I looked over and noticed that Céírde had pulled out a book that was larger than mine and laid it on the table. It had faint, yellow, horizontal lines across the pages. She was already writing something at the top of it. Jael and William both sat back in their chairs and folded their arms. Klintock and Keokin both leaned forward. I moved my chair back a little bit and retrieved my pack, putting it into my lap. I saw that Leola was doing the same.
“The names of your specific duties are written on each of your packs. If you would.” Edorin said and motioned with his hands for us to put our packs on the table. Me and Leola were expecting this so ours were the first up. “Guardian. That means Klintock, Croí, and Jael.”
Pay attention Blunder this is you. “The Guardian’s duties are as follows. Top priority is to protect your fellow Agers from any harm. Do not let them die. Do not let them break any bones. Don’t even let them get sad and cry if you can help it. Keep an ever-watchful eye on the safety and security of the group and your surroundings. Coordinate with the Leader and make sure that you take the safest route whenever possible. You will always take up the front, back, and middle of the group when traveling to act like a shield for your group members. Clear on that?”
We all nodded in agreement. “Second priority for Guardians is to maintain and produce weapons for the group so they can defend themselves. If you know any form of combat the group is unfamiliar with, you are to impart as much of that knowledge on your group as possible. Clear?”
Again, we nodded, trying hard to keep up. “Third priority is to observe and log any and all creatures of interest whenever possible. Primarily the ones that seem dangerous or pose a threat. Be sure to add in as much information on the creatures as possible. Along with this, you are to safeguard the findings of the Gatherer or other members of your group. This includes plant samples, dirt samples, animal samples and the like. Clear?” Jael rose her hand. “What is it Jael?”
“Why do we safeguard the findings? What’s so important about dirt and plants? And why catalog creatures?” There was a small pause, then she added. “Captain.” Edorin looked around, then asked.
“Anybody have an answer?” I think it’s so that if we meet that creature again it would be ‘known’ to us and therefore easier to overcome or evade, theoretically. And we could bring our books back to Edorin so that future generations would know what to watch for as well. But I’m probably wrong. Klintock spoke up.
“We catalog the creatures so that they become easier to deal with for us in the future, as well as for the Agers that come after us. It’s the same thing with the samples. If we find something dangerous that hasn’t been discovered yet, it’s important that we keep it with us so we can watch for it and make sure that we return with it for future Agers to study. Right Captain?” Edorin nodded, an impressed look on his face.
“Exactly. Make sense?” He asked, mostly to Jael. She sat back in her chair and crossed her arms again with a nod. What about?... I raised my hand, just barely to chest height. Edorin looked over.
“Go on Croí.” I put my hand back down.
“If we are in a situation where we must choose one over the other, is it ok to lose the samples if we keep the group safe? And I was wondering if we were going to be able to look at the findings of Agers that came before us Captain?” I asked nervously. Edorin smiled.
“That goes back to your priorities. Priority one is the group’s safety, two is weapons and armaments, and last is the findings. If you’re asking whether you’ll be punished for losing the samples, the answer is no. As soon as I’ve gone over everything in each pack and answered questions, then I’ll hand over all the findings we have. Anything else?” I thought for a second.
“What if.” I thought about how to word it. “What is the punishment for a Guardian if a group member dies?” Some of the group looked over at me and seemed surprised. What did I do? Bad question? Edorin answered simply.
“That depends on the death. If you sat by and did nothing, then you will be judged when you return. If you are the one that orchestrated the death, there is an incredibly good chance you will suffer the same fate as the one you killed when you return. If you do everything you can and the worst does come to pass despite your efforts, then you will still have to answer for what you did when you return, but your group should be able to testify on your behalf to help you avoid punishment. Although, admittedly, anyone in the immediate area is also responsible for that death as well. That answer well enough Croí?”
“Yes Captain.” I sunk back into my chair.
“You’re telling me there’s going to be a trial where we get judged on our performance when we get back? I thought when we get back, we choose our careers and move on.” William asked irritably. Edorin sighed.
