From a small room in a run-down corner of the Warren district, Gaye descended deep into a trance. The world around her appeared to become intengeable, like a mist. Finally, her soul sprang free of her body, and the city of Tyr spread below her like a blanket. With as much speed as she could, her astral form darted for the mountains to where the Calla Maraine rested.
To her horror, it wasn't where she had left it. Frantically, she searched. Her astral form was able to search hundreds of miles in minutes, but it still seemed to take forever. She found the Call Maraine high in the mountains, resting on a rocky plateau. Guards were posted around it, ready to spring on any intruder.
Gaye made herself visible in front of one of the guards. Her body appeared to be composed of mist and smoke, but the guard still recognized her. Quickly she recited a code that the guards used to identify one another, and asked for Yearth.
A few minutes the Hadozee greeted her outside the ship.
"Someone is looking for the ship," Gaye started.
"We know. We saw them two days ago," Yearth aswered. "We tried to kill them, but we only got one. I moved the ship up here in case they come calling again, but they are sure to find us eventually. Do you know who sent them?"
"No idea," Gaye answered. "We are trying to find out though, while trying to find the key. Cherry and Djan left earlier to check out a museaum on the other side of the city that looks promicing."
"Very good," Yearth said. "We will stay here as long as we can, but try to be fast. Where there is one searcher, there is bound to be more."
"I know," Gaye said, as she returned to her body in Tyr.
Kelset had been fortunate again. He had kept his sences open for any psionic signals traveling into the mountains. Following Gaye's telepathic transmission was easy. Determinig the hiding place of the Calla Maraine was as well.
"They are brave," the Templar said to himself. "And suprisingly resourceful, but I will have that ship no matter what."
He now knew that some of the travelers were within the city, and that their business in Tyr had something to do with the Royal Museum in the Noble district. Kelset decided to keep his guards on alert, with the sky-shrikes ready. He would wait until the travelers showed themselves, then let them lead him to the ship.
Back at the hotel in the Warrens, Cherry, Bagath, Skot, Tempest, Djan and Gaye talked well into the night about how to obtain the key and escape.
"Whoever is after the ship probably has spies all over the place," Bagath stated. "We will have to do this quickly."
"We can forget trying the sneak out of the city with the key," Tempest said. "With the ship being discovered the trails between here and the mountains will be heavily watched."
"It's unlikely that the ship is common knowledge," Cherry observed. "If it was there would be guards everywhere, and word would be on the street. In all likelyhood we are being sought by one person or one group."
"Any luck on Darran-Koor?" Cherry asked, shifting the subject.
"We met a soothsayer in the market," Skot said. "He described a being of unbelieveable magical power living in some place called... Bodach. This being is supposed to have come from another world, about eight centuries ago."
"That sounds like him," Cherry thought aloud. "What of this Bodach?"
"According to our notes it's a city, about 200 miles east of us," Bagath said. "The ship could do it in just a few hours."
"Unless the helm acts funny again," Tempest added. During their descent, she had noticed a draining on the helm. It was as if this world leached the magical power of the helm.
After a long silence, Cherry turned to Gaye.
"Contact the ship again," she said, while writing on a piece of paper, "and give Yearth these instructions."
"We will get the key fragment in the early morning," she continued, "and be in Bodach by evening."
The following morning, Cherry, Bagath, and Skot started for the museum. The city was still sleeping, except for the slaves who were toiling on the huge pyramid, which was apparently called Kalak's Ziggurat. The museum was closed, which was preceicly what they wanted. Cherry took another slick of the magic elixer, and gave the rest to Bagath. Silently, she concentrated on the toor.
From the other side, soft clicking and sliding noised could be heard, and eventually the door opened. As quickly and as silently as they could, the trio entered. Using what little light there was, they worked their way to the case where the key segment was stored. The undead guards paid them no heed, apparently unaware of the fact that no one should be in at this hour. As Skot and Bagath kept a look out for trouble, Cherry cast another spell.
A few seconds later, she was able to pass her hand through the crystal case without disturbing it, and remove the cylandrical object. After a few seconds, her arm, and the key segment, returned to normal. The undead guards still didn't move.
"Let's count our blessings and move," Bagath said.
The three hurried for the door, and slipped into the street. They were greeted by a group of heavily armed guards.
"Seize them!" a voice called.
At that the huge, giant-like guards descended on the three.
"Split up!" Bagath shouted. "Get to the rendez-vous point!"
The three ran in differnet directions as the guards persued them. The few people who were on the street that morning shrieked and ran for cover.
Bagath used his druidical magic to elude his persuers, but the draining effect of this world on his magic made it difficult for him. Sadly, some of the guards had guessed his direction and cought up with him on the Caravan way. A huge club thundered to the ground just becide the druid, who in turn tried to duck into a building. The half-giant bent down to find his quarry and suddenly stood up again, his face a huge mass of flame! Bagath then ran as fast as he could to the elven brdige.
