Tavia sat back on her haunches. Then she cocked her head as she listened to Caleb explain his ‘off the trail’ idea. She blinked and stared at him for a moment before pronouncing judgement.

“That’s the most ridiculous idea I’ve ever heard.”

“Yeah,” Caleb agreed, as his Quest Window flickered once more. “But you used the word ridiculous. You didn’t use the word impossible.”

“Just because I did not alight upon that word,” she cautioned, “doesn’t mean I think that it can be done.”

“It seems logical enough that you could transfer some of your magical energy to me. Look, you used up your enchanted beads in our escape from Irongrasp. But once you found that tafann wood, you were able to re-create them. That tells me unicorns can imbue objects with magical power. If I had to guess, it’s probably a subset of your Light Magic.”

“True, true.” Tavia got up, tapped a hoof on the deck planks, and bit her lip in thought. “With enough study, some of my kind can place an enchantment on inanimate objects. I’ve never had time to study it, as I chose the path of the Paladin, not a Delver or Theurgist. But there are a couple problems with this idea, Caleb.”

“Fair enough. Name them.”

“Tafann is a special substance. It produces its own base level of magic already.”

“We’re fine there, then. I produce my own magic too, it just takes more time than we have.”

“Tafann’s also inanimate. Who’s to say that I could safely transfer magic to a living being?”

“I do. That’s because I’ve seen you do it, multiple times.”

She shook her mane at that. “What are you prattling on about? Since when have I–”

“Just a few moments ago, when you were tending to Grimshaw. You said it yourself, you chose the path of a paladin. Well, I know your Character Sheet’s stats by heart. One of a Paladin’s Sub-Specialties is Deep Healing. What else is that ability but the magical transfer of healing energy to a wounded person?”

The unicorn stared at him for a second. Then she blew out an amazed equine snort.

“I…I suppose I never thought of it that way before.”

“There’s one more reason to give it a try,” Caleb added, as he scrolled to his Quest Window. “Lir and Danu have it listed as a specific quest for me to attempt.”

Veteran Adventurer's-Level Quest: Attempt to weather a full broadside of a frigate’s cannon. STATUS: IMMINENT New Bonus Level Mini-Quest: Attempt to replenish your magic via an external source. XP Value of the next quest completed shall be increased by 15%. STATUS: IMMINENT

Lir and Danu’s Helpful Hints:

We prefer that you allow your magic to naturally replenish. However, there are many ways that magic can be replenished from an external source. Some of these methods include but are not necessarily restricted to:

a) Using magical artifacts that have been designed for this purpose.

b) Visiting enchanted locations such as magical lakes, wells, caves, glades, et cetera.

c) Divine Intervention if one is a Paladin with a receptive Pantheon.

d) Tapping radiant sources of earth energy, such as molten lava. (We don’t recommend this one.)

e) Packing object or person to be recharged inside the flesh of an undead creature. (Frankly, we don’t recommend this one either.)

f) Lightning strikes of at least 1.21 gigawatts in strength. (We strongly discourage this method due to side effects, including third-degree burns and time travel.)

That’s mildly encouraging, Caleb thought to himself, At least Lir and Danu don’t have ‘transfer from a magical creature like a unicorn’ as something that will instantly kill me.

Donal coughed gently from his spot at the helm. “Hate to interrupt such an intense conversation between you two. But the Stone Angel’s startin’ to draw close. She’ll be on our larboard bow quarter in less than a minute.”

“We still have the wind at our backs, so hold our course.” Caleb turned back to Tavia. “It’s now or never. We have to try this.”

“As ever, you have picked a moment of pure necessity.” She sighed. “Kneel before me.”

“Is that necessary? You plan to dub me a knight or something?”

The mare stamped a forehoof with a clack. “Yes, it’s necessary. No, I’m not planning to dub you. If you fall over from shock, then you’re less likely to crack your skull open if you’re kneeling than standing.”

He knelt before the unicorn without another word.

Tavia closed her eyes, then spoke a Latinate-sounding phrase. Her horn glowed bright gold. He felt the heat radiating from the tightly spiraled cone just as she touched his shoulder.

Caleb’s vision winked into strobe like white flashes. His head filled with the crackle of entire sheets of aluminum foil. The feeling of crawling, icy-hot daggers on his skin turned into cramps of pain as his muscles seized up.

A single Gah! escaped his lips.

“I’m harming you,” Tavia gritted. “I shall stop–”

“Don’t stop!” Caleb gasped. “Keep going!”

