Chapter 22: Boat in the Wall
"Everyone stay where you are!" cried the High Overseer, his tone commanding. Elanor continued to stare at the boat.
"Greta, Emily, Corvo, come with me," she said, her voice quiet and grim. "Mariza, follow us, and wait outside the boat."
Greta shared a fearful look with Emily. What on earth was going on?
Elanor marched forward across the polished stone floor, now sprinkled with smashed plaster and wooden splinters. Greta followed her long stride, just behind Emily and the Royal Protector. Marzia clung to her, her arms wrapped around her right one. They were almost at the boat when a bloodcurdling scream issued from inside the ship.
Elanor stopped dead in her tracks, so fast that Emily nearly ran into her. The whole group came to a halt behind her.
"Can you see what is happening?" asked Corvo. Elanor did not respond, only stared warily at the metal bow
"There are five bodies," whispered Emily. "One is running out, up to here."
Immediately Greta shifted herself into a defensive stance, ready to confront whatever was coming to attack them.
The screaming got louder as a man appeared on the deck of the boat, running at full speed. He did not seem to register where he was. He jumped off the bow, shrieking like a frightened madman. Midair, Greta saw his neck twist, his head suddenly turning sideways. A sickening crack echoed through the air as the man's neck broke, and he plummeted to the ground just before them with a thud. Marzia gasped, and tightened her grip on Greta's arm.
Elanor seemed to snap out of it. She walked around the corpse up to the side of the boat. With a wave of her hand a series of steps made of light appeared, and she boarded the boat. Emily followed close behind, and Corvo behind her. Greta gulped, and followed them. Marzia stayed at the foot of the stairs as she was told, trembling like a leaf. The little bird flew off Emily's shoulder and perched on Marzia's, chirping nervously.
The deck was empty, with the back of the boat stretching out into the Boyle's garden. Elanor turned to Emily, a somewhat helpless look on her face.
"Where are the rest of the people?"
"In the cargo hold," Emily answered easily, a somewhat strained look on her face. "What happened?"
Elanor shrugged. "First we have to figure out if this was the doing of a witch, a ritual, or the Outsider. Considering how the Outsider does not like to make trouble, I doubt it was him."
The disbelieving look on Corvo's face at those words nearly made Greta laugh. She swallowed her mirth easily, though, as she followed the other three down into the ship.
The cargo hold was dark and reeked of blood. Elanor held up her hand and produced a ball of light, brightening the space. Greta could not help but automatically recoil, nearly tripping over the stairs. Emily let out a horrified gasp and covered her mouth with her hand. The walls were splattered with blood and gore, an eyeless head staring at them, its chest blown up like it swallowed a mine. Another corpse laid against a crate, its face contorted into an expression of terror. The final corpse was spread-eagle on the ground, its throat torn out. A bloody knife lay on the ground a few feet from it. And on the far wall, lying as a mess of blood and bruises was the Outsider.
Emily ran right to him, unconcerned with dirtying her lovely outfit. Corvo followed her close behind.
"Greta, get Marzia," Elanor whispered.
Greta could only nod before she all but fled up the stairs.
Emily was absolutely horrified to find the Outsider in that dim metal hold. She practically threw herself down next to him, unsure what to do. His eyes were closed, blood was splattered on his face and dripped from his mouth down his chin. A nasty gash on his upper arm leaked blood, and a bullet wound on his chest was slowly oozing red. She placed her hand on his chest, and to her relief she could feel his heart beat. Corvo crouched down on the opposite side and removed a long rag.
"We should cover his eyes and remove him from here," he said as he wrapped the rag around the Outsider's head. Emily nodded, not trusting herself to say anything that would not develop into a scream. Corvo picked him up, heedless of all the blood. His head lolled back, and Emily could not stop herself from reaching out to cradle it. She could feel a patch of dried blood there, and she was barely able to keep back a noise of distress.
Elanor waited for them to bring him up the stairs, following them up once they reached the deck. Greta and her Sister Marzia were waiting for them there, as was the High Overseer. Upon seeing him she felt a twinge of fear for the Outsider.
"Elanor," Chopin walked right past them and stood attentively in front of the star. "What happened?"
"I believe that my singing somehow interrupted a transportation ritual," she replied confidently. "This man was the only survivor."
Chopin suddenly turned his piercing eyes to the Outsider, and Emily had to fight the urge to hide him from Chopin's view.
"Those patterns," the High Overseer murmured with shock. "I think we interrupted something far more serious."
"Mr. Attano!" Marzia's voice sounded almost unrecognizable in its commanding confidence. "Please lay him here."
The sisters had somehow found a cot and dragged it out, elevating it with a bunch of crates. Corvo carried him over and laid the Outsider down. Emily followed them over, uncertain with what to do.
"Are we in danger?" Elanor asked Chopin just as quietly.
"No," Chopin's response was clipped. "If anything, we just saved that man's life."
"Alright, so we should tell people that things are alright?"
