《Salt and Blood [A Pirate LitRPG]》


 1.01 - Fisherman鈥檚 Daughter

    There is no greater meditation than a day spent casting the rod


    -Excerpt from ¡®Fishing and More¡¯ by Ronald Westwind


    There was a tug on her pole, startling Rose from her daydream and spurring her into action.


    After the initial struggle for dominance was won, she yanked the rod from the choppy waves and jumped from her stool to catch her prize as it fell from the air, grimacing as a speck of salty water splashed on her tongue.


    A silver scaled fish with specks of blue struggled in her vice-like grip. Years of experience at her father¡¯s side and the imparted technique of generations of fishermen meant that the fish had no hope of escape.


    After a brief yet futile battle, it ceased its resistance. A dull glaze washed over its eyes as the last vestiges of life faded, and she tossed it into the frayed wicker basket at her feet.


    It landed with a slap against a few other unfortunate fish, the result of an idle afternoon which had consisted of looking out across the vast and unfathomable ocean, broken only by the occasional tug of war with a new fishy friend.


    One day, Rose would leave this island behind and become the captain of her own ship, sailing across the high seas, plundering hoards of treasure, making narrow escapes from the navies of the world and exploring the unknown.


    Just like Castell Saltbeard.


    Skill up!


    Fishing 11 > 12


    Increasing the level of one of her skills would usually be cause for celebration. Today however, it felt hollow.


    With a sigh she picked up the basket and her stool, then turned her back on the ocean to make her way home.


    She spared a final glance at the merchant brig in the distance. It had crossed from one side of the horizon to the other over the course of the afternoon, during which time Rose had fantasised about raiding it with a pirate crew of her own.


    How would it feel to spot a juicy ship, ripe for the taking, after days at sea? A ravenous gang of buccaneers itching for a fight at her back; Rose leading the boarding charge.


    After slashing her way through the chaff, a brave warrior would emerge from the merchants and challenge her to a duel.


    Sparks would fly as their blades clashed, but after a thrilling battle she would emerge victorious, claiming the vessel and its treasure as her prize.


    Perhaps as they revelled in their success, a local navy might arrive on the scene. Following the untimely intervention a daring chase would ensue, with cannons blazing.


    In the end however, the weather would favour the brave rogues and a tailwind would carry them into the distance, where they would celebrate with rum and song.


    Rose wanted to let the dream continue on, if only to delay the uncomfortable conversation that was waiting for her behind the door of her house.


    Alas, the stories of the infamous pirate legends tended to end after the adventure did, which meant she had little idea of what came after. As such, there was no fuel left for the daydream.


    So, after placing the three legged wooden stool down beside the door, right beside a larger, more weather worn stool that belonged to her father, Rose entered the house.


    ¡°What time do you call this, young lady?¡± chided her mother as soon as she entered.


    ¡°I think the common consensus is sunset, or dusk,¡± she quipped.


    Her mother shot her a withering sideways glare from the stove, but chose not to comment. Perhaps on any other day there would have been a remark about her poor manners or lack of grace, but today her parents had a vested interest in keeping her cheerful.


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    Tomorrow was her fifteenth birthday, after all.


    ¡°Is father still not back?¡± she asked.


    ¡°There were some problems with the catch and he had to stay in the village for a while to sort it out. He should be back in time for dinner, though. Pass me the fish, dear.¡±


    Rose obliged, passing the basket into her mother¡¯s outstretched hand. Tonight, like every other night, dinner was boiled potatoes and grilled fish.


    On the rare occasion, when one of the doori from the village herd grew too old to make milk, there would be red meat for a few nights.


    It wasn¡¯t much of a treat. The meat tended to be tough and chewy, and while the taste was rich and lingered in the mouth for a while like a savoury kiss, Rose preferred the usual fare.


    While waiting for her father to return, she sat at the table and took out her most prized possession¨C a small leather bound tome filled with drawings of ships, the ocean, naval battles and legendary pirates.


    There was a scene stuck in her mind that needed to escape, to be immortalised on the yellowing paper of her sketchbook.


    Every so often, her mother would glance over with a constipated expression on her face. She had something she wanted to say, but each time would just stare at Rose for a few seconds before returning her attention to the stove.


    A stroke of her charcoal pencil put the final flourish onto her work. It was a recreation of the earlier scene. Rose had felt that just drawing a lone brigantine on the ocean was lacking in inspiration however, and added in a pirate clipper approaching it with a few grappling hooks trailing between the two and a cannon in the midst of firing.


    Moments after she completed the piece, the door opened and her father stepped inside. He took off his wide brimmed hat, hanging it on a wooden post along with his coat.


    The heat of the stove caused lazy tendrils of steam to rise from it, leaving white flecks of salt amidst the greenish straw. He had to replace his hat every few weeks, when it succumbed to rot.


    Like the wicker basket which Rose had carried her fish in, her father¡¯s hats were woven by her mother. It was a hobby, though one she excelled at after decades honing her craft.


    Her father was tall¨C a little over six feet with a permanent tan and wrinkles that gave him the countenance of a man ten years his senior. Evidence of a life spent at sea.


    He took a heavy step, his boots banging against the cobbles.


    ¡°Shoes,¡± said her mother, not even looking up from the pan.


    ¡°Sorry, my love. Tough day.¡±


    The leather boots went underneath the wooden post, alongside two smaller pairs that belonged to Rose and her mother.


    ¡°Another masterpiece, my little fish?¡± he said, glancing at the sketchbook laid out on the table.


    Earlier that day, Rose had decided not to let her parents sway her, no matter how kind they were that evening. However, her art was a weakness that her father ruthlessly exploited. A warm smile crept onto her face as she held it up for him to see.


    ¡°How unfortunate for that ship that they happened to encounter pirates so close to shore,¡± he mused, a knowing glint in his eye. ¡°Your shading has improved. A skill up?¡±


    She shook her head and closed the sketchbook. Her last skill up had been a few weeks ago, and despite finishing over ten more drawings since, the tide had remained silent. Until her fishing had increased earlier, that is.


    After planting a kiss on her forehead and leaving the scent of fish guts lingering in the air, he embraced her mother from behind and gave her a much more passionate kiss.


    Rose didn¡¯t mind the smell. Fairwater Bay was a fishing village, and her whole life had been spent around fishermen. In a strange way, it was comforting. The day the house smelled too clean was the day her father was no longer there.


    Sometimes, one of the boats that went out in the morning never came back. All the men would have dour expressions, and there would be a funeral the day after. The community always supported the widow, and her children, but Rose often wondered how it would feel if the boat that didn¡¯t return was her father¡¯s.


    ¡°You better wash up before we eat, Samuel. Tonight is a special occasion. I don¡¯t want you ruining our daughter¡¯s last night of childhood.¡±


    ¡°Never, my love.¡±


    Her father washed himself in the basin, and her mother finished cooking. They all sat at the table and she laid out the grand feast. She had outdone herself that evening.


    Mashed potatoes, made creamy with doori milk accompanied salted grilled fish, caught fresh that day by Rose herself. To top it all off, there was a soft and sweet red vegetable, which had been grilled with the fish, letting the flavours mingle to create a vibrant mouthful.


    ¡°Where did you get this? It¡¯s incredible,¡± said Rose as she took a bite of the vegetable.


    ¡°A wandering merchant stopped by the village today. Imported from Zoria, or so he said. Called it a blood pepper. Charged me a silver coin for five of them, so I¡¯m glad they¡¯re delicious,¡± her mother replied.


    The meal took longer than usual to finish. It was a deliberate effort on her part. Rose made sure to take slow, small bites of her food and chew each one fifty times. There was no avoiding the conversation, but she would be damned if she made it easy for them to get it started.


    However, some things in life are inevitable. Her fifteenth birthday loomed, and with it, adulthood. In the end, it was her father who broke the silence.


    ¡°Have you decided yet, my little fish?¡±

 1.02 - Set in Salt

    An occupation is for life, so choose wisely


    -Excerpt from ¡®Charting the Tide: A journeyman¡¯s guide to skills and occupations¡¯ by various contributors


    Emerlan Isle was a poor nation. No one would dare to claim otherwise, not even its most staunch patriots.


    All it had to offer was the doori, a few scattered evergreen forests and a meagre population of wolves and bears.


    Like many small countries the world over, the staple diet consisted of fish and foraged vegetables. Bland, but healthy enough.


    Furs, wood and doori milk weren¡¯t the most in demand of commodities, but there was always a steady supply of buyers.


    Over the generations, monopolies had formed around Emerlan Isle¡¯s three major exports, leaving just seven families in control of the lion¡¯s share of the country¡¯s economy.


    The average person had little to offer but their labour, and as such almost everyone in the nation fell into a few trades. Fishing, Herding and Trapping.


    Littered among those of course, were the other essential tradespeople required to keep a country running, but it was important to play to your specialties. The end result was that the country seemed to be in abject poverty, from an outside perspective, but its citizens tended to lead fulfilling and enjoyable lives.


    Most followed in their parent¡¯s footsteps, choosing either of the two professions available to them, or in the odd case, one. It wasn¡¯t uncommon for two folk to fall in love at work, after all.


    And if your parents taught you from a young age, you might have levelled the relevant skills up enough to have earned the first trait. Choosing an occupation unrelated to your existing skills was folly.


    On Emerlan Isle, a person was considered to be an adult the day they turned fifteen. Most would need a few more years to have the mindset and life knowledge to actually live up to the title, but it was a working classification.


    Upon turning fifteen, they would enter work in whichever profession they had chosen, and remain in it until the day they dropped dead or were lucky enough to survive into infirmity. And that was a life well lived, in the eyes of the majority.


    There were a small portion of people however, who remembered what Emerlan Isle had grown infamous for, once upon a time.


    It was the birthplace of a legend. Castell Saltbeard, the greatest buccaneer to ever sail the seas. There had been a time where every living soul knew his name, and would quake in fear at the thought of seeing his fabled pirate flag on the horizon.


    The day of his execution, it was said that Aughold, the capital city of Minenblum¨C the nation which had managed to achieve the impossible by capturing Saltbeard¨C was covered in thousands of black flags bearing a bearded moon.


    It was possible the stories had been exaggerated and bloated through countless retellings, but the sentiment remained true.


    His parting declaration, uttered with a smile as the executioner¡¯s axe descended, was in bold defiance of authority and governance. He managed to capture the essence of piracy in just a few words.


    ¡°Free as the tides, I travel where my heart desires. No chains can bind a curious soul.¡±


    Those words hung in Rose¡¯s mind as she sat at the table, figuring out how long she could ignore her father before he pushed her for an answer.


    Considering he was the man who had raised her on stories of Saltbeard, and other infamous buccaneers who had followed in his sails, she thought it was rather hypocritical of her father to want her to settle for a mundane life of fishing, or herding doori.


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    ¡°How about this? Spend the day with me out on the boat tomorrow, to get a taste for it. You¡¯ve always loved fishing since you were a little girl; I¡¯m sure this fear will pass. If you truly hate it, I¡¯m sure your mother would love to show you the ropes out on the pastures,¡± said her father, after realising she wouldn¡¯t be the one to break the silence.


    ¡°I think that sounds wonderful. It¡¯s normal, my sweet Rose¨C To feel some trepidation about the future. Neither of us think any less of you for taking time to decide, but you have to make a choice soon,¡± said her mother.


    ¡°I¡­ Sure,¡± Rose answered.


    Trepidation was putting it lightly. The idea of committing herself to something as mundane as fishing or herding terrified her.


    Even her friends called her childish, for still clinging to notions of adventure. Daniel had turned fifteen two weeks prior and just a week later, when he¡¯d been a fisherman for seven whole days, had told her that it wasn¡¯t wise for him to be spending time with ¡®a foolish dreamer¡¯.


    Whether the decision was permanent remained to be seen, but it stung all the same. He was her best friend. His father was her father¡¯s best friend.


    A generational commitment to friendship that he was willing to throw away all because she wanted more for herself than sixty years in a tiny village on the coast of a tiny island in an unimportant corner of the world.


    However, she didn¡¯t say any of that. It would make her parents more worried than they already were. And she had no desire to make outcasts of them. Not after everything they had done for her.


    That night, she couldn¡¯t fall asleep, no matter how many doori she counted or how hard she tried to empty her mind.


    After two hours spent counting the whorls and knots in the wooden ceiling of her bedroom, Rose made up her mind.


    It was now or never.


    She pulled a cloth backpack from the foot of her bed and stuffed two clean changes of clothes inside.


    After that, she wrapped her sketchbook and two charcoal pencils in a piece of brown paper and those went in too. Her golden doori scale, gifted by her mother as a luck charm on her tenth birthday. A fishbone bracelet, handcrafted by her father for her twelfth.


    As far as personal possessions went, it was a meagre collection, but to her it was priceless.


    After casting a last look at her bedroom, perhaps her last, Rose crept to the kitchen. There was a tense moment when she shut her door - it had a bad habit of creaking when you least expected. Tonight however, the tides were with her.


    Two leather waterskins lay beside the basin, and she filled both, just in case. She had read once that fresh water was by far the most important resource out at sea. You couldn¡¯t drink seawater. Too much salt.


    They went into the backpack, along with the leftover grilled fish and mashed potatoes from dinner. There were three apples in the fruit basket, which she took too. Her parents would miss breakfast, but she needed the food more.


    Rose turned to leave, but as she stepped away from the stove, her mother¡¯s kitchen knife flashed in the light of the fire.


    A pirate needed a weapon, right? She wouldn¡¯t use it. Not unless she had to, but it was better to be safe than sorry.


    She tucked it into her belt, then put on her boots and coat. After that, she took out a piece of paper which she had torn from her sketchbook and laid it on the table.


    Thirty seconds later, she had scribbled out a heartfelt letter to her parents. Perhaps they would never understand why she had to leave, but pouring out everything on her mind had been cathartic.


    It was her father who had always told her to follow her curiosity. Right now, that meant choosing adventure. She slipped out the door and made her way to the village under the cover of the stars.


    Their house was tucked away from the main village thoroughfare. It had been her mother¡¯s choice. She wanted somewhere secluded to raise Rose, and her father, being the hopeless romantic that he was, obliged her wish.


    Walking to the village took five minutes, and there wasn¡¯t a soul in sight when she arrived. At one point, she heard a door open and her heart almost jumped out of her chest.


    No one had appeared, though, and the rest of her journey to the jetty was peaceful.


    There were ten or so identical fishing boats moored there. Small craft, with space for two and a short mast with a sail in between. A single person could manage it, if they were so inclined. Rose made her way down the jetty, not stopping until she arrived at the seventh boat.


    Daniel¡¯s family boat. She felt a twinge of guilt. His father would need to buy, or build a new one. He should blame his son for being an asshole.


    Water splashed against her hand as the rope slipped into the waters of the sea. She pushed away from the wooden jetty and took up the oars.


    There was a thick cover of clouds tonight, and the light of the moon shone just enough for her to make out her hands. Her destination was the largest town on the Emerlan Isle, across the bay - Smuggler¡¯s Rest.

 1.03 - Rookie Mistake

    Never set sail without a navigator, or at least a map and compass


    -Excerpt from ¡®The Ten Laws of the Sea¡¯, author unknown


    Rose didn¡¯t know when she had fallen asleep. It was hard to tell time without the moon and the stars, when the only view was the pitch black of the ocean.


    She thought that the boat had been going towards Smuggler¡¯s Rest, but perhaps her course had altered while she slept.


    In the sky above, the clouds were still thick. A dark grey blanket that covered the world, hiding the sun and obscuring any hope of navigation.


    In all her rush to leave home, she had forgotten to bring any means of measuring her direction.


    She did a little spin, to see if there were any recognisable landmarks on the horizon, but it was just her and the deep blue.


    Emerlan Isle was situated at the southern end of a small ocean. Small by the standards of the world, given that some of the grander seas could stretch for a million miles or more, but still vast for a single teenage girl all alone in a fishing boat.


    Perhaps one of her skills or traits might be able to help her out in this situation. Rose didn¡¯t think so, but it was worth having a look before making any rash decisions.


    With that in mind, she reached out her mind to the tide and her eyes flickered across her information.


    Name: Rose Everblue


    Race: Human


    Occupation: -


    Title: -


    Available Titles: -


    Skills: Cleaning 4, Reading 8, Fishing 12, Swimming 7, Writing 2, Butchery 6, Cooking 5, Herding 2, Focus 7, Drawing 9


    Traits: Sensitive Line


    As the stories told it¨C and the books too, though Rose was not an academic and had never seen one of the lengthy tomes on tide theory, let alone read one¨C the tide was a gift from the gods, designed to help the sentient races hone their knowledge and skills.


    It was an exchange predicated on the assumption that the mortals would be so grateful for the help, that they would offer up prayer and thanks in abundance to the generous deities in return for their gift.


    Rose wasn¡¯t sure how that had worked out or if it was even true, but she had been raised to both fear and worship Sylack, the God of Fish and Fishermen. A healthy respect for the ocean had been instilled in her since she had been a child. Her father made sure of it.


    The dangers of even a mundane job like fishing could be catastrophic. A storm could strike at any moment or a sea beast could emerge from the depths and swallow a small vessel whole if it so chose. Offering a prayer to Sylack every now and then warded off such horrors.


    Yet the world was vast¨C it held innumerable oceans and dozens of gods holding domain over various aspects of the sea.


    Perhaps one of the others might take issue with Sylack one day and decide to strike out at his worshippers.


    It was a cruel world and Rose felt that it was easier to stay out of divine politics where necessary.


    Right now though, she freely gave her worship to whichever deity would offer her a way to escape her predicament. Her one trait, sensitive line, would be of little use for navigation.


    She had received it upon achieving level ten in fishing and her father had treated her to a meal in Smuggler¡¯s Rest as a celebration.


    Back then the idea of following in his footsteps and making fishing her life¡¯s work hadn¡¯t seemed so harrowing; so defining.


    All the trait did was nudge her aim a little when she cast her line, giving her an increased chance to land near an approaching fish.


    Traits tended to be like that¨C minor adjustments to how things functioned. At least at level ten, that is.


    She had heard from her father and other tradesfolk that the traits at level twenty-five, fifty and one hundred¨C if one was skilled and dedicated enough to achieve such a thing¨C were more potent.


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    Tales from her father were of little use to her right now. It was beginning to look like her only option would be to wait it out and hope a ship sailed by to pick her up, or at least offer her a true heading and some means of staying on course.


    Taking a chance and rowing or sailing in a random direction might seem like a tempting prospect, but Rose knew better.


    There was just as much chance she would end up taking herself further out to sea and wasting valuable energy with no payoff rather than advancing towards Smuggler¡¯s Rest, or another town or village on the coast of Emerlan Isle.


    Her stomach growled.


    Rose desperately wanted to stuff the delicious leftovers in her gob, but held herself back. It was possible she would have to ration out her limited food. Devouring it all now would be satisfying, but stupid.


    Instead, her breakfast would be one apple and a few sips of water. It would have to be enough.


    The first day came and went, marked by the setting of the sun and the passing of the moon. That night the clouds stayed thick, unrelenting in their mission to hide away the majesty of the moon and the light of the stars. It was frustrating.


    With the stars visible, Rose would have been able to set herself on a proper course for Smuggler¡¯s Rest. It lay in the direction of the Stormwind Star, just a little off from true east.


    On the second day, she ate another apple for breakfast and by the time it reached the mid afternoon had drained two thirds of her first waterskin.


    A sharp pain in her stomach forced her to have another bite to eat in the evening. She opted for the potatoes, since her mother had mashed them with milk and they would start to rot if left for much longer.


    No ships had passed in those first thirty hours. That wasn¡¯t unusual. Emerlan Isle didn¡¯t have much in the way of trade and most folk travelled across land when going between towns and villages on the island.


    Her desire to have a ship of her own had led Rose to steal the fishing boat and travel across the bay instead, which she now regretted just a tad.


    It would¡¯ve been a simple task to walk to Smuggler¡¯s Rest and acquire a ship or look for a departing crew there. However, her path was set. Complaining would get her nowhere.


    Two more days came and went. Rose ate the fish, and the last apple. The second waterskin was half full.


    The rate at which she was drinking was much reduced, and she was very conscious of the fact that time was fast becoming her foe.


    Humans could survive a few weeks without food, but it would take just three or four days to die without water.


    That left her a week to be rescued or spot land¨C if she was being generous.


    Rose was hopeful. The ocean could be a cruel mistress, but ever since she had been a child it had taken care of her.


    Once, when she was four, Rose had strayed too far down the beach while waiting for her father to return from the day¡¯s fishing.


    A rock pool had caught her eye, filled with vibrant coloured fish that flitted about and swam down an underground stream. She had followed, and wandered into a cave.


    High tide came fast in Fairwater Bay and Rose had been stranded, cut off from the path back to the beach.


    As a girl it hadn¡¯t been that scary. In fact, she saw it as something of an adventure. Her father had started to read stories of the famous pirates to her by then and when the sea whisked her away, carrying her out in its cold embrace, she had imagined herself to be embarking on a grand voyage like her heroes.


    She still looked back on the incident with mixed feelings. The sea hadn¡¯t drowned her or swept her out into the depths, instead depositing her back on the beach. A stroke of divine luck maybe. Or just regular old luck.


    Regardless, she knew the dangers the ocean held. Which made her all the more angry at herself for missing such a crucial piece of preparation.


    It would have taken her a minute, or less, to grab a compass on her way out the house. Instead, her luck was going to be tested once again.


    By the sixth day, Rose was flagging. Her lips were dry and cracked and her skin was red and peeling.


    Even through the thick clouds, which covered the sky and refused to clear, the sun beat down like a foreman¡¯s whip.


    Her breathing was ragged, each one a burning gasp of air down her dry throat. Her water had run out the day before, and the clock was running against her.


    As the sun set, painting the horizon in vibrant and gorgeous shades of purple, red and orange, Rose lay down in the little fishing boat and thought about life.


    Maybe it wouldn¡¯t have been so bad to have a mundane existence. There was beauty in routine. In the sheer mastery that came with performing the same actions every day, for a lifetime.


    She saw it in the way her father cast his line. Every movement fluid, with no wasted energy. The way he gutted and deboned a fish without wasting a morsel of meat. Maybe she would have reached that level, with time.


    A fabulous success story of piracy she was. Six days at sea, and already on her deathbed. Not quite as colourful a legend as Castell Saltbeard, it had to be said. A ripple in the waves drew her from her idle musings.


    Rose wanted to leap to her feet. She had no strength left though, and the result was a lethargic clamber while using the mast for support that ended up with her just about staying upright in the centre of the tiny ship. However, she was glad to have spent the energy.


    In the far distance and fast approaching was a small brigantine. It had all the trappings of a merchant vessel, and she cracked a smile, though regretted it straight away when her lip split and a drop of coppery blood dripped onto her tongue.


    She had left home to begin her adventure as a pirate. Now, a week at sea later she had encountered her first merchant ship.


    The mind tended to act in odd ways when dehydrated, which was perhaps why Rose decided to take up the oars and row toward it. A few minutes later, there was just fifty metres between them.


    Here, she took the kitchen knife from her backpack and raised it high, before taking a step towards her target.


    It was then that a bout of dizziness struck her, and her grip on the knife loosened. It slipped from her grasp and into the ocean with a faint splash, sinking into the depths as she fell backward into her boat.

 1.04 - New Friends

    Lifelong brothers are often made unexpectedly. Supposedly Saltbeard met Deadeye Hannigan while getting a shave.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Lesser Known Misadventures of Castell Saltbeard¡¯ by Grolsh Wright


    Rose woke with a start, jolting upright and smacking her head into a wooden beam. A flash of pain sparked through her head and her vision blurred.


    She sat upright, head on a swivel and reaching for the kitchen knife. She was wearing unfamiliar clothes that scratched at her sunburnt skin. She patted the mattress. Straw.


    The blanket was woven from the same rough wool as the uncomfortable trousers and shirt. Rose didn¡¯t have a clue where she was, only a banging headache and the faint memory of waving the knife at¡­ the merchant ship!


    Her mother¡¯s kitchen knife was missing, its whereabouts unknown. Rose assumed she was onboard the ship she¡¯d tried to¡­ raid¡­ in her dehydrated delirium.


    A flush of embarrassment reddened her cheeks as she thought about that. At least she wasn¡¯t tied up and as far as she could tell from the sparse yet clean room, she wasn¡¯t a prisoner.


    Despite the lack of luxury it was the comfiest she had been since leaving home. Mostly due to her own stupidity, but having an actual bed rather than the hard bed of a fishing boat felt delightful. For a while she lay back against the firm pillow, basking in the musky scents of the unfamiliar ship.


    Rose traced the knots on the wooden walls with her finger, admiring the craftsmanship. Suddenly a young man burst into the room, slamming the door against the hull. His eyes widened when he saw she was awake, but she also noticed¡­ relief?


    A tingle of salt wafted under her nose and the gentle rocking of the ship was relaxing. She managed a smile, cocking her head to one side as she observed the youth. ¡°Hello, would you mind telling me where I am?¡± she asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake!¡± the boy exclaimed, an expectant expression on his round face, cheeks tinged scarlet.


    ¡°I am. Did you rescue me? Thank you,¡± she replied honestly. A few more hours on that fishing boat and she might not have made it.


    ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t me. Well not just me. The crew all pitched in to bring you on board. You were in a bad way, but it seems like you¡¯re much better now,¡± he spluttered, tripping over his tongue in his rush to speak. ¡°You look much healthier now. I¡¯m Felix, by the way. Felix Klupp. What¡¯s your name? And why were you miles out to sea in a fishing boat without any gear?¡± he continued to ramble and Rose got a little lost.


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot at once, Felix,¡± she giggled. ¡°One question at a time, please.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, the captain says I can be a bit excitable sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Even if it wasn¡¯t you alone, thanks for helping me out. I think I would¡¯ve been a goner if not for your timely arrival. I¡¯m still quite dehydrated. Some water would be amazing if you have any to spare?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Here,¡± he said, taking a leather waterskin from his belt and passing it over.


    Rose took a few deep gulps, draining half of the water. After that she paused briefly then took one more gulp for good measure. Perhaps it was overzealous, but she had gone almost two days without water and her body was in dire need of rehydration.


    ¡°And some food. Fruit would be perfect, but I¡¯d settle for some fish,¡± she asked, knowing she might be pushing her luck. They wouldn¡¯t save me just to let me starve, she hoped.


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to the chef and see what I can do. The captain¡¯s a generous man, but you might need to come to an arrangement with him. This is a merchant corporation after all, we wouldn¡¯t turn a profit if we fed every stray soul we rescued. Not that we rescue people that often. You¡¯re the first, actually,¡± he told her, then scrunched up his face. ¡°I¡¯m not sure why I said that. I¡¯ll stop rambling now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s endearing,¡± she giggled, liking the boy already. ¡°You might want to take some time to put your thoughts in order before they leave your mouth, though. A pleasure to meet you Felix, my name is Rose,¡± she said while offering a hand in greeting. ¡°As for what I was doing out here? I was embarking on an adventure¡ªsailing the high seas is my dream. I just messed up my preparation a little.¡±


    She had intentionally twisted the truth so as not to alarm him. This was a merchant vessel, after all. It wouldn¡¯t be smart to introduce herself as an aspiring pirate¡ªeven without any notable misdeeds under her belt. That would be a surefire way to land herself in trouble.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°Beautiful,¡± Felix exclaimed all of a sudden.


    Rose felt her cheeks flushing at the remark. It wasn¡¯t often she was complimented. Spending most of your time knee deep in fish and with dirty doori would do that.


    ¡°Ah! Your name, I meant. It¡¯s beautiful. Not you. Wait no, damn it Felix. You¡¯re beautiful, too. Average. Not ugly,¡± he finished, looking mortified.


    ¡°Felix. Take a breath. It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m not offended,¡± she chuckled.


    She was a little upset that he hadn''t meant to compliment her though. Her name was something given, so while she agreed it was quite beautiful, it didn¡¯t feel as good to be complimented on it.


    ¡°Sorry. Excitable. I¡¯m working on it. Let¡¯s backtrack. I can relate to that feeling,¡± he said, taking a deep breath. ¡°I left home for something of an adventure too, but found myself working for a merchant corporation ferrying goods between various nations in this part of the world. Not quite what I had in mind, but my boyhood dreams were always a little fanciful. I still get to travel and see plenty of interesting places,¡± he sighed, a faraway look in his eyes.


    ¡°Can you stand? I¡¯ll take you to the kitchen and we can see about getting you some food.¡±


    Rose paused for a moment, letting everything sink in. He looked young, between nineteen and twenty-one. Depending on which nation he hailed from that could¡¯ve made him an adult for a few years already.


    Six if he was from the Emerlan Isle. Though he didn¡¯t have the weathered hardiness of her countryfolk. The only thing more stubborn than an old doori were the people herding them.


    It wasn¡¯t rare for a youngster to want to set sail and seek fame and glory on the seas. Not everyone had to be a pirate, but all knew that true fortune could only be obtained once you set sail.


    Like Rose, many did desire a life of buccaneering. Others were staunch patriots who sought a star studded career in the navy of their homeland. Then there were the real money grubbers¡ªentrepreneurial types who built merchant empires from scraps.


    It took all kinds of fish to fill an ocean.


    She wondered what kind of dreams Felix had that led him to venture out into the deep blue. He¡¯d dropped some hints of his past, weaving a tale that she wanted to hear more of. Right now though, she wanted to eat.


    After a moment she stood up, taking his offered hand in support and leaning against a wooden post that ran from the ceiling to the floor of the cramped room. It felt like every muscle in her body ached, protesting against their use.


    Getting moving again was important to her recovery. And the prospect of a meal, even if it was just a light one of fruit and fish, was fabulous motivation to get moving once more.


    Felix led the way, pulling her along. He had either forgotten he was holding her hand or was one of those confident social types. Rose didn¡¯t mind.


    As they walked she marvelled at her surroundings. The brigantine was nothing special as far as merchant ships went. However, it was her first time on a vessel bigger than a fishing boat and the intricacies of it drew her in.


    The quality of the wood wasn¡¯t out of the ordinary, but every plank had been carved along the grain with precise cuts before being joined together seamlessly.


    The ship was weathered, but not dishevelled. A few years spent in action from Rose¡¯s estimates¡ªthis was likely the first vessel of a nascent corporation, just beginning their venture.


    They passed another member of the crew, older than Felix by a year or two. It seemed like this was an ambitious and young merchant group.


    Not a bad place for her journey to begin. Not the adventurous pirate crew she was hoping for, but Rose wouldn¡¯t mind spending some time aboard the vessel and getting to grips with being at sea¡ªand learning how to sail.


    She had grown up around seafaring men and women, but her own knowledge of how to run a ship was lacking. Learning the ropes for a year or two under someone experienced would do her a world of good.


    Felix pushed open a door, gripping a handle made from polished brass. A lesser ship would have used steel for the metalwork¡ªthe owner of this one had wealth lining their pockets.


    Sunlight flared as she passed into the open air and Rose had to raise an arm to shield her eyes. After a week spent under the cover of grey clouds and around a day inside that cabin, they weren¡¯t ready for the intense brightness.


    After she had adjusted Rose looked around the magnificent ship. The deck was sparkling and as she watched, a boy around her own age scrubbed it clean with a bucket and cloth.


    The masts were thick, towering pillars of smooth wood that made the fishing boat seem pitiful in comparison. The sails were cerulean blue, with golden stripes and larger than her house.


    They had walked out onto a small deck near the top of the ship and Felix led her down a small staircase to the main deck. Once they arrived he waved at the rest of the crew, including the boy scrubbing the decks. ¡°You missed a spot, Reuben,¡± he teased.


    All of them were young, with the eldest being no more than thirty if she had to guess. A few sported tattoos, poking out from under their tailored outfits. The more she saw of this ship and crew, the closer she was to understanding the full picture. All she needed now was to meet the captain.


    Felix led her back inside the bowels of the ship after introducing her to the people on deck, leaving the light of day behind. She¡¯d wanted to bask in the sunlight after a week spent in the dreary cold, but her stomach growled in protest. She had other priorities right now.


    They weaved their way through a few near identical corridors, making their way deeper inside the ship. Soon she heard a rhythmic tapping echoing through the walls.


    They drew closer to the source of the sound with every step. Finally, they passed through a doorway and she found where it was coming from.


    A chef stood over a wooden chopping board, dicing onions with expert precision. Each cut was the same distance apart and there was zero hesitation in his movement. He didn¡¯t look up from the task, continuing to chop as he greeted them.


    ¡°Come to raid my pantry again, Felix? Have you got a bottomless void in that stomach of yours or have you been hiding leftovers for your midnight feasts?¡± he asked with a booming chuckle, eyes remaining locked on his task. All of a sudden he raised his hand and launched something at them.

 1.05 - Leather and Ink

    You can get a worthwhile measure of a man by listening to how he talks of his ambitions. Someone who loves the journey and isn¡¯t just craving the destination makes a better acquaintance than one who has no love for the little moments.


    -Quoted from Baron Valian Dourgate, founder of the Aughold Spirits & Ales Corporation


    Felix didn¡¯t flinch; he opened his mouth wide and caught the slice of raw onion. He crunched it and swallowed it without making a face.


    Rose had only tried onion once before. They grew in the forests near home, but her mother wasn¡¯t a fan and claimed the nutritional value wasn¡¯t worth the cost.


    ¡°Can I try some?¡± she asked the burly chef, and he finally looked away from his cutting board to take stock of the new arrival.


    The man ran a hand through his curly ginger beard. Rose hoped he kept it clean, given the proximity to fresh food.


    ¡°Our unexpected guest has made her way to my domain. As expected, the kitchens were the first place you thought to bring the girl, Felix. I don¡¯t have an endless supply of food, you know. We have to inventory for every trip,¡± he said, shooting the youth a half hearted glare.


    It seemed as though this was a running bit the two had, rather than a true point of contention. After the light scolding, the chef turned to her with a much brighter expression on his face.


    ¡°Of course, lass. I can make you anything you like, provided we have the ingredients. How about a fish curry. I¡¯ll use onions and bloodfruit for the base, with some spices. You¡¯ll love it, I¡¯m sure. Though maybe take an apple first to settle the stomach. It¡¯s not healthy to jump straight into a hearty meal. Grab a seat over there and wait a moment,¡± he said, a fervent passion building in his eyes and hands waving as he talked himself into making her a dish she hadn¡¯t even been about to ask for. ¡°Felix, get over here and make yourself useful. Finish chopping the onions, then prep the bloodfruits.¡±


    Rose decided to sit and observe. There were a few barrels in the corner of the kitchen, which the chef had been gesturing to while he spoke. She guessed that was where he intended her to wait, but the man had already lost himself in measuring spices and gutting fish.


    Rose wouldn¡¯t want to distract him and risk the man cutting himself, though he had the air of a professional and she doubted that a simple interruption would nudge his blade that far off course.


    She found herself wanting to draw while she observed the pair at work. Cooking was a form of art, she believed. And when you had as wide a range of ingredients as this chef did, despite being on board a ship, that was even more true.


    It was a scene she felt worthy of immortalising in her sketchbook, but her backpack was at the foot of the bed in the cabin. A shame. Perhaps this would have been the necessary inspiration to push her drawing to level ten.


    Instead, Rose contented herself to watch each masterful stroke of the blade, every measured pinch of spice, and the occasional taste, as the man turned a selection of fruit, veg and herbs into what he called a ¡®curry¡¯.


    She was excited. Other than the odd import, her diet had just been potatoes and fish for the last fifteen years.


    This was why she had left Fairwater Bay. Trying a new dish, one that wasn¡¯t even known in her home country¨C that was an adventure.


    It was everything she had expected, and more. It was shocking, and delightful. The way the spices blended and burst into flavour was extraordinary. Her taste buds tingled in ways Rose hadn¡¯t known were possible.


    And the heat¡­ The curry burned. It should have been unpleasant, but Rose found it instead enhanced the meal. She was used to fish, but marinated in this incredible sauce? New dimensions of taste were being unlocked by the second.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°You¡¯re a magician, Leroy. I can¡¯t think of another explanation,¡± she said.


    ¡°Well, I suppose reaching a certain level in any occupation can give the impression of the arcane at play. I appreciate the compliment. To me, happiness is seeing the joy on a person¡¯s face when they take that first bite of something I¡¯ve cooked. Nothing is more fulfilling. Travelling the world aboard this ship is just a way to discover new ways to share the love,¡± he replied, a beaming smile on his reddish face.


    He ran a hand through his mop of curly ginger hair. It had been stuffed into a white chef¡¯s hat while he cooked, but the man had unleashed it after the dish was complete.


    Rose was stuffed. After devouring the first portion of fish curry she found her plate filled to the brim once more. Leroy was a generous chef.


    ¡°So, Emerlan Isle. I¡¯ve heard of it. Minor nation, exports wood and milk as far as I can remember. Not surprised you left it behind for something a little more exciting. Most of us here are from Derridas, though we¡¯ve picked up a couple strays over the past few years. Like Felix here.¡±


    ¡°Hey! I¡¯m not a stray. Adoptee, maybe. Though I think I¡¯m part of the family now. I certainly argue with the captain enough to make us family,¡± he said.


    ¡°Family? Part of the furniture maybe. You¡¯re stiff as a board sometimes,¡± replied Leroy.


    ¡°You evil bastard. Alright Rose, I¡¯ve had enough of this flame bearded git. Let¡¯s go and see the captain. He¡¯ll want to have a proper chat with you now that you¡¯re awake.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m excited to meet him after seeing his ship and crew. Lead the way.¡±


    As it turned out, the captain¡¯s office was back at the top of the ship, tucked away from the rest of the crew. In fact, the room which Rose had slept in was his, offered up to her for the duration of her recovery. She hadn¡¯t even met the man and already had a high opinion of him.


    Though it was a small kindness, there hadn¡¯t been a necessity for it. Small actions often moved the world more than grand ones.


    Felix made their presence known, rapping with the ornate brass knocker three times in succession. The door was no simple thing. It was made of similar wood to the rest of the ship, medium dark and laid with a brass trim around the edges.


    ¡°Come in,¡± called an effeminate voice from behind the door.


    They obliged and Rose marvelled at the interior as she entered. It was like someone had taken a magical library and squashed it into a ship. Not that she knew what a library looked like¨C there wasn¡¯t one in Fairwater Bay.


    She had pieced together a vague picture based on descriptions in the stories she had read over the years. Castell Saltbeard had discovered a magic library on one of his adventures. It was written in Brave Buccaneers and Awesome Admirals.


    That one was one of her favourites. In part because it was less about conflict between pirates and governments and more about the general bravery of those who made a life at sea, but also because it contained her favourite Saltbeard adventure¨C sailing in the clouds.


    Rose had read it perhaps fifty times. Maybe even sixty. Hard to keep track when you reached the number of re-reads she had.


    The floor of the office was a darker wood. That tended to indicate a higher quality of material, which in this instance was likely true. A shaggy rug, cream coloured and thick, lay on the planks.


    When she stepped onto it the material hugged her toes in a delicate embrace. She was glad she¡¯d left her boots off when Felix had led her around the ship. The feeling of the rug came close to the taste of the curry.


    Today was amazing. Too many new experiences and exciting sensations happening all at once. Rose was a little overwhelmed, to tell the truth. However, she wasn¡¯t going to complain. That felt like it could lead to bad karmic debt.


    Even if she wasn¡¯t sure about the motivation of the gods, Rose believed the world tended to balance things out in its own way. So, she didn¡¯t go asking for trouble when there wasn¡¯t a need.


    Along the right wall were three bookshelves, also made of dark brown wood like the floor. Every single shelf was packed full of books bound in different colours of leather, all inscribed with gold or silver lettering. It was more books in one place than Rose had seen in her entire life.


    What in the world did one man need so many books for?


    Even without knowing the answer to that particular question, she thought that one day she would like to have that many books.


    ¡°Do you like my collection? It has taken me a great many years, too much coin and far more effort than you might expect to gather these books. I often worry when we set sail that the risk of losing them all to the ocean is too terrifying a prospect, but I can¡¯t bear to part with them for the months we are away. I¡¯ve considered having copies made, but there isn¡¯t the same sentimental value as holding the original. Old tomes have a certain scent. I¡¯m Captain Bradshawe, by the way. And who might you be, mysterious girl?¡±

 1.06 - A Charted Course

    I want to draw a map. I don¡¯t like the way the oceans are portrayed by most cartographers. She is wild and untamed. There are intricacies to the craft that most don¡¯t appreciate. It is my belief that the sea should not be defined by the language of the land.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Cartography, Oceanography and the influence of the Tide¡¯ by Delmoor Hobb


    She sat in ponderous silence. The atypical introduction had thrown her off, and she was second guessing everything she knew. However, she soon gathered her wits and prepared a suitable response.


    ¡°Rose. That¡¯s my name, at least. As for who I am¨C I don¡¯t have a ready answer. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here. The ocean, that is, not your ship.¡±


    Felix gave her a strange look. It seemed like he had something to add, but out of respect for his captain chose to refrain. Captain Bradshawe nodded and scratched his chin, digesting what she¡¯d said as a hint of a smile crept up the corners of his lips.


    ¡°I like your answer, Rose. There are many people who pretend they know themselves and their place in the world. I don¡¯t like liars. You seem like the kind of woman I could lose myself in conversation with. I¡¯ve got an offer for you, since I don¡¯t think you had anywhere in particular to be. I might be wrong on that front. Feel free to correct me if I am, but I doubt it. Join my crew.¡±


    ¡°Crew? I thought this was a merchant vessel.¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± replied Felix and the captain in unison.


    ¡°Every ship needs a crew. I thought you would¡¯ve known that much, at least. My opinion of you has dropped a little, Rose,¡± said the captain.


    ¡°No, I know that. Obviously. What I meant to ask was why you framed the offer that way. If it was me, I would¡¯ve said ¡®join my company¡¯ instead. Not to put words in your mouth. I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m being pedantic. Sorry. It¡¯s a fabulous offer. I¡¯d love to. You have a beautiful ship, and everyone on board seems amicable enough. I¡¯d just like to know where you¡¯re headed.¡±


    ¡°Ah. I see. My bad habits playing up. I¡¯ve always romanticised this whole venture. My father was the one who funded it, hence the merchantry. I have to give him a return on his investment, after all. My passion lies elsewhere. Anyway, I¡¯ll stop rambling. Our current destination is Highbream. We picked up a shipment of silk at a stellar price back in the Felmoor Archipelago. They¡¯re famous for it, if you didn¡¯t know. Home of the spiderfish. There¡¯s a booming fashion trend among the nouveau-riche in Highbream for silk clothing. We¡¯re set to make a killing.¡±


    Rose could see why Captain Bradshawe had picked Felix up during their travels. The two were practically clones. From the tendency to ramble to the tousled chestnut hair.


    A faint giggle escaped her lips as she stared at the two men. ¡°I think I¡¯d like to tag along, if that¡¯s alright. I¡¯ve never been to Highbream before. In fact, other than for fishing trips, I¡¯ve never left the Emerlan Isle. This is all quite new to me, but I want to see everything I can. Where is Highbream?¡± she asked.


    The captain¡¯s posture straightened and he raised his arm, uncurling his index finger and pointing it at the ceiling. ¡°It¡¯s at the top of Derridas. The closest part of the west coast to Minenblum. Some call it the new capital of Derridas, given that it¡¯s home to a majority of the merchants in the kingdom. It also happens to be where I¡¯m from. My family home is near the city centre,¡± he said.


    She noted that his eyes filled with sorrow when he spoke of his home, yet he masked it with patriotic pride as he spoke of Derridas. False or not, Rose was excited to see a nation besides her own.


    Derridas wasn¡¯t too far flung. It was right above Emerlan Isle in fact, but it still marked the destination of her very first adventure on the seas¨C not counting her close brush with death. Which would make a rather comedic introduction to her autobiography, if she ever grew famous enough to warrant having one written.


    Or infamous.


    Given her ambition, she hoped it would be the latter. Though dreaming of such things before completing even a single journey was rather fanciful. However, she had managed to join her very first crew.


    A merchant crew, but it was still a step in the right direction. And her new shipmates were all quite eccentric, but that made them interesting. She wanted to go back to the kitchens and try more of Leroy¡¯s curry.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°It looks like I¡¯ll be in your care for the foreseeable future then, Captain,¡± said Rose with a mock salute.


    ¡°None of that please. This isn¡¯t a naval vessel. I¡¯m captain by name alone. It¡¯s Derrick who does most of the work around here, if I¡¯m being honest. Though I perhaps shouldn¡¯t admit my incompetency to a stranger,¡± he replied.


    ¡°You¡¯re not an incompetent captain. Just a shut-in,¡± quipped Felix.


    The captain picked up a book from his desk and slammed it against Felix¡¯s head. The youth yelped and clutched at his scalp, rubbing the bump that began to form.


    After that, Bradshawe walked over to the leftmost bookshelf and ran his finger along the spines of the books until stopping on a thin green ledger that was taller than all the others on its shelf.


    He pulled it from its spot and opened it up on his desk, before dipping his feathered quill into an ink jar made from smoky black glass. He scribbled a few lines in the ledger, blew a couple times on the ink to dry it and then replaced it on the bookshelf.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re one of us now, that means you¡¯ll have to help out aboard the ship. Based on the fact we found you adrift with no equipment, I figure you¡¯re a rookie seafarer. Felix can show you the ropes, but to start with you¡¯ll mostly be cleaning and helping out the crew when they ask. There should be a spare bunk in the crew quarters. I¡¯ll be needing my room back, after all. If you need anything, don¡¯t hesitate to come find me and ask. It should take us ten days to reach Derridas, then four more to sail up to Highbream. And the most important thing to remember is to never wander the deck at night. Never.¡±


    ¡°Alright, thanks again. For saving my life. And letting me stay. I¡¯ll make myself really useful. It was wonderful to meet you, Captain Bradshawe.¡±


    ¡°Likewise, Rose. Watch your step on the way out.¡±


    Felix took her to collect her belongings from the captain¡¯s room, which were just as she had left them. Her mother¡¯s kitchen knife was missing from the backpack. She had a vague memory of taking it out on the fishing boat, but the last six hours before her blackout were a blur.


    Her sketchbook was still there, thank the gods. Rose didn¡¯t know what she would¡¯ve done without it. It was her escape when life grew difficult. Though now that she had made her escape for real, perhaps drawing wouldn¡¯t have the same allure.


    ¡°Is there somewhere I can have a wash?¡± she asked as they made their way towards the crew¡¯s living quarters.


    ¡°That¡¯s a fabulous question. To be honest, there¡¯s no way to have a real wash on board a ship. Unless you¡¯re rich enough to afford a magic bath crafted by a master artificer. There isn¡¯t one on this ship, at least. Maybe the captain¡¯s just amazing at hiding it. Most of us just use a bucket and a cloth, then have a deep clean whenever we dock somewhere. Life at sea isn¡¯t for the squeamish, I¡¯m afraid,¡± replied Felix.


    ¡°Do I seem squeamish to you? A bucket is fine. It¡¯s more of a psychological need than a hygiene problem. I feel like cleansing myself of the whole almost dying incident. Getting a fresh start with you guys. Ah, that reminds me. What¡¯s this ship called?¡±


    ¡°This beautiful vessel is the Unrequited Love.¡±


    ¡°Oh god. Please tell me the captain didn¡¯t name it.¡±


    ¡°He did.¡±


    ¡°Poor guy.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know the half of it. I wasn¡¯t lying when I called him a shut-in. He doesn¡¯t leave that cabin of his unless he has to. Leroy even delivers his meals to him most of the time. I think he¡¯s joined us in the mess four times since I joined the crew. I joined the crew two years ago. He¡¯s sweet, though. Not sure a captain is supposed to be sweet. Without the quartermaster I don¡¯t think this whole operation would run half as well.¡±


    There were three empty bunks in the crew quarters. Felix offered her the one beside his, but it was also beside another person¡¯s bunk and Rose didn¡¯t fancy the idea of being squished between her new crewmates. Of the other two, one was in a similar situation to the first, so that was a no go. Which left her with a bunk right by the door. A noisy spot perhaps, but better than the alternatives.


    She dumped her backpack and her boots underneath the wooden frame of the bed and then went next door to a tiny room that barely had enough space for her to stand. There was a wooden bucket half full of clean water on the floor and a damp cloth hung out to dry.


    Ten minutes of rigorous scrubbing later Rose felt fresh for the first time in over a week. She put on a clean change of clothes, taken from her backpack and then washed the dirty ones, leaving them to dry with the cloth.


    Her misadventure had taken more of a toll than she thought. Almost dying was quite a heavy experience for a fourteen year old girl. Oh. I¡¯m fifteen now, aren¡¯t I?


    That first day at sea had been her fifteenth birthday. Not much of a celebration. Then again, she was more excited about joining the crew of Unrequited Love than she was about turning fifteen.


    ¡°Welcome to adulthood, Rose. You¡¯re a woman now.¡±


    ¡°What was that?¡± asked Felix, having overheard her muttering as she walked back into the bunks.


    ¡°Nothing. Inside joke,¡± she replied.


    ¡°An inside joke¡­ with yourself?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no one funnier.¡±


    ¡°If you say so. Let¡¯s have a walk around the ship. I¡¯ll show you all the important bits and try to teach you some basic maintenance and useful knowledge. Welcome to the family, Rose.¡±

 1.07 - Learning the Ropes

    Every kid these days wants to set sail in search of fortune. Most of them can¡¯t even tie a bloody knot.


    -Excerpt from an article in the ¡®Minenblum Herald¡¯ by Commodore Saff


    Rose hadn¡¯t realised how much learning was involved in piracy. The story books tended to leave the boring bits out.


    To start with, there was the name of each part of the ship. Which was important to know, because if someone told you to tie a rope to the poop deck or the sail would tear apart, they needed to trust that you had a working knowledge of what a poop deck was and how to get there.


    It was the deck at the back of the ship, the one outside the captain¡¯s quarters and above the main deck. Not to be confused with the little cabin at the front of the ship where the crew went to poop.


    Once she had memorised most of the important places on board Unrequited Love, Felix showed her how to tie a few of the commonly used knots and explained the purpose of each of the sails. It was even more complicated than learning the decks, because it involved an in depth crash course on wind and the weather.


    ¡°So, the storm jib can replace the headsail in rough weather. It stops the ship from capsizing by reducing the surface area exposed to the wind. It¡¯s an absolute necessity. We even have two replacements aboard, in case it gets damaged,¡± said Felix, pointing to a sail on the front mast.


    You have learned a new skill!


    Sailing 0 > 1


    The tide chimed in at a rather appropriate moment. Having earned the sailing skill, Rose felt that it was time to take a rest from her education until tomorrow. There wasn¡¯t much space left in her short term memory for more sails or wind conditions.


    She needed a hot meal and the comfort of her bed. At least, she hoped that her bunk would be comfortable. If it wasn¡¯t, the next two weeks would be a pain in the ass¡ªor neck, more likely.


    That evening she ate with the crew in the mess, with the exception of Captain Bradshawe, and Derrick the quartermaster.


    ¡°I thought we¡¯d be having curry again,¡± said Rose, when Leroy handed her a plate of plain fish and mashed potatoes.


    Not that she was complaining about being fed. And even though it was what she had eaten for most of her life, the simple fare was delicious¡ªit tasted like home. Her curiosity had been piqued by the introduction of bold new flavours and colours. She wanted nothing more than to dive into the world of culinary excitement that lay before her.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you demanding? Curry is time consuming, I can¡¯t be making it for every meal, lass. Don¡¯t judge this dish before you¡¯ve tried it, though. I think you¡¯ll find it¡¯s hiding more secrets than you¡¯d expect,¡± he replied with a wink.


    Most of the crew was used to his cooking. The majority hailed from Derridas¡ªa far more metropolitan nation than Emerlan Isle. They had grown up with a little more variety in their diet than Rose and they weren¡¯t as thrilled to try Leroy¡¯s delectable creations. He still enjoyed being their chef, but he couldn¡¯t deny that taking a rookie on a tour of taste was bringing him a great deal of joy.


    Rose speared a chunk of fish on her fork, discovering that it was much firmer than she expected. A few crystals of salt fell to the plate as she raised it to her mouth and took a hesitant bite.


    The ocean exploded in her mouth, dissolving across her tongue. Salty. And a little spicy¡ªa new sensation she had discovered in the curry. She¡¯d asked Leroy about its unfamiliar heat and he¡¯d explained that certain herbs and vegetables added it to a dish.


    Unlike the grilled fish Rose was used to, this fillet was firm and tender¡ªlike doori steak but without the tough chewiness. Leroy must have seen her widening eyes, because he was beaming from ear to ear.


    Obliging the eager chef, she stuffed a forkful of the mash into her gob and moaned loudly upon tasting the creamy puree. To her surprise¡ªand delight¡ªit wasn¡¯t potatoes.


    The flavour was similar, still a root vegetable, but sweeter and denser. Bellamy and Jade threw odd looks her way. Bellamy was the boy she had seen cleaning the deck earlier and Jade was the first mate.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    She elected to ignore them. This type of meal was standard for the crew, but it was a novel experience for Rose and she intended to enjoy it to the fullest.


    ¡°I still think you¡¯re a magician, Leroy. There¡¯s no way you can make food this tasty with just ingredients, pots and pans. Thank you for the meal,¡± she said, once she¡¯d licked the plate clean.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to say there¡¯s nothing at play other than a lifetime of hard work and honing my craft, but I¡¯m sure the tide provides a little more than a helping hand,¡± he replied.


    ***


    Rose was delighted to discover that her bunk was comfortable enough to let her sink into it for a full night of uninterrupted sleep. The blankets were a little scratchy and the pillows a tad too hard, but compared to the cold and wet planks of the fishing boat which had been her bed for the past week, it was the embrace of luxury.


    Over the next few days, she continued to follow Felix as he went about his daily duties and helped to keep the ship sailing smooth. Before she was allowed to touch the rigging or step foot near the wheel, Rose had to pass Jade¡¯s test.


    Luckily, Felix was a far better teacher than she¡¯d given him credit for. Rose found herself repeating word for word the functions of every single sail, mast and obscure part of the ship, despite lacking a complete understanding of it all.


    Jade promised that would come with time and experience, but she was satisfied with Rose¡¯s current level of knowledge.


    Jade¡¯s approval wasn¡¯t the only concrete measure of progress Rose had. The tide concurred, and on the fourth day onboard Unrequited Love, another blue box appeared to update her on her success.


    Skill up!


    Sailing 4 > 5


    This was the fastest she had ever raised one of her skills. Even fishing, which she had spent half her childhood practising alone¡ªor in the company of her father and his friends¡ªhad taken all of fourteen years to raise to level twelve.


    She¡¯d asked Felix if he knew why, but he''d just shrugged his shoulders and shaken his head. Jordan, the tallest member of the crew, overheard their conversation and offered a possible answer.


    ¡°Take this with a pinch of salt, because no one except those stuffy bookworms at Tidespire Keep know much about the inner workings of the tide. I¡¯ve heard that hands-on experience grows skills at a faster rate than idle effort,¡± he¡¯d said while wrestling with the mainsail¡ªa job that required two people, but could be done by him alone thanks to his huge frame and rippling muscles.


    It made a lot of sense. Rose had yet to begin sailing alongside the crew, but the past day had been spent actively practising how to tie certain knots in the rigging, when to adjust each sail based on the weather and wind speed, and various other tasks that were essential to keep the ship on course.


    Though it did raise the question of how one could fish in a more hands-on way. She vowed to find a rod on board and spend some time experimenting once she was a proficient sailor.


    On the fifth day, she had to spend hours on her hands and knees, scrubbing every single deck on board the ship until the planks sparkled and her reflection was visible. Bellamy had kept her company for most of the time. As the two newest members of the crew cleaning often fell under their purview.


    Though everyone pitched in when it came to shared spaces like the toilets and the crew¡¯s living quarters¡ªit would¡¯ve been unfair otherwise.


    Rose actually enjoyed her time spent cleaning. It helped her to relax and take a breather from the intensive learning she¡¯d been doing with Felix, Jade, and the rest of the crew. There was undeniable satisfaction in making real steps towards her long held ambition of being a charismatic and infamous buccaneer, but the pace of life onboard a ship was often too fast for her to keep up.


    Skill up!


    Cleaning 6 > 7


    ***


    Fairwater Bay was a lethargic place, even by the standards of Emerlan Isle. There was little to do except hone one¡¯s profession or wander through the fields and along the cliffs during the warmer seasons, and the harsh cold kept everyone indoors for the months of winter.


    Rose had read in one of her story books that distant places could have strange, magical, and turbulent seasons¡ªunlike the four temperate and meandering ones that held sway in the Bluestone Sea.


    Perhaps her own journey would take her to such places. She hoped to capture the many mysteries and marvels of the world in her sketchbook. A smaller ambition of hers was to publish a book of her drawings. An ambition so quiet that she had never even shared it with the other children in the village¡ªnot even Daniel when they had been best friends.


    As the sun fell below the horizon that evening Rose sat on the poop deck, her legs swinging over the edge of the ship between the wooden railings that trailed along the side of Unrequited Love.


    For the first time since leaving home she¡¯d found a moment of peace to spend with her charcoal pencil and sketchbook. It was difficult to capture the majesty of a setting sun in black and white. Her shading was improving, but representing such a myriad display of colours in grayscale was a tricky task.


    Much easier to capture was the one blemish on an otherwise perfect vista¡ªthe growing mass of dark storm clouds that lay ahead. Rose put the final stroke to paper, not quite satisfied with the results. Despite her frustration at her own lack of ability, there was one last whorl in the tide waiting for her that day.


    Skill up!


    Drawing 9 > 10


    You have earned a new trait!


    Deft Hand: You are able to apply a much more precise level of fine motor control, most notably when wielding a pen or pencil.

 1.08 - Stormfront

    There are some who see an approaching storm as an omen of doom, but the wise seafarer accepts the ocean in all her forms. To battle against the changing tides is a war you cannot win.


    -Excerpt from ¡°The Divine Encyclopaedia, Volume 3¡± published by the College of Divine Studies at Tidespire Keep


    They sailed into the oncoming storm during the night, and Rose woke to the frantic shouts of the crew as they rushed to prepare the ship for the furious winds and torrential rains.


    After all her learning, she had the knowledge and training to help them out, but when she took her first tentative steps out onto the deck, clad in just a form fitting dress and her leather boots, a gust of wind almost blew her off the side of the ship. Jade appeared from nowhere, yanking her arm so hard it felt like it had popped from its socket and throwing her onto the wooden planks beneath.


    ¡°Keep your legs spread wide or you¡¯ll end up in the ocean. And we can¡¯t stop to save you, so if that happens then it¡¯s no more Rose,¡± she shouted while handing her a rope, just about audible over the deafening sounds of the storm. ¡°Hold this tight, and when I give you the signal pull with all your strength.¡±


    The captain had appeared for the first time since their last meeting, hand clutching a three pointed blue and gold hat to his head, drinking in the situation with an analytical gaze. His embellished jacket fluttered in the wind, and unlike the bookish shut-in Rose had taken him for during their first meeting he now filled the mould of a stoic hero of the seas as he barked orders to each of the crew before taking hold of the wheel and locking it in place in a display of strength that didn¡¯t fit his wiry frame.


    He caught her eye and his straight lips curled upward just a tad and he threw her a wink. Perhaps the situation wasn¡¯t as bad as it seemed. There was a first time for everything after all, and Rose hoped this wouldn¡¯t be the last storm she weathered on board a ship.


    She heard a faint, familiar yell to her right and panicked, letting the rope in her grasp slip a little. It began to carry her with it, but after a herculean effort she stilled its momentum and looked to the source of the shout, catching sight of Jade frantically waving at her.


    Rose didn¡¯t understand what she was trying to say but the message was clear. She dug in her heels and heaved on the rope, every inch won a desperate struggle against the gale force winds that lay on the other end of the tug-of-war.


    However, she wasn¡¯t battling alone and through the combined efforts of the crew they brought the ship under control. The sails had been furled¡ªleaving them open risked the winds ripping through them and leaving them stranded once the weather had calmed. All that remained was to sit tight and hope Unrequited Love was able to see them through.


    The captain waved them all back inside once things were under control. Only Derrick and Jordan remained on deck. The quartermaster was at the wheel, ensuring they didn¡¯t veer too far off course and Jordan stayed near the masts to catch any stray rigging that might come loose.


    She¡¯d planned to head to the mess and grab an early breakfast alongside the others, but Captain Bradshawe waved her up to the poop deck. Rose followed him into the corridor that housed his quarters, his office and the map room of the ship.


    Once they were inside and the sounds of the storm were kept away by the thick wooden door, he took off his captain¡¯s hat and motioned for her to follow him into the office. Rose was curious what the man wanted but it was rare to get a moment alone with him. She stayed silent and took a seat opposite him at the desk, which was messy with open books, quills and the familiar ink jar.


    ¡°I noticed you drawing last night. What level is your skill at, if you have it?¡± he asked, once again looking the part of a mousy librarian rather than the bold captain he had been moments before.


    ¡°You did? I thought I picked a quiet spot to draw in, but I guess it¡¯s hard to escape every gaze. Actually, I reached level ten yesterday. Earned the first trait. I¡¯m rather pleased with myself,¡± she replied.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°Very impressive, given your age. Most don¡¯t reach level ten in a skill until they¡¯re seventeen or so, unless they focused on just one. How old are you, by the way? I guessed around sixteen, but looks can be deceiving.¡±


    ¡°I turned fifteen quite recently. A week before you found me, in fact. And drawing isn¡¯t my only skill at level ten, I¡¯m level twelve in fishing too.¡±


    Divulging so much about her status to what was ostensibly a stranger may have been a risk, but Rose trusted the captain, and the crew. They had shown her tremendous warmth and hospitality since rescuing her and even though she had only been on board the ship for six days felt like she was becoming part of the family.


    ¡°That¡¯s a magnificent achievement¡ªone you can take real pride in. Do you know how to read and write? I¡¯ve found myself in need of an assistant for some of the accounts and ledgers and Derrick is far too busy dealing with matters of the ship to pick up the slack. It¡¯s fine if you can¡¯t, though it may mean more studying¡ªwhich I¡¯m sure you¡¯re tired of after Felix¡¯s crash course.¡±


    A rumble of thunder and a flash of lightning interrupted the conversation, and Rose jumped in her seat. The captain remained still, even as the waves splashed against the windows of the office.


    Given that they were ten metres above the water level that was quite frightening, but he would know better than her if there was any trouble.


    ¡°I can read rather well. My father taught me, so I could read the story books to myself when he grew tired of me asking for the same ones every night. Writing I¡¯m not so proficient at, but it shouldn¡¯t be difficult to practise. What exactly would I be helping you with?¡±


    ¡°Oh, nothing much. Just updating the ship¡¯s log and doing inventory for our food, water, and other supplies. I could teach you the basics of the finances too, though there won¡¯t be much need for that until we arrive at Highbream. What do you say?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy to help. It¡¯s the least I can do to repay you for saving my life.¡±


    ¡°Not at all, anyone would¡¯ve done the same in our place. It¡¯s a sailor¡¯s honour, to look out for each other.¡±


    ¡°I see. I¡¯ll keep that in mind, but I¡¯m still grateful. Should we start now? I was going to eat breakfast but it can wait.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± he replied, handing a heavy book bound in worn brown leather over to her.


    Rose laid the book on her lap and gave it a cursory glance. It was filled with lengthy paragraphs written in difficult to read scrawls. She guessed it was the ship¡¯s log. The inventory book and any ledgers would be more organised and have more numbers. This looked like a story.


    ¡°Can you understand it?¡± asked the captain.


    ¡°The writing is a little messy, but I get the gist.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have quite poor handwriting. My mother always scolded me for it as a child, but despite the best efforts of my tutors I was never able to improve much. Even now I can¡¯t advance beyond level fourteen¡ªand I spend most of my days cooped up in here with the quill and ink.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot better than me.¡±


    ¡°You have a decade to catch up, Rose. Don¡¯t make an old man feel so lacking. Now, read that first paragraph out loud to me, then copy it down onto this sheet of paper,¡± he said, placing an off white sheet on the desk in front of her, along with a shorter quill than his own crafted from a scarlet feather.


    She looked down at the first word written on the page. Right above it was a brownish-red stain that she hoped wasn¡¯t blood. After taking a breath, Rose began to read.


    ¡°Twelfth of Erelis¡¯an, year six hundred and twenty-three of the fourth surge, sixday.¡±


    ¡°You can read the date then, not many can with such accuracy. Good. Continue.¡±


    Her mother had taught her how to read the date, tell the time and a plethora of other little bits and bobs that it might be useful for her to know. Plenty of folk back in Fairwater Bay didn¡¯t bother. After all, if you just needed to know that when the sun rose you were heading out to fish and when it set you got in bed, was there a need for anything more?


    At the very least, everyone knew that a year had three hundred and sixty days, split into twelve months of thirty days, which were named for the twelve major deities of the Divine Pantheon.


    Erelis was the Goddess of the New Bloom, a domain of life and renewal. Her month was the first of the year, and signalled the end of winter and the beginning of spring, at least in The Bluestone Sea. It may have been different elsewhere, though the order of the months was constant across the known world. The Allfaith Order ensured it.


    Rose continued, reading from the first line of the actual body of the log. ¡°Today we are preparing to leave Pallis for the Felmoor Archipelago. I was unable to source any grassweed, which is a major source of frustration. The herb is in high demand in the archipelago and we would have turned a great profit. At least Jade¡¯s expert haggling has filled the hold with cheap bloodfruit and Zorian maplewine. Last night, while in the tavern, we met a young man with similar hair to my own. He was hiding from someone, and while at our table started to babble in incoherent streams of nonsense. Jordan took a liking to the youth, Felix, and through a somewhat strange turn of events we now have a new member of the crew¡­¡±

 1.09 - The Final Strait

    No one knows why, but it seems to be that the greatest misfortunes always strike right before the end of a journey. That¡¯s why I intend to never stop sailing until the day I drop dead on the mast.


    -Quoted from Admiral Fenn, of Blackshire


    Skill up!


    Reading 8 > 9


    Skill up!


    Writing 2 > 3


    Rose wasn¡¯t sure if reading had been close to levelling up already, or if the difficulty of interpreting the captain¡¯s scrawls gave her a huge boost in levelling speed.


    Once she¡¯d copied down a few paragraphs of the log, in a measured and swirling font that eclipsed the logbook in beauty and legibility, Captain Bradshawe pulled out one of the drawers of his desk and took out a brand new book.


    It was wrapped in a soft and furry material rather than the leather that the other books in the office were, and dyed a dark pink. He handed it to her and she accepted it, running a finger along the cover and quivering as goosebumps appeared on her skin. Fluffy.


    Riffing through the pages, she saw it was empty, except for evenly spaced lines on each one¡ªit was a book meant for writing.


    ¡°Is it for me?¡± she asked.


    ¡°A gift, of sorts. Though I already had a purpose in mind. The current logbook is full, and as you can see it¡¯s a rather difficult and uninteresting read. I¡¯d like to propose that you copy it out, and edit it to be a little more of a thrilling tale. That won¡¯t go in that little pink book, however, it¡¯s just a side project for us to work on. As for your gift, I¡¯d like for you to take over the daily ship¡¯s log. What we saw while sailing, any notable events that happened or just small details that drew your curiosity that day are all things you could jot down. Your handwriting is much prettier than mine, and I have a feeling you¡¯d have a way with words I couldn¡¯t hope to match. Are you amenable to the idea?¡±


    She liked the sound of it, even though she wasn¡¯t quite sure what possessed the captain to give such a large responsibility to her when she had only been a member of the crew for a week.


    It was a rather fabulous way to improve her writing skill though. ¡°I think so. I¡¯ll do it. If it¡¯s not good enough then feel free to hand it to someone else.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. If I wanted someone else to do it I would¡¯ve asked someone else. You¡¯ve got what it takes. Keep the quill. You¡¯ll have to borrow my ink jar for now, but when we get to Highbream we¡¯ll try to find one that suits you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very generous of you. I don¡¯t know what to say.¡±


    "Just give me your best work and I¡¯ll be satisfied. Now, let me walk you to the mess. It¡¯s too dangerous to be out on deck alone right now,¡± said the captain, picking up his coat once more and opening the door for her to leave.


    After tucking the pink book into her jacket along with the scarlet quill, Rose walked out into the corridor with Captain Bradshawe hot on her heels.


    As they approached the door to the poop deck, there was another rumbling clap of thunder and a flash of lightning lit up the world in bright white, half blinding them.


    When they recovered from the shock, ears still ringing just a little and stars dancing in their eyes, the captain threw open the door and rushed onto the deck, with Rose trailing just a little bit behind and curious to know why he was in such a panic.


    Even amidst the pouring rain and the blustering winds, Rose noticed the whiff of burning wood straight away as acrid black smoke wafted from the lower decks. That last flash had been rather close. Too close.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    The captain yelled something, but she couldn¡¯t make it out as the wind carried his voice away too fast. He started to sprint, crashing down the stairs two at a time and almost tumbling down the last few when he misplaced his foot, but Jade was there to catch him.


    When Rose reached the top of the stairs down from the poop deck, taking them at a more sedate pace so as not to have an accident, she realised why everyone was in such a hurry.


    The lightning strike had blown part of the ship away, and though it hadn¡¯t burnt for long thanks to the rain, there was now a gaping hole in the Unrequited Love and a large part of the railings were missing along with the rigging that secured the main mast to the starboard side of the ship.


    Rose¡¯s eyes widened even further when she noticed a dark hand holding onto the edge of the destroyed planks, and as she neared the deck more of the tragic scene came into view.


    Jordan was clinging on for dear life, his vice-like grip the only thing keeping him from flying off into the churning seas. He had been on the main deck, keeping watch for an incident just like this, but it seemed luck was not on his side today.


    Rose wanted to help him out. Jordan was a gentle giant, and he had even given her that fabulous piece of advice about skills. Yet, she was wholly unprepared to face the challenge.


    Even with the railings intact she wouldn¡¯t have risked her life on the decks, but the prospect of trying to pull him back from the edge with nothing between her and the cold abyss but a few charred planks was terrifying.


    Standing there, unable to do anything but watch, she felt pathetic. Saltbeard, or one of her other heroes would have leapt into the mouth of danger and performed a heroic rescue. A pirate wasn¡¯t supposed to be scared of the sea, but Rose was no pirate. Not yet.


    While she remained frozen in place, she heard the crew shouting to each other and sprinting around the deck, tying down ropes that needed to be secured, grabbing anything loose and making sure it wasn¡¯t flying off the ship through the hole in the side.


    She figured it would be a better use of her time to make her way below deck and help out there, rather than stand around getting in people¡¯s way. And she would feel less crap about her inability to act if she wasn¡¯t facing the problem head on.


    As she turned to walk back inside, Felix flew past her, not even wearing shoes and with just half the buttons on his shirt done up, exposing a toned chest with a smattering of chestnut hair that matched his tousled mop.


    He reached down to the deck, grabbing a length of rope which had escaped her notice and in just a few seconds tied the end into a looped knot. With a flick of his wrist he began to swing the rope around, gathering speed until it was whipping through the air.


    When the rope was just a blur he let it fly. and it shot toward Jordan, who was able to grab hold of the loop with his trailing hand thanks to the pinpoint accuracy of Felix¡¯s throw.


    The youth had dashed to the main mast while this was happening and tied off the other end of the rope, then began to heave on it, bringing Jordan back up the side of the ship and stumbling onto the sodden deck.


    ¡°Shit, that was close. I owe you one, Felix. You¡¯re a lifesaver man, literally. I think I need to avoid rigging for the next year of my life,¡± yelled Jordan through desperate breaths, hands on knees as he recovered from his ordeal.


    ¡°Just give me your breakfast for the next few days and we¡¯ll call it even. And I don¡¯t think avoiding sailing is an option for a sailor. Maybe you can ask the captain if you can take over navigation. You¡¯d look great behind the wheel,¡± Felix joked back.


    Rose stood there in silent admiration of Felix¡¯s bravery. He hadn¡¯t hesitated to throw himself in harm¡¯s way to save his crewmate.


    What made it worse was that he hadn¡¯t done anything out of the ordinary. He¡¯d taught her how to tie that same knot two days prior. She knew how to throw a lasso from her time working with the doori back home.


    She could¡¯ve saved Jordan¡ªif she wasn¡¯t such a coward.


    The storm passed a few hours after the unfortunate lightning strike. With the remaining light of day, they were able to patch the hole in the ship. Not well enough to last, but it was sufficient for the last leg of the journey.


    As the sun set, the cliffs of Derridas appeared on the distant horizon. Covering them, as far as the eye could see, was a sprawling forest of evergreen trees that towered into the sky.


    Rose had never seen anything like it. Emerlan Isle had forests, but the trees were small, fluffy things that lost all their leaves in the winter. She only knew these were evergreens, and what an evergreen was, because Bellamy had told her about them on the journey.


    Leroy cooked a special meal that evening, to celebrate their victory over the storm. Even the captain joined them, which was real cause for celebration.


    While the crew laughed and cheered, made more boisterous by inebriation after a few bottles of aetherbrew had been added to the mix, Rose opened the pink fur-bound notebook and began to write her first ship¡¯s log.

 1.10 - Tempting Offer

    Patience isn¡¯t always a virtue. You can lose out on a great deal by waiting for the perfect moment. Dive headfirst into life and see how many doors open up along the way. My first skill was sewing, and it led me to open up shop all those years later. Follow your curiosity.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Building Tidewalker: The Life and Lessons of Greev Quebb¡¯ by Ceil Quebb


    ¡°Eighth of Dolmer¡¯on, year six hundred and twenty four of the fourth surge, secondday. The Unrequited Love sailed past the edge of Derridas this morning, leaving the towering cliffs and sprawling forests behind her. We now sail for Highbream, making a course for the most westerly point in Derridas. Most of the crew hail from the city, and for them it will be a homecoming. We have plenty of goods to sell, though a chunk of the profits will go towards repairing the ship after the disaster yesterday. However, we weathered the storm and came out the other side stronger for it. And now the sun blazes out across a clear blue sky and calm seas. I hope the rest of the journey goes smoothly,¡± said Rose, before closing the pink book and looking toward the captain.


    ¡°Brilliant. Magical,¡± he said while applauding her with a beaming smile that stretched from ear to ear. ¡°Just what I had hoped for when I entrusted this task to you. You¡¯re exceeding my expectations, Rose.¡±


    Her skills had been climbing steadily too, with all the work she was putting in. As she left the captain¡¯s quarters to begin her daily cleaning duties, Rose had a look at her status to take stock of her progress and marvelled at how close she was to earning yet another trait.


    Name: Rose Everblue


    Race: Human


    Occupation: -


    Title: -


    Available Titles: -


    Skills: Cleaning 8, Reading 9, Fishing 12, Swimming 7, Writing 6, Butchery 6, Cooking 5, Herding 2, Focus 8, Drawing 11, Sailing 7


    Traits: Sensitive Line, Deft Hand


    More than one, in fact. There were three skills on the cusp of reaching level ten, and while they weren¡¯t as close, sailing and writing were fast catching up.


    She didn¡¯t know if it was unusual to have more than one trait at her age. The captain seemed to think she was more talented than she had a right to be, but all it had taken was hard work.


    Having wonderful parents helped of course¡ªif she hadn¡¯t been taught how to fish, butcher, read, cook, and write by them, plenty of these skills would be absent from her status.


    Her goal would be to earn her third trait before they reached Highbream. It was very achievable and would go a long way to improving her dour mood.


    Rose still cursed herself for her inaction that day. If not for Felix¡¯s heroics, what would have happened to Jordan? Would another member of the crew have stepped up to save him, or would he have lost his grip after a desperate struggle and fallen to the icy depths below?


    It was a small grace that he had survived. The moment had replayed over and over in her dreams last night, and broken up her sleep into uncomfortable, short bouts that did little to help her rest.


    On the following day she threw herself into cleaning, scrubbing each plank with meticulous care until they sparkled in the sun. It became autonomous after a while, and Rose was able to tune out her thoughts. Plank by plank, she continued to scrub.


    In the span of a single morning she breathed new life into the ship, not stopping until her cloth caught on a charred splinter.


    A single drop of crimson blood fell from her hand onto the blackened wood, and it was only then that she noticed the skin on her hands peeling away, raw from hours of soaking in soapy water and rhythmic scrubbing.


    It was only now that she saw the hovering whorls, and burst out laughing.


    Skill up!


    Cleaning 8 > 10Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    You have earned a new trait!


    Good as New: Things that you clean remain clean for longer, and even the hardiest dust and grime can¡¯t resist your touch.


    Her third trait. And she had earned it while trying to push everything away, from one of her least important skills. Rose wondered if good as new applied retroactively. The Unrequited Love would be spick and span for the remainder of the journey and perhaps longer if it did.


    She wondered why focus hadn¡¯t gained a level too, given that she had put her all into cleaning for almost four hours straight. Though she supposed that being zoned out and ignoring her thoughts was the exact opposite of focus.


    A shadow fell over her. Felix¡¯s face screwed up when he noticed her hands, and he grabbed her forearm. He pulled her towards the door of the cabin, and she didn¡¯t miss the way he took extra care to avoid the parts of her skin which she¡¯d rubbed raw.


    Rose offered some feeble resistance and waved her free arm towards the bucket. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t leave it there, it¡¯s a tripping hazard.¡±


    The withering glare she received from the young man made her wilt and she stopped pulling against his lead. She wasn¡¯t sure what she had expected their destination to be, but of all the places in the bowels of the ship, the kitchen was the last to cross her mind.


    It became clear why they were there however, when Felix showed her hands to Leroy, who beelined for one of his cupboards and pulled out a little green box.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been pushing her too hard, Felix. There¡¯s no reason for her hands to be this raw.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame me, she did this to herself. If I hadn¡¯t realised her behaviour this morning was far too peculiar then she would¡¯ve kept scrubbing the deck until nightfall,¡± he protested.


    Right after, he turned to Rose with a sheepish expression and put a hand on her shoulder. ¡°That was harsh, sorry. I¡¯m right though, aren¡¯t I? If something¡¯s wrong you can tell us. We¡¯re your crew now, that means we support each other.¡±


    Her cheeks warmed a little. ¡°Ow!¡± she yelped. Leroy was a little rough of hand, despite taking measured care to not irritate her wounds further while he bandaged him. It wasn¡¯t his fault. The calluses on his palms were thick and grainy from years in the kitchen.


    ¡°Sorry, lass. Bear with me, I¡¯m almost done. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be of much use around here for the rest of the journey.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be dead weight. There must be something I can do.¡±


    ¡°Look, I know what you¡¯re going through. Been there myself, plenty of times. None of us want you to hurt yourself. Nothing we say is going to change your mind though, I know that. If I was you, I¡¯d speak with Jordan. You might feel better afterwards. Or you won¡¯t, but it will at least give you something to do that isn¡¯t self torture.¡±


    Felix looked as though he wanted to say something, but his eyes widened at Leroy¡¯s remark and he cut himself short. The chef finished bandaging her hands.


    Rose realised in hindsight that she was an idiot. Without the use of her hands, she wouldn¡¯t be able to draw or write. That meant the task the captain had entrusted to her, to log the ship¡¯s journey, would need to be put on hiatus. A thought occurred to her and she giggled out loud, startling the two men.


    ¡°Has she gone crazy?¡± asked Felix, sharing a worried look with Leroy.


    ¡°I hope not. Would be a shame for the smartest member of the crew to lose her marbles.¡±


    ¡°What? Smartest? Outrageous.¡±


    ¡°Smarter than you at least, you oaf.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not crazy. It¡¯s just hilarious. I¡¯ve lost the ability to get my drawing and writing to level 10, at least until my hands are healed. Those were the two skills I thought would be my best shot at getting my third trait. Or sailing, though I won¡¯t be doing much of that either.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t beat yourself up, Rose. It¡¯s still impressive as hell to have two traits already,¡± said Felix, pulling her into a hug.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t understand. I earnt my third trait. In cleaning.¡±


    ¡°That is pretty funny,¡± said Leroy, belly fat rippling as he started to chuckle.


    A deep, resonant bellow echoed through the ship, interrupting the trio mid conversation. The men shot to their feet, Felix rushing straight to the deck while Leroy made his way behind the kitchen counter. The large man grabbed his largest kitchen knife, a razor sharp blade almost thirty centimetres long and then followed after Felix.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°Trouble. Stay here. Don¡¯t come out, whatever happens.¡±


    If Rose was a sensible girl, perhaps she would have stayed in the kitchen. If she stayed in the kitchen however, she wouldn¡¯t be able to see what was going on.


    Curiosity killed the cat, but she was as slippery as an eel.


    It was a struggle to make her way back to the main deck with her hands bandaged, but she got there in the end. Loud shouts and the sound of ropes whipping through the air came from beyond the door.


    When she pushed it open, a flurry of activity greeted her. Every member of the crew was rushing about and yelling to each other.


    Rose looked over the railings, and saw another ship in the distance. It had white sails, and was on a direct course for the Unrequited Love. That wasn¡¯t what caught her attention, however.


    Flying at the top of the other ship¡¯s masts were two small black flags, bearing a mark that every man, woman and child the world over would recognise in a heartbeat.


    ¡°Pirates to port, all hands on deck. War footing,¡± yelled Derrick.

 1.11 - Pirates!

    Some say the worst thing you can spot at sea is a ship bearing the mark of the broken chain. I disagree. It¡¯s far worse to see two of them.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Pirates and Perils: How to turn a profit at Sea¡¯ by Edgar Stett


    It had been rather surprising to Rose to discover the crew had a war footing. Far from what many common people believed, merchant ships were not easy pickings for pirates, given that many sailors tended to be rough and brawny folk who could handle themselves in a scrap


    However, from the few stories that had made it to Fairwater Bay of pirate raids¡ªexcluding her story books, because those were embellished for dramatic effect¡ªRose knew that they tended toward chaotic one-on-one duels and messy sabotage. Until the unfortunate victims were defeated or the brash buccaneers failed to overcome the defences of their prey.


    While many ships had cannons, it was a rarity for them to be put to use. At first glance a cannon seemed like an exceptional weapon.


    First you chose your payload¡ªusually an iron cannonball¡ªbut other options like buckshot or chains were viable depending on your goal. Then all you had to do was light the fuse and wait for it to blast the other guy to pieces, right?


    The problem was that everyone had cannons. And the moment you started firing, the other ship would fire right back at you. It was a tragic day for anyone involved when your raid fell flat before you even got to start boarding.


    In general, cannons were employed when you had a sizable range advantage over your target, which meant they couldn¡¯t fire back, even if they wanted to, or when you¡¯d gotten close and neither party had anything left to lose. In that instance, it was about letting loose and seeing who came out on top after the gunsmoke cleared.


    Unfortunately for the Unrequited Love, the approaching pirate ship was coming from a blind spot. Rose saw the fear painted on the captain¡¯s face as he grappled with the wheel, a desperate attempt to reposition them before they had to engage with the raiders.


    She was mesmerised by the fluid movements of the crew. Everyone knew where to go, which ropes to pull and which to avoid. Her whole life she had dreamed of a moment like this.


    Admittedly, in her fantasies she had often played the part of the voracious buccaneer charging down a fat cargo ship ripe for the picking, rather than a helpless girl aboard that very same merchant vessel. For the umpteenth time that day she cursed her own short sightedness in crippling herself. Though who could have foreseen a pirate raid in the final days of their journey?


    Jade rushed past, clad in the loose fitting blouse and leather trousers that seemed to be her signature. A cutlass, the blade polished and curving into two sharp points, was tucked into her cerulean sash. Along with a little flintlock pistol, they were the first weapons Rose had seen outside of a drawing.


    The rest of the crew were equipped with equally terrifying blades and the innocuous pistols, which seemed like artful sculptures at a glance, but had the power to take a life with a single pull of the trigger. It hammered home the reality of the situation.


    A booming clap sounded through the air, the first warning she had before an explosion rocked the ship. She turned around to see a cloud of smoke and flying wood, errant splinters tearing small rips in the sails.


    Following the opening strike, a deafening salvo of cannonfire erupted from the pirate ship, which had drawn close enough for Rose to see the terrifying rogues readying themselves to board the Unrequited Love.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Leroy had warned her to stay inside, and looking around now she realised that would have been the smart course of action. There was little Rose could offer the crew in the way of assistance.


    She wasn¡¯t weak¡ªyears of fishing and helping her mother herd had given her an athletic frame¡ªbut she wouldn¡¯t pose much of an obstacle to an armed pirate. There had to be something she could do. Anything.


    These people had rescued her from the consequences of her idiocy, saved her life, and if she couldn¡¯t even repay a portion of that debt what kind of woman would that make her?


    Across the deck, she saw Bellamy lift himself out of the central cargo hold. Tucked into his belt was a pistol that had been absent when he had entered the underbelly of the ship. Rose had a stupid, foolish idea.


    Halfway across the main deck, which had been tricky to cross with the constant interruptions of the crew sprinting to tie one bit of equipment down here or secure the rigging there, Rose felt a heavy hand grip her shoulder and root her in place. Looking down to her left, she could just peek over the edge of the cargo hold. Amongst the litany of barrels and crates, there was one that had a single cutlass left inside. She had been so close.


    ¡°Did I not tell you to stay inside, lass? Don¡¯t be an idiot and get yourself killed out here. All this will tide over in a few hours and then one of us can come to get you. We¡¯re ready for these sorts of attacks, but having to look out for an incompetent kid will only hold us back,¡± said Leroy, a stern expression on his face as he gave her a gentle shove towards the cabin.


    Despite her reservations, she relented. The portly chef was right. If one of the crew ended up injured, or worse, because they had to fight while protecting her, that would make the guilt she was carrying from the storm incident far heavier.


    So, Rose turned around and started to make her way back towards the inside of the ship, to hide away from the action. After two steps she halted and turned back to Leroy.


    ¡°Is there really nothing I can do to help? I hate feeling so useless,¡± she asked.


    ¡°Knowing that you¡¯re safe and tucked away where no one can hurt you is more than enough. The mark of a great sailor is knowing when to face the storms head on and when to weather them. Now, run along before it¡¯s too late.¡±


    Rose stared down at the iron trellises which usually covered the cargo hold, pulled to the side while the crew moved loose objects inside and retrieved their weapons from within. A few more steps and her opportunity would be gone forever. When she looked back at this moment, did she want her legacy to be that of a coward? The woman who hid away like a frightened child at the first clap of cannonfire?


    No.


    Saltbeard never ran from a battle, at least not in the tales. And the tide rewarded those who braved its ebbs and flows.


    Her next step did not take her forward, continuing the journey back inside the cabin, but instead over the edge of the cargo hold. She dropped down, legs shaking a little as they absorbed the impact of the short drop, about the same distance as she was tall.


    All of the barrels had been tied down. The last thing they wanted was for the food and water to come loose during the fighting. Perhaps even more vital than that was the crates filled with rolls of Felsilk, the treasured cargo that the Unrequited Love had picked up in the Felmoor Archipelago prior to this voyage.


    More rope had been used to tie them down than was used in the rigging. None of that was important to Rose however. Her target lay elsewhere.


    A lone cutlass sparkled from the occasional sunbeam that made it down into the hold, lying alone in its crate and waiting for someone to take it up in battle.


    Rose flexed her right hand, and winced. The welts still stung, though far less than earlier thanks to the poultice Leroy had applied. She would bear the pain though, if it meant being able to fight.


    She had never been an overly driven girl. In fact, the folk of Fairwater Bay would often say she spent too long staring out to sea with glazed eyes and not enough time learning to ply her parents¡¯ trades. When it came to this however, her mind was set.


    This moment would set the tone for the rest of her life. An adventure had to begin on the right note.


    The handle was worn, the leather wrap frayed at the edges and a slight indent where another¡¯s hand had held the blade in battle. A few copper specks marred the otherwise spotless blade. It was a beautiful cutlass, though it had clearly been a while since it had been wielded.


    Rose lamented that it would not end up in the caring hands of a more skilled bladeswoman than her, but at least it would be seeing the light of the sun and if she was successful, quenched with blood.

 1.12 - Boarding Party

    There was only one survivor when the great ship Monumental crashed into an iceberg, dooming what was supposed to be an indestructible vessel and hundreds of men, women and children to eternity in the depths of the abyss. The rescuers thought it strange that only one woman had survived, given that the large wooden board they found her floating on had plenty of space for another person.


    -Excerpt from the play ¡®Monumental¡¯ by Cames Jameron


    A cannonball smashed into the ocean right beside the ship, sending up a spray of seawater that soaked Rose and made her loose shirt cling uncomfortably to her skin. Two more steps forward and then she braced, planting her feet as another shot tore through the stairs just ahead.


    Her goal had been to make it to the poop deck, where she could stick close to the captain and have a potential height advantage when the pirates boarded the ship. It wasn¡¯t going as she had hoped.


    The ship rocked back and forth violently as the salvos of cannonfire churned the ocean around them, turning the calm seas into a furiously frothing obstacle course. By now, the crew had secured everything that needed to be tied down and loaded the cannons in case they ended up in a position to return fire.


    They were now gathered on the main deck, armed and ready to battle for their captain and cargo. The cargo, for the most part, given that their livelihoods hinged on turning a profit in Highbream.


    Not that they didn¡¯t respect Captain Bradshawe, but loyalty wouldn¡¯t feed their families. Beasts die for food and men die for gold, as the saying goes. None of them wished to die, but only a gifted few can see the future.


    The captain spotted Rose when she eventually made her way to the top of the stairs. She¡¯d come from the opposite side of the ship after the cannonfire blew the nearest one to pieces.


    The pirates hadn¡¯t yet boarded and already the ship was close to taking critical damage. Though they weren¡¯t likely to destroy her before they could raid the hold and loot what they could. Ammunition was expensive after all, and with the number of cannonballs they had fired it would take a generous haul to turn a profit.


    The captain gave her a strange look. It didn¡¯t seem he was as averse as Leroy to having her on deck during the battle, but was still conflicted. He opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by a sharp whistle as a boarding hook shot through the air and smacked into his shoulder. He staggered and the wheel started to spin out.


    Rose leapt forward and grabbed hold of the heavy wooden wheel, almost stumbling herself as the ship turned sharply but it set firm in its new direction with some effort from her. Her hands stung, but the bandages would hinder her, so she removed them.


    Luckily the captain hadn¡¯t suffered a serious injury, only a bruise and a dent to his pride from the sudden strike. The hook scratched a trail into the poop deck and then there was a thunk as it buried itself in the side of the ship.


    Once the captain had regained his footing and taken over the wheel once more, Rose rushed over and sliced the rope, watching it fall to the sea below. Her efforts were futile however, as dozens more hooks sailed across the gap between the ships soon after.


    The gap was small enough that she could make out the fearsome glares on the pirate¡¯s faces. Her heart beat faster¡ªa crescendo that soon had it thumping loud enough to drown out her thoughts. Adrenaline surged through her body and she drew the cutlass as the first of the pirates began to sprint across the taut boarding lines.


    Rose started to hack and slash in a desperate effort to cut as many of the lines as possible before the first of the pirates made it on board the Unrequited Love. Above the pounding of her heart she heard a splash, but only had a moment to take in the news.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    You have learned a new skill!


    One Handed Weapons 0 > 1


    You have learned a new skill!


    Blades 0 > 1


    ¡°Wretched wench, I¡¯ll gut you like a silverback salmon,¡± cried a dishevelled pirate with matted black hair, who was sprinting across one of the boarding ropes towards her, wielding a wide cutlass that was nicked and chipped along the length of the blade.


    Rose wasted no time in rushing towards the where the grappling hook had dug into the planks of the Unrequited Love, knowing that she would be outclassed in a fight with the man. She wouldn¡¯t have time to reach over the edge of the ship and slice the rope where it was pulled taut and would instead need to try her luck hacking at where it was tied to the hook.


    ¡°YAARRR!¡±


    The deafening yell startled her and her first swing fell short, only splitting a few of the weaved strands that made up the rope. Under the weight of the pirate it began to sag and split, however there was little time before he would be upon her.


    Recovering her footing, Rose swung once more and this time her cutlass sliced clean through the knot. The rope dropped and the pirate roared in indignation as he disappeared beneath the edge of the ship.


    Skill up!


    Blades 1 > 2


    She wondered why just one of the skills that she¡¯d earned previously had levelled up now, given that the cutlass was giving her experience for both with every swing. Despite her efforts, plenty of pirates had already reached the ship and were streaming onto the deck with pistols drawn and blades raised.


    Most wielded a cutlass, but she spotted a few other weapons among the invaders. Nothing that she could put a name to other than simply calling them swords, albeit variations on the traditional. Not that she knew much of blacksmithing.


    She spotted Leroy clashing cutlasses with one of the pirates, the chef grinning as he parried and blocked blows with casual ease and delivered swift and effective counter thrusts that were wearing his opponent thin.


    Jordan wielded dual cutlasses, one blade in each hand and yet no less effective with either of them. He was fending off two pirates at once and somehow they were on the losing end of the exchange. There were a few cuts on Jordan¡¯s arms and legs but even as Rose watched he buried his right cutlass into one pirate¡¯s gut and with both weapons then free to focus on his remaining foe it was just a matter of time before the other succumbed to his mighty blows.


    All across the ship similar scenes were playing out, though not all of the crew were seeing as much success. Bellamy was struggling to defend himself against a particularly ferocious member of the pirates who wielded a hooked blade that Rose couldn¡¯t recognise. There was no questioning its lethal effectiveness however, as it sliced through rigging and flesh like butter.


    Her mind set, Rose took a step towards the fray with the intent of helping the boy out of his predicament. Thud. Amidst the clanging of steel and the booming clap of cannons being fired Rose just about made out the soft thunk of something hitting the outside of the ship.


    Turning back to where she had cut a few of the boarding lines away, she saw a hand rise over the edge of the ship and grip onto the railings. Another followed and then the pirate who she had thought lost to the abyss clambered up onto the poop deck, cutlass held between his teeth and a dagger held in each hand.


    She took a step backwards, knuckles white from gripping the handle of her own cutlass too hard. As she did, her foot snagged on a lopsided plank and she almost tripped.


    Desperation gripped her and she looked around for help, but there was no one nearby. All the crew were engaged in their own battles as they gave their all to defend the Unrequited Love and more importantly¡ªher precious cargo.


    ¡°Thought you¡¯d seen the last of me, eh? No such luck for you today, wench. A little young for my tastes but that¡¯s alright. My blades are just as thirsty and they don¡¯t discriminate,¡± he cackled, flashing a mouthful of half rotten teeth and blackened gums.


    A single golden tooth shone amidst the filth and it was all Rose could focus on as the pirate steadily approached her. He had sheathed one of his knives and now wielded the cutlass alongside the other knife.


    Her only experience using a blade was the few ropes she had sliced moments before. And cutting vegetables with her mother¡ªthough she wasn¡¯t sure how much that experience would help her here.


    He was just a few steps away now, close enough that Rose could smell the disgusting acidic odour wafting from his body and taste his rotten breath on the tip of her tongue. Her cutlass quivered as she held it out in shaking hands.


    She didn¡¯t have the strength to go toe to toe with a grown man in a swordfight. A thought flashed into her mind as the pirate twirled his knife.


    The pistol!

 1.13 - Love, Lost

    Strange thoughts enter your mind when you believe yourself condemned to death. I often feel compelled to throw myself into danger to kickstart the creative process. Now that I have retired from buccaneering, I no longer have the same spark I once did. I imagine I¡¯ll meet my death trying to rekindle that old flame. No lover¡¯s kiss can compare to the cold embrace of the ocean, however.


    -Excerpt from ¡®The Eternal Affair¡¯ by Desmond Mint


    There was a flash of silver as the pirate¡¯s blade descended. Halfway through its arc a cannonball exploded into the poop deck beside them and showered the pair in splinters and debris.


    A thick splinter pierced Rose¡¯s thigh, but she was thankful for it even as a stream of scarlet blood started to stream from around the wood. The timely explosion had knocked the pirate off balance and his cutlass had only nicked her shoulder, drawing blood rather than cleanly beheading her.


    There was no time to think of the consequences. Even when she had believed the pirate dead, it had shaken her to the core. To take a life was a heavy burden.


    She had seen the way the man¡¯s wild eyes had turned fearful as he fell to the depths. When he had climbed over the edge of the ship it had been something of a relief, even if his arrival was a threat to her safety.


    Rose pulled the flintlock pistol from where she had tucked it. The varnished wood glistened and the rusted metal fell away in flakes at her touch. She worried it wouldn¡¯t be functional, but there was a resounding click when Rose pulled the hammer all the way back and it locked in place.


    Even gripping the pistol her hands shook. It took her a while to take aim at the pirate as he regained his balance, but she managed to place his head in the centre of the iron sights right as he started to rush at her for the second time.


    He looked far less confident now, having failed in his opening strike and with a lethal weapon aimed at his vitals. Rose took a deep breath, the salty air drying her tongue as her arm stilled with the pirate¡¯s eye aligned with the little metal nib on top of the pistol.


    Skill up!


    Focus 8 > 9


    She pulled the trigger when he was just two paces away. Then, chaos erupted.


    Another cannonball blasted past her and smashed the wheel into smithereens. Without it keeping the ship on a steady course the Unrequited Love was left in the care of the wind.


    It listed to port and smashed into the pirate ship. Someone had tumbled across the poop deck and knocked into her right as she pulled the trigger, ruining her precise aim and saving the pirate from certain doom.


    However, a pained yelp gave her confirmation that her shot had at least done some damage. A small consolation.


    You have learned a new skill!


    Pistols 0 > 1


    You have learned a new skill!


    Firearms 0 > 1


    It was becoming harder to tell which splashes were from the tide and which were caused by cannonballs falling short of their target and booming into the ocean. Her limbs were tangled up with the stranger who had collided with her.


    Glancing down she saw it was one of the pirates and almost twisted her ankle in her desperate leap away. I was just about coping with one, now I¡¯m screwed.


    Reloading the flintlock pistol would take too long. It was useless now, so she tucked it back into her belt and gripped her cutlass tighter.


    A gaping hole in the deck let her peer down into the captain¡¯s quarters. They were ruined. His polished wooden desk had been blown apart by the latest explosion and most of the bookshelves had met a similar fate. Rose was relieved to see some of the precious tomes still intact but doubted they would survive the rest of the battle.


    Across the destroyed planks her original opponent was stumbling about while clutching at his ears. Blood was streaming from one of them and his deafening shouts suggested he¡¯d lost his hearing. Good.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    She had a window of opportunity while both the pirates were incapacitated. However, she was still struggling to take decisive action.


    Shooting someone with a pistol was one thing, but stabbing them with a cutlass was far more visceral. Rose knew if she wanted to help the crew and pay back their kindness she would need to get over her childish quibbles. She took another deep breath and stepped toward the pirate in front of her, who was still struggling to his feet.


    It was now or never.


    Rose thrust the cutlass at his chest. In hindsight, aiming for the neck would¡¯ve been smarter but she had little to no experience with this sort of thing.


    The man had managed to grab hold of the blade right after it pierced his skin and only a thin trickle of blood leaked out of the wound. She grabbed the handle with both hands and pushed, but the strength of a dying man was not to be underestimated.


    A desperate tug of war ensued, far from the quick and clean kill she had envisioned. Boom. Another cannonball rocked the ship and his hands slipped enough to let the cutlass pierce straight through his heart.


    Skill up!


    One Handed Weapons 2 > 3


    Skill up!


    Blades 1 > 2


    You have earned a new title!


    Murderer: When this title is equipped you will emit a murderous aura that frightens small animals and innocent folk. Dampens the negative emotions associated with murder, at the cost of your sanity.


    The title was just rubbing salt in the wound. Rose watched as the light faded from the pirate¡¯s bloodshot eyes and they glazed over. He slipped down the length of the cutlass and his corpse fell limply to the deck.


    She stood frozen over the body, still gripping the cutlass in both hands. Fuck. It had been both easier and far more difficult than she had expected.


    Surprisingly little guilt, but she suspected that was because her motivation for killing him was just. They had invaded her ship and tried to kill her friends after all.


    Harder to deal with was the adrenaline racing through her system and the rapid, shallow breaths that she was unable to control.


    It was tempting to equip her new title, if only for the benefits it offered. Rationality prevailed in the end and she opted to leave it off.


    Creak. Rose whipped around at the sound of footsteps on the deck behind her and unleashed a wild slash with her cutlass.


    ¡°Woah, easy there rookie,¡± Jordan exclaimed, holding his hands up in mock surrender with a wary gaze at the extended tip of her blade.


    ¡°Crap, sorry. I thought you were-¡±


    The bang of his pistol interrupted her mid sentence. He had whipped it from his belt and fired it over her shoulder, causing Rose to leap sideways with a yelp. She turned and saw the pirate from earlier falling to the deck, blood dripping onto the planks from a hole in his forehead.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. That¡¯s what crewmates are for, right?¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Jordan didn¡¯t stay long. After they had defeated the two pirates the poop deck was clear. Most of the others had boarded the main deck where they were gaining ground against the struggling crew of the Unrequited Love.


    The man had rushed down the stairs two at a time with both cutlasses raised, barrelling into the nearest pirate and cutting him down in a few swift strikes. Rose envied his raw strength and seeming lack of fear.


    She made a rash decision and equipped the Murderer title. The image of the pirate¡¯s body slipping off her cutlass faded and blood lust filled her thoughts.


    Looking to the nearest pirate she wanted nothing more than to hack and slash her to pieces. This would help her fight. Rose glanced at Felix. She wanted to slice him to pieces. Okay, that¡¯s enough.


    The red haze faded when she removed the title. She looked back to the bodies on the poop deck. I chose this life. I knew what I was signing up for.


    The stories never mentioned the shaking hands that still quivered well after the deed was done. The images seared into her memory. How many times had Castell Saltbeard felt like this? Perhaps never, or maybe more than once.


    Rose wasn¡¯t sure if she would get better at this, but she knew one thing. Her crew needed her to fight.


    Hands drenched in blood, more from the previous wounds she had inflicted with her furious cleaning spree than anything else, she ran towards the main deck. She made it halfway down the wooden stairs when a cannonball exploded right underneath her feet, sending her flying through the air and into the ocean.


    Following that there was an echoing volley of booming cannon fire that tore through the entirety of the Unrequited Love.


    The explosion had stunned her and even now her ears were ringing. She was desperately treading water while trying to gather her bearings.


    Skill up!


    Swimming 7 > 8


    The pirate ship hadn¡¯t escaped unharmed. Unrequited Love had countered with a volley of her own cannons, tearing through the back of the invaders¡¯ vessel. Boom. Another explosion from within the pirate ship sent pieces of it flying in every direction.


    Thunk.


    A plank smacked into her head and her flailing arms stilled.

 1.14 - Castaway

    The only thing worse than being lost at sea is being stranded on an island. At least if you¡¯re on the ocean, with no food or fresh water and in constant danger from the deadly beasts that lurk below, there¡¯s a level of certainty you hold towards your fate. When you have shelter and food, you have hope. And being hopeful is a slow and painful way to die.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Lost in the Wet Desert¡¯ by Kalamir Icefinger


    Rose could hear the rhythmic lull of waves washing in and out of the shoreline. A seagull squawked in the distant sky and she could feel the heat of the sun against her skin as she stirred awake.


    It took her a few tries to open her eyes. The light was blinding and her first attempt had seared an image of the sun onto her retinas even when she closed them once more. A dull ringing in her ears was a reminder of the brutal battle she had survived, though she wasn¡¯t quite sure how.


    The last thing she remembered was being blown off the Unrequited Love as it was decimated by the pirates¡¯ cannons and then seeing the pirate ship explode in a brilliant cascade of flame. She wasn¡¯t sure she had survived.


    Bits and pieces of the battle were coming back to her. What had knocked her out was an errant piece of the pirate ship slamming into her head. She reached up and felt around her scalp, wincing when her fingers prodded a swollen bump and sent a dull aching wave of pain through her head.


    It still didn¡¯t feel real. Rose opened her status. She wanted to be certain that the events of the past week had happened and weren¡¯t all part of some hazy fever dream induced by her dying of thirst back on the little fishing boat.


    Name: Rose Everblue


    Race: Human


    Occupation: -


    Title: -


    Available Titles: Murderer


    Skills: Cleaning 10, Reading 9, Fishing 12, Swimming 8, Writing 6, Butchery 6, Cooking 5, Herding 2, Focus 9, Drawing 11, Sailing 7, One Handed Weapons 3, Blades 2, Pistols 1, Firearms 1


    Traits: Sensitive Line, Deft Hand, Good as New


    The tide was ephemeral and yet seeing that screen in front of her made Rose feel more security than anything else could have offered in its place. Murderer. The title jumped out at her, forcing her to relive the worst moments of her time on the Unrequited Love.


    She had killed a man. He had been trying to kill her, so she felt the title was rather unjustified, but philosophical musing didn¡¯t help lessen the disgust and confusion that were churning within her.


    Rose wondered what had happened to the other members of the crew. Had they survived the destruction of the ship? She didn¡¯t think any of them had fallen in the melee before that, but her focus hadn¡¯t exactly been on the others while she was fighting for her own life.


    Not only the crew, but the captain¡¯s books. All that knowledge. The history of the ship and its crew and the stories of their adventures, consigned to the depths for eternity.


    For the first time since waking up, Rose took a look at her surroundings. The fact she hadn¡¯t done so already made her worried about the severity of her head injury, but without proper medical supplies or another person to give her a checkup there was little she could do about it.


    White sands stretched for about five hundred metres in front of her and half that behind. She would have to do some exploring to be certain, but it seemed as though this was a tiny island. There shouldn¡¯t even have been any islands anywhere near the ship¡¯s course.


    None that were mapped, at least.


    She flinched and pulled back her foot as something skittered across it. Looking down she saw a little blue crab prancing across the sands towards the seafoam. Along the length of the beach there were plenty more of the cute crustaceans.


    A couple of them were even engaged in duels. The losers limped away, missing legs and always a claw. The winners took them as a prize and ate them on the spot.


    Odd behaviour, but Rose spent nearly half an hour watching the crabs. Wondrous marvels of nature like this were the reason she had always wanted to set sail instead of being stuck on Emerlan Isle for life.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Inland, beyond the white sands of the beach, there was a sprawling forest of lush trees. Ten to fifteen metres tall, with thick trunks and a few large branches leading out to verdant canopies. An unusual sight for this part of the world.


    There were forests back home, but they tended more towards the evergreen variety. Hardy and built to survive on a rocky island with sparse nutrients to be found in the soil. With nothing else to do but explore, Rose made her way towards the inviting woods.


    The soft white sands gave way to wet earth blanketed in a mix of blue and green moss. Rose smushed the mud between her toes and let out a high pitched giggle.


    It felt different to the rocky clay of the Emerlan Isle. Even to her untrained eye it was obviously far more fertile. The fact that such a vibrant forest existed on this island was proof.


    Rose reached out and touched the bark of the nearest tree and gasped. So soft. Unlike the rough and hardy exterior of the evergreens back home, the trees here had velvety bark that raised goosebumps as she ran her fingers along it. And that wasn¡¯t the only surprise they were hiding.


    Following the path her finger had traced was a splattering of blue. The bark had changed colours in response to her touch. It was a behaviour she had never even heard of in a plant, let alone be blessed enough to witness.


    It also brought another thought to the front of her mind, one which had been dancing around the entire time she had been exploring the island. Almost everything here was blue. Bright, bold blue like the sky on a hot summer¡¯s day.


    From the cute little crabs to the moss and the colour shifting trees. Even the mushrooms are blue. Rose crouched down and reached out to the flat mushrooms nested in a crevice of the tree trunk.


    At the last moment, she pulled her hand back. It was better to be safe than sorry when it came to mushrooms, especially such vibrantly coloured varieties.


    For now she would treat the flat mushrooms as the beautiful decoration they were and not make rash decisions, at least where her health was concerned. Her still ringing ears were a constant reminder of the injuries she had already suffered and until they healed she wouldn¡¯t take unnecessary risks.


    Beyond the first trees and into the depths of the forest a collage of cerulean, azure and all manner of blues was splattered like the careless strokes of a child painting.


    It was utterly breathtaking. The most beautiful thing Rose had ever seen, but she knew that exploring it further would have to wait. She hadn¡¯t done it before, because the shock of waking up somewhere so unfamiliar and magnificent had thrown her for a loop, but she needed to set up some kind of signal so that passing ships might be able to see that there was a person in need of rescue on the island.


    And just below that on her list of priorities was preparing for nightfall. Even if all that meant was constructing a rudimentary shelter and lighting a fire.


    Now that she considered it, lighting a fire should be her number one priority, since it would take care of both pressing matters in one go. Now I just need to remember how to start a fire.


    Her mother had taught her once. It wasn¡¯t often she helped to shepherd the doori, given how boring she found it wandering around the rocky hills all day while running after the wayward bovines who strayed from the herd. However, she had a clear memory of the time she had felt most at peace during her childhood. A brilliantly clear night where every single star in the sky shone brightly upon the world.


    They had needed to camp out in the hills because it was mating season for the doori, which involved a complex and ridiculously loud ritual between the animals that sent grunts and groans echoing across Emerlan Isle. Each year the citizens would hold a festival to celebrate it.


    It was a time of joy that represented new life, and more importantly more milk for the people of the island. That evening her mother had imparted a far more useful skill to Rose than knowing how to cajole a hulking beast¡ªhow to start a fire with just two sticks and a healthy helping of willpower.


    It didn¡¯t take long to find two suitable sticks. Unlike the adamant evergreens back home the trees here seemed to cling to their branches less stubbornly.


    Plenty littered the mossy forest floor and while many were unsuitable for the specific task at hand, they would do just fine to fuel the fire itself. She did her best to break apart the smallest pieces for kindling and then arranged the rest of the sticks in a triangle above that, save for the two she had selected to create the essential spark.


    Rose had carved out a little divot in one of the sticks using a sharp rock that had been lying on the beach and she squatted down on the balls of her feet while pinching that stick between her knees. Then she took the other stick, slotted it into the divot and began rapidly spinning it between her palms. Nothing happened at first.


    About an hour of unrelenting effort later, Rose heard a splash and grew excited.


    Skill up!


    Focus 9 > 10


    You have earned a new trait!


    Tunnel Vision: You lose some awareness of your surroundings when focusing on a single task but gain an equal measure of proficiency toward whatever you are doing.


    Water was the polar opposite of what she had been trying to achieve, but another trait was not something to complain about. This one in particular would help her get the fire started quicker than before. Whether it made an impact was questionable though, given that it took another couple of hours before something finally changed.


    Little wisps of smoke rose from the contact point of the two sticks, gently increasing in density until all of a sudden there was a crackle and the little shavings of wood inside the divot flashed orange. Rose hurried to shove the hot dust into the kindling before it burnt out and she lost the fruits of her labour. Her speed proved enough and the kindling burst into flame, licking at the base of the triangle she had built.


    She leapt into the air and yelped in fright as a hand clamped down on her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s about bloody time,¡± growled the unseen assailant. ¡°I thought we were going to be here all night.¡±

 1.15 - Castaway II

    We were sailing through a frozen archipelago and there we discovered these fascinating little creatures. White bellies and blue fur, with big fins instead of arms and tufts of feather plumage on their heads. While us rough buccaneers were freezing our asses off on the ship, they clumped up in a big pile and I didn¡¯t see a single one of them shivering. Pretty smart of them if you ask me, but when I offered to do the same with the captain he booted me right in the bollocks. Still have a little mark there to this day.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Conquest of the White Death¡¯ by Hollmar Yeb


    Rose teetered on one foot, desperately trying to stay upright while avoiding falling onto the little fire she had just managed to set alight. Somehow she managed to twirl and land on both feet to one side of the budding blaze and turned to face the man who had emerged from the shadows to surprise her from behind.


    She didn¡¯t recognise him. He had long black hair which seemed unkempt and messy at a glance but shimmered in the light of the flames, along with a well trimmed beard of the same colour and hazel eyes that were observing her with faint amusement.


    She briefly wondered if the man was native to the island, but that notion was dispelled when her eyes passed over the emblem on his three pointed hat¡ªthe broken chain.


    He¡¯s a pirate! Her legs started to quiver and she staggered backwards a couple of steps. Then she bit her lip and stood firm against her instincts. She wouldn¡¯t let fear control her this time.


    The crew¡ªthe people who had saved her life¡ªhad been killed or lost at sea because of these bastards attacking the Unrequited Love. It may have been illogical to think that way, given that her goal was to become one of the very pirates she now stood against, but humans were tribal creatures and a clear line had been drawn between them here.


    Her fingers curled around the sharp rock she had used to carve out the divot in the wood. It was still in her pocket and she thanked the stars she had kept it there. In a straight up fight she stood no chance against the man, but she would be damned if she wasn¡¯t going to struggle until the end.


    He took a measured step towards her and raised his hands, but stopped when he saw her flinch and lift her arm just a little. ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt you, girl. We¡¯re stuck on this island together, so unless I run out of crabs to eat you aren¡¯t a target.¡±


    Rose yelled and thrust the rock in his face. ¡°Get back, bastard.¡±


    To his credit he followed her command and took a step back, lifting his arms so that his hands were raised all the way above his head in surrender. His smile was gone, but that was somehow less scary than the amused expression that had painted his face a moment before.


