“I’ve really got to start using Identify more often,” Edan muttered to himself as they sailed away from the sinking body of the Aegean Serpent.

  Sail may have been the wrong word. A slow dragging limp would have been more accurate. The damage to the stern was significant, the serpent’s death throes having smashed its long muscular body against the hull with such force that Edan suspected they were taking on water.

  Gem’s furrowed brow told Edan he was likely right.

  Miz’s head popped up from the stairs leading to the hold. His monkey ears twitched, and inquisitive eyes darted around, looking for trouble. Everyone but Lem and Gem had settled down to relax. Tali sat in meditation, processing the Vitalis she had received from the kill.

  “Oi, Miz, we’re safe. I need you to check the sail for damage, then hop up top and tell me what you see!” Gem called out, seeing the monkey Aniser.

  Quick as a thought, Miz scampered up the rigging and began going over the sails for damage. There was damage, mostly from the large Merchant Guild vessel’s mast, but for the most part, it was nothing dire. Passing on the message, Miz then settled into the crow's nest and peered out.

  “All good Cap’an! The merchant vessel is a good distance away and doesn’t seem to be turning around.”

  Gem gave a toothy smile to Viagara who scowled but remained slumped against the railing. His arms were crossed over his chest and he glared at everyone from beneath his brows.

  “How you holding up, Lem?”

  “I can hold her for another thirty minutes if I need to. The winds turning, so I won’t be needed by then.” Lem looked exhausted. Dark bags hung under his eyes, and his broken arm still hadn’t set. He continued to wave with one arm, encouraging the wind. He looked up at Miz and then over at Gem before taking in the sluggish movement of the vessel. “The Crystals sitting heavy. We’ll need to get her careened”

  “Aye,” Gem agreed, her eyes scanning the distant landmass. “I think I know just the place.”

  “Bondar?” Lem asked.

  “Bondar!” Gem answered.

  —

  Edan hadn’t realized how much tension he was carrying until the Sea Crystal began to move through calmer, more shallow waters. Dark blue seas turned light and Edan began to make out coral formations below them. Shadows darted between the coral outcrops as fish, spooked by the large ship, sought shelter.

  They were close enough to land that Edan could count the trees dotting the shores of white sand and black jagged rocks. Gem was directing Miz with quick, barked orders. They were coming in heavy, the extra water they were taking on board meant they sat lower than they should in the sea. From the sound of it, Gem was worried they would smash into the sea floor before making it to the sandy patch she was looking at.

  Ahead of them was a small river mouth, tiny in comparison to the Kentushi and too shallow for the Sea Crystal to sail up. The banks near it were high, though, and the sand looked soft. The infusion of freshwater kept the coral formations to a minimum around the river mouth, so the sand stretched a way into the sea. It gave them a nice white runway to follow.

  Edan stood at the bow, flanked on either side by members of his group. The two cubs curled up around his feet. Viagara stood awkwardly off to the side.

  “Less slack, damn it!” Gem was yelling, her eyes on the approaching shore. “I’ll use your tail as bait if we fall short, Miz!”

  “Is this a safe spot to be?” Reema asked, meaning the front of the boat, but only got shrugs in response. No one seemed too worried about ramming land, and after a couple of seconds of silence, she shrugged and went back to watching.

  “We might not make it,” Gem admitted, and then turned to Tali. “Miss Titan, do you think you could jump to shore with the anchor chain and tow us in if I get you close enough?”

  “If the ground is solid, I can. Get me as close as possible.”

  It turned out Tali didn’t have to jump to land. They had enough forward moment that the Sea Crystal ran up a few feet on contact with the sandy shore.

  Viagara stumbled at the impact, almost falling over the side, but Sanik used [Flutter Step] and appeared next to him. Grabbing the man's belt, Sanik pulled him back. Patting his back in reassurance, Sanik waved away the thanks.

  In the end, Tali still needed to hop off the boat. They hadn’t made it far enough up the bank, and the stern of the vessel remained seated deep in the water. It sounded like the Sea Crystal let out a tortured groan of pain as Tali grabbed the anchor and heaved. Her feet sunk into the sand until she used her skill to harden the sand into stone steps. Taking slow, plodding steps, she walked the boat higher up the shore until the stern was out of the surf and the bow rested beneath the shade of the forest line.

  The river, or creek really, wound down around the port side of the vessel, its rocky banks turning to sand closer to the beach.

  The air was heavy with bird calls and the sound of insects buzzing. Following everyone else's lead, Edan hoisted the two cubs onto his shoulders. The female cub immediately shoved her wet nose against his neck and nestled closer. The male tried to climb up to perch on his head. Weighed down with his furry passengers, Edan hopped over the side of the railing. Falling 25 feet to the ground, he absorbed the impact with bent knees.

