Siren's Reach - Fallen Lands Book 3

Chapter Twenty-Six

All Roads Lead to Siren's Reach

Alice

The sun wasn't quite over the horizon at Irvine's Ferry when Alice awoke, but that wasn't the case further upriver, where its origins were tumbling down the mountainsides, and that was enough to startle her awake. The subtle feeling of the entire river was something difficult to experience all at once, and yet, somehow, it was very soothing while she was asleep. When the fog of her dreams finally lifted from her mind, Alice remembered the lessons she'd learned the night before and brought her focus back to the here and now. The port was beginning to come to life all around her, with ship crews waking and dock workers preparing to load up the outgoing cargo for the day. The fish were even becoming more active and beginning to feed - especially those ridiculous Koi she'd been warned about. Without reconstituting her body, there was no way she'd be able to get any more sleep, so Alice decided she'd use the time between now and whatever more reasonable hour her friends might wake up to explore the local area around the town.

It wasn't that she was actually moving, but just exploring what she could find within her river. It was more of a mental exercise than anything, and in such a clean and powerful river, it was actually kind of exciting. Even the creeks, brooks, and canals branching away from the river were full of life. And of all that life, the Koi kept coming back up, bullying the other creatures in the water, and even seemingly dropping random things onto fishing lines, like clumps of kelp and once even an old boot. They just generally had a bad attitude, and Alice's annoyance with it actually began to reshape the magic in the water. Before she realized what she'd done, every one of the Koi had stopped in their tracks, acting confused and irritated for several seconds before wandering off like normal fish. It was almost as if some kind of curse or grudge was purged, and they simply forgot what they were doing.

Her musing on the oddness of the whole situation was washed away when she felt the familiar touch of Caeda at the edge of the river. Alice's attention snapped back to the shoreline near the docks where her friend was gently running her fingers through the water, and with a thought, Alice was there, stepping out of the water beside her.

"Oh, wow. That was fast. Were you just waiting here?" the elf asked.

Alice shrugged, "No, not really. I think it's another sorta ability that let me get here so quick. I'm still gettin' the hang of all this stuff."

"Oh. Well, that's alright. Let's hurry! Everyone is waiting for us at the cafe. We can see all the cats, and you can get some of the coffee you were so excited about."

That put a grin on Alice's face, but it was another thought that put the urgency in her steps. "We'd best not leave Amélie alone with your folks too long. Who knows what kinda wild stories she'll come up with."

They shouldn't have worried – at least about Amélie. When they arrived at the cafe, they stopped outside with a crowd to listen to a local bard, Rose, playing her oddly small but wonderfully melodic lute. Her husband Tristan was doing a wonderful job of convincing everyone around to stay a while and listen, but they were eager to join their friends and, after a few minutes, went inside. There, they found Caeda's parents regaling Amélie with tales of the mischief that she would get into as a child and all her wild adventures and hopes of one day being a mage. With only a slight teasing grin, Amélie had mercy on Caeda, changing the subject by asking the red-faced elf about her experience awakening as a mage with the help of Alice. That sent her into an excited tale, and though she'd already told her parents the overarching story of how she got home the night before, heroic flourishes and all, a lot of the details had been left out. Alice joined in the telling as they recounted their many misadventures and recoveries – all kept in a light-hearted tone so as not to worry Caeda's parents.

They were nearly done eating when Amélie couldn't help but add in, "And is this how you imagined things in your childhood, wearing your father's shirt as your grand wizard robes and casting your extravagant spells from the rooftops?"

Caeda's blush returned, but Alice was quick to defend her, "Of course it was. And I'll bet she was adorable doin' it. But maybe let's not go flusterin' her when she's only got so much time with her family."

Amélie grinned, "Oh, I am only teasing. It was just such a heartwarming story."

Alice returned a smirk, " Yeah, but I'm sure you wouldn't be too happy if your folks were here tellin' us all the silly things you did as a kid and we started teasin' you."

But her words were spoken into an odd silence spreading through the cafe. She felt the presence just as everyone else did, though it didn't register at first. As if on cue, everyone at the table turned their heads toward the door. There, a woman who bore a striking resemblance to Amélie stood, though she was slightly taller and seemed a few years older. Her hair was white with black tips capping her fox ears – striking, but not as striking as her otherworldly beauty and the divine aura that enveloped her, emanating a power that commanded the room's respect. Her attire was simple, a traveler's clothes, yet they carried an elegance and authority that outshone Amélie's own stylish outfit. What truly captivated Alice, and likely everyone else, were the nine ethereal tails gracefully flowing behind her as she entered. The woman's gaze found Amélie almost immediately, and at that moment, the stern aura softened. The lofty monarch-like demeanor melted into the warm, prideful smile of a mother amused by her daughter's antics.