“Now’s as good a time as any to explain something else to the rest of you. I am your Captain, and it is respectful and proper for you to address me as such. However, my position, much like this ship, is designed to aid all of you. So, when needed, I will act as your mentor, or counsellor, but until such a time, I am always to be addressed as Captain. So, William. Choose our careers and move on…?” He asked, trailing off. William grumpily added.
“Captain.” Edorin nodded before replying to William’s question.
“Not exactly. More that we ask a few questions to see how things went and what all of you need. If it’s revealed that someone was, shall we say, morally challenged, we address that in whatever way is deemed most fit.” William scoffed and folded his arms. Edorin squinted at William, small and only for a split second.
What was that? Was he studying him? Or was he mad? Edorin continued. “When you return, you will meet with the Elders, and you will receive any help you need. Then you will be able to pick what place in our society you wish to aim for, but we don’t need you to make those choices yet. For now, do your best to focus only on the Aging.”
He glanced around gauging the effect of his words. Klintock raised his hand and Edorin nodded at him.
“You said the ship was made to aid us. What do you mean by that Captain?” Klintock asked. Edorin smiled.
“The layout is unique compared to that of most any other standard ship. There are large rooms designed with high ceilings for training, with large portions of the ship having been outfitted with workstations, tool benches, or other equipment necessary for your training. The crew is made up of individuals whose days revolve around training you before tending to their other duties.” Klintock nodded thoughtfully.
“Right.” Edorin started. “Next is Assist, just you Céírde. Your number one priority is pretty much what it sounds like. Your job is to make sure that everyone else’s job gets done. If the group needs a fighter, you’re a fighter. If the group needs a leader, you’re a leader. If everyone is doing their jobs, then you go to your second priority. Provide counsel and aid to the leader and the specialists, meaning the Gatherer, Aid, and Provider. You are to operate independently of the others and stay neutral in all squabbles and debates, when possible. Other than that, you study the findings to the best of your ability and update yourself as to the challenges you’ll be facing. Any questions?”
“Yes. I understand. No, no questions Captain.” Oh, that was fast, seems like it might be a tough job. Or at least a busy one.
“Good. Next is Support, William and Lánn. Your top priority is to watch out for your group members in a slightly different way. You are to make sure that everyone has what they need to best accomplish their tasks. This means gathering materials so that you and the Guardians can craft weapons, gathering food for meals, pointing out anything you may need to the Provider and Leader for hunting parties, making clothes, mending clothes, that sort of thing.”
He took a sharp breath and continued. “You are to stick together and work together to the best of your ability. Whenever your group stops for the night, your focus will be on gathering wood for the fire, if allowed, set up tents if necessary, and generally set up your camp. If I were to make it even simpler, you’re the homemakers. Like the mothers of the group. Any questions?” William chuckled.
“Yeah, I got one. Why in the great wide Saol (Sail) am I a support? Do I look like a mother to you?” Edorin sighed, flashing another small squint.
“I’m assuming that was a rhetorical question.” Edorin said plainly.
“I am to be addressed as Captain.” The way he said it, emphasizing the word ‘Captain’, was intimidating. Almost like a low growl. William acted nonchalant, but I could tell he was affected like the rest of us. He stared William down. William tried to hold his gaze, but it wasn’t long before he looked away and said.
“Captain.”
“As for why you were chosen to fill the extremely important Support position, the Elders back home on Ionad Talún all dedicate their entire lives to put those packs right where they belong. Maybe the reason your job is to be a ‘mother’ is because you lack a caring bone in your body, and this will help you develop one. It’s not for me to know. All I know is that when I leave, you can all swap jobs to your heart’s content, though, I strongly advise against it. The Elders are centuries older and wiser than I’ll ever be, using magics that almost nobody understands. I would trust them and focus on what you can learn from this. That’s all you need to know.” He said. William scoffed and sat back in his chair, kicking his feet up onto the table and folding his arms. Several of us sighed, disappointed.
“With respect Captain. If I’m trusting my life, and the life of my group to the decisions of the Elders, I’d like to know how they reached their decisions.” Keokin said simply. Edorin sighed.
