An Untitled Novel

“Is everything okay?” Basil asked, running into the Arkepello bar and drawing everyone’s attention. General Tobias looked at Basil, seemingly amused, and answered the question directed at Aurora. “Yes, I was just showing Aurora some maps, and she was hoping you could join us.” Basil breathed a sigh of relief, the adrenaline from Aurora’s text that read “At Arkepello Hotel. Please help.” leaving his system. Tobias continued “Come to think of it, Basil, you still know that Amigoso spy? They keep an eye on every inch of coast west of Amigoso, so if anybody can get more information it would be him. That is, if that’s okay with you Aurora?.” Aurora nodded, but Basil still felt left in the dark. “Sorry, you’ve lost me, what’s going on?”

“Well, I overheard Aurora talking to Simon about geography, and” Tobias spoke in a hushed tone “Well, honestly, I’m surprised the kid can find his way from his post to here some nights.” Tobias returned to his normal voice as he continued. “So anyway, I got out my old Imperial survey books and started to subject her to an old man’s rambling on history and borders. And, as the story goes, there’s this iron mining settlement on an island between here and Loquail that went crazy. Started eating each other, speaking bits of an incomprehensible language, and worshiping some sun god.” Basil’s face had an expression of surprise come over it and Aurora began to speak.

“And then I reminded him I am only half Elthrice by birth. Basil, we may have found where they took my mother from.” Basil interjected when Aurora had finished. “Wait, you said old imperial reports, how old?” Tobias replied as if they were a point of pride. “One hundred and twenty-nine years.” Basil began to say “So-” but Aurora seemed to know the question he was going to ask and nodded. “Some of that is the result of travel in the crafts, but Orbitals live much longer than most others.” Aurora took on an expression that Basil could only read as sadness, and the table fell quiet.

Basil, Aurora, Spiro, and Tobias poured over the maps on the table. “And you’re all sure of this?” Spiro asked, sounding hesitant. “We’re not sure, but it appears likely, and I just need to know” Aurora replied, before turning to Basil. “Basil, I know you understand the longing and feelings of not belonging. I need to go there, but I want you to come with me.” Basil nodded. “Of course.” The table fell silent for a moment, but Tobias spoke shortly after. “This is a week’s journey by boat. I can likely requisition some naval supplies and rations, but we cannot currently spare a vessel to get you there; our entire navy has been tied up with the decreasing Redcap patrols.”

Aurora, however, looked like she had something in mind. “Basil, the gunship, could that get us there?” Basil shook his head. “It’s currently in a few pieces. Me and ACE are trying to get things properly sealed, and ocean air is unfortunately not something that would be good to expose it to until we’ve worked that out.” Spiro interjected “I got this guy in nautical surveillance,” before his voice trailed off, and Basil began to wonder if Spiro had just started to worry he was giving information that should not be provided in the presence of foreigners - much less a foreign head of state. After a few seconds, however, his face took on a laissez-faire expression and he continued. “Well, this guy owes me near a dozen favors. A light Amigoso boat will likely get you two out there and back in four days max.”

Spiro paused for a moment before continuing again. “If you want, I’ll cash in those favors and get you there. My schedule is pretty empty, most of the Ministry has been giving me the cold shoulder, and it’d be easier to get it through if I was there so it looks more official. If it’s okay I could accompany you both, but I completely understand if this is an Elthrice thing and you two would want to go it alone.”

Before they knew it Spiro could be heard shouting “We’ve got land up ahead” in the distance as he exited the boat’s cabin. Basil took another draw from a cigarette and looked to Aurora. She had a somber look, and he could see this trip was taking a toll on her. Spiro, finally making his way towards the two, shouted “Hey, they’re going to park the boat by the abandoned dock.” Basil watched Aurora change her face to a more positive one as Spiro came over, but he knew enough of Aurora and what this trip meant enough that he didn’t need the abyss’s intuition to sense the change in demeanor was forced.

