The Depthless Doctor
Authors Note: I wrote this chapter as a non-canonical side story for my grandfather. He is a fan of the story, and while I dont ever intend to write in real people as characters, or write fan-characters into the series, this was a birthday present.
Bear in mind this is a story written for fun, a myth if you will. The main character will never appear in the story, but legends about him might be ntioned. However, the other details about the story, the lore of the world is true.
Our hero, the mysterious Captain Ad, is not my grandfather. But there is a bit of him in Captain Ad. Truth and myth are intertwined with each other, and perhaps only the [Bards] can tell where fact ends and legends begin. Hope you like the story!
On land, it is often said that each continent has a claim to the title of the greatest. Citizens of all five continents argue over such things as if it matters. For instance, in Izril, the Drakes will proudly boast of their Walled Cities, pointing to these relics of an era when Dragons flew through the skies as a marker of greatness. The Humans on Izril speak more quietly of a land won by steel and magic, a place where they bow to no [King] or monarcha place to be free.
Of course, were you to go north to Terandria you would hear much the opposite. The people of the myriad kingdoms on that continent think of their enduring generations of rulers as a treasure, and point to their ancient castles and ruins as a symbol of their status. Too, Terandria is the only ho to Dwarves, those master-craftsn of tal and stone. A place where legends remain. Surely that alone speaks to Terandrias greatness?
Perhaps though, that is not the asure by which a land can be judged. The enduring folk of Chandrar must survive arid lands and the might of the largest desert in the world bar noneyet that hardiness leads Chandrarians to declare themselves the true survivors in a soft world. They scoff at the soft lives led by those in Terandria and Izril, and are in turn sneered at by the people of Baleros. For what is a harsh land to that of one where war is both a way of life and economy?
And Rhirthe less said about the struggle of those desperate people, the better. But woe to any who might suggest Rhir sohow falls behind the other four continents. The citizens of Rhir claim with so accuracy to be the most courageous, most resilient and stubbornly hopeful of all five continents.
And so the debate continues. From every land, every species will shout their greatness. Much to the amusent of those who have no ho on land of course. Greatest continent? It is a laughable joke to compare such tiny specks of earth to the infinite depths of the sea. There is but one land under the waters of the world, and it is more terrible and more awe-inspiring than anything above it.
The sea. The only land where cities have yet to be built in great number. A vast abyss from which monsters erge that Gold-rank adventurers and Nad Adventurers can only dream of in nightmares. This place is the ho to the Drowned People, the damned souls who have given their bodies to fuse with other creatures and breathe water as freely as air. Drowned People, the rumored rfolk, [Pirates] and [Sailors] who rely float on the surface of the ocean, all call the sea ho.
But they would never claim to rule it. No. Go down far enough and the sea will engulf you. The abyssal depths stretch deeper than any mountain, so deep that there are places magic itself begins to fail. The deep ocean is a place where an Archmage would find her magic lacking, where the greatest of [Warriors] would find his strength worthless. It is so dark down there, and one can sail for days, weeks, months, without seeing anything in the darkness.
But it is not always quiet. There are songs in the darkness, if one but has the courage to listen.
Most do not. To listen to the siren call of the blackness is to invite madness or worsesanity. So the crew of the Krakens Horn made it a policy to cover their ears as they worked. This crew of Drowned n and Won had sailed for many years in such places and knew what asures must be kept.
Maintain the bubble. Deafen the ears. Shine no lights above decks. Speak no word of ill against another crew. Such were the litanies of the crew. Each rule was sacred, inviolate.
Maintain the bubble. That was first and foremost. While each of the Drowned n and Wonforr Humans fused with the aspects of crabs, fish, or other sea creaturescould breathe underwater, the crushing pressures they sailed at would smash their bodies into pulp, as well as their ship, in seconds. Were it not for the magical wards that ford a protective sphere around the ship, the Krakens Horn would be gone in a mont.