Amélie looked too stunned to react at first, but Chiasa wasted no time in walking toward their table to join them. "Yes, dear daughter. It would indeed be most unfortunate if all the tales of your mischief were to spill out at this table."

By the time she arrived at Amélie's side, she had recovered and stood with a smile, wrapping her arms around the older Kitsune. "Mom! I did not expect to see you again so soon!"

"I know better than to leave you or your sisters unsupervised for too long, Amélie," Chiasa teased lightly, stepping back to hold her at arm's length. "I was nearby and sensed your presence. Perhaps we could take a short walk together? It would give us a chance to catch up."

"Yes, of course!" Amélie easily replied, turning back toward the table, "Please excuse us, we will return shortly."

"Uh, yeah." Alice got out, still caught between awe and confusion.

Amélie made it two steps before Constance lightly cleared her throat and stood with a "Please excuse me" before hurrying after them.

The moment they stepped out the door, the silence filling the room turned immediately back to chatter. With a shake of the head, Alice asked, "That… Was that a Kitsune? Are they real?"

Sylwyn's voice was filled with awe when she replied, "Yes, praise Earae, they're real. We are truly blessed."

Caeda only partly seemed to have heard her mother's words as she nodded to herself. "And she's Amélie's mother. It all makes so much more sense now."

Alice blinked, looking between the door and Caeda, "What's that?"

Her friend jumped as if the words had woken her up. "Huh? Oh! Just her constant teasing. If she's really a Kitsune and not a Foxkin, maybe she can't help but be mischievous. At least, I think so. I only know the children's stories."

Her father placed a light hand on her arm, "And perhaps we shouldn't gossip about them while they're right there. We only have so much time to talk as a family. Let's make the most of it."

That changed the mood of the conversation as easily as flicking a switch and brought the comfortable morning back into focus. The surprise and awe disappeared as they turned back into a family having a meal with their daughter, passing through as a traveling adventurer. Or at least, how Alice imagined that would be – She didn't exactly have a point of reference. Seeing them together like that, reunited after so long, did make her feel a little like an outsider despite how they tried to make her feel welcome. It wasn't bad though, and she was glad to be included. Just sitting with Caeda and her parents was starting to really make those feelings of homesickness eat at the edge of her awareness. It was hard to sit there, seeing them so happy to be reunited, and not have the memories of her sisters and parents press in. But every time they made an attempt to include her, or she found a place to join the conversation, it helped distract her and keep those worries at bay. Sylwyn and Therion caught up a little more on things Caeda missed while she was away, and then the conversation moved onto discussions about the future and what to do with the caravan once it arrived. Alice thought the conversation might take a sad turn as it focused more and more on the notion Caeda would be leaving again so soon, but that wasn't an issue at all. They'd long ago prepared for her to have a life traveling as a merchant alchemist's apprentice. Knowing that she was alright and would be able to visit them regularly was more than enough to keep everyone happy. It just went to show Alice another difference in the culture here compared to what she was used to. If there'd been a scare like what they'd just gone through back home, neither of her parents would have let her out of their sight for months.

Amélie and Constance returned half an hour later, and not too long after that, everyone was saying their farewells. While Amélie's smile never faded, Alice could feel a slight sense of urgency combined with a distracting contemplation from her. They boarded Dawn's Light together, but Amélie was quick to excuse herself for the first portion of the trip, retiring to her quarters to have a private conversation with Constance. Alice didn't mind overly much. To her delight, the captain set a course that traveled directly downriver and back to the coast, giving Alice a chance to explore the area from above and do her best to memorize everything she saw. After her time exploring the river from within, it was an entirely new experience and everything she saw held new meaning. All too soon, they were passing over Nénalë and scouting the waters where the delta met the Shallow Sea before turning east toward Siren's Reach. Watching the Dragonspine disappear behind them left a feeling of melancholy that Alice hadn't expected. She didn't focus on it, though, especially after seeing how well Caeda was doing pushing down similar feelings.

… Or, so she thought.

"Do you miss it at all?" she asked Alice as she watched the water below them. "Just the two of us traveling downriver together and doing whatever we liked?"