Emily had forgotten about the rest of the party in the aftermath of the boat's appearance. The room had been emptied, though Esma and Solokov remained. Her attention was pulled away from the others when Greta tapped her shoulder, holding up a bucket of warm water with a towel draped over the edge.
"We need to wipe some of the blood away," she said.
Emily took the towel and bucket, not questioning when Greta had got the two, and started to gently wipe the blood off the Outsider's torso. Marzia was already cleaning his left arm, placing ointment on the myriad of small cuts. It did not take long to stain the water red, and his wounds still oozed blood. Even as she cleaned his face he did not stir.
"I'm rather glad this fellow is passed out," Marzia admitted as she stitched a wound on his upper arm closed. "It makes it easier to remove foreign objects and do stitches."
Emily could not shake her unease, and restrained herself from stroking his hair. Chopin wandered over, and to her surprise Solokov was there as well, Eulalia perched atop his head. Elanor stood next to Corvo, her face blank.
"You see those patterns?" Chopin said to Solokov, pointing at the pale lines and swirls on the Outsider's chest. "Those indicate that the person is to be ritually sacrificed to the Void in exchange for power. I found a mummified body in a cave near Pradym with the same markings, all trussed up and his throat cut wide open."
Solokov's eyes widened in surprise. "Do you think they were trying to contact the Outsider?"
"If they were, the ritual must have backfired on them," Chopin folded his arms. "As you saw, that man died horribly, and Elanor assured me his companions fared no better."
There was a sudden groan from the Outsider's lips, brought about by Marzia prodding at the bullet wound on his chest.
"Easy now," the Sister soothed. "We are here to help you."
He slowly reached up to touch the makeshift blindfold, now spotted with blood. Emily placed a hand over his.
"It is best for you to keep that on right now," she murmured. He tilted his head, then turned it in her direction.
"Emily?" he sounded both relieved and taken aback.
Solokov, Chopin, and Marzia all suddenly focused on her.
"How do you know this man?" Solokov asked, befuddled.
"He helped me oust Delilah and end her coup," Emily replied as confidently as possible. "He also was the one who took Eulalia from you and gave her to me."
Chopin raised a thick eyebrow. Solokov pointed to the bird that was now preening herself atop his head.
"This is a Pandyssian Parrot I ordered as a pet for myself and was, ah, redirected to Empress Emily. I am quite surprised that this young fellow knew about it."
The Outsider slowly sat up, his back a muddled mess of bruises. Mariza began wrapping bandages around his torso, to secure the pack she had atop his bullet wound. His upper arm was wrapped up.
"In any case young man," Chopin addressed. "You have been saved from a horrible fate. Where were you when you got seized for the ritual?"
"I was seized at riverside of the Distillery District by Rateaters," he spat the last word with a large amount of venom. "I saw them crafting bonecharms, and they had a shrine to the Outsider."
Chopin nodded, a determined look on his face. Emily had the feeling that she would soon hear about Overseers locked in combat the Rateater gang.
"Alright, you are all set!" Marzia finished fastening the bandages. "Try not to do anything that will put extra strain on your ribs and you should be ok."
"Also try to not let yourself get kidnapped by crazy gang members," added Greta.
"Oh if you think that is a problem we can escort him home," Chopin offered.
Greta coughed, looking slightly sheepish. "Actually, he lives at Dunwall Tower."
The High Overseer blinked, and then surprised Emily by smiling.
"Ah, well that makes things better!" he clapped his hands together. "He should be well-protected from retribution there."
There was the sound of heels clicking that drew everyone's attention, revealed to be Esma running across the ballroom floor and up the stairs of the light to get to the deck. She was carrying a simple white shirt in her well-manicured hands.
"I thought you might appreciate having a shirt to replace the one I presume was taken from you," she held it out to the Outsider. Her eyes combed him up and down, lingering far too long on his bare chest. Emily's hands twitched. She wanted to grab the shirt out of Esma's hands and dismiss her.
"Thank you Lady Boyle," The Outsider said, taking the shirt and putting it on. "That was very kind of you."
Esma just smiled then walked over to Emily, leaning down to whisper in her ear.
"This new beau of yours is much better than Wyman," she crooned appreciatively. "If you tire of him, send him over to me."
Emily could not stop herself from turning to stare at Emsa. Was her regard really so obvious?
The older women just gave her a knowing look before addressing the rest of the group on the deck.
"Thank you very much for handling this. Whoever caused this had excellent timing, as the ball was due to end about now anyway. Thank you all for coming," she turned to the Outsider. "and you are most certainly welcome to any gathering of mine that the Empress is welcome to."
He blushed and looked a little taken aback. "Thank you Lady Boyle." He said with a slight cough.
Corvo cleared his throat, and made a small gesture with his head. It was time for them to depart.
Greta gently tapped her shoulder. "I will be back around at midday."
Emily nodded and gave her a grateful smile. They would have much to talk about.
The Outsider stood up, wincing as he did. His hand reached out for hers; she allowed him to take it and he squeezed hard. Eulalia warbled affectionately at Solokov and flitted over to sit on her shoulder. She followed Corvo off the boat and to the railcar, the Outsider trailing behind them.