“Abandoned?” Basil asked, and Spiro replied, seeming to change to a more cautious tone. “Yeah, I don’t think it would be safe to walk on. Sorry Aurora, I don’t think anybody has been here for a very long time.” Aurora smiled a melancholy smile, which seemed to be genuine as far as Basil could tell. Perhaps not at the news, but instead as an acknowledgment of Spiro’s concern, he figured; unless maybe she was relieved at the idea there’d be nothing but ghosts to greet them. They approached the dock and Basil could see that it had been very obviously abandoned, half collapsed and half rotting in place. “You two go on ahead, I’ll stay back with the mini boys and help them collect observations” Spiro said as they made landfall, but Aurora shook her head. “Please, come. You’re not an invader on this trip; you’re a true friend for helping us get here.” Basil nodded in agreement, and Spiro smiled quickly before jogging back to the cabin. The three began to make their way up an almost nonexistent path, Basil bushwhacking and Spiro carrying a rifle.

“Man, I wish I had your energy” Spiro said, watching Basil swing his machete for an extended period. “A bullet to the head seemed to work; we can give it a go if you’d like.” The two exchanged smirks and Spiro gave a quick laugh that sounded like a snort at the quip, Aurora returning a quick smile to the two. Basil felt relieved that Aurora seemed to find the comment somewhat amusing, realizing after the comment that she might not consider now a good time to joke. Eventually, the group found a clearing containing many collapsed buildings, a sole building still standing and heavily overgrown with vegetation. Stepping inside, the three found a skeleton surrounded by rusted metal and foliage.

“Please, I need a minute alone” Aurora said through misty eyes. Basil and Spiro quickly left the building. “I can’t imagine what she’s going through. Losing her Elthrice family and then finding the remains of someone who could have been her, um, non Elthrice family” Spiro stated in a whisper as soon as they were outside. “Yeah, it’s fucked up” was all Basil could think to add. They both stood in silence for a moment before Spiro spoke again. “Shit, how are you holding up? Maybe it’s not my place to ask, but you’re not in a boat that’s too different. If you ever want to talk about anything I’m here for you.”

“Thanks. I dunno, it’s weird. She lost everything; I’ve got no memories of anything. Kinda ate away at me for a while, ya’ know? Honestly, though, after everything’s settled, I don’t really see myself as stranded anymore. I’ve really-” Basil was interrupted by movement in the dense brush as Spiro raised his rifle. A woman with light skin and dark red hair snuck out, as if she was trying to avoid being detected by someone or something. As soon as she saw Basil she ran towards him, holding a knife and saying something in an unknown language. Spiro replied in what sounded like the same language.

“She thinks you’re Loquailian and wants to know who we are” Spiro clarified to Basil. “Does she know about the history of this place?” Spiro smirked. “I doubt it, she’s Loquailian. I’m half tempted to tell her I’m collecting Loqailian sex slaves and that I ordered you not to speak.” A short laugh escaped Basil as he tried to hide it, but the woman took on a very annoyed look and replied in a whisper “Fucking Amigosian.” Basil laughed again, no longer trying to hide his laugh, finding the exchange growing even more amusing; though Spiro seemed surprised and somewhat embarrassed. “You’re Loqualian, and you don’t speak Loqualian?” the woman asked, seeming annoyed but confused. “I’m not Loqualian” Basil responded, but before he could speak further the woman replied “You’re a fucking disgrace to your kind,” not seeming to understand what he had intended.

“He’s Elthrice, or American, depending on who’s describing him” Spiro replied when Basil remained silently confused; however, before more could be said there was rustling in the brush again; followed by the woman saying “Run, they’re here.” Spiro asked “Who’s here?” and Basil simultaneously said “Shit, what if there’s Elthrice here?” and took several steps forward to put himself between the brush and Spiro. An entirely wooden spear sailed through the air before bouncing harmlessly off Basil’s chest as Spiro raised the rifle.

