Heretical Fishing

Book 2: Chapter 20: Refuge

Barry woke to a strange sensation. Something was tugging at his core, and he sat up slowly, rubbing bleary eyes.

The moon shone down through the thin curtains of his bedroom. Helen murmured softly, so he reached over and smoothed her hair, willing her to not wake.

The tugging in his core became more insistent, so he climbed from his bed and shuffled through the open door from his bedroom. He closed it behind himself and went to the kitchen, hoping to find a drink of water. The urn was empty, so he made his way out into the still and cold night air.

The moon lit the landscape, shining down its white light on everything he could see. The sugarcane crop directly to the west was only half-grown, allowing him to see far into the distance until an older crop grew high. He smiled at the vista’s layered beauty.

His steps felt more sure as he went to the well and lowered a bucket. He pulled it up and splashed his face before taking a drink, willing whatever was happening within him to dissipate.

***

I cracked an eye as something interrupted my meditation.

There was a tug at my awareness, as if my core was being pulled to the northwest. It was almost… pleasant, and I cocked my head at the indescribable sensation.

I glanced around with a furrowed brow but saw nothing that would explain it. As I looked about, I started losing my connection to that which coaxed me on, so I closed my eyes and settled back within myself. Taking a steady breath, I poured every ounce of my attention into whatever the connection was, trusting my instincts to not lead me astray.

Barry held his breath, hoping whatever this episode was would pass. Instead, the pressure increased and twisted. He doubled over, his knees driving into the earth. He struggled to keep himself upright, struggled to breathe, and the force only grew stronger.

Though his body was suppressed, his thoughts raced. Whatever this was, he had to overcome it. There was so much he had yet to do, so many things he had to accomplish—both for himself, his family, and the world at large.

He reached within, held onto those ideals for dear life. Part of the pressure receded, so he delved further into his desires.

A religion that the world had not seen for millennia. The ascension of a god, one that truly held love for the humans of Kallis. His next project had been a church—a physical building that declared their intent—screamed it at the very heavens.

The only reason he hadn’t started the construction was because he hadn’t found a suitable location, somewhere he could build a structure that was still hidden from sight. He now regretted not doing so soon; he may not live to see the sunrise.

At this thought, the thing tugging on his core seemed to find purchase and snap into place.

The next thing Barry knew was pain.

***

All at once, the power coursed through me.

As something in the connection shifted, the world became blinding. A light brighter than the sun bloomed from the treasure-filled chest; the golden rays flowed into me, then were thrust along the pathway stemming from my core

I gritted my teeth, struggling to stay upright as my vision waned. Though I wasn’t aware how, I knew I had to stay conscious for whatever was happening to work. The blinding light slowly faded, as did the power pumping through me. With shaky breaths and trembling arms, I leaned against the wooden floor, just barely stopping myself from slumping over.

“Just... a little... more...”

***

Barry’s abdomen felt like it was smoldering from within as power beyond his control rushed through him. He focused on what he wanted, somehow knowing that to be his only chance.

A building... for worship...

He clenched his jaw against the white-hot agony.

Hidden, unseen, yet grand...

He braced his core against the onslaught threatening to fold him in two.

A refuge for the congregation...

The searing pain began to dull, as did the torrent flowing through him. It became more manageable by the second, but before it could fade away entirely, a bone-deep weariness washed over him.

No... he thought. I need to stay awake...

His vision started to fade.

... just... a little... more...

Beneath the ethereal light of the moon, trembling on all fours and desperate to stay conscious, Barry failed.

The dark of night took him.

***

The golden hues bled from the room, slowly fading as the ocean of power flowing through me turned into a river. The river became a stream, and the steam became a trickle. Before I knew it, there was nothing left.

I tried to lower myself to the floor, but my arms failed me. I fell before the now-dull chest.

I… I did it...

With a sigh of relief and a half-formed smile, I let sleep take me.

***

“Barry!”

Someone was shaking Barry’s shoulder, and he groaned, willing them to leave him alone.

“Barry, please—please wake up!”

He recognized the voice. It was Helen.

“Stop...” he slurred with a mouth that felt full of cotton. “I’m fine, just... tired...”

“Thank the gods.”

She lay atop him, her body trembling.

“I thought I’d lost you. What... what happened, Barry?”

Barry slowly came back to himself, and he registered that Helen’s voice was frantic.

Why? he wondered. I just need some sleep…

But then, all at once, he recalled what had happened. A spike of adrenaline shot through him.

He rolled over to his back with a groan, opening bleary eyes to stare up. The moon was high in the sky; hours had passed since he’d passed out... since he’d failed.

He shifted again and made to stand, and Helen helped him, lifting him easily now that she, too, was a cultivator. She slung his arm around her shoulder, turned to help him inside, then paused.

“W... what...?” she asked.

“What’s wrong?”

She didn’t respond for a long moment, merely stared to their right. With great effort, Barry turned his head to see what she was looking at... and then he understood.

“When did you build a new shed?” she asked, gaping at the ornate bricks where their wooden shed had previously been.

“I... I didn’t...”

They stared at each other wide-eyed, and without another word, turned and made their way toward the building. Barry’s steps were shuffling, but Helen held him upright. When they got to it, he let go to lean on the wall. The stones were cool to the touch, their surface smooth and uniform.

“What kind of stones are these?” Helen asked, her voice filled with awe.

