Thicker Than Blood
Chapter 10
Plans for the Ocean Palace
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"Progress
is risk.
You can't steal second base with one foot on first."
- Unknown
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Timeless
Humans are the only beings that worry about fate -- about having their entire
lives already planned out. Or, they worry about destiny. Having some task they
must perform before they die, but the getting there is up to them.
Humans worry about lots of silly things. It's in their nature -- it's part
of what makes them human... Which do you believe in? Fate or destiny?
Both, love. It is a little bit of both.
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12,002 BC
Melchior was the last one to arrive at the meeting in the Mammon's Hall, the
little Nu trailing vaguely behind in his shadow. The Mammon Machine itself,
though complete, stood in the room's center draped in gray velvet cloth. The
unveiling had been set for the banquet, but was now scheduled two days away --
the anniversary of the first king's death. Melchior was still wearing his
fire-stained blacksmith's smock when he arrived, having been summoned from his
forge. Chairs had been arranged, and he took a seat between Schala and
Bethashar. Gaspar was also present, as well as that abominable Dalton. Melchior
was excited, but forced himself to seem calm when Zeal shot him a warning
glare. Siris had given him an idea a year ago, when Melchior'd blown up the
first Mammon Machine so easily with so little energy, and the old Guru had been
working since then to make his idea a reality.
Today, he had succeeded.
Dreamstone was valuable for it's ability to store seemingly unlimited amounts
of energy. The ancients had first discovered this because when touching the red
rock, whatever thoughts one had -- if they were strong enough -- were
transferred into the stone. If one kept the stone in close proximity when one
was sleeping, the thoughts became dreams. Thus, Dreamstone. Of course, since
that primitive day Dreamstone was used for much more than dreams. It stored
magic, heat, electricity -- any form of energy at all. Condense the Dreamstone,
and you condense the energy inside. It was the principle they had used to
refine Dreamstone piping for the Mammon Machine, and now Melchior was using the
same techniques to forge a weapon that should, in theory, be capable of
destroying Lavos himself.
"Melchior!" Zeal's snap broke him out of his thoughts. "Try
paying attention for once, mmm? Good. Now, Dalton, the blueprints?"
The guard captain stepped forward, a long rolled up scroll tucked under his
arm. He reached Zeal, turned, raised the scroll above his head and let go of
one edge. The blueprint rolled down, stretching to the floor.
"Behold! The Ocean Palace! The key to Lavos, to power, to immortality! My
dear Bethashar has pinpointed Lavos' location and we will build the Ocean
Palace under the sea as close to him as we can get. It is extensive, I admit.
Complex. But I predict that it will be complete in two years."
"Two years?!" Gaspar sputtered, wide eyes stuck on the blueprint.
"Working like mad constantly we'd be lucky to finish this in five!"
"Yes," Zeal agreed sadly. "Our numbers are insufficient for
completing the project in time. Our numbers. There is, however, a simple solution
to this problem. Melchior, haven't you said yourself that the Earthbound grow
too numerous?"
He was horrified. "In petitioning you to make them a new cave system, I
never-"
"Quite right. Cave system, yes. Well, I suppose we could blast them a new
one when the project is finished. As a sort of reward, or something. They shall
be given the honor of building the gateway to the future -- I suppose a few
caves would be sufficient prize."
"All right," Schala said, standing, her ice colored eyes fixed on the
blueprint. "We'll build your Ocean Palace, Mother. But must we begin
tonight? I'll take the blueprints and look them over. We'll be ready to begin
construction in a few weeks, at most. It will take at least that long to gather
supplies."
"Of course. Very good, Schala. I think I will be putting you in charge of
this. I know I can trust you not to make any blunders. All right then. You're
all dismissed." Zeal signaled for Dalton to carry the blueprints for
Schala, and they all left at once.
It was some minutes before the hem of the veil over the Machine began to move.
It twitched, then lifted and a stack of papers were pushed through, followed
closely by Janus. He'd taken extensive notes of the whole meeting, and sharply
regretted not having a sketch of the blueprint. Ah well, there was only so much
one could do. Dalton would have to be watched more closely now. If the
Earthbound were to build this Ocean Palace thing, it gave him the perfect
opportunity at Schala. Janus would have to be near her at all times to ensure
her safety. Tucking his Lavos notes into his robes, he hurried after her.
