Kevin May

Cassiel stood on the banks of the Violet Monolith, surrounded by the lush, colorful foliage of the Chromatic Gardens. Behind him, the towering monolith shimmered with purple light, its glow casting soft waves into the sky—matching the faint pulse beneath his brow.

In front of Cassiel, the Charmed Canal pushed its cold water against the emerald sand at his feet. He stood downstream of the lift, unable to see its outline, but the locks stretched for miles in his direction.

“An engineering masterpiece,” Cassiel said quietly as he swallowed the fear rising in his throat. His father would have been more interested in the lift than the monolith Cassiel stood before now.

The Canal’s Lift System was to the north, towards Fa’Doll, while Cassiel was heading south—this was as close as he’d get to it.

Gathering his bags and easel, the purple crystal beneath the skin of his forehead dimmed as he carefully picked up his freshly painted canvas and walked towards the docks, where Captain Kallok’s riverboat waited to carry him to A’Call. From there he would ride the Spindleback down the Cloudfield Route to Eston, where, hopefully, he could study art.

“Leaving in ten!” yelled Captain Kallok, a gruff looking man with a gray-and-black beard braided down the front of his weathered overcoat.

Cassiel walked down the wooden docks and up the ramp to board the River’s Grace, a standard riverboat—save for the ballistae mounted on the deck.

“You ever need to use those?” Cassiel asked as he approached the captain, handing over his boarding papers and gesturing towards the large ballista next to him.

Captain Kallok turned and eyed Cassiel carefully, one clouded-white eye motionless while the other looked him up and down. He reached out silently, took the papers, and looked them over.

“I’ve seen things out here that’d make even a Warden lose their nerve.” He said, his voice was low and steady. “Don’t go thinking this is just a boat ride.”

As he turned, the brass buttons on his coat shone in the light of the morning, reflecting off the buckles and bags that outlined his body, down to the cutlass hanging at his side. Walking towards his quarters, his long, flowing overcoat, sat atop tall boots, his wide-brimmed hat cast a dark silhouette against the rays of light from Sol.

“Excuse me.” A voice came from behind Cassiel.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Cassiel said, stepping aside allowing the man to pass. The stranger wore a long jacket that reached his ankles, the collar rising to his ears. All Cassiel could see was the top of the man’s head, covered in dark hair as he disappeared into the door leading below.

Cassiel followed shortly after, remaining on the deck until the riverboat left the docks and the vibrant purple glow of the Violet Monolith behind him.

By midday, Cassiel was on the deck of the River’s Grace, painting the colors of the forest as it transitioned from the vibrant neon colors of the Chromatic Gardens to more natural colors of dense forestry and wildlife.

“Up top! Up top!” A booming voice rang across the deck. The crystal between Cassiel’s eyes dimmed as he quickly looked around, trying to decipher the meaning of the call.

Several of the crew emerged from below carrying weapons and dressed for battle just as Captain Kallok approached.

“Grab your stuff and get below, sir,” Kallok said calmly. “We’re approaching a bridge up ahead— common place for bandits to board. So just wait below and we’ll come get ya when we’re passed and safe.”

Cassiel nodded and gathered his easel and paints, making his way below deck with the other passengers.

“What’s going on?” a woman asked from the side of the large bunk room Cassiel just entered. She sat on a footlocker, her young son standing next to her, his frightened expression matching his mother’s.

“The captain said we’re passing a bridge, and it’s a bandit hideout. So, we’re just being safe. He’ll come get us after” Cassiel repeated to the woman, and subsequently, the entire room.

“That’s a load of—“ A man on the opposite side of the room started to protest, but was cut off by the woman.

“Ah!” she said, covering her child’s ears, protecting him from the harsh word.

“Ugh-Um” the man cleared his throat and looked around the room, apologizing with his eyes.

“Well, I’m just saying— I’ve ridden other boats down the canal, and they didn’t force the passengers below deck every time we went under a bridge” he said.

A loud noise from above.

“buh-BUMMMMM!”

The ceiling of the bunk room shook, causing the rafters to creak loudly, echoing within the room. Small particles of dust drifted down on everyone’s upturned faces, watching the wooden boards with fear and anticipation.

“What was that?” said the man, looking intently at the ceiling.

A faint glow emitted from his stomach, just below his chest. Yells could be heard from above, followed by the sound of something heavy sliding across the deck.

The door swung open, and in stepped Jorran, the first mate. A grizzled sailor used to the open waters of the Sea of Lasor to the east, he followed the captain to retire on the riverboat.

“All clear” he said, turning to leave.

“All clear?” said a number of people all at once, “What was that sound?”

Jorran’s shoulders dropped and even from behind, the look on his face was clear. He turned slowly and said, “There were some kids up there or something. They were throwing pumpkins down on us. Caused a ballista to go off and hit another ballista. We have to move the broken one downstairs to the cargo. So, if there are no more questions, could you all please come top side so we can open the panels and access the lower deck?”

Everyone stood still for a moment, just staring at Jorran.

“Soup’s up.” Said Tamlen, the boat’s cook, interrupting the standoff, “Ready in the dining room.”

At this, the passengers made their way upstairs, passing an exhausted Jorran. As the passengers crossed the deck, they did indeed see pieces of various vegetables scattered, as well as a broken ballista. It was partly covered by a tarp and sitting next to the panel leading down to the cargo area.

“Kids” said one of the men as he kicked a piece of melon across the deck, causing it to slide on the wooden planks before bouncing off the rail and disappearing under the tarp.

Cassiel watched a shift in weight under the tarp and seen a copper mechanical leg fall out from under it as he stepped through the doorway into the dining hall.

When lunch was over, the group made their way back outside, where the ballista was gone, stored below deck, and the panel replaced. The group was allowed to freely go about the day as before.

“We will be anchoring for the evening soon.” Yelled the captain across the deck.

Cassiel had spent the evening painting the scenes of the Violet Monolith and its colorful flora under the light of Sol and retired downstairs shortly after dark, using the lantern light next to his hammock to add finishing touches to the piece.

Below, the group of passengers were pulling their curtains around their hammocks and blowing out their lanterns, preparing for an evening of being rocked gently to sleep by the canal.

Cassiel put his supplies away in the footlocker and seen his hands and brushes covered in paint. Leaving the bunkhouse, he made his way back up to the deck, in route to the dining hall.

The night air was calm and still. The sky clear, letting the radiance of Kaelis and Lunora shine fully. Cassiel had always been fonder of Kaelis– not because of her tragic story, but simply because her glow matched his Agotis Crystal.

The ship was silent on the deck, only the sound of the wind causing chaos in the surrounding trees and the water colliding with the hull could be heard. A faint hum crept its way to Cassiel’s ears, shifting his focus from the light of Kaelis to the captain’s quarters, within a faint pulsing light outlined the gaps in the rough wooden door.

As Cassiel approached the door, each creak of the floor screamed for someone to greet him. As he approached, he listened intently. The hum continued, steady and constant. Cassiel’s trembling hand steadied when it gripped the latch, and he slowly opened the door.

The hum grew louder, the sound spilling out onto the deck with its eerie vibrations. Peering inside, in the center of the cabin, an uncoiled metal sphere lay on its back, brass mechanical legs jutting up in the air, frozen in an outward reach. The metal framed ribs and spine held crystals, that were pulsing a faint glow.

Cassiel backed away from the door slowly, his heart racing wildly, “That’s an Encapsis Carver” he thought, “those are restricted…except by Crystal Wardens.” Cassiel quickly made his way back to the bunk room, throwing down his brushes, blowing out the lantern, and pulling the curtain closed, leaving traces of colorful fingerprints on its edges.