Mythic Transformations by Kris Schnee

Author:Kris Schnee [Schnee, Kris]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 161450251X
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2017-12-10T00:00:00+00:00

Strange Waters

The Edge of Brightness sailed the western sea in search of tainted waters. Irene stood in a broad, cautious stance with both hands on the railing as the ship cut and bounced its way along.

"Can you swim?" asked Justin, who seemed not even to tilt slightly when the ship wobbled. He'd been a sailor all his life, or so he claimed.

Irene said, "I'm starting to regret this trip."

Justin laughed. "You look a little green, but think of the profits you'll get to share. No more scrabbling for research funding when you have your own supply of both money and element-touched stuff."

Water, anyway. At great expense, Irene had begun stocking her safe, comfortable lab back home. Already, she'd gotten samples of "tainted" fire and ice. Why she'd left the lab was, due to her seasickness, a question she kept asking.

"What have you studied already?" asked Justin.

Irene watched the horizon, which was steady enough to calm her compared to watching the waves. "I have fire samples that had been mystically focused on the concept that 'fire produces ash'. That is, it produced lots of ashes but no light or heat. Just a barely-visible ripple. Also, I got fire whose concept of 'consumption' had gotten twisted so that it burns stone but not wood. My assistants feed it pebbles and keep it contained in a large wooden tub in a wooden room, for safety. Then there's the unmelting ice that's always bitterly cold, the variant that's just chilly but glows soft blue -- a nice torch -- and the ice that preserves food without actually being cold."

Justin smiled, having gotten Irene to lecture instead of being miserable. "You're in for a treat, then. We've come far enough toward the water-elemental zones to get heavy water, bright water, ever-swirling water, cleaning water; whatever we can find."

Irene's grip on the ship's railing loosened a little, making her notice that her knuckles ached. "Good. I'd like samples of them all." There was invaluable spell research to do.

"Can't guarantee anything. The sea provides, but what it gives us is pretty random." Justin looked toward the wheel and said, "Hey, Captain, tell her about the monster crab!"

"Monster?" Irene said.

The tattooed captain handed the ship's wheel off to his son, and stretched. He said, "We were sailing on a stretch of sea like glass. Literally; it cracked as we broke through it." He thumped the hull. "She's warded against most dangers but it was still quite a noise. Suddenly, the biggest crab you've ever seen rears up in a clatter of shards and looms over the deck!" He raised his arms like claws.

Irene shuddered. "What did you do?"

"Wet himself," said Justin.

"Belay that. I ran for the harpoon. But no sooner had I turned around when the beast crashed down on deck in a tremendous spray. And an inviting scent! The crab had gotten itself caught on a concept, you see. The idea that 'crabs are good eating'. It stopped being a true crab and became a, an ideal expression of the thought.

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