The Eternal Blade Saga Book 2, Chapter 41: Swallowed Up

Tall grass tickled my hands as they swayedin the wind. I could feel the cool, peaty soil squish between my bare toes withevery step. The fields of Shaemoor spread out all around me, sun kissed andfruitful. It was peaceful, and I could think of no other place I wanted to beat that moment. But I knew I needed to go to the river to meet my friend. Itwas always what I did every time I found myself in this place.

Downriver, grown skales were teachingtheir young to swim. Since skales were notoriously protective over theiroffspring, I gave them a wide berth and made my way upriver along the grassabove the water’s edge. I wiped at the sweat forming on my brow. The sun’sintense warmth made the cool water look inviting. Once I was far enough away, Istepped into the rushing water, happily splashing about as I walked. It was a refreshingcontrast to the warm, late summer air. I ducked under the bridge east of Jeb’swheat field for the shade and watched the little fish swim by as I waited for mydear friend Torran to arrive. I wondered what sort of trouble we would get intothis time.

It was then I noticed the bridge’sshadow getting longer by the second. I peered out from under the bridge to findthe sun had set and the stars were out. A heavy rumble erupted throughout thecloudless sky, and I stood there trying to determine where the sound was comingfrom. Then I saw it: a large shadow with sails crossing the bright full moon.

Suddenly, something splashed next tome, and I jumped as water sprayed all over me. I looked over to where I thoughtI heard the sound, only to find nothing but rushing water. There was another splashand another, but everywhere I turned there were no signs of disturbance, onlythe fish swimming by. But even they began to look strange. Their forms hadgrown longer and misshapen. I bent down to get a closer look, only to find theywere no longer fish, but bodies. Human, Norn, Charr, Asura, Sylvari—they allflowed by me, faceless, except for a few. I stumbled backward, nearly fallinginto the water as I recognized the victims that had fallen in the wake of my dutyas the blade’s guardian.

I didn’t have time to fully processtheir presence before something grabbed my back and pulled hard. Between thecurrent and the slick rocks under my feet, I lost the battle and fell back intothe river amongst the bodies. Dark rushing water swallowed me up. I thrashedand kicked against the swirling current, but every motion seemed to push medeeper. My lungs burned. I refused to give up and kept fighting until my lung’swere empty and I neared the edge of consciousness.

***

I came to sometime later above thesurface, alternating between coughing up sea water and trying to fill my emptylungs. Something or someone had a hold of me. Water blurred my vision, but Icould make out an arm and hand holding tight onto the front of my tunic. Someonewas in the water with me, but I couldn’t make them out through my blurredvision. Friend or foe, I couldn’t take a chance. While kicking to keep myselfabove water, I grabbed for their wrist and twisted, hoping to cause them enoughpain that they would let go. The other person uttered a cry and pulled backtheir arm. For good measure, I kicked my foot out at them, connecting withsomething firm and hoping it was something vital.

Once free, I thrashed in the water totry to swim away, but my body was exhausted and I could feel myself start toslip beneath the waves again. I fought as hard as I could, but I just did nothave the energy needed to keep myself afloat. I slipped beneath the surface anddrifted into unconsciousness. The next thing I remembered was waking up and coughingup water again. It hurt worse the second time around; the salt stung my alreadyraw throat and lungs. Someone rolled me onto my side, and once I had finishedemptying my lungs of sea water and filled them with air, I rolled onto my back.Quint was poised over me, making sure I was okay.

Beyond my former adviser, the star-filled sky came into view. The airship was gone, and Seren and Salara along with it. I had no idea where they had gone. Warm tears ran down the sides of my face. I covered my mouth, stifling a sob as their faces flooded the forefront of my mind. I had failed, yet again, and others continued to pay the price for my failure.

“T-they have them,” I managed to getout between sobs. “Seren and Salara. We have to get them back.”

I tried to sit up, but the worldlurched and I had to lay back down. Something didn’t feel right. It was likeall my senses had been thrown off kilter and I needed to sleep for at least aweek. I wiped at my tears, and that’s when I spied the dark jagged lines tracingthe veins in my hand. Panicking, I pushed up my sleeves to find they spread up bothmy arms. I traced the lines back down to my hands: my empty hands. My heartleapt up into my throat at a second realization.

“Where is it?” I demanded. “The blade,where is it?”

Quint dropped a bundle wrapped withhis own longcoat next to me, the blade’s curved edge peeking out the end. Ibreathed out a relieved sigh. At least I had one win this night. However, itspresence could in no way compare to those we had lost. The death toll wasrising and my quest was not yet finished.

“What happened to you?” Quint asked ashe reached for my hand, but I pulled it away as I tried to push myself upagain.