Basil just laughed again. “A fucking spear?” Several people ran out of the brush, and Spiro shot one, causing two others to freeze and a third to charge Basil with a knife made of a nonmetallic substance. Basil stuck his hand out, the attacker running into it as Basil grabbed him by the neck. The attacker frantically stabbed at Basil, but the crude knife only began to chip away at itself. The abyss started to claw at his mind, but he remembered their theory on how these people became this, and he loosened his grip and began to laugh for a third time. “Would you knock that off?” he asked mockingly, turning back to see a very serious looking Spiro and a concerned looking woman.

The attacker spoke through a slightly constrained throat. “(Surrender worm!).” The abyss clawed its way back into his mind, overtaking the humor as he threw the attacker violently to the ground. Basil replied in Elthrice, a deep rage in his voice and the thousand whispers accompanying it. “(Worm! You confront me with such a word? Those words shall be your-).” Aurora grabbed Basil’s arm with a speed that implied she had barely come to a stop from running. Basil realized his head turned instantaneously to face her, further than he thought his head could rotate, and her face showed a delayed but sudden fear.

A knot grew in his stomach, strong enough to drive away the abyss, and he stepped back. “Sorry” he said, voice suddenly weak, before taking more steps back and repeating “Sorry” again. Aurora seemed to take on a more sad expression, Spiro had taken several steps back and looked concerned, his attacker on the ground and the woman looking terrified. “Don’t hurt him; he’s a victim of what happened” Aurora replied, breaking the long silence before continuing “I’ll go talk to them; at least some of them probably understand us.”

Basil felt as if he was returning to himself, and suddenly felt worried at the idea of Aurora speaking to the unknown group of assailants. “You sure that’s safe?” Aurora looked annoyed at the question. “Basil, they’re trying to worship us, and in case you forgot, I’m a descendant of Orbitals. I’ll be okay. Now talk to that terrified woman and see if she’ll tell you what happened.” Basil turned away and walked towards Spiro, who was talking to the woman. After quickly glancing over his shoulder toward Aurora, he gave a non-threatening hand gesture to appear less menacing.

“What the fuck are they?” the woman asked, looking both nervous and unsure of what to make of Basil and Aurora. “They’re Elthrice. They’re friends who just got scared when they were attacked. They won’t hurt you” Spiro explained, but the woman didn’t seem too reassured. “He didn’t look scared” she said while gesturing to Basil, who repeated his attempt at a non-threatening hand gesture now that he had finished walking over. “Sorry, I got carried away. He insulted me and I let my ego get the better of me, but I wasn’t going to kill him” Basil said, a worry in the back of his mind that he only felt guilt for scaring Aurora; not feeling guilty for being seconds from killing the man or lying about it now. The woman seemed more confused but less afraid.

“You speak their language?” Basil nodded. “I speak Elthrice, though I don’t think they speak Elthrice. Some bad Elthrice attacked here several generations ago.” Spiro seemed to change demeanor seeing everybody nearby had calmed down. “Now, where are my manners? I’m Spiro, this is Basil, what’s your name?” The woman responded tersely. “Lamb.” Spiro spoke again in a reassuring voice. “Okay Lamb, how did you end up here?” Lamb suddenly looked distressed, but something looked off to Basil about the expression that Spiro didn’t seem to see - or at least express. “I was captain of a merchant vessel that shipwrecked here. They tried to eat me, and I don’t think any of my crew survived.” The abyss called out to investigate, saying every word was a lie - albeit one that didn’t pose a present danger, but only the Rejected-Death means of doing so in his skill set was violence or the threat of it, so he did his best to keep a neutral expression and ignore the prompt.

“Spiro, get all the rations we can spare” Aurora shouted, interrupting their conversation. Spiro ran off to the boat and Aurora motioned for Basil to come along. Basil followed her in silence for some distance before eventually coming to a camp of sorts. One of the islanders led the two into the camp and towards an old woman too weak to stand. Aurora looked at Basil with tears in her eyes. “Her mother knew my mother.”