    ¡°Hey now, there¡¯s no need for that. It was just a joke. I don¡¯t eat women,¡± he said, taking his eyes off the makeshift weapon pointed at him and planting his ass in the sand beside the fire. ¡°Unless they want me to.¡±


    Why would anyone want him to eat them? ¡°Are all pirates as weird as you?¡± she asked.


    His hat was laid on top of his boots, as close to the fire as they would go before catching aflame. The man stretched out his feet and let them bask in the warmth of the fire while relaxing on his haunches. ¡°Most pirates tend to be a little odd. None of them are as handsome as I am, though. What¡¯s your name, girl?¡±This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    A bead of sweat rolled down the side of her face. It might have been the heat, or it could have been the fact she was tensing every muscle in her body as a crippling cocktail of fear, anger and confusion clouded her mind.


    His casual demeanour had thrown her off. He spoke as though they were childhood friends rather than strangers who¡¯d just met on a desert island.


    Right now she was debating whether attacking him would be a suicidal move. She figured it would be and instead moved to sit opposite him beside the fire.


    ¡°Rose.¡±


    ¡°Just Rose? I knew a Rose once. She had thorns, just like you. I admire a woman with a little fire in her belly. You can¡¯t sail the seas without some guts. I¡¯m Trent, it¡¯s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I wish it was in better circumstances, but that¡¯s life.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m beginning to realise that now. I only left home a few weeks ago and I¡¯ve almost died twice already. It¡¯s surreal. Why are you being so kind to me? We just blew up your ship,¡± said Rose. She regretted asking that the moment the words left her lips, but it was too late to take them back.


    Trent¡¯s eyes sparkled again and this time he let out a chuckle to go along with the terrifying smile. ¡°That¡¯s just the job, Rose. It¡¯s a pirate¡¯s life for me and sometimes that means getting blown away to unknown shores. Besides, stealing a ship is easy. Replacing the crew - now that¡¯s going to be tough. Some of them probably survived but I didn¡¯t see any signs of life on this little island apart from me and you. Though there¡¯s a few corners I haven¡¯t explored yet.¡±


    ¡°How can you be so casual about it all? I¡¯m not sure I should tell you this, but right now I want to smash your head in with this rock. And I hate the fact I feel that way, even though the rational part of my brain says it¡¯s perfectly justified to. I didn¡¯t even equip the title. So many people died. Two beautiful ships were destroyed forever. It¡¯s just so much less¡­ romantic than I thought it would be.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve read the stories then? Ran away from home to chase a life of adventure and treasure hunting on the infinite oceans? You¡¯re not the first and you won¡¯t be the last, I¡¯ll tell you that for free. What did you expect? Everyone wants to make a fortune. If you aren¡¯t going to trade then you have to plunder. Or you can join a navy, but if you ask me they¡¯re all a bunch of stuck up prats. The beauty of the sea is in the freedom she offers. It¡¯s messier than a children¡¯s story book will have you believe, but don¡¯t be too dismayed. There¡¯s romance to be had out here, you just need to chase it.¡±


    Passion and fervour spilled from him as he extolled the virtues of piracy. Rose was entranced by the way he spoke, as though she had been placed under a spell.


    She still felt horrible. And she wouldn¡¯t forget the fact that Trent had been part of the reason the only real friends she had ever made were now lost or dead, but she was grateful to him for rekindling the flames of desire that once burned so fiercely within her.


    ¡°How did you feel? The first time you-¡±


    ¡°Ecstatic,¡± he said, cutting her off mid sentence. ¡°It was my father. Slit his throat while he slept and joined the first pirate crew I could find in the harbour. Bastard was the reason I didn¡¯t have a mum anymore. So I figured he didn¡¯t deserve to spend his days drunkenly whoring and terrorising the townsfolk. The second time though¡­ was difficult. Made easier by the fact I had already been through it once no doubt, but it took a while for the nightmares to pass.¡±


    ¡°Nightmares?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m a heavy sleeper. Scream and cry all you want, Rose. The sun and the sea will wash it all away come dawn,¡± he said. After that he lifted his hat from his boots and lay down in the white sand, placing it over his face and folding his hands behind his head.


    Trent was an enigma. Rose wondered why he had been raiding on the coasts of a middling kingdom like Derridas when he seemed to have the charm and bluster of the pirate legends from the stories. Perhaps she would ask him tomorrow.


    She yawned. Building the fire had taken longer than she thought and tired her out a great deal. Her arms ached and her palms burned something fierce. They were still raw and rubbing sticks between them had done little to help the healing process. I¡¯m never going to scrub a floor again.


    Falling asleep was difficult. It was one of those nights where her body wanted to rest and so did her mind, but for some reason neither actually let her drift off.Trent¡¯s mention of nightmares had terrified her and her stomach was growling.


    Crap, I forgot to eat. It was too dark to forage and all the blue crabs had vanished for the night. Eventually she did succumb to sleep, but she knew it wouldn¡¯t be peaceful.

 1.16 - Castaway III

    I once heard a tale of a pirate stranded at sea who made his way back to shore on a raft of sea turtles, tied together with rope made from the hair on his back.


    -Quoted from an unnamed dock worker in Clissolt


    Her skin was clammy and there was sand stuck to her arms and legs from where she had tossed and turned in the night. Rose dragged herself to her feet and spat out a mouthful of white sand. It was everywhere.


    The fire was still blazing and she could¡¯ve sworn it was even bigger than it had been when they went to sleep. Trent had been busy. The man himself was nowhere to be seen, however. She was sure he would come back eventually. Rather than wait around, Rose took off her stinking, crusty clothes and wandered down to the sea.


    Even after a thorough scrub and being hung out to dry by the fire they would still be crusty, thanks to the salt in the water. At least they wouldn¡¯t stink.


    The water was cold, but it was exactly what she needed after such a turbulent rest. She dried off after just a few minutes in the searing sun and decided to catch a few crabs while waiting for her clothes to follow suit.


    ***


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even manage to catch one? They¡¯re only tiny little things, surely you aren¡¯t that pathetic?¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯ve misunderstood. I caught six. I brought them over to make breakfast, but when I was about to skewer the first one something stopped me. They¡¯re just too cute. I couldn¡¯t. So I set them all free. I¡¯m sure we can forage something in the forest,¡± said Rose.


    ¡°It¡¯s a crab. Which part of it is cute, exactly? You¡¯re an odd one, Rose. If you really want to go digging through the dirt for food then be my guest. Or, we could just go fishing,¡± he said, pulling a shoddy rod from behind his back.


    It barely qualified. Trent had a good eye for sticks, which she appreciated. He had found a long, bendy one and whittled it down until smooth.


    What looked like a vine had been loosely tied at both ends of the stick with a length hanging loose to form a fishing rod. The hook that was attached to the end looked razor sharp. Where was he hiding that? Rose shivered.


    ¡°Are you any good?¡± she asked.


    ¡°At fishing? Sure, I know how to cast a line. I¡¯m no expert but I¡¯m sure I can catch us breakfast. Or maybe lunch. Don¡¯t get your hopes up.¡±


    Rose sighed. ¡°Give it here,¡± she said while holding out her hand and looking at the man as though he was a child who¡¯d been caught playing with a forbidden toy.


    ¡°Am I graced with the company of an expert?¡± he said with his terrifying smirk and handed over the rod.


    ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m only a beginner. My dad taught me a few things, though. And he might have been an expert, though it was hard to tell when half the folk back home were just as skilled. It was our specialty, after all. At the very least I won¡¯t make you wait until lunch.¡±


    ¡°An appetising prospect. How could I resist? And where is home for you, Rose? I¡¯m from Eastfel Bay, though I¡¯d much rather not be.¡±


    While they spoke they made their way to the rocks at the end of the beach. Rose knew that it would be more likely for her to get a bite there than near the sandy shoreline.


    With the fire burning away, now sending billowing clouds of smoke into the sky thanks to a pile of leaves Trent had collected while she slept, all they could do was wait for a passing ship to notice them.


    ¡°The Emerlan Isle. It¡¯s as backwards and boring as backwaters can be, but it had rustic charm. I might go back one day, but not until I¡¯ve had my fill of adventure. Or at least a healthy gulp. Nothing there except the doori and the fish.¡±


    ¡°You have fancy doorways?¡± asked Trent with a furrowed brow.


    ¡°No, doori. Like ¡®doo-urry¡¯. Fur coated bovines, rove in herds and make delicious milk. I¡¯m surprised you haven¡¯t heard of it. Milk is one of our biggest exports.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°Never been a fan. Makes my stomach feel heavy.¡±


    Rose sat on the edge of the rocks, legs dangling out over the sea as it gently battered against her perch. With a practised flick she cast the line a few metres out and Trent whistled in appreciation.


    ¡°I think we made the right choice by delegating this one to you. It normally takes me a few tries to get the swing right.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had a lifetime of practice. And a trait.¡±


    ¡°Oh you¡¯re that good, huh? Look at you Rose. You must be what, sixteen? A trait at that age is decent.¡±


    Trent was growing on her, but she didn¡¯t think it wise to reveal all the details of her status with the man just yet. Who knew when she might need to use one of her skills to make a getaway. So she let him think she had just one trait, but there was something she wouldn¡¯t let slide. ¡°Fifteen.¡±


    ¡°Damn. When I was fifteen I had already been in a pirate crew for two years. I didn¡¯t have a trait though, that¡¯s for sure. Impressive stuff, even if it is just fishing.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ***


    It was her third day stranded on the island. The fire had been burning non-stop since she managed to light it and there was an abundance of wood to keep it blazing.


    The fish were plentiful and though Trent had started complaining about the lack of variety in their diet, it was just like being back home for Rose. She had even earned another level in the skill, bringing it to thirteen.


    That morning she had spent a lot of time looking at her status. It had filled out far faster than she thought it would, but that wasn¡¯t a problem.


    If anything it was validation that her decision to leave home had been the correct one. Most of these skills were ones she wouldn¡¯t have even earned back home even with ten lifetimes worth of experience. She definitely wouldn¡¯t have earned that title.


    Name: Rose Everblue


    Race: Human


    Occupation: -


    Title: -


    Available Titles: Murderer


    Skills: Cleaning 10, Reading 9, Fishing 13, Swimming 8, Writing 6, Butchery 6, Cooking 5, Herding 2, Focus 10, Drawing 11, Sailing 7, One Handed Weapons 3, Blades 2, Pistols 1, Firearms 1


    Traits: Sensitive Line, Deft Hand, Good as New, Tunnel Vision


    ¡°There¡¯s one thing I¡¯m confused about,¡± she said.


    ¡°Oh? Pray tell, my fabulous fisherwoman,¡± Trent replied.


    ¡°We were pretty close to Derridas when you guys attacked.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already told you it was nothing personal.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not talking about that. I mean this place. We can¡¯t have drifted that far in the little time we were unconscious, which means this island should be a little off the shore of Derridas. Yet this island wasn¡¯t logged on any of the maps and we haven¡¯t seen a single ship in three days. It doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. It is strange. There is one possibility.¡±


    ¡°Which is?¡±


    ¡°We somehow managed to stumble into a convergence. I really hope that isn¡¯t the case, however. It would drop our chances of survival to near zero.¡± He scratched his temple and then threw some more leaves on the fire. ¡°Everything here is blue. Even the smoke. Damn weird leaves.¡±


    It was subtle, but Trent was right. Even the smoke was blue. Rose hadn¡¯t stopped to think how peculiar it was that all the flora and fauna on the island shared a similar shade until another person had mentioned it out loud. A little blue crab scuttled across her foot and she suppressed a giggle. Rose had always been ticklish. ¡°What¡¯s a convergence?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not surprised you haven¡¯t heard about them before. They¡¯re quite a rare phenomenon. Less so in wilder seas than Bluestone, but never a common occurrence. I¡¯m no scholar so you¡¯ll have to deal with my terrible explanation. The oceans produce energy and to a lesser extent so do the continents and even plants and animals of the world. The tide collects that energy and turns it into a supplement of sorts. That¡¯s why you have traits and occupations that let you do things beyond the norm. It¡¯s also why animals mutate into monsters.¡±


    Trent paused when he noticed her eyes widening. This was all news to Rose, but she wasn¡¯t surprised that a crappy little island like Emerlan Isle had a poor library of knowledge.


    ¡°Sometimes that energy is too much for the tide to handle, however. That¡¯s when you get a convergence. The buildup of excess energy has nowhere to go. Rather than leave it to fester and cause a disaster, the tide has a neat way of fixing the issue. It gathers all that energy and shoves it into another dimension, creating a little pocket world with rules of its own and unique monsters. They¡¯re often beautiful and filled with treasure and opportunity which is why all the great seafarers hunt them down. With all that bounty comes fearsome danger, however. No risk, no reward.¡±


    ¡°Wow. That sounds incredible. I sort of want to see one. How would we know if we were in a convergence?¡± She turned the skewers that were laid over the fire. Their lunch was almost grilled and the tantalising scent of charred fish teased her nostrils.


    ¡°Strange phenomena are the first clue. Unique wildlife or unusual weather conditions are telltale signs as well.¡±


    ¡°Strange phenomena like everything on an island being blue, you mean?¡±


    ¡°Yup. Exactly like that.¡±

 1.17 - Washed Away

    Being inside a convergence is sort of like dreaming. It feels like you have infinite power at your fingertips, but every time you try to actually do something it slips from your grasp. I usually escape with a great deal of benefits, but at the cost of a portion of my wits.


    -Quoted from The Unchained Bard, Captain of the Six Symphonies


    Trent had told her not to worry until he could be certain. That hadn¡¯t helped much. The nerves ruined the delicious fish she had been looking forward to.


    On the flipside, Rose was ecstatic. She had learnt more about the world in the last five minutes than she had during the first fifteen years of her life. The inner workings of the tide and the world laid bare.


    She was sure that one of the scholars from Tidespire Keep would be able to explain it more eloquently than the pirate, but it was enough to leave her hungry for adventure. A whole other dimension to explore. I don¡¯t even know what a dimension is!


    Trent had said it was like another world that was inside this one but not really. It was all rather confusing but the main take away had been that there was opportunity and danger in equal measure inside each convergence.


    Another chance to skyrocket her skills beyond her years had fallen into her lap. And she was going to die of thirst before she could do anything about it.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s time we explored the corners of the island we left untouched. There has to be fresh water somewhere,¡± she said. ¡°And I sort of want to see more of the beautiful blue forest, even knowing that it¡¯s going to be dangerous.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s water you¡¯re worried about, then I know a handy sailor¡¯s trick to get drinkable water from the sea. I love your youthful sense of adventure, though. Let¡¯s go,¡± he said, grabbing his hat from the sand and putting it on his head while walking towards the vibrant forest.


    Rose threw another pile of fresh leaves onto the fire before she followed Trent into the forest. It had been billowing thick black smoke into the clear blue sky for the past few days.


    Though with the discovery that they might be stuck inside a convergence she realised it had probably been a pointless endeavour to try and signal any passing ships¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t be able to see the island from outside. It gave her a little glimmer of hope to see the fire burning away, however. So she would make sure it kept blazing.


    The mossy carpet was even more blue than it had been on the first day. Only a few stubborn patches of green held out against the azure advance. Strange phenomena indeed.


    As they walked through the forest the air grew thicker and droplets of water began to condense on Rose¡¯s skin. She brushed her hands along the soft bark of the trees, giggling at the way they changed colour in response to her gentle touch.


    Trent had said there was nothing more dangerous than a convergence at sea, but she thought it was more magical than anything she had ever seen. Her curiosity got the better of her and she poked one of the flat blue mushrooms.


    It shrivelled inwards, recoiling from her finger. ¡°Everything here is so wonderfully odd,¡± she said.


    ¡°Stop. Don¡¯t move. Don¡¯t even breathe,¡± whispered Trent with his hand outstretched towards her.


    She followed his instructions and froze, but then felt something brushing against her fingertips and giggled out loud. Rose managed to suppress the noise right away but the damage had been done.


    There was a crunch as a large branch exploded, showering the two of them with splinters. A flash of blue. Trent grunted as something huge slammed into him and he flew backwards, crumpling against another tree.


    Blue splattered outwards across the trunk where he landed like a poor piece of modern art. What?Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    Trent¡¯s legs twitched once and then fell still. He groaned as though he was nursing a hangover and his eyes flickered in and out of consciousness.


    Rose dragged her eyes away from the struggling pirate and turned her gaze to the beast which had struck him from the forest. How did we not see that until it got so close?


    What little sunlight could pierce through the thick canopy sparkled as it refracted into a thousand glittering beams through two sprawling crystalline antlers. Rose swallowed her gasp, but it caught in her throat and she started to splutter. The stag swivelled its head, locking two abyssal black eyes with her own.


    They drank in the light from the sun, enthralling her in their depths.


    Bang.


    The crack of a pistol shattered the eerie silence and the stag buckled as the shot blew into its hind leg. Seconds later the acrid whiff of gunpowder smoke tingled in her nostrils and she looked back to the still crippled Trent.


    He had shifted himself into a sitting position and though he seemed unable to use his legs yet, his focused glare and white-knuckled grip on the smoking flintlock pistol were testament to his tenacity. Rose knew she wouldn¡¯t have recovered from such a heavy blow so fast.


    A muffled thump, then another came from her right and she saw the stag stomping its injured leg against the mossy forest floor. Electric blue blood dripped from the entry wound, a vibrant contrast to its umber coat of fur.


    It snorted and shook its head violently before charging at Trent.


    ¡°Shit,¡± he cursed. ¡°A little help would be fan-fucking-tastic right about now, Rose.¡± As he spoke he gave his all to shuffling away from the tree and out of the stag¡¯s line of fire, but it seemed likely he wouldn¡¯t make it in time.


    She reached down to her belt. Crap. In the chaos of battle and being blown overboard, the cutlass had been flung from her grip and she was left without a weapon. Or was she?


    Clumps of moss and dirt were thrown into the air with every stride the stag took. It had lowered its head and was lining its glistening antlers up to pierce straight through Trent and the tree along with him. She desperately rummaged around in her jacket, praying to Sylack it was still where she stowed it.


    Why she chose the God of Fish and Fishermen in this situation was a mystery, but he was the deity she had been tied to the longest and he had always kept her father safe. Perhaps his domain would stretch to cover her ass here.


    Trent had put in a valiant effort and somehow managed to drag himself half out of the way of the stag¡¯s charge, but not far enough to escape it completely. Her fingers bumped against something cold and hard. Rose grinned, whipped the pistol from her jacket and aimed it in the rough direction of the beast, not wasting time with precision.


    There was a click as the trigger touched the varnished handle. The stag¡¯s hoof smashed into the mossy carpet and tore out another clump. She had forgotten to prime the hammer. Idiot. Her fingers shook as she rushed to pull back the little piece of metal.


    It snapped into place with a click. She didn¡¯t even have time to look where she was aiming this time and simply pulled the trigger as soon as she heard the sound. Bang. The stag jerked sideways.


    Skill up!


    Pistols 1 > 2


    Leaves showered them from the canopy and wood blew in every direction as the beast smashed through the trunk of the tree, the sharp points of its antlers carving a deep gash in Trent¡¯s shoulders. It could''ve been far worse. He grunted and flopped onto his belly, digging through a pouch slung from his belt.


    He pulled a pinch of grey powder from the leather drawstring bag and sprinkled it into a hole on the top of his pistol. The stag bellowed in fury as it tossed and turned. Its antler was buried in the tree and it seemed unable to pull itself free.


    ¡°Trent, throw me the gunpowder.¡± Rose hadn¡¯t felt as much of a kick from that last shot as she had back on the Unrequited Love. Her powder must have been damp or less explosive on a second use. It wasn¡¯t likely to work a third time.


    ¡°One-¡± he grunted while fiddling with the firing mechanism and trying to untie the pouch at the same time. ¡°Second.¡± As soon as he clicked the hammer back he pointed the pistol at the wounded beast and fired.


    Her ears started to ring. The dull companion had faded away at some point, but with all the loud, sudden noises they resumed their constant protest.


    It wasn¡¯t helped by the deafening bellows of the stag, a screeching blend of pain and rage that rustled the leaves and scared a few birds out of the canopy. They added their squawks of annoyance to the cacophony and in the distance she could hear more rustling in the trees. They had disturbed the peace and the forest was stirring.


    Trent placed his pistol on his leg to focus on untying the pouch. He tossed it to her once he succeeded in undoing the knots and she stumbled forwards in her poor attempt to catch it. As she dipped her fingers in to take some of the grey powder out, there was a crunch as the stag tore its antler loose.

 1.18 - Oceanic Overload

    The few notes we¡¯ve obtained over the years all point to one thing - that a convergence is a poor solution to the underlying problem. They tend to go wild if left unchecked and cause even greater damage to the surrounding environment. It¡¯s fortunate then, that there are plenty of brave idiots who seek them out for personal gain.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Charting the Tide: Esoteric Phenomenon and More¡¯ by various contributors


    Something rattled as Rose shook the pistol to get the last of the burnt gunpowder out. She gave it a quick blow to clear away any stubborn remains before pouring in the fresh powder. Trent was in dire straits.


    He had avoided a fatal blow from the last charge, but with so little distance between him and the stag now it would be near impossible to repeat the same feat.


    And that wasn¡¯t the only obstacle they faced. Already the blood dripping down its hind leg had dried and the bullet wound had scabbed over. It was an inhuman rate of regeneration, but they weren¡¯t facing a human.


    Rose wasn¡¯t even sure the strange beast before her could be considered an animal given the unchecked violence it was displaying, and the momentary gaze they had shared imprinted a primal terror in her soul.


    While the gunshots were doing a little damage they seemed ineffective when it came to permanently putting down the stag. They needed a new approach, but without a better weapon Rose was stumped for solutions.


    That didn¡¯t stop her from blasting the stag again, though she took more care with her aim this time. It was difficult to line up the shot with her shaking hands. She took a deep breath and narrowed her focus.


    She felt an astute difference as her new trait kicked in. It was as though everything except her target and the iron sights of the pistol melted away.


    This time when she gazed into the endless abyss that lay behind its obsidian eyes, Rose didn¡¯t feel as though she was slipping away from her body. She fired.


    Electric blue showered Trent and the forest around him as the iron ball tore through the stag¡¯s head. It stumbled forward and let out an ear-splitting bellow, but continued on its lumbering charge towards the vulnerable pirate.


    Skill up!


    Pistols 2 > 3


    Skill up!


    Firearms 1 > 2


    Skill up!


    Focus 10 > 11


    Skills seemed to level at a much faster rate when they were used in high stakes situations. In the last few days alone Rose¡¯s life had been on the line multiple times. It had been equal parts thrilling and terrifying, but all of her skills had made tremendous gains and she had gained quite a few more.


    He had turned away from her and raised an arm to guard against the beast¡¯s attack. ¡°Aagh,¡± he cried out as its antlers pierced through his forearm and dug into his chest. His defence had held, but not without great cost.


    Rose stuffed the pistol back into her belt, wincing when the still-hot barrel singed the skin on her stomach. Not considering her own safety she charged towards the stag with a rousing battle cry.


    It turned its head towards her. Only a fraction, but that was enough to let Trent free his other arm. A fresh shower of blue splattered over him from the underbelly of the beast as he sliced it open with his broad cutlass.


    The surprise blow had devastated the stag, but unfortunately for Trent it tore its head away during its anguished struggle. Rose winced at the crunch as his arm was torn off at the socket, squirting vibrant crimson across the blue monochrome of the forest.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    ¡°Fuck that hurt,¡± he said, doing a fantastic job of not displaying the agony he must be feeling on his face. Rose¡¯s admiration for the man grew by the second, but there was no time to stand still in awe. The battle had reached a pivotal moment.


    Her goal changed the instant Trent¡¯s blade had carved open the stag¡¯s guts. If the beast was uninjured her body weight would have little impact when thrown against it, but right now it was stumbling from side to side and shaking uncontrollably.


    Her shoulder was the first part of her to slam into its torso and a jolt of pain washed through her from the impact of colliding with its solid rib cage.


    For a brief moment she feared that even with her full weight thrown into the blow it wouldn¡¯t have any effect, but then the beast¡¯s nearest leg buckled. Dirt and moss showered her face as its hoof carved through the forest floor and the stag tumbled into the trunk of the broken tree.


    It unleashed an eerie moaning bellow, far weaker than its earlier battle cries. Rose recoiled nonetheless, scared it was about to do something odd to shift the tides of battle. However, her fears proved unfounded when she saw a surging stream of electric blue flowing down the splintered trunk. It seemed as though an errant piece of the once proud tree had claimed revenge on the monstrous stag.


    It stared into her eyes with fury and hatred, right up until the moment its final breath blew a falling leaf off its original wisping path.


    You have learned a new skill!


    Unarmed Combat 0 > 1


    Her shoulders dropped and she let out the breath she had been holding. As the adrenaline wore thin her shoulder started to ache in protest of its earlier treatment and her mouth was tangy with the taste of copper. Most of her new skills were geared towards fighting or killing and she wasn¡¯t quite sure how she felt about that, but she had little time for her own worries.


    A harsh wheeze cut through the silence. ¡°Fantastic job-¡± Trent started to praise her efforts but halfway through erupted into a coughing fit that sent spittle and a little blood spraying across the moss - and his already blood soaked shirt.


    She rushed to his side and gathered as much moss and leaves as she could to form a makeshift pillow, before propping his head up and resting two fingers on his neck to check the man¡¯s pulse. ¡°Take it easy Trent, that¡¯s a real nasty wound you¡¯ve got there. I hope the stag didn¡¯t pierce your lung,¡± she said, not letting the terror she felt creep into her voice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about poor old me, Rose. I¡¯ve endured worse hardships than a little flesh wound and I¡¯ll surely suffer more in future. Instead you should try to harvest those antlers before the corpse starts to degrade. It will happen faster than you think in a place like this,¡± he said.


    ¡°What do you mean? I can¡¯t carry those huge antlers around with me, especially not if I have to give you a hand with walking.¡± Her brow creased and she threw him a concerned glance. Perhaps the blood loss is getting to him already.


    ¡°Wait¡­ Is this the first time you¡¯ve killed a monster, Rose? That would track. I¡¯ll guide you,¡± he replied, moving to sit up and hobble towards the corpse.


    Rose planted a firm hand on his shoulder and pushed him back into the mossy pillow. ¡°Don¡¯t move, you¡¯ll make it worse. I don¡¯t even know how you¡¯re still awake right now. I think¡­¡± her voice trailed off when she looked at the bloody mess that was left of his shoulder.


    Without emergency treatment the man was at imminent risk of death. Even with the shoddy treatment she would be able to offer him there were still a plethora of ways it could go wrong. Infection, blood loss. Just the lack of mobility would make him more vulnerable to the other threats hiding in the forest. Rose had a suspicion the stag was just the beginning.


    ¡°I think we need to cauterise the wound. That¡¯s the only thing I can think of right now. I¡¯m not a doctor. Stay here, I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    They hadn¡¯t gone far from their campsite on the beach. Her plan was simple. Rush back as fast as her exhausted legs would carry her with Trent¡¯s cutlass, heat it up in the fire and then bring it back before it cooled to heat seal the wound.


    A terrible, hastily formed plan. It was the only option they had, unless Trent was hiding a miracle up his sleeves. He¡¯d managed to pull plenty of weapons from that jacket of his, but Rose suspected this would be a step too far for the brilliant buccaneer.


    With a final warning glare at him to stay put, she rose to her feet and moved towards where his cutlass lay on the forest floor. An ice cold hand gripped her ankle and she fell flat on her face. The moss tastes like lemons.


    She spat out the dirt and moss that she¡¯d had slipped into her mouth and turned to face Trent with undisguised anger. ¡°What?¡± she spat. The goodwill she had cultivated towards him was falling apart with each small act of defiance.


    ¡°I told you I¡¯d be fine for the time being,¡± he said. His tone was firm. He had a serious glint in his eye, similar to how Captain Bradshawe¡¯s whole personality had shifted when he was inspiring the crew ahead of the battle with the pirates. ¡°Now, listen to me and harvest those antlers. The body is already being claimed by the tide. You don¡¯t have long and it might take a while since it¡¯s your first time dealing with a monster¡¯s corpse.¡±

 1.19 - First Harvest

    I got utterly scammed out of my first corpse. Arcane blood from an injured Thunderhawk I stumbled upon in the mountains. Merchant saw a dumb kid and took advantage. His shop was the first to burn when I returned home from my inaugural voyage.


    -Quoted from Cyl, the Pyrelord of Fairfallow


    Rose didn¡¯t understand what he was telling her to do. They needed to find a way to escape the convergence. The antlers were stunning. More beautiful than anything she had ever laid eyes on, but lugging them along would only slow them down. Despite her confusion, she decided to follow his instructions.


    Maybe he knew something she didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Good girl. Now, head over to the corpse. You¡¯ve got a trait, right? There¡¯s a subtle tug of magic when it activates. The tide at work. You¡¯ll get a similar feeling from any potent magical parts of a monster. That stag was a powerful beast, so I¡¯m sure it has plenty of bits worth taking but we don¡¯t have the time to do a full harvest. Just focus on the antlers. Don¡¯t try to physically take them, but tug on that thread of magic once you feel it. The tide will handle the rest,¡± he explained.


    He had to take regular pauses while delivering the speech. His condition was growing worse with every passing moment. The rational part of her mind was screaming at her to treat his wound, but she didn¡¯t want to find herself staring down the barrel of Trent¡¯s pistol if she continued to ignore his instructions.


    Her steps were slow and wary as she made her way towards the huge body of the stag. It hadn¡¯t moved an inch since she watched the life fade from its eyes, but even so Rose was on guard against any sudden revival.


    It was difficult to focus on the task she¡¯d been set with such worries flitting about in the forefront of her mind. Closing her eyes helped. So did leaning on her new trait. It had been the most useful by far, already showing its worth in a variety of situations.


    Trent had said she would recognise the feeling. He had said physical touch wasn¡¯t the way to go about harvesting the antlers, but laying a hand on them gave her a focal point to work from.


    Rose thought back to the odd feeling of her surroundings and inconsequential thoughts melting away as she¡¯d aimed the flintlock pistol at the monstrous stag. Trent was right. It had been rather magical. A novel experience for a backwater bumpkin like her, who had only been expected to excel in fishing¡ªor herding doori.


    A minute passed. All she could feel was the intensity of her focus. There was nothing in her mind except a determination to harvest the glittering crystal antlers, which she could see clear as day in her mind despite her eyes being glued shut.


    There!


    So subtle she might have dismissed it if not for the assistance of her trait, Rose caught a murmuring wave of magic floating in the air before her. And she pulled.


    Skill up!


    Focus 11 > 12


    It felt like tugging the end from a ball of yarn. It just kept coming, with no end in sight and no sign she was actually doing the right thing. It felt right though, which was more important in her opinion.


    It snapped, sending a puff of energy through her body in a tingling wave.


    She didn¡¯t have time to worry if she had made a mistake, because a roaring crash of waves echoed through her mind and she opened her eyes to a whorl of the tide unlike any she had seen before.


    You are attempting to harvest a treasure!


    WARNING!


    Your associated skill levels are too low to guarantee a successful harvest of [Crystal Antlers 43]


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.A failed harvest may cause damage to the treasure, proceed anyway?


    [YES][NO]


    It feels like a waste to choose yes. Trent could probably do this better than I, but he can¡¯t even move without coughing up blood. Shit. A failed harvest is better than nothing, I guess? I don¡¯t even understand what¡¯s happening. Rose was overcome with warring emotions.


    On one hand she was ecstatic to have succeeded in her task. Not only that, but it had opened a whole new world of possibilities to her.


    It felt as though she discovered something more miraculous and exciting about this vast, magical world with every week she spent adventuring. However, she was disappointed at the prospect of failure and her inability to aid her companion.


    There wasn¡¯t much she could do. She mentally selected yes and the already shimmering crystal antlers exploded with radiance reminiscent of the midday sun, blinding her for almost twenty seconds. That can¡¯t have been healthy.


    While unable to see anything, Rose had time to contemplate which skills the tide considered when deciding if she would be able to harvest the antlers or not. Butchery was the only one of her skills she thought might be relevant and it was only level six, so the warning was understandable.


    The light faded and Rose¡¯s brow furrowed when she looked at the corpse of the stag. The antlers had vanished and it seemed to be deteriorating at a visible rate now. The moss around the body was far more vibrant than the rest of the forest floor. Scary.


    Attempting to harvest [Crystal Antlers 43]...


    Harvest failed!


    [Crystal Antlers 43] have been damaged.


    Attempting to harvest [Crystal Antlers 39]...


    Harvest failed!


    [Crystal Antlers 39] have been damaged.


    Attempting to harvest [Crystal Antlers 33]...


    Harvest success!


    [Crystal Antlers 33] obtained!


    ¡°What in the world?¡± she muttered under her breath, but somehow Trent still caught her surprise. Just faint already, stubborn bastard!


    She didn¡¯t mean it of course. His ability to push through an injury that would¡¯ve seen the folk back home crippled for life or dead while also guiding her through her first harvest and being so keenly aware of his surroundings was unbelievable.


    Rose wondered why such a talented man had been raiding with a run-of-the-mill pirate crew near a small kingdom like Derridas. She could ask him after she treated his wound. Which was her priority now that she had harvested the antlers, just as he¡¯d asked.


    This time she didn¡¯t wait for his permission and sprinted back to the fire the moment she wrapped her knuckles around the handle of the fallen cutlass.


    ***


    ¡°Fuck! Your hands are a little shaky, Rose. Might want to work on getting a dexterity skill or something similar,¡± said Trent. To his credit, it was the first complaint she¡¯d received during the entire course of the shoddy treatment she had been giving his wounds.


    It was hard not to turn her head when the vile aroma of his burning flesh crawled its way into her nostrils like an insidious plague. If it was just a one and done procedure it would¡¯ve been easy, but to properly cauterise it and prevent infection she had to repeatedly hold the red hot blade against his shoulder until the bleeding stopped and the wound was sealed.


    The puncture in his chest was less stressful to deal with. Just the fact he hadn¡¯t bled out already was proof it had missed his lung.


    She tore off a strip of her shirt and after cleaning the wound as best she could, bandaged it tightly. He would have to rely on his own tenacity to fully heal. Luckily for the plucky pirate he had buckets of the stuff.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s keep moving. I don¡¯t want to stick around and turn into prey for whatever sniffs out the rest of that,¡± he said while nodding his head in the direction of the stag¡¯s corpse.


    It had already half disintegrated but his fears were valid. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled every time she looked into the shadowy depths of the forest. It was more blue than it had been when they entered.


    ¡°You need to get some rest soon. We should head back to the campsite. It won¡¯t be too late to explore once you¡¯ve had a night¡¯s sleep at the very least.¡±


    ¡°No. It will be too late by then. We need to keep going. I can smell the path.¡±


    What? He¡¯s too strange. ¡°Smell? Are you sure that isn¡¯t just your soiled britches?¡± she quipped. If she was being honest with herself she needed the rest as well. That fight had taken the pep right out of her step. ¡°We won¡¯t get out by heading further inland, let¡¯s just sleep and figure out our next move in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Ah. This is why people die hunting for treasure in convergences all the time. You¡¯re misunderstanding the fundamental laws of this place. We aren¡¯t in our world anymore. Direction operates under¡­ alternate guidelines. Trust me on this, Rose. We have to go deeper.¡±

 1.20 - Dangerous Ground

    A convergence is a discrete world of its own. It doesn¡¯t follow the same laws as ours. Anything is possible with the power of the tide, and there¡¯s no place that¡¯s more true than in the heart of a convergence.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Charting the Tide: Esoteric Phenomenon and More¡¯ by various contributors


    Trent coughed violently. Only twice this time. A small improvement to the frequent and intense fits he¡¯d been having before and this time he didn¡¯t even spray blood across the mossy forest floor with every convulsion.


    ¡°I do trust you Trent,¡± she said while wrapping his arm around her shoulders and helping him to stand up. ¡°I don¡¯t think we can deal with another monster though. Where did the antlers disappear to by the way? It said I obtained them, but they just vanished into thin air.¡±


    Trent stared at her the way her father had stared at her when she first told him she wanted to be a pirate. A big smile with wistful eyes. ¡°My goodness. You really don¡¯t know anything, do you? Maybe that¡¯s why you¡¯ve managed to earn so many traits already. There¡¯s no pre-conditioned expectations or strategy rattling around in that pretty little noggin,¡± he said, rapping his knuckles on her scalp.


    Rose didn¡¯t mind his playful smack. The backhanded compliment felt weird. She had known for a while now that her rate of growth was rather unusual for someone of her age. Most folk back on the Emerlan Isle wouldn¡¯t even have a single trait at her age, save for perhaps the children of the wealthiest merchants in Greengate.


    And she had four.


    One was for cleaning, which would be a fabulous asset if she needed to make whatever hovel she found herself in feel a little more like home. Her drawing and fishing traits were a little more useful, with the former offering the potential to help out beyond just illustration. Her latest trait was the real gem.


    ¡°It¡¯s in your inventory. You should have one slot unlocked for every trait you have. That¡¯s why I asked before if you had a trait. Without one, the harvest would¡¯ve failed,¡± he said.


    ¡°What¡¯s an inventory?¡±


    Trent laughed. ¡°Sorry, I forgot you¡¯re a complete rookie. Let me explain. It¡¯s like a sort of storage for things. Mostly treasure. It¡¯s tied to your soul, so no one except you can access the things stored inside, which is why it¡¯s so great for storing treasure you¡¯ve looted. Just imagine accessing the inventory and the tide should guide you.¡±


    They continued to walk, each step taking them further into the blue sea of trees. Rose glanced back in the direction of their campsite occasionally. Trent had told her that the rules had changed, but she couldn¡¯t help but long for the comfort of the white sands.


    While they travelled she stared at the glittering crystal branches that were now stored in her inventory. They had been miniaturised and a little information displayed underneath the icon.


    Crystal Antlers 33


    Light Aspect


    A pair of antlers from a monstrous stag. They bend and refract light in a fantastic shimmer, while also being sharp and sturdy.


    Rose didn¡¯t quite understand what she was being told. Some of the description was obvious. The number was likely a level¡ªthe same way her skills were levelled. The failed harvests had dropped the antlers¡¯ level a few times.


    Aspect. That was another novel term, one she could guess at the meaning of. ¡°Trent, I can¡¯t just whip these antlers out and use them like a cutlass. What¡¯s the purpose of harvesting these treasures?¡± she asked.


    ¡°It depends on the treasure. Some have immediate utility, others need the handiwork of a skilled artisan before they can be put to use. Those antlers would make a fine weapon, in the hands of the right smith.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    The answer was much more straightforward than she had been expecting. Rose had thought there might be another esoteric feature of the tide to grapple with, but in the end it came down to good old manual labour.


    Not much of a surprise¡ªmost things in life came down to hard work.


    She startled at a pained screech. It came from within the trees, not right beside them but close enough to worry her. There were more monsters lurking and it seemed they were on the hunt.


    ¡°This is bad,¡± Trent said. He was staring at one of the trees. Before, the bark had been a typical shade of off-brown for a tree. Now though, vibrant blue was creeping across the trunk the same way it had when she touched one of them.


    Nothing was touching the trees now.


    ***


    WARNING!


    This convergence has exceeded critical capacity, breaching is imminent


    ¡°Should I be worried about that?¡± asked Rose. They had stumbled through the forest for almost half an hour since escaping death at the horns of the stag and she was shocked that they hadn¡¯t been attacked by anything else.


    Yet.


    ¡°That depends on your perspective, Rose. Every cloud has a silver lining and a breach might just mean we get to see the real world sooner than we thought,¡± said Trent, poking at the moss. It had started to glow now and there wasn¡¯t a single patch of green left in sight. ¡°On the flipside, the local wildlife is going to grow increasingly violent and unpredictable. We¡¯d have to survive the carnage in order to feel the heat of the sun on our faces once more. The real sun.¡±


    He no longer needed her support to walk. The bandage on his shoulder was stained dark wine red, but it seemed to be on a slow mend. The hole in his chest was faring much better and he wasn¡¯t coughing every few minutes any more.


    It was a rather inhuman rate of regeneration, but the man had more secrets than Rose had years of life under her belt. She wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it was a skill at work, or one of his traits.


    ¡°Trent¡­¡± she began, but stuttered out when she realised she didn¡¯t want to know the answer to the question she had been about to ask.


    The man in question turned a curious stare on her for a brief moment but returned to the moss even faster. He poked at it a few times and pulled out a small clump, which continued to glow even after it had been separated from its roots.


    Rose heard a dull rhythmic thrum. Faint, but constant. It wasn¡¯t the tinny whine that had accompanied her ever since the explosion on the ship. No, this was new. Alarming.


    ¡°Do you hear that?¡± she asked.


    After rummaging in his jacket for a moment, Trent pulled out a dagger and tossed it to her. ¡°Take this, you¡¯ll need to be vigilant from now on. More than you have been,¡± he said.


    She fumbled the catch once, but then her fingers closed around the leather-bound handle of the blade. A drop of blood beaded on her finger where the edge had nicked it.


    You have learned a new skill!


    Endurance 0 > 1


    Curious. There were a few reasons she might¡¯ve earned that particular skill. Or perhaps it was more of an all-rounder. No matter. It was just one of many that would join her repertoire before they made it out. If they made it out.


    No, Rose was confident in their skills. They would return to the real world and make their way to the nearest safe shore. They had to.


    A cold hand grabbed her own and pulled her forward with a jerk. ¡°Hurry, we¡¯re close,¡± said Trent.


    What it was they were close to she wasn¡¯t sure, but the man knew more than her about their situation and so she trusted him, picking up the pace to match his hurried stride.


    As they rushed through the trees, she noticed they grew sparser. Yet the overwhelming blue that was a constant glare grew ever brighter. It got so intense that she had to squint her eyes to keep sight of the path through the winding roots.


    Then there were no more trees.


    A gasp escaped her lips and she pulled back her hand from Trent¡¯s. They had entered a large clearing in the forest and in the centre, with glowing blue roots that pulsed with arcane power that tingled in the air around, was a glittering crystal. Or perhaps an egg? It could even have been a flower bud, but what it was wasn¡¯t really important.


    What was important was that Trent was eyeing it like a starving peasant would a rotten loaf of bread. He craved it, that much she could tell.


    Not enough to rush for it right away, however. And she could guess why. Rose had little experience with the magic of the tide, but the object in the clearing radiated power even to an uneducated child like her.


    He reached out a tentative hand towards the crystal. A chorus of growls rumbled from the treeline and her heart leapt from her chest.

 1.21 - When is a Flower Worth your Life?

    There are not many differences between monsters inside a convergence and those out in the world at large. Nothing physical at least. Desperation and hunger can make more of an impact than you¡¯d think, however. I¡¯d take a Kraken from The Black Strait over a plain old boar during a breach anyday.


    -Quoted from Fleet Admiral Gullar, of Zoria


    Rose turned to the source and saw an uncountable number of wolves pacing into the clearing. The leader of the pack was huge, almost up to her chest in height and sporting claws bigger than her dagger.


    Her quivering hands belied her fear but she didn¡¯t show any of that while glaring fiercely at the beast. Predators would think twice about attacking something they thought could put up a fight. Or so she hoped.


    ¡°Trent, please tell me that crystal thing is worth taking on this furious horde of wolves,¡± she said, not letting her gaze waver from the alpha for even a fraction of a second.


    ¡°This¡­ crystal thing,¡± he began, advancing towards it with tiny, measured steps, ¡°is more valuable than our lives. Now, I want to get out of here relatively unscarred and I¡¯m sure you do too, but if we¡¯re able to bring this with us it would be worth losing another limb. Or two.¡±


    ¡°That valuable?¡± said Rose, letting out a low whistle. If Trent was that incensed about the crystal then she would trust him, to a point.


    If it looked as though the wolves had the upper hand and were about to tear them apart she would have no qualms about running off by herself. It would mean all her nursing would go to waste, but he was a grown man who could make his own decisions. If that decision was to throw his life away for a big blue egg then so be it.


    She pulled the flintlock pistol from her belt and made sure the gunpowder was topped up. Trent had given her a little pouch of her own so that they wouldn¡¯t need to toss his back and forth in the midst of battle.


    This time she made sure the hammer was cocked back. The wolves were yet to attack, but it was better to be safe than sorry. They had continued to approach and fanned out into a semi-circle, but strangely their gazes kept flickering towards the glowing egg. They might have been able to run without chase if not for Trent¡¯s determination to harvest the thing.


    ¡°To be honest with you, I doubt we can fend off these wolves and make a clean getaway with that. I want a real estimate of the value. I need to know if this is worth my life,¡± she said. Unlike the other wolves, who struggled to tear their gazes from the glowing crystal, the alpha was staring her down with cold, hungry eyes.


    Rose stopped herself from taking a step backwards. She wasn¡¯t the scared little girl who had run away from home anymore. Well, I¡¯m still damn scared. I just refuse to let my fear control me. She raised the pistol and pointed it at the huge wolf.


    It halted in its tracks, but pulled the flesh over its muzzle back to reveal bright red gums and razor sharp, yellowing fangs. A twisted, monstrous grin.


    She wondered why the wolf wasn¡¯t scared, but then she remembered how many shots it had taken to bring down the stag. The alpha wasn¡¯t quite as big or muscular as that monster, but she had no doubt it would take more than one shot to kill the beast.


    And after that first shot it would be free to tear her limb from limb with those fearsome fangs and cruel, curling claws.


    Sure, there was always her dagger. It would do little to stop a vicious assault however and even if she managed to slaughter the beast and claim victory, she would be wounded - perfect prey for the rest of the pack.


    Her skills had been going through such rapid changes that Rose couldn¡¯t remember what she had gained or honed, so she spared a moment to skim through her status before making her final decision.


    Name: Rose Everblue


    Race: Human


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.Occupation: -


    Title: -


    Available Titles: Murderer


    Skills: Cleaning 10, Reading 9, Fishing 13, Swimming 8, Writing 6, Butchery 6, Cooking 5, Herding 2, Focus 12, Drawing 11, Sailing 7, One Handed Weapons 3, Blades 2, Pistols 3, Firearms 2, Unarmed Combat 1, Endurance 1


    Traits: Sensitive Line, Deft Hand, Good as New, Tunnel Vision


    Her skills with the flintlock pistol and the dagger were still low, but they would grow the more she continued to fight with those weapons of circumstance. A cutlass would¡¯ve been a damn sight more useful, but Trent only had the one.


    Notably, her trait from drawing - deft hand - was actually giving her an easier time wielding the dagger and fiddling with the firing mechanisms in the midst of battle. Rose wondered what other vocational pursuits might prove themselves to have combat utility. Perhaps writing or reading might offer something similar, but she doubted it.


    ¡°Trent, are you one hundred percent sure about this? I¡¯m about to fight a huge, terrifying wolf for this egg and I want to be sure I¡¯m not throwing my life away for your greed,¡± she said, not letting her gaze leave the alpha for even a millisecond.


    ¡°Look, Rose. You and I aren¡¯t strangers anymore. After our wonderful time here I might even go so far as to say we¡¯re starting to become friends, despite our rocky history. I wouldn¡¯t lie to you. Leaving this to the wolves would be more foolish than dying. You¡¯ve got this,¡± he assured her, now just a step away from the glowing crystalline egg.


    She took a deep breath and closed one eye, the iron sight of the pistol filling the narrowing field of vision in her other.


    As her focus kicked into overdrive everything but the pistol and the fearsome alpha wolf melted away. It had keen instincts and sensed the moment she decided to act.


    It was too late for the beast. There was a gentle click as she pulled the trigger and the hammer struck true, blasting the iron ball towards her prey.


    Blood splattered across the electric blue moss as the bullet drilled a hole between the wolf¡¯s wide, yellow eyes. That had gone smoother than she expected.


    Skill up!


    Pistols 3 > 4


    Skill up!


    Firearms 2 > 3


    She allowed herself to take another deep breath, but her hands did not remain idle. They scooped out the burnt powder and replaced it with practised ease, each repetition drilling the movements into her muscle memory. The hammer clicked back into place and the hairs on the back of her neck bristled.


    A deep, rumbling growl echoed through the clearing and the rest of the wolves mirrored with howls of their own. Goosebumps flared to life across her arms and legs and she failed to hold back her quivering lip.


    Rose watched as what she thought had been a lethal wound kneaded itself back together, the odd process culminating with the crumpled bullet falling to the ground. The alpha glared at her with bloodshot, yellow eyes.


    And then it pounced.


    Moving with more alacrity than she thought a canine could possess, it flashed across the gap between them and slashed at her with fearsome, razor sharp claws.


    A step backwards, heavier than she had wanted it to be, allowed her to narrowly avoid its strike. However, she stumbled on her next step and struggled to regain her footing, which meant the bite that followed dug deep into her thigh, drawing beads of crimson blood.


    The alpha¡¯s teeth were long and viciously sharp. She shook her leg furiously to throw it off but it refused to give up the ground it had gained. The wounds burned. Stop panicking, you¡¯re not a little girl anymore.


    It hadn¡¯t been an easy battle against the stag, so Rose wasn¡¯t sure why she had expected a clean and quick victory here. Maybe it was because she had a lesser appreciation for the wolves. They didn¡¯t win with their own strength and relied on their packs, but she was foolish to look down on them for that.


    Besides, the alpha was doing a great job of tearing into her flesh without any assistance. She pulled her leg away once more, trying to free it from the fearsome fangs. This time she succeeded, but a chunk of her leg was ripped away by the wolf¡¯s murderous muzzle.


    Saliva foamed around its jaws as it pulled them back in that sinister, toothy grin. Bad dog. She fired the pistol once more, not needing as much time to aim true as she had done before. Practice makes perfect.


    Blood sprayed across the moss once again as the iron bullet tore through the wolf¡¯s soft eye. Rose had targeted its vision on purpose and the moment she sniffed the acrid tang of gunpowder her feet were already moving and her knuckles closed around the familiar grip of Trent¡¯s dagger.


    Skill up!


    Pistols 4 > 5


    You have learned a new skill!


    Precision 0 > 1


    This battle had gone on long enough.

 1.22 - Pruning the Pack

    The weak often gather in great numbers to resist the strong. Most of the time it is a futile effort borne of cowardice or desperation. The world is cruel to the masses in more ways than one. Then again, what predator is more feared in the forests than the humble wolf? Pack hunters, yet none would dare look down on them.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Bleakmoore¡¯s Bestiary¡¯ by Aron Bleakmoore


    This time, Rose would not let carelessness get the better of her. The alpha heard her approach but with its left eye destroyed, was unable to truly catch her movements.


    Her blade cut deep, though limited by its length. It was just a dagger.


    And yet grand empires had fallen to the bite of a dagger. Right now, what fell was a most fearsome wolf.


    Skill up!


    Blades 2 > 3


    A fountain of blood spurted out from the alpha¡¯s neck as the dagger slipped in. The beast buckled and tried to tear away from the wound, but she wrapped an arm around its neck and jammed her weapon deeper.


    Skill up!


    Blades 3 > 4


    Skill up!


    One Handed Weapons 3 > 4


    The splashes washed through her ears, but Rose ignored the whorls as she had done for a while now. They were becoming a frequent occurrence, more than she had ever been taught to expect.


    It was a comforting sound. The washing of waves reminded her of the shores of the Emerlan Isle. Her father would be out casting his net right now, waiting for the fattest fish to fall afoul of his trap. Her mouth curled into a half smile.


    Even when the wolf went limp and she saw the light of sentience fade from its one remaining eye, Rose didn¡¯t remove her dagger. She dug deeper and wiggled it around. Brutal, but she wasn¡¯t going to take another chance.


    Not when she could see the rest of the pack already advancing on her, yapping and snapping their jaws and raking their claws across the shimmering blue moss.


    Another message, asking her if she wanted to harvest the corpse of the alpha. She ignored it for now. There would be time to take stock of their spoils once they had won. If they won.


    The first of the wolves threw itself at her. It was a furious ball of claws and teeth and matted grey fur.


    Heat exploded down her arm as it tore into her soft skin. Heat exploded from the barrel of her flintlock pistol and the wolf¡¯s brains splattered across the moss.


    Skill up!


    Pistols 5 > 6


    A familiar tang tickled her nostrils as she sliced into the next wolf. Rose was beginning to like the scent of burnt gunpowder.


    Compared to their tenacious alpha, the rest of the pack were weak, frail creatures. Rose was no brave buccaneer, but even she was able to cut them like a scythe through wheat.


    Skill up!


    Blades 4 > 5


    Skill up!


    One Handed Weapons 4 > 5


    Zyip. She stumbled as a blast of energy rippled through the clearing. A gentle ring whined in her ears. One of the wolves needled at her calf.


    Skill up!


    Blades 5 > 6


    Zyiip. The second blast sent her tumbling to the mossy ground. The radiant blue shimmer forced her eyes closed until she was able to struggle back to her feet.


    Rose looked around the clearing, now littered with the corpses of foolish canines. There were none left. Zap.


    Magic was not something the people of Emerlan Isle were familiar with. Even the gifted weather-witches were seers in name alone.


    Even to a bumpkin like her the raw force of the world¡¯s energy that crackled and burnt in the clearing was blindingly clear.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    The crystalline flower bud was positively radiant, like an azure sun. Trent had one hand placed against the surface and his face was contorted. He roared in defiance of the majestic power that sought to consume him.


    Flakes of skin and flesh burnt away with each passing moment. Rose could smell burning once more, but this time it was the little hairs in her nose and not the powder in her pistol.


    All around them the forest exploded with life and colour. A single colour, but in infinite shades.


    Electric blue carpeted the ground, the trees a silky royal blue, their canopies turned from verdant green to vibrant cerulean. Something tickled her foot.


    What happened to my shoes? One of the little blue crabs skittered away from her bare foot, now painted with blood and dirt.


    A blazing corona of the most blindingly brilliant blue Rose had ever seen exploded across the clearing.


    She wasn¡¯t sure if her eyes were open or shut, but it didn¡¯t seem to matter. The light had seared itself onto her retinas. Still she heard a tinny whining in her ears. Shut up! Go away. Let me see.


    You have learned a new skill!


    Arcane Attunement 0 > 1


    You have learned a new skill!


    Light Attunement 0 > 1


    Skill up!


    Light Attunement 1 > 2


    Skill up!


    Endurance 1 > 2


    Instead of ringing she now had the deafening echo of waves crashing through her head. It was a welcome change of pace, though she would¡¯ve preferred something closer to silence.


    And the new skills were confusing. They often were, but this time Rose didn¡¯t even have the faintest clue what they meant.


    At least with new skills in the past she could guess at their effect from the name. Unarmed combat for instance¡ªit made her better at fighting. Unarmed. Simple and concise.


    She had never even heard or read the word attunement until now. Trent would know the answer. He always seemed to have knowledge beyond the scope of a mere pirate. Trent!


    Rose remembered her companion. He had been right beside the object when it exploded. Come to think of it, had it exploded?


    The sudden brilliance had certainly felt like an explosion, but she was still standing, albeit a little disoriented.


    ¡°Trent?¡± she called out, her voice trembling. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    All that she received in reply was eerie silence.


    The edges of her vision were tainted blue and the air was thick with shimmering webs of azure light.


    Instead of waiting around for a response that might never come, she stumbled in the direction she remembered Trent and the crystal being.


    It was a thoroughly strange experience, moving through the webs. They were intangible¡ªshe had tried to grab one and her hand slipped right through.


    Slipped was perhaps the wrong word. It was slimy and made her skin break out in goosebumps when it touched her. Viscous. That was the right word. Her hands sludged through the webs and she made steady progress onwards.


    ¡°Trent, can you hear me? Are you alive?¡± she said. Her voice was steady now and her steps measured and decisive.


    Being around this much magic was terrifying, but Rose had a feeling that it meant her no harm. It was just¡­ there. In much the same way the sun burned with enough heat to incinerate her a thousand times over but by the time its rays reached her they only gave her skin a gentle kiss.


    Skill up!


    Light Attunement 2 > 3


    Finally, when she glooped her way through the fourth web, she found the man she was looking for.


    His hair was spiked and charred black, with tints of blue here and there. One of his eyebrows had been singed off and the other was barely clinging on. His clothes were surprisingly undamaged, but his eyes positively glittered with glee.


    He hadn¡¯t noticed her arrival at first, those joyful eyes locked on something invisible. A whorl of the tide, no doubt. There was no sign of the crystal. Maybe it did explode?


    ¡°Rose! There you are. Where are the monsters?¡± he asked.


    Her shoulders loosened and she exhaled, not knowing she had been holding her breath. His first act had been to ask about her safety, or at least it seemed that way.


    ¡°Dead,¡± she replied. She took the powder satchel from her belt and waved it in front of him. ¡°I need more gunpowder. And a bath. I hope that was worth it. The aftereffects are certainly¡­ sticky.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. They do tend to have interesting defence mechanisms. Don¡¯t worry, I managed to harvest it successfully. Well, I failed once, but that¡¯s to be expected when it comes to such a high quality Tidestone. Let¡¯s get the hell out of here,¡± he said.


    ¡°Wait, let me harvest the wolves first. I still have three empty spaces in my inventory.¡±


    ¡°Smart girl, you learn fast. We¡¯ll be rich if we make it out. We should make it out, I can smell the exit now that there isn¡¯t the energy of the stone interfering.¡±


    ¡°You can smell¡ªnever mind,¡± she said. Trent was a man with a lot of quirks. She would be there for a year if she tried to figure each one out. ¡°Give me a second.¡±


    She returned to the corpse of the alpha. It was the only one which tingled when she drew near. None of the other wolves had a treasure worth taking. They were mere monsters.


    And unlike before, when they had rushed the harvest of the stag, she could take everything her fallen foe had to offer.

 1.23 - Nothing Like the Ocean Breeze

    That first breeze you feel on your skin when you return to the real world. The kiss of salt, we call it. The most beautiful sting you¡¯ll ever feel.


    -Quoted from Captain Quett, of Minenblum


    Attempting to harvest [Direwolf Fangs 19]...


    Harvest success!


    [Direwolf Fangs 19] obtained!


    Rose grinned. She hadn¡¯t damaged the treasure this time. It was far lower level than the antlers had been, admittedly, but it was a victory nonetheless.


    However, that wasn¡¯t all the alpha had to offer. There was still a tingle on the back of her neck. The second treasure was even more potent than the first, but she was confident.


    Her fingers brushed against one of the webs of light as she stretched her arms wide. She giggled at the slimy sensation.


    Just another of the marvellous little wonders she would¡¯ve never seen, had she not decided to run away from home that fateful night. One of the fishermen had told her about it once¡ªthe butterfly effect.


    A single decision could spark a long chain of events. Plucking a single flower could cause the death of a king. Stealing a little fishing boat could land you in the middle of a collapsing convergence.


    Attempting to harvest [Direwolf Pelt 26]...


    Harvest failed!


    [Direwolf Pelt 26] has been damaged!


    Attempting to harvest [Direwolf Pelt 22]...


    Harvest success!


    [Direwolf Pelt 22] obtained!


    One little failure couldn¡¯t dampen her joy. She returned to Trent and together they made their way out of the clearing, in search of the exit.


    Trent said he knew where he was going. That he could smell the way out. And she believed him.


    The forest seemed to have reached a limit on how blue it could become. The blue fuzziness at the edges of her vision had grown larger. Maybe it hadn¡¯t reached the limit just yet.


    ¡°Trent, are you seeing the blue as well?¡± she asked. Her knuckles were wrapped around the hilt of her dagger, not that it would do much against the magic of the forest.


    ¡°Yup. Convergence. We¡¯ll be fine when we get out,¡± he replied. He sounded certain, but Rose didn¡¯t know if she believed him this time.


    ***


    They stood in front of the green tree.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ not blue,¡± said Rose.


    ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± agreed Trent.


    They had been walking for almost two hours, or so she thought. She was judging by the position of the sun, but Trent had long warned her not to believe what she saw inside a convergence.


    Just a minute ago they had stumbled upon something strange. A green tree. Now that she thought about it, that was quite a normal thing to see. It was the rest of their surroundings that was strange.


    Even weirder however, was the fact that the air around the tree seemed to bend. There was blue forest beyond it, but when she moved to the side it seemed to¡­ flatten?


    ¡°Please tell me this isn¡¯t more convergence nonsense,¡± she said.


    ¡°Good news, my dear Rose. This is utter nonsense. It¡¯s also the exit. Sometimes you can¡¯t have it both ways.¡±


    She practically leapt at the tree the moment she heard his confirmation. It had been a terrifying, mystical and also downright thrilling experience, but she was glad it was over. She wanted to be back in the real world.


    Just like the azure webs of light, the tree was viscous. She fell into its embrace and was ungracefully plopped out the other side, right into the cold, crystal clear waters of the Bluestone Sea.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    A gust of salty wind blew past her ears when she surfaced, spluttering for breath. Salt tingled on her lips and lightly burned her nostrils.


    She was home.


    Splash. Trent fell from the air beside her and made far more noise than she had when landing in the ocean. He was a lot more elegant when he broke through the surface of the water.


    The man began to hum a tune. One she hadn¡¯t heard before.


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s no fair maiden¡¯s kiss,


    Which can touch my soul like this.


    All that I desire,


    is the salt upon my lips.¡±


    A rather touching sentiment. One that echoed with Rose¡¯s own deepest desires. To traverse the world¡¯s oceans and conquer their secrets. A huge smile crept onto her face.


    She had conquered one of the world¡¯s mysteries. A convergence. Plenty of seafaring folk didn¡¯t dare to even approach them, according to Trent. And she had escaped one on the verge of breaching.


    Not just escaped, but made it out with treasure. Her first loot. She was truly a pirate now. All she needed was a ship of her own¡ªand a crew.


    Wait, are we even safe yet? ¡°Trent, what¡¯s going to happen with the convergence? The tide said it was in danger of breaching. That sounds dangerous,¡± she said.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about that. I harvested the tidestone, so the rest of the energy should dissipate in due course. They only go really wild when there¡¯s more than one. Or nobody finds the core,¡± he replied.


    The crashing of water came from behind her. Trent¡¯s eyes lit up with greed, or perhaps it was just joy. He was difficult to read.


    ¡°It seems as though our ride back to shore has arrived. Stick close and let me do the talking,¡± he said.


    Rose turned around and saw a huge cargo ship. Double masted with eight sails and easily fifty metres from stern to bow. A magnificent vessel. A fitting ride for the pair, after what they had accomplished; what they had survived.


    ***


    ¡°Cheers to us!¡± hollered Trent as they clinked their mugs together.


    Ale spilled across the table and down her shirt. It was sweet and tasted a little grainy. Her head grew fuzzy from the first sip. She loved it.


    Rose had wanted to drink rum in honour of their successful return to civilisation, but Trent had told that was a little bit too much for a fifteen year old girl. All of her heroes drank rum, in the stories.


    She would taste it one day. Today, she would drink ale. Two whole mugs of it. Three would knock her out cold, Trent had said. And she believed him. Just three sips had made her lightheaded.


    Looking back, Rose wasn¡¯t sure of the exact moment she had begun to truly trust the pirate. They hadn¡¯t started out on a positive note.


    It was difficult to trust someone who had raided your ship, blown it up and sent your comrades to their possible deaths in the depths of the ocean. Then again, the explosion hadn¡¯t been part of the plan, according to him.


    They¡¯d had plenty of time to talk about things on the island. In the convergence.


    And yet she trusted him implicitly now. With her life, even. They had been through a lot together. Trent had lost one of his arms, even.


    He still sported the stump, but it was healed now. It actually looked bigger than before. I must be imagining things. That wasn¡¯t possible.


    ¡°So, what will you do now, little Rose?¡± asked Trent, slamming his empty mug on the table and waving at the barmaid to bring another. He had claimed this tavern was the best in Highbream.


    Fate had seen fit to bring them to the city she had been travelling to aboard the Unrequited Love. If any of the crew had survived, she might have a chance to see them again.


    It would be a heartwarming reunion. One she wanted to have. However, she wasn¡¯t sure if she wanted to continue with them on their journey, if that was what they intended to do.


    Fighting for her life in the convergence had been harrowing. It had also been a brief moment where she had felt truly alive¡ªit had been the closest she had felt to achieving her dream.


    ¡°I want a ship. Do you think I could afford one if I sold these treasures?¡± she asked. Her eyes gleamed with excitement and she placed her mug on the table with far more care than he had done. And she said please when she asked for another. The barmaid had beamed at her. She¡¯d blushed.


    Trent cackled loud enough that the nearby customers turned to stare. Rose hunched her shoulders. She wasn¡¯t used to getting this much attention.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be a grand one, but if that¡¯s what you want then I say go for it. Follow your heart. You¡¯re still young, so live like it,¡± he declared. A few rowdy cheers erupted around them in response. He was rather charismatic. ¡°However, I have a proposal for you. If you still want to run off and buy a ship afterwards, I won¡¯t stop you.¡±


    The barmaid placed her second mug of ale on the table and cleared the first away.


    Rose took a sweet, grainy sip and let her shoulders loosen as it warmed her throat and then her belly. She liked Trent. He was decent folk. ¡°What¡¯s your proposal?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s start a pirate crew together. You¡¯re smarter than any bastard I¡¯ve met in this tiny corner of the world and I trust you to have my back. You learn scarily fast and frankly, I¡¯m excited to see where you end up. And¡­¡± he paused to take a massive gulp of ale. Plenty of it ran down his chin. ¡°I know where we can steal a fantastic ship.¡±

 1.24 - The Crown of Salt

    All the great pirates stole their first ship. And most of them¡ªtheir second and third. I only stole one, but that was because I never lost her. Work smarter, not harder as they say.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Learning the Ropes¡¯ by Blackeye Fenn


    Rose stumbled through the cobbled streets of Highbream. Despite it being her first time drinking¡ªand being drunk¡ªshe was having to support the meandering Trent.


    He had at least done her the courtesy of telling her how to get to his favourite inn before going unresponsive. Was it the second left after the Glassy Wench, or the third? She took the second.


    A stone clattered to the ground behind her. The hairs on her neck bristled and she whipped around to face the¡­ empty air.


    The noise had been what it sounded like and nothing more. Wimp. She turned back towards the direction they were headed.


    There was a flash of moonlight, reflected from metal. She froze.


    Blocking the exit of the narrow street, there was a man wearing an eyepatch across his left eye, and a fearsome scar running down his right cheek. In his hands he clutched a knife, long enough that it could almost be called a shortsword.


    ¡°Two little drunkards, alone at night and ripe for the picking,¡± he rasped, the words choking through tar-stained lungs.


    If it were any other fifteen year old girl caught in her situation, they would have been terrified. She glanced over her shoulder once more.


    Another bandit had appeared to block their path of escape. His eyes were a dull brown and bloodshot with yellowed corneas. His blade was shorter, but serrated and just as deadly.


    ¡°Trent, a little help would be nice,¡± she muttered. Despite her request, she didn¡¯t expect much from the near comatose pirate and propped him against the wall.


    He burped and staggered before crumpling into a heap on the floor. After a moment Rose heard rumbling snoring from the man. She kissed her teeth and slowly moved her hand to her belt.


    Both men started to advance, each step thudding on the cobbles. They moved slightly off-beat with each other, creating a staccato rhythm. Rose counted the steps until the man in front of her was a few metres away.


    ¡°Hey Kerridge, she¡¯s got a pretty face¡ªwhy don¡¯t we have some fun before we make off with their money?¡± cackled the shorter bandit from behind her.


    The thud-thud halted. ¡°She¡¯s a little young, I don¡¯t want the guards to catc-¡±


    Bang.


    Skill up!


    Pistols 6 > 7


    Skill up!


    Firearms 3 > 4


    Skill up!


    Precision 1 > 2


    A red hole appeared right beside the man¡¯s eyepatch, a single crimson stream leaking down into his one working eye. It glassed over and he tumbled to the side, smacking into the stone wall of the street before falling limp to the ground.


    Her new favourite scent danced in the air as she whirled around to face the stunned bandit. Vile man. The moonbeams sparkled off her dagger and a thin, crimson line painted itself across his neck.


    Those dull brown eyes widened a little before his blood sprayed across her face. It was warm. She revelled in the coppery tang on her lips.


    Skill up!


    Blades 6 > 7


    Like his partner in crime, he too fell to the cobbles as a corpse. Good riddance. Rose wiped the blood from her dagger and replaced it in her belt.


    ¡°No fair, little Rose. Having so much fun without me,¡± said Trent. He slurred his words and burped to add a little flair. ¡°Waste not, want not.¡± He lifted coin pouches from both men, along with their weapons.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    ¡°Oh, how gracious of you to join me. You could¡¯ve had your fun if you weren¡¯t asleep.¡± He didn¡¯t need her support to walk now, so she refilled the gunpowder in her pistol.


    Despite his newfound athleticism, he wasn¡¯t able to hold a real conversation. The rest of the journey to the inn passed by in relative silence, save for the odd hiccup.


    The inn itself was cosy. Nothing grand¡ªit had just two floors and they were greeted by an elderly woman who scoffed at Trent¡¯s state and threw them a key without even asking for payment.


    However, the beds were comfortable and the pillows softer than the ones back home. Sleep didn¡¯t interest her at that moment. Her gaze turned to cracks of light leaking from a door in the corner of the room. Finally.


    She sunk into the hot bath the moment it was full, not caring that it was a little beyond bearable and singed her skin.


    Rose turned bright red, boiling in the soapy water. It was a slice of heaven. Once she felt truly relaxed, it was time to work. She scrubbed for forty-five minutes to get all the caked dirt, blood and viscera from her body.


    After such a thorough cleansing she felt rejuvenated. Sleep came easily. She dreamed of blue crabs and beautiful ships.


    ***


    When they had made their way downstairs into the lobby that morning, the gentle lady who had offered them the room had vanished. In her place was a scowling demoness whose gaze sought to drill holes in the fresh faced Trent.


    Only after he had tossed over one entire pouch of the coins they had looted from the would-be bandits did she relax once more. ¡°Until next time, scumbag,¡± she had said as they departed.


    They sat on the wooden docks in Highbream Harbour, legs dangling over the edge of the murky waters.


    ¡°Do you see her?¡± asked Trent, pointing down the line of huge ships that were docked, his finger leading to a medium sized ship with two masts and pristine white sails. ¡°Our prize¡ªThe Crown of Salt.¡±


    Rose hadn¡¯t seen the majestic ship at first. Most of the vessels docked in Highbream were galleons built for transporting cargo, with a few sporting cannons to defend said cargo.


    Trent had told her their target was far superior to the other ships. She hadn¡¯t seen why, until he¡¯d explained in thorough detail.


    The lesson had been accompanied by enthusiastic gesturing and a series of vivid changes in his expression.


    ¡°A galleon wouldn¡¯t suit our purposes. We don¡¯t have a crew and they need a large one to sail properly. The Crown of Salt is a newer breed of ship. They call them frigates¡ªoriginating from a shipyard consortium in Minenblum. Saff & Company. Fingers in a lot of pies, that family,¡± mused Trent.


    His explanation was rather long and winding, and took up the better part of the morning. Rose didn¡¯t mind¡ªthe gentle rays of the sun kissed her skin and the ocean breeze smelled of home.


    All that mattered was it was small enough for the two of them to sail alone. They would be looking for more crew members, but that could come after.


    And the key point¡ªconsidering that they were pirates¡ªwas that the ship could outspeed the vast majority of merchant vessels. That put all loot on the open ocean within their purview.


    Of course, it would also let them get away from any naval pursuers. Trent had done his research. There was just one problem.


    The Crown of Salt was protected by a rotating guard, twenty-four hours a day. At any given time there were never less than three people protecting the beautiful ship.


    To Rose, that simply validated their decision to steal it. Most of the other ships were only guarded by a few lazy crew members¡ªthe more valuable a thing was, the more satisfying it was when you stole it.


    Or so Trent had said. She was still quite new to buccaneering.


    ¡°How are we going to steal it? Unmooring such a big ship with that many guards seems impossible for the two of us,¡± she said.


    ¡°The two of us? My dear Rose, did I not mention. You¡¯re going to be stealing that beauty all on your own. I¡¯m going to be providing¡­ a distraction,¡± he replied with a shit-eating grin.


    Rose gawked at him. Had the man gone insane after their time in the convergence? He was a little wild before¡­ She figured he must have an adequate reason for splitting the task that way.


    ¡°So the ship won¡¯t be guarded? After your¡­ distraction?¡± she asked, emphasising the last word far more than Trent had done. She was quite curious about what he had in mind.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry your little head about that. I have something fabulous planned. It¡¯s been a while since Highbream had a festival¡­¡±


    At that point Rose left Trent to his mutterings and wandered over to a nearby food stall. She had been eyeing it all morning.


    It was a simple affair. A rotund, beefy man turned skewers of fish on a grill. They weren¡¯t even spiced as far as she could tell¡ªand smell.


    A wooden sign hung beside the grill declared the stall ¡®Fisherman¡¯s Feast.¡¯ It smelled like home.


    ¡°How much for two skewers?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Lunch deal¡ªthree for two. Two coppers,¡± he replied, waving three freshly grilled fillets in front of her.


    It was only now she remembered that she had no money of her own.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take six,¡± said Trent, placing a hand on her shoulder and four small copper coins in the man¡¯s chunky paws. ¡°I need you on top form tonight. A growing girl needs all the fish she can eat, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Right you are. I don¡¯t let my daughters leave the house without cleaning the plate. Nothing better than a grilled and salted fillet,¡± he replied.


    Rose took a big bite of fish, failing to hold back her moan. It was heaven. Salted and grilled to perfection as advertised. Not quite as delicious as her mum¡¯s, but close enough. Trent handed her three more.


    Now. How do I steal a ship?

 1.25 - Academic Pursuits

    Some say there¡¯s little difference between a thief and a pirate. Those people forget one crucial thing. A pirate has the whole ocean to escape to. A thief is landlocked.


    -Quoted from Baldwin Silverhand


    Rose mulled over her status for the umpteenth time that afternoon. Maybe divine inspiration would strike and reveal some fantastic way to utilise them for a heist. Or not.


    Name: Rose Everblue


    Race: Human


    Occupation: -


    Title: -


    Available Titles: Murderer


    Skills: Cleaning 10, Reading 9, Fishing 13, Swimming 8, Writing 6, Butchery 6, Cooking 5, Herding 2, Focus 12, Drawing 11, Sailing 7, One Handed Weapons 5, Blades 7, Pistols 7, Firearms 4, Unarmed Combat 1, Endurance 2, Precision 2, Arcane Attunement 1, Light Attunement 3


    Traits: Sensitive Line, Deft Hand, Good as New, Tunnel Vision


    Trent had left her to her own devices to go and plan his grand distraction. She knew how to sail¡ªthat wasn¡¯t her problem.


    And the pirate had assured her that even though she would be stealing the frigate alone, he would join her soon after to make a clean getaway.


    If she was being honest, there wasn¡¯t much to it. Provided Trent dealt with the guards, all she had to do was unmoor The Crown of Salt and then sail away.


    It was easy.


    Most of her fear didn¡¯t come from a lack of ability. It was the uncertainty of the half-baked heist.


    Whoever owned the ship was wealthy and connected. They could afford a constant vigil over their property.


    They had been able to procure an early model of a new type of craft¡ªfrom one of the most prestigious shipbuilding companies in Minenblum. Rose grinned.


    She really wanted to steal the ship now. It would be her first true act of piracy. The sort of thing her heroes had done at the start of their careers.


    With little else to do until night fell, she decided to sit up on the harbour wall and write in the logbook Captain Bradshawe had gifted her.


    The Unrequited Love was no longer of this world, save for the decimated remains that now lay in the slumbering depths of the Bluestone Sea, but she would write an account of her own adventures.


    If she ever met any of those colourful characters again she would have some fantastic tales to regale them with.


    Rose was sure Felix would love hearing about her adventures in the convergence, though he might want to gut Trent first.


    She took the beautiful quill from her jacket. It was a little damp and the nib softened from all that she had been through, but it would still write.


    And write she did.


    Dockworkers ran up and down the wooden piers, hauling goods and delivering messages.


    Skill up!


    Writing 6 > 7


    When it passed noon, they all surged towards the food stalls to unburden the chefs and bakers of their delicious wares.


    Skill up!


    Writing 7 > 8


    The fishing boats came in as the sun began to set, the men unloading great hauls before rowdily crowding into the taverns and brothels of Highbream.


    Skill up!


    Writing 8 > 9


    Finally, the last rays of sunlight disappeared as the majestic blazing king of the day sunk beneath the horizon.


    Rose tapped the quill against the page, a full stop bringing an end to her winding tale of woe and wonder. And what a tale it was.


    Skill up!


    Writing 9 > 10


    You have earned a new trait!


    Endless Inkwell: No matter what you hold in your hands, it can become a tool to deliver your words. A talented scribe needs no inkstone¡ªit flows from their very spirit.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Her fifth trait was not world shattering. It would, however, save her a great deal of coin and effort. Exactly what a level ten trait should do, in her opinion.


    She took a moment to gaze across the harbour. Lanterns flickered all the way down the wooden walkways, casting reflections of the moored ships into the peaceful water.


    A waning moon should have been disastrous for a night time robbery, if not for the thick grey clouds that blanketed the sky.


    Rose noted that clouds often accompanied her¡ªin the most fortuitous and unfortunate of times.


    She hoped it was the former tonight.


    Before she would make her silent, invisible journey towards her prize, Rose read through her written account.


    It was quite the heavy read, even for someone who had lived through the events. A tale of treasure, sacrifice, terror and discovery.


    ¡®Neither of the pair would ever look upon a blue creature the same way ever again. The ocean should hold sole claim to that most calming and chaotic of colours.¡¯


    Skill up!


    Reading 9 > 10


    You have earned a new trait!


    Quick Consumption: Words pose no puzzle for the educated mind. You can scan a page and derive the important information with but a glance.


    What a coincidence. The completion of her log had earned her the tenth level in both reading and writing. And that wasn¡¯t all.


    Another splash sounded in her ears.


    You have met the requirements for a new occupation!


    Apprentice Scholar


    Cerebral Type


    [Reading 10][Writing 10][Drawing 10]


    Learn all academic and educational skills ten percent faster. Gain greater insight into certain workings of the world. Develop this profession by levelling associated skills or performing scholarly feats.


    Rose couldn¡¯t quite believe her eyes. She had known about professions, of course, but this was far from the first one she had expected to acquire.


    She had to stop herself from equipping it on the spot. Choosing a profession was a tricky decision.


    Once you had it, you had to reach level one hundred in order to complete it. Then the bonuses would stay with you forever.


    Reaching that level was a gargantuan task. Many people only mastered one profession during their lives, if at all. And she was no scholar.


    Yet, with the task ahead of her tonight she was sorely tempted to take Apprentice Scholar.


    It claimed she would ¡®gain greater insight into certain workings of the world.¡¯


    That sounded like the kind of vague, tide-ey nonsense that might just give her an edge in a hit-or-miss heist like the one she was about to embark upon.


    Another point in its favour was the fact that the three prerequisite skills were all ones she used often. And they were simple to level up.


    She looked towards The Crown of Salt. Two guards stood watch, vigilant against any who dared step foot on the magnificent vessel without their permission.


    Rose figured she would need every advantage she could get. What would Trent say if she fucked up?


    Available Occupations


    Apprentice Scholar [Cerebral]


    Fuck, I hope I don¡¯t regret this.


    WARNING!


    Removing or changing professions before you reach completion will cause you to lose all progress and permanently lock the current profession.


    Would you like to assert Apprentice Scholar as your profession?


    [YES][NO]


    Rose hadn¡¯t heard of many scholarly pirates. She selected yes anyway; if she was going to be a pirate, she would be a pioneering one.


    Perhaps she could be the first pirate to study at Tidespire Keep?


    That doesn¡¯t sound so bad. I¡¯ve heard there¡¯s more hidden knowledge locked away in the keep than in the rest of the world combined.


    Rose gasped as her ears filled with the sound of crashing waves and a surge of arcane energy washed over her¡ªthe same energy she had felt in the convergence, but gentler.


    When it passed, she felt the same as she had before. Splash.


    You have earned a new title!


    Apprentice: When this title is equipped, gain levels towards apprentice professions ten percent faster. This bonus increases by two percent for each apprentice profession you have completed.


    She wasn¡¯t sure about the second part of the title. No one on the Emerlan Isle ever completed more than one ¡®apprentice¡¯ profession.


    The oldest and hardiest of the fisherfolk and shepherds might have completed two professions related to their jobs, but even that was rare.


    However, the benefits it gave from the beginning were already enough to qualify the title for her available slot.


    And it didn¡¯t have any negative effects like Murderer, which was already enough to qualify it in her eyes.


    Six traits, twenty skills and her first profession.


    How far she had come from that naive little girl running away from home, in just a couple of months.


    It had felt like years. The convergence had been strange.


    Name: Rose Everblue


    Race: Human


    Occupation: Apprentice Scholar 1


    Title: Apprentice


    Available Titles: Murderer, Apprentice


    Skills: Cleaning 10, Reading 10, Fishing 13, Swimming 8, Writing 10, Butchery 6, Cooking 5, Herding 2, Focus 12, Drawing 11, Sailing 7, One Handed Weapons 5, Blades 7, Pistols 7, Firearms 4, Unarmed Combat 1, Endurance 2, Precision 2, Arcane Attunement 1, Light Attunement 3


    Traits: Sensitive Line, Deft Hand, Good as New, Tunnel Vision, Endless Inkwell, Quick Consumption


    What a day it had been. She was now Apprentice Rose, the apprentice scholar. And she had a ship to steal.

 1.26 - To Steal a Crown

    There¡¯s little more tempting than a free meal. Except free money.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Silversea Saga¡¯ by Norris Howell


    One thing Rose realised, as she tried to sneak her way onto the docks, was just how blindingly bright a city was.


    When she had run away from home it had been pitch black, even with the light of the moon sneaking through the clouds.


    Tonight the blanket of clouds was thicker than it had been back then, but the sheer number of lamps, lanterns and fires in Highbream meant there were few shadows for her to hide in.


    That just meant she would have to try harder. And her effort was paying off.


    You have learned a new skill!


    Stealth 0 > 1


    Rose stifled an exhale as one of the dock workers strolled by. He wasn¡¯t carrying a lantern¡ªa minor blessing. Only when his footsteps faded into the distance did she allow herself a short breath.


    Between the shadows she was currently hiding in and the next patch of safe darkness, there was a long stretch of the harbour bathed in the soft golden glow of Highbream¡¯s street lanterns.


    She glanced behind her, double checking that the dock worker had truly left. All that greeted her was a serene view of the docks at night.


    Another shaky breath turned to mist in the cold of the night as she readied herself. The path ahead was also clear of people, but she was being extra cautious¡ªa young girl alone on the docks at night was suspicious and she had no desire to be questioned.


    As soon as her lungs filled, she took off.


    Each step was soft and Rose made sure to land on the balls of her feet to make as little noise as possible, while still moving at a reasonable pace.


    Her back was hunched over¡ªshe needed to make herself as small as possible to avoid detection. Every passing moment she feared that the worst would happen, and she would be discovered.


    Those fears proved just that¡ªfigments of her imagination. She stepped into the shadows once again and leaned against the wall, hands on her knees as she panted to recover her breath.


    Skill up!


    Stealth 1 > 2


    Rose had made the sprint in a single breath, fearing that even the sounds of her inhaling and exhaling could alert the keen ears of a guard. An overzealous worry, but she was new to this sort of thing and was taking the utmost care to succeed¡ªher future depended on it, after all.


    By now she had covered half the distance to her target. The Crown of Salt loomed in the darkness, only a few lanterns beside the ever watchful guards offered her a glimpse of the ship¡¯s beautiful form.


    Even now she could picture herself standing on the bow, the salty sea spray splashing her face as they cut through the Bluestone Sea, hunting for unaware merchants to pillage or islands ripe with treasure.


    First, she would have to steal it.


    It was far easier to move through the shadows, as sparse as they were. She still had to keep her steps silent and her movements small, but it was far less nerve wracking than the sprints through the light.


    Every step brought her closer to her prize; made her heart pound harder in her chest.


    Just three ships stood between her and the guards¡ªhere Rose realised she¡¯d made a fatal mistake while planning her heist.


    There was only one walkway onto the ship, flanked by the two guards. One seemed half asleep, but the other had wide eyes that scanned his surroundings constantly, like a hawk searching for prey.


    Trent had promised her a distraction, but Rose wasn¡¯t sure she had the luxury of waiting around to see if that drew the two guards from their posts. With every passing moment the chance of her being discovered grew.


    Skill up!


    Stealth 2 > 3


    The fact that stealth continued to level was both a blessing and a reminder¡ªskills developed faster when put under pressure. Which meant that her novice attempt was working better than she¡¯d hoped, but also that any slip-up would lead to discovery.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    As she looked to the gently bobbing galleons moored beside her, the seed of a reckless and foolhardy idea took root in her mind.


    She consoled herself by thinking that she could change course and go with the original plan¡ªif Trent¡¯s distraction worked as he had promised. However, the adjustment was a leap of faith. Quite literally.


    Unlike The Crown of Salt, which had the plank lowered at all hours of the day to allow the various crew and guards to embark and disembark from the vessel, most of the other ships had them lifted at night.


    Rose bounced on the balls of her feet, mulling the terrible plan over in her head. Not terrible, just risky. Another glance towards the hawkish guard made the decision for her¡ªshe wasn¡¯t getting past him even if her stealth skill was twenty levels higher.


    What she was about to do was far more difficult than the simple sneaking she had been doing so far. She wasn¡¯t even sure she could pull it off¡ªbut that made it all the more alluring.


    She crept to the edge of the dock and looked out to the closest ship. The human eye was notoriously bad at judging distance, but she reckoned the gap couldn¡¯t be more than three metres at a push.


    It would be better to try and get on the ship right beside her target, but the piercing stare of the guard swept across his domain and a shiver went down her spine. Her hand wrapped around the handle of her flintlock pistol¡ªshe didn¡¯t want to hurt them, but she would if she had to. Sneak in first, shoot only if necessary.


    Trent had told her that the mark of a successful heist was the victims not realising they¡¯d been robbed until the perpetrators were long gone¡ªvanished into the tides like the dreams of so many aspiring seafarers.


    In theory that was sage advice, but she found it hard to accomplish in practice. There was already a layer of sweat on her brow and far too much adrenaline coursing through her system and she hadn¡¯t even made it on board The Crown of Salt.


    She braced herself and then began to sprint. One foot in front of the other carried her body to the very edge of the dock wall. And then she leapt.


    Rose flew through the air, nothing between her and the cold, dark kiss of the ocean except her nimble fingers and the anchor of the nearest ship¡ªa two-pronged, wrought iron weight that seemed sharper and rougher the closer she drew to it.


    Her body soared through the air until she reached the apex of her leap. And then started to drop to the still water below.


    Fear gripped her and she almost fumbled the catch, but through sheer force of will managed to focus once more and though one of her hands slipped on the rusty iron, the other gripped it tightly and kept her from a cold, dark death¡ªshe was a capable swimmer, but icy waters had claimed many an experienced seafarer.


    Cold shock was lethal.


    Two sounds echoed in her ears and she held utterly still, not even daring to take a breath for fear of alerting the guards¡ªthe first was a gentle splash and the second the not so gentle clanging of the anchor against the hull of the ship.


    You have learned a new skill!


    Athletics 0 > 1


    Weird, I would¡¯ve thought all my childhood endeavours counted towards that one. The seconds stretched into infinities as she clung to the anchor, now with both hands, waiting and fearing the worst.


    It felt as though years had been shaved from her life, but nobody came to investigate the noise. Either the guards hadn¡¯t heard it, or just assumed it to be the regular creaking and clanging of the ships as they bobbed in the harbour.


    As Rose breathed in, the heavy tang of iron assaulted her nose. Her left hand had a loose grip on the anchor¡ªit felt wet. She had thought it was just sweat from her nerves, but when she briefly pulled it away to look, she saw a deep gash across her palm, the edges tinted orange from flakes of rust.


    She had heard from her mother that rusty metal could lead to deadly infections, but she had no time to worry about her wounds¡ªshe had to hide before someone noticed her hanging from the anchor.


    Every time she grasped hold of the rope with her left hand a wave of stinging pain shot through her arm, but she grit her teeth and pushed through.


    The final jump was tricky¡ªshe had to balance on the tiny hole which fed the rope to the anchor and leap up to the railings along the edge of the deck. Rose made sure to catch the varnished wood with her right hand.


    Skill up!


    Athletics 1 > 2


    Before she pulled herself up onto the deck, she had a furtive look around the ship to see if there were any crew on board. She offered a small prayer to Sylack, seeing that all the lights were out and there was no one guarding the ship.


    Without a medical kit, she would be able to do little for her wounded hand. For now she tore a strip from her shirt and wrapped it around the gash after wiping away the rust¡ªit would have to do.


    There were a few crates lying around, but she figured they wouldn¡¯t have anything valuable inside, given that they¡¯d been left unguarded. And she had more important things to worry about.


    Foremost was whether she would be able to make the jump from this ship to the next in line. A few metres from the dock to the anchor was one thing, but even her most conservative estimate put the gap between the two galleons at around four and a half metres¡ªfurther than she¡¯d ever jumped.


    Not that she¡¯d done much jumping in her fifteen years of life. Her two levels in athletics would have to be enough.


    Rose backed against the railing which she¡¯d hauled herself over, took a deep breath, and started to race across the wooden deck.


    Keeping her steps quiet while also trying to maximise her speed was tricky, but she felt she was managing rather well. She was aiming for a gap in the railings and as she leapt from the edge, her breath turned into a cloud of mist that trailed behind her.

 1.27 - Even the Best Laid Plans go Awry

    Never trust another man to do a job that you can get done better yourself


    -Quoted from Elmer Saff, of Saff & Company


    Skill up!


    Athletics 2 > 3


    Skill up!


    Athletics 3 > 4


    Rose lay panting on the deck of the ship, not caring about the loud thud she¡¯d made when slamming into the hull or clambered over the edge of the railings and slumped against them.


    That was incredible! Even the mad battles and chaotic adventures in the convergence didn¡¯t compare to the sheer thrill that had overtaken her mind and body in that moment.


    Not knowing if she would make the leap, sailing across the waters of the harbour as she began to plummet¡ªit was a simpler adventure, but exactly the kind of fun she¡¯d imagined when dreaming of her life as a buccaneer.


    When she managed to struggle back to her feet, she got such a bad fright she almost collapsed into a heap again¡ªgolden light bathed the deck from a nearby window.


    Her eyes darted around, looking for cover. She heard muttering from behind the door and the thudding of approaching feet.


    At the last moment, when the creaking of the iron handle reached her ears, Rose spotted three barrels stacked in a pyramid. She threw herself behind them and pulled her trailing leg in right as the door was flung open and light billowed across the deck, exposing everything hiding in the shadows.


    Except for her, tucked away behind the barrels, hand clamped over her mouth to stop her breath from escaping into the night air and giving her position away.


    She heard a voice from inside the cabin. ¡°What was it, Jeff?¡±


    Rose didn¡¯t dare sneak a peek at the man¡ªJeff¡ªlest he spot her.


    Skill up!


    Stealth 3 > 4


    After a moment he shouted back to whoever was inside. ¡°There¡¯s nothing out here. Must¡¯ve been a rat, or perhaps a bird.¡±


    As the door creaked shut¡ªthose hinges really needed some oil¡ªshe heard laughter from within and a jab at the unfortunate sod who¡¯d come to check on the noise. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re going senile, Jeff. I think I can see a grey hair or two on that balding head of yours.¡±


    The door slammed shut and she heard muffled shouts behind it. Mist wafted into the cloudy sky as Rose finally let out the breath she¡¯d been holding, panting as quietly as she could while clutching a hand to her chest.


    It took a few seconds for her heart to stop pounding. That was far too close. She had almost ruined the entire plan with her carelessness.


    Worse, she now had to make another leap without alerting the sailors inside the cabin. Again. Rose stole another glance at the window¡ªit was the opaque kind, designed to let light through but not allow someone to peer inside.


    Perfect. After waiting another few seconds, to be sure that the coast was clear, she darted across the deck to a shadowy patch on the other side, grasping hold of the railings and boring holes in the door with her gaze until she was sure no one had heard her.


    Skill up!


    Stealth 4 > 5


    The gap between this ship and the next was about the same as the last. She¡¯d only just made the leap however, and feared she wouldn¡¯t be able to repeat the feat.


    She didn¡¯t have much of a choice. Her course of action demanded it¡ªTrent¡¯s distraction would be a bonus, rather than a pivotal piece of the puzzle.


    Rose crept to the other side of the deck, then double checked to make sure no one was coming. Once she made this jump, there would be no more ships between her and her prize.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Halfway across the deck, one of the planks she stepped on bent under her weight and groaned. The sound wasn¡¯t that loud, but to Rose it sounded like a blaring foghorn in her ears. However, she couldn¡¯t stop.


    Even if someone had heard it, there would be no second chances. She had to make the jump now, or the heist would be over.


    As she soared between the two ships, all she could hear was the pounding of her heart; all she could feel was the goosebumps crawling across her skin. And then her hands slammed into the side of the hull, followed by her feet.


    Skill up!


    Athletics 4 > 5


    Pain tore through her left arm, but she ignored it as she hauled herself onto the third deck that evening. Her first act was to look back over her shoulder¡ªthe door was still closed and no one had come to investigate the creaking planks.


    It was difficult to ignore the sting radiating from her palm, but she had little choice. Rose struggled to her feet, making sure to check her surroundings this time.


    Skill up!


    Endurance 2 > 3


    Like the first ship, this one was deathly quiet and wreathed in shadow. It made for a perfect place from which to launch the final step of her heist. Rose crept up onto the poop deck, keeping herself low to avoid detection.


    From up there, if she laid herself flat against the deck with her ear to the railings, she could just about hear the conversation of the two men guarding The Crown of Salt.


    ¡°¨CFifteen hundred gold. I know Saff & Company are the best of the best, but where do they get off on charging such outrageous prices for their ships,¡± growled the more vigilant of the two guards, waving his hands as he spoke. His eyes continued to glare out into the darkness though, never straying from their watch. ¡°And it¡¯s smaller than a bloody galleon! You can get one of those, perfectly suitable for a merchant, for a little over five hundred gold.¡±


    Rose smirked. From how seriously the guard had been taking his duties, she had expected him to be utterly devoted to his master¡ªit seemed that wasn¡¯t the case.


    ¡°Well, you know how devoted Lord Bradshawe is when it comes to his son. Especially after the accident. The young lord is a skilled merchant and who could have expected pirates so close to Highbream,¡± replied the other guard, still half asleep and leaning against his pike for support.


    Her breath caught in her throat. It could have been a coincidence, but for there to have been two men with the same name¡ªboth caught in pirate attacks no less¡ªwould¡¯ve been ridiculous.


    ¡°Fate is a cruel mistress,¡± she muttered, rolling onto her back to gaze at the stars, then quietly grunting in frustration when all she could see was the dark grey clouds that blanketed the night sky.


    The Crown of Salt belonged to Captain Bradshawe, who by the sounds of things was just as highborn as she had expected.


    Could she still steal the ship¡ªknowing it belonged to her old crewmates? Despite the limited time she had spent on board the Unrequited Love, the crew had saved her life and given her purpose.


    From the sounds of it, the captain¡¯s father had spent an insane amount on this ship. Fifteen hundred gold coins was more than the combined wealth of every family in Fairwater Bay¡ªa fisherman could expect around five silver from a week of work. It took one hundred silver coins to make a gold coin.


    Rose knew ships were pricey, but the numbers made her thoughts go fuzzy. It was too much. Her main concern wasn¡¯t really the value of the ship though¡ªshe was distracting herself from the real issue.


    She didn¡¯t know much about nobility¡ªand she certainly didn¡¯t know anything about Captain Bradshawe¡¯s family. What she did know was that someone who could spend that much on a ship could probably afford to lose it, even if it would hurt their coffers.


    No one would be stupid enough to spend their entire fortune on a ship for their son¡ªespecially not after he¡¯d just lost the last one.


    I promise I¡¯ll pay you back, captain¡ªeven if it takes me twenty years. Rose hoped that her career as a pirate would be profitable, but fifteen hundred gold was a mind boggling sum.


    She hadn¡¯t even seen a gold coin, let alone earn one. Her debts to the man were piling up, but without this ship she would have little hope of achieving her dreams. There was no other option.


    Before further doubts could cloud her mind, she raced down the steps to the main deck and leaned against the railings. Should I wait for Trent¡¯s distraction¡­ or should I try to steal it from right under their noses?


    The temptation to leap across the harbour and steal away with the ship while the guards remained blissfully unaware tugged at her heartstrings¡ªit was the kind of daring exploit she had always dreamed of. Logic prevailed.


    Trent had made a promise and she trusted him to keep his word. So she crept back to the poop deck and laid down to listen to the guards¡¯ idle chatter.


    ¡°At least the young lord managed to save some of the profits from his last venture on his person. Tucked the coin purse into his undergarments no less,¡± said the watchful guard.


    ¡°You should stop listening to the maids¡¯ gossip, Harvey,¡± yawned the sleepy one.


    A distant rumble shook the city, but the guards didn¡¯t seem to notice¡ªRose ignored it. Hopefully Trent wouldn¡¯t take too long.

 1.28 - A Minor Distraction

    There¡¯s no better time for revenge than during a festival. Anyone who might care to stop you is either drinking, already drunk, dancing, or trying to slip into someone¡¯s knickers. We got Turin Firebeard while he was at Nuringuard¡¯s Dance of the Depths. His crew were drinking not two metres away and they didn¡¯t realise it was his blood dribbling down his beard and not his wine until we¡¯d already unmoored.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Tales from The Dread Sea¡¯ by Everett Pew


    When a second rumble, still distant but louder than the last, made the harbour rock and churned the once still waters, Rose wondered if something had happened in the city.


    Anchors banged against hulls and loose rigging jingled as every ship in Highbream was tossed about by the frothing waves.


    Even the guards seemed on high alert. A fact that she couldn¡¯t avoid being aware of, when the guard who she¡¯d previously thought quite highly of given his keen vigil, but now thought was overcompensating for his blabbering mouth, started jabbering to the sleepy fellow.


    ¡°¨Coverzealous parties, it¡¯s not fair for the common people, I tell you. Nobles used to have class, back when I was a lad.¡±


    The man had an opinion about absolutely everything. Rose felt as though she knew him better than some of the people back in her village¡ªpeople she¡¯d known her entire life.


    A flash of white that faded to orange covered the world.


    Boom. A thunderclap echoed across the harbour.


    For a few seconds, the world fell silent. She feared it was permanent deafness, until the familiar nattering of the panicking guards tickled her ears.


    They barely squeaked out a few words before a fearsome blast wave smashed into the harbour, ripping through sails and peeling planks from the ships.


    Rose was saved from the worst of it, given that she was already lying down against the deck, but she still covered her face to guard against splinters. A smart decision¡ªtwo were wedged into the back of her already wounded hand.


    She struggled to stand up with the ship rocking from side to side as though caught in a storm, but her experience on board the Unrequited Love had given her rookie sea-legs.


    And then she threw herself back to the deck when she realised the stupidity of exposing herself.


    The guards weren¡¯t looking in her direction, but it was better to be safe than sorry. That had to be the distraction, right? If it wasn¡¯t, Rose was worried for Trent¡¯s safety.


    Regardless, it seemed to be working in her favour.


    ¡°I think we should go and see what¡¯s happened. There might be injured citizens who need our assistance,¡± declared the ever vigilant watchman.


    At least his character was sound.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. What if something happens to the ship while we¡¯re gone?¡±


    ¡°Oh come on you wimp¡ªwho would have the time to rob a ship after an explosion just rocked the entire city?¡±


    The sleepy guard grumbled, but nodded in agreement. They left their posts and made their way towards the harbour steps, then into Highbream proper.


    A great cloud of smoke in the shape of a mushroom billowed into the sky in the far distance. The explosion had cleared the surrounding clouds, but with the smoke it made little difference.


    Once more, Rose stood up. The ships were still rocking in the churning waters, but not as much as in the immediate aftermath of the blast. The distance between them was shifting with each moment, but she knew she could make the jump¡ªshe had to.


    Well¡­ she could jump back to the harbour walkway, but she fancied her chances of sticking the landing on the wooden hull of her prize better than the solid stone of the harbour.


    Rose shot a final glance back towards the occupied ship¡ªthe blast had done a number on the galleon, leaving holes all over the deck. The sails had been spared a similar fate as they were rolled up and tied off.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Crashing and banging could be heard inside, but the window had somehow survived. They would probably come out to investigate soon, but she hoped they would be more focused on their own vessel and not whether someone was making off with the neighbouring ship.


    Before she could be discovered, she bounced on the balls of her feet a few times and slapped her cheeks twice. And then she started to sprint.


    Thrice she had to dodge a broken plank or hole in the deck, but even five paltry levels in athletics seemed to work wonders¡ªshe was moving smoother than she ever had. There was also her profession; Rose just noticed little imperfections and obstacles and her body avoided them on instinct. It was novel, and useful.


    She reached the edge of the deck faster than she¡¯d expected, but didn¡¯t falter. Her last few jumps, she¡¯d sort of just leapt from the hull of the ship. This time, her leg compressed and then sprang upwards¡ªshe flew at least a metre higher than before.


    Athletics was the same as her other skills; minor improvements that built up the more your level increased.


    Rose failed to suppress a gleeful giggle as she soared towards The Crown of Salt. Despite the elegant form, her flight was brief and the railings loomed, growing larger with each passing moment.


    Her right hand slammed into the wood, followed by her feet. There was a tentative moment where she tilted too far to one side before grasping hold of the railings with her injured hand. Her quick thinking had paid off¡ªher wounded palm was saved from the crippling pain that would¡¯ve come with slamming into the varnished hardwood.


    Skill up!


    Athletics 5 > 6


    After a few seconds rest to catch her breath, she hauled herself up and over the railings. It¡¯s barely damaged¡­ A majority of the ships moored in Highbream Harbour had been rendered catatonic by the blastwave¡ªThe Crown of Salt had only lost a few railings.


    That their ship was sturdy was to be expected¡ªTrent wouldn¡¯t have chosen an inferior craft to carry them through the adventures that lay ahead.


    A distant assessment hadn¡¯t done justice to the ship. Every plank of wood was filed and varnished to perfection¡ªrunning a hand along the railings didn¡¯t loosen a single splinter.


    One towering main mast was accompanied by two smaller, yet equally sturdy masts, each adorned with a variety of sails. It was similar to the galleons that surrounded it in that respect, but there was one major difference; The Crown of Salt only had one deck of cannons.


    A novice seafarer might think that a disadvantage for a pirate ship, especially when clashing with merchant galleons or naval craft that could sport up to four decks of cannons¡ªRose had also asked the same of Trent.


    His answer had been simple. ¡°Three extra rows of cannons won¡¯t help us much if we aren¡¯t quick enough to catch our prey. Our goal is to get on board and steal the loot¡ªnot destroy the ship. Besides, if we have to get into a brawl with every naval vessel that catches us we¡¯ll end up spending everything we earn on repairs. Better to make a rapid getaway and grow our hoard, don¡¯t you think?¡± he¡¯d said with a sly grin.


    Another benefit to the lighter vessel was that it would be far easier for Rose to sail it by herself. With the addition of Trent, they¡¯d have no problems manning the ship until they discovered more crewmates, even if they would be rather overworked.


    The first thing she did, once she¡¯d finished marvelling at the beautiful ship, was to kick the gangplank into the choppy waters of the dock. She wouldn¡¯t need to leave the ship and she didn¡¯t need to make it easy for anyone who caught her in the act to stop her.


    Next, she had to unfurl the sails and tie them in place. This was the most physically demanding phase of the heist. It would also be exponentially harder to do by herself¡ªeven making it a two person job would cut the difficulty by far more than half.


    There wasn¡¯t a second person though, so Rose got to work. She¡¯d had a little experience rigging sails on board Unrequited Love, but it was far from enough. She started with the smallest sails and worked her way up.


    Skill up!


    Sailing 7 > 8


    Neat. Luckily for her, The Crown of Salt wasn¡¯t one of the complex beasts with dozens of sails, though she did wonder if setting up a larger ship would give her more levels in sailing. She didn¡¯t encounter any issues until it came to setting the mainsail.


    While sliding down the rigging, holding one of the bottom corners in her uninjured hand¡ªshe didn¡¯t want to stain the fabric¡ªher hand slipped and she tumbled from the ropes.


    In her desperate battle to grab hold of anything that would keep her from falling to the deck, she dropped the sail and it was blown away from her in the wind.


    Rose hung from the rigging on a loose rope, swinging gently from side to side and cursing her fortune. Something had to go wrong eventually, I suppose. She was nothing if not determined, so after pulling herself back onto the ladder of ropes, clambered her way up to the top of the mast and daintily made her way along the yard.


    Keeping the sails clean was no longer possible. Her plan was incredibly dangerous and if she wasn¡¯t operating under a time limit she wouldn¡¯t dare attempt it.


    After the explosion, the winds had whipped up something fierce and the sail was billowing at an almost ninety-degree angle. A quick pinch of the fabric confirmed it was thick enough to hold her weight.


    She bounced once on the balls of her feet, an action that was turning into something of a ritual. And then she hopped off the yard into empty air.

 1.29 - Clean Break

    It can be fun, swinging on the rigging and leaping from yard to mast. It¡¯s a lot less thrilling when the rope snaps and there¡¯s nothing between you and the solid deck but empty air. I heard there¡¯s a tribe in the Polemic Ocean that makes a sport of jumping from the backs of their flying beasts. Sky-Diving, they call it. You know what I call them? Nutjobs.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Lessons Learned from a Life at Sea¡¯ by Newt Reeves


    Rose thanked the pantheon at large when she landed on the sail and didn¡¯t tear a hole in it. Her weight made it droop instantly and it was only by clinging to the side that she didn¡¯t fly face first into the deck below.


    What she hadn¡¯t expected was the speed¡ªRose accelerated faster than a cannonball being fired and it took some awkward adjustments to prepare for impact.


    She flipped herself onto her knees, keeping her toes upturned¡ªthat was uncomfortable as heck. Rose shot off the end of the sail and her breath caught in her throat.


    Then she grabbed hold of the bottom of the sail and it pulled taut.


    Skill up!


    Athletics 6 > 7


    There was no time to relax¡ªthe moment the sail straightened out she started to swing towards the yard in the middle of the mast. Wind rushed past her face as she tore through the air.


    A jolt shot through her skeleton as she bent her knees to absorb the impact of slamming into the yard. She had to act fast.


    Before gravity could pull her from her precarious perch, she wrapped her thighs around the wooden beam and flicked a rope through the metal ring in the corner of the sail, pulling it tight and tying it off before the wind could reclaim its toy.


    Rose afforded herself a single breath to recover before leaping to her feet and sprinting along the yard to the other side, keeping hold of the bottom of the sail as she ran.


    Once there, she repeated the process of pulling the sail taut and tying it to the wooden beam. With that, the sails were rigged and the ship was ready to sail.


    Skill up!


    Sailing 8 > 9


    All she wanted was to clamber up to the crow¡¯s nest and sleep the night away under the stars¡ªeven if she couldn¡¯t see them through the thick blanket of clouds.


    However, the heist was far from over. There were so many variables at play and an innumerable amount of them could go wrong at any moment.


    She slid down the mast and sprinted across the deck, then up the wooden steps to the poop deck, where she laid eyes on the wheel.


    It would be her first time steering a ship and while she¡¯d observed Captain Bradshawe and Jade at work many a time, she wasn¡¯t sure she was up to the task.


    While there had been a few mishaps along the way, Rose had been fortunate. No one had seen her as she slipped her way through the shadows and taking control of the ship had been smooth sailing.


    Even the winds whipped up by the explosion worked in her favour¡ªthey were blowing away from Highbream and into the open ocean, making her getaway a simple affair. The ship was already on the move and she made minor adjustments to its course as it pulled away from the docks.


    A grin crept onto her face, morphing into raucous laughter as she left the rest of the ships behind. ¡°In the name of Sylack, I did it,¡± she cried with unrestrained glee.


    The buildings on the edge of the harbour grew smaller, but her destination wasn¡¯t the Bluestone Sea¡ªnot yet. She had a pirate to pick up.


    As she went to turn the wheel and travel around the shore of Highbream towards the noble quarter, where Trent had instructed her to collect him, she heard an ear splitting groan and something yanked the ship hard to starboard.


    For a moment she thought a sea monster had attacked, but that made little sense¡ªthere were no monsters this close to shore. Especially not near a large city like Highbream.


    As the ship leaned dangerously towards the water, Rose realised what was happening. The anchor! She cursed her stupidity. It was the first thing to be done when setting sail. In her excitement and haste she¡¯d forgotten to raise it.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    It wouldn¡¯t be difficult to raise it, but there was a huge problem standing in her way.


    The moment she left the wheel unattended it would spin with the lean of the ship and point in the polar opposite direction to where she needed to head. Her eyes darted across the poop deck, looking for a thick stick or plank to jam the wheel while she worked¡ªa broom would be perfect.


    Alas, fortune no longer favoured her. The deck was empty. She had an idea, but even if it worked it would last for far less time or possibly damage the wheel.


    She whipped out the dagger Trent had gifted her on the island¡ªin the convergence¡ªand gave it a kiss on the cold blade before jamming it through the wheel, locking the mechanism in place.


    It was a makeshift solution at best. The wheel was already groaning in complaint and pushing against the blade. She had no time to waste.


    If Rose hadn¡¯t forgotten about the anchor, she could¡¯ve taken the time to wind the winch and properly raise it before setting sail. Unfortunately, her careless mistake had stolen the luxury of time. There was only one choice left to her.


    Rose practically threw herself down the steps onto the main deck and sprinted to the front of the ship, skidding across the polished planks and screeching to a halt right above where the anchor was connected.


    Jumping over the edge, she grabbed hold of the deck with her good hand and reached for her dagger with the other.


    The dagger which she¡¯d used to lock the wheel in place.


    Slicing the rope would have been the easiest way to lose the anchor and free the ship from its chains¡ªinstead she would have to blast it to pieces.


    ¡°Downright genius of me to carry two weapons,¡± she grumbled to herself while pulling the flintlock pistol from her belt and cocking the hammer.


    Crashing waves, whistling wind and even the throbbing in her palm faded as Rose stared down the iron sights, lining them up with the shifting rope. This would be the trickiest shot she¡¯d ever had to make, at a rapidly moving target with only one chance at success.


    All thoughts drifted from her mind as she inhaled, holding the breath in her lungs and stilling any unnecessary movements. The tunnel narrowed.


    Skill up!


    Focus 12 > 13


    Even the splashing of the tide couldn¡¯t distract her. Click. The hammer slammed shut and the pistol roared its fury to the open ocean. The tang of gunpowder revitalised her¡ªshe loved the burn. Rose grinned as her ears filled with splashes.


    Her hand almost slipped from the deck as the ship was flung upright, no longer pulled towards the sea bed by the trailing anchor. Instead she was flung back over the side of the railings and tumbled across the main deck, giggling and wincing in equal measure.


    Skill up!


    Precision 2 > 3


    Skill up!


    Precision 3 > 4


    Skill up!


    Pistols 7 > 8


    ¡°There has to be a way to lump the level-ups together. The splashing of the whorls is comforting, but it can be overwhelming too.¡± Rose clambered to her feet, refilled the powder in her pistol, and then tucked it back into her waistband.


    One never knew when they¡¯d need to be prepared to shoot. She sprinted back up to the poop deck and pulled her dagger from the wheel after gripping it tight with her good hand.


    It revolted against her control but she soon wrestled it into submission. The spoke she¡¯d thrust the blade against was only a little chipped and her dagger only a little bent.


    After a little battle with the wheel, The Crown of Salt was back on track and heading right for the towering cliffs which the noble quarter was built upon.


    Supposedly only having to defend your castle from three sides was better than four, but Rose thought differently¡ªit was one less direction to escape in when the common folk rose in revolt.


    Life on land was too complicated. There were far too many rules and expectations. Life at sea was dangerous¡ªoutright lethal at times, but Rose craved the freedom it offered.


    Standing on the deck of her stolen ship; her pirate ship, Rose revelled in the wind blowing through her hair.


    ***


    The Highcliffs of Derridas loomed like an executioner¡¯s blade. They seemed far closer than they were¡ªit had taken twenty minutes to sail the distance.


    Dark waters concealed vicious rocks and reefs that would tear the keel and hull to pieces if she dared venture near. Trent had promised she wouldn¡¯t need to stray too close to the cliffs.


    He had been rather lax on the specifics of his plan and Rose wondered how he hoped to make it from the city above to the ship below.


    From here, the inferno blazing in the city was clearer than ever. The explosion had only been the beginning of a tragedy for Highbream. This night would be forever remembered among the citizens. An orange glow bathed the black waters of the bay, flickering gently.


