Chương 14: 13 Obsidian Sand

Thick sweat slicked my brow as I stared at the boiling ocean. Oppressive air hung thick and heavy. I pulled my wet scarf over my nose. I shot a sympathetic grimace at the other crew members who didn't have heat-resistant items. Poor Delrid had the worst of it; the Aqua-Primord upended yet another ladle over his head. Born with the ability to breathe underwater and to endure the ocean's crushing depths, the environment near Scorched Rock seemed to attack him personally.

"Is the ship going to be okay?" I asked, blinking rapidly in response to the heat.

"The Silver Zypher's reinforced to endure these waters!" Captain Thalendris called, voice muffled by his own damp scarf.

"Either way, she'll take hull damage if we're here too long." I gathered four water flasks in the harness Grixx had supplied to carry them. Despite the homicidal Efreet, bloodthirsty Vulcans, and monstrous fire Primordials, dehydration was the greatest killer on Scorched Rock. Naomi slung her water flasks on and sagged under the weight. She coughed into her fist, trying to expel hot air, only to draw more in. I adjusted the harness, glancing at Ingred.

Sweat gleamed on her face, but dwarves were anything but brittle. If anyone needed special accommodations, it would be Naomi. For a final check, I turned to Bianca. She didn't even wear a face covering. Withered cracks ran along her now hardened skin, probably an analog of some beast bred for the heat. She caught my glance and smiled. Even in the field, she wore her black choker.

"Are you burning mana to maintain that form?" I asked.

"Might want to save it for an emergency."

"What? No," she shook her head.

"It takes mana to change, not to maintain." My eyes widened in surprise. That was a mistake; I blinked, tears flooding to keep them moist.

"That's—" I shielded my face.

"That's incredible."

"Ready?" Elara asked with her hand on her saber's sheath. Rather than layering up in wet clothes, she had discarded everything but thin breeches and a chest wrapping. Her olive-green skin seemed to withstand the burn the best. I shifted my powder horn on my belt. Would this heat ignite the powder? We stepped into the longboat. Felipe and Roland took control of the oars as we dropped. Every foot the boat lowered made me think of a lobster descending into a stewpot.

The boat bobbed, then trembled under the gurgle of bubbling sea. I clasped my hands over my nose and mouth and focused on the island ahead. Ash and steam choked out Scorched Rock's silhouette, but rivulets of lava snaked down volcanic mountains, outlining the geography. My breath came in short gasps, and Naomi clutched her seat with both hands, steadying herself. Roland and Felipe dipped oars, arms covered in protective wrappings, and we started away from the Silver Zypher. I sucked in the hot air, long and steady.

I didn't have to like it, but speeding through the acclimation process would be better than enduring it slowly. Bianca sat at the bow, chin resting on her palm as if we were in a duck pond, and not the boiling waters of the elemental island of fire. She caught my bewildered look and smirked. I traded places with Roland, taking the paddle after several minutes; the physical demands were too much for his unshielded body. Elara swapped out Felipe not much later.

"I don't suppose you can use your winter powers to cool us off?" Felipe asked Ingred as he swept his drenched hair out of his face. Ingred tugged her wet scarf up higher.

"I'm level seven. I'm sorry, I didn't waste my feat points on Comfortable Cool Breeze." As I dipped the oar, I noticed Elara's bracelet with a gleaming fire ruby. So she had a resistance item, too. We grounded on the shore before too long, and Bianca hopped off. I rose, handing the oar back to Roland.

"Naomi!" Elara called over the gurgle.

"Remember, get to the landing site, confirm it's safe, then contact the captain's link stone. We'll come in to pick up the shipment!"

"Yeah," she said, voice wilting in the heat. I turned to the Lieutenant.

"Thanks for the ride, Elara!" I called. She flashed a grin, points of white jutting from her lower lip.

"Keep 'em alive, kid!" I tossed a lazy salute and hopped onto Scorched Rock. My feet sank into volcanic sand—wet, glittering specks of obsidian. Instantly, the heat penetrated my boots. I danced from foot to foot to disperse the heat. Ingred landed next to me.

"Thanks for the ride, Elara," she said, echoing my last words.

"You know the Lieutenant's like three times your age, right?"

