their bearing. The sun was just beginning to set in the west by the time they pulled their raft up onto the shore of the northern territory.

  “Camp here for the night?” Rafe asked.

  Lady Arkyn looked to Erik and then nodded. “Depends on how tired you both are after rowing all day,” she said.

  “I could use a rest, no lie,” Rafe admitted freely as he stretched his arms. “We can prop the raft up on some rocks and make a bit of a roof over our heads. We can cut some of the weeds over there and make a loose thatch and bedding too.”