With a sound like a great sheet being torn in half, the Chadassa ship was breached and Silus saw the Calma in the flesh for the first time.
As the thing stepped through the rent in the chamber wall, Silus could see beyond it, into the interior of its craft. Like the ship they had found themselves imprisoned on it seemed to be entirely organic.
The Calma looked at Silus for a moment before raising the flail in its hand. Dunsany threw himself in the way, his bone sword raised to defend against a blow that never came.
Instead of attacking the Calma made its way to the tear through which Silus and the crew had entered the chamber. There it touched its flail to the wall and the flesh peeled back as sparks of energy crackled across it.
"What is that thing Silus?" Dunsany said, staring at the Calma.
"They're called the Calma. Don't worry, they are no friend of the Chadassa."
The collapsed walls of the corridor beyond opened up under the flow of energy from the flail and Silus looked down the passage to see two Chadassa racing towards them.
The Calma let out an almighty yell that filled the heads of the crew with a sharp pain. The Chadassa, though, seemed to feel it even more acutely because they dropped to their knees, bent almost double in their agony.
As the sonic assault died away, the Calma turned to Silus. "You will board our vessel and wait for us to return."
"Who are you?"
"My name is Seras."
But beyond that the creature was clearly going to tell him nothing. Instead it inclined its head and gestured towards the breach in the chamber wall as more of its kind poured from their ship.
"No, I'm coming with you." Silus told the Calma. "The Chadassa have my wife and son. We're not leaving without them."
From the corridor came the sound of fighting as the Calma and Chadassa clashed, strange inhuman cries and ululating screams echoing toward them.
"We're coming too." Dunsany said.
"I appreciate it, I really do." Silus said. "But you've done enough for me as it is. Risked enough. This is my fight."
"This is our fight," Jacquinto said. "Remember that the Chadassa are responsible for the death of Ioannis. If there's a chance that we can take them down, we should take it."
"For Ioannis," Ignacio agreed.
"And the people of Morat." Father Maylan spoke up. "Those abominations destroyed that beautiful city."
"And for you Silus." Emuel said. "For you, Katya and Zac."
"Okay," Silus said after a moment. "Okay. But if things get too dangerous there will be no dishonour in you retreating to the Calma ship. Stay well back and let the Calma do most of the fighting. If you see any sign of Katya and Zac, let me know at once."
With that Silus ran after the Calma warriors. Behind him he heard the footfalls of his companions and he felt momentarily buoyed up by their bravery.
This, however, was short-lived as he started to come across the first casualties of the battle.
The burns on the torso of the first Chadassa corpse he saw were so deep that they revealed the ruptured organs within. Ahead of him the walls of the corridor had been similarly scorched, and the floor was wet with the brackish fluid that poured from the wounds. The smell of cooking flesh was sour and Silus fought against a sudden, intense nausea. He realised then that in learning the art of war the Calma had also inherited something of the Chadassa's ferocity. As Silus pulled himself through a ruptured doorway, he saw another Calma take down a Chadassa. The Calma's flail wrapped around the creature's torso and tightened, the dark scales beneath the fronds splitting as they began to burn. The Chadassa tried to rake its claws across the Calma's face, but it died in agony before it could effectively retaliate.
Silus looked back and, seeing the expressions of appalled horror on much of the crew's faces, he started to search the room for an exit.
Three low tunnels led from the chamber in which they now stood, two of which were currently blocked by the entangled forms of Chadassa and Calma. The third remained clear and Silus gestured to his companions as he crouched to enter the passage. As he looked back to check that they were following, he saw Seras enter the tunnel behind them, followed by several more Calma.
He cursed under his breath but made no attempt to confront the creatures.
The tunnel widened as it sloped gently upwards and Kelos made his way to Silus' side.
"So, what's the plan?" He said.
"We find Katya and Zac and get out."
"And how do we get out?"
"I think we're going to have to rely on the Calma for that."
Kelos looked back to see Seras and his companions struggling to get ahead of the group. "They certainly seem keen to keep an eye on you."
Two Chadassa raced down the corridor towards them, wielding thin metal staffs. They stumbled to a stop when they saw Silus, seemingly unsure as to whether they should attack. Their indecision gave Kelos time to take a small ball of what looked like matted fur from his robe and throw it to the ground, shouting a many-syllabled word as he did so.
Silus experienced a moment of disorientation — an instance of pure darkness — before he suddenly found himself standing behind the Chadassa, further up the corridor from his companions. He didn't question what had just happened, instead he rammed his bone shard into back of the neck of the Chadassa on his right, before felling the creature on his left.