"Huh?" I asked, genuinely confused by the implication. She shook her head, moving ahead without explanation. Naomi landed next to me, stumbling as her water skins dragged her down. I caught her, trying to steady her, but her shallow, panicked breaths instantly told me she wasn't doing well.

"Take these off!" I said, grabbing the leather harness that held her flasks.

"No," she said, hands tightening around the chest strap. I lowered my voice.

"This is one of those situations where I'm right," I said softly.

"Take them off." She met my eyes, nodded once, and undid the buckle. I slung the extra load over my shoulders and kept my face neutral despite the alarm the weight brought. Naomi was brilliant, but skipping on might and resilience came with a price. We hurried to the dry basalt slab where Ingred and Bianca had stalked ahead. Naomi leaned heavily into me.

This wasn't going to work; we had over six miles of firescape to cover, and if she couldn't even stand on her own— Bianca shot my double harnesses a worried glance. My head shook ever so slightly, signaling that I was fine with the double burden. Bianca pulled a gold chain from her neck, removing her Lessor Amulet of Fire Resistance. Her skin compressed further, hardening and cracking to offset the lost protection as she slipped it around Naomi's neck. The effect was instant.

With double fire resistance, strength returned to Naomi's legs, and she straightened by her own power.

"Bianca," Naomi protested.

"It's fine," the Physic said, holding up a hand.

"We go, southwest!" Ingred said, checking the map.

"Let's get moving," Naomi said, now breathing much better.

"Remember Scorched Rock Protocol," I said.

"Breaks and water every half hour." We set off. My scarf dried before our first break, and I pulled it off, feeling smothered. We trekked across volcanic stone. My strength sapped as we marched, so I frequently checked on our casters. Naomi breathed the hardest despite her lighter load and extra resistance. Before long, we stopped under a series of pumice formations, stretching up like abrasive trees.

"Water!" I called, handing Naomi one of her flasks. My shoulders and back ached from the stacked harnesses. My sweat instantly beaded across my skin as the warm water slid down my throat. That took the bite out of the air, if only for a moment. Naomi panted as she lowered her flask, probably taking more at once than she should have.

"There's no way we're going to be able to load forty tons of steel in this!" she said. The ground rumbled. My head turned to the cloud of ash spewing from the top of a mountain. The volcanic pall thundered down the slope away from us, so I turned my attention back to the group.

"Any ideas?" I asked.

"Aye," Ingred said, resting her back against the pumice growth.

"I have one." We all turned to her. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation." Thermos of Ice Island," she explained.

"I'd hoped to save it for a navy battle, but I think I could create an ice bridge between the shore and the Zephyr."

"Loading boats would take too long and be dangerous," I said, nodding.

"If we could march it across ice, it'd certainly speed things up."

"And hopefully keep us cool while we work," Ingred said.

"How long will that last?" Naomi asked.

"I like where your head's at, but that's a sliver of ice in a bubbling cauldron."

"It'd have to be a sprint," I said.

"Move as much across as we can all at once. All hands on deck. Boats for whatever we can't grab initially." I folded my arms, feeling the rash on the back of my hands drying.

"I'm hoping we can cool the environment enough to prevent heatstroke," Ingred said.

"Even if we can't cross the ice, we need cooler working conditions."

"Yeah," I said, resisting the urge to wipe the sweat from my brow.

"This is brutal." We fell silent, each of us lost in our own heads as we gathered our strength. I rubbed my hands together, pausing and frowning at the abrasive skin forming there. My patches usually only grew when I lost my temper. Could this extreme heat draw them out? I scratched my jaw, my nails finding rough flesh. My hand quickly dropped. I had two mutagens left, but couldn't afford to waste them if this inferno just coaxed my marks back in hours.

I leaned against the abrasive rock formation, mind seeking refuge from the burn by turning inward. I needed something permanent, no more temporary suppression of my father's corruption. I hadn't followed up with Delrid about the Black Trench. No doubt their powers of mutation came exclusively in fish scales and slime. No, maybe Granduncle and a high-tier transformation spell? I'd have to climb the ranks before being comfortable enough to ask him.

Then my gaze shifted toward Bianca, whose skin looked tough as burned jerky. What did she say? She didn't need mana to maintain her forms? Perhaps a dip into Physic levels could be beneficial. I bit my lip, considering, then I crossed over to her.