“I have no idea—I’ve never seen anything like it…”

The stones were carved into perfect bricks, and unlike those comprising most of the buildings in Tropica, they weren’t porous riverstone. Barry raised an eyebrow as he leaned closer to inspect the gaps between them—if they were held together by mortar, he couldn’t see any. He reached his left hand out to touch the door. It was made of dark wood and had intricate swirls of banded metal around every edge.

Helen stepped around him and grabbed its handle, then pulled. The door swung open on silent hinges, and as the metal coverings glinted in the moonlight, she inhaled sharply.

“Is that…?”

“Gold,” Barry answered. “It’s covered in gold.”

He leaned against the entrance and peered inside. All of his equipment and tools were still there, set atop a raised bench that ran around the room. Right in the center, descending into the earth below, was a stairwell.

Barry ambled forward and Helen grabbed his arm, helping him approach. The stairs stretched down, obscured by shadow. They stood there for a long moment, both lost in thought.

“Do you want to rest before we explore?” Helen asked, rubbing his shoulder. “It’ll still be here in the morning...”

He glanced at her and, seeing the unmistakable glint of curiosity in her eye, forced a grin.

“Let’s get a torch...”

***

As I cracked an eye, a thumping headache made itself known.

My mouth was dry and tasted like I’d been drinking Barry’s rum all night, so I rolled over and slowly climbed to my feet. With ambling steps, I made my way to the kitchen and bent down, drinking straight from the tap. I drank until I needed to take a breath, then drank just as much again.

Wiping my mouth and rubbing my eyes, I stumbled back toward the chest. I picked up the empty bag beside it; the coins were gone.

“Yeah, that checks out, but where the hell did they...”

I trailed off, my eyes going as wide as my throbbing headache would allow. I knelt down, looking directly at the contents of the chest. The jewelry was still there and the precious metals that served as their foundation were untouched. Each piece had been worth a fortune to a commoner, given they were inset with illustrious pearls.

... Were.

I shuffled the jewelry around, confirming my suspicions. Every single pearl had disappeared, leaving behind empty sockets and indents in the pieces of silver and gold they’d once adorned.

“Well... ain’t that something...”

I held up my right hand, peering at the Iridescent Ring of Silver on my index finger. The pearl was still there, and when I inspected it, it remained intact.

I sat down heavily and covered my eyes, willing my headache to recede so I could properly think. The door to my bedroom clicked open, and a moment later, the fuzzy form of Cinnamon crawled over my knee and curled up in my lap. I stroked her head with one hand as the other covered my eyes, blocking out the building light of day.

She made a questioning peep, and I peered down at her. Her neck was extended, and she gazed down at the empty-socketed jewelry I’d dropped on the ground before me. She turned to stare at me with an intelligent gleam.

I bobbed my head in a nod as slow as I could, trying not to aggravate my already pounding head.

“Something downright fracky happened last night, Cinnamon, and I’m pretty sure I know where I need to go to find out what it was.”

She cocked her head, and I let out a sigh as I slowly stood, holding her in my arms. She leaned into me, so I held her tight.

“Alright—let’s go.”

***

I knocked on the door softly; my headache was thankfully receding, but was very much still present.

The door opened, and Helen looked up at me with tired eyes.

“Oh—morning, Fischer.”

“Hey, Helen. Is Barry about?”

“Oh, uhhh, he’s a bit busy this morning, but he should be back later...”

I rubbed the bridge of my nose.

“It’s fine, Helen. I know something happened last night—I felt the power coming this—”

My brain seemed to thump against my skull, and I winced.

“It doesn’t matter. I just really need to talk to Barry.”

“Are... are you sure, Fischer? I know you didn’t want to be involved...”

“It’s fine. My head hurts too much for me to care right now.”

She chewed her lip for a long moment, then gave a single nod.

“He’s around back.”

She led me through their home and I stepped out the back door. Barry was hammering away at his shed, which confused me for a moment, but then my eyes adjusted to the growing daylight.

Where his shed had been, a stone building was now erected. Barry was adding a wooden facade to obscure the shed’s transformation. In the side facing toward his well, a wooden door was set in the stone. Its edges were accented with intricate golden swirls, and confusion warred with my overwhelming headache.

A shed? All those coins? All those pearls…?

For a shed?

It made little sense, but before I could think about it any longer, the door swung open. Ruby strode out wearing a black robe and drying her hair with a towel. The robe had a pattern embroidered atop her heart: in blue, a rod with a fish on the end of the line; in gold, the sun shining down its brilliant rays.

“Hygieia’s smooth skin, those showers are amazing!” she said.

“The pressure is amazing, isn’t it?” Barry asked, reaching up to hammer in another plank.

She let out a contented sigh, started winding the towel around her head, then glanced up. We locked eyes, and she froze. With the stunned look of a kid caught with their hand in the cookie jar, she made not a move. I blinked; she blinked. I narrowed my eyes; her eyebrows rose. She took a step backward, then another. She slowly disappeared from sight, and the door made a soft click as she closed it, sealing herself inside the building.

Barry bent down to grab another plank of wood.

“We just need to hide this shed before Fischer just happens to stroll along—that’d be just my luck.”

Helen cleared her throat from behind me.

“Uhhh, dear?”

“Yes, honey?” he asked, glancing up. “What’s—”

Barry and I locked eyes, and he, too, froze. His shoulders almost immediately slumped in defeat.

“Frack me...”