The Map
Chapter Four
"Pollo's books and papers have been confiscated? What use does the Armada have for them?" Historian Gonzaga asked.
"Everything Marco Pollo wrote or referenced taken… The fools probably even stole my book about him… Wait… there may still be hope!"
"I saw the Clockworks carry away several crates two days ago. They took them to the fortress at the other end of the skyway."
"Take your ship and go to the fortress. Get those books, or see if you can learn where the Armada took them!"
"Thank you, Gonzaga." I said as we turned to leave. As we set sail from Sivella, we soon spotted the floating metal fortress at the east end of Aragon Skyway.
To our surprise, we didn't meet any resistance as we quietly dropped anchor at the metal dock at the entrance of the fortress and entered the fortress.
"Look at those crates – they might have the books! Let's deal with the guards and check them, quick!" Bonnie said as she pointed to near the stairs at the end the circular hallway, where a patrol of Clockworks was walking around.
I raised my hand with the fingers open, and Bonnie and Emmett nodded as we raised our guns, and as I closed my hand in a fist, we opened fire on the four Clockworks, stunning them to be finished off by the others.
Ratbeard ran over to the crates and opened them. "Blast! There are no books here, captain!"
"There must be a manifest in the tower." Jack said. He led the way up the stairs, where we soon found the main office and the desk of the Clockwork in charge of the fortress.
"I've got it! I can't make head or tail of it, captain. You should take it back to that historian you mentioned, Gonzaga." Bonnie said as she handed me the manifest. As I looked at it, I realized it was written in some kind of code.
We quickly made our way back to the Aquila, and Rena and I changed into our Clockwork disguises so that we could enter the academy of Sivella.
"I see fortune does not favor you this day. The books were gone? Well, perhaps this can tell us where." Gonzaga said as he examined the manifest.
"This manifest is written in some kind of cipher. Here, my colleague Magdalena will be able to read it. She is the chief linguist of the academy." Gonzaga beckoned to a nearby Unicorn, and Gonzaga handed her the manifest.
"Yes, I can read this. It is a simple code the Armada favors. I see the books you are looking for. It seems they have been sent on to Cadiz." Magdalena said as she examined the manifest.
"Cadiz? Let the books go, captain. Sneaking here was bold but Cadiz is the center of Kane's power. Going there is suicide." Gonzaga said.
"I fear we've lost. Marco Pollo's secrets are lost to us now, perhaps forever."
"Perhaps not all is lost, Gonzaga." Another Unicorn spoke up as he walked over.
"Sivella is not the only place Pollo kept his records. Tell me, have you ever heard of Granchia?"
Rena and I shook our heads, and the Unicorn continued. "Granchia is a small isle, not far from here. It hosts an ancient village, where Marco Pollo retired."
"Marco Pollo was entombed under the great chapel in Granchia after his death. I have read that many books and papers were buried with him."
"A colleague of mine, Lorenzo, is in Granchia, writing a book. Find him – he will help you find Pollo's tomb."
We nodded our thanks at this information, and we left the academy to board the Aquila. We sailed northeast to Granchia, where we made port.
Granchia was actually a pretty nice place, except for a few wrecked houses and a giant excavation machine shoveling away near an unnatural edge of the island, like someone had taken a bite of a misshapen cookie.
"Look at this! The Armada is… eating the island!" Emmett cried.
"Aye, and when they're finished here, they'll do the same to every island in Valencia. After Valencia, they'll do this to the whole Spiral!" Ratbeard said.
"Never mind that, let's find this Lorenzo fellow." Bonnie said. I pointed to a nearby Unicorn with his back to us. "Let's ask him."
As I tapped him on the shoulder, the Unicorn nearly jumped out from his horseshoes. "Who goes there?"
"I'm sorry for the scare, but are you Lorenzo?" I asked. The Unicorn nodded.
"And you are no Clockwork – thank goodness you've come – the Armada destroyed my ship, and I am trapped here!"
"They are destroying the island. Centuries of art and architecture, swept away! It is too terrible to contemplate."
"We're looking for Marco Pollo's tomb." I said.
"It should still survive – the fiends have not yet destroyed the chapel. There – that's it."
"Good luck with your search – I hope you find what you seek."
"Thank you, Lorenzo." I said as we began walking away. In the ruins of an old house, we soon found an entrance. Rena pried open the small door with her dagger, and she pulled it away.
"This is more like it. Let's find that tomb!" Bonnie said as she began her descent down into the catacombs.
We were nearly detected by some Clockwork soldiers as we made our way through the catacombs, and so we made sure to check behind corners.
We soon found a ladder leading up, and I led the others into Marco Pollo's tomb. As I entered the tomb, I could see that it was a nice place, with simple marble architecture and a map of the Spiral engraved on the floor.
"So this is Pollo's tomb. Be careful – I smell trouble." Jack said as he rested his hand on the hilt of his cutlass.
