Skyworld Book I

Chapter Three - Welcome To Skyworld

"PROFESSOR!" Gideon dropped his sword and wrapped his old teacher a warm bear hug.

Feet dangling off the sand, the startled educator was embarrassed by his friend's open display of affection. His cheeks reddened and he coughed to disguise his own feelings.

"Indeed, Gideon, it is I..cough, but only if you'll stop squeezing me and let me breathe again." "Right." Dent set him down and opened his arms.

"I thought you were dead, sir. Especially after finding that cave back in the jungle."

"And the wall of blue light."

"Exactly." Dent looked at his surroundings and then back at his mentor. "We are not on Earth, are we, sir?"

"No, Gideon, we are someplace else. Someplace very far from terra firma." For a moment, Romaine's eyes seem to sadden, then the merriment he was famous for returned bright as ever. "But that's neither here nor there, my boy. We've much greater things to deal with at the moment. And quickly, I might add."

He reached out and took Gideon's arm. "This is not a safe place and we have to get away quickly. Do as I say, Gideon, and I will explain all in due course.

"Or at least, all that I know. The rest you can help me solve as we go along. Agreed?"

"Agreed. I'll do whatever you say."

"Excellent. Then come along. We have to get back on the ship and airborne before we are discovered by the white cannibals."

"The what?"

"Remember, Gideon, questions later."

"Right. Let's go!"

Prof. Romaine spoke to the warrior woman and Dent marveled at his command of the alien language. It was like nothing he had ever heard.

The woman again pointed her sword at Dent and uttered a response that did not sound at all pleasant.

"What's wrong?"

"Princess Althea doesn't trust you."

"Hell's bells, I just saved her life!"

The professor passed that along and for his efforts the dark haired beauty laughed and spat back a curt retort.

"She says she was doing quite well without you."

Gideon Dent stared at the golden woman and gave forth with his own peel of laughter. Then he bowed with a sweep of his hand and the princess put away her sword with an aside to Romaine.

"She says you have a good laugh and for now she will let you live."

There was no need for further discussion. The three climbed up the ramp to confront the remaining soldier whom both the princess and Dent had put out of commission. He lay dazed on the planking and was making groaning noises in his sleep.

The princess said something to Romaine and he nodded. "She says to bring him along. We'll need him to help sail the Wind-Runner."

Good idea or not, Dent was out of his element and had to trust their judgment. He picked up the unconscious man and throwing him over his shoulder, continued up the gangplank onto the amazing craft.

Depositing his cargo with shrug of his shoulder, he then assisted the professor in pulling up the wooden ramp and laying it along the deck, out of the way.

Meanwhile the princess had gone forward to a control panel built over the forecastle. Atop this U-shaped station was the steering wheel that controlled the ship's rudders. There were two handles to either end of the U panel and the princess pulled them upward simultaneously. There was a racketing noise from both sides of the hull and the entire airboat shook. Dent went over to the rail and looked down as black painted shutters opened outwards exposing the band of steel beneath them.

"The band is made of an anti-gravity alloy the people call Elornium," Professor Romaine explained, coming out of the forecastle with a vial of blue liquid in his hands. "The lead panels dampen its effects allowing the ship to land. Open the panels and she rises."

"Anti-gravity alloy?" Gideon notched an eyebrow. "You're kidding, right?"

"Absolutely not, my boy." He shoved the vial at his protégé. "Now come on and drink this up."

"What is it?"

"An elixir made from the Elornium."

"What?"

"Look, Gideon, I don't have time for a lecture right now. Trust me in this is for your own good. You'll understand once you've ingested the mineral."

"Okay. But it looks nasty."

For a second Gideon was seven years old at his Gramma Atkin's home in Georgia being force-fed castor oil. His grandmother believed it was the cure all for any ailment known to mankind. The fact that he was still around gave some validity to the old woman's theory.

Gideon took the vial, brought it to his lips and swallowed the contents in one gulp. It tasted like rust and he gagged. Still he managed to keep it down. Wiping his lips with the back of his hand, he handed Romaine the empty tube.

"If that don't kill me, nothing will."

"Good, lad. Now wake up our prisoner while I see if the princess is ready to set sail."

They were rising at a steady climb as Dent bent over the sleeping swordsman and began shaking him. The man's bronze like helmet fell down over his face and Dent set it down on the deck beside him.

"Come on, fellah, time to rise and shine." As he slapped the young soldier's long, narrow face, Dent began to experience a tingling under his skin. It seemed to start at his wrist and swiftly inch its way up along his arms. It was like a mild itch and at first he didn't give it any thought. Then it was filling him with a prickly sensation he couldn't ignore.

What the hell was happening to him? His heart was starting to pound in his chest and then there was a tinny ringing in his ears. Gideon scratched at them, willing the odd feelings to go away. Could this be an allergic reaction to the brew Romaine had forced him to drink? For a second he had the horrid idea that he had been poisoned!

The man at his feet began to awaken and when he opened his eyes and saw Dent, he grew both angry and frightened. Quickly he sat up against the mast beam and shoved the brown man away.