So each sailor checked the runes on the ship and watched the mana stones to make sure the enchantnt was not failing. That was their first rule. The second was for safety and sanity. Listen not to the whispers and songs of the ocean. Many a crew had vanished or slaughtered each other when the ocean had talked to them in the depths of their paranoia and fear.
As for the prohibition against lightsmore safety. Light attracted attention, and attention underwater was the last thing any sailor wanted. Horrible things craved the light and sought it out.
As for the last rule, it was just common sense. A crew was a crew, and while a crew could brawl and fight over the smallest of issues, the instant it began turning on itself it was finished. It might seem incredible to the land folk that a crew could go for months without quarrel, but that was the law of the sea and the sailors of the Krakens Horn usually obeyed this last law without fail.
But today, the argunts between the [Captain] and [First Mate] of the ship ca perilously close to breaking that rule. The two sotis [Sailors] and sotis [Pirates] strode along the broad deck of the ship, talking in hushed voices.
For them, that was shouting. It was an unspoken corollary to the rule of no lightkeep your voice down. Noise travelled far in the waters, after all. But so things had to be said above decks, rather than down in the hold where they might be heard.
Ridiculous! I wont hear of it.
Shell die if we dont go up, Captain. Or the babe will.
Were tens of thousands of leagues from any port, and thats without the risk of surfacing so quickly. And for what? A squalling babe? I wont have it! Wed starve ourselves for your mission of rcy, Rendala. No more argunts!
The [Captain] was a big, swarthy Drowned Man, as befit a man of his rank. He had once been a huge Human with a beard like a fireballnow his left arm and part of his chest were translucent and elastic. He had rged with a Blackwater Jellyfish, and his body was part monster.
So might have seen the [Captain]s tendril-like arms as a weakness, but the poison contained in the [Captain]s body made up for any defects in appearance. He could paralyze a whale with a touch and his body could heal from wounds that would cripple normal flesh. Now he was staring with no little ire at his [First Mate].
She had been a Gnoll. Only, like all Drowned People, she had rged with a monster. In her case it had been a swordfish and she had lost her arm but gained an unparalleled cutting weapon on her right side instead. It was a tradeoff many would consider not worth the cost, but such was the nature of Drowned People. They did not choose their destiny. The ocean claid them.
Rendala didnt speak like most Gnolls did, with yes and no endings to her sentences. She had left her tribe as a child and like all of the crew of the ship, she spoke like a sailor.
Captain, shes fit to bursting. And the babes difficultyou know its already half fish! She needs a [Healer] or shes like to bleed to death in the hold. And what would we do then? Jettison her body? Thats no way to do a sea burial and the blood would have predators in the water in minutes.
So we do what? Try and surface? Even if we survived moving up that fast theres little to no chance wed find a [Healer] out on the open ocean.
Its standard for all ships to have a dical officer. And we wouldnt be in this place if we had a [Doctor] on board, Tugrim!
Bah. Old Sawlegs never did more than hand out healing potions. We have enough on boardwhy not use them?
Captain Tugrim had sailed his vessel for over a decade and served with Rendala as his First Mate for over half that ti. Still, he couldnt ever recall her giving him a look with as much scorn as she did now.
Childbirth aint that easy, Captain. Theres ways to lose a babe or the mother that no healing potionll fix. Or if it does fix the problemitll fix it wrong, as if the child werent ever there. Theres a reason why [Midwives]re employed when we have magic and potions about.
The Drowned Captain growled under his breath as he stalked the deck. His footsteps echoed eerily in the silence of the ocean depths around him. He kept his voice to a low hiss as he replied.
This is all that damned idiots fault! Who goes to sea when theyre pregnant?
His words wavered treacherously close to violating the law of the sea. But Rendala kept her mouth shut. She understood Tugrins feelings, she really did.
Im not saying its right! But youve a duty to your crew now.
Aye, but its the crew Im thinking of. The crew or the crew, Rendala. Whats worth more, a life we might not save or an empty hold?
