Call of Kerberos: Twilight of Kerberos, The - Jonathan Oliver Page 0,34

Emuel's forehead. The flesh there was hot and clammy.

"You're not well. Come on, let's get you some rest." She led Emuel below.

"Good idea," Dunsany called after them. "Make sure that the poor chap is comfortable and we'll explore that which lies below. By the way, does anybody know where Maylan is?"

"Still lost in the clutches of the weed," Ioannis said. "Not even running aground managed to rouse him."

"Then would you mind trying to wake him? He won't want to miss this."

Ioannis nodded and followed Katya and Emuel below.

"Dunsany, how are you proposing that we explore underwater?" Silus said. "We don't know how far down these towers reach and we're not going to be able to hold our breath for long enough to make anything out."

"As the Llothriall was being built there were several alchemists and mages working on a sort of suit that allows for underwater exploration." Dunsany said.

"And have these 'sort of suits' been tested?" said Jacquinto.

"Well, actually no." Kelos said. "Because Dunsany and I stole the ship before they could get that far. But we have eight of the suits below and there's very little doubt in my mind that they will work."

"To be honest I'd prefer no doubt to very little, but I suppose we should see for these things for ourselves." Silus said.

They descended to the lowest deck and were joined there, in a low square room, by a bleary-eyed Father Maylan and a fresher looking Ioannis.

"Ioannis tells me that there's something to see out there." Maylan said.

"We have run into a tower," Kelos said.

"Right, I'll give you a hand readying the boats."

"No need. We have everything we require here."

Kelos slid back a wall panel to reveal a row of eight identical suits.

A domed hood with large ovals of glass set into thick material sat on top of a baggy one-piece garment made of what appeared to be heavily waxed cloth.

"Those things are far too big." Silus said. "How do you expect us to move around in them down there?"

"Each of these suits will fit the wearer perfectly. Perhaps you would help me demonstrate?"

Silus struggled to get his arms and legs into the rumpled suit and, when he did, the material sagged around him in folds and crinkles.

Jacquinto laughed. "Could it be that the elves were considerably fatter than the legends state?"

"These suits weren't taken from elven design," Kelos said. "Believe it or not they were actually put together by the Final Faith themselves. Anyway, as I said, the suit will fit the wearer perfectly. Note the disk of metal on the chest? Watch."

Kelos took an identical disk from a drawer and touched it to the one attached to the suit. Instantly the material came to life, contracting around Silus until it fit him like a second skin.

"It's water tight and also protects against the cold. Now, the hood attaches like so."

Kelos placed the hood on Silus's head and it sealed itself to the suit with a sound like an indrawn breath. Silus stared out of the eyepieces, the glass throwing everything into perfect definition.

"Right, and how are we supposed to breathe down there?" He said. "There's a hole where my mouth is but I presume that you're not expecting us to inhale water?"

"Ah, now this is the really ingenious part. The secret is worms."

"Worms?" Father Maylan said. "He's going to breathe worms? Tell you what, I think I'm going to go back to my bunk. Let me know how you got on with that worm breathing thing on your return."

"No, of course he's not going to breathe worms. The worms are going to provide the air. Look."

Kelos opened a compartment and took out a gourd-like object. He unscrewed the bottom half to show an empty base. Opening another compartment he took out a box, which contained a writhing mass of midnight blue worms.

"These creatures were first discovered in the World's Ridge Mountains. When fed a certain mineral they will actually fart out, if you'll pardon the expression, air. So, we're going to need a couple of scoops of you fellows." He spooned the worms into the base of the gourd, "and then we sprinkle two measures of the mineral powder over the top." From a vial, Kelos poured a dark powder onto the worms before sealing up the two halves of the gourd. "Then we just give it a quick shake to get the process going."

"That reminds me of a cocktail I once had at Here There Be Flagons," Dunsany said. "It actually made me