Heretical Fishing

Book 4: Chapter 15: Advancements

As I gazed out at the surrounding forest, the midmorning sun peppered my bare shoulders. Its heat was diminished by a soft, ever-present breeze that blew from behind, seeming to encourage our decision to return home.

It had been four long days since Maria’s breakthrough, and as I turned to take in the gathered supplies, I couldn’t help but smile at how much my rag-tag group of pals and I had managed to accomplish.

Laying on the back of the load like sunbathing lizards, Deklan and Dom slept without a care in the world, both snoring softly as they recovered from a morning of meditation. Borks was splayed out on his back between them, his upper lip flopping down with gravity to reveal a ridiculous-looking smile.

Beside me, Barry stretched his muscular arms above his head, each limb wider than the planks we were transporting. “I don’t know how they’re so comfy on top of dried hardwood...”

“Indeed, friend Barry,” Marcus replied, sparing the twins a quick peek before returning his attention to the horses pulling us along the seldom-traveled road.

Though he’d only spoken three words, Marcus’s contribution to the conversation brought me untold joy. Ever since the king had basically abducted and forced him to lead an expedition toward the fallen city of Theogonia—followed by an extremely misguided and objectively ineffective assault on Tropica that ended in the king, uhhh, ceasing to exist—the formerly jovial merchant had become quite reserved. It was exactly why I’d brought him on this little expedition, and it seemed to be working.

The man sitting beside him was, undoubtedly, the biggest source of Marcus’s shift in outlook. Though they referred to each other as business partners, there was clearly a deeper relationship than that. Even if I couldn’t literally feel the love they had for one another, I would have been able to tell by the stolen glances and lingering stares. There was no need for them to hide it, of course, but I would respect their privacy.

Danny, the last member of the expedition, stretched and let out a soft groan. “As much as I enjoyed seeing my old guards in the capital again, I can’t wait to get back to Tropica. I wonder how far everyone has gotten in four days...”

It was something I’d oft considered since we left, the thought more frequent with each passing day. “I don’t want to get my hopes up, but at the same time, a lot can happen in four days.”

“Less,” Barry replied, extending his chest and striking a pose.

I grinned at both his ridiculous physique and the happiness it brought him. “It doesn’t matter if nobody had such a dramatic breakthrough. I’m just excited to see everyone’s progress.”

Barry nodded at my words. “Who should we check up on first?”

“You guys can go where you please, but I know where I’m heading.” I pictured her in my mind, my memory of her only growing more beautiful with our time apart.

“You know….” Deklan sat up and covered a yawn. “You always get a goofy look on your face when you think about Maria.”

“I do not.”

“You really do,” Dom added, also sitting up. “Like a child that smells something sweet cooking in the oven.”

Danny snorted. “Couldn’t have said it better. It’s half curiosity, half innocence, and completely adorable.”

Borks ruffed in agreement. He was still upside down with a goofy smile, but now his eyes were on me and his tail wagged, entirely too happy with everyone’s light bullying.

I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks, so I sought something clever to say back. Perhaps something biting enough to redirect everyone’s attention. But enhanced as my brain might be, I settled on something much less diplomatic. “Shut up, Danny.”

They all laughed at me, even Borks making little amused snuffles, and all I could do was accept my fate. I consoled myself by thinking of Maria again.

I wonder if she’s also thinking of me…?

***

Back in Tropica, seated within a pool of crystal water that was lined by opalescent stones, someone was indeed thinking of Fischer. Said individual stretched her muscles as she pictured the strange man that had changed her life for the better. Thanking the universe for the umpteenth time that they had met, she undulated her feminine mouthparts and let out a long yawn before scuttling further back into her favorite nook within the tidal pond.

Opening the lone eye not hidden by her leather patch, Sergeant Snips checked up on the only other human she adored as much as she did Fischer.

Maria had shown remarkable commitment to her purpose, and Snips couldn’t be more proud of her. The moment Snips had felt Maria’s breakthrough, it had been all she could do to not rush over and interrupt the moment like the troublesome otter had. Even from that distance, Snips had known that Maria had become a healer. The power was too similar to the healing waters of her pond to be a coincidence; Maria’s power was stronger, but the parallels were undeniable.

After only four days, Maria was nearing... something. They hadn’t spoken about it, but that didn’t make it less true. As sure as fish was tasty, Maria approached enlightenment. It might take hours, days, or months, but it would eventually arrive. Snips was sure. And it wasn’t only Maria that was attempting to grow stronger.

After her master had left, they had all committed to self improvement. Much like their time training on the sands back when Fischer’s only followers were Snips, Claws, and Pistachio, they had collectively decided that it was time to seek more power.

Now, it wasn’t just Fischer they were protecting. It was the entire church. The entire village. Their very way of life. Given Fischer’s power, it was reasonable to assume he could protect them no matter who or what they came up against, but none of them were willing to take that chance.

