Chapter 2: The Cephalids
"Cephalids?" Vaernor was confused. He had never even heard fairy tales about creatures such as this. All of the sailors around him seemed just as bewildered as he.
"I trust you are the one in charge on this ship?" asked Sholan, clicking his beak as he spoke.
"I am the one who organized this expedition, but I am not the captain of this ship. What is that you want with us all?"
"We have come in an effort to form an alliance with the realm of Otaria, and that is where you are bound is it not? The Mer Republic sits off the coast of the very continent and I am on my way back there from a matter that desired my imediate attention. If you are of the aven, then I should like to meet the rest of your people."
The other sailors shifted uneasily but none would speak up, none but Brimod. "You can sail with us if you believe it would take you to Otaria faster."
The ambassador preformed a sort of twisted bow. "You have my grattitude." Using one of the many tentacles he supported himself on, he pointed to two of the cephalid mages and they slid foreward. The rest of them hurled themselves overboard and back into the ocean. "They will head to the rest of my people to inform them of my whereabouts." Brimod nodded and showed the three cephalids a cabin that they could stay in before rejoining Vaernor next to the stairs that led below deck. The rest of the crew had gone back to their posts and jobs in maintaining the ship.
"So what do you think of these things?" questioned Brimod.
"There are many things that are veiled by the waves, and they are no exception. They did however help us, if they hadn't come when they did then we would all be at the bottom of the ocean right now."
"Aye, no doubt 'bout that. I suppose they couldn't cause too much harm up here."
"The only thing that worries me is that them and the crabs were waiting just below our ship to strike us and eachother. Who knows what else might be waiting underneath us."
"Probably best not to think about it right now," said Brimod with a satisfied nod. The rest of the voyage went by uneventfully, the cephalids staying in their own cabin the entire time. Once they docked in Otaria, the sea folk came out into the light of the morning sun.
"If it is alright with you, Vaernor, I would like to start towards the place that the avens live as soon as possible," stated Sholan.
"Very well, we can leave now, but I'm afraid it might take some time. It is my assumption that you have....well, trouble walking on the land," Vaernor answered awkwardly.
"Do not worry about walking, you may fly as your kind was meant to. We will be right behind you." Vaernor nodded, though a little uncertain to the cephalid's promise. Never the less, he flapped his great wings and took off into the sky. He looked behind him and witnissed something he could never have expected.
Each cephalid spread behind them four of their tentacles and formed two sheets of a long blue membrane, each held by two of their four outstretched tentacles. Caught now by the strong breeze the sea folk rose up to fly level with the surprised aven. "As you can see, merfolk are not completely incapacitated when it comes to travel," said Sholan regally. Vaernor only nodded, beating his wings to keep him aloft. These cephalids were certainly full of surprises, and he could only hope they all remained as harmless as a method of flight.