20 Treasure Hunters (part two)

"Here, Kenzo!"

He walked over to where she was standing; a natural pond had been formed over time by the constant impact of water on rock. It seemed quite deep in the middle. "Is there a passage in there?"

Red changed into her sable form and, in a flash, disappeared into the water. Kenzo watched her swim beneath the clear surface; she disappeared for a few seconds and then quickly reappeared and swam to the surface.

"Can we get in through there?"

The sable's red head nodded up and down; Kenzo took off all of his gear except his pants and dived in. Red darted into the dark passage like an otter, followed closely by Kenzo. After two minutes, Kenzo admitted to himself that he would never have made it this far without the pearl. The passage darkened as they continued; in the end, he was forced to swim by touch. Finally, his head broke the surface, and he felt the warm air on his face.

"Red?"

He heard a chittering to his left and felt a wet nose brush against his face. "Get on my shoulders."

He felt the sharp claws of her tiny feet scamper onto his shoulders. He waded carefully into the shallower water. "Too dark for my eyes." Kenzo accessed his inventory and pulled out a lit torch. "Holy shit..."

He walked out of the water to a small sandbar that had been formed against the rock wall. He pushed the torch into the sand, then pulled out another lit torch and did the same. He repeated the process twice more.

Red jumped from his shoulders and landed lightly on the sand before turning back into her human form. "How did you light those torches?"

"I didn't; they were already lit."

"You carry four lit torches in your inventory?"

"No," he admitted. "I have like thirty lit torches in my inventory."

Red stared at him, "they don't burn out?"

"Nope."

"You don't get burned?"

"Still nope."

"...." Red.

"You're missing the point, Red."

"Then show me the point!"

Kenzo pointed behind her.

Red turned slowly and stared, her head cocked to one side and then the other. "What is that?"

"That would be a ship Red, actually, a raiding longboat." Kenzo approached it carefully and touched it with his finger. It felt like a sponge, "damn it, completely rotted."

System Message: Do you wish to repair the Advanced Longboat?

Kenzo smiled and grabbed Red's hand, pulling her out of the way. "Yes."

The Longboat shimmered for a moment before settling upright. "Careful, don't trip." Kenzo walked around the Longboat, "bigger than I thought."

"What are those things, Kenzo?"

"Oars for rowing, ten on each side, so a crew of forty to operate. It's strictly for coastal raiding. Not meant for the deep sea."

Red's lips curved into a smile. "Aren't there enough healthy Silverfangs to row it?"

"Hmm... The northern tip of the Goddess Lands has cliffs like this; if we could find a spot for the elevator..." He left the rest unsaid while the plan formed in his head.

"Can you handle this boat, Kenzo?"

"It has a shallow draft like my river raft. Almost identical rudder controls; if the seas were calm, I could definitely handle it."

Red climbed over the rail and walked down the deck. "Do the Silverfang know how to row?"

Kenzo shook his head. "Doubtful, but I could teach them."

"What's this thing for?" Red tapped an animal skin that had been pulled tight over a barrel-shaped object.

"It's a drum; you set the rowers' timing with it."

Red hopped out of the boat, and a moment later, it disappeared into Kenzo's inventory. They both stared at the spot where it had been.

Red's face lit up as she rubbed her hands together. "I will accept my two percent Kenzo."

Kenzo whistled softly. Stacked high against the rock wall were chests of all shapes and sizes; there were gold, silver, jewels, and weapons of all sorts. "Did that damn mermaid take all this stuff?"

Red took a few small pieces of jewelry after Kenzo encouraged her to help herself. Then he placed the rest in his inventory.

Red shook her head as it all disappeared. "You've half a city wall, a longboat, tons of wood and rock resources, and now a small mountain of treasure in your inventory."

Kenzo took her by the hand and pulled her back toward the water. "Don't forget my glider, a hexagonal tent, the raft, and a bunch of lit torches."

**********

Bai stared at Roxy, who was doing her best to look innocent. "What did you do, girl?"

Roxy blushed slightly, "well.. it isn't really a game anymore, and I wanted him to do well."

"How big is his inventory, Roxy?"

Roxy sighed, "it isn't infinite or anything; I couldn't figure out how to code that."

"How big, bad girl?"

Roxy took a sip of her wine cooler and leaned back on her chair. "Roughly the size of Minnesota."

"..." Bai.

