Chapter 23: Performer Discounts

Onto the next leg of the journey!

“Emmet,” 

Emmet groaned, the hushing of the waves outside the cave making him feel drowsy. All he wanted was to sleep comfortably.

“Come on Emmet,” The voice came again, putting a hand on Emmet’s shoulder. “A good watch doesn’t sleep on the job.”

Emmet groaned again before opening his eyes. Theo had come back, and the dark sky had turned grey with the light of early morning. Theo grinned at him. “Come on, I got us a ship.” He said, patting Emmet on the shoulder. “Wake Umbris and your sister, I’ll get Gale and Jade.”

With a nod, Emmet stretched as he woke himself, feeling stiff still from the constant traveling and hiding. Alchos felt Emmet stir and woke with a start, lifting his head quickly before groaning and lowering it again. Emmet gently pet his head. “You okay Al?” He asked. 

Alchos nodded. “Lifted my head too fast… everything was getting dark and dizzy.” 

Emmet gently smiled at Alchos. “I hate it when that happens.” He said as he got up carefully so he wouldn’t black out himself. He stretched again before waking Esther and Umbris, both still drowsy, but Umbris seemed to wake quicker than the rest of them. 

A few minutes later the group had walked to the docks, glad that not many people were up this early, and followed Theo to the ship he had secured for them. The Water Dragons was already getting harnessed to the barge, lowering their large angular heads to allow the humans to strap them in. Both Emmet and Esther looked up at the water dragons in awe. Sure there were water dragons back home, and Esther had seen the Royal Water Dragons at the arena, but though the Royals were more impressive, the barge Water Dragons seemed larger, and more muscular. Their dolphin-like heads made them look dainty or playful, and when she looked down Esther could see the large fore-fins treading water with ease just beneath the waters surface. 

Emmet noticed how the dragons were being strapped in, reminding him of a pair of Clydesdale horses being hooked up to a cart to pull. All the while trade goods were being loaded onto the ship. The ship itself looked more like a large sled that had been refigured to be in the water; there were no sails, seeing as the dragons propelled the ship forward. 

The Captain gave each dragon a large fish as he chatted with the two. He was an older man with hair as curly and white as a lamb’s, his scraggly beard waved a bit in the wind, and the glow in his tobacco pipe lit up his face in an eerie red glow. 

“Now play along,” Theo whispered to everyone before waving at the captain and calling to him as he approached. “Captain Brown!”

The old man looked at Theo with a grin before greeting him. “Mr. McClemont!” He said. “And here I thought ye had changed yer mind.”

“No sir.” Theo said. “These are the companions I told you about. You wouldn’t believe how many critiques there are for upcoming performers like the Dazzling Dust Players. Jade, Emmet, Umbris and Gale here are our stunt flyers, and Esther here is our flutist and her dancing Siberian Psychic and Ruby Picasso.”

“Aye aye, I remember.” Captain Brown said. “Welcome aboard the Siren lads. This here be Hydran, and his twin sister Glacia.”

“Nice ta be meetin y’all.” Glacia said, though Emmet had though she was Hydran. “I can hardly wait ta see y’all perform!”

“Same!” Hydran added. “Been a while since we’ve seen anythin close to real entertainment.”

Jade was giving Theo an odd look but he just winked at her. “As for payment for passage,” He said, pulling out a sack and opening it to reveal two crystal spires that were aqua-blue in color. “Two Apatite crystals. One for each dragon.”

Esther looked at the two Gems, as did Captain brown. He picked them up and examined them before nodding. “Excellent.” He said, looking like he wanted to ask where Theo had gotten the gems, but deciding not to. “What luggage do ya have?”

“Just ourselves and the dragons so far.” Theo answered. “We were robbed on the way here so most of our provisions are gone. We’re hoping new grounds to perform on will be profitable.”

“Aye, I’d say that’d be a safe bet Lad.” Captain Brown said as he accepted the two crystals. “Well, all aboard. We’re about ta cast off.”

“Aye Captain!” Theo said before looking at the group. “Well, you all heard him, everyone aboard.”

Emmet looked up at Umbris, who gave a huff and started boarding. Emmet sighed and smiled at Esther. “Well, here we go.” He said, reaching out his hand to her.

Esther bit her lip and grasped his hand. “Yep… onto new lands.” But she sounded more nervous than excited. 

*~*~*

Cshhhh…

Cshhhh…

Cshhhh…

Emmet listened to the crashing of the waves against the ship. It was almost a comforting sound though his stomach greatly disagreed to this way of travel. It rocked and heaved with the waves, threatening to dump out any contents it held. Behind him Umbris lay quietly, looking out at the sea and listening to the Water Dragons chatter and swim against the currents.

"Oh come on Emmet, it's not that bad." Esther said, seeming immune to whatever ailed Emmet. Of which, Emmet was very jealous. She smiled as she looked out at the rolling waves,  the salty air brushing back her hair tenderly. “It’s so vast! I’m glad the water dragons can navigate it. Can you immagine what it would be like if didn’t have their help?”

“There’d be more lost ships than found thats for sure.” Theo said as he walked over, offering Emmet some crackers and water with lime. “Here ya go kid, you’re looking as green as a sea turtle.”