"Hey," I said,"Hmm?" she glanced my way, her face an evil mask. I hesitated at that.

"Should I take some Physic levels?" I asked.

"I've been thinking about it." She brushed the charm on her choker with her fingertips.

"You have?" she asked.

"Why? Martial suits you."

"I'm okay," I said, planting my back on the formation.

"I mean, I've been watching you fight. You finished a Deep One in the water. Now, you brush off Scourged Rock's heat like it's a cloudy day." I shrugged.

"I dunno, maybe shifted would enhance my abilities."

"You can't," she said hurriedly, fists balling.

"Whoa," I said, stepping back.

"What do you mean?"

"Um," she shook her head.

"It's just—" She clutched the back of one hand.

"My class, my particular build, it's broken."

"Broken?" my brow climbed.

"What do you mean?" Her eyes searched me, her lips compressed.

"Look, yes, I can adapt and hit hard. It's just—" She cut off, and I didn't push. Whatever was bothering her wasn't a part of her I knew.

"It's just, when I change, it's confusing." She tapped her temple.

"In here."

"Oh," I said, more confused than enlightened. We stood in silence for a long moment, another low rumble sending a tremor through the ground. Something battled behind her eyes, like she was contemplating how much to give. She let out a breath.

"When I shift," she hesitated, lips pressing together.

"It's like I lose pieces of myself—tiny bits. I forget things. Names, places. Memories fade." A sheepish smile flickered across her face.

"It's embarrassing," she said.

"Wow," I said, instantly drawn in.

"I didn't know that system features could have drawbacks."

"It's not the system," she said, glancing down at her toes.

"It's me. Some people make good shifters. I'm not one of them." She glanced over at our team leader.

"Naomi is the strongest Psionic in our class. I'd hope, being on her team—" I followed her gaze.

"Could help fortify your mind?" I asked. She nodded slowly. I looked at her, quiet, reserved Bianca, and the pieces finally fell into place.

"You know," I said.

"I don't think that's embarrassing at all."

"Thanks," she shrugged.

"Wanna hear something really embarrassing?" Her head tilted to the side.

"The real reason I was considering Physic levels—" I rubbed the back of my hand, rolling it over so she could see.

"—is to combat a skin condition." I laughed.

"Pretty lame now that I'm saying it out loud." Her hand darted forward, gripping my fingers and pulling them close.

"Tony." She rolled the hand, eyes narrowed in concentration.

"How are you doing that?" I recoiled.

"Doing what?"

"This isn't just a rash." I pulled my hand back, but she held fast, running a finger over the cracking skin.

"Easy now." I forced a chuckle.

"You're making me think you want to dissect it."

"This isn't normal," she said, raising it to peer closer. <<System Alert: Quest Update—Open Terminal for Details>> We both stiffened as we read the notice on our respective terminals. Finally, I pulled my hand free and opened the terminal. <<System Alert: Quest Update>> <<Attention High Family, latest intelligence updates indicate that the Bloodwake has incarcerated Puppetmaster and taken Prisoner's Retaliation. New objective, locate the artifact—Aunt Springweather>> My jaw went slack. Puppetmaster, detained?

Did that mean he had been working against the Wake? What was going on? My hand touched the handle of my cutlass, then jerked back at the heat. I turned to find Ingred's eyes flickering as she read the notice.

"Naomi," I called, heading toward our team leader. Naomi flinched as if roused from a trance.

"What?" She blinked rapidly.

"Did you see that?" I asked. She frowned, focusing on her terminal, invisible to my eyes. She read quickly, then her gaze returned to me.

"Tony, this doesn't change our quest. Are you focused?" My jaw clamped tight.

"Of course." She nodded once.

"Good. Let's press on." Grunting, she pulled herself to her feet. Dust and gravel drifted down the rocky formation at my back, and I froze. A low growl droned above me. The hair on my neck and arms stood on end, and I cursed inwardly. Something was perched behind me. Something big. I exhaled forcefully and dove. My shoulder struck the ground, and I rolled, ripping the hot cutlass from its sheath.

