Iceblade Ascendant

22: HOME

Illuminated by the dim but steady, yellow light of glowstones set inside ornate, glass lanterns, Jaewyn stepped down off the ladder and onto the brass-plating floor of the Atlantyan craft. She had once been inside a Valhallan Battle Badger, and while this was a little more cramped, it was similar. The rounded, brass walls curved outward with rib-like struts, which made it look organic, like the innards of a great beast. Aefion had hung silk, Beltharin banners, alongside glinting, tumbled crystals which splashed light and colour around the corridor. Following Zephyrle, she ducked through a curtain of blue, crystal teardrops and emerged into the craft's bridge. Dominated by the circular, frontal viewing dome, the chamber was small but practical. It was also draped in Aef's ornamentation, to cover up the stark, bare metal of the original design. Two swivel-mounted, leaf-shaped, padded, red leather chairs sat in front of a large, brass control panel, which sported a bizarre mix of handles, cranks, knobs, dials and levers. Standing upright in the centre of the panel was a small, wooden, horizontal handgrip.

Zephyrle occupied one of the luxurious chairs, casually swivelling it from side to side as she gazed at the jewels and other trinkets dangling from the ceiling around her. The other chair swung around to reveal a broad-shouldered, powerful-looking Valhallan, clad in a combination of battered, gold-coloured armour and soot-stained leathers. He grinned with white teeth shining through a red beard enhanced with numerous, decorative clasps.

"Jaewyn Aeraendar, Blood Maiden to the queen! It's a great honour to finally meet you!" The Valhallan stood, and extended a massive arm. "Rudjrik Deepfire at your service!"

"So you're Aef's pilot?" Jaewyn gripped his forearm in the traditional warrior handshake.

"That I am," the Valhallan thundered, "and engineer, don't forget that. Without me this ship wouldn'a even run! Ain't that right, laddy?" He turned to Aefion, who stood with Kalethe and Thalleron in the bridge's entrance.

"You know what, you are correct, it hadn't even occurred to me," Aefion joked. "Now if you folks would like to follow me, I'll give you the tour."

"There's a tour?" Jaewyn raised her eyebrow.

"Not really. But I'll show you where stuff is. Master Rudjrik, we'll be leaving shortly, get those engines fired up if you would!"

"No worries, captain Arileth," Rudjrik replied as he swung his chair back around to focus on the console. "Call him captain," Jaewyn heard him whispering to Zephyrle as she stood. "He likes that."

"I'll keep that in mind," Zephyrle replied softly, her violet gaze flicking to where the slender, male elf was retreating down the passageway. Jaewyn followed her.

"Just try not to misbehave," she told her friend, smacking the thief's backside.

"Jae!" Zephyrle protested, a shocked look on her face briefly, before she switched to a cunning smile. "Where would be the fun in that?"

Together they strode down the corridor, past the hatchway ladder and through an oval-shaped doorway into another room. This one was more spacious than the bridge, and Jaewyn assumed it represented the body of the craft. Although Meela was a transport vessel, the original designers must've wanted a place where the crew could relax. Narrow, marble pillars, adorned with ancient carvings, connected the floor and ceiling. Like the bridge and the forward corridor, the room was decked out in silk, gems, and other embellishments but was centred around a broad, wooden table surrounded by elven-crafted chairs. The whole chamber had the delightful feel of home about it: the place where one lounges at ease with friends, enjoying a game of cards whilst sipping a goblet of coetha juice. Against one wall sat a luxurious, crimson couch, bedecked with silken cushions. Slightly above it a long, oval-shaped porthole stared out into the inky blackness. A semi-circular booth nestled in the corner, with matching, circular table, also with its own, circular porthole. The opposite side of the room was designated as a galley, with a kitchen bench and numerous cupboards and lockers.

"This is our dining room," Aefion explained, gesturing vaguely at the galley. "We've been using it to eat, play cards or whatever. Feel free to do the same."

"Wow..." Jaewyn was amazed. "How long did it take you to..."

"Bout six months. If you know the right people, you can get a job done real quick. Oh and, uh, being the brother of the right hand of the queen really helped."

"Well, it looks beautiful," Jaewyn informed him, "when you found it, it must've been pretty..."

"Let's just say it wasn't pretty," he replied grimly. "But this isn't just a sub now. This is our home." He waved his hand at the far doorway. "Through there is the aft corridor which leads to the engine room, you won't be needing to go down there, unless your name's Rudjrik."

Moving on, they followed Aefion back through the dining room's oval-shaped entrance and down a brass, spiral staircase into the cargo hold. Jaewyn mentally corrected herself: this would be the most spacious area on the Meela. Big enough to carry a full size Mech, it was divided into two levels, by a simple brass-mesh walkway surrounding the hold. She could see numerous storage compartments in the walls, as well as a bunch of suspicious-looking crates piled in one corner. Before she could take a closer look, Aefion directed them past the crates and into the next room.

"Nothing to see here folks, through here is the medbay. Feel free, I mean obligated, to come here if you need to be patched up. I don't want your blood staining the mesh. Rudjrik and I spent way too long scrubbing that shit."

The medbay had been decked out to resemble a Beltharin medical facility, complete with incense candles, hanging herbs and two freshly made beds. Silk banners depicting the fiery Phoenix hung from the walls. Thalleron's eyes lit up upon entering. Jaewyn could see he was pleased. Everything was clean and tidy unlike the 'organised mess' of the dining room, with not a single item left lying around.

"How did you," the mystic began but Aefion cut him off.

"I have uh, contacts, at the Outlanders' Quarters. Ha, you can get some good shit for the right price."

A narrow passageway beyond another oval-shaped doorway led past the medbay to the passenger dorms, four of them in total. There were two on each side of the passage, protected by sliding, brass doors.

"And this brings us to the end of the tour! These are your quarters," Aefion instructed. "Your rooms have all the usual furnishings, oh and answer the call facilities. Flick out of the wall. These Atlantyans were very smart." Each small room was outfitted with a bed, a desk equipped with a yellow glowstone lamp and wardrobes built into the walls. They all had a circular porthole looking out into the watery darkness.

"Well I'm zausted," Zephyrle sighed. She stumbled through the far right-hand doorway and the door clacked shut behind her.

"Sleep well Zeph," Jaewyn chuckled, dumping her gear onto the floor of the first right-hand dormitory.

"Night Jae," came the muffled reply.

"I'll leave you to it," Aefion told them, as Thalleron and Kalethe likewise picked a room. "Get some sleep. If you need anything, I'll be up front with Rudjrik. Welcome to Meela."

Truth be told, she was exhausted too, Jaewyn thought to herself as she flipped the locking mechanism on the door. Their adventures so far had taken its toll, and although she suspected it would be a while until they reached the surface, she was glad they'd escaped from Deathclaw Dungeon. Stripping off her armour and clothes, she slipped beneath the fresh sheets of the bed, smiling to herself at the knowledge that Aef had outfitted the craft with someone else's coin.

The last thing she heard before sleep took her, was the near-silent clack of the sliding door of the next room...