"Gorn okin, nark!"

"Take it easy, pal," Dent backed off slowly raising his hands palms out. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"Good work, Gideon. Thank you." The white haired teacher was standing behind him with the princess at his side. During the interval between the sour tasting elixir and reviving the sleeping swordsman, Althea had replaced her torn shirt with a new one. It was made of a bright red cloth with fancy embroidery along the cuffs and stiff, high collar. Seeing how it accentuated her ample femininity, Dent silently approved. Then again, he thought, Althea would look ravishing in a burlap bag.

With a cruel smile on her lovely face, the princess whipped out her blade and crouching, pressed its point against the soldier's chest.

"Inba nica...son of a dog, I should slice you into pieces and throw you over the side!"

Dent understood every word she said! Just like that, his ears were picking up the alien sounds but somehow his mind was deciphering the words.

"What's going on.." Before he could finish, Romaine gave him a knowing wink and motioned him to be silent as Princess Althea continued her harangue.

"But I need you to help fly the ship, Parnoh. So fortune smiles upon your worthless life one more time."

"Please, mistress, I do not deserve to live. I was tempted by Captain Noster's offer of wealth and the favors of your brother, Prince Arkurn."

"I guessed as much," Althea said, her demeanor softening slightly. "I will spare your life, Parnoh, if you swear a blood oath to me."

Parnoh immediately shifted upwards until he kneeling on one leg before the royal lady. Then he took her sword point and holding it steady, slid the palm of his left hand over the sharp edge. The cut produced blood instantly and this he held up for her to see.

"I, Parnoh Sital, now swear on the blood that runs through my veins, that all I am, body and spirit, now belongs to you, Princess Althea of the House Corveir. That should I ever betray this sacred pledge, may the curse of everlasting shame fall upon my family for generations to come."

With a flourish, the sky sailor then wiped the blood across his forehead and over both cheeks. Dent was reminded of native Americans and their war-painting traditions before going into battle. So this was a blood oath.

For her part, Althea was quick to accept her subject's new claim to service. She sheathed her sword, at the same time taking a piece of white cloth from her sword belt and handed it to the young man.

"I accept you oath. Tie your wound and make ready to unfurl the sails. We must reach Candlemar before the crowning ceremony takes place."

Now animated with a renewed purpose, Parnoh picked up his helmet, stood and gave the princess a salute by slapping his right fist against his chest.

"As you command, princess."

Princess Althea came over to Romaine and Dent.

"Tell me, wizard, can this one be of use?" she asked, indicating Gideon.

"Indeed," Romaine offered, "Gideon is a quick learner. I'm sure he would not mind pitching in.

"Right, my boy?"

"No problem." The words tumbled out of his mouth in her language. The elornium cocktail! It was the only logical explanation to his newly acquired mastery of the language. Althea gave him a curious look. "Just tell me what I have to do, lady, and I'm your man."

She had black eyes like the heavens of a starless night. They shined with a inner fire he could gaze into forever.

"Very well, stranger.."

"Gideon. My name is Gideon Dent."

"Gid..EEE..on. Very well, Gideon Dent. Parnoh will direct you. We must hurry, we've very little time!"

That said, Althea, accompanied by Romaine, went back to the wheelhouse to begin setting their course. Parnoh gave Dent a tap on the shoulder and pointed to a coiled line affixed to the ship's starboard side. Dent could see that it was a pully-lever and that there was an identical fixture on the opposite port side.

"When I give you the signal, start cranking the handle. We have to work together to raise the boom and open the sail."

"Okay. Let's do it." Dent had crewed while a student at Harvard and even done a bit of sailing off the Atlantic coast with some of his classmates. It was enough fundamental knowledge, he hoped, to help him get by.

From behind them, he heard Althea give the command, "Raise sail!"

Parnoh waved his hand and Dent began cranking the heavy line in a smooth, steady fashion. Like an opening fan, the sail rose upward along the mast, held in place by well-greased rungs. It only took a few minutes, then the square sheet was billowing outward as it captured the prevailing wind. Dent saw Parnoh shove a wooden stake into a locking hole beneath the pully and found his own. This done, the sail stayed taut as Althea slowly brought the ship's bow up.

They were climbing swiftly at an angled course into the gray, alien skies.

They flew a straight course, the sky craft handling well and slicing through the heavens with ease. Dent began to feel the humidity drying as they rose higher and the mist that had engulfed everything was gradually dissipating around them. Shapes that were clearly cloud formations appeared in the distance and he felt comforted by the sight of them.

Prof.Romaine finished his task on the navigation table and came down to join his former student. It was their first opportunity to talk.

"Wizard, heh?" Dent grinned. "Now there's a title you don't hear around Harvard Square too often."

"How true," Romaine chuckled good-naturedly. "So are you ready to hear an incredible story, my boy?"

"Professor, I am all ears."

"Then, Gideon Dent, allow me to welcome you to Skyworld."

The mist had evaporated and now, for the first time since his arrival, Dent looked up and saw the true wonders of Skyworld. It took his breath away.

End Of Chapter Three