    A shadow stole the light¡ªa shadow in the shape of a man. Rose looked up to the cliff¡¯s edge. Surely not¡­


    In the black of night it was hard to distinguish objects from one another, but with the vivid light of the inferno Rose could just about see a shadowy figure sprinting along the edge of the cliffs, towards the very tip.


    And he wasn¡¯t alone. At least five others trailed behind him and she saw the odd flash of light¡ªgunfire. All she could do was watch and pray as the man leapt from the cliffs and plummeted towards her.

 1.30 - Surprise at Sea

    I can think of many great pirates who began their quest as a stowaway. One of the most legendary in fact, was a boy wearing a straw hat. He dreamed of being a king¡ªKing of the Pirates.


    -Quoted from the Lorekeeper of Lyr


    The shadow picked up speed as it fell and at first Rose thought the man had misjudged his landing. She should¡¯ve had more faith.


    A deep thud echoed across the bay as Trent smashed into the deck. So great was the force of his landing that the ship leaned almost forty-five degrees to port¡ªRose had to cling to the wheel to stay upright.


    On the bounce back it leaned even further to starboard and her feet left the safety of the deck as she held onto the spokes of the wheel for dear life. It took her a few seconds of hurried breathing to recover once the ship had stilled.


    Muffled cracks and bangs from the top of the cliffs broke the spell. Whoever had been chasing after Trent was loath to let the brilliant buccaneer escape.


    Rose had an endless cascade of questions to throw at him, but there was an order to be observed. She was nothing if not polite¡ªher mother had raised her that way. ¡°Are you alright, you crazy bastard?¡± she yelled.


    ¡°Never-¡± she heard a spluttering cough from the main deck. ¡°Better. That was quite exciting. It¡¯s been a while since I had some proper fun.¡± The tapping of feet against wood reached her ears and the man himself appeared from the shadows.


    At the top of the steps, he turned and waved at the cliffs. ¡°A fantastic chase, ladies and gentlemen, but once again I emerge victorious and relatively unharmed,¡± he yelled. ¡°Until next time!¡±


    Rose burst into laughter. She never knew whether to take the pirate seriously, but she felt a weight lifting from her shoulders¡ªit was great to see him safe and sound.


    Having confirmed his safety, she would no longer hold back. ¡°Please tell me you didn¡¯t blow up a city just to cause a distraction. I don¡¯t want a murderer as my captain,¡± she said, her eyes a turbulent clash of hope and despair.


    Trent threw his hands into the air and opened his mouth wide in faux horror. ¡°Of course not, my dear Rose! How could you think so little of me?¡± he gasped.


    She breathed a sigh of relief. For a while she¡¯d been worried that his character until now had been a facade; a performance to deceive her into stealing a ship for him.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t blow up a city just to cause a distraction. I blew it up to steal this,¡± he declared, revealing a whorl and turning it to face her. ¡°And pissing off the local nobility is always a delightful delicacy. Nothing gets the loins burning like seeing a braggadocious Baron frothing at the mouth.¡±


    The dull whining in her ears returned. Rose scrunched her face in frustration.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t get the wrong idea. The bastard I stole this from deserved it. And I really, really needed a new arm. I enjoyed the challenge, but it was becoming rather tiresome having to buckle my belt one-handed after taking a piss. And the Countess missed the extra set of fing-¡±


    Trent¡¯s voice trailed off in the midst of recounting his exploits. Rose had levelled her pistol at his forehead and cocked the hammer. Her finger quivered on the trigger.


    ¡°How many innocent civilians died just so you could¡­ mess around with some noblewoman and steal some loot?¡± said Rose, her hand shaking and voice strained.


    ¡°Sorry. I took the joke a little far, Rose. The explosion looked worse than it was, and no one was hurt. No one who didn¡¯t deserve it, anyway.¡± Trent lowered his hands to his chest and held his palms outwards. ¡°Put the pistol away, I¡¯m not a monster.¡± He started taking measured steps towards her.


    Rose squeezed the trigger ever so slightly.


    Trent froze, caught in the middle of a step¡ªand a breath. ¡°Okay, I admit¡ªperhaps I didn¡¯t need to sleep with the Baron¡¯s wife and blow up his estate, but he¡¯s a horrible bastard. And he¡¯ll recover from the burns eventually. He can afford it. If you knew the awful things he¡¯s done to his citizens you wouldn¡¯t feel an ounce of pity for him. No one else was caught in the blast, so stop being a fool and put the gun away. I might be a fearsome pirate, but I¡¯m not a Murderer,¡± he spat, levelling a cold glare at Rose that made her wince.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    She tucked the pistol back in her waistband with a shaking arm. Rose had put up a front, but she had feared the worst. The tears streamed down her face and she threw herself at the man, pulling him into a hug. ¡°Idiot.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, I¡¯m the Pantheon¡¯s perfect idiot. You on the other hand? You¡¯re absolutely magnificent. Look at this beauty,¡± he said, waving an arm around the ship. ¡°You stole her all by yourself. You¡¯ve got a fantastic career ahead of you. And I already have our first stop ready.¡± All the venom had faded, replaced with his permanently smug grin.


    The crack of gunfire and the soft splash of bullets soon faded and the cliffs of Derridas shrank. They became a distant smudge on the horizon, barely noticeable amidst the dark of night save for the orange glow of flames¡ªcourtesy of Trent.


    He looked down at the girl sleeping in his arms. She was still a child, but she¡¯d chosen her course and he wouldn¡¯t be able to dissuade her¡ªno matter how terrifying he knew the oceans could be. All he could do was guide her and hope she made it out the other side.


    ***


    Rose woke up to the sound of water splashing against the hull and the rigging jostling in the breeze. She was lying on a scrunched up sail. I fell asleep while hugging Trent. Her cheeks warmed. She slapped them.


    ¡°Morning, sleepyhead. Seems as though all that heisting did a number on you,¡± chuckled Trent. ¡°I have to say though, you¡¯re a natural.¡±


    ¡°Did you steer us through the night?¡± Rose stood up and stretched her hands above her head with a loud yawn. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to doze off.¡±


    ¡°Not a problem at all, dear Rose. A growing girl needs her beauty sleep. And I rather enjoy the serenity of sailing at night.¡±


    ¡°You said you had our first stop planned out. Where are we headed?¡±


    ¡°Eastfel Bay. We need to pick up some supplies¡ªand another member of the crew. You don¡¯t have an official role yet, by the way. What¡¯s your specialty? Any unique talents?¡±


    They were interrupted by the click of a rifle¡¯s hammer and soft steps on the deck. ¡°She¡¯s a rather talented traitor.¡±


    Rose recognised the voice instantly. Her eyes flicked from Trent to the top of the wooden steps and her tears fell freely. ¡°Thank Sylack. I thought you were dead, Felix,¡± sobbed Rose.


    He seemed shocked at her reaction and lowered the rifle a little, but then his gaze hardened once more and he raised it up, flicking the end of the barrel between her and Trent. ¡°I suppose you thought the Captain was dead too? Or did you just feel like helping yourself to his ship? After everything we did for you, I expected more,¡± he spat.


    ¡°Dearie me, this ship belonged to the Bradshawe brat? I have to say that does make me feel a little guilty. Two ships in what¡ªa week? A month?¡± chuckled Trent, seemingly oblivious to the gun pointed at his chest.


    ¡°Is this a joke to you, pirate bastard? Was it you who made her steal the ship?¡± Felix¡¯s face was turning redder by the second. ¡°Speak or I¡¯ll put a bullet in your skull,¡± he said, lifting the rifle to Trent¡¯s face.


    ¡°Felix, stop this nonsense. Trent didn¡¯t make me do anything. It¡¯s always been my dream to be a pirate. This was my only shot at achieving that dream. I promise I¡¯ll pay the captain back and we¡¯ll drop you off at our first stop,¡± said Rose, advancing towards Felix with each word she spoke until the barrel of the gun was pushing against her chest.


    She felt it shaking. He was scared. Rose moved quicker than he could react, grabbing the barrel and wrestling it to the side, then kneeing Felix in the gut.


    He doubled over, coughing and spluttering, and the rifle fell from his grip. Rose tossed it to Trent, who slung it over his shoulder. The smirk hadn¡¯t dropped from his face once during the entire ordeal.


    ¡°Old friend?¡±


    ¡°You could say that,¡± replied Rose. She hauled Felix to his feet and pulled him into a hug. He resisted at first, but then melted into her embrace. ¡°I missed you,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°I missed you too, beautiful girl.¡± His face went beyond red, turning shades of purple.


    Rose cackled as he spluttered, eyes wide.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I-¡±


    ¡°Oh, I really missed your rambling, Felix. Now, what do you think about joining our crew? Imagine the adventures we could have together!¡±


    His gaze turned serious, the clumsy boy gone in an instant. ¡°And become a pirate? Over my dead body. I can¡¯t believe you were hiding this all along. Why would you want to be a criminal?¡±


    ¡°A criminal? I guess¡­¡± Rose flicked him on the forehead and his eyes raged with fury, then settled to bubbling discontent. ¡°That¡¯s not really the essence of piracy. It''s the freedom.¡±


    Felix looked confused. Trent¡¯s smirk flickered into a real smile, but only for a second.


    ¡°Freedom to sail wherever your heart desires. To live at the whims of the ocean, whether she¡¯s serene or roiling with anger. And the adventures; the discoveries! There¡¯s nothing greater.¡±

 1.31 - Armed and Dangerous

    Straits are strange. They¡¯re either the calmest of waters or the deadliest. It¡¯s best to avoid them.


    -Excerpt from ¡®The Ten Laws of the Sea¡¯, author unknown


    ¡°A convergence? Don¡¯t lie to me, Rose. That¡¯s the stuff of legend. They aren¡¯t real,¡± scoffed Felix. His legs dangled over the edge of the deck, between two railings.


    Rose rested her head on her arms, looking out at the gentle waves. ¡°It¡¯s true. And not just any convergence. This one was breaching¡ªthat means it''s about to explode, or something like that. We fought monsters and explored a blue forest. Seriously, everything was blue.¡±


    Felix didn¡¯t like being on a stolen ship with two pirates, but he had agreed not to cause any more trouble for the remainder of the journey. He refused to help them sail The Crown of Salt, on the grounds that if they couldn¡¯t handle the frigate, they shouldn¡¯t have stolen her.


    Five days had passed since their reunion and it had been nothing but calm seas and tailwinds. It was a boring lull for Rose, who had been subjected to a lifetime¡¯s worth of excitement and adventure in the space of a few weeks.


    It wasn¡¯t all bad. Having to sail the frigate with just the two of them had done wonders for her sailing skill. Along with the others she¡¯d picked up during her heist Rose¡¯s status was beginning to get crowded.


    Name: Rose Everblue


    Race: Human


    Occupation: Apprentice Scholar 4


    Title: Apprentice


    Available Titles: Murderer, Apprentice


    Skills: Cleaning 11, Reading 11, Fishing 14, Swimming 8, Writing 12, Butchery 6, Cooking 6, Herding 2, Focus 13, Drawing 11, Sailing 12, One Handed Weapons 5, Blades 7, Pistols 8, Firearms 4, Unarmed Combat 1, Endurance 3, Precision 4, Arcane Attunement 1, Light Attunement 3, Stealth 5, Athletics 7


    Traits: Sensitive Line, Deft Hand, Good as New, Tunnel Vision, Endless Inkwell, Quick Consumption, Knot my Problem


    When she¡¯d passed the level ten threshold and earned the first sailing trait, Rose had been thrown for a loop¡ªthe trait wasn¡¯t what she had expected.


    You have earned a new trait!


    Knot my Problem: You learn new knots much faster than the average fellow. Once you learn how to tie a specific knot, you will never forget how to tie it. Any knot that you tie or rope you fasten will not become undone due to wear and tear, or natural causes.


    Not that she disliked the trait. Being able to tie knots that never came undone was an incredibly useful skill to have on board a ship¡ªshe could think of far more nefarious uses too.


    Another discovery was that her occupation would level up with the skills that formed it. She had continued writing in her ship¡¯s log and gained a few more levels in reading and writing, which also brought Apprentice Scholar up to level four.


    Her skills seemed to be increasing in level faster the higher she grew them¡ªa curious paradox. The elders in Fairwater Bay often complained that it took them months or years just to earn a single level in their chosen skills once they pushed into the fifties and sixties, or beyond.


    Perhaps when she reached that level she would see how her own skills were affected. By the standards of her home village she was already a common sense defying prodigy.


    She almost fell over the railings when a huge fish tugged at her line, earning a roaring laugh from Felix. Rose made sure to slap him in the face with the slimy sucker when she reeled it in.


    ***


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s time. You made me risk my life and limb for that damned egg, Trent. I want an explanation,¡± Rose demanded.


    ¡°That would be a lot more threatening if you didn¡¯t have fish juice dribbling down your chin, Rose,¡± giggled Felix.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    The remark earned him a furious flick on the ear, leaving a red welt and a sour frown on the boy¡¯s face.


    All they had been eating for the week at sea was fish and the odd bit of kelp that floated past, but it had done wonders to hone her fishing and cooking. And the simple fare reminded her of her mother¡¯s cooking.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, dear Rose. It¡¯s only fair I explain, but I have no doubt you¡¯ll agree with my judgement when you hear what this baby does. However¡­¡± He drummed his fingers on the table for dramatic effect and she rolled her eyes. ¡°Equal exchange. I want to see all the beautiful treasure you picked up. We¡¯re a crew, after all.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fair, Trent. You told me I¡¯d need a blacksmith to make something with the antlers, but I also nabbed some of that nasty wolf. How does this all work?¡± she asked.


    ¡°All in good time. Let¡¯s start with the Tidestone.¡± Trent raised a finger, tapping on the empty air. Halfway through a big smile lit up his face. ¡°Better idea. Let¡¯s start with this. I didn¡¯t blow up that castle for nothing,¡± he chuckled.


    In all the chaos, Rose had forgotten about Trent¡¯s escapade. Not the dramatic leap from the cliff¡ªthat was a tale to tell the grandkids. It was the little bit of loot he¡¯d picked up along the way. She hadn¡¯t been paying much attention when he flashed her the whorl.


    He¡¯d brought it up again, for their benefit, but Rose was less interested in the fine print and more curious about the man¡¯s missing arm.


    While he was talking he¡¯d also undressed the wound and she was shocked to see it fully healed after just a week. Definitely a regeneration skill. I need that. More than healed, in fact. The stump was larger than before by an inch or two!


    There was no time for wallowing in shock. Trent had more tricks up his sleeve. Her eyes grew even wider and her jaw somehow fell even more agape when he drew the treasure from his inventory and let it tumble onto the dinner table.


    ¡°Is that what I think it is?¡± exclaimed Felix.


    ¡°That depends entirely on your line of thinking, dear boy,¡± replied Trent.


    ¡°Will it work as well as a real arm? It looks rather heavy.¡± Rose reached out a hand to stroke the sleek metallic arm.


    Trent slapped her hand away. ¡°No touching. This beauty is all mine.¡± He lifted the prosthetic with his remaining fleshy arm and it shimmered softly, a glittering blue hue that coated the entire work of art.


    After prodding it in a few choice locations, three prongs of blue light shot out of the bulbous end and the plucky pirate jammed them into his stump without so much as a grimace.


    The prosthetic whirred to life, the hum of magic audible over the gentle crashing of the waves. Oddly, there was no hand at the end¡ªthe limb ended in a flat lump of metal.


    ¡°Not to burst your bubble, but what was the point of going to all that trouble to steal a magic arm without a hand?¡±


    The buccaneer¡¯s trademark smirk twisted into a devilish grin. Both Felix and Rose leaned in, eager to hear his explanation. Trent also leaned in, raising a hand to his mouth as though about to impart a secret of magnanimous proportions.


    A flash of blue light burst from the tip of Trent¡¯s arm. A metallic screech made Felix leap backwards and fall off the bench. Rose was a little sturdier, managing to stay on the bench, but only by grabbing hold of the edge of the table.


    Trent waved his arm around, now sporting a pulsating blade of blue light in place of a hand and cackling to himself. He thrust it at Felix, who did his best to squirm away.


    ¡°Back off, pirate bastard!¡±


    ¡°Alright, leave poor Felix alone. Having a sword at the ready all the time is awesome, if impractical. It¡¯s certainly an improvement on the stump, though.¡± Rose had recovered from the initial shock and decided to actually read the whorl.


    ARM (Assorted Radical Machinery) ¡ï54


    Arcane/Metal Aspect


    A mechanical prosthetic arm forged from seasteel and powered by a tidestone. It can do everything a regular arm can, but better. Allows the user to summon arcane constructs using tide energy, though be warned¡ªwhat you wish for is not always what you get.


    Similar to the antlers she had harvested, the treasure had a name, level, aspect, and a description¡ªthough she didn¡¯t understand most of it.


    ¡°Only level fifty-four?¡± That was only a little more than the crystal antlers had been before her failed attempts at harvesting them reduced it to thirty-three. A treasure was still a treasure¡ªand this one was perfect for Trent.


    ¡°Do you see the little star next to the level?¡± asked Trent with a smirk.


    ¡°No way,¡± exclaimed Felix, leaping from the floor and hopping back onto the bench. ¡°That scrap metal arm is Epipelagic?!¡±


    ¡°Wow, look at you go, rifle boy. You know your treasure grades,¡± said Trent, ruffling Felix¡¯s hair.


    ¡°Hands off me, bastard. I¡¯ll bring the rifle back out if you keep that up.¡± Despite his fearsome rebuke, his cheeks were rosy and there was a hint of a smile creeping onto his lips.


    ¡°What does Epi¡­ I¡¯m not even going to try. What does the star mean?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Everything offered by the tide caps at level one hundred. Skills, professions and even treasures. When it comes to professions, you have tiers like apprentice, journeyman and so on and so forth,¡± explained Trent.


    He waited for her to nod before continuing. ¡°Let¡¯s say two people are both level one hundred in sailing. They¡¯re both experts, who can handle a ship like their own body. However, one just reached that level yesterday while the other is a seasoned veteran who¡¯s been at level one hundred for ten years. There¡¯s a qualitative difference in skill. Except that¡¯s not how the tide works. I¡¯m about to blow your mind, dear Rose.¡±


    She leaned even further across the table, waiting with bated breath.

 1.32 - The Aetherstone Strait

    Are you able bodied and willing to defend your fellow citizens, all while learning how to sail a ship and make fantastic new friends? We need you! (Malicious rumours of new recruits being mistreated are slander and punishable by court martial) Sign up for the Royal Navy at your nearest port or harbour¡ªwe pay better than fishing!


    -Excerpt from a Minenblum Royal Navy Recruitment Poster


    Trent let the silence hang for far longer than he needed to. Rose¡¯s eyes narrowed when she saw his trademark smirk curl upwards even further than usual.


    ¡°When a skill reaches level one hundred, you get the option to reset it back to level one and start from scratch,¡± said Trent.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point in that? you¡¯d lose all your traits on top of a lifetime¡¯s worth of skill.¡± Rose was confused what all of this had to do with the pirate¡¯s new arm and treasures with stars in their name.


    ¡°That¡¯s the beautiful thing, Rose. You keep all of your traits and the effects of the first hundred levels. And that¡¯s not all¡ªyou get to earn even more traits. If you¡¯re a rare genius and you hit level two hundred¡­ You get to do it all over again. I¡¯ve heard legends of mighty seafarers going even further beyond that, but I can¡¯t imagine how mighty a person would have to be to achieve such a thing.¡±


    Rose hadn¡¯t seen the man speak in true admiration until now. Her mind went to Castell Saltbeard immediately¡ªif anyone had achieved that, it would be him.


    ¡°That¡¯s really useful to know. Maybe in ten years when I reach level one hundred in fishing I¡¯ll thank you for informing me ahead of time. Can you explain the star thing now?¡±


    ¡°So impatient. Children these days¡­¡± muttered Trent. Rose shot him a fearsome glare. ¡°All roses have thorns indeed. Treasures work in much the same manner, except there isn¡¯t a reset to deal with. When a treasure is sufficiently powerful that it exceeds level one hundred, it gets a star and starts counting from one again. Treasures with a single star before their level are known as Epipelagic, as rifle boy so kindly pointed out. Two star treasures are called Mesopelagic.¡±


    A bead of sweat rolled down her forehead as she took another look at Trent¡¯s prosthetic arm. She wasn¡¯t going to fault him for the big explosion¡ªthat was a level one hundred and fifty-four treasure. The crystal antlers seemed like trash now.


    ¡°Don¡¯t whip your sad puppy eyes out. This kind of thing is almost unheard of in the Bluestone Sea. Only nobles can afford them. Even then they¡¯re usually family heirlooms. And I¡¯m far more experienced than a whelp like you. Now, show me your haul.¡±


    Trent had finished experimenting with the ARM, luckily for Felix. He settled on a hand formed of blue light.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got six fingers,¡± said Felix.


    ¡°Indeed I do. The description was right. I aimed for five, but I¡¯ll settle for six.¡±


    ¡°You aimed for five? That¡¯s one too many,¡± giggled Rose.


    ¡°Depends what you need them for,¡± quipped Trent. ¡°Loot. Now. You aren¡¯t getting away that easily.¡±


    She sighed and willed her inventory open, but soon smiled when she saw the three treasures that lay within.


    Inventory [3/7]


    Crystal Antlers 33


    Direwolf Fangs 19


    Direwolf Pelt 22


    First, she took out the antlers. It was only right¡ªTrent had also contributed massively to the battle against the stag.


    ¡°I think you should keep them. You did a lot more during that fight,¡± said Rose, pushing them across the table towards him.


    ¡°They¡¯re beautiful,¡± exclaimed Felix, eyes glittering as the refracted light danced across his face.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be daft. I don¡¯t need a piddly treasure like that. Keep them. I¡¯m sure there¡¯ll be an artificer in Minenblum who can turn them into something useful for you. What else did you get?¡±


    ¡°Not much. If you think the antlers are piddly, I¡¯m nervous to hear your judgement on these.¡±


    Rose let the pelt and fangs fall onto the table. Trent clapped his hands together and smirked. She knew what was coming next¡ªwhy did he always have to be such a smug bastard?


    ¡°Wrong, my dear Rose. These are far more useful for a girl of your calibre. The antlers will require someone with skill in order to receive a treasure worthy of their level and aspect, but these are simple. Any old blacksmith or tailor should be able to whip something together. You¡¯ll be geared to the fangs,¡± he said, laughing at his own joke.


    ¡°How many monsters did you fight? There¡¯s no way you killed them by yourself. You could barely hold a cutlass the last time I saw you.¡±


    ¡°Well, Trent did most of the work against the stag. That was one fearsome beast. I took down the nasty wolf by myself though¡ªtough opponent,¡± said Rose, reminiscing on her clash with the alpha wolf. ¡°I told you, piracy isn¡¯t just ¡®being a criminal¡¯. You get to have cracking adventures. And that was only the first one.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. There¡¯s plenty more where that came from. You do seem more suited to a cosy life of merchantry though, rifle boy. Plenty of fat on those cheeks,¡± Trent teased, pinching Felix¡¯s cheek as he did.


    Felix pulled away with a stony glare, then ran from the cabin. He shot Rose one last look before slamming the door behind him.


    She stood up to follow, but Trent grabbed her arm and pulled her back to the bench.


    ¡°Leave him be, he¡¯s just working through his own frustrations. He¡¯ll be fine by tomorrow, I¡¯m sure. A fine friend you¡¯ve got there, if a little fierce. Now, put the treasures back in your inventory. We can make something of them in Eastfel Bay,¡± he said, pulling a brown bottle from his jacket and taking a swig.


    ¡°Get some rest, we¡¯ve got some nasty sailing ahead of us. The Aetherstone Strait is a gamble¡ªwe¡¯ll either have still waters or a surging swell. Either way¡¯s a struggle.¡±


    ***


    Saltwater sprayed across her face as a cannonball splashed harmlessly into the ocean, missing their ship by a hair¡¯s width. Her eyes stung, but she¡¯d been ignoring the pain for a while now. Her mouth was so salty she could eat dinner without seasoning it for a week straight.


    The navy vessel had come from the fog, ambushing them without warning in the middle of the night. It had been a constant chase since then, but The Crown of Salt was too fast and they¡¯d stayed out of the range of their pursuer¡¯s cannons. Until now, that is.


    All her muscles ached, most of all her biceps and forearms. She¡¯d been tugging on ropes for hours while Trent battled with the wheel.


    Even Felix had rushed to help when the booming of the cannons woke him from his sleep, which was surprising given his whole anti-pirate policy.


    Skill up!


    Sailing 13 > 14


    Skill up!


    Endurance 3 > 4


    On the plus side, her skills were getting a fantastic boost from the constant exertion and threat to her life. A razor thin silver lining.


    She glanced across the deck to Felix, who was bent over almost ninety degrees while clinging to a rope for dear life, in a mirror to Rose who was doing the exact same as they both fought to keep the mainsail steady.


    Trent¡¯s gamble had turned out for the worse and a frightful storm had taken them by surprise shortly after dawn. It was in the fog and rain that the navy had attacked¡ªit seemed as though their well of luck had run dry.


    ¡°By order of His Royal Highness, King Malthax, I demand you hand over control of your stolen vessel and relinquish the pirate ¡®Trent Blackheart¡¯ to my custody.¡±


    The commander of the naval ship had been repeating that over and over until Rose had grown tired of hearing his imperious, arrogant voice. Trent said it was arcane technology that let him shout so loud, powered by tidestones.


    Rose wished they had one of their own, just so she could roar at the bastard and tell him to shut up. If she wasn¡¯t so outmatched, she would¡¯ve swam over and punched Commodore Saff in his smug face.


    Not that she¡¯d ever seen the man before, it was too foggy for that and she was too focused on keeping the ship sailing straight. She could just imagine him from the sound of his voice.


    Tall, but not quite tall enough to be handsome. He was insecure about that, no doubt. Glossy, perfect hair¡ªexcept he was balding early. Another sore spot.


    All conjecture, of course. Regardless, she pushed through the pain in her arms by imagining punching him. Repeatedly.


    ¡°Rose, I need you to take the wheel,¡± yelled Trent. ¡°I¡¯m about to do something extraordinarily dangerous and stupid.¡±


    She looked towards Felix. He¡¯d be fine without her¡ªshe had the perfect trait for this. It took far more effort than she had in her to pull the rope to the railings of the ship, but once she finished tying it off, it wouldn¡¯t come loose no matter how furiously the wind blew. Heh, it¡¯s knot my problem anymore.


    As she raced up the stairs to the poop deck, Trent let go of the wheel and it started to spin to starboard. He leapt onto the back of the ship as she jumped forward to steady the wheel.


    ¡°Don¡¯t die, Trent.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t plan on it. Not now, not ever,¡± he said with a wink.


    And then he stepped off the ship and plummeted to the turbulent ocean.

 1.33 - Titans of the Ocean

    Most people get really, really good at one skill. They might even hit the cap and earn themselves a star before the end of their natural life. You wouldn¡¯t consider an old codger who¡¯s an unnaturally good butcher to be a superhuman, though. What if he¡¯d also spent his life running through the forest near his home? Earned a second star. Fella can run faster than the wind and carve you up with a wave of his hand¡ªis that superhuman? At what point does the tide turn you from a man to a monster?


    -Excerpt from ¡®Charting the Tide: Mortal Limitations and the Divine Spark¡¯ by various contributors


    ¡°Madman,¡± muttered Rose.


    She had already turned back to face the wheel, though. Trent would be fine. He always was.


    The naval ship was bearing down on them from the starboard side. Keeping course for Eastfel Bay¡ªdirectly down The Aetherstone Strait¡ªwas Trent¡¯s original heading.


    Rose spun the wheel towards the other ship, cracking a smile when she saw Felix stumble and curse while grappling with the rigging.


    Changing direction would add time to their journey, but her manoeuvre was genius. The Crown of Salt leaned to the right, cutting ahead of the naval craft.


    There was still a roaring tailwind and they shot away from their pursuers, who had to war with their own sails and the storm to regain the lost ground.


    Too late, Rose realised she had miscalculated. While her move had earned them some breathing room, it had also lined them up neatly for the navy¡¯s cannons. A deafening volley of cannon fire roared into the morning sky, accompanied by a gentle splash.


    Your profession has advanced!


    Apprentice Scholar 4 > 5


    It seemed that tactical sailing decisions counted as scholarly enough for the tide.


    The first few shots fell short, but a nasty crunch followed¡ªthe rest hit true. Releasing the wheel briefly, Rose ran to the back of the deck to peek over the edge.


    Luckily, the damage was minimal and not near the water¡¯s surface. That meant they wouldn¡¯t start taking water on and sink. However, another volley was sure to follow.


    BOOM.


    Before her eyes, the ocean parted and a colossal wave was launched at the naval ship. The cannons were drowned out and she saw a flash¡ªa thin white line severing the air.


    It dissipated. Moments later, the entire world shook and cracked. It filled her ears and she grimaced. A splintered web of cracks had carved open the side of the enemy ship.


    Standing in front of it, walking on the surface of the sea as though it was a grassy field, was Trent. There was a silver flash in his hand¡ªhis cutlass. He raised it above his head and flicked it downwards.


    Instead of the expected crunch of wood, the melodic clang of metal against metal rang out over the thundering rain. A man wearing far more tassels than seemed practical was balanced on the railings of the ship, a blade of his own screeching for dominance against Trent¡¯s.


    He wore a two pointed mauve hat with a gold trim and a crest that Rose couldn¡¯t make out at this distance. His uniform was the same design, adorned with tassels, golden buttons and large shoulder pads. Rows of medals were pinned to his breast and his face was more hair than skin¡ªbushy eyebrows and a full beard were all she could see.


    ¡°At last, the villain shows his face,¡± the man roared in an all too recognisable tone. This was the annoying bastard who¡¯d been yelling at them for the past few hours. ¡°I¡¯ve chased you across the Bluestone Sea for half a year, Blackheart! Lost good ships, and better men. You¡¯ve got nowhere left to run. It¡¯s time to face your end, at my hands or on the executioner¡¯s block¡ªthe choice is yours.¡±


    The epic clash of blades was the least surprising part of the whole ordeal. He¡¯s walking on the ocean¡­


    Discovering the tide had been a whirlwind journey, opening her eyes to endless possibilities; the things she could achieve, the things she could already do with just a few weeks under her belt.


    As she watched the two men clash, leaping across the sea and the sails of the other ship, Rose understood how little she knew.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    One swing of their cutlass was enough to cleave the ocean in twain, sending waves large enough to drown her home village careening into the two ships and rocking them vigorously. Neither held a definitive advantage. Both fought with fury¡ªRose had never seen such a serious expression on Trent¡¯s face.


    On the deck, Felix was slack-jawed and glassy eyed. His grip on the ropes was still firm, but his gaze was locked on the magnificent battle.


    Everyone¡¯s gaze was, from the two kids on board The Crown of Salt, to the last naval officer on board the enemy vessel. Bang.


    A flash of flames cut through the storm. Louder than a thunderclap; brighter than a bolt of lightning. The commodore was blown away, his steps faltering as he slipped under the waves.


    Rose watched the main mast of the other ship start to lean. It groaned as it collapsed onto the ship, crushing the men on board as they scattered like ants, tearing another sail in half as it did.


    The commodore broke the water¡¯s surface, leaping back into the fray. His face was twisted like a bushy-browed demon. However, Trent gave him no quarter.


    Skating across the sea as though it was a sheet of ice, he carved into his foe with relentless fury. The cutlass flashed faster than she could follow, but every strike drew blood.


    His dominance didn¡¯t last long. Seeming to be impervious to fatigue, the naval commander sparkled with green motes of light, causing Trent to hop back and cease his onslaught.


    She could taste the arcane energy in the air. It didn¡¯t crackle, as it had in the convergence. It caressed her, a psithurism that paradoxically found a place on the open ocean. Rose could guess what came next¡ªTrent knew.


    Skill up!


    Arcane Attunement 1 > 2


    Light gathered in the man¡¯s palm, then blasted outwards¡ªa dance of infinite blades of wind that scythed through the waves and raced towards her captain.


    In response, his arm¡ªno, his ARM¡ªcrackled with cyan power. From the tip of the seasteel limb, a net of light blew forth, intercepting every single one of the blades.


    Wind clashed with light in a kaleidoscopic battle of dazzling proportions. Neither won¡ªthey fizzled out, leaving nothing behind save for the two battle-worn men.


    Rose felt helpless. All she could do was steer the ship to safety, her fate resting on the outcome of their duel. Is there truly nothing I can do? No matter her feelings, the scale of the fight was far beyond her ken.


    Once again they were evenly matched, cutlasses flashing and clanging, sparks flying, and pistols cracking. An orchestral backdrop of thunder and pelting rain completed the scene. Rose did her utmost to commit it to memory¡ªif she survived she wanted to depict the epic battle in her sketchbook.


    Skill up!


    Focus 13 > 14


    An audacious, reckless, and possibly life threatening idea crossed her mind. No, there would be no point. Rose decided to take a leaf out of Trent¡¯s book, and do it anyway.


    She left home for adventure, so she would throw herself into every single one¡ªeven if that adventure was poking at a man who could dice her into a thousand pieces with a single slash.


    One hand on the wheel, she reached into her waistband and drew her flintlock pistol. The varnished wood had a single scratch, courtesy of the alpha wolf, but the metal shone like a mirror. Rose cocked the hammer and raised the sights to her eye, letting the world fall out of focus.


    Her skills had advanced in leaps and bounds since her last time shooting. Her vision zoomed in, enlarging her target. Only by a fraction, but every little helped. Click.


    Skill up!


    Precision 4 > 5


    Skill up!


    Pistols 8 > 9


    Skill up!


    Firearms 4 > 5


    The commodore¡¯s arm flashed and his gaze flickered to her. For a second, it felt as though she was a mouse standing against a savage tiger. Her shot had failed to even chip his blade.


    However, that momentary distraction was all Trent needed. In a battle unfolding at that speed, a millisecond could decide one¡¯s fate.


    His arm crackled with lightning and moved in a blur, landing ten blows on his opponent in under a second. The final punch blasted the naval commander into the side of his ship, smashing the hull open and almost splitting the vessel in two. Trent¡¯s cutlass sliced through the air, finishing the job and blasting the two pieces into the distance, where they started to sink into the icy depths.


    Wasting no time, the man raced back to The Crown of Salt. From afar he had seemed unassailable, but up close the damage was obvious.


    Cuts everywhere, blood leaking from two gunshot wounds, and lethargic steps were all Rose needed to see. She let the wheel fly and rushed to hold him up.


    ¡°You¡¯re incredible, Trent. I¡¯ve never seen anything like it. You¡­ You sliced a ship in half! That was the Commodore Saff¡ªand you wiped the floor with him. Who the hell are you?¡± she exclaimed. ¡°Never mind, let¡¯s just get you patched up, Captain.¡±


    ¡°That has a beautiful ring to it. Say it again, my dear Rose,¡± he said, his signature smirk decorating his face once more. ¡°That brat¡¯s been after me for six months now. Every time he catches up I send him packing. You¡¯d think he¡¯d have learned his lesson by now. I¡¯m glad you had fun. Fantastic shot, by the way. You¡¯re getting good at that.¡±


    She really was, but that fight had shown her how little her meagre skills mattered. To make a name for herself¡ªto carve out a legend¡ªRose had a long way to go.

 1.34 - The Gates of Minenblum

    The Bluestone Sea is a tiny corner of the world. What they call nations we see as backwater villages. Minenblum might pass for a town, but the royal family are an arrogant bunch.


    -Excerpt from ¡®The Scale of the Sea¡¯ by Joshua Humphries


    Trent was fast asleep in the cabins below deck, recovering from yesterday¡¯s fearsome clash. Rose was at the wheel¡ªher navigation proficiency was improving in leaps and bounds.


    Felix was leaning against the railings beside her. The storm had passed and there was no need for constant adjustments to the sails.


    ¡°Thank you Felix. You¡¯re a fantastic friend,¡± she said without taking her eyes off the horizon.


    ¡°I am. What exactly are you thanking me for, though?¡± he chuckled.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t need to help us escape the Minenblum Navy. I know how you feel about pirates. So, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. If they captured us, I¡¯m sure I¡¯d get branded as a pirate anyway. I¡¯d rather wait to part ways and find a path back to Derridas on my own,¡± he said, turning out to sea to hide his blushing cheeks. ¡°And whatever you choose to do with your life, whatever¡­ misdeeds you¡¯ve already committed¡ªhe waved an arm at the ship¡ªwe¡¯re friends. That means a lot to me. I don¡¯t want to see you jailed. Or worse.¡±


    Rose was smiling ear to ear. A tear rolled down her cheek and she rushed over, pulling the boy into a hug.


    ¡°Hey, stop that. What are you doi-¡±


    Despite his complaints, he hugged back even tighter. They stayed like that for a while, staring out to sea and enjoying each other¡¯s company under the pink and orange evening sky.


    ¡°Go get some sleep, I can handle the ship for a while.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? You need rest, too.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, I can sleep when Trent wakes up.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Felix.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    Whoever furnished the ship hadn¡¯t skimped out on the bedding. Instead of stuffy bunks with scratchy blankets, the ship had ten bedrooms, each with fluffy mattresses and duvets. Rose sank into the soft pillows, bringing up her status to peruse.


    Name: Rose Everblue


    Race: Human


    Occupation: Apprentice Scholar 5


    Title: Apprentice


    Available Titles: Murderer, Apprentice


    Skills: Cleaning 11, Reading 11, Fishing 14, Swimming 8, Writing 12, Butchery 6, Cooking 6, Herding 2, Focus 14, Drawing 11, Sailing 14, One Handed Weapons 5, Blades 7, Pistols 9, Firearms 5, Unarmed Combat 1, Endurance 4, Precision 5, Arcane Attunement 2, Light Attunement 3, Stealth 5, Athletics 7


    Traits: Sensitive Line, Deft Hand, Good as New, Tunnel Vision, Endless Inkwell, Quick Consumption, Knot my Problem


    I wonder what my parents are doing right now. Her last waking thoughts were of home. They must be worried sick. Rose decided to write them a letter.


    ***


    Dear Mother and Father,


    It is Rose. I am writing to let you know that I am alive. More than alive. I am finally chasing my dreams. I¡¯m having a lot of fun. Since leaving Fairwater Bay I¡¯ve met more interesting new people than I can count and been in two naval battles, a breaching convergence, and a heist. That probably doesn¡¯t make you worry less about my safety, but I don¡¯t care. Life is so exciting. I have a profession now¡ªApprentice Scholar. It sounds more boring than it is. I have twenty two skills and seven traits! You might not believe me, but it¡¯s the truth. This world is far more incredible, far larger than I ever knew. I hope I can show you both one day. I hope you are well. I love you.


    RoseIf you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Skill up!


    Writing 12 > 13


    Your profession has advanced!


    Apprentice Scholar 5 > 6


    Whorls splashed as a tear fell from her cheek and onto the page of her notebook, right beside her printed name. Rose hadn¡¯t realised quite how much she missed her parents until she put it into words.


    This was her journey. She couldn¡¯t share it with everyone, as much as she wanted to.


    The first rays of sunlight crept into the cabin as she tore the page from the book. Rose folded it neatly in two places and then dripped some wax from her candle onto the edge to seal it closed. On the back, she wrote:


    Simon and Alyssa Everblue


    Fairwater Bay


    Emerlan Isle


    Only after completing her letter did Rose realise she had no clue how to get it back home without making the trip herself. Something to ask Trent, when he woke up.


    There was a gentle breeze in the air and her lips tingled with salt when she stepped out onto the deck. A beautiful morning¡ªtheir last at sea, before arriving at their destination.


    She could already see the cliffs of Minenblum on the horizon, wearing a golden crown as the sun poked over the top of Eastfel Bay.


    Imposing and mighty. This would be her first real adventure in a city. Her brief stint in Highbream didn¡¯t count. They¡¯d barely had time to explore while planning the heist.


    It was a rather minor city, all things considered, but still twice as large as Greengate¡ªthe capital of Emerlan Isle. Cobbled streets, buildings with more than one floor, and a vibrant, eclectic medley of people.


    Rose didn¡¯t know what she was more excited for¡ªthe exploration or the chance to have her treasures refined by a master craftsman. Or at the very least, a skilled one. She had no money, after all.


    The ocean was calm and the ship required little adjustment. Felix was still at the wheel. She waved to him across the deck, but walked to the front of the ship instead.


    Sitting on the prow was peaceful. Rose took out her sketchbook and pencil, trying to recall the magnificent, terrifying clash between Trent and the Commodore. She wanted to give him the drawing as a gift, but feared she couldn¡¯t do justice to the incredible scene.


    Starting from how she had felt was always easy. Art was an outpouring of emotion, so going back to the roots helped her drawings take shape. Soon her pencil was flowing across the page and the world faded away as her focus took hold.


    ***


    When they had sailed into Highbream, Rose had still been riding the high of escaping the convergence and not focusing on their surroundings. Sailing into Eastfel Bay was incomparable¡ªan experience enriched by the fact they were sailing on their own pirate ship.


    The city itself was tucked into a bay, surrounded by towering cliffs. They had to pass the twin fangs to approach the bay itself¡ªrocky outcroppings that jutted into the ocean like the fangs of a wolf, ready to tear into ships that weren¡¯t mindful of the hidden reefs.


    As they rounded the final corner, the city finally came into view. It sat on the lowest of the cliffs, yet still was perched high above the ocean like a watching bird of prey. Some called it the ¡®Gates of Minenblum¡¯ due to its position at the edge of the Aetherdew Ocean to the north of the continent.


    The harbour lay at the base of the cliffs¡ªthey were a city unto themselves. Even at a distance Rose could see dockworkers scurrying about like ants, ferrying cargo as they loaded and unloaded the myriad ships that were sprawled across the bay.


    Most fantastic and magical of all were the moving platforms. Powered by tidestones, they were grand affairs that traversed the cliffs, carrying new arrivals and cargo up to the city and departing folk back down.


    Rose hadn¡¯t believed Trent when he told her they were not a working of magic or the tide, but technology created by human hands. Once again her horizons were expanded. Truly, the world was filled with endless possibilities.


    ¡°Trent, won¡¯t it be dangerous for you to enter the city? That navy guy chasing you was from Minenblum, right? You must be a wanted man here,¡± asked Rose.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. The navy has their own dock on the other side of the fangs. Besides, we¡¯re only here for a day or two. Three max. Nothing will happen. If it does, you just sail into the distance and continue chasing your dreams, dear Rose.¡±


    It was a lackadaisical response that did little to assuage her fears. There wasn¡¯t much Rose could do however, so after they docked in the spot they had been assigned, she gathered her letter, her sketchbook, and her ship¡¯s log and made her way towards the moving platforms.


    Trent was going to handle the supplies. The Crown of Salt hadn¡¯t been empty when she stole it, so there were plenty of miscellaneous goods for him to sell or trade.


    Felix decided to come with her. ¡°A last adventure before we part ways. I¡¯ve never been to Eastfel Bay before, so I¡¯ll explore with you,¡± he said.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope you can keep up with that big head of yours weighing you down,¡± quipped Rose.


    He chuckled with mirth. ¡°You¡¯re only that quick because yours is empty.¡±


    They kept up the light hearted banter all the way to the base of the cliffs. It was easier than facing the weight of their emotions.


    When she¡¯d been blown off Unrequited Love the previous time, she hadn¡¯t been given a choice. There was none of this¡­ guilt. She felt like she was letting Felix down by leaving him behind.


    But she wore a smile on her face. The heavy stuff could come later. A gruff worker waved them over. There were queues for each of the platforms and they needed to be signed in.


    More than anything, Rose wanted a chance to see the inner workings of the grand machinery that powered the entire system. Would they let me?

 1.35 - Seagulls and Smiths

    Seagulls weren¡¯t Baxter Fudd¡¯s first choice of courier, but his other birds kept going missing. Every morning he¡¯d wake up and find a seagull perched on the open window of the sorting office. Eventually he caved to the fiend. The tradition stuck. Not that we have much say in it.


    -Quoted from Guillermo Fudd, Chief of the Bluestone Postal Company


    Rose had asked for a tour of the mechanisms, but the worker had just laughed at her. That was fine. She had a plan. Pirates didn¡¯t ask when they wanted something¡ªthey took it.


    For now she would content herself with simply riding the platforms up to the city. It was a thrill of its own. Felix was practically vibrating with excitement.


    They were assigned to platform four and pointed towards a queue in the distance. People of every flavour were lined up and waiting to enter Eastfel Bay. Merchants, wanderers, and migrants were but a few.


    And, most thrilling of all were the pirates. Real pirates. It was her first time seeing them, if you didn¡¯t count the attack and subsequent adventure with Trent.


    She was curious as to how pirates were able to freely wander on the docks, especially in the country that had put Castell Saltbeard to death. The woman in front of them in line seemed quite friendly when they joined the queue, so she decided to ask her.


    ¡°Excuse me miss, I have a question for you.¡±


    The lady turned around. She had curly, cinnamon hair and freckles dotted across her face, along with a beaming smile. ¡°Of course dear, what can I help you with?¡±


    Rose wore a nervous expression as she made her query. ¡°I was wondering why the pirates are allowed to roam freely in the city. Isn¡¯t that dangerous for us civilians?¡±


    Her charade worked perfectly. The gentle woman adopted a motherly tone and pinched her cheek with a warm smile. Rose held back a grimace.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly dear, the handsome navy men would never let the pirates harm a hair on your head. Besides, who would do business with the idiot pirate that decided to raid their town?¡± she chuckled, turning back around to chat with the woman in front of her.


    That¡­ made a surprising amount of sense. More goods coming into Minenblum was good for the economy. The navy would be happy to look the other way where gold was involved.


    As long as the pirates behaved themselves while they were on shore, it was a deal that benefited both parties. It also helped Rose to relax¡ªknowing that they wouldn¡¯t be locked up simply for stepping foot in Eastfel Bay.


    The queue slowly dwindled as large groups of people were ferried up to the city on the platforms, until it was finally their turn to board. They¡¯d not quite made the cut for the previous journey, saying farewell to the jovial woman as the sun began descending from its zenith.


    Although she hadn¡¯t been let behind the scenes of the magnificent machines, seeing them up close was still wondrous. Huge iron gear-wheels locked into iron rails that ran all the way to the top of the cliff and slowly trundled their way upwards, ferrying fifty people at a time a vertical distance of almost two hundred metres.


    By the time it finally returned downwards, empty save for the guard standing by the iron gates, Rose was shaking with excitement. Felix was in a similar state.


    They practically sprinted onto the wooden platform the moment the guard swung open the gate, nearly knocking the poor fellow over. The burly fellow waiting behind them scoffed.


    ¡°Bloody country bumpkins. It¡¯s just a lift, what¡¯s all the fuss about,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°Oh, stop being such a grump, Derrick. Didn¡¯t you piss yourself the first time you rode one of these?¡± jeered one of his companions, elbowing him gently.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°I remember that,¡± chuckled another. ¡°We had to skip the first leg of the tavern crawl to find you a bath and a clean pair of trousers.¡±


    Rose looked at Felix. They both burst into laughter, causing the man to go bright red and start grumbling to himself.


    They spent the journey upwards bantering with the group of men, who turned out to be a group of pearl divers.


    It was the first time she had heard of such a profession. Felix explained it to her, but his lack of knowledge soon meant the men had to take over.


    She listened with rapt attention as they told her stories of exploring the ocean floor. Of searching hundreds of molluscs for the rare few that held the prize they sought. Their dedication to their craft was inspiring.


    So fascinating were their many tales, that she almost forgot to take in the breathtaking view as they neared the end of the journey. However, it was the bearded fellow who they¡¯d embarrassed earlier that gave her a nudge and pointed at the radiant colours of the horizon.


    Endless ocean stretched as far as the eye could see, in every direction. Gentle waves and the occasional seagull added texture to an otherwise calm seascape, decorated by the blues and oranges of the early afternoon sky.


    For a while she simply stared, making sure she branded the image in her memory. Later that evening she wished to recreate even a fraction of its beauty in her sketchbook.


    A loud clank signalled the end of their journey, as the iron gears locked into place. Rose really wanted to see how they functioned. Ruminating on the visible parts of the machine hadn¡¯t given her much insight, though she was fairly certain it had something to do with the turning of the different size gear-wheels.


    Your profession has advanced!


    Apprentice Scholar 6 > 7


    According to the Tide, she seemed to be on the right track. It hadn¡¯t seen fit to give her a new skill however, so she must still be missing something. Another problem to add to the pile of things to figure out later.


    ¡°Well, you promised me a final adventure,¡± said Felix, tapping his foot. ¡°This is a beautiful view, but it¡¯s not exactly¡­ thrilling.¡±


    She let out a breath before turning away from the view. The pearl divers had long since entered the city, though she had missed their goodbyes, being so caught up in wonder.


    It was a bad habit of hers. Her father had always said she was a born artist¡ªher mind constantly in the clouds, far from the petty troubles of the world.


    Turning around, she got her first glimpse of the city from up close. Having seen the walls and castles of Highbream, it was not quite as shocking to her that the smallest of buildings were two or three floors tall.


    However, the village girl in her marvelled at each and every structure as they strolled along the cobbled streets. They held hands, so as to not get separated.


    Felix seemed content to let her lead the way, though she didn¡¯t have a particular destination in mind. Her only pressing task was to visit a smith and see if she could get her treasures turned into some worthwhile gear.


    She¡¯d asked for a recommendation from Trent, but he refused. ¡°I often find that the world will take you where you need to go, if you open your mind and let it guide you,¡± he¡¯d said with a smirk.


    As infuriating as it had been at the time, she wasn¡¯t in a rush. In fact, his advice resonated with her usual way of doing things. Rose didn¡¯t usually operate with a plan. All she had was a dream.


    Now that she¡¯d actually taken the first step towards that dream¡ªbecoming a pirate¡ªshe was content to relax and see where her new path was taking her. Suddenly, she smacked into a solid wall and came to an abrupt halt.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t stand in the middle of the road, you¡¯re block¨C¡± Felix said, freezing as the giant that she¡¯d bumped into turned around.


    It turned out that Rose hadn¡¯t stumbled into a wall, but actually a titanic man with muscles hard as steel who could be mistaken for a wall. Not just because of his size¡ªhe was well over two metres tall¡ªbut because his skin was as grey as stone.


    The oddities didn¡¯t end there. He was entirely bald, yet on each side of his forehead there was a small white crystal embedded. Both were sharpened to a point, like horns.


    It reminded her of the stag from the blue forest. This was no monster though. She took a step back, preparing to run the moment things turned sour.


    Felix gripped her hand tightly. Despite her recent advancements, she was under no illusions as to their chances of taking this hulking beast on in a brawl.


    Yet, the furious rebuke they were expecting never came. Instead, the giant¡¯s eyes flashed. She realised they too, were made from crystals. With a voice like tinkling wind chimes, he finally spoke.


    ¡°A curious little girl. I sense great fortune on you.¡±


    Suddenly, his crystalline eyes went dark, a deep abyss that seemed to drink in the surrounding light. Then they returned to normal, as though nothing had happened.


    His gaze of interest turned almost fearful, but that was soon quashed. Rose thought she may have even imagined it. She was still trying to connect the delicate, airy voice to the colossal figure before her, when he spoke once more.


    ¡°You must follow me. Fate demands it.¡±

 1.36 - Winds of Fate

    While the Tide is perhaps the greatest driving force in this world, it is far from the only one that holds sway over the lives of men.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Divining the Great Blue¡¯ by Lexiss Kairmont


    Before she knew what was happening, the giant had grasped her other hand in his and rushed off. His grip was firm, yet light. They whizzed past houses, merchant stalls, and restaurants teeming with people.


    Rose had never moved so fast in her life. She wasn¡¯t quite sure how her feet were keeping up. It was rather magical, but she had grown used to such things over the past few weeks.


    Felix on the other hand, was gasping for breath and spluttering. Words failed him, but she smiled and tried to reassure him with her eyes. It didn¡¯t do much.


    After about three minutes of rapid travelling, they finally came to a halt. Rose took a single step and managed to keep her balance, helped by the giant. Felix then slammed into her and they both tumbled to the ground.


    She giggled and clambered to her feet, but he remained on hands and knees, coughing and spluttering. The experience had been rather fun, all things considered.


    Only now she had a moment to take in her surroundings did she begin to realise that there may be some danger. However, the giant had been able to whisk them through the city without anyone causing a fuss, so she figured there was little she could do except see what he had to say.


    He stood serenely in place, taking a deep breath. Rose looked around. They still seemed to be in the city, but there were no other people around apart from the three of them.


    Stretching out for almost a mile in every direction were lush green fields, though oddly there were also a large amount of differently sized boulders scattered around. They formed rock gardens, small and large, or sometimes stood alone.


    Turning back to the giant, she realised that behind him was a huge, warped cathedral hewn from stone. The smooth walls and odd curvature of the spires felt as though they had been carved from a single, colossal rock.


    ¡°Much better out here. No noise,¡± said the gem encrusted man, his voice still tinkling.


    Rose still couldn¡¯t quite put the airy voice together with his huge figure, but it was less grating than it had been the first time he spoke.


    ¡°Why have you brought us here? You mentioned fate. What does that mean exactly?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Great question,¡± he chuckled. ¡°I think many of us would like to know the answer to that. Follow me.¡±


    Gravel crunched underfoot as they followed the man down the path towards the stone cathedral¡ªperhaps his home. Felix shot her a worried look and she could only shrug.


    ¡°You wanted an adventure,¡± she said with a smirk.


    He rolled his eyes, but didn¡¯t reply. The building had no door, only an intricate archway carved into the stone. It was divided into segments, with each part embedded with a different coloured crystal.


    As the stone giant walked through the arch, they pulsed softly. Rose felt the arcane shift as they shimmered. A similar phenomenon occurred when both her and Felix stepped inside, but the pulses seemed to differ each time.


    Nothing negative happened to either of them, so she elected to ignore it for now. The giant had been observing as they entered, but she noticed no change in his impassive expression.


    His crystalline eyes showed a little emotion, but compared with the visceral sense of connection she felt with another human when looking into their eyes, it was muted. In fact, she hadn¡¯t realised quite how deep a connection eye contact prompted until she was faced with this pair of inhuman eyes.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°So, you wished to know of fate. This one knows little of its grand workings, I just felt the draw of connection between our souls. That is all,¡± he declared, eyes wandering to her stomach. ¡°I believe you are in need of a smith?¡±


    Rose¡¯s brow furrowed. How did this strange grey skinned man know so much about her? They had never even met. Then again, Trent had told her to figure things out on her own.


    Besides, it was always the odd encounters with mysterious elders like this that led to the legendary pirates in the stories gaining great fortune. She decided to go with the flow.


    ¡°When you say the connection of our souls, do you mean like the shift in the Tide when we entered? I feel it, sometimes,¡± she asked.


    Now it was Felix¡¯s turn to look shocked, staring at her with wide eyes at her revelation. Rose had suspected the ability to be a strange one, but there would be time later to explain everything to him. Right now, she needed answers.


    The giant¡ªshe should ask his name¡ªcocked his head to the side and stared at her. His eyes flashed to black and then back to white. Not an endless black like that strange void of before, but the black of coal.


    ¡°You are a strange child, indeed. Gifted in more ways than one. I¡¯m not sure how to answer your question. The connection I speak of is not one of the Tide, but the intrinsic nature of the world,¡± he declared.


    There was no shift in the Tide, so she knew his words to be true.


    ¡°I cannot share my understanding, as it was born of a lifetime of experiences. In time, you may also gain a similar understanding of these things. For now, show me the treasure. Let us solve the mundane problems first.¡±


    She started to tap away, but the giant waved for her to stop and follow once more. Looking around, she realised they¡¯d never left the tunnel at the entrance.


    Sharing a look with Felix, they swallowed their hesitation and followed after the man. If he wanted to hurt them, he would¡¯ve done so already and neither of them would¡¯ve been able to stop him.


    ***


    It had taken them quite a lot longer to walk through the strange building than she expected. Rather than the corridors and staircases one would expect in such a grand structure, it was more like a cave system.


    Long, winding tunnels that branched off in many places, lit by crystals embedded in the walls at seemingly random intervals. Perhaps only this strange giant knew the way around¡ªshe¡¯d already forgotten the path out.


    Eventually they had arrived at a forge. She could only tell that because of the stone anvil and tools scattered about. The forge itself was unlit, covered in a blend of ash and dust.


    Clearly this place had not been used in a long time. A few spiders skittered about in the corners of the room as they entered, far larger than the palm sized critters she was used to seeing back home.


    ¡°Are you truly a blacksmith?¡± she asked. Seeing the desolate forge made her question the man¡¯s abilities. She wanted the best quality gear she could from her treasures, to ensure the journey ahead would be a little easier.


    A ringing laugh echoed through the cavernous room. He seemed amused by her question, despite it being a little insulting¡ªif he was truly what he claimed.


    His laughter trailed off and he turned to her, a wistful expression on his face. ¡°I am a blacksmith, but it has been a long time since I practised my art,¡± he explained. ¡°The spark of inspiration has long since left these tired bones, though I will use the full extent of my skills to craft something worthy of your treasures. Let me see them.¡±


    At last, the time had come to take out the treasures she had acquired from the convergence. A wiser person might have explored the city more, to observe multiple smiths before deciding which one to trust with the raw materials.


    However, something about the fate this giant spoke of resonated with her. The moment she took out the antlers and placed them on the stone table, the way his brawny hands delicately caressed them and his mind whirred behind his eyes told her she¡¯d made the correct decision in trusting him.


    A few seconds later he stood up once more, facing the pair of kids. ¡°It should not be difficult to craft something worthy from these materials. The quality isn¡¯t bad, for such a young explorer. Was that all?¡± he asked.


    Not bad? Rose had to suppress her complaint. If this man was as experienced as he suggested, then perhaps something of this level wasn¡¯t that impressive.


    All that mattered was what he crafted from them. ¡°I also had this,¡± she said, taking the wolf pelt and fangs from her inventory and laying it beside the antlers.


    ¡°Mundane materials,¡± he muttered. ¡°I can craft you something from these, but it will not be impressive. Did you have any specific requests?¡±


    His question made her realise that she hadn¡¯t given much thought to what sort of equipment she actually wanted. Or needed, for that matter.


    A weapon perhaps? The flintlock pistol was still tucked into her waistband, but seeing the way Trent and the Commodore had fought had shifted her perspective entirely. She needed something greater than a mere cutlass.


    ¡°You can just turn the pelt into clothing. A jacket perhaps. As for the rest?¡± she replied, pausing to mull the decision over one final time.


    ¡°A weapon to build my legend. One as great as Saltbeard¡¯s Wavecarver. No¡ªgreater!¡±

 1.37 - Eyes Bigger than your Liver

    There are perhaps no weapons quite as famous as Wavecarver. The blade wielded by Castell Saltbeard during his final voyage, it gained its name from the supposed ability to slice the very sea in twain. Certainly, it sliced many of his enemies into two¡ªor more¡ªpieces.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Armoury of the Deep; Nine Blades of Heaven¡¯ by Xen Diamondeye


    The blush had only just faded from her cheeks. Her ridiculous proclamation had caused even the stern giant to let out a chuckle. Felix had not been so demure.


    Even now he struggled to contain his laughter every time he so much as glanced in her direction. A few minutes earlier he¡¯d been rolling in the dust and ash on the floor, cackling relentlessly.


    Despite the reactions, she was not embarrassed by her words. She truly meant it. That hadn¡¯t stopped her body from its instinctive reaction.


    ¡°Forgive me child, I do not mean to mock your ambitions,¡± said the smith. ¡°It is just that forging such a blade would be impossible using materials of this calibre.¡±


    She turned to him, a sheepish look on her face. Despite his answer, she wasn¡¯t deterred. Even if the weapon she obtained today wasn¡¯t quite as impressive as Wavecarver, she knew that one day she would wield a blade just as legendary.


    ¡°That¡¯s okay. Giving voice to my ambitions felt right. I do want a weapon though. As for what kind, I¡¯m not sure. Whatever you think would suit me best,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Creative freedom, I like it. Return when the sun is starting to set, I will have your weapon ready.¡±


    ¡°That long?¡± she muttered.


    ¡°What did you expect,¡± replied the giant, ¡°for me to wave my hands and summon the weapon from thin air?¡±


    ¡°No, of course not. It¡¯s just that¡­ I had wanted to watch the process.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see. You are truly curious. Unfortunately, I am in no state to be teaching, or even simply displaying my craft at the moment. Perhaps another time,¡± he said wistfully.


    Rose turned to leave, grabbing Felix as she moved towards the door. He was finally able to look at her without bursting into laughter, but there was still a smile on his face.


    They only made it a few steps into the corridor before she realised that she had no idea how to get out of the labyrinthine cathedral. ¡°Maybe we should go back and ask?¡±


    She had barely started to turn around when the very walls shifted and groaned, the stone under their feet writhing like a stormy sea. The world around her blurred and the next thing she knew they were standing in front of the archway that marked the exit.


    ¡°I think I might give this place a miss when you return for your stuff later,¡± muttered Felix, goosebumps running along his arms. ¡°It gives me the creeps.¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself,¡± she answered, before walking underneath the stone arch. This time, it didn¡¯t resonate with her nor Felix.


    ¡°Right, time for the next stop on our adventure. Maybe we can actually see some of the city now,¡± said Felix, stretching his arms high above his head.


    ***


    Eastfel Bay was rather disappointing. There was nothing wrong with the city, it was just underwhelming after seeing the docks and the moving platforms.


    On top of the ridiculous cathedral that the blacksmith called home, even the tallest of buildings seemed mundane in comparison. That didn¡¯t mean there was no excitement to be had.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Their tour started off by finding their way back from where the giant had taken them. Halfway to the city, Rose realised she¡¯d never even asked the man for his name. Or why he had grey skin and gems for eyes.


    She would see him again that evening. There would be time to have all her questions answered when she returned to collect her equipment.


    Unless the entire process had been some elaborate scam to swindle her of her treasure. She doubted it¡ªgiven the man¡¯s strength, he could¡¯ve stolen them with ease and she would¡¯ve been unable to resist.


    There was one activity Rose wanted to partake in more than anything else. When Felix heard that she wanted to visit a tavern, to hang out with the local pirates and sailors, he was mortified.


    ¡°That¡¯s no place for kids like us,¡± he exclaimed with horror.


    Instead of letting his fears dissuade her, she grinned and grabbed his hand to pull him along. Nothing would stop her. Now that she was a real pirate, this was the logical next step.


    After all, what good was it plundering the high seas if you weren¡¯t able to enjoy the short breaks in between. Not that they¡¯d done much plundering yet, but that was besides the point.


    Felix was powerless to stop her, instead following a couple steps behind with an expression like a kicked puppy. The change in demeanour was strange to adapt to.


    On Unrequited Love he had been something of a teacher to her; showing her how to sail and live life on board a ship. Here in the city, away from all that he knew, the boy was shy and hesitant.


    ***


    Rose stared at the shirt as it struggled to contain the bulging biceps¡ªarguably the largest she¡¯d ever seen¡ªof the barkeep. The lines of a tattoo crept out from beneath his collar, but he was clean shaven and had cropped hair like one of the navy sailors.


    He stared at the two kids, out of place in this tavern filled with drunken shouts and drunker pirates. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re not going to take my advice and get the hell out, then I suppose you¡¯re customers,¡± he chuckled with mirth. ¡°What can I get you?¡±


    A bright smile crossed her face. There was only one drink she wanted to order; the same thing that every pirate drank. ¡°I want a bottle of rum,¡± she declared with ignorant confidence.


    Every person in the room went silent, save for a table of the most boisterous patrons¡ªone of whom was dancing a jig on the table. He had a bottle in his hand.


    One raucous cackle broke the silence and soon the entire tavern descended into boisterous laughter, with many of the pirates present jeering at her. Rose didn¡¯t let it affect her and affixed the barkeep with a fiercely defiant stare.


    Felix on the other hand, had gone bright red and was doing his best to fade into the background. An attempt that was soon foiled as a man with a dirty jacket and a dirtier beard wrapped an arm around his shoulder and pulled him right up against the bar.


    ¡°I like these kids, Billy,¡± he slurred, the pungent scent of alcohol on his breath. ¡°Get them a bottle. I¡¯m sure it will be an entertaining night.¡±


    The barkeep fixed the man with a withering glare, but he did reach down behind the bar and pull out a green bottle with a weathered label. There was a pop as he uncorked it and placed it on the counter, alongside two glasses.


    Rose took the glasses, spotting a few stains but not complaining. That was part of the experience, or so she¡¯d been led to believe by many of her favourite books. Clean glasses were for lords and ladies, not boisterous buccaneers.


    After that she grabbed the bottle and led Felix to a table tucked away in the corner of the room. Thankfully the smelly stranger let them be after helping them obtain a drink and they were able to relax.


    She picked up the bottle and poured them both a full glass of the dark brown liquid. Some of the nearby customers made unintelligible noises and she even heard a cheer but by now she was ignoring most of the cacophony. It seemed to be the natural state of being for pirates when they weren¡¯t at sea.


    After a glance towards the barkeep, who had already returned to other tasks after serving them, Rose lifted her glass and gave it a sniff. That single whiff made her recoil and erupt into a coughing fit, earning more laughs from the other customers.


    A few splashes of rum had spilled onto the table, but she managed to compose herself and bring the glass to her lips. She hesitated before taking her first sip of the potent, syrupy nectar.


    Felix had yet to touch his glass and his face was almost green. It was clear he hated every second spent in this establishment, but she appreciated that he was sticking it out for her. But, it simply wouldn¡¯t do for her to drink alone.


    ¡°Felix, it¡¯s bad luck not to toast our first drink. Pick up the glass,¡± she said with a smirk.


    Despite his obvious reservations the boy grabbed hold of the glass and after staring into the amber alcohol for a brief moment, raised it to hers. ¡°Cheers to adventure,¡± he muttered, before taking a gulp.


    Rose echoed his movements and drank about half the glass in a single swig. Moments later her throat began to burn, the stinging pain spreading like a forest fire, reaching even her eyes.

 1.38 - Consequences Breed Humility

    There are three moments in every pirate¡¯s life that will stick with them forever. The first is the moment they left home to seek glory and riches on the seas. Second is their first drink. Third is the first time they have to kill a man. I¡¯d argue that the first drink is the worst, as it almost always leads to ten more. So does the second..,


    -Excerpt from ¡®A Pirate¡¯s Life for Me¡¯ by Captain Drill


    Before she could even register what was happening, Rose found herself retching. Precious little actually escaped her mouth, save for some viscous brown bile.


    She had a single moment of clarity¡ªone which allowed her to see Trent¡¯s viciously smug face leering at her from above¡ªbefore her vision blurred as a metaphysical spear split her skull in two. It took another dry retch and a whole skin of water before she was able to clamber into a sitting position.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re doing better than your sweet faced friend over there,¡± he chuckled, pointing to a curled up ball that Rose eventually identified as Felix.


    A pool of his own bodily fluids had gathered around him and a thin stream of it was running down the cobbles of the alleyway they had been unceremoniously dumped in. She had an infinite number of questions, though the people who held the answers to most of them were strangers¡ªpirates whose names and faces had already been claimed by the evil clutches of her first bottle of rum.


    In the end she managed to pull herself together and after spitting out the worst of the bile, asked Trent the most pressing of her concerns. ¡°How exactly did you find us?¡±


    He only smirked and tapped a finger to his temple. ¡°I have my ways,¡± he answered.


    A laugh that turned into a spluttering cough when Trent turned towards the man who¡¯d uttered it alerted Rose to the presence of a second person with her captain. Specifically, a rake thin man wearing round spectacles and pristine white gloves that shone brighter than his bald head.


    ¡°Half the town heard the rumours of two kids downing rum by the glass in one of the less reputable taverns. It wasn¡¯t difficult,¡± he replied, suppressing a smirk. ¡°Don¡¯t scare the poor girl.¡±


    ¡°If you knew what that poor girl had been through in the last few weeks I don¡¯t think you¡¯d be looking at her like some kind of lost puppy,¡± muttered Trent.


    Rose stared at the conversation between the two men. They clearly knew each other better than if they¡¯d met since the trio¡¯s arrival in Eastfel Bay, so she guessed this man was an old acquaintance of Trent¡¯s.


    ¡°At least I know there¡¯s one gentleman in this city,¡± she quipped. ¡°When were you planning to introduce your friend?¡±


    The two men shared a look of amusement. Neither seemed like they wanted to break the silence. Neither of them had to, because the next sound out of anyone was a loud groan from the bundled heap that was Felix.


    ¡°I am never going to drink that abominable concoction ever again. I don¡¯t care what I owe you, or anyone else for that matter. Why on earth do you pirates chug it at such a preposterous pace. No wonder you¡¯re all insane,¡± he exclaimed in a rambling tirade that ended with him retching once more.


    ¡°Tide have mercy,¡± muttered Trent. ¡°I think you two need to clean up a little and we can head somewhere a little more secluded to have this talk.¡±


    He hauled Felix to his feet, taking particular care not to step in any of the mess the boy had made or grab hold of the most stained parts of his shirt. Once everyone was on their feet the bald man motioned for them to follow as he started leading the way out.


    ¡°You should know, young man. Just as skills and traits have levels, so too does alcohol have ascending tiers of quality,¡± he explained. ¡°Are you truly surprised that your body is rising in protest after flushing it with some back-alley brew of questionable origins?¡±Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    The only reply was a protesting groan. Felix was parallel with the ground, being carried by Trent like some kind of human knapsack. Rose chuckled at the sight, but quickly stopped when she felt another wave of nausea approach.


    ***


    ¡°So, who exactly is this?¡± asked Rose, hugging the warm bowl of chicken soup as though it was a precious gem.


    In that moment it was far more valuable than any treasure, given how incredibly soothing it had been for the aftereffects of their recklessly indulgent night of drinking. Apparently the bald fellow had cooked it himself, a fact that made her reassess the strangely eloquent man in a new light.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure no introduction I could craft would do him true justice, but there¡¯s an easier way to explain,¡± began Trent. ¡°Rose, meet Nasar. He will be the ship¡¯s cook for our burgeoning band of buccaneers.¡±


    ¡°Makes sense, this chicken soup is delicious. If you¡¯re going to be cooking meals this good then I¡¯d happily have you on board,¡± she said, beaming from ear to ear. ¡°In fact, I¡¯d take or leave Trent at this point. What does a captain do apart from stand on deck looking imperious and yelling at everyone?¡±


    For the first time since meeting the man, she saw Trent wearing an expression that wasn¡¯t smug derision. He seemed wounded, though she could tell it was an act.


    ¡°Well, a compliment on my cooking is the highest praise you could ever lavish on this humble chef, dear girl. You have far better manners than this ragged old bastard,¡± he replied with an utterly neutral face.


    ¡°What use do I have for manners? Everyone knows a pirate takes what he wants. Asking nicely is for wooing beautiful women, not eating mediocre food,¡± retorted Trent.


    After that, the two men erupted into a fierce shouting match of brutally personal insults. Rose learned more about Trent in that one morning to last a lifetime. She thought repeating some of what she¡¯d heard then would likely have her hunted and killed by various governments and kings across the world.


    It also reminded her that in all her excitement to experience rum, she¡¯d forgotten to collect her commissioned equipment from the mysterious smith. Felix was in no state to move.


    She leapt to her feet and rushed out of the house alone. Rose was hopeful that she would be able to find her way back to that towering cathedral of stone without assistance.


    ***


    It had taken asking an old man reclining on a bench, but she eventually found her way back to familiar streets. From there her own vague recollection of yesterday¡¯s walk managed to get her to the mysterious archway in front of the cathedral.


    Once again there was no strange resonance as she passed through the arch. It seemed like whatever she¡¯d felt the first time entering the building wasn¡¯t going to happen again.


    The place seemed empty, though there was a comforting warmth in the air that hadn¡¯t been present the day before. She didn¡¯t have to wonder why for long. The answer became clear the moment she found her way to the centre of the place.


    What had been a relic of its former glory¡ªunused, dirty, and falling into disrepair¡ªwas now a living, breathing forge. The clanging of steel had reached her ears long before she had seen the man at work.


    Sweat coated his skin and his muscles rippled as he raised a simple hammer above his head before bringing it down on a glowing bar of metal with what seemed like a delicate blow. The way the metal morphed under his strikes was proof that they were anything but.


    Rather than interrupt the master at work, Rose contented herself to watch. The rhythmic beat of his hammer lulled her into a sort of trance, one that wasn¡¯t interrupted until the man himself waved a hand in front of her face.


    ¡°Wake up, girl. You¡¯re late.¡±


    ¡°Sorry. I err¡­¡± Rose hesitated, wondering if she should tell the truth or make up an excuse. ¡°It¡¯s not important. I apologise for not being here when you asked.¡±


    He waved a hand dismissively and wandered over to a wooden table that hadn¡¯t been there yesterday. It was made of a dark wood, similar in colour to the rum she¡¯d been drinking. An odd coincidence.


    On top of the table were three items. A fur cloak, fashioned from the wolf¡¯s hide. A gold necklace with the wolf¡¯s fangs adorning it. However, those two paled in comparison to the final piece.


    Rose¡¯s attention was instantly captured by the magnificent pair of blades that were laid upon a plain white cloth. A single glance was enough to see that they were crafted from the antlers¡ªcrystalline cutlasses were not commonplace.


    What made them so beautiful was the fact that each blade was made purely with the treasure she had provided. Nothing more, nothing less. Whatever technique the man had used to turn them into the weapons was something she may never understand, nor did she need to.


    The meagre words that were tumbling through her mind did not suffice for the masterwork he was presenting, but she felt the need to offer them regardless. ¡°They¡¯re beautiful.¡±

 1.39 - Sunsplitter

    Nothing in this world captures my heart and soul more than gazing at the sun. Never directly, of course. That¡¯s the beauty of the sea, though. She offers a reflection of that cold mistress, one that offers us sailors a glimpse into its true beauty.


    -Quoted from Villian Flamespear, The Demon Admiral


    Simply gazing at them was enough to leave her stunned. The flickering flames of the forge refracted through the intact crystalline structure of the cutlasses, painting the walls in vibrant rainbow hues.


    Skill up!


    Light Attunement 3 > 4


    ¡°Wha-¡± she started to exclaim, but then stopped. Trying to fumble for an answer would only spoil whatever inspiration had led to her skill levelling up.


    ¡°I appreciate your compliments. They are far from my best work, but I was a little out of practice,¡± chimed the mysterious smith. ¡°Perhaps if you visit me again I will be able to craft you something truly awe inspiring. Using the real techniques of my people.¡±


    He seemed wistful¡ªno, mournful¡ªas he mentioned his people. She had known from the moment she¡¯d seen his grey skin and gemstone eyes that the man wasn¡¯t human, but it was sobering to hear him speak that way.


    ¡°I never did ask for your name,¡± said Rose.


    ¡°You did not,¡± he replied. ¡°Then again, my name is not so important. I will share it with you, since I know you humans are fond of such things. It is Zut Rubysoul.¡±


    It was a strange name, but Rose supposed that was her judging it from her own cultural perspective. How odd it felt, having to contend with that knowledge in her own mind. She had read about other species, but this was her first time encountering one.


    Your profession has advanced!


    Apprentice Scholar 8 > 9


    She hoped it wouldn¡¯t be the last time this happened, it was truly fascinating. Her profession advancing wasn¡¯t so mysterious, but it was surprising. It was supposed to increase as her skills levelled up, but it seemed that her own insights and experience could push it along too.


    Zut lifted the fur from the table and wrapped it around her shoulders. In its raw state the pelt had been scratchy and tough. He had transformed it into a luxuriously soft and perfectly tailored cloak.


    The fang necklace laid on top of the cloak and clasped around her neck without any loose chain. Rose wondered how the smith had managed to accurately size them without measuring her, but she relaxed and allowed herself to be impressed.


    ¡°You should be able to inspect them. Just use whatever appraisal skill you have and the tide should do the rest.¡±


    Rose paused. She didn¡¯t have a skill like that.


    However, she didn¡¯t want to embarrass herself in front of the man by exposing her lack of knowledge. Perhaps having an appraisal skill was basic for people here, but in Emerlan Isle it was unheard of.


    As far as she was aware there were only a few elite merchants and appraisers by trade back in her home country¡ªalmost all of whom lived in Greengate, the capital. Zut saw her hesitation and smacked himself in the forehead.


    ¡°Ah, I forgot how young you are. It is a bad habit of mine¡ªassuming that others have the same depth of knowledge that I possess,¡± he said.


    After that, he took hold of her hand and moved it until it was pressing against the cloak. Her fingers sank into the soft fur and she revelled in the feeling. This was by far the highest quality piece of clothing she¡¯d ever owned.


    ¡°Close your eyes and follow my lead. It will help to let me guide the skill the first time. I would recommend trying to earn a similar skill yourself in future¡ªappraisal is exceptionally useful.¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    As she let her errant thoughts out of her mind, Rose wondered if her occupation would help her with the appraisal. The description had said it would give her greater insight into the world, after all.


    The feeling was strange. Not quite arcane in the way the convergence had felt, or the strange archway, but certainly magical.


    It was like extending a sixth sense she hadn¡¯t known existed into the very fibres of the cloak and delving for secrets. With Zut leading the charge, it wasn¡¯t difficult to uncover them. Soon after they began, the magical feeling faded; in its place was a whorl, describing the virtues of her new cloak.


    Cloak of the Alpha 28


    Beast Aspect


    A thick fur cloak fashioned from the hide of an alpha wolf by an expert artificer. Provides protection from adverse weather conditions and slashing strikes.


    There was nothing special about the cloak, other than the fact that Zut had somehow squeezed an extra 6 levels out of her treasure. Having some extra protection against storms and her enemies was nothing to scoff at.


    Next was the necklace. Seeing the information actually surprised her this time, because the man had somehow turned the worst of her loot into a truly potent accessory.


    Mark of the Wolf 34


    Beast Aspect


    Combining fangs taken from an alpha wolf and a chain forged from truegold, this necklace gives the wearer the ferocity of a wolf in battle, increasing their reaction times and ability to sense weakness.


    Rose wasn¡¯t sure what to make of it. Clearly Zut had gone above and beyond when crafting it, taking a measly level 19 treasure and transforming it into the highest levelled piece of gear she owned. Although she was sure the cutlasses would soon blow it out of the water.


    ¡°This is incredible. Thank you,¡± she muttered while reading through the description once more.


    The effects were a little intense and she frankly hoped to avoid fighting as much as she could¡ªwith other humans, at least. Rose had no doubt they would encounter far more wild beasts, and probably pirates, in the future.


    Having this necklace would give her an edge on the competition, one that she sorely needed. Of course there was always her Murderer title to fall back on, but she saw that as a last resort. A nuclear button that she hoped to never press again.


    He had clearly used some of his own materials as well, since the Mark of the Wolf was apparently forged from a metal called truegold. It sounded expensive.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Fate brought us together after all,¡± he mused, gemstone eyes shimmering in the light of the forge.


    Last, but certainly far from least, was the twin cutlasses forged from the crystal antlers. Her steps were hesitant as she made her way towards the end of the table, where the grey skinned smith stood waiting.


    With a delicate touch that no longer surprised her, he flicked one of the blades into his thick hands and then passed it to her, handle first. Her fingers nestled into the grooves as though it had been moulded for her¡ªshe supposed it had been.


    The wide basket shaped guard curved just above her knuckles, joining back at the point where the handle held the blade itself. Zut had sharpened the sides of the antlers into a lethally sharp cutting edge, but he hadn¡¯t needed to make any modification to the stabbing end.


    Evolution had seen to it that the stag had antlers that could shatter tree trunks. While Rose lacked the same physical strength as the beast, she could do plenty of damage to a stray pirate.


    Wanting to see the full extent of her new cutlass¡¯s capabilities, Rose took the second blade from the table. After she held both in her hands, she tried to repeat the appraisal that Zut had led her through before.


    At first, precious little happened. She found herself unable to shift the magical undercurrents that danced around her, imitating whatever he had done to inspect the equipment. Closing her eyes, she drew on her focus and let everything except her awareness of the twin blades fade away.


    She could feel the cold crystal in her hands, the grooves that nestled against her fingers and palms. But she wanted to go deeper than what her sense of touch was telling her¡ªshe needed to tap into that sixth sense once more.


    There was some resistance, clearly this wasn¡¯t something that came naturally. However, she remembered how it had felt when the blacksmith had led the way. All she needed to do was retrace his steps with her own mind.


    It took almost a minute of intense focus, but her efforts paid off. That magical feeling as her mind delved right into the cutlasses in her hands and exposed their secrets. Well, most of them. She opened her eyes as the splash sounded in her ears and observed the whorls.


    You have learned a new skill!


    Appraisal 0 > 1


    Sunsplitter 51


    Light Aspect


    Twin cutlasses forged from the antlers of a crystal stag by a master blacksmith. These twin blades are separate, yet they form a single entity. Cleave through the rays of the sun as you deliver death blows to your foes.

 1.40 - Intertwined

    I¡¯ve lived for far too long and experienced a heart-aching number of farewells. I am still not sure if it hurts most when you get the chance to say goodbye, or if you leave a companion with a hint of hope in their heart. I imagine there are forlorn lovers and friends waiting for me in every corner of the seas.


    -Quoted from Casavian Whitter, The Soulstealer


    Mr. Rubysoul had left Rose with one final piece of advice before sending her on her way with her new blades. She needed to bind them to her, using a drop or two of her blood.


    It would ensure that no one could steal them from her. Or at least steal them and turn them against her in the middle of a fight. He hinted at other benefits, but was rather tight-lipped about what they were.


    She figured it would be best to perform the binding back on the ship, once they had left Eastfel Bay behind. Who knew what could happen during the ritual.


    The smith hadn¡¯t said it would be flashy, but Rose didn¡¯t want to take chances. After putting Sunsplitter into her inventory, but leaving the cloak and necklace wrapped around her, she had made her way back to their new chef¡¯s house.


    Upon arrival she had found that Felix was finally awake, though still not in a stable frame of mind. Maybe she had a natural talent for drinking¡ªthat really would be a sign she was destined for piracy.


    ¡°Glad to see you finally grace us with your presence,¡± she quipped.


    ¡°Why do you look so smug, you evil girl,¡± he muttered. ¡°It¡¯s your fault I¡¯m in this state.¡±


    She chuckled but didn¡¯t hit him with the next jab she had lined up. He was half right. She doubted he would¡¯ve gone out of his way to drown himself in rum without her pleading.


    Despite the downsides, she didn¡¯t regret her decision. The few snippets of memory she had painted a picture of a merry evening of song, stories, and new friends. Hopefully her headache wouldn¡¯t be so bad next time.


    ¡°Where did you rush off to, young lady?¡± asked Trent, hands on hips with a severe frown decorating his face.


    Rose burst into laughter at the absurd sight. It was rare to see him without a smirk or derision on his face, but right now he looked like her mother when she came home late from one of her adventures.


    ¡°I remembered I missed an important appointment,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Would that have something to do with the fancy cloak and truegold necklace you¡¯re wearing, by any chance?¡± he asked, drawing attention from Nasar.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    He stared at her, their eyes locking and going to war for a brief moment. She let him wallow in the tantalising anticipation for a while, but eventually decided to give in.


    ¡°When Felix and I entered the city, we were kidnapped by this strange blacksmith. He had grey skin and gemstones for eyes,¡± she recounted.


    Trent¡¯s eyes widened and he reached for his belt. ¡°Who is this bastard?¡± he said with simmering fury. ¡°I¡¯ll spill his guts across his forge.¡±


    ¡°Calm down,¡± she chuckled. It was an overreaction, but seeing how protective Trent was gave her a warm feeling. One that she used to get from her father.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t malicious. He said that fate brought us together and ended up turning all of my treasures into equipment. The cloak and necklace are neat, but they weren¡¯t the best bit,¡± she continued.


    ¡°Oh? Now I¡¯m curious. Did you let this mystery man play with your antlers?¡± chuckled Trent.


    Even Nasar leaned in at his quip, interested to see what exactly she had in store for them. Felix watched on with muted curiosity, though he still looked a little green. Lightweight.


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± she offered with a grin.


    Her mischievous mind wanted to leave them hanging on the edge of suspense for as long as possible. Seeing her usually charismatic captain adopting puppy dog eyes almost made her collapse into laughter, so she relented.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    The moment she pulled the twin cutlasses from her inventory, there was a collective gasp. Deep in Zut Rubysoul¡¯s imposing cathedral, the only light they could play with was the flames of his forge. In Nasar¡¯s house however, the rays of the early afternoon sun pierced through the large windows.


    As the bright beams hit the crystal blades, they were absorbed by the hungry cutlasses, twisted and transformed. They scattered the light and painted the walls and ceiling in a dancing rainbow.


    Rose swished the cutlasses around for dramatic effect. As she moved the blades, the kaleidoscopic display danced and fluttered across the space, making even Trent look on in wonder. She delighted in turning the fierce pirates into excited children.


    After the initial surprise wore off, Trent and Nasar schooled their expressions. Felix still followed the glittering lights like an excited kitten, but the two veteran pirates were used to seeing weapons of such calibre¡ªor so she believed.


    ¡°As your first weapon, it is rather high quality. What level are they?¡± asked Trent.


    ¡°I thought you said I shouldn¡¯t divulge the secrets of my status to a stranger,¡± she replied with a smirk.


    Trent only scoffed. He wouldn¡¯t push further, but she figured there was no harm in sharing the information; of the four people in the room, two would be her crewmates and one was her closest friend.


    ¡°Level 51. And they count as a single weapon.¡±


    Nasar whistled. ¡°That¡¯s an exceptional level for a girl of your age. Treasure them, for they will be the difference between life and death when we¡¯re at sea,¡± he cautioned with an approving nod. ¡°Have you bound them yet?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t,¡± she answered. ¡°I figured it was best to wait until I was in a safer location than the streets.¡±


    ¡°Smart girl. I knew it wasn¡¯t a mistake picking you up,¡± said Trent.


    ¡°Pick me up? As if you¡¯d be alive if it wasn¡¯t for me, you preposterous pirate,¡± she exclaimed, only half joking.


    Trent¡¯s eyes widened for a moment, but he schooled his expression rather fast.


    ¡°Ha! Good girl, don¡¯t let this brash bastard get away with his mischief,¡± chuckled Nasar.


    Rather than continue bickering, Trent directed the conversation away from the current topic. He held out a hand to Rose.


    Knowing what he wanted, she passed over one of the cutlasses to let the man test it out. He took it through some simple motions, swishing and slashing the blade with a few stabs thrown into the mix. After his impromptu routine concluded, he nodded and made an approving sound before passing it back.


    ¡°Not bad. Wielding two cutlasses at once will be difficult, however. Put in some practice while you have the chance¡ªyou don¡¯t want to be caught off guard when we get into any fights.¡±


    She¡¯d wanted to perform the binding on her own, but given that she was a little clueless about the process it made sense to have the more experienced men nearby in case something went wrong. Placing the two blades on the dining table, she pricked her finger with a dagger offered by Nasar and let a single drop of blood fall onto each.


    The effect was immediate. Rose hadn¡¯t known what to expect but the intensity of the process was far beyond what she¡¯d imagined.


    A bright glow erupted from the weapons; a lesser glow erupted from her body. The shimmering lights from the weapons condensed into two ribbons that had a distinctly arcane feel to them, while her own glow seemed to surround her like a shell.


    The ribbons intertwined with one another until they transformed into a double helix and then shot right into her chest. She felt a cold energy washing through her before settling. The glow faded and she heard a gentle splash in her ears.


    You have bound Sunsplitter 51!


    There is a 13% resonance between you.


    Rose had gleaned far more from the experience than she expected. The actual binding was underwhelming¡ªthe resonance seemed pitiful¡ªbut the strange way the arcane energy interacted with her body allowed her to feel¡­ she wasn¡¯t quite sure. She wanted to call it a lump in her stomach, but that wasn¡¯t quite accurate.


    ¡°So? How did it go?¡± asked Trent.


    All three men looked on eagerly to hear the results. Felix especially. He¡¯d actually managed to lift himself from the plush armchair he¡¯d sunk into and planted himself at the table to watch and listen.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± she began, her expression painting a grim picture. ¡°It said there was only a thirteen percent resonance between me and the cutlasses. That can¡¯t be great.¡±


    Trent scoffed, Nasar remained impassive, and Felix simply looked confused. Rose was upset. Until then she had believed herself rather talented, thanks to her impressive bank of skills and traits at her young age.


    ¡°Youngsters these days, always expecting everything to be handed to them on a platter,¡± said Trent, shaking his head. ¡°Let me ask you something Rose. What do you think the average resonance is between a person and their equipment when they first bind it?¡±


    The question took her by surprise. She hadn¡¯t even considered it. Wouldn¡¯t it be normal to have close to one hundred percent resonance with something that was crafted for you?


    ¡°I suppose, eighty or ninety percent.¡±


    ¡°Wrong,¡± he declared. ¡°Most people get five percent. And that¡¯s for personally crafted gear. For looted equipment? Expect zero. One if you¡¯re lucky.¡±


    ¡°Five percent is generous,¡± offered Nasar.


    While Rose was a little embarrassed at her lack of knowledge, she couldn¡¯t stifle the grin that was forming. Am I some kind of secret genius?

 1.41 - Bitter Conclusions

    There¡¯s something rather charming about being chased out of a place you¡¯d learned to love. It seems scary, but the essence of piracy is freedom. Freedom to explore the wide world and all the magic it holds. When a town bands together to run you out, it means they cared enough to take action. I¡¯d rather be infamous and remembered than obedient and forgotten.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Lessons of a Retired Pirate,¡¯ author unknown


    During last night¡¯s dinner, the four had engaged in idle discussion. Trent wanted Rose and Nasar to get to know one another and despite his polite manner, the chef was a skilled conversationalist.


    He also announced that they would be setting sail the following morning. They had only planned to stay for a day or two so that was already beyond the limit. He¡¯d made the exception given the events of the past few days.


    Rose wasn¡¯t too upset. While she¡¯d had quite a few exciting encounters in Eastfel Bay, she had no particular attachment to the city. She didn¡¯t miss Felix¡¯s dour mood and the speed with which he retired to his bedroom after cleaning his plate in record time.


    Oh. In all the chaos of their minor adventures, she¡¯d forgotten that Felix wasn¡¯t actually part of their crew. He had been a stowaway, ferried across the Aetherstone Strait against his will. His plan was to part ways and return to Captain¡ªLord¡ªBradshawe.


    While she understood the motives behind his decision, she was upset. The kids in Fairwater Bay had been fun to play with growing up, but she couldn¡¯t think of one she¡¯d call a true friend.


    Despite the short time her and Felix had known each other, Rose had grown truly attached. He¡¯d taught her how to sail, introduced her to life onboard a ship, and been a trustworthy companion at sea.


    Their departure meant the beginning of her journey; the first step towards achieving her long held ambition. Yet it also meant saying goodbye to him.


    ***


    Later that evening, when the half-moon was glittering in the sky above the bay, Rose found herself knocking on Felix¡¯s door. Sleep had eluded her and the only solution was to have the difficult conversation she¡¯d been avoiding.


    ¡°Come in,¡± groaned a muffled voice.


    She heard the ruffling of a duvet as she entered the room. It seemed Felix hadn¡¯t been struggling as much as she had with getting some sleep. Then again, he¡¯d always had an unusual talent of making even the hardest of planks a luxurious bed.


    He yawned loudly before sitting up and patting the mattress. She gratefully took a seat beside him. At first she hesitated to speak. They shared a long silence, just watching each other.


    ¡°Please tell me you didn¡¯t wake me up in the middle of the night to come and stare at me,¡± he grumbled.


    Rose sighed and relented. ¡°No,¡± she whispered softly. ¡°I just¡­ I know you don¡¯t want to lead the life of a pirate. Yet, I don¡¯t want this to be our final goodbye. We-¡±


    ¡°We were never destined to share the same path,¡± he interrupted. ¡°I am glad we met, Rose. Truly. For what it¡¯s worth, I don¡¯t blame you for everything you¡¯ve done. Even stealing the ship.¡±


    There wasn¡¯t a trace of laughter on his face. He was being serious; speaking from the depths of his heart. She felt the same, almost.


    ¡°Well. You should tell Captain Bradshawe to hire better security. Such an expensive ship with only a few incompetents guarding it was just asking for trouble,¡± she joked.


    ¡°Are you calling me incompetent?¡± he gasped, mouth agape in a facade of shock.


    ¡°Only as a guard,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re the best teacher I¡¯ve ever had.¡±


    ¡°Am I the only teacher you¡¯ve ever had?¡±


    She coughed and covered her smile with an open hand. ¡°Of course not. My parents taught me¡­ things.¡±


    ¡°Oh? I¡¯m better than your parents. High praise indeed.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    Rose leaned towards him and wrapped her arms around his midsection and he placed an arm around her shoulders. For a while they stayed in each other¡¯s embrace; two ships passing in the night.


    ***


    ¡°I¡¯ll miss you,¡± said Rose, pulling away from Felix¡¯s embrace.


    They were outside Nasar¡¯s house, saying their final farewells before embarking on their grand voyage. The two had fallen asleep together and woken up in a tangled heap. Her shoulders ached from the awkward position but she was glad she hadn¡¯t missed their final moments.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get into too much trouble,¡± he said. ¡°And don¡¯t trust this sneaky pirate,¡± he added, shooting a glance at Trent.


    For his troubles, Trent ruffled Felix¡¯s hair and grinned. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you too, brat. Don¡¯t go getting bored being a merchant. And don¡¯t let any amateur pirates raid you.¡±


    There were no more words to say. Everything had been said; every emotion already expressed. With a final wave, the trio made their way back towards the docks and left a sombre youth standing in the cobbled streets.


    Rose resisted the urge to look back. If she did, she might just abandon the whole journey and return to the merchant crew. However, she knew that this would only be the first of many sacrifices she would have to make in order to achieve her dream.


    ***


    Wind rushed past Rose, her hair billowing behind her as she took a deep breath. Salt tingled on her lips, adventure sparkled in her eyes.


    Travelling from Highbream to Eastfel Bay had been their first voyage as a crew, but it had been more of an escape. That held its own appeal, but this was the true commemoration of their ship and crew.


    Trent called her down from the bow. He was leaning against the mainmast, Nasar perched on a barrel nearby. She skipped down the steps to the deck to the two men.


    ¡°So, two orders of business for today,¡± said Trent. ¡°Our ship needs a new name. We can¡¯t keep the old one, or everyone will know we stole it. There¡¯s appeal in that kind of infamy, but right now we want a low profile.¡±


    ¡°I like The Crown of Salt, though,¡± she muttered.


    ¡°Me too, Rose. It¡¯s poetic,¡± added Nasar.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m the captain. I say we need a new name.¡±


    ¡°Bigheaded bastard,¡± grumbled Rose.


    Nasar let his lips curl ever so slightly upwards before curbing the blossoming smile. ¡°How about Unchained Sovereign.¡±


    ¡°Too pompous,¡± said Trent.


    Rose liked the name, but she had to admit it did sound a bit fancy. It sounded more like a navy ship than a pirate vessel.


    ¡°Then¡­ what do you think of Liberty?¡± she offered.


    The two mulled it over. Trent still wasn¡¯t entirely satisfied, but he seemed to approve. Nasar clearly wanted a far grander title, but there would have to be a compromise struck between the two extremes.


    ¡°Liberty it is,¡± agreed Trent.


    ¡°Liberty¡ªfreedom, the right to make your own decisions. Truly fitting. Wonderful choice, dear girl,¡± said Nasar.


    She grinned at the praise. Being able to name the ship was a truly special moment. She might spend the next decade on board¡ªor however long it took her to form her own crew.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll have to scratch off the old name and replace it, but now that the name is sorted let¡¯s move on to the next order of business. Our flag.¡±


    ¡°I thought all pirates used the broken chain?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Sure, that¡¯s the universal symbol. Every real pirate has their own flag though. A calling card of sorts. How can you expect your legend to grow if people can¡¯t recognise you on sight?¡± Trent explained.


    ¡°That makes sense.¡±


    It was something she¡¯d never even considered. Condensing all the ideals, ambitions, and aspects of a crew into one recognisable symbol was a difficult task. Rose was stumped.


    None of them seemed to have a solid idea of what to make their flag. After all, they¡¯d only been a crew for a short while and didn¡¯t have many shared experiences yet. They hadn¡¯t even spoken about their next destination.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about this, but it seems like a good starting point. How about a broken chain with blue antlers? A reminder of how we met.¡±


    Trent nodded while Nasar observed. He had no part in their adventure inside the convergence. Rose wasn¡¯t committed to the idea either, but it was all she had.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the worst idea,¡± muttered Trent, shooting a glance at his ARM. ¡°There are many things about that island I¡¯d rather not dwell on, but it was a rather enjoyable adventure.¡±


    ¡°I believe this might be a tad easier if we came up with a name for our little crew first,¡± interjected Nasar.


    ¡°Oh! It slipped my mind. I¡¯d been sailing as a nameless pirate for so long I forgot that a crew should have a name,¡± exclaimed Trent.


    ¡°We can figure this out rather easily,¡± said Nasar, turning to Rose. ¡°What¡¯s your goal, Rose? As a pirate.¡±


    The answer came without thinking. ¡°To become a legend akin to Saltbeard.¡±


    The man nodded, but seemed displeased with her answer. ¡°Having heroes is important. Everyone should look up to people; want to emulate the greats. However, you can¡¯t achieve anything by chasing the shadow of another. I ask again, what do you want to achieve?¡±

 1.42 - Every Crew Needs a Name

    Having a forgettable name or a poorly drawn flag is the easiest way to become a laughing stock. Every pirate worth their salt can be recognised in an instant. Any sailor who sees their flag should be struck with terror; any admiral spotting their ship should feel his heart fill with fury.


    -Excerpt from ¡®The Pirate¡¯s Code¡¯ by Castell Saltbeard


    Rose struggled to come up with an answer. It wasn¡¯t for lack of ambition. When she ran away from Fairwater Bay and stole that little fishing boat, her mind had been bursting with possibilities.


    Seeing the realities of a life at sea had tempered her ambition, though only a little. She wanted to explore the world, to see its wonders. Even the more mundane marvels like the moving platforms at Eastfel Bay had been magical to her.


    ¡°I want to discover what it means to be a pirate,¡± she declared.


    What she truly wanted was far greater than that. Rose wanted to see every corner of the seas, explore more convergences, and discover treasure beyond her wildest dreams.


    At her core though, she had left home to seek something more than a simple life. To discover who Rose Everblue truly was¡ªif her desires were childish dreams borne of bedtime stories, or true ambition.


    ¡°As good an answer as any,¡± replied Nasar with a satisfied smile. ¡°I know you, old friend. For the girl¡¯s benefit, speak your dreams out loud.¡±


    ¡°My goal? Seduce a maiden on every continent of the world,¡± he said without a hint of laughter on his face.


    Nasar smacked him on the back of the head and shot him a fierce glare. ¡°Don¡¯t take this lightly. There is true importance behind a name. The tide is always listening.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. My apologies. That was just a lesser ambition of mine,¡± he said with a wink. ¡°My goal is to free my people from their chains.¡±


    That answer piqued her curiosity, but he seemed unwilling to expand on the simple statement. However, it told her plenty about his history; the kind of man she was setting sail with.


    Nasar nodded. ¡°A fine goal. Tide willing, you will live to see it happen. As for me, I wish to taste the nine divine ingredients and prepare the greatest dish this world has ever seen.¡±


    ¡°Divine ingredients? What are those?¡± asked Rose.


    ¡°There are legends and stories among chefs. The higher level an animal or plant is, the greater energy it contains and by extension how wonderful its flavour. The nine divine ingredients are a myth; nine ingredients rumoured to be so potent that even a single bite can cause you to glimpse at the secrets of heaven itself.¡±


    As he spoke, Rose saw the flames of passion in the man¡¯s eyes for the very first time. When she¡¯d complimented his cooking he¡¯d been pleased, but this was on a whole other level. Could I claim the same obsession with my dream?


    ¡°Three very different goals. How do we condense that into a name?¡± said Trent.


    ¡°Not at all. While our goals may be different, they do share a single common thread,¡± replied Nasar without missing a beat.


    The two stared at him with interest, wondering what he had figured out. Of the three of them, the skinny chef was the most gifted with words and therefore the most qualified with such matters.


    ¡°Each of us wishes to become a pioneer; to reach the pinnacle of our respective fields. Or, to achieve a feat beyond common belief,¡± he stated as they nodded along. ¡°The Ascendant Pirates. To triumph over that which stands in the way of our ambitions.¡±


    He had foreseen her questions. Rose¡¯s eyes widened at the name. It was more than fitting¡ªit encapsulated everything they stood for.


    Trent nodded sagely, the man never displaying too much emotion. ¡°Ascendant Pirates it is,¡± he agreed, pulling a dagger from his belt.


    Having said that, he cut his palm and let the blood trickle freely before passing the blade to Nasar. The chef did the same and then turned the handle to Rose, who baulked.


    ¡°Why are we cutting ourselves?¡±


    ¡°Old pirate¡¯s ritual. To initiate a new crew, the members should bind each other by blood on the open sea,¡± he explained. Then, seeing her grimace he added, ¡°It brings good fortune.¡±


    Despite her reservations Rose wouldn¡¯t refuse. This ritual seemed to carry a great deal of weight in the two men¡¯s minds and thus far, fate had seemed to smile on her.


    She nicked her palm and returned the dagger to Trent. He took it with a smile and then the three of them held their hands out, grasping the others in a three-way handshake.


    ¡°To calm weather, rich treasure, and a life on the open seas. It¡¯s a pirate¡¯s life for me,¡± Trent recited.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Nasar repeated the mantra, utter seriousness and dedication on his face. Rose hadn¡¯t heard the phrase before, even with all the pirate stories she¡¯d read. Yet with how firmly her two crewmates declared it she knew this wasn¡¯t a moment to take lightly.


    Rose prepared to repeat it herself, when a nearby barrel burst open and the lid flew over the side of the ship into the ocean below. Trent drew his pistol and a chef¡¯s knife appeared in Nasar¡¯s hand.


    Seconds later a familiar figure sprung from the barrel like a jack-in-the-box. The weapons were put away as the boy held his hands up in surrender, a grin plastered on his face.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be thinking of setting sail without me, can you?¡± Felix chuckled nervously.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± laughed Trent. ¡°Are you addicted to being a stowaway, boy?¡±


    Caught in the act, Felix looked guilty but could only shrug his shoulders and step out of the barrel. ¡°Sorry about the lid, but I couldn¡¯t let you finish¡­ Whatever this is without me. It felt wrong.¡±


    ¡°Well, I suppose if you truly want to join us then it is only right to include you in the blood bond,¡± said Trent, turning a heavy gaze on the youth.


    Felix skipped towards the trio and held out his hand, accepting the dagger from Nasar. Right as he was about to cut his palm, Trent grabbed his wrist and Rose felt the air itself recoil from the pirate.


    ¡°But,¡± he warned. ¡°This is no joke or half measure. Unlike our last voyage, this is the birth of a true pirate crew. Once you accept this bond, it is a heavy oath to break. Do not take it lightly.¡±


    His face paled as Trent released his wrist, but Rose saw his knuckles whiten as he tightened his grip on the dagger and sliced his hand open with a little too much vigour. Despite the flowing blood there was no reservation on his face as he passed the blade back.


    Joining his hand with theirs, the crew had grown in its first moments. For good measure, the two men repeated the mantra. Felix hesitated briefly, staring at the sky with a somewhat apologetic look in his eyes before doing the same.


    Rose¡¯s eyes circled around the group. It had only been a few short weeks but she¡¯d already had enough adventures to last most people a lifetime. For her however, it was far from enough. ¡°To calm weather, rich treasure, and a life on the open seas. It¡¯s a pirate¡¯s life for me,¡± she declared.


    As the newly baptised Ascendant Pirates shook their hands the tide murmured. The winds of fate had changed course that day. Rose swore she felt the energy within her roiling briefly, settling in that same spot in her navel as it had during the binding.


    ¡°What was that?¡± she muttered to herself.


    ¡°You felt it too, Rose?¡± said Trent. ¡°The tide has blessed this day. I sense good fortune in our future.¡±


    ¡°So, Captain. Where are we headed?¡± asked Nasar.


    ¡°To Zoria. We have another old friend to collect in Clissolt. I don¡¯t imagine she¡¯ll be too pleased to see us, but I¡¯d never forgive myself if we set sail without trying.¡±


    ¡°Zoria?¡± exclaimed Felix. ¡°Isn¡¯t that dangerous for pirates?¡±


    The boy had leapt forth and slipped from Nasar¡¯s hands as the man attempted to bandage the zealous cut he¡¯d given himself. After a cuff on the temple he muttered an apology, but still had an expectant look on his face as he stared at Trent.


    ¡°Where isn¡¯t dangerous for a pirate?¡± chuckled Trent. ¡°Now, get to work you lazy gits. Adjust the mainsail and prepare for our new heading.¡±


    Rose felt that his statement was more philosophical than it seemed at first glance. There perhaps was no place in this world¡ªor at least the Bluestone Sea¡ªwhere a pirate was truly safe. Yet, was there anywhere more secure than in the middle of the ocean? Truly, it was freedom.


    ¡°Wait!¡± she exclaimed, causing the rest of the crew to stop and stare at her. ¡°What about the flag?¡±


    ¡°Ha, you¡¯re right. We forgot. I blame your little friend,¡± said Trent.


    Felix shot him a glare but it was just as half-hearted as the captain¡¯s joke.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think the blue antlers fits us anymore. They don¡¯t resonate with our name. I have a much better idea,¡± she said. ¡°What about a rising sun?¡±


    Nasar beamed. ¡°I¡¯ll make a poet of you yet, dear girl.¡±


    Trent nodded and rested his chin in the crook of his fingers, mulling it over. After a few seconds of deliberation he nodded once more. ¡°I like it!¡± he declared. ¡°The rising sun it is.¡±


    She smiled. Everything had been decided and it was time to begin their voyage in earnest. Not only was she a real pirate, but she was part of a proper crew. I forgot to write that letter to my parents.


    All in good time. Perhaps they had moved on already, but she would write when the moment struck. The others started moving around the deck to adjust their course.


    Before moving to assist, Rose had a look at her status. It had been a while since she last checked it and there seemed to be new entries that she¡¯d missed somehow.


    Name: Rose Everblue


    Race: Human


    Occupation: Apprentice Scholar 9


    Title: Apprentice


    Available Titles: Murderer, Apprentice


    Bound Items: Sunsplitter 51


    Skills: Cleaning 11, Reading 11, Fishing 14, Swimming 8, Writing 13, Butchery 6, Cooking 6, Herding 2, Focus 14, Drawing 11, Sailing 14, One Handed Weapons 5, Blades 7, Pistols 9, Firearms 5, Unarmed Combat 2, Endurance 5, Precision 5, Arcane Attunement 2, Light Attunement 4, Stealth 5, Athletics 7, Toxin Resistance 2, Appraisal 1


    Traits: Sensitive Line, Deft Hand, Good as New, Tunnel Vision, Endless Inkwell, Quick Consumption, Knot my Problem


    She knew where Appraisal had come from and the section for bound items made sense. However, Toxin Resistance was a mystery¡ªalong with an extra level in Unarmed Combat and Endurance. Thinking back, there was only one answer.


    Rum.


    If one night of drinking had given her four skill levels, it looked as though she would be spending a lot of time at sea in the embrace of that stormy mistress.


    As Trent yelled at her to get moving, Rose giggled. The next adventure awaited and she was eager to see another corner of the world.

 1.43 - The Truth of the Tide

    It is of the utmost importance that a blade be wet in the proper manner. No matter the skill of the smith who forged it, a weapon that isn¡¯t used for war will grow weak. Steel forged in the heat of battle will never break against that nurtured within four walls.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Armoury of the Deep: An Introduction to Blades¡¯ by Xen Diamondeye


    The journey from Eastfel Bay to Clissolt was far greater a distance than their first voyage. Rose settled into the routine of life at sea once more, though this time aboard a far less lively ship.


    Compared with the bustling Unrequited Love, with its enormous crew of merchants and sailors, their little gang of pirates was tiny. That wasn¡¯t to say that it wasn¡¯t fun¡ªif anything she was truly happy for the first time in her life¡ªbut there were only so many knots a girl could tie before she started to want some excitement.


    There was one way she could find it, though she was hesitant to prod Trent for the information. He had promised her an explanation about the strange crystal from the convergence. They¡¯d just not had the time to have the talk. Perhaps he¡¯d been avoiding it.


    Later that night, as they were enjoying a fantastic dinner of salt cured fish and roast potatoes cut in the shape of roses¡ªNasar was truly a master of his craft¡ªRose broke the satisfied silence with her question.


    ¡°So, Captain. You owe me an explanation and this time you¡¯re not worming your weaselly way out of it,¡± she announced.


    Nasar grinned. ¡°I¡¯m curious to know what you promised young Rose and failed to deliver, old friend.¡±


    ¡°As am I,¡± Trent replied with a straight face. ¡°Care to explain?¡±


    Mouth wide in shock, she practically yelled her answer at him. ¡°You smarmy bastard, how could you forget? Tell me what you wanted that damn crystal egg for so badly. You made me risk my life to help you get it!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± said Felix with a mouth full of fish. ¡°I remember you saying that when we were crossing the strait. You promised in exchange for seeing her treasures.¡±


    Despite her disgust of the boy¡¯s bad manners¡ªbits of fish had spilled from his mouth as he spoke¡ªRose appreciated his support. And Nasar chipped in too, glaring at their captain until he relented.


    ¡°Fine, fine. I¡¯ll tell you,¡± he muttered, throwing his arms up in surrender. ¡°The only reason I hid it from you is because you wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything with the information. And it might put you in danger.¡±


    ¡°I think I can make that decision myself. I¡¯m a pirate now, after all,¡± she replied fiercely.


    ¡°That you are, little Rose. I suppose I¡¯ll tell you, but don¡¯t get ideas in your head. We were lucky that convergence wasn¡¯t so strong. We wouldn¡¯t be alive to tell the tale otherwise,¡± he cautioned.


    Felix had slid down the rigging from the crow¡¯s nest where he¡¯d been keeping watch, eager to listen in on the conversation. Nasar seemed to know what was coming, but stayed anyway¡ªthey weren¡¯t close to a mealtime and the seas were calm, leaving him with little to do.


    ¡°You have most probably guessed that the crystal was the core of the convergence. That is why all the beasts were drawn to it. Do you know why convergences form?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No,¡± she answered. She¡¯d only discovered they existed when the pair of them had been thrown into one together and forced to escape.


    ¡°Beneath the surface of reality, underlying all things, there is an enigmatic and endless source of energy. Most know it as the Tide,¡± he said, pausing to let the revelation sink in. ¡°However, what you see¡ªwhorls, skills, and occupations¡ªis just the surface. Perhaps you¡¯ve felt it. That tug on your soul, a thread of reality beyond what our eyes can see.¡±


    He¡¯d described to the word a feeling she¡¯d experienced many times before. Occasionally when using a skill, when they passed through those strange webs in the convergence, and when she¡¯d entered Zut Rubysoul¡¯s cathedral.


    ¡°I have a skill,¡± she said, hesitating when the look on Trent¡¯s face became far more serious. ¡°Arcane Attunement. It¡­ gives me tugs sometimes. Faint, but exactly how you described.¡±Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°That¡­ is incredible. And you¡¯re fifteen?¡± he asked.


    ¡°You know I am.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, I do. It¡¯s just amazing. It truly is a grand stroke of fate that we met, Rose. Anyway, about the core.¡±


    Felix nudged her arm with a smile. ¡°Want to share some of that talent with me, friend?¡±


    ¡°Maybe if you work hard enough,¡± she quipped.


    ¡°Convergence cores are the Tide, crystallised into solid form¡ªthe energy of the world at the zenith of purity,¡± he explained.


    ¡°Can you absorb them? Take their energy for yourself?¡± she gasped.


    He held up a hand to stop her in her tracks and shook his head with a forlorn half-smile. ¡°If only it was that simple. If you tried, you¡¯d explode,¡± he said, waving his hands theatrically.


    She swallowed the saliva and the gulp caught in the back of her throat, making her cough. That was terrifying. She was only trying to become a pirate, not blow herself up. Rose decided to steer clear of the cores until she knew more about them.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t use them yourself, then what¡¯s the point of taking them? They must have some use other than being sparkly and beautiful?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Indeed, smart girl. Tidestones have extraordinary value. You saw the moving platforms at Eastfel Bay. They are powered by a few. It¡¯s mostly complex machinery¡ªthe better ships use them instead of sails, or alongside them.¡±


    ¡°And they have one terrifying function. One that drives the real demand to explore and harvest convergences,¡± added Nasar. He paused. ¡°Devastating weaponry.¡±


    Trent¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°Nasar is right. That¡¯s where the real market is, but you don¡¯t need to think about such things for now. Only in the more advanced oceans will you find the artificers capable of forging weapons of that calibre. Out here in the boonies cannons do just fine.¡±


    Felix let out a sigh of relief, one that Rose matched internally. The moment he¡¯d mentioned weapons her mind had conjured images of terrifying energy weapons that could blast dozens of ships to smithereens in a single blast.