Alice snorted, "That was just a few days ago. You say that like you're lookin' back on another life."

Caeda glanced at her with a smile before turning back to the water, "Yeah. But it almost feels that way. We were always heading toward the same direction, but it felt like such a longer journey before. Now, we'll reach our goal in a few hours. I guess it's just that I don't know what to expect."

"And you were so sure 'bout it before?"

"Ha!" Caeda barked. "Not in the least! But that isn't what I meant. Sure, we were planning to meet up with the [Hero] Evelyn eventually, but it was a far away thing. We were just free to have an adventure. This all feels very intimidating. I really hope she's as nice as Amélie says."

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That perked Alice up, and she peered at Caeda with suspicion. "As nice as she says? You been talkin' to her 'bout Evelyn on your own? Did she actually tell you somethin' meaningful?"

The elf cleared her throat and did her best to focus on the water below, "Oh, uh. Hey, wait, what's that over there?"

Alice didn't look amused, but a moment later, a nearby member of the ship's crew called out something while indicating the same direction and Alice followed her friend's pointing finger. "I don't see… Wait. Is that a ship? What's it doin' upside down?"

As the crew burst into motion around them, they both ran toward the helm.

***

Meanwhile, far below the shifting lands where mortals tread, another force of nature prepared to rise once more.

Deep within the shadowed depths of the world, where stone whispered of eons past and molten veins pulsed like the lifeblood of the mountain, Sebastian the Brave stirred. The cavern trembled in reverence as his prodigious frame shifted, great chitinous plates scraping against basalt with a sonorous timbre that echoed through the underworld. He was, in truth, a creature of majesty. A titan among titans, the son of Aethabe, the revered colossus whose very breath could birth infernos and whose presence heralded tectonic might.

Now, however, he was no longer merely the scion of a sovereign subterranean dynasty, nor merely the bulwark against the fiends that had dared infest his ancestral home. No, he had become something far grander – a confidant, a comrade, and, most importantly, a stalwart companion to the illustrious Kitsune [Hero], Evelyn.

Her departure had been necessary, the tides of fate drawing her ever onward to distant lands and distant battles, but her absence left an emptiness in the grand tapestry of his purpose. He had remained behind in West Peak, overseeing the reconstitution of his kin's dominion, ridding the underbelly of the world of any lingering filth that might dare to challenge the sovereignty of his hive and kin. With each day, he had restored order to the caverns, ensuring that his mother's will, her decree of resurgence, was followed with unwavering precision. And now, the time had come for his return to the world above.

At Aethabe's behest, he would once more venture forth into the mortal realm, seeking knowledge of the world that had grown beyond his cavernous domain. With purpose resolute and an eagerness that belied his colossal form, Sebastian flexed his titanic limbs and began his ascent.

The stone parted before him like a deferential servant, yielding to the inexorable force of his passage. With every movement, the very earth obeyed, reshaping itself to accommodate his prodigious mass. It was a technique as natural to him as breath to the lesser beings of the surface, a gift of his lineage that made the depths his domain. When necessary, he would ignite his molten core, softening the stubbornest of rocks with the sheer fervor of his heat, allowing him to glide through the earth with all the grace of a leviathan parting the sea.

He tunneled ever upward, his instincts a compass, guiding him unerringly toward the great city of West Peak, where once calamity had reigned and now the promise of renewal lingered. Yet, his journey was not without its uncertainties. Though his bond with Evelyn was strong, unbreakable even, distance had frayed its tether. She had ventured far beyond his senses, beyond the reach of their connection, leaving him with only the faintest impressions of her course.

But Sebastian was no mere novice in the ways of resourcefulness, and he knew well that where knowledge was needed, one simply needed to consult the right knave – nay, navigator. A sly feline, with wit as keen as her claws and a disposition most incorrigibly mischievous, was precisely the sort of ally one required in times such as these.

Shiori.

The catkin airship captain of dubious moral rectitude and endless cunning would surely have a means of locating Evelyn. After all, the wily creature had a propensity for knowing more than she ought, a habit of being wherever intrigue was thickest and adventure most chaotic. If anyone could divine the location of his cherished companion, it was she.

With this certainty bolstering his resolve, Sebastian pressed ever onward. The weight of the world above was naught but an inconsequential inconvenience to one of his stature. Soon, he would breach the surface, shake the dust of the underworld from his imperious carapace, and set forth upon the next leg of his great expedition.

For the world awaited.