“I would explain it to all of you, but I can’t. Under order of the Elders. Every Ager learns the process when they return to be judged. The Elders make it clear to us that knowing the process before then could affect the outcome of your Aging. Why do you think the Aged keep our experiences on the Islands secret? Knowledge is a powerful thing but knowing something before it’s time could be dangerous. The most I can say for now, is that it’s a magical process. An ancient, and well-practiced magical skill that the Elders devote their lives to practicing. I can’t say anymore. Just…” He sighed. “Trust me. It works.”
It wasn’t much, but it was more than I’d ever gotten. Then, suddenly, Lánn’s right arm shot up. Edorin blinked a few times, eyebrows raised.
“…Yes?” She put her arm back down and asked her question nervously.
“Are we the ones who gather the food Captain? And why do we all have specific jobs Captain? Why don’t we all just do everything Captain? Also, why wouldn’t we set up a tent or fire? Captain.” She got a surprised look on her face and held her hands up to her mouth as if to quiet herself, letting out a small muffled. “Sorry Captain. Those just kind of slipped out Captain.” Edorin gave a lopsided smile and chuckled. Lánn’s nervousness was apparent to everyone.
“First, you don’t need to call me Captain any more than once per exchange. As for your questions, yes and no. You are to gather things that you see and need, however, hunting and going off to look for specifics isn’t necessarily your job, that falls on the hunting parties organized by the Provider and Leader. As for why you all have specific jobs, that is the way that has most often yielded success with previous Agers. You don’t need to adhere to your duty every single moment, however. If a Guardian has an opportunity to do some gathering or providing then by all means, gather and provide. Your duty is to be your primary focus because that’s what you’re best at, according to the Elders, or it is something that you will grow into. You could do everything, but then you might get overworked, and there would be infighting regarding who the leader would be. Some jobs would be done more than others, and some not at all. This way may cause you all a little discomfort. Once you get used to it, you’ll see the benefits. Some creatures on the Island only dwell on specific portions and are drawn to fire or are agitated around fire. Tents are nice, but if something gets in your tent, they tend to turn into more of a death trap.”
He paused to let what he’d said sink in. “Anything else?” He asked. Lánn shook her head quickly several times. “Great. Next is the Gatherer. That’s Flint. Your priority is to observe everything. Learn the findings as well as or better than the Assist and do your best to add as much as possible to them. Coordinate with the Assist the best you can to make sure you both are on the same page. Notify the Provider and Supports of all new ingredients, or things to avoid. Your job is, essentially, to learn as much as possible and bring all that knowledge back with you. Questions?” Flint was squinting and biting his lip. “Question?” Edorin pushed.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.
“I’m just not sure why I would get this job. I’ve always been more of a fighter, not a thinker Captain.” Edorin tapped the table for emphasis as he replied.
“That’s it right there. You’ll learn just how useful that overactive brain of yours can be. Trust me kid, the Gatherer for my Aging was almost exactly like you. Couldn’t sit still for more than five seconds and was always struggling to pay attention to our Captain.”
“I’ll take your word for it Captain.” Flint replied.
“Good. Mine’s the only one you really need anyways.” Edorin said, smiling to emphasize he was jesting. “Now. On to the Provider, Míorúilt.” Sable perked up.
“Aye Captain.” Míorúilt? I thought her name was Sable. Though now that I think about it, I do remember her being called by that name during the ceremony.
“Peppy, that’s good.” Edorin said chuckling. “Your priority is pretty simple. To provide. When the Supports need a deer, you get that deer. You are the scout; you are always looking out for danger. As well as looking for food or samples. When your group stops and camp is being set up, you are on the lookout for danger, constantly circling the camp and probing beyond the camp’s borders to ensure that not only the campsite, but the surrounding area is safe. That all make sense to you?” Sable nodded, smiling.
“Yup. Sounds like fun Captain.” A few of us, including myself, snickered at her response.
“Great, that’s a first.” Said Edorin.
“One thing though. I don’t really go by Míorúilt at home. If it’s not too much trouble, can you call me Sable, Captain?”