“Don’t. It doesn’t matter,” I repliedas I pulled my sleeves down and clutched the limb to my chest. “Seren andSalara are on the Byrnes’ ship. We need to track it down before they get toofar.” The world lurched again. I groaned and laid down on my back, desperately wishingeverything would stop spinning.

“Don’t worry,” he tried to assure me. “They’reboth intelligent and capable. They will be fine until you find them.”

I placed my hand on my brow as thetears began to flow again. “It’s all my fault. I brought all of this to ourdoorstep and look where it’s got them. My hands are soaked with their blood-.”

“And there will be more.”

I turned my head toward him. “How canyou say that?” I asked.

“Because it’s the truth,” he repliedfirmly. “You need to prepare yourself. This isn’t over. More people will die,possibly some of our own. But until the blade is destroyed and this situationput to rest, our lives rest in your hands and all who follow.”

“You sound like you know what you’retalking about,” I said.

He bowed his head, and his frameslumped slightly, as if the weight of the many years of his experience suddenlygrew heavier. “You are not the only one with blood on their hands. You’re notthe only one who’s been through hell.” He nodded towards the shore. “Many of ourpeople have stared it right in the face before they came to be with us.”

“I guess I didn’t really consider…,” Ilet my words trail off as I followed Quint’s gaze that seemed to still belocked onto the shore. I turned to find figures dressed in robes of red andblack populating the beach, dark smoke looming in the background.

Quint lowered himself to his stomach,propped up on his forearms. “They’re here.”

I flashed him a puzzled glance. “Whyare you hiding. It’s the Order. They’re your people.”

“It’s—complicated,” he replied and thenpointed to his longcoat. “There’s a parchment in the breast pocket, but don’tread it. Not yet. Keep it hidden.”

I raised an eyebrow and rolled over toretrieve the parchment from his coat pocket. It was where he said it was. Ipulled it out but didn’t read it as he requested. Instead, I stuffed it in myunder-wrappings beneath my tunic and then turned to face my former adviser. Thesevere look of worry on his face troubled me greatly. The lines on his foreheaddeepened, and his eyes were overflowing with concern. It set my intuition onfire.

“Don’t tell them where you got that,”he warned. “Though at this point, they probably already know.”

“I-I don’t understand,” I replied.

“Don’t trust anyone else, either. No oneexcept our group. They’re good people and trustworthy.” He slowly pushedhimself back toward the water, but stopped as he unhooked something from his belt.He set my axe down in front of me. “You’ll need this back.”

I reached out for my weapon. Itappeared dormant, the red no longer glowing, until I wrapped my fingers on the hilt.The deep lines etched into the double-bladed axe pulsed once again with a dark,red energy. Curious, I mused tomyself. It was a mystery for another day. “Wait, where are you going?” I asked.

He offered me a little sad smile. “I madesome—choices. But they were my choices,and they come with consequences. I’m sorry, but I can’t stay.”

“No,” I said shaking my head. I reached for him, grabbing at the torn cuff on his sleeve. “Wait, that’s ridiculous. You don’t have to go. I know we’ve had our, well, struggles might be putting it lightly. I promise I won’t kill you again unless you try to kill me first.”

He chuckled at the levity I attemptedto bring to this situation, but the joy immediately returned to sadness. “My leavingis not because of you. We were both just doing our duties and forced into complicatedpositions. I am sorry for my part. I only wish I could have gone into apeaceful retirement and stayed with everyone. At least I do get my retirementafter all,” he said with one last smile. “Go, finish what you started. Oh, and remindClarkus that socks accidentally left out in a room or hall are not fair game.They still belong to somebody.” He gently removed my hand from his cuff, pushedhimself back into the dark, gentle waves, and disappeared.

“I’m sorry too,” I said, but he wasalready gone.

I bowed my head, my gaze falling tothe blade wrapped in Quint’s coat. Despite the hurt and acts of betrayal, Quintwas right. We were only doing our duties and acting on what we thought wasright. But in the end, he had saved me, only to disappear before we couldproperly air our grievances. That hurt most of all.

As I sat there, listening to the gentle lapping of the waves on my little rock island, I stared at the ancient divine weapon, wondering what to do with it. I couldn’t leave it hidden out here, and the Order would likely seize it at first sight. I rested my axe on my lap while I considered my options. A far-fetched idea came to mind. Even though my last crazy idea didn’t play out exactly as I hoped, it still resulted in what I needed. I hoped to the gods—no. I remembered what Grenth had said to me: for our sake and the sake of the world, they were leaving. There were not going to be any more gods to hope and pray to.

I just simply hoped.