***********

Two hours later, Kenzo returned to the Silverfang camp. He found a nice flat area and showed them the craft.

Kray Silverfang eyed the longboat with some doubt; he was the leader in Sun's absence. "So those long things make the boat move?"

"I know this is something you aren't familiar with, but if you work with me, every single one of you will be in the Goddess Lands in four days."

Several of the Clan members started speaking at once.

"I can do it!"

"Let me try!"

"No matter what it takes!"

Kray looked at his clansmen and then back at Kenzo. "We'll do it your way."

Red left for an hour before returning with a wagon full of supplies; she smiled at Kenzo. "We are going to do this, right?"

********

They left the next morning at first light, wagons, horses, and some walking. They stopped three times during the day before finally camping at sunset. The forty strongest clansmen huddled around the Longboat; only Red and Kenzo were onboard. Red was behind the drum, and Kenzo was manning an oar.

"We won't worry about the timing yet. First, you need to learn how to row." Kenzo grabbed the oar and pushed it down and forward; the end of the oar came up and moved backward.

"This is the first stroke; the paddle will clear the water and is moved back into position." Kenzo pulled the oar up slightly while leaning his body back to pull. "This is the second position; the oar has entered the water and now moves backward, causing the boat to go forward."

Kenzo demonstrated for a few minutes before moving to the aisle seat. "Every oar has two people on it." He motioned for Kray to sit next to him against the side of the boat. "I only want you to hold the oar lightly in your hand; for now, don't try to move it. Follow along with my movements."

After a few minutes, Kenzo stopped, "okay, now I want you to grip the oar a bit harder and try to work with me." He nodded at Red, "give us a nice slow beat, just like I showed you."

*boom*

"Push down and forward, nice and slow, Kray."

*boom*

"Pull up and back, no need to hurry. Again Red."

*boom*

"Push down and forward, nice and slow."

*boom*

"Pull up and back."

He worked with Kray for an hour, then spent the next two hours teaching three others before calling it a night.

A tired Kenzo ate a quick meal by the campfire before crawling into his sleeping bag. A short while after that, Red joined him and snuggled up. She kissed his sleeping face a few times and then drifted off also.

The next day was a repeat of the first; they made good time, everyone was trying hard to push themselves. He had promised to deliver them to their family as long as they worked hard.

Kenzo stood on the deck of the longboat. Kray and the three others he had taught the first night were all seated next to an oar; he placed four more people next to them.

"Okay, you watched Kray and me yesterday. Hold it lightly and let the person next to you show you if you haven't touched an oar before. "

*boom*

"Push down and forward, lighten your grip, let the person who rowed yesterday teach you the movements."

*boom*

"Pull up and back, concentrate. It's better to go slow and get it right."

*boom*

"Push down and forward, nice and slow. Much better."

*boom*

"Pull up and back."

Kenzo worked with this group for an hour before promoting the four new guys to the teaching role. "This is how we will do it, Silverfang. One will teach One. Then two will teach two, and then four will teach four. Everyone will learn, go slow and continue to work hard."

They made the site where Kenzo had placed the rope elevator by midafternoon on the next day. They had lunch and then rested.

"Kray, take over the teaching for me; I need to scout the route." Kenzo pulled out his glider and stepped into the harness as Red approached.

"I'll keep them working hard, Kenzo; just find us a path to the Goddess Lands." Red smiled shyly before stepping closer. She hugged him close, letting her hands caress his face. "Make sure to come back safe."

Kenzo glided easily over the sea; it seemed fairly calm as he approached the Goddess Lands from the seaside. He hugged the coastline for several miles. There were many low cliffs that would be suitable for the elevator, but there were no platform points. He also found several platform points, but the cliffs were too high or jagged to mount the Elevator. Finally, after doubling back and researching his route, he found a suitable point. There was a large flat rock at the base of a cliff. He had missed it the first time because it was covered in a foot of water. The cliff above it was less than five hundred feet; he checked the path at the top and decided they could make it through to the settlement.

Send Whisper Sun: We are close.

System Message: Sun is not on your friend list; do you wish to add her?

"Yes."

*Sun* Kenzo? You are two days late, are you alright?

There was worry in her voice.

*Kenzo* I'm fine, we are very close. I've figured it out.

*Sun* You are close? Where are you?

*Kenzo* We should be there by tomorrow night; prepare a proper feast for your loved ones.

*Sun* I... I will do as you say. Please be safe!