“Very well. Anything else?” He asked. She shook her head. “Alright, next is the Aid, Leola. Your job is possibly the most troubling, but also one of the most important. You are the healer. You will provide medical attention to the injured, and Gods forbid the need arise, prepare, and follow through on funeral rites. Physical health isn’t all you need to pay attention to. You will also pay attention to the mood of the group, help to root out squabbles and bickering, and comfort those lost in sadness. It would be preferred for you to stay out of any combat as well. Being as how your job is to patch up other people, not have to patch yourself up. Most important among your tasks, which our Aid will explain, is taking care of the mental growth of your fellow Agers. We have an amazing Aid on board this ship, the two of you will be introduced later.” Leola nodded her head.
“I’d like that very much Captain.”
“Any questions Leola?” Edorin asked. Leola thought for a minute.
“You mentioned funeral rites. What do we do with the bodies, if that happens Captain?”
“Bodies are to be burned.” Several of the group members gasped. Burned? That’s Dagda’s Reverence though. I don’t worship Dagda. My favored God, Fomhár, wishes that your body is buried upright, like a seed to bring new life. If I can’t do that… How would being burned affect that? Although now that I think about it, it does make sense. If someone died then you wouldn’t be able to carry them around for the entire trip while trying to stay alive, or fulfill their specific funeral rites, without being a properly ordained Shepherd. But… still…
“Captain.” Klintock started.
“What is it Klintock?” Edorin asked.
“Why burned? What about our families? What about our favored Gods? Will any part or token be preserved for return to our families?”
“The Shepherds communed with Dagda, Father of Gods. Ordinarily ritual burning is His Reverence but, in this case, it will send you to Dagda and he’ll take you to your favored God or Goddess. The things you left behind, your clothes and jewelry, are what they will bury in your place. And yes, a lock of hair or special item, which is to be dictated by the hypothetical deceased, will be taken back from the Island by your fellow Agers. If the worst were to happen, you can be confident in the knowledge that you will not be punished by the Gods. Do you all understand.”
We all nodded our understanding. Edorin continued. “Ok, finally is the Leader, Keokin. Your job is probably the most important, and among the most difficult. Your priority is the survival and safety of the entire group. You will work closely with all of them to provide food, shelter, water, clothing, weapons, and guidance. Every decision rests on your head. Whether to cut across a river or find a safer way across. Every injury or, Gods forbid, death rests on your shoulders, and you will be the first one judged upon returning home. The mental and physical health of every group member takes priority over everything else. No piece of information or new species of creature is more important than the lives and safety of your group. Your team. Your family.” Keokin sighed heavily before replying in a serious tone.
“I understand Captain.”
“Good. Any questions from anybody?” Edorin asked. We stayed quiet and he nodded to Zanataz, who moved over to a chest and pulled out several large books and brought them over to the table. They thudded heavily as he let them fall a few inches. Edorin grabbed the top book. “On to the second order of business. Your Trial Island.”
He flipped the book open. “The Island itself is quite massive. It will take you at least six months to cross it. However, if your group is delayed by injuries, having to double back, or any other general delays, then it will take you closer to the two-year mark. You have two years before I will return for you, and I recommend you take your time.” He unfolded a piece of paper and laid it on the table. It was a map of the Island. “These areas.” He pointed to four areas circled in red near the northwest coast of the Island. “Are primarily unexplored. As well as the peak of this mountain here.” He pointed to where the mountain was on the map. “Nearly everywhere else on the Island has been explored to varying degrees. Your group will be dropped off right here.” He pointed to a spot on the Northeast portion of the Island near the top. “And your goal as a team is to make it here.” He tapped a point on the southernmost portion of the Island. “Before your two-year term is up, how you get there is up to your Leader, and I would guess some majority voting.” Keokin raised his hand.
“What sort of opposition are we expecting Captain?” All of us nodded. We had been hearing whispers and ghost stories about the Island and the creatures that lived there all our lives, but never specifics. We wanted to know what we would be facing. We wanted to know if it was worse or better.