"Look! A blue Windstone! We should bring it back with us, captain." Emmett said as he pointed to the glowing gem, visible from the hole inside the base of a statue of Marco Pollo.
As Emmett took the gem, Bonnie completed her sweep of the tomb. "There's no map piece, captain."
"We're too late." Rena sighed. I put a hand on her shoulder. "There are still five other pieces left for us to find, right?"
"Who is down here? Don't bother trying to hide. I can hear your hearts beat." A voice said. We turned around to see Armada musketeers, dressed in white, and Armada marines, dressed in black, standing near a Clockwork soldier different from the rest.
He was dressed like a jester, with a maroon-and-navy-blue outfit and a jester's hat with bells. He held a rod with his mask, which had a long nose and was split into two halves, with one side that was white and smiling with a black mustache, and a side that was black and angry with a white mustache.
The Clockwork leader turned his head so that the white half of his mask was facing us. "Who are you? No kinsman of mine, I'm sure."
I had never heard a Clockwork soldier speak so casually, so I wasn't too sure on how to respond. "I am Matthew Exeter."
"And I am Phule. You're a human? How marvelous! How in the Spiral did you get in here?" The Clockwork leader asked. Then he turned his head so that the black half of his mask was facing us.
"I know why you're here, and what you're looking for. Too late! We took the shred of Pollo's map weeks ago. Your pathetic efforts are in vain." The white half of Phule's mask then turned to face us again.
"Wait, I know you! What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in Skull Island, aren't you?" The black half of Phule's mask then took over again.
"Yes, the Armada knows all about you, Pirate. Surrender the piece of Pollo's map you have, and I will let you live." The white half of Phule's mask then took over again.
"You know, I'm tempted to let you go. You're so resourceful – you'd be quite a thorn in the side of Deacon, Bishop, or Kane himself! Then again…"
"Captains, attack!" Phule commanded with the black half of his mask turned to face us.
"White cadre – commence staggered assault!" The officer leading the Clockwork musketeers in white ordered.
"Black cadre – incapacitate the intruders!" The officer leading the Clockwork marines in black ordered.
"Farewell, pirate – I'm sure we shall meet again!" Phule said cheerfully with the white half of his mask turned towards me.
"Get the officers or they'll just keep coming!" Jack shouted as we drew our weapons.
As the Clockwork musketeers aimed their rifles at me, I quickly restrained one of the Clockwork marines just in time to intercept their shots with his body.
I returned fire with my Gunnery power, knocking a few of them off their feet for them to be finished off by the others.
Bonnie and Emmett fired their guns, stunning three of the marines, and Ratbeard kicked another marine in the chest, allowing him to be finished off by Ratbeard's cutlass.
Rena ran towards the officer leading the Clockwork marines, and before he could react, she stabbed him in the breastplate.
She kicked the officer off the point of her sword, and she deflected the halberd of another marine, who met his end when I drove the edge of my sword into his head.
As the remaining Clockwork musketeers raised their muskets in a firing line, Rena threw her dagger into the breastplate of the other officer, and we ducked behind a statue just in time to avoid being stunned.
We ran out from behind the statue, and as I parried a bayonet with the butt of my pistol, I decapitated my attacker and then spun to slam the butt of my pistol into another musketeer's head.
As the last marine fell, I could see the others running towards us. Jack grabbed a musket from a musketeer's hands and slammed the butt of it into its owner's face, and Old Scratch summoned a giant glowing skeletal hand to smash another musketeer.
Another musketeer fell to the ground, stunned by Bonnie's Scaramanga as Emmett aimed his two pistols and stunned two more musketeers.
As Rena finished the last musketeer, I suddenly remembered Phule, and I turned my head, seeing no sign of him.
"The fiend is gone! We'd best get out of here too!" Ratbeard cried as he sheathed his cutlass.
"I've had enough of Valencia – let's go back to Steed!" Bonnie said as she led the way back to the Aquila. We sailed west back to Steed's villa, where the old Unicorn let us into his villa for tea.
"Your search has been in vain. I can see it in your eyes. Anyone who would vie with the Armada must become accustomed to defeat." Steed said gently as he poured me another cup of tea. I sighed as I drank my tea and stared into the fire crackling melancholically.
"There may be one last hope."
We all looked up at that from our tea, and Steed continued, putting down his cup of tea as he stared into the fire, as if looking into his memories. "I once knew a Unicorn, Varo by name. He revered Marco Pollo, and was his finest student."
"Varo sat beside Marco Pollo's deathbed – he alone heard the explorer's last words. If anyone might know more about the map, Varo does."
"Varo made his way to Monquista and joined some holy order."
"Didn't we see a Unicorn at Saint Bonobo's Abbey?" Ratbeard asked.
"Yeah…" I said, thinking of Queen Anna's tower. We were all about to get up and leave, but Steed held out a hoof.
"It is midnight, child. You will have a better chance of surviving the Stormgate to Monquista after a good night's rest. You and your crew may stay here."
I nodded. "Thank you, Steed. Have a good night, everyone."