Call of Kerberos: Twilight of Kerberos, The - Jonathan Oliver Page 0,13

it's as if he has a sixth sense when it comes to the sea. Even if it takes three more weeks of persuasion I still think it's going to be worth having him on our crew. Speaking of recruiting I see that you've been doing some yourself."

"Ah yes, I'd forgotten that you had yet to meet our new colleagues."

"Let me be the first to say, Kelos, that it is an honour to be working with a mage of such power." The man who rose from his seat to thrust a bejewelled hand at Kelos staggered slightly, as though he had been on the flummox for quite some time. Kelos was bemused to be referred to as 'powerful' but also somewhat flattered. He had, after all, recently defeated a Shadowmage.

"The gentleman with the jewels is Father Maylan, an old friend of mine." Dunsany said.

"Father Maylan? Father?"

"Relax Kelos, Maylan has little affection for the faith he purportedly represents."

"Indeed," said Maylan, sitting back down and eyeing the contents of the flummox bottle. "I'm the Faith's token priest on Sarcre. Their only priest in fact. The church has very little real interest in the islands, but they can't be seen to be lax, so they 'converted' me and set me up as their Eminence here. Once a year I have to go to Scholten to maintain face, but it's all just a show. Not that Makennon knows that of course."

"I met Maylan back when I was plying the trade route between here and Allantia. In those days he was head Diviner of the Many Paths." Dunsany said.

"And to most of the locals I still am. But the crossed circle of the Faith is my mask now."

"No offence Maylan but do we really need a priest on board?" Kelos said.

"Actually, you'll find that Father Maylan has already proven himself invaluable. It was through him that I was introduced to the three gentlemen you see on your right."

The three gentlemen in question had the look of men who spent much of their time being blasted by the elements. Sun tanned to the point of burnt, with large, scarred and calloused hands, it was clear that they all shared the same profession. They squinted at Kelos through the smoke from thin, mean cheroots. He noticed that the same tattoo was inked upon the back of each of their left hands.

"Prison tattoos," Maylan said. "My friends here have spent time at the pleasure of Vos due to the nature of their export and import business."

"They're smugglers?" Kelos said.

"We prefer free traders," said the man in the middle of the group. "I'm Jacquinto. The man on my right is Ignacio, my brother, and on my left is Ioannis."

"They bring me a certain spice that is essential to divination." Maylan said.

"That and it gets you high as a woodrene." Ioannis grinned.

"The important thing is that they know how to handle themselves at sea." Dunsany said.

"Three smugglers and a priest." Kelos poured himself a glass of flummox. "Okay Dunsany, I'm sure you know what you're doing. Just give me a little more time with Silus."

"Excellent! Then we're most of the way there." Dunsany rose to his feet. "Gentlemen, charge your glasses. I propose a toast. To adventure and new horizons!"

Dunsany's grin fell as a thin, reedy voice came at them out of a dark corner of the room.

"They will walk beneath the waves and no man shall halt their march. Already their god stirs and from the dark night of infinity he shall come."

Jacquinto and his comrades were on their feet, blades in hands. Dunsany was just in time to stop the downward swing of Ioannis's attack.

"No!" The knife skittered across the room and Ioannis turned an angry glare on Dunsany. "No. It's okay. This is Emuel. He's with us."

"My Gods Dunsany, what is he?" Father Maylan said, eyeing the tattoos and elvish script that covered almost every inch of the eunuch.

"Emuel is the ship's eunuch. It is his song that empowers the Llothriall."

"Dunsany, something's not right," Kelos said. "Look at his eyes."

Now that Emuel was fully revealed by the lamplight they could all see that his eyes were a deep violet. Kelos leaned in to take a closer look. Peering into the eunuch's eyes was like looking into the heart of a storm. Threads of energy sparked from his pupils and played across his eyelids.

"The Great Flood is coming."

"Kelos, snap him out of it!" Dunsany shouted.

Kelos gripped Emuel's arms and was shocked by how cold he felt. Ignoring his babble