The trip from Tyr to Bodach took just under two hours, but it seamed like an eternity. More than once the helm gave Tempest trouble, causing the belly of the Call Maraine to scrape against the sandy desert surface, causing a small sandstorm when it did. At one point, the ship alsmost crashed into a traveling caravan. Bit by bit, Tempest's bond with the ship was failing. She would have to rest. Cherry was determined to reach Bodach before stopping, however, so with the help of small quantities of healing magic, Tempest was able to maintain her hold over the ship.
Finally, Brodach appeared in the late morning sun, but what the crew saw was not what they expected. Instead of a city, they saw only a ruin.
"We can add this to our list of outdated information," Bagath said synically. "Whatever was here hasn't been for centuries."
Cherry just nodded. She slowly paced the deck, constantly glancing at the aftcastle where the ballistae and its three crewmen was. Gaye was sitting in a corner, her face flush from the heat, and from the constant use of her psionic powers.
"Gaye," Cherry said softly, "has this, Kelset returned?"
"No," the weary kender answered. "But I got the impression he'll be back."
"Hopefully we'll be gone by the time he gets here."
Finally, Tempest was able to land the Call Maraine in a silty pool of water. All indications were that the pool was poisonous, but since the decanter was still working, water wouldn't be needed. After a few minutes some of the crew set up a camp on the shore of the pool, while other set up a canopy over the main deck of the ship. As they had done a few days before, the crew took advantage of what little shade there was to fend off the sun's rays.
Exhausted, Tempest got off the helm and stumbled to her quarters. She lay flat on the bed, staring at the ceiling. She was thinking about Skot. They had been friends for years, but there was reason to believe, at least in her mind, that they could be something more. If only she had spoken to him about the way she had been feeling. Perhaps they would have had a little time together. But, like so many other things in life, one event can make a dream come true, or shatter it forever. Despite the heat inside the ship, Tempest fell asleep.
Most of the others fell asleep as well. So deep was their sleep that no one noticed the small humanoid that approached the camp. The being silently walked up to one of the sleeping crewmen, an elf, and without a second thought, ran a spear through his heart.
The elf let out one last horrid cry, which was enouph to wake the others. In seconds, more of the small humanoids descended on the camp, attempting to kill as many of the crew as they could. The crew responded with arrows, darts, and sling bullets. After a few minutes, it was over.
Yearth furiously assigned a new watch schedule for the remainder of the day. Others searched the various ruins for more signs of the attackers, but none were found.
"Halflings," Djan said, puzzled, looking at one of the falled attackers. "These are halflings!"
"They are unlike any halfling I've ever seen," Bagath said, wincing from the sunburn on his back.
He looked over at Cherry, who was standing over the stricken elf. He walked over to her, and did his best to comfort her. She turned around and began to sob.
"Why did this have to happen?" she asked. "Why do I have to be the one to face these things!?!" she yelled. "Darran-Koor where are you?!? Why does Solaris have to depend on me?!?" she asked, facing total dispair.
"Because you are the only one who can face the challenge," a voice said. The crew turned around fast to see a glowing, winged humanoid hovering over them. The being had long wings, a vaguely reptilian head, and arms and legs that appeared to be too small to be of any use. After a few moments the beings features began to change, becoming more human. The wings vanished, and the being came to rest on two, human feet. The crew was now confronted by an elderly human man, wearing a regal white robe. Around his neck he wore a medalion: two dragons, one red, one blue, in a circular formation.
"On this world I am called Avangion Koor," the man said. Cherry looked up at him in awe.
"But in another world, the world of Cartania," he added, walking toward Cherry, "I was once called Darran Koor, the last of the White Nimar."
Several hours had passed since the Avangion named Darran Koor had presented himself to the crew of the Calla Maraine. It was now evening, and the crew was making hasty repairs to the ship, just enouph to get it into space. Cherry, herself aspiring to the order of Nimar, was awed by the seemingly all-powerful being.
"Why did you come here to hide?" Cherry asked. "Why not one of the other crystal spheres?"
"Because here I had the means to become a supernatural being," the old man answered. "I no longer age, and since I had no idea when I would have to return to Cartania, I chose here." He paused. "I have since realized that this was not a wise move on my part," he added with a smile.
"Perhaps not," Bagath offered. "With the magical knowledge of this world at your disposal, the Black Nimar will have to fight weapons they have no understanding of."
"That is true, Druid, but the magic of this world is very dangerous. It draws from the life force of this world itself. Using it too much ultimately kills the land around it."
"Is that why this world is so barran?" Cherry asked.
"That's why," Darran Koor answered. "Use of the Athasian magic outside of this sphere must be done with the utmost care. The Defilers of this world did not take care, and as a result this world is dying. Cartania could easily go the same route if it isn't used wisely."
Darran Koor paused. "I must use it wisely," he said. "And you, Tiegorus," he said pointing to Cherry, "must also use it wisely, if you pass the test."
"I will," she said.
"*Verenthestae*," Djan said quietly. The others looked at him for a moment.
"Sometimes a person, thing, or concept makes things change, or make seeming co-incindences become locigal, just by happening, or being in one place. It sounds like Solaris and Athaspace share a common history, at least up to a point."
"They do," the Darran Koor said. "The humans who became the Nimar, and the humans who became the Athasian wizards came from the same source. That source, was the strain of humans to contributed to the birth of the Spelljammer."
"You are all *verenthestae*," Djan concluded. "You, the Nimar, Athas, the Spelljammer, and perhaps a thousand other things in this universe. Everything is connected, somehow."