Emmet didn’t answer, but gratefully accepted the food and water, even if he just held the items for the moment. 

“So… whats the plan here?…” Emmet asked, swallowing and sitting as he nibbled on the crackers. 

“I’m curious about this plan as well,” Jade said as she walked around Gale and she folded her arms at him. “I’d like to know we suddenly became circus performers, Mr. McClemont.” 

“It’s the best way to get from place to place.” Theo said. “After all, people like performers. We can use this to get rooms for cheep as we travel. I was careful to make sure that your acts matched you all somewhat. Jade, Sail Wings are strong flyers, and you can easily do some stunt flying. Esther, you’re pretty good at that flute of yours�"”

“Ocarina.” Esther corrected. 

“Right,” Theo told her. “Orcania.”

“O-Car-In-A.” Esther corrected again. “It’s an old instrument.” 

“Ocarina,” Theo answered slowly. “Anyway, you play it very well. And with Nym being a Siberian Empath, you can have her dance to the music. Or even Alchos if you want to.”

Esther looked at Nym curiously, the small dragon looking back at her with violet eyes. Esther then smiled. “I think it sounds like fun.” She told Theo. “And Nym is up for it too.”

“Good!” Theo said. “As for you Emmet, you and Umbris could play as Slayers. That way people will believe that you’re just actors and not the real deal.”

“We’re not though…” Emmet grumbled, his stomach still churning. 

“I know you’re not,” Theo told him. “But you told me that you were at an Inn when you got sick. So this way, saying that you’re a Slayer Actor may protect you a bit better.”

“He may be right Emmet,” Umbris added. “Any ways we can avoid a repeat of the Blue Prince we’d better take.”

Emmet sighed. “And you’re sure it’s a good idea?”

Theo nodded. “Performers get discounts.” He said with a grin.

“And what about you?” Jade asked.

“Me?” Theo asked.

“Yes, we all have parts. Whats yours?” Jade asked, with a little grin of her own.

Theo smiled. “I’m a thief,” Theo answered, waving his hand with a flick, a card appearing between his fingers. “Slight of hand is my speciality.” 

*~*~*

Sweet smelling smoke billowed and curled around the room, leaving a spicy smell in the air. On the farthest wall from the door stood a small table with items of the elements; A bowl of water sitting on a plate of soil, next to it is a bowl of burning coal where the incense was laid. The water was used to sprinkle onto the coal, making it hiss and emit steam.

Kiama sat quietly in front of the table, pen and pencil in hand in case if she needed a Shaman to help her interoperate the dreams. Her Ivory skin making her stand out among her people, but as the Duke of Aupurin's daughter, she was seen as good fortune. Hence why her mother mother gave her the name she chose.

Lately Kiama has been having strange dreams that were barely remembered when she woke. But she always had the sense that she had seen whatever it was she saw in the dreams several times.

'I know my soul is trying to say something,' She thought as she settled and closed her ruby eyes. 'But what could it be?'

She breathed slowly, trying to feel the world around her like she had in the past when she had dreams like this. 

She focused on what she did remember, allowing herself to gently dig deeper for answers. 

Slowly the images appeared; A dragon black as the night behind the stars, fighting against chains that bound his heart to one place. In his claws was what looked like a pearl the size of a mans head, and he held this pearl close. As the sound of chains breaking and woman crying rose around him, His angry roars came in spurts of flame, but, drawing Kiama's eyes to the night sky, where a moon as red as blood shone from high in the skies. On the horizons Kiama could see that the sun was trying to dawn, but the moon remained in place, no longer bathing the world in pure silver. 

But then the moon moved to one horizon, but didn't sink bellow it. The sun rose until it was just as high as the moon was, showing an army of men and dragons bathed in light. While on the moons side, Kiama could only see writhing Shadows, one shadow standing on front of the rest and taunting the army of light. 

Kiama looked to the valley between the armies, spotting two figures. A young man dressed in green and a girl with fiery hair. In front of them was white hatchling, standing on hind legs with scarlet wings spread, begging for the fighting to stop. Behind the humans was the black dragon from before, lifting the figures as the dark armies charged, carrying the hatchling and the children to the army of light. 

Here Kiama could see both the success and the failure of the dragons' flight. With the success, the Hatchling aided the army of light in pushing back the darkness and stopping the lead shadow. In the failure, the dragon was back in chains, the hatchling now chained to the leading shadow, and the young man bound to the lead shadow as well.

Kiama gasped as she snapped out of her meditation and leaned forward, her ivory skin shone with sweat from the images as if she woke from a nightmare.

She looked at her paper, finding that she had written out different details of the vision. 

"When the Soul Bound Dragon breaks his chains, he'll cause the  cries. 

When one of Ivory Stained blood hatches, a time of Trial will rise.

Two siblings of fire blessed, will come and stand the worlds test. 

Shall they return the Lost, and balance the light, the world will settle and be warmed by the sun Bright. 

Should they fall to Shadowed hands, dark will overcome light, Lost will remain lost, And peace will fall like night." 

Author's Note

Alrighty! So now we have a little bit of a profecy going on ^_^ Hope you guys like that little twist. I read that most of African beliefs is based on teaching the soul as well as the body, so I'm trying to add that to the story as much as I can. Hope you guys like it so far!