I do not own Chaotic nor anything related to it. It belongs to TCDigital.

-[]-[]-[]-

The Lost City

-[]-[]-[]-

Almost everyone's back on the Ezoa. The city of Kaizeph floats above us, slowly rising up. The High Muges have rested up from the ritual and are now flying to investigate the city. Arrthoa and his crew are fussing over the ship's broken rudder, smashed when Kaizeph erupted behind it.

"What do ya think's in there?" one of the crew asks another.

The other creature rubs his chin. "Something mighty powerful or precious, I reckon.

"Humans say there are creatures in there," another says. He counts off on his fingers, "Unda, Seeryn, Silv, an' Nom. Maybe e'en more."

"Why wonder?" Arrthoa laughs. "We have a Human right here to ask!"

Suddenly, dozens of expectant eyes are staring at me. "Wut's in the floating city, Yer 'ighness?"

It takes me a moment to collect my thoughts. "A-actually, I don't know what's in there. Chaotic just sort of stopped when the City rose. The cards stopped coming out, and the show just sort of ended."

Groans of disappointment ripple throughout the crew. "You gotta have at least some idea!" one cries out.

I actually do have an idea, but I don't want to voice it out loud. There could be real problems if I even raise the possibility that the Cothica could be inside Kaizeph. "Sorry," I mutter. "Human foreknowledge ends here."

More groans from the crew. Arrthoa stands up and shouts, "Quit your bellyaching, we've got my ship to repair."

The crowd disperses to do their duties. Arrthoa sits down next to me. "You have an idea that you don't want to tell us," he whispers.

I do my best to look extremely interested in staring up at Kaizeph. "I don't."

Arrthoa snickers a little. "I don't blame yer silence, Prince. I know what the common belief among Humans is about Kaizeph: the Cothica's in there."

I glare at Arrthoa. "You think the greatest power in all of Perim is in there?"

"Great power comes in grandiose packages," Arrthoa laughs. "What else could be holding an entire city in the sky like that?"

I would have missed it if I had been looking directly at it, but out of the corner of my eyes, I see Kaizeph shift. Slowly at first, gradually accelerating, the floating city begins to drift southwards.

"It's moving!" Arrthoa shouts, springing to his feet. "Double time, men! We can't lose it!"

"The new rudder isn't ready," someone shouts.

"We'll steer with the wind until it is!" Arrthoa bellows. He turns to me. "You will leave this ship the moment we get close to shore."

I stand up and fold my arms. "No. You'll sail me to Najarin's tower, wear my transportation waits. Then you can chase that hunk of rock around."

"We're following it now," Arrthoa growls. "If my offer doesn't please you, I'll push you off."

I glare at him. "You wouldn't."

-[]-[]-[]-

He did.

I climb out of the water and lay on my back on the shore, coughing and gasping for breath. After my heart stops trying to break my ribs, I climb to my feet at stare at the Ezoa as it sails away.

That's it, I've lost my temper. "I am a Prince of Al Mipedim, Arrthoa!" I bellow. "I am the governor of the Mipedian-Humans, and second only to His Royal Majesty King Iflar in the royal family! To leave me stranded here-"

I stop myself. I had been about to say that leaving me here would be an act of war, but not only do I not have the authority to declare war, I'm trying to prevent one in the first place.

I can still see Arrthoa, but just barely. I think he's flipping me off.

I'm still furious. I kick a boulder on the shore. Now I'm furious and my foot hurts.

I stare across the water. The tower is all the way on the other side of Lake Ken-i-Po. I could take me hours to walk around, possibly even more than a day. And I'm here all alone.

I squint at the water. There's something flying towards me over the lake's surface. It's white and billowing like a cloud.

The cloud rushes up to me, stopping abruptly a foot away from me. I take a few steps backwards, startled. The cloud swirls in midair, ignoring the wind. Then it begins to sculpt itself.

Four arms. A reptilian head. A pair of breasts. Two legs and a tail.

The creatures sets her feet on the ground, and the mist around her turns into a set of thin, slightly transparent clothing: a skirt and a bandeau. Other puffs of mist collect around her neck and wrists, turning into golden bracelets and necklaces.

The creature opens her eyes, and she speaks. "You say you are a Prince of Al Mipedim?"

I blink, slightly distracted. Her clothes don't exactly hide... anything, really. "Uh, right. I am Prince Osiris."

The creature spirals into the air. "I am Silv, the Servant of Air. I am of storm and gentle breeze. Of elegance, lightness, and furious wrath. And now I am of your house, Osiris."

I'm fairly certain my mouth is hanging open. That's almost word for word the same speech she gave to Enre-hep in the text of her card, I think.

Silv drops to the ground and gives me a deep bow. "How may I serve you, my Prince?"

I can hear in my imagination a thousand male voices demanding sex. Instead, I say, "Well, if you can take me to that tower over there-"

"To the tower?" Silv laughs, appearing behind me. Her hands grab under my arms. "Osiris, I can take you all the way back to Al Mipedim if you wish. You are headed there, correct?"

I stammer, "Well, yes, but-"

"Then here we go!"

I feel my stomach drop as the ground falls away from me. "Wait! Stop! I have a Skeletal Steed! I can ride back!"

Silv can't hear me. Either that, or she's not listening. She laughs as we fly through and above clouds.

-[]-[]-[]-

Up next: The Wind Woman

-[]-[]-[]-

If you like the story, please follow and review!