  Gem was last off. She landed gracefully and without effort before stalking around the side of her vessel to inspect the damage. Edan, along with the others, were curious enough to follow.

  The hull was cracked in several places, seawater gushing out in miniature waterfalls. One particularly large crack ran from near the bottom of the hull closest to the rudder, up along the slopping side, almost to the upper deck. The wood was splintered and rubbed raw in areas where the hard scales of the Aegean Serpent had scraped against it.

  Gem spent a good deal of time swearing as she looked over the damage. The scowl she shot at Viagara made it obvious who she blamed. So obvious in fact that the City Watch Captain felt the need to defend himself.

  “What? It’s not my fault your vessel is damaged.”

  Gem's mouth worked furiously for a moment before she started yelling, “My poor baby looks like a tiny snack compared to your fat assed boat! The Aegean Serpent wouldn’t have even bothered surfacing if you hadn't rocked up looking all juicy.”

  “You wouldn’t have been in this situation if you hadn’t run to deeper seas. Your criminal activities made you run. I followed because it is my job to arrest criminals.” Viagara explained slowly as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

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  Gem huffed in annoyance and gestured for the others to move further up the beach.

  “Come on you lot, there's a village nearby we sometimes trade with. They’re good people and might be able to help out.”

  “A village on the edge of the wilderness?” Sanik asked, his eyebrow raised. “Brave people.”

  “They are under the protection of the Four Star Heavenly Sect, no doubt!” Viagara interrupted, puffing up with pride. “They have likely stationed powerful disciples here to act as a wall against the beast tides during the Season of Storms.”

  “The Sects haven’t done shit for these people,” Gem snapped. “Nor the guilds. They have a very talented Botanist living here who…well, you’ll see. Come on, let's go.”

  “You are not to go anywhere!” Viagara said loudly, though Edan noticed he had trouble looking at the group and instead studied their feet. “We must remain with this vessel. The City Watch will be along shortly to pick us up. Until then, you are detained.”

  “Detain all you like, it’s not making a difference. If you haven’t noticed, this isn’t Stratta.”

  Viagara drew himself up at Gem’s words, but Sanik spoke, looking to head off any arguments.

  “How about you come with us? That way, you can keep an eye on us.” Sanik gave a half-hearted shrug. “Let’s be honest, mate, you aren’t detaining anyone.”

  “No, I don’t want him anywhere near me right now! He can stay right here and look at the damage he caused." Gem barked as she glared at Viagara. "Maybe you’ll feel something.”

  Tali motioned Edan over, completely ignoring the others. Marcus stood beside her, his slitted pupils staring into the forest.

  “You did well with the serpent,” she said as he drew near. Marcus gave a brief nod and grunt of support. "Not every battle requires strength."

  Edan chose not to mention the fact the battle only ended thanks to her strength.

  Gem pushed passed them, taking point. Pausing long enough to look back at the rest of the group, she waved them to follow her.

  “Come on, you lot! Lem, Miz, and Scoops can watch the ship. The genius can watch himself.”

  Keeping to the bank of the river, Gem set a hard pace. Her long strides chewed up distance, making Edan, the cubs, and Reema hustle to keep up. Around them, the sound of wildlife and the gentle bubbling of water from the river overlapped.

  Afternoon sunlight filtered through the trees above. The occasional splash as something jumped in the water could be heard, but by the time Edan looked, all he saw were ripples.

  Mindful of what he had reminded himself after the serpent attack, Edan focused on using [Identify] on anything that moved. He needed to get into the habit of collecting information. First were the cubs. They were both on the same level.

  [Titanidae Cubs - lvl 17]

  That actually surprised Edan. The two fur balls showed a higher level of intelligence than he expected from such low-level animals.

  The male cub growled low in its throat, before charging off into the bush. Edan was about to go after it when the female cub charged forward as well, letting loose her own little roar. Seconds later, the male cub came rolling out of the bush, a dark gray beetle pushing it back.

  [Fern Beetle - lvl 21]

  Edan pulled up short to watch the ferocious battle, as did the rest of the group.

  The female bear slammed into the side of the beetle. They were almost the same height, but the bears had far more bulk, and the beetle tipped sideways. Its segmented legs dug into the ground in an attempt to stabilize itself.

  The male cub got to its feet, its dark green coat puffing up as it rejoined the fight. The beetle kept its head down, the small spikes that ringed its shelled head enough to deter the female. But not the male. He stood high on his hind legs and slammed his forelegs down on the head of the beetle.

