《Natirra Odyssey [High Fantasy Adventure]》 Chapter 0 - Sianas Coup CHAPTER 0 - SIANA''S COUP
?¡±The people seem to be dissatisfied with your choices, Empress,¡±? said one of the advisors, specifically Astraco, an advisor elected by the previous Empress. Now well into his adulthood, he was responsible for overseeing the people''s health and hygiene. With a slight frown, he guided the servants with his finger as they set the dishes for the banquet. His aggressive wrinkles suggested a hint of wisdom, but his empty and cruel eyes betrayed a sip of malevolence, the cruelty of those in power, their bitterness, and it seemed the civilians were growing tired. The young Empress, Nisarra, daughter of Minargo and Rimaletta, pondered over the food served in front of her. Her innocent and naive face scanned the great hall. It was her fourth year of ruling after her mother"s death, but she still lacked much experience, perhaps due to her age. Needless to say, the hands guiding her were those of her advisors, although she never seemed to have noticed any issues in her governance. ?¡±What is there to report? What are they dissatisfied with?¡±? ?¡±They say¡­¡±? He hesitated a little before speaking what he had to say. The memory of the previous Empress'' cruelty flashed before his eyes, but looking at the daughter, he realized how weak she was compared to her mother. That realization gave him even more strength in his statement. ?¡±¡­You are not up to your mother"s standards.¡±? ?¡±My mother"s reign was short but effective. For all the praise I can give her, I am the one in charge now.¡±? Her face contradicted her words, and her tone belied them. She wasn"t so sure of herself, nor was she assertive. The banquet table was full. After all, it was an important celebration. In that brief period of evening, the long imperial table was filled with the most important figures in Narwhalan government: advisors, high-ranking generals, tribal leaders, and the Empress herself. ?¡±If I may object,¡±? a voice came from the end of the table. Seated alone was General Siana, commander of the largest platoon in the Narvalan empire. A threatening aura covered her face, and her position at the table obscured half of it in shadow. Her horn, rigid and sharp, protruded just enough to be seen in the light, but her dark blue skin and decorated braids were not fully visible. Her eyes, however, gleamed with power. Empress Nisarra couldn"t avoid feeling a drop of sweat run down her forehead. Of all people, Siana was the most ruthless general she had in her platoon, and for some time now, Nisarra had begun to feel a bad premonition whenever she watched her. After the attention shifted to her, Siