Chapter 10

Two months ago

Wil stood at the end of the pier, blessedly alone for a moment. Elbing was a busy place, especially since the reconstruction of Aachen had begun. He had just finished talking with Annabelle at her office, where she made her absurd offer for him to join her crew on a voyage across the Azure Sea.

Garman and the others were expecting him back in the tavern, but he wanted a minute to think things over. As surprised at Quentin’s suggestion to travel to Lund as he was, a large part of him wanted to just...get away.

Illyria held a lot of emotional baggage for him, and now that he was free of his commitment to the auxiliaries, his father would be looking to drag him home.

Kellerman had already hinted as much in his letters, saying that his father had ‘opportunities’ to discuss with him. That discussion would undoubtedly be about either sending him somewhere he didn’t want to go or marrying him to someone he didn’t care for.

More and more he wanted to be free of here, his father, his family. Taking out the gold signet ring from his bag he carried with him everywhere, he traced the lines of his house symbol engraved on the gold. He hadn’t even thought about his ring since flashing it to that that merchant in the east.

He didn’t like wearing it, showing it off…being a Brookmoor. He only kept it as insurance, something to fall back on if he needed it. He slipped it onto his finger, feeling the weight of the gold on his finger, the weight of responsibility on his shoulders.

For years he had dreamed of how he would return home. Gaining strength, rising to power, a triumphant and glorious return, all to rub it in his father’s face.

But now…he knew that would be exactly what his father wanted. It didn’t matter how strong he got, his father would never acknowledge or even care about it. Markus was proof of that, stronger than any Brookmoor had ever been and Tiberius was still scornful of his accomplishments.

Better to the happy as a nobody, than miserable as a noble, slave to his father’s whims. Removing the ring, he gripped it tightly in his hand, staring out over the Azure Sea, the water lapping gently against the pier he was standing on.

Decision made, Wil let go of his past, let go of his name, and all the baggage that came with it.

He tossed the ring, sending it hurling into the sea in front of him. He watched it plunge into the water, creating a small splash.

Wilhelm Brookmoor of Illyria was no more, he was Wil, and he would be whoever he wanted to be.

Present

Wil twisted and turned the gold ring in his hands, sure that it was the same that he had discarded into the ocean at Elbing. Somehow, it had followed him thousands of miles out into the Azure Sea, ending up here, in this small church.

“Aruna gave you this, and told you it was mine? No offense, but that seems too straight forward for a god.” Wil said, gripping the ring tightly in his hand as he looked at Sophia.

“No offense taken, Wil. And you are correct, I found the ring on the beach, shortly after I had prayed to Aurna for his assistance. Edmund was the one who told me of the House it belonged too. It was easy to connect the pieces after meeting you.” She said, pointing to the matching symbol on his bag of holding. The twin stags stood out against the leather.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what did you pray for? Why would you need Wil’s assistance?” Mara asked, tilting her head in confusion. Wil nodded at question, looking to Sophia for answers.

“I was praying for Aruna’s help for the coming Night. Things may seem peaceful here to you both, but it was not always so. Our ancestors have passed down stories of their arrival to Miquelon, how this island would be ravaged by storms and terrible creatures from the sea. During the Nights, they would be attacked by the Sahuagin, distant descendants of an Elder Sea Dragon.” Sophia explained, before standing and moving to the rear of the church.

Exiting through a small door, she was gone a moment before returning, a book in her hands. Handing it to Wil and Mara, she motioned for him to open it. The book was old, made of leather, and sheepskin parchment pages.

Wil couldn’t read the writing, but he recognized it from some texts his father owned. Ancient Illyrian hadn’t been used in the empire since before the time of the Khmerian God King.

Flipping through the pages, he found a crude drawing of two legged creatures, walking out of the sea towards a gathering of humans. It did not look like a peaceful meeting, weapons were held by both parties.

The Sahuagin were humanoid, with two legs and two arms. Their faces were fishlike, with gills and sharp teeth. They wore clothing, with seemed strange to Wil. Some even had armor and metal weapons.

“I’m sorry, I’m not familiar with them.” Wil confessed, looking to Mara, who shook her head.