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Melchior showed up in the main chamber when they were preparing to leave for
the hunt. He dragged Siris off to the side in a dark corner, their expressions
intense. After a few moments, they were, as usual, arguing. Ivy was on the
other side of the crowded chamber, too far to read their lips. Damn. It was
something important, too, from the looks of things. He signaled the rest of the
hunting party to move on without him, and Ivy slipped through with them.
Whatever it was, they could deal with it on their own. She had some hunting to
do.
The others didn't protest when she merged in with them, weaving her way through
the crowd. Ivy made it a point to leave with them, though she preferred hunting
alone. Less distraction, no one else to look out for. So none of them thought
it strange to see her loaded down with gear. Her bow and arrows, a pack stuffed
with coils of ropes, snowshoes and, of course, her daggers.
Although visibly armed to the teeth, she was still attacked when most of the
hunting party had descended. Roderrick slammed her face-first into the cave's
dirt wall, his fingers clenched around her neck. It pissed her off, but she
bore it, grinding her teeth. Her arms were pinned between her body and the
wall, and he was too close to her back for her to kick him. Well, he was
getting smarter at least. Ivy couldn't see behind her, but there were enough
shadows on the wall to tell her he'd brought some friends.
"Damn, kick my ass already, get it over with. I'm out numbered, pinned to
the wall, and basically helpless -- you won't get it any easier. Hurry up
though, would you? I have things to do today."
Ivy heard him growl low in his throat, and his fingers tightened around her
neck. "Bitch." Ew. The word came with spit, and some landed on the
back of her neck.
"Yes, that does seem to be the popular opinion these days. Look,
Roderrick, much as I'd love to get my ass kicked at the moment, I have other,
more pressing matters to attend to. So, can we reschedule this for some other
time? Day after tomorrow, maybe? Next week? My important business is rather
dangerous, so I have to warn you, you may not get the chance to beat me up
again."
She was slammed against the wall again, and this time he moved away so she fell
to the floor on her back. His muddy boot pressed down on her chest.
"What's that shit supposed to mean?"
"Well, aren't we just a ray of fucking sunshine." Ivy couldn't see
his face, he was standing too close to the torch.
The pressure from his shoe increased. "Don't play those games with me,
bitch." He made a noise in his throat that Ivy recognized as the prelude
to spit. Not very nice of him. Mud she would endure, spit was just gross.
Roderrick'd made a mistake in pushing her down -- her hands were free. It was a
simple matter, really, to grab his foot and twist until he fell down beside
her.
"I'm going to kill the Bloodreaver," Ivy said quickly, without
moving, before he could retaliate. The words had the desired effect; the hand
of his reaching for a dagger froze. "Don't tell Siris, okay?"
Roderrick didn't move for a long moment, then, "What?"
"Well, he killed my mother, remember? I'm going to return the favor."
His face appeared in her field of vision. Somehow in his fall, he'd busted his
lip, and blood trickled down his chin. Good. He deserved it. Asshole.
"Stupid fuck," he said finally, staring down at her.
"Well, yeah. So? Not like you care."
He continued staring at her, then laughed. The others joined him. "You are
going to take down Bloodreaver Alpha? Get real."
Something hit her then, and she said quickly, "Make a bet with you."
Roderrick considered this, then lifted his rust-colored eyebrows. "I kill
him, you leave me alone forever."
"What do I get if you lose?"
Who was the stupid fuck now? "Well, I'll be dead, so I'd guess you get
what you've been trying to get since he ate my mother."
Something strange passed through his sickly blue eyes. He seemed about to say
something, then changed his mind and shook his head. "And if you loose but
survive?"
"Hells, whatever the fuck you want already. Just let me go."
"Deal." He watched her a bit longer, then offered his hand to help
her up.
"Like hell," she snapped, rolling over and pushing herself to
her feet.
Ivy was aware of his eyes on her as she pushed through his friends toward the
vine ladder that led to Algetty's exit. Hells. That wasn't gonna be good for anybody.
Roderrick, getting a crush on her? No damn good at all. Life was going
to get even more fucked up. Not like it wasn't Hell already, but, well, damn.
Fighting she could do, fluffy romance shit she could not. Ivy reached the open
door, stood still a moment in the cold wind. Uh oh. If she lost but lived,
he... Well, damn. Hells. Curse words were all that came to mind.
No, she didn't have time for this. Bloodreaver first. Roderrick and his little
boy hormones would just have to stand in line.
Ivy took a deep breath, and stepped out into the snow.
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