    The fact that such weapons might exist was horror enough. That they might have to contend with them one day was equally fearful, but ever since witnessing the clash between Trent and the Commodore she knew just how much of an ant she was compared to the true powers of the seas.


    Seeing the kid¡¯s grim expressions, Trent chuckled and slapped the mast loud enough to make them jump. ¡°I told you it was too much. Then again, sometimes it¡¯s beneficial to know what awaits you in the future, so you don¡¯t start slacking off. I know how lazy you can get,¡± he joked while staring pointedly at Felix, who shrivelled under his gaze.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I appreciate the honesty. There¡¯s no future for a crew who can¡¯t trust each other,¡± Rose answered. ¡°I¡¯ll keep working hard to achieve my goals.¡±


    The atmosphere had grown heavy. To take everyone¡¯s minds off whatever was looming over them, Nasar piped up with a new topic of conversation. ¡°So, who wants to hear about Zoria?¡±


    ***


    Thick droplets of rain pelted her face as Rose fought with the fluttering sails. Gale force winds threatened to tear through the sturdy fabric and it took the combined strength of her and Felix to finally roll it up and lash it to the boom.


    He yelled something at her, but his voice was drowned out by the roaring storm. They¡¯d been caught off guard as the fierce rain and winds ambushed them from the west. Seeing that she hadn¡¯t heard him, Felix simply pointed back to the deck and started to slide down the rigging.


    Trent was battling the wheel, doing his best to keep them on course. They had precious little time to prepare the ship for the storm¡ªthe rudder would snap off if he continued to force it for much longer.


    ¡°Unusual for a storm this fierce to come through the pass. This doesn¡¯t bode well for the journey ahead,¡± Nasar remarked once they¡¯d clambered back down to the deck.


    ¡°Will we be able to make it through in one piece?¡± asked Rose, a little nervous. This would be her first time sailing through a storm.


    Her clothes were soaked through and she occasionally had to fight the powerful winds to keep herself rooted to the deck. A stark reminder that no matter how powerful a pirate¡ªor admiral¡ªbecame, the most fearsome power at sea was always the deep blue itself and the skies above.


    Trent joined them in tying down all the loose crates and rigging once he¡¯d set the wheel. There was precious little they could do except brave it out and hope they weren¡¯t blown too far off course once the skies cleared.


    ¡°Shame the storm hit on the way there. She would¡¯ve been able to get us through a squall like this with her eyes shut,¡± he said to Nasar with a smile.


    ¡°Aye, that she would,¡± he replied impassively. ¡°Perhaps this is the world¡¯s way of warning you that she¡¯s best left alone. Then again, you¡¯ve never been one to listen to the world¡ªespecially when your heart is set.¡±


    One moment everything was fine. Liberty was braving the storm and carrying them through. The eye was barely visible in the distance, a spot of calm in the raging seas. Then she felt the world shift. The tug on her soul made her fall to the deck as an almost solid wall of shimmering energy washed past them.


    ¡°Well. Looks like it''s my lucky day,¡± cackled Trent with a glint in his eye. ¡°Maybe I can use this one as a bribe. She¡¯s always loved shiny trinkets.¡±


    ¡°Fool,¡± muttered Nasar, though the slight curl at the corners of his mouth betrayed his true thoughts.

 1.44 - Between a Rock and a Hard Place

    One of my students once asked if it was possible for multiple convergences to form simultaneously. At the time I was a recently tenured lecturer. I had no answer for him, except the commonly accepted one¡ªof course not. Having lived a lifetime since, much of it in the depths of my obsession, I would offer him an alternative answer¡ªwith the tide, anything is possible.


    -Excerpt from ¡®The Convergence Compendium¡¯ by Professor Athamere Kenn


    Rose had been confused for a single breath. The reality soon hit her like a speeding ship. Another one so soon? The pounding of her heart echoed in her ears, but she was surprised to realise that she felt no fear.


    Rather, she was excited to test herself against more beasts; to see if her convictions could stand up to the force of the world itself. There was no visible change in the world. The storm still raged around them, but she spotted three rocky islands in the distance that hadn¡¯t been there a minute before.


    They were already on course for the leftmost island. However her hopes were dashed when Felix yelled from above¡ªhe¡¯d rushed back up the rigging while she¡¯d been lying on the deck.


    ¡°WHIRLPOOL AHEAD!¡±


    She didn¡¯t need to see it to know he was telling the truth. As they were caught in the outer flows of the whirlpool, the ship lurched to the side and she stumbled, almost falling to the deck once more.


    As they continued onwards, it seemed as though they might avoid the heart of the fearsome vortex. The momentum of the ship carried it forward, cutting through the swirling flows and on toward the island.


    However, the closer they got the more intense the pull grew. Right before they burst through the other side there was an ear-piercing groan and the ship tilted almost seventy degrees to the side as the whirlpool sucked it into its clutches.


    They started to sink closer to the centre and the ship accelerated as it curved back towards the boundary of the convergence. Unfortunately, there was no escaping it now¡ªthey were trapped.


    ¡°We have to unfurl the sails,¡± Trent shouted from the poop deck, having reclaimed control of the wheel to keep them from slipping into the centre too fast. ¡°It¡¯s our only chance to break free.¡±


    Even before he¡¯d finished speaking Rose was clambering up the rigging with the grace of a mountain goat. Felix was already waiting on the boom and untying knots with lightning speed and the precision of a hawk.


    Skill up!


    Sailing 14 > 15


    Skill up!


    Athletics 7 > 8


    The splashes barely registered over the screaming storm, the levels less so. Rose had grown numb to such things and even though she was excited to progress, there was no time to celebrate yet.


    Her fingers moved in a blur as she pulled knot after knot undone. In her rush, her foot slipped and she tumbled backwards off the beam towards the ocean below.


    Only by grasping for the flailing rigging did she manage to catch herself on the cusp of disaster. A few seconds later she had crawled her way back up and taken hold of the rustling sail.


    As one, her and Felix dropped like anchors to the lower boom and tied off the mainsail. Nasar stood like a statue in the centre, holding the fabric taut with a single hand in a display of strength that dwarfed theirs.


    With the sail secured, there was nothing they could do but wait and pray that Trent could deliver them to relative safety. There would still be a convergence waiting for them, after all.


    Seconds ticked by and Rose let the storm drown out her worries. Standing on the bow, she could see all the way into the vortex of the whirlpool¡ªa seemingly endless abyss that led to the dark ocean floor and whatever lurked below.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    They whipped around the middle of the currents until they were once more angled towards the islands.


    This time it seemed as though they would arrive at the second rocky protrusion. Unlike the lush, forested island of her first convergence these were far more foreboding.


    Not as impressive as the cliffs of Derridas, but those towered overhead in a semblance of security¡ªthey signalled the city¡¯s strength and hold against the force of the ocean. These were a reminder that nature held no mercy for those who braved her wrath.


    ¡°We¡¯ve made it!¡± cried Felix as they broke free of the curving pull of the whirlpool.


    Rose wanted to cheer, but Nasar¡¯s expression was grim. Something was wrong. A moment later she realised why the chef hadn¡¯t celebrated with the boy¡ªa crunch from below followed by the sound of rushing water told her the whirlpool wasn¡¯t done with them yet.


    As the ship turned back to the centre, she heard Trent curse and the pounding of his steps on the deck. ¡°Nasar! Keep them safe.¡±


    That was the last thing she heard before her Captain leapt off the back of Liberty and vanished into the rushing waters beneath. Seconds later there was a deafening bang and the sound of splintering wood reached her ears once again.


    Then, they exploded forward. Not just breaking free from the gravity of the whirlpool, but from the clutches of the sea itself. As they sailed through the air towards the islands, Rose let out a whoop.


    Trent was a reckless bastard, but she had faith in him to find his way back. More importantly, they were flying! Another marvel to add to the list of wonders she¡¯d experienced on her adventure.


    Rose realised one thing that Trent may have failed to consider in the heat of the moment. It was one thing to send them flying away from danger, but the landing posed perhaps an even greater threat.


    Well, as long as we live everything can be fixed afterwards. And I can always steal another ship.


    ***


    A sharp pinch on her thigh startled Rose awake. She slapped at the source of pain only to yelp when her fingers were pinched in response. Opening her eyes and leaping to her feet she saw a little red crab dangling from her hand.


    At least it¡¯s the normal colour. A second convergence was one thing, but she wasn¡¯t sure she could handle another colour coded one. Not for a few years, at least.


    It was the second time she¡¯d been stranded on an island since beginning her adventure, though this time she at least had a better recollection of the events leading up to it. Trent had saved them, risking his own life.


    She was sure he had his own methods of survival. Teasing the crab off her finger took some effort but eventually she convinced the little fella to run back to the rock pools scattered around the shore.


    In fact, most of the surrounding terrain was made of slippery rocks, coated in algae from the constant shifting of the tide. No lush forest greeted her when she turned inland, only a steep climb to the top of a jagged spire.


    Rose couldn¡¯t see out to sea, her vision blocked by a wall of rock. With little else to do but climb, she began to clamber her way up.


    One or two slips and scrapes later, Rose had made it out of the crater of pools and onto higher ground. Blood trickled lethargically from grazes on her hands and knees, but none of the wounds were serious.


    At last she was able to see over the rocks. The sight that greeted her was less than ideal. In the distance beyond the border of the convergence, the storm still raged like a berserker let loose.


    Inside, the climate was far more temperate. There was little sunlight; the world was cast in hues of grey that did little to raise the mood. Worse, Liberty had been wrecked by the sharp reef below.


    Most of the damage was to the exterior and thus fixable, with the main body of the ship still intact. However, with no trees nearby they wouldn¡¯t be able to perform the necessary repairs. All she could do was keep climbing and hope that clearing the convergence would offer a solution.


    ***


    Five minutes later she had only managed to reach the next ledge. The rock face had plenty of hand- and footholds, but that was a deceptive front.


    Due to the slimy algae and seawater that coated them, they offered precious little grip and more than once she¡¯d almost fallen back into the rock pools below. Her situation wasn¡¯t all bad though, as when she¡¯d finally reached this ledge she¡¯d spotted what looked like a person about fifty metres around the rock.


    They were lying limp and unconscious¡ªor so she hoped¡ªbut she wasn¡¯t able to tell if it was Felix or Nasar at this distance. She began the tricky process of climbing sideways to her crewmate, hoping for the best.


    You have learned a new skill!


    Climbing 0 > 1


    A new skill surprised her with the worst possible timing. The splash in her ears made her miss her handhold and Rose fell from the rocks.

 1.45 - An Opposing Perspective

    It¡¯s possible to escape a convergence without clearing it, but that seems rather wasteful to me. People sail for months on end, hoping to catch a glimpse and find their fortune¡ªwhy would you want to run when one thrusts itself into your lap?


    -Quoted from Esperanza the Slick


    Rose¡¯s cry of pain had woken Felix. He¡¯d been having a wonderful dream about grilled fish and salted mushrooms, only to open his eyes and see her tumbling down the rocks towards him.


    There was no time to dodge before she slammed into his chest, knocking the breath from his lungs and making them both fall backwards over a ledge. The last thing he remembered from that brief awakening was seeing an unusually glib crab staring at them from a crevice.


    On the plus side, he was able to resume his dream. Lounging on the deck of a grand ship, attended by servants carrying delicacies from the world over. Truly, that was the life he longed for. If he had to become a pirate to get there, he could stomach a little looting.


    ***


    For the second time that day, Rose found herself rousing from a disaster induced sleep. This time she had far more aches and bruises and even shuffling into a sitting position made her muscles burn.


    This time though, she wasn¡¯t alone in her suffering. A grumbling Felix was buried beneath her¡ªhe seemed to have cushioned her fall. Thanks, buddy. Despite taking the brunt of it, he seemed in better shape than her, which was mighty unfair.


    This time, there were no easy exits in view. A little light broke through a hole in the rocky ceiling, though it was barely enough to see by. Looking around, Rose discovered they were in a cave.


    Rock pools littered the area, though there were no creatures to be seen. Their loud fall had scared the wildlife into hiding.


    Stalactites clung to the ceiling, the silence broken only by Felix¡¯s grumbling and the occasional drop of water falling into one of the pools below. Her goal of climbing the island seemed impossible now.


    Climbing out of the cave was impossible¡ªtheir fall had broken the ledge and the walls were too wet to grip. With no clear path, the only option was to explore the cave and try to find another route.


    ¡°Get up Felix, you¡¯ve had enough sleep,¡± she quipped, prodding his ribs.


    After a few more grumbles and groans he clambered to his feet and had a look around. ¡°Where the hell are we? Weren¡¯t we on the ship?¡± he muttered.


    Rose wandered over to the nearest rock pool and bent down, peering over the edge. ¡°We fell into a cave. We¡¯re underneath the island right now,¡± she answered, splashing some water with a finger. ¡°The ship needs some love, but she survived the crash.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Would¡¯ve been a shame for it to meet such a tragic end on the first voyage.¡±


    As her finger swirled through the water, a few tiny fish darted across the pool. As the last fish was about to swim into a crevice, a crab darted out and snatched it between its claws.


    No matter where she went, the circle of life seemed to play out the same. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s try to find a way out. There¡¯s no use standing around,¡± she said, grabbing Felix¡¯s hand and pulling him deeper into the cave.


    ¡°Wait, why are we heading further in? You know I hate creepy places like this,¡± he protested, unable to free himself from her iron grip.


    ¡°If you want to try and climb out, or wait for rescue like a damsel in distress, then be my guest,¡± she laughed, pointing at the small hole in the ceiling.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    After that there were no more complaints. Light grew sparse as they went further in, quickly becoming too dark for the pair to see.


    There was plenty of driftwood lying around to make a torch, however most of it was still soaked to the core from being in the ocean for Sylack knows how long. Rose eventually found a piece that might be dry enough to spark.


    Some of her undershirt wasn¡¯t quite soaked. It seems that her stint of unconsciousness allowed it to dry off from the storm¡¯s kiss. Tearing enough off to burn for a few hours, she then sprinkled some of her gunpowder on the fabric.


    With the extra spark, it wasn¡¯t long before she was able to ignite the torch using a couple of sharp rocks lying around. A splash echoed in her ears; thinking something was emerging from the rock pools she whirled around, torch in hand, only to see nothing but still waters and wet rocks.


    You have learned a new skill!


    Crafting 0 > 1


    A subtle grin teased her lips. At the rate Rose was accumulating new skills it wouldn¡¯t be long before her status filled her entire vision.


    When she turned back to Felix, the boy was staring at her with suspicious eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Rose?¡± he asked with a smirk.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± she answered. ¡°Thought I heard something. You can¡¯t be too careful in convergences. Dangerous beasts could be anywhere.¡±


    He paled, the smirk vanishing in an instant. As Rose continued into the cave he started muttering to himself before sprinting after her, sticking far closer than before.


    For all his charm and the bravery he¡¯d displayed when defending Unrequited Love, Felix was a softie at heart. Actually, it was one of the qualities that Rose found most endearing about the boy. Compared to the brash and mouthy boys from her village it was a welcome change of pace.


    ***


    Save for the dancing shadows on the cavern walls, there was little waiting for them as they walked. After ten minutes of advancing in the same direction, Rose halted when the path forward was blocked.


    Looking in either direction there was nothing but jagged rocks and the occasional crevice far too small for a human to squeeze inside. In a couple of those small tunnels she spotted crabs, stubborn crustaceans, and the occasional starfish.


    Life blossomed underground, especially in convergences. Rose had originally had little to compare to, with her only experience of nature being the countryside of Emerlan Isle.


    Since exploring a bit more of the Bluestone Sea however, she¡¯d realised that wildlife tended to be far more homogenous in the outside world. In these strange and miraculous pockets of energy though, the sheer variety and uniqueness of life was mesmerising.


    Felix had been scrabbling around at the edges of the torch¡¯s light when he yelped, which was preceded by the sound of clattering rocks. ¡°I found someth-¡±


    No sooner had he begun to speak his voice cut off, ending in something close to a high pitched squeal. Rose spun round, waving the torch to better see what had happened.


    Felix was on his backside, scrambling backwards to escape a pale pink lizard creature that had grabbed his ankle in its mouth. There was a red welt on his face, explained by the creature¡¯s long tail that was snapping through the air like a whip.


    He was struggling with his belt, fumbling for the dagger he kept there. Crack. He yelped again as the lizard whipped his hands, stopping his futile struggle.


    Rose had hesitated, but the sudden snap whipped her into focus. She rushed forward, waving the torch like a cutlass to scare the beast away. Creatures that dwelled underground shouldn¡¯t be fond of fire.


    At first it worked. The moment the creature saw the flickering flames it darted back into the shadows, letting Felix scarper away to hide behind her. All he¡¯d lost was a little dignity.


    However, it soon returned, advancing on them with ravenous eyes. Swinging the torch was enough to parry its attempts to strike, but with each failed attempt it grew more confident.


    ¡°Why are you behaving like a baby, Felix? We¡¯re both competent,¡± she scolded, kicking him lightly as she did.


    He mumbled something, then she heard a slapping noise. He¡¯d hit himself on the face with both hands and now seemed to be awake.


    ¡°Sorry. It surprised me. I¡¯ve never fought a wild beast before, only heard tales of them. Somehow a pirate is less terrifying,¡± he replied, stepping up beside her with his dagger drawn.


    ¡°They don¡¯t value their own lives,¡± she agreed, drawing her pistol and taking aim with her free hand.


    Moments later the lizard recoiled as a bullet pierced its shoulder, drawing a trickle of blue blood. Rose had to stifle a groan at the colour, praying this wasn¡¯t an underlying theme of all convergences.


    Despite the wound, the beast was undeterred¡ªseconds after her shot the wound was knitting itself shut. The bullet clattered across the rocks as it was pushed out of the lizard¡¯s flesh.


    A fierce hiss echoed through the cavern. All they¡¯d managed to do was enrage their foe. Gritting her teeth, Rose passed the torch to Felix and rushed to reload her pistol as the lizard darted forth.

 1.46 - A Trial of Trust

    A fearsome foe is often better than a cowardly crewmate.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Ten Laws of the Sea¡¯, author unknown


    As the lizard pounced at her, Felix rushed forward and swung the torch like a club. There was a meaty thud as the flaming stick smashed into the beast¡¯s jaw and sent it tumbling into one of the rock pools with a splash.


    ¡°Take that, damn vicious lizard,¡± cackled Felix, right as they were plunged into darkness.


    ¡°Felix, I didn¡¯t give you the torch so you could use it instead of your dagger,¡± snarled Rose.


    The dim light from the entrance barely reached this far into the cave and her eyes were still adjusting to the dark. There was a splash followed by the sound of wet feet slapping against the rocks. She pointed her pistol at the sound and fired.


    Skill up!


    Precision 5 > 6


    Skill up!


    Pistols 9 > 10


    You have earned a new trait!


    Reliable Duelist: Pistols in your care feel the effects of use less severely and are highly unlikely to jam, backfire, or break in the midst of battle.


    As if the cacophony of splashes wasn¡¯t enough confirmation, a ferocious screech from the darkness told Rose her second shot had hit the mark. Which was a wonderful thing, because it was likely the last shot she¡¯d get.


    Without being able to see, reloading the pistol for a third wasn¡¯t an option. Adapting, she replaced the weapon in her belt and for the first time, took up her twin cutlasses.


    For all she had been hoping, the blades did little to light up the cavern. A few scattered beams of light sunk into the viscous darkness, but without a true source of radiance, Sunsplitter couldn¡¯t live up to its name.


    ¡°Well, for now you¡¯ll have to settle for being a lizard splitter,¡± she joked to herself, settling into a fighting stance.


    As much as she felt ready to battle the beast, this would be her first time wielding two cutlasses at once. A fight in complete darkness would be a harsh baptism for Rose and her blades.


    She heard steps from beside her; Felix was less steady on his feet but she had to remind herself that he¡¯d been a sailor while she was still learning to fish. Despite his occasional cowardice and carefree nature he knew how to handle himself in a scrap.


    A sharp crack was all the warning she got before the lizard¡¯s tail whipped into her thigh. Her trousers were sliced open, leaving a red welt that rapidly turned purple.


    Rose felt the sharp sting, but not wanting to let an opportunity go she lashed out with her cutlass. A slight shudder let her know her gambit was a success, but the impact was far from heavy enough to have been lethal.


    Swinging Sunsplitter was worlds apart from the clumsy cutlass she¡¯d wielded back on Unrequited Love. Her own inexperience in battle showed, but the blades felt like an extension of her body.


    ¡°Stick close, back to back,¡± she said softly. ¡°Don¡¯t leave any openings.¡±


    Felix grunted and she steadily backed up until she felt his back against hers. Like that they traced a steady circle, listening out for the footfalls of the beast.


    All the warning they got before the lizard¡¯s fearsome tail struck out was a gentle patter of feet. While their defensive positioning was stopping the beast from making a real assault, it was slowly wearing them thin.


    Knowing that something had to change, Rose decided to take a gamble. She slowly edged away from Felix, keeping her blades at the ready.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    When she¡¯d reached far enough away from him that she was confident the beast wouldn¡¯t strike him by accident, Rose took her pistol from her belt. Then, she tossed it to the ground, carefully tracking where it fell.


    As soon as it clattered against the ground, the lizard pounced. She heard its steps and without hesitating swung her cutlasses down with all her strength.


    Her gambit paid off. Rose was rewarded with a meaty impact as Sunsplitter carved into the pink beast¡¯s flesh. An ear splitting screech made her step away.


    The lizard¡¯s footfalls were irregular as it retreated. Her foot bumped into something soft¡ªits leg. A trail of blue blood led into the darkness.


    For the time being it seemed they would be left alone. Her first priority was relighting the torch and beating some sense into Felix.


    Though she couldn¡¯t wholly blame him; she¡¯d also panicked during her first battle with a wild beast. Retrieving her pistol she shuffled back to where he stood.


    ¡°I scared it off for now,¡± she said. ¡°Let¡¯s try to get the torch aflame and keep exploring.¡±


    ¡°What! Are you out of your mind?¡± he exclaimed. ¡°We barely beat that thing and you want to go even deeper? What if there¡¯s something scarier further in?¡±


    ¡°Felix, are you forgetting that the only way we¡¯re getting out of this cave is by finding an exit somewhere?¡± she scolded him.


    After fiddling with the torch she managed to spark it, having to sacrifice some more of her limited gunpowder stocks. Handing it back to Felix she shot him a fierce glare, cowing the boy into submission.


    He sulked for a few seconds, then followed after her. Rose decided to follow the trail of blood. The lizard had retreated into the depths of the cave and if anything knew how to escape it was probably the local beasts.


    Additionally, she had a far more selfish reason to chase after her wounded prey. Rose wanted to see if she¡¯d get the chance to harvest some treasure from its corpse.


    If they were going to be stuck in a convergence once more, she was determined to turn a profit. She continued to follow the trail of blood, a faint sheen of sweat forming on her forehead.


    Suddenly the trail ended. Confused, Rose waved the torch around looking for any other clues, but there was no evidence of the lizard¡¯s passing.


    ¡°Is it just me or are you feeling rather hot?¡± asked Felix.


    Rose felt a little warm, but the exercise combined with carrying the torch was the obvious source. ¡°Stop complaining and look for the lizard,¡± she hissed.


    A rock clattered to the ground, startling the pair. Right then she heard a familiar pattering against the rocks and spun around just in time to see a pink tail whizzing towards her.


    Quick reactions saved her from a stinging slap. She slashed out with Sunsplitter and cleaved the tail in twain. The lizard seemed undeterred by the loss of its main weapon and pounced at her, claws bared.


    What ensued was a fast paced clash, claws meeting cutlass in a clanging melee of furious proportions. Felix did his best to jump in, but the speed of battle was such that a wrong move could harm Rose more than it helped.


    Before her eyes, the plump tail actually regrew! Seeing the lizard¡¯s rapid regeneration she realised why they¡¯d lost the trail. In fact, it had escaped her attention that it had four legs once more.


    Such a trait was unbelievably potent for a predator. For most, losing a limb spelled death in the wild. With the ability to regenerate at such a rapid rate the lizard wouldn¡¯t be doomed even if a hunt went awry.


    However, the longer the battle went on the more the scales tipped in her favour. She was growing used to the weight of her weapons and each clash taught her more of dual wielding.


    Even the way the lizard used its claws was enlightening. In essence, it too was dual wielding natural weapons akin to blades. The key was to never cease striking, creating a cage where your opponent couldn¡¯t exploit the fact your defence was weaker than most.


    Skill up!


    Blades 7 > 8


    In the midst of battle, her inspiration earned her another level in blades. The improvement was slight, but even a minor advantage helped in such a tight clash.


    The tail whipped through the air and caught her left hand. Her grip on the blade loosened but she forced her fist shut. Lunging, she sliced the tail at the base, utterly depriving her foe of its long range attacks.


    Her fury didn¡¯t stop there. Losing the tail was more than just a nuisance, it completely threw the beast¡¯s balance off kilter. Parrying the following strike was effortless and she darted between its legs before plunging her crystal blade right into its soft, pink head.


    A squelching pop was the last sound to escape the creature as it fell defeated. Blue blood dripped from Sunsplitter onto the rocks, where the refracted torch-light painted a sparkling dance.


    You have learned a new skill!


    Dual Wielding 0 > 1


    Skill up!


    Blades 8 > 9


    Leaning closer, she realised with disappointment there was no subtle tug, no familiar arcane pull. That meant no treasure to harvest.


    ¡°Next time you¡¯re doing the heavy lifting,¡± she grunted, keeping Sunsplitter in her inventory.


    Rose was about to continue down the tunnel. It was a shame to waste the corpse, but they didn¡¯t have bags to carry the more mundane resources with them.


    At that moment a loud growl echoed through the cavern, stunning them both.

 1.47 - Hungry for Power

    Let me tell you a story about a frog. An unfortunate frog was tossed into a pot of boiling water. Sensing the temperature, it immediately leapt out and escaped. That same frog was then dropped into a pot of cool water, where it began to swim and frolic. That water was slowly brought to a boil; but the unfortunate frog never noticed until it was too late and he was another man¡¯s dinner.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Parables and Teachings¡¯ by Lark Dundee


    ¡°What was that?¡± yelped Felix, brandishing the torch like a cutlass.


    Rose blushed, embarrassed. The growl had come from her stomach. She was absolutely starving, having not eaten in Sylack knows how long.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± she muttered. ¡°Now stop waving that damn torch around. If you use it like a weapon one more time I¡¯m going to leave you behind.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being so tyrannical today. It¡¯s perfectly reasonable to be on edge in this situation,¡± he protested.


    ¡°Sure, nerves are fine. Just don¡¯t try smacking anything with the torch again.¡±


    She turned to continue walking, but another rumble from her stomach made her freeze. Turning back to the lizard with a grim look on her face, she sighed and pulled out half of Sunsplitter.


    I suppose there¡¯s no harm in grilling it and giving it a taste¡­ Rose figured that even if the meat turned out to be inedible, it was better to find out now while they had the chance to eat.


    The cave might continue onwards for miles. In this situation there was no room for pickiness. Bending down, she started by slicing off the head and legs.


    Tossing them away, she carved off two thick chunks of flesh from the lizard¡¯s torso. When Felix saw what she was doing he gagged.


    Skill up!


    Butchery 6 > 7


    ¡°You can¡¯t expect me to eat¡­ that thing?¡± he spluttered.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to eat a thing,¡± she retorted, already preparing a small fire pit. ¡°Just keep watch while I look for some dry wood.¡±


    ***


    A rich aroma wafted through the tunnel as she turned the lizard steaks over the fire. She hadn¡¯t expected them to smell so enticing. Even Felix¡¯s plain disgust had turned to reluctant curiosity.


    She cooked the steaks for far longer than necessary. She had no idea what kind of dirt a wild beast living in a cave like this had picked up and it was better to be safe than sorry.


    Grabbing the biggest one for herself, she raised it to her lips and closed her eyes. Her first bite was cautious; a hesitant foray into the cuisine of a scavenger.


    However, the moment she bit down and felt the explosion of meaty, umami deliciousness, Rose was a convert for life. Ravenous hunger played a part in the savage dissection that followed, but she couldn¡¯t deny it was one of¡ªif not the most¡ªfantastic foods she¡¯d tasted.


    Skill up!


    Cooking 6 > 7


    Within half a minute she¡¯d devoured the whole hunk of meat and was greedily eyeing the second. Felix, having seen the enthusiasm and delight with which Rose had torn hers apart, overcame his disgust.


    Soon he too was moaning as he tore piece after piece off with his teeth like a barbarian who¡¯d never encountered the concept of manners. She forgave him for the slightly distasteful sight, knowing she¡¯d been equally gross in her own consumption.


    It had been a while since she¡¯d checked her status, so she pulled it up while waiting for him to finish. This convergence had arrived at an inopportune moment, but it was a perfect chance to hone her skills.


    Name: Rose Everblue


    Race: Human


    Occupation: Apprentice Scholar 9


    Title: Apprentice


    Available Titles: Murderer, Apprentice


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.Bound Items: Sunsplitter 51


    Skills: Cleaning 11, Reading 11, Fishing 14, Swimming 8, Writing 13, Butchery 7, Cooking 7, Herding 2, Focus 14, Drawing 11, Sailing 15, One Handed Weapons 5, Blades 9, Pistols 10, Firearms 5, Unarmed Combat 2, Endurance 5, Precision 6, Arcane Attunement 2, Light Attunement 4, Stealth 5, Athletics 8, Toxin Resistance 2, Appraisal 1, Climbing 1, Crafting 1, Dual Wielding 1


    Traits: Sensitive Line, Deft Hand, Good as New, Tunnel Vision, Endless Inkwell, Quick Consumption, Knot my Problem, Reliable Duelist


    The pattering of feet against stone alerted her to an approaching beast. Rose realised that cooking the meat openly might have been a mistake.


    While eating the lizard¡¯s flesh raw was certainly not an option, they forgot to account for the fact that other hungry predators might be in the market for a snack.


    Two pink lizards, identical to the one they¡¯d just fought, skittered up to their makeshift camp. The larger of the two hissed at her and she immediately drew her other cutlass.


    ¡°Whatever you do, please don¡¯t let the torch go out this time,¡± she pleaded, throwing Felix her most convincing puppy eyes.


    ¡°What am I supposed to do if they attack me?¡± he questioned, waving the dagger at her twin blades. ¡°I¡¯ve only got this.¡±


    Rose rolled her eyes before reaching down to her belt. She still had the cutlass from before and tossed it over to him. He fumbled, dropping the dagger and startling the beasts, somehow catching the weapon by the handle.


    The noise spurred them into action and they charged forth, both targeting Rose. Their tails whipped and cracked at her, but she was prepared.


    Sunsplitter whirled in her hands, dazzling the cavern with magnificent beams of refracted torch-light as she parried and blocked the strikes. Felix was not so impotent this time and when both lizards were wholly focused on her, he lunged forward and cleaved off one of the tails near the base.


    With a screech the injured beast snapped at him, changing prey without a second thought. That freed up Rose to focus on her snarling foe.


    She fell into a rhythm, every beat a swing of her blade that met claw or tail and made her arms quiver. Under her fury however, the lizard was unable to resist. Shallow wounds accumulated on its front legs.


    Its tail cracked through the air, then dropped to the ground as she sliced it off with a well timed counter-slash. Capitalising on its momentary hesitation, she carved a leg off at the shoulder, before stomping on the wound.


    The soft flesh offered little resistance to her sturdy boot and she heard a crunch, right before Sunsplitter severed the beast¡¯s head. She swivelled when a gurgling noise accompanied by an angry roar came from her right.


    Skill up!


    Blades 9 > 10


    You have earned a new trait!


    Steady Slash: When wielding a bladed weapon, your grip rarely falters. Slashing attacks with blades are always angled to deal the most damage possible, based on the intent and skill behind the strike.


    Felix was on the ground, holding the torch up high in one hand while the other was driving the cutlass through the lizard¡¯s neck as it attempted to bite his face off with furious vengeance. The kicking legs and screeches stuttered as life slowly drained from the creature and Felix shoved it off him.


    ¡°That was absolutely horrifying,¡± he gasped, crawling away from the bloody corpse. ¡°Look, the torch is still lit,¡± he added with a smile.


    ¡°Yeah, good job Felix,¡± she chuckled. Why did she feel like a proud mother all of a sudden? The roles in their relationship had somewhat reversed since they¡¯d become pirates.


    A subtle tug at the back of her mind made her turn back to the beast she¡¯d just slain. A grin crossed her face when she realised that there was something to harvest.


    Their little adventure into the caves might end up being profitable after all. Her eyes sparkled as she followed the pulling sensation and allowed the tide to guide her.


    You are attempting to harvest a treasure!


    WARNING!


    Your associated skill levels are too low to guarantee a successful harvest of [Salamander¡¯s Rejuvenation Gland 24]


    A failed harvest may cause damage to the treasure, proceed anyway?


    [YES][NO]


    Rose frowned. Even with the added level in Butchery, it seemed that there was still some risk involved¡ªeven with items at such a low level.


    She vowed to dedicate some free time to working on her butchery, skinning, and preservation when she next had a chance. Despite the warning she continued, hoping to luck out or only suffer minimal failures.


    Attempting to harvest [Salamander¡¯s Rejuvenation Gland 24]...


    Harvest success!


    [Salamander¡¯s Rejuvenation Gland 24] obtained!


    Letting out the breath she¡¯d been holding, Rose realised they¡¯d been mistaken about these creatures. They weren¡¯t lizards, but salamanders. Whatever a salamander was. Trent would know¡ªor Nasar, more likely.


    These aggressive buggers were delicious when cooked so she had no doubt the man had grilled one or two in his time as a pirate chef. She had half a mind to bring some of the meat back with her just so she could taste it prepared by the man.


    Given they¡¯d already encountered three in a short time, she expected many more fights in the near future. When they discovered an exit she could start thinking about her next meal.


    Having taken everything of value from the corpses, she strolled over to the prone Felix and offered him a hand up. The boy took it with some reluctance, face pale and soaked with blood¡ªmost of it the salamander¡¯s.


    ¡°Well, you certainly decided to dive right into the fun,¡± she joked, attempting to lighten the mood. All she got in return was a scowl.


    Knowing it would take a while for him to come to terms with his actions¡ªjust as she had done when faced with the stag¡ªRose started to walk further into the cavern. Footsteps echoed through the tunnel as he trod behind her. At least I¡¯m gaining levels.

 1.48 - Heating up a Notch

    One thing you¡¯ll rapidly realise, if you set out to sea for adventure and glory, is that no matter how far-fetched your imagination, you will never be able to concoct anything quite as absurd as the ocean itself. Real life is often much stranger than our wildest fantasies.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Unusual Tales from the Dark Seas¡¯ by various contributors


    Four more of the vicious salamanders had ambushed them from the dark, emerging from hidden tunnels or dark corners previously unseen. With every battle the pair grew more fluid in their footwork, more skilled with their swords.


    Especially Rose. Felix was gaining confidence¡ªno longer pale and hesitant¡ªbut she was like a vengeant goddess of war. Perhaps it was the unparalleled quality of her cutlasses that allowed her to carve the beasts apart like vegetables, or perhaps she truly was gifted by the gods.


    A particular memory from her childhood, of being whisked out to sea and then returned in one piece, came to mind. She felt as though she hadn¡¯t been praying as much in recent days.


    Not wanting to forget her roots, she closed her eyes and offered silent thanks to whichever deities were listening; mainly Sylack, despite the obvious lack of fish in the vicinity. As she walked she pulled up her status, marvelling at the rapid progress.


    Name: Rose Everblue


    Race: Human


    Occupation: Apprentice Scholar 9


    Title: Apprentice


    Available Titles: Murderer, Apprentice


    Bound Items: Sunsplitter 51


    Skills: Cleaning 11, Reading 11, Fishing 14, Swimming 8, Writing 13, Butchery 9, Cooking 7, Herding 2, Focus 14, Drawing 11, Sailing 15, One Handed Weapons 5, Blades 12, Pistols 11, Firearms 5, Unarmed Combat 2, Endurance 5, Precision 6, Arcane Attunement 2, Light Attunement 4, Stealth 5, Athletics 8, Toxin Resistance 2, Appraisal 1, Climbing 1, Crafting 1, Dual Wielding 3


    Traits: Sensitive Line, Deft Hand, Good as New, Tunnel Vision, Endless Inkwell, Quick Consumption, Knot my Problem, Reliable Duelist, Steady Slash


    Most of the skills she was improving were combat related. That wasn¡¯t a problem, as they were essential for a pirate, but she did want to explore the more interesting skills. Arcane Attunement in particular.


    The problem she faced there was that aside from the rare moments the world seemed to draw her into the arcane fabric that underlined reality, she was unable to even sense the strange energy. Rose was reminded of Zut Rubysoul¡¯s words; whether she would improve further was down to fate.


    Her progress in her occupation was lacking recently, as well. They¡¯d been caught up in one chaotic event after another and she¡¯d had no time to read, write, or draw in her sketchbook.


    A rock tumbled to the floor. Rose saw a flash of pink in the corner of her eyes and hastily raised her cutlasses to guard. Before the salamander could reach her, Felix darted forward and cleaved the beast in half.


    A nervous chuckle escaped her lips. ¡°I had that,¡± she complained.


    ¡°Then you should¡¯ve cut faster,¡± he replied with a smirk. Now that he¡¯d found his fighting feet, he was back to his usual self.


    Rose felt the tug of a harvest, but as it wasn¡¯t her kill she decided to leave the reward to Felix. However, when she stepped forward to keep guard he followed her.


    ¡°What are you doing? Harvest the treasure, it¡¯s all yours,¡± she said, waving at the body with one of the cutlasses.


    His brow furrowed and he turned to look at the corpse in confusion. ¡°What treasure? It¡¯s just a dead salamander.¡±


    For a brief moment she was lost, wondering if she was imagining the tug of the tide. But, when she moved towards the body there was a definite pull. A treasure waiting to be claimed.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°Wait¡­ Have you ever harvested a treasure before?¡± she asked, knowing her question was stupid before she finished speaking. He¡¯d not fought a wild beast until today, of course he hadn¡¯t harvested one.


    Felix stood there mute, looking sheepish. Rather than further embarrass him she grabbed his hand and led him over to the body.


    Trent had guided her through her first harvest and she wanted to do the same for her friend. However, she was far less experienced and not quite sure how to explain the feeling one had to follow¡ªshe barely understood it herself.


    ¡°So basically, you need to focus on the subtle pull in the back of your mind. It¡¯s like an itch you can¡¯t scratch,¡± she explained. ¡°Just follow that feeling until the tide steps in. You¡¯re scratching it with your energy, I guess?¡±


    He stared at her like she was crazy. Maybe she was, but her explanation was close enough to Trent¡¯s that it had to be the norm and not just some unique method of her own.


    Ultimately he trusted her word and bent down over the corpse, closing his eyes. There was nothing left for her to do there, so she turned around to keep watch while he focused.


    Her eyes darted to every little flicker of movement or dancing shadow, keen to catch any predator hiding in the dark. None pounced. A yell from behind made her jump, spinning around and lunging forward with her cutlass.


    ¡°Woah, easy,¡± chided Felix, hands raised in surrender. ¡°It worked! For a while I couldn¡¯t feel anything¡­ I thought you were spouting nonsense, to be honest. Then it was there. The pull. Just like you said.¡±


    A beaming smile split his face in two as he stood up, slapping his hands on his thighs. ¡°I failed once, but still. Level 19 isn¡¯t bad considering my skills and occupation.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it,¡± she comforted him, punching him in the arm lightly. ¡°I failed twice the first time.¡±


    What she left out was that her first treasure was almost double the level of his, but there was no need to kill the mood. A drop of sweat rolled down her face, the salt making her lips tingle. With a spring in their step the pair advanced into the tunnel.


    ***


    Rose rolled up the sleeves of her blouse, undoing the top button and tying her jacket around her waist. Sweat dripped down her face and her hair was plastered to her scalp.


    The air was thick and sticky, almost solid. Not only was the environment fighting against them, but the salamanders they encountered were progressively larger and more aggressive.


    Between them they¡¯d collected three more [Salamander¡¯s Gland of Rejuvenation] of varying levels, though all greater than the first two. Rather than the pale pink of the original aggressor, the beasts were closer to a cherry red.


    Rounding a corner of the tunnel, Rose saw an orange glow in the distance. They were searching for an exit, so a source of light should¡¯ve been cause for celebration. Instead, her mouth curled into a frown.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting a bad feeling about this,¡± she muttered.


    ¡°Do I still need to hold the torch? I think it¡¯s making me sweat more than usual,¡± Felix grunted.


    She wasn¡¯t sure it made much difference with the overbearing heat in the tunnel, but the salamanders were no longer as fearful of the flames as they¡¯d been closer to the entrance. Keeping it was a hindrance at this point.


    ¡°Toss it at the next one we see. Might take the bastard by surprise.¡±


    He smiled, adjusting his grip on the makeshift torch. To no one¡¯s surprise, another of the nasty beasts leapt out at them halfway down the tunnel.


    Felix lunged forward and sent the torch flying like a javelin, right at the salamander¡¯s head. Rose smiled at the accuracy, already following the opening strike and raising Sunsplitter over her head.


    Before the torch reached the monster however, it opened its mouth wide. Rose was already slashing down at the reddish neck.


    ¡°Wait, something¡¯s strange. Dodge!¡± yelled Felix from behind.


    She barely heard the last part of his shout, but her instincts made her throw herself to the side and abort her strike as an orange spark flashed in the beast¡¯s open mouth. A pillar of flame erupted outwards, painting the tunnel like the morning sun.


    If she¡¯d been less frazzled, Rose might have had time to admire the dancing beams of light that shone from her blades. As it stood, her right arm was blistering. Red skin peeled back from her bicep, the fabric of her blouse burnt to cinders.


    Loud pattering startled her back into focus, the salamander already pouncing. The sharp claws raked across her calf, drawing three deep gashes and spraying blood across the rocks.


    Unrelenting, the beast scampered forwards and raised its claws for a second strike, but Felix stepped in. A clang echoed out as his blade met the claws of the beast and a furious clash followed.


    No longer hindered by the torch, his fighting style was ferocious and dogged. He¡¯d slipped the dagger into his free hand.


    A squelch came from her side. Rose saw half a claw lying in a small splatter of blue blood. Gritting her teeth, she clambered to her feet and started to search for an opening.


    There weren''t any obvious breaks in the clash. Neither Felix nor the beast were letting up, the flurry of strikes traded back and forth intensifying as both sought an opportunity to cripple their foe.


    Rose saw the salamander open its mouth and start to glow orange. Felix either hadn¡¯t realised or was simply too caught up in the melee to break free without suffering damage. She had to do something.

 1.49 - Bursting with Anticipation

    There have been many quiet days at sea, spent lounging on the deck and staring up at the birds in the sky. Often I wondered what it would feel like to join them.


    -Quoted from Norris Howell


    Cutting the salamander wouldn¡¯t stop it from spewing another jet of flame. At that range she was certain Felix would die, or at least suffer life threatening injuries that she had no way to treat.


    With no other options left, she ran right up to the monster and punted it right in the neck. Her boot sunk into the jelly-like flesh.


    The beast¡¯s head snapped backwards and its jaw clamped shut. Once it recovered it hissed at her, but her gambit worked¡ªshe¡¯d interrupted its flaming breath.


    Using the momentary distraction, Felix stepped forward and thrust his cutlass into the creature¡¯s head. It thrashed wildly for a couple of seconds, clawing at his blade.


    It was futile. The corpse slid from his cutlass and he fell against the wall of the tunnel, panting. She felt the tug of a harvest, but left it for Felix.


    He waved a hand and between gasping breaths said, ¡°You take it. I¡¯m wiped out. There better be an exit¡­ from this bloody cave¡­ at the end of the tunnel.¡±


    Rose echoed his sentiment. They¡¯d been walking for what felt like an entire day with no end in sight and a constant stream of ever more aggressive and powerful salamanders ambushing them.


    She approached the corpse, following the pull of the tide to harvest whatever treasure was waiting for her. Expecting the warning message, she was pleasantly surprised that the process skipped straight into action.


    Attempting to harvest [Salamander¡¯s Flame Gland 28]...


    Harvest success!


    [Salamander¡¯s Rejuvenation Gland 28] obtained!


    Over the past few hours she¡¯d been methodically carving up each salamander corpse in an attempt to raise her butchery skill. Her hope was that it might boost her success rate when harvesting but she hadn¡¯t expected to see it pay off so soon.


    Earning the first trait was the most probable culprit¡ªRose imagined it gave a larger boost to harvesting than a simple level up. Felix¡¯s breathing was more regular now and she nudged him before continuing on.


    No more salamanders attacked them and they stepped out of the tunnel into a huge cavern. Inside it was as bright as day and looking down she could see the source of the orange glow.


    At the bottom of the cave there were pools of bubbling orange liquid dotted around, each one surrounded by salamanders lounging and playing. The moment she spotted the monsters she grabbed Felix and pulled him back into the tunnel.


    ¡°What are you do-¡± he started to exclaim but she clamped a hand over his mouth to silence him. He seemed annoyed but followed her lead and shut up.


    After waiting a few seconds to make sure there were no beasts nearby, she lay down and crawled up to the ledge once more to scout the situation. Felix followed suit and when he shuffled up next to her he gasped.


    ¡°This bloody island better not be volcanic,¡± he cursed. ¡°We¡¯re going to have to go back and figure out a way to climb out of the entrance.¡±


    ¡°What does volcanic mean?¡± she asked, having never heard the word before. Whatever his fears, she refused to trudge all the way back after the effort they¡¯d put into fighting their way down here.


    He seemed surprised at her lack of knowledge, but pointed at the glowing orange pools. ¡°You see that stuff? It¡¯s called lava. Some mountains are filled with it and sometimes they erupt¡ªspewing thousands of gallons of it everywhere around them. It¡¯s hot enough to melt a human and it moves as fast as a river. They¡¯re called volcanoes.¡±


    Rose¡¯s eyes widened in shock and she shuffled back from the ledge ever so slightly. Mountains that breathe fire? That sounded far too crazy to be true, but she¡¯d seen enough wonders on her journey to know he wasn¡¯t lying.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    If the island they were stuck inside was one of these volcanoes, then their situation was far more precarious than they first believed. Rose¡¯s eyes wandered around the cavern as she mulled over their options.


    She spotted a few more tunnels like their own, but they were all inaccessible. There were no obvious routes to climb towards them. A couple were feasible, but if the salamanders spotted them and started spewing flames they would be like sitting ducks.


    There! Her eyes locked onto a tunnel that was reachable. A passageway was carved into the wall of the cavern leading to it and if her eyes weren¡¯t mistaken she could see a trickle of water running out of the tunnel.


    It turned to steam the moment it dripped over the edge of the rocks, but Rose finally had hope. Running water could only come from one place¡ªthe ocean above them.


    There was one glaring problem with the escape route¡ªit was situated at the opposite end of the cavern. They would need to fight their way through dozens of salamanders to reach the bottom of the path.


    And the wild beasts weren¡¯t their only obstacle. As well as the many pools of lava, which would melt them alive if they tumbled in, there were plenty of crevasses that seemed empty, leading further underground.


    If they fell down one of those, the only fate that awaited them was death. Instant, or perhaps slow and painful if they survived the fall.


    Having discovered the way out, they needed to come up with a plan to get there. She turned to Felix and was about to voice her thoughts when a rumble shook the cavern.


    All of the salamanders started rushing around, crawling over each other in a hurry to move. Where are they going? At first there was no discernible pattern to the movement but Rose soon realised what was going on; the monsters were getting as far away from the empty holes as they could.


    Felix shuffled further back from the edge as the rumbling intensified, eyes widening in fear. She followed suit. Before she could ask if he knew what was going on, a huge pillar of steam exploded from one of the holes, smashing into the ceiling.


    Large chunks of rock were carved away and fell to the cavern below, some splashing into the pools of lava, some falling into the other holes or onto unfortunate salamanders. Screeches of pain and rage could be heard all across the space as the beasts fell one after another, to searing lava or falling rock.


    Ten seconds later, the divine judgement ended and Rose crawled forward to take stock of the fallout. She couldn¡¯t figure out whether she should be pleased or petrified.


    Around a tenth of the salamanders lay dead or critically wounded in the aftermath of the explosion. Judging from their behaviour prior to it, this had to be a regular occurrence.


    Turning to Felix, she saw his face scrunched up. His eyes seemed to show relief, but his mouth was curled into a frown.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± he muttered, shaking his head. ¡°I thought there was going to be a volcanic eruption that killed us all, but I never expected¡­ that.¡±


    So that wasn¡¯t an eruption? Rose was just as perplexed as Felix. On one hand, they had an incredible window of opportunity to make a break for the exit. On the flipside, if another one of those holes started spewing steam while they were crossing the cavern it could be fatal.


    Rather than make a hasty decision it might be wise to watch the situation a little longer. If she could figure out the time between the steam explosions they would have a better shot at survival.


    ***


    As the cavern started to rumble for the eighth time in what felt like two hours, but could¡¯ve been ten minutes for all she knew, Rose crawled back to the safety of the tunnel. Felix was asleep.


    She¡¯d told him to get some rest while she worked on a plan of action. There was no point in both of them stressing over the details while they had room to breathe.


    Perhaps the most miraculous part of the entire ecosystem in the cavern was the otherworldly capabilities of the salamanders for not just regeneration, but reproduction. While quite a few of the beasts died with every pillar of steam that burst forth, any that didn¡¯t¡ªeven if they lost half their bodies¡ªwould regenerate it all back shortly after.


    And, wherever she looked there was a salamander spewing out a little horde of babies. Where do they get food? Can they just reproduce on their own? Many questions swirled in her mind.


    Finally the latest pillar shot forth, battering against the cavern ceiling like a caged animal. A few rocks tumbled down, but it wasn¡¯t over yet.


    A deafening boom rocked the open cave and she almost fell over the ledge. The onslaught subsided and she managed to shuffle back before one of the salamanders spotted her.


    Looking up at the impact, she was shocked to see a huge crack running through the ceiling. Until now, none of the jets had done more than superficial damage to the cavern.


    Another deafening groan made her cover her ears, but her eyes remained glued to the crack. More tiny cracks splintered off as she watched and then all of a sudden the roof lost integrity.


    Rose smiled as a huge cascade of stone fell onto the salamanders. This was their chance. Shaking Felix awake, she pulled Sunsplitter out and once he was conscious, pulled him down into the cavern.

 1.50 - Taking Flight

    Never rouse a sleeping beast. If you have to, make sure your first cut is the only cut you need.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Ten Laws of the Sea¡¯, author unknown


    Rose had hoped to dash past the salamanders while they recovered from the fallout of the latest explosion of steam. Unfortunately, even the best laid plans go awry.


    The devastating crack had opened a hole all the way to the surface of the island and as the sunlight penetrated in, it refracted through Sunsplitter and cast a dazzling glow across the entire cavern. Which of course garnered the attention of the furious beasts.


    As soon as they reached the cavern floor they were beset by snapping and snarling salamanders. Rose refused to stop her forward charge and rather than stop to kill them, focused on parrying and deflecting their attacks.


    While her strategy of avoidance was initially successful, it had a limited timeframe. Soon they were being chased by dozens of the beasts and it was only a matter of time until they became overwhelmed.


    Skill up!


    Dual Wielding 5 > 6


    Every level in her new skill made it a little easier to manage the double dance of her blades, with the rhythm of her attacks becoming smoother. Gaps in her defence vanished and the salamander closest to her suddenly found itself being carved into fillets.


    Despite her increased skill, they were starting to slow. Almost every single salamander in the cavern was frothing at the mouth in their fury; a ferocious horde of wild beasts that refused to let them pass.


    ¡°We aren¡¯t going to make it,¡± grunted Felix, shoving one of the creatures away from him with his cutlass before stabbing it in the neck with his dagger.


    Rose didn¡¯t want to believe him, but even though she was decapitating salamanders at a respectable rate they continued to pile on. It took three kills just to advance a single step and they¡¯d barely made it halfway across the cavern.


    The tide of monsters backed her up and she felt herself rubbing against a boulder. Her foot caught in a gap and she stumbled, almost getting her cheek torn apart by an errant claw¡ªFelix saved her with a wild slash.


    Sparing a moment to look behind, she saw that the boulder was sitting on one of the holes, plugging it entirely. That couldn¡¯t be great. The pressure from the steam would build up much faster and if it exploded with them standing beside the hole, it was sure to vaporise them.


    As Rose was wont to do, an utterly foolish idea crossed her mind. As they¡¯d advanced, the ceiling had continued to collapse and the entire thing was now open to the outside world.


    Rather than risk their lives pushing through the squirming mass of salamanders, why not hitch a ride on the boulder when it was launched into the sky by the impending explosion of steam? Either way they were liable to perish.


    ¡°Felix,¡± she shouted over the hissing of the beasts. ¡°I need you to trust me and ignore your cowardly instincts for a while.¡±


    The withering glare he sent her way could¡¯ve melted steel, but she ignored it. He sighed and halfway through slicing apart a salamander replied, ¡°Fine. Just don¡¯t get me killed.¡±


    Skill up!


    Blades 12 > 13


    Rose carved her way towards the boy until they were close enough to touch. She¡¯d chosen this spot on purpose, because the boulder was most jagged here.


    ¡°Right. You see the boulder behind us?¡±


    ¡°I do not like where this is going,¡± he answered, but nodded in confirmation anyway.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to cover you and you¡¯re going to climb on top. Once you¡¯re out of reach of these bastards pull me up with you.¡±


    ¡°I knew I was going to hate this plan. Are you sure we have to do this?¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    ¡°Do you think we can cut our way through all of these things?¡± she said, waving a cutlass at the beasts even while defending herself against multiple sets of claws and the odd tail.


    He didn¡¯t answer. Instead, after cutting down his current foe, Felix crouched low before leaping up to the nearest handhold. Two more salamanders pounced after him, but she whirled round and cut them apart before they could reach his legs.


    Neither of them were expert climbers but the boulder was rough and made scaling it simple. Without Felix guarding her left side, Rose faced an insurmountable wave of monsters.


    The added pressure was both a blessing and a curse. Within seconds she heard a double splash as her skills continued to level up, but more and more of their strikes were connecting.


    Skill up!


    Dual Wielding 6 > 7


    Skill up!


    Endurance 5 > 6


    None of the salamanders had been breathing fire this whole time and she suspected it was because to do so was to risk upsetting the delicate balance of the ecosystem in the cavern. A tail whipped her arm and she stumbled into slashing claws that tore out a chunk of her thigh.


    Before she could succumb to her wounds and the mounting pressure, a hand appeared in front of her face. She grabbed it without a second thought and felt the world shift as Felix yanked her out of the fray.


    Apparently the thought of their prey escaping was enough to drive the salamanders insane, because twin jets of flame exploded past her, narrowly missing the pair. Grabbing hold of the rock she started to race upwards in hope of escaping their range.


    Thrice more the beasts almost burnt her limbs. She was currently mourning the loss of her left sole, which had sacrificed itself to save her foot from another jet of flame.


    They reached the top soon after, collapsing onto the flat-ish boulder and panting for breath. Those last few moments had been tense and Felix had slipped, almost knocking them both into the writhing mass of monsters below.


    ¡°What now?¡± he panted.


    ¡°Now we wait. And maybe pray,¡± she added as an afterthought. ¡°Do you worship any gods? I never asked.¡±


    ¡°Two,¡± he replied, holding up two fingers to drive the answer home. ¡°My parents raised me as a believer of Aleena, the Goddess of Safe Harbour. I¡¯ve always managed to reach it, one way or another, so even when I found another faith I never forgot to offer thanks to her.¡±


    ¡°And the second?¡±


    He hesitated for a moment, holding an internal debate from the look in his eyes. ¡°Mesomere,¡± he eventually muttered.


    ¡°What¡¯s that? I didn¡¯t catch the name.¡±


    ¡°I said Mesomere.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Rose realised why he¡¯d hesitated to tell her. There was nothing wrong with worshipping Mesomere¡ªGod of Wealth and Deceit¡ªbut his followers tended to garner a particular¡­ reputation.


    A reputation as thieves, liars, and cheats. She wasn¡¯t one to judge and she certainly would never speak ill of a deity. And she knew Felix was none of those, so she simply nodded and smiled.


    ¡°That¡¯s nice. I only pray to Sylack. Occasionally I cast a wider net, but never to any particular member of the pantheon.¡±


    At her casual response he relaxed, shoulders dropping. Perhaps he¡¯d been judged in the past for his choice of divine patron, but who was she to throw mud? After all, pirates were renowned for looting and dastardly schemes.


    ***


    They didn¡¯t speak much after their discussion of deities. Other than striking down the occasional salamander that managed to claw its way up the boulder, there was little to do while waiting.


    A rumble shook the cavern and made her stumble as she drove Sunsplitter into the torso of a leaping beast. Hurriedly yanking her blade back, Rose retreated to the centre of the rock.


    She hugged Felix tight as the boulder started to shake and tremble. ¡°Well, here goes nothing. If we survive, perhaps I¡¯ll have to add Aleena to my list of patron gods,¡± she joked.


    Felix chuckled. ¡°Would that make me a priest? My very first convert.¡±


    Her reply was drowned out by a deafening bang. The pair were thrown to the ground, glued to it as the boulder was sent hurtling into the sky on a pillar of superheated steam.


    Wisps of it pierced through the stone and cracks appeared as the integrity failed. Her skin blistered and cracked and she heard Felix grinding his teeth.


    Then, as soon as the explosion had begun it abruptly ended and she covered her eyes as they burst out of the ground and into dazzling sunlight. Looking around she realised the storm had cleared and the sun shone bright over the three islands.


    She heard a crack. Felix¡¯s hand brushed against hers, desperately attempting to grab hold but failing. The boulder split in two and they were separated.


    Despite that, she was ecstatic. Her plan had been a roaring success and they were finally free of the cave. Her grin turned to a frown as she realised that the rock was still soaring upwards.


    How far am I going to fly? If she went much further then the landing would be more than just a little sting. Luckily, its momentum could only carry it so far and it stopped a little above the peak of the island.


    There was little there save for more algae and a few crabs. Perhaps falling into the cave had been a blessing in disguise¡ªif she¡¯d instead climbed to the top she wouldn¡¯t have made such fantastic gains. Her idle musing was broken by a splash.

 1.51 - Sea Monsters

    Nothing makes a pirate adventure more than battling a sea monster. I still remember my first kraken. Oh, she was a beauty. We preserved one of the tentacles to decorate the ship.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Unusual Tales from the Dark Seas¡¯ by various contributors


    WARNING!


    Convergence core has been harvested, breaching is imminent.


    Oh dear. A larger splash drowned everything out as she slammed into the ocean. The chunk of boulder absorbed the brunt of the impact but it still rocked her to the bone.


    Treading water, she tried to take stock of her surroundings. Something brushed against her leg. Rose took a breath and shoved her head underwater. Her eyes widened to the size of saucers.


    Everywhere she looked there were fish of all colours, shapes, and sizes. It was beautiful. That wasn¡¯t pertinent however, because right below her was a sleek, grey beast¡ªa shark. As she watched it turned back towards her.


    Its mouth was wide open, displaying rows of razor sharp teeth. She drew Sunsplitter and prepared to fight for her life.


    Something wrapped around her chest. Her guts spilled into her mouth as she was yanked from the sea. Before Rose could register what had happened she found herself in someone¡¯s arms.


    Looking up, she saw the smiling face of Nasar looking down at her. Looking down, she saw a rope lasso around her chest. It didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out what had happened.


    ¡°Did you see Felix? He was with me but we fell in diff-¡± she trailed off as she spotted a soaked, shivering Felix dripping onto the deck behind Nasar.


    Another splash echoed in her ears and from the reactions of the two men she wasn¡¯t the only one. With some trepidation she read the whorl.


    ERROR!


    Untethered core detected, breaching interrupted.


    ¡°Before we even discuss what the hell that means, how is the ship sailing?¡± she asked the chef.


    The last thing she¡¯d seen before falling into the cave was the state of disrepair Liberty had been in. Yet now, it was good as new and sailing towards the middle island.


    ¡°I fixed it,¡± replied Nasar impassively, as though such a thing was obvious from the get go. ¡°Now, I have a suspicion about our predicament, but we¡¯ll need-¡±


    The sea dropped.


    In front of their eyes, the island behind the central spire started to crumble and fall into the ocean, which had begun to froth and boil like a colossal teapot. Her legs quivered as the ship smacked into the sea.


    Turning around she saw the island they¡¯d just escaped was also falling to pieces and returning to the depths. Something very, very weird was happening.


    For once, Rose wished her journey could¡¯ve been a little more¡­ normal. Didn¡¯t most pirates spend their time drinking and looting merchant ships and undefended towns?


    Why was it that every time she set sail she stumbled into some extraordinary adventure? Then again, her explosive growth was driven by these experiences and she¡¯d met some wonderful crewmates.


    Instead of collapsing, the central island seemed to be rising from the sea, growing in height and width. In the distance, the ocean exploded and a huge cloud of water covered the horizon.


    ¡°Is that¡­ a person?¡± exclaimed Felix, pointing at a little black spot shooting towards the island from the colossal splash.


    As the figure grew nearer it became clear that it was in fact a person. They smashed into the island, causing a minor landslide that tumbled into the ocean.


    Three massive waves were heading right for them from the huge splash, but that wasn¡¯t all. After the man, a towering pillar rose from the ocean and into the sky.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    No, it couldn¡¯t have been a pillar. It moved. Extraordinarily fast. Like a bolt of lightning the titanic shape snapped towards the island and when it came closer Rose trembled in fear.


    Thick snake-like body covered in dark green scales, vicious spines running along the length of its back, and the head of a dragon with ferocious fangs to match. The serpent turned glowing red eyes on the man as he rose to his feet.


    Despite facing a beast that outsized him a thousand-to-one, the figure was undaunted. Rose caught a glimpse of blue from underneath the man¡¯s shirt and smiled.


    A booming laugh echoed across the ocean, reaching them from a mile away. Nasar rushed to the wheel and shouted at the pair as he did.


    ¡°Adjust the sails, then load the cannons. We¡¯re heading straight for the damn serpent.¡±


    Rose stood frozen on the edge of the deck, ignoring the man¡¯s instructions. Her stare was trained on the man and the monster in the distance. She¡¯d recognise her captain anywhere.


    ¡°Come at me you overgrown worm. I¡¯ll never give your treasure back!¡± cackled Trent.


    An ungodly roar shook the entire convergence, sending huge waves into Liberty. They buffeted the ship as it fought its way towards the central island.


    Like the hammer of a deity, the looming serpent fell from the skies and slammed into the cackling pirate. Waves as tall as the walls of Highbream radiated outwards from the island and a shower of rock tore tiny holes in the sails.


    Rose dodged to the side as one particularly large piece soared past her and smashed into the deck. The damage was minimal considering the sheer quantity of debris that exploded outwards from the impact, thanks to Nasar¡¯s rather expert sailing.


    She trusted in her captain¡¯s strength, but the monstrous size of the serpent and the devastating impact of its strike made her fear for Trent. Only until the dust cleared, however.


    The beast¡¯s maw was held in place a tiny distance from the island, hovering right above it as though frozen. She cracked a smile when she saw the tiny, defiant figure of Trent holding it up with his bare hands. One on each half of the monster¡¯s jaw, prying it open.


    Even across the ocean she could hear his rebellious laughter. A deafening clap roared out, louder than thunder, as he slammed the serpent¡¯s jaw shut. He wasn¡¯t done with that.


    A telltale blue shimmer gathered around the distant figure and flashed in an explosion that blasted the serpent¡¯s head back. It started to fall into the ocean, but caught itself moments before the splash.


    Trent¡¯s body flashed with blue once again. He vanished from the spot and reappeared in front of the creature, pounding the top of its head with a vicious punch.


    He dashed across the surface of the ocean after his prey, but it suddenly reared up and shot out of the sea, rising into the sky like the towers of Eastfel Bay. It towered taller than even the mast of Liberty, and roared in defiance at Trent.


    The bestial noise didn¡¯t hamper his charge in the slightest, but suddenly a green spike shot from the ocean and speared him from the side.


    Rose cried out. ¡°Stop gawking and fix the jib, girl,¡± shouted Nasar. ¡°If you want to help him, then we need to reach the battle. Nothing can be done if the damn sail isn¡¯t facing the right way.¡±


    Letting her fist unclench, she realised her knuckles were white from how hard she¡¯d been clasping them. He was right. Trent wouldn¡¯t die right away¡ªhe even seemed to briefly have the upper hand¡ªbut she wasn¡¯t helping by loitering on deck.


    As she rushed about, adjusting the rigging and the sails in tandem with Felix, huge waves continued to rock the ship. But their efforts were not in vain. Every moment they drew closer to the unfolding clash.


    Blood dripped from huge cuts along the side of the serpent¡¯s body and from its jaw. A huge fang floated past them and Felix rushed to toss out a rope and reel it in.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± called Nasar. ¡°It¡¯s worthless unless it¡¯s a treasure. And we can always loot the body later.¡±


    The boy seemed dejected but Rose knew the chef was right. There was no tug from the tooth. And whichever blow of Trent¡¯s that had dislodged it had also partially splintered it, removing whatever value it may have held.


    A flash of blue light blinded her for half a second. Acrid smoke drifted across the deck and she stared in horror as the serpent bit down on Trent¡¯s shoulder.


    Due to the colossal size of its fangs, they pierced right through his chest. The ARM crackled and sparked as it was steadily torn away, but Trent was a tenacious bastard.


    He dug his feet into the ocean, somehow, and grabbed hold of it by the fangs. What had been an insurmountable distance was closing by the second. Nasar¡¯s next shout confirmed it.


    ¡°Go and prepare the cannons,¡± he roared. ¡°Wait, do you even know how to fire the cannons?¡± he added a little sheepishly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll show her,¡± chuckled Felix, pulling Rose into the hatch that led to the deck below.


    Liberty only had one deck of guns, but given that they were only there to provide a distraction it was plenty. Pirates usually aimed to board their prey¡ªnot blow it apart. Then again, a sea monster was in a different league to some docile merchant vessel.


    Felix led her to the nearest cannon. ¡°Right, it¡¯s simple. Just pull it back, drop the cannonball in and plunge it to the bottom. Then sprinkle on the powder, chain it to the deck wall and light the fuse,¡± he explained, pointing to the relevant parts of the cannon as he did.


    He was about to prep the first cannon to fire when two pulses of energy blasted into the ship from opposite directions.

 1.52 - Converging Fates

    Fifty kilos of sea serpent meat, thirty kilos of potatoes, twenty kilos of carrots, ten kilos of parsley, five kilos of devilscorch peppers


    -Recipe for Sea Serpent Stew from ¡®Barry ¡®Bottomless¡¯ Bigjaw¡¯s Pirate Cookbook¡¯ by Barry ¡®Bottomless¡¯ Bigjaw


    Rose¡¯s tongue tingled. For a brief moment she lost sensation in her extremities as the first pulse hit her. There was a horrifying drop, as though her very soul had been ripped from her body and then stuffed back in through her mouth.


    She barely had time to react to the stomach churning sensation when the second pulse struck. The first had felt distinctly arcane¡ªin a more overwhelming way than ever before¡ªbut the second was utterly wrong in a way she couldn¡¯t quite put words to.


    It was a pulse and yet her skin crawled, itching as tendrils of energy desperately tried to pry their way in through her pores like a thousand necrotic worms. Even as the wave passed she could still feel the nasty itching.


    Skill up!


    Arcane Attunement 2 > 3


    You have learned a new skill!


    Arcane Resistance 0 > 1


    The splashes of the tide were refreshing in a way, bringing Rose back into focus as the largest wave yet smashed over the bow. Water washed into the hatch from above as they staggered on their feet.


    Rose wanted to rush above deck to check if Nasar was still standing firm at the wheel; to see if Trent was holding out against the serpent. However, the chef¡¯s words rang in her ears.


    She was more useful down here, preparing the cannons. They were almost in range now. She could see the hulking figure of the serpent through the hatches, head whipping back and forth in a furious melee with Trent.


    Blue sparks flashed as the monster¡¯s tail speared at Trent over and over. Seeing that he was holding firm, Rose returned to her duty.


    ***


    Trent


    Every time the beast slammed into his burning shoulder or attempted to pierce his limbs with its frustratingly agile tail, his heart pounded faster. He was growing old.


    In his prime¡ªten years ago if he was being generous¡ªa little snake like this wouldn¡¯t have dared to raise its head against him. That was life on the high seas.


    The moment you let the wind in your sails falter was the moment you forever missed the chance to sail into the next realm; a grander ocean. Not that it was entirely his fault. He wouldn¡¯t have fled back to the Bluestone Sea by choice.


    A flicker of green in the corner of his vision alerted him to the next tail strike. Half of the wiring to the ARM had been ripped out by the annoying beastie, but there was enough left to keep surging it with his tidal energy.


    It whipped back and blasted the serpent¡¯s tail with yet another explosive punch. This time he was rewarded with a gentle crunch as something broke.


    However, the monster roared as its fury reached new heights. He¡¯d known this would happen when he stole her eggs, but it was easy to forget how to battle when the only foes around were bloated nobility and wild animals jumped up on the sparse tidal energy in the outer seas.


    At the rate the fight was going, with each momentary clash dragging him closer to his last breath, Trent and the monster would destroy each other. At least the girl will be safe with Nasar to protect her.


    Rose reminded Trent of himself as a kid. Ambitious, talented, and above all else¡ªnaive. Stories of legendary pirates reached the outer seas, diluted into fairy tales and bedtime stories. They did little justice to the truth.


    He¡¯d gone to Saltbeard¡¯s execution when he was just four years old, clinging to his father¡¯s hand like a lost puppy following the nearest stranger. It had forever altered the course of his life.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    When he¡¯d left home there had been few obstacles in his path. Even sailing a tiny one man ship he¡¯d been able to raid to his heart¡¯s delight and venture into the deadliest regions of the Aetherdew Ocean.


    Perhaps he should¡¯ve tempered his ambition; stayed a big fish in a little pond. Was it better to gaze upon the ocean¡¯s depths, knowing you would never reach them in your lifetime, or to stay ignorant of what lay below while living a carefree life?


    To most of the people living in this tiny little place¡ªThe Bluestone Sea, such a quaint name¡ªhe was a god among men. Rose had told him that most people in her village barely mastered a single profession in their lifetimes.


    Another flash of green. He diverted the final dregs of his energy into the ARM. Perhaps he should¡¯ve spent more time with the Baron¡¯s wife as thanks for this wonderful gift.


    At the last moment before the spear-like tail struck, it spluttered and failed. It pierced right through his chest, catching a lung.


    He coughed up blood, grabbing onto the tail with his arm of flesh and bone. There was still fight in him. He couldn¡¯t blame the artifact¡ªmost of the connecting nodes had been destroyed during the battle.


    Skill up!


    Endurance ¡ï99 > ¡ï100


    You have earned a new trait!


    Tideforged: You have lived a lifetime on the ocean, under the whims of the tide. This has forged your body into something greater. Your resistance to physical and arcane attacks is increased.


    Skill threshold reached!


    Initiate evolution?


    [YES][NO]


    There was nothing Trent could do but look to the skies and laugh. He¡¯d been working on that for the last two years.


    Hard to find anything out here that could threaten him enough to hone his skills. With only one working lung, he wasn¡¯t long for this world. Yet, he initiated the evolution anyway.


    Skill evolved!


    Endurance ¡ï100 > ¡ï¡ï1


    All at once he was hollowed out, both in energy and flesh. He was suspended in the air on the tail of the serpent, which still desperately tried to force its way further in against his push.


    His new trait would¡¯ve been fantastic seconds before. Trent could feel a slight push from his body against the monster, but what use was greater resistance when you¡¯d already been turned into a meat skewer?


    Closing his eyes, he resigned himself to his fate. Immediately he opened them again. Screw that. Why should he give this ugly snake the satisfaction?


    Trent reached deep inside himself, looking for the core of his power. There was something he hadn¡¯t told Rose about tidestones.


    For good reason¡ªone cannot run before they know how to walk. He still had one in his inventory, saved to gift Orelia and convince her to join this final voyage. He prepared to overload his core.


    A deafening clap of thunder shook the seas. He felt the serpent¡¯s tail quake and opened his eyes. Another booming clap echoed out and he saw the snake¡¯s head snap to the side, blood spurting from a fresh wound.


    Using the little strength he had left, he craned his neck to the side as far as it would go. He grinned. Liberty was carving through the giant waves like a hot knife through butter.


    Every few seconds another clap of cannon fire roared out. At least he could die knowing this damned serpent would be joining him in hell.


    His heart leapt into his chest as he dropped from the sky. He still had the beast¡¯s tail lodged in his lung, but looking over he saw that a stray cannonball had blasted through it.


    Trent still didn¡¯t fancy his chances of survival, but at the very least he preferred to be entombed in the icy depths than the stomach of a sea monster. As he smashed into the water, his vision blurred as blood loss dragged him into unconsciousness.


    ***


    ¡°Ha! Take that you bastard snake,¡± cackled Felix as he rushed across the floorboards, loading and firing cannons like a madman.


    Rose was following suit, though with slightly less enthusiasm for the explosive destruction they were dishing out. Men and their toys.


    Furthermore, she was worried. The explosions from the clash between Trent and the serpent had died down moments before they started their volley.


    Leaving the cannons to the maniacal Felix, she pushed herself right up against one of the hatches and squinted her eyes. There were still a few hundred metres between Liberty and the monster, but she could see a blurry outline.


    Her heart lurched. A figure could be seen in the mist, pierced through by the serpent¡¯s tail. It had to be Trent. She refused to accept that the man was dead.


    After all his bold claims and bravado, to fall to the first sea monster they encountered would be ridiculous. She¡¯d hunt down his ghost and kill him twice.


    Shifting one of the heavy cannons towards the tail of the beast, rather than the head, Rose loaded the heaviest cannonball she could find into the barrel and lit the fuse.


    Then, without looking to see the results of her handiwork she rushed back to the main deck, shouting an apology to Felix as she went. Grabbing a spare coil of rope, she tied it around her waist and then the railings.


    Trent¡¯s done this twice now, it can¡¯t be that difficult. Rose somewhat regretted her hasty decision as she plummeted towards the ocean, but it was too late. Her muscles stiffened as the icy water washed over her, but she forged ahead and started to swim.

 1.53 - A Burning Desire to Help

    Many look down on vocational skills like fishing, cooking, and cleaning as the realm of menial labourers. Anything can be a weapon in the hands of a master, given enough time to hone their craft.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Charting the Tide: A journeyman¡¯s guide to skills and occupations¡¯ by various contributors


    Rose started to curse her own folly. She had a nasty cramp in her right leg and the left seemed to be heading the same way.


    She¡¯d been full of bravado when she leapt in to rescue Trent, hoping to repay him for all the times he¡¯d saved her hide. However, the ice cold clutches of the ocean were merciless, threatening to pull her under with every passing moment.


    Despite the pain, she forged onwards. The serpent was distracted, falling towards the sea as blast after blast from Liberty¡¯s cannons smacked into its head and coiling body.


    In the distance, she could see a part of the monster¡¯s severed tail poking out above the waves. However, there was no sign of Trent.


    Pierced by the deadly sharp limb, he must¡¯ve sunk beneath the surface. Rose grit her teeth and started to pull her arms through the water harder and faster.


    Skill up!


    Swimming 8 > 9


    That was one skill she¡¯d forgotten about, ironically. Most of those levels had been earned during her childhood, playing in the sea by Fairwater Bay.


    Now she regretted not pushing herself further. She¡¯d been at sea for almost two months now and hadn¡¯t even dipped a single toe in its depths¡ªor shallows, for that matter.


    A colossal wave approached, one that she would be unable to let carry her. Too much of her progress would be lost by the time she made it over the crest.


    Taking a deep breath, Rose plunged under the surface, fighting the instinct to gasp for breath as the cold dug its claws deeper. It passed as she broke the surface, rising up into the sunlight.


    Cannonfire thundered in her ears as the water dripped back into the sea. Sparing a glance back at the ship, she was appalled to see she¡¯d barely swum a hundred metres.


    Knowing that she would have to brave the cold sooner rather than later, Rose started breathing rhythmically. Each inhale was deep, filling her lungs and expanding them further and further.


    Once she felt as though she was at her limit, she held the breath and plunged under the waves once more. The water bit deep, but she resisted and stared into the murky depths.


    It was difficult to see, but she could make out shapes and colours if she squinted. The colossal sea serpent had scared off most of the wildlife, but she could see the occasional scavenger feasting on the bits of charred flesh that fell as their cannons tore into the beast.


    There! A long, curling shadow was sinking around thirty metres ahead of her, with a lump skewered on the end. Trent wasn¡¯t moving, but she could see thin streams of what could only be blood trailing up to the surface as he sank.


    Mustering all her remaining strength, she pushed through the water towards him. With her target in sight there was no room for hesitation. For all she knew, he was already dead.


    However, she refused to let such dark thoughts cloud her mind. Rose believed that her captain lived¡ªhe had promised to.


    Ten metres closer, she started to feel the burn in her muscles as they ran through the last dregs of air in her lungs. Her legs grew heavy, but she continued to kick.


    Twenty metres in, she was consumed by fiery agony as every muscle in her body screamed in protest against her. Despite the abysmal working conditions, she refused to let them rest.


    Skill up!


    Swimming 9 > 10


    You have earned a new trait!


    Smooth Strokes: Every stroke, every kick is streamlined and with minimal inefficiency. Your body instinctively knows how to cut through water as though you were a fish.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Rose felt the difference instantly, every pull of her arms taking her a little further than before. It didn¡¯t stop the pain, or give her new breath, but it would help.


    Five metres remained between her and the sinking tail. She could see Trent now. His body was laced with bloody cuts and bruises and his face was swollen.


    She reached out to grab him, just clasping the lapels of his jacket. With a pull, she attempted to drag him back to the surface with her. He didn¡¯t budge.


    Another pull, both hands wrapped around him and legs kicking with all her strength, but it was far too heavy. The corners of her vision went dark. She¡¯d stayed underwater too long.


    Rose raced to the surface, her lungs on fire as she broke through. Gasping for breath, she stayed treading water until she could see clearly and her muscles only ached rather than burned.


    Without delay she dove back down under the water. Trent had sunk further, but was directly below Rose. She raced downwards, her new trait letting her glide through the water¡ªnot quite like a fish, but perhaps an agile frog.


    There was a severe dilemma. The combined weight of Trent and the huge section of the serpent¡¯s tail was too much for her to drag to the surface alone. However, removing the tail from his chest would cause Trent to bleed out before they could get back to the ship.


    A few bubbles escaped her lips, rising to the waves above as she pondered the problem. As she saw it, there was only one solution. Every passing second made her job more difficult and brought Trent closer to death.


    She¡¯d managed to feel his pulse during her last attempt, so at least he was alive for now. Pulling Sunsplitter from her inventory, she turned her focus to the tail.


    Simply hacking away wouldn¡¯t work. Every tremor would risk further damage to Trent¡¯s chest. The sharp tail already pierced his lung, so wrecking more of his vital organs would lead to disaster.


    A delicate operation lay before her, but Rose had an idea. Gently laying one of her cutlasses underneath the tail, she raised the other and brought it down with as much force as she could muster.


    The water pushed against her, adding far more resistance than she was used to. Despite that, Rose was able to cut a few centimetres into the dead flesh.


    It would take quite a few cuts to get through, but she was nothing if not persistent. With every swing she had to adjust the balancing blade underneath to ensure she wasn¡¯t making Trent shake.


    She swung down and this time her blade met no resistance. The last sinews of muscle gave way to Sunsplitter¡¯s crystal edge and the largest part of the tail fell away, the last dregs of blood dissipating into the sea.


    Immediately storing her blades, Rose swam over to Trent and wrapped her arms under his shoulders before kicking upwards. Without the monster¡¯s tail weighing him down, she was able to swim at around half her top speed.


    Rose breached the choppy surface before her breath ran out. Taking a few measured breaths for good measure, she slapped Trent¡¯s cheeks a few times.


    It was harsh, but if he could wake up it would be for the best. With the rope tied around her waist stretched to its limit, Rose was saved the effort of swimming.


    She reeled them in, steadily getting into a rhythm of pulling. It took a few minutes to reach the hull and Rose realised she¡¯d forgotten the most important part of the process.


    Lifting Trent under the water wasn¡¯t a problem, with the ocean¡¯s buoyancy assisting her. However, lifting him up the rope to the deck was another matter. Luckily, there was an easy solution.


    ¡°Oi, Felix!¡± she yelled, her voice hoarse after the intense swim. Waiting for a lull in the cannonfire she roared again, ¡°Get over here!¡±


    Silence fell for a few seconds, the only noise the gentle crash of the waves against the wooden hull of Liberty. She was about to gather her breath for an even louder shout when a familiar face poked out of a hatch.


    Felix¡¯s eyes widened when he saw the blood leaking into the water and the snake tail poking out of Trent¡¯s chest. The roar of the cannons had stopped as he popped back inside the ship.


    A few seconds later he appeared on the deck where she¡¯d tied the rope to the railings. While waiting Rose had transferred the lasso from her own waist to Trent¡¯s, making sure to avoid the most injured areas of his body.


    The man was yanked from the water and almost banged into the side of the ship, if not for Rose leaping up and placing an arm behind his back. ¡°Careful, idiot. He¡¯s half dead,¡± she cried.


    Felix looked sheepish and resumed pulling their captain up, with a far more gentle touch than before. Nasar rushed over when he saw the commotion, his face grim when he saw Trent¡¯s wounds.


    Nasar lifted the man into a princess carry and vanished from view, presumably taking him to the cabins where they could treat his injuries. Felix tossed the rope back down for her.


    Rose started climbing, but fell from the rope two steps up. She was exhausted.


    ¡°Just hold on, I¡¯ve got you,¡± said Felix.


    When she was halfway up to the deck, the ocean rumbled and a deafening roar sent a huge wave careening into her. It knocked the wind from her lungs and she spluttered as she tried to cough up the salty water.


    A great tug sent her flying into the air and over the railings, before she slammed into the deck. Felix was already sprinting for the hatch. Turning back to the sea, she saw the serpent making a beeline for them.


    Blood dripped from its mouth and a couple of its fangs were missing. Trent had dealt lethal damage, but that only served to infuriate the beast.


    Their battle had only just begun.

 1.54 - Big Game Fishing

    Take care of your tools and they¡¯ll never fail you. A poor workman blames his tools, forgetting to look at his own faults. I¡¯ve had the same rod for half a century and she works even better than the day I bought her.


    -Quoted from Tullius Kingfisher


    Water dripped onto the deck from her clothes. Rose wanted to change into a dry outfit, but there was no time. The serpent was bearing down on them and their only defences right now were the dozen cannons on the deck below.


    What she did have was a brief moment to check her status. If even Trent wasn¡¯t able to take this monster down, then she wouldn¡¯t be able to hold back.


    Name: Rose Everblue


    Race: Human


    Occupation: Apprentice Scholar 9


    Title: Apprentice


    Available Titles: Murderer, Apprentice


    Bound Items: Sunsplitter 51


    Skills: Cleaning 11, Reading 11, Fishing 14, Swimming 10, Writing 13, Butchery 9, Cooking 7, Herding 2, Focus 14, Drawing 11, Sailing 15, One Handed Weapons 5, Blades 13, Pistols 11, Firearms 5, Unarmed Combat 2, Endurance 6, Precision 6, Arcane Attunement 3, Light Attunement 4, Stealth 5, Athletics 8, Toxin Resistance 2, Appraisal 1, Climbing 1, Crafting 1, Dual Wielding 7, Arcane Resistance 1


    Traits: Sensitive Line, Deft Hand, Good as New, Tunnel Vision, Endless Inkwell, Quick Consumption, Knot my Problem, Reliable Duelist, Steady Slash, Smooth Strokes


    Despite her fears, Rose knew what she needed to do. To give them a fighting chance against the greatest foe they¡¯d ever faced, she would need to equip the Murderer title once more.


    While it had drawbacks, she could mitigate them by staying away from Felix and Nasar as they fought. If only I could walk on the sea like Trent.


    After they escaped this convergence she would need to ask him what the secret was. No doubt he would refuse to tell her and offer a cryptic riddle.


    She realised with some dread that this would be the first monster she¡¯d battled without the smug bastard at her side. He¡¯d become part of her life. Just this once she wanted to prove her own strength; show not just her captain but all the crew that she could stand on her own two feet and face her fears.


    She waited as the serpent drew closer. Her pistol would be useless here. The cannons only scratched the sturdy scales, so a bullet would be like flinging a speck of dust.


    Felix was inside, tending to Trent. He wasn¡¯t a big fighter, even though he was skilled with the sword. She¡¯d seen him carve a few of the pirates into pieces back on Unrequited Love.


    Trent¡¯s crew¡­ It was funny how the world worked sometimes. She still resented him for his actions, but the rational part of her brain recognised that was just because she¡¯d formed a bond with the merchant crew.


    Rose would have no qualms about raiding a merchant ship if they encountered one on the way to Zoria. She might even enjoy it.


    Nasar was at the wheel. She would need his help to kill the colossal serpent, but at the same time worried about being near an ally with Murderer active.


    As it stood she barely reached halfway to the creature¡¯s head. There was still some time before they were in range, so she rushed to the railings and started to clamber up the rigging.


    Hand over hand, she ascended with practised ease. The first time she¡¯d tried to climb the ropes, thinking they were taut and steady, she¡¯d done a double spin and almost sprained her ankles, left hanging in testament to her embarrassing failure.


    Skill up!


    Climbing 1 > 2


    In just ten seconds she was perched atop the crow¡¯s nest, now seeing eye to eye with the monster. A cocktail of emotions tumbled through her brain.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Fear, excitement¡­ rage. This bastard would pay for almost killing Trent. Summoning Sunsplitter to her hands, she twirled the blades in turn.


    Sparkling radiance danced across the deck as the blades carved the daylight apart. What did it mean to have a light affinity; to be attuned to the light?


    In that first convergence it had been blinding and all-consuming¡ªa source of fear. The little campfire had been the opposite. Maybe it was the same thing. For the island, that blinding light was protection.


    Skill up!


    Light Attunement 4 > 5


    Light Attunement 5 > 6


    Two levels at once? That¡¯s new. A gurgled screech pierced her eardrums, making the sails flutter from the force of the serpent¡¯s roar.


    She wanted to dance with her cutlasses and paint the ocean in a dazzling rainbow, but her enemy was upon her. In a display of navigational finesse utterly unexpected from a chef, Nasar managed to duck the ship¡¯s mast under the serpent¡¯s jaw as it shot forth.


    Biting down on empty air, its eyes told a tale of confusion. Rose was mere metres away. There would not be a better chance than this.


    Legs coiled like a spring, time slowing as she watched the pupil larger than her head swivel to follow her. The snake was too large; too slow to react.


    She exploded forwards, the force of her jump actually snapping part of the crow¡¯s nest. Unfortunately for Rose, that knocked her off target.


    Skill up!


    Athletics 8 > 9


    It was agonisingly ironic of the tide to reward her for a misstep. Still, even missing her original target wasn¡¯t a disaster.


    Sunsplitter buried itself into the serpent¡¯s flared nostrils and she dragged the twin cutlasses through the monster¡¯s flesh as she fell to the deck below.


    Skill up!


    Blades 13 > 14


    Grinning as she plummeted, Rose put her cutlasses away and grabbed onto the rigging. Her shoulder jolted as it caught, but she managed to clamber onto the ropes.


    The sails were stained with the beast¡¯s blood and it reeled, splashing more across the deck. A deep gash ran down its face, from nostril to jaw. Any damage was worth dealing, but her aim had been to blind their foe from the outset of battle.


    She also lacked one vital ingredient to gain the advantage¡ªpower. Resigning herself to fate, Rose sighed and brought up her status.


    With a single thought, Apprentice became Murderer. She staggered, tripping over and smacking her face into the tiny part of the mast that jutted out of the centre of the crow¡¯s nest.


    Dark impulses clawed their way into her mind. Her eyes swivelled, looking for a target to vent her frustration. There were none, save for the screeching serpent.


    Even in her vengeful state, her body knew that it was too far a jump. Without realising, Sunsplitter had found its way into her hands, nestled in her tight grip like it had never left.


    The serpent locked eyes with her, slit pupils narrowing in fury. Its own blood dripped onto a forked tongue as it hissed, widening its jaw.


    There was a pop as it dislocated and continued to widen. Oh no. She needed to close the gap, but her foe refused to advance.


    A terrifying, dazzlingly brilliant idea struck her. Testament to her improved mental fortitude, she returned Sunsplitter to her inventory even while under the effects of her title.


    Perhaps it was because it knew she still sought the death of her enemy. Rose leapt over the edge of the crow¡¯s nest and grabbed hold of the closest rope, riding it down to the deck.


    Racing to a wooden chest by the doorway to the cabins, she threw it open the moment she got close. Rummaging through a pile of furs, fabrics, and spare planks she eventually found what she was looking for.


    Clutching it in one hand, she didn¡¯t bother to close the chest as she raced back towards the mast. Halfway there, she paused and considered whether the height would even be an advantage anymore.


    It wouldn¡¯t. Rose changed directions and made her way to the edge of the ship, planting one foot on the top of the railings.


    This was a gamble. Rose felt the pressure weighing on her shoulders. Too much rested on her. Nasar wasn¡¯t able to leave the wheel¡ªnot while the serpent loomed overhead.


    She closed her eyes, letting all the useless worries fade away. Leaning on Focus, even the violent impulses of Murderer were dulled.


    Sylack, if you¡¯re listening, then I implore you to bless this foolish girl. I never treated fishing with the proper respect, even though I enjoyed it. So, let me make it up to you with the catch of a lifetime.


    Something tugged on the rod. Her eyes snapped open and she whirled around, but there was nobody there. Odd, why is it shimmering?


    The rod she¡¯d chosen was an ordinary wooden fishing rod, with nothing special about it. Yet, she could feel a gentle resonance between the polished rod and something deep inside her; something arcane.


    Attempting to pull on the feeling, she was surprised when instead of the intoxicating draw of the tide, there was a hard rejection. It felt as though she¡¯d run into an invisible wall headfirst.


    No matter. Regardless of the odd occurrence, her goal hadn¡¯t changed. She believed in her god and the tide. Turning back to the oversized serpent, she gripped the rod in two hands and lifted it high over her head and a little behind.


    Above her, the serpent¡¯s jaw had grown wide enough to swallow Liberty whole. Here goes nothing.

 1.55 - Blessed Fisherwoman of Fairwater Bay

    Whispered in the darkest storms, rumoured in the halls of the Keep, and yearned for in the hearts of every sailor¡ªdivine blessings are as much a myth as the pantheon themselves. Yet, our belief keeps the fantasy alive. When do you draw the line between reality and imagination when the tide is involved?


    -Excerpt from ¡®Philosophy of the Tide¡¯ by Head Professor Vaumir


    With a mighty battle cry, Rose let the hook fly and the reel whined as it spun faster and faster. The serpent wasn¡¯t focused on her anymore, its jaw unhinged as far as it would go and then further.


    A tense few seconds passed as the fishing line sailed into the open maw of the beast. It exploded forwards, rushing at the ship with the clear intent to devour it whole.


    How the monster intended to digest it Rose wasn¡¯t sure, but that wouldn¡¯t be her problem if it managed to swallow them. She hadn¡¯t calculated her throw expecting it to charge¡ªshe hadn¡¯t calculated it at all.


    Everything had been left up to her instincts and a prayer. An eerie silence fell over the ocean. Rose briefly stood confused, until she realised the reel had stopped whirring.


    Re-engaging Focus, her eyes darted about until she saw the hook had buried itself deep into the serpent¡¯s throat. A perfect throw.


    There was just one problem with her impromptu plan. Most fish tended to rush away and attempt a desperate escape when they found a fishing hook lodged in their mouth, but her prey was charging straight at her.


    Well, not quite. The serpent was aiming for the bow, while she stood on the starboard side of the ship. Which put her in the perfect position to defend Liberty from an untimely fate as an afternoon snack.


    Timing would be key. If she tried to reel the beast in too early, it would have time to adjust its course and strike back. However, if she waited too long to make her move, then the beast would still slam into the ship and tear through the delicate rigging.


    Rose had never been so keenly focused on fishing before. She enjoyed the practice, as a way to kill time and earn herself an extra meal. Not once had she thought she would be putting her life on the line while fishing.


    Her eyes strained as she forced them to stay open, not even blinking. A rumbling boom crescendoed in the distance, but she had no attention to spare for whatever was happening.


    Skill up!


    Focus 14 > 15


    The minor increase did little to help, but she would take anything. A wave was gathering around the serpent as it advanced. Now!


    Rose hopped onto the railings, looped her legs through the gaps to secure herself and leaned backwards. With every ounce of strength in her body, she yanked on the rod.


    Her plan shouldn¡¯t have worked. No fifteen year old girl had the raw strength to drag a ship-sized sea serpent out of the water. And yet, its head jerked to the side as the hook buried in its throat tugged on the scarlet flesh.


    Perhaps it worked because the monster never expected such an odd form of attack. Rose continued to pull, dragging the gigantic beast ever so slightly off course.


    Skill up!


    Fishing 14 > 15


    That was the first time she¡¯d gained a level in fishing before even landing her catch. She had to be doing something right.


    Unfortunately the serpent was only caught off guard for a brief moment. It started to fight back, hissing and screeching as it thrashed around to dislodge the hook.


    Rose grinned. Their clash was only beginning, but she¡¯d achieved her first objective¡ªsaving the ship from being swallowed whole. Now she had to reel in the bastard.


    A sharp click made her shudder as her back stretched. The serpent was a formidable foe, with far greater mass to work with. However, fishing hooks were designed with a singular purpose.


    The more it struggled, the deeper it dug. Her arms burned as they were worked to the limit. Raw hands, which had barely healed from her previous ill-advised cleaning session, scraped against the wooden rod.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    Everything except her prey and her rod faded into the background. It was as though all that existed in the world in that moment was Rose and the serpent, fighting in an eternal struggle for dominance.


    With every jerking movement, her eyes followed the monster. She did her best to predict its every move, the rod carving arcs in the air as she kept the line taut.


    A frothing ocean their stage, the pair danced in harmony, yet never made a move towards the other. The beast had forgotten its objective of eating the ship and was wholly focused on the barbed annoyance lodged in its throat.


    Rose had the monster right where she wanted it¡ªbut how was she supposed to reel it in? The deck wasn¡¯t big enough to keep it contained.


    And that was asking for trouble. Its dying throes might cause just as much damage to the ship as letting it attack, so she needed another way.


    Her eyes darted in the direction of the earlier rumbling. She gasped. The island had collapsed, leaving a flat rock jutting out of the ocean like a table.


    They were still close, having curled around it on a direct course to confront the colossal monster earlier. If she could keep the serpent engaged in this tug of war a little longer, Nasar might be able to steer them near enough that she could make the leap.


    ¡°Nasar,¡± she yelled over the crashing of the waves and the roaring of the serpent. ¡°I need you to take us right next to the island.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t even spare a second to look back and see if he¡¯d actually heard her. All her attention had to remain on the rod and the snake.


    Skill up!


    Focus 15 > 16


    Each time she allowed herself to blink, Rose would miss a little shift in the serpent¡¯s coiling body and adjust the rod incorrectly. One of those times it nearly yanked her right from the deck and into the churning waters below.


    Liberty had sailed all the way around the serpent, and was now making a beeline for the little plateau. Her screams had been heard, so all she needed to do was fish.


    It was easier said than done. Nudging a giant monster off course with a well timed flick of the rod was one thing, but now she needed to drag it along with them. To bait it into its own demise.


    Despite the furious thrashing and incoherent screeching, she knew this beast wasn¡¯t stupid. It had been able to fight Trent and emerge victorious, if a little injured.


    That was why she let the line loosen up. They were pulling further away from the beast, but she didn¡¯t try to force its hand. A thunderous clap from beneath her made her jump¡ªshe almost fell over the edge of the ship.


    A puff of black smoke on the serpent¡¯s neck and the wound it faded to reveal were enough to tell her what had happened. In the chaos, Felix had returned to the gun deck and opened fire on the serpent.


    Rose smiled from ear to ear. The fact he had snuck past her and was back in action meant Trent was likely in stable condition.


    Or he had died and the boy was seeking revenge. She didn¡¯t even entertain that line of thinking. Whatever the case, being blasted by the cannons enraged the serpent further.


    Without any complex baiting strategy, it dove back into the ocean and shot towards them. Sleek green scales shimmered under the surface as it carved through the waves.


    It was a losing battle to reel in the line faster than it swam. Rose barely kept up with the monster¡¯s pace, but she had an ace up her sleeve.


    With the slack on the line she had the freedom to uncurl her legs. In one smooth motion she kicked off the railing into the air, before landing on both feet, teetering from side to side to keep her balance.


    Skill up!


    Athletics 9 > 10


    You have earned a new trait!


    Agile: The only way to become faster, stronger, and more flexible is to dedicate yourself to movement with every breath. Pushing yourself beyond your limits lets you draw on the deepest stores of power in your body; unleashing that which is usually inaccessible.


    Neat. While she hadn¡¯t been aiming for that one, she¡¯d grown rather addicted to the gentle splashes of the tide. Every skill level, every trait made her a little more¡­ well, more.


    The furthest she¡¯d ever jumped had been back when she¡¯d stolen Liberty. The distance to the island was about one and a half times that. She was stronger now and certainly more confident.


    One deep breath was all she allowed herself. Any more hesitation and she would begin to second guess her decision. Rose bent her legs.


    Exhaling, she exploded off the railings, keeping a firm grip on the rod and an eye on the island. Her heart pumped in her chest like a war-drum, drowning out all sound.


    Sailing through the air, she had a moment of gut-wrenching fear when the line whipped back, snapping taut. Quick reactions saved her momentum as she allowed the reel to spin out.


    Giving the serpent more freedom was counter-intuitive, but without the solid ground of the island she stood no chance of victory. Rose began to fall.


    Her knee shook as it smacked the hard stone, but she bent her legs to absorb the force of the impact. Twisting, she let herself fall onto her backside and skidded along the smooth surface of the rocky island.


    There was no time to sit around however, so she leapt to her feet. The serpent seemed oblivious to her movements. It had eyes only for Liberty, intent on devouring the ship somehow.


    With the stage set, it was time for their final duel. Rose planted her feet and reeled in the line until it was taut. And then she started to tug.

 1.56 - Reel It In

    Most pirates kill their first sea monster as part of the crew. It¡¯s rare that a rookie has the skills, patience, or strength to bring one down by themselves. Those rare few who¡¯ve brought down titans in their first voyage go on to do great things. I took a different route. I turned the first sea monster I met into a pet. Krakens are ever so cute.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Inkfist¡¯s Bestiary¡¯ by Liora Inkfist


    At first the serpent seemed immune to her attempts, but the accumulated damage was wearing it thin. With a snap, its head jerked towards her and it slammed into the waves, sending a mountainous splash into the air and soaking the main deck of the ship.


    She¡¯d caught its attention. Now she had to win the war. Luckily, Rose had a decade of experience on her side and the collective knowledge of five generations of fisherfolk.


    Admittedly, no one in her village had ever caught something of this magnitude, but she was sure that some of the lessons held transferable teachings. At least, she hoped so.


    While she still had the advantage of surprise, Rose hurried to reel in the line and cage the serpent. In a straight up battle of strength the monstrous beast would¡¯ve beaten her nine hundred and ninety-nine times out of a thousand, but its wounds were severe and it hadn¡¯t expected another surprise strike from the plucky girl.


    Years of experience fighting lesser fish had honed her skills and she managed to reel it a third of the way in before it finally fought back. Even as the rod bent to the limit under the pull of the beast Rose didn¡¯t relent.


    Her arms burnt as the final dregs of energy were squeezed from them. She needed a long sleep after this. Her eyes snapped open. Don¡¯t think about sleep now, foolish girl.


    There was no rest. Every minute shift in the serpent¡¯s trajectory was mirrored. Fishing was far more than just hooking your prey and yanking it out; it required careful on-the-fly adjustments and management of your rod.


    Reel in the line too fast and it would snap, too slow and the fish could escape your hook. The latter wasn¡¯t such a problem here as the three-pronged, barbed hook had ample time to bury itself deep in the serpent¡¯s gullet.


    A delicate dance. To Rose, it seemed as if the monster was confused. One moment it tried to escape her clutches, retreating into the depths of the ocean, then the next it thrashed and raged at her with furious strikes like a serpentine war god.


    The polarity of its actions worked in her favour. Every time it shifted directions she reeled in the line a little more. With every breath Rose felt a growing confidence as though the world itself was aligned with her rod.


    Skill up!


    Endurance 6 > 7


    Not quite the skill she¡¯d hoped to develop, but the burning of her arms lessened a little. Her struggles had borne fruit. The serpent was almost at the island.


    However, now that she¡¯d drawn it far enough away from the ship it was no longer distracted trying to lash out at Liberty. Rose was pleased that she¡¯d saved their ship from its attention, but that meant it was wholly focused on her.


    This was the final moment in a tense battle of attrition. Her steady efforts had worn it down and brought it to the brink of capture, but everything hinged on this last struggle.


    Something flickered just below the surface of the water and a sudden jet blasted towards her. Thanks to Focus, she noticed it in time to dodge.


    Shifting her weight onto her right foot, she leaned backwards forty-five degrees as a beam of water cleaved through the air above her. It etched a line into the stone, carving the hard rock like butter.


    If that had hit her it would have torn through her flesh and bones with ease. Unfortunately her dodge had shifted the line and her arms jerked forwards as the serpent sought to break free from her clutches once and for all.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    In a single moment she saw all of her hard work slipping away as the line strained and began to fray at the edges. Everything would be for naught if it escaped now.


    Rose lost her footing as she was tugged forwards, stumbling without a way to regain her balance and fix the rod. The tempo of the dance had shifted, with the monster leading and her unable to gain a foothold.


    In her moment of despair, a booming clap of thunder roared across the battlefield. She watched as one of the serpent¡¯s eyes exploded in a gruesome shower of blood and jelly.


    When all was lost, her crewmates had stepped in to save the day. It was a stark reminder that even though she was growing in strength day by day, she always had others to lean on when it mattered most.


    Another flash of flames heralded the beginning of a furious volley of cannon fire. Felix was back to work and under his onslaught the serpent¡¯s frantic escape was cut short.


    Using the momentary breath, Rose was able to steady herself and plant her feet once more, quickly reeling in the line to not just regain the ground she¡¯d lost, but draw her prey in further.


    The line shook every now and then as the cannon fire continued. Under attack from two angles, the beast was unable to fight back.


    Either it focused on dodging or parrying the cannons, thereby giving Rose freedom to keep reeling it in. Or it could focus on breaking free from the fish hook. Whenever it attempted that, Felix would target existing wounds, painting the ocean red with its blood.


    A click snapped her attention to the rod. There was no more line to reel in. This was the moment she¡¯d been waiting for.


    Ensuring her feet were truly steady, Rose bent her back a little and gave the rod a mighty tug. Under ordinary circumstances she wouldn¡¯t have been able to lift the colossal serpent from the waters, but as she pulled she felt a wave of energy settling over her arms.


    This wasn¡¯t arcane, it was something more. Perhaps her prayer to Sylack had truly worked? Divine ruminations could wait.


    Whatever the invisible force was, the fact remained it was allowing her to drag the monster from the depths. There was some resistance, but the moment it started to come, everything happened in a blur.


    Water exploded into the air as the scaly green body of the beast was ripped free of the sea and thrown high into the sky above, before plummeting to the island below. Rose started to laugh, a booming celebration of her victory.


    Skill up!


    Fishing 15 > 16


    Fishing 16 > 17


    Fishing 17 > 18


    Fishing 18 > 19


    Fishing 19 > 20


    Fishing 20 > 21


    Accompanying the grander splash of her success was a minor orchestra of whorls. Six levels in one fell swoop. Before today Rose didn¡¯t realise it was possible to get two levels in a single instant.


    You have earned a new title!


    Quintessential Skill: Performing the rare feat of gaining five skill levels in a single breath is something not many can claim. This title reduces the effort of levelling your skills by a minor amount permanently. When equipped, gain a 5% chance to earn a second level whenever you increase one of your skills.


    Now she was over a fifth of the way to mastering Fishing at the age of fifteen¡ªa feat unheard of on Emerlan Isle. Even her father hadn¡¯t mastered the skill, to her knowledge.


    Alongside that she had an incredible title¡ªone that provided a permanent boost to her skills even when it wasn¡¯t equipped. If that wasn¡¯t already enough, the effect while active was mind-bogglingly powerful.


    Her victorious excitement was shattered by a looming shadow. The monster was falling towards her. In the next few seconds it would smash into the island, splattering her underneath its bulk.


    I didn¡¯t think this far ahead. Rose was faced with the consequences of her victory. At least if she perished here she could be satisfied with accomplishing her revenge.


    The rest of the crew was safe and could continue to Zoria and Trent¡¯s life-and-death struggle would not have been in vain. A faint metallic swish cut through the roaring splashes of the sea.


    ¡°Why are you standing there with that dumb look on your face, foolish girl,¡± chided a familiar voice, right in her ear.


    She leapt out of her skin and whirled around to see a smug Nasar, hands behind his back and twinkling eyes locked on the falling serpent. With him here, perhaps she could escape.


    Wait, who¡¯s steering the ship? That wasn¡¯t a concern to bother herself with right now. She turned back to the chef. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here. I don¡¯t want to get crushed by that snake,¡± she hurriedly exclaimed. They had just moments before it hit.


    ¡°Crushed? By those fillets of fish? Don¡¯t be silly, Rose,¡± he chuckled, gesturing upwards.


    Before her eyes, thin lines appeared along the body of the serpent. It collapsed into dozens of perfect hunks of flesh, severed with precise cuts.


    Wet slapping sounds drowned out her shocked laugh as they fell to the island around her. Rose was forced to consider the slightly stuffy Nasar in a new light. Is he stronger than Trent? That can¡¯t be possible.


    ¡°A fisher¡¯s job is to catch dinner. It¡¯s the responsibility of a chef to ensure it is prepared to perfection.¡±

 1.57 - Trouble Magnet

    Some people have a storm of fate around them. Perhaps fate is the wrong word, it does an injustice to those characters to ascribe it all to the world and not their own ridiculous actions. Many fall under the weight of their own ambition, but those who emerge, emerge as legends.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Making Myths¡¯ by Caspar Gaudilly


    Nasar waved his arm and all of the snake fillets vanished, save for three. Rose gawked. What on earth had he done? As far as she knew, mundane items like monster corpses couldn¡¯t be stored in one¡¯s inventory.


    Seeing her slack jawed stare, he smiled and lifted his hand, showing off a silver bracelet with a small blue gemstone embedded above his wrist. A tidestone, albeit a tiny one.


    ¡°Storage bracelet. Nifty tool,¡± he said, refusing to elaborate.


    He didn¡¯t need to, she got the gist. However, Rose would¡¯ve loved to know the secret behind it and how such a tiny bracelet was able to fit almost the entire corpse of the sea serpent inside despite it being larger than their ship.


    With dinner for the next decade sorted¡ªnot quite, but she certainly wouldn¡¯t bother fishing for the tiny rainbow tuna anymore¡ªher attention turned to the remaining chunks of snake left on the island. From two, she felt the distinct pull of a treasure.


    The third and final piece had a different aura, rich in arcane energy. It was as if she was confronting that glade of wolves and magic on the blue island once more.


    She wasn¡¯t sure how to approach looting. She¡¯d done plenty of work reeling in the monster, but ultimately it had been Nasar who dealt the finishing blow. It stung a little, knowing he likely could¡¯ve carved it to pieces instead of watching her struggle, but perhaps it was a test?


    Well, she¡¯d rather enjoyed the foray into extreme fishing and couldn¡¯t complain about the plethora of levels hooking the serpent had provided. She started to walk towards the nearest chunk, following the tug of the treasure.


    What kind of miraculous item would a beast of this calibre provide? She was excited to find out. Along with the salamander parts her and Felix had been harvested, her haul from this convergence was brilliant.


    You are attempting to harvest a treasure!


    WARNING!


    Your associated skill levels are too low to guarantee a successful harvest of [Emeraldine Serpent¡¯s Reverse Scale 86]


    A failed harvest may cause damage to the treasure, proceed anyway?


    [YES][NO]


    Typically, Rose ignored these warnings and charged ahead. There was no guarantee of a successful harvest, but she assumed that even with a fail or two the treasure she received would be sufficiently powerful or valuable to someone of her level.


    This time though, she hesitated. Nasar was present and judging from the miraculous skill he¡¯d demonstrated meant he had a greater chance of harvesting the reverse scale than her.


    ¡°I think you should harvest them,¡± she offered. ¡°I don¡¯t want to damage them with my meagre skill.¡±


    Perhaps she¡¯d let her disappointment slip into her smile as she spoke, because Nasar frowned and placed a hand on her shoulder while shaking his head.


    ¡°Nonsense, Rose. All I did was step in at the very last moment to wrap things up. These spoils of war belong to you and you alone.¡±


    Interesting. Another stereotype was shattered in that moment. Weren¡¯t pirates supposed to be greedy ruffians who would jump at any opportunity to enrich themselves?


    Everything she¡¯d seen of Trent and Nasar thus far was disproving that notion. In fact, looking back to that first raid where Trent had led a crew of lowlifes to board Unrequited Love, Rose felt it was extremely out of character. Just what had he been doing?


    She was still hesitant to begin the harvest, fearful of damaging the treasure. Slapping her cheeks, she roused herself from the negative spiral. The only way to improve was to try. And she had worked on her butchery quite a bit while in that cave with the salamanders.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    You are attempting to harvest a treasure!


    WARNING!


    Your associated skill levels are too low to guarantee a successful harvest of [Emeraldine Serpent¡¯s Reverse Scale 86]


    A failed harvest may cause damage to the treasure, proceed anyway?


    [YES][NO]


    86¡­ It was far beyond anything she¡¯d seen before, even out-matching Sunsplitter. Though with Zut Rubysoul¡¯s master craftsmanship, the antlers had been elevated far beyond their original form.


    She began the harvest, kicking Focus and Tunnel Vision into action to see if directing all her attention to the process would improve the outcome. Try, try, and try again.


    Attempting to harvest [Emeraldine Serpent¡¯s Reverse Scale 86]...


    As the process began, Rose held her breath and directed every scrap of will in her body towards it. I could try praying too, though I¡¯m not sure Sylack¡¯s influence stretches to butchery.


    Harvest failed!


    [Emeraldine Serpent¡¯s Reverse Scale 86] has been damaged.


    Rose was disappointed, but not deterred. While a success on the first attempt would¡¯ve been marvellous, it was far beyond her expectations. So, she stayed focused as the next attempt began.


    Attempting to harvest [Emeraldine Serpent¡¯s Reverse Scale 80]...


    She did notice that the damage to the treasure was much less than her first failure with the crystal antlers. That perhaps was due to her skill improvements.


    Harvest failed!


    [Emeraldine Serpent¡¯s Reverse Scale 80] has been damaged.


    Attempting to harvest [Emeraldine Serpent¡¯s Reverse Scale 74]...


    Harvest failed!


    Two further failures. Sweat trickled down her brow, but all she had in her sight was the hunk of snake flesh and the treasure it contained. She considered giving up and passing the task to Nasar, but the prospect of giving up was far more terrifying to her than failure.


    Attempting to harvest [Emeraldine Serpent¡¯s Reverse Scale 67]...


    Harvest success!


    [Emeraldine Serpent¡¯s Reverse Scale 67] obtained!


    Rose pumped the air with her fist and let out the breath she¡¯d been holding. Failing a fourth time would¡¯ve likely reduced the treasure to a shadow of its former self.


    You have earned a new title!


    Ambitious Harvester: Harvesting a treasure at least 50 levels greater than your highest harvest related skill in 5 or less attempts is a magnificent feat. While this title is active, your primary harvesting skill is treated as though it were 10 levels higher.


    Another incredible title. With how few she¡¯d accumulated thus far Rose had believed them to be a sparse rarity, but just as her rate of acquiring skills and traits had steadily accelerated it seemed the same was happening with titles.


    Even with the damage it had sustained, the reverse scale was still the highest level treasure she¡¯d harvested. The only question was whether she would sell it, or use it to craft more gear¡ªwhich then begged the question of what she should turn it into.


    They had a long journey ahead of them to Zoria, so she would have plenty of time to figure it out. The hunk of flesh was already dissipating into shimmering blue motes of light. Opening her status to see if it had gone into her inventory, she realised Murderer was still active.


    Why hadn¡¯t she felt any impulses towards Nasar? Usually she left these idle musings unspoken, but this time she needed to know. If there was a way to utilise the benefits of the title without the drawbacks, it would be essential for future adventures.


