Returning Home and Parting Knowledge (57)

The walk punctuated by climbing down vine ladders passed quickly as Pecado lead us to the landing spot just beyond the illusionary shield. The four winged mounts waited impatiently clawing the ground beneath them. I could feel that we shared the grand phoenixes' impatience at being on our way. Parting words seemed to evade us as we rushed to mount. We had barely gotten seated as the great wings snapped us airborne. The flight was swift giving us no real time to speak. The birds landed one at a time to drop off their passenger in a clearing in the forest to the west of Bermeo. While one was landed, the remaining three circled vigilantly above the landing spot. Sert was deposited first to secure the landing zone followed by Cole then Meli. I made sure I was last to land to appease Sert's worries of protect me.

“We should be sailing away within an hour.” Sert assured us. “The Herald would be preset to leave the moment we board her.” he continued.

“But will the citizen not raise an alarm seeing such large bird near their town?” Meli remarked.

“It is not new for them to see the Grand Phoenixes circling on a hunt.” Pecado replied. “At least that is what they believe is being done.” she continued. “We have a few circling this point twice a week for collection purposes.” she explained. “Either to collect Phoenix-souled children or supplies acquired by our human mimics like myself.” she added.

“And the source of tales claiming this forest to be the hunting grounds.” Cole surmised easily. She stared at him in silence. “It would be the best method of hiding a collection point.” he stated calmly. “Rumours or great beasts using a place for hunting would keep most away from it.” he explained.

“And for those foolhardy idiots?” Meli retorted. Cole shrugged in feigned ignorance.

“Mock attacks would scare most of them into never returning.” Sert stated. I could see in his mind the same thoughts Cole held in silence that was the truth in Pecado's life. She nodded unconvincingly back to us looking contrite from knowing the truth.

“A few mauled bodies of those that attempted to attack them would be a more direct warning than those allowed to escape with only mild injuries.” I said plainly. Her eyes lifted to meet mine. Meli stared from me to Pecado hoping my words were an exaggeration. Pecado returned a blank face to her. “Defending themselves is not an evil act Meli.” I told her. “It is simply how they survive without destroying all the humans within a half days flight from their Aery.” Meli still stared blindly at our phoenix guide in silence.

“You need not defend a bird of prey from living its life free.” Pecado returned. An edge of anger had formed in her voice as she spoke. Meli sighed softly.

“It is hard to accept such enlightened beings forced to act like animals in the world.” Meli replied gently. “It is truly disturbing for a healer's sensibilities.” she stammered. Pecado nodded to her in a slow understanding acceptance.

“Some only learn by escaping death by a paper thin margin.” I told Meli. She turned to slowly face me. “It is a curse within some humans to not accept a lesson until it is forced upon them violently.” I continued. “Like the bandits we met in Egypt.” I reminded her gently. Her eyes went blank as her teeth showed in a contorted grimacing mask of rage. “Some would treat the human shaped phoenixes worse than the girls we found in that village.” Her eyes blazed with anger at my words.

“Slavery in many forms would fill the rest of our unnaturally long lives.” Pecado informed her. “If acting like an animal is the price of our freedom, I would willingly pay it.”

“It is time to go before others decide to investigate what is being slaughtered.” Sert stated. “Do we relate tales of hiding from giant birds if questioned?” he asked hesitantly.

“Best to do so and keep the lie in place or claim ignorance of their presence by having travel through the denser parts of the forest.” Cole returned as advice.

“I would ask for the tales of escaping from the monstrous birds from you.” Pecado answered quietly. “And you are right about me taking my leave.” she admitted. “I bid you good parting and a safe journey home.” she added. With a quick curtsy to us, she bolted to her mount and was airborne before we could react. A quick round of nods spiralled once around our group. We bolted through the forest toward town. Sert was correct with his thoughts and temporal calculations which was no surprise to any of us. We rushed through the forest and our way around the twisted streets at a lesser pace.

When stopped to be questioned as we entered the town, all we needed to mention was being in the forest hiding from giant birds. The guards and citizens waved us on stating the beasts never attack their town. One even told us that safety laid in escaping the birds' forested hunting grounds. I held back mentioning that, with their large size, the forest would not sustain them in the least. Without appearing to rush, we swiftly made our way back to the harbour and to the Herald itself.

No words were needed as we boarded. With nothing but a quick hand signal from captain Destine, they were at work removing the moorings as they raised the sails to speed our departure. As forty five minutes from Sert's words, the Herald pulled out of Bermeo's harbour bound for Atlantis. The Spanish fleet drifted slowly past us on the Bay of Biscay as we sailed toward the Straights of Gibraltar. I casually watched the dozen smaller ships as they examined us while our paths crossed. Sert moved to my side glancing more intently at the Spanish sailors and ships.

“Your thoughts?” I stated calmly. It was easy to turn this moment into a training session dealing with naval tactics.

“Watchful with weapons ready to be grappled and used.” he reported easily. “They are focused more on the people than the ship itself.” he continued. “Their ships are much smaller but, I must believe, very manoeuvrable.” he added. He continued studying the ships and men in silence.