“I’m not going to lie. Some of the creatures there are bigger than this ship. Several of them. And the ones that aren’t, make up for it with their ferocious appetite, aggression, and tenacity. There’s a reason we call them the Trial Islands. One of our groups came back talking about a fissure in the ground that insects of incredible size came from in the unexplored regions. Then there’s Peata an Bháis (Pee-aw-tuh N Vawsh), the Pet of Death. An enormous spider that has already taken forty-two Cianíans that we know of. If you ever do run across Peata an Bháis, there is a bounty on its head, as well as a reward for evidence of any recovered Cianían remains. Though I must tell you, that creature didn’t get its name by accident. Nobody that’s tried to kill it survived. Well, aside from Old Greig (Grey-g), but he’s missing too many parts for me to be comfortable with.”
Edorin rubbed his hand over his mouth for a moment and sighed. He sat back in his chair and looked at us for a moment, with a serious countenance. “These books can tell you all about how big and how dangerous these things are, but it doesn’t impact you the same way as knowing what they can do. I want to give you something you can feel and remember. How does that sound?” We looked at each other, some of us nodding ‘yes’, some of us unsure. We turned to Keokin, and he spoke for us.
“We accept. Don’t hold anything back. The whole point of the Aging is for us to stop being children Captain.” Edorin smiled.
“Well spoken. Very well. I was a Support for my group. The first days on the Island were nothing special. We camped on the beach, and I cooked fish until our Leader decided to move inland. On the sixth night, we woke up to the sound of screams. We hadn’t realized it, but we had camped close to a colony of Giant Ants. Each ant at least four or five inches in length. Quick little bastards. Our Assist was the one screaming. The ants had covered most of his body before he woke, and they were tearing him apart piece by piece.”
He took a quick breath. “None of us realized the extent of what was happening until our Gatherer brought over a stick ablaze with fire. With its light we saw the ground to the east of our camp was moving. The entire Eastern side, not just a few feet, but the trees, rocks, and ground alike were turned into a sea of ants. Luckily, the fire scared them off our Assist long enough for us to drag him away. Our Leader ordered me and the other Support to pack up immediately. The others grabbed sticks from the fire to keep the ants away for as long as they could. I swear I’ve never moved so fast in my life. We were packed and ready within minutes and our Leader was ordering us to move out, but the Aid was saying that the Assist couldn’t walk and needed a stretcher. We didn’t have time, so I ran over, put him on my back and we started running, scattering fire behind us to keep the ants away. After we had crossed two separate creeks and believed ourselves safe, we started setting up camp and getting a fire going again. That’s when I noticed that I was wet. ‘Of course I’m wet’ I thought to myself. ‘We’re all wet, we just ran through creeks.’
He sighed, looking at the table. “That’s when I saw the Aid’s face of terror as she looked at the Assist. She got a bed ready for him and I laid him down on it. Well, most of him. Little bits of him were stuck to me and got pulled off. That’s when I noticed that the entire back half of my body was covered in his blood and gore. Then I saw his face.”
He sighed and took a breath, observing the affect his story was having. Flint and Lánn looked like they were about to be sick, and what he said next didn’t help. “His right eye was hanging out of his head, and the lips on the right side of his face were missing along with most of his tongue and several teeth.”
This time Lánn was shifting in her seat, visibly disturbed as her feet shot up onto the chair she was on. Flint’s eyes were wide, and his breathing had quickened. Keokin wiped his brow quickly. “He had no right hand, just some bone and a bit of muscle. Same with the forearm. The muscle on his stomach was mostly eaten away and there was a point where you could see his intestines. The entire right side of his body was like that, resembling mush more than a person.” Lánn was now clutching her stomach and mouth at the same time. Zanataz quickly offered her a bucket, which she used to vomit into. Now even Jael and William’s eyes were wide with fear.
“The left side had fingertip sized chunks torn away. Our Leader had to decide. Use as much of the Healing Concentrate as was needed to stabilize him or let him die and burn him. Our Aid was screaming for the Guardians and Leader to give her the means to heal him.”
I could see Edorin’s eyes get wetter as he spoke, but his voice didn’t seem to waver, just get more grave. “He was her brother after all.” I was shaking with fear. I was absolutely terrified as images flashed in my mind of my own brothers partially eaten, coupled with the feeling of ants crawling all over me. I shook my head to get the images out. Edorin continued.
