Chapter 126

Eating Ethereal

Thrush

The sea had become more fragrant. It must have been the rolling over of the season that thawed it. Not only did the mineral of salt hang in the air, but so did the murk of the coast and the green meat of seaweed. The stink of goblins denatured the atmosphere every once in a while. With the warmth came humidity which climbed Barnacle-eyes’ sloop and soaked the wood. Old planks were weathered and set in their joinery. The new wood which filled new expansions of her sloop was light colored and they creaked when the sloop rolled.

Since the sea was lazy, the sloop didn’t roll all that much. Boggo and I had the chance to play his new game, tunnels and potholes. Barnacle-eyes had gifted him a ripped slice of canvas which he’d sketched the board game upon and laid it on the floor. Boggo and I took turns rolling a die and counting spaces.

“I could stop and see the green besties in Omes Arbor next time,” Boggo said. “At least to thank them for helping me.”

“I’ll sail with you two again.”

“Would you? It’s better having you around.”

I rolled a 3 which put my elder bestie figurine upon a pothole. My player piece lost 3 levels of tunnels. Boggo gave one soft cough as he shook a fist for his next roll.

“I’d like to spend more time in Lavenfauvish next time,” he continued. “When do you think we’ll be setting sail again?”

“Depends on Barnacle-eyes.”

“That was the biggest adventure I’d ever been on. I wish I could have protected the sloop more. There’s something wrong with it. Isn’t there?”

“Not so far. From what Abigail said, the woman made a Brewer’s Portal.”

“That means she can portal here anytime she wants, like when I used to go on Hawkin’s ethereal plane?”

“I’m keeping an eye out; my nose up.”

“I don’t smell anything,” he said.

“Her scent lingers.”

“What do we do if she appears? Should I fight her?”

“You won’t need to worry about anything while I’m around.”

“I’m getting used to it now. Being above ground.”

“You must be proud of yourself.”

“I am. I want to be like Ella. Did you know that she marched above ground from the yellow colony to the red colony?”

“You’ve mentioned that.”

Boggo gazed out the open deckhouse door. For a moment he took on a smile that was perhaps the result of nostalgia. Soft daylight gleamed in his eyes.

“How amazing is that?” he said. “What an impressive bestie. Best one I ever met.”

“Are things still rocky at the nest?”

“There’s no getting out of this one, but I think it’s clear where my road is laid out.”

“Where?”

Boggo came out of his nostalgic gaze. He returned his attention to the game with a blush on his snout. He made his play and considered me for a moment. “I don’t think a hammer is right for me anymore. It’s too cumbersome.”

“There are many weapons,” I said.

“Maybe a pick. Like an ice pick. It’s light. Maybe a small dagger. Something I can keep with me at all times.”

“You don’t have an inventory.”

“I don’t.”

I smelled her; there it was again. The smell of perfume and fresh leather and wet grain. I looked out at the deck and took another whiff. My belly rumbled. Boggo scampered off and soon returned with an armful of dreambons.

“Will you share some with me?” he said.

“I’m not hungry.”

“What about some ethereal stuff?”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Please?”

Boggo’s ears were laid flat and his little paws were clasped together. I blinked at him. Then I withdrew Hawkin’s ethereal hops from my inventory and laid them in a pile beside the dreambons. I ate them one by one. My Satiation dropped to 47%. My Ethereal stat grew to 77%. Portals opened all around me. Through one I was granted a vista in the crew cabin of a sinking goblin ship. Goblins filled the cabin like green bodies in shelves of a catacomb. Water trickled from a clash of materials that held the sloop together. Goblins came and went, bailing out the incoming water. Then the portals closed, leaving wisps of threads floating away.

“Those are getting bigger!” Boggo said.

“I fell inside one the other day.”

“Fell?”

“Right into the earth. Clawed myself free.”

“I would have been scared.”

“They are getting bigger,” I said.

“Do you think it’ll stop?”

“The closer my ethereal stat gets to one hundred percent, the bigger they’re getting. I’m going to see what happens when it reaches one hundred.”

“Can I be there?”

“We’ll see.”

The game was on pause. Boggo was one level and one tunnel away from winning the round. I was one tunnel behind him. I asked to continue playing, but Boggo was insistent that we spend the time enjoying our snack. Every dreambon that I declined, he gobbled up.

He ate too many and soon couldn’t lift his eyelids. The day was only getting brighter and Boggo was helpless against a belly full of food and warm rays of sunshine. He fluffed blue fur from his coat, padded down a poof beside me and curled up against me.

I petted him while he slept.

The sea was still calm. I stared out at the waves without a thought in my mind, until I caught another whiff of the tresspasser’s scent.

That Brewer’s Portal had been made with intention. Abigail had given me a name for the woman.

It took a few minutes for me to realize that I’d been so deep in thought, I hadn't noticed that I brought out more ethereal ingredients to consume. I was thirsty without realizing it and craved the cool nothing of ethereal water. My Ethereal state rose to 80%.

With ethereal ingredients in mind, I would have to remind myself to ask Hawkin to brew nightream summoning beers. I would keep half and give half to Barnacle-eyes. Even though she would be sailing to Lavenfauvish, it would not be to deliver beer to humans. It was Hawkin’s wish that I no longer sell his beer to Hiccup.

Fine by me.