South of the village a small road branched off to the west, and led down through coastal cliffs to a broad beach. James dismounted and said, “We’re only a short walk from the Point.” He indicated a promontory of land jutting out into the sea. “If the maps back at the palace are correct, we should find a headland below those cliffs just around the bend.”
They watered and tied up the horses, then started walking. “We have a few hours of daylight left,” said James as they trudged through the sand. “Kendaric, how long does the spell take?”
“Minutes,” said the wrecker. “I can raise the ship and hold it above the waves long enough to gain entrance and retrieve whatever it is you’re looking for.”
“We’ll need a boat, then,” observed Solon.
Kendaric laughed. “Not so, monk. For the genius of my spell is that not only can one man cast it, has he the talent, but it also solidifies the water around the ship. You can walk over to it and retrieve your bauble.”
James grinned. “Perhaps we’ll get lucky and retrieve this ‘bauble’ easily.”
They rounded the promontory and discovered that the prince’s map was indeed accurate. A long finger of rock and soil extended out into the sea. The afternoon weather was moderate, and lazy combers rose and fell off the Point. They could see a few masts poking above the water, remnants of old wrecks not yet completely consumed by the sea. They made their way along the natural breakwater, until they reached the end.
Kendaric surveyed the wrecks revealed by the relatively low tide, the dozens of tilting masts like so many cemetery markers. He frowned. “Which one am I supposed to raise?” he asked.
James replied, “I have no idea.”
Solon came over to them. “This is a place of death,” he said portentously. “A graveyard of ships and men.”
Solon gazed at the wreckage and was about to speak again when Kendaric said, “What’s that smell? Like before a storm. . . sharp. . .”
Jazhara was the last to reach the point and she shouted, “It’s magic!”
Gusts of wind seemed to arise out of nowhere, buffeting them and tearing at their clothes. Around them the sea began to roil, while a short distance away all was calm.
A sudden blow sent Solon reeling and he fell hard onto the rocks. James had his sword out, yet he could not see anything to strike. Kendaric dropped down, keeping as low as possible, while Jazhara raised her staff above her head and shouted, “Let the truth be revealed!”
A brilliant white light erupted from her staff, blinding enough to cause James to avert his eyes and blink away tears.
Then James heard Jazhara shout, “Look!”
He cleared his vision and, looking ahead, saw two creatures floating in the air above one of the ships’ masts. Both appeared to be roughly reptilian, with long, sinuous necks and tails. Large bat-like wings beat furiously, causing the buffeting winds. The heads were almost devoid of features, save for two ruby-colored eyes and a slit for a mouth that opened and closed, like a fish gulping water.
Jazhara kept her feet and had to shout an incantation in order to be heard. A crimson ball of energy appeared in her hand and she cast the spell at the creatures. The ball of red light struck the creature on the right and it opened its mouth as if shrieking in pain. But all they could hear was a renewed howling of the winds. The monster on the left dove straight at the party, and James leapt to his feet, sword poised, as Solon also rose, flourishing his warhammer.
The creature was heading straight for Jazhara, and James cut at it. As his blade touched it white-hot sparks exploded from it as the creature opened its mouth in apparent shock. The sound of shrieking wind rang in their ears. The monster faltered, and Solon stepped forward, striking downward with his huge warhammer. Stunned by the blow, the creature fell to the rocks.
The tip of one wing struck the ground, and instantly a green flame erupted there and traveled quickly up the wing, engulfing the monster. It writhed for a moment on the rocks, flopping around helplessly, as James and his companions stepped back. Then it was gone, the faint smoke of its passing swept away by the wind, which blew only half as strongly as before.
The second creature had thrown off the effects of Jazhara’s spell and was circling. It hooted, making a noise that sounded like wind gusting through a hollow tree.
Jazhara pointed, “Look!”
Another creature appeared out of the air, circled once, then joined the first. Again the wind that buffeted them redoubled in intensity and they had to struggle to stay upright.
Once more Jazhara cast a spell, this one a single piercing line of crimson energy that struck the first monster in the face. It writhed in agony, losing its orientation, and rolled over, as if trying to lie upon its side in midair, then started a slow tumble into the sea below. As soon as it touched the water, it vanished in a flare of green flames, as the first one had done.