A Spoiled Rule

Chapter 7

Thorne worked throughout the night, though Liam slept through the tinkering and clanging of the work being conducted on the mask. When he woke, unsure whether it was daytime or nighttime, he realized the cave was silent and he lifted his head to find Thorne asleep, his head in his arms on the wooden table. Liam's mask had been reduced to a rickety band fused with different materials he could not identify. It looked worse than Prima's. Liam stood and cleared his throat.
Thorne did not wake.
"Thorne," said Liam loudly.
Thorne woke with a start and a couple of papers fell to the ground. His eyes settled on Liam, and he stood, wincing. "Oops," he muttered, stretching out his limbs. "Wasn't supposed to fall asleep."
"Thieves should remain well-rested," said Liam.
Thorne snapped his fingers. "This is true." He grabbed the band and slapped it on Liam's wrist. "Alright, your mask should be fixed. It'll only last half an hour."
"Are you certain it will work?" asked Liam nervously.
Thorne shrugged. "It should. If it does not... But worry is not needed. It has failed me only once, and even then, I survived."
Liam managed a faint smile.
"Well, I have the route well memorized," said Thorne. "An escort will take us to the commons, and we will swim from there. You will follow close to me. It will take ten minutes to arrive at the Shamaland."
"So that leaves ten minutes to search for treasure," said Liam uneasily.
Thorne smiled, revealing his crooked teeth. "That's right. Now, activate your mask just as you step outside." Thorne took three long strides for the door, activated his mask, and stepped through. Liam did not hesitate. He tapped the band and felt the mask secure tightly around his face. Outside the cave, an escort carried him relatively quickly to the commons. He hastily retracted the mask as he stepped inside. He hadn't noticed before that the air inside was thick and uncomfortable in his lungs. He already missed fresh air.
He spotted Thorne waiting at the eastern side of the commons, and Liam hurried toward him when someone grabbed his shoulder. Startled, Liam turned and took a step away from the man standing before him. It was William, though he was stripped of his garments.
"Liam, I am sorry for coming upon you like that," said William apologetically.
"William?" Liam asked in shock. "You are alive!"
"Yes," said William. "I was found by a boy... He seems to live alone in a cave. I've been searching for you, I apologize for failing to reach you sooner."
"That is alright, William," said Liam quietly. "I really must get going, William, I do not have much time. I shall explain it all to you later, here, when-"
"Oliver is alive," said William. His voice sounded broken, and suddenly, the man was on the verge of tears.
Liam's heart skipped a beat. He knew he should not have gotten his hopes up. He could feel death looming over his shoulder.
"I saw him just before I saw you," said William. "And he saw me. I tried to stop him, but... I fear he made for the king. I have failed you once more."
"You have done nothing of the sort," said Liam hastily. "William, you must know by now that while you are held to high standards, you are also granted much forgiveness. What is it that invokes such guilt?"
William hesitated to speak. "There are... There are rumors. And while I must turn a blind eye to rumors, I hold loyalty for my family as well as you, and one of these rumors is personal."
Liam knew Oliver had something to do with this. "Who is the source of these rumors?"
"Oliver," replied William. "But I must insist on their reliability despite the reputation of their source. The rumor in particular concerns my father. Liam, is it true that the Late King used my father as a shield in battle?"
Liam was shocked and overwhelmed. He had heard of no such rumor, and the mere thought made Liam sick. He could never imagine his father doing such a thing. His father was loved by his people. No guard would suggest such a thing, for it would mean ruin. The mere fact that William had meant he was clearly in pain, though Liam did not have any answers. He knew then that the captain of his guard was lost. "I do not know, William. I only regret that I could not keep you from the corruption."
"I have no men to command," said William quietly. "And you are not safe. We cannot be safe in Dínam. If we cannot be safe down here nor up above, there is only one thing left for us to do..."
"You are the strongest soldier I know," said Liam honestly. "There is still light here, William. Please," Liam laid a hand on William's shoulder. "Please see that, my friend. I cannot lose you."
William nodded, though his eyes were glazed.
"I must get going," said Liam. "Will I meet you here?"
"Of course, My King."
Liam nodded and reluctantly turned away from William. He met Thorne, who was muttering and tugging at his hair. He pointed a finger at Liam's chest. "I shall kill you if we die," he threatened. He stepped through a doorway in front of him.
Liam reactivated his mask and stepped through the doorway. He spotted Thorne swimming into the darkness of the sea, where the lights ceased. Liam pushed off the sea floor and followed. He had only received training to swim as a boy, but he had never forgotten. Even then, he never would have thought that he'd be so deep in the water, using his training to steal treasure with a thief.
The further they swam into the gloom, the heavier the mask became on Liam's face. Whatever tinkering Thorne had done, the mask was not as comfortable as before. It was also louder, a whirring constantly in his ears. Soon, Liam's bones began to ache from the cold temperature and his ears throbbed from the pressure.
"Can you hear me?" came Thorne's voice.
Liam was reminded that he was not alone. "Yes, I can hear you."