  The female bear slunk around behind them and grabbed one of the insect's legs in her teeth before pulling hard. The beetle spun, its own movement not enough to move the bear cub, but enough to tear its leg off.

  The male took advantage and body-checked it. The insect surged forward, face planting in the ground. This time, the female cub hopped on it, keeping it pinned with her weight. The male lunged forward and clamped its teeth around the side of the insect's head.

  Bracing with its feet, its hairy rump in the air, the cub heaved. There was a wet pop, and the insect's head came off, the male bear rolling back with it.

  The male cub stood tall and let out a roar, the female cub was quick to copy. Edan smiled, feeling oddly proud.

  The bush behind the cubs shook and another beetle came charging out.

  [Fern Stag Beetle - lvl 28]

  The male bear back paddled, his eyes going large at the new threat.

  Edan laughed as he realized both cubs were running directly for him and the protective shelter of his legs. Stepping forward, Edan booted the Stag beetle hard enough to send it back towards the bush. It hit the ground, rolled to its feet, and regarded the group before toddling off.

  “Good job, you two.” Edan congratulated the cubs, bending down to scratch behind their ears.

  “You really should name them,” Sanik said.

  Edan hummed his agreement but refrained from answering and the group moved on.

  A month the size of his head fluttered past, the brown of its wings streaked with deep black and purple markings.

  [Corpse Moth - lvl 12]

  They’d just passed a bend in the river, the beach vanishing behind a line of trees, when Gem stopped and studied the surrounding forest.

  “There should be a path around here somewhere…” She muttered, running a hand over the shaved hair on the side of her head.

  Marcus sniffed the air, his eyes darting around before he pointed off to their right, deeper into the woods.

  “I smell humans from that direction.”

  Gem moved in the direction he indicated and paced back and forth, suddenly she stopped and waved them over. A thin trail, worn down by the passing of feet, could be seen among the ferns and grass.

  “Looks like it hasn’t been used in a while. Come on, the village is this way.”

  Once more leading them, Gem set off. She had to brush branches and leaves aside as she went but gave enough warning to those behind that they didn’t get hit by the recoil.

  [Rocktillapeed - lvl 12]

  “This village seems pretty remote,” Reema said from up ahead. “How’d you find it?”

  “It was more like they found us,” Gem said with a laugh over her shoulder. Both women spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. “Lem and I were traveling back from Neemar, that's a small town just past Solaris. We were in no great rush, and Lem felt a storm brewing. We moved closer to shore and dropped anchor in a lovely little bay. You know, hoping it would give a little shelter from the winds.”

  Gem ducked under a thick branch and then stepped over a rotting trunk that had fallen across the path. The stump looked chewed on.

  “I wanted a proper bath and Miz saw the river mouth, so we rowed to shore.” Gem laughed again at the memory and shook her head. “Lem and I wanted a little…alone time, so we moved up the river and around the bend.”

  Sanik chuckled appreciatively and Reema rolled her eyes. Edan tried not to imagine anything.

  “So there we were, uh…scrubbing each other's backs…when a cough sounded from the tree line. We both look over, eyes wide like kids with our hands in the cookie jar-”

  “Or an adult with his d-” Sanik started to say before Reema clapped a hand over his mouth.

  Gem laughed, tapping the side of her nose before she continued, “There was a man and his son with their fishing rods and bait watching the show.”

  “Oh, Gem! How old was the son?” Reema asked, looking mortified.

  “Late teens?” Gem shrugged. “Relax, it wasn’t some great scandal. The man offered to cook us a meal, in apology-”

  “Or payment” Sanik laughed again.

  Gem gave a broad grin. “Or that…and so that’s how we were introduced to the village. We still stop by on occasion to trade or just to pop in for the night. Like I said, they’re good people.”

  “And tough, if they can live out here during the beast tides,” Marcus added.

  They’d been walking for another fifteen minutes when a wall of purple vines blocked their path. Rising high over their heads and twisted around each other in tightly knotted bundles, it formed a natural wall that wound its way through the jungle. Studded along the lengths of the vines were vicious thorns.

  “That's…different…” Gem remarked, pulling up short. She reached out and gently touched one of the vines. “They used to be green and vibrant.”

  “Who goes there?” A voice called from above.

  As one, the group looked up. A young man was crouched on top of the makeshift wall. Crudely fashioned leather armor hung from his thin frame. He held a bow drawn, the arrow pointed at Gem. Nervous brown eyes squinted down at them.

  Edan, still in the zone and spamming [Identify] almost cast it on the man, before remembering it was rude. The last thing he wanted to do was start the group off on the wrong foot. Especially with a guy holding a bow.