“Father had started retreating into himself,” Kumi admitted. “In some ways, he found the Path of Peace at the worst possible time.”
“Hell of a coincidence.”
“Fate perhaps. He and Horix served Emperor Talekon together, and when they left his service around the same time, they both started down their new paths. One of peace, the other of hate.”
“We can use that,” I said. “Convince the Wilds that the real threat is the guild’s hate crusade, and that this is the best chance to end it. That should be enough to rally them beside King Beqai, temporarily at least.”
“It’s a good idea,” Kumi said. “If they don’t kill us first.”
The seriousness in her tone made my stomach churn. This idea had been my own, and I hoped it wouldn’t end with our deaths.
An island appeared around a bend in the coast. Cliffs towered on one side, and a steep slope of dense jungle sloped down to the ocean on the other. A golden shoreline beckoned to us behind a wall of sharp rocks and vicious reefs that turned the sea into a foaming mass of breaking waves and swirling eddies.
“This is quire the place,” I commented. “It’s almost like the tribes picked an island to discourage visitors.”
“And you want to go and visit them,” Kumi said tersely.
“It’ll be fine,” I reassured her despite the knot in my stomach.
Kumi slowed the boat and steered us carefully through the reefs. Fast currents tugged at our craft, but she managed to keep it under control. The princess brought us through the turmoil and into the still waters beyond after only a few minutes.
I leaped into the shallows and dragged the boat up onto the sand. A gang of seven Wilds appeared from the edge of the jungle. They carried spiked clubs, curved swords, and barbed tridents built of scavenged supplies. Their clothes were salt-stained and worn, with holes deliberately torn through them to reveal their Wild marks. Each of them bore fish-like features. Their leader bristled with urchin-like spikes as they drew closer.
“What the hells are you doing here?” she demanded as she strode down the sand.“This ain’t no place for outsiders.”
“We’ve come to meet Chief Jonnik,” I said. “I think he’ll want to here what we have to say.”
A snarl of fury ripped from the leader’s throat, and she lifted her mace to point it at me. “You do not speak of the chief! You are from the guild, no? Perhaps I cave in your skull and pepper the sand with your brains?”
“Please,” Kumi said as she climbed out of the boat. “We come in peace. We only wish to speak with Jonnik.”
“You.” The woman spat on the sand. “You think your daddy can save you here? Your blood will wash these shores as tribute.”
I reached for the newest of my powers. Fierce, stinging Vigor flowed through my hands. I flung out my arms and sent an Acidic Cloud to billow out and block her march forward. The leader cursed and staggered back as the front edge of the green cloud blistered her skin.
“We’re here to talk,” I said and dispelled the cloud as a sign of my goodwill. “About taking the fight to the Resplendent Tears Guild.”
“We look after ourselves,” the woman snarled.
“Well, if you’re looking to keep it that way,” I said, “you’ll want to hear our message. The guild possesses an artifact that gives it the power to become the greatest magical force on the Diamond Coast. But we have a chance to take them down first. Trust me; I don’t want to be here any more than you want me on your island.”
The Wild leader looked at Kumi with an expression filled with hate and swung the club down into the palm of her hand. But I could see that my words had made some impact. Mostly because she hadn’t ordered her little gang to attack us.
“Just take us to Jonnik,” I said. “If he doesn’t like what we have to say, you’ll get your shot to kill us anyway.”
“Jonnik will tear you limb from limb,” she said. “He hates guilds.”
“Then it’ll be that much more satisfying to watch him kill me, won’t it?”
“He’ll want to hear about this,” another Wild muttered to the urchin-girl.
The leader considered us for a moment longer, then barked out a laugh. “You’ve got balls, pretty boy. I’ll give you that. I look forward to Jonnik executing you.”
She led us along the beach, and the other Wilds stayed close to the tree line as they followed our path. Other Wilds appeared from the jungle and joined them as they went. A crowd soon trailed our progress as their chatter increased into an excited hubbub.
“I don’t like this,” Kumi whispered to me.
“You helped us set the guild’s own workshop on fire, and you’re scared of a couple of Wilds?” I asked lightly. “It’ll be fine; trust me.”
I’d made her that promise multiple times now, and I would do my damned best to keep it.
We reached an inlet on the east side of the island at the bottom of the jungle slope. A log hall stood in the tree line with doors facing onto a pillared veranda overlooking the golden beach. Word must have spread fast, because as we approached, the doors burst open and a huge Wild emerged.
I’d seen a lot of different sorts of fishfolk since coming to the Diamond Coast. Some, like Kumi, had only the faintest traces of their aquatic heritage. Others were clearly marked by patches of scales, fins, gills, or webbed feet and fingers. Only a few had tentacles, and those who did usually had only one or two, not like the great mass that King Beqai had in place of legs.
Jonnik was another exception. His huge, chunky frame resembled the build of an Olympic weightlifter, and a shark-like fin extended from his back. Thick, human legs supported a massive torso and three pairs of tentacles instead of arms. The limbs were purple and shiny and covered in suckers. He wrapped