"Good! We don't have much time. Do not stray too far." He swam onward, and Liam followed. Fish swam near and weaved around them, emerging from the dark only to return. Liam could no longer feel his fingertips and his chest ached, and when he began to consider stopping, Thorne spoke.
"Alright, we've made it," he said, floating in front of Liam, his toes digging into the sand. He was only visible by a tiny light coming from his mask. "Don't stray too far. We've only got a couple of minutes." He swam toward the royal vessel, which sat nearby like an art piece amongst a garbage heap. Liam wasn't sure if it was his mask, but the more he strained to see, the brighter his vision became. There were many pieces of rotting wood protruding from the sand. There sat open chests, and large fish nearly as big as Liam swam by, which dropped the water temperature even further.
Thorne disappeared inside the royal vessel, so Liam swam toward a small boat that seemed built to fit three people, though it was hard to determine, for the middle was split and half of it was buried deep in the sand. He wished to read the side of the boat, though the painting was in no fit state. Perhaps it was a traveler's boat. Harksgold did have many inspiring travelers.
Liam spotted a slab of gold lying half-buried in the sand, and he maneuvered around wooden posts and wreckage. As he neared, he recognized its craftsmanship, and a chill spread through his body. It was a breastplate of Harksgold. It was not rusted, though a bit of coral was growing upon it. Instinctively he reached for the breastplate despite his pounding heart. He needed only to see the backside of it in order to determine whom it had belonged to. He could hear his shallow breaths in his mask.
"Veelam!"
Suddenly Thorne was in front of him. A massive beast came from the gloom and narrowly missed Liam. He heard Thorne cry out in pain. Blood stained the water around them, but Thorne was still swimming.
"Let's go!" Thorne said loudly, grabbing onto Liam's arm. Liam nudged the breastplate with his foot and caught a glimpse of the words inscribed on its underside, before sand clogged his vision. Thorne pulled Liam away and together they swam as fast as able away from the Shamaland. Liam glanced behind and saw the massive beast, though it seemed to be lingering at the spot he was just in. "What sort of beast was that?" asked Liam.
"A Veelam," said Thorne hysterically. "It's the beast of the Shamaland! It is attracted to treasure."
Liam was grateful for the mask, else he'd be tasting the blood in the water. "Are you alright?"
"We will arrive at the cave," said Thorne. "Then I shall tell you how I feel."
They swam for a while, and the water seemed to grow warmer and lights appeared as they neared the commons. Thorne's breaths grew louder as they went, and Liam could have passed by Thorne, but he gave the man distance out of respect and gratefulness. Three Dínes had already saved Liam's life, and it saddened him, for he was not confident in the people of Harksgold to do such a thing when given the opportunity.
"The Veelam has killed all of my predecessors," said Thorne quietly between strokes. "It is only a matter of time before I perish by its magnificence."
"Why did you keep it from me?" asked Liam. "You did not tell me."
"They kept it from me," said Thorne defensively.
Finally, they reached the commons. Just as they stepped into the food court, Liam's mask broke into pieces. He felt a shard of it cut his head. Thorne was, despite his wound, already halfway across the commons towards the door. Liam hurried forward, though he wasn't sure how he'd get back to the cave without his mask. He also did not see William nearby.
A moment later, Liam had picked up his bronze escort. Thorne glanced back at him, then rode toward his cave. Liam sighed. He would have to use more of his training. He held his breath as he stepped through the door and onto his escort. He closed his eyes and tried not to count, for it would only make him more worried. He could feel the water churn past, and his lungs began to burn.
He felt the escort stop, and he stumbled forward blindly and nearly fell onto the floor of Thorne's cave. He was vaguely aware of his seemingly magically dried clothes. He closed the door and looked to Thorne, who was leaning against the wall of the cave, holding the band of his mask. He threw it on the table and grabbed part of his oversized shirt, which he tore too easily.
"Can I help?" asked Liam seriously.
Thorne gritted his teeth and shook his head. "The Veelam has a protective layer of skin, like armor." He tied the cloth around his leg just below his knee, where a large gash had been leaking blood through his pant leg. The cloth didn't seem long enough nor thick enough, for blood began to oozed through the material and down his leg. Nevertheless, Thorne continued, "This sort of armor juts out at various angles, and while the detail is so fine it cannot be seen, when brushed, it will cut easily and deeply." His complexion was pale despite the golden glow of the lantern on the table. He took a few unsteady steps toward the table and reached into his pocket.
"Did... Did you find anything in the vessel?" asked Liam. He hoped something good came from their dangerous trip. He touched the cut near his eye from the breaking of his mask. Blood lie on his fingers.
"Not from the vessel," said Thorne. He dropped a necklace onto the table. Liam took a closer look. It was a stunning piece of jewelry with a precious gem that glittered purple in the golden light. While the chain was entangled with seaweed, it was still dazzling. "The necklace!" exclaimed Liam, tugging at a paper where Thorne had drawn the very necklace. "You found it! Where was it hid?"
