Prelude to Crystal Cove Chronicles

Chapter 2: Homecoming

Standing at the bow of the Mist, her loose, shoulder-length blonde hair gently wafting back and forth in the chill breeze, one Zenya Congreve studied every little detail of the port; the metal and concrete buildings; the hundred or so men of varying ages running back and forth on tasks both varied and essential; and especially the brand new battleship moored in the next dock over, its steel hull barely visible in the darkness before dawn.

Unlike the squat, shallow water coastal defence ships, this vessel was a true warship in every sense, one of the latest model battleships Tantagal had designed and produced in its ongoing efforts to remain the dominant naval power. The ship was big and imposing and had that confident, self-assured look that told anyone seeing it for the first time that here was a ship you did not want to cross.

The vessel had four turrets in a line, two facing forward, two aft, with the conning tower in the middle, and were just as armoured as the rest of the ship. Each turret had two cannons poking through, ready to dispense righteous justice of the hot, flaming death variety to anyone foolish enough to challenge it.

Anyone who regularly sailed the seas eventually had a run-in with pirates, especially when leaving the mostly safe waters around Tantagal itself, and everyone knew someone who had lost at least one friend or family member to them. But in general, the waters between here and the Central Reaches across the eastern ocean were safe, thanks to the efforts of the navy.

Ships like the one Zenya now studied were a large part of the reason why the waters were safe. Patrol routes along the shipping lanes ensured that trade between the two countries happened as efficiently and safely as possible, and the mere presence of a ship like this tended to keep the pirates away, even in the deeper waters further afield.

Zenya counted herself among the fortunate ones who hadn't lost someone to a pirate or other raider, though she had lost family to other causes. Nor had she been unfortunate enough to have a personal run-in; her month-long trip to the city of Karancia had been uneventful, as had the return trip.

Not everyone was so fortunate.

* * *

Shivering in the chilly atmosphere, Zenya decided that heading below decks would be a good idea, now they had arrived in port. Unlike older vessels, the ones constructed primarily from wood, this was a new-style passenger vessel of steel and plastic and infused magical potential. As such, you didn't disembark from the deck, you left via a door in the side of the metal hull.

The mobile steps had already been wheeled across and locked into position, allowing the several hundred passengers to disembark. Zenya patiently waited for the congestion to lighten, then descended the steps as the sunlight gradually began filling in more details of the port.

Tantagal was often known as the Metal City, and the port alone stood as testament to why it had acquired this name. Metal was used in almost all major construction projects here, from the docks to the buildings to the vessels themselves.

Steel beams were embedded within concrete for additional structural strength and stability. Iron still featured prominently in various fixtures such as the black street lamps, each illuminating the port in a warm yellow light, despite steel superseding it for most uses now.

Even Zenya's home featured a great amount of metal in the form of stools, the kitchen table, and a boiler that she was looking forward to getting lit after a few days of terrible sleep and chilliness on the journey home. The Delightful Mist itself was a wondrous vessel, a true marvel of the modern age. But economy class tickets meant tiny cabins lacking proper heating.