    ¡°Nasar, why am I not affected by the violent impulses of the murderer title around you?¡±


    ¡°Good question. Ask them more often. I have a skill that dampens aggression towards me from all sources,¡± he explained with a smirk. ¡°It works wonders in battle, but I actually picked it up in the kitchen when I was still an apprentice. You¡¯d be surprised how often us poor trainees found ourselves on the receiving end of a fierce outburst from the head chefs¡ªor even the end of their knife.¡±


    She was once again shocked by the complexity of the skills the older men had at their disposal. It made her look at her collection of simple skills and apprentice occupation with dismay.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look like a kicked puppy,¡± he chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re practically a baby. You have plenty of time to accrue better skills. All in good time as the tide ebbs and flows.¡±


    He was right. There was no use rushing ahead when she had a long life ahead of her. Turning to the next chunk of serpent, Rose pulled up her status to equip her new title.


    You have already activated a title today and must wait for sunrise to change it.


    As with everything in this world, the tide demanded balance. Rose had discovered the drawback to titles¡ªwhich had seemed to be an untapped resource of unlimited potential until now.


    Of course, the effects were still magnificent. Especially Quintessential Skill, which offered a benefit even while inactive. She would try to gather as many of them as possible.


    Even without the extra help, she was still going to harvest the second treasure. The pull from this one was far more intense; heady and overwhelming like a strong perfume.


    You are attempting to harvest a treasure!


    WARNING!


    Your associated skill levels are too low to guarantee a successful harvest of [Serpent¡¯s Kiss ¡ï3]


    A failed harvest may cause damage to the treasure, proceed anyway?


    [YES][NO]


    Rose felt bad for the treasure, knowing that she didn¡¯t have much of a chance to harvest it in pristine condition. The name was far more mysterious than usual. Intrigued, she began the process.

 1.58 - Calm Before the Storm

    One of the most intriguing mysteries of the ocean¡ªto me, at least¡ªis how intertwined blissful calm and raging fury are when it comes to storms. The ocean is never calmer than before the most violent storm; the eye of the storm is a sanctuary of utter stillness amidst the devastating rage of the wind and rain around it.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Breath of the Sea¡¯ by Hellemere Feldas


    Attempting to harvest [Serpent¡¯s Kiss ¡ï3]...


    Rose tried to still her shaking hands. Harvesting was handled by the tide and whatever arcane processes it employed to extract treasure from the remains of beasts. They often hung awkwardly by her side as she harvested treasures.


    Harvest success!


    [Serpent¡¯s Kiss ¡ï3] obtained!


    The world slowed to a stop around her. Rose wasn¡¯t sure how to react to the whorl. The evidence was before her eyes but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to believe it.


    This was a treasure beyond level 100¡ªan epipelagic treasure. For a village girl like her to have something like this was¡­ wrong. No, I shouldn¡¯t belittle myself. I¡¯ve come a long way in these short months.


    Even with her confidence restored Rose tried to look at the situation rationally. Why had she managed to succeed here, but fail so many times with the lesser treasure.


    Regardless of the reasons, the result was clear. Opening her inventory, Rose was curious to see what exactly [Serpent¡¯s Kiss ¡ï3] was.


    Her first epipelagic treasure was unassuming. At a glance it seemed to be one of the monster¡¯s fangs, as was fitting given the name.


    While she wouldn¡¯t want a kiss from that colossal serpent, she couldn¡¯t contain her excitement. Was it perhaps a poisoned weapon? Would she even want to use poison? It seemed an underwhelming way to dispatch one¡¯s foes.


    Pulling it out with a thought, the size of it surprised her. In the inventory it was small compared with Sunsplitter and the various glands of the salamanders. Yet her hand barely fit around it.


    Keeping it, she turned to the final piece of the snake. Unlike the others, this one didn¡¯t draw her in, pulling on her mind with the allure of treasure.


    And yet it had an oppressive presence, one that threatened to drown her the deeper she focused on it. It reminded her of the tidestone in her first convergence, which could only mean one thing.


    The serpent itself had been the core of this convergence. Trent had never told her that a monster could be a convergence core, but then again she¡¯d never thought to ask.


    This was the reason he¡¯d been fighting so desperately and even gone as far as to taunt it into a life-or-death battle. Thinking of the strange messages regarding the convergence earlier she suspected the reason why the first breach had halted was this serpent being a second core.


    Could she manage this? Trent hadn¡¯t allowed her to deal with the first one, but she¡¯d been a naive girl then. She still was, in many ways, but she felt that she could handle it.


    Nasar was with her, his stoic presence reassuring her that even if something went wrong there wouldn¡¯t be any danger to her life. Sometimes Trent didn¡¯t offer that same comfort, given his permanent smirk and cocky demeanour. He was a reliable captain overall though¡ªmostly.


    Walking up to the scaly flesh, the air grew viscous, slowing her approach. Pushing against the resistance, Rose advanced until she was close enough to touch the serpent¡¯s final remains.


    There was no whorl greeting her, no offer to uncover the secrets that lay within. She¡¯d not had the chance to witness Trent harvest the tidestone, so she knew little about the process.


    Walking a circle around it, Rose saw no clue as to what might lay within. She might be mistaken about it containing the convergence core, but there was only one way to find out.


    She pulled Sunsplitter from her inventory and brandished the twin cutlasses aloft. They sliced through the air towards the scaly flesh, halting halfway through the tough meat.


    Even dead, the monster¡¯s body was far too tough for her to cut through. With a sigh she pulled the blade back out and raised it up for a second swing.


    Her second strike carved straight through to the stone below and the hunk of meat fell to the ground with a wet slap. A step to her right startled her, but it was only Nasar approaching.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°Not half bad,¡± he muttered, running a hand along the severed flesh. ¡°Technique needs work and those skinny arms of yours are far from suitable, but you might have a career as a pirate chef ahead of you. If you fancy giving it a shot, of course.¡±


    Rose paused, contemplating the offer. It was unexpected. While his statement seemed outwardly harsh, there was a compliment hidden within. ¡°Thanks. Maybe I¡¯ll join you in the kitchen to cook this big bastard,¡± she replied.


    Nasar nodded in reply. He likely hadn¡¯t expected an immediate answer, but seemed satisfied with her decision. Even if he hadn¡¯t extended the invitation, she may have watched him prepare and cook it anyway¡ªcooking fascinated her.


    Her cut had unveiled a fragment of blue crystal, buried in the snake¡¯s body. Her guess had been right on the money. There was a tidestone within; the core of the convergence she sought.


    What followed was a flurry of action as her blades twirled, tearing through the hunk of snake meat. Learning as she went, the cuts grew cleaner, cutting through more of its body each time.


    A few beads of sweat rolled down her temple as she let her arms hang by her side. With her final slash, Rose had managed to cleave the entire way through the thick segment in one go.


    Skill up!


    Butchery 9 > 10


    You have earned a new trait!


    With the Grain: Carving up the corpses of your foes and an endless number of beasts has given you some insight into the best way to hack flesh from bone in as few cuts as possible. You can quickly uncover how to carve through corpses you encounter, even if for the first time.


    To Rose, this particular trait meant far more than the others she¡¯d picked up along her journey. While every single trait improved her abilities, this one offered something much more valuable¡ªthe potential to make harvesting treasures easier.


    She had no treasure to test it on as she¡¯d already dealt with the two here, but she was sure they would find some more in the coming weeks. The tidestone in front of her glowed brightly, casting an illuminating hue across the island and making the nearby water sparkle.


    It was covered in blood and bits of the sea serpent that were stubbornly clinging to its surface; even in death the monster seemed unwilling to part with its good fortune. What could Trent have stolen from it to enrage it enough to venture out of its lair when it was already sitting on this?


    She turned to Nasar, who observed the blood-soaked spectre before him with impressive neutrality. ¡°I think you should look after this. As Trent mentioned, I can¡¯t utilise it yet and carrying it around is asking for trouble,¡± she said, not quite committed to the decision but aiming to be sensible regardless.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. That man is far too cautious for his own good sometimes. Tidestones aren¡¯t just for extracting energy to empower yourself, but have a lot of utility as a trading tool and power source for technology,¡± he explained with a wave of his hand. ¡°You could try experimenting a bit. Maybe you have a hidden talent for tinkering,¡±


    With the decision made for her, Rose turned back to the alluring stone. This one was misshapen and jagged, far from the smooth and pristine convergence core that she¡¯d mistaken for an egg.


    Provided it wasn¡¯t too heavy, she could carry it back to the ship. However, she hadn¡¯t seen Trent lugging tidestones around so there must be a way to store them.


    Either he had a similar artifact to Nasar, that magical bracelet that could hold the entire corpse of the serpent, or there was a trick to it. Touching a hand to the stone, Rose gasped.


    Skill up!


    Arcane Attunement 3 > 4


    Struck by lightning. That was how she felt in the instant her skin made contact with the tidestone. A hammer of arcane energy blasted into her mind.


    The fact her skill had levelled up from a single touch was testament to the raw power contained within the crystal. Just as kids ignored the warnings of their parents and often paid the price, Rose hadn¡¯t taken Trent¡¯s warning seriously until experiencing the raging, lifelike energy inside the stone.


    Steeling herself, she stepped forwards and placed her palm against the stone a second time. This time she was prepared for the onslaught of energy, but that still didn¡¯t lessen the blow.


    Keeping her hand against it felt like dipping it in boiling water. Hundreds of searing tendrils of arcane energy burrowed under her skin.


    Skill up!


    Arcane Attunement 4 > 5


    She felt like the tendons in her fingers were being torn apart. This wouldn¡¯t last much longer¡ªif the energy continued to seep into her body it would collapse from within.


    Rose closed her eyes and focused, deciding to give her idea a try. Attempting to direct her will into the stone before her, she heard a subtle pop and the pressure vanished.


    Opening them once more, she saw that the tidestone had disappeared. She pulled up her inventory, intending to check if her theory had merit¡ªperhaps Nasar had stepped in to stop her killing herself instead.


    Inventory [7/14]


    Sunsplitter 51


    Salamander¡¯s Rejuvenation Gland 24


    Salamander¡¯s Rejuvenation Gland 26


    Salamander¡¯s Rejuvenation Gland 23


    Salamander¡¯s Flame Gland 28


    Salamander¡¯s Flame Gland 31


    Tidestone 74


    Alongside treasures and equipment fashioned from them, it seemed that tidestones could be stored in one¡¯s inventory. She¡¯d had a suspicion, as they were treasures of a sort. The value of the tidestone eclipsed everything else she owned.


    In a few days of battle, Rose had become the richest person to ever hail from Fairwater Bay. She didn¡¯t know the market value of a tidestone, but it had to be a tidy sum given how Trent drooled over them like a starved beast eyed meat.


    ¡°Marvellous job, Rose,¡± said Nasar, clapping her on the shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s head back to the ship, I imagine this place won¡¯t hold up for long now and we should make sure we aren¡¯t near the danger.¡±


    As if the world was listening to them, a splash sounded in her ears and she narrowed her eyes at the message displayed before her.


    WARNING!


    Convergence core has been harvested, breaching is imminent.

 1.59 - Patience of the Hunter

    In a world where the oceans dominate, the occupations of the land are often forgotten. Us sailors can glean insightful wisdom from many of them. I myself spent some time with a band of hunters in Zoria, where I learnt the importance of patience when stalking one¡¯s prey. Many called me a fool when I chased Icefinger into the Dread Fangs, but even a decade was a short time to spend in search of revenge.


    -Excerpt from the ship¡¯s log of ¡®Calabra¡¯, the vessel of Deathkissed Dillan


    Branmore Saff twirled a pen between his fingers, gazing idly along the shores of Aughold. This state of affairs was embarrassing. How was it possible for one measly pirate to escape his clutches for over four years?


    Perhaps he should¡¯ve given up pursuing Trent Blackheart the first time his brother had warned him of the damage to his career. Most of his peers could overlook a few months spent hounding a notorious pirate, but failing to catch your target after a year had passed was seen as a major embarrassment.


    Nonetheless, he cared little for the petty political squabbles that were rife in the upper ranks of the navy. At this point giving up the chase and leaving a scar on his personal pride would be a far worse fate than his chase to end in failure.


    During their last battle, which had damaged Pride of Aughold beyond repair, a fact which had driven a rift between him and his father, Branmore had seen how sluggish Blackheart¡¯s movements were. He was injured from the outset and expending so much energy was sure to worsen those injuries.


    He ran a finger down a festering wound on his own chest. The cut was healing now, but it had kept him bedridden for weeks.


    Worse, the trail had run cold. Forced to retreat to Aughold in shame with the remnants of his men, all whispers of the pirate¡¯s location and direction had dried up.


    He lifted the letter from his desk, straightening it out so the words became legible. He¡¯d barely skimmed it, crumpling it in rage and tossing it away the moment he saw the opening line, penned by his dear brother.


    Littlest brother,


    I write this letter not to warn you, as I attempted that far too many times over the past few years. The consequences of your foolishness are bearing down on you. I admit that you are a talented navyman, having risen to your position without much of mine or father¡¯s influence. However, you would do well to remember that your actions reflect poorly on the family name, not just your own.


    Out of respect for your pride as a man and a commodore of our Royal Navy, father and I have come to an agreement. You have three months to either catch your quarry and have him executed in the city square, or abandon your foolish pursuit. If you continue to entertain this folly beyond reasonable bounds, you will no longer be able to wear the name of Saff, excommunicated from the family at large. Think about your career; your future as a man and sailor.


    Signed,


    Vice Admiral Chester Saff


    Signing it with his full title was adding insult to injury. Not once had his brother ended a letter in such a manner, until now.


    His fury had simmered since the letter first arrived via a well-groomed seagull perched on his window to greet him as the sun rose. Now, he was able to read the letter without exploding in rage and breaking another desk.


    Having his subordinates see his loss of emotional control was embarrassing. His self righteous brother and greedy, pride obsessed father were draining to deal with on such a regular basis.


    He could give up the chase now and return to his regular duties. However, that would only serve to inflate his brother¡¯s already bloated ego.


    At the same time, continuing for another three months in his pursuit and failing to catch Blackheart would only give the bastard a twisted satisfaction. There was no easy choice.


    Scrunching his face, he once again tossed the letter away. This time it landed in the flickering fire, burning to ashes in a matter of seconds.


    ¡°That arrogant bastard!¡± he roared, slamming his fist onto the desk. It exploded in half, showering the room with splinters and sending papers and stationery flying in every direction.


    It was a difficult day to be a piece of furniture. That was the third desk to sacrifice itself thus far and it may not be the last if the commodore¡¯s mood continued in this manner.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    He spun on his feet, muttering curses under his breath. His eyes landed on a table that held an ornate lamp¡ªa gift from his father upon his promotion to commodore.


    Storming towards the lamp with fury burning in his eyes, he reeled back his leg to send it to oblivion. At that moment, three heavy metallic knocks sounded from the door.


    The table and lamp were spared his rage as Branmore kissed his teeth and sat down on the desk chair. Leaning to one side with legs crossed, a split table on the ground in front of him, he seemed more like a pirate lord than a Commodore of the Minenblum Royal Navy.


    ¡°Enter,¡± he said firmly.


    A man wearing a pressed, dark purple uniform embellished with golden trim entered the office. His eyes widened a little when he took in the carnage, but his shock was reined in before his superior officer could admonish him.


    ¡°Well, what is it?¡± Branmore demanded, narrowing his eyes.


    He¡¯d been a kinder leader, before this dogged pursuit had drained the softer parts of his personality bit by bit. To his credit, the man didn¡¯t flinch. Lieutenant Finch, I believe? Hard to remember all their names with how often we¡¯ve been picking up strays.


    ¡°Sir, we just received a report detailing Blackheart¡¯s whereabouts, as well as his destination. The man who deliv-¡±


    He was cut off as Commodore Saff leapt to his feet, crushing the chair into smithereens with the forceful push with which he did so. For a man born into a family of renowned shipbuilders and carpenters, he displayed little care for the furniture.


    ¡°Take me to him. I must hear this report. And go tell Captain Neris to prepare the ship. We set sail immediately. That damned bastard pirate will not escape my clutches this time,¡± he announced, storming past the lieutenant and into the corridor.


    ***


    Rose sat on the bow, legs dangling over the edge as the wind danced in her hair. This was her favourite place to sit on all the ships she¡¯d travelled on.


    There was something about the freedom of cutting through the waves while having the entire horizon laid out before her eyes that brought true peace to her mind. It also curbed any distracting thoughts, letting her draw without worry.


    It had been a long time since she¡¯d been able to sit down and sketch uninterrupted. So many magnificent, monstrous, and eerie scenes had been imprinted in memory, waiting for her to have the time to recreate them with her pencil. She added the final stroke to a drawing of Trent clashing valiantly with the sea serpent.


    Skill up!


    Drawing 16 > 17


    Your occupation has advanced!


    Apprentice Scholar 18 > 19


    She sighed. Seeing her occupation advance was satisfying, but it really drove home a painful lesson she¡¯d learned over the last couple of weeks.


    Apprentice Scholar had seemed as though it would fit her, due to her talent for drawing and given how fast she picked up writing. However, there were limited opportunities to practise these skills and that meant it would take a while to complete the occupation.


    She would need to take more breaks to draw, write, and read. Completing a log of their most recent adventures had been enough to give her 3 more levels in writing and reading over it pushed that over the edge.


    Her status was swelling to the point it took up a large chunk of her vision when she called it up. However, seeing the progress¡ªa tangible measure of her growth¡ªwas one of the most satisfying feelings Rose could imagine.


    Name: Rose Everblue


    Race: Human


    Occupation: Apprentice Scholar 19


    Title: Apprentice


    Available Titles: Murderer, Apprentice, Quintessential Skill, Ambitious Harvester


    Bound Items: Sunsplitter 51


    Skills: Cleaning 12, Reading 12, Fishing 21, Swimming 10, Writing 16, Butchery 10, Cooking 7, Herding 2, Focus 16, Drawing 17, Sailing 15, One Handed Weapons 5, Blades 14, Pistols 11, Firearms 5, Unarmed Combat 2, Endurance 7, Precision 6, Arcane Attunement 5, Light Attunement 6, Stealth 5, Athletics 10, Toxin Resistance 2, Appraisal 1, Climbing 1, Crafting 1, Dual Wielding 7, Arcane Resistance 1


    Traits: Sensitive Line, Deft Hand, Good as New, Tunnel Vision, Endless Inkwell, Quick Consumption, Knot my Problem, Reliable Duelist, Steady Slash, Smooth Strokes, Agile, With the Grain


    If anything, her rate of growth was only increasing the more dangerous their journey became. It was obvious why¡ªthe tide rewarded risking your life.


    Though she wasn¡¯t risking her life by drawing. Perhaps it was more to do with the impact of the images and what they encompassed?


    A creaking plank alerted her to a visitor. She still had a few more scenes she wanted to sketch, but there would be more time on the way to Zoria.


    Turning around, she saw Trent walking towards her, leaning heavily on a wooden crutch. He had recovered from his wounds, but the festering damage of the battle with the serpent had taken its toll.


    ¡°Do you think I could take you in a fight now?¡± she mused, a smile on her face.


    ¡°Maybe if you kept training for a thousand years, you¡¯d have a chance of leaving a scratch on my handsome face,¡± he quipped, taking a seat by her side.


    He hadn¡¯t come for empty platitudes or conversation. They both sat, comfortable in the other¡¯s presence as they watched the sun setting in the distance. After a while, Rose decided to ask something that had been bugging her for a while.


    ¡°Why does Nasar listen to you, when he¡¯s stronger? And why was that annoying commodore chasing you down? He seemed to have a personal grudge, rather than simply hounding pirates for the sake of it.¡±

 1.60 - Clissolt Quays

    They say Clissolt has four quays and three keys. I¡¯ve only seen two of the former and have no idea what the latter part of the saying is supposed to mean. But I was told this by a drunk old man in a dingy alleyway and everyone knows those are the blokes who offer the greatest wisdom.


    -Quoted from Karis Zellart, wandering merchant of ill repute


    Trent winced. Rose felt a little bad for ambushing him with such a personal question¡ªtwo, at that¡ªbut she needed to know the answers.


    Sailing with someone who was still a stranger to her in many ways was a little uncomfortable. She¡¯d come to know Trent, but there was much of his history and goals that he still hid from her.


    After a deep sigh, he pulled his gaze from the setting sun and turned to her. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s fair that you learn more about us. After all, I can¡¯t ask you to join me on this final voyage without telling you why it is a final voyage,¡± he said with a forlorn smile.


    ¡°That would be a little imposing,¡± she replied with a wry smile. ¡°Not that I¡¯d say no. Where else am I going to find such a charming bastard to leech from?¡±


    ¡°Nowhere in this backwater sea, that¡¯s for sure,¡± he quipped. His smirk fell, replaced with a faraway gaze. ¡°We don¡¯t need to go all the way to the beginning. I¡¯ll start somewhere in the middle.¡±


    ¡°I captained a notorious crew of pirates in the Sunblessed Sea, my home. Nasar was part of it of course, as well as Yasmin, who we¡¯re on our way to pick up in Zoria,¡± he said, beginning the tale of his past.


    ¡°In total there were thirty-two of us, most friends of a decade or more who¡¯d joined under one banner to find our fortunes on the open ocean. And for a while, that was exactly what we did. Plunder merchants, raid coastal towns and small cities, and adventure through any convergences we were lucky enough to encounter.¡±


    A deep sigh escaped his lips and his eyes dulled a little. He was remembering something tragic, that much was obvious to her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure when it started to go wrong. We got too big for our little corner of the world, I suppose. A few of us were infamous, with some countries offering bounties for our capture. It was a point of pride at first, comparing which of us was worth more¡ªdead or alive.¡±


    ¡°Everything went to shit when we won a battle against two ships from the Minenblum Royal Navy. Usually it was nothing special¡ªblast each other to bits and the next week they¡¯d send another crew after us. This time, we managed to kill a prince. Not just any spoiled scion, but Queen Lorelai¡¯s favourite son, the Second Prince Kaldex. Faramir be damned, why was the bastard so weak?¡± he chuckled, not a hint of joy on his face.


    ¡°I can answer your second question here too. Branmore Saff was just a Lieutenant Commander back then, serving under Kaldex. His vendetta could be one of pure vengeance, or perhaps his career suffered when the prince died. He still rose to become a commodore, yet he¡¯s wasting all his time chasing me down when I¡¯ve barely got a few years to live.¡±


    Rose gasped. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean? You¡¯ve roped me into your crew and you¡¯re going to go and die on me?¡±


    Trent smirked. Shaking his head, his eyes regained their usual confident lustre. ¡°You want to know why they call me Blackheart?¡± he asked.


    If she said yes, there was no turning back. But refusing at this point wasn¡¯t an option, she was already tied to his ship¡ªquite literally. ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°We aren¡¯t getting married, dear Rose. You¡¯re far too young for me,¡± he joked, reaching down to lift up his shirt. ¡°Isn¡¯t she a beauty?¡±


    Whatever words came to mind when she saw the gruesome sight of her captain¡¯s chest, they were far from enough to do the disfigurement justice. All she managed to stutter was, ¡°How? How are you still alive?¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Half of Trent¡¯s stomach was missing, the other side cauterised by blackened, rotting flesh. His ribs poked through the severed muscles and his organs seemed to be held in the air on invisible strings.


    Every few seconds, a pulse of blue light sparked through his blood vessels, lighting up the macabre display. Yet that paled in comparison to the source of his woes; the reason he¡¯d earned his name.


    His heart was black as charcoal, cracked and dry. It hadn¡¯t beaten once the entire time Rose had watched. Every time the blue light pulsed outwards, the rot spread a tiny bit more. Looking closer, she saw the source.


    A tiny little metal contraption was attached to the back of his heart. Embedded inside was a little fragment of a tidestone that pulsed at regular intervals.


    ¡°I guess you really did need that convergence core,¡± she muttered. ¡°Fuck.¡±


    ¡°Come on now, there¡¯s no need to stoop to such vulgar language. It¡¯s not like you, Rose,¡± he said, lowering his shirt to hide the source of his shame. ¡°That was courtesy of Second Prince Kaldex. He had a strange artifact, likely a gift from his mother. It activated upon his death. I¡¯ve yet to find a cure. This final voyage is just me chasing a myth. A supposed cure to my ails. Either we find it or I die trying.¡±


    There wasn¡¯t much she could say. She could barely think. Instead, she just leaned over and gave him a hug. He seemed surprised, but wrapped an arm around her shoulder and ruffled her hair.


    ***


    Rose sighed, snapping her sketchbook shut and pocketing her pencil. Since the last bout of inspiration, she¡¯d found herself unable to recreate the images in her mind the way she wanted.


    Her drawing skill had stagnated at 17, with nothing giving her the spark she needed to get past this bottleneck. There would be time later, perhaps. A city loomed in the distance, a monument of beige and orange.


    They would arrive in Clissolt before the day¡¯s end and they had plenty to get done while they were there. To start, money was to be made. They had plenty of treasure to sell and perhaps even a tidestone, if Rose decided to part ways with the keepsake of her hard won victory over the serpent.


    Apparently Zoria was a little less hostile towards pirates than Minenblum. Certain villainous buccaneers who went around killing without a second thought gave the others a bad name.


    Pirates tended to bring big windfalls to the local economy when they docked. Flooding the market with foreign products and buying up local produce in bulk¡ªespecially alcohol.


    That was just one of many myths that Trent and Nasar had busted through their little chats while sailing. She learned that discovering two convergences in such a short time was unusual.


    Enough that it made them suspicious of Rose and her supposed ¡®fate¡¯. The encounter with the gem-eyed blacksmith only served to fuel the fire.


    Regardless, he wasn¡¯t going to cast her out over a little bit of manifest destiny. If anything, the more danger they experienced, the more wealth they amassed.


    Trent hadn¡¯t discussed their goals in detail, but whatever they were sailing in search of would require plenty of money to keep them afloat as they went. Especially with Felix eating half the pantry every mealtime. The boy was a glutton.


    This time around their crew had a lot of treasure as well as mundane goods to offer. Rose wanted to follow Trent to the market and see how he went about the mercantile side of their business.


    Being a successful pirate wasn¡¯t just about getting good at waving her cutlasses around. She also needed knowledge of all the supporting aspects.


    There was a silver lining to the daunting prospect of learning how to haggle and calculate with money¡ªthere might be a skill in it related to her occupation.


    Two monolithic structures, built from sand coloured stone¡ªmined from the colossal mountain near Clissolt¡ªjutted out into the ocean from the shore. The city had no beaches, only rocky cliffs and reefs that were deadly to ships that ventured too close.


    These were the famed Clissolt Quays. Trent said there were three, but I only see two. Docking the ship had been a simple affair. All they had to do was sail close enough and drop anchor once they could be seen from the quays.


    A little rowing boat made its way out to greet them, a dock official wearing round glasses and bearing a tattoo of a viper on his neck informing us where to dock Liberty. After he collected the fee, of course.


    Rose grimaced at the leery eyes he flashed when Trent brought the coins out. Like any other pirate, she dreamed of hoards of treasure, but it was more of an aesthetic.


    Her true reasons for venturing out to sea lay in freedom and adventure. Those, along with the thrill of developing her skills, had been where she discovered the joy of piracy.


    ¡°I heard you wanted to come with me to sell our wares, dear Rose?¡± Trent asked as they tied off the ship. ¡°I might need to teach you some mathematics first.¡±


    She didn¡¯t like the devilish grin on his face as he said that. Writing was bad enough. Only the prospect of completing her occupation faster stopped her from changing plans and dragging Felix to another tavern.

 1.61 - The Numbers, What do They Mean?

    Supposedly, there are unsolved formulas hidden away in Tidespire Keep that have driven scholars to madness. I reckon my neighbour Jim could solve a few. Plus, he¡¯s already mad as a bat.


    -Excerpt from ¡®A Mathematical Analysis of the Tide¡¯ by Prince Jera of Tyropia


    ¡°So, my tidestone is worth over a thousand gold!?¡± Rose exclaimed, counting on her fingers while traipsing after Trent.


    He¡¯d been trying to explain the market value of various common treasures and monster parts to her, including tidestones. The crash course was so intensive that she¡¯d barely looked around to admire the unique architecture of Clissolt.


    ¡°Keep your voice down, girl. Don¡¯t want the wrong people hearing you say that,¡± he warned, eyes darting around the street. ¡°Something like that. You¡¯ll be hard pressed to find a buyer who carries that amount around with them. Just keep it.¡±


    Even if she wasn¡¯t able to sell the tidestone¡ªwhich she wasn¡¯t convinced she wanted to¡ªRose had plenty of other things to flog. One particular piece of masonry she had managed to take note of was the uniform stone slabs that made up the roads of Clissolt.


    They were cut with precision and all the same size. The surfaces were polished until smooth, which gave rise to an odd phenomenon. Carts which passed by made barely a sound, unless the wheels were in need of oiling.


    ¡°Let¡¯s run through some basics again. How much is a barrel of apples?¡± asked Trent, spinning a copper coin between his fingers.


    ¡°7 silvers and 5 coppers,¡± she replied without missing a beat.


    ¡°Good. And what¡¯s the most you could expect to pay for an ounce of gunpowder?¡±


    ¡°14 silvers. But if a merchant ever offers me that price, I should put a knife to his throat.¡±


    ¡°Fantastic. You¡¯re a quick learner. If someone asks where you got your treasure, what do you say?¡±


    ¡°Found it floating on the sea,¡± she giggled.


    ¡°Or perhaps you inherited it from your recently departed grandmother. Who knows?¡± he said with a smirk. ¡°We¡¯re here. For now, just watch and learn. Feel free to grab anyone who looks like they¡¯d be interested in your stuff.¡±


    Stepping out of the street, a wall of noise and a cocktail of aromas slammed into her like a falling hammer. Cloth covered stalls stretched as far as she could see and hundreds of people were haggling over items from fruit to fabric.


    From her limited experience it seemed as though standing out among the crowds of sellers shouting about their incredible wares would be a nightmare. Maybe Trent had a trick up his sleeve.


    They continued to walk until they reached a spot less saturated with sellers. It was impossible to find an empty pitch as the number of people crowding the square was too great.


    Trent waved his hand and a gazebo appeared, along with a carpet that he rolled along the ground. Another wave of his hand made a sign materialise above the gazebo, confirming her suspicions that her captain also possessed one of the mysterious storage artifacts.


    The sign was simple; so simple that she wondered if it would draw even a single customer to their unassuming stall. It read ¡®great treasures for greater prices¡¯.


    Rose giggled as she read the sign. ¡°Is that really the best you could come up with? Who¡¯s going to believe such an obvious scam?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Who knows, maybe we¡¯ll get lucky,¡± replied Trent, with a knowing smirk.


    There was clearly a secret at play, but one that she was not privy to. He wouldn¡¯t reveal the trick just yet. Perhaps he was trying to teach her something.


    Rose took a closer look at the sign, wondering if there was a hidden function. However, all she saw was the poorly scrawled tagline and little else.


    Despite Trent drilling the basics into her, Rose hadn¡¯t earned a skill or anything similar from the tide regarding mathematics. With nothing to do until their bait hooked an unwitting victim¡ªcustomer¡ªshe sat down and took out her sketchbook.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    No grand inspiration had struck her, but this lively scene felt more real than copying a memory onto the page. Perhaps it would help her reach the next level in drawing.


    ***


    A couple of hours passed by without a single customer stopping at their gazebo. A few had given the treasures laid out on the carpet a more observant glance but didn¡¯t deem Trent¡¯s offer worth their while.


    Rose wasn¡¯t surprised given the awful advertising method he¡¯d employed. She was tempted to tear down the sign and write him a better one, but she wouldn¡¯t disrespect her captain like that.


    Turning back to her sketchbook, she frowned. Capturing the vivid colours of the market stalls had been simple. However, the emotions of the people seemed wrong.


    She wasn¡¯t sure why. It hit her that she¡¯d never truly been around this many people. Her village was tiny in comparison to Clissolt and even there she¡¯d been quite anti-social.


    Not on purpose, it was simply that the majority of the village kids weren¡¯t that interesting to her¡ªplenty of them were even cruel. Bored of waiting around, she decided to go for a stroll.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a bit. Maybe I¡¯m a bad luck charm and you¡¯ll get some customers while I¡¯m not here,¡± she joked, stretching her arms and pocketing her sketchbook.


    ¡°Sure, don¡¯t get lost. I¡¯m too busy to come and save you.¡±


    ¡°Oh I can tell. You¡¯re drowning in customers,¡± she answered dryly.


    Without waiting for his next witty response, she made her way into the throng of the market. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Rose let the cacophony of aromas rush to her head.


    It was intoxicating and overwhelming, but underneath the cocktail of sounds and scents, there was one that drew her in far more than the rest. Following her nose, she opened her eyes and started to walk.


    She wound through the stalls, avoiding the raised voices of intense haggling. Most transactions were amicable, but there were some shrewd customers or copper-pinching sellers who were unrelenting on their targets.


    Her nose took her away from the main bustle of the square and towards the edges, eventually bringing her to a stop in front of a two-storey wooden building. The bottom floor had a large window with colourful flowers in pots along the sill.


    The top floor looked like someone¡¯s house. A sign hung over the open door¡ªArtist¡¯s Escape¡ªRose loved the name. There was a reason she had been drawn to this shop while experiencing artist¡¯s block.


    Walking in, there was a gentle tinkle of a bell above the door. How did it know I entered? The door didn¡¯t even move.


    Confused, she continued walking until she reached the counter. After a few seconds a woman with rich olive skin and bright green eyes stepped out of the back.


    ¡°Hello dear, what brings you to Artist¡¯s Escape?¡± she asked. Her tone was warm and comforting, almost motherly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. My nose brought me here from the market,¡± she answered, furrowing her brow. Looking around, she saw the shelves filled with magnificent drawings and paintings.


    There were also little tables covered in various art supplies like pencils, paintbrushes, and even some strange tools she¡¯d never seen before. To Rose, it was a treasure trove.


    ¡°Your nose? That¡¯s a new one,¡± she laughed. ¡°What kind of art do you like to make?¡±


    ¡°I draw. Landscapes mostly. I¡¯m a little stifled at the moment. Hard to be creative,¡± she answered.


    ¡°Landscapes¡­ Let me see, I might have a little something for you,¡± said the woman, going into the back.


    Banging noises came through the door and at one point something flew past her head, whizzing out of the door faster than a bullet. Rose was considering leaving before the woman came back out.


    Unfortunately, before she could make a decision the lady returned, holding a little yellow crystal in her hand. It glittered in the light but didn¡¯t seem to have power of its own, the way tidestones did.


    ¡°Here, this should be perfect for you, dear,¡± she said, holding out the crystal.


    Rose hesitated to take it from her. She wasn¡¯t sure how much it would cost and since she hadn¡¯t sold any of her treasures yet, she only had a few silver coins that Trent had loaned her.


    ¡°What does it cost? I¡¯m not sure I can afford anything too complex,¡± she asked with a soft voice.


    The woman¡¯s eyes hardened and her kind face twisted into one of fury. She seemed to remember Rose¡¯s presence and controlled her outburst, but the simmering rage was difficult to hide.


    Her smile no longer seemed so warm, but her eyes were looking beyond Rose, to the doorway. Turning, she saw Trent standing there with a smirk on his face.


    Why did I have to follow a captain who pisses off everyone he meets? He¡¯s never met this shopkeeper before but she already hates his guts.


    ¡°I thought I told you to never disclose your weaknesses when you¡¯re haggling, Rose. Did you forget my lessons already?¡± he chided, shaking his head.


    ¡°Not everyone is a cold hearted bastard like you, Blackheart. Get out of my shop and never come back. You have one chance. I warned you what would happen if I ever saw you again,¡± said the shopkeeper, her controlled tone slipping towards the end into a half-shout.


    ¡°You did, Yasmin. And yet here I am. As always, I¡¯m terrible at listening to orders and I do whatever I please. That¡¯s why you fell in love with me in the first place,¡± he said, stepping towards the counter in a reckless move.


    Rose was frozen still, unsure how to act as the tension in the air grew palpable. The invisible energy in the shop crackled, giving her goosebumps.


    ¡°You never learn your lesson. Here you are, on your deathbed and still leading naive young girls astray,¡± she hissed. Turning to Rose, she said in a sickly sweet voice, ¡°Whatever he¡¯s told you, it¡¯s probably a lie. Leave before you see something you don¡¯t want to, dear.¡±

 1.62 - Old Flames Reignited

    Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned


    -Excerpt from ¡®The Mourning Bride¡¯ by Bill Kong


    The edges of Yasmin¡¯s eyes turned black as the tiny vessels in her sclera seemed to carry pure darkness through them. Two tendrils of black liquid emerged from her sleeves and coiled around her like snakes. Her eyes never left Trent¡¯s, the pair engaged in a battle of wills.


    Despite the looming threat, he didn¡¯t draw his cutlass or reach for his pistol. Instead, he raised his arms in surrender and continued to advance towards the counter.


    With every step he took the energy in the air thrashed more violently and Yasmin¡¯s eyes grew darker. The tendrils of dark liquid, which Rose realised were ink¡ªfitting for an artist, and quite inspiring to her¡ªrose up and aimed towards her captain.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do to me that hasn¡¯t already been done, Yasmin. I know what I did to you was awful, but I wouldn¡¯t be here if there was any other choice,¡± he sighed, lowering his hands and stopping half a metre away from her.


    Rose watched the woman¡¯s eyes soften and the murky darkness recede from her bright eyes. The snakes of ink were sucked back into her body and her rage deflated.


    Trent smiled¡ªa genuine smile, not his trademark smirk¡ªand took another step towards Yasmin. A deafening crack, halfway between a whip and a thunderclap shattered the silence. Trent¡¯s head jerked to the side and he staggered back a couple of steps.


    Yasmin had caught him with a vicious slap right when he least expected it. Rubbing his reddening cheek, Trent stepped back up to the counter.


    ¡°I deserved that. You¡¯re just as fiery as the day I met you, Yasmin. And somehow more beautiful,¡± he said.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯d be shocked what a stress-free life can do for one¡¯s skin. Perhaps you should try it someday. Out of respect for the girl, I won¡¯t kill you on the spot. You have 30 seconds to explain yourself.¡±


    Wait a minute, why did Trent get here so fast? Don¡¯t tell me he abandoned the stall to follow me the moment I was out of sight? He was like an overbearing father. Even her own dad wasn¡¯t this protective.


    She considered the idea that Trent knew she would end up in this shop, leading him to his old crewmate¡ªlover?¡ªbut it was too fanciful. He wasn¡¯t a god, just a man with a little more magic in his bones than most.


    He didn¡¯t panic, even given the stringent time frame. Rose wasn¡¯t sure why getting this woman on board was essential for their journey, but Trent had his own reasons.


    ¡°I¡¯ll start with a gift. Rose, give her the tidestone,¡± he said, waving his hand at her.


    Rose¡¯s jaw fell to the floor. Just how shameless was this bastard? After all his rambling about leaving her with the spoils of her efforts he was selling her out to a stranger?


    Despite her internal protests, she walked towards the pair and grudgingly pulled up her inventory to get the tidestone out. If it got these two to stop arguing, it might be worth it.


    Before she could even bring the stone out, Trent squealed like a pig. Rose was shocked at the scene. Yasmin had grabbed him between his legs and placed an inky finger against his neck.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare, you bastard. Give me both the tidestones you¡¯ve got hidden or I¡¯ll rip the little one out of your chest right now,¡± she uttered coldly.


    Rose was in awe of this woman, who had tamed the seemingly ineffable Trent in seconds¡ªa feat that no one else they¡¯d met had managed. Even the sea serpent hadn¡¯t dampened his rogue-like charm.


    ¡°Damn it woman, I was only joking. Of course I wouldn¡¯t make a little girl pay for me,¡± he gasped, fumbling in his jacket. ¡°Here, take them. And let me go before they explode.¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    What¡¯s going to explode? I don¡¯t understand. Adults are weird sometimes. Trent finally found what he was looking for and two huge blue crystals appeared in the room.


    One of them vanished before it hit the floor and Yasmin placed a hand on the other, not releasing Trent despite his protests. ¡°That little stunt cost you ten seconds. You¡¯ve got fifteen left. Use them wisely,¡± she declared.


    ¡°Evil witch,¡± he muttered. He gasped as she tightened her grip. ¡°Okay, okay. My dear Yasmin, after suffering these wounds for so long I¡¯ve finally found a cure. Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have the skill to navigate there. In fact, almost no one does. It¡¯s hidden in an impossible to reach location. Impossible, unless you¡¯re a divinely blessed navigator. I wonder where we might find one of those?¡± he rushed to spill everything before his time was up.


    ¡°Two seconds. Be direct or I¡¯ll make you even less of a man,¡± she said with a cruel smile.


    ¡°Only you can help me get there, Yasmin. I need the Daughter of Scaralon.¡±


    She seemed conflicted for a moment. Finally releasing Trent, who clutched at his legs and bent over to catch his breath, Yasmin walked up to Rose.


    ¡°Take the other tidestone. You deserve it more than this idiot,¡± she said, tapping the crystal and winking at her.


    Before the terrifying woman could change her mind, Rose took it into her inventory. It wasn¡¯t as high level as the one she already had, but she wouldn¡¯t say no to free money. Even if it came from her captain.


    Saying no to Yasmin seemed like it would end far worse than taking the stone from Trent. I can always give it back in secret. I know he needs them to live.


    ¡°The Daughter of Scaralon is dead. She died the same day your chest was cleaved in two,¡± she lamented.


    Holding up a hand to stall Trent before he could respond, Yasmin continued. ¡°However, I will help you. Consider it a final favour. I have two conditions. The first is that you must obey every command I give while we¡¯re sailing.¡±


    ¡°Done. What¡¯s the second?¡±


    ¡°I have a little problem that you need to solve before I can leave the gallery and set sail. Nothing too difficult, just a misguided governor with some hotheaded romantic tendencies.¡±


    Trent laughed, a single, dry cackle. ¡°Have you been to a single country and not managed to make at least one of the local nobles fall in love with you?¡±


    ¡°There is no nobility in Zoria,¡± she replied, walking around the shop and picking up the items that had fallen from the tables and shelves during their spat.


    ¡°Oh, my bad. The totally democratically elected council of Zoria, who are in no way nobility or a ruling class, one of whom who has developed feelings for you, is our target?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. He shouldn¡¯t be hard to find, just look for the biggest mansion in the city and he¡¯ll be there, pompously lording over Clissolt.¡±


    ¡°And how, pray tell, do you want us to solve this minor problem of yours, Yasmin?¡± he said, rolling his eyes. This definitely wasn¡¯t the first time they¡¯d had a conversation like this.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to kill him. That¡¯s caused us enough trouble in the past. Just a stern warning to leave me alone. Let him know what will happen if he gets any funny ideas about messing with my shop while I¡¯m gone,¡± she said with a malicious grin.


    Every single person she met seemed to be a demon in disguise. Even the mild mannered Nasar carved a sea monster the size of her hometown into fillets with a single slash of his knife.


    ¡°Leave it to me. We¡¯ll pay him a visit tonight. Meet us tomorrow morning. Nasar said he was going to get us rooms at The Golden Cannon,¡± said Trent, turning and walking to the door. ¡°Are you coming, Rose?¡± he added, when she didn¡¯t move.


    ¡°Uhh, sure,¡± she replied, looking between the two adults with some confusion. She started to walk out when she remembered the yellow crystal. ¡°Oh, you never told me how much the crystal was. Can I buy it?¡±


    Yasmin tossed it to her without a second thought. ¡°Keep it, dear. You¡¯ll get more use from it than I. Landscapes aren¡¯t really my style,¡± she said, walking into the back.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she called out after her. When she didn¡¯t receive a response she ran after Trent, who¡¯d already left the shop.


    ¡°Oi, bastard captain,¡± she yelled. ¡°You did that on purpose, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    He turned around, all traces of the encounter gone from his face and replaced with the usual smirk. ¡°Whatever do you mean, dear Rose?¡±


    She narrowed her eyes. ¡°I won¡¯t give you the tidestone back unless you tell me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need that piddly crystal. Some things are better left unsaid,¡± he replied. ¡°Now, follow me. And don¡¯t be so disrespectful in public. People might think I can¡¯t keep my own crew in line.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°I heard that,¡± he said without turning around.


    Rose continued to grumble under her breath as they went deeper into the city. It was difficult being saddled with such an infuriating captain, but her torture wouldn¡¯t continue for long.


    With the demoness Yasmin joining the crew, there would be someone around to run to for help anytime she needed. That woman turned her captain into a docile puppy with a single touch. I need to learn the grabbing trick. It worked really well¡­

 1.63 - A Minor Problem

    They say to let sleeping dogs lie, but why can¡¯t they do the same with civil servants. Every blood hour of the night I get woken up for some irrelevant complaint. How am I supposed to fix people¡¯s problems if I can¡¯t get a moment of rest?


    -Quoted from Gregory Waxwood, Civil Governor of Pallis


    They made a quick stop at the inn, The Golden Cannon, to meet Nasar and drop some things off. Trent handed the chef a leather pouch, which jingled as he handed it off.


    It seemed as though he¡¯d managed to sell all their goods in the brief time Rose had wandered off. So he was hiding his tricks from me. Bastard captain.


    The more time she spent around Trent, the more she¡¯d been swearing. He was just so damn infuriating. They stayed long enough for her to have a bath and change into a clean pair of clothes.


    It had been far too long since her last, which was perhaps the worst part of being at sea. Another one of those little annoyances that the story books never mentioned.


    Thinking about how rarely they docked, most of the pirate legends had to have terrible body odour. Or perhaps there was a skill to deal with that?


    Rose wanted to try and level up Cleaning, to see if one of the traits did just that. However, the mental scar from the last time she went cleaning mad still lingered and she was hesitant to open that can of worms.


    Trent was still talking with Nasar when she stepped out of the bathroom, which meant she had a little more time before they embarked on their quest to solve Yasmin¡¯s problem. She overheard the chef chuckling.


    ¡°I knew it. You were a fool to believe that woman would follow after you without a second thought. I wish I was there to see it,¡± he said, patting Trent on the shoulder.


    Leaving the two men to their musing, she went through the door into the smaller room. Felix was sprawled on one of the two beds, snoring loudly.


    Despite it being the afternoon, he had somehow managed to drift off. He deserves a proper rest. This might be the last time we¡¯re on land for a while.


    Sitting at a wooden desk in front of a circular window that afforded her a view of the market, Rose took out a piece of paper and a pen. She was finally going to write that letter to her parents. For all she knew, she wouldn¡¯t get another chance.


    It was a shame, but the last letter she¡¯d written for them had been destroyed in the chaos of the convergence. Then again, a lot had changed since. Perhaps it was for the best that she was able to write a new one.


    The only problem was, she wasn¡¯t quite sure what to say. They knew she¡¯d always wanted to be a pirate, but perhaps they thought it the ramblings of a child and never took her seriously.


    If she told them that she¡¯d truly embraced piracy, how would they feel? Would they be embarrassed, upset, ashamed? She considered lying and telling them she¡¯d joined a merchant crew.


    It would be a half-truth, given the time Rose had spent on board Unrequited Love. However, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to lie to her parents. So, she decided to pour her heart out.


    Dear Mother and Father,


    It is your daughter, Rose. You might have thought I was dead and if that made you worry, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to upset you, but I couldn¡¯t bear the thought of becoming a fisherwoman or a dorii herder. That would be a fate worse than death. I don¡¯t mean to insult your professions, because I think the life you live is comfortable and I had a happy childhood.


    However, I had my own dreams. You should know what I¡¯ve always wanted to be¡ªwhat my ambition was, and is. I have become a pirate. I don¡¯t have my own crew yet, but I am part of one. The captain is called Trent. He is a smug bastard, but he takes good care of us. There¡¯s Felix, who¡¯s a little lazy but dependable. Nasar is the chef. He¡¯s seriously good. Maybe even better than you, mother. And today I met the most terrifying and incredible woman ever.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    She¡¯s called Yasmin and she was able to make the captain do whatever she said. I want to grow up and be as strong as her. Maybe not as scary, though. I¡¯m not sure. Anyway, don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m having a wonderful time and living the life I always dreamed of. I hope you are well.


    With all my love,


    Rose


    It was simple. Perhaps if she was better at writing or had more time to perfect it, she would be able to convey her feelings more accurately.


    However, it was good enough. Folding it in three places, she dripped a little wax from the candle onto the paper to seal it shut. She wished she had one of those fancy rings like nobles did to add a symbol.


    Taking the pen, she scratched a capital ¡®R¡¯ into the wax after it dried. Smiling, she slipped the letter into her jacket and walked out of the room to see that Nasar and Trent had disappeared.


    Walking downstairs, she discovered them in the small restaurant on the bottom floor of The Golden Cannon. More accurately, they were at the bar.


    ¡°Alright Rose, are you ready to solve Yasmin¡¯s tiny little problem?¡± asked Trent when she approached.


    ¡°Yes. I need to stop by the seagull post on the way.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s the lucky person getting a letter?¡±


    ¡°My parents.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What are you telling them? Nothing scary, I hope.¡±


    ¡°Just what I wanted to tell them,¡± she replied, not giving anything away. ¡°Can I have a drink, too?¡±


    The two men burst into laughter. Trent downed his glass of pale brown alcohol in a single swig. Nasar sipped his in a much more refined manner.


    ¡°After the state I found you two in after your last attempt at drinking, I think we¡¯ll give that a miss. Maybe if our quest goes well,¡± chuckled Trent, standing up and tossing a silver coin onto the counter. ¡°To the seagull post we go!¡± he declared, raising a fist.


    ***


    As they approached the tower, the squawking of seagulls grew louder. She could see various sizes of seagulls flying in and out of the numerous open windows up and down the tower, each with a leather pouch tied to them.


    She noticed that the birds had different coloured scarves, too. Some wore red, some blue, and she spotted a single seagull wearing a green scarf. That seagull was at least one and a half times bigger than the rest and there was a notch in one of its wings.


    Entering, she was surprised to see that the lobby was completely calm in comparison to the raucous outdoors. Not a single seagull could be seen.


    They probably kept them on the upper floors to make sure they didn¡¯t interfere with the process of receiving letters from customers. A young woman greeted them at the desk.


    ¡°Welcome to the Seagull Post! How may I help you today?¡± she asked with a bright smile.


    Rose smiled back and took out her letter. ¡°I need to post this letter to my parents,¡± she said.


    Without missing a beat the cheery girl replied. ¡°How sweet. And where exactly are you parents? We need a name, town or city, and country for your destination.¡±


    She held out her hand and Rose passed her the letter. ¡°Fairwater Bay, in Emerlan Isle,¡± she replied, feeling silly for not offering the information upfront. ¡°Oh, and for the names you can put Simon and Alyssa Everblue.¡±


    ¡°Of course, thank you very much. It will cost you seven copper coins to send the letter to Fairwater Bay.¡±


    Rose handed over the coins, counting them out carefully from her pouch. Considering that you could get a cheap meal for a few coppers, it was rather expensive to send a letter. ¡°Thanks,¡± she added, smiling at the woman.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Thank you for choosing Seagull Post. We hope to see you again soon!¡± the girl replied, slipping Rose¡¯s letter into a draw labelled ¡®Fairwater Bay¡¯.


    The other draws were all towns and cities around the Bluestone Sea, as well as there being a few she didn¡¯t recognise. It seemed the reach of the Seagull Post was quite widespread.


    Trent hadn¡¯t said a word the entire time they were inside. Rose was quite proud of herself. Other than buying from the vendors back home, that was the first time she¡¯d managed to purchase something entirely of her own accord.


    ¡°You¡¯re a strange girl, Rose,¡± said Trent as they walked away from the tower.


    ¡°What do you mean? You¡¯re the weirdest man I¡¯ve ever met,¡± she retorted.


    ¡°Maybe you should socialise more often. A girl your age should have more friends than a lazy merchant,¡± he replied. ¡°What I meant is, you almost seem like two different people. The Rose who stumbles over herself and smiles when she manages to send a letter without making a mistake. And the Rose who carves monsters and men with concealed glee in her eyes. It¡¯s hard to tell which one is the real you.¡±


    She frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t enjoy killing. Monsters are one thing, but even then it¡¯s a little gross. I didn¡¯t enjoy killing those pirates. Who, might I remind you, were your crew.¡±


    ¡°Touch¨¦. Only time will tell, I guess. Forget I said anything.¡±


    They continued walking in silence, heading towards the very centre of Clissolt, where the richest and most influential members of the city lived. They would find the governor there.

 1.64 - Bad Dreams

    I heard that eating cheese before you sleep gives you bad dreams. Eating cheese makes me happy, so I choose to sacrifice my sleep for joy. I¡¯m a pirate. I face bad dreams when I¡¯m awake, so what¡¯s a little disturbed sleep?


    -Excerpt from ¡®Silversea Saga¡¯ by Norris Howell


    The sandy stone of the city streets was set aflame by the sunset, mirroring the orange and violet sky. Here, the houses were built from a darker, brown wood.


    ¡°Acacia trees are native to Zoria. That¡¯s why they use it in most of the city. It¡¯s a status symbol to build your mansion with imported wood,¡± Trent explained when she asked why they were different.


    These people confused her. What was the point of having a different house to someone else? There was so much more to discover and see on the oceans.


    Maybe it was because they were too scared to venture beyond their homes that they wanted to feel better than the rest of their countrymen. Either way, one particular member of this district wouldn¡¯t feel very superior after tonight.


    Two guards were posted at the gates of the governor¡¯s mansion, watching every passerby with hawkish vigilance. Entering via the front gates would be impossible.


    ¡°We¡¯ll wait until midnight and sneak in the back way. There will be more guards inside, but we can deal with them as we go,¡± he whispered.


    They were sitting in a caf¨¦ on the same street, receiving dirty looks from many of the well dressed patrons of the establishment. The waiter had treated them in the same manner until Trent flicked a gold coin at his head.


    After that, he¡¯d stumbled over himself to cater to every single order. He came by every few minutes to ask if they needed anything, which had grown annoying. Trent whipped another coin at him to leave them alone.


    ***


    Rose had gorged herself on pastries and cake while they were scoping their target. It was the first time she¡¯d experienced such a large variety of sweet foods.


    Until then, she¡¯d only had fruit. Trent told her the secret ingredient was something called sugar. Rose wanted to get some for Nasar. He would be her personal pastry chef when they set sail.


    Her favourite was a puffy thing with dozens of layers of buttery pastry, filled with a jelly-like substance called jam. It was made with fruit, but adding sugar somehow upped the deliciousness by a factor of a thousand.


    ¡°Stop drooling,¡± said Trent, snapping her out of the daydream. ¡°It¡¯s time.¡±


    Slipping a black cloak over her head that he provided her, the pair made their way through the alleys towards the back of the governor¡¯s mansion. Suddenly they heard two men talking and pressed themselves against the wall, hoping to blend into the shadows.


    Two guards walked right in front of them, chattering away. Rose held her breath, out of fear that even the softest noise would give away their position.


    Skill up!


    Stealth 5 > 6


    A splash almost made her stumble, but she was used to the tide by now. The guards walked on by without incident and they continued making their way through the city streets under the cover of darkness.


    Every step was fraught with danger, but her experience stealing The Crown of Salt had given her the skill to bypass the guards here without much difficulty. It helped that Trent was leading the way.


    He seemed to instinctively know how to avoid the wandering guards and blended into the shadows so seamlessly Rose even lost track of him once or twice. Clearly he¡¯d infiltrated a great deal of mansions in his time.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Skill up!


    Stealth 6 > 7


    Stealth levelled up once more by the time they reached their destination. A trio of guards had just walked by and she¡¯d almost been spotted, but by holding her breath and closing her eyes she somehow made it out.


    Trent likely would¡¯ve killed all three the second they noticed her, but the less fuss they caused the better. Leaving a trail of bodies would only serve to help people find them after they gave the governor a friendly warning.


    Trent lifted her up to the top of the wall and she peeked over, making sure not to reveal too much of her head just in case one of the guards glanced their way. All she could see was empty gardens and a fox lounging on the grass.


    After telling Trent he shoved her upwards. Surprised, she almost cried out but clamped a hand over her mouth to stifle the noise. She fell to the soft grass and did an awkward roll to cushion the landing.


    Her infuriating captain gently touched down beside her and offered a hand to help her up. She refused it and shot him a look of annoyance. Rose didn¡¯t want to give him the satisfaction.


    They made good time running across the grass. She was in very good shape after all her time at sea and with the Athletics skill steadily increasing the difference was noticeable.


    At one point they had to hide behind some bushes to let another pair of guards walk by, but the hasty hiding actually worked in her favour as Stealth gained another level, increasing to 8.


    Eventually they reached the mansion itself. There were plenty of lanterns scattered around, casting shadows and light and making it quite difficult to stay out of sight.


    Luckily the number of guards this close to the house was quite low as they didn¡¯t expect any intruders to actually make it this far. However, they faced a problem.


    ¡°So, where is the governor¡¯s bedroom?¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Hmm? I have no clue,¡± he replied.


    Rose had to stop herself from slapping the man on the spot. He was ridiculous sometimes. It seemed as though despite his confidence in dragging her here there was no plan in his mind.


    He just wanted to make Yasmin happy and figure things out on the fly. They would need to make their way through the house to find where their target was sleeping without alerting any of the staff.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably on the second floor,¡± she muttered, looking for a way to climb up.


    She walked along the walls towards a drainpipe she spotted, hoping it would be sturdy enough to hold her weight. It was metallic and rusty¡ªnot ideal as she didn¡¯t want to cut her hands.


    However, there didn¡¯t seem to be another way to make it to the second floor without first breaking in and making a lot of noise. Right as she grabbed hold and jumped up to test it, she heard the bang of a pistol.


    Falling to the ground in surprise, she turned to Trent who was holding the smoking gun. Her jaw dropped open and she cried out, ¡°what the hell are you doing, you bastard? Are you trying to get us killed?¡±


    He cackled before grabbing her hand and tossing her onto her feet. Rushing towards the same bushes they were hidden in before he pushed her head down until they were both out of sight.


    With a smile on his face and a glint in his eye he explained his plan. ¡°It would take too long to find the right bedroom. Instead of wasting our time wandering through this place, it¡¯s far easier just to bring everyone to us. Genius, no?¡±


    ¡°Oh yes, super smart!¡± she hissed. ¡°Bring every guard in the place down on our heads. That¡¯s just wonderful. And how exactly do you plan to have our talk with the man when he¡¯s got dozens of armed men surrounding him?¡±


    Trent held a hand over his heart and opened his mouth in shock. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you don¡¯t trust me, Rose,¡± he moaned.


    The act was pathetic, but she knew by now that despite his lackadaisical attitude and carefree nature he never acted without a plan. Whatever he was up to there was likely a method to his madness.


    If all else failed, she would just hide behind him as he carved a path out of the city. Sometimes, having a golden thigh to hug was greater than any well thought out strategy.


    It didn¡¯t take long for the heavy footfalls of the guards to reach her ears. Rapidly they arrived, scouring the place for the source of the gunshot.


    Somehow, staying crouched low behind a bush was keeping them hidden from these men. Her Stealth was far too low to achieve such a feat, so there was likely some influence from Trent helping them stay undetected.


    Rose wondered if she would be able to reach the same heights one day. Perhaps if she continued to advance at her current rate it would be possible.


    All of a sudden the guards straightened up and formed into neat little groups as a door slammed open and a rather chubby man wearing a nightgown stormed out of the mansion. That had to be the governor.


    ¡°Well, you certainly got his attention. What do we do now, captain?¡± she whispered with a smirk.


    Trent turned to her and tapped the side of his head, still undaunted. ¡°Just you watch, dear Rose. You¡¯ll learn something very important tonight.¡±

 1.65 - The Art of Going Unnoticed

    Sometimes, hiding in plain sight is far more effective than doing your best to stay out of view. You¡¯d be surprised how quickly the mind ignores a person dressed plainly in favour of the one skulking in the shadows.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Stealth and Security¡¯ by Sulan Blackshell


    Before Rose realised what had happened, Trent vanished. For a moment she had no idea where he had disappeared to, but then she noticed a new guard approaching the group.


    Where had he got that uniform? Every time he did something he managed to confuse her even further, but none of the other guards or the governor even spared him a second glance.


    ¡°What the hell was that sound?¡± yelled the governor, making the guards closest to him wince at the sheer volume. ¡°I want the bastard found and dragged in front of my feet. Now!¡±


    The moment he finished shouting the guards spread out, some even sprinting towards the gardens to find the perpetrator. Unfortunately for them he was in their midst.


    They would never find Trent while looking in the wrong place. All the guards had gone now, but there were still two maids and a butler hovering beside the puffy-faced man.


    Looking at the smartly dressed butler, Rose felt a sense of worry. His eyes were sharp and hawk-like and for some reason she got a feeling of incredible danger when she looked at him.


    Despite that, she wasn¡¯t worried. There was little chance that even the personal security of an official here would be able to overpower Trent.


    A window beside one of the maids exploded, showering everyone with glass and making the governor scream and leap into the air. He landed in the arms of his butler, being carried like a princess.


    He leapt back to his feet, coughing once and looking embarrassed. The butler simply wiped his shirt as though this was a regular occurrence.


    Rose looked at the maid on the left, who had fallen to the ground and was clutching her face while crying in pain. The other maid was bent over and fussing over her.


    Looking closer she saw blood dripping from a cut on the girl¡¯s face. Some of the glass from the window had sliced into her as it shattered.


    She felt sorry for the unfortunate maid but continued to watch with rapt interest as the scene unfolded. Right now she wanted to learn from her captain. It was a little heartless, but she was sure the girl would be fine after a few days in bed.


    The butler started talking to the girl who was tending to the injured maid. Afterwards, the pair lifted her up and carried her inside the mansion.


    Seeing that he had been left alone, the governor also turned to head back inside. However, before he could make it through the door, one of his guards ran up and lifted him off his feet.


    Trent, clad in the uniform of the guards, clamped a hand over the chubby fellow¡¯s mouth and dragged him towards the bush where Rose was hiding. The entire process had taken less than two minutes.


    She was surprised at the ease with which her captain was able to infiltrate such a secure group and kidnap their leader without any fuss. It made her realise that most people were far less observant than they believed.


    Or perhaps Trent was just that sneaky. The governor thrashed and even through Trent¡¯s hand she could hear him screaming and shouting. That wasn¡¯t good¡ªif he made too much noise the guards would return and discover them.


    Trent punched him in the head and he fell still. Rose gawked. That was¡­ an interesting way to solve the problem. At the very least it would buy them some time.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Tossing the limp man beside her, Trent pulled a cloth rag from his pocket and tied it around the governor¡¯s mouth. Once it was secure, he slapped him until his eyes opened.


    He was quite violent when he needed to be. Rose didn¡¯t blame him. For her captain, nothing was more important than finding the cure to his lifelong injury. Some backwater governor mattered little in the grand scheme of things.


    As soon as his eyes opened and he saw the pair of them, the man began to scream once more like his life depended on it. It did.


    Not in the way he believed though. Trent pulled out a pistol and pushed it right against the guy¡¯s eyes. ¡°Shut the hell up or I¡¯ll put a bullet in your head. If you can do that, I¡¯ll take off the gag and we can have a little chat. Don¡¯t even think about shouting for that nasty butler or your guards. The moment I hear anything but an answer to my questions, you¡¯ll be dead.¡±


    Rose half expected the guy to yell regardless of the warning, but Trent¡¯s manner of intimidation was effective. When he took off the gag the governor didn¡¯t make a peep.


    ¡°Good man. If you cooperate with us then we can all get out of here safe, sound, and satisfied. Now, I hear you¡¯ve been bothering one of my good friends. Proposing to her and pestering her with unwanted offers of romance while she¡¯s trying to run her gallery. Ring a bell?¡± he asked.


    The man coughed and looked a little embarrassed. Like a kid caught stealing sweets. What was with this reaction? He could at least boldly admit his love instead of looking like a soppy drunk.


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± he coughed. ¡°But she smiled at me when I visited her shop! That¡¯s practically an invitation to ask a woman out on a date-¡±


    Trent slapped him and shoved the pistol into his head hard enough to draw a trickle of blood. ¡°None of that. Don¡¯t be a creep. Listen to me closely,¡± he snarled. ¡°I want you to forget Yasmin exists. Don¡¯t dream about her, wish she was yours or even look her way. Don¡¯t go near her shop and most importantly, don¡¯t dare to try and get someone else to meddle on your behalf. Understood?¡±


    The governor nodded rapidly, eyes widening in fear as he realised that his life was truly at stake. An acrid smell tingled her nostrils.


    Looking down, she realised the man had pissed himself out of fear. Rose threw him a look of disgust. He at least had the decency to look ashamed of himself.


    ¡°Fantastic,¡± said Trent, pulling the pistol away and loosening his grip on the governor¡¯s neck. Immediately, the man went to stand up.


    Trent grabbed him by the lapels of his shirt and pulled him back down the ground, before whirling the barrel of the pistol back towards him. ¡°One more thing,¡± he said with a malicious grin. ¡°Take off your nightgown.¡±


    The governor¡¯s face paled as he looked at his captor¡¯s devious expression. Having one¡¯s life threatened was one thing, but his decency and innocence was another. He opened his mouth to scream.


    Trent slapped him with the pistol, silencing any attempt at yelling for help before it could begin. ¡°What the hell are you thinking, you freak?¡± he said with a glare. ¡°I just like the look of the fabric, that¡¯s all. I don¡¯t want anything to do with your flabby body.¡±


    ¡°Now, hand over the gown and then you¡¯re free to go. Provided you remember our promise. I have good friends here in Clissolt who¡¯ll be sure to tell me if you do anything untoward,¡± he warned before pocketing the gun and holding out his hand expectantly.


    Sighing and grimacing, the governor started to disrobe. It took him a while to shuffle out of the billowing gown, revealing a pudgy and soft body that made it seem as if the man hadn¡¯t exercised a day in his life.


    Rose felt a little sick, but Trent was grinning like a madman. Thankfully, the governor had on some undergarments so everyone present was spared that particular sight.


    The man looked towards Trent after handing him the gown with expectation. Trent waved towards the house and the man raced off without looking back.


    Once he¡¯d disappeared, her captain put the gown into his storage artifact and chuckled to himself. She gave him a disapproving look. That nonsense with the nightgown wasn¡¯t part of the plan.


    Then again, he¡¯d achieved their goal with minimal fuss. Her plan of sneaking onto the second floor and searching for the governor¡¯s room would¡¯ve been a lot slower, though less risky.


    However, sometimes one needed to take risks in order to advance. That was a core lesson that Rose had learned during her months at sea.


    The times where her life was in danger or she pushed herself beyond her existing limits were the moments her skills saw explosive growth.


    ¡°Right, let¡¯s get the hell out of here. I¡¯m hungry,¡± said Trent, standing up and looking around.


    There were no guards nearby so she followed suit as they melded into the shadows and started to make their way back to the town. It didn¡¯t take long to escape the grounds of the estate and they only had to avoid three pairs of roving guards.


    It seemed they had been called back to the house after the governor returned, now that there was no longer a need to search for the intruders. Only if he was suicidal would that guy try to send the guards after them.


    Then again, many people were only able to think straight in high pressure moments. As soon as the impending threat to his life was gone, who knew what crazy actions that man would take?

 1.66 - Hasty Farewell

    You¡¯re always at the most vulnerable right at the beginning of a journey. Physical, spiritual, or mental¡ªit doesn¡¯t matter. Taking the first steps is always harder than the final ones.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Gospel of Raggath¡¯ by Bishop Gormont, founder of the Wandering Clergy


    Rose had never felt as relaxed as she did right now. Wearing a comfy bathrobe provided by the inn, she reclined in the dining chair and sipped on a mug of a rich and sweet hot drink.


    The manager had called it ¡®cocoa¡¯. It was apparently a native delicacy of Zoria that grew out in the jungles. It was sweet but also a little bitter, thick and milky.


    Some spices had also been added to it, making it almost intoxicating. The warmth spread through her body and she couldn¡¯t stop herself from letting out a sigh.


    Last night was intense. Trent had taught her a lot about stealth and more importantly, how to make people do things they didn¡¯t want to do.


    Felix was wolfing down an assortment of grilled meats and freshly baked bread. She could¡¯ve sworn the boy had hollow legs with the way he was able to eat.


    Trent twirled a dagger in his hands and kept staring at the door every few seconds. He was probably worrying about whether Yasmin would turn up or not.


    They¡¯d kept their end of the bargain and now it was down to her to follow through. Nasar was a picture of serenity, perfect posture as he sipped on a cup of tea every now and then.


    If there was one thing Rose strove to emulate from the older man it was his refined manner and the way he took everything in stride without breaking a sweat.


    Trent was charismatic, but he had a way of surprising her that was often hard to keep up with. Whereas Nasar seemed to have an answer for everything and shared it with a gentle care reminiscent of her father.


    Just when she was about to snap and yell at him to stop shaking the whole table with his fidgeting, the doors swung open and Yasmin strolled in with a beaming smile on her face, emerald eyes shining. Trent leapt from his seat, almost knocking her cocoa from her hand.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s excited,¡± giggled Yasmin, flicking Trent on the forehead as he ran up to her.


    ¡°You took your damn time,¡± he moaned, taking his coin pouch from his belt and moving towards the reception desk.


    They had already packed everything they¡¯d brought onto land with them¡ªwhich didn¡¯t amount to much after selling most of it. All the supplies they¡¯d purchased would be delivered directly to the quays.


    Rose had managed to sell all of the salamander glands, keeping just one of each type in reserve in case she found a way to use them. She wanted to experiment a little more with the crafting skill. It would be useful to know how to make her own equipment while they were at sea.


    In total, she had earned a total of 1 gold coin and 36 silvers. It wasn¡¯t world shattering wealth, but it was the first coin she had earned entirely on her own. The start of her own hoard of loot.


    After paying the wonderful lady at the desk and thanking her for the stay, the group left The Golden Cannon and made their way towards the Clissolt Quays where their ship was docked. They were eager to set sail.


    Other than collecting Yasmin, they had little business here. In fact, after the run in with the governor, getting the hell out of the country was likely the best option.


    He didn¡¯t seem like the type to share the embarrassing incident¡ªthose kinds of men valued their reputation most. However, staying in the city he was in charge of didn¡¯t seem like a smart idea.


    ***


    Crates of orange and red citrus fruits were piled up by the ship, along with barrels of fresh water and a few smaller boxes containing spices that Nasar had purchased. The dockhands were more than happy to help them load Liberty in exchange for a few coppers.


    Halfway through their preparations, they noticed the governor approaching the quays. Accompanying him was a pair of guards and the unnerving butler, who gave Trent a filthy look.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The man knew what had happened that night, but seemed to be under orders not to take action. At least the governor knew how to keep a promise.


    However, there was no reason for the man to come and see them off in person. Something odd was going on. He smiled when he spotted Yasmin, but when he saw Trent¡¯s withering glare his face drooped.


    They¡¯d made an impact. Rose noticed that while around half of the workers present seemed excited to see the governor visiting, the other half had sour frowns.


    This was helpful. If the man had overwhelming support from his countrymen, then he would perhaps be a lot more difficult to keep in check.


    It didn¡¯t take much longer for them to finish loading the ship. Felix and Rose boarded and started scampering around the deck, rigging the sails and getting ready for departure.


    Nasar had disappeared into the kitchen to organise the food they¡¯d obtained. She suspected that was just an excuse to not have to deal with the governor and Trent.


    While the man spoke with Yasmin and Trent, she sat against the mast and pulled up her status. Until now, she¡¯d been quite haphazard with her skills. Rose threw herself into every situation that came her way and didn¡¯t really think about how best to improve her abilities.


    On this next voyage, she wanted to select the particular skills that she valued the most and aim to improve them as often as possible. That way, she would be able to earn traits quicker and hopefully complete her profession sooner than if she went with the flow.


    Name: Rose Everblue


    Race: Human


    Occupation: Apprentice Scholar 19


    Title: Apprentice


    Available Titles: Murderer, Apprentice, Quintessential Skill, Ambitious Harvester


    Bound Items: Sunsplitter 51


    Skills: Cleaning 12, Reading 12, Fishing 21, Swimming 10, Writing 16, Butchery 10, Cooking 7, Herding 2, Focus 16, Drawing 17, Sailing 15, One Handed Weapons 5, Blades 14, Pistols 11, Firearms 5, Unarmed Combat 2, Endurance 7, Precision 6, Arcane Attunement 5, Light Attunement 6, Stealth 8, Athletics 10, Toxin Resistance 2, Appraisal 1, Climbing 1, Crafting 1, Dual Wielding 7, Arcane Resistance 1


    Traits: Sensitive Line, Deft Hand, Good as New, Tunnel Vision, Endless Inkwell, Quick Consumption, Knot my Problem, Reliable Duelist, Steady Slash, Smooth Strokes, Agile, With the Grain


    The first thing she did was equip the Quintessential Skill title. Despite Apprentice improving the speed at which her profession levelled up, she suspected that having its composite skills develop faster would ultimately result in quicker growth.


    Plus, the new title would also give a much wider reaching benefit, allowing her to increase all of her skills faster and not just the ones related to her profession. Given that her profession wasn¡¯t tied to a lot of the things she found herself doing as a pirate, the decision made a lot of sense.


    During the stay in Clissolt, the only skill she¡¯d ended up levelling was Stealth. The governor¡¯s guards weren¡¯t particularly competent either, which meant that it had only gone up by 3 levels.


    One of the reasons she¡¯d left home was to escape the shackles laid down by Emerlan Isle. Following her parent¡¯s footsteps wasn¡¯t her dream, but after the battle with the sea serpent she realised that her love of Fishing went beyond familial obligation.


    They would need to catch their dinner while sailing anyway, so she would have plenty of opportunity to practise. As they went towards the deeper, more dangerous oceans, Rose hoped that larger prey would be available.


    The first trait for drawing had been potent enough that she wanted to pursue the skill for more reasons than just her love of sketching. Her dexterity had been unusually good for the past couple months.


    It always had been, but there was something about the trait that went beyond bolstering her ability to hold a pencil. Her main combat skills¡ªBlades, Pistols, and Dual Wielding¡ªwere also obvious choices.


    As they encountered stronger, faster, and deadlier opponents, Rose would need to improve to match them. Finally, the arcane skills, especially Arcane Attunement. They fascinated her and the allure of wielding the power of the world itself was intoxicating.


    Her mind made up, Rose stood up with a determined expression and made her way to the bow. The first thing she was going to do was start drawing.


    Alongside the mysterious yellow crystal Yasmin had given her¡ªthat was supposed to help her draw landscapes¡ªthe marvellous woman had brought along a horde of art supplies.


    Rose was eager to test the new pencils. The one she¡¯d brought from home had a lot of sentimental value, but it was almost too small to fit between her fingers.


    She could keep it, but she had a better idea. Considering one of her focal goals was going to be mastering Fishing, she decided to toss the pencil into the sea.


    Closing her eyes, she said a silent prayer to Sylack. Rose hadn¡¯t forgotten the divine touch she¡¯d felt while battling the serpent. In a strange way, her faith had only grown stronger since deciding to leave home.


    As she opened her eyes, she heard a splash. Unlike the soft splashes that usually accompanied whorls, this one sounded like a crashing tsunami accompanied by a thunderstorm.


    Not only that, but the whorl itself was bordered with gold. The words seemed to impose themselves on the air itself, carrying a weight that was¡­ Divine.

 1.67 - Divine Portents

    Be careful who you make friends with, because you never know how they¡¯ll react if circumstances change. Sometimes, it¡¯s the people closest to you who can hurt you the most.


    -Quoted from Murian Redclaw, Vice Captain of the Saltbeard Pirates


    You have received a [Minor Blessing] from Sylack, God of Fish and Fishermen!


    Through your faith and your deeds, a member of the Pantheon has granted you a fragment of their divinity!


    Will you accept this gift?


    [YES][NO]


    Rose was frozen in shock. Blessings are real? People whispered of receiving a blessing from the gods. Oh sure, countless heroes in stories and legends were the recipient of a blessing from one member of the Pantheon or another.


    Often they came from the ¡®Greater¡¯ gods, like Amarel, Celesina, or Terrannor. Why would a hero take a blessing from some minor god that lorded over an irrelevant portion of the world, after all?


    Even Saltbeard was rumoured to have received one. A blessing from Zetharos, God of Chaos and Destruction. One of the most ancient and powerful gods, feared by most¡ªthough revered in a near cult-like manner by those who worshipped him.


    But her? Plain old Rose Everblue from Emerlan Isle. She was¡­ no one. In fact, she¡¯d even run away from a life dedicated to fishing in order to become a pirate, an act that some might see as sacrilege towards Sylack.


    And yet the words hung there, clear as day. A Minor Blessing. She couldn¡¯t tear her eyes away from the whorl, reading it over and over.


    What surprised her even more than receiving the blessing was that she even had the option to decline it. Who in their right mind would say no to the blessing of a god?


    Glancing around, wondering if the others realised the magnitude of what had happened, Rose realised none of the crew were even looking her way. That helped her calm down, though only a little.


    Her breathing was quick and light. Before she could spiral into further panic, she tapped yes. The whorl exploded into motes of gold and blue light, hovering in the air for a moment and then shooting into her forehead.


    She stumbled backwards, beginning to fall to the ground. She never had the chance to regain her footing. Waves thundered in her ears and she felt as though she was floating.


    Her eyes seemed to fill with water until she found herself at the bottom of an ocean so deep that the light of the sun couldn¡¯t penetrate down. In every direction, all she could see was pure darkness.


    Despite being under so much water, the pressure was minimal. Rose had always been comfortable in water, but this was on another level¡ªit almost felt as though she was a part of the ocean.


    An arcane ripple passed through the water. The moment it touched her, she was drawn to it. She had the feeling that nothing in the world was more enticing than the source of that energy.


    And then she saw movement in the darkness. A curved object fell from above, a thin line splitting the shadows in two. A familiar sight.


    Rose knew exactly what it was, yet she couldn¡¯t stop her body from moving; swimming towards the alluring danger. Was this vision trying to teach her something?


    She tried to look at her body, but her eyes didn¡¯t listen to her commands. That was when she realised she was simply an observer here, with no power to alter the events unfolding.


    Whatever creature she was possessing continued to swim towards the sinking line. Regular pulses of arcane power washed over the surroundings.


    The creature sped up the closer it got to the energy. And then it opened its jaws, far further than she was used to. The sensation was strange. It bit down and a comforting warmth spread through her body, from tip to tail.


    What? That¡¯s definitely a fishing hook. Why doesn¡¯t it hurt? Instead of the pain she expected to feel through her connection to the creature, it seemed elated.


    Even as the line retreated, dragging them out of the depths and towards the surface of the water, the creature felt no fear; offered no struggle. This broke the natural order. No creature of the seas would accept death so calmly.


    Light entered her eyes, the waters becoming less abyssal the closer they came to the surface. On the way, she saw countless wondrous sights.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Coral reefs in every colour of the rainbow, spanning miles like great underwater forests. Fish of all shapes and sizes, swimming alone or in shoals so large they could cover a country.


    Monstrous beasts with squirming tentacles, predators with endless rows of teeth and claws. Life under the sea was strange and wonderful. Everything she saw was the domain of Sylack.


    And she had been granted a little piece of this miracle. The magnitude of his gift struck her. She had always viewed Fishing as a simple exchange.


    She gave her time and focus, receiving sustenance and a small measure of satisfaction in return. How shallow that was. Fishing was so much more.


    A battle of wills. Meditation and prayer, dedicating your time and energy towards Sylack and his divine domain. More than that, it was a reflection of the cycle of life.


    Most of the time, it was the fish that lost, losing its life as it was ripped from its home to feed another. Sometimes, purely for sport or the thrill of achievement.


    However, after her encounter with the sea serpent, she realised that there were probably many encounters that ended with the fisher losing. Acknowledging the risk brought a feeling of balance.


    At that moment she was ripped from the ocean, flying into the air with a splash. She realised something then¡ªthere was no hook; no line.


    A man sat on a rock in the middle of an endless ocean, wearing a simple mackintosh and rubber boots. His face was obscured by the coat¡¯s hood, with a flowing white beard trailing out towards his chest. His forefinger and thumb were pinched together, and a final pulse of arcane power travelled along the thread into her body.


    She exploded into pure energy and the vision ended. Her eyes opened and she saw Nasar standing over her, a concerned expression on his face.


    Panting, she wiped a layer of sweat away from her forehead. That was the most intense dream she¡¯d ever experienced.


    ¡°Are you okay, Rose?¡± he asked, helping her to her feet.


    Looking up, she saw another golden whorl and smiled. She was more than okay. She had received a blessing from a god!


    [Minor Blessing]


    Touch of Sylack: Through the divine power of the God of Fish and Fishermen, you can channel your arcane energy through fishing rods to empower them. Your affinity with the ocean is unparalleled. In moments of great need, call on the denizens of the deep to assist you.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ great,¡± she replied, arms shaking. The aftereffects of such an intense experience would take a while to fade. Suddenly, fire exploded in her stomach and a thousand burning needles pierced every inch of her body.


    A soft splash echoed in her ears as she collapsed into Nasar¡¯s arms. Yet, even as agonising pain threatened to tear her apart, Rose couldn¡¯t stop herself from grinning.


    Along with the pain came a familiar crackle¡ªthe arcane power of the tide. More than simply arcane, there was another thin thread of energy hidden within. A touch of the divine, a gift from Sylack. She passed out.


    ***


    She stood up too fast and staggered, grabbing onto the railing of the ship to steady herself. The after effects of her blessing and subsequent arcane awakening were still raw.


    Opening and closing her fist, she reached inside her navel and sent a pulse of energy racing through the new pathways that filled her body. Her arcane circuits.


    Trent and Nasar hadn¡¯t told her much, promising that they would sit down after dinner once she¡¯d acclimated to the sensation and explain what had happened. Though they had both said the blessing was something they couldn¡¯t help her with¡ªneither of them had one or knew how to handle one.


    Trent had muttered something about fate and bad omens while Nasar just smiled and patted her shoulders. Either way, she had taken a major step towards achieving one of her goals for the voyage¡ªfurthering her grasp of the arcane.


    There was one thing she¡¯d been putting off since she woke up from her ordeal. A plethora of whorls demanded her attention. The blessing had only been the beginning.


    You have earned a new title!


    Godtouched: Few can claim to be the bearer of a blessing, even a minor one. Believers of gods who have blessed you will behave more favourably towards you and you will always find a haven in their homes. This title permanently increases the potency of your arcane core. When equipped, the effects of any blessings you possess are slightly more potent.


    Receiving Sylack¡¯s blessing gave her a leg up on most of the world. She knew now that the tingles she felt, the strange feelings in her stomach¡ªwhich she also now knew didn¡¯t originate in her stomach, but her arcane core just behind it¡ªwere signs she was on the way to awakening her arcane core.


    However, this new title gave her a forever boost to the strength of her core. For starters, manipulating the arcane energy in her body was as easy as waving a hand. Trent said it usually took people up to a year to reach the same proficiency.


    The title wasn¡¯t all. A few of her skills had seen major growth¡ªa side effect of so much energy pouring into her body at once, both arcane and divine.


    You have earned a new skill!


    Divine Attunement 0 > 1


    Skill up!


    Arcane Attunement 5 > 6


    Arcane Attunement 6 > 7


    Arcane Attunement 7 > 8


    You have earned a new skill!


    Water Attunement 0 > 1


    Water Attunement 1 > 2


    Water Attunement 2 > 3


    Water Attunement 3 > 4


    It would be really useful if these whorls could condense down a little. I never imagined I¡¯d ever be complaining that I was gaining too many skill levels at once.


    Skill gain display has been adjusted to short form display


    That was surprising. The tide had never listened to her before. Maybe the more powerful you became the more attention you received. Wouldn¡¯t that be terrifying¡­

 1.68 - Voyage of the Damned

    Only those who are touched by fate remain unaware of how catastrophic it can be for us regular folk. I guess it¡¯s hard to think about the downsides of being one of the tide¡¯s chosen when it¡¯s showering you with its gifts. It¡¯s a pirate¡¯s life for me, but that doesn¡¯t mean I want to spend every day living in suspense.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Observations on Fate and the Tide¡¯ by King Dadaris, former Captain of the Goldcrest Pirates


    Trent looked nervous. The seas were calm¡­ ish. There was a tailwind giving them a solid pace towards the Sunblessed Sea. He should¡¯ve been excited to return home, even though there may not have been the greatest memories associated with it.


    Chiefly the festering wound on his chest. Rose still wasn¡¯t able to forget the gruesome sight of his organs hanging out and his ribs poking through the skin.


    Frankly she was in disbelief that he was actually alive and walking around. Even being immersed in the wonder of the tide since birth and seeing her own abilities grow beyond the realm of regular humans hadn¡¯t driven home quite how¡­ magical it was.


    But seeing her captain living and breathing with a rotting heart and half his body gone was a potent message that this world was far weirder and more dangerous than she realised. It wasn¡¯t all bad though¡ªthe goal of this voyage was finding a cure.


    Her pencil scratched across the page, the black of the charcoal not abyssal enough to do artistic justice to the festering rot that had permeated his insides. Rose wasn¡¯t sure why she¡¯d decided to recreate it, but art wasn¡¯t always sunshine and rainbows.


    Skill up!


    Drawing 17 > 19


    Your occupation has advanced!


    Apprentice Scholar 19 > 21


    Clearly the tide agreed. She sighed. Sometimes she wished she was able to decide when moments of inspiration struck, but her creative flair was as fickle as the wind.


    At least it wasn¡¯t dumping walls of words on her anymore. The adaptive display was one of the best parts of the entire ordeal.


    She opened her status. In just a few days she¡¯d advanced in leaps and strides. Most of that was driven by the blessing, but no god had a hand in her drawing.


    Name: Rose Everblue


    Blessings: Minor Blessing [Sylack]


    Race: Human


    Occupation: Apprentice Scholar 21


    Title: Quintessential Skill


    Available Titles: Murderer, Apprentice, Quintessential Skill, Ambitious Harvester, Godtouched


    Bound Items: Sunsplitter 51


    Skills: Cleaning 12, Reading 12, Fishing 21, Swimming 10, Writing 16, Butchery 10, Cooking 7, Herding 2, Focus 16, Drawing 19, Sailing 15, One Handed Weapons 5, Blades 14, Pistols 11, Firearms 5, Unarmed Combat 2, Endurance 7, Precision 6, Arcane Attunement 8, Light Attunement 6, Stealth 8, Athletics 10, Toxin Resistance 2, Appraisal 1, Climbing 1, Crafting 1, Dual Wielding 7, Arcane Resistance 1, Divine Attunement 1, Water Attunement 4


    Traits: Sensitive Line, Deft Hand, Good as New, Tunnel Vision, Endless Inkwell, Quick Consumption, Knot my Problem, Reliable Duelist, Steady Slash, Smooth Strokes, Agile, With the Grain


    Oddly, she realised her occupation hadn¡¯t given her anything at level 10. She was in a strange position when it came to her knowledge.


    Her parents hadn¡¯t really explained much as she ran away from home before becoming an adult in their eyes, which left her fumbling in the dark. However, she suspected that leaving had also given her the opportunity to learn things she never would have otherwise.


    She could ask Trent, but it was more fun to figure things out herself sometimes. She sighed and stared at the drawing of her captain.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    I want to give it to him, but I¡¯m not sure what he¡¯ll think. Rose puzzled over the problem, wondering if he would be insulted or impressed. In the end, she decided to keep it to herself.


    Standing up and stretching, she looked out over the picturesque oceans. Medium sized waves buffeted the ship as they carved through the water and she saw a splash in the distance.


    Squinting her eyes, she gasped as she saw a dolphin pierce the surface and soar into the air. It flipped gracefully at the zenith of its leap before diving back into the depths.


    Three more dolphins followed suit, each one twisting in their own unique manner. Catching sight of dolphins wasn¡¯t unheard of, but it was a novel moment for Rose.


    It almost made her want to sit back down and start drawing again, but her stomach rumbled loudly. Nasar had been hard at work and it was time to indulge in another delicacy.


    ***


    Her stomach felt as though it was going to burst. She wasn¡¯t usually so unrestrained, but Nasar¡¯s cooking had an addictive quality to it that was difficult to resist.


    Somehow he managed to create enticing new flavours almost every mealtime, despite having access to the same ingredients. Rose suspected there was one or more skills at play there.


    She savoured every bite of fish with newfound respect. She hadn¡¯t been ungrateful for food before¡ªshe knew how hard her parents worked to feed her¡ªbut after the vision she had a deeper understanding of the cycle of life and the sacrifice that each creature made when it was turned into sustenance for another.


    Reclining in the chair, she felt herself beginning to doze off. Snapping her eyes open, she demanded her body make space for the most important part of the evening¡ªdessert.


    Today it was simple, roasted spiced apples. Nasar had a knack for making the simplest of dishes into unforgettable delights. Biting into the flesh she moaned.


    It was soft with a gentle crunch, the spices lighting up her taste buds like fireworks as warmth filled her body. Usually she wouldn¡¯t behave in such an unrestrained manner, but Felix was similarly occupied with his dessert, Trent hadn¡¯t arrived yet, and Nasar was all too pleased to see them enjoying his hard work.


    Once she¡¯d finished, Rose let out a burp that echoed through the ship. Right at that moment, Trent walked into the mess and snorted.


    Her face went bright red and she coughed while Nasar and Felix burst into laughter. Trent sat down beside her and a steaming plate of fish, vegetables carved into the shape of various creatures, and a bright red sauce appeared in front of him.


    Taking a measured bite of fish, he chewed it thoroughly before nodding in silent appreciation. Nasar joined them at the table and the pair both turned their gaze towards Rose, making her squirm.


    Neither man spoke for an uncomfortable length of time, but eventually Trent sighed. He finished his mouthful of sculptured veg.


    ¡°Frankly, I¡¯d thought it was impossible to awaken an arcane core at your age, but you¡¯re a walking disaster. I¡¯m no longer surprised by the ridiculous things that happen around you, Rose,¡± he said, jabbing his fork at her to punctuate his words.


    She frowned and pushed the fork to the side. ¡°Don¡¯t do that, it¡¯s rude,¡± she complained. ¡°I¡¯m not that weird, am I?¡±


    Trent scoffed. Even Nasar coughed, hiding it behind a closed fist. ¡°You¡¯re a pirate, dear girl. Of course you¡¯re weird. That doesn¡¯t mean there¡¯s anything wrong with you,¡± Nasar reassured her with a smile.


    ¡°He¡¯s right. We¡¯re all freaks, the lot of us,¡± joked Trent. ¡°Well, the cooler ones anyway. There¡¯s boring bastards in every line of work.¡±


    Even Felix nodded at that. Rose perked up a little but she still wasn¡¯t happy with the way Trent described her. She was just¡­ Rose. It wasn¡¯t her fault things had been crazy lately, that was just life at sea¡­ right?


    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s not important. Learning how to use it properly is essential. We don¡¯t need you exploding in the middle of the ship,¡± he said, making her pale. ¡°The core charges on its own, absorbing the latent tidal energy that¡¯s all around us. Once you¡¯re able to harness that energy, you can do all kinds of crazy shit,¡± he explained.


    Nasar interrupted with a wave of his hand and a snort. ¡°What this ruffian means to say, is that your arcane core is the source of all power in your body. Skills, traits¡ªbefore the Pantheon gave us the tide, we only had the power of arcane energy,¡± he said with a glint in his eye.


    Seeing that Rose was still confused, he continued. ¡°Think of it like a meal. If I just grilled a fish plain with no spices it would probably still be tasty, but a little boring and unforgettable.¡±


    ¡°However, if I add a pinch of salt¡­ it transforms into another experience entirely. The better the blend of spices, the more suited they are to the dish I¡¯m crafting, the greater the impact,¡± he said.


    Rose nodded slowly. She thought she understood. Nasar¡¯s explanation was far better than Trent¡¯s, nuanced and detailing the intricacies of how arcane energy worked.


    It didn¡¯t really help her understand how to control it better, but both of them and Yasmin had told her that figuring it out on her own was for the best. If they tried to force their own understanding on her, it could harm her progress.


    At that moment Yasmin walked in, eyes darting around with a sheepish expression on her face. ¡°So you know how I mentioned there was just one problem I needed you to solve¡­¡±

 1.69 - Blood Ties

    Your family are the most important people in the world. Conversely, they¡¯re also the bastards that will kick you hardest when you¡¯re down. Just make sure they never see you resting.


    -Quoted from Branmore Saff, Commodore of the Minenblum Royal Navy


    Trent narrowed his eyes at Yasmin. She squirmed under his gaze but quickly composed herself with a cough. ¡°It¡¯s too late to explain, sorry. We might have an enemy ship approaching from port¡­ or two,¡± she said with a guilty smile.


    ¡°Of course we do,¡± he sighed, standing up and glaring at her as he walked out of the mess. ¡°Come on you bastards, get the cannons ready,¡± he added without turning back.


    ***


    Two enormous frigates were fast approaching from the rear. Flanking Liberty, there was one on each side as they sought to pincer the Ascendant Pirates.


    Trent was manning the wheel, doing his utmost to stay out of their pursuer¡¯s trap. Unfortunately they had the advantage, with a fierce headwind nullifying Liberty¡¯s speed.


    He was glowering at Yasmin, who was looking towards the port-side ship through a telescope. Nasar and Felix were scurrying around the main deck, hurriedly adjusting the sails as needed.


    ¡°So, my dear Yasmin,¡± said Trent, grinding his teeth. ¡°Who exactly are your new friends? Or are they more of the same friends?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± she mused, still observing the distant foes. ¡°Oh, well¡­ let¡¯s just say the governor has kept his position for so long because he has friends in low places,¡± she chuckled.


    ¡°And you didn¡¯t believe it pertinent to inform me of these¡­ friends, prior to having us scare the crap out of that bastard?¡± seethed Trent.


    Rose was quite entertained by the spat, but a few lingering tendrils of fear took hold. She¡¯d never seen Trent this angry. Yasmin really knew how to wind him up.


    As the two ships drew closer, she was able to see the flags on the sails. The broken chain. Pirates. A little more and she was able to make out the design of their pirate flag.


    The flag was black, picturing a sword-nosed shark with chains wrapped around its body. The sword on its head was piercing the chain, breaking it in two.


    She didn¡¯t recognise it, but that wasn¡¯t a surprise. While she could be considered a pirate fanatic who had read almost every infamous pirate¡¯s life story, Rose hadn¡¯t quite memorised every single flag the world over.


    Such a task would be impossible of course, owing to the fact that the vast majority of pirate crews weren¡¯t that famous in the first place. I should make a compendium of every pirate crew in the world, she thought to herself.


    However, she immediately discarded it. Such a book would be as valuable as a mesopelagic treasure to any of the world navies. Rose wasn¡¯t the type to create something that might get other pirates caught and killed.


    Whatever the name of this crew, the fact remained that they were most likely here to kill them. The governor hadn¡¯t taken kindly to their midnight visit and wished to dispose of his tormentors.


    She could appreciate his decisiveness, but the looming battle was heavily weighed against them. In this sort of situation¡­


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we attack them before they can attack us?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little busy trying to keep us out of range of their cannons, Rose,¡± grunted Trent as he heaved on the wheel.


    A huge wave smacked into the side of the ship and it took all his strength to keep them on course. Yasmin finally closed the telescope with a click and turned to face the pair with a devilish smile on her face.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a coward, Trent. I think Rose¡¯s idea is absolutely marvellous,¡± she said, striding towards Rose with a smirk. ¡°Now dear, what level is your highest combat skill?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell her that,¡± Trent immediately said.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t have to, you¡¯re right. But if she doesn¡¯t tell me then I won¡¯t know which of the ships to throw her at,¡± she cackled as Rose¡¯s eyes went wide in shock.


    ¡°Hold on, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready for-¡±


    ¡°Stop blabbering,¡± she cut Rose off with a cold tone. ¡°The only way to prepare yourself for the journey ahead is to put your life on the line every single moment. Nothing else will cut it.¡±


    Rose was frozen on the spot, thrown off by the sudden shift in Yasmin¡¯s personality. Then again, it wasn¡¯t so much a shift of behaviour, but a change of target.


    Before it had been Trent facing the woman¡¯s wrath, but now Rose was on the receiving end. And whatever happened it looked as though she was about to be thrown into a fight for her life against a murderous crew of pirates.


    I guess I can only blame myself. I did say I wanted an opportunity to hone my skills¡­ ¡°My highest combat skill, you ask?¡± she replied with a grin. ¡°It¡¯s level 21.¡±


    There was no need to be scared of Yasmin. Or the pirates. She¡¯d been blessed by Sylack and her dream was far too grand to end in this backwater sea.


    Yasmin whistled and nodded. ¡°That¡¯s not bad, Rose. I wasn¡¯t expecting you to be such a menace. Knowing Trent, I expected him to babysit you and leave you unable to fend for yourself,¡± she said, closing the last few metres between them. ¡°What skill?¡±


    Rose spun on her feet and mimicked tossing out a fishing line. ¡°Fishing,¡± she announced with a beaming smile.


    Contrary to her expectations, Yasmin didn¡¯t get angry or frustrated at her joke. Instead, she simply replied, ¡°Wonderful. The passion of youth is so inspiring for us ageing buccaneers.¡±


    Then, she took a single step and arrived next to Rose before she could blink. Two sturdy hands gripped her waist and she suddenly felt her stomach sink.


    ¡°Have fun fishing your way out,¡± Yasmin cackled as she launched Rose off the back of the poop deck.


    Wiping her hands together, she watched as Rose sailed through the air. Satisfied with a job well done, she walked back to Trent and flicked him on the ear.


    ¡°Now, be a good boy and keep the ship warm for me,¡± she said with a sadistic grin.


    After that, two tendrils of midnight black ink slipped out from underneath her robes and wrapped around her legs. They formed into a disc and more ink continued to cascade from her sleeves until she was standing on a surfboard made of ink.


    Without bothering to check her surroundings, she dropped off the edge of the ship and shot towards the other pirate ship. Earlier, she¡¯d spotted the captain of the Swordshark Pirates aboard the ship that was her target.


    Rose would only be facing a bunch of low-level ruffians and perhaps one of the lieutenants of the crew, but she didn¡¯t need to know that. The more danger the girl believed herself to be in, the harder she would fight and the more her skills would grow.


    Even more ink spilled from her sleeves, this time forming a black spear that she held in her left hand. It continued to grow and then condense until the ink looked solid and the tip was sharper than a shark tooth.


    Without so much as a breath, Yasmin let the spear fly and watched as it ripped through the air towards the ship. It was time to get the party started.


    ***


    Mansville Redhawk stood on the deck of Vicious Pilotfish. The crew raced around him, preparing to board that hateful woman¡¯s ship. This time, Commodore Sharksbane had given him command of an entire ship.


    He wouldn¡¯t fuck up this responsibility. Despite the nimble prey¡¯s speed advantage, it hadn¡¯t managed to shake them off. They¡¯d been patient and waited for a fierce headwind to whip up instead of ambushing them while they were just leaving Clissolt.


    Looking around at the crew, he sighed. Most of the competent men were over on the Swordshark Herald, under the command of the Captain¡ªCommodore. It would be difficult to get used to calling him that, now that there were two ships in their fleet.


    He didn¡¯t know why he insisted on using the same titles as the bastard navy. If there was one thing Mansville had learnt in his decade-long career as a pirate, it was to never question the decisions of someone stronger than you, unless your life was at immediate risk.


    Often even with your own life on the line, protesting a dangerous order wasn¡¯t the right choice. He¡¯d perfected the art of sucking up.


    This would be an easy task too. Just load up the cannons and blast away, before sending this bunch of fools to their deaths while the Capta¡ªCommodore¡ªand his men took out the real threat.


    With an ear-to-ear grin, Redhawk raised his cutlass into the air and yelled at the top of his voice. ¡°Let¡¯s have ¡®em, ya scallywags. Fire at will!¡± I bet I looked dashing in that pose, he thought to himself.


    At that moment, he heard a faint cry and looking into the sky, saw a whirling ball of limbs falling towards Vicious Pilotfish like a meteor.

 1.70 - Fishing Fanatic

    I tell you, once you know how to use it properly, there¡¯s nothing a well-cared for fishing rod can¡¯t do.


    -Excerpt from ¡®The Art of Fishing¡¯ by Salomon Tzu


    As the tangled ball of whirling arms and legs drew closer, Redhawk realised it was actually a teenage girl. Where the hell had she come from?


    One moment the sky was clear and the next it was raining kids¡­ His eyes widened as he realised the flying girl had come from the direction of the ship they were chasing. It was an attack.


    He scoffed, stepping forward to intercept her as she fell. What could one woman possibly do against his entire ship and crew?


    The bastards they were chasing down weren¡¯t taking them seriously, it seems. His men stepped aside, with many standing slack-jawed as they watched the strange scene unfolding.


    ¡°Stop lazing about and start firing!¡± he roared at the ones who¡¯d stopped moving.


    He enjoyed an audience to witness his magnificence, but these useless louts needed to understand their place in the Swordshark Pirates. The woman drew nearer and a melodic scream reached his ears.


    If this was her attempt at a battle cry, it was a feeble one. Redhawk let out a booming laugh, planting his feet on the deck and swinging his cutlass back.


    ¡°Let me show you what happens when you don¡¯t take Mansville Redhawk seriously,¡± he cried with a ferocious glint in his eye.


    When the girl was close enough to reach out and touch the mainsail, he stepped forward. Preparing to swing his blade, he stumbled with wide eyes as a deafening explosion echoed across the ocean.


    A whistle of wind in his ears made him give up his strike and leap to the side, right as a jagged splinter of wood shot through the space his head had just occupied. Looking in the direction the splinter had come from, he froze.


    What? His brain stuttered as he tried to process what he was seeing. The Swordshark Herald had been split in two, right through the mainmast.


    The back half of the ship was sinking into the churning sea and he could see men scrabbling for stable footing. Many had already drowned.


    As he watched, a tendril of pure darkness exploded from the ocean and lanced through the poop deck. It speared a few of his crewmates on the way and carved the broken ship into more pieces.


    At that moment, there was a blinding flash of light. When his eyes readjusted he saw a column of fire reaching to the skies; a blazing inferno that consumed what remained of the rear end of Swordshark Herald.


    In the moment when all hope was lost, he witnessed a spark of resistance igniting. Dozens of blades sprung from the sea and pierced the abyssal tendril.


    It burst into a spray of¡­ ink? That showered the murky waters and covered the sea in a thin black film.


    That had been Commodore Sharksbane¡¯s signature strike. While the ship¡¯s fate was sealed, perhaps the battle was not yet lost.


    Right then, he heard a tear of fabric and his focus snapped back to his own ship. The girl was no longer flailing, but instead held a wooden rod in her hands.


    The mainsail was torn in two and her body suddenly jerked to the side before swinging in an arc under the mainmast. Realising he had no time to worry about the fate of the others while his own vessel was under threat, Redhawk barked a few orders at his men and raced towards the rigging.Stolen novel; please report.


    The girl looped back into the air and landed gracefully on the beam. She whipped the rod in her hands and he saw a glint of silver tearing through the sail.


    Redhawk launched himself up the ropes a metre at the time, cutlass held between his teeth. In a few seconds he had climbed halfway up the mast.


    Another large rip appeared as the flash of silver returned to the girl¡¯s hands. She had a strange expression on her face. An odd blend of excitement and fear.


    He would show her fear.


    ***


    Rose teetered on the beam as she landed, but managed to keep her balance with graceful steps. Flicking her wrist, she unwound the hook from around the beam and pulled it back to her.


    Skill up!


    Athletics 10 > 11


    Endurance 7 > 8


    Along the way, it tore another rip in the pirate¡¯s sail. Glancing back to Liberty, she saw their ship pulling away from the pursuers.


    Even if she couldn¡¯t win the battle, at least she¡¯d bought the crew time to escape. Yasmin had been confident as she threw her into the lion¡¯s den, so she hoped the terrifying woman had an escape plan in mind.


    Then again, in the brief time she¡¯d known Yasmin, the woman had bordered the line between unhinged and calculating. Who knew if this was a thought-out plan or just a whim?


    Looking at the deck below, she saw the pirates scrambling around. This high up they were tiny, looking like dwarves as they scurried to clamber the rigging and compensate for the torn sail.


    One man in particular soared above the rest, already a third of the way up the rope ladder. He clutched a cutlass in his mouth and his eyes burned with rage.


    He sported a scarlet mohawk, an assortment of golden rings in his ears, and a shiny golden tooth. Now that was a pirate. Even knowing she would soon face him in a life-or-death battle didn¡¯t stop Rose from appreciating his aesthetic.


    However, she had some time before he reached her. One woman against dozens of ferocious pirates weren¡¯t favourable odds. So, she needed to thin the herd.


    For a brief moment she toyed with the idea of equipping her new title, Godtouched, but decided against it. She was fishing, but the widespread boost of Quintessential Skill still seemed more potent.


    Looking around, she picked out a few pirates who were standing still, gawking at her. Idiots. Even she knew that you don¡¯t stop moving once your life''s on the line.


    She felt the mystical influence of her blessing as she reeled back the rod, a gentle guiding hand. Not directing her, but subtly shifting her perspective as she prepared to toss the hook.


    Her arm shot downwards and the rod whipped through the air with a crack of soft thunder. The hook sailed towards her unsuspecting prey and the line whirred as it reeled out.


    He stumbled backwards as the hook appeared in front of his face. The moment it dropped below his chin, Rose yanked the rod upwards.


    A scarlet mist sprayed across the deck as the hook tore into his throat. His head jerked backwards and she instantly felt the line grow heavy as he fell. An instant kill.


    Skill up!


    Fishing 21 > 22


    Precision 6 > 7


    Rose smiled, the thrilling sensation of progress filling her with confidence. In the next few seconds her arms were a lethal whirlwind, delivering death from above to the unsuspecting pirates.


    Skill up!


    Fishing 22 > 23


    Two more pirates fell to the deck. By now the others had realised what was going on and those who dared to stand still were few and far between.


    The majority of her foes were now scrambling up the rope ladders attached to the mainmast or the second mast. They had vengeance painted on their faces as they raced towards her.


    Skill up!


    Precision 7 > 8


    Fishing 23 > 24


    The splashes reached her ears right as the man with the red mohawk reached the top of the rigging and clambered onto the beam. Staring at her, he had a wild grin on his face as he pulled his cutlass out of his mouth.


    Light flashed off his gold tooth and he twirled his cutlass as he strode towards her. Rather than rushing, he was taking measured steps while observing her.


    The hook whipped through the air and returned to the rod, a few bloodstains marking the shiny metal. She slung it over her back before equipping Sunsplitter from her inventory.


    He whistled. ¡°Pretty swords. I¡¯ll be taking them along with your head, little wench,¡± he growled, lunging forwards.


    Despite there being two metres between them he somehow closed the gap in a single step and swung his blade directly at her head.

 1.71 - Mansville Redhawk

    They came in the dead of night. Our once beautiful village was reduced to a charred ruin¡­ Not even the cattle were spared. I only survived because I was out in the fields when the Swordshark Pirates raided the village. But my wife¡­


    -Quoted from a survivor of a Swordshark Pirates coastal raid


    She felt the wind blast her face from the speed of his strike before her brain registered the move. However, she¡¯d grown used to the rush of battle and took a step back.


    It didn¡¯t let her escape the man¡¯s strike, but it gave her room to parry the blow with her right cutlass. There was a scary moment as the force of the blow knocked her towards the edge of the beam.


    She managed to stay standing and in a single swift moment, swung at his neck with her left cutlass. His eyes widened as he realised he was overextended and vulnerable.


    Skill up!


    Dual Wielding 7 > 8


    A muffled explosion came from below. A puff of smoke rose into the air and he launched backwards far faster than possible for a human, easily evading her slash.


    Looking at his foot, she saw a couple sparks winking out. He had some kind of fire skill, either innate or through the tide. It didn¡¯t matter, but it made her life more difficult.


    The longer this battle dragged on, the more of his allies would reach them. Luckily, the beam limited her potential foes to two or three at a time. However, the pirates climbing the second mast would have an easy shot if they had a gun.


    Rose wasn¡¯t without skills of her own. Her control was still shaky, but since opening her arcane core she¡¯d grasped the basics of manipulating tidal energy.


    Through lessons from Trent, Nasar, and even a brief word of advice from Yasmin, she knew how to cycle the mysterious energy through her body to empower her muscles. Reaching into her core, she pulled on the thin trickle of energy that resided there.


    It was far from enough to give her entire body a sufficient boost, but she didn¡¯t need to strengthen all her muscles to beat this guy. He eyed her with caution after her swift killing blow.


    Seeing that she wasn¡¯t making the first move, his arms shifted and she saw sparks gathering at his feet. Such an obviously telegraphed attack seemed like a weakness, but she hadn¡¯t seen his limits yet and wouldn¡¯t underestimate him.


    The sparks condensed, winking out of existence in an instant. Then a brilliant flame exploded from his heels and he flew.


    A single breath passed and the edge of his blade was suddenly an inch from her thigh. Instead of a death blow, he¡¯d decided to change tactics and incapacitate her.


    If she wasn¡¯t prepared, his attack might¡¯ve succeeded. Certainly, that ability to shoot fire and move like lightning wasn¡¯t something a normal pirate could handle.


    However, Rose wasn¡¯t exactly normal. In fact, her thighs were the exact place she¡¯d decided to infuse with her arcane energy. His blade bit into her skin, but stopped a centimetre in.


    His eyes widened in surprise as his body continued forwards, the momentum of his blow transferring to him. Clenching her muscles, she locked his blade in place before he could respond and swung with both blades.


    One sliced through his stomach while the other ripped through his shoulder. Blood splattered her and she grimaced as the metallic stench assaulted her senses.


    Skill up!


    Dual Wielding 8 > 9


    Blades 14 > 15


    His guts spilled out across the beam, falling to the deck below along with a severed arm. It was a gruesome display; a shower of blood and gore that painted the sail crimson to signal her victory.


    The pirate¡¯s face was twisted in shock and horror as the life faded from his eyes and Rose choked down her vomit. Even now, she wasn¡¯t able to fully ignore the impact of her actions.


    Panting, she flicked the blood from her blades and kicked his corpse off the beam. She heard shouts of surprise, fear, and rage from the pirates as they saw their captain¡¯s body falling.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    There was no time to rest as she heard a scream from behind and felt the beam shuddering beneath her feet. Turning, she saw her next enemy rushing at her.


    He wielded twin cutlasses like her, but his movements were clumsy. She guessed the redheaded guy was the most skilled on board, but that didn¡¯t mean the battle would be easy.


    Even a hundred weaklings can kill a powerful foe through the sheer strength of numbers. Rose blocked his first strike and he followed with a second soon after.


    This one she parried to the side, before stepping forwards and shoving his first sword. Caught off guard, his foot slipped and he fell onto the beam. The hard wood smacked the spot between his legs and she saw his eyes rolling into the back of his head.


    Radiant beams of light scattered across his skin as Sunsplitter sliced through his neck a moment later. He fell from the beam and joined his fallen captain below.


    Another two pirates had climbed onto the beam in front of her, replacing the dead one. With every foe she killed more would take their place. Shaking from behind her alerted her to even more enemies on the other side.


    She was too vulnerable right now, caught in a pincer between the advancing tides of pirates. The only way out was to cut them down.


    Gritting her teeth she started to run towards the side with the least pirates. The first woman hadn¡¯t expected her to be so decisive. She raised her blade to block as Rose swung down, but her blow knocked the weak guard away and she stabbed the woman in the gut before kicking her off the beam.


    Skill up!


    Dual Wielding 9 > 10


    You have earned a new trait!


    Ambidextrous: Your brain has adjusted to wielding two weapons at once and the strain of splitting your focus in two is massively reduced. Rather than two separate weapons, dual wielding will feel like wielding just one.


    Rose grinned. This trait had come at a perfect moment. With dozens more pirates impeding her advance, she was grateful for the increased fluidity.


    Her cutlasses danced as she spun and carved her way through the hapless pirates. A few managed to slice at her, drawing blood as minor wounds gathered all over her body.


    Skill up!


    Dual Wielding 10 > 12


    Blades 15 > 16


    However, none dealt a lethal blow. Rose was like the reaper, harvesting lives like wheat with every swing of her blade. Her cutlass whipped through the air with a crack, only to meet empty air.


    Another enemy was fast approaching from behind. She¡¯d killed every single pirate who stood in front of her. Instead of turning, she put Sunsplitter back in her inventory and jumped off the beam.


    She fell through the air for a few seconds before reaching out to grab the rope ladder. Her fingers burned a little as she caught it and swung upwards.


    Plenty of experience scrambling up and down the rigging over the last few months was working in her favour. She slid down the ropes towards the main deck, where corpses were littered.


    There were a couple of pirates still there, but they were the dregs of this crew. The cowards who hadn¡¯t even bothered to attack her after she ambushed their ship and killed their captain.


    Ignoring them as they would barely help to advance her skills, her eyes darted around the ship. She was looking for the entrance to the underbelly.


    There! Her eyes landed on a door that hung ajar and raced towards it. Some of the pirates who¡¯d only just begun climbing were rushing after her but she had left them in the dust with her agile movements.