Thorne stumbled, and Liam caught him. He was overcome with shame for having forgotten briefly of Thorne's injury. "You've lost a lot of blood."
Thorne gripped the table and sat clumsily on the floor. He was beginning to sweat. "A Veelam excretes poison from its body through its shell," said Thorne faintly.
Liam's heart began to pound. He did not want to be the cause of this thief's death. "How lethal is the poison?"
Thorne laid his head down on the ground and closed his eyes. "I have survived the poison before all alone..." His breaths slowed to those of peaceful, rhythmic ones.
Liam called Thorne's name. He even tried Tholam, but the man did not respond. He began to pace. He found he was doing such things automatically; a newfound freedom he was uncomfortable with. Yet he could not cease his pacing. He needed to speak with William, else he may be lost in the evil forever. He also needed to speak with Stephen. Liam feared his time in Dínam was more limited than expected. Yet the only man who could repair his mask was unconscious, possibly even dying, and the man who could help him was out studying the fishies.
Liam shook his head. The corrupt inventor could not have invented another method to travel underwater? In the back of his mind, looming over all his worries, were the concerns of his father. Liam had never before heard of the rumors that were coming to surface. He had always believed and remembered his father to be a man of loyalty and love toward his family and his people. He remembered Harksgold loving his father until his death a few years prior. His father had trusted Liam to take his place and be an even better man, though Liam had not been sure that was possible at the time. Yet perhaps his father had only received love from those who were well-off. Liam could not recall much the opinions of the people of Chroal. He knew of the reforms his father put into place. Every tale of war Liam had heard his father tell involved nobility and honor.
Liam was beginning to feel how William felt. The rumors were driving his thoughts toward chaos.
"Liam."
Liam first glanced at the unconscious Thorne, though he recognized the voice and knew it had come from behind. He turned to find Stephen standing just inside the cave. Stephen froze when he saw Thorne on the ground. He looked back to Liam and seemed to scan him for wounds. "What has happened? Are you alright? You have cut your head!"
"I am alright," Liam said. "He was poisoned by a beast in the water."
Stephen knelt and pulled out his scanner. "I was told that you were sharing a cave with a thief." He held the device over Thorne's chest. "How are you feeling?"
"Much better," Liam replied shortly. "Stephen, I would like to tell you what has happened, but there are more pressing matters at hand. William is alive, along with Oliver."
Stephen stood, his face a mixture of disgust and worry. He pocketed the scanner. "How are we to tell the king if he believes you to be a thief?"
"We cannot tell the king," said Liam. "I suspect the damage has already been done, both to us and William. Have you heard of this rebel community?"
Stephen nodded. "Gresham and Prima seem fond yet hesitant of the idea."
"I believe it exists, and if we can make contact, I believe they will help," said Liam. "I know you are not well versed in such a thing, so if you'd prefer, you can inform Gresham and Prima, who may have a means of communication."
"Why is it that you cannot undertake such a job?" asked Stephen quietly.
"I fear William blew my cover indefinitely. Have you any information on the zombies?"
Stephen straightened, his curly hair falling into his eyes. "I have been studying the patterns of fish nearby, and I have indeed found something odd. To begin, I scanned a small fish swimming beyond the commons, and inside the fish I noticed a sort of virus, though it appeared dormant, for the fish's behavior was normal. I do not yet know how long the virus has been inside the fish, but I do know that it is not inside every fish... Not yet."
"A virus unlike any common to sea life?" asked Liam.
Stephen nodded. "I plan on finding whether eating such a fish will affect humans. It is only a matter of time before some Díne eats one."
"Do you think the virus can be transmitted through the bite of fish?" asked Liam.
"I am not sure, though I hope not," said Stephen. "I have yet to discover whether this virus is also lingering in large fish."
"And Thorne?" asked Liam, glancing at the unconscious thief.
"Well, I am new to the poison, but it has slowed his heart rate significantly," said Stephen, stooping back down over Thorne. "I assume the poison has originated from this wound..." He peeled back the cloth tied around Thorne's leg. "He is at risk of infection, though I do not know where I can go for medicine. I can clean his leg to the best of my ability. I can also continue to monitor his vitals."
Suddenly, four men in black crashed through the door.
"Don't move!" one of the men shouted through his Aquadínito. Stephen was shoved harshly against the wall, and his scanner was thrown to the ground and stomped on. A band was forced around Liam's wrist, though the man before him did not activate it. Through his mask, he said, "Open your mouth."
Liam hesitated. He knew he should not have hesitated, but he could not help it. His mind betrayed him, and fear was taking over.
"By order of King Mettiam, you will come willingly!" the man said loudly.
Liam could feel Stephen staring at him. Even then, he was being watched. Liam dropped his jaw, and the man before him shoved a piece of cloth inside that tasted sour. Then the man activated the mask, which clasped tightly over Liam's face. The overwhelming sour taste in his mouth and the suffocating mask made Liam's eyelids droop.
"Liam!" gasped Stephen.
"Leave the thief," one of the guards ordered. "We must get going."