For knowledge beckoned.

And for the sake of camaraderie, for the honor of adventure, and for the unquenchable fire of duty within his grand thoracic heart.

Sebastian The Brave would rise once more.

***

Alice broke the water's surface beside the slowly sinking hulk, its timbers groaning and creaking as it bobbed in the water beside her. She took a moment to get her bearings before spotting Amélie walking along the hull not far away, investigating the rents and gouges through the wood and built up barnacles.

"Ain't nothin' but fish and a few sharks down here. Whatever did this is long gone. But you're right. This was definitely a slave ship. The hold's full of chains bolted to the walls and floor. If anyone was in there, though, they're not anymore."

Amélie jumped at her words, shooting a surprised glance in her direction as her concentration broke. "At least the pirates are having as much problems with the monsters as the rest of us. I have no idea what could have done this." Korrin Bloodfang, the wolfkin Master at Arms, wasn't at such a loss as he joined them, "You've said Kraken far too often, Lady Amélie. It looks like you've gotten your wish."

Amélie blinked at him, "I thought you said they were far too big to get into the Shallow Sea?"

The wolfkin barked a laugh, "Oh, no, my lady. Very unlikely, not impossible. They can easily crawl up into the Shallow Sea, they'd just stand tall outside the water and have to slowly drag themselves along. But no, this isn't an adult's work. They'd devour the ship whole. No, this was a swarm of their spawn. They're much smaller, not much bigger than a grown man, and travel in dense swarms." He stopped, kneeling down and pointing to a series of rents in the hull. "These tears here, you can see how their barbed tentacles were trying to find purchase as the swarm ripped and tore at the ship until it flipped, all together like a hive mind. You'll also notice how every single one of the barnacles is broken open and picked clean. They're like locusts, leaving nothing behind, but they won't expose themselves to the open air. They're smart enough to know they can just flip the ship over and crawl inside. Let's hope they were just passing through, or this could turn into a real mess."

Amélie nodded solmnly. "Well, that is enough ocean for me for the rest of eternity. Let's get back up to the ship."

Alice kicked her legs hard, shooting out of the water and up onto the hull beside Amélie. "Yeah, alright." They walked to the waiting gondola together and she sighed, "I feel weirdly disappointed there weren't no monsters to fight or folks to save. Guess I thought bein' this close to where we're headed, things might be a little more excitin'."

Amélie groaned, "Why did you have to go and say that? Did I forget to warn you about flags? What am I saying? I should not need to warn you! You have probably seen every drama or horror film ever! You should know better!"

Alice rolled her eyes, reached over, and knocked on the decorative wooden panels along the guardrail of the gondola. "There, happy?"

"It is too late. We are going to arrive to absolute chaos. I can feel it in my bones."

She only got an amused hum in response. A minute later they were back aboard Dawn's Light and Alice returned to the bow of the ship with Caeda to watch the coastline go by. With little else to do, they both resumed studying, and though they spotted a few other shipwrecks on the way, the crew wasn't alarmed by them. It left Alice feeling that perhaps this sea conflict was much larger than what she'd assumed. She'd only really had what amounted to rumors to go on before, but with how unfazed the ship's crew was around her, it was obvious they weren't surprised at all. She made a note to ask someone for more details over the next few days. The skyship had either seen a lot of combat on its patrol, or they'd already discovered the remains of these battles. Either way, the distractions were just interesting enough to keep her from making a lot of progress on her studies, with the combination of ships torn apart by who knows what, and the remains of ship-to-ship battles that left burned-out hulks along the coast.

But of everything, it was Amélie's voice calling out, "Ah, there it is," that heralded the end of any attempts at progress. She wasn't pointing out any landmark, but rather the initial snatches of the wind blowing in a bitter, noxious smell like charred shellfish and rotting meat boiled in acid. They were fortunate that the scent was only hitting them in gusts, but with at least ten miles before they reached their destination, it strongly hinted that Amélie's words had been prophetic.

Alice stood, covering her face with her sleeve, and looked ahead to see a town atop a cliff over the ocean. Not too far north of the town, billowing clouds of inky black smoke were rising and dispersing into the wind.

"Oh god, Amélie! Please tell me this place don't normally smell like this! What is that?"

The foxgirl grinned at her, "Oh, do not worry. It will undoubtedly be something exciting."

Caeda hid her face in her elbow, trying to fight back a retch, "That is not the kind of adventure we were hoping for! How are you just standing there like that?"