Just below Snips, a creature of immense power stirred. Rocky had been in a deep meditation, but having sensed echoes of her emotions and thoughts, he came to comfort her. She tried to apologize, tried to open her mouth and blow soft bubbles of apology, but he was before her in a moment.

His core told her that there was no need to apologize as he leaned in to plant a kiss on her sturdy forehead. As quick as he’d swam up to reassure her, he drifted back down, falling back into his place of meditation. There, he sent her an apology, saying sorry for wanting to return to his meditation. She couldn’t possibly fault him, though. He was seeking to get stronger so that he could protect her and everyone else.

She wanted to blow bubbles of frustration. Wanted to fly down there and force a cuddle upon the cantankerous crab. But she held herself at bay, knowing it was for the best that he advanced. She redirected her thoughts toward another spirit beast, weaponizing her curiosity about the giant crustacean’s goals as a means of distraction. Just what was that lobster thinking...?

***

On the east side of Tropica, facing the ocean and breaking any breeze that blew in from sea, there existed two buildings that didn’t quite belong. It was neither their composition nor appearance that set them apart from the surrounding buildings, but despite this lack of visual evidence, even the weakest of cultivators could sense that something within them was... different.

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Though the sensation wasn’t enough to deter passersby from their vicinity, it was enough to draw the eye of those possessing a core. The only thing that set them apart from the surrounding buildings were the two wooden signs, one on each building’s facade, that lacked any lettering at all. Instead, they both depicted a different marine creature, their likenesses burned into the grain by an artisan.

Unlike most of the citizens strolling by, one man strode directly toward them. He knew well the cause of the anomalous aura flowing out, and as he approached the door to the right, he ran his finger over the building’s sign. The slight indentation of the carved creature was smooth beneath his finger. Smiling to himself, he took a deep breath of the salty air and threw the door wide.

Entering the building, Gary closed the door behind him and cast his eyes forward, staring at the real-life version of the creature depicted outside. Pistachio, the Church of the Leviathan’s chosen deity, met Gary’s eyes with a stoic gaze. Beside the leviathan lobster, Teddy raised a giant paw in greeting and waved, looking slightly embarrassed.

“Hello, Teddy,” Gary said, returning the gesture. “Are you just visiting, or did you decide to help...?”

The reply that came from Teddy’s core was all that Gary needed to know, and it made his heart skip a beat. Teddy was going to join their cause.

Gary didn’t bother hiding his elation. “Wonderful! I think your nature is perfectly suited for it, and we’re glad to have you. Pop by whenever you want, even if no one is in.”

Pistachio lifted a colossal clacker and snicked it together in agreement, and Teddy gave a soft nod.

Gary turned toward Pistachio. “How are they? Any change overnight?”

Pistachio shook his lumbering head.

“Well, with any luck, I might have found something to change that.”

Gary strolled over and unshouldered a large bag, placing it beside the giant tank that Pistachio and Teddy were peering down at. Because of the aquarium's size and contents, Gary could only see a few of the inhabitants, most of them hiding away in the coral and rocks. Those he could see seemed something between lazy and thoughtful.

An odd pulse came from Pistachio’s core, which was a surprisingly powerful show of emotion from the stoic crustacean. Curiosity.

“Oh, right! Sorry.”

Gary dug his hand into the bag and pulled out a small box. When he popped it open, a sweet scent flowed out, making his mouth water despite having eaten on his way back. The whites of Teddy’s eyes became visible as he leaned forward, his overlarge nose twitching with each sniff of the enticing berries. Gary plucked a second box out of the bag, this one much cruder in construction.

“I was able to get some of the enhanced passiona berries for you, Teddy. To be honest, I’d hoped to entice you to our cause with them. Seeing as you’re already here, though, they’re all yours.”

Teddy drew a massive paw to his chest and gestured at himself, letting out a questioning growl.

“I’m sure, Teddy.”

The bear collected the box with more graciousness and reverence than one would expect from such a creature, and as he upended the dozens of berries into his open mouth, Gary couldn’t help but smile. Pistachio may be who the Church of the Leviathan had been waiting on, but Gary couldn’t deny the pull that Teddy had on his core.

Most spirit beasts had a force to them, something like the thing called ‘gravity’ that he’d overheard Fischer describing to Ellis. All of them were distinct, reflective of their personality and intentions, and Gary felt a sort of resonance with each spirit beast. Able to sense their compatibility, He was most-aligned with Pistachio, but Teddy was a very close second.

Shaking his head at his own distractibility, Gary returned to the task at hand. “The berries in this other box, as you might tell by their scent, contain more chi than those you just consumed.”

Apparently, Pistachio and Teddy hadn’t realized that yet, because they both drew back slightly.

Gary nodded, completely understanding their surprise. “I didn’t expect them to say yes, either. I managed to convince the guardians, but it was… costly.”

Pistachio slunk over and patted him consolingly on the shoulder. This show of kindness made Gary recall the writhing roots of the first grove keeper, and the vicious grin of the second. He shuddered.