He clenched his jaw as the pain expanded into his muscles. The spasms hit next, sending jolts of agony through his joints. Acrid smells of burning fabric and hair filled his nose.

The sound of feet pounding on the deck filtered through the crackling in his skull.

“What’s happening?” Sienna demanded. “You’ve set our Captain on fire!”

Instantly, the electric current thrumming through Caleb’s veins stopped. He collapsed to one side with a shudder and a cough. Smoke rose from his outstretched arm, and the sleeve of his Myrkur jacket smoldered, threatening to burst into flame.

“Kirren save us!” Tavia gasped.

Sienna dashed in between them, sweeping off her own jacket as she did so. She covered Caleb’s arm with it, patting the fabric down firmly to snuff out whatever was burning. Caleb let out a groan of pain.

“He…he wanted me to try and transfer my magical energy to him,” Tavia stammered. “I swear, hurting him was never my intent.”

“Intent or not, you did!” Sienna flared. “What were you thinking? I have half a mind to–”

“Belay that!” Caleb said, in a firm voice. “Tavia was acting under my orders.”

He sat up and pulled his limb out from under Sienna’s jacket. Twinges of pain ran along his arm from elbow to wrist, making him wince. The Myrkur jacket’s charred fabric fell away, revealing patches of reddened and blistered skin.

Caleb pushed the pain to one side. He flicked over to his Vital Stats window impatiently. His green Health Bar had dropped by a quarter, while his blue Stamina bar had dipped to the halfway mark.

But the golden gauge marking his Magical Energy was at least forty percent full now. His Quest Window blinked to life again.

Bonus Level Mini-Quest: Attempt to replenish your magic via an external source. XP Value of the next quest completed shall be increased by 15%. STATUS: COMPLETE

He let out a sigh of relief. Then a second sigh of relief as Tavia touched her horn to his arm, casting her healing magic on him. The blisters shrank, while the worst of the burns’ redness lightened up.

“Thank you, Tavia,” he said, as he got back to his feet. His arm still hurt, but he could bear it with a few grits of the teeth now.

“Was all this worth it?” the mare asked, concerned.

“It worked,” he announced. “I’ve got some magic for spells now.”

“Thank Lir and Danu, then,” Donal said, from the helm. “We’re drawing nigh to the frigate now.”

“All right.” Caleb made his way to the larboard side quarterdeck rail and got his spyglass out. “Tavia, it’s time for you to head below. Sienna, is Quinton’s gun crew ready?”

“Aye,” came the reply. “They’re waiting at the foremost larboard cannon.”

“Be ready to pass on my command to fire, then. Donal, get ready to alter course on my command if the Myrkur’s Weathermancer tries switching the wind around on us.”

Caleb heard the Yezzir even as he brought the glass to his eye and looked around. A low line of sandy islands jutted out of the water close on the steerboard side. Just ahead on the larboard side, the crew aboard the Stone Angel scrambled to quarters.

The wooden gunports swung open below the main deck and cannon muzzles were rolled into position. Even at this distance, Caleb made out Lord High Captain Delacroix’s distinctive hat. The man strode down the length of the deck, shouting orders and pointing their way.

Just aft of the Spitfire, the pinnace Reckless continued her pursuit. Caleb heard the paf! paf! of rifle shots from that vessel. But the rounds fell into the water just short of the sloops’ stern. Still, men with cutlasses and grappling hooks lined the deck, waiting to come in range.

“Even if we survive the broadside,” Sienna warned, “if we take significant damage, that lot will be on us in an instant.”

“And their companions as well,” Caleb agreed. Just beyond the Reckless, two of her sister ships plowed through the waves. “So we’ll have to weather the broadside and shake our pursuers in one single action.”

“You really think we can do that, Captain?”

He smiled. “I have another idea that Tavia would call ‘off the trail’.”

Sienna gave him a look that was equal parts skeptical and full of hope.

“Would the first idea have been the one where you almost caught on fire?”

“Reward doesn’t come without some risk,” he replied. “And we have the added benefit of simply not having a choice.”

With that, Caleb peered intently at the Stone Angel as the two ships slid into their respective firing positions. The cannon on board the sloop was positioned further forward than those on the frigate. He waited until they’d just drawn abreast the enemy vessel’s bow.

“Get ready to signal Quinton,” he said, getting a Yezzir in reply.

Three or four more seconds crawled by, each feeling like an hour.

It’s now or never!

The next word erupted from his throat: “Fire!”