Amélie shrugged, "Magic. And, I suppose after being exposed to this madness enough, you get used to it."

Alice glared at her, "That ain't doin' much for my confidence. Ain't you worried at all?"

"Oh, yes, absolutely! What if that is something my sister is cooking and will expect us to eat? This is very serious."

"Come on, now!"

Amélie sighed and pointed, "Ouf, Fine. Look there – The wind is blowing that smoke away from the town and the road. That is Evelyn's magic. If there was something to be worried about, she would not waste mana just to make the town smell more pleasant."

Alice took a deep breath, which she immediately regretted, before sighing. After a moment, she relaxed and pried, "A wind mage, then?"

Amélie froze before grinning back at her. "Oh, do not worry. You can spend as much time getting to know her as you want soon enough."

And with that, Amélie turned and made her way back to the helm. Alice watched her go for a few seconds, but her focus was drawn back to the town growing in the distance. It wasn't the same feeling as when she'd found the Dragonspine River, but it was the end to a journey she'd been on since waking up in this place, and an opportunity to finally meet someone else from her world. Caeda came to stand closer to her, seeming to read her mind.

"Less than an hour till we get there, I'm guessing. Are you excited?"

Alice leaned on the rail. "Yeah, I think so. Guess we'll see how this goes."

The rest of the trip went by much faster than expected, and before they knew it, they were standing in the gondola, riding it down to Siren's Reach.

***

Shiori burst through the door to Elder Naomi's office. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything!"

Naomi nearly fell out of her chair, "Oh, Shiori! You startled me. No, I was just reading my book. You caught me before I got to anything interesting. I'm surprised to see you away from your ship."

She fell into a chair across from Naomi. "There isn't much for me to do down there right now. It is stuck in drydock until they finish fitting the new balloon and they're not even done making all the new air bladders yet! Honestly, I'm lucky she stuck together these past few months on all those makeshift repairs."

Naomi sat her book down on the desk before turning to pick another cup from her teaset to place in front of Shiori. "I'm just glad you finally decided to take a break. I was worried you were going to fall out of the sky soon enough. You're too much like your grandfather."

Shiori snorted, "I will take that as a compliment. We have been doing a lot of good, transporting everyone and keeping goods flowing into the city. And we've even taken care of quite a few monsters. I'm proud of my crew."

Her grandmother could only shake her head with an amused smile. "I'm proud of you, too. Just don't rub off too much on that little shadow of yours."

"Sophie?! That girl's nuts! She leapt off the side of the ship onto the back of a Stormwing Drake! I don't think you need to worry about me influencing her!"

Naomi's eyebrow's shot up, "She did?" But after a moment, her face settled, and she asked, "And, why, exactly, did she do such a thing?"

"Well, she was following me – but I didn't tell her to do it! The thing was twice her level!"

The older catkin shook her head with a resigned sigh. "At least the two of you will be in town for a while. That should keep you out of trouble."

Shiori groaned, "Yeah, I know. Just, not too much out of trouble I hope. We are both still trying to gain a few more levels. For now, she's down near the mines training with some of the adventurers, but I was hoping maybe you would have some ideas on ways we can help for the next month or two while the airship is being refitted."

Naomi nodded, "There is no shortage of work rebuilding the city, but I might be able to point you in the direction of a few people who could get the most out of your skills. Sit with me for a while and after we finish some tea, I'll send you in the right direction."

Their talk lasted far longer than either of them expected. It had been a while since Shiori felt like she had time to just relax and visit with her grandmother. There was always so much to do, but it was always nice to find a moment to sit still and catch up. That moment stretched into a couple of hours, and only ended when Elder Naomi excused herself to get some sleep. When Shiori finally prepared to leave, she was ready to go find Sophie and get them settled at one of the newly opened inns. They didn't really have a home, having lived on her airship from the day that they'd finally gotten her into the air again, but Shiori didn't mind that at all. She loved her ship. She stepped out into the street, quietly closing the door behind her, only to turn around and find Sophie only a few steps away, still wearing her full adventuring kit, but also carrying Shiori's bag.

"Is everything alright, Sophie?"

Sophie, out of breath and looking exhausted after racing through the city, lit up with delight at her voice. "Captain! Oh, you won't believe this!"

But she did, because Sebastian the Brave was only a few steps behind the young Sky Corsair. Their eyes met, and no words needed to be shared. Shiori stepped forward and accepted her bag from Sophie. Adventure awaited.