“Absolute scoundrels. Both of them.”

***

High in the boughs of a blue-tinged tree, a creature with the most magnificent fur in all the lands—or so she would claim—rubbed her stomach and let out a soft belch, the taste of her most-recent meal reappearing to grace her awareness once more. From beside her, Lemon nodded a particularly large leaf, agreeing wholeheartedly with the sentiment.

Though the fishy feast had been nowhere near as good as even the humblest of Fischer’s creations, it still left Claws’s stomach full and core bursting with chi. She shook her head and gave a wry grin as she recalled the look on Gary’s face when he agreed to deliver an entire cart of cooked fish. It had taken the poor man the entire morning to collect them, and the rest of the day to roast them to the desired level. On top of that, they’d squeezed the promise of future oysters out of him.

Understanding the joy radiating from Claws’s abdomen, Lemon’s canopy shook in shared delight, the wind whispering past her leaves. Together, they descended into maniacal laughter, the otter’s trilling chirps cutting through Lemon’s swishing branches. By the time they finished, tears streamed down Claws’s furry face, and she wiped them away with a dextrous forepaw.

Lemon gave one last shudder of her mighty boughs, her core and roots radiating a sense of finality. Perhaps some wouldn’t be able to interpret the meaning, but Claws was no more mortal. Lemon wanted to use the acquired chi to meditate and further the growth of her passiona bushes. n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Claws thought that was a wonderful idea. She, too, had places to be.

She patted Lemon’s trunk, considered launching herself toward her own place of solitude, but shook her head at herself. She was going to potter over there at a leisurely pace. Claws stepped out into open air, cooed goodbye, and slid headfirst down Lemon’s trunk. At the last moment, she rotated and landed on her feet.

With the imperiousness of a proud rooster, she trotted away, her full belly brushing the grass as she headed northwest. It had been some time since she’d meditated in her favored resting spot atop the freshwater pond.

***

Atop the sands to the south of Tropica, a mammal as fierce as she was small paused mid kick, her head darting northward. Even from here, Cinnamon could hear Claws and Lemon’s projected mirth. The only thing that could make Claws so happy was mischief, and Cinnamon felt a pang of regret that she wasn’t able to partake.

This pang of regret was cut abruptly short when the webbed foot of an oceanic bird kicked her chin with the speed of an arrow in flight. The blow would have knocked even a weak spirit beast senseless, but Cinnamon was no such beast.

Swift as a coursing river, she whirled with the blow, absorbing the force of Pelly’s kick and making it her own. In the blink of an eye, she’d flipped backward, kicked off the sand, and launched herself with the strength of a great typhoon toward her other opponent.

The high-pitched scream tore from her throat, and though Bill’s eyes went wide at the declaration of her intent, he didn’t have time to react. Cinnamon’s rear paw lashed out in a vicious roundhouse kick, and as it descended, the world seemed to slow around her. She’d conjured up a familiar image as she unleashed the kick, using it to empower her resolve.

She had done so countless times, but never before had it resonated so deep within her.

Despite Cinnamon having all manner of activities and friends to distract herself with, she’d never forgotten her awakening. Never left behind the image of an adolescent bunny cowering beneath bushes, its spirit as broken as one of its legs. This scene was a potent reminder of where her life would have probably ended if not for the intervention of Maria and her master. Each time she would focus on the memory, a fresh burst of determination would propel her onward.

This time, though, it was much more vivid. She could smell the leaf-litter that would become her final place of rest. Her entire body trembled, warring with her instinct to remain completely still lest a predator discover her. The bushes above had parted, allowing filtered light to shine down upon her. She had experienced true terror then as she spotted the creatures above, her animalistic mind assuming that her life, short as it had been, was over.

Of course, she’d been incorrect. It had been the beginning of her new life. The beginning of an existence spent with beings possessing more kindness—more compassion—than most could comprehend.

Cinnamon returned to the present. With her leg still soaring through the air and aimed directly at the spot on Bill’s chest that could safely absorb her blow, a realization struck home.

It was as simple as it was profound.

Cinnamon had spent so long with this image, yet she’d somehow missed something so obvious. With each repetition, she’d come to accept Fischer and Maria’s personalities as a fact. With stunning clarity, she realized she had taken it for granted.

Their kindness was infectious, seeming to proliferate the entire world around them. Even common villagers were as lovely as could be, and again, Cinnamon had just accepted that as the way things were supposed to be. In an ideal world, that was the way things should be, but that didn’t make it so. Humans were capable of unspeakable cruelty, and just as capable of justifying it to themselves. Someone as powerful as her master, a man that could obliterate mountains with a gesture of his hand, had instead chosen kindness. He chose it every single day, as sure as the sun rises in the east.

Cinnamon owed him her life. She owed him everything she had. And she would do whatever it took to repay that debt.

Like a proud mother, the world itself seemed to rejoice at Cinnamon’s resolve, and chi flew into her.