“That was when we noticed that his body looked like it was moving. Some of the ants had burrowed into his skin. We brought over some fire and held it close to make them come out. It revealed to us just how decrepit his body had become. In such a short period of time too. No more than a minute. We ripped them off and tossed them into the fire. Our Aid was begging for us to help heal her brother, but the Leader had made his decision. He didn’t believe the Assist would live even with the help. I was so angry.”
Edorin shook his head with a sad smile. “I didn’t see how he expected us to sit and do nothing as our friend and the Aid’s brother died. I knocked over one of the Guardians and was just about to hand the concentrate over to the Aid when I realized that the Assist had stopped breathing. He’d lost too much blood. Our Leader was right. He didn’t make it. While we had been arguing, the light left his eye, and he had died. None of us slept that night. We lie awake flinching at every shadow and listening to our Aid mourn her brother.”
He rubbed his forehead with his right hand. “I can still hear them sometimes. His screams of pain, and her screams of grief and cries of sorrow.” He took a second to collect himself. I did the same. Doing everything I could to keep myself from shaking in fear. I noticed that Sable, Lánn, and Leola had all pulled their legs up onto their chairs. Like they feared the floor. Edorin continued.
“Most of us didn’t really return to sleeping normally for years. After that experience, our group suffered immensely. Our Aid hated everyone but me and one of the Guardians. Our Leader hated himself, even though in the end he had made the ‘right’ choice. The rest of the group was mourning the loss of their friend and didn’t have any idea how to help the others. We packed up camp and took the Assist’s body to a cliff edge and burned it. We had many other encounters, but we didn’t suffer any major losses and had gotten several months into our journey.”
He tapped a point on the map near the largest mountain. Close to where the small symbol of a spider sat. “We came across caves covered in web, none of us really wanted to go anywhere near them, and our Leader was of the same mind, but we needed to move through a rocky pass that ran next to the cave. Leader took a Guardian to go touch the webs furthest away from the opening. After he had tugged and pulled on it a few times we figured that whatever lived there wasn’t home.”
Edorin’s brows fell, just a little. “Behind one of the webs they were next to, I could see something moving slowly towards them. I shouted for them to look out. I grabbed two spears and started sprinting down towards them. I threw one of the spears at whatever the creature was, but my spear couldn’t fully penetrate the web, a fatal mistake. My spear alerted the Guardian and Leader as to the creature’s whereabouts, but it also spooked the creature into action. That’s when it fully revealed itself to be Peata an Bháis.”
His nose twitched, like he was disgusted and angry. His voice also showed that, ever so slightly. “A spider more than seven feet tall, with two giant black fangs, each easily three feet long. Both group members were sprinting as fast as they could back to the group, but Bháis was much faster than them. I threw my last spear and hit its leg. It hissed and stood on its back legs before returning its attention to its prey. The Guardian stumbled only for a moment, but it was enough. Bháis rammed its fangs through him. Our Leader turned and charged the beast. He threw his spear, hitting one of its eyes. It wasn’t enough to stop it, it still had seven other eyes and our Leader only had his Sealgair (Shall-guh-reh) left. But a two foot steel blade against a seven foot spider meant very little. Bháis charged him, and though our Leader severed a leg, one of its other legs caught his left arm. It tore the arm off as it threw him into the air with ease. That’s when we discovered that, aside from the massive fangs, Bháis had a mouth full of teeth. It used this mouth to catch our Leader and bite off his left leg above the knee.”
He glanced at me for a moment. “Had it not been for our Guardian throwing a well-placed flaming spear into Bháis’s face, impaling an eye, our Leader would’ve died. Instead, Bháis retreated. The rest of the group joined in with the Guardian throwing spears. Bháis took the dead Guardian’s body and backed into the dark of the cave. We grabbed Leader and went through the pass as fast as we could possibly go. We never saw that monster again. Now you know. If you don’t do your jobs. If you don’t act as a single cohesive unit. If you don’t keep your heads on a swivel and take this seriously. Those of you that return will have similar stories to tell.”
He grabbed the books and handed them out to us. “Now. On that lovely note. On to our group policies regarding intimacy and fraternization. Do any of you know anything about them?”