Skot, who ran in a different direction, found himself running in front of the Ziggurat. The laborers on the structure looked over at the human running from two half-giants and wondered what was going on. Without warning, another half-giant appeared in Skot's path. The warrior quickly turned and ran for some closly packed buildings near the Ziggurat. The three half-giants persued him into the maze. Suddenly, Skot found himself in a dead end. He tried to climb to the roof of the nearest building, but it was too late. One of the half-giants grabbed him and grappled him to the ground. Another raised his club and struck him on the chest. Skot moaned as his bones cracked under the weight of the club. He used what strength he had to reach for his weapon. With one swipe, one of the half-giants lost his lower arm. In fury, the creature grabbed Skot's head and squeezed it with all his might. After a loud, dull cracking sound, the half-giant dropped the still form and clutched his injured arm.
From a few streets away, Cherry looked and knew she could do nothing. Holding the key in one hand, and her magical staff in the other, she ran for the elven bridge. He path was blocked by another half-giant and three humans in scarlet robes.
"Give us the spelljammer! Master Kelset wills it!" one of the commanded.
"I think not," Cherry said in response. She raised her staff and quickly recited an incantation. From the crystal of her staff a dull green ball appeared. It rapidly moved for the robed humans and the half-giant, getting larger as it went. Before the targets could react, the ball exploded, covering all four of them with a dull, green acid. The three humans started the scream, but they were piles of moundering bones before the sound could come forth. The half-giant roared and fell to the ground in two parts, his abdomen and lower torso reduced to pratcially nothing.
Cherry cast one last look back at Skot, then continued. She reached the elven bridge amid the screams of panic from the people of Tyr.
"So much for subtlety," Bagath stated. "Where is Skot?"
"He didn't make it," Cherry said, forcing herself to feel no emotion, Skot had been her navigator for three years, and a trusted friend for six. In just a few seconds, he had been reduced to a lifeless form, just like the four beings she had killed just seconds before.
A bright light appeared in front of them, and Djan stood on the other side.
"Come on!" he said. "The entire city is getting worked up!"
Cherry and Bagath ran through the dimension door and were suddenly on the main deck of the Calla Maraine. The squid ship was about a hundred feet above the city streets, hiding behind its cloak.
"Tempest is having trouble keeping us aloft," Djan said quickly, "she says the helm seems to be losing power."
"It's the draining effect of this world," Bagath said. "I felt it down there."
"Get us to Bodach," Cherry yelled, "and fast!"
Tempest groaned as she tried to force the Calla Maraine higher into the air. No matter what she did, she couldn't gain any altitude. She decided instead to simply fly clear of the city.
Without warning, a huge surge of magical force slammed into the ship. Everyone on the ship was shaken, and Tempest almost lost her bond with the ship.
"Damage!?" Cherry shrieked.
"No major damage," Tempest panted, "but the cloak is down. Everyone can see us!"
Cherry looked over the rail. Sure enouph, a shadow in the shape of the Call Maraine was below, and cries of fear and wonder began to come up from the people below. Tempest exerted all of her strength, and the Call Maraine began to move over the streets of Tyr.
From atop his wyvern-like sky-shrike, Kelset regained his bearings after launching a spell at the strange image he saw. The Call Maraine lurched to the south-east, it's blue hull gleaming brightly in the hot sun.
"It's beautiful!" Kelset cried. "Guards, take it!"
At that, four other sky-shrikes descended on the Calla Maraine.
"Battle stations!" Bagath cried.
In seconds, the Calla Maraine's ballistas were ready to fire. A huge bolt flew from the ship, striking one of the sky-shrikes in the chest. The strange, flying reptile fell to the rooftops below.
Cherry aimed her staff at another, and released a surge of blue light. In an instant, the head of the second sky-shrike vanished, leaving a bloodied, open neck. It too fell to the ground.
"TEMPEST!" Bagath called.
"I'm... trying..." she responded.
With all the strength she could muster, Tempest moved the ship away from the two sky-shrikes. At the same moment, Kelset the Templar launched a lance of fire at the ballista of the squid ship. The ballista exploded, and the three who were manning it were reduced to ash. The blast startled Tempest, and for an instant she lost control of the ship. It banked wildely toward the Ziggurat, smashing off one of the huge, metal gargoyles that decorated the corners of the structures various layers. Tempest quickly resumed control of the ship, and it flew an uneven path over the slave pits, and eventually into the desert.
It was traveling low, but it was still too fast for the Templars to persue. At the best speed possible, the Calla Maraine vanished into the desert.
Kelset looked out over the desert at the tiny sandstorm that heralded the departure of his prise, the Calla Maraine. Summoning all of the psionic strength he could muster, he tried to follow the ship. For a time he succeeded, as his spirit followed the Call Maraine over the scorching dunes of the desert. Without warning, an image appeared before him. It was a small, elf-like woman with flowing black hair. A name came into his mind: Galedriel Goldring. With a gesture of her hand, a black curtain blocked Kelset. By the time the curtain cleared, Kelset was left with only the desert.
"Damn," Kelset muttered. "They are resourceful. But then, so am I."
He turned his mount back toward his estate. He had a basic idea of where they were going. With some creativity, he could find them again. The entire city knew about his prize now, but only he was prepared to go after it. He knew he would have to act fast, before all of Athas knew of the strange visitors. Then, his prize will be lost to him forever.
