Chapter Thirteen: Blow Holes[edit | edit source]

Pikarn, aboard the Soaring Gull and four new longships anchored near the Kiubor River’s mouth, observes drake-whales in the Parapet Straits while shadowed by the silent, unflinching Shadows of Man along the desolate Broldun Fost. The absence of Taken, unusual after their consistent presence, unnerves him, compounding the eerie lifelessness of the once-vibrant Fost. A sudden squall tests the fleet’s seaworthiness, but Captain Bour expertly navigates the Singing Dolphin up the Kiubor, reaching Ulmun Island by late afternoon. To Pikarn’s astonishment, the island hosts a fortified settlement of forty survivors, led by Terunt Gijiv and his wife Oleana, who have endured by fishing and foraging, evading Taken during winter ice flows. The survivors, isolated since fleeing upstream, share tales of Berul Island, where Keemu reports 200 people under Oldenu Broldun’s command faced Taken crossings over a shallow, icy river, prompting some to flee south. Pikarn, heartened by finding survivors, reveals their mission to establish a base on Berul Island and seize Istinjoln Monastery to confront the Celestial Gate spawning Shadows and Taken. He seeks Colok allies and Edan insights to close the gate, though no solution yet exists. While Terunt prefers staying on Ulmun, Oleana and others consider joining the journey to New Fost, wary of Tek warships and icebergs. Pikarn, invigorated by the prospect of Oldenu—a formidable Broldun woman he recalls from a chaotic past encounter—anticipates a challenging but promising reunion as the fleet prepares to sail north, bolstered by the hope of uniting more survivors against the demonic threat.

WoG Chapter 12 — Living Bones
WoG Chapter 14 — Slaver's Pit
Whispers of Ghosts — Main Chapter Listing