Page 64 of Potions & Pints
Vir finished warming up and was about to get started when a man came running down the beach.
“A ship,” he cried. “They are trying to get ashore. We need everyone, every boat, hurry.”
Tan and Vir jumped up. Vir handed the lyre to a young girl who promised to take care of it. They ran down the beach. The first thing they saw was a water elf carrying a man out of the water. The rescuer deposited the man above the high tide line and ran back into the water.
The humans from Gamlin Ait tended to the wounded. Finally, the elf in charge of the operation — Tan recognized him but could not remember his name — told the woman directing the triage on the beach that they got everyone.
“Right before it sank,” he said, referring to the ship.
Pili emerged from the water. He surveyed the scene and ordered all of his men home. Then he turned to Tan.
“I’d like you to stick around,” Pili said. “We need to figure out what happened.”
“I’m staying, too,” Vir said immediately. “Until everyone is taken care of.”
Vir and Tan wandered among the wounded, asking if they could bring them anything. They found the captain of the ship sitting off from the others, clutching his hat.
“Find Pili,” Tan said to Vir. “He’ll want to talk to the captain. I’m sure of it.”
Tan offered the man food and water, both of which were refused.
“What happened, Captain?” Tan asked when Pili arrived.
“We had enchantments,” the Captain said. “I paid for them as always, but the magic, it just didn’t work. It’s like…the magic is breaking down.”
Pili looked at Tan who knew immediately what Pili was thinking.
Not good,Tan thought grimly, as grimly as Pili looked.
Pili wasted no time in sending Vir to bring back the Librarian.
When the Librarian arrived, Pili motioned for them to follow him down the beach, out of earshot of the captain and other humans.
“What is happening?” he asked.
“We have been waiting for this,” the Librarian said gravely. “The imbalance in Limeria and Selkirk is affecting the rest of the planet. We have supposed for a long time it was inevitable, but we never gave up hope. Now…”
He shook his head sadly.
“Hey,” the captain called.
He stood up and, on very shaky legs, started towards them. Tan and the others rushed to his side. Vir reached him first — naturally — and caught the captain as he stumbled, then gently lowered him to the ground.
“There are other ships,” the captain said. “Many—”
The man coughed violently. There was nothing the others could do but wait. The captain pounded on his chest.
“That’s better,” he said. Tan doubted it but held his tongue. “We are all out looking for a human wizard. Is there one here? I have to bring him back.”
Tan looked over the man’s head out at the sea. It seemed calm, but he had heard enough snippets of conversation along the beach. The ship had been torn into so violently it was a wonder anyone had survived. Tan couldn’t believe the man wanted to set sail again. He should at least wait until his lungs were completely clear of sea water.
“There’s no time to waste,” the captain continued. “We don’t know how much time we have until our lands are completely destroyed. I’m afraid it may already be too late, but I have to try. Does anyone know a wizard?”
The last word was said with so much desperation Tan knew he had no choice but to speak up.
“Frederick, in Sunfall,” he said.
“Sunfall?” the captain asked.