Kelos smiled as he stepped over the fallen bodies. "Just a minor teleportation spell. Thought that it might come in handy."
"I'd save your power for now," Silus said. "I think that the Chadassa have orders to capture rather than kill me and that's going to give us something of an advantage."
"Nevertheless," Seras said, finally pushing his way to the front of the group, "I would be happier if you would allow us to provide you with some protection."
They followed the Calma up the corridor. From close by they could hear the sound of battle and at one point they were thrown to the floor as the corridor shook.
"It seems that the first of the charges has been prematurely detonated," Seras said, regaining his feet. "I only hope this doesn't mean that Belck is attempting to escape."
Silus was more worried about the prospect of Katya and Zac being injured, but he said nothing as they left the corridor and entered a long low passage that reminded him of the cloisters of a monastery. Through arches of bone and sinew he could see more Calma and Chadassa engaged in battle. None of the combatants appeared to notice the humans led by the group of Calma in their midst, and they proceeded unchallenged to a huge set of labial double doors.
Seras used his flail on the barrier and the curtains of flesh withdrew slowly, strings of mucus dripping from the parting folds. Through them Silus could see into a vast chamber, one wall of which was entirely translucent, showing the underwater vista beyond.
"If you think I'm going through that slime, you've got another think coming." Jacquinto said.
At that moment another explosion shook the ship and a wall of black smoke billowed swiftly towards them, forcing the group into the room.
Silus immediately scanned the room for Katya and Zac, but the only occupants were two Chadassa. One stood not far from the door and did nothing to stop them, even appearing to view their approach with disinterest. He only looked mildly pained when Dunsany ran him through. The other Chadassa standing by the window only moved as his brethren fell.
As he turned, Silus recognised the gnarled and aged form of Belck.
"I'm afraid that you have missed her, Silus," he said. "When the Calma attack began I sent her away. You will not see her again."
With a yell Silus charged Belck. The creature gestured with a hand and the bone shard flew out of his grasp. However, this did nothing to slow his progress. If it came to it, he was willing to pummel this abomination to death with his bare hands. Behind him he was vaguely aware of his comrades following in the wake of his charge. But then there was a sensation like he had stepped through a sheet of ice-cold water, and the only sound he could now hear was the clicking of Belck's talons on the floor as he walked towards him. As Silus continued to rush forwards his legs grew heavy and he slowed.
Looking down, he realised that he wasn't moving at all.
"All this, and for what? A woman and child." Belck said. "I have seen how the human race have proliferated across Twilight, their numbers swelling each year, your cities growing more crowded. It always amazes me that you get so attached to each other when there are so many of you around and more are easily created. What's two lives amongst so many, Silus? They are nothing to you. You, however, are unique. Does that not give you a certain pride? Does that not make the lives of your family seem insignificant?"
Silus tried to speak, but he couldn't even move his jaw. His thoughts began to trickle away until he wasn't aware of any anger or hatred, any emotion at all. There were just Belck's words.
"Turn."
Silus did so. In front of him a glistening membrane divided the room, separating him from his companions. They tried to cut at it with their knives but failed to penetrate it. Even when Seras applied his flail nothing happened. In desperation they looked back at the entrance to the chamber, but a bone carapace had grown over the door, sealing them in.
"Ineffective creatures are they not Silus? Ultimately weak. And see where they have got you. All this pain and death is very much their doing. If they hadn't entangled you in their plans it would have been so much easier. If you had just given yourself to us willingly, then you would have had time to say goodbye to Katya and Zac."
Now that Belck mentioned it Silus could indeed see how foolish his companions were. Dunsany's face was flushed with rage and Kelos was trying to pull him away from the barrier as he pounded on it with his fists. Silus laughed at the look of frustration and concern on the mage's face. And there was Emuel, the boy's pale skin marked with the symbols of a forgotten, mongrel race; used like a doll, perhaps the most useless of them all.
Belck laughed along with Silus and Silus laughed until his chest hurt, disarmed by the sheer uselessness of it all.
"None of this matters, Silus. In the end not even I matter. Once the Great Ocean embraces us in its infinite waters, all will see the beauty of those endless seas. Reality will be remade to the glory of His name. Only you can make that happen. I have looked into those dark waters and the peace to be found there is everlasting. But there are those who do not share our vision, those who would make every single day a meaningless struggle."