The Drowned Gnoll fell silent. Tugrim was right. Their ship, the Krakens Horn, wasnt an easy vessel to keep repaired and afloat underwater or above it. The mana stones they used to power the ships bubble cost hundreds of gold coins and the crew needed pay. Added to that, there were the costs for oil, food, the supplies of healing potions and other enchanted items
To pay the costs, the crew were [Pirates] of opportunity, [Scavengers] and [Treasure Seekers] whenever they passed by a sunken wreck, and occasionally honest [Sailors] carrying cargo as well. Right now they were on a trawl for sunken wrecks on their way to a Drake port city on the south-eastern coast of Izril. Surfacing would an going back the way theyd co, costing them precious days in ti and resources.
I cant believe its co to this. We should have turned back the instant we found out.
Rendala shook her head. Her fur beca scales halfway down the side of her neck on the left side. She gestured with her sword-hand.
It was too late by then. Shed pretended for too long. Seas salt, how could we not see it? The vomiting in secret, the eating
I thought she was just getting fat. The depths does that to the best of [Sailors].
Well, theres little more it can do at the mont. Right now its us. Up or onwards, Captain?
Rendala looked at Tugrim, waiting. The [Captain] paced along his decks, navigating in the near-pitch black darkness more by mory than sight. He walked heavily towards the bow of the ship, back along the main deck, and then spun and went towards the bow again. When he walked back, shoulders heavy, Rendala knew what his answer would be.
We surface, First Mate. And may the seas have rcy on us if a larger fish senses us. Were too far from a safe zone, but we must ride the Rowers Currents if weve any chance of getting her to safety in ti.
Aye, Captain. Ill give the orders.
The Gnoll woman saluted in relief. It would cause trouble along the ship and no doubt a few unkind words spoken in the privacy of the crews heads, but she would gladly take that squall than face a death of both a mother and child on board without anything being done. Besidesthe thought of what the blood of childbirth might attract in these depths made Rendala shudder.
She and Tugrim were about to head below decks when they sensed a change in the sea around them. The waters were so black this deep that only the faint light from the runes on the ship itself provided any sort of illumination. So finely trained were the eyes of the two Drowned Sailors that they could see in this blackness. And now the blackness was growing brighter.
Captain
I see it. Quick, towards the wheel.
Tugrim and Rendala crept towards the stern of the ship. Neither Drowned Sailor reached for a weapontheir weapons were their bodies. Rendalas sword-hand cut the air in small circles as she crouched low, keeping an eye out for sothinganythingin the blackness.
What could it be? Angler Ghouls? Phantomlight Sharks? A light-based leviathan? All she knew was that if trouble ca calling, they had to be close to the wheel.
There was a [Sailor] at the wheel. There always wasit was known as the Ghostwatchers Ti. The ship needed no real direction most of the tithe [Sailor] on duty simply had to watch out for oncoming obstacles. But the mind would play tricks, so youd see phantoms coming up on you in the distance. The trick was separating the illusions from a real threat approaching in the murk.
Sailor. What do you see?
Tugrim approached the half-squid Drowned Man at the wheel. The man turned, his beard a mass of wriggling tendrils and replied, eyes wide.
Nothing, Captain! Just a light. Growing brighter?
Headed this way? Avoid it!
I have! Twice Ive turned and twice it follows.
Then were hunted. Rendala, prepare to shout the alarm.
Tugrim seized the wheel and turned the ship. Not awaythere was little use running from sothing locked onto them. They had to see the threat before they judged whether it was worth the noise of fightingor fleeing. Rendala nodded as she prepared to yell. A loud voice would wake the entire ship in this silence.
Its getting brighter!
Now the glow was an almighty shine. Rendala had to squint to see, but she could tell the light was coming from sothing ahead of her. Not too bigwhich was a relief if it was a monster. But what was that light?
Ahoy! What have we here?