    It took her flinging open a few doors to eventually find the place she was looking for. Her eyes quickly took in the stacks of barrels and piles of cannonballs.


    An evil grin appeared on her face. She once more reached into her inventory, but not for Sunsplitter. This time she pulled out the [Salamander¡¯s Flame Gland 31]. This was the highest level treasure she¡¯d earned from slaughtering all those pink lizards.


    Squeezing the gland, she sprayed the stored juices all over the barrels. Then, she sprayed it along the ground so there was a trail leading from the door of the room to the barrels.


    Rose rushed towards the back of the ship, looking for the captain¡¯s cabin as she continued to leave a trail of the acrid chemical. Kicking open the door she saw a window that went from wall to wall, a desk that looked like it had never been used, and a painting of the guy with a red mohawk. The painting made him seem a lot more handsome than he¡¯d actually been.


    She took out Sunsplitter and hurriedly scratched the blades against each other until she saw sparks. Then, she aimed the sparks at the sticky fluid until it burst into flame.


    It lit up like wildfire, the flames zooming out of the cabin and along the corridor. In just a few seconds it would reach the room with the gunpowder barrels.


    Angry yells came from the corridor along with panicked shouts and the banging of feet. Two pirates burst into the captain¡¯s cabin, eyes burning with hatred.


    ¡°You bitch!¡± yelled one. ¡°How dare you kill the captain and slaughter us like sheep. I¡¯ll take my time with you.¡±


    The other nodded his head and they both ran towards her with their blades raised. Rose could¡¯ve stayed to fight them, eyes narrowing at the foul insults.


    However, she knew that would be pointless. None of these stinking pirates would be left alive when the flames reached the end of the trail.


    Turning, she burst into a sprint and ran towards the huge window. When she reached it she didn¡¯t stop and threw herself at the glass.


    The tinkle of the shattering glass rang out moments before a wave of hot air slammed into her back and a thundering boom drowned out all sound.

 1.72 - Youve Got Two Hands, So Use Them!

    If you ever see strange islands at sea, ones that don¡¯t appear on any map¡ªavoid them at all costs. I know the temptation of discovery and treasure is powerful, but your life is more important.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Guide to Getting Rich at Sea¡¯ by Quiccash Goldentoe


    The force of the explosion threw her into the ocean and her face slammed into the water. It felt hard as stone and she barely clung to consciousness.


    Rose¡¯s entire body was on fire. The last of her tidal energy had run dry and her thighs burnt from being overworked.


    Blood trickled from the wound on her leg into the ocean, but despite all that she felt a comforting sense of peace. Since she had the vision from Sylack, the seas were like a second home to her.


    Flashes of orange and white lit up the murky darkness as flaming debris from the pirate ship tore through the ocean around her. It took a colossal force of will to tear her arms from the water and start dragging herself back towards Liberty.


    Thanks to Yasmin¡¯s explosive entry to the battle, it had managed to break away from their two pursuers despite the fierce headwind. With every stroke her body protested, the multitude of splashes from both the tide and the sea around her echoing through her head.


    She realised she¡¯d received more than a few levels in the seconds after the explosion but her mind was too tired to trawl through them until she was on solid ground¡ªor the deck of a ship, at the very least. I don¡¯t think I can swim the whole way.


    One more stroke was all she managed before her arms gave out. It took another few seconds for her flailing legs to finally still and her head sunk below the rolling waves.


    The sea around her turned dark as she lost consciousness. Wait, I''m not quite gone yet, so why is it pitch black? Something cold wrapped around her waist right as she passed out.


    ***


    She lifted an arm to rub the sleep from her eyes and immediately regretted it. Every muscle in her body ached and even the tiniest of movements set off a cascade of fiery pain.


    Eventually she managed to sit up. A few agonising stretches later her body was loose enough to actually get out of the bed and walk around the cabin. Her cabin.


    Somehow she¡¯d managed to get back to Liberty after passing out¡­ She rubbed her temple, a vague recollection of black tendrils carrying her through the sea right before she lost consciousness.


    Yasmin must have carried me back after I blew up the ship. Rose let out a dry chuckle. It seemed like the cunning woman had planned everything from start to finish, but made it seem like a spur of the moment plan.


    Whatever it had been, it worked wonders. Rose had been terrified as she sailed through the air towards the pirate ship and wracked with nerves even as she started killing them, but the improvement to her skills was well worth the chaos.


    And she had a wall of whorls to trawl through. Towards the end of the battle and following the colossal explosion she¡¯d caused, Rose had begun to ignore the splashes in favour of survival. Now though, she had time to take stock of her gains.


    Skill up!


    Endurance 8 > 10


    Cooking 7 > 8


    You have earned a new trait!


    Thick Skin: Going through many gruelling battles and experiences has forced your body to adapt. Your skin is tougher to cut and resists both heat and cold better.


    Another extremely useful trait had joined her growing collection. All of them had their uses and she was grateful for the incremental boost they provided when combined with her skills, but traits that directly boosted her survivability like this one were her most treasured.


    Rose didn¡¯t even want to think about the implications of her cooking skill levelling up¡­ It seemed as though the tide counted incinerating a ship full of pirates as cooking, which meant there were surely more insidious ways of levelling it up.Stolen novel; please report.


    Not that Rose ever planned to use Cooking in that manner. It did give her a healthy new appreciation for how terrifying Nasar could be. Carving a giant serpent into fillets with just a chef¡¯s knife seemed to be the surface of his skills¡­


    Along with the few skills that had levelled up after her escape, there were her combat skills which had been constantly improving as she sliced and diced her way through her foes. Pulling up her status, she marvelled at her progress.


    Name: Rose Everblue


    Blessings: Minor Blessing [Sylack]


    Race: Human


    Occupation: Apprentice Scholar 21


    Title: Quintessential Skill


    Available Titles: Murderer, Apprentice, Quintessential Skill, Ambitious Harvester, Godtouched


    Bound Items: Sunsplitter 51


    Skills: Cleaning 12, Reading 12, Fishing 24, Swimming 10, Writing 16, Butchery 10, Cooking 8, Herding 2, Focus 16, Drawing 19, Sailing 15, One Handed Weapons 5, Blades 16, Pistols 11, Firearms 5, Unarmed Combat 2, Endurance 10, Precision 8, Arcane Attunement 8, Light Attunement 6, Stealth 8, Athletics 11, Toxin Resistance 2, Appraisal 1, Climbing 1, Crafting 1, Dual Wielding 12, Arcane Resistance 1, Divine Attunement 1, Water Attunement 4


    Traits: Sensitive Line, Deft Hand, Good as New, Tunnel Vision, Endless Inkwell, Quick Consumption, Knot my Problem, Reliable Duelist, Steady Slash, Smooth Strokes, Agile, With the Grain, Ambidextrous, Thick Skin


    With the gains in Fishing, Rose was fast approaching her first level 25 skill. That was monumental. At that level it would give her another trait¡ªher first second tier trait.


    Back home in Fairwater Bay, most of the fishers didn¡¯t reach that point until they were in their thirties or forties. That along with almost every day spent at sea, trawling for fish to feed their families and sell to the bigger towns and cities.


    She¡¯d accomplished the same feat in just a few months, albeit with much bigger and deadlier catches than her contemporaries. Rose couldn¡¯t stifle her smile and it beamed ear to ear.


    Five titles and fourteen traits were hers too, a staggering number compared with most of the people she knew. However, she was aware that her perspective needed to change. It already had, being around monsters like Trent and Nasar every day and seeing the shocking things they pulled off with ease.


    While she¡¯d eclipsed the limits of her birth, she was far from the level she needed to reach in order to achieve her ambition. If she started to gain a name for herself, navies and bounty hunters would start to seek her head.


    When that time came she would need the strength to fend them off without relying on others. Not to say that a crew wasn¡¯t meant to help each other through adversity, but you couldn¡¯t always lean on the people around you without becoming a burden.


    Oddly, she was grateful to Yasmin for tossing her into such a dangerous battle with so little warning. There was no opportunity to refuse or escape, but in the end she¡¯d discovered that taking on all those pirates hadn¡¯t been so difficult.


    The leader, that guy with the red mohawk, had pushed her to the limit. However, once she was able to take him down the rest of the battle relied on her willpower and endurance.


    As long as her goal remained to reach the top, nothing at this level would be able to stop her or slow her down. Yasmin¡¯s actions had reminded her of that essential truth.


    If there was one negative to come from the battle, it was that she realised how big of a mistake she¡¯d made by taking apprentice scholar as her first occupation. In her rush to choose an occupation before she wasted too much time she¡¯d chosen one that was difficult to grow at sea.


    It was easy to tell herself that she¡¯d dedicate time to drawing, reading, and writing. The truth was unexpected dangers were lurking around every corner and the life of a pirate was all-consuming.


    Well, there¡¯s no time like the present. Rose took out her sketchbook and logbook, along with her pencils. I wonder how well the Ambidextrous trait works?


    Taking a pencil in each hand, she started to experiment with drawing and writing at the same time. Her first attempts were hideous.


    The handwriting was little better than chicken scratches in the dirt, utterly unreadable, while the drawing of a ship she¡¯d attempted looked more like a disfigured whale. However, she was nothing if not determined.


    An hour later she was startled from her intense focus by a splash in her ears. Reading the whorl she couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the irony.


    Skill up!


    Focus 16 > 17


    It didn¡¯t take long for her to slip back into a state of dedicated work and even though her work was still far from legible, the quality was steadily improving. Another hour passed by and a second splash broke her concentration.


    Skill up!


    Dual Wielding 12 > 13


    Drawing 19 > 20


    Even though her most recent sketch was a far cry from the intended goal, a dolphin with one too many fins was a definite improvement over the horrors she¡¯d been drawing before. And, if she squinted hard enough, Rose could read one in every three words she¡¯d scrawled.


    Satisfied, she was about to return to her practice when a loud bang came from above, followed by a series of quieter thuds. A moment of silence hung in the air and then the door to her cabin was practically blasted off its hinges.

 1.73 - The Radiant Wall

    Pirates are the rotten scum of this world. Polluting the seas with their vile breath, ways of ill-repute, and villainous deeds. I will not rest until I¡¯ve wiped every last blasted buccaneer from the beautiful oceans.


    -Quoted from Prince Terrath of Dawncrest


    ¡°That evil woman!¡± cried Felix as he burst into Rose¡¯s cabin and rushed towards her. ¡°What was she thinking, throwing you at a ship full of bloodthirsty pirates by yourself?¡± he added, crashing into her and knocking them both back onto the bed.


    He hurriedly patted her to check if she was wounded, but seeing that there were only a few minor cuts and bruises he sighed and stood up. She fixed him with an amused glare and he froze.


    ¡°Was that really necessary, Felix?¡± she questioned, getting back to her feet and fixing her crumpled shirt. ¡°I¡¯m fine. In fact, I feel incredible. Don¡¯t blame Yasmin, I needed that.¡±


    ¡°What? Are you sure you¡¯re alright?¡± he muttered, staring into her eyes before walking over and rapping his knuckles on her head.


    Rose slapped his hand away and giggled. A warmth spread from her tummy. She was glad that he cared about her so much but he really was like her mother, fussing over every little bit of danger.


    She took a step forwards when her tummy rumbled like thunder, making her pause and blush. Felix burst into laughter before saying, ¡°You¡¯re such a glutton. Good thing Nasar just made lunch.¡±


    ***


    Trent stood at the wheel, his posture steady as the wind buffeted his hair gently. He turned to Rose and smiled warmly. ¡°I can say that nothing I¡¯ve ever encountered comes close to the majestic natural beauty of the Radiant Wall. And I¡¯ve sailed through seven oceans,¡± he exclaimed, more excited than she¡¯d ever seen him.


    For the last two days he¡¯d been going on and on about his home, the Sunblessed Sea. Supposedly there was a natural phenomenon that surrounded the entire sea.


    Only at the right time of day would you be able to witness its hidden beauty and he¡¯d managed to time their voyage such that Liberty would pass the Radiant Wall at the perfect moment. To Rose, even the everyday views they¡¯d seen on their adventure were a marvel. She was sure he was exaggerating.


    Nasar served lunch on the deck. Trent fixed the wheel and they all sat together¡ªa rare occasion. The skinny chef had gone all out today.


    He¡¯d laid out two blankets, soft as a cloud, to cover the wooden planks and give them a comfier seat. Atop them, dozens of dishes were laid out, every single one a feast for the eyes and a tantalising delight for her senses.


    Aromas mixed in the air, forcing her to unravel them and guess which of the delicacies was calling to her. Rose wouldn¡¯t stop eating until she¡¯d tried everything at least once¡­ or twice.


    At last, the final dish was served. Nasar placed a huge bowl of steaming rice in the centre of the blankets. Small flecks of green and ruby-red could be seen in the rice. Even with the array of fish, meats, vegetables, and more laid out before her, Rose took up her plate and reached for the rice first.


    Seeing that, Nasar smiled and sat down to watch as the rest of the crew grabbed their own plates and started a mad scramble to fill them with as much food as they could. Forks flew. Felix and Trent clashed utensils more than once while aiming for the same dish.


    For now, Rose only had a portion of rice on her plate. She raised it to her face and closed her eyes. Then she inhaled deeply through her nose, letting the steamy scents wash over her in a wave of herby bliss.


    The puffy rice itself was cooked to perfection, a delicate starchy scent that underpinned the cocktail of aromas and made her mouth water. Next came an almost medicinal aroma, a new kind of herb that Nasar hadn¡¯t used before¡ªor had hidden among other flavours.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Difficult to pick from the rest was a light and crisp smell, a soft tang of fruit. She guessed it was the ruby-red pips mixed in with the grains of rice.


    Opening her eyes, she wiped a little stream of drool from the corner of her mouth. Looking up she saw everyone digging in with gusto, eyes shining with joy and jaws moving at full speed to stuff as much of Nasar¡¯s delights in as they could.


    She¡¯d not taken her first bite yet, but she caught Nasar staring at her with the biggest smile she¡¯d ever seen on the man. Under his watchful gaze, she lifted a spoonful of rice to her mouth and began to eat.


    Simple food was often the most satisfying. She¡¯d been raised on a diet of mostly fish and potatoes, but her mother had a magic touch that made it one of the most delicious meals in the world.


    There was nothing that could quite replicate a mother¡¯s love, but Nasar had a way with food that came infinitely close. The soft rice was just warm enough and she felt as though she was chewing on pillows.


    The herbs were a little sharp, but elevated the simple bite to a new level. The little ruby pips were like hidden treasures among the rice. Each time she bit into one it burst in a sweet explosion that cut through the herby tang and made her moan in delight.


    ¡°Rose, you truly are my favourite,¡± Nasar happily sighed. ¡°These brutes tear through my hours of effort without taking time to truly appreciate the painstaking combinations of flavour. My recipes are the result of decades of cooking. It warms my heart to finally have an understanding audience.¡±


    She placed her fork on her plate and then laid it on the blanket. ¡°I think it¡¯s important to properly respect people¡¯s effort,¡± she replied. ¡°Besides, your food is the greatest I¡¯ve ever tasted. I¡¯d be a fool to waste it by rushing,¡± she added, smirking at the rest of the crew.


    They were so busy engorging themselves that they didn¡¯t even register her remark over the sounds of slurping and chewing. She giggled and then turned her sights to the rest of the feast.


    Sizzling steaks of an unknown beast, preserved in salt from Clissolt. The meat melted on her tongue and the salt tickled her throat.


    Parcels of soft dough that Nasar called dumplings, filled with a medley of vegetables and spices that warmed her very soul. Of course, she went for the grilled fish with glee.


    The soft flesh came apart at the slightest pull of her fork and despite being one of the simplest foods on offer, was by far the one she enjoyed the most.


    And the potatoes! Cooked in three different ways, Rose was struggling to decide which to try first. In the end she started with what she knew, spearing a roast potato with her fork and putting the whole thing in her mouth. The shell cracked as she bit down, crisp and rich. The insides were fluffy and soft, like a warm hug.


    The mashed potatoes, creamy and light, weren¡¯t quite as delightful but still a culinary masterpiece all the same. Finally, she tried the potato salad.


    This was new to her, a way of cooking potatoes that didn¡¯t exist on Emerlan Isle. The potatoes were boiled, then tossed with a creamy sauce and a mix of herbs and spices. The sharp tang of citrus cut through the cream and the delicate blend of herbs raised the taste to a new dimension.


    She felt guilty admitting it, but this was even better than the roast potatoes¡ªperhaps even tastier than her mother¡¯s, though she¡¯d never say that out loud. Suddenly, Trent leapt to his feet and shouted at them all to look ahead.


    Felix spat out a mouthful of food, causing Nasar to cuff the back of his head. ¡°Don¡¯t waste food you bastard. Even if your life''s on the line!¡± he scolded the boy with a fierce frown.


    Rose vowed to always finish what he served her from that moment on. Trent raced to the bow and they followed after him. She was finally going to find out if the Radiant Wall was as marvellous as he promised.


    Ahead of the ship, there was a faintly shimmering film that hung in the air, stretching infinitely outwards and encompassing everything she could see. Beyond it, the ocean looked the same, but this barrier marked the border between the Bluestone Sea and the Sunblessed Sea.


    Leaving Emerlan Isle had been rather easy, but this marked a true departure from her homeland. The sea of her birth lay behind her, but she was excited for the adventures ahead.


    The tip of Liberty touched the film and passed through it without resistance. More of the ship sailed through until the barrier was close enough to touch.


    Rose reached out a finger and when it made contact she gasped. A radiant web of golden light exploded outwards from her touch as though it had been woven by a celestial spider.


    The near divine sight lasted for a single moment, vanishing as soon as her body passed through the barrier. She spun on her feet, hoping to catch another glimpse but the thin shimmering film was barely visible from this side. A splash sounded in her ears.


    Skill up!


    Light Attunement 6 > 7


    Trent had been understating the beauty, which was a feat in itself given how often he¡¯d been nattering about it. She¡¯d gained a skill level simply from witnessing the phenomenon.


    Only her and Felix were wholly stunned. The rest were smiling but not quite frozen in shock. They¡¯d likely seen it before.


    Rose was about to speak when a clap of thunder roared out across the ocean. Trent vanished and she felt herself flying towards the deck of the ship as a hand shoved her from beneath.

 1.74 - Relentless Pursuit

    They say humans are endurance hunters. Not the fastest or strongest predators, but just stubborn bastards who can keep chasing you down until you grow tired enough to make a mistake. Then we¡¯ll strike.


    -Excerpt from ¡®The Conquest of Humanity¡¯ by Professor Filligrump


    Rose slammed into the deck and had the wind knocked from her lungs. Gasping for breath as her vision faded in and out, she saw stars dancing in her eyes and struggled to her feet.


    Loud claps of cannon fire echoed out constantly, and the ship shook under her feet. Splinters flew in every direction as holes were torn in the ship and geysers erupted every second as errant cannonballs smashed into the ocean.


    With every passing moment she felt the ship slow. It was a bad sign that she could notice the changing speed. Looking up as her vision returned to normal, albeit a little fuzzy, she saw Felix clutching his head nearby.


    Trent was nowhere to be seen, having vanished from the bow, while Yasmin had raced off after him and Nasar stood in silent vigil. Someone was attacking them, but why?


    The previous encounter with the aggressive pirates made sense¡ªYasmin had beef with them and they¡¯d chased her down after being tipped off by that bastard governor. Two attacks in one day was awful luck.


    Holding onto the wooden railing of the ship as she climbed the stairs back to the bow, Rose cursed when she saw who was attacking them. Five ships, led by one so large it dwarfed Liberty. The mast rose almost twice as high and she could see at least three decks of guns.


    Worse, each of the five ships flew the flag of the Minenblum Royal Navy and the flagship had an all too familiar crest¡ªCommodore Saff had found them once more. The man was utterly relentless in his chase, despite taking a severe beating from Trent the last time they met.


    She stumbled as more cannonballs tore into the ship, one whizzing past her head and blasting a chunk of the foremast out. It held firm, but she knew it wouldn¡¯t last much longer.


    Squinting her eyes, she saw a familiar scene unfolding on the choppy ocean. Trent was walking on the water, striding out to meet his foe¡ªthe arrogant Commodore.


    They kept walking until they were just a few metres away from each other and then stopped. Neither made the first move just yet. She saw the Commodore¡¯s mouth moving and Trent standing still. Based on everything she knew about the man, she guessed whatever he had to say was self-serving and utterly tedious.


    Yasmin was rushing up behind and would soon reach the two men. However, when she¡¯d covered two-thirds of the distance, a tendril of smoke shot straight through her and the ink at her feet evaporated, making her tumble headfirst into the ocean.


    She quickly recovered and stared daggers at the new arrival. The naval officer retreated immediately and she watched Yasmin crack her neck twice before racing after him.


    Nasar stood beside her, watching the scene unfold in silence. His face was impassive, neither angry nor excited. The moment he saw Yasmin engage the naval officer, he sighed and with a single step, disappeared.


    The plank beneath his feet snapped in two and he reappeared dozens of metres away from the ship, walking across the ocean like it was his backyard. Like Yasmin, he was racing towards Trent and the Commodore to intervene, but he barely made it halfway when something fell from the sky like a meteor and splashed into the sea before him.


    Three tendrils of water exploded upwards, aiming for his vital points. He pulled out his chef¡¯s knife and carved them into even slices before kicking at the waves.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    A man rose from the waters and smiled at him, before rushing off. The lanky chef had no choice but to follow his new opponent.


    Looking back towards Yasmin she saw the woman facing off against a pair of naval officers, another member of Saff¡¯s crew having joined the first. Rose wanted to help but she couldn¡¯t even walk on the ocean yet, let alone take part in a battle of that calibre.


    She tried to use appraisal on the three officers, but each time it ended in failure and a sharp but brief headache assaulted her. It wasn¡¯t a wasted attempt though, as she did receive a couple levels to the skill.


    Skill up!


    Appraisal 1 > 3


    Knowing she was far from being able to help the more capable members of the crew, she decided to focus her energy on something she could do¡ªkeep Liberty running and try to take down the naval ships so they couldn¡¯t provide backup.


    She rushed back to the main deck, where Felix was finally getting his bearings. Grabbing the boy, she motioned downwards and he nodded. They hopped into the hatch and immediately got to work.


    Rose still had a headache from Trent tossing her into the mast earlier, but she grit her teeth and bore the backlash, knowing it was nothing compared to what those three would be facing. Looking through a hatch in the gundeck, she saw that the four ships following the flagship had peeled off, two to port and two to starboard, making a beeline for Liberty.


    Not good. Turning to Felix with a grim expression on her face, she placed her hands on his shoulders. ¡°Felix, you¡¯re a damn good friend. The best a girl could ask for,¡± she told him with utter certainty. ¡°I know you were hesitant to become a pirate at first; that you only joined because you wanted to stick with me. But, you¡¯re one of us through and through,¡± she added with a smile.


    ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee we¡¯ll make it out of this alive, but what I will say is that they¡¯ll need to sacrifice at least a hundred men to take us down¡ªno, a thousand!¡± she cried with fervour and a wild fury burning in her eyes.


    Her mood was infectious and the previously glum and serious youth visibly brightened at her remark. He chucked and replied, ¡°You¡¯re damn right, Rose. Maybe I did join the crew on a whim, following in your footsteps. Now though I¡¯m one of the Ascendant Pirates. Becoming the best means making sacrifices and leaving countless corpses of your enemies in your wake. I¡¯m ready,¡± he declared solemnly.


    After that, they shared a look of understanding and then rushed to grab sacks of gunpowder and spare fuses. Loading cannonballs one by one, though carrying three or four at a time, the pair made their way around the entire gundeck, loading almost thirty cannons alone.


    Once all the cannons were loaded and she had heaps of spare gunpowder and cannonballs laying around, Rose took out Sunsplitter. Apologising to the majestic cutlasses for using them as fire starters so regularly, she started to rub the edges together as fast as she could manage.


    The instant she saw sparks, she directed them towards the first fuse. Felix was doing the same with an actual firestarter kit. Rose was quite envious and shelved the idea to ask him for one afterwards.


    She covered her ears as the first cannon was fired, but rushed to the hatch to see how much damage it would do. Flames licked the air from the iron barrel and her eyes could just track the sailing black ball as it made its way towards the naval ships to deal lethal damage. Rose never went for half-hearted shots.


    Seconds later the first of her blasts reached the closest starboard ship. It tore a hole in the hull just below the bow.


    Too high to start leaking water, but perfect to knock the ship a little off balance as much of the navigation was down underneath the ship¡¯s crest. Seeing her effort had borne fruit, Rose started rushing up and down the row of cannons with gusto, refilling the powder when needed and keeping the smaller piles of cannonballs stocked.


    While she¡¯d crippled one of the navy ships, that still left four gigantic vessels bearing down on them. Sharing a look with Felix, they continued the endless task of loading and firing the cannons, hoping it would be enough to dissuade their enemies from continuing the assault.


    If only. They continued to bear down on Liberty. On a day with a tailwind or a breeze that favoured them, they would¡¯ve left these fools in the dust.


    Her and Felix continued to blast the cannons and both managed extraordinary damage to all the attacking ships. One of the ships suddenly groaned and creaked. Rose heard a series of splitting noises and then the worst off of the naval ships suddenly crumpled and started to sink.


    They¡¯d managed to pick off some of the chaff before they even arrived. However, before they could celebrate, she heard a familiar metallic clang. Where have I heard that before? she wondered.


    With a frown she immediately dropped the bag of gunpowder she was holding and started racing towards the deck, hoping against all the odds her suspicion was wrong.

 1.75 - Party on Liberty

    There¡¯s little the opposing crew can do once you start boarding their ship. As long as you have the numbers, the battle is as good as won.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Silversea Saga¡¯ by Norris Howell


    Rushing back onto the main deck, she saw dozens of metal hooks had been tossed over the side of the wooden railings and were pulled taut. Ropes led from the hooks towards the three ships still approaching.


    As she watched, dozens of navy men started to stream across the ropes towards Liberty. They were being boarded. Only her and Felix stood in the way of this invasion.


    Pulling Sunsplitter from her inventory, she rushed towards the railings and immediately began chopping at ropes. With each successful slash she heard muffled screams and splashes, condemning her foes to death.


    Felix mirrored her actions, the both of them hacking and slashing like their lives depended on it¡ªthey did. Rose didn¡¯t care for technique right now, only cutting off as many routes to the ship as possible.


    However, it was impossible to stop them all. Even as they worked more and more grappling hooks were tossed over the railings and dozens more soldiers started to stream across the ropes.


    Suddenly, Rose had a flash of inspiration. Remembering how she¡¯d dealt with the pirates in the last battle, she put away her cutlasses.


    ¡°Felix, can you hold them off by yourself for a little bit?¡± she yelled, already racing down the steps towards the main deck.


    He shouted something back but she was already too far away to hear it. Reaching the rigging, she hauled herself up the rope ladder two steps at a time.


    Skill up!


    Climbing 3 > 5


    Whether it was her speed or the ease with which she reached the crow¡¯s nest that gave her two levels, Rose didn¡¯t care. Looking back to the bow, she saw the first enemies already jumping onto the ship and making a beeline for Felix.


    Offering a brief prayer to Sylack, she took out her fishing rod and scratched a few flecks of dried blood from the hook. Then, she reeled her arms back, giving the line a little slack.


    Felix wasn¡¯t quite ready for a fight. She saw him scrambling to get his footing as three men rushed at him with weapons drawn. Luckily, he had a guardian angel.


    With a sharp tug, her arms cracked through the air and the rod whipped down after. A sharp slap sounded as the wood snapped taut and the hook shot forwards.


    The reel spun as she let the line go loose, delivering death to the unsuspecting navy men. Felix¡¯s gaze flicked to her as the hook landed between him and the closest enemy.


    A silver flash was all the man had time to see before Rose whipped her arms back and the hook sliced into his throat. Blood misted in the air as the line whirled upwards and she kept the momentum going, spinning on her feet.


    The line whipped round and as she finished 360 degrees she slashed downwards and the hook carved across another man¡¯s face right before he reached Felix. Felix had finally managed to get himself in a fighting stance and engaged the third in combat.


    Seeing that he was able to take care of himself, Rose turned her attention from the enemies already on board and instead went for a trickier target. Her hook was sharp and with the blessing of Sylack, she felt confident.


    Reeling in the line until it had no slack, she wiped a drop of blood that sprayed on her cheek. None of her skills had gained a level from killing the two men. They were weak.


    Lifting the rod once more, she trained her gaze on the tens of grappling hooks that had secured boarding routes for the navy invaders. This hook was a little blunt, but with the added power of her blessing Rose hoped she could at least slice through a bunch of them.


    Whispering another prayer, she let the hook fly. Right as it cut through the first line, a cannonball smashed into the hull, sending splinters flying at the boarders and killing a few.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    It continued to sail, slicing through two more lines. Wait, that was the¡­ her vision went white as an all-consuming explosion erupted from inside Liberty.


    ***


    ¡°Blackheart, did you really think you could outrun me forever? I know how much that festering wound pains you,¡± sneered Commodore Saff as he swung his cutlass.


    Trent never let the smirk slip from his face, raising his own blade to parry the blow aimed at his chest. The bastard was going straight for his weakness this time.


    ¡°How could I?¡± he replied, punching at the man¡¯s guts. ¡°I know how much joy our little game of cat and mouse brings you. I¡¯d never be so cruel as to deprive a child of his playtime,¡± he added with a smirk, pulsing his energy and burning a hole in the commodore¡¯s jacket.


    The man had used his own skills to stop any real damage, but he still kissed his teeth at the ruined coat. Saff was too prideful; too focused on his image to ever be a true warrior.


    If it wasn¡¯t for his wounds, Trent would have no trouble sending the kid packing with little more than a slap. However, he was forced to constantly guard his torso, lest an errant blow strike his rotting innards.


    Unlike last time when the little bastard had been caught off guard by his new weapon, the ARM wasn¡¯t quite as deadly. Each time there was even the slightest pulse of the arcane, the man stepped back and raised his guard.


    Trent didn¡¯t let his expression slip. If anything, the excessive caution could work in his favour if he timed it well.


    ***


    Yasmin rushed across the sea on a wave of black ink, chasing after Trent as he rushed to meet the upstart Commodore. When they¡¯d first encountered that little brat, he was nothing more than an ambitious Captain.


    And yet he¡¯d survived that fateful battle and somehow become an irritating thorn in Trent¡¯s side. She just wanted to get this damned adventure over with so he could heal his rotten heart and she could go back to living in peace in her little gallery.


    Though she suspected she may need to find a new home for it. They¡¯d had one too many run-ins with the governor and he would likely escalate the matter to the High Council of Zoria if his pride took any more hits.


    A blast of air followed by a powerful wave smashed into her as the two men engaged in battle. The boy was much stronger now, perhaps able to overpower Trent given his current weakness.


    She sped up. There was no way he could deal with both of them. A sharp whistle came from her left and she slipped into her ink, under the waves.


    An instant later, a harpoon shot through the air. She would¡¯ve been speared through the heart if not for her keen senses and fast reactions.


    Another officer, with fewer medals pinned to his chest than the braggadocious Commodore, was standing on top of a giant fish. The fish was racing towards her.


    She hated pets. What kind of wild animal lets themselves be reduced to the slave of a navy dog? Kissing her teeth, she let the ink carry her back to the surface and fired off a trio of black spears.


    Two aimed at the fish and one at its rider.


    Her counter attack was rapid and hidden by the ocean as she emerged, so the man wasn¡¯t expecting it. At least two of the spears were about to run him through.


    At the last moment however, another huge fish leapt from the sea, followed by five lances of ice that pierced her inky spears and exploded them in an abyssal shower.


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to help your damned Captain, foul wench. For your crimes, we¡¯ll drag you to the chopping block along with the rest of you villains,¡± declared the newcomer as both fish dove under the surface.


    Fish-riding ice mages¡­ What was this world coming to? Yasmin called back as much of her ink as she could before letting it wrap her in a cloak of darkness. These fools would soon know that the only ones facing death were the dogs of Minenblum.


    ***


    ¡°You dare call this a game!?¡± exclaimed Saff, his face going red and spittle flying. ¡°You¡¯re a pirate¡ªa villain of the worst kind. My honour as a man was tainted by my first failure; my reputation as a naval officer in tatters from my continued pursuit. My life and career are stagnant because of one wretched man. And you dare call this a game!?¡± he roared,


    Trent continued smirking. Nothing this brat could say would faze him. Well, if he offered a cure for the rot that festered in his chest perhaps, but that wasn¡¯t going to happen in a million years.


    He grunted as a particular powerful strike smashed against his ARM, making his body shake. He immediately sent back a pulse of lightning that melted the edge of Saff¡¯s cutlass and sliced at the boy¡¯s head with his own.


    The ocean around them frothed and churned, each time their blades clashed it sent a huge wave radiating outwards. Trent didn¡¯t want to accidentally capsize Liberty, but if he put less strength in his attacks the commodore would overpower him in seconds.


    ¡°You have nowhere to run this time, Blackheart!¡± he spat, kicking off the water and ducking under Trent¡¯s blow. ¡°Either you die here or I drag you back to Aughold to face execution,¡± he cried, exploding upwards and slashing with his blade.


    Trent hurriedly blocked the cutlass with his own, but noticed the orange glow on the man¡¯s other hand too late. An explosion of flame consumed him.

 1.76 - The Price of Arrogance

    Sure, you can tame a beastie and take it into battle, but that seems like a waste of time when a sturdy cutlass and a little practice is just as lethal.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Charting the Tide: A journeyman¡¯s guide to skills and occupations¡¯ by various contributors


    Yasmin began to hum a melancholy tune. It was a shanty from her homeland, a country that no longer existed in this world.


    With a thought, she sent out dozens of inky tendrils into the surrounding waters. They writhed and squirmed, searching for the approaching fish-riders.


    She hoped the weaker one wasn¡¯t an ice user as well. Of all the people to interrupt her, an ice wielder was the most frustrating.


    Of course, just because his element of choice countered hers didn¡¯t mean she wouldn¡¯t be able to take him down. It just meant that she¡¯d need to resort to more tiresome methods.


    The ink was like a second skin to her after so many years wielding it and it was rare that she needed to use her more devastating skills. Even the flashy explosions didn¡¯t take much effort.


    All of a sudden the connections throughout her nervous system started to vanish, the work of the icy lances freezing and shattering her tendrils. However, that wasn¡¯t a problem.


    In fact, the man destroying her scouting strikes gave her a read on his location. Sighing at the incompetence of her enemies these days, Yasmin reached deep into her core and almost moaned as the arcane power surged through her.


    It had been too long since she used her deep well of power. Her personal inkstone. Arcane circuits that hadn¡¯t been used in decades groaned in protest as the proverbial rust was shaved off.


    There was an itch as the energy started to swirl faster and faster through her body. The icy lances drew nearer on her right and a tremor on her left told her the two officers were going for a pincer attack.


    Given their individual weakness, she thought it a foolish move. Only by sticking together had they managed to resist her earlier attacks.


    The power in her core built and built until she felt her bones and muscles start to quiver, turning almost jelly like as her entire body shifted towards being midnight black. All of a sudden, dozens of icy lances exploded from her right, aimed for every vital point on her body.


    She lifted a hand, but frowned when an immense suction force came from her left, enough to drag her body towards the depths even with her cloaked in ink. Caught between the suction and the deadly strikes, Yasmin was seconds away from an early grave.


    All of a sudden, her core stopped thrumming. Dozens of icy lances pierced the cloud of ink, but other than freezing a little of it, they passed through harmlessly and were sucked towards the other fish-rider.


    His eyes widened as his partner¡¯s strike missed, but the man reacted quickly and began to wave his arms while his fish sailed through the water. The spears started to turn towards the ocean floor, when suddenly the cloud of ink exploded.


    Dozens of inky tendrils slammed into the spears of ice and sent them rocketing at the navy officer. A stream of bubbles came out of his mouth as he tried to curse but his fate was sealed.


    The first spear pierced his leg and blood poured into the murky sea water. Something blasted through her ink, shattering a piece of Yasmin as the other fish-rider raced to his companion so fast it was as though he teleported.


    A second spear struck the man in the shoulder, and more bubbles burst forth, accompanied by another torrent of gushing blood. However, before more of the lances could reach him the ice wielder appeared in front of him and the ocean itself froze outwards, creating a circular shield of ice that blocked the remaining lances.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    However, they were both exhausted from just one exchange. And Yasmin hadn¡¯t even begun to use her own abilities, only redirected their misguided attacks at each other. The entire cloud of ink pulsated as she let out a sinister laugh that made the ocean tremble.


    There were cracks running across the shield from the barrage of lances. The cloud shrunk and a small whirlpool appeared in the centre. Moments later a beam of ink blasted outwards and struck the centre of the shield.


    The cracks grew wider and dozens more appeared as the beam continued to blast into the shield. A moment later it shattered, sending ice flying in every direction.


    Unfortunately for the ice user, he wasn¡¯t able to move out of the way when his shield broke and he spat a little blood from the backlash of it breaking. The beam slammed into his chest and Yasmin smiled at the crunch.


    His body went flying towards the depths. He might¡¯ve survived, but it didn¡¯t matter much¡ªhe would no longer be able to stop her from finishing off the weakling.


    Suddenly, she felt a gut-wrenching pain as multiple portions of the ink cloud were ripped away from her core by the water currents. The other guy was manipulating the ocean to split the ink apart.


    If she was still in her regular form, all that would do is weaken her offensive power a little. However, she was currently taking the form of the ink itself. Which meant each cloud of ink that was torn away felt like someone tearing off her arms and legs.


    Somehow, even with two gaping holes in his body, the officer was able to keep using his skills. Yasmin had to commend her foe for his tenacity.


    She¡¯d written him off as useless when his ally had to step in to save his life earlier, but it seemed like he did have some talent. It wouldn¡¯t be enough to stop her from claiming his life.


    With a single pulse from her core, the remaining ink in the cloud shattered, dispersing into millions of tiny black droplets. Unlike when the ink was ripped apart by an outside force, this self-dispersal didn¡¯t damage her body.


    The main weakness of this move was that it left her arcane core entirely exposed, floating in the murky ocean. However, it was even darker than the sea water and inherently stealthy. Against an opponent of this level, she wasn¡¯t worried.


    He seemed shocked at the sudden change and his fish began racing away from her. It was rare for a navy officer to flee from battle¡ªit was a crime punishable by death.


    Even with his quick thinking, he was far too slow. A powerful surge of arcane energy exploded from her core, directed into the closest droplet of ink. Almost instantly, that droplet fired a slightly stronger beam of energy into the nearest droplet.


    This continued until the beam of energy was moving so fast that even Yasmin had trouble keeping up with it and the energy it emitted made the water around it boil, sending clouds of steam rushing to the ocean¡¯s surface.


    It reached the droplet furthest from her core and then a deafening boom shook the entire ocean, sending colossal waves flying on the surface and making the ships creak. A beam of ink so dense it was on the verge of becoming pure energy blasted towards the officer and then instantly faded.


    He had a perplexed expression on his face, thinking nothing had happened from such a dramatic build up. Then his body fell into two halves, followed by the fish.


    Skill up!


    Ink Attunement ¡ï¡ï13 > ¡ï¡ï14


    Your occupation has advanced!


    Embodiment of Abyssal Ink 83 > 84


    A comforting warmth spread throughout the inky cloud as her most used skill and her occupation gained a level each. As she pulled her body back together, substituting the missing chunks of flesh for ink until she healed, Yasmin felt the cold touch of her blessing.


    Malaxas wasn¡¯t always a kind god, but she had never once regretted accepting his blessing. She¡¯d gained more of his favour since that first minor blessing, yet it still felt as though beyond the occasional whisper he didn¡¯t care whether she lived or died.


    She was about to turn and soar back to the surface when she felt a gentle tug on her mind, pulling her back to the depths. She turned and looked at the water wielder¡¯s corpse with a wry smile.


    It had been a very, very long time since she harvested a treasure. It was time to see if her skills were up to par or if her time away from the sea had let them rust.


    Attempting to harvest [Inkstained Heart ¡ï64]...


    Harvest success!


    Not even mesopelagic¡­ Yasmin tossed the heart into her inventory without a second thought and rushed to the surface.


    A shower of water reached to the sky as the ink-cloaked woman burst back onto the battlefield. Her eyes darted around as she sought Trent and his foe, quickly locking onto the two men from the massive waves their clashes made.


    However, right as she caught sight of the pair, Trent suddenly exploded in flames as a gigantic column of fire burst into existence.

 1.77 - Splintered Dreams

    A ship hasn¡¯t been lost until she¡¯s been claimed by the ocean depths. If you can still carry even a single plank back to shore, then her soul will live on.


    -Quoted from Elmer Saff, of Saff & Company


    Nasar looked on as his oldest friend and twice-Captain rushed out to meet the upstart Commodore in battle. He remembered how Saff had practically soiled his pants when they fought against the Prince¡¯s men. And yet now the boy was the biggest thorn in their side.


    Despite Yasmin¡¯s bluster, she was the first to rush to Trent¡¯s aid, racing across the water on a carpet of ink. He allowed himself a smile. Some things never change.


    Straining his ears, he listened as Commodore Saff began spouting nonsense about his pride and honour. Honestly, if the man spent half as much time doing his job as he did talking about it, he¡¯d probably have been able to become the Sea Lord of the Minenblum Royal Navy by now. He had the talent for it.


    Two of the naval officers appeared out of the sea, riding on silvery fish, to intercept Yasmin before she could reach the main battle. Even then, Nasar didn¡¯t move a muscle. Yasmin could deal with those runts with a wave of her hand.


    After her first strike was blocked, she sank under the surface in a whirlpool of midnight ink, followed by the two officers. They sure seemed eager to rush to their deaths.


    Up ahead, the clash between Trent and the commodore was growing fiercer by the moment. Each time their blades clashed, towering waves radiated outwards. The ship was rising and falling violently, but held on.


    At that moment, he saw a blue flash behind the commodore, racing towards the two men. With a frown, he kicked off the bow and crossed the distance in seconds.


    Trent¡¯s eyes flickered to him for less than a second as he passed, sharing an appreciative look. Interrupting that battle wouldn¡¯t go well for anyone, but Nasar didn¡¯t want the man to exert more energy than needed given his current state.


    With a thought, his chef¡¯s knife appeared in his hand and he cradled the lacquered handle with tenderness. This particular knife had been with him almost a decade, forged from a particularly rare metal they¡¯d found inside a convergence.


    It conducted arcane energy excellently. Trent originally wanted it for a blade, but lost their game of rock-paper-scissors. He¡¯d been in a mood about that for a year, at the very least.


    The blue flash drew nearer and he was able to make out the woman¡¯s face. She was unfamiliar to him. Too young to have been present on that fateful day, so a new addition to Saff¡¯s crew.


    How difficult it must¡¯ve been for her to swallow the damage to her career while following him in his endless pursuit of Trent¡­ He felt sorry for the woman, but not for what he was about to do.


    Her eyes widened when she realised there was someone in her path, but instead of trying to fight him, a gust of wind exploded from her feet and she shot to the right. Her attempt to avoid battle would¡¯ve worked against most opponents, but Nasar was not most opponents.


    He raised his left arm slightly and then sliced downwards with his knife. The woman yelled out and a burst of wind exploded from her palms as she hurriedly raised them in front of her.


    A single hair floated down to the ocean¡¯s surface, falling into the perfectly straight ravine that his slash had carved into the water. If she¡¯d come to a halt even a millisecond later, she would¡¯ve been cleaved in two.


    There was a booming clap as the two walls of water slammed together, sending ripples in every direction as the sea became whole once more. Nasar slowly turned to face his foe, a half-smile on his face at her still terrified expression.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°It¡¯s very rude to ignore someone standing right in front of you, young lady,¡± he scolded her while wagging a finger.


    His remark seemed to drag her back to reality and her face twisted into a fierce scowl. ¡°Who the hell are you to get in my way?¡± she sneered, a rapier appearing in her right hand.


    ¡°The young truly have no manners,¡± he sighed, running a finger along the back of his knife. ¡°I suppose it falls to me to teach you what your parents and superiors did not.¡±


    Small gusts of wind gathered around her hands and feet. Nasar wasn¡¯t worried about her retaliation. The telegraphed use of her skills was easier to read than his recipe book¡ªand he¡¯d gone through that over a thousand times.


    The girl burst forward, carried on the wind. Her arm swung faster than humanly possible as her skills propelled the rapier towards his heart.


    He gently stepped to the left, before slashing at her shoulder. A shallow cut appeared; a perfect line of scarlet.


    Truthfully, Nasar had no desire to kill the girl. He had no grudge with her. All he needed to do was keep her busy until Trent was able to beat back Saff once more.


    And he really wasn¡¯t lying when he said she had no manners. Perhaps some light sparring with him would teach her what she sorely lacked.


    To her credit, she barely flinched when she was cut. Another burst of wind later, her rapier was fast approaching his neck. Another simple step took him out of its path before he sliced into her thigh.


    The next few exchanges followed a similar pattern and he could see her growing more and more frustrated at his antics. As he cut across her ribcage, leaving little more than a graze, she snapped.


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you, old man?!¡± she roared, stomping her feet like a toddler. ¡°Stop toying with me and fight,¡± she hissed, striking out once more.


    Well, if she insisted. He¡¯d been trying to go easy on the girl and teach her a little about her own weaknesses, but you can¡¯t help someone who doesn¡¯t want to be helped¡­


    This time, instead of avoiding her wild thrust, Nasar raised his right hand and pinched down with his thumb and forefinger. If there was one part of a chef¡¯s body that could be said to be impervious to damage, it would be their fingers.


    Years of grabbing things out of pans and open fires, having searing oil splash onto him, and more had tempered the skin until even his calluses calluses had calluses. There was a snap as the girl¡¯s momentum continued forcing her arm forwards despite the blade being stopped.


    Instead of letting her body fly into him unassailed, Nasar kept his knife and grabbed her by the throat. Then, he ripped the rapier from her grasp and tossed it miles away into the ocean.


    She still had a defiant glare in her eyes, but tears streamed out as the pain from her shattered arm consumed her. He shook his head and sighed deeply.


    ¡°You know, you could¡¯ve left this little scuffle with a few scratches and plenty of insight into how to improve your combat style,¡± he said, ceasing his frown when he saw her eyes widen in realisation.


    However, even if the girl had finally understood his intentions and the limits of her skill, it was too late. He¡¯d given her a chance and she¡¯d squandered it. Now, he would be the ruthless man the world knew him to be.


    Nasar tightened his grip on her throat and she squirmed, clawing at his wrist with her remaining arm. It was futile. She didn¡¯t even leave a mark with her pathetic attacks.


    Her eyes flickered shut once. She was almost unconscious. Nasar spared himself a moment to check on Trent and saw that he was struggling a little, but the man had plenty of tricks up his sleeve.


    Suddenly, a flash of green light made him turn back to the girl and the moment that light hit his eyes he went blind. His vision returned for a second but as soon as it did he saw the tip of a rapier just millimetres from his throat.


    In an inhuman display of agility, he contorted his waist and shifted away from the girl¡¯s lethal strike. However, he wasn¡¯t able to dodge completely and a burst of wind exploded from the blade at the last moment, causing it to slash downwards and through his shoulder.


    His left shoulder¡­


    His body moved on instinct and he couldn¡¯t stop himself from squeezing hard enough to snap the girl¡¯s neck. Her body went limp and he dropped her into the ocean. A second splash came after her body fell and his eyes darted towards the sinking knife.


    In a flash he was beside it, reaching out to grab¡­ nothing. He¡¯d lost his left hand. A second later he¡¯d grabbed the knife in his right, but it felt all kinds of wrong.


    At that moment, another ear-splitting explosion shook the battlefield. He turned, thinking Trent and the commodore¡¯s clash had reached the finale, but was shocked when he instead saw Liberty shattered into three pieces.


    Without a second though he gripped the knife, still not comfortable and constantly shifting his fingers, before rushing to help the two kids.

 1.78 - Toughest Opponent Yet

    Often there¡¯s not much you can do except close your eyes and think of home¡­


    -Excerpt from ¡®Silversea Saga¡¯ by Norris Howell


    Rose clutched her ears with blood-soaked hands. The explosion had shattered one of her eardrums and a stray plank had almost taken her head off. By pure chance a wave had knocked her off her feet and saved her from decapitation.


    Her vision slowly returned but there was a white film covering everything, a remnant of the blinding explosion. Looking down, she sighed in relief when she saw she was still standing, but the moment she did she stumbled.


    Trying to right herself was a monumental task. She eventually grasped onto a railing to stay upright. Lifting a hand to her face, covered in blood, she grimaced. Rose suspected her burst eardrum was the culprit.


    Given that she could barely stand, how was she supposed to fight? Once she was finally able to hear the crashing waves and feel the salty spray on her face, she took stock of her surroundings.


    The invading navy men were even worse off than her for the most part, with plenty struggling to stay afloat in the ocean and other missing limbs. In fact, being at the top of the mast had saved her from a similar fate.


    The mast had broken, but deposited her on the poop deck along with a few unfortunate boarders. One had his legs crushed under the crow¡¯s nest and was weakly struggling to crawl out. Rose took out Sunsplitter and helped free him from his struggle.


    The explosion wasn¡¯t all bad. A whorl hovered in her vision, awaiting her attention.


    Skill up!


    Endurance 10 > 11


    At the very least, it might be lessening the agony in her head. Tearing off a strip of fabric from her shirt, Rose wrapped it tightly around her head. She was already feeling faint from the explosion, excessive blood loss would be the final nail in her coffin.


    There goes another ship¡­ At this point I should just call myself a ship thief instead of a pirate. Liberty had been a damn fine ship, too. Its loss would sting.


    Strangely, the explosion hadn¡¯t originated from the powder stores. If it had, there would be a lot more fire and a lot less ship to go around. However, Liberty had split into three pieces, one of which she was standing on. Another was just a tiny fragment with a few of the navy men crowded together, while the final piece was up ahead.


    She saw Felix on his feet, covered in wounds but still valiantly holding his own against a couple of the attackers. Despite her own wounds, Rose began walking towards him.


    She wasn¡¯t sure how much her skills could carry her in this state, but she would do her best to reach him so they could at least go down fighting together. That¡¯s what best friends were for, after all.


    Her first few steps were slow and awkward as she tried to get used to her lacking sense of balance. A few steps in, Rose thought she¡¯d found her stride when suddenly her leg gave out beneath her and she fell face first against the deck.


    After struggling back to her feet she continued. The problem with a burst eardrum was that there wasn¡¯t a set amount of balance she¡¯d lost, but rather a strange fluctuating mismatch between where her brain knew the ground was and where her foot actually went.


    Eventually she managed to find her balance. Whenever she felt her world tilting to the side, she simply reached out to grab the nearest railing or splintered plank for support.


    She soon realised the problem with her goal of reaching Felix. In her current state she would never be able to make the leap between the two floating halves of the ship.


    As she was pondering the issue, Felix continued to fight. She watched as he killed one of the invaders and immediately pivoted to the next.


    Considering how squeamish he was, she was proud. However, she could tell he was starting to flag. If she wasn¡¯t able to help him out soon, he would eventually slip up.


    The solution struck her like lightning. Why would she try to jump the gap when she had a much better tool? After all, Rose was a fisher at heart¡­This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    She reached for her rod, her hand closing around the familiar wood. Even a single touch brought her some comfort. It had been that way since childhood, a reminder of her father. However, since receiving the minor blessing from Sylack that feeling was even more potent.


    Right as she was going to pull it from her back, she felt an arcane pulse. An ominous sensation washed over her and Rose stumbled backwards.


    A spear pierced the spot she¡¯d been standing in, the shaft still quivering from the impact. A moment later, a woman fell from the sky. She floated like a feather and delicately touched down on the end of the spear, gazing imperiously at Rose from above with icy blue eyes.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going, pirate bitch?¡± she sneered, hopping off the spear and wrenching it from the deck. A few splinters flew at Rose and she held up her arms to block.


    She frowned. ¡°That¡¯s rude,¡± she replied, taking Sunsplitter from her inventory and gripping the crystal handles. ¡°Mother said to never use that word, even on those you despise¡­¡±


    The woman started cackling, flashing a gap between her front teeth. ¡°How quaint. The pirate scum still listens to her mummy¡­¡± she jeered, taking a step toward Rose.


    Rose grit her teeth. This would be a tough fight. She was in no state to be taking on opponents as powerful as this.


    The fact she¡¯d felt the ripple of arcane energy before the woman¡¯s spear struck meant she had an arcane core. This was one of Saff¡¯s officers.


    ¡°Maybe if you listened to your parents you wouldn¡¯t have grown up to be such a despicable woman,¡± Rose retorted. She rarely fell for such taunts, but insulting her mother was a hard line.


    Sparing a glance towards Felix, she saw him struggling. The more of the navy soldiers who recovered from the blast, the more surged towards him. He had the high ground thanks to the sinking ship, but would soon be overwhelmed.


    Rose had no choice but to defeat this bi¡ªnasty woman¡ªas quickly as she could. Hopefully she¡¯d be up to the task.


    ¡°A pirate has no right to call an honourable Lieutenant of the Minenblum Royal Navy despicable!¡± she cried, her steps quickening. ¡°Death is the only fitting end for the lot of you,¡± she roared, planting her foot and thrusting at Rose with the spear.


    A blue shimmer coated the tip of the spear as it exploded towards her and Rose felt the familiar tingle of arcane energy. Two can play at that game.


    Surges of tidal energy cycled through her body as the iron grip she usually held on her core drop. She¡¯d had success reinforcing a single part of her body during her last battle, so the first thing she did was send a large chunk of the energy to her ear.


    Rose had no clue if it would work the way she needed it to, but it was worth a try. Trying to fight while her balance was completely kaput was an exercise doomed to failure.


    Suddenly her ear began to burn like a thousand mosquitoes had bitten her in the same spot. She resisted the urge to clutch it as the spear bore down on her. Despite the pain, Rose grinned at her foe.


    Skill up!


    Arcane Attunement 8 > 9


    No longer did she wobble with every slight movement of the ship. It wasn¡¯t a perfect fix and she could feel how fast it was draining her core, but it would be enough to deal with this woman. Hopefully.


    With her balance somewhat restored, Rose directed the rest of the energy towards her blades. She wondered if the twin cutlasses would change it to match their affinity or if that was beyond her current level of skill.


    When a faint blue shimmer covered the sharp edges she had her answer. She knew that turning your own tidal energy towards a particular attunement was possible¡ªeven during this battle she¡¯d seen some of the more powerful foes do it.


    However, she would need a lot more practice to achieve the same feat herself. For now, she was content with the small boost the arcane energy gave her weapon. It was then the woman¡¯s spear struck her blades, sending tremors down her forearms from the force.


    Instead of stopping, the energy around the spear¡¯s tip started to rotate faster and faster, drilling against Sunsplitter. Rose had to continually increase the force she exerted to hold out against the attack.


    However, the woman seemed to have much better control of her energy than Rose. The coating over her cutlasses was irregular and as the spear¡¯s drilling became too fast to keep up with, the strike broke through her guard.


    The twin cutlasses flew to the side, though she kept her grip on them. The spear¡¯s tip flew towards her chest, but Rose managed to slash at the shaft with her right hand and knock the weapon off course.


    Instead of a fatal thrust that pierced her heart, the weapon drilled through her shoulder and carved a large chunk of flesh from Rose. She cried out in pain and dropped her left cutlass, stumbling backwards.


    The woman immediately whipped the spear up and around before slashing down towards her face. Rose parried with her remaining blade, then attempted a counterattack.


    She¡¯d tried to strike out with her other weapon, realising too late that she¡¯d not only dropped the second cutlass but that she could barely move the arm. In fact, she could barely feel anything on that arm, save for the flood of blood that streaked down it.


    That mistake cost her everything. As she stepped forward, the woman¡¯s face contorted into an evil grin and she stomped down on Rose¡¯s knee. It broke with a crunch and she fell to the deck.


    The spear flashed in the light of the sun as her opponent raised it for a killing blow. Rose spared a final glance at Felix, offering a silent apology for letting him down.


    Rose felt an itchy tingle as the woman pushed all of her energy into a single strike, the tip of the spear coated in a jagged film of arcane energy. It hummed as it fell towards her and Rose closed her eyes. Her final thought was of her mother¡¯s grilled fish and potatoes.

 1.79 - Sublime Soup

    In every profession, there is a point at which an artisan will create the greatest work of their lifetime. It could happen at the start of your career, which would be rather depressing as you try your entire life to match it. Or it could be right before your death. Either way, it¡¯s important to share that masterpiece. Great art is only great when it can be appreciated.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Artificers & Artisans: The Endless Mountain¡¯ by Qax Goldheart


    The piercing blow Rose expected never came. The arcane thrumming slowly died down until there was no electric itch and all she could hear was the crashing of the waves.


    A second later, she heard something thud against the deck, then roll along it for a while before a gentle splash told her it had reached the edge and fallen into the sea. Confused, she opened her eyes.


    Instead of the blue uniform clad legs she was expecting to see, there was a pair of rakish-thin legs sporting black suit pants. They looked familiar.


    Rose¡¯s gaze shot upwards and she saw Nasar standing tall. She leapt to her feet, then cried out as she remembered one of her legs was broken. The man turned and caught her, which was impressive given he was missing an arm.


    ¡°What happened to your arm!?¡± she cried. Then, she looked at the spear protruding from his stomach, the surrounding fabric of his pristine white shirt stained crimson.


    Looking beyond him as something else hit the deck, she saw the headless corpse of her former opponent slumped against the splintered planks. Nasar had saved her life at a great personal cost.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t need to do that,¡± she mumbled, rushing to rip pieces of her shirt off and stem the bleeding wound in his gut. The man¡¯s face never shifted once, but she knew he must be in agony.


    You have earned a new skill!


    Field Medicine 0 > 1


    Your occupation has advanced!


    Apprentice Scholar 21 > 22


    That¡¯s¡­ amazing! Finally I have more than three skills to push my occupation to completion. And this one is easy to level up.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous, dear Rose. Of course I did,¡± he replied with a melancholy smile. ¡°Trent would¡¯ve been the one to stick a spear in my stomach if I didn¡¯t. Besides, I¡¯m old. I can¡¯t have your bright future snuffed out by some stuck up Lieutenant.¡±


    A tear rolled down her cheek. ¡°Let me help you with your shoulder,¡± she mumbled, tearing off another strip of her shirt.


    ¡°Oh this?¡± he chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s already clotting. I think we need to give your friend a little hand over there, the boy¡¯s struggling just a little.¡±


    ¡°What? Oh, Felix!¡± she yelped, dropping the fabric and rushing towards the edge of the broken ship. Once more, she stumbled on her wounded knee and had to grab hold of the railings to stay standing.


    ¡°Now, perhaps you should take a little more care of your own condition before rushing to help others. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll survive a few minutes longer.¡±


    Nasar wrapped his arm around her and helped her upright. Then, a steaming bowl of soup appeared in his hand. Rose didn¡¯t flinch¡ªshe was used to him pulling things from nowhere.


    ¡°You want me to eat¡­ right now?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s never been a better time for a meal. Besides, this is a special bowl of soup. I made it six years ago and to this day I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve managed to beat it,¡± he sighed, passing her the bowl.


    She almost dropped it. The ceramic was scalding, as though he¡¯d just poured the soup from the pot. This is six years old!? Do those storage artifacts freeze time or something¡­


    Despite being handed a delicacy¡ªno, this was a true treasure¡ªRose couldn¡¯t tear her eyes away from the struggling Felix. He was clashing cutlasses with two navy soldiers at once and his already battered body was accumulating cuts at a steady rate.


    Nasar cuffed her on the back of the head. She threw him her most betrayed puppy-dog eyes and saw him wince a little. Smirking internally, she took up the spoon and lifted the golden liquid to her mouth.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    There would be no chance of helping Felix until she at least tried the soup, that much she knew. Nasar wasn¡¯t a man who took his cooking lightly. To offer her a dish that he claimed was the greatest he¡¯d ever cooked¡­


    Rose was truly honoured. Taking a sniff, she frowned. There was absolutely no scent, not a single hint of spice or whiff of flavour.


    He wasn¡¯t the kind of man to pull a prank on her in this situation, so after briefly glancing at him, she returned her eyes to the viscous golden fluid. There was only one way to find out what made it so incredible.


    The soup was hot, but didn¡¯t burn her lips or tongue. Which was strange, because her hands were red and if not for her hurried adjustment of how she held the bowl, they would have burnt.


    For a moment she tasted nothing and could only feel the thick liquid slipping into her throat. How strange¡­ Then it hit her.


    Skill up!


    Arcane Attunement 9 > 10


    You have earned a new trait!


    Energetic: Having been steeped in the power of the tide, you¡¯ve come to understand its intricacies. Arcane energy will respond better to your will and your arcane core will absorb ambient tidal energy quicker.


    Rose stopped herself from gasping¡ªshe didn¡¯t want to waste a single drop of this miracle soup. Just a single mouthful had raised her Arcane Attunement over the cap and earned her yet another trait.


    This one was even more potent than the last, which seemed to be a trend for her. She didn¡¯t expect that to keep up forever, but it was great for now.


    Finishing the first sip, there was a familiar tingle on her tongue. Like the soup itself had cast a skill inside her mouth.


    She stared at Nasar for a few seconds, but the man barely flinched under her gaze. His single arm was held behind his back as he watched on with interest.


    ¡°How is it, my dear?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m not sure what to say,¡± she replied hesitantly. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m disappointed in the taste.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Do explain¡­¡± he said, taking a step towards her and narrowing his eyes.


    ¡°Hold up,¡± she stuttered, raising the spoon in surrender. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand me. The soup is¡­ a miracle. I gained a level in Arcane Attunement from that single sip. It¡¯s just that it doesn¡¯t taste¡­ of anything.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me my magnum opus, the greatest dish I¡¯ve ever cooked, is bland?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± she cried as the man took another step. ¡°It¡¯s not bland. It literally tastes like nothing at all!¡±


    Seeing that Nasar¡¯s eyes were so narrow they were practically slits, Rose gulped and gripped the spoon so tight her knuckles went white. This was the first time she¡¯d felt threatened by him.


    ¡°Dear girl, I¡¯m disappointed. Tell me the truth. I know my cooking would never be¡­ tasteless,¡± he remarked with a shiver.


    ¡°I suppose not¡­¡± she muttered. ¡°Actually, I think it does have a taste. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m not quite sure how to put it in words.¡±


    ¡°Spit it out.¡±


    She clutched the bowl tighter and pulled it towards her. After that first mouthful she refused to give up the rest.


    ¡°Not the soup, you fool. You¡¯re usually smarter than this. The taste¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh. Of course. Then, I would say the soup tasted¡­ arcane.¡±


    Nasar stopped and his eyes opened back up, his gleaming irises on full display. He smiled and patted her on the shoulder. ¡°Much better. Now eat up, I don¡¯t want to see a single speck left in that bowl.¡±


    Rose let out a sigh of relief, then immediately dug into the soup. Just like the first taste, the second mouthful struck her like lightning.


    Skill up!


    Arcane Attunement 10 > 11


    Water Attunement 4 > 5


    What? This soup was utterly mind boggling. Rose wasn¡¯t sure if it worked exclusively on her attunement skills or if it was just selecting them at random and she¡¯d got lucky.


    Regardless, she continued eating until the entire bowl was empty. And then she ran a finger round the edge to clean up any leftovers, before licking the bowl clean for good measure.


    Nasar looked on approvingly and took the bowl and spoon back with a nod once she¡¯d finished. A quick glance over the accumulated whorls was enough to make her gasp.


    Skill up!


    Arcane Attunement 11 > 14


    Water Attunement 5 > 7


    Light Attunement 7 > 8


    Arcane Resistance 1 > 4


    Most of the skills that had levelled up were among the ones most difficult to make progress in. Ones that seemed to only improve inside convergences or against ridiculous enemies.


    And yet a single bowl of soup from Nasar had skyrocketed all four of them. Turning to the man, she wasn¡¯t sure if there were words to describe how thankful she was.


    In the end, all she could manage was, ¡°Why me?¡±


    He smiled. ¡°There¡¯s not much time to explain. I think Felix may have reached the limit of his capabilities,¡± he replied, pointing towards the boy currently fighting off three officers and losing.


    ¡°Suffice to say, you are one of the most talented children I¡¯ve ever met. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen someone take to manipulating arcane energy so fast and the rate at which you¡¯re growing¡­ You deserved it, Rose. Now, before we head ove¡ª¡±


    He was cut short by a sharp crack.

 1.80 - Catastrophic Consequences

    There is no sin greater than to turn your blade against a friend, or worse¡ªyour family. There is a special place in the abyss reserved for traitors and mutineers.


    -Quoted from Prince Kaldex, deceased heir to Minenblum


    It was only then Rose noticed how pale Nasar was. Far more than he¡¯d been when the spear first pierced his gut.


    She stared through the hole in his head at the man who¡¯d fired the shot. He wasn¡¯t even an officer¡­ just a grunt. And yet he¡¯d killed one of the most important men in her life.


    Her gaze lingered on him for less than a second, before she rushed forward to catch Nasar as he fell. Somehow, with a hole in his brain, a spear in his gut, and missing his good arm, the man still hadn¡¯t taken his last breath.


    However, the blood gushing from his mouth and the way his eyes glazed over told her it wasn¡¯t far off. She didn¡¯t know what to do.


    Field Medicine¡­ was just a gimmick. And it was only level 1. She couldn¡¯t just rip a strip of her shirt off and wrap it around his head, hoping that would fix the problem.


    ¡°You can¡¯t die now, you bastard! I didn¡¯t pay you back for that soup yet,¡± she cried, cradling him in her arms on the sinking deck.


    A particularly large wave crashed against the wreckage of the ship and sent her tumbling, still holding onto the barely breathing chef.


    His arm lifted a little.


    ¡°Nasar! You¡¯re moving,¡± she sobbed, grabbing hold of his hand. ¡°Can you hear me?¡±


    He wheezed, then coughed, spraying her with blood. She winced but didn¡¯t let go. Then, he pulled his hand away from hers.


    A flash of silver heralded the appearance of his chef¡¯s knife. He weakly fumbled about until he found her palm, pushing the handle of the knife into her hands. Then he tilted his arm until the storage bracelet fell off.


    It slid along the deck until she fell over herself to catch it. ¡°This¡­ for me?¡±


    Nasar¡¯s head didn¡¯t move¡ªit couldn¡¯t. He raised a single finger in acknowledgment. The already shallow movement of his chest was growing fainter by the second and she could barely hear his breaths, save for the bubbling blood.


    Rose didn¡¯t know what to do. There was nothing to say. She wasn¡¯t sure he could hear her. So, she just sat there sobbing as he took his final breaths.


    Just when she thought it was over, he suddenly gasped and reached out, clutching her wrist with an ice-cold grip. Then, before she could react he pulled her hand and stabbed the knife into his heart.


    Skill up!


    One Handed Weapons 5 > 9


    Blades 16 > 18


    You have earned a new title!


    Traitor: Your villainy knows no bounds, stooping so low as to kill a member of your own crew. While equipped, sailors feel a sense of great dread towards you and will grow more irrational. Passively makes members of your crew feel a little uneasy in your presence.


    Rose was stunned to the point that even her tears stopped flowing. She didn¡¯t know how to react. All she wanted was to take the skill levels and tear them out of herself, but she knew that was impossible.


    The title was like acid burning down her throat. She was no traitor, but the damned tide deemed her as such because Nasar¡­


    She unleashed a bestial cry of anguish, so piercing that it cut through the metallic clang of battle and made every man and woman on the ocean pause. Only momentarily however.


    A single scream was far from enough to halt the raging battle. Felix grit his teeth and fought with twice the fury, carving into the two sailors before him, despite his grievous wounds.


    Rose was squeezing the handle of Nasar¡¯s knife so hard that her knuckles bled, scarlet drops splashing against the splintered deck. But the tide wasn¡¯t done with her yet.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    You have slain [Nasar Iloesi]!


    Accumulated merit:


    7 Occupations Completed


    26 Titles Acquired


    2 Soulbound Items (1 Broken)


    9¡ï Earned


    Surging Core


    Rose could only watch as the whorl went on, summarising Nasar¡¯s life into a single box. An impressive box, but the disregard for his life stung.


    Then, before she had a chance to even react, the whorl exploded into ethereal splashes and Nasar¡¯s body shattered into a thousand droplets of¡­ arcane energy. Each drop thrummed with power, more than she¡¯d ever felt before.


    Over half of them exploded outwards, returning to the ocean¡ªtheir origin. That brought her a little comfort. Nasar would have wanted to stay at sea. He seemed more at peace when they¡¯d set sail than he¡¯d been the first time they met.


    The remainder of the droplets had a different target. They began to blast one by one towards Rose, forming a surging stream of energy that pierced her chest like a spear of lightning.


    She gasped as it entered her body, sending electric tingles down her arms and legs. Her scalped itched as the energy filled every inch of her.


    Inside her core, she felt the source of her own arcane power whir to life, emptying every drop of her own energy. Then, like hungry piranhas hunting easy prey, the energy from Nasar roared and raced towards her empty core.


    The instant the first droplet entered she doubled over in pain, clutching at her stomach. Her core wasn¡¯t built to withstand this power. Compared to her own energy, every droplet that had forced its way in was a hundred times denser.


    Rose¡¯s core cracked. A single hair¡¯s width running down the edge, but that single split was like the falling of the first domino. More cracks appeared, until her core was only held together by sheer force of will.


    What happens if it breaks? Rose was worried, but not overly so. Surely the tide wouldn¡¯t kill someone for defeating another.


    Or perhaps this was her punishment for being¡­ a Traitor. Even thinking it hurt, but she knew it was just a false title. Nasar had taken it upon himself to force her hand, yet the tide seemed indifferent.


    A final crack shattered the surface of her core, running around its circumference. The last vestige of hope left her as it exploded, a pulse of energy like nothing she¡¯d experienced tearing through her body.


    Her organs were lacerated, her bones shattered, and her muscles torn asunder by the unrelenting power. Her mind barely clung to sanity, though Rose refused to let the comforting darkness claim her.


    For a brief moment, it was as though her soul itself was laid bare and she gazed upon the complex tapestry. Instantly it vanished, torn away from view. That was not something she was qualified to see.


    The endless well of energy that consumed her suddenly felt¡­ warm. Thousands of tiny droplets raced towards the crippled muscles, weaving them anew.


    They were reforged in the bath of arcane energy; denser and stronger than before. Her bones grew together, snapped arms and legs rejoining as a metallic sheen coated them.


    Instinctively, Rose knew they would be ten times harder to break and even a little more flexible. Just over a third of the energy had been consumed, but the raging torrent was far from done.


    Every laceration in her organs, every tiny wound she¡¯d suffered in her lifetime, was repaired. Old cells died and were replaced by young ones, brimming with vitality and crackling with power.


    A wave of searing cold washed away any lingering pain, the mental fog that had hung over her torn away like heavy curtains. Her mind was crystal clear and even as the remaining energy tore its way to her core, she only had eyes for one thing¡ªa navy soldier sneaking up on Felix with cutlass drawn.


    She stood, no trace of tiredness left. The sting of Nasar¡¯s death was seared into her soul, never to be forgotten. Right now though, he would want her to focus on the living members of their crew.


    They¡¯d been about to help Felix right before that snivelling coward shot him, after all. Rose wanted nothing more than to kill the bastard where he stood, but saving her friend came first¡ªhatred had not blinded her that much.


    At that moment the last drops of energy reached her core once again, or the shattered remains of it at least. With nowhere to go, the energy started to gather, building her core anew.


    Every droplet that reached her centre raced outwards and then hardened, forming a new shell. Larger and stronger than before, it didn¡¯t take long to reform.


    Once the process was complete, there was only a single drop of arcane power remaining. However, that one drop held more of the surging tide than her whole core had done before.


    A staunch warrior of the sea had fallen that day, but in his place a new legend was born. Rose heard a splash, but swiped it away. The tide had done enough harm that day and she was loath to see more of its toxic gifts.


    Her rebirth complete, her purpose clear, Rose turned her eyes to the ocean. She pulled on her new core and it answered, that droplet bursting and filling her circuits with raw power.


    Gazing out upon her cruel, beautiful mistress, Rose spoke with measured grace. ¡°Sylack, you¡¯ve always shown me great care. I felt your touch as a child and now you¡¯ve even offered me your power. I didn¡¯t expect to need it so soon, but you promised me that if I ever needed help, the ocean would hear my call. I don¡¯t ask for much, just the strength to slaughter those who stand against me and would dare to imprison me and mine. If my plea alone is not enough, then I offer you the souls of everyone here, save for three.¡±


    Words hold great power, even when spoken without care. With the weight of her will behind them, Rose felt a divine tremor leave her, diving into the depths. She¡¯d called on her patron and now she could only await his judgement.

 1.81 - A Fathers Fury

    Nothing can stand in the way of a father when his child has been hurt. No weapon, no arcane force. There is a special kind of power that love holds, one that can bend even fate to its whims.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Studies of the Enigmatic¡¯ by Professor Paralon, the Mad Scholar


    Simon Everblue had been a fisherman for as long as he could remember. His father taught him how to care for a rod, weave a net, and ensure his boat was always in fighting condition.


    Fit to fight, for that was the essence of fishing. It was a battle against the ocean and your prey. Whenever a fisherman set sail in the early morning, often before the sunrise, he didn¡¯t know what fate awaited him.


    A sudden storm or an empty ocean might be what the day held. If your boat wasn¡¯t up to par, your senses far from keen, that storm might claim your life. Without patience, a day of empty nets might send you into madness.


    His father had taught him how to fish, but it had been his grandfather who schooled him in that last lesson. The man was perhaps the greatest fisherman to ever grace the shores of Fairwater Bay.


    Simon had always thought his grandfather odd. The man never seemed at peace on land. Only when they set sail did his shaking hand still and his eternally furrowed brow relax.


    Even then, the man¡¯s gaze tended to be further flung than home. Always watching the horizon and never the shores of home.


    He¡¯d not questioned the man about his peculiar habits. He feared the sting of his hand too much for that, but it had always made him curious about the wider world. It made his father the opposite¡ªa man who called travellers madmen.


    Perhaps if he¡¯d been more gifted, Simon would¡¯ve set sail himself. Left home to see the wonders out there. However, before the current could take him, he found himself in love.


    The daughter of a wealthy herder, Alyssa Pel was the most beautiful girl he¡¯d ever laid eyes on. But the reason he fell in love with her was the kindness of her soul, the way she greeted everyone with a smile and gentle warmth, no matter their own attitude.


    Time passed and they married, a wonderful celebration that had the entire village bedridden for days after¡ªa combination of excessive drinking and furious dancing.


    The years passed and they were happy. He spent his days fishing, bringing home a healthy catch to keep their bellies full. Even when her father passed, the sparkle in her eyes only dimmed for a short while.


    She took up the responsibility of caring for his herd, but there was one thing missing from their lives. They both wanted a child, to pass on their legacy and their love.


    However, no matter how hard they tried, the world seemed determined not to grant their wish. Simon grew furious. Not with his gentle wife, but with the world itself. Each day when he set sail, he cursed the oceans he¡¯d once loved.


    Eventually, his anger grew so great he even turned it on the one who¡¯d never turned his back on Simon¡ªthe patron deity of his father and his father¡¯s father, Sylack. In his fury, he stood on the bow of his little fishing boat and roared his anguish at the ocean.


    ¡°Sylack, you bastard! I¡¯ve toiled my whole life in your domain, ever faithful to you. Not once have I been a cruel or vindictive man. My wife is as gentle as they come, yet still the world would see us cursed. I¡¯ve never asked anything of you, even when weeks went by with sparse nets. But now, I would demand your help!¡±


    That evening as he sailed into the bay, he reprimanded himself. What could a god of fish and fishermen do when it came to childbirth? That was the domain of Ferala, the Goddess of Life, and her lesser cousins.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    When Simon awoke the next morning, he was claimed with a manic purpose. Alyssa complained when he dragged her out of bed, pulling her by the hand to the sandy beaches of Fairwater Bay.


    He didn¡¯t know why, but he felt compelled to bring her there; to bring her to the ocean¡¯s edge. ¡°Follow me,¡± he demanded, wading into the still morning sea.


    Alyssa was hesitant, but she trusted Simon with all her soul. So, she walked out into the shallows. Even when the water reached her waist, she didn¡¯t question her husband.


    In that moment, a colossal wave appeared as if from nowhere, ripping her from his grasp. Yet Simon stood still, not making a move to save her from the churning waters.


    A few minutes later, Alyssa washed back to him, drenched. She had a cold fury in her eyes, a burning resentment that he¡¯d never witnessed. By the time they reached home, it had already passed, but the damage was done.


    She gave birth the next spring, to a baby girl. They named her Rose, after Alyssa¡¯s favourite flower. She wanted her daughter to have ties to the land, perhaps out of spite at Simon¡¯s actions.


    They never spoke of that morning again, content to let the truth of their daughter¡¯s birth stay hidden. However, the claws of fate can never be denied. Life is never freely given, demands of a deity always have a hefty cost.


    A debt of salt and blood must always be paid in full.


    ***


    Silence hung over the ocean. Rose could hear the roaring sounds of battle, but they were muted, unimportant in that moment.


    Her blessing had said she could call upon the ocean, but she wasn¡¯t sure to what extent. Was her demand too much?


    Sylack had no obligation to help a little girl with her revenge, but she hoped that a life lived in his honour might sway the unassuming god. Or perhaps she was overestimating herself.


    Just then, the ocean rumbled. Rose heard a wail, like the horns they used to call out to ships in a storm. The one back home paled in comparison to this.


    The rumbling grew louder, a raging force from the depths that raced towards the surface. Then, she felt a well of divine power burst forth, filling her near empty core with the weight of the sea.


    Unlike the raging power that had filled her when Nasar died, this energy was comforting. Almost like her father¡¯s embrace. It made little sense, considering that divine energy was far more potent than the mere tide.


    However, Rose didn¡¯t question it. She¡¯d called and the ocean answered. The time for grief had passed and would come once more when the battle was won. Now was the time for vengeance.


    Skill up!


    Divine Attunement 1 > 2


    The golden whorl splashed in front of her eyes and she smiled, letting it pass on its own. If anything, it was proof that her prayers had been answered.


    As she¡¯d been preparing to before the arrival of that hateful woman, Rose reached for the fishing rod slung across her back. The divine power contained within her flowed through the varnished wood, coating the simple rod in a heavenly hue.


    There was one more task to complete before she could deliver justice. Rose pulled on the loose line, untying the hook from her rod. It had delivered death and filled her belly in equal measure, but it was no longer enough for her purposes.


    She tossed the curved spike into the ocean, returning it to the world. With a thought, her most potent treasure appeared in her hands.


    Serpent¡¯s Kiss ¡ï3 was cool to the touch. She still wondered how she¡¯d managed to harvest such a magnificent treasure without damaging it, but the way the energy within her danced at its appearance, she knew the answer.


    The world had intended it to be a dagger, carved from the fang of that fearsome foe. Rose had another purpose in mind.


    Divine energy flowed to her fingers and forced past the treasure¡¯s resistance. It bent and groaned under her power, curving on itself until the venomous fang resembled the plain fishing hook she¡¯d thrown into the sea.


    The shape was perfect, but Rose couldn¡¯t help but frown. Something was still missing. Running a finger along the treasure¡¯s edge, she pulled it away and her eyes widened at the thin film of green that coated it.


    Venom was a potent weapon when coating a dagger¡ªa way to weaken foes you might not have a hope of defeating otherwise. But for a fishing rod, it was a curse. Why would you want to spoil your bounty?


    She blasted the blade with divine power, the purifying force burning away all traces of foul venom until all that was left was a curved fang with faint golden cracks running through it.


    Even when she pulled her finger away, the traces of divine touch lingered. That wasn¡¯t a fault¡ªthe power of her blessing would flow through the rod with casual ease.


    Taking the loose end of the line, she threaded it through the fang, her energy burning a hair¡¯s width hole as it went. She sealed the end with a touch and let it hang from the rod.


    All of a sudden, divine energy exploded from the tool and she nearly stumbled in surprise.

 1.82 - Thorns of the Ocean Rose

    Roses can be deadly, but rarely hold malice. A flower can¡¯t move to strike you, but when we cut ourselves on its thorns we immediately cast the blame outwards. Often the most beautiful flowers bear the most sorrowful fates.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Tale of a Broken Heart¡¯ by Ilias Fairflower


    You have forged a Soulbound Treasure!


    Divine Serpent¡¯s Lure ¡ï27


    Beast/Divine Aspect


    Forged with the divine power of Sylack, a simple fishing rod elevated to a tool of a nascent deity. Using the purified fang of a colossal sea serpent, this rod is able to hook even the most tenacious of fish. While equipped, this treasure will allow the user to channel divine energy with greater finesse and always find a catch. Whether they can reel it in remains on them.


    Skill up!


    Crafting 1 > 12


    Divine Attunement 2 > 3


    You have earned a new trait!


    Inventor: When looking at scrap and waste, most people dismiss it as objects at the end of their life. You however, know the true value of spare parts and can work magic with what others discard.


    On a normal day, Rose would¡¯ve been stunned into submission by her ability to craft an epipelagic treasure with the divine aspect and raise a skill 12 levels in a single instant. Today, it felt like something that was meant to happen.


    Without wasting a moment, she raised her arm, letting the fang hang down her back. She¡¯d told herself she would prioritise Felix, but as she was now, she could spare a second to deliver justice.


    Her arm snapped forward, leaving a trail of golden energy in its wake. The rod snapped taut and the reel hummed as the line sailed outwards.


    She watched with rapt fascination as the fang carved through the air, never once erring from its perfect path. Rose had barely needed to think about her aim, knowing the rod would carry the hook where it needed to go.


    Her target was aiming his pistol at Felix when the fang struck, burying its curved tip in his chest. He coughed and sprayed the deck with blood, but his comrades barely noticed in the chaos.


    She grabbed the reel, stopping the line from reeling out further and then placed her other hand on the rod. With a smile, she unleashed her strength and ripped the hook back, tearing his heart from his chest in a gruesome display of power.


    Skill up!


    Precision 8 > 9


    Fishing 24 > 25


    You have earned a new trait!


    Seductive Lure: Even without bait, your fishing hook holds an enticing allure to anything that sees it hang. Fish are drawn to your hook for reasons unknown to them and even life outside the depths finds fascination in its beauty.


    Your title has evolved!


    [Murderer] > [Slaughterer]


    Slaughterer: Dealing death is becoming natural to you. Your hands are steeped in blood, friend and foe alike. This title heightens your lust for battle even when not equipped. When equipped, your mind can only think of slaughter; you become a merchant of death.


    A hazy sheen fell over her vision at the moment her title evolved, but Rose didn¡¯t feel a loss of control. If anything, it only heightened her already keen senses. A golden spark in her eyes washed away the haze.


    It seemed she had the abundance of divine energy to thank for keeping her sane. She tossed the coward¡¯s heart into the ocean, offering his blood and flesh as sacrifice for the beasts below.


    The rumbling continued to grow louder. Something was emerging from the depths to answer her call. Something monstrous.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    But that wasn¡¯t for her to worry about. Nasar¡¯s killer lay dead, his blood staining Liberty¡¯s deck. His allies trampled over his body in their rush to attack, a fitting end for a coward like him.


    Looking around, she realised that the part of the ship she¡¯d been standing on had almost sunk entirely, only a few square metres of wood remained. An island of solitude.


    Raising the rod, she whipped it back and then swung down once more. The serpent¡¯s fang tore through the air and buried itself in a sailor¡¯s neck. With a flick of her wrist, his life was snuffed out.


    Golden sparks crackled in the air as she began a dance of death. Every swing of her arm heralded a kill. Soon, the navy soldiers could no longer ignore her in favour of the closer prey.


    All those with rifles and pistols turned their barrels on her, an unavoidable wall of explosive intent. Before the first soldier could fire however, the ocean¡¯s surface burst in salty spray as a titanic tentacle pierced the air.


    It was a dark orange, with a pale pink underside covered in dozens of suckers. A shadow fell over the remains of the ship and the chaos took hold. Some soldiers screamed in fear, some turned their guns and blades on the tentacle while others were frozen on the spot.


    It didn¡¯t matter to the beast. The tentacle fell upon them, shattering the broken hull and sending them flying in all directions. A single soldier fired at Rose as he stumbled into the sea, but the bullet went wide.


    Another tentacle ripped through the ocean¡¯s surface and pounced on Felix. Her heart lurched for a moment but it didn¡¯t drag him under the depths. Instead, it reached over and dropped him beside Rose.


    She chuckled at the bewildered boy, before pulling him into a tight hug. Looking at the drowning soldiers, she could leave them to the mercy of the beast, but they¡¯d gone too far.


    After releasing her hold, her rod resumed its deathly dance. Now that her targets were floating in the sea, this felt like true fishing. The beast wasn¡¯t to be outdone however, and for every soldier she ripped from life, its tentacles dragged two more to the depths.


    Skill up!


    Fishing 25 > 26


    Divine Attunement 3 > 4


    She heard a whining screech as from below, not of anger but playful discontent. Before her eyes the ocean fell, giving way to an abyssal maw ringed with concentric rows of razor-sharp teeth.


    Dozens of soldiers fell into the snapping beak within and a gruesome symphony of crunching bones and spurting blood played as the beast dragged the remaining survivors into its jaws.


    Rose watched with a mix of disgust and fascination, but there was an invisible sense of connection between her and the beast. Her blessing made them kin, under the same father.


    When the sound of snapping limbs finally ceased, all that remained of the battle were a few floating weapons and splintered planks. The creature¡¯s tentacles retreated to the depths and its beak snapped shut before sinking under the surface.


    However, it wasn¡¯t done yet. A wave buffeted the little island they stood on as a bulbous orange head broke into the air, two eyes with rounded slits straining on either side to stare right into her own.


    Rose cracked a smile as the gigantic octopus reached out a tentacle and wrapped it around them both. Felix threw up, but at least had the grace to point himself away from her.


    ¡°What the hell is going on,¡± he moaned weakly. ¡°What is this¡­ monster?¡±


    She continued to giggle as they soared through the air. The wind blew across her face and despite the awful events of the day she felt a little of her wanderlust returning.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, that¡¯s not a monster. Just look how cute he is,¡± she cooed, rubbing the slimy tentacle and smiling at the beast as it rumbled. She could¡¯ve sworn its cheeks turned a little red.


    The octopus deposited them on top of its bulbous head and then turned towards the devastating battle that shook the sea. Rose thought this beast was the source of the deafening rumbles she¡¯d been hearing but she was mistaken.


    Underneath the sounds of Trent and Commodore Saff¡¯s clash there was a bone-shaking bass that made the ocean tremble. Even the gigantic octopus that had torn their ship apart like paper seemed to shrink in fear at what was approaching.


    In the distance she saw a cloud of black ink burst through the surface, then fall away to reveal a mostly unharmed Yasmin. She turned her gaze towards the clash, a spear of ink clutched in her hand as she sought an opening to strike.


    The octopus made a steady approach, though she noticed it was carefully avoiding certain places. Once they were close enough to make out the details, it stopped.


    She wanted to help Trent, but wasn¡¯t sure what she could do. Even with the remains of the divine power coursing through her veins and her new bound treasure, she didn¡¯t think she could intervene unless the timing was utterly perfect.


    Every time the two men clashed swords, giant waves radiated outwards. The octopus barely seemed to notice and gently rose and fell with the swell.


    It seemed as though Trent and the commodore were evenly matched, with neither able to gain momentum. All of a sudden a column of flame rose to the heavens, consuming Trent within.

 1.83 - Bringing in the Big Guns

    You know, when bullies feel threatened they always have a bigger bully to call. It¡¯s a hilarious law of the world. Try pushing a bully too far and see what they do. I guarantee you won¡¯t be surprised.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Power and Influence: How to Run a Nation¡¯ by Sea-Emperor Vadaris Neptuna


    The orange flames crackled and roared as they twisted into a cyclone of burning fury that threatened to incinerate her captain. Rose clenched her fist.


    Despite her weakness, she would never forgive herself if she refused to help him. ¡°I need to help. Take me to them,¡± she urged the octopus, placing a hand on its head.


    However, the beast trembled, lifting a tentacle from the water and wagging it back and forth. It refused to budge.


    She yelled and raised a hand, but then stopped herself. She couldn¡¯t force the creature to move against its will and she wouldn¡¯t stoop so low as to strike it.


    The octopus had saved Felix¡¯s life and helped her enact vengeance on her foes, so that would be a grave sin. The tentacle then pointed towards the column of flames, as if urging her to watch.


    Underneath the roaring fires and Yasmin¡¯s cry of anguish, the bone-shaking bass continued to rumble. With every passing moment it grew louder until the ocean became a frothing bed of fury.


    And then, the ocean split. If she thought the octopus¡¯s cry was loud, the deafening bellow that came from within was world-shaking. It drowned out all sound, leaving only a keening boom.


    Then, a great geyser spurted into the heavens themselves, towering over the paltry flames. As the water fell it doused the fires, sending billowing clouds of steam into the sky.


    The keening bellow that followed drowned out all sound and shook the world. In the distance she saw a soot-coated Trent facing down the commodore while both watched the rift in the ocean with caution.


    Rose wasn¡¯t sure what she¡¯d been expecting, but she whispered another silent prayer to Sylack. He had certainly held up his end of the bargain.


    Two gigantic islands broke through the waves, coated in seaweed and barnacles. Looking closer as they continued to rise, Rose gasped. They were no islands.


    It was the jaws of a gargantuan whale, the beast dwarfing everything in sight. It was bigger than her whole village! It stared across the sea at Rose with an eye bigger than a ship. She felt the octopus trembling under the weighty gaze.


    Trent and his foe were caught within those enormous jaws and she saw them splitting apart, choosing escape and a cessation of their battle in order to avoid their fate.


    However, nothing could escape the whale.


    Those mighty jaws snapped shut with a boom that made her stumble, louder than any thunderclap and faster than lightning. She paled, a bead of sweat rolling down her temple.


    Wasn¡¯t this monstrosity supposed to be on her side? Why then, had it swallowed her captain along with that bastard Saff?


    She was powerless to intervene, her strength irrelevant when compared to that gigantic beast. All she could do was watch as it sank beneath the waves, dragging the two men to a watery grave.


    Clutching Felix¡¯s hand in hers, the pair watched and waited. She saw Yasmin¡¯s inky form dip beneath the waves, but surely the woman wasn¡¯t suicidal enough to attack the whale?


    Then again, Rose had no idea how to pin that woman¡¯s true personality down. She showed so many sides in the few weeks since they¡¯d met that any one of them could be the real Yasmin. Perhaps all of them were.


    With nothing to do but sit in shock, praying that her god hadn¡¯t somehow turned on her, Rose opened her status.


    Her blessing was still there.


    Name: Rose Everblue


    Blessings: Minor Blessing [Sylack]


    Race: Human


    Occupation: Apprentice Scholar 22


    Title: Quintessential Skill


    Available Titles: Slaughterer, Apprentice, Quintessential Skill, Ambitious Harvester, Godtouched, Traitor


    Bound Items: Sunsplitter 51, Divine Serpent¡¯s Lure ¡ï27


    Skills: Cleaning 12, Reading 12, Fishing 26, Swimming 10, Writing 16, Butchery 10, Cooking 8, Herding 2, Focus 17, Drawing 20, Sailing 15, One Handed Weapons 9, Blades 18, Pistols 11, Firearms 5, Unarmed Combat 2, Endurance 11, Precision 9, Arcane Attunement 14, Light Attunement 8, Stealth 8, Athletics 11, Toxin Resistance 2, Appraisal 3, Climbing 5, Crafting 12, Dual Wielding 13, Arcane Resistance 4, Divine Attunement 4, Water Attunement 7, Field Medicine 1


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.Traits: Sensitive Line, Deft Hand, Good as New, Tunnel Vision, Endless Inkwell, Quick Consumption, Knot my Problem, Reliable Duelist, Steady Slash, Smooth Strokes, Agile, With the Grain, Ambidextrous, Thick Skin, Energetic, Inventor, Seductive Lure


    Utterly ridiculous¡­ was her only thought. She could return to the Bluestone Sea and live like a Queen with half of her status. Well, certainly the Emerlan Isle.


    Given that Minenblum had its capital at the edge of Bluestone she wouldn¡¯t dare claim to be untouchable, but a single prayer from her had claimed the life of one of its top naval officers. Perhaps there was a grain of truth in the boast.


    She looked towards where the whale had fallen below the surface, hoping for a miracle.


    Nothing happened.


    Rose sighed, turning her attention back to her status. There has to be a better way to display this¡­ she complained, wondering how on Earth someone like Trent or Nasar was able to read through their status given it had to be at least twice as long as hers.


    Before her eyes the words began to shift, writhing and swirling like the ocean currents. This was becoming a pattern.


    The tide never used to listen to her and now it had obeyed her idle thoughts twice. She wasn¡¯t complaining, because the new layout was far prettier.


    Name: Rose Everblue


    Blessings: Minor Blessing [Sylack]


    Race: Human


    Occupation: Apprentice Scholar 22


    Title: Quintessential Skill


    Available Titles: Slaughterer, Apprentice, Quintessential Skill, Ambitious Harvester, Godtouched, Traitor


    Bound Items: Sunsplitter 51, Divine Serpent¡¯s Lure ¡ï27


    Skills:


    [General]: Cleaning 12, Fishing 26, Butchery 10, Cooking 8, Herding 2, Crafting 12, Sailing 15, Field Medicine 1


    [Cerebral]: Reading 12, Writing 16, Focus 17, Drawing 20, Appraisal 3


    [Physical]: Swimming 10, Endurance 11, Athletics 11, Toxin Resistance 2, Climbing 5, Stealth 8


    [Martial]: One Handed Weapons 9, Blades 18, Pistols 11, Firearms 5, Unarmed Combat 2, Dual Wielding 13


    [Arcane]: Arcane Attunement 14, Light Attunement 8, Arcane Resistance 4, Water Attunement 7


    [Divine]: Divine Attunement 4


    Traits: Sensitive Line, Deft Hand, Good as New, Tunnel Vision, Endless Inkwell, Quick Consumption, Knot my Problem, Reliable Duelist, Steady Slash, Smooth Strokes, Agile, With the Grain, Ambidextrous, Thick Skin, Energetic, Inventor, Seductive Lure


    Divine Attunement got an entire section for itself, which made sense given the potency of the skill. She figured it wasn¡¯t one that most people would earn, even given an entire lifetime.


    ¡°Hey, octopus,¡± she suddenly yelled, ¡°did your big friend eat my captain?¡±


    The beast froze. She felt its surface get a little slimier and lifted her hands from its bulbous head to wipe them clean.


    It seemed like this little guy was really scared of the whale. Which gave her a giggle. It had torn their ship apart like paper and now it was frozen in fear. Such was the way of life. There was always a bigger dog.


    Eventually though it raised a tentacle to her face, wagging it from side to side. Her eyes lit up.


    ¡°Is that a no?! So he isn¡¯t dead,¡± she cried, collapsing in relief, uncaring of the slime. ¡°You better be right or I¡¯ll get Nasar to grill¡­ Never mind. Just don¡¯t lie to me,¡± she sighed.


    Fuck. If Trent wasn¡¯t already doing it I¡¯d kill that damned bastard Saff myself, she cursed inwardly, tears rolling down her cheeks.


    Felix squeezed her hand tighter, but didn¡¯t say anything. She let half a smile creep across her face.


    After a while she sighed again and sat back up. ¡°What about Yasmin?¡± she asked the octopus. ¡°Is she trying to fight the big whale?¡±


    Her stomach lurched as the octopus dropped beneath the waves, leaving only the top of its head above the surface. Moments later another tentacle breached the water, shaped into a question mark.


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± she muttered, then shrieked as the tentacle wrapped itself around her and dragged her under.


    For a moment Rose thought the octopus had gone wild and was about to eat her, but then she realised it was pointing her directly at the whale. And Yasmin¡­


    The woman was coated in black ink and held an abyssal spear in hand, gearing up to launch it at the beast. Then, she lowered it and shook her head.


    This process repeated itself a few times. And then, seemingly deciding on her course of action she summoned two more spears and reared back to launch them all.


    At that moment the whale bellowed and the spears of ink were blasted away. Rose¡¯s body shook down the bones and she was just about to keep her eyes open to see the whale speeding to the surface.


    The octopus lifted her back onto its head and she shivered as her drenched body hit the cold, salty air. A huge splash sent dozens of waves rolling across the sea as the whale resurfaced.


    And then, it exploded.

 1.84 - Desperation Drowns All Hope

    A true man knows when he can no longer run from his fate. Giving in doesn¡¯t make you weak; a true hero makes the most of the cards he is dealt.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Silversea Saga¡¯ by Norris Howell


    Trent wasn¡¯t sure what to make of his current situation. When the commodore had sprung his trap and sealed him in a coffin of fire, Trent had given up the idea of escape.


    The man¡¯s flames weren¡¯t lethal to him, despite how it may have looked. Up until that point he¡¯d only been fighting to allow his crew to escape. He¡¯d realised that wasn¡¯t a possibility a little too late.


    So, while trapped in the swirling column of fire, Trent had been debating if it was worth exerting the energy to kill Commodore Saff once and for all. Even after the fuckery the annoying brat had put him through, he still didn¡¯t want to kill him.


    Not because of anything Saff had done¡ªthis Saff, anyway¡ªbut because he actually respected the brat¡¯s old man. He was a damn fine shipwright.


    Nonetheless, this had gone far enough. When the fire had been doused by a mysterious fountain he didn¡¯t think to question it. They were at sea, after all.


    What he hadn¡¯t expected was for the world to suddenly go dark as the pair of them were swallowed whole by some kind of monolithic beast. Creatures this big weren''t supposed to exist in the Sunblessed Sea¡ªor at the very least, they didn¡¯t approach the surface¡­


    Saff¡¯s terror had made it easy. Trent had jumped at the brat while he was screaming his head off, beating him senseless.


    He hung limp in Trent¡¯s hands, held up by the scruff of his neck. All that bluster just for it to end like this¡­ Trent was almost disappointed.


    But he couldn¡¯t forgive Saff for what he¡¯d done today. Harassing him across the seas was a game¡ªhe always enjoyed giving the kid a thrashing. However, dragging his crew into it was stepping over the line.


    Trent placed a hand against the beast¡¯s mouth, grimacing at the slimy sensation. From the deafening bellows he¡¯d heard, he suspected it was a whale of some kind. Why it had decided to swallow them was a mystery.


    He didn¡¯t know why, but he had an inkling the girl was involved. She always seemed to be, ever since he picked her up on that blue island. Well, meeting her had broken him from his spell of mediocrity.


    Trent wasn¡¯t born to raid merchants in a backwater sea. Drawing his cutlass, he prepared to slice his way out of the whale¡¯s maw when suddenly it roared, sucking him further in.


    While tumbling, he managed to keep hold of Saff. They slammed into something wet and sticky, before a surge of water drowned them.


    He spluttered, struggling to catch his breath as he felt the water being pushed upwards, carrying them along. Suddenly, a burst of force erupted below and he was blasted through the tunnels of flesh.


    Light exploded, blinding him. Even through that he clung onto the little brat. The white faded and he found himself soaring in the air, hundreds of feet above the ocean surface.


    A fountain of water was falling faster than him and he took a moment to let the beauty of the world sink in. In the distance, he could see the towering cliffs of Minenblum.


    For all its faults, Minenblum was a magnificent country. The cliffs were obsidian, a stark contrast against the ocean. Fortified against the gods themselves, perched atop the abyssal cliffs was Aughold in all its dreadful glory.


    Black stone towers reached for the sky like demonic claws rising from the underworld, smoke billowing from the shipyards and forges that never slept.


    Trent chuckled inwardly at the irony. Prior to Prince Kaldex¡¯s death, Aughold had been a hub of free trade between three different oceans¡ªthe Bluestone Sea, Aetherdew Ocean, and the Sunblessed Sea. One that welcomed pirates, navies, and merchants alike to a grand hubbub of gold, steel, and the arcane.


    How far it had fallen. In their own right, they were still a local superpower. With the strength of their military they had no equal, save for Iskallior across the Sunblessed Sea¡ªthough their sights were flung further west than this little ocean.


    Gone were the days of freedom, where all men and women who sailed the tides could intermingle without fear. He couldn¡¯t only blame the navies, or the king¡­ They¡¯d played their part in Kaldex¡¯s death after all.


    Trent looked down at the still limp Commodore he held by the neck. The brat wasn¡¯t particularly close to the former Prince, nor had he held an officer¡¯s rank back then. His grudge with Trent had begun as a way of advancing his career when the royal family was still clamouring for his head.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    It had worked against him in the end, as failure after failure instead drove him from the King¡¯s graces. Only his father¡¯s reputation and skill saved him from a full dismissal. He wasn¡¯t blameless either, but he wouldn¡¯t take much joy in killing the boy.


    And yet he would kill him. There was no other choice. Trent waved his ARM, a translucent platform of light appearing beneath his feet.


    Gently landing, he threw Saff onto his knees, binding his wrists in shackles of golden sunlight before slapping him until he spewed saltwater and moaned. ¡°Wake up, Commodore Saff,¡± he sneered.


    Until the end, he would play his part.


    ¡°Bastard Blackheart! Unhand me this instant and accept your fate,¡± he spat, struggling against his shackles.


    The futile struggles only made his wrists bleed onto the golden light. Trent began to unbutton his shirt, glaring at the boy as he did.


    ¡°You know what, Branmore,¡± he spat, lacing the man¡¯s name with unrestrained venom. ¡°I honestly couldn¡¯t care less. Even if King Malthax himself was to descend upon us, he would be powerless to save your sorry soul.¡±


    He tore his shirt off with a dramatic flourish, letting the wind rip it from his grasp. Saff clutched his mouth, cheeks bulging before he couldn¡¯t hold it any longer.


    Bile spewed through the gaps in his fingers, but fell through the light as though it couldn¡¯t bear to touch the foul excrement. Trent¡¯s eyes burned with cold judgement.


    ¡°You can¡¯t even stand to look upon your work,¡± he said, face relaxing. ¡°How do you think it feels to live every day like this? Missing half of your body while the rest fights off a virulent necrotic rot?¡±


    Commodore Saff threw up once more, not daring to look up at Trent¡¯s rotting chest and blackened, beating heart. He was nothing but a snivelling coward. A spoiled brat given station and an inflated ego.


    Trent sighed. There was no satisfaction in this. He was only attempting to placate his rage.


    Nothing could ever do that.


    Not even curing the rot.


    He went to draw his cutlass, pulling the blade an inch out, before dropping it back in its sheath.


    Too personal.


    Trent pulled out his pistol.


    Bang.


    You have slain [Branmore Saff]!


    Accumulated merit:


    2 Occupations Completed


    11 Titles Acquired


    4 Soulbound Items


    2¡ï Earned


    Flowing Core


    Trent dismissed the meagre summary of the man¡¯s life with an indifferent flick of his finger. As if he needed a reminder. Sunken Sun, he¡¯d been present for most of it¡­


    He felt the power flowing into his core. It was barely a trickle compared to the vast, empty gulf within. His strength had remained stagnant, the bulk of his energy forced to stem the encroaching corruption.


    Just then he heard the sound of shattering glass. He lurched, thinking his platform had come under fire, but the golden light shimmered bright beneath his feet. Then he spotted it.


    Fuck.


    A small sliver of crystal forged from the off-cut of a tidestone had shattered. It had hung around the commodore¡¯s neck, hidden under his uniform until now. Trent immediately recognised it as a lifestone.


    Which could only mean one thing.


    Whoever held the other copy of the lifestone now knew that Branmore Saff was dead. Trent figured there were only three people who might hold the other stone.


    His father, Elmer Saff, head shipwright of Saff & Company, the man who built half of Minenblum¡¯s Royal Navy by hand¡ªhis father built the rest before he was born.


    His mother, Arabella Saff, daughter of Admiral-Duke Allanor II, the Under-Sealord of Minenblum.


    Or his brother, Vice Admiral Chester Saff, the man known as the Shadow King of Minenblum, said to pull the strings of the Royal Navy and wield power equal to King Malthax himself.


    The ideal outcome would be for Lady Saff to be in possession of the other stone. She would be distraught and likely raise hell. Gods only knew how much her father spoiled her¡­ Duke Allanor¡¯s fury would make Branmore Saff seem like a mewling kitten.


    However, that would take more time than they needed to make a clean getaway. Trent didn¡¯t care if he had to slaughter the Under-Sealord of Minenblum. He¡¯d be cured by then.


    And if he wasn¡¯t, life wasn''t worth living further. He could go out in a blaze of glory, sacrificing himself to let the others escape. Nasar will keep them safe, he chuckled to himself. The man was a tough bastard.


    Next on the list was Elmer Saff. Trent had a great deal of respect for the shipwright. Given Branmore¡¯s recent actions the grizzled veteran may even consider death a fitting punishment. However, he also had a soft spot for his wife¡ªwhat good husband didn¡¯t?


    He¡¯d be obligated to return to the seas. Trent wouldn¡¯t mind seeing the devastation he left in his wake. It would be a grand tapestry of death; a magnificent backdrop to his final moments.


    The worst of the three to be holding onto the lifestone was the commodore¡¯s brother, the Shadow King. Worse only because the man never left his damn ship. A true fanatic of the tide.


    He¡¯d set sail the moment the lifestone broke and would catch them with ease, given they currently lacked a ship. All of a sudden Trent heard a keening whistle, followed by another.


    And another. Then three more. Then ten. Then a hundred.


    He looked up to the sky and saw it carved into ribbons by a thousand streaks of abyssal smoke and bloodsoaked flames.


    Trent gazed at the magnificent beauty of their impending death. His worst nightmare hadn¡¯t even come close to reality.


    He let out a deep sigh of frustration.


    ¡°I really wanted to find that cure¡­¡± he lamented, tucking the pistol into his belt and reaching towards his blackened heart.

 1.85 - Herald of the Shadow Forge

    Why do they call him the Shadow King you ask? Clawhand whispered, a shiver running down his spine. ¡°Because even the sun runs in fear when he sets sail¡­¡±


    -Excerpt from ¡®Street Myths of Minenblum¡¯ by various authors


    BANG.


    The clap of a pistol rang out across the ocean, drowning out the chopping of the waves for a brief moment. Rose watched as Saff¡¯s corpse collapsed, finally putting an end to this nightmare.


    They hadn¡¯t emerged unscathed. She shuddered, fearing Trent¡¯s wrath when he discovered that Nasar had sacrificed himself to save her life.


    ¡°Hey, can you swim towards Yasmin?¡± Rose asked the octopus, tapping its bulbous head softly.


    She had to throw herself flat to stop her tumbling off as the cephalopod burst forth in a wave of its tentacles. It didn¡¯t take long to reach Yasmin¡ªshe¡¯d been standing still for a while, watching as Trent delivered justice.


    ¡°Rose, thank the tide you¡¯re still alive,¡± she exclaimed, smiling as she looked the orange octopus up and down. ¡°And you brought me a refill! How kind.¡±


    The octopus shuddered and seemed to shrink back under her terrifying gaze, a devilish glint flashing in Yasmin¡¯s eyes as she licked her lips and raised her hand towards them.


    ¡°What? No, he-¡±


    Rose was interrupted by Yasmin exploding forwards on a wave of ink and reaching out for the octopus. It let out a shriek and raised two tentacles to block.


    Yasmin danced around them as though they weren¡¯t there, closing the distance in an instant. She was right in front of the octopus, hand raised to strike.


    Her arm whipped forward and¡­ she gently stroked its head, cackling to herself.


    Rose¡¯s jaw dropped, Felix was staring wide-eyed, and the octopus was¡­ quivering? Yasmin was stroking a particular spot just above one of its tentacles. The exact same spot each time, her finger tracing the same line.


    Clearly she knew something about octopuses that Rose didn''t, because the beast was shaking and its orange head had turned pink. It wasn¡¯t that surprising, given the woman¡¯s affinity for ink.


    A piercing shriek cut through Yasmin¡¯s cooing. Another whistle followed soon after, then a third.


    They glanced up at the sky, watching as it rapidly filled with streaks of black flame and bloodstained fire. There were too many to count. More and more joined the curtain of death as it was drawn across the sky.


    Yasmin paled, pulling her hand back and immediately drawing the majority of her ink back into her body. Something streaked through the air towards them, splashing a wall of saltwater across the octopus as it landed.


    The least shocking part of Trent¡¯s appearance was the fact he was shirtless. For perhaps the first time since they¡¯d met, Rose saw genuine fear tainting his expression.


    He glanced around at the gathered crew, sighing in relief when he spotted Rose and Felix, raising an eyebrow when he saw the octopus but not questioning it.


    ¡°Yasmin, take the kids and get the hell out of here,¡± he ordered, raising a hand to silence her when she began to protest. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking. Don¡¯t say it. There¡¯s no other option.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± she eventually sighed after a tense silence. ¡°If you die I¡¯m gonna drag you up from the depths and kill you again myself.¡±


    He chuckled, a smirk returning to his face. ¡°Who do you think I am? The only thing that can kill me is my dead black heart.¡±


    Yasmin smiled, but Rose didn¡¯t miss the tear she hastily wiped away before it could fall down her cheek.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Now, where¡¯s that lazy chef of mine?¡±


    How do I tell him?


    ¡°Trent,¡± Rose whispered, unable to put any strength in her voice.


    He didn¡¯t hear her, continuing to look around the ocean with a hand over his eyes. The approaching bombardment had grown so thick that even the sunlight struggled to break through.


    A grey hue suffused the air, like the sombre shades of dusk. Rose choked back a sob. She wasn¡¯t sure if she had the strength to recount his final moments, but she couldn¡¯t keep the truth from them.


    ¡°Is he hiding from me, the slick bastard?¡± Trent muttered. ¡°You¡¯d think he¡¯d leap at a chance to fight the Shadow King.¡±


    ¡°Trent,¡± Rose said, throat hoarse. ¡°There¡¯s something you need to know.¡±


    He stopped what he was doing and turned to her with squinted eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Rose? Why are you shaking? I thought you¡¯d be used to fighting by now¡­¡±


    ¡°Nasar, he-¡± she sobbed, the dam bursting. Her tears flowed freely as she fell to her knees. ¡°She was going to kill me. And he¡­ he stopped her.¡±


    Something seemed to click in Trent¡¯s brain as his eyes widened and a flash of fury erupted within them. He quickly quelled his rage, but Rose hadn¡¯t missed it.


    I knew it. He¡¯s going to hate me forever¡­


    However, instead of the cold shoulder she was expecting, she felt soft leather brushing against her cheek as he jumped onto the octopus and wrapped her in his arms.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, little Rose.¡±


    She sniffled, rubbing the snot and tears onto the sleeve of her shirt. ¡°But he sacrificed himself to save my life. If I wasn¡¯t so weak-¡±


    Trent cuffed her on the back of the head. Not hard enough to hurt but it would leave a mark. ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid. You¡¯re the strongest teenager I¡¯ve met in years. Nasar made his choice. I would¡¯ve done the same in his position. You can tell me all about it when we make it out of here.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? Why aren¡¯t you coming with us? I don¡¯t understand,¡± she replied, finally able to speak without choking.


    ¡°Well, little Branmore had a lifestone with him. And apparently the Shadow King didn¡¯t trust his little brother to get the job done. I¡¯ve truly stuck my hand in the anemone now,¡± he chuckled wryly, gazing upwards as the last vestiges of light faded.


    ¡°There¡¯s no time. It seems I¡¯ll have to take on the Royal Navy all by myself. Not quite how I imagined going out, but I¡¯m sure today will be marked in the history books for eternity,¡± he said with a sad smile. ¡°It¡¯s time, Yasmin.¡±


    He stood up, ruffling her hair and stepping off the octopus¡¯ back onto a platform of golden light. The shrieks of the missiles above had grown louder, drowning out the wind and the waves.


    Rose frowned. The way they¡¯d met was unusual, but Trent was basically her second father. He¡¯d taught her everything she knew about piracy, slowly moulding the wild dreams of a little girl into an achievable reality.


    The way he was talking¡­ like he knew he was about to die. She hated it. Even that annoying Saff guy hadn¡¯t been able to beat her captain while he was missing half his chest.


    Why was this any different? If he and Yasmin worked together, she was sure there was no one they couldn¡¯t beat.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you, captain,¡± she yelled as a cloak of ink wrapped around her and dragged her into the rolling waves. ¡°If you don¡¯t come back I¡¯ll curse you for the rest of time!¡±


    ¡°Pirate bastard! Don¡¯t die before I can kill you,¡± Felix shouted.


    Rose looked at her best friend, noticing the tears falling down his cheeks. She smiled. It had only taken the threat of death for him to be honest with his feelings¡­


    Yasmin remained silent throughout. She¡¯d said her part. Though Rose knew of the three of them the loss would hit her hardest.


    What had Nasar said? They¡¯d been lovers, once upon a time. Rose had read about love. Had seen it in her father¡¯s touch and her mother¡¯s embrace.