Silus began to share in Belck's frustration. How pointless were these mayfly existences that drove themselves gladly onto the points of each other's swords to prove their god was the true god. How could Silus even have thought he was their kin?
"You aren't their kin Silus. You can feel what you truly are. Even as you have fought it, it has begun to waken within you. That jagged anger that you feel, that's not for the Chadassa. That's for those you have, for so long, called your kind. Those who have held you back all this time from the realisation of your true potential."
The anger rose from the pit of Silus's stomach, burning like bile. He turned to Belck and saw himself reflected in the black orbs of the creature's eyes. In the darkness that surrounded his reflection he could feel the call of the Great Ocean; that wonderful infinite peace. And the thought of being denied that — being denied the chance to swim forever in those cool, dark waters — inflamed his rage and drove him, snarling, against the barrier that separated him from the humans.
"You are Chadassa, Silus. These creatures are nothing. Take them apart."
Silus's hands dug into the barrier and Dunsany started to reach for him, trying to help him break through. But when he saw the look on Silus's face he backed away. The slippery surface refused to give for a moment and this enraged Silus further. He started to scrabble furiously at the slick membrane, the growl in the back of his throat growing to an inhuman wail. He pushed his face against the barrier and it suddenly gave way.
Silus stumbled, but he used the momentum of the trip to take him barrelling into one of the Calma. He grabbed the glowing nodules that hung from either side of the creature's jaw and pulled as hard as he could. As they tore away a part of him wondered why their strange light didn't die. It was, however, a momentary distraction, and Silus tore into the struggling beast, marvelling at how easily its flesh gave way under his hands, appalled at the vivid blue coil of its guts as they fell to the floor.
He barely felt the flails of the other Calma as they brought them to bear. Something tickled, and there was the smell of cooking flesh, but then there were more bodies lying at his feet and those that he had called his friends were backing away from the spreading pool of blood.
Sera was screaming something at him, but he ignored the foolish creature. Instead, he turned back to Belck, seeking approval, but the Chadassa ancient was no longer there. The hatred that Belck had inspired in him, however, was.
"Silus, listen to me. Belck has placed some kind of glamour on you," said Kelos. "We're going to get you out of this but it's very important that you listen to me."
This ridiculous mage with his cantrips and charms, what good would they prove against the might of the Great Ocean? Silus wanted to hurt Kelos. But he didn't want him to suffer just physical pain, he wanted first for him to feel the torture of grief. Silus wanted the mage to taste that profound despair.
Dunsany held his bone shard before him as Silus approached, Jacquinto and Ignacio moved to flank him, their own weapons raised.
Kelos had seen the look in Silus's eyes and he realised what was about to happen.
"Silus, please don't."
"I'm warning you," Jacquinto said. "Don't make me have to kill you."
Silus's hand shot out, grabbed Jacquinto's face and pushed. The smuggler tumbled across the room and came up hard against a bone arch, his skull connecting with an audible crack. There was a cry of rage as Ignacio slammed into Silus's side, but he didn't shift, even under the weight of the heavier man. Instead Silus turned and twisted Ignacio's hand until he dropped his blade with a cry of pain. Then Silus turned back to Dunsany.
"Silus come back to us," said Father Maylan, but he didn't approach. "This isn't you."
Silus ignored the priest and looked into Dunsany's eyes.
Kelos ran at him and started pummelling him with his fists, but he knocked him aside and reached for Dunsany's weapon.
"You don't need this."
Dunsany's face was slack as Silus held his gaze, and he knew that the mariner was looking into the darkness that burned in his eyes, the call of the Great Ocean reaching out to him.
Silus ran his hand over Dunsany's head and cradled the back of his skull.
"This isn't so bad really, is it Dunsany?"
"No," Dunsany's voice was dead. "This isn't so bad."
"It's just like going to sleep really. It will be easy."
"Just like sleep."
Silus looked back at Kelos. The mage was picking himself up from where he had been thrown. As he gained his feet, Silus put the knife to Dunsany's throat. Then, when he was sure that Kelos was watching, he drew the blade across the flesh.
There was an explosion and spray hit Silus's face. It was too cold for blood though, and he soon found himself standing ankle deep in water.
Silus wondered why the bone shard in his right hand was covered in blood, and then he looked, in horror, at Dunsany choking as scarlet liquid welled from between his fingers.
Silus tried to reach out to his friend, help him staunch the flow, but the sea finally found its way into the Chadassa ship and pulled him into its cold embrace.