There was an exclamation, a sharp intake of breath as Tugrim saw sothing in the depths that Rendala could not. He spun the wheel and she heard a splash as sothing breached the bubble of the ship.
Hold! Who are you? Answer or we attack!
Tugrim roared into the silence as he faced the source of the light. Rendala raised her sword-arm, staring into the blinding glare. And thensuddenlythe light winked out. In the darkness the spots in the Gnolls vision took a few monts to clear. Then she saw him.
Standing at the edge of the bubble surrounding the Krakens Horn was a man. He was standing on top of a taltube. It was so kind of vehiclea tal contraption of steel that had opened to let him climb out. The vehicle was beyond strange, but it was the man who drew Rendalas gaze.
He was dressed in so kind of uniform, a pristine white cloth. He had a white cap with so kind of gold insignia on the fronthardly a proper [Captain]s hat like the swaggering broad-cut monster of a hat like Tugrim wore. And yet, he was clearly part of so army, albeit one neither Tugrim nor Rendala had were familiar with. Two black epaulets with gold tassels sat on his shoulders along with four black stripes. He stood erect, his back straight as a rod, and his eyesah, his eyes.
They were the eyes of the deep itself. Piercing, unwaveringthey bore a hole into the three stunned [Sailors] as the Human man descended off his strange vehicle onto the deck of the ship. The maniac glare the man gave Rendala and Tugrim was at odds with his calm voice
Hello.
They stared. The man with the steely eyes waited for a response. When none was forthcoming he spoke again.
My na is Captain Ad. This is my submarine.
He gestured towards the tal vehicle hed erged from. Rendala stared at it.
The black tal contraption was as foreign to First Mate Rendala as any eldritch horror shed seen dragging itself across the sea bed. It defied her understanding of how a ship should be. And yet, the long, oblong shape, the way it sat in the water rather than swamit had its own symtry, its own grace.
And clearly, it could move about the depths without an enchantnt of its own. That alone gave her pause, and clearly made Tugrim think twice about a rash move. She could see her Captain shifting and knew he was ready to lash out with his poisoned hand should this strange Captain Ad prove dangerous.
The Peace of the Drowned upon you. I am [Captain] Tugrim of the Krakens Horn. What business have you in these waters? Nowhat foolishness led you to shine a light this far down?
The question seed to puzzle the other Captain. Ad stared around, his burning gaze making the other Drowned Sailor flinch.
It was dark. Darkness needs a light. Or how else would I navigate?
Youd sooner end up in the belly of a monster like that!
The lack of common sense clearly shook Tugrim. He gestured to the submarine, his eyes on Captain Ads face. He didnt dare et the Human mans eyesthe piercing stare was too much even for Tugrims seasoned years.
Either youve a deathwish or your strange ship can destroy titans, stranger. Which is it? And why did you seek out?
I had a feeling I was needed.
Once again, Captain Ad gave an incomprehensible reply. Tugrim exchanged glances with his First Mateit was Rendala who responded.
What do you an, a feeling? What is it you do?
Rather than answer, Captain Ads gaze once again swept the ship. He spoke in a distant voice.
Is there, by any chance, a pregnant woman on board your ship? I have a Skill that senses them.
Rendalas eyes widened. Tugrim swore a sailors oath.
Storm waters take ! How did you
Im an [Obstetrician].
Captain Ad replied coolly. Tugrim paused.
A what now?
An obstetrician. I deliver babies. If you have a pregnant woman on board, I can help her give birth.
Truly?
Rendalas skepticism was warring with a sudden hope. Tugrim took a step back, his eyes narrowed.
Now hold on. How can we be so sure we can trust
Captain Ad turned his paralyzing stare on Tugrim and the [Captain]s words died in his mouth. Slowly, Ad reached into a pocket. Rendala tensed, but the man just took out a strange, long, cylindrical object out and put it into his mouth. She stared.
It was a pretzel. Ad mistook her look and pulled out another.
Want one?