"Hard contact!" I barked, spinning. The others leaped into action, responding to the code. A pair of daggers drifted up, hovering beside Naomi, frost crystals coalesced in Ingred's palms, and Bianca's muscles swelled. Four figures watched us with flaming eyes, the tallest barely four and a half feet tall. Heat pulsed through cracks in their crusted black skin. Each gripped a spear of black, smoldering iron.

"Magmotes!" Bianca called. Each Magmote sat astride a beast, like a giant lizard with orange specks scattered across tough grey skin. Those I recognized. Salamanders. Apparently, countless hours studying bestiaries and forcing myself to stay awake in lecture halls had a point. The Salamander in the lead threw back its head and let out a rumbling chortle. The rider spurred its sides. My cutlass handle seared my palm, but I gripped it tighter as I drew out my pistol and thumbed the hammer.

Lining up my iron sights, I fired at the lead Salamander. My pistol roared, bucking far too hard as pain blossomed through my hand. The ball impacted the Salamander's shoulder, snapping bone and spraying steaming orange blood. Right, the lesson came back too late. Fire burned harder here. The Island's elemental energy empowered combustion. The Salamander stumbled, but kept on its path. The Magmote on its back couched its lance, the barb of black iron leveled right at me.

I threw myself to the side, not ready to contest the full weight of rider and beast. They thundered past and continued toward Naomi. I cursed, pivoting to follow. Naomi's daggers darted forward, both snagging the rider and flinging him from his mount. A fifth Magmote rider appeared on the rock formation and pointed at me—a Lesser Fire Strike shot from its finger. The flame dart impacted my leg, and I stumbled.

<<Bracer of Fire Resist: Fire Resist +1>> I beat at the flame, and my hand struck my smoldering powder horn. My blood chilled as I realized what he had been aiming at. The powder horn exploded, force and heat ripping at my leg. <<Bracer of Fire Resist: Fire Resist +1>> <<Apex Wrath: Fire Resist +1>> I lost hold of my cutlass as I slid across a sharp stone. My leg didn't blow right off as it should have; the fire resistance mitigated the damage. Still, blackened skin sizzled on my thigh.

A Lesser Frost Strike impacted the rider who blasted me, and it shrieked as the ice hissed on its charcoal flesh. Bless Ingred, but a few seconds earlier would have been much appreciated. Hissing through my teeth, I ripped a potion from my belt. My teeth sank deep into the cork, and I jerked it free. I dumped it on the wound. I could have drunk the potion—that would have utilized every drop better—but direct application acted faster. Skin and muscle re-knit, buzzing as I pulled myself up.

A Magmote hit the ground, eyes dimming. Bianca howled as she grappled with its Salamander, the beast searing her where she touched it. I scrambled on all fours, pain flaring in my leg. I snatched my cutlass, coming up to reassess as a mount and rider angled toward Naomi. I interposed myself.

"Let's try that again," I growled. This one wasn't getting past me. The Magmote's lance lowered, and it met my challenge with a cry in its elemental tongue. I took a deep stance. No leaping aside, no evasion. The Salamander surged forward, leaping strides rumbling the ground. My teeth ground as I sank deeper. The point of its spear sped at me, and I exhaled. Then I activated the Empowered Windmill Form. White light ignited along the blade. I lunged. My blade arched in a deep, powerful strike.

It was me, but it was also the system. Twinned, we slammed the lance aside before ripping the blade the other way. My steel trailed a white track of light through the air as I split the Salamander's jaw. Its orange blood sprayed on me, burning me. My blade arched, trailing an afterglow as I took the Magmote's arm as it sailed past. Rider and mount tumbled into a wrecked heap. My mana ticked down. I cut it off. Then it was silent, the ambushers smoldering. I spun, leg flaring. Bianca shrank.

Burns marred her reinforced flesh in three places. Naomi panted, but aside from her disheveled hair, she was fine. Ice dripped off of Ingred's arms, and she met my eyes. Everyone was standing. I righted myself, a grin splitting my face. My fist curled. So this was it, the power of the system in action. If there was a part of me that still struggled to believe I was a real Cousin, it died then. Then something ruined my good mood.

<<Mana: 11>> Great, less than an hour of Scorched Rock and I had already used one of my two potions and two-thirds of my power. No way I would need that later, right? <<Time to Seal Collapse: 04: 02: 03: 09: 42: 30>>