A View Form Above
Chapter 18 (Death comes for us all) Except for hats.

The hat lay on Frick’s head rather oddly as he entered the boat. It slipped off and fell into the water. He apologized to the hat as he retrieved it, placing it back on his head. Her voice bolstered him for the coming fight. Frick paddled the boat; he knew where he was going. He followed the coastline from a safe distance until they saw Doom Coast. A massive hole in the highest cliff held the dark and foreboding grave of his friend. The water flowing inside gave them little time to get in. The waves caused by the oncoming bad weather caused the poor timing. Too bad neither one of them had a nautical bone in their body.

“I wish May were here; she loves it when the ocean gets rowdy, and I’m a poor swimmer.” Frick said he was hoping Zekka could do better.

Her response filled him with dread. “I haven’t been on the ocean since I was a little girl.” She looked like she was going to be sick.

He turned, paddling the boat toward the cave. The waves got worse as they approached. Another giant came out; it didn’t see them, turning toward the city. The waves were nearly cresting above their giant heads. The boat was approaching the cave vertically, and the waves splashed against the rock, jettisoning them from the boat. Frick hit the back wall of the cave. It knocked him out.Zekka was in the pool of water in the center, being tossed around by the waves. She paddled valiantly until she reached the small bit of beach nestled in the cave.

Zekka was not prepared for the giant that came from some tunnels leading further in. It saw Frick first. He grabbed his body and tossed it against the far wall. Blood was spilling out of him. Zekka Shouted “Undead creature, Fear Zekka The new disciple of Life.” As she exhaled, the creature attacked the words like they were flies picking at its rotten corpse. It struggled with the words, giving her the chance to get to Frick. A mumble let her know that he was alive, filling her with hope. The blood pooling around him concerned her. She put her hands on him. Power flowed through her, pulling His blood back into his body. Any wounds healed after the blood finished receding. She shook him, beseeching him to wake up. “Frick, we need you, don’t go yet.” The hat was somehow still on his head, its wet cloth acting like glue.

The giant fell silent, save for a few thuds as it approached them. The water chose that exact moment to send out a blast, making it fall to its knees. It roared a human roar. She faced the giant alone like a true Disciple. The giant stood no chance, Zekka the Disciple of Life, placed her hand on the kneeling giant. He dissolved mixing into the foam of crashing waves. When she turned her attention back to Frick, he was standing looking at her with his jaw agape. “I didn’t know that the Divine Arcane would make this so easy for us.”

" You wouldn’t be saying that if I were the one tossed against the rocks,” she said, walking over to him. “How are you doing?”

“Better than ever,” he said, adjusting the hat on his head with care.

“Good, maybe we can end this soon. Controlling life is a difficult Process.” She explained.

He pointed to the back of the cave. “Daharra must be further in.” They started walking, and the giants led the way. Frick kept them hidden with a muscle that cloaked them in darkness. Zekka made giants disappear before they could make a sound.

The trap sprung, although Frick didn’t notice. After a few minutes, Zekka stopped walking. “Something was wrong; I could sense the magic pulling around us. It’s like my breath no longer burns.”

“The trap?” Frick asked knowingly

“How would a trap make the magical presence of an enemy just disappear?” Zekka was worried

“Maybe we were teleported?” Frick guessed

“The walls didn’t change. Could Daharra have left? Maybe she knew we were approaching.”

“Doubtful. I’ve been holding this muscle quite firmly.”

Silence filled the room. A wind blew into the caves. Zekka heard the wind say, “We went back in time.”