No. No, I
Take to the patient. Ti is running out.
Rendala hesitated and Tugrim gave her a look. But they had no choice. She beckoned, and Ad strode after the Drowned Sailors, still chewing on the pretzel.
I have toffee if anyone wants it.
-
Below decks, the crew of Krakens Horn were in a small panic. They were clustered outside one of the cabins where the pregnant female [Sailor] had been housed. Until this mont only ghastly groaning noises had echoed from that place and it had been avoided by all but Rendala and the [Cook] who brought the poor woman food. Now Rendala, Tugrim, and the rest of the crew peeked around the doorfra as Captain Ad tended to his patient.
Youre sure you know what youre doing?
Tugrim glared at Captain Ad, breathing heavily. He was protective of his crew, but pale-faced, ill-at-ease in this situation that called for neither steady hands nor a heart of steel. Well, actually, it called for both things, but Tugrim would have happily fought a Kraken naked in a lifeboat than be called on to assist a birth.
Captain Ad nodded. Hed eaten his pretzel and now donned a pair of white rubbery gloves.
I told you, Im a dical officer. And this is my patient. Lets see how shes doing. Miss, breathe slowly for . In, out, in, out
It had to be his soothing voice that cald the pregnant [Sailor]; it definitely wasnt the piercing glare he trained on her. And yet, despite the sudden appearance of this intense, strange man, Rendala saw the young pregnant woman calm down a bit, and after a cursory inspection Captain Ad straightened and nodded.
Shes due any minute now.
Nothing could have thrown the crew of the ship into a worst panic. Nothing, except hearing the pregnant [Sailor] cry out and realizing the pregnancy had shifted from being imminent to in progress. Screaming occurred, and only so of it ca from the mother-to-be.
And yet, there was an icy void of calm amidst the chaos. Captain Ad calmly delivered the baby with the help of the ships crew, ordering Drowned n and Won to bring hot water, tools from his submarine, scissors of all things
Rendala watched with a mixture of horror and awe as the baby was born. Tugrim fainted as the head poked out. But in short order it was done, and Captain Ad held up the squalling infant and regarded it.
Its ahmm. Its awell, its got scales. And tentacles. And a beak.
Is heis the curse
The weak mother struggled up. She was afraid. All Drowned People were, to give birth. The oceans taint on their bodies could pass on to their children in odd ways. But when she saw her son she cried out and took him from Captain Ad with trembling hands.
Hes beautiful.
That he is. We cant thank you enough, sir. What can we
Rendala was about to ask how they could repay their mysterious savior when she heard a shout from above. Her blood ran cold.
Leviathan to port! All hands! Leviathan!
A monster of the depths had found them. The jubilation below decks ended in a mont. The Drowned Child wailed as the [Sailors] scrambled above decks. What they saw terrified Rendala to her core.
A fish thrice the size of her ship was circling them, its wide, gaping mouth showing rows of teeth as it eyed their vessel through a set of multi-colored eyes along its length. It looked like a salmon if you mutated it, gave it wings like razors, three more eyes on each side, a serpentine tail, teethactually it looked nothing like a salmon at all.
It looked like death, though. The sea monster had noticed the Krakens Horn, that, or it had heard the noise or seen the light in the waters that Captain Ads arrival had prompted. Either way, it was here and there was only death now.
Captain Ad had strode onto the decks after Rendala. He was the first to break the horrified silence. He calmly put the pretzel in his mouth, staring up at the giant fish monster as it opened its jaws wide, wide, trying to engulf both ships.
Well, darn. Thats big.
The mont was broken. The [Sailors] scrambled across the decks, shouting, firing the magical cannons towards the fish. Rendala scrambled across the deck, towards the steering wheel. The First Mate scread at Captain Ad as she furiously turned the wheel of her ship.
Run! Well all be eaten by that damned thing if we hang about!
