left into them. He powered into a climb, feeling his feet trace the wave tips before he spun into a full ascent, gaining height so quickly it stole his breath.
Well beyond the reach of Wytch Lord magic, Stein levelled and circled, making a lazy descent to survey the state of the fight. He tried to take in as much as he could, anything that might be of
use to those who needed to know.
Behind the rear line of the enemy, the
Soul of Yniss
was in clear water and executing a turn that would bring her on to a run back through the carnage. The rear line itself was in total
chaos. In the centre the ship he’d fired earlier was going nowhere. The sails had burned away and the masts were aflame. One was down and the deck and hull were awash with fire. She would
sink inside the hour.
Immediately to her port side, another enemy vessel was on a collision course with her. Every sail was full and she looked a picture of serenity. All that was missing was any movement on her deck
or her rigging. Stein took a breath. These TaiGethen were something else when they got to work. It was much the same story with the remaining vessels in the back line. Some fighting was still going
on, but the black fire had been silenced. Around the dead vessels the water was full of elves swimming hard for their next targets, making progress through the water that a dolphin would respect.
Well, perhaps not quite, but that was the story he was going to tell when he got back to Julatsa.
At the head of the enemy fleet things were not quite so clear cut. The central vessel of the front five, which they’d dubbed the flagship whether it was or not, was continuing
unchallenged, just as they’d planned, knowing they could catch it with their superior speed. But the vessel on its port side was also intact, meaning the
Spirit of Tual
had failed to
get her TaiGethen close enough to board.
Out on the flanks both enemy ships were under attack and wilting, though black fire continued to arc out from each. And as Stein closed in a little, he saw TaiGethen in the sea and swarming up
the hull of the remaining vessel. The enemy had seen them but he gave them no chance.
Stein dropped further, on his way towards the
Soul
to report to Esteren. On his way past he saw that the
Spirit
had been forced into a tack to starboard, which was leading her
out of the fight. She’d been supposed to come about into a run to chase down the flagship, but there had been no space for that turn. And across to the other flank, the
Gyaam’s
Blessing
had not made sufficient headway east and could not block the flagship, leaving her free to make her way south. It would all cost time unless they could think of another plan.
Stein swooped down over the heads of TaiGethen powering through the swell. Auum was leading them, his body flickering through the water, leaving barely a ripple in his wake. Stein turned and
tracked him for a moment before dropping down to hover above him.
‘Auum,’ he called.
‘Stein,’ said Auum, not looking up, nor slowing to listen. ‘What’s our status?’
Stein filled him in. ‘We’ll be a long while chasing her down, that’s all.’
‘I hear you,’ said Auum. ‘Leave it to us.’
‘You’re supposed to be boarding the
Blessing
,’ said Stein.
‘Not any more.’ Auum glanced at him for a moment. ‘Where’s Takaar?’
‘In the water if he’s alive. Drech too.’
‘Find them and save them both. Though it pains me to say it, we need Takaar.’
‘He tried to kill me just now.’
Auum smiled. ‘Then that’s something else you and I share. Go.’
Curious to know what Auum meant, Stein flew away towards the foundering wreck of
Capricious
, unsure if he hoped to find Takaar alive or not.
Chapter 9
The energies of Ix run through all things and each has its own unique signature. It is one thing to understand this and quite another to use it, for the strands of
energy are dense and intertwined, even in
Well beyond the reach of Wytch Lord magic, Stein levelled and circled, making a lazy descent to survey the state of the fight. He tried to take in as much as he could, anything that might be of
use to those who needed to know.
Behind the rear line of the enemy, the
Soul of Yniss
was in clear water and executing a turn that would bring her on to a run back through the carnage. The rear line itself was in total
chaos. In the centre the ship he’d fired earlier was going nowhere. The sails had burned away and the masts were aflame. One was down and the deck and hull were awash with fire. She would
sink inside the hour.
Immediately to her port side, another enemy vessel was on a collision course with her. Every sail was full and she looked a picture of serenity. All that was missing was any movement on her deck
or her rigging. Stein took a breath. These TaiGethen were something else when they got to work. It was much the same story with the remaining vessels in the back line. Some fighting was still going
on, but the black fire had been silenced. Around the dead vessels the water was full of elves swimming hard for their next targets, making progress through the water that a dolphin would respect.
Well, perhaps not quite, but that was the story he was going to tell when he got back to Julatsa.
At the head of the enemy fleet things were not quite so clear cut. The central vessel of the front five, which they’d dubbed the flagship whether it was or not, was continuing
unchallenged, just as they’d planned, knowing they could catch it with their superior speed. But the vessel on its port side was also intact, meaning the
Spirit of Tual
had failed to
get her TaiGethen close enough to board.
Out on the flanks both enemy ships were under attack and wilting, though black fire continued to arc out from each. And as Stein closed in a little, he saw TaiGethen in the sea and swarming up
the hull of the remaining vessel. The enemy had seen them but he gave them no chance.
Stein dropped further, on his way towards the
Soul
to report to Esteren. On his way past he saw that the
Spirit
had been forced into a tack to starboard, which was leading her
out of the fight. She’d been supposed to come about into a run to chase down the flagship, but there had been no space for that turn. And across to the other flank, the
Gyaam’s
Blessing
had not made sufficient headway east and could not block the flagship, leaving her free to make her way south. It would all cost time unless they could think of another plan.
Stein swooped down over the heads of TaiGethen powering through the swell. Auum was leading them, his body flickering through the water, leaving barely a ripple in his wake. Stein turned and
tracked him for a moment before dropping down to hover above him.
‘Auum,’ he called.
‘Stein,’ said Auum, not looking up, nor slowing to listen. ‘What’s our status?’
Stein filled him in. ‘We’ll be a long while chasing her down, that’s all.’
‘I hear you,’ said Auum. ‘Leave it to us.’
‘You’re supposed to be boarding the
Blessing
,’ said Stein.
‘Not any more.’ Auum glanced at him for a moment. ‘Where’s Takaar?’
‘In the water if he’s alive. Drech too.’
‘Find them and save them both. Though it pains me to say it, we need Takaar.’
‘He tried to kill me just now.’
Auum smiled. ‘Then that’s something else you and I share. Go.’
Curious to know what Auum meant, Stein flew away towards the foundering wreck of
Capricious
, unsure if he hoped to find Takaar alive or not.
Chapter 9
The energies of Ix run through all things and each has its own unique signature. It is one thing to understand this and quite another to use it, for the strands of
energy are dense and intertwined, even in
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