    But she¡¯d never experienced that kind of love herself. She didn¡¯t know how it would feel, so she didn¡¯t try to comfort the terrifying, incredible woman.


    They cut through the waves like lightning, faster than any ship. Rose didn¡¯t tear her gaze away from Trent¡¯s back even when the ocean sprayed over her face, the salt stinging her eyes.


    He painted a heroic figure. A lone man standing against a wall of death with nothing but his own strength to lean on.


    As she watched, a gigantic ship broke through the mist, with black sails bearing the sigil of Minenblum. Two more broke through, following the flagship, then two more.


    In total, Nine ships sailed underneath the fiery curtain. Rose¡¯s lip trembled in fear. Trent had said the Shadow King had come for his head and even at a glance she knew this was a fight he would struggle to win.


    But she had faith in her captain. He¡¯d overturned the odds more than once. The first of the shrieking missiles fell from the sky, turning the surface of the ocean to steam as it struck.


    She wasn¡¯t able to watch what happened next, because the cloak of ink suddenly dragged her under the surface and Yasmin accelerated even faster.


    Today had burned itself into her memory and Rose would never forget it, no matter what happened. Finally tearing her eyes away, she crossed her fingers and whispered a prayer to Sylack.

 1.86 - Chasing Sunbeams

    Rule through the fear of your wrath or the love of the masses¡ªwhich supersedes the other? I¡¯d argue that the most effective rulers employ both, whether they admit it or not.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Power and Influence: How to Run a Nation¡¯ by Sea-Emperor Vadaris Neptuna


    Trent drew his enchanted leather trench coat from his inventory, wrapping it around himself in one smooth motion. He¡¯d wanted Branmore to see the difference between them before he died, but facing the Shadow King bare chested would be embarrassing.


    For one, he actually had a modicum of respect for Chester Saff. His methods were callous and many despised him, but they were short-sighted.


    The man could¡¯ve replaced his master as the official Sea-Lord of Minenblum years ago, but he chose to let a wrinkled geezer stay in the seat while he ruled from behind the throne.


    Of course, King Malthax held all the power. Figuratively. Minenblum was only a superpower by virtue of its navy and as such the one who steered the wheel was the one who ruled these seas.


    At the very least, Trent figured he could cause some chaos in the coming years if he was able to drag the Shadow King of Minenblum to a watery grave alongside himself. He had no illusions of surviving this ordeal.


    Whatever he¡¯d led Rose to believe was just to placate the girl. Yasmin knew he wasn¡¯t returning alive.


    The only consolation Trent had was that he¡¯d be buried in the depths, alongside his oldest friend¡ªthe greatest chef to sail these waters.


    ¡°You damn bastard Nasar. After all these years of suffering this blighted rot, you managed to sneak ahead of me,¡± he chuckled.


    Nine ships broke through the mist, following the wall of fiery death soaring through the sky. It was far from a subtle declaration of war, but despite his moniker the Shadow King wasn¡¯t one for subterfuge.


    For perhaps the last time, Trent called on the tide and skimmed through his status. By now it was a blinding wall of words, the result of decades of piracy and adventure.


    Name: Trent Refala


    Race: Human (Blighted)


    Occupations:


    [Active]: Plague Duke of the Dark Sun 63


    [Completed]: Dawnbringer¡ï, Heroic Captain¡ï, Master Light Mage¡ï, Treasure Seeker¡ï, Master Captain¡ï, Light Mage¡ï, Captain¡ï, Upstart Adventurer¡ï, Quartermaster¡ï, Apprentice Light Mage¡ï, Apprentice Thief¡ï


    Title: Constellation


    Available Titles: Soulreaper, Apprentice, Journeyman, Master, Hero, Decalithic Talent, Vaunted Harvester, Epipelagic, Mesopelagic, Bathypelagic, Constellation, Blight-touched, Madman, Immortal, Depthstrider, Tidequencher, Thoroughly Attuned, Embodiment, Centurion, Overachiever, Dedicated, Unblinded, Casanova


    Bound Items: Mythril Tideheart ¡ï¡ï19, Soulwood Pistol ¡ï86, Kraken Hide Trench Coat ¡ï¡ï4, Sevalon¡¯s Revenge ¡ï¡ï¡ï7


    Skills:


    [General]: Cleaning ¡ï4, Fishing 63, Butchery 79, Cooking 17, Crafting 6, Hunting 22, Carpentry 83


    [Cerebral]: Reading 44, Writing 57, Focus ¡ï21, Drawing 2, Appraisal ¡ï6, Multitasking ¡ï13, Leadership ¡ï¡ï4


    [Physical]: Adaptive Physiology ¡ï11, Swimming ¡ï66, Endurance ¡ï¡ï1, Athletics ¡ï39, Toxin Resistance ¡ï¡ï18, Climbing 96, Stealth ¡ï72, Bulwark 38


    [Martial]: One Handed Weapons ¡ï¡ï41, Blades ¡ï¡ï9, Pistols ¡ï83, Firearms ¡ï31, Rifles 56, Unarmed Combat ¡ï92, Dual Wielding 31, Whips 6, Bows 4, Fist Weapons ¡ï35, Tidal Enhancement ¡ï85


    [Arcane]: Arcane Attunement ¡ï46, Light Attunement ¡ï¡ï¡ï15, Arcane Resistance ¡ï8, Blight Resistance ¡ï65, Water Attunement 19, Fire Attunement 83, Wind Attunement 7, Mind Attunement 22, Shadow Attunement 71, Metal Attunement 5


    [Divine]: Blight Assimilation 12


    Traits: Sensitive Line, Good as New, Tunnel Vision, Endless Inkwell, Quick Consumption, Knot my Problem, Reliable Duelist, Steady Slash, Smooth Strokes, Agile, With the Grain, Ambidextrous, Thick Skin, Energetic, Inventor, Seductive Lure, Tideforged¡­This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    To this day, Trent didn¡¯t know how Kaldex got his hands on that accursed artifact or why the prince was even ferrying it around with him. At first he¡¯d been shocked to receive a divine skill.


    But he soon realised it was far from a boon. Every inch the corruption spread the skill would grow along with his resistance to it.


    Why something as foul as this necrotic rot would be the realm of the divine escaped him. Until the day he died.


    And awoke once more in the depths of a mountain hold. A mad smith had saved his life, but forever bound him to the mercy of the Mythril Tideheart.


    Zed Madhammer was both his saviour and the man who¡¯d cursed him to this dreadful existence. To make things worse, earning the Immortal title had given him a greater resistance to the blight and prolonged his suffering even further.


    A few years ago he¡¯d given in and decided to finally accept his fate, but that didn¡¯t make it easier to bear the agony each day. Staring up as the first of the flaming missiles fell towards him, Trent felt true joy flooding his body.


    With a thought, he summoned Sevalon¡¯s Revenge to his fleshy hand. Since the day he¡¯d slain the megalodon, he¡¯d not had reason to use this magnificent cutlass. But the Shadow King was a worthy foe.


    Black fire and acrid smoke exploded across the ocean¡¯s surface as the missile struck, missing Trent by a mile. He summoned a tidestone into his free hand, the eight-fingered appendage of the ARM.


    And then crushed it into sparkling dust, before absorbing the energy into his core.


    Three more tidestones met the same fate, the gathering power swelling and surging. Usually he rationed them, siphoning just enough to fuel the tideheart and keep his core functioning. There was no longer a need for such frugality.


    More missiles struck, showering him in Chester Saff¡¯s abyssal flames. The acrid smoke clawed at his throat, seeking to drain the air from his lungs.


    Trent laughed out loud.


    How could you steal what had long been ransacked? His body was rotten from the inside out. His soul seared from decades of blinding light.


    If there was one thing his affliction had given him that he didn¡¯t hate, it was his absurdly powerful occupation. The secrets of his modified race and the plague¡ªblight¡ªstill eluded him but he was happy to turn his curse to proper use.


    The first missile to strike true screamed through the sky, trailing black smoke. He gently swung his cutlass and cleaved it in two, lighting up the ocean behind him in dark fire.


    More and more missiles fell until the world was naught but writhing smoke and searing flames. The lulling waves were consumed by infernal fury and then he heard the clap of cannons.


    The first shot was precise and he had to twist his body to avoid the smoking steel. The Shadow King¡¯s bombardiers didn¡¯t take potshots.


    I¡¯ve had a taste of your fury, Chester, and I have to say I¡¯m disappointed, he mused. Trent knew this was only the opening salvo, but he¡¯d heard legends of the man drowning out the sun.


    His targets could only run through the darkness in blind panic as they scrambled to escape his grasp. Weaklings.


    Drowning out the sun?


    That was impossible¡­ Hide it for a moment, perhaps. But to drown out the sun would take far more power than a mortal man could muster.


    Trent turned his gaze further upwards, beyond the curtain of smoky death. He felt the sun¡¯s touch in his very soul, what was once a warming embrace turned to cruel rejection.


    The sting of losing such an intimate connection would never fade, but he was satisfied that he could at least still use its power. He¡¯d started life as a thief and it was fitting that he would end it that way.


    Another tidestone turned to dust in his palm and he let his core loose, rampaging through his rotting bones. The sun roared at his defiance, refusing its love to a stray child.


    Trent didn¡¯t care. He was no longer a Dawnbringer. Blackheart, they called him. They didn¡¯t know the half of it.


    Skill up!


    Fire Attunement 83 > 84


    Blight Resistance ¡ï65 > ¡ï66


    Sevalon¡¯s Revenge rattled as he channelled the twisted sunlight into its blade, writhing and rebelling against such foul energy. But he continued to push.


    The megalodon¡¯s fang glowed green with the rotten light and the nearby smoke shrank back in fear. Any missiles that struck true were evaporated by the pulsing power that radiated off him in waves.


    In the distance he felt the rising storm of arcane power that gathered on each of the nine ships. Not content with mortal weapons, the Shadow King¡¯s elites were preparing to strike.


    Trent wouldn¡¯t let them.


    He¡¯d tasted their opening and found it lacking. His eyes glowed green, mirroring his blade. The rot that consumed him clamoured and howled, empowered by the very source of his strength as it ate away at his flesh.


    He shied away from his own power for this very reason, but he no longer had reason to hold back. Trent Refala had died many times before, but today would be the last.


    The Plague Duke of the Dark Sun had risen and in his wake would be nothing but death and decay.


    He raised his blade, the dark sunlight gathering at the tip. It would be the first time he¡¯d unleashed this skill with the full weight of his soul behind it. A fiendish grin curled across his face, flashing blackened teeth.


    He swung his cutlass, cleaving a festering line in the air.


    All those present bore witness to the rising of a second sun, burning its way from the depths.

 1.87 - Royal Decree

    I had the good fortune to witness a bathypelagic warrior unleash his most powerful skill upon a sea monster once, while he was escorting me to a recently discovered island. I believed that having reached the epipelagic tier in a few of my own skills I might not be too much weaker. Let¡¯s just say I¡¯m very glad I¡¯m not a sea monster¡­


    -Excerpt from ¡®Adventures in the Belanus Cluster¡¯ by Professor Vaumir


    Vice Admiral Chester Saff stood on the aft of his flagship, sailing ahead of his fleet. Nine ships in total including his prized companion Steelcutter, he had complete confidence in crippling and capturing Trent Blackheart.


    He stared down at the shards of his brother¡¯s lifestone, dull and broken. He¡¯d known there was a chance Branmore would fail¡ªas he¡¯d done so many times before¡ªbut he¡¯d never expected him to die.


    Chester didn¡¯t hate his brother. Far from it. He was so harsh on the arrogant little git because he wanted him to succeed.


    Branmore had always been talented, but his foul temper and irrational behaviour held him back. The navy didn¡¯t value those who didn¡¯t fall in line.


    He could¡¯ve personally swayed the command of course, but using the power he¡¯d garnered over almost two decades of service for nepotism felt like a waste. And it wouldn¡¯t have helped Branmore become a better man.


    None of that mattered now¡­


    Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply, relishing the tang of salt and the comforting whiff of smoke. He pulled on the ambient energy, refilling his depleted core.


    His opening salvo had taken a lot out of him, but he believed it was important to send a clear message to enemies¡ªand allies¡ªthat escape from the Shadow King was impossible.


    He had a reputation to uphold. Chester rather enjoyed listening to the rumours about himself and the one that claimed he could make the sun run in fear was his favourite.


    Scaring the other guy shitless was half the battle.


    Not this time. He knew Blackheart was a fearsome foe. So he¡¯d gone all out from the get go. However tough the bastard was, three thousand fiery missiles raining on his head was sure to hurt.


    The first of his missiles fell from the sky. In the distance, he could just make out the silhouette of Branmore¡¯s killer. He wanted nothing more than to gut the pirate like a pig, but the king had demanded he be brought back to Aughold.


    A public execution was a great humiliation, supposedly.


    Chester wasn¡¯t convinced of that old policy. They¡¯d put Saltbeard to death in public and it had only served to fan the flames of his legend.


    Even more pirates had popped out of the woodworks afterwards, as though they were chasing after a slice of the pie the man left behind. No, a silent and ignoble death was all these scumbags deserved.


    And he¡¯d given that to a great many of them. But not this time. He clenched his jaw, gaze unflinching as the missiles began to explode and rain fiery hell on Blackheart.


    The corner of Chester¡¯s mouth crept upwards, but he didn¡¯t allow himself to smile. Happiness would have to wait until the job was done.


    He wouldn¡¯t be able to face his mother and father if he failed to capture Blackheart here. Raising an arm, he gave the command to begin firing the cannons.


    Gunpowder and steel might do little against such a powerful enemy, but only a fool squandered an advantage, no matter how small it was. The thunderous clap of the roaring cannons was music to his ears, building on the symphony of his shrieking salvo of missiles.


    The air grew thick with black smoke, but it didn¡¯t impede his vision in the slightest. He was the Shadow King of Minenblum. Since the day he was born he¡¯d been mired in the fumes of industry.


    He felt more at peace wrapped in the smoke and flames of battle than he did in the peaceful streets of Aughold. Every moment he spent on land made his skin crawl.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    This¡­ this was what he was born for.


    Chester Saff prepared to give the command to strike, his elites and officers awaiting his command to unleash a barrage of death upon their prey. He raised his arm, palm open.


    The moment he closed his fist they would drain their cores to burn, tear, slice, and smash Trent Blackheart into a crippled mess.


    Green sparks crackled from within the cloud of black smoke. He frowned, but paid them no heed. There was no chance the pirate could overcome their combined assault while fighting alone.


    Perhaps if the Midnight Witch had stayed they could¡¯ve put up a decent resistance. Chester had noticed her racing away the moment he launched his first strike, but he let her go.


    Blackheart was the one who¡¯d killed Branmore.


    Blackheart was the man who¡¯d killed Prince Kaldex all those years ago, so he was the only one the king wanted in chains.


    The ships drew close enough that he could smell the black flames of the shadow forge streaking through the sky. It was time. However, right before he could give the order the world lit up in a blinding flash of green.


    Then he felt the burning heat. It seared his skin, blistering what should¡¯ve been impervious to flame after a lifetime of working with it.


    Skill up!


    Fire Resistance ¡ï¡ï23 > ¡ï¡ï24


    Toxin Resistance 32 > 34


    And it didn¡¯t end there.


    Underneath the scalding agony there was an insidious writhing bite that scratched and clawed at him, trying to dig its way inside. He immediately ignited half of his energy to flush his system and erect a thin barrier around himself.


    Even then, he had to feed it continuously as the horrifying attack corroded his hastily erected defence. What had Blackheart unleashed that could cause such damage?


    Skill up!


    Arcane Attunement ¡ï67 > ¡ï68


    His gaze darted around but he could barely see after that flash of green light. As his vision returned he grimaced at the festering, burnt remains of his fleet.


    Hundreds of his men lay dead, more screamed in agony as vile green flames burned at their flesh and as he looked at the broken remains of his ships he noticed something strange.


    These flames didn¡¯t just burn, they were rotting everything they touched. Turning towards Blackheart, he watched as a sun of green fire rose from the ocean¡¯s surface. A halo of corrupting light crowned the evil pirate as he brandished a serrated cutlass crackling with tidal energy.


    Chester roared, his unbridled fury making the sails of his flagship tremble. Steelcutter was the only ship in his fleet to emerge unbroken from the assault.


    Though the plague-like flames were still burning on its shields, eating their way through. He watched as his men recovered from the blast, rushing to and fro to put the fires out.


    To starboard, Valiance still held firm, though it had lost the mainsail and was moving at a snail¡¯s pace. Seven ships were decimated in a single strike.


    Water turned to steam as buckets were desperately tossed over the flames. Sand turned black and rotted away when they tried that instead. Nothing worked.


    Blackheart had grown even more powerful, despite being cursed with that festering wound that earned him his moniker. He must be an adherent. But even my Dark Flames of the Shadow Forge are not so potent¡­


    With a wave of his arm, Chester summoned a cloud of black smoke to devour the flames. He lurched as almost half his remaining energy was drained, far more than he¡¯d expected.


    However, when the smoke cleared the vile flames had cleared. His men looked up at him with admiration and fury, awaiting the command to strike back.


    Chester suspected that Trent Blackheart wielded a similar power to his, the gifts of an adherent. Yet to wield them with such finesse took a great toll on one¡¯s body. A toll that man shouldn¡¯t be able to bear with his in such a state.


    It didn¡¯t matter how strong he¡¯d grown. Surely that was a one off. A strike utilising every scrap of energy the bastard had left.


    ¡°Rear Admiral!¡± he shouted, his second-in-command snapping to attention. ¡°Gather whoever is left standing and follow me. This madness will not continue.¡±


    Without waiting to gauge the man¡¯s reaction he took a step and landed on the surface of the ocean. Black smoke gathered around him like a cloak of shadows and dark flames flickered atop his head like a crown of midnight.


    A few more steps brought him within shouting distance of his foe. Blackheart had a devilish smirk on his face, admiring the destruction and death he¡¯d wrought with undisguised glee.


    ¡°Damned villain! How can you take happiness in the slaughter of the innocent? The list of your crimes is endless. Your reign of terror ends now,¡± Chester roared with fury, spittle flying from his quivering lips.


    ¡°Innocent? Don¡¯t make me laugh, Shadow King,¡± Blackheart cackled. ¡°How many lives have you and your fleet snuffed out? How many innocents written off as mere collateral damage? Don¡¯t dare to lecture me. You came to fight, so stop screaming like a coward and FIGHT!¡±


    The insidious sun roared to life along with him and Chester felt the gathering tide racing into Blackheart¡¯s blade. This close the heat was unbearable, his shield barely holding on with cracks running through its surface.


    ¡°So be it, pirate scum. I am many things, but a coward is not one of them. Let¡¯s see how long you can keep up this charade of strength,¡± the vice admiral replied with eerie calmness, a straight-edged sword being summoned to his hands.

 1.88 - Dark Flames of Justice

    Fire is a versatile weapon. You¡¯d think it had no place at sea, but it somehow seems to thrive. When the tide itself is your fuel, there is little that can snuff you out.


    -Excerpt from ¡®A Study of Arcane Flames¡¯ by Professor Goldspark


    The vice admiral¡¯s sword struck the serrated edge of Sevalon¡¯s Revenge like a meteor falling from the starry sky above. Trent grunted with exertion as his arm bent backward.


    Fighting against a two-handed sword with a cutlass was a tough job. An icy spear of rot cut through his chest, lancing toward his shoulder.


    He didn¡¯t let it sway his grip, having grown used to the aggressive advance of the rot since he¡¯d unleashed plague ridden flames upon his foes. It was the first time he¡¯d truly let the power of the dark sun run rampant in his veins.


    While he wouldn¡¯t deny the feeling of carving a fleet in half and watching the rest burn and fester was addicting, the price he had to pay was far too great.


    For nearly two decades he¡¯d suffered, battling against the necrotic plague that ate him away from the inside. Because of his strenuous focus it had only advanced a few centimetres, kept contained in his empty chest where he¡¯d been exposed to the artifact.


    Yet letting his power run wild just for a single slash had allowed it to eat through his chest and gut, consuming what remained of his healthy organs.


    The Mythril Tideheart whined, devouring tidestones like cheap snacks as it worked on overdrive to keep him alive. He didn¡¯t need to last forever, just long enough to let the power of the dark sun burn away the shadow king.


    His festering halo flickered and faded away a little further as he drew more of the dark sun¡¯s power into his core. It burned as it ate through his arcane circuits, but he couldn¡¯t help but bask in the unpleasant sensation.


    As soon as he¡¯d accepted his life was over, a colossal weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He felt lighter than he had in years.


    No longer fighting the corruption, he was free to go wild. His cutlass¡¯ edge exploded in a corona of green light, blasting the vice admiral¡¯s sword away.


    The man flew back with his weapon, a trail of black flames flickering on the waves where he¡¯d slid. He hissed and two puffs of acrid smoke blew from the corners of his mouth.


    ¡°An impressive showing, Blackheart. Though I doubt you can keep it up for much longer,¡± he sneered, charging right back at Trent.


    Well, he isn¡¯t wrong, Trent thought. But I don¡¯t need all day to put this bastard in his place.


    Metal screamed against the serrated tooth as the two men clashed once more.


    The ocean itself began to bubble and steam around them as the heat intensified. The dark sun with its searing plague-light slowly shrunk, a potent reminder that no great power comes without a price.


    Chester Saff¡¯s abyssal flames slicked across his arms and coated his sword as he swung it over and over, arms straining with every blow.


    Neither man could find an advantage, but they were being steadily worn away. As things stood the battle could rage for days without end.


    Suddenly Chester¡¯s eyes exploded with dark fire and black smoke billowed from every orifice on his body. Trent didn¡¯t realise what had changed, at first.


    But with every exchange, his opponent moved a little faster and struck a little harder.


    He couldn¡¯t afford to let his focus slip, but for a moment he listened to his arcane senses, peering at the fabric between the world and the tide. The Shadow King crackled with power, his core like a hungry whirlpool greedily devouring every scrap of energy in their surroundings.


    Just the ambient energy shouldn¡¯t be enough to sustain such a draw, which meant he also had his own stash of tidestones. That was no surprise¡ªafter a certain level you needed them on hand to unleash your full power.


    Even with him pushing himself to the absolute limit, Trent struggled to deal with this rapidly accelerating onslaught. His wrists were numb, rattled by endless shocks as Chester¡¯s blade battered his cutlass.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    He didn¡¯t think the vice admiral¡¯s sword was bathypelagic, as Sevalon¡¯s Revenge was, but it had to be close. Then again, more powerful equipment didn¡¯t always translate to greater force.


    Another icy tendril pierced the base of his neck as the corruption spread. This time he staggered and a burning blade broke through his guard, carving a deep gash in his bicep.


    Black flames cauterised it instantly, but that was far from a blessing. He wouldn¡¯t bleed out, but the agony of having his flesh grilled endlessly was a far worse torture. And the Shadow King¡¯s flames were far from normal.


    Having suffered the necrotic blight for years he knew what it felt like to have his flesh eaten away. But unlike the blight which was a physical torture, the black flames seemed to burn at his very existence.


    Even the flow of his arcane energy as it passed through that arm seemed to writhe and twist, losing a great deal of efficiency.


    Over the next few clashes, Chester broke through his guard more than once, but most of the cuts were only skin deep. Skin deep was enough to make him falter, however.


    Under the dual weight of the black flames and the rapidly spreading rot, Trent slowly started to lose momentum. In a moment of desperation he did something truly stupid.


    But sometimes you needed to take risks when everything was at stake.


    It hadn¡¯t been long enough for Yasmin to escape. If Saff won now he could easily catch her and the kids.


    Trent glanced in his storage amulet, sighing as he realised that he was about to drain almost thirty years of plundered wealth in a single breath. Then again, a dead man had no use for treasure.


    And he certainly didn¡¯t want this bastard to have it.


    He squeezed his fist, the sturdy artifact resisting the crushing strength of his core. But it soon relented, hairline cracks appearing along the surface.


    It shattered, a gentle arcane ripple travelling outwards as countless tidestones and random treasures he¡¯d collected over the years spilled out into the ocean. He didn¡¯t care about most of it, letting the depths reclaim their gifts.


    However, the tidestones barely tumbled for half a second before they exploded into shimmering dust. The fabric of the world shuddered at such a devastating release of arcane power.


    With a single inhale, Trent sucked the energy into every single pore of his body. At first it was a refreshing wave of power that refilled his exhausted circuits. The dark sun shimmered and exploded in searing light, returning to its full glory.


    Wielding the torrential surge of power, he snuffed out the dark flames of the Shadow King that festered across his body. His wounds didn¡¯t really heal, remaining as cauterised lacerations; a reminder of his weakness.


    However, as soon as he put the flames out the flow of his energy returned to normal. Better than normal. He¡¯d barely scratched the surface of the sheer quantity of power he¡¯d drawn into himself.


    Skill up!


    Arcane Attunement ¡ï46 > ¡ï51


    Arcane Resistance ¡ï8 > ¡ï14


    You have earned two new traits!


    Overflow: Wielding the arcane power of the tide is second nature to you, like breathing or blinking. Your core is able to control a far greater quantity of energy without going wild.


    Sturdy Circuits: Having felt the weight of the tide and resisted its touch over and over, your arcane circuits can withstand much more without cracking.


    Trent felt the pressure lessen a little as his new traits came into play, but they were barely able to handle the overwhelming torrent of power he¡¯d consumed.


    Until then, he¡¯d only consumed three or four tidestones during the battle with Commodore Saff and then Vice Admiral Saff. Yet in that single moment he¡¯d consumed almost fifty.


    The problem was, his body had hard limits. His core rapidly filled up and the crackling power whirled through his circuits until they were full to bursting.


    But the energy kept surging into him.


    Skill up!


    Arcane Resistance ¡ï14 > ¡ï16


    Endurance ¡ï¡ï1 > ¡ï¡ï2


    Chester¡¯s eyes widened when he saw the dozens of tidestones appearing and then promptly shattering. He tracked the wealth spilling into the sea.


    A flash of greed appeared in his eyes but he quelled it and the burning rage returned, redoubled as he glowered at Trent. ¡°This is madness Blackheart! You¡¯re condemning your soul to eternal torture,¡± he cried, smoke pouring from his mouth as his dark flames roared to life.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already suffered twenty years of constant torture, an after-lifetime¡¯s worth can¡¯t be so bad,¡± he replied, a trickle of black blood leaking from his nose.


    That was a bold-faced lie. Even as he finished speaking, he felt some of his smaller circuits burst from the pressure as the main channels struggled to contain the raging energy.


    Your occupation has advanced!


    Plague Duke of the Dark Sun 63 > 64


    The dark sun crackled with power and swelled once more, almost as though breaking free of Trent¡¯s control. It wouldn¡¯t be a problem for long, since he planned to give it an outlet. But his foe wasn¡¯t going to let that happen.


    Chester¡¯s flames surged to the sky, coating the man in armour of smoke and fire. His sword was a lance of burning darkness and he charged at Trent, swinging it with both arms strained to the limit.


    Trent wasn¡¯t ready to unleash his strike yet, the arcane energy still flowing through his rotting chest. The mythril tideheart screamed as even the potent arcane metal was forced beyond what it could handle.


    A blade of black flame descended from above as the Shadow King reached him and struck out, intending to end the battle with a decisive blow.

 1.89 - Descent of Blight

    If you venture deep enough into the tide you¡¯ll learn the truth of this world. You might even get to claim a slice of it for yourself, but power never comes without a cost.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Charting the Tide: Beyond Bathypelagic¡¯ by various contributors


    The air itself was set aflame as the dark sun met the flames of the Shadow King. Chester¡¯s blade crashed against Trent¡¯s cutlass. Despite wielding the more powerful weapon, the serrated edge of his blade began to deform and break against the blistering strike.


    He pushed against the weight of his foe. Even with the energy of the countless tidestones he¡¯d shattered flowing through him, Trent found himself being pushed back.


    However, most of the arcane power was being diverted towards his core rather than his muscles, leaving him disadvantaged. The black smoke billowing from the Shadow King¡¯s body was a sign he was using one of his signature abilities¡ªshadow engine.


    It was a fancy name for something with a simple effect. He used his attuned energy to create a kind of engine within his body, empowering his muscles in a feedback loop that grew stronger with every strike.


    Even though most of his enemies and allies alike knew how it worked after decades of use, that didn¡¯t stop it from being devastatingly effective. How did you deal with an enemy that grew more powerful with every exchange?


    The answer was simple.


    You just needed to make sure you wiped the floor with them in a single strike.


    But Chester wasn¡¯t planning to give Trent the time to charge his attack. Sevalon¡¯s Revenge groaned suddenly and then the blade bent backwards, shattering.


    It felt as though something deep within Trent shattered at the same moment. He wanted to roar in fury but all his focus was diverted elsewhere.


    Chester¡¯s blade swung forward, carving a line of black fire through the air as it bit deep into Trent¡¯s shoulder.


    The pain was like nothing else he¡¯d ever felt. His arcane circuits bent and cracked under the searing onslaught and his flesh was being sliced and cauterised endlessly as the Shadow King pushed the blade deeper.


    It carved all the way down until it bit bone and a metallic clang rang out, prompting the vice admiral to cackle with glee. ¡°It¡¯s over, Blackheart! Give in or I¡¯ll take your arm,¡± he cried.


    Trent hadn¡¯t yet used the power of the ARM. It cost too much arcane energy to power it while also attempting to gather enough to power the dark sun¡¯s ultimate strike.


    However, he had little choice right now. If he did nothing the battle would be over before he had the chance to fight back.


    He smiled, blood coating his teeth. ¡°This old thing? You can have it.¡±


    It was only an epipelagic treasure. The quantity of energy flooding his body right now was far too great for it to handle. But he wasn¡¯t trying to activate it.


    With the Shadow King¡¯s blade already halfway through his shoulder, he knew there was no chance of saving the ARM. He needed time, so he would obtain it through any means necessary.


    Power flooded through the glowing blue appendage as he unblocked the circuits in the shoulder. It strained to get through the disfigured circuits, suffering under his foe¡¯s black flames, but nothing could stand in the way of that raging tide.


    As the ARM began to glow brighter and brighter, he saw Chester¡¯s eyes widening in surprise. But it was too late for the man to escape.


    He clenched the muscles in his shoulders¡ªthe ones that still worked¡ªgripping the edge of the man¡¯s blade and preventing him from pulling back. The ARM began to crackle and spark, ominous clanking sounds echoing throughout.


    All of a sudden one of the blue fingers exploded in a shower of blue sparks, burning whatever they touched.


    ¡°You fool! What are you doing? You¡¯ll kill us both,¡± Chester exclaimed in shock.


    ¡°I¡¯m already damned,¡± chuckled Trent. ¡°If I can drag the Shadow King down with me then it will make my legend that much greater.¡±


    There was a final crackle and then the world flashed blue as the ARM detonated. Trent wasted no time in shoving away Chester¡¯s blade and letting the force of the explosion throw him away from his opponent.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    As he flew he felt the pressure from the tidal energy rampaging through his body lessen. The dark sun floating behind him continued to swell, growing in size as well as intensity.


    The festering heat even burnt him, scorching away at his rotten back. Trent knew that this would be the final move he ever unleashed on the world.


    So he wanted to make it one to remember.


    Then again, he wasn¡¯t sure there would be any survivors to tell the tale. Perhaps a fisherman on the distant shoreline¡­


    Skill up!


    Blight Resistance ¡ï66 > ¡ï67


    Blight Assimilation 12 > 13


    Your occupation has advanced!


    Plague Duke of the Dark Sun 64 > 65


    Every time his Blight Assimilation skill levelled up and with it his occupation, the accursed pain of the festering rot that consumed his body became a little sweeter. He detested it.


    The moment a man began to love that which was killing him was the moment he succumbed to madness. However, Trent wasn¡¯t able to turn down the power it offered in exchange.


    Especially when he needed it to bring down the Shadow King. Chester had already begun to recover from the explosion of his ARM.


    Burns marked his face and arm, his once pristine uniform now ripped and charred where the treasure had exploded and torn into his flesh. He had a fierce scowl on his face and his black flames roared as though mirroring his anger.


    He didn¡¯t waste any time, instantly charging at Trent as soon as he¡¯d regained his footing. But it was too late to stop him.


    When the man was halfway to Trent he suddenly stumbled as the sea beneath him vanished. All the water ten miles in every direction suddenly evaporated into billowing clouds of steam as the dark sun rapidly swelled in size.


    Trent had known he had the power to do this the moment he¡¯d taken the occupation, but he never had a reason to unleash such a devastating strike until now. And the cost was heavy.


    Using it when he¡¯d been in prime condition, holding off the rot with relative ease, wouldn¡¯t have accelerated the spread by much. As he was now, he was sacrificing himself to unleash this single strike.


    Chester regained his footing, standing on two small clouds of black smoke and continuing to charge. The steam blocked him from view every few seconds, but he was still a few metres away.


    All of a sudden Trent felt the dark sun sucking all the energy from his core. He let it happen.


    When it had drunk its fill he was only left with a few drops¡ªbarely enough to sustain the mythril tideheart. He didn¡¯t need to stay alive for much longer.


    The necrotic blight crept up his neck and he gasped as he lost the ability to breathe. It felt as though he was deep underwater, running on minimal oxygen.


    It wasn¡¯t healthy for a surging core to run on this little tidal energy.


    Trent felt a pop inside his gut, followed by a devastating wave of a thousand icy needles burrowing into his bones. He let out a booming laugh.


    It was even less healthy for a raging core to run on this little energy.


    He¡¯d broken through in the moment of his death. It was a little ironic. If he¡¯d possessed a raging core at the start of this battle he might not have had to go to such extremes.


    But he needed to push himself this far to achieve the breakthrough. The tide was a vicious mistress.


    Unfortunately, this skill required more than just arcane energy to activate. It required a sacrifice of flesh and bone. Trent felt the burn as what little remained of his organic body was consumed and devoured by the dark sun.


    Chester took the final step towards him right as the sun went supernova. Trent felt the blistering heat incinerate the last of his rotten flesh, the last thing to burn being his dead black heart.


    His soul lasted a few moments longer. Long enough to witness the Shadow King being burnt to a rotten crisp with a shocked expression on his face.


    A bunch of whorls appeared as he burnt up, but he didn¡¯t care to read them, given that he wasn¡¯t long for this world. His final thoughts were with Yasmin, Rose, and even the damn rifle boy.


    He¡¯d earned them enough time to escape and with the Shadow King gone it would be a while before anyone else thought to chase after them.


    Nasar, I¡¯m ready to join you, my old friend. I suppose it''s fitting that I face my final rest in the sea of my birth.


    A crater had appeared in the ocean, all the way down to the seabed, dozens of miles below. The colossal cloud of steam and the hideous green explosion could be seen all the way from Aughold, making the residents wonder what had happened.


    Only a select few members of the navy knew that was the direction that Vice Admiral Saff had set sail in pursuit of Blackheart. They weren¡¯t sure whether the explosion was an ill omen or a sign of his victory.


    Eventually, a few hours later, the sea returned to normal. The choppy waves hid all evidence a battle had taken place and the tide claimed nine more ships and a thousand lives.


    All was calm on the ocean floor and the myriad creatures of the sea were feasting on the charred and rotten remains of the unfortunate sailors. One curious fish broke away from his school, following the scent of a tasty treat.


    When it reached the end of the trail it was confused. Instead of the delicious snack it had been expecting there was just a lump of misshapen blue metal fused with a clump of charred, rotten flesh.


    It figured it had come this far so it might as well give the strange object a taste. It swam closer, realising that despite the grim appearance the lump of metal and flesh was filled with crackling arcane power.


    Just the kind of nourishment a little fish needed to advance the quality of its very existence; to take the next step.


    However, right as it went to take a bite, the lump suddenly throbbed, sending out a wave of power that made almost all the gathered creatures scatter in fright. And then it pulsed again.


    Deep under the ocean, carried by the tide, a dead black heart began to beat once more.

 1.90 - Aftermath

    There¡¯s no feeling more hollow than walking away from a battle where you lost an important comrade. But getting used to that sting is what separates the best pirates from the rabble.


    -Quoted from Castell Saltbeard


    Rose suddenly felt her stomach drop. Nothing had changed¡ªher and Felix were still being dragged through the ocean by Yasmin, the woman refusing to stop for even a second.


    Despite that, she knew what had happened. Felt it deep inside.


    Trent had died. The captain who¡¯d introduced her to the world of piracy was no more. There was no other explanation for the sudden feeling of emptiness that consumed her.


    She cried but the tears were washed away by the rushing currents. She didn¡¯t know what she was going to do now.


    ***


    Yasmin had brought them back to Zoria. In the dead of night they emerged from the ocean in a cloud of ink and made their way to her gallery.


    True to his word, the governor hadn¡¯t touched a single plank. It remained exactly as it had the day they¡¯d left.


    ¡°You two head upstairs and get some clean clothes on. Rose, take one of my dresses. Felix¡­ there should be some men¡¯s stuff buried somewhere. You can adjust the temperature of the bath with the knobs,¡± Yasmin told them as soon as they stepped inside.


    It was chilly, but that was to be expected when no one had been inside for a week or so. Rose ran a hand along the wooden bannisters as she walked up the stairs, tracing a line in the dust.


    She could barely summon the energy to run the bath and wash herself, but she did it anyway. Scrubbing herself clean of all the crap the world had thrown at her over the last few weeks felt refreshing.


    Flicking through Yasmin¡¯s wardrobe she grabbed the first dress that seemed soft enough to sleep in and threw it over her head before collapsing into the pile of blankets and pillows. She was out before she landed.


    ***


    They sat around the dining table, no one uttering a word. Yasmin had prepared a plate of buttery scrambled eggs, a tomato salad, and fresh toasted bread.


    Rose ate slowly, taking methodical bites. She lamented the fact she couldn¡¯t appreciate such a delicious meal, but her heart wasn¡¯t in it.


    Half way through she stood up from the table, her plate barely touched. ¡°I¡¯m full. Thanks for the meal, Yasmin. I¡¯ll be upstairs,¡± she mumbled before trudging to the bedroom.


    Once there, she sat beside the big circular window, gazing out across Clissolt. The sun was shining in the clear blue sky and dozens of people, small as ants from her perspective, scurried about their daily business.


    She wondered how many of them had suffered a loss like hers and kept going. She wasn¡¯t sure she could bring herself to set sail once more.


    It wasn¡¯t that she¡¯d given up on her goal. Far from it. She was still adamant about becoming a pirate legend.


    But she wasn¡¯t sure she could stomach losing more friends. Felix had made it out this time, but what if she¡¯d been a moment too late to save him?


    What if Sylack hadn¡¯t listened to her prayers?


    As things stood, she knew she was too weak. If she wanted to sail deeper into the world, chasing grander oceans and deadlier foes, she would need to get far stronger.


    There was only one way to do that. And even though she knew they would protest, Rose knew she had to do it alone.


    Something hard smacked into the glass before dropping from view. A single white feather with grey edges floated in the air, gently swishing to the ground.


    She heard the muffled flap of wings and then saw a familiar seagull angrily huffing its way back up to the window. A smile crossed her face for the first time since they¡¯d arrived.


    ¡°Silly bird,¡± she chuckled. ¡°You should watch where you¡¯re flying.¡±


    Reaching up to the top of the window, Rose undid the latch and swung it open, letting the elderly seagull wearing a green scarf inside. It squawked at her and she giggled, shutting the window behind it.


    It stood there on the wooden floor, preening its greying feathers. After a minute of grooming it finally reached inside its little leather satchel and pulled out a sealed letter with its beak.


    Then it dropped it on the floor in front of Rose, squawked once and tilted its head to one side. She went to grab the letter but when she ignored the seagull it rushed forward and pecked her hand.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    She yelped and dropped the letter. ¡°What did you do that for, damn bird?¡± Rose cried, staring daggers at the seagull.


    The bird squawked and tilted its head once more, staring into her soul without moving. She went to grab the letter once more and it stepped forward, placing a claw on the envelope.


    ¡°Are you here to deliver my letter or not?!¡± she exclaimed, growing exasperated with the bird¡¯s antics.


    It nodded its head, extending its neck so that it was right under her hand. She realised what it wanted from her and sighed.


    ¡°Damn greedy bird. Do you do this to all your customers or is it just me?¡± she chuckled, reaching out and stroking the seagull¡¯s smooth feathers.


    They were far softer than they looked given the greying and mottled edges, and it cooed as she ran her fingers down its head. After a few strokes it took a step backwards and walked towards the window.


    She opened it up and let the bird fly away, waving goodbye to its retreating form. Once it had disappeared from view she sat back down after closing the window and picked up the letter.


    The letter that had to be from her parents.


    It took her a few minutes to muster up the courage to unseal the envelope, but eventually she did, pulling the neatly folded paper from inside. On the front her name was written in her mother¡¯s neatly printed handwriting.


    Rose Everblue


    Taking a deep breath, she unfolded the letter, laughing at the hodgepodge medley of beautiful calligraphy her mother had written and her father¡¯s chicken scratches.


    To our wonderful, infuriating daughter,


    Your father and I miss you dearly. It took a long time for us to get over you running away, but in the end we realised you¡¯d never lied to us about what you wanted from life. It¡¯s just difficult for a parent to accept that the child they¡¯ve raised wants a dangerous life of adventure and battle. Then again, that fateful day had been ordained since the day you were conceived. One cannot fight fate.


    YOU BETTER NOT BE ROBBING INNOCENT FOLK, DAMN BRAT!


    Forgive your father for his awful writing. Feel free to ignore most of it as it¡¯s just incoherent rambling. He means well, but you leaving hit him the hardest. He¡¯d raised you to follow in his footsteps for fifteen years and despite your childish ambitions I¡¯m not sure he ever truly accepted reality.


    Anyway, I¡¯m prattling on. It was wonderful to hear from you and know that you are not only alive but thriving. I find it difficult to believe you¡¯ve acquired so many skills and traits, but you have no reason to lie. I would love to see you again, but I understand that might not be possible. Just remember there will always be a home for you here.


    ¡­


    The letter went on for another page or so, half filled with her father lecturing her about running away and making sure she wasn¡¯t hurting ¡®innocent merchants¡¯ and ¡®hard-working sailors¡¯ and the rest her mother being a little cryptic.


    What did she mean by fighting fate? She¡¯d made it sound as though this wasn¡¯t a choice made of her own volition. Rose wasn¡¯t sure what she was going to do now.


    She hesitated, tapping at the empty air, before opening her status. It had been a while since she last looked.


    Name: Rose Everblue


    Blessings: Minor Blessing [Sylack]


    Race: Human


    Occupation: Apprentice Scholar 22


    Title: Quintessential Skill


    Available Titles: Slaughterer, Apprentice, Quintessential Skill, Ambitious Harvester, Godtouched, Traitor


    Bound Items: Sunsplitter 51, Divine Serpent¡¯s Lure ¡ï27


    Skills:


    [General]: Cleaning 12, Fishing 26, Butchery 10, Cooking 8, Herding 2, Crafting 12, Sailing 15, Field Medicine 1


    [Cerebral]: Reading 12, Writing 16, Focus 17, Drawing 20, Appraisal 3


    [Physical]: Swimming 10, Endurance 11, Athletics 11, Toxin Resistance 2, Climbing 5, Stealth 8


    [Martial]: One Handed Weapons 9, Blades 18, Pistols 11, Firearms 5, Unarmed Combat 2, Dual Wielding 13


    [Arcane]: Arcane Attunement 14, Light Attunement 8, Arcane Resistance 4, Water Attunement 7


    [Divine]: Divine Attunement 4


    Traits: Sensitive Line, Deft Hand, Good as New, Tunnel Vision, Endless Inkwell, Quick Consumption, Knot my Problem, Reliable Duelist, Steady Slash, Smooth Strokes, Agile, With the Grain, Ambidextrous, Thick Skin, Energetic, Inventor, Seductive Lure


    All it took to earn it was the loss of two great men. Even though she still felt abysmal, Rose knew there was nothing to be gained by wallowing in misery in Yasmin¡¯s attic.


    It was time to move on.


    When she went downstairs for lunch, there was a huge banquet laid out on the dining table. ¡°What¡¯s all this?¡± she asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving. I felt like we should have one last meal to celebrate our time together,¡± Yasmin replied.


    ¡°What? How did you know, I haven¡¯t said anything yet¡­¡±


    ¡°It was obvious, dear. You know me, I¡¯m a witch. We know things,¡± she said, tapping the side of her nose.


    Rose rolled her eyes and sat down at the table, letting the mixed aromas of roasted meats, vegetables, and the myriad of side dishes wash over her.


    Felix had an expression like a kicked puppy as he looked across the table at her, but dug into the food with gusto all the same. She took a little sample of each dish, taking slow bites.


    Her appetite hadn¡¯t really returned but the food was delicious, cooked with love by Yasmin. She didn¡¯t want to let it go to waste.


    ¡°Where will you go?¡± Felix eventually asked, chewing on a mouthful of chicken.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s time I visited home. There¡¯s too many questions I need to find the answers to and something tells me I should start there.¡±

 1.91 - Return to Emerlan Isle

    There¡¯s no place like home


    -Excerpt from ¡®The Mage of Zo¡¯ by unknown author


    Rose had managed to save up quite a bit of gold during their adventures. Clearing a couple of convergences would do that for you.


    Saying goodbye to Yasmin had been difficult, but she made her promise to come and visit when she was ready. That might take a while, but she wasn¡¯t the kind of girl to go back on her word.


    She¡¯d given her a leather satchel stuffed with art and writing supplies, refusing to take a single copper for it when she shoved it into Rose¡¯s arms. ¡°Just show me some of your beautiful work when you come back,¡± she¡¯d said.


    Parting ways with Felix was far more difficult. They¡¯d been together a long time. Rose¡¯s life at sea had begun staring into his eyes and for now, it was ending the same way.


    They shared a hug that lasted a minute longer than it needed to. Well, there was never a hug that lasted too long, but she had a ship waiting for her.


    A friendly merchant who was making the long voyage from Clissolt to Albumott had agreed to take her along for the ride. He¡¯d only charged her a couple silver and she¡¯d even get a cabin of her own, separate from the crew.


    ¡°I¡¯ll never forget them,¡± she said to Yasmin, the woman¡¯s melancholy smile being enough of an answer.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you turned me into a pirate and now you¡¯re running off,¡± quipped Felix. ¡°I¡¯ll be back home in Derridas if you ever decide to set sail once more.¡±


    A tear rolled down her cheek as she turned to the quays, frowning when she saw there were four trailing into the ocean. That didn¡¯t seem right, but she wasn¡¯t going to question it.


    ¡°Sorry for the wait, Captain. I won¡¯t be seeing my friends for a while and-¡±


    He held up a hand to stop her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, lass. I get it. Seen the same scene play out plenty of times during my life. Anyway, your cabin¡¯s the third on the right. Might get a little noisy sometimes, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯re used to it. The journey to Albumott should take us two weeks.¡±


    ¡°That seems pretty slow.¡±


    ¡°I bet you¡¯re used to those fancy ships with dozens of sails and perfect shapes to cut through the waves. This old girl might not be a racer, but she¡¯s weathered a hundred storms and ten thousand nights at sea with me. You¡¯ll not find a sturdier ship in the whole of the Bluestone Sea.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense,¡± Rose replied with a nod. All the ships she¡¯d been on until now had been top of the line, built for speed and battle. ¡°And you mentioned a friend of yours could ferry me up from Albumott to Fairwater Bay once we arrive?¡±


    ¡°Aye. It might take a day or two to get hold of him, but he should be in town. Usually charges a few coppers for the trip, depending on how many he¡¯s taking. If you let me know where you¡¯re staying I can send a message when he¡¯s ready.¡±


    ¡°Alright, thank you very much. I¡¯ll probably spend most of the trip in the cabin but if anything happens let me know, I can handle myself in a scrap and know my way around a ship,¡± she replied, tapping the pistol in her belt.


    ¡°Well, there shouldn¡¯t be any pirates along this route, but I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± the captain said, shaking his head and walking over to his crew to shout orders.


    They scattered and began rigging the little merchant vessel to set sail while the captain pushed them off the quay.


    Rose waved at Felix and Yasmin as they drifted out into the open ocean. It would be a long time until she saw either of them again, but she hoped that day would arrive eventually.


    And she hoped she would have better stories to tell them than the one they¡¯d been a part of. Though it had been wonderful while it lasted.


    ***


    Just as the captain said, the journey was rather uneventful. Other than a sudden storm that hit him a week into the trip, nothing happened.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Rose spent her time drawing and writing, attempting to work on her dual wielding while she did. Her efforts eventually bore fruit, but it felt like a pittance given how much time she¡¯d spent.


    Skill up!


    Drawing 20 > 21


    Dual Wielding 13 > 14


    Your occupation has advanced!


    Apprentice Scholar 22 > 23


    Writing hadn¡¯t gained a level at all, which was frustrating. But there were still a few days left until they reached Albumott at the southern end of Emerlan Isle, so she continued to practice.


    ***


    ¡°Finally!¡± Rose exclaimed, leaping to her feet and scaring the wits out of the sailor who¡¯d been keeping watch beside her.


    Skill up!


    Writing 16 > 17


    Focus 17 > 18


    Your occupation has advanced!


    Apprentice Scholar 23 > 24


    In the distance, the town of Albumott was just coming into view. The journey had been rather boring, but Rose was glad she¡¯d managed to gain at least one level in all the skills she decided to work on.


    Advancing her occupation another two levels was a massive boon as well. She would do her best to try and complete it while she visited home¡ªit was a difficult job, but she wanted to set sail once more with a better foundation.


    She went back into the cabin and began to gather her stuff. She made sure to separate the dirty, salt-licked clothes she¡¯d worn on the voyage from the clean outfits.


    The satchel Yasmin had given her was home to all of her writing and drawing supplies as well as random bits like the letter from her parents. She¡¯d kept it as a memento, occasionally rereading it as they travelled.


    She wasn¡¯t sure where she planned to stay, so in the end she asked the captain for a recommendation. That also made it easier for him to find her when his friend was ready to ferry her home.


    Rose could¡¯ve made the journey by land, but Emerlan Isle was all rocky hills and cold weather. She didn¡¯t want to brave it.


    After her time at sea she¡¯d begun to feel far more comfortable with a rocking ship beneath her feet than the unmoving land.


    Even now as she walked through the cobbled streets of Albumott she couldn¡¯t quite settle her churning stomach. Though that could¡¯ve also been the strangeness of being back in her homeland.


    She¡¯d have to give it a few days and see how she felt then. Finding the inn wasn¡¯t difficult¡ªAlbumott was bigger than Fairwater Bay, but not by much. When she mentioned the captain¡¯s name to the portly innkeeper in the reception, he¡¯d cracked a big smile and offered her a discount.


    At this point she didn¡¯t really care about a few coppers, but she wasn¡¯t going to refuse his kindness. That was how you made enemies.


    The room was a lot shabbier than what she¡¯d grown used to, but it reminded her of home. A simple wooden bed with a straw-filled mattress and a wooden bathtub.


    Dinner was grilled fish and potatoes. Not like her mother made, but close enough. A tear rolled down her cheek as she took the first bite.


    Rose wasn¡¯t sure if food would ever taste the same since Nasar died. She hoped it would. The man would turn in his grave if he knew she wasn¡¯t eating properly.


    ***


    At breakfast two days later, Rose was slowly chewing on a piece of toast when she heard two men at a nearby table suddenly raise their voices.


    ¡°What do you mean, you bastard! Don¡¯t say that about the king. He¡¯s a good man and he¡¯s served the Isle fantastically over the last three decades,¡± cried a salt-and-pepper grandpa.


    ¡°Hey, lower your voice! You¡¯ll get me dragged away in the middle of the night speaking like that. I never said King Bartholomew wasn¡¯t a great ruler. I just said that perhaps he shouldn¡¯t antagonise Minenblum right now. He¡¯s got to think of us common folk and our safety,¡± hissed the other, grabbing the grandpa¡¯s arm and dragging him back into his seat.


    ¡°Bah! Minenblum won¡¯t do anything. They¡¯re far too busy dealing with the loss of the Shadow King and the rising threat from the west. Who¡¯d bother invading this rocky bit of grass just to claim a few scraggly doori?¡± chuckled the grandpa, waving a hand dismissively at the younger fellow.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s easy for you to say, Dad. You¡¯ll probably kick the bucket before anything happens.¡±


    The old man started coughing and slapped the other guy¡¯s head. ¡°Don¡¯t say that crap, you ungrateful bastard.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, sorry. I didn¡¯t mean it. But you have to admit I¡¯ve got a point.¡±


    Rose tuned out of the conversation after that, having lost interest in their bantering. But she¡¯d learnt something interesting. Minenblum seemed to be on the warpath.


    The Shadow King¡­ Didn¡¯t Trent say something about him. Was that the bastard who came for us after he killed Commodore Saff? Rose suddenly realised who the old men were talking about.


    Why would Minenblum invade the Emerlan Isle, though? That grandpa¡¯s right, there¡¯s nothing valuable here¡­ Rose couldn¡¯t figure out an answer. She would need to look into what was going on in the world before doing that.


    However, she was loath to dig into anything further flung than home right now. She¡¯d returned to visit her parents and forget about her woes, if only for a little while.


    Just then she heard the door to the restaurant swing open and a familiar face strolled in. The captain looked around the room before finding her and walking over.


    He sat down opposite her in the booth. ¡°I¡¯ve got some good news and some bad news. What do you want first, lass?¡±

 1.92 - Trouble in Greengate

    Nothing stirs up unrest like the threat of war. Then again, nothing brings people together like the promise of war. Humans are never satisfied, but they are bloodthirsty.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Trawling the Sunken Histories¡¯ by various contributors


    What bad news could the man possibly have for her? Other than their contract to ferry her here and the promise of further transport, they had barely spoken.


    Rose had already dealt with enough crap, but it was always better to start with the tough conversation. ¡°Let¡¯s hear the bad news,¡± she told the old captain.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to find my friend after a whole day of looking for the salt-licked bastard. Eventually I tracked down one of his old mistresses and she told me he¡¯d gone missing a couple weeks back. Supposedly said something he wasn¡¯t supposed to while drinking in a bar and was never heard of again¡­¡± he whispered.


    That tale sounded awfully similar to the one she¡¯d just heard the two men arguing about. If she didn¡¯t know any better she¡¯d think something odd was happening on this boring little island.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a little frustrating. I guess I can make the trip by land but I really wanted to sail around the coast. Thanks for your help, Captain,¡± she replied with a sigh.


    ¡°Aye, I feel you lass. Doesn¡¯t feel right hiking across these rocky hills after spending a life at sea. If you¡¯re willing to wait another few days I could try to find someone else to take you?¡± he offered.


    ¡°No, I¡¯d rather walk. I don¡¯t want to delay getting home any longer. Thank you though,¡± she refused with grace. ¡°You mentioned good news?¡±


    ¡°Well, I figured you might say something like that, so I¡¯ve got a solution. One of the guys I sell my merchandise to is taking his caravan to Greengate and they¡¯re leaving in an hour. If you hurry you could hitch a ride. It¡¯s a nicer trip than walking all alone.¡±


    ¡°That is a great idea. Thank you very much, I¡¯ll take you up on that offer. Just let me finish this,¡± she said, waving at her plate of scrambled eggs, sausages, and toast.


    He chuckled and waved over the innkeeper. ¡°Can I get a steaming mug of tea, Billy?¡±


    ¡°Sure thing old friend, just make sure to pay your tab at some point,¡± the man replied with a booming laugh.


    ***


    It didn¡¯t take them long to find the merchants after leaving the inn. Rose had gathered her belongings and followed the captain through the town.


    ¡°Aye, Danny, this is the girl I was telling you about. She¡¯s real peaceful. I barely noticed she was there while we sailed back from Clissolt. Just find her some space in one of the empty caravans,¡± said the captain.


    ¡°No problem mate,¡± he replied, shaking the captain¡¯s hand.


    The man waved goodbye to Rose before heading back to the docks. He was supposed to return to Zoria that evening with his new cargo. The merchant turned to her, a toothpick clamped between his teeth.


    ¡°So, are you happy sleeping on sacks of wheat? It¡¯s the comfiest bed I can offer. Far better than what these bastards will get,¡± he chuckled, pointing at the rest of the group behind him.


    She nodded. ¡°Anything¡¯s fine, honestly. As long as we make good time.¡±


    ¡°That we will. I heard you¡¯re handy in a fight? We might encounter some bandits along the way. Things have been getting restless around here recently and there¡¯s been more and more reports of them on the road to the capital.¡±


    ¡°Just give me a shout if you need help. I¡¯ll be ready,¡± she replied with a nod.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°Attagirl! Shouldn¡¯t take us much longer to finish loading and getting the doori ready. Feel free to make yourself at home,¡± he said, waving at one cart halfway down the line.


    ***


    As it turned out, the merchant had undersold the danger of this particular journey. Just two days after leaving Albumott, when they were halfway to Greengate, she heard a cacophony of yelling and the clang of steel from outside the cart.


    She rushed towards the exit and reached for her pistol, but fell on her arse when a body flew through the flap and almost smacked into her chest. A dainty pivot let her avoid it.


    It wasn¡¯t someone she recognised. A man in dirty clothes and a few tattered pieces of leather armour.


    He had an arrow poking out of his chest and blood leaking from his mouth. He mumbled something and then fell still. Bandits, she realised.


    Sunsplitter was in her hands before her feet touched the dirt. Hopping off the cart, she looked around and saw carnage.


    The caravan guards were locked in a brutal struggle with the bandits, neither side having the upper hand but both dishing out serious violence. An arrow from the bandit archers would pierce a guard, followed by another pouncing for the kill.


    In retaliation, another guard would usually catch that bandit unawares and slaughter them in revenge. However, Rose saw that it was only a matter of time before the bandits won.


    They had the numbers. Alongside the guard captain, a guy who¡¯d introduced himself as Daniel with a grunt, there were just six other guards left fighting.


    On the other hand, the bandits still had about fifteen men left standing. The merchants were hiding, gathered in one of the carts. They¡¯d equipped themselves with whatever they could find to use as weapons, but the way their hands were shaking told Rose they¡¯d likely never had to fight in their lives.


    Emerlan Isle was supposed to be a peaceful island¡­


    What had happened to her home while she was gone? It had only been a few months and yet it seemed like chaos had descended. The signs were everywhere.


    Suddenly she heard a yell to her right and turned to see a bandit charging towards her with an axe raised above his head. His clothes were dirty and torn, his grip shoddy.


    She parried his opening blow with ease, sending his arm swinging. His eyes widened as he saw the crystal cutlass blade descending and soon his head was flying, eyes frozen permanently in shock.


    Even these bandits don¡¯t know how to wield a weapon? What the hell is going on¡­ They seem more like farmers gone rogue to me, Rose thought to herself as she entered the fray.


    Another bandit rushed at her and right before he reached her she heard the whistle of an arrow. Dodging it was simple, but left her right side exposed to the charging enemy.


    However, the man¡¯s swing was clumsy. It took him a few moments to react to the easy strike that lay before him. She pivoted her hips, the edge of Sunsplitter meeting his sword with a clang.


    She expected more force, but instead the bandit was blown backwards, stumbling and trying to stay upright. She darted forwards and plunged the cutlass into his chest, killing him instantly.


    As he collapsed she looked at his hands. The sword fell to the grassy dirt. His knuckles and palms were heavily calloused, but it couldn¡¯t be from training with a blade. He¡¯d barely known how to swing it.


    Rose¡¯s suspicions were confirmed. These men were definitely farmers, but why had they left the mountain pastures to raid merchant caravans?


    The weather hadn¡¯t seemed so bad. Even in good seasons, Emerlan Isle¡¯s rocky soil wasn¡¯t ideal for growing crops, but there were plenty of plants that could not only grow, but thrive here.


    Despite knowing that, she couldn¡¯t just spare the bandits. They were out for blood and from the crazed looks in their eyes she doubted they would stop the battle just because she asked to talk.


    Another man charged at her and after a brief exchange she carved through his chest, two halves of his body falling to the ground. She heard the twang of a bow and ducked under the arrow.


    Glancing towards the back line she saw the two archers. They¡¯d picked off two more guards while she¡¯d fought her way towards them, but thanks to her efforts the numbers were far more even now.


    But if she didn¡¯t deal with the archers they might not have any guards left for the rest of the journey. And she didn¡¯t particularly want to take that job for herself.


    Leaning heavily on her Athletics skill, Rose pumped her legs and dashed between a break in the line of bandits. They began shouting and roaring as she darted at the archers and the male and female archer swung their bows to face her.


    However, when she¡¯d crossed half the distance she suddenly heard a scream and the tearing of fabric. Sparing a glance backwards she saw the bandits had managed to reach the cart where the merchants were hiding and slashed the cover open.


    Turning back to the archers she saw their bows fully drawn, preparing to fill her with arrows. She couldn¡¯t just leave the merchants to their fate, but neither could she abandon her targets¡­

 1.93 - The Tides of War

    A war is much like a stone balanced at the top of a cliff. It might seem precariously perched, but as long as it isn¡¯t disturbed it can remain sitting there unmoving, forever. But the moment it receives even the gentlest push, it will become an unstoppable force that gathers more and more momentum the closer it gets to the bottom until it eventually shatters. And that single falling stone can set off more and more¡­


    -Excerpt from ¡®Treatise on the Management of Foreign and Sovereign Populations¡¯ by First Minister Darness of Iskallior


    Rose made a split second decision. Stuck between a rock and a hard place she put away Sunsplitter and reached for the only tool that could help her now.


    Her hands grasped Divine Serpent¡¯s Lure as the rod appeared from her inventory. It was far easier to equip it now that it was a treasure and not just a regular rod.


    Her arms moved even more fluidly with a rod in her hands than the twin blades. She was born for this and raised to excel.


    The archers faltered for a moment as they saw her changing weapons in an instant. They might not know exactly what it meant but they could tell they were outmatched.


    As soon as they recovered they hastened to fire, but the moment the arrows left the bow Rose had already raised the rod high and snapped her arms down. The serpent fang hook snapped the shafts in two before they reached halfway towards her.


    A second swing of her arms made the line snap and twist. It shrieked as it sliced through the man¡¯s throat. To her credit, the female archer barely faltered and was already shooting another arrow at Rose the moment her ally¡¯s body hit the ground.


    But she was far too slow.


    The hook of her rod buried itself in the woman¡¯s heart right as she released the bowstring. She fell and the arrow sailed into the sky, missing by a mile.


    Rose didn¡¯t even stop to watch her body hit the ground, pivoting to save the merchants before the bandits could slaughter them. She saw they were somehow keeping the bandits at bay, shoving them with pitchforks and shoddy swords.


    Taking a single step back down the hill, Rose began to swing her rod. The line whistled as it carved a graceful arc through the air.


    The bandits never knew what hit them. It wasn¡¯t until the hook buried itself in the third man and he was yanked out of the fray that the rest realised something was wrong.


    However, it was too late and they were much too far away from Rose to strike her down. One man turned and tried to rush her, but her next swing of the rod left him clutching at his bleeding throat and gasping for breath. The other two abandoned their attempt at killing the merchants and started to run away.


    Rose killed the slower one and then smiled as the other was intercepted by the guard captain, who seemed to have dealt with the final two bandits and came to join the battle. They had won, but the cost was heavy.


    She only counted two guards alongside the captain and one of the carts was damaged beyond repair. However, the bandit¡¯s losses were far greater.


    As she drew closer to the group, she saw them all looking at her with wide eyes. Reverence.


    She hated it. All she¡¯d wanted was to lie low and make her way back to Fairwater Bay without any trouble. Instead she¡¯d ended up having to kill a bunch of farmers.


    They only had themselves to blame, turning to banditry, but it didn¡¯t make her feel better about it. Killing your own countrymen wasn¡¯t something to be proud of.


    ¡°Looks like the old Captain was underselling your skills. I¡¯ve never seen anyone fight like that!¡± exclaimed Danny as she walked up to the cart. ¡°You were like an angel of death! An incarnation of Lestaire herself-¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The guard captain clamped a firm hand on his shoulder and threw him a stern look that made him shut up. Turning to Rose he offered her a bow.


    ¡°Thank you, Rose. I¡¯m not sure we would¡¯ve made it out of here alive without your help. Get some rest, we¡¯ll have the caravan moving again in no time.¡±


    She nodded curtly and returned to her caravan. Entering, she saw the body of the man who¡¯d flown in at the start. With a grimace she pulled it out and laid it with the rest of the bodies the guards were arranging.


    One of the pair nodded towards her, eyes wet as he held back tears. They¡¯d lost more than a few friends in the battle. She wished they¡¯d called her for help earlier.


    ***


    As promised, the caravan had started moving again just an hour after the battle. The guards had lit a funeral pyre for the fallen, including the bandits because no one wanted to leave a load of rotting corpses on the road.


    When they reached Greengate, Rose parted ways with them after a short thanks and paid them quite a lot more than she needed to. Danny had tried to refuse her money entirely, but she insisted quite firmly.


    Since leaving for the ocean, even the small amount of wealth she¡¯d accrued made her richer than most on Emerlan Isle, including some of the nobles. It was a strange feeling, being just fifteen and yet stronger and wiser than most around her.


    Not that she thought that in an arrogant way¡ªafter what she¡¯d seen Rose knew better than most just how far away her goals were¡ªbut rather than the warmth she¡¯d expected to feel upon returning home, she felt disconnected. It hurt.


    Then again it made sense. Her path, her goals, had always laid out to sea. Now that she¡¯d truly set out to achieve them it was difficult to stomach being back here.


    She didn¡¯t want to stay in Greengate longer than she needed to. It was actually only her second time in the capital of the Emerlan Isle, but there wasn¡¯t much to speak of.


    Other than the King¡¯s castle and the pretty manors of the noble quarter, it was a hodgepodge of ramshackle houses and taverns. She made her way to the only one she knew, a place her mother had taken her to stay the first time they came here.


    It didn¡¯t even have a name, the sign only displayed a bed and a hunk of grilled meat. That was good enough for most to know what they were in for.


    Opening the door, she smiled at the tinkle of the bell and the smell of fresh bread wafting from the kitchen. The girl at the desk was unfamiliar, but she waved at her all the same.


    ¡°Welcome to our inn, we hope you have a wonderful stay should you choose to lodge with us. One free meal a day is included in your charge and I have to warn you, that bread is to die for. I just had a taste and I can barely sit still here,¡± she began her sales pitch without delay. A true professional.


    Rose knew she was going to stay here before she walked in the door but the girl¡¯s warm smile and the mention of the bread confirmed her decision as the right one. ¡°I¡¯ll take a room for just one night. A loaf or two of fresh bread sounds like exactly what I need right now,¡± she replied, tossing a silver coin onto the desk.


    The girl¡¯s eyes went wide at the coin. ¡°I¡¯ll get your change right away, miss. Just wait there!¡± she exclaimed, standing and taking a step towards the door behind her.


    Rose held up a hand to stop her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the change, just keep the coin. Maybe bring me an extra loaf with dinner,¡± she said with a wink.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll bring two! Would you like to eat now or should I show you to your room first?¡± the girl rushed out from behind the desk.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Rose said, placing a soft hand on her arm. ¡°Relax, there¡¯s no need for all this. I''m just here for a hot meal and a warm bed.¡±


    The girl slowed down but Rose knew she wouldn¡¯t stop her with a single sentence. The dining room had two other customers and a portly chef who she did recognise from her last stay.


    She wasn¡¯t sure he recognised her, but he greeted her with a smile and a wave regardless. This was more like the Emerlan Isle she remembered.


    ¡°Have a seat here miss, I¡¯ll be right back with your bread and the chef will have dinner prepared in no time,¡± the girl said, pulling out a chair and walking off once Rose had sat down.


    As promised, it didn¡¯t take long for dinner to arrive, the chef delivering it himself shortly after the girl handed her three loaves of fresh bread. Rose wasn¡¯t sure she could finish the hearty helping of stew and bread but she would do her best.


    It wasn¡¯t as exquisite as Nasar¡¯s dinner¡¯s had been, but there was something comforting about home cooked doori that made her feel fuzzy inside.


    In the end she did manage to eat it all. Getting up the stairs with her belly swollen had been a tough job but the sheer relief she felt sinking into the blankets was worth it.


    The bliss couldn¡¯t last long though. Rose knew something was happening in her country and she needed to find out what.


    Luckily she knew exactly who to ask to find the answer.

 1.94 - News from Home

    What¡¯s worse than travelling somewhere only to find it isn¡¯t the place it was the last time you were there?


    -Excerpt from ¡®Silversea Saga¡¯ by Norris Howell


    She rose early the next day, before the sun. The girl was nowhere to be seen when she entered the reception but the chef was in the dining room.


    ¡°Morning lass, breakfast today is doori sausage, eggs, and potatoes. Extra potatoes?¡± he asked with a laugh. ¡°You seemed to enjoy the bread, so I figure you like the carbs.¡±


    Patting her stomach as she sat down, Rose chuckled at his joke. ¡°Not today thank you, those three loaves will keep me going for a week at least.¡±


    He cooked fast and after eating the herby sausage and peppery eggs, Rose thanked him and made her way out into the streets of Greengate after leaving a silver coin beside her plate and another on the desk.


    Her first stop was going to be the markets. As the sun rose, those hard workers would already be well under way, setting up their stalls.


    She would find her aunt there, selling fresh fish delivered from Fairwater Bay as well as doori hides and fur. Her aunt and uncle were the main connection for the people of her home village to sell their goods to the capital.


    It had made them very wealthy, but they always gave back to the people who made that possible. Plus, her uncle¡¯s actual job was an even bigger part of their influence on Emerlan Isle.


    He was Governor of Commerce. Holding a governor¡¯s title on Emerlan Isle as a commoner put him on the same level as the lesser nobles¡ªand that was just when it came to status. His decree was law if gold was changing hands, even for the king himself.


    She liked the system the way it had been set up. It meant that there wasn¡¯t too much power in the hands of the inherited rulers. Which was more than could be said for most of the other places they¡¯d been.


    Though she knew four countries wasn¡¯t much of an information pool, it still told her a lot. Walking through the streets, she was amazed how busy it was despite the sun only just peeking up over the horizon.


    This wasn¡¯t new to her. Fisherfolk got up even earlier than this and she¡¯d grown up around them, but the rest of the world didn¡¯t follow suit. Pirates seemed to enjoy late nights hugging bottles of rum.


    She¡¯d enjoyed that too, but hadn¡¯t had as much time to relax as she¡¯d hoped for when setting out to sea. Piracy was a busy job.


    It didn¡¯t take long to reach the markets. She got lost just once, retracing the directions from memory.


    There were only a few customers there, the majority of people rushing about being sellers and those delivering produce. She made her way to the section for fresh fish and meat, but couldn¡¯t find her aunt even after looking through the whole place.


    Eventually she decided to just ask one of the fishmongers. ¡°Morning, do you perhaps know where I could find Felicity Claydon?¡±


    The man¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°What do you want with Miss Claydon, girl?¡± he asked suspiciously.


    Interesting reaction¡­ so much has changed, though I suppose I haven¡¯t seen Aunt Felicity or Uncle Travis in years, she mused.


    ¡°She¡¯s my aunt,¡± Rose replied, chuckling inwardly as the man¡¯s demeanour instantly shifted from suspicion to eagerness. ¡°To tell the truth I was actually looking for my uncle, but it seemed like it would be easier to find Aunt Felicity first, but perhaps that isn¡¯t the case?¡±


    He snorted, then clamped a hand over his mouth before exclaiming, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you start by telling me you¡¯re the salt queen¡¯s niece! Making me look like a damn fool,¡± he added in a whisper.


    The salt queen? Now that¡¯s new¡­ I didn¡¯t realise I was related to royalty! she couldn¡¯t help but laugh at that.


    ¡°You¡¯re probably right. Your aunt and uncle are damn hard to get a hold of and time was you¡¯d find Miss Claydon here at the markets every day,¡± he said, taking off his gloves and stepping out from behind the stall.


    ¡°These days she might be even tougher to find than the governor. I¡¯d suggest starting at the chambers of governance. He could be there and if not someone there should know,¡± he told her, pointing over the houses towards a towering stone building that poked over the roofs.


    ***


    Rose slipped into an alleyway, a cloak pulled over her head as she did her best to avoid the gazes of the guards and residents of the noble quarter.


    There were far more guards wandering around here compared to the rest of the city. She wasn¡¯t sure whether that was to protect the residents from criminals or each other¡­Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    Nobles were famous for their constant bickering and more than one family had minor squabbles erupt into bloodshed over the years. It had been distant for her as a child¡ªa story told to remind her that it was often the hard work of commoners that kept the world running and not the lives of those above them.


    Though she now knew that the value of a good leader was priceless. Partly because they improved the capabilities of everyone under them, but mostly because they were so damn hard to find among all the crap ones.


    She¡¯d visited the chambers of governance and a clerk there had told her that her uncle wasn¡¯t in the office, but at his home. In the noble quarter.


    Of all the new developments that was perhaps the most surprising. It wasn¡¯t like only nobles could live there, but the commoners who did were among the wealthiest and most influential on the Emerlan Isle.


    Then again, even if you only counted her uncle¡¯s title and job, he probably fit snugly into that category. Given everything she¡¯d been hearing about her aunt today as well, it shouldn¡¯t have been too much of a surprise.


    She was more surprised about the fact her parents had never told her any of this. They had to have known, since this wasn¡¯t something that had happened in just the few short months since she¡¯d left.


    Rose would ask them when she reached Fairwater Bay. She planned to leave that afternoon after she¡¯d spoken with her uncle.


    She reached a drainpipe and looked up, seeing an open window. She smiled and grabbed hold of the pipe, preparing to haul herself up the wall.


    Halfway up she heard a splash and froze, thinking she¡¯d been discovered. But it was just an unexpected whorl.


    Skill up!


    Climbing 5 > 6


    It was still quite low level. She wondered why, given how much time she spent clambering up and down the rigging of ships, but she suspected that overlapping skills didn¡¯t grow at the same time.


    Reaching the windowsill, she grabbed it with both hands and pulled herself up just enough to peek inside the room. When she saw a man sitting at a desk, facing away from the window, she knew she¡¯d found the right house.


    Bookshelves ran along one side of the office, a mix of dusty old tomes and freshly bound books. The other wall had a few oil paintings hanging up and there was a shaggy doori carpet on the floor.


    She hauled herself onto the windowsill as quietly as possible, freezing when the wind made the wooden frame creak. But the man didn¡¯t seem to notice her presence.


    Even when she dropped onto the floorboards, praying they didn¡¯t creak, she was silent as a mouse. Mice are actually pretty loud. That¡¯s a crappy idiom, she realised.


    Stopping about ten paces away from the chair so as not to scare her uncle too badly, Rose coughed twice to get his attention. ¡°Ahem.¡±


    ¡°Who!?¡± he exclaimed, leaping from his seat so fast it fell over. He reached for his drawer and ripped it open, pulling out a pistol and whirling to face Rose.


    She smiled down the wooden barrel of her uncle¡¯s gun, unfazed. ¡°That¡¯s no way to greet your niece, Uncle Travis,¡± she quipped, pushing the pistol to the side with a single finger.


    ¡°Wha- Rose?¡± he said, shoulders visibly relaxing as his shaking hand lowered the pistol. Though she noticed he kept a firm grip on it, which made her frown.


    ¡°I never knew you were so jumpy, uncle. It seems things here are far worse than they seem. Which given the talk I¡¯ve been hearing is rather worrying,¡± she said, walking towards him.


    ¡°Well what do you expect?¡± he chuckled. ¡°You climb in through my window, scare the living daylights out of me and I turn to see someone dressed like a damn pirate inside my office! My position is rather precarious, you know?¡±


    ¡°I can imagine, Governor Claydon,¡± she teased. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again, but I do wish it was under better circumstances.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me,¡± he said, picking up his chair and smoothing his shirt. After that he walked past her and closed the window. ¡°It seems I must up the security again. Have a seat.¡±


    He pointed at a chair opposite his and she reclined in the comfortable doori leather. ¡°I had heard something about¡­ this,¡± he said, raising an eyebrow and waving a hand up and down at her, ¡°From your parents. I just wasn¡¯t sure whether to believe it or not. But your eyes¡­ You¡¯re a woman now. Why have you come here and not home?¡±


    ¡°Well, I landed at Albumott. Couldn¡¯t sail so I had to come here with a caravan. Some bandits attacked us along the way, but they seemed more like farmers to me-¡±


    He held up a hand to silence her, placing a finger on his lips and looking around. ¡°Careful. The walls have ears. It seems you¡¯ve realised something is going on, too,¡± he sighed.


    She raised an eyebrow at his antics. ¡°Well, don¡¯t say anything you shouldn¡¯t. I would like some answers though. I plan to stay home for a short while but if there¡¯s trouble I¡¯d like to know what¡¯s going on.¡±


    ¡°Trouble, she says,¡± he chuckled, leaning back and looking at the ceiling. ¡°Well, I¡¯m only in charge of the money, but gold whispers profound truths if you know how to listen.¡±


    He leaned forward, picking up a coin from his desk and spinning it between his fingers.


    ¡°What it¡¯s telling me right now is that the Emerlan Isle is well and truly doomed. I am happy to see you well, Rose, but you shouldn¡¯t have come home.¡±


    Just then, the door burst open and a smartly dressed butler rushed into the room. He did a double take when he saw Rose, but didn¡¯t question her presence.


    Turning back to her uncle, he offered a shallow bow. ¡°Master Claydon, I have urgent news. For your ears only,¡± he added, glancing at her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Jarvis. Anything you wish to say to me, my niece can hear,¡± he replied with a wave.


    ¡°Niece? Ah, of course sir. Apologies for my rudeness, Miss,¡± he nodded towards her. ¡°Grave news from the north, Sir. Minenblum has made good on their threat.¡±


    Her uncle leapt from his seat, eyes wide and hands trembling. ¡°How bad is it?¡±


    ¡°They weren¡¯t sure of the specifics. But all you need to do is look out the window¡­ The flames can be seen from here. Perhaps Fairwater Bay has already fallen,¡± he answered solemnly.


    Rose¡¯s stomach dropped. She rushed to the window and looked outside, barely able to see anything beyond the walls of the neighbouring house. She felt icy dread gripping her and she broke out in a clammy sweat when she saw a column of black smoke rising in the north.


    In the direction of home.

 Book 1 Afterword

    With the release of Chapter 94, Book 1 of Salt & Blood has been completely published to Royal Road. I thank each and every one of you for joining me on this adventure of mystery and intrigue. When I started writing the book I was in an uncertain period of my life and writing has been what''s kept some stability in there for me.


    I will be attempting to make some edits to the earlier chapters of the book in an effort to clean it up for future readers and anyone who may want to go back and experience the story a second time, but I make no promises as to a timeframe.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Thank you all for reading the story until this point and I hope you continue to read it for as long as I write it.


    If you''d like to read ahead into book 2, my patreon has a whopping 30 advanced chapters which will let you read all the way to Chapter 124 as of today! You can access the patreon using the link in the author''s note. Additionally, there are always 3 chapters ahead entirely for FREE on my patreon so if you want a little sneak peek at the next step of Rose''s adventure, you are more than welcome.


    There will be no interruptions in the regular posting schedule between now and book 2, meaning the first chapter will come out on Wednesday at the same time.


    Keep sailing strong,


    Adventuresse

 2.01 - Conquest of Vengeance

    Men often make terrible decisions in the throes of grief. Nothing causes more grief than the loss of a child. That¡¯s why I think rulers should always lead their armies, instead of sending their sons to do it in their stead¡­


    -Excerpt from ¡®Power and Influence: How to Run a Nation¡¯ by Sea-Emperor Vadaris Neptuna


    ¡°Rose! Think about this for a second,¡± her uncle yelled after her as she ran down the staircase.


    There was nothing to think about. Fairwater Bay was under attack, invaded by Minenblum. She couldn¡¯t help but blame herself.


    The only reason they were on the warpath had to be what had happened to the Shadow King and his brother recently, which was entirely the fault of her and her¡­ former crew.


    If she didn¡¯t go now and try to save her parents and the rest of the village, she would never forgive herself.


    ¡°You can¡¯t stop me from going,¡± she replied, throwing open every door in search of the exit. ¡°Why are there so many bloody doors in here!¡± she yelled in frustration.


    A firm hand clamped down on her shoulder and she threw it off, spinning to face her uncle. He looked¡­ shocked? Scared?


    A little bit of both, she concluded. Maybe he hadn¡¯t expected her to be so strong. She winced, realising she hadn¡¯t meant to hurt him.


    While it was annoying that he didn¡¯t want her to leave, he was only looking out for his niece. She couldn¡¯t blame him for trying, especially when he didn¡¯t know just how powerful she¡¯d become during her journey.


    Still weak, compared to those monsters like Trent or the Shadow King, but likely unmatched back on the Emerlan Isle.


    ¡°Uncle, I am truly grateful for your concern, but there is nothing you can say or do that will stop me from going to save Fairwater Bay,¡± she replied, staring into his worried gaze without flinching.


    ¡°But Rose, you¡¯re just fifteen-¡±


    ¡°So what? Does it matter how old I am when I can carve most men in twain with a single slash of my cutlass?¡± she cried, interrupting him. ¡°Unless Minenblum sent one of their top officers I doubt anyone there could stop me.¡±


    His gaze softened, his eyes filled with melancholy as he heard her declaration. He coughed once. ¡°Be that as it may, you are wrong to assume Minenblum hasn¡¯t sent anyone powerful to attack us. The last we heard the invasion was being led by Commodore Foulter.¡±


    Rose didn¡¯t recognise the name, but he had the same rank as that annoying bastard Saff¡­ which meant he was likely stronger than her by a decent margin.


    Clenching her fist, she took a deep breath to calm herself down. ¡°Even so, I still have to go. They¡¯re my parents,¡± she replied.


    Her uncle turned away from her and started pacing up and down the corridor. She watched him for about half a minute before grabbing his arm. ¡°If you have nothing else to say, I¡¯d appreciate you showing me the exit. Your house is a damn maze.¡±


    He gripped the bridge of his nose between two fingers and exhaled heavily. ¡°Ugh, fine! You¡¯re just like your mother,¡± he eventually groaned. ¡°I could never keep up with her when we were kids. But you aren¡¯t going by yourself. Follow me.¡± He waved at her and walked through the only door she hadn¡¯t tried yet.


    Of course, she chuckled inwardly, following after him. She wondered who her uncle was going to send with her. Surely he isn¡¯t thinking of coming with me? Does he even know how to hold a sword?


    Her uncle was a talented man, exceptionally skilled in business and now it seemed, governance. But he was definitely not a fighter.


    Unless he¡¯d been training in secret.


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Even then there was a limit to how powerful you could get with training, especially on this tiny little island with nothing that dangerous to challenge you. Some rowdy doori maybe?


    She giggled at that. The old cows could get pretty angsty. She¡¯d been on the receiving end of a nasty headbutt or two while helping her mother herd.


    As it turned out, the front door to her uncle¡¯s house was only one more corridor away after they went down another flight of stairs. He really was rich.


    She couldn¡¯t count the number of beautiful paintings, sculptures, and gorgeous pieces of furniture she spotted on the way down. Although, with her accrued wealth she might be able to purchase a similar mansion if she decided to settle in Greengate.


    ¡°We were already planning to respond to the attack. We¡¯ve known Minenblum might invade for a week or so and have been preparing for the worst case scenario, so there¡¯s a squadron of soldiers on standby,¡± he told her as they rushed through the streets.


    They were busy now, filled with people. Here in the noble quarter there wasn¡¯t much outward panic, but she could see the fear in people¡¯s eyes.


    Even if they didn¡¯t know what exactly had happened, being able to see the smoke from this far wasn¡¯t a good sign. Things like this just didn¡¯t happen on Emerlan Isle.


    Even smuggler¡¯s rest, rumoured to be a hotbed for pirates, was rather tame when compared to some of the places she¡¯d travelled with her crew.


    It didn¡¯t take them long to reach the chambers of governance. Now that she was with her uncle they were waved past the reception with barely a glance.


    Instead of going towards the main chamber, he dragged her through an innocuous wooden door. It led to a short corridor that ended in a thick steel door that lit up in a blue glow when her uncle touched it.


    Moments later the glow faded and the door swung open. Inside she was greeted by sheer chaos, stunning her for a moment.


    Dozens of men and women rushed about, carrying sheafs of paper and passing them around. Dozens more sat at desks, rapidly writing and shouting across the room at each other.


    A huge map was pinned to the wall, showing the entire Emerlan Isle. Small symbols appeared and disappeared as the people ran about. Rose could feel a faint arcane tingle from the map. It was likely a treasure of some kind, or the result of a skill.


    ¡°What is this place?¡± she asked, taking a tentative step inside.


    A shiver ran down her spine as she passed through the doorway. It was likely enchanted, the steel thicker than her head.


    ¡°This is the Emerlan High Command. Where the entire country is run from. It¡¯s not much compared to other countries, but we aren¡¯t just a backwater island like most say,¡± her uncle said with a smile.


    ¡°The prince isn¡¯t here, which means the rapid response squad has probably already departed,¡± he added, looking around the room. ¡°I¡¯ll find out where they went and take you to meet them.¡±


    She stood there, observing the people as they rushed about. Clearly this invasion was more serious than just a single attack. Would the Emerlan Isle even be able to survive a full-blown assault from Minenblum?


    Rose doubted it. She would be upset if her country was ravaged by war, but right now all she cared about was finding her parents and making sure they were alive. Everything else was secondary.


    A man bumped into her and sent her staggering back a few steps before she caught her balance. Instead of apologising he glared at her. ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going!¡± he exclaimed before rushing onwards.


    Rose frowned, scrunching her face. She didn¡¯t respond though. What would be the point?


    Her uncle soon came back, with a young woman who seemed to be in her early twenties trailing after him. ¡°This is Countess Elene,¡± he said, motioning to the woman as they approached.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Elene,¡± Rose replied with a nod.


    The woman frowned at her, then turned to her uncle. ¡°Your niece doesn¡¯t have very good manners, Governor Claydon,¡± she whined.


    Her uncle coughed, turning a little red. ¡°Forgive her, Countess. She was raised in a village and hasn¡¯t spent much time in high society,¡± he apologised.


    Rose didn¡¯t really care about what title the woman had. She couldn¡¯t feel a scrap of arcane energy from her. Why should she bow to someone just because of the family they were born into, when they couldn¡¯t last a single day at sea?


    ¡°How is she going to help me find the soldiers?¡± she asked.


    The woman looked ready to explode when she said that, but her uncle interrupted in time. ¡°The countess is in charge of tactical deployments for the time being, so she knows where the prince headed and their route to Fairwater Bay. She can lead us there.¡±


    ¡°Will we even make it in time, running that slow?¡±


    ¡°You! Insolent brat. You think you can run faster than your uncle or I, despite barely being an adult?¡± cried the countess.


    Rose sighed. This was far too tedious. She should¡¯ve just jumped back out the window and run home by herself. Did she need a whole squad of soldiers just to save her parents?


    She turned to leave, ignoring the protests of the woman. A smile crept onto her face when she saw her exasperated uncle trying to calm her down.


    Suddenly, there was a flash of red light and the map completely shifted. The room went silent. Rose saw all the colour drain from her uncle¡¯s face.

 2.02 - Marathon

    The tale of the first marathon is a heroic, if tragic, story.


    -Quoted from an unnamed bard, weaving tales at a tavern in Pallis


    She looked at the map. Something felt off about it. She¡¯d seen maps of her homeland dozens of times throughout her life and staring at this one now, she knew there was something wrong, but she couldn''t figure out what¡­


    Rose stumbled backwards, reaching out for support that wasn¡¯t there. She barely stayed on her feet, heart thumping in her ears.


    Fairwater Bay was gone from the map.


    ¡°Why¡­¡± she muttered.


    The room had fallen silent, everyone experiencing varying degrees of shock and horror at the realisation of what had occurred. An entire village had been wiped from the map in a single moment.


    Rose couldn¡¯t think straight. All she knew was that her parents were there, facing an onslaught from Minenblum.


    Her village, everyone she knew. Even Daniel, the smug bastard, he couldn¡¯t be¡­


    She rushed out, past the thick steel door and into the chambers of governance. Her uncle yelled something after her but she didn¡¯t hear it.


    The only thing she could think was that she needed to be there. To save whoever she could. To slaughter the bastards who did this.


    Her heart pounded, pumping adrenaline through her veins as she ran. All of her skills were being pushed to the limit, but she knew she could do more.


    Skill up!


    Athletics 11 > 12


    Reaching inwards, she pulled on her arcane core. It hummed to life, sending power surging through her body. Thus far she¡¯d only really used it for this purpose¡ªenhancing her physical strength.


    It was damn good at it though.


    Instantly she felt a wave of raw power fill her muscles. Her speed almost doubled and she staggered as she got used to her new pace. She was racing through the cobbled streets of Greengate.


    Skill up!


    Athletics 12 > 13


    Arcane Resistance 4 > 5


    Houses and people whizzed past her in a tangled blur. She heard a few shouts as she passed, but they weren¡¯t of any concern.


    Rose only had one purpose right now. To make it to Fairwater Bay¡ªor what was left of it¡ªas fast as possible.


    A minute later, the grey and black blur of buildings suddenly vanished, replaced by green and brown. She¡¯d left the city behind.


    Skill up!


    Arcane Attunement 14 > 15


    Athletics 13 > 14


    It still wasn¡¯t enough. The journey usually took a week on foot. She wanted to get there in just a few hours, even if it took everything she had.


    So she pulled even more power from her core, her muscles screaming as they filled to bursting with arcane energy. She sped up again, triple her original speed.


    Skill up!


    Arcane Resistance 5 > 6


    Endurance 11 > 12


    Athletics 14 > 15


    She barely noticed the endless splashes as her skills levelled up. All she cared about was keeping herself moving. Her eyes were glued to the pillar of black smoke crawling into the sky, rising from the horizon.


    It had grown thicker since it first appeared and they¡¯d seen it from her uncle¡¯s window. She grit her teeth and pushed herself even harder, not caring about the damage she was doing to her body.


    Rose knew she could heal later, but she only had one set of parents. They might already be dead, but they might not.


    If she made it in time, she could save them from the invaders. Her effort could make the difference between life and death. And not just for her parents.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    She might be able to save any of the villagers who had survived. Though if what her uncle had said was true and a Commodore was leading the invasion, she would be limited in her options.


    The difficulty of running suddenly became twice as difficult and she needed to expend more arcane energy with every step. Her breathing grew ragged, even with her lungs empowered by the force of the tide.


    Skill up!


    Athletics 15 > 16


    Arcane Resistance 6 > 7


    Arcane Attunement 15 > 16


    As she climbed further and further up the mountain, it became almost impossible to maintain the same pace. But she continued to try.


    Cresting the summit, she could finally see more than just the ominous pillar of smoke. What she saw didn¡¯t give her much hope.


    And it was difficult to see much through the thick clouds of smoke, but most of what could be seen was consumed by flames. The whole village was burning, half of it¡­ gone.


    She breathed a sigh of relief when she realised that the houses that remained were the ones closer to her home. At least a burning home was escapable. The deep crater of ash and dust was not.


    Offering a silent prayer for the souls of the departed, she at least knew they would have a grave they deserved. The sea water was rushing to fill the crater, since half the beach had been blown away by whatever caused such a giant chasm.


    Beyond the smoke, perched on the waves, she saw three colossal ships. The flagship was easily the biggest she¡¯d ever seen, with the other two only matched by a few of the larger ships she¡¯d seen in Highbream and Clissolt.


    A flash of orange came from the side of the flagship and a few seconds later, an gigantic explosion rocked the coast as the shot landed. A few more houses were turned to rubble in an instant.


    Another few seconds after that, a gentle breeze buffeted her. That she could feel the shockwave of the cannons from here meant they must be ridiculously powerful.


    However, that knowledge only made her more determined to get there as soon as she could. Rose redoubled her efforts, harsher on herself than she¡¯d ever been.


    Skill up!


    Endurance 12 > 13


    Athletics 16 > 17


    The land passed in a blur. She¡¯d long since left the forests behind, marking a third of the journey from Greengate to home. Further than most would walk a day.


    Only now did she truly realise quite how much¡­ more¡­ she¡¯d become. This was a superhuman feat of speed and endurance, one that was punishing but frankly not outright insane.


    Rose felt she would still have strength left to fight when she arrived. And she hadn¡¯t even tapped into her most precious well of power yet¡­


    But that would remain untouched until she needed it most. That moment hadn¡¯t yet arrived. Muscle fibers snapped and blood vessels burst with every few steps, but her body was keeping pace.


    Arcane energy was a good enough replacement for just about anything organic in a pinch. Right now she was using every drop she had.


    She passed a few buildings along the way. Farms perhaps, or roadside taverns. Quaint, idyllic places hidden away from the raging storm of the world beyond.


    That could¡¯ve been her life.


    A shiver ran down her spine. If she¡¯d never run away from home, never met Trent, she might be burning alive right now. A powerless fisherwoman.


    Rose had always dreamed of being a pirate for freedom and adventure. It wasn¡¯t until she¡¯d actually ventured into the seas that she realised quite how much power lay out there, ripe for the taking.


    And she¡¯d barely scratched the surface. She squeezed even more from her core, feeling a spear of pain lancing through her gut.


    She ignored it and pressed on, even as her legs started to creak.


    Skill up!


    Athletics 17 > 18


    Arcane Resistance 7 > 8


    Endurance 13 > 14


    Arcane Attunement 16 > 17


    The wave of splashes almost broke her focus as she narrowly missed sprinting into a tree. There were stars in her eyes, all the blood in her body diverted to her pumping legs, starving her brain.


    Rose realised the column of smoke was massive now, almost consuming the entire horizon. She had nearly arrived.


    It had barely been ten minutes since she raced out of that room with her uncle. He¡¯d mentioned a rapid response squad of soldiers, led by a Prince? Rose hadn¡¯t spotted many people on the way. Certainly not a group large enough to be what he¡¯d described.


    It didn¡¯t really matter. She would take on the fleet alone if necessary. Even if that was a futile battle.


    Her goals were important to her, more than almost anything. One of those ¡®almosts¡¯ was her parents. She would happily throw herself into danger to save them.


    Soon she would have the chance. She felt the terrain sloping upwards once more, letting her know she¡¯d reached the hills around Fairwater Bay. This was where her mother herded doori.


    She passed by a few small herds of the scaled bovines, all terrified and unmoving. They were alive at least, which was more than could be said for many of the villagers.


    As she crested the hill she saw the small forest by the edge of the village. Just beyond the trees was her home. A deafening roar echoed through the air, shaking the land itself.


    Seconds later a shockwave slammed into her, actually slowing her pace a little. Damn, those are some powerful cannons, she thought to herself.


    The trees turned into a blur as she darted through the forest, knowing the path like the back of her hand. She saw the flames now and felt the heat of the inferno, having reached the village.


    Breaking through the treeline, she was finally close enough to see her home. Just then, another deafening bang shook the world.


    Rose gasped, her momentum coming to a devastating end as her legs gave out beneath her. She couldn¡¯t believe what had just happened.

 2.03 - Fishermans Daughter II

    If a man cannot teach his children to love fishing, then he does not love it himself.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Fishing and More¡¯ by Ronald Westwind


    Dirt and fire erupted right in front of her as her house was blown to smithereens by the cannonfire. Rose staggered on her feet and fell on her backside.


    Her legs felt like hot jelly. She could barely feel them. Her heart dropped as the dust and smoke cleared, revealing an empty crater where her house had stood moments before.


    This couldn¡¯t be happening.


    She had a few dregs of arcane energy left in her core and she forced them into her legs, giving her the strength to stand once more. Rose wouldn¡¯t lie around. She needed to know.


    Limping to the edge of the crater, she stared down at the charred remains of her childhood home with horror. There was nothing left, save for a few scraps of metal and wood.


    She jumped down, the shock of her landing making most of the remains turn to dust before her eyes. A tear rolled down her cheek.


    Falling to her knees, she grabbed a handful of ash and watched as it fell through her fingers. She found some solace in the fact there were no bones among the remains, which she hoped meant her parents hadn¡¯t been inside when it was decimated.


    Though even the metal pots and pans hadn¡¯t survived the blast, which meant there was a good chance the explosions of the cannonballs could incinerate even bone. She hoped not.


    Tossing away the rest of the ash, Rose got to her feet, turning her gaze towards the trio of ships. This close she could finally see the flag of the Minenblum Royal Navy.


    That accursed flag had caused her enough grief to last three lifetimes and she¡¯d only encountered it for the first time a few months ago. They were insufferable, villainous bastards, every last one of them.


    She even allotted her annual curse to them, that was how damnably infuriating they were. Whoops, that was two.


    Rose would forgive herself this once.


    But she would never forgive them, not until the day she died or every last royal and officer of Minenblum lay dead at her feet or rotting in the depths, food for the creatures of her god.


    Perhaps a small part of that was because she blamed herself. This invasion may have been inevitable given their ruthless expansionism, but it had no doubt been accelerated by the loss of Chester and Branmore Saff.


    Even so, those insufferable brothers had more than deserved their deaths. They¡¯d practically asked for it. The latter with how he relentlessly chased Trent and the former with his arrogance to take on her captain, believing he had the upper hand.


    She hadn¡¯t been able to witness his last stand, but she¡¯d heard it had been epic. Supposedly the explosions could be seen from Minenblum. A cloud of green flames and blinding light that rocked the oceans and rattled the shores.


    Rose didn¡¯t have the power of flames or light like Trent had done, but she had her own skills. Her own methods of delivering death to those who deserved it.


    Climbing out of the crater that was once her home, she pulled out Divine Serpent¡¯s Lure and twirled it in her hands. She walked towards the beach, her gaze never leaving the three ships that floated in the distance.


    When she reached the edge of the sands, she didn¡¯t stop. The moment the salty sea water washed over her feet she quivered and let out a piercing wail of anguish.


    With her emotions unleashed on the skies, Rose felt cleansed. Sylack, you can claim my soul, my body, my very essence as tribute if you so desire. Whatever your price, I do not care. Just give me the power to kill these heinous cretins, she prayed, closing her eyes for a brief moment.


    A second of silence passed, broken only by the sound of chopping waves and the flapping of sails. Then she felt a familiar tendril wrapping around her leg. An invisible force, not arcane in nature, but divine.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    She heard a splash and then gasped as a wave of unblemished divinity surged into her core, burning her from the inside out. At the same time, she felt ecstatic.


    Rose raised her rod and read over the golden bordered whorl that had appeared before her.


    Through your unmatched devotion and tireless effort, your chosen deity has acknowledged your faith!


    Your [Minor Blessing of Sylack] has been enhanced to [Blessing of Sylack]!


    This time, she didn¡¯t even need to check to know what it did. She could feel the power coursing through her veins. She was in tune with the ocean itself and the myriad creatures that lived within its depths.


    If she wished, she could call on another monstrous leviathan to annihilate her foes. This time however, Rose wanted to take matters into her own hands.


    There was no vision to accompany the upgraded blessing, no journey through the depths inhabiting the mind of one of Sylack¡¯s many creations. Did he create them or just govern them? she wondered.


    Rose flicked her rod back, preparing to strike. She was still quite far from the ships, but her line had enough slack to reach. And she could see with perfect clarity.


    However, just when she reached the zenith of her lift she felt an unbelievable pressure descending on her shoulders and heard a whisper in her ears. The voice was coarse and gravelly, like the old sailors who¡¯d spent decades at sea, but even deeper and heavier.


    It sounded ancient. And what she heard sent her mind reeling in a thousand directions.


    I do not need to take my own flesh and blood as sacrifice, child. For you, my power flows freely. All you must do is earn the right to wield it, it rasped.


    She couldn¡¯t grasp the implications of the statement right now. That¡­ had been Sylack speaking to her directly. A god. Her god.


    That didn¡¯t happen. Ever. No one except the highest priests had the privilege of communion with the pantheon. Except Rose had just heard her god whispering in her ears.


    And what he¡¯d said¡­ he called me his flesh and blood, she realised with shock. Her arms froze in the air, the serpent fang hook dangling behind her head.


    That could mean many things, but for a god to say that¡­ Rose didn¡¯t even know how to start unravelling that web. For now, she decided not to.


    Her enemies lay before her and she had divine power overflowing within her body. Her task was clear. Sylack had said he didn¡¯t need to take anything from her, but that didn¡¯t mean she would leave him without an offering.


    Fish are hungry creatures. And there was a plentiful source of food floating right in front of her.


    More power than she¡¯d ever felt before raced through her body, healing her ruined muscles and filling them with strength. The unknown yet familiar energy flowed from her fingertips, channelled into the hook at the end of her rod and guiding the line.


    In the distance she could see a man standing at the back of the flagship. His uniform was eerily familiar. A copy of Commodore Saff¡¯s, though with far fewer medals pinned to his breast.


    That had to be the man her uncle had warned her about. Commodore Foulter. If he was weaker than Saff, then perhaps she could win.


    She wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance a few moments earlier, but with the power of her god flowing in her veins, Rose was oozing with confidence.


    Nothing could stand in her way.


    Skill up!


    Divine Attunement 4 > 5


    Without even using the power yet, her skill had grown. Proof of the sheer quantity available to her right now.


    Her arms descended with a snap and the hook flew towards the flagship, the line reeling out after it. A faint hum made the air shiver, unheard over the sound of the waves and the wind.


    Rose¡¯s gaze never left the commodore, but he wasn¡¯t her first target. There was no doubt he would be guarded against unseen strikes and she had no desire to waste her opening blow.


    The serpent had been the largest prey she¡¯d hunted up until now. It was likely bigger than even this colossal flagship, but in terms of ambition, she thought this attempt was far grander.


    She saw a few men besides the commodore scrambling towards the railings as the hook approached. Perhaps they¡¯d felt the tremors in the air.


    The tingle of impending death.


    A golden glow erupted around the hook as it smashed through the hull of the flagship and she let it continue to bury itself deep in the bowels of the gigantic vessel. She felt it catch on something nigh immovable.


    And then she tugged. Streams of golden power rippled outwards from the serpent fang hook and a bellowing groan could be heard across the bay. The grinding of metal preceded an echoing crack of wood and just like that, the ship splintered in two.


    Dozens of men fell into the ocean below, though her target was fur sturdier than anticipated and most kept their footing after a brief struggle with balance. But Rose was satisfied with the opening strike.


    However, just as she prepared to yank back her line, she felt a gaze descend upon her. The gaze of a predator.


    And when she tried to pull on her rod, it refused to budge.

 2.04 - Prince Everyn

    Would you rather be born a commoner in the central oceans, or a Prince of the outer seas?


    -Excerpt from an interview in the ¡®Minenblum Herald¡¯


    ¡°Hurry! Squeeze every last drop of power from your muscles even if it costs you a year of your life,¡± urged the heroic figure from atop a muscled war-doori.


    The beasts were rarely used for purposes other than grazing or their hides, but the royal family of the Emerlan Isle had bred a select few of the beasts for the specific purpose of riding into battle. Why they¡¯d bothered when their only enemies were across the sea, no one knew.


    Perhaps it was just the pastime of a bored king that eventually became tradition? It didn¡¯t really matter.


    Prince Everyn¡¯s golden locks fluttered in the wind, trailing down just below his shoulders as he led the small squadron of elite soldiers to the north¡ªwhere Fairwater Bay was under siege. His father had chosen him for this task.


    Anointed him the High Commander of the Emerlan Army for the purpose of repelling the invaders from Minenblum. Those imperious bastards would pay for their crimes against his people.


    He¡¯d spent a few years at sea, guarding merchant vessels from pirates and other villains. It was eye-opening. He¡¯d grown far more than he could¡¯ve hoped to back home. And now he was the strongest of his siblings, approaching even their father despite being forty years his junior.


    A massive greatsword was strapped to his back and he wore medium-plate armour interspersed with thick, studded leather. He enjoyed the mobility of it compared to a heavy plate.


    His soldiers roared their fury at his command and their beasts redoubled their efforts, the land disappearing beneath their feet. They¡¯d left Greengate the moment the horns of war were sounded and the first cannon fired, almost an hour ago.


    Thirty of the strongest, fastest, and deadliest men and women on the Emerlan Isle rode behind him, all atop equally magnificent mounts. All of them wore determined expressions, knowing that there was a good chance they would find a decimated village. But they would obtain vengeance for their countryfolk.


    The journey to Fairwater Bay, the smallest village on the island, typically took a week by foot. With these hardy and faster than they seemed beasts as their mounts, it should only take them another half an hour to arrive.


    He knew many lives would already be lost. He could see the thick column of smoke rising into the air, an ominous declaration that the heart of the fishing trade was gone.


    His people burnt alive, turned to ashes by an uncaring officer of the Minenblum Royal Navy. Everyn gnashed his teeth in rage, unable to contain his blossoming fury. They would pay.


    ***


    Through the combined efforts of man and beast, they¡¯d reached the hills outside Fairwater Bay in just twenty-five minutes, five minutes faster than expected. He heard the war-doori panting, feeling proud of the powerful bovines for how they¡¯d pushed themselves.


    They would only need to last a little longer. He could see the ships in the bay, the colossal flagship belonging to Commodore Foulter¡ªtechnically Admiral Greaves, but the bastard was too old to walk, let alone lead an armada¡ªfloating ahead of two others.


    Fairwater Bay had been eviscerated. Half the village was a crater, fast filling with sea water, the other half a searing inferno. Every few seconds another cannonball would explode against the earth, demolishing more of what remained.


    He clenched his jaw, almost unable to watch as his country was blown apart and his people slaughtered. ¡°Soon we will deliver vengeance and justice,¡± he cried, spurring his mount forwards to the roars of his soldiers.


    They began to descend the hills towards the small forest that lay before the village, when suddenly there was a golden flash of light from the flagship. The prince¡¯s gaze snapped to sea, fearing the worst.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    But instead of the devastating strike he¡¯d thought Minenblum had launched, he watched in almost disappointed surprise as the flagship snapped in twain, the two halves beginning to sink into the ocean. Accompanied by a bellowing groan that was loud even this far away, he was glad to see them suffer.


    And yet he couldn¡¯t help but feel a little disappointed and confused. I was supposed to lead the charge, he grumbled inwardly. Who the hell other than me is strong enough to fight against the commodore!?


    He didn¡¯t let his gripes show on his face. That would be bad for morale. Whoever had struck the blow was worthy of respect, though he sorely wished to discover their identity.


    ¡°Someone has begun the battle! Let us not delay and assist our countryman in their valiant efforts to repel the invader scum,¡± he roared, his war-doori already careening down the hill towards the beach.


    ***


    Skill up!


    Precision 9 > 10


    You have earned a new trait!


    Keen Eye: Like the albatross who stalks the seas from above, you can spot your prey with the slightest of movements even from a great distance. Focusing on your target gives you improved clarity and ability to judge the haptics required to hit it.


    That trait was magnificent. Skills like precision were her favourite. They didn¡¯t necessarily have any uses on their own, but had incredibly potent synergy with other skills.


    Fishing, for one. It seemed to level every other time she made a catch. It had been a while since she used a gun, but it helped massively there.


    And she realised that when combined with another trait of hers¡ªTunnel Vision¡ªshe was probably the most accurate fisherwoman this side of the seas.


    Rose tugged on the rod with all her might but it just wouldn¡¯t move, no matter which way she pulled. There was only one answer.


    That terrifying gaze she¡¯d felt. It had to be the commodore. He¡¯d caught her almost as soon as she¡¯d struck the first blow.


    However, she wasn¡¯t unhappy with this situation. His men were fine now, but they would soon start to realise the terror of the depths.


    And a line went both ways. She may not be able to pull it back, but that was fine. The reel was taut. A grin crossed her face as Rose gave everything she had to take one more step backwards.


    Then she jumped out of the sea and flew.


    She cackled with glee as the wind raced through her hair and pelted her face, but not once did her grip on the rod loosen. As she flew, she made sure to reel in the line.


    Rose knew that landing with too much slack would leave the rod useless in further clashes. Then again, this battle was already turning into a close quarters one. As much as she¡¯d wanted to honour Sylack and fish in bloody waters, it was looking like Sunsplitter would be the star of the day.


    In just a few seconds she was right above the two halves of the flagship. Gazing downwards, she saw the commodore gripping the serpent fang hook in his right hand.


    There was a look of shock on his face as he held the loose line, his footing uneven as though he¡¯d just stumbled. Despite that, she could still feel the danger in his eyes.


    The moment he spotted her figure in the air above his ship, he tossed away the hook and reached for his belt. She whipped the hook back and kept the rod in her inventory, reaching for her pistol.


    Unfortunately, the commodore was a little faster. All she saw was a flash of silver and before she even heard the crack of the pistol, something drilled into her calf.


    Blood sprayed past her as she fell, streaming from a hole in her leg. And then she felt an icy cold start to spread out from the wound.


    Ignoring it for now, she pulled back the hammer of her pistol and as soon as she heard the click, fired.


    The bullet went wide, missing the commodore by a decent margin.


    Skill up!


    Precision 10 > 11


    Pistols 11 > 12


    Firearms 5 > 6


    Splinters of wood flew out as the bullet struck true, exactly where she¡¯d aimed. The benefits of Quintessential Skill were more than showing as all of the relevant skills gained a level.


    Commodore Foulter smirked at her, thinking she¡¯d missed and knowing his shot had struck true. Rose simply watched and waited.


    And then a mast fell on his head.


    All she wanted was to laugh in his face, but the impact of his shot went deeper than a flesh wound. Looking at her calf, she saw the skin and muscle around it had frozen and was beginning to rot as frostbite set in.


    You have earned a new skill!


    Frost Resistance 0 > 1


    She tried to shove what remained of her arcane energy towards the wound in the hope it would expel his frost-attuned energy. It raced towards her leg but all of a sudden she felt a crunch in her core and her arcane power¡­ vanished.


    Right as the commodore tore his way through the sail and carved the fallen mast in two.

 2.05 - Culling a Commodore

    Officers are replaceable. Kill one and two more rich brats appear to take their place. It¡¯s hard-working grunts that are a treasure to any navy.


    -Quoted from Vice-Admiral Mackerel of Derridas


    Rose panicked, reminded of what it felt like to be starved of arcane energy. She hadn¡¯t been this way since the beginning of her voyage. It had become so normal to her that she didn¡¯t realise she¡¯d come to depend on it.


    But almost as soon as the arcane power fizzled out, something greater replaced it. The crunch in her core had been an expansion in size as the gift from Sylack struggled to fit inside her.


    Once it had settled, it erupted outwards and she felt even more strength filling her bones. The ice was burnt away by the golden glow and the wound scarred in seconds.


    However, the commodore was already taking aim once again. This time though, Rose wasn¡¯t helplessly sailing through the air. She was close enough to strike back with real force.


    Her right foot touched the tip of the mast for a brief second and she instantly kicked off from it, launching herself downwards. The crack of a pistol rang out but she was already long gone by the time the bullet reached her.


    The commodore¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as she tore through the air. Splinters exploded in all directions as she smashed into the deck and the back half of the broken ship groaned in protest, sinking a little further into the sea.


    When she landed she equipped Sunsplitter, the crystal blades dazzling in the light of the sun, sending fractured beams of light sparkling across the deck. Rose raised her right cutlass and pointed it at Commodore Foulter.


    ¡°Every single one of you from Minenblum is the same,¡± she spat, glaring at him with unbridled fury. ¡°Remorseless killers, parading around in a disguise of justice and heroics.¡±


    She walked towards him as she spoke, the man seemingly too shocked by the turn of events to react. But a nearby officer wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°You!¡± he suddenly exclaimed, pointing at her.


    His next words were drowned out by the yelling of the man who rushed past his commanding officer and charged at her with cutlass drawn. He was fast, closing the gap in seconds.


    His blade swished through the air as he cut towards her, years of experience wielding it showing in the finesse of the strike. She stepped backwards and raised her own blade to meet it, the clang of metal and crystal ringing out as they did.


    Her arm trembled from the force of the blow but it held. The man seemed surprised that he hadn¡¯t struck her down instantly, but he didn¡¯t let it shake his confidence.


    With a shove and a step he disengaged and immediately lunged forwards, attempting to disembowel Rose before she could react. She¡¯d had enough of his antics.


    Divine energy crackled in her core and sparked across Sunsplitter¡¯s edge like a radiant beam of dawning sunlight. Rose twirled and her left cutlass sliced through the man¡¯s blade like butter.


    Skill up!


    Blades 18 > 19


    Divine Attunement 5 > 6


    Her spin continued unbroken and her right blade slashed through his neck in a flash of golden light. A tiny spurt of blood erupted before the wound was instantly cauterised by the burning energy.


    Skill up!


    Dual Wielding 14 > 15


    Rose ignored the splashes as her dance came to an end. The commodore¡¯s face was contorted in confused rage as he glowered at her.


    She raised a knee and then booted his subordinate¡¯s corpse right past him. It smashed through the railings and splashed into the seas below, food for the fishes.


    ¡°How can you possibly wield such a level of divinity!?¡± he cried, staggering backwards. He raised a finger and pointed at her again. ¡°You¡¯re just a child!¡±


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Rose cocked her head to one side as she stared at the stammering fool. This wasn¡¯t what she¡¯d expected when her uncle had warned her about the man leading the invasion.


