Glug, glug, glug.
"Do you think we'll ever find one of those 'ancient relics' Fenrik talks about?" Lucky asks.
"I have no idea," Noland replied. He was channeling magic to alter the direction of a bubbling geyser, releasing blue liquid into a metal canister he held.
Together on Fenrik's boat, they hovered near a rusted, broken-down construction poking out of the Chemical Sea. It was a place they frequently visited to collect these chemical liquids.
Both of them wore layers of clothing to shield themselves from the bubbling sprays of the Chemical Sea. Anything was better than nothing, Fenrik taught them. Noland himself wore heavy cargo pants, multiple shirts, and a jacket with a hood and goggles. Lucky was the same except he also had a cloth to cover the lower half of his face.
Lucky, Noland, and Jade, who stayed behind to tend to Fenrik, were now all adults.
"Do you really want to risk it?" Lucky said.
"As long as we make it back before the sun hits the sea, we'll be fine. We're old enough. Nothing is stopping us."
"Jade will be mad when we get back..."
"She's always mad at us. Does it matter?"
"More like she's always mad at you."
The atmosphere shifted against their boring routine. They grinned at each other with bubbling excitement.
Lucky peered out from their boat, squinting at the horizon. The sun had risen on the far side of the mountains but had yet to crest the peaks.
"We have half an hour, maybe?" Lucky pondered.
"Enough time for us to check it out," Noland replied, pausing the stream of liquid to remove the canister and seal it. He placed it under some straps at the rear of the boat next to two others. One had a clear liquid, this one was light blue, and the last was red which bubbled harshly inside its container.
Swapping places, Lucky took to the rear of the boat. He extended his hands and a current of air flowed out, propelling their boat forward across the Chemical Sea.
Noland stood at the helm like a captain, making callouts to steer clear of anything that might indicate an eruption. It took ten minutes and they arrived without any incidents.
Rusted with metal pipes dripping liquid, it stood on four thick metal beams. There was indication that there might've been walls at a lower level but no longer standing. Its top floor hovered a mere few feet above sea level.
"What are the chances?"
"Not very high," Noland admits. "Fenrik probably got to these when he was younger."
"So why-"
"To make our mark! This is our beginning! Come on, do you really want to scavenge scrap and fill cannisters forever? This is our chance to make it into the middle city!"
"True. Or we can get Fenrik some medicine..." Lucky said slowly.
"That too!"
After tying the boat off, Lucky continued with a frown. "You don't seem very worried about him. He's been a father to us you know."
"I'm worried, but I'm not THAT worried." Noland shrugged. "He's made it through worse. Remember the time he was spitting out orange and the doctor said he would croak?"
"But what if this isn't that time?"
"Don't be so negative. Besides, it's as you said: we can use the profit to get him fixed up if he gets worse. Why can't I think about what kind of lives we can have if he doesn't need it? Real meat, access to a safer lifestyle when away from the sea. Can you imagine it?"
Lucky nodded. They were one of many crews that would depart every morning in separate directions to scavenge the Chemical Sea. The number of mutilations, tears of grief, or boats that never came back was unnerving and put them on edge.
But they could never find the danger. Never spot what was all that dangerous outside of a few bubbles.
Bubbles like the one rising next to them. Noland raised his hand and a large blue wave erupted from his hand in a crescent arc. The bubble shimmered ominously before bursting, spraying the shield with harsh hisses, but none of it touched them or got into the boat.
A faint shimmer attracts Noland's attention. Lucky was trying to do the same but it is the size of a dinner plate in comparison. Lucky frowned and shook his head while Noland snickered.
Not wanting to linger anymore, they hauled themselves up and in.
The floor had a film from chemical sprays, painting the floor like a petri dish of different colors. Outside of that? It was barren. Dusty metal cabinets, scrap metal hazardously strewn about, nothing all that awe-inspiring.
"I feel the profits raining down on us," Lucky said sarcastically.
Widening his pouch, Noland returned an annoyed glare before they began searching the place. All the cabinets and drawers were openable. Some were noticeably broken into by force.
Nuts, bolts, screws, rollers- that was the most they could find.
"Jade's going to be mad," Lucky commented, jingling his pouch of metal bits and bobs.
"Yeah," Noland sighed as he kicked a drawer shut. It doesn't even remain on its rollers as it caves inward, crooked. "This place has definitely been scavenged."
Their attention snapped to as they heard dangerous creaking coming from the cabinet Noland kicked. Immediately they backed away quickly and the floor beneath it partially caved in.
They fully expected to hear the sound of debris falling into chemical waters. Instead, there was nothing.
Exchanging glances, they carefully approached and realized there was some kind of caved-in compartment underneath the cabinet. Noland grabbed the cabinet on one side and Lucky pushed from the other to get it off.
"What are these?" Lucky asked.
"Pills?"
"Oh god, not more pills."
"Shut up! I doubt they're the same as what we take."
Several pristine-looking bottles, unmarked, were next to a book. Lucky picked up the book and opened it but shook his head. "I can't understand any of it. Maybe Jade can?"
"Hurray! I'm not going to get my ass beat!"
"You still are, probably," Lucky grinned.
"Why me, though? She never beats you up."
"I'm just Lucky."
Noland snorted. "Yeah, sure. I guess you are. Anyway, let's split it in case one of us lose it."
"You hold onto the book," Lucky nodded, handing it to him.
After pocketing the pill bottles, feeling pride and excitement through giddy conversation, they eventually make their way out.
"We stayed a too long," Lucky said in a more serious tone while pointing at the approaching light on the Chemical Sea.
Several hundred meters behind the lit up sea, the chemicals were beginning to bubble and sizzle furiously. And further out? Boiling chemicals bubbled several feet higher that could tip the boat if they were caught in it.
"Shit, let's go! Full speed ahead, I'll block the sprays."
"But Fenrik said-"
"We can slow down after we round the scrap hills!"
Exchanging brief nods, they took off. The sharp edge of the sunrise was closing in as Lucky propelled as fast as he could. Noland stopped repeated sprays as they edged too close to geysers with his magical shields.
Unfortunately what couldn't be stopped was what came from underneath as a geyser rocked the boat. The two of them gripped the edge firmly as the back of their boat was sent several feet up before splashing down. Noland broadened his shield as much as he could but some of it still got in.
"Lucky!"
"I'm Lucky! Clothes saved me!"
"You sure?"
"Yeah!"
They patted themselves down nervously before resuming. After rounding the massive mound of scrap that served as a marker for the two-thirds waypoint, their careless speeding stopped.
In the distance, the piers and city edge could be seen through a deep smog. The remainder of the trip was done as usual. Noland navigated without needing to use his magic to shield them and Lucky propelled the boat.
At the pier, two heavy metal ropes with hooks dropped down. They attached it to both ends of the boat and Noland shouted, "Clear!"
A sharp click and a rough jolt. The boat began to rise, clearing the Chemical Sea and rising up to the pier. Just in time, too, as the sun had reached them and the sea was beginning to sizzle and bubble furiously.
Noland and Lucky exchanged triumphant grins, their giddy excitement returning as if the life-threatening scenario ever happened.
"Mention the haul?" Lucky whispered.
"No, not yet! Let's wait- Hey, Jade!"
Their boat jolted to a violent halt. Jade stood on the pier next to a pulley system with her hands on a giant handle, glaring at them furiously.
"We're back!"