Team X wasted no time getting their biome cruisers into the waters of the Ganchian Ocean. It took them a few hours to reach the rocky shore after escaping from the BLAU. They found fairly leveled ground and lined up the cruisers in front of the water.
For the first time, Mory had seen the ocean with his own eyes. He was mesmerized by the seemingly endless zone of water. It was like a big blue floor that never stopped moving. The sound of the waves hitting the shore was somewhat hypnotic. He watched, as many seagulls soared swiftly over the water. He found everything about the place to be beautiful. If given the chance, Mory would have pulled up a chair and enjoyed the alluring experience for the rest of the day.
Helen, the captain of Mory’s cruiser, began to twist and pull out a few of the cruiser’s carrying poles. When she slid them out, she revealed that the poles were actually paddle oars. With the paddle end of each oar touching the ground, she slid the handle ends into small holes that went into the passenger space. Mory hadn’t even noticed the holes before. The captains of the other five cruisers did the same as Helen.
Once all of the oars were in place, Helen got a few people to help her lift the cruiser into the water. Every member of the group entered the cruiser. It felt much smaller with everyone in it. Helen picked out four people to take the first rowing shift, then gave everyone the rundown of the situation.
“We need to get out of here quickly before the birds catch us. For the next five days, we’ll be rowing to Zitonia. There will be five teams of four rowers. I know it’s a little tight in here, but make sure you move around and stretch throughout the trip. We have a considerable amount of food and water, but please be mindful of how much you consume. With that being said, there’s something I have to show you.”
Helen made her way towards the back left corner. The biome cruiser was full of surprises. She slid her fingers into a hole in the back wall and opened a door. Behind the hidden door was a space big enough for a person to stand in. Inside there was a low wooden block with a hole in the top surface.
“This is the latrine where you’ll . . . conduct matters, one and two,” said Helen. Almost everyone in the cruiser seemed a little rattled. “I knew this would be awkward. It’ll be fine, you guys. There’s great ventilation in there, and it all goes right into the ocean.” She closed the door and said, “Let’s get moving.”
She went through a quick lesson on proper rowing technique and working as a cohesive unit. After that, the cruisers started to move. Mory watched as the rowers on both sides of the cruiser pulled and pushed the oars in unison. It was like watching them perform magic as they made the whole thing move forward. Mory looked out of the side window and saw the cruisers moving on the surface of the water. It was hard for him to believe that the big boxes could float. The biome cruisers had conquered the ground, the air, and the sea. They were truly remarkable structures.
# # #
Terias was back at home in the feudal lord palace. He was hanging out with his two younger brothers, Cori and Loe. They were sitting at a table playing a card game called, Komugi.
“I choose Barf, the dragon Lord, to strike your life balance directly,” said Loe. “Game over, suckers.”
Cori threw his cards down on the table. “You got lucky,” he said.
“That’s what you say every time,” Loe replied.
They continued to take shots at each other while cleaning up the cards.
“What’s it like fighting in the war, Terias?” Cori asked.
“It’s scary and gruesome.”
Loe asked excitedly, “Did you see anyone die? Did you kill anyone?”
“Yes for both. Neither situation is fun or pretty.”
“Were you ever close to dying in battle?” Cori asked.
The question made him think about the time when his mother interrupted the fight between him and the rhinoceros beetle back in the Land of Fish.
“I’ve been in some tough situations, but thanks to a few people looking after me, I’ve always been fine. You guys are pretty interested in the fighting. Do you even know what the war is about?”
“It’s about taking down the evil bug people,” said Loe.
“That’s close, but we’re not trying to take them down. We’re trying to protect our lands.”
Cori asked, “What would happen if they won?”
“I don’t know. We’ll never know because we won’t let them win.”
“Yeah. Chordates rule,” Loe shouted.
“Calm down, Loe. You two should be focused on doing well at the academy and whatever else that’s good for your future. Dad and I will handle the war stuff.”
“You’re no fun,” said Loe.
Terias stood up.
“You guys play another Komugi match. I’ll be back in a bit.”
Cori shuffled the cards as Terias left the room. He went to his father’s study and found him sitting at his desk in front of a mess of papers.
“Dad, we need to talk.”
His father looked up and said, “Okay, son. You can have a seat if-“
“I saw mom yesterday.”
His father paused for a moment, shifting his gaze from his work to Terias. His raised eyebrows made him seem a bit nervous. “What do you mean you saw mom?”
“I spoke with her in crow village.”
His father stood up and walked over to Terias. “Agnys,” he whispered. “She’s here? In the Land of Birds?”
“So it’s true. You knew all this time that she was alive.”
“Terias, I’m sorry. It was wrong of me to have lied to you, but if you would just let me explain . . .”
“I’m not angry with anyone about this. Mom told me everything. I came to you because I want us to do whatever we can to bring her back home.”
“There’s nothing that I want more in this world than to have your mother back here, but I’ve searched all over Keanos and couldn’t find her. Also, she came to you, yet she’s not here now. I don’t think she wants to return just yet.”
” Are you saying that we should just let her stay out there?”
“I’m saying that she’ll come back on her own when she’s ready. In the meantime, we need to prepare the land for when that day comes.”
They both kept quiet for some seconds, then Terias said, “I’m worried about her. She could be affected by this war, and now that I’m about to ship out to Zitonia, I’ll be even further away.”
“Have faith in her. She’s a smart woman and a damn good fighter. I’d be more worried about anyone who tries to take her on.”
“I guess you’re right. I gotta have faith. I’ll let you get back to your work.”
“It’s gonna be hard to concentrate on work now. How about we go into town for a little while?”
“Can Cori and Loe come too?”
“Of course. I want all of my boys together before you leave. By the way, do they know about your mother?”
“No.”
“Good. Loe’s too much of a crybaby. They’ll know soon enough. Grab them and let’s go.”
Fantasy
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