2. Solomon the Old

Slupper looked at his one and only friend. Socipi yawned and gave a half-hearted shrug.

The fish shot off ahead of them, wiggling wildly. I hope other animal species are less tiring, he thought. After crossing the ravine, they reached a hill.

“The Pillars are just behind this.”

Slupper flew around it, but saw only a larger hill.

She giggled loudly. “Gets them every time! The Pillars are behind this hill alright, but you’ve got to pass sixty-two more hills first.”

“Hilarious. What do you mean gets them every time? Do animals search for the pillars often?”

“Oh yes, well, not super often, but coincidentally someone else came by this morning. He wore a black cape—which I thought strange underwater—so no idea what creature he was. But he liked my jokes.”

Socipi and Slupper bumped shells again, releasing twenty bubbles. “He’s in danger! A Companion’s in danger!”

“Whoa, no need to shout. I’m not deaf.”

“Are you insane? Anyone wearing a disguise must be up to no good! Take us to him. No more jokes!”

She sighed and swam on. Hill after hill shot by, growing in size. The turtles quickly lost count and hoped the cheerful fish knew the way.

It grew darker. The hills appeared increasingly rough, spiky, and black, making it hard to dodge them. Slupper had the faint sense that the seafloor sloped upwards.

“So … I’m Vivienne. And you are?”

“Not the time!”

“My, that’s a long name. Unique too. I can tell you’re a bit stressed.”

“You think?” Slupper talked louder and louder.

“Sometimes I think, yes. We could always meet up later if you want to chat about it. Ah, we’re here.”

Slupper craned his broad neck and saw a mountain whose peak broke the water’s surface. Atop it stood four white pillars, half-submerged.

He wanted to go on, but Vivienne tumbled into his path. His fin gently pushed her aside, but she swam against it with all her force.

“Such pretty eyes, you have. And what a strong shell. Are you sure you want to waste time with a masked man? We could do something else—”

“Yes. One hundred percent sure. I’m only looking for a cave.”

“Hmpf. In that case, the cave is just around the left corner here. Toodeloo!”

As she left, she pressed a leaf into his fin. How to find her I’m sure, he thought. He paid it no mind and turned the corner, behind Socipi.

A wide opening appeared, as if a great beast had taken a bite from the mountain. Without hesitation they stormed inside. Gray rocks shot past as they approached a growing pinprick of light at the end.

Slupper suddenly slowed and flattened his friend against the cave wall.

“Stop! We can’t just charge in. Someone so clever must have security. And we’re not strong enough to capture any big beast.”

“Now you’re scared or something? If he’s in danger we’d better help fast!”

Socipi raced towards a second opening, far deeper into the cave. Slupper cautiously followed, inspecting each rock. Both turtles froze when a low hum sent ripples down the tunnel.

“We could say it’s for research and that’s why we can’t be disturbed.”

The tail of a colossal turtle appeared in the opening. Slupper and Socipi flattened themselves against the ground.

“But then we’ll still get snoopers and gawkers. I think it best we keep the operation secret and set traps around the area.”

“No, I won’t hurt my own kind. Turtles are naturally nosy creatures.”

“Fine. Agreed. But if someone else finds it first, it’s your fault!”

A hard crack. Teeth dully clapped together. The turtle had to talk even louder to be heard over the chewing. “Are you certain no one saw you? Our security picks up young turtles.”

Slupper held his breath. Socipi pulled his entire body into his shell.

“I only met an erratic orange fish. She didn’t know who I was, I had my disguise on. Solomon, you have no idea if this security even works. Or how it works.”

“Curious. In that case it must be a false alarm.”

Slupper exhaled in relief and—

A turtle foot shot through the opening, larger than he’d ever seen, and yanked Socipi’s shell along. Slupper reached for his friend and tumbled through the opening too.

“Ah, two for the price of one.”

Slupper spun around and saw an enormous gray shark on the other side of the cave. A blindfold went on. The giant turtle picked up both of them and set them on a wooden table in the corner.

“For whom are you spying?”

“We’re not spies! We thought you were in danger!”

“A peculiar choice. To help a giant turtle bigger than four full-grown sharks put together.”

“We didn’t know that! We only found out about you this afternoon, esteemed Companion.”

Slupper felt a fin rubbing his shell. Not long after, the same fin stroked the red stripes on his forehead. The giant turtle did so three times, then took off the blindfolds.

“What are you doing? They’re spies, they’re lying.” The shark had finished eating and looked at Slupper with fiery eyes.

“No worries. I can feel their intentions are good.”

He escorted the shark out of the cave, whispering all the way. At the exit, they pressed their front fins together and moved them up and down three times. Some sort of Companion gesture?

The shark sped into the darkness.

Evening fell, and yet the cave bathed in bright light. Four glass squares on the wall shone yellow. How did he ever get fireflies to stay lit underwater?

Slupper crept towards them. He placed his foot on one, but immediately pulled back. Why’s the glass so hot?

Socipi had long since dug into the food—a large pile of seaweed with leaves arranged around it. The giant turtle returned and immediately pressed a dark circle on the wall. Two wooden doors slammed shut.

“My name is Solomon. The fact you entered my cave means you now have a duty of secrecy.”

“What?”

“No one can ever know who I am, that I’m here, or what’s discussed. That remains secret forever. Only then can I let you leave … alive.”

The last line wiped the grin off Socipi’s face. Slupper heard it too, but was too fascinated by the cave to react.

“I thought Companions were always kind beings,” Socipi whispered, “but this one’s the opposite.”

“Furthermore, I hear, see, and feel everything,” Solomon continued, plucking Socipi from the food. “The work of Companions is too important and must often be kept utterly secret. I could use your help on my mission. I can mentor you and teach the special qualities of this world.”

This caught Slupper’s attention. He turned and saw Solomon’s gigantic back. The edges were frayed and broken in places. Instead of a lovely spotted pattern, his fell was mostly filled with deep gashes. I’m glad I wasn’t born during the First Conflict, he thought.

With effort, he pulled away his gaze and recalled what Solomon said.

“You mean we’ll leave this city? Explore the world? Go on adventures together?”

“Patience. When the time comes, my boy, I’ll take you to Vensala. But, as I said, you must promise to keep everything secret. Even, I know it’s hard, from your parents.”

They nodded wildly, grins returning. Solomon looked satisfied as well.

“Any other questions?”

He walked to a second table on the other side of the cave. An unrolled map, mad of seaweed, was pinned to the wood in many places—using the nails of creatures long gone.

“Yes! What are these lamps? I don’t hear any buzzing fireflies.”

“If I knew, my child, we wouldn’t be here now. I just press a button and all the lamps turn on. They stay on forever unless I press the same button to turn them off again. Don’t worry about it. You’ll find stranger things here.”

“I once heard one of the gods swam among the fish as a dolphin,” Socipi said. “And if you touched him he’d heal all wounds. You mean those strange things or something?”

“First lesson: never end sentences with ‘or something’. Second lesson: I know nothing of the gods, but I’m learning more and more about this city in which we live.”

“Like what?”

“Our turtle town is not what you think it is.”