Legends of Ivaloria

Chapter 14

"You sure we're going in the right direction?" asked Corlys.

"I don't have a map, idiot," said Astryn. "According to you, this high-tech levitation device should be going the right way."

"I don't even know where we were kept," said Corlys. "It'd be easier to figure out if we're going in the correct direction if we knew where we came from."

"Well, wake this guy up, then," said Astryn. She pointed to Gryff, who still lay on the floor of the pod.

"Wake up!" shouted Corlys. Gryff didn't move.

"If he were to be standing, he'd take much less space to fit in here," said Astryn. She was pressed against the front of the pod, while Corlys sat with his back to Gryff and his legs dangling in the air. Gryff comfortably lay sprawled in the middle.

"Are you sure Hywell won't be chasing us?" asked Astryn.

"He definitely will," said Corlys. "But I don't see how any horse could outrun this thing which we're floating on."

"We have to give this a name, don't we?" said Astryn.

"What about Flo?" said Corlys.

"Flo? Who's Flo?" said Gryff, sitting up.

"Woah, be careful there," said Corlys. "I'm going to fall if you keep squirming around your little seat. By the way, can you stand? I'd get some more space if you did."

"I still can't get over the fact that Corlys Frize can name a levitating thing 'Flo'," said Astryn. She extended a hand, and Gryff stood.

"Where are we?" said Gryff.

"Sorry for hitting you with a rock," said Astryn. "I needed to create a distraction for us to escape."

"Sure you did," said Gryff. "If you would've asked, you actually could have got me to give you the FloatBoat and see you on your way."

"Wait a minute," said Astryn. "This thing is called a FloatBoat?"

"I'm still calling it Flo," said Corlys.

"You both are missing my point!" said Gryff. "I would help you, even join your cause!"

This got both Astryn and Corlys's attention. "You're Trisley's son," said Corlys. "Why would you go over to her enemies?"

"Well, that's because she hasn't treated me very well!" he said. "From my childhood, it was my father, King Qistorm, who ever cared for me. When he disappeared, my mother assumed me old enough to maintain the dungeons, even though there was no one there!"

"She imprisoned her own son in her own dungeon?" said Astryn. "That's rough. I have a cause of bad parenting too, but not as bad as yours."

"See!" said Gryff. "She understands."

"Who said I didn't understand?" said Corlys.

"Moving on," continued Astryn. "Gryff, where were we being held?"

"That's easy," said Gryff. "At Kast."

"The island of Kast?" said Astryn.

"Look out!" shouted Corlys. Suddenly, the land beneath them gave way to water.

"Perfect timing," said Gryff. "If my maps are correct, we should be crossing over to Izel right now, where my aunt rules."

"Yes, I see the land now," said Corlys.

"So fast?" said Astryn. "We just entered the water."

"This model of the FloatBoat has a maximum speed of the speed of sound," explained Gryff. "We aren't at maximum speed, because if we were, all of us would be thrown from the boat due to the huge speed and the similar huge force."

"Sounds scary," said Astryn. "I somewhat want to try it."

"Astryn," Corlys warned. "I'm already swinging from this pod, so don't even think about maximum speed."

"Fine," said Astryn. "What do we do if Hywell catches up?"

"Increase the speed, but not to maximum speed," said Corlys.

"Sure," said Astryn. "How do I increase the speed again?"

"You just take this lever, and pull it back like this," said Gryff, increasing the speed just a little.

"Okay, thanks," said Astryn. "Now I have the weapon of shutting Corlys up whenever he gets too annoying."

"That's unpleasant to hear," said Corlys.

"Look out!" said Gryff. On the land of Izel nearby, soldiers lined up into battle formation, and there was no guessing why. 

"Word must have got around that we escaped," said Astryn.

"At least Hywell's not here to torture us again," said Corlys.

"Do you all realize what a mess you have put me in?" said Gryff. "This will look like I tried to escape, and my mother will give me over to Hywell for sure!"

"Not if we don't let you get caught," said Astryn. "Everyone, hold on!" 

She shouted, "Take us to Qis!", and then, she pulled the speed lever as far back as she could.

The pod jolted, and then the wind seemed to shriek out as the pod slowly jumped to the maximum speed. As the land came nearer, the pod zoomed past hundreds of soldiers. The soldiers stood out of the way of the pod for their own safety. The pod raced against the wind, flipping Astryn's hair around.

"Is everyone here?" she managed, once she had outrun the soldiers.

"No," replied Gryff. "I think Corlys fell."

"What?" said Astryn. But before she could stop the pod and check, the pod stopped itself, and what Astryn saw rooted her to the ground. 

They had reached Qis in less than two minutes, and a battle raged around them.