“I am truly not surprised, they have not been a cause for concern in generations. Many do not know of the evil that lurks deep beneath these waters. Tell me, do either of you know anything about the Azure Lord?”

“Azure Lord, is he the ruler here? I thought the Azure Sea was mostly uninhabited.” Mara asked.

“In a sense, the Azure Lord rules this ocean. He is the son of Aruna, the protector of the Azure Sea. He restricts the Sahuagin, and other vile creatures from harming those faithful and respectful of Aruna. During your crossing, you were safe during the Night due to the Lord’s protection.”

“He is the reason I prayed for assistance. Lord Azure has not been seen or heard of in months, and the Nights have become dangerous in his absence.” Sophia explained, before reaching out and taking the book from Wil.

“I believe there is a picture of the Lord. Here!” She said, flipping through the pages before stopping about halfway through the book. Turning the book back around, she handed it to the pair.

On the page was a beautifully illustrated picture of the Island, with amazing detail of its lush jungle, the shimmering azure ocean, and the white sand beach.

But what drew their attention was the massive figure in the center of the bay. It was a giant turtle, it’s spiked shell a greenish blue against the water. From the scale of its body compared to the beach, it was easily as large as the Drake.

The artist had shown the Azure Lord peeking its head out of the waves, facing a group of faithful on the beach. Wil recognized the lead figure as a priest or priestess of Aruna, they were wearing the same robes as Sophia.

What differentiated the Azure Lord from other turtles Wil had seen was its head. Rather than smooth scales and a flattish face, this turtle had a sharp beak, with a fringe of leathery skin at the top of its head. It was draconic in its appearance, and Wil recognized what it was immediately.

“The Azure Lord is a Dragon Turtle!” Wil explained, shocked. Dragon Turtles were mythical creatures, natural demigods that are directly descended from the Elder Dragons. Like most history students, he had been obsessed with the legends of them.

Nearly every culture had tales of Dragon Turtles, whether attacking coastal cities, or helping lost sailors find their way home. Hells, there were even stories of some granting wishes, or providing wisdom to the worthy.

One legend had it that a fisherman had encountered one, and after spending a year with it, grew to be one of the most powerful Archmages in the world. Wil doubted the truth of that story, but it was a fact that studying a Dragon Turtle was an opportunity that no mage would turn down. Their mana shared ancestry with real dragons!

“Yes, Lord Azure is the son of Aruna and a brief…liaison with an Elder Dragon.” Sophia explained, blushing a bit at the confirmation of the lord’s origins.

“A god and a dragon!” Mara exclaimed, staring closely at the picture.

“I apologize, Sophia, but I’m still unsure how I can help. I’m no expert on mythical creatures, I don’t think I would know the first thing about helping a Dragon Turtle.” Wil said, handing the book back the priestess.

“We do not need your expertise, Wil. At least, not in that way. We know where the Lord is, but he is refusing to communicate with us. I would like you to travel to his home and assist him.”

“Wouldn’t it be more appropriate for you to go, or one of the other villagers?” Wil asked, confused at his involvement.

“I have been there, many of us have recently, but the Lord will not engage with us. I prayed to Aruna for an answer, and he has sent you. Please Wil, we are in desperate need for your help. I have also been assured that, if you help Lord Azure, he will ensure that your vessel receives clear weather all the way to Lund.” Sophia offered, knowing a bit about the damage the Drake had sustained.

“We’ll need to talk it over with our companions, but that’s a very good incentive.” Mara said, looking at Wil.

“I am afraid that if you choose to help, it must only be Wil. The Lord will not allow outsiders to approach him.” Sophia confessed, throwing a wrench in their plans.

“Sophia, if the Lord can provide clear skies for the Drake, then he could, theoretically, summon a storm to damage her, forcing it to find a place to dock for repairs.” Wil said, narrowing his eyes at the priestess.

“Yes, Wil, he could. As I have said, Aruna has answered our prayers. But Aruna is also a benevolent deity. I am sure it will be more than worth it, personally, for you to help. Aruna knows what the future holds for you, what trials you might face.” Sophia said, not denying the possibility at all, but offering him an incentive to assist them.

With a sigh, Wil climbed to his feet, ready to head back and break the news to his companions.