There was a gas petal by the steering wheel that allowed the ship to rise and sink as need beshe was pressing with all her might to get it to rise as the sea monster swam closer, maw closing in on her ship.
She had to get her ship away, even if it ant abandoning Captain Ads ship to the depths. But the man was already swinging himself into the hatch of his vehicle. He gave her a reproachful look as he paused with the hatchs lid in one hand.
Theres a ti and place for foul language, Miss. And thats never. I have a plan.
She stared at him. Captain Ad was turning his submarine. She could hear his voice, echoing out of the sub as he turned it to face the giant fish.
Now look here, you. Id reconsider anything you were planning to do. Turn around, swim away, and well all go ho happy. Understand?
The gigantic fish stared at Captain Ad. Perhaps it was his devilish stare, which pierced the fish through the layers of his submarine, or maybe it was his calm, implacable voice, but the monstrous fish hesitated for just a mont.
Give up?
The fish hesitated for just one mont and Renalda held her breath, incredulous. Then it made up its mind and swam forwards, not towards the Krakens Horn, but towards Captain Ads sub. She heard the mans voice speaking faintly in surprise.
Oh my.
The gigantic sea monsters jaws closed around the submarine. Rendala, pushing her ship upwards as Captain Tugrim marshalled his crew for a desperate defense, saw the ship disappearing into the fishs mouth. And then there was a flash, an underwater explosion, a wave of heat
-
It was a strange farewell the crew gave to Captain Ad on the surface of the ocean. Strange, awkward, and made all the more surreal by the giant floating fishs corpse drifting just off the bow of their ship.
You killed it. Just like that.
Tugrim was staring at the fish, large enough to feed a city for weeks. It had been blown apart from the inside. Captain Ad hadnt wanted it, so it was the property of the Krakens Horn. Rendala had no idea how theyd transport itthe sharks were already beginning to circle and nibble at the corpse.
Im not a [Hunter]. Im a man of peace. With a submarine.
Captain Ad answered calmly, sucking on a piece of toffee hed produced from sowhere. He hadnt wanted any part of the feastalthough the teeth alone were probably worth a fortune in ivory. He had accepted a small paynt for delivering the baby, nothing else.
Howd you do it? Where did you learn all those Skills? Are you so kind of high-level [Captain]?
The man shrugged in response to Rendalas questions.
I am a [Captain] as well as a [Doctor]. But high-level? I like to think its just skill.
Skill?
Captain Ad nodded.
Underwater naval combatdodging fish, delivering babiesits all like tennis. I play it all the ti. Underwater tennis, aerial tennisIm a [Tennis Player]. Id like to think Im good at the ga.
The [Sailors] of Krakens Horn stared at him. Captain Ad chewed thoughtfully at the lump of toffee.
Or ping pong.
He nodded, and then, with a casual turn of the shoulder, walked over to his sub. He opened the hatch and began to descend.
It was a pleasure eting you all. If you should ever have a dical problem, Ill be sure to drop by.
He saluted, and then was gone. The submarine sank out of sight. Rendala and the crew of the Krakens Horn stared at the spot where a few bubbles rose upwards for several minutes. Then Rendala turned to stare at Tugrim.
Who was that?
Legends. Each continent has them. They have heroes, Nad Adventurers, famous [Generals] and so on. But what people forget is that the sea has its own myths as well. How could it not? But you seldom see those legends in person. You only hear of them, perhaps on the lips of a sailor who knew a man (or woman!) who knew soone else whod seen the legend in person. And one of those legends that was told by the now-rich crew of the Krakens Tooth was the tale of the mysterious man with the piercing gaze, the fearless Captain Ad.
They say he sails to this very day, the man with the piercing glare, cutting through the depths of the ocean with his tal submarine. Occasionally chewing on a pretzel or toffee. More than one baby owes him their life, or so its said.
But who would speak such stories? Who would carry his tales above? Not sailors. So stories, the real stories are too good to jabber on about like so land-locked fool. So stories are true.
Or close enough.
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