“Their attack forms?” I remarked casually. We had dealt with land based tactics but I hoped he could convert those ideas into naval strategies.

“A spread out landing to assure coverage of the beach to remove a water escape route and capture ground quicker.” he replied slowly. He glanced at me to see me nod my agreement to his land assault strategy. “As for ship battles, a two or three ratio in there favour would be their normal attack pattern.” he hazarded much slower.

“Very true.” I interjected. “Considering they have a dozen ship in that fleet, they could easily swarm a half dozen ships easily because of mobility and the small target size they offer.” I agreed. “And if they were to attack a ship our size?” I added.

“A strike and dodging attack using their numbers to harass us like hornets or bees.” he answered.

“But considering the strength of the Herald and its crew, it would be more like mosquitoes than hornets.” I returned. He chuckled next to me. “It is our luck they would never attack a ship flying a white based flag.” I added calmly.

“We need not cause problems in the world which gives rise to us using white for our flag.” Destine commented. She stood silently by us. I barely noticed when she arrived but knew she was close for our discussion. “They would lose attacking us but we would not escape serious damage from such a battle.” she continued. Sert had turned to her with a stunned stare. “Even if we are the superior group in this combat,” she began explaining, “we are not indestructible.”

“Even Atlantian technology is not all encompassing.” I said softly.

“Understandable.” he returned unconvinced. “But would they truly be able to cause anything except minor damage.” he continued.

“Their weapons can still make damage if they hit which would be very likely in a mass assault situation.” she informed him. “If we had two or even three ships, there would be less damage taken but one ship is still not going to survive without injury and damage.” she surmised for him. He stared once more at her in silence thought.

“Tactic versus strategy Sert.” I remarked. “Even a smaller foe can take down a giant if there are enough of the small ones attacking together.” I explained calmly. “Best you talk with captain Destine regarding naval military concerns since she has many years of knowledge to teach you.” I added. I waited a few moments as the two fell into conversation before drifting away. It was better that he receive training based on sound experience of two hundred years of naval life. This two hundred years had gained her the position as captain for the flag ship of the Atlantian fleet.

I pondered once more about my internal and voiced debates when told by Annianka that the Herald would be my travel vessel. Another show of the high esteem placed upon my shoulders with my uncouth arrival on Atlantis. From a title I would not have claimed and a name I should not bear again to a ship I did not truly need and being seen as Annianka's mated partner placed more duties upon my shoulders. I did fear that this was a plot by the entity within the Heartstone to preoccupy me from my oaths. The trip was quiet and calm giving us time to practice. Even Meli and Cole joined in the sparing sessions but Meli still avoided facing off against me. The setting sun glistened on the rippling water as we drifted into the protected harbour of Atlantis. I stood with my companions on the deck gazing toward our home. And yes, over the last five years, Atlantis had truly became my home but seeing it still took my breath away.

The setting sun glinting off the tallest spires and broad seamless walls making them burn with golden flames. This pre-dusk light earned Atlantis a reputation of being made of gold even if it was all constructed in white marble veined in reflective quarts. The shaded sections of the structures stood out in a faux obsidian contrasted to the blazing gold like the finest wrought jewellery. Most of the buildings stretched far taller than any human structures built at this time. I took the chance at one point to watch the Atlantian builders at work. A dozen skilled Earth elementalists spread themselves equally around the construction space. As one man, they sent there power into the ground to call forth the white, quartz veined marble from the earth. The selected stone type moved and merged as it surfaced seamlessly from the soil. To normal witnesses, it appeared as if the building was grown from the dirt as it sprouted from the floor down. For me, I knew that the construction was equally divided between the twelve working in perfect synchronicity.

I could follow the sculpted lines of their power as the pulled up the preformed shapes. Any shape they can imagine was possible in whatever material they wanted or needed to use. Threads of gold to direct the flow of magical energy to crystal sockets to provide light, and heat, and as connections for any devices needed. I could see it clearly as the building rose from nothingness. Each small detail worked into the group pattern glowed to my inner eyes in a different shade from the rest. A dozen distinct shades of golden-brown twisted together in a perfect dance of creation. A new group of twelve step forward to replace the first at the three hour mark. The earthens departing had an assistant by each of them to keep them standing as they shuffled away exhausted. Three more hours past giving a chance to the third team to step in and complete the last two floors of the eight floor structure. Even the last group stumbled away showing the strain placed upon them.

Raising a structure within nine hours that would take months to build in the outer world was a wonder. But seeing the exhaustion of Atlantian builders proved they worked as hard as builders from other lands within a much shorter time span. It simply proved the effectiveness of the Atlantian network making their people hardier and more resistant. It showed itself with their eight hundred year average life span. It was one of the reasons their age was constantly mistaken by outsiders. Adulthood came at the age of two hundred on Atlantis but my companions would easily be seen as one tenth their true age in the other world. Meanwhile, between the age of thirteen and sixteen, you became an adult in countries of the outer world. The duties placed upon adults did not truly differ between the continents including Atlantis and Lemuria but better support is offered in the mystical isles than the common outer world. The last thing I spotted was two of the Royal Guard Captains waiting on the dock to greet us.