    This shivering idiot was the man who¡¯d slaughtered her childhood friends? The smiling grannies who would chide them when their games grew too rowdy; the wrinkled but friendly fishermen who kept them fed; the people who had nothing to do with this stupid conflict!?


    Her parents¡­


    Rose felt an insurmountable fury bubbling up inside her. She¡¯d wanted to control herself a little, even while delivering vengeance.


    That didn¡¯t seem likely anymore. She raised one of her blades above her head. It caught the sunlight, splitting the radiant glow into a thousand smaller beams that danced across the broken deck.


    Skill up!


    Light Attunement 8 > 9


    A small moment of beauty in the midst of tragedy and death that sparked inspiration in Rose¡¯s mind. The next moment she grasped a strand of divine energy from her core, willing it to shift and change just a little.


    Skill up!


    Divine Attunement 6 > 7


    It offered no resistance to her commands. The only limit was her knowledge and skill, which admittedly was still quite low, but she was improving with each moment.


    Sylack was not a god of light, but her twin cutlasses were perfectly crafted for the element. That, combined with her fledgling attunement, gave her a foundation for the strike she had in mind.


    The divine power surged into her raised blade and made the crystal glow with power. A little too much power, she realised as a crack appeared near the handle.


    She had grown attached to these blades, soulbound as they were, but she would happily sacrifice some of their integrity to claim vengeance for her fallen friends and family. A microscopic sun appeared on the tip of the blade, swelling size as she infused it with more power.


    Skill up!


    Divine Attunement 7 > 8


    Light Attunement 9 > 11


    You have earned a new trait!


    Radiant: Having been steeped in the world¡¯s light, you¡¯ve come to understand its intricacies. Light attuned energy and treasures will respond better to your will and you are able to convert other energies to light with greater efficiency.


    Unfortunately, Commodore Foulter and the other soldiers present had finally snapped out of their angry stupor. ¡°Don¡¯t let her finish charging that,¡± he ordered, yelling and pointing at her. ¡°Look at her clothes, she¡¯s clearly a pirate. No mercy!¡±


    Along with his order he lifted his own blade and began to run towards her. He was exceptionally fast, covering plenty of ground with every step.


    But she had an overwhelming amount of divine energy within her. Thanks to the effects of the new trait which were instantly noticeable Rose quickly grasped the most efficient flow of energy through the blade. Once she¡¯d done that, it took no time at all to bring the ability to completion.


    She saw the tip of Foulter¡¯s blade just inches from her face, the man¡¯s eyes burning with rage. On the deck of the flagship, a radiant ball of light shattered into a thousand beams.


    Skill up!


    Light Attunement 11 > 19


    Her skill shot up in levels as the beams of light carved through man and ship alike. Hundreds died instantly and the other two ships suffered some damage.


    Sails and wood caught fire and even the commodore was forced to halt his strike and guard his vitals. Blood dripped from his thigh and cheek where two of the beams had struck him, but the searing heat quickly sealed the cuts. One downside of using light as a weapon was that it didn¡¯t cause much bleeding.


    Rose felt her grasp on divine energy had improved a little, but her knowledge of light and how to wield it had advanced by leaps and bounds. In turn, that had let her understand Sunsplitter a little more.


    For the first time since she¡¯d obtained the blades she checked the level of resonance, realising it had increased by a huge amount from the 13% it had been. It was now at 58%, which flummoxed her a little.


    Just how much more fighting and understanding was required for perfect resonance? Ultimately it wasn¡¯t necessary to have a 100% connection with her blades in order to cut down her foes but she knew her strength would be much greater if she could manage such a feat.


    That radiant sun was only the beginning. She heard the sound of breaking glass and sighed as a huge crack appeared on one half of Sunsplitter. The weapon was only level 51 and far from strong enough to handle the power she¡¯d run through it.


    Rose hoped it would last long enough for her to gut Commodore Foulter. He¡¯d recovered, observing her warily in case she had another powerful ace hidden up her sleeve.


    She didn¡¯t. The rest of the battle would just be a good old-fashioned clash of blades. Though she did have the advantage of divine energy to empower her every strike, the gift from Sylack still far from exhausted despite the large quantity of energy she¡¯d expended with her previous attack.


    Rose took a step forwards, twirling her blades while staring down her foe¡ªno, her prey. However, he refused to back down and returned her gaze with a defiant stare of his own.


    Commodore Foulter stepped forward and the ocean began to rumble and the slowly sinking wreckage of the flagship trembled.

 2.06 - A Beacon of Hope

    When all seems lost, having a powerful or inspiring figure to rally around can even usurp the workings of the divine


    -Excerpt from ¡®Silversea Saga¡¯ by Norris Howell


    Rose realised that even with the divine energy empowering every aspect of her being, she may have bitten off a little more than she could chew. Commodore Foulter was a man who stood on a similar level to Commodore Saff.


    Given their shared title that was obvious. Then again, Rose¡¯s opinion of Minenblum was fairly low based on her encounters with influential people from the country so far and she wouldn¡¯t be surprised if many of the higher ranking naval officers earned their positions through nepotism.


    The air around the man flared and crackled with shimmering frost, the force of his arcane energy suppressing the space itself. As he walked towards her, ice spread from his feet, rapidly turning this half of his former flagship into an iceberg.


    Rose had to dig in her feet as the ice spread beneath her, almost slipping as the friction of the wooden hull vanished. It was difficult.


    Most of her focus was on not falling over and she felt like even a slight movement would send her careening in that direction. Which was quite annoying, as her opponent was bearing down on her and would soon be in range to strike.


    He wielded a long cutlass in his right hand, the blade a bright silver that was almost white and covered in glowing blue marks. She didn¡¯t recognise them, but the tingle in the air told her they were filled with arcane power.


    In fact, if not for her upgraded blessing coupled with the gift of divine energy she¡¯d received, Rose wasn¡¯t sure she would even be able to resist the commodore¡¯s aura at all. When he was almost close enough to strike, he did something unexpected.


    His left hand whipped to his belt and he drew the pistol he¡¯d been using earlier, cocking the hammer and pulling the trigger in a single fluid movement. The metallic ting of the hammer was all the warning she got.


    Rose lifted her right foot and moved it back, planting it against the ground to shift herself out of the bullet¡¯s path¡­ and instead her foot slipped on the ice, making her slide towards the ocean.


    Which actually allowed her to dodge the bullet entirely, rather than simply making it miss her vital organs. That wasn¡¯t a good thing.


    Her foe had moved the moment he fired his pistol. It was shoved back into his belt and she saw flakes of frost gathering around his hand in its place. He moved across the ice with ease, like a doori in the mountains.


    She hadn¡¯t managed to regain her balance when he struck, his cutlass slicing through the air and leaving a trail of frost in its wake. Sunsplitter was damaged, but that didn¡¯t mean the twin blades were useless yet.


    Even from her awkwardly bent position Rose was able to block the commodore¡¯s strike, but that came at the cost of what little balance she had. Her feet went sliding, a manic dance like a newborn calf trying to walk on the grassy earth.


    If nothing changed, this fight would end rather quickly. In her absolute defeat. Rose refused to let that happen, so she tried to think of a way to counter the lack of suitable footing.


    Commodore Foulter wasn¡¯t going to give her the time she needed though. He was already upon her once more, the runes on his blade glowing as he struck her again and again.


    Skill up!


    Dual Wielding 15 > 16


    Blades 19 > 20


    She blocked some, parried others, but many slipped past her guard. Wounds accumulated across her arms and chest as she was pushed further down the iceberg, towards the ocean.


    Many of the navy soldiers were struggling in the waters, either trying to stay afloat or fighting off the masses of fish that had gathered. All of them were hungry and most of the soldiers succumbed to the endless onslaught after a while.


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    Rose smiled at the vicious scene. It was a twofold happiness. These men had come to her home and slaughtered her family and friends, so now they would pay the price.


    A price that came with the added benefit of offering them as sacrifice to her god.


    She wondered if it was purely the power he¡¯d granted her that made her come to truly revere Sylack as her divine patron or whether she¡¯d had that instilled in her from birth due to her upbringing.


    It was a meaningless question, because it didn¡¯t change the bond they now shared. Rose had no time to ponder the answer either, because another barrage of blows was headed her way.


    The commodore seemed angry that his strikes were doing little more than surface wounds and with a roar, the runes on his blade suddenly glowed ridiculously bright.


    He raised the cutlass above his head and Rose had but an instant to guard herself against the impending strike. As the commodore slashed downwards, the air itself was frozen in its wake.


    Rose pushed her divine energy into Sunsplitter, trying to repeat the same move as before in summoning the miniature sun. It was far weaker, both because she¡¯d had less than a second to channel it and one of the twin blades was broken.


    Nevertheless, that split-second decision was enough to save her from instant death. The ocean around them was frozen for dozens of metres in every direction, the epicentre being a single line of permafrost that the commodore had drawn with his blade.


    Rose herself was frozen into a statue after being blown tens of metres out to sea and the entire flagship was now a twin-peaked iceberg. He¡¯d not even spared his own men with his strike, all the struggling sailors turned into frozen corpses along with plenty of the surrounding fish.


    He stepped off the wreckage of his former flagship and onto the frozen waters of the ocean, utterly confident in his ability to keep the water in that state. He strolled towards the girl, the foolish child who¡¯d sought to challenge him, a frown on his face.


    If he could¡¯ve chosen not to, he wouldn¡¯t have led this assault. Not because he found it distasteful¡ªhe didn¡¯t care one bit about the lives of these backwater peasants¡ªbut because he¡¯d much rather be out searching for the next convergence to challenge, the next monster to subdue and use as fuel for his own advance.


    The commodore doubted the girl had survived his last move. He called it Empty Tundra. Because after it was summoned through the power of his blade, all life within was extinguished. Leaving nothing but an empty, frozen, wasteland.


    Exactly the kind of paradise he felt most comfortable in.


    He¡¯d always found it strange that the tide never recognised unique moves, regardless of whether they were physical or arcane in nature. One of the many small mysteries about the strange gift from the gods.


    One he might one day discover the answer to. After leaving hundreds or even thousands more frozen corpses in his wake. Looking down at the faces of his men, frozen in contorted fear, agony, or confusion, he had to admit that humans were far more appealing in this state.


    Forever locked in a single moment, with no uncertainty as to what they might do next. He looked up at his opponent, frozen still with those two annoying cutlasses in her hands, he saw her mouth frozen in a half smirk.


    He clenched his jaw. Such an arrogant brat. However, he knew he would gain much satisfaction from that contemptible expression when her frozen body was stored away in his vault back in Aughold.


    Many of his enemies were stored there, prizes to be gazed upon when he felt the desire arise. Their expressions and poses varied. Some had terror etched on their faces, a primal fear blossoming in the moment of their death.


    Others were angry, furious that fate had deemed them the loser, fuel for his advance. A few shared the smug satisfaction of this brat, fools who believed themselves superior to him until the moment he snuffed out their lives.


    At first, he was insulted that he¡¯d needed to step up personally and fight during this invasion. Taking down the smallest village in the pathetic country that was the Emerlan Isle should¡¯ve been easy.


    Arrive with his fleet, blast the cannons for a while and then sail back home. And he had to admit, these new cannons did their job with devastating efficiency.


    Minenblum had been advancing their magi-tech recently in an effort to keep up with more powerful nations and the majority of that effort was focused on weapons. He¡¯d heard that since the death of his two sons, old Elmer Saff had been working on a special new ship. One that would blow all his previous creations out of the water.


    Quite literally¡­


    In this moment however, none of that mattered. They were all fleeting concerns and background information. He took the final step and arrived before his trophy.


    Rage bubbled inside him as he looked at her smirk. He had to resist the temptation to carve the corpse into a dozen shards. After a few years in his collection the rage would subside.


    He went to sheath his sword, preparing to snap the statue from the frozen waters below, when a sudden movement made him pause. He looked up at her face and was shocked by the sudden change.

 2.07 - When Statues Come to Life

    Being in one¡¯s natural domain will always remain superior to forcing it somewhere it doesn¡¯t belong


    -Excerpt from ¡®Charting the Tide: Mortal Limitations and the Divine Spark¡¯ by various contributors


    Rose¡¯s mouth curled upwards into a smirk as she looked at the man below, through a layer of frost. He¡¯d stood there in silence, observing her with his creepy eyes. The way he stared at her like she was a piece of meat made her skin crawl.


    It was obvious from how he acted that he thought she was dead, or at least unable to fight back. While his sudden strike was powerful and his grasp of the frost affinity potent, Rose was far from defeated.


    As he¡¯d struck she¡¯d begun to form another small sun on the tip of her cutlass. The searing heat from the ability had resisted the insidious frost and kept her alive. She had passed out briefly, but woken up to see him casually strolling across the sea towards her.


    Instead of making sure he¡¯d defeated his foe, the foolish commodore had taken his time to inspect his handiwork. Cruel idiot.


    He¡¯d also made a terrible miscalculation. When they¡¯d been on the wreckage of the ship Commodore Foulter had the absolute advantage, especially after freezing the ground and stealing her footing.


    But now that he¡¯d brought the fight to the ocean¡­ Well, this was her domain. Rose would not be beaten.


    She flooded Sunsplitter with divine energy, finally feeling the reservoir within her core beginning to fade. Sylack¡¯s gift would not last forever, but it would last long enough to kill this annoyingly smug dunghead.


    Water dripped onto her from the rapidly melting ice. The heat continued to intensify and suddenly a small crack appeared. Rose saw the commodore frown slightly, knowing that she¡¯d lost the element of surprise.


    However, it was too late for him to escape the blast. With a final push, the light affinity energy exploded outwards from her cutlasses and shattered the ice encasing her.


    All the ice around Rose for ten metres was shattered and melted at once, while the commodore was blasted backwards. She fell into the sea, but didn¡¯t panic.


    Skill up!


    Light Attunement 19 > 21


    Divine Attunement 8 > 9


    Bobbing in the waves she saw the man lower his arms from his face. His coat was in tatters and his arms burnt. He¡¯d guarded his face but the rest of him didn¡¯t fare so well.


    Most of his uniform was destroyed, only his underclothes remaining. He coughed and sprayed the frozen sea around him with blood.


    ¡°How!?¡± he roared, blood and spit flying from his mouth. ¡°How is a little brat like you from this unimportant hovel so powerful? You don¡¯t even have a scrap of arcane energy within you!¡±


    She faltered for the first time. What is he talking about? My core is fine, so perhaps he just can¡¯t see very well? Rose thought to herself.


    Almost immediately she pushed the doubts away. It didn¡¯t matter what the man thought of her. She just needed to kill him.


    She¡¯d always wondered how the others walked on the sea as though it was grass. Rose was content to lie in the waves¡ªthe sea was not her enemy.


    However, it would be difficult to fight while treading water. Until now she¡¯d only sought to enhance her body through energy, but attacks like the sunblast¡ªwhich was what she¡¯d decided to call her recent creation¡ªinvolved releasing energy outside her body.


    Perhaps¡­


    Rose jumped from the waves and landed on the surface of the sea, a thin film of divine energy coating the soles of her feet. She giggled, elated at the simplicity of the solution.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Then a bigger wave than usual hit her and the film dissipated. Rose fell under the surface, pouting. Perhaps it wasn¡¯t as easy as she¡¯d thought.


    A few more tries later, she¡¯d worked out that in order to stop herself losing balance every time a wave hit or she took an awkward step, she needed to make the film less like a rigid coating and more like water. That way it moved with the sea, but she didn¡¯t.


    Unfortunately her brief experimentation had given her opponent time to recover from her previous strike. Commodore Foulter stood on a frozen island, glaring at her.


    His gaze was filled with hatred, derision, and¡­ jealousy? Rose wasn¡¯t always the best judge of character but that was the feeling she got from his bloodshot eyes.


    A second later he raised his blade and started rushing towards her. The sea froze beneath his feet wherever he stepped. She envied his attunement to frost, since it made his life a lot easier.


    No, nothing is better than the sea. And the beasties are pretty cute, too, she chuckled inwardly. Rose raised her blades to meet him as the battle resumed once more.


    Both sides put their all into every swing. The sounds of metal meeting crystal rang out across the sea and blood dripped into the ocean below as they sliced and smashed against one another.


    It seemed as though they were evenly matched. Rose felt that she might even have the upper hand after blasting him in the face with a ball of light attuned energy, but it was hard to tell.


    Commodore Foulter was the type of enemy that continued to battle at full strength regardless of how injured he was. Rose respected that determination but it was frustrating to not know how close she was to victory.


    A splash sounded in her ears as she smashed her blade against his and she felt his arm buckling under the pressure. Suddenly however, she heard a tinkling shatter and watched in horror as the cracked cutlass exploded in a shower of crystalline shards.


    The loss of her weapon wasn¡¯t all bad. A few of the shards buried themselves in the commodore¡¯s face and chest. He staggered backwards but quickly recovered.


    Now that she only had one blade, Rose was severely weakened. She still held up, but because she wasn¡¯t using both cutlasses anymore, Dual Wielding was no longer working.


    Her Blades and One Handed Weapons skills were much lower level and she immediately felt the pressure ramping up. She parried and blocked to the best of her ability but around half of his strikes broke through her guard and drew blood.


    Worse, she¡¯d used over half the divine energy and what she had left was rapidly draining as she struggled against him. A battle that should¡¯ve been winnable was quickly turning into one where her loss seemed certain.


    Rose refused to give in despite the tides turning, believing in her own strength and her fury. If she lost now, she wouldn¡¯t be able to face her dead friends and family from Fairwater Bay in the afterlife.


    She considered praying to Sylack again, in hopes that he would provide her with another gift of divine energy. Then she decided against it. Her patron had already done enough and if she couldn¡¯t prove herself to be worthy, she might as well give up on her dreams and become a fisherwoman.


    Her only weapon more powerful than Sunsplitter was her Divine Serpent¡¯s Lure, but that wasn¡¯t suited for close range combat. She didn¡¯t regret using the fang to craft the rod though.


    How would that blacksmith feel if he knew she¡¯d broken his creation already? Then again, it was already a miracle that the antlers of a low level monster had been turned into such a powerful pair of cutlasses.


    Her train of thought was broken as the commodore resumed his attack. Seeing her weakness had only made him more furious and every strike carried a brutal weight that made her stagger.


    ¡°Foolish girl,¡± he snarled as he smashed her blade aside. ¡°Messing with powers beyond your understanding and men beyond your strength. I shall immortalise your stupidity in my collection.¡±


    She stared back in defiance as he raised his blade once more. One thing she would never do, even if she lost, was give this annoying officer the satisfaction of breaking her.


    However, the expected strike never came. Instead of killing her, Commodore Foulter rested his cutlass against his shoulder and raised his free hand. With a smile, he stepped forward and grabbed her by the shirt, lifting her to her feet.


    Rose was confused until she felt the arcane tingle from his closed fist and an icy chill spread from his hand to her chest. He was trying to freeze her into a statue again.


    Wait, he said something about a collection. Don¡¯t tell me¡­ Rose realised what the commodore was attempting. It made her sick.


    There was only about a quarter of the original divine energy left, but that was enough to do what she needed. This next move would probably hurt her just as much as it would hurt her enemy, but that was fine.


    There was no need to direct the energy anywhere specific, she just gathered it all in her chest, right underneath his hand. Rose was about to let it explode outwards, taking them both down together, when she heard a familiar sound in the distance.


    She smiled at the commodore and let the energy fade. His smug grin grew even wider as he believed she¡¯d surrendered, but the battle was far from over.

 2.08 - Mother Knows Best

    Mother knows best


    -Excerpt from the play ¡°Ensnared¡± by the Round Eared Rat Company


    The bleating of doori echoed across the ocean, silencing all other sounds. Rose smiled, releasing the build up of energy in her chest.


    She wasn¡¯t sure why she knew that blowing herself up was no longer required, but she felt it in her bones. A moment later, there was a booming crack followed by a shower of splinters as one of the remaining two ships was smashed in half.


    Commodore Foulter¡¯s eyes widened as he turned to the wreckage. However, he never removed his hand from her chest. The frost continued to spread, now covering her entire torso and beginning to reach her neck and arms.


    She redirected the divine energy to instead slow the spreading frost by continually chipping away at it, but her control wasn¡¯t the best. While she¡¯d grown used to wielding the energy during the battle, finer applications like this still eluded her.


    Rose was better at facing problems head-on. That was why she was good at fishing, other than her average patience. Once you did manage to get a bite, it mostly came down to a battle of strength and reflexes; a battle she won almost every time.


    From the wreckage of the ship, she saw something that made her laugh and sigh in relief simultaneously. An overly handsome man dressed in gaudy armour was leading a charge of the biggest doori she¡¯d ever seen. Across the surface of the sea.


    Putting aside her shock and urge to burst into raucous laughter, she then noticed he was wielding a sword far too big for any one person to actually use for combat. If not for the fact that he was clearly on her side¡ªor at least the side of the Emerlan Isle¡ªRose would¡¯ve been tempted to test his mettle herself.


    If only to see how he planned to use the blade without falling over.


    They weren¡¯t actually charging towards her. At least not at first. The man in the lead seemed to spot the frozen island on the sea and shouted something she couldn¡¯t hear.


    The group of doori instantly changed directions and began charging towards her and the commodore, making her opponent snarl in frustration. But he still didn¡¯t remove his hand.


    Was he really that obsessed with making her a part of his collection, whatever that meant. He was too creepy.


    Even so, his frost was working fast. Her entire upper body aside from her head and almost all of her legs was now frozen solid.


    She felt her thoughts slowing a little as the cold reached her brain, but the divine energy kept her going. Perhaps this new arrival would be able to defeat the commodore, but Rose wasn¡¯t sure she would be able to participate in the final battle.


    A real shame. She would¡¯ve liked to see the expression on Commodore Foulter¡¯s face as he was dropped into the sea to feed the fishies.


    As the frost covered her face, she saw the man with the comically large sword bark something at the others behind him. All of the doori-riders except for two split off and made a beeline for the final intact ship of the trio.


    The man and his two remaining followers crossed the sea on the backs of the enormous doori. Even the largest ram in her mother¡¯s herd was only half the size of the gargantuan beast the handsome fellow rode.


    Where had they come from? She¡¯d honestly never seen or even heard about such large doori on the Emerlan Isle.


    The frost finished coating her body, but for now she remained conscious. But she could feel the cold continually seeping in and her thoughts grew sluggish.


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    The last thing she saw was the man standing up on the back of his doori and carving down towards the commodore as they reached each other.


    Maybe mother was right¡­ Doori are awesome as heck, Rose thought as she passed out.


    ***


    Prince Everyn was a lot happier than he¡¯d been an hour ago. When he first saw the explosions out to sea, he thought he¡¯d missed his chance to be the glorious hero of his homeland.


    He had silently cursed whoever had stolen his thunder, despite being somewhat thankful that they had come to the defense of Fairwater Bay. None of his followers had known his thoughts of course, as that would be poor leadership.


    So when he¡¯d carved one of the two intact ships in half, thanks to the immense momentum the charging war-doori generated, he¡¯d been ecstatic. Not because he¡¯d sent hundreds of the invaders to a watery death, but because he realised the battle was far from won.


    In the distance he¡¯d spotted Commodore Foulter¡ªit could only be him, due to the excessive quantities of frozen water he saw¡ªfighting against what looked like¡­ a teenage girl?


    Or at least he thought so. It was difficult to tell, because he soon realised that the commodore¡¯s opponent was rapidly being turned into a frozen statue. Which in a rather twisted way, made Everyn even happier.


    Not only would he get to participate in the battle, he would even get to arrive at the perfect moment. A heroic entrance worthy of his grandeur.


    He urged his doori onwards, pushing more energy through its body to help it stay stable as it charged across the ocean. In a strange way, the bovines were perfectly suited for this task.


    They¡¯d evolved to walk in the steep, rocky hills of the Emerlan Isle. As such they had a natural ability to use the tiny amount of arcane energy they possessed in order to maintain their balance.


    Naturally, improving that ability through selective breeding and training was one of the core principles the royal family kept to over the years. That cumulative effort through generations was showing its worth now as the colossal beast and muscle bound prince tore across the waves.


    The commodore finally took notice of them as they drew nearer but he didn¡¯t remove his hand from the girl¡¯s chest. The reason was clear; she was nearly dead.


    Everyn clenched his jaw. No matter how much his pride had been wounded by not being the first to arrive, he would not allow a hero of his homeland who had fought for their people to die such an ignoble death.


    He raised his sword in both hands, his grip tight and unyielding as he approached his foe. He stood up in his stirrups, his balance unaffected by the shaky footholds. He had trained for this.


    He was born to be a hero.


    The massive war-doori slightly altered its course at the last moment, swerving to rush right past the commodore. Just as planned.


    Right as Everyn passed Commodore Foulter, he swung his mighty greatsword with all his strength, imbuing the blade with his arcane energy. The edge was deadly, sharp enough to slice through a steel wall.


    But right before it could carve the bastard in twain, Commodore Foulter removed his hand from the fully frozen girl and smirked. ¡°The little prince has joined the party, how exciting,¡± he sneered.


    Right before his blade cut through, a wall of ice exploded out from the commodore¡¯s hand to block. Everyn¡¯s sword smashed into the ice, carving through most of it but not quite all the way.


    Unfortunately, while he¡¯d been stopped in his tracks, his doori continued to charge. The beast ran past the commodore and the prince was forced to leap off and land awkwardly on the sea.


    He just about kept hold of his blade. He scowled fiercely at his foe as the wall of ice cracked and fell into the churning waves.


    ¡°A bold attempt, but you¡¯re not even a match for this little brat,¡± the commodore said, drawing his cutlass. ¡°What gave you the guts to face me, Everyn?¡±


    Everyn clenched his teeth. This bastard wasn¡¯t showing him any damn respect. He was the damn crown prince of the Emerlan Isle!


    The prince wouldn¡¯t be satisfied until Commodore Foulter was kneeling at his feet, begging for mercy. But first he would need to cut him down to size.


    Without delay he raised his sword and stepped forward in the same fluid motion, not giving the annoying bastard time to insult him again. The blade hummed with arcane power as it carved through the air, Everyn¡¯s gaze focused on his target.


    This time he held nothing back. He intended to sever Foulter¡¯s head in a single clean slash. Right before his sword cut into the man¡¯s flesh however, a spear of ice burst from beneath their feet and smacked his blade off target.


    In that same instant, the commodore took advantage of his open guard and punched Everyn in the gut. The force behind the blow wasn¡¯t that heavy, but he felt tiny needles of ice pierce his flesh as the commodore¡¯s knuckles smashed into his skin.


    That didn¡¯t do much either¡­ with a single punch. But Every refused to back down.

 2.09 - A Prince and a Pauper

    The beauty of the tide is that no matter your origins, power is always within your grasp. All that stops us from achieving greatness is our determination to succeed.


    -Excerpt from ¡®What Lies Beneath the Waves¡¯ by Telamere Ilrend


    Prince Everyn pushed arcane energy through his body as he prepared to bring down the bastard commodore. He regained his balance and went for another deadly slash, every cut of his blade aimed for the commodore¡¯s vitals. But each time he struck, a spear of ice or wall of frost would appear to block or parry his attacks.


    And every time his sword swung wide, another punch or two would smack into his unguarded torso. Once or twice the frost needles were bearable, but the more he was struck, the more intense the chill became.


    Soon there was ice visible on his body and his movements grew sluggish. Despite that he persevered and didn¡¯t allow the battle to end.


    ¡°How noble of the valiant prince to come to the aid of a damsel in distress,¡± Foulter sneered. ¡°But it¡¯s important to be aware of one¡¯s own strength.¡±


    As he said that, he tossed his cutlass aside and took a large stride towards the prince. Everyn hurriedly raised his blade but was too slow.


    A spear of ice appeared in the commodore¡¯s hands and he thrust it forwards at the prince¡¯s heart. Everyn managed to parry the spear and instead of piercing his heart it skewered him through the shoulder.


    He grunted in pain and tried to swing his huge sword with one hand and slice the spear of ice, but as he did so the commodore summoned another and smacked his blade away.


    ¡°This was a rather profitable venture,¡± said Foulter with a devilish smirk. ¡°I complained to the old man when he told me to come but I¡¯m going to leave with two new trophies.¡±


    His arm twirled as he spun the spear and plunged it towards the prince. He desperately struggled to free himself but with his other arm trapped it was extremely difficult.


    As the spear descended Everyn cursed his own folly. He had rushed in without much thought due to his annoyance. He¡¯d believed someone had stolen his thunder, but now that thunder was nothing more than a tingle.


    The commodore stabbed downwards, but right before the spear could pierce the prince¡¯s flesh, there came a bellowing bray from behind him.


    Blood suddenly spurted into the air and the ice spear went wide as the commodore stumbled. He even let go of the spear in Everyn¡¯s shoulder, collapsing with a huge horn sticking through his stomach.


    Everyn reacted immediately, ripping the ice from his shoulder and channeling his arcane energy to seal the wound. He had forgotten the most important part of being a doori-rider. He wasn¡¯t fighting alone.


    The doori in question was tossing the commodore around on his horn, but was forced to throw the man off when he began blasting shards and spears of ice at the beast. It returned to Everyn and nuzzled into his hands.


    ¡°Good boy,¡± he praised the satisfied bovine, wiping the blood from his horn with a handkerchief he kept for that reason. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he added, hopping onto the beast¡¯s back once more.


    The commodore was swaying on his feet. His earlier show of force had been a bit of bravado on his part clearly. An attempt to dissuade Everyn and try to end the battle quickly before he ran out of strength.


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    There was no way he could go through one fight and emerge unscathed to begin the next. Now it was just a case of ensuring none of those pesky spears of ice could pierce him.


    The prince made sure to keep a tight grip on his mount as they charged at their foe once more. He wasn¡¯t going to make the same mistake as he had before and allow himself to be dismounted.


    Now that he had regained the momentum and advantage he would be sure to use it.


    His oversized weapon was designed to be most effective on the back of the war-doori. While he could swing it properly on the ground, having the speed and height advantage that came with being on the back of his mount allowed Everyn to deliver mighty strikes with impunity.


    He charged past and his first swing was blocked by a hastily erected shield of ice, but it shattered on impact with his blade and barely slowed him. It took a few seconds for his doori to slow down and change directions, but the beast was well-trained and managed it before Foulter could recover.


    Everyn¡¯s second charge caught him on the thigh, carving through flesh right down to the bone. However, he had to pull his sword back early to avoid being skewered on an icicle that blasted from under the ocean¡¯s surface.


    This continued for a while. Commodore Foulter struggled against the constant onslaught from man and beast, but with his energy dwindling he was unable to mount a proper defense.


    Every slash of the prince¡¯s blade carved more flesh from bone and left him on his knees. All that stood between him and death was a tiny island of ice and a fierce determination.


    Unfortunately determination is not enough to resist strength. Everyn¡¯s confidence grew with each charge, a beaming smile appearing on his face.


    He¡¯d felt dismayed at his utterly shameful entrance but as time passed and he continued to dominate his opponent he forgot about the earlier antics. This was how it should be. He was born to be a hero defending his homeland.


    When they told the story of how the mighty prince slaughtered the invaders, he hoped they would include how dashing he looked atop his muscled doori. The last song the bards sung of his deeds had helped him woo more than one buxom wench.


    He cursed himself. Now was not the time for such dangerous thoughts. He had a man to kill. One final charge was all he needed to end the commodore¡¯s life. There was not much fight left in him.


    He raised his blade high, starting to swing before he reached the man. As he drew closer he noticed a smile on Foulter¡¯s face, but it was too late to change course.


    Whatever the tricky bastard had planned it would fail before the might of his blade. Tactics and strategy had their uses, but before a strong enough sword they meant nothing. When his doori was just a few steps away he heard the commodore speak.


    ¡°I really hate using this, but it seems like I have no choice. Why is that old geezer always right? It¡¯s so damn annoying,¡± Commodore Foulter muttered to himself.


    Everyn wasn¡¯t sure what he meant by that. The old geezer was likely his master, but to be so disrespectful to such a powerful and respected figure of the Minenblum Navy was a little¡­


    He knew he certainly wouldn¡¯t speak to his father like that. Foulter wouldn¡¯t get another chance to disrespect his elders. Everyn¡¯s blade carved a heavy arc through the air on a course to decapitate his foe.


    The moment before he struck, there was a flash of blue light and a powerful thrum of arcane power erupted from the commodore. The energy smashed into Everyn and threw him and his mount backwards into the ocean.


    It wasn¡¯t even intended as a disruptive attack but it had cut the intense focus of the pair and now the war-doori was desperately treading water. Getting it back onto the surface would be a challenge.


    Even now the power hadn¡¯t dissipated. Everyn watched as Commodore Foulter manipulated it then suddenly it all rushed into the man¡¯s body. All his wounds healed and armour made from almost transparent ice appeared, covering his entire body except his head.


    A cutlass of pure ice formed in his hand and he gave it a few practice swings before turning his gaze towards Everyn. The prince shivered.


    Ice exploded outwards from the commodore, freezing the ocean for hundreds of metres in every direction. ¡°This is gonna hurt like hell in the morning,¡± he groaned, but there was a nasty smile on his face as he stared at Everyn. ¡°But it will be worth it. I¡¯ve changed my mind. I don¡¯t need two statues. I need to let my anger out on something.¡±


    Everyn clenched his teeth. Clearly the man had used a treasure from his master, the admiral, in order to temporarily boost his power.


    The backlash would be severe but as long as he held out he might be able to last long enough for the treasure¡¯s power to run dry. Then he could end this battle.


    There was no more time for thinking however as he heard the sound of cracking ice.

 2.10 - A Prince, a Pauper, and a Fisherwoman?

    There is a strange juxtaposition that exists between divinity and mortality. Some consider the pinnacle of mortal existence to be those with the most wealth or power, yet there are gods who ascended based on nothing but relentless mundanity.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Charting the Tide: Mortal Limitations and the Divine Spark¡¯ by various contributors


    Everyn readied himself for the devastating attack that was about to follow the commodore¡¯s recovery, but for a brief moment nothing happened. He narrowed his eyes as he stared at the charging man, but despite his healed wounds and the armour of ice it seemed little had changed.


    The spear of ice thrust forth and he parried with his greatsword. There was certainly more weight behind the commodore¡¯s strikes, but not to an unreasonable level.


    They exchanged blows, with him breaking through a few of the man¡¯s ice spears. It seemed not to affect him as he would simply summon a new one every time and continue his assault with renewed vigour.


    Their weapons clashed and they both seemed surprised when another loud crack echoed across the ocean. The commodore glanced over Everyn¡¯s shoulder, towards the frozen girl.


    They both frowned, but for vastly different reasons.


    Commodore Foulter knew he had the upper hand after using the treasure gifted to him by his master, but if the girl was to rejoin the battle it would be hard to win without causing some permanent damage. On the other hand, Prince Everyn was annoyed he had failed to win alone.


    The thought of sharing his glory with another, rather than being the hero who arrived late to the party to save the day, was a frustrating one. However, he was a graceful man and as long as they repelled the invasion he would be satisfied.


    For now though he had to focus everything on the battle. Commodore Foulter had begun increasing the speed of his strikes, the delay between them shortening as he hurried to end the battle.


    Another spear of ice joined the first in his hands and no longer were his haphazard sword swings enough to guard against the relentless barrage. It seemed like it was time to use his most advanced technique.


    Everyn had held back on using it until now as it drained almost all his energy; it was a technique that was impossible to stop once set in motion. He rarely used it, but when he did he had never lost the battle.


    Though he hadn¡¯t tested it against an opponent of this calibre yet. There was a first time for everything.


    Starting it while also attempting to block was difficult. He needed to make some space. ¡°Boy, I need you to distract him while I prepare my technique,¡± he called out to the rampaging doori.


    It bellowed in reply, knowing it would suffer for it but happy to do it regardless. The bond between the war-doori and rider was a deep one that had been fostered since his birth.


    The beast roared, making the commodore falter briefly and then forcing him to focus his energy on battling it when it started to charge with reckless abandon. Those horns were a deadly natural weapon, as the pair had already proven once.


    While the bovine was distracting the commodore, Everyn inhaled deeply and prepared to begin his technique. A greatsword was a heavy weapon, especially his ridiculously large one.


    Thus, the standard sword fighting techniques often didn¡¯t apply. Using regular slashes and thrusts were possible, albeit easier from doori-back.


    This technique was one that made it far easier to deliver rapid attacks with a weapon this large and also made it drain less energy with every strike. It achieved this through constant movement.


    The user would be rotating rapidly while wielding the sword in two hands, like a kind of spinning top of sharp death. The drawback to this technique of course, was a lack of control and an inability to stop the momentum without a huge backlash.


    That was fine. Everyn didn¡¯t intend to stop the technique until his opponent was dead or he ran out of energy. If it was the latter, then the battle was lost and the village was doomed, so he prayed that it never came to pass.


    He channelled his arcane energy through his body, focusing on his arms and feet. The pillars of the technique, especially while at sea, were keeping his balance and generating enough centrifugal force with the blade to maintain the spin.


    He raised the sword high and then exhaled as he swung it down, his feet starting to move as he began his dance of death. He heard a pained roar from his doori and saw out of the corner of his eye that he¡¯d been stabbed with an ice spear.


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    However, he couldn¡¯t help his mount. Not until he¡¯d truly begun the technique. A small part of his mind couldn¡¯t help but be happy. Perhaps now he could win the battle before the girl was freed, then arrive at the opportune moment as the heroic prince.


    All as intended.


    ***


    Rose was incredibly bored. She was still frozen in ice. Her efforts had borne fruit over the past twenty minutes and she¡¯d been rewarded with two cracks in the ice, but it was slow progress.


    Too slow.


    At least the new arrival was powerful enough to contend with the commodore. It was quite the show too.


    Seeing such a huge doori up close and watching it used for battle was a rather novel experience. One that she¡¯d never thought she would see after knowing doori as rather stubborn, but ordinary, bovines.


    There wasn¡¯t very much divine energy left and Rose estimated she would have used nearly all of it by the time she escaped the frosty prison. It would be worth it if only to see the look on that smug bastard¡¯s face.


    He¡¯d frozen her twice already and failed, so it would have to be incredibly frustrating. However, something had happened during the battle and allowed him to heal all his wounds and he was now covered in icy plate armour.


    The reason she wasn¡¯t worried in the slightest was that Commodore Foulter had made one grave miscalculation. If he¡¯d kept the fight on the former flagship that was now an iceberg he would¡¯ve held a dominant upper hand.


    Instead he¡¯d forced her onto the sea, thinking he would remain ahead thanks to his ability to freeze the endless sea water. But he didn¡¯t realise that the ocean was her domain.


    Well, the domain of her patron god, but the distinction was rather irrelevant when it came to combat. Without the divine energy there wasn¡¯t any tangible benefit to being there, but she felt comfortable.


    And she knew that if things grew truly dire, she could call on the denizens of the deep to come to her aid. They had responded in force the last time and she had no doubt they would do so again if she needed them.


    Another crack rang out as the tiny sun on the end of her cutlass burnt away at the ice. He¡¯d done something to it this time that made it far harder to melt and break, but she was making steady progress.


    Her skills had made ridiculous advancements since the beginning of the battle. While she waited, Rose decided to pull up her status and have a look. She also needed to consider changing her title for the battle ahead.


    Name: Rose Everblue


    Blessings: Blessing [Sylack]


    Race: Human


    Occupation: Apprentice Scholar 24


    Title: Quintessential Skill


    Available Titles: Slaughterer, Apprentice, Quintessential Skill, Ambitious Harvester, Godtouched, Traitor


    Bound Items: Sunsplitter 51, Divine Serpent¡¯s Lure ¡ï27


    Skills:


    [General]: Cleaning 12, Fishing 26, Butchery 10, Cooking 8, Herding 2, Crafting 12, Sailing 15, Field Medicine 1


    [Cerebral]: Reading 12, Writing 17, Focus 18, Drawing 21, Appraisal 3, Precision 11


    [Physical]: Swimming 10, Endurance 14, Athletics 18, Toxin Resistance 2, Climbing 6, Stealth 8


    [Martial]: One Handed Weapons 9, Blades 20, Pistols 12, Firearms 6, Unarmed Combat 2, Dual Wielding 16


    [Arcane]: Arcane Attunement 17, Light Attunement 21, Arcane Resistance 8, Water Attunement 7, Frost Resistance 1


    [Divine]: Divine Attunement 9


    Traits: Sensitive Line, Deft Hand, Good as New, Tunnel Vision, Endless Inkwell, Quick Consumption, Knot my Problem, Reliable Duelist, Steady Slash, Smooth Strokes, Agile, With the Grain, Ambidextrous, Thick Skin, Energetic, Inventor, Seductive Lure, Keen Eye, Radiant


    Much of it was expected, if a little faster than she¡¯d expected to progress. The one skill which had rather surprised her with its growth was light attunement.


    Sunsplitter being light attuned and the encounter with the Radiant Wall had brought her understanding of light to a greater level, but it was this last battle that had given her a truly deep comprehension.


    It was odd, given that her god was one of fish and fishermen and her goal of becoming a pirate. However, she wouldn¡¯t complain about gaining more power. All strength was beneficial to achieve one¡¯s dreams.


    Just then she heard two more cracks, followed shortly after by a third one. Looking at the battle between the two men she saw them evenly matched, though both were severely wounded and losing energy fast.


    Another crack followed by a series of shattering sounds finally broke the icy prison and she breathed deeply of the salty sea air. Stepping onto the surface of the ocean, a profound sense of comfort and belonging filled her being.


    Rose turned her gaze to her enemy as looked along the edge of her blade. Sunsplitter might not last much longer, but it would at least suffice for one last battle.


    She¡¯d briefly considered equipping Slaughterer, but the presence of an ally complicated things. Rose didn¡¯t want to risk harming the man she presumed was the prince of Emerlan Isle.


    So, with a smile on her face and a choppy bounce in her step, she rushed towards the battle ready to turn the tides.

 2.11 - Keep Your Friends Close, but Dont Cut Them!

    Skills which are indiscriminate are often exceedingly powerful, but there are those who say losing control in battle is the fastest way to a quick death.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Studying the Blade¡¯ by Farris the Wanderer


    Commodore Foulter was furious. He was also confused. He simply wasn¡¯t sure how a simple invasion of a weak island nation had turned into him being beaten back by an arrogant prince and a little girl.


    To make matters worse, the prince had pulled out some ridiculous berserking skill and was actually breaking down the armour provided by his master¡¯s treasure. And going by the sounds of cracking ice, the girl was soon to rejoin the fray.


    Even now though, the thought of losing did not cross his mind. The very idea was ridiculous.


    A commodore of Minenblum, losing to a child and an idiot with delusions of heroism? He would be a laughing stock if word got out. His master might have a unique punishment waiting¡­


    Or worse, he might simply ignore him. Silence was a devious form of torture. He wouldn¡¯t let that come to pass.


    His confidence wasn¡¯t only due to his pride. The commodore still had one more ace hidden up his sleeve, but he didn¡¯t like to use it due to the overwhelming backlash it caused after the fact.


    In fact he didn¡¯t even consider using it just yet. There was still the possibility of winning the battle without it. The prince was gaining momentum after entering the berserker state, causing constant injury, but it would not last forever.


    Furthermore, even though the girl had escaped the confines of the ice, Foulter doubted she would be able to battle with anything close to her full strength.


    He thought all of this while constantly fending off heavy strikes from the prince¡¯s massive blade. The man had become a whirlwind of steel and arcane energy.


    Every time he blocked another slash it made his entire body shake, bending the metal of his cutlass. The weapon was sturdy¡ªforged by one of the greatest smiths in Aughold¡ªbut it would not last forever.


    He attempted to study the whirling blade technique of the prince while struggling against it. He grew lightheaded as more of his blood drained onto the frozen sea, every failed block letting the man carve another wound into his skin.


    It was a sacrifice he would¡¯ve preferred not to give, but one that was necessary to understand the technique. Foulter had always been naturally inclined to disruption.


    Often that led to him ruining social events or having awkward conversations that left those around him feeling uncomfortable. His demeanour had ridiculous synergy with his ice attunement.


    The cold was a natural disruptor of life and energy. When things lost heat, they slowed down; their natural processes were disrupted. He recently touched on a new concept related to that.


    A concept he was still only beginning to understand, but one that he could hopefully improve here. Ice as a disruptor of arcane energies and the underlying power behind the techniques of his foes.


    He didn¡¯t understand it himself yet. Foulter only borrowed the inherent properties of his most powerful attunement and let it lead him in battle.


    In order to truly advance in strength he would need to understand what was happening and claim that power for himself. So when he saw the first opening in the whirlwind blade of the prince, he pulled on the frozen energy in his core and let it gather around the tip of his cutlass.


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    Prince Everyn had complete confidence in his victory. His dance of death was unstoppable and Commodore Foulter was slowly being forced backwards. The man¡¯s defeat was inevitable.


    Which was why even when he saw him coat his blade in ice, he refused to halt his momentum. This was clearly a last ditch effort to win; the desperate attack of a dying man.


    His blade descended, the speed gathered from his constant spinning making it almost invisible to the naked eye. Victory was moments away.


    As the two blades clashed, energy exploded outwards alongside a metallic ringing. The ocean fell silent as the icy dust cleared, the hungry fish eager to see the results.


    Either way they would feast.


    ***


    Rose noticed something strange as she rushed towards the two men dueling. The one she assumed to be the prince would appear to have the upper hand.


    His momentum was constant, that strange technique allowing him to attack rapidly without pause. Commodore Foulter was being slowly carved to pieces and the confident smirk on the prince¡¯s face only seemed to reinforce the feeling that victory was inevitable.


    Despite the apparent pressure, Rose noticed the commodore¡¯s face was calm. A trace of annoyance and pain was present in his gaze, but there was nothing to indicate he felt truly afraid; that he believed he might lose.


    She wondered why.


    It didn¡¯t take long before things changed. She had decided to stop rushing towards them.


    Acting in haste would only lead to mistakes and she¡¯d learned that lesson already. Instead she observed, waiting for the tides of battle to change and indicate that the time was right for her to strike.


    There was also something she was waiting for. Rose didn¡¯t need help to defeat the commodore. While she was at sea, this close to home, she doubted he had any hidden abilities that would pose a threat.


    In her right hand she held the Divine Serpent¡¯s Lure and in the other she held the intact blade of Sunsplitter. The broken half was tucked into her belt, not shining as bright as the other half.


    Right now she was deciding which weapon to use. It was a really difficult decision because there were too many variables to consider.


    If Rose just went with her gut feeling, she would likely just use the fishing rod. But if she always listened to her gut she¡¯d probably end up using the rod all the way until it became useless. Which would likely be a good few decades down the line¡­


    Sunsplitter had the benefit of powerful synergy with her light attunement¡ªwhich was currently her highest levelled attunement skill. The sun technique she¡¯d developed was also absurdly powerful, though she suspected it would not be as impactful when using her own arcane energy rather than divine energy.


    Nonetheless, it meant Sunsplitter had great merits. This internal debate happened over the course of just a few seconds and ultimately Rose put Divine Serpent¡¯s Lure back in her inventory.


    Not only because she believed Sunsplitter would be most effective against the commodore with his ice attunement, but because she believed this might be the last battle it was usable in.


    It would be fitting to give her first weapon a rightful grave. Then again, it might be possible to repair it with the right materials and a talented enough smith, but that wasn¡¯t a guarantee.


    She turned her attention back to the battle with both blades in hand, watching as the men clashed. Suddenly she felt something shift in the exchange.


    The prince had a beaming grin on his face as he swung his blade, clearly believing this strike would be the last. Yet the commodore seemed indifferent as ice energy gathered at the tip of his cutlass.


    If the battle continued as it was, the commodore would win. That much was obvious to Rose, but luckily the prince wasn¡¯t fighting alone.


    She took a step forward, feeling that the tides were on her side. The time to strike had arrived. And not a moment too soon, as she also felt a ripple from beneath the surface of the ocean.


    Her call had been answered.


    Fighting her at sea was truly foolish for anyone not similarly blessed. The commodore would soon learn that, as would the entire invading fleet.


    Ice exploded outwards as the two blades met and through the storm of shards, Rose saw her target chasing down the broken prince.


    Somehow, Commodore Foulter had completely shattered the momentum of the prince¡¯s technique and that had been devastating. She heard multiple crunches as bones broke, his blade falling into the sea when the copious amounts of blood leaking from his skin made his grip fail.


    The commodore pounced on this weakness, leaving three deep cuts on his foe in a matter of seconds. If things continued, the prince would die.


    After the storm, it was only natural for the sun to shine through. Commodore Foulter had a determined look on his face as he slashed out to decapitate Prince Everyn, but right before his blade made contact the world flashed white.

 2.12 - New Dawn for the Emerlan Isle

    Sometimes it takes tragedy to bring out the best in something


    -Excerpt from ¡®Silversea Saga¡¯ by Norris Howell


    Rose knew that the battle was not over the moment she allowed the miniature sun to explode. It had struck true, burning off one of Commodore Foulter¡¯s arms, but somehow the man had survived.


    Skill up!


    Light Attunement 21 > 22


    When the blinding light dissipated she saw why. Prince Everyn was on the ground, bleeding from a dozen wounds. Ice covered parts of his body and his breathing was shallow, but he had managed to stay conscious through force of will.


    Rose saw a strange look in his eyes when their gazes met, but they would have time to talk when the battle was won. Because it was not yet won.


    Commodore Foulter was surrounded by a barrier of ice attuned energy covered in faint cracks. A few seconds later those cracks expanded and the barrier shattered, the energy vanishing before the shards of ice could reach the frozen sea.


    Rose was confused how the man could continuously pull out such overpowered defensive skills while so injured, but she soon got her answer. He coughed, spewing blood all over the ice and staggering backwards.


    In his hands, she spotted an amulet of some kind. However, it suddenly shattered and turned to dust at the same moment.


    He glared at her, the hatred in his eyes almost tangible. ¡°Utterly unbelievable!¡± he snarled. ¡°To think that I had to use every last charge of master¡¯s amulet just to defeat a fucking child.¡±


    She frowned as she met his gaze unflinchingly. ¡°That¡¯s not very nice. You shouldn¡¯t curse,¡± she admonished her opponent.


    He froze, jaw dropping at her remark. He facepalmed and sighed deeply as she continued to frown at him, before lowering his arm.


    A cutlass of ice appeared in his hands and he started taking slow steps towards Rose. ¡°I guess I shouldn¡¯t have expected much intellect from a mere child. Honestly, the fact you have pushed me this far is impressive,¡± he said, gaze never leaving hers. ¡°If someone like you is allowed to grow freely, you might even threaten Minenblum one day.¡±


    He was just a few metres away from her now and began to slowly raise his frosty cutlass into the air. ¡°I will not allow that to happen.¡±


    However, before he could make a move a deafening bellow silenced everything and made the ocean tremble. It was as though a thousand foghorns were blaring at once, stunning everyone present.


    Everyone except Rose, who had known exactly what was about to happen. Because she was the one who had caused it.


    While she was freeing herself from the icy prison imposed on her by the commodore, she had naturally used the ability of her blessing to call to the denizens of the deep. Not for assistance in her own fight, as she was confident in beating the rude officer all by herself, but for something a little¡­ flashier.


    Following the deafening sound, the ocean itself parted as a colossal whale breached the surface. It had appeared between Rose and the shore. She was grateful the waters weren¡¯t too shallow where the commodore had decided to drop anchor.


    In a single fluid motion, the whale swallowed all three ships whole, including the frozen flagship. Its mouth slammed shut as it pierced the water and dove into the depths once more, satisfied with its meal.


    Rose noticed that it had purposefully left quite a few of the navy soldiers uneaten. The little fish had to eat, after all.


    ¡°What in the gods¡¯ names is that thing?!¡± Commodore Foulter exclaimed, fear creeping into his expression for the first time since the battle began.


    Rose didn¡¯t answer. There was no need. It was time to finish this battle once and for all. It had gone on for far too long and she still wasn¡¯t certain of the fate of her parents.


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    Drawing the broken Sunsplitter, she rushed at the commodore while he was still in a daze. When she was just a few steps away he reacted, his instincts too strong to be overcome by a little shock.


    Well, a big shock, but he still recovered nonetheless. Her left cutlass slashed towards his neck and he was forced to block with his cutlass of frost, while the blade in her right hand was thrust at his gut.


    Her arm shook as he smashed her blade aside and a small circular shield of ice appeared on his stomach. However, it was hastily formed and her cutlass shattered it, leaving a shallow cut before he twisted his body away.


    Rose was relentless and didn¡¯t allow him any reprieve, following with more slashes. The speed and intensity of her attacks only grew as she became more confident and the damage accumulated on the commodore.


    The sound of shattering ice and the clashing of blades rang out across the sea. Prince Everyn watched with rapt attention, not wanting to miss a moment.


    He was frustrated he couldn¡¯t end things himself but the Emerlan Isle losing outright was not a desirable outcome, so he cheered the girl on internally. Many of her strikes were blocked or parried, but plenty broke through Foulter¡¯s guard.


    It was made more difficult by the fact she had a damaged weapon, but it didn¡¯t dissuade her or slow her barrage in the slightest. Suddenly the commodore stumbled, one of his ankles slipping on the ice.


    For a man who wielded ice attuned energy as his primary weapon to slip on his own ice¡­ was not a positive sign.


    The battle quickly went downhill from there and soon he was on his knees on a tiny island of ice. It rapidly melted as the sea water smashed against it.


    Rose looked to her right, realising that she had to end the battle now. A colossal wave reminiscent of a tsunami was bearing down on them, courtesy of the whale¡¯s earlier dive.


    It wouldn¡¯t injure her, but it might give the commodore a chance to slip away. Sure, the fishes would probably kill him if he escaped into the sea, but Rose didn¡¯t want to be denied the satisfaction of taking him out herself.


    Nasar¡¯s death had been tragic and she still felt the loss deeply, but it had taught her something about the tide. Killing more powerful foes would grant genuine progression to skills and the cultivation of arcane energy.


    In order to achieve her goals and to be able to stand against the coming invasion, she needed more strength. So she had no qualms about killing the rude invader to claim it.


    Her blade descended, meeting a final, desperate barrier of ice. The broken half of Sunsplitter shattered at the same time as the ice, but she had a second blade.


    Commodore Foulter¡¯s head went flying an instant later, his expression permanently twisted in indignation and fury. A fitting end for a vile man.


    You have slain [Ashwin Foulter]!


    Accumulated merit:


    2 Occupations Completed


    11 Titles Acquired


    1 Soulbound Items


    2¡ï Earned


    Flowing Core


    Skill up!


    Dual Wielding 16 > 17


    Once more, Rose read through the summary of a dead man¡¯s achievements. She learned Commodore Foulter¡¯s first name¡ªAshwin¡ªand also that he was far less impressive than Nasar had been.


    Rose was also curious how someone over a decade older than her only had about twice as many titles and an arcane core of the same level. Was it really that difficult to advance the level of one¡¯s core?


    The rush of power was far less intense this time and she barely buckled as the sparkling storm of arcane energy rushed into her body. In fact, the opposite was true.


    After the intense battle she¡¯d been utterly depleted and this burst of energy was exactly what she needed to rejuvenate herself. She stared into the water at the falling head, a few fish already racing each other to the fresh meal.


    ¡°Next time you shouldn¡¯t curse so much. It brings bad luck,¡± she said as she kicked his headless corpse into the ocean.


    That kicked all the nearby fish into a feeding frenzy and she smiled as she watched the cute little buggers devouring her foe.  A few moments later she turned around, one final task to do before returning to the remains of her village.


    ¡°Prince Everyn, I assume?¡± she asked as she helped the fallen swordsman to his feet.


    The gigantic doori swam over during this and lifted him onto its back with some help from Rose. Once he was sitting comfortably, though looking rather forlorn, he answered.


    ¡°Indeed, I am Everyn, Crown Prince of the Emerlan Isle. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, young heroine,¡± he said, puffing up his chest and doing his best to look regal.


    Rose had to contain her laughter at that. Then again, he was only behaving as his station dictated.


    ¡°Nice to meet you and thanks for the help. Not sure I could¡¯ve won without your distraction,¡± she said with a thumbs up.


    He looked as though he¡¯d been shot when she said that, but quickly recovered. ¡°Ahem, well¡­ I only did what was right. I¡¯m sure that me weakening the commodore was essential to our shared victory,¡± he coughed, going a little red in the cheeks.


    Wow, he is shameless! Rose realised. Nonetheless, it was expected of a Prince to act like this. As long as he didn¡¯t take too much of the credit he could share in her glory.


    She hadn¡¯t killed the commodore for fame anyway. It had been done in vengeance.


    Her gaze turned back to the shoreline where the still burning ruins of Fairwater Bay greeted her. It was time to face the difficult truth.

 2.13 - The Cost of Victory

    Victory at any cost is a dangerous creed. For we often underestimate quite how severely winning can affect us.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Power and Influence: How to Run a Nation¡¯ by Sea-Emperor Vadaris Neptuna


    Rose began walking back across the ocean towards what remained of Fairwater Bay. As she did, she felt the vibrations of the colossal whale as it began its journey back to the depths from whence it came.


    At that moment she felt a tap on her shoulder and whirled to face Prince Everyn. ¡°Yes?¡± she asked curtly, not in the mood for distractions.


    ¡°That¡­ beast. Do you perhaps have any control over it?¡± he asked, tapping a finger against his thigh.


    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°Well, it may or may not have swallowed quite a few of my soldiers and their war-doori¡­¡± he said, trailing off towards the end.


    Rose wasn¡¯t sure why the crown prince of a nation was so meek but she had to hide her embarrassment behind a cough. I totally forgot those soldiers were fighting on the ships, she admonished herself.


    ¡°I see,¡± she replied. ¡°Give me a moment.¡±


    Rose crouched down low until her hand was placed against the waves and closed her eyes. Communicating with marine life was quite interesting.


    Something she¡¯d never even considered until receiving the blessing from Sylack and yet now that she had it, it felt like the most natural thing in the world. All it took was a thought and her intent was passed on.


    An annoyed rumble shook the water and she found herself doing something she couldn¡¯t have imagined herself doing in a million years: convincing a hungry whale to give up its snacks.


    Eventually it relented after much persuasion and a promise of offering it ¡®an even tastier and tinglier snack¡¯ in the future. What it meant by its food being tingly? She had no clue, but hopefully she would figure it out when the time came.


    What happened next made her giggle, though she was sure the men and women involved found it far less hilarious. She did hear an audible sigh of relief from the prince as a cascade of slimy soldiers and terrified bovines was spat out of the sea by a geyser dozens of metres high.


    Said Prince then rushed off to gather his subordinates and ensure they were okay as Rose continued making her way back to the beach. It didn¡¯t take her long.


    As she stepped onto the sand, she felt a tangible loss of confidence; a lack of security that came from deep inside. Mostly from no longer being at sea, but partly due to not knowing the fate of anyone from her home.


    Walking into the village proper, she saw the charred ruins of houses and burnt corpses littering the streets. In some places the destruction was so severe that only ash remained.


    She preferred those areas. She didn¡¯t have to confront the reality of what had happened to her village when she was passing them by.


    Eventually she arrived at the one place she didn¡¯t want to be. Her house. Or at least, the pile of burning rubble that was once her house.


    Rose stood still for a moment before clenching her fist and walking forwards. Stepping over still burning debris she began to search.


    It took her a few minutes to make it through everything, having to coat her hands in arcane energy to resist the immense heat of the wreckage as she combed through it all. However, she was immensely glad she¡¯d found the courage to do so.


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    There were no bodies inside.


    Now it was possible that her parents had been struck with a blast so severe they were reduced to ash instantly, but she would have no way of finding that out until she encountered any survivors. For now Rose had a spark of hope that they were alive, as she had not seen their dead bodies.


    Skill up!


    Arcane Attunement 17 > 18


    She dismissed the whorl as soon as it appeared. Gaining skill levels by searching for her parents¡¯ corpses left a sour taste in her mouth, even if it had been a novel application of her arcane energy.


    In fact, there were quite a few whorls which had appeared in the final moments of the battle between her and Commodore Foulter but she¡¯d chosen to ignore them for now. When her mind was in a calmer place she would go through them.


    Now that she¡¯d searched through her old home and confirmed that her parents might be alive, Rose was stumped. There were too many places that survivors could have fled to and she had no solid leads.


    This led to her wandering through the village until she found herself somewhere familiar¡ªthe pier. Somehow, the ramshackle wooden construction had survived the blitz, along with most of the little fishing boats tied to it.


    As she looked at the small vessels, gently bobbing up and down in the waves, Rose smiled. Her journey had begun here, a few months back.


    Compared with the entirety of her life it was only a short period of time, but so much had happened since that fateful night she stole a boat and set sail. So, so much.


    For a moment she wanted to scream and cry, letting out all her rage and sorrow, but she suppressed her emotions. In the end she simply muttered a single word to the wind. ¡°Why?¡±


    The only response was the sound of a wave splashing against the rickety pier and the squawk of a seagull returning to the village now the chaos was gone.


    She sat on the end of the pier, her legs dangling over the edge with her toes just dipping into the water. The sense of serenity and belonging returned and she simply gazed out towards the horizon.


    Rose remained that way for almost thirty minutes until she heard the creaking of planks, indicating that someone was walking down the pier behind her. She turned her head and saw the prince approaching, his massive doori waiting on the beach.


    She didn¡¯t say anything, instead waiting for him to speak. Clearly he had something to say to her, while she had little she wanted to talk with him about.


    Not that she didn¡¯t like the man, he¡¯d fought valiantly alongside her to defend the Emerlan Isle and avenge her village. They just had little in common beyond that shared battle.


    ¡°I thought you might wish to know that we might have discovered the trail of the survivors,¡± he said, making her perk up. ¡°One of the war-doori scented a trail and I¡¯m fairly confident it¡¯s them. Would you like to join us to bring them back?¡±


    Rose nodded and stood up, wincing a little as she lifted her toes out of the water. ¡°Thank you for telling me,¡± she replied. ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    Prince Everyn led her back through the village and this time she didn¡¯t find it as difficult to pass by the destruction. He observed her as they walked, a strange expression on his face.


    He seemed as though he wanted to say something, opening and closing his mouth a few times, but held back. Eventually they reached the edge of the village, passing by her house and walking towards the base of the hills where the rest of the soldiers were gathered along with their massive mounts¡ªnone of which were as big as the prince¡¯s.


    However, before they joined the group he grabbed her arm and she glared at him. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she hissed, pulling away from his grasp.


    He flinched, slowly closing his fist. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to startle you,¡± he apologised. ¡°I just have to ask how you can possibly be so¡­ put together. I mean you fought admirably, but you¡¯re just a child. It¡¯s¡­ not normal,¡± he said, immediately wincing as he spoke the final words.


    But it was too late to take them back. Luckily for him Rose wasn¡¯t insulted. In fact she could understand the sentiment behind his confusion. Most fifteen year olds would be a quivering wreck after seeing their home ravaged and burned, with the majority of the people they grew up with dead or missing.


    Admittedly, she was feeling something close to that inside and it took almost all her willpower to stay focused on the task at hand. She was just better at hiding it than most people.


    ¡°I¡¯ve experienced a lot these past few months. I suppose it gives me a somewhat unique perspective. I am devastated, furious, and broken. I just can¡¯t let that break me until I at least discover the fate of my parents,¡± she answered truthfully.


    Turning away, a tear rolled down her cheek but she wiped it away before anyone noticed. Everyn didn¡¯t say anything else as they joined his soldiers.


    One of the group updated him and they began following one of the doori as it led them into the hills. Rose could only cling to that faint spark of hope as the dreaded moment approached.

 2.14 - Growth Requires Suffering

    In order to truly advance beyond our fated station, there is no path but to submit to suffering. For in order to grow beyond what is intended for us, we must suffer the loss of that which is comforting


    -Excerpt from ¡®The Cruel Tides¡¯ by Rhiannon Melastromoz


    As they passed through familiar hills, Rose was numb to what went on around her. She didn¡¯t miss the tracks of doori and the occasional lost possessions littered on the mountainside.


    Only people fleeing for their lives wouldn¡¯t care about dropping their valuables. At the very least it comforted her to know that some of the people of Fairwater Bay had survived the attack.


    And for those that hadn¡¯t, they could at least pass into the afterlife knowing that they had been avenged. That didn¡¯t put Rose¡¯s conscience at ease but it at least allowed her not to fall into despair.


    There was another way to distract herself for a while, which she dived into without much excitement: inspecting her status and the new whorls. First, the one she¡¯d casually dismissed earlier.


    Skill up!


    Arcane Attunement 17 > 18


    It still left a bitter taste but with the discovery of survivors she at least had a glimmer of hope that her parents were still alive. Most of them were just the gains of her battle with the commodore, but a few curious entries caught her attention.


    You have earned a new skill!


    Beast Attunement 0 > 1


    Skill up!


    Beast Attunement 1 > 6


    You have earned a new skill!


    Whispers of the Deep 0 > 1


    Skill up!


    Whispers of the Deep 1 > 3


    The Beast Attunement skill made sense at least. She had summoned sea monsters quite a few times using her blessing and even made¡­ friends? With the octopus.


    So to have the tide acknowledge that in the form of an attunement was quite rewarding. And Rose felt that attunement skills made everything related to them a lot easier.


    Her high level in Light Attunement and Arcane Attunement had definitely contributed to her early arcane awakening and the creation of her miniature sun technique. High relative to others her age at least.


    The second skill was a lot more enigmatic. She could guess at its origins from the name, likely some kind of communication based skill related to the ocean.


    However, what it actually helped her do or unlocked in relation to her future path was a mystery. Maybe if I could find a way to talk with Sylack again, I could ask, she thought.


    Though the chances of that happening again so soon were quite low. In fact she¡¯d been so caught up in the destruction of her home and the subsequent battle she¡¯d not really grasped the importance of talking with a god.


    What was more strange was how¡­ familiar Sylack¡¯s presence had felt. If she had to think of a similar feeling, then Rose would say it was like how she knew her father had walked through the door without turning to see him.


    Which was a ridiculous thing to think about the presence of a god, but it was the truth. Something to dwell on in the future, rather than when she was dealing with a world shaking sense of loss.


    Rose pulled up her status to get a sense of her overall progression. She was pleased about most of it but a few areas were lacking.


    Name: Rose Everblue


    Blessings: Blessing [Sylack]


    Race: Human


    Occupation: Apprentice Scholar 24


    Title: Quintessential Skill


    Available Titles: Slaughterer, Apprentice, Quintessential Skill, Ambitious Harvester, Godtouched, Traitor


    Bound Items: Sunsplitter 51 (Damaged), Divine Serpent¡¯s Lure ¡ï27


    Skills:


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    [General]: Cleaning 12, Fishing 26, Butchery 10, Cooking 8, Herding 2, Crafting 12, Sailing 15, Field Medicine 1


    [Cerebral]: Reading 12, Writing 17, Focus 18, Drawing 21, Appraisal 3, Precision 11, Whispers of the Deep 3


    [Physical]: Swimming 10, Endurance 14, Athletics 18, Toxin Resistance 2, Climbing 6, Stealth 8


    [Martial]: One Handed Weapons 9, Blades 20, Pistols 12, Firearms 6, Unarmed Combat 2, Dual Wielding 17


    [Arcane]: Arcane Attunement 18, Light Attunement 22, Arcane Resistance 8, Water Attunement 7, Frost Resistance 1, Beast Attunement 6


    [Divine]: Divine Attunement 9


    Traits: Sensitive Line, Deft Hand, Good as New, Tunnel Vision, Endless Inkwell, Quick Consumption, Knot my Problem, Reliable Duelist, Steady Slash, Smooth Strokes, Agile, With the Grain, Ambidextrous, Thick Skin, Energetic, Inventor, Seductive Lure, Keen Eye, Radiant


    The area she felt she was lacking in most was her occupation. If she¡¯d waited and managed to choose a combat related one, perhaps she would¡¯ve seen the same meteoric growth as she had in her skills.


    Unfortunately she¡¯d been impatient and tempted by the description of Apprentice Scholar, leaving her with an occupation that was fast becoming a hindrance instead of a boon.


    Many times she¡¯d told herself she would simply take some rest and develop the related skills in order to complete the occupation and start a new one, but Rose kept finding herself thrown from calamity to adventure. It was what she¡¯d always wanted, but right now it was more¡­ personal than she¡¯d wanted.


    Perhaps it was childish naivete but she thought that Fairwater Bay would always stay the same. A backwater fishing village where her parents lived their ordinary lives; a place to return to if she ever needed respite from her journey to the pinnacle of piracy.


    Never would she have expected to find herself back home again so soon, especially not under these circumstances. In part she blamed herself, their recent battle with the Saff brothers one of the leading factors in Minenblum going on a warpath.


    Rose consoled herself with the knowledge that they likely would¡¯ve done the same regardless of her involvement, just later down the line. That didn¡¯t help much.


    The bleating of doori broke her from her stupor and she looked up to see a huge herd ahead of them, the colour of the scales and different horns indicating that this was a blend of various herds from across the island. All of the doori in the local area seemed to be gathered here, surrounding something that she couldn¡¯t see yet.


    Or more accurately, protecting something.


    The doori bleated anxiously as they approached, but the much larger war-doori seemed to be able to exert a strange influence on their smaller cousins, calming them. The sea of scaled bovines parted to let the group through, Prince Everyn in the lead.


    As they passed, Rose heard shouts from within the herd and when the last few doori stepped aside she saw a load of familiar faces. Fishers and herders, clutching a sorry assortment of pitchforks, pans, and kitchen knives.


    The survivors were covered in ash and blood, looking haggard and terrified as the massive beasts approached. However, one of them seemed to recognise the prince and shouted out.


    The bravest defenders at the front relaxed immediately and started to smile, with cheers soon breaking out and cries of ¡°Hail the prince!¡± Rose grimaced at that. She¡¯d barely heard about the royal family growing up, so why was everyone suddenly a patriot?


    Tragedy apparently did strange things to one¡¯s mind. She was relieved to see many of her neighbours alive, but none of them seemed to recognise her. And she couldn¡¯t see her parents yet.


    The procession continued until they reached the group of survivors. Prince Everyn raised his fist in some kind of heroic victory pose.


    ¡°The vile invaders have been repelled and the Emerlan shores are safe once more!¡± he cried, earning another round of cheers. ¡°I cannot bring back your village or restore your homes, but I promise you that as your crown prince I will do everything in my power to rebuild Fairwater Bay. Vengeance has been claimed today, but this is not the end. Minenblum will pay for their arrogance.¡±


    Rose had to admit he was charismatic. He certainly was fit for the job. Though she felt his claim of further punishing Minenblum was dubious at best.


    He¡¯d not even managed to defeat a single commodore on his own, even after Rose had weakened him. How did he expect to take down a vast kingdom with far more powerful figures at the helm?


    After saying his piece, the prince dismounted and began to make his rounds of the survivors. Him and his soldiers handed out food and medicine which they¡¯d brought from Greengate, treating the most injured survivors first.


    His care for the people seemed genuine, which made Rose push up his approval rating in her head a little. She got down from the doori she¡¯d been riding, borrowed from one of the soldiers who¡¯d fallen in the battle.


    Wandering through the crowd, she was shocked. Not by the injuries or devastation, but by the fact that not a single one of the villagers had recognised her yet.


    It was¡­ refreshing, yet also upset her. Had they truly forgotten her in just a few short months? While she wondered whether to laugh or cry, she continued making her way through the crowd.


    She even spotted Daniel with his family, though his father was noticeably absent. Her heart ached for her old friend¡ªno matter how annoying he¡¯d been, he didn¡¯t deserve to lose his father.


    Daniel didn¡¯t look her way, but she decided to speak with him. He might know what had happened to her parents.


    However, she didn¡¯t even make it halfway to the boy and his family when her wandering gaze found a pair of familiar eyes, set deep in a weathered face. Her father stared at her for a few seconds before his eyes widened in realisation.


    ¡°Rose?¡±

 2.15 - Long Awaited Reunion

    We often don¡¯t realise how much we¡¯ve changed until we cross paths with people from our past. A big fish in a small pond will find it hard to grow until it ventures into the ocean.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Ballads of the Sea¡¯ by The Unchained Bard


    ¡°Rose, is that really you?¡± her father exclaimed, leaping to his feet and rushing towards her.


    She didn¡¯t even get a chance to respond before he wrapped her in a tight embrace, lifting her into the air with his beefy arms. For a brief moment she struggled against it but fast relented, sinking into the warmth of his chest.


    All her fears and hopes faded for that moment in time as she hugged her father. Eventually he released her, grasping her shoulders firmly and looking into her eyes.


    ¡°You are in a lot of trouble, young lady,¡± he said in the firm tone he saved for scolding her.


    ¡°Seriously?¡± Rose scoffed, raising an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s the first thing you say?¡±


    He let out a booming laugh and released her shoulders, taking a seat on the grass. He then patted the ground beside him and she took a seat, watching as a twinkle appeared in his eye.


    ¡°Well, I would be remiss in my duties as a father if I didn¡¯t tell you off. You know I had to talk Daniel¡¯s father down for almost a whole week after you stole their boat,¡± he said, throwing her a sideways glare.


    ¡°Oh! I actually have the money to pay them back now,¡± she said, realising at that moment she wasn¡¯t a penniless village girl anymore.


    Though whether a fishing family had much use for tidestones was¡­ questionable. Hopefully she could scrounge up enough regular money.


    ¡°Good. Though the person you need to be paying back is me, given that I already helped them pay for a new boat,¡± he replied with a smirk.


    Rose realised he¡¯d been messing with her and gently slapped him on the arm. When he winced and his eyes widened in shock she realised that her growth was much more impactful than she realised¡­


    ¡°Wow, that actually hurt! What have you been eating, my little fish?¡±


    ¡°We had a really good chef on the ship,¡± she replied, trying her best to keep tears from forming. She still hadn¡¯t gotten over the loss of Nasar.


    ¡°I can tell. You¡¯re damn strong,¡± he said, giving her a strange look that she guessed meant ¡®I¡¯m not sure how to feel about my fifteen year old daughter being stronger than me so I¡¯ll leave it unsaid.¡¯


    Rose looked around, wondering where her mother was. She should be close by if her father was here. Knowing her mother she was probably helping tend to the wounded.


    ¡°Where¡¯s mother? Is she nearby?¡± Rose asked, gaze wandering around the survivors gathered on the hill.


    Her father didn¡¯t respond, so she turned back to him. His joyful expression had vanished, replaced with a solemn gaze and a frown.


    Rose¡¯s heart skipped a beat and her stomach dropped.


    ¡°Father? Are you alright?¡±


    She almost didn¡¯t want to listen to his response, his face telling her everything she needed to know already. Nevertheless, she still had to find out the truth.


    He sighed, the deep sigh of a man who¡¯d experienced great loss and lived to tell the tale. ¡°Your mother was always an angel. It¡¯s why I fell in love with her in the first place. She was so kind, always willing to help others before herself,¡± he said, looking off into the distance and not meeting her gaze.


    ¡°She was,¡± Rose agreed, wiping away a tear.


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    ¡°This time, her kindness was her downfall. When the first explosion happened, no one knew what was going on. By the time the evacuation warning had spread it was too late for most of the village,¡± he continued, pausing occasionally to take deep breaths.


    ¡°Because of the location of the house we escaped the initial wave of attacks, but like the angel she was, your mother insisted on helping the neighbours escape. Old Bethel was trapped, you see. Of course, I did most of the lifting and eventually we got her out, but then your mother spotted her dog still inside¡­ I tried to stop her but it was too late. The place collapsed with her still inside.¡±


    Even her stoic father was crying now, while her own cheeks were wet with flowing tears. Rose was glad her mother had died a hero, but it would¡¯ve been better not to die at all.


    For a damn dog¡­


    No, that¡¯s a horrible way to think. Every life has value. It¡¯s not mother¡¯s fault she was that kind of woman, but Minenblum¡¯s for being cruel, Rose admonished herself.


    Rose hugged her father once more, sharing the pain of loss and understanding his guilt. She¡¯d felt the same way when Nasar was killed.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± she said, knowing it was an empty platitude but still offering it nonetheless.


    What she didn¡¯t say was that she believed it was probably her fault¡­ though she¡¯d already had to scold herself once about that line of thinking.


    ¡°Even so, I¡¯m sorry. I should¡¯ve been able to-¡±


    Rose held up a hand to stop him. ¡°Really, it¡¯s not your fault, father. Don¡¯t let the guilt eat you alive,¡± she said with a melancholy sigh.


    He nodded but she knew he didn¡¯t take the words to heart. The wound was still too fresh. Some things only time could heal.


    After a few seconds of silence he turned back to her, his frown washed away and his tears dry. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s wonderful to see you again. Tell me about your adventures, my little pirate. Your letter was quite the read, but I want to hear it from the source.¡±


    Well, it¡¯s probably a great way to take his mind off things, she thought to herself. She began to tell her father everything that had happened since the night she ran away from home¡­ or well, sailed.


    Though she did skip a few questionable moments, like the fact she¡¯d almost died in the first week because of her own stupidity or how she¡¯d killed plenty of people already. Some things didn¡¯t need to be said.


    ***


    Rose was currently chatting with her father on the back of the same doori as a large group of people made their way to Greengate. Some of the survivors had opted to stay behind, but the prince had left a few soldiers to look after them.


    After she told her father about meeting her uncle he¡¯d agreed that travelling to Greengate was probably the best choice. There wasn¡¯t much left for them in Fairwater Bay.


    Her father had loved her tale, appropriately reacting at the right moments and especially enjoying the stories about fighting colossal sea beasts. When she eventually reached the end, recounting her most recent battle with the commodore, he clapped her on the back.


    ¡°Good girl, I¡¯m glad you gave that bastard what he deserved. You really have grown up¡­ I never used to take you seriously when you used to run around saying you¡¯d become a pirate but I guess I should¡¯ve listened.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to be a pirate though, you better make sure you¡¯re the damn greatest pirate that ever lived. Make Saltbeard look like a pretender, my little fish!¡±


    She giggled at that. Trust her father to be utterly over the top. He didn¡¯t even end it there¡­


    ¡°Now, the most important question,¡± he chuckled deviously. ¡°What level is your Fishing? After all those wild battles it must have grown quite a bit.¡±


    Rose tapped the side of her nose and winked. ¡°That¡¯s for me to know and you to wonder,¡± she teased.


    ¡°Damn girl, only fifteen and already keeping secrets from your father?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m joking,¡± she replied, rolling her eyes at his ridiculous act. ¡°Level twenty six.¡±


    He whistled loudly. ¡°That¡¯s a lot higher than I was expecting, but it makes sense given what you¡¯ve told me. You¡¯ll overtake your old man soon enough.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll always have something to teach me.¡±


    ¡°Damn right, and don¡¯t you ever forget it,¡± he replied, tousling her hair.


    Yet her crazy growth in Fishing wasn¡¯t even the part that surprised him the most. No, what he¡¯d found most strange was her blessing.


    Not only that, but he seemed to not even react when she mentioned it. Like it was something to be expected, or maybe¡­ he already knew, Rose realised.


    What she didn¡¯t know was how. It wasn¡¯t the best time to press him for answers but when it came to gods and mysteries one really couldn¡¯t delay.


    ¡°What aren¡¯t you telling me about Sylack?¡±


    ¡°Rose, what are you talking about? Sylack is my¡ªwell, our¡ªgod. The deity of fish and fishermen. What more do you need to know? I¡¯m happy you received his blessing and from the sounds of things you¡¯re using it well,¡± he said, eyes darting about as he spoke.


    ¡°Father¡­ tell me the truth,¡± she demanded, narrowing her eyes.


    He sighed, rubbing his temple with his palm. ¡°Fine. You¡¯re right,¡± he replied, finally relenting. ¡°You deserve to know the truth.¡±

 2.16 - Borne of Salt, Forged in Blood

    Effort will take you far, but origins often have a bigger impact than we care to admit


    -Excerpt from ¡®Charting the Tide: Tides of Creation¡¯ by various contributors


    Rose made herself comfortable in the saddle. Or at least as comfortable as she could¡ªthe hard leather wasn¡¯t the most supportive seat.


    ¡°Let me start from the very beginning, before you were even a twinkle in your mother¡¯s eye,¡± her father said, gaze distant as he reminisced on the past.


    She was eager to hear his tale. Her parents had never really spoken about the circumstances of her birth, so she¡¯d always assumed they were¡­ well, normal.


    Yet from the moment her father began talking she realised that the truth was far from her expectations. At the same time though it also felt comforting.


    He took her on a journey through her parents'' younger days; a tale of passionate romance and a very determined man trying to win over a stubborn village beauty. Her father won in the end, his efforts paying off.


    Well he didn¡¯t need to explain that¡­ I wouldn¡¯t be here otherwise, Rose thought, mentally rolling her eyes.


    However, when he continued to explain how they¡¯d struggled to conceive a child at first, Rose realised her assumptions might be off the mark. At this point her father had to take a short pause when he started to cry.


    The pain of losing her mother was still fresh. Watching her usually stoic father grieve so freely resonated with something inside Rose.


    She hugged him and from there her own tears flowed freely. She¡¯d lost a lot at sea and returned home only to find greater losses and tragedy awaiting her.


    The father and daughter cried and cried in each other¡¯s arms for a while until they had no tears left. ¡°I needed that,¡± Rose sniffed, wiping her wet eyes. ¡°I¡¯m so happy to see you again, father.¡±


    ¡°Likewise, my little fish. Even though we share this burden of grief, know that your mother lives on forever in our hearts,¡± he replied with a melancholy smile.


    Rose returned his feelings with a nod as they continued along the road. They needed to stop to let the doori eat and drink, so they took a seat on the grassy knoll and her father continued his tale.


    ¡°This is where you may need to brace yourself. Though given your recent exploits, what I¡¯m about to reveal might not be as shocking as it could have been,¡± he began.


    She laid back on the grass and made herself comfortable. Judging by her father¡¯s expression he was about to reveal something juicy.


    ¡°As I mentioned before we stopped, your mother and I had a lot of trouble conceiving. In fact we tried for over a year without success¡ªand this was us giving it a go almost daily!¡± he exclaimed.


    Gross¡­ I didn¡¯t need to know that bit.


    ¡°Anyway, to make a long story a little shorter, we tried and failed. In our desperation we tried everything; medicines, elixirs, herbs, rituals, blessings; none of them worked. Then one night I woke up in the dark, with your mother missing from our bed. I hurriedly dressed and went to look for her, as she wasn¡¯t anywhere in the house. Eventually I spotted her walking towards the beach and chased her down.¡±


    ¡°She seemed almost possessed, refusing to listen to me. Her gaze was locked on the churning waters of the sea and she just kept walking towards it¡­ When we reached the beach and I realised she had no intention of stopping I tried to physically restrain her,¡± he continued, looking conflicted at this part of the tale.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t work. She continued to struggle and eventually I gave in, letting her walk into the shallows. She kept going until suddenly a current dragged her under,¡± he sighed. ¡°I panicked and rushed in after her, but it was pointless. She was washed back to the shore soon after, looking a little confused and shaken, but overcome with happiness.¡±


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    ¡°A few weeks later the bump formed and from there onwards it was a fairly normal pregnancy, the strange circumstances aside¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait, but I thought to have a baby that both of you needed to¡­ y¡¯know?¡± Rose asked, her cheeks flushing.


    ¡°As did I, my little fish,¡± her father chuckled, ruffling her hair and receiving a glare in return. ¡°Apparently if you¡¯re a god, you get to skip a few steps. At the time I was too overwhelmed by the joy of childbirth to accept it¡­ but now I realise that it was Sylack¡¯s doing. Ever the generous watcher of devout fishermen,¡± he finished, making a hand sign of a net while gazing towards the ocean in the distance.


    Suddenly a lot of things make more sense. Sylack told me that it was only natural that I received his blessing and divine energy. At the time I thought it was because I¡¯d been so faithful, but apparently I¡¯m what? His daughter? How the hell does that work?


    Rose had a million questions running through her mind. Her father¡¯s story had answered a few of them but created even more.


    She clenched her fists as an annoying thought appeared in her mind. Does that mean all my effort was for nothing? Most of my strength was handed to me because of a quirk of birth?


    That thought scared her more than anything else. The idea that her ambitions and effort amounted to little in the face of some random predetermined fate.


    Zut Rubysoul had said she was surrounded by winds of fate, whatever the hell that meant. Was it to do with Sylack¡¯s influence? For once, she lifted her restriction on cursing, allowing herself to go over her annual limit of a single word.


    Screw that. My fate is my own. Even if I have a blessing and received some help from Sylack, so what? I earned everything else through my own sweat and blood.


    Rose nodded, assured in her beliefs. She threw a strange look at her father. Actually, is it even right to consider him my father, given that he didn¡¯t actually have a hand in my birth? she wondered.


    No, whether or not he did the deed means nothing to me. He was the one who raised me. The one who taught me how to fish. He will always be my father, while Sylack is more like¡­ she paused and chuckled at her own terrible joke. He¡¯s my godfather¡­


    All the internal conflict had taken place in a matter of seconds and her father stared at Rose as her face went through about twenty different expressions in that short time. Eventually she settled on a beaming smile and leapt into her father¡¯s arms, embracing him tightly.


    ¡°Whatever happens, you¡¯ll always be my smells-like-fish-guts, stern-as-hell father,¡± she whispered.


    He looked at her with an odd, half-insulted expression with a raised brow before scoffing and returning the hug. ¡°Says the one covered in ash and blood¡­ You don¡¯t smell so flowery yourself, little fish.¡±


    After a few minutes the prince shouted for them to resume the journey and they were forced to get back on the huge doori. Rose was growing fond of the beast, feeding it some snacks and rubbing it between the horns, which made it bleat in delight.


    They¡¯d only been travelling for a few minutes when Rose¡¯s mouth twisted into a devious grin. ¡°Now, father. Would you care to explain why you never told me that Uncle is one of the gods-damned governors of the entire island!?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ***


    After all the tragedy and shock of the invasion and destruction of Fairwater Bay, the return to Greengate was rather uneventful. Whether it was because of the colossal mounts or the size of their party, no bandits attacked.


    Then again, were they really bandits or just a bunch of disgruntled herders and farmers? Rose only knew she¡¯d felt bad hurting them before and would rather not have to kill her own country folk.


    Prince Everyn announced that they would be heading not to the hidden base of operations, but instead directly to the royal palace. The survivors began chattering, a mix of excitement, confusion, and fear were the main emotions bubbling up.


    Rose herself was curious as this would be her first time in any kind of royal abode, let alone the ruler of her own country¡¯s home. Nonetheless she felt her composure had evolved during her journey and she felt confident in being able to stand tall before the King.


    If that was indeed who they were being brought to see. Perhaps the prince just wanted to be somewhere familiar¡­ he did seem like a daddy¡¯s boy.


    The huge walls and towering¡­ towers rose into the sky as they approached. Unlike the chambers of governance the royal palace was a gaudy affair, with polished white bricks and splatterings of precious metals forming the construction.


    The guards at the gates waved them through without much fuss when they saw the prince and his entourage, but they did shout a few words at Everyn as he passed.


    ¡°Congratulations on your victorious return, your royal highness!¡±


    ¡°May your blade be forever sharp, Prince Everyn!¡±


    It¡¯s not like I did all the work or anything¡­ Rose pouted as everyone they saw showered the man with praise.


    They were about halfway to a building that seemed like the stables when a man in grander robes than all the rest of the people they¡¯d seen rushed out to greet the prince.


    ¡°Your Highness! Thank the gods you¡¯ve returned. It¡¯s chaos! Your father demands your presence immediately in the throne room,¡± he exclaimed, completely ignoring the rest of the group.

 2.17 - Fate and Fortune

    Men have killed over a handful of coppers. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t gamble. Too much at stake just for a little entertainment.


    -Excerpt from ¡®Pirates and Perils: How to turn a profit at Sea¡¯ by Edgar Stett


    The prince seemed frustrated at the new arrival¡¯s demand. Rose noted his reaction with interest while nudging her doori a little closer.


    ¡°Thank you for letting me know, Advisor Arnault. You may tell my father that I will be in the throne room shortly,¡± Everyn replied curtly, not sparing the man another glance as he continued forwards.


    The man¡ªAdvisor Arnault¡ªtook the prince¡¯s disregard in stride, completely ignoring it as he hurriedly power walked after the beast and its passenger. ¡°Your Highness, I really must insist that you follow me at once,¡± he said, the pitch of his voice half an octave higher than before. ¡°The king was quite¡­ insistent on your presence.¡±


    Prince Everyn didn¡¯t stop his doori, continuing to advance with all his soldiers following, though a few threw nervous glances towards the advisor. Rose couldn¡¯t figure out all the quirks, but she knew some complex politicking was going on right now.


    Or perhaps, like all other spoilt kids, the prince was simply letting off steam by choosing to rile up his father. Frankly, whatever the outcome of this visit was, it didn''t matter to Rose.


    Her original goal had simply been to return home, spend some time with her parents, and then go on a little solo adventure to try and complete her occupation and improve her skills before returning to the seas to achieve her ambition.  Yet before she¡¯d even made it back to Fairwater Bay, Commodore Foulter had stolen her mother¡¯s life.


    Which meant that before she could take some leisure time to improve her reading, writing, and drawing, Rose had a bunch of imperious invaders to kill. If the prince or the king or whoever else wanted to help her out, she wouldn¡¯t refuse.


    While Everyn was a little pompous, he¡¯d been a fairly capable fighter and seemed to care for his soldiers and the citizens of the Emerlan Isle. Rose respected that.


    If they ended up joining forces to kill some more¡­ Can¡¯t say that. Already over the limit, Rose caught herself. She couldn¡¯t help it when it came to the leadership of Minenblum. Or anyone else involved in this awful invasion. Especially the old man Saff¡­ Rose was reconsidering her decision to temporarily retire; a visit to Minenblum would help her vent a lot of her frustration on the right targets.


    No, I¡¯m far too weak for that. All I can do right now is make sure they don¡¯t kill more innocent citizens. One day I will make them pay, but that day is a long way away.


    They kept moving towards their destination at a steady pace, the doori actually speeding up the closer they got. Whether that was because they were in on the prince¡¯s machinations or they were just excited to eat, Rose wasn¡¯t sure.


    It¡¯s probably the food¡­


    After a certain point the man had begun sprinting to keep up with the prince, an impressive feat considering the robes he wore trailed along the ground and he somehow avoided tripping. His voice went up half an octave every time he repeated himself as well.


    It didn¡¯t last forever. Eventually he stumbled on a pebble and slammed face first into the ground. The prince suppressed a chuckle but kept moving. Rose watched a few servants rush from the nearby shadows to help the advisor to his feet.


    He didn¡¯t follow them after that, only throwing a scowl towards Prince Everyn which vanished from his face when he noticed Rose staring. What a funny man, I hope we see him again, she thought.


    As it turned out, it was the food all along. They reached the royal doori stables, where a gigantic man who looked a little like a doori himself greeted them with infectious enthusiasm.


    ¡°Everyn, you¡¯re back so soon! I half expected to hear you¡¯d been killed by those Minenbastards,¡± he rumbled, before bursting into raucous laughter that shook the air.


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    ¡°Warmaster Varion, do you truly think so little of me?¡± the prince replied with a wounded expression, clutching his hand to his heart. ¡°That prick Foulter never knew what hit him!¡±


    Okay, now you¡¯ve taken it too far, prince¡­


    Rose hadn¡¯t cared when it was strangers praising the prince, given that they didn¡¯t know the truth of the battle. Now that he was trying to claim her merit for himself? Rose was a pirate; pirates don¡¯t share the spoils of victory.


    She gracefully leapt from the back of her doori, Athletics doing some heavy lifting as she pirouetted to keep her balance. It was the kind of daring feat she would often attempt as a child while helping her mother with the doori, but end up falling flat on her face.


    Rose marched up to the beaming prince and the gigantic warmaster, before tapping Everyn on the shoulder and coughing.


    ¡°Who- Oh, it¡¯s you! How are you doing? Did you need something?¡± the prince asked when he turned and saw Rose.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine,¡± she replied icily.


    The prince¡¯s expression contorted into one of confusion while the warmaster looked on impassively.


    ¡°You, however? I think you need a reality check. The way I remember that fight was me doing most of the work, you arriving and getting your ass handed to you and then me once again taking up the mantle and finishing off the commodore.¡±


    Prince Everyn¡¯s mouth puckered up like he¡¯d bitten a lemon and he coughed as his cheeks went red. ¡°You! How dare-¡±


    He never got to finish speaking. The giant doori-looking man clapped a hand on the prince¡¯s back, making him splutter and stumble forwards while the warmaster himself burst into booming laughter once more.


    ¡°Ha! I like you, girl,¡± he chortled, inspecting her like she was a tasty morsel of meat. ¡°What¡¯s your name? You should give her a promotion, Everyn.¡±


    ¡°Rose.¡±


    ¡°Not a soldier.¡±


    They answered at the same time, but neither got an answer from the burly man. Instead he had rushed over to the prince¡¯s war-doori, cooing softly at it like it was a kitten and not a vicious, scaled, monstrosity that weighed almost a tonne.


    Rose raised an eyebrow, but after all the unusual sights she¡¯d seen in the past few months, it wasn¡¯t that odd. What did shock her enough to make her almost fall on her backside was what happened next.


    Warmaster Varion wrapped his beefy arms around the doori¡¯s midsection and before it could even bleat, he¡¯d hoisted it into the air in a bearhug. ¡°Who¡¯s a good girl? You are,¡± he said in a ridiculously loud baby voice while rubbing his cheeks against her chin.


    Rose was speechless.


    ¡°Well, at least I don¡¯t need to think of a way to get him back for that slap,¡± muttered the prince. ¡°He¡¯s plenty talented at embarrassing himself¡­¡±


    Despite being fully engaged with the doori, who actually seemed to be enjoying herself, Varion¡¯s head flicked towards them. ¡°I heard that. Don¡¯t forget you owe me three hundred gold now,¡± he shouted at the prince.


    ¡°What!? You bet that I wouldn¡¯t be able to defeat Foulter! He¡¯s dead, for Thoramir¡¯s sake,¡± Everyn exclaimed.


    ¡°True as that may be, if this young lady is to be believed, you had little hand in his current state of existence,¡± Varion replied, putting the enormous doori back onto the ground with more care than one might give a piece of fine art. ¡°Hence, I win the bet. You can leave the money by the gate when you leave.¡±


    Prince Everyn¡¯s eyes narrowed as he glared at the cunning warmaster. ¡°Considering that neither of our win conditions were met, wouldn¡¯t it be fairer to consider the bet nullified?¡±


    ¡°Nullified? Don¡¯t be ridiculous, brat. I bet three hundred gold that you wouldn¡¯t be able to defeat Commodore Foulter. You weren¡¯t able to defeat him. How is that not meeting my win condition?¡±


    ¡°Bah! Devious old man, there¡¯s no way that¡¯s what you meant when we made the bet. You thought I¡¯d lose the battle, not win with a little assistance,¡± the prince cried, exasperated.


    Rose coughed.


    ¡°A generous helping of assistance,¡± he hastily corrected. ¡°Regardless, my point stands.¡±


    ¡°What I was thinking at the time of the bet is irrelevant to the terms of the bet. I said you wouldn¡¯t defeat him. You didn¡¯t. This young lady did, if she is to be believed,¡± Varion replied without missing a beat. ¡°And I am rather inclined to believe her.¡±


    ¡°Rose,¡± she said.


    ¡°Indeed, Rose,¡± said Varion with a nod.


    ¡°If you think I¡¯m going to give you three hundred gold out of my pocket while we are in the middle of the most dangerous war our nation has ever experienced, simply to satisfy your personal pride, you are an utterly delusional old man!¡± the prince shouted, his calm confidence shattered in an instant.


    The warmaster was about to retort when an old man wearing an oversized fur cloak appeared between them and placed a hand on both men¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°Given that our magnificent nation is in the midst of such a war, I might inquire as to why my Crown Prince and my remaining Warmaster have chosen to ignore my summons in order to argue over the outcome of a bet,¡± the new arrival said, silencing everyone present. ¡°Perhaps I should take three hundred gold from both of you to add to the war chest instead?¡±

 2.18 - War of Attrition

    The worst kind of death is a slow and painful one. Trust me, I¡¯ve tried it both ways and going quickly is much easier to handle


    -Quoted from The Dreadbone Mauler, Terror of Xandor


    ¡°Father!¡± exclaimed the prince.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± said Varion, slightly more composed than Everyn.


    Everyone present fell to their knees. Some because they recognised the man himself, others because they recognised the golden crown that sat on his greying locks.


    Everyone except Rose.


    Rose let out a dry chuckle as she looked at the King of the Emerlan Isle. She¡¯d never met the man before today but his crown and the reactions of those gathered were enough for her to make the deduction.


    Varion¡¯s thick neck twisted as his frosty glare landed on her. ¡°Girl, you dare!? Kneel before your king,¡± he snarled, no longer the friendly giant he¡¯d been a moment ago.


    She frowned as she observed the change in his behaviour. Even her father was tugging on her sleeve as he knelt beside her.


    Objectively she knew what one was supposed to do when greeting a King. The issue was, she¡¯d felt far greater presences weighing on her and lived to tell the tale.


    Standing before a man who she knew was weaker than her while simultaneously being told to show him deference didn¡¯t make sense. To be honest, I don¡¯t think I was the kind of girl to bow to a king even before I set sail¡­ she bemused.


    ¡°My King?¡± she replied with a wry smile. ¡°I suppose you could say that. I was born here after all. However, there¡¯s only one man who¡¯s made me kneel and I don¡¯t sense him here.¡±


    ¡°Audacious! King-¡± Varion began a furious rant but was quickly cut off by the king himself.


    The king lowered his hand when the warmaster trailed off and fixed Rose with a heavy stare, his sunken eyes carrying the weight and wisdom of age. She met it with a defiant gaze of her own, the two unmoving as the gathered crowd watched with a mix of curiosity and fear.


    To the average citizen of the Emerlan Isle, the thought of daring to defy a member of royalty was akin to throwing yourself into the merciless depths. A suicidal affair.


    Suddenly she felt the ground beneath her feet split open and she tumbled into the dark crevice as magma bubbled up from below. The earth slammed shut around, a pressure like the ocean¡¯s depths weighing on her shoulders.


    Vines burst from the soil and grasped her limbs, small tendrils splitting off and insidiously burrowing into her skin. It burned and stung at the same time and she grunted as she tried to reach for the arcane energy in her core, only to find it empty.


    Rose despaired, wondering what the hell was happening and how she could break free when she heard a rumbling crash in her ears. The soil beneath her feet grew damp and then her dark prison exploded.


    The next moment she found herself being carried on a towering wave as it crashed against a cliff. More waves joined it and she was tumbled about, but never once felt at risk. A dark shadow fell over her.


    A colossal fish the size of a mountain emerged from the stormy ocean and slammed head first into the cliff, shattering the sturdy rocks into a thousand pieces that fell into the waters below.


    The sea rushed to claim the empty terrain and her vision faded. The scene flashed white and she found herself back in the stables, staring at the king.


    A dozen splashes sounded in her ears as he suddenly coughed and doubled over, blood spurting from his nose and mouth. He stumbled, Prince Everyn and Warmaster Varion leaping to their feet to support him.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    ¡°Father, are you alright!?¡±


    Rose tuned out the shouts and panic from the crowd as she read through the whorls. Her confused frown morphed into a smile the further she read.


    You have been subjected to the [Divine Burial of Thoramir]! Arcane connection has been severed


    Your [Blessing of Sylack] has interrupted the [Divine Burial of Thoramir]! Arcane connection restored


    You have earned a new skill!


    Divine Resistance 0 > 1


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    Skill up!


    Divine Resistance 1 > 4


    Skill up!


    Divine Attunement 9 > 11


    You have earned a new trait!


    Acolyte: You have felt the touch of divinity and even wielded it for yourself. This power transcends mortal understanding but can be just as deadly as it is potent. Your arcane circuits will allow divine energy to flow more easily and will take less damage from its use. All blessings are 5% more effective.


    Every single one was golden, almost blending in against the gaudy backdrop despite being in the palace stables. The strange vision had been a divine skill, most likely used by the king, given the backlash he was now suffering.


    Rose didn¡¯t feel bad for the old man. He had tried to test her and failed. If his skill had worked what would have happened to her?


    She suspected something much worse than what he was experiencing right now. Or perhaps it had only been a harmless test, designed to see if the rebellious child had the strength to back up her audacious defiance.


    Either way it didn¡¯t matter. Her blessing was stronger than his, or maybe her connection with Sylack was deeper than the king¡¯s was with Thoramir, the God of Slumbering Earth.


    The new trait was interesting and the skill, while not unexpected, made Rose laugh. The trait read more like a title, but she couldn¡¯t deny that the effect was potent.


    Divine energy wasn¡¯t something she would wield with regularity, but using it more efficiently and receiving less backlash was a great boon. The permanent increase in her blessing¡¯s effectiveness was by far the greatest part of the skill, especially given how often her blessing came into play during her battles.


    The reason the Divine Resistance skill was amusing was because of the implications behind its existence. The tide had been created by the gods¡ªsupposedly¡ªso for them to include a skill which allowed mortals to better resist their powers was a curious notion.


    Although it does improve the general standing of gods in my mind if they gave us a way to retain our free will against their scheming. Sylack had only been a generous patron thus far, but that didn¡¯t mean Rose trusted him blindly the way others were faithful to their gods and goddesses.


    She quickly opened her status to check her overall growth after the recent improvements, again marvelling at how lengthy it had become.


    Name: Rose Everblue


    Blessings: Blessing [Sylack]


    Race: Human


    Occupation: Apprentice Scholar 24


    Title: Quintessential Skill


    Available Titles: Slaughterer, Apprentice, Quintessential Skill, Ambitious Harvester, Godtouched, Traitor


    Bound Items: Sunsplitter 51 (Damaged), Divine Serpent¡¯s Lure ¡ï27


    Skills:


    [General]: Cleaning 12, Fishing 26, Butchery 10, Cooking 8, Herding 2, Crafting 12, Sailing 15, Field Medicine 1


    [Cerebral]: Reading 12, Writing 17, Focus 18, Drawing 21, Appraisal 3, Precision 11, Whispers of the Deep 3


    [Physical]: Swimming 10, Endurance 14, Athletics 18, Toxin Resistance 2, Climbing 6, Stealth 8


    [Martial]: One Handed Weapons 9, Blades 20, Pistols 12, Firearms 6, Unarmed Combat 2, Dual Wielding 17


    [Arcane]: Arcane Attunement 18, Light Attunement 22, Arcane Resistance 8, Water Attunement 7, Frost Resistance 1, Beast Attunement 6


    [Divine]: Divine Attunement 11, Divine Resistance 4


    Traits: Sensitive Line, Deft Hand, Good as New, Tunnel Vision, Endless Inkwell, Quick Consumption, Knot my Problem, Reliable Duelist, Steady Slash, Smooth Strokes, Agile, With the Grain, Ambidextrous, Thick Skin, Energetic, Inventor, Seductive Lure, Keen Eye, Radiant, Acolyte


    She was broken from her admiration by a hand on her arm. Prince Everyn yanked her towards the king, icy fury in his eyes. ¡°You! What did you do to my father?¡± he snarled.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask him yourself?¡± she retorted, grabbing his wrist firmly and removing his arm from hers.


    He raised his other hand but she squeezed his wrist hard enough to make him wince. He seemed ready to start a fight when the king spoke up.


    ¡°Enough, Everyn. The girl did nothing except defend herself from my ability. I am only injured by my own weakness and hubris,¡± he said, standing tall and wiping the remainder of the blood from his face with a handkerchief.


    ¡°Your ability? Wait, surely not¡­¡± his face paled as he spoke, coming to some kind of realisation as he stared at Rose like she was a sea monster.


    Rose returned a beaming smile to everyone present. Most of those kneeling still had no clue what was transpiring. No doubt they were wondering how she hadn¡¯t been clapped in chains for disrespecting the king.


    ¡°At the very least, child, you have the strength to support your flagrant ignorance of decorum. I heard you fought valiantly for my people, which is the reason I didn¡¯t arrive here with a dozen guards instead of on my own,¡± the king said, all traces of his injury now gone.


    ¡°You may all rise,¡± he said, motioning to the gathered crowd. ¡°You have suffered much and it is my duty as your king to alleviate that. You will be fed and given temporary accommodation here in Greengate until you are settled.¡±


    The people of Fairwater Bay cheered, praising the king and his kindness as they were led away by Everyn¡¯s soldiers. Rose was glad the man wasn¡¯t as cruel as other powerful people she¡¯d encountered in her journeys.


    ¡°Now, perhaps we can finally return to the throne room. The War Council has been waiting long enough for your arrival,¡± he scolded the prince and the warmaster. ¡°You should join, Rose¡ªyour uncle will be present. This invasion was just the beginning.¡±

 2.19 - Full Scale

    Only the dead have seen the end of war


    -Plado, Philosopher of the Grekos Archipelago


    Entering the throne room had been daunting at first. Rows of stone benches lined both sides, raised in ascending tiers behind towering, ornately carved pillars.


    The pillars held up the lofty ceiling, with a grand dome in the centre that was covered in a magnificent fresco depicting various scenes of the Emerlan Isle¡¯s history. The dome itself was tipped in glass, splitting a single sunbeam into a corona of radiance that bathed the entire space in light during all hours of the day


    Her gaze descended, ignoring the minor nobles and members of government in the benches as it came to rest on the throne. It was quite likely the most valuable item on the entire island.


    Carved from quartz and inlaid with gold runes across its surface, the throne radiated authority. The entire space was constructed for function over form, yet had an understated grandeur nonetheless.


    The king was seated upon his throne, looking comfortable yet postured perfectly. He had entered earlier so as to not draw attention to their group, though their late arrival did not go unnoticed by many.


    Prince Everyn strolled down the green carpet with the swagger of a man in his own home. It was, after all, his home¡­


    Warmaster Varion was a few paces behind the prince, showing appropriate deference to the members of the royal family present while seeming not to care about the opinions of the rest of the audience.


    Rose herself was still marvelling at the decoration of the throne room as they approached the raised dais upon which the throne sat, the prince kneeling down in front of his father along with Varion at the bottom of the steps leading up to it. Rose curtsied, but remained standing. Her father also knelt, throwing her an admonishing look.


    However, she wasn¡¯t going to compromise her principles now. She didn¡¯t believe anyone in that room could overpower her, the majority of them pampered nobles and paper pushing bureaucrats.


    That wasn¡¯t to say they weren¡¯t far more experienced than her in many ways. Rose knew they would have many skills that eclipsed hers in level, but they weren¡¯t likely to be combat related.


    Prince Everyn had bragged that he was one of the most powerful warriors in the kingdom. Since then, Rose¡¯s opinion of said warriors hadn¡¯t been very positive.


    Plenty of the nobles and officials present began murmuring amongst themselves and looking disgruntled at her behaviour, but she disregarded them all. If the king himself didn¡¯t care, why would the opinions of the rest matter?


    Not that Rose particularly cared for the man¡¯s opinion either, especially after the stunt he¡¯d attempted, but it held the most weight comparatively. The king looked out over the crowd, his gaze silencing the rabble.


    ¡°Rise, my son. Warmaster,¡± he said with a flourishing wave of his hand. ¡°Everyn, you have fought valiantly and shown the Emerlan Isle why you are worthy of being the Crown Prince.¡±


    ¡°I only did as my duty demanded, father,¡± he replied curtly, rising to his feet and ascending the steps to take a position beside the throne.


    Varion received no personal praise, though he hadn¡¯t exactly done anything to warrant it. He joined another man and a woman who were standing at the edge of the dais, above the regular audience but not as prominent as the king or the prince.


    His ancient eyes fell on her next. She met his gaze without flinching, earning a few curious murmurs from the crowd.


    ¡°Finally, I would like to thank this young lady in front of those gathered here. She played no small part in repelling the invasion of Fairwater Bay and defeating Commodore Foulter, from what I¡¯ve heard,¡± he said in a gravelly tone. The whispers of the crowd intensified and the king did nothing to silence them this time. ¡°You are a credit to your nation, Rose Everblue.¡±


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    She nodded. ¡°He brought his demise on himself when he dared to strike my home and kill my mother. I will show anyone they send to our shores the same treatment.¡±


    ¡°Well spoken. Powerful resolve from someone so young. Your mother will be remembered fondly, I am sure. Many of my advisors and warriors could learn a thing or two from you. In fact, as worrying as it is to say, that is the very reason we are gathered now. Minenblum are launching a full scale invasion of our little island and I fear the strength they have deployed is beyond our means to resist,¡± the king sighed, throwing his gaze to the painted ceilings for a brief moment.


    Rose wasn¡¯t surprised. She¡¯d been told Minenblum were on the warpath and continuing their assault was inevitable after the loss of their first fleet.


    However, she knew firsthand the difference in strength between the upper echelons of their navy and the warriors of her homeland. She had struggled against Commodore Foulter and he was far from the strongest opponent they would face.


    Was it the fate of the Emerlan Isle to fall to their relentless conquest? She couldn¡¯t see any path of victory, but perhaps the king had more hidden secrets like their mysterious war chamber.


    After the king began addressing the crowd, Rose and her father joined her uncle in the stands. He admonished her for rushing off while simultaneously praising her for her victory.


    When he heard about her mother, he was suitably upset, offering condolences and hugs. Suddenly a chorus of shouts erupted as the throne room descended into chaos, nobles and officials alike arguing about their strategy.


    War was coming for them. Instead of bickering like children they should be training. It wouldn¡¯t help that much, but it was better than this. Rose was a little disgusted.


    ***


    The gathering had produced little of worth. As far as Rose could tell most of those present had never seen a real battle in their lives and had nothing to offer to the defense strategy.


    She had little faith in the Emerlan Isle¡¯s capability to defend itself. It was harrowing, facing the imminent conquest of her home country, but she was still too weak to change this particular destiny.


    For their part in orchestrating her mother¡¯s death, Rose would make Minenblum pay. That day might be in the future, but in order to ensure she could claim her vengeance Rose would need to survive, train, and challenge herself.


    At her uncle¡¯s home, they were eating dinner. Despite the luxurious mansion and elegant dining room, it was simple fare. Grilled fish and potatoes.


    Her aunt and uncle had never forgotten their roots, despite their elevated station. Rose thought of her mother as she ate, a few tears rolling down her cheek.


    After they were finished, she confronted the trio. ¡°I¡¯m not sure you¡¯ll like what I have to say, but I need to say it regardless,¡± she began, rubbing her temple. ¡°We should leave the island and travel somewhere that is far from Minenblum¡¯s reach. I intend to personally claim vengeance, but I am far from strong enough. We need time. I know we hail from these shores, but they will still be here for us to return to. What we need now is time.¡±


    ¡°I will not abandon this nation in its time of need,¡± her uncle immediately exclaimed, frowning and leaping to his feet.


    He began pacing around the room, her aunt sighing and throwing him an admonishing gaze. ¡°You are a good man, but I think Rose is right. I don¡¯t want to see you die an early death. There is no way we can stand up to Minenblum.¡±


    ¡°Minenblum are not fools. They are bastards, but not fools. They want to conquer the island. They won¡¯t slaughter us all. At least if I stay I can try to make sure the citizens aren¡¯t treated like doori in the aftermath,¡± he said, waving his hands wildly as he spoke. ¡°I have a duty.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t leave either. I was born here and I don¡¯t know anything else; the salt of the Emerlan shores runs in my blood,¡± her father said. Rose scrunched her face as he continued. ¡°Your mother meant everything to me. Without her, you are my only light in this world. You¡¯ve already made me proud. Go into the world and achieve your goals, my little fish. Just make sure you never forget where you came from.¡±


    Why are they speaking as though they¡¯re about to die¡­ she groaned inwardly. The situation isn¡¯t great, but uncle has a point. Minenblum wouldn¡¯t just slaughter everyone. No one would let them get away with it.


    ¡°You¡¯re all so stubborn,¡± she moaned, reclining on the sofa and kicking the air in frustration.


    Her aunt chuckled and stood up, walking towards the kitchen. ¡°I¡¯ll make some tea. Where will you head first, Rose?¡± she asked as she left.


    The kitchen was right next to the living room and it was easy to have a conversation between the two rooms. Rose had to think for a moment. She hadn¡¯t expected everyone to dismiss her plan, only believing they¡¯d sail as far as they could; far beyond the reach of Minenblum.


    Then again, they will send their stronger officers to conquer the Emerlan Isle, but that doesn¡¯t mean every fleet will be stronger than me¡­


    A dangerous spark of an idea flickered to life in Rose¡¯s mind. It would be risky, but a pirate¡¯s life was full of risk. And if there was one thing pirates did best, it was lightning fast raids¡ªslaughtering their foes and claiming their loot, then disappearing before anyone could give chase.


    ¡°I have a plan. It seems like I won¡¯t be going that far away after all¡­¡± she said, drawing her family¡¯s attention as she began to explain her idea.