"You are a very thoughtful one, Djan Alantri," Darran Koor said with a smile.
Yearth walked into the bridge, where the discussion was occuring. "The ship will be ready by dawn," he said. "The damage was superficial."
"Very good," Bagath said. "Carry on."
Yearth bowed and walked back above deck, where the rest of the crew worked quickly to repair the ship. Gaye sat in the crow's nest, constantly on the watch for psionic intrusions. So far, she had not felt a thing.
It was just before midnight when the attack came. Gaye noticed the portals open with just a few seconds to spare, but it was sufficient for the crew to react. Weapons were prepared, small quantitnes of the elixer were consumed, and when the land-striders came through the dimensional portals, the crew was ready.
"Fire at will!" Bagath shouted.
Missle weapons began to rain on the attackers. Kelset had arrived with thirty of his best soldiers, all with orders to kill the beings on the Calla Maraine, but to not destroy the ship at any cost. Tempest sat on the helm and did her best to bond with the ship. It took a few minutes, but finally she began to feel the various parts of the ship come into focus. The world was still draining her magical power, however, so another crewman was standing by with the last few measures of the elixer, should it prove necessary.
Some of the Templar's launched magical assaults on the squid ship. Fortunately, most of the crew escaped harm. However, with the ferocity of the attack, they couldn't hold out forever.
"This ship will be mine!" Kelset cried.
"No it won't!" Gaye yelled back, as she launched a psycic attack on the templar, more powerful than anything she had ever tried before.
Kelset realed back for a moment to clear his mind of the confunsion the kender's attack had created. Cherry raised her staff and created a huge storm of burning dust around the attackers.
"That won't hold them for long," she shouted. "Tempest!"
"I've almost got it!" she cried. The Calla Maraine lurched once more, then finally lifted off the ground.
"Best speed into wildspace, Tempest, and be lively!" Bagath shouted.
The rain of weapons continued as the dust storm cleared. Darran Koor walked onto the deck and looked below.
"We could use some help here!" Cherry said sarcastically.
Below, Kelset saw the ship, his prize, rising into the air.
"NO!" he cried, as he forced his land-strider to sping up toward the ship. He jumped off the beast and landed on the main deck of the squid ship. The land strider fell into the pool below. Gaye turned to face Kelset again, and in an instant they were locked in a silent battle of wills. Tempest forced the ship higher and higher. The air grew thinner, and the sky gradually grew darker.
Kelset continued to battle Gaye, even as the ship flew higher and higher. Finally he raised his hand and released a bolt of green fire into the kender's chest. Gaye shrieked and fell to the deck, writhing in pain. Djan ran to help his friend.
Yearth emerged to engage the intruder, but Kelset was ready for him. Yearth raised his sword to slay Kelset, but was suddenly held fast. He grabbed his head and shrieked in horror. After a few moments blood came from his eyes. Two small popping sounds were heard, and the lifeless Hadozee fell to the deck, with steam pouring from his eyes.
"Face me Templar!" Cherry yelled from the aftcastle.
"I can kill all of you, and I shall!" Kelset vowed. He focused on Cherry and tried to destroy her the same way he had just destroyed Yearth. Cherry repelled the attack, forcing Kelset to reel back in horror. This woman, this Cherylyn Tiegorus, was a wizard, and she was to be his death.
Cherry focused on Kelset and released a bolt of green lighting at the Templar. Kelset clutched his chest in pain and fell backward, over the rail. With a long cry, Kelset fell from sight.
After a few minutes, the Call Maraine cleared the gravity plane of Athas and sped away toward the sphere wall. Athas fell behind them.
Nine days later, the Calla Maraine neared the sphere wall. Gaye was still injured, but she was strong enouph to use the psionic procedure one more time.
Life on the ship had been very quiet. Many good people had died on that world.
Darran Koor looked back at the dark sun, under which he had lived for eight hundred years. His thoughts then turned to Cartania, his original home. Once, he had been asked to leave, but now he had to return, and allow the White Nimar to become real again. He wasn't sure that Tiegorus would be the next White Nimar, but she certainly had the will to try.
"Is there any hope for Athas?" Bagath asked the Avangion, who was still in human form.
"Yes," Darran Koor said with a smile. "Do you know why your helm wasn't working correctly? The planet was trying to draw power from it, to heal istelf."
"Are you saying then, that our visit to Athas actually healed part of it?" Bagath asked, amazed.
"On a very small scale, yes," Darran Koor answered. "So long as the damage can be undone, there is hope."
Bagath was glad to hear this. After witnessing how people lived on that dry, merciless world, he was relieved to hear that a solution was available.
"Open the portal," Djan called.
Gaye concentrated on the sphere wall in front of them, and again a tiny section of the wall turned into a swirling mist. Again the ship passed through and into the phlogiston. In the distance, three other crystal spheres could be seen. Two were rather small, while a larger one could be seen in the far distance. They were right back where they had entered. As the Call Maraine cleared the sphere, the portal closed, and Athaspace was sealed once more.
"Where to, captain?" Djan asked.
Cherry just looked back at the sphere for a moment before answering.
"Spiralspace," she answered. "To the Rock of Bral."
A few calculations were made, and Tempest turned the ship to one side to pick up a flow current.
"Time to Spiralspace," a voice called, "thirty-four days."
"Proceed," Cherry answered.
Once again, the giant sphere of Darraspace hid three small crystal spheres from the rest of the universe. Again, these three spheres were alone in this corner of the universe. Alone save for a tiny beam of blue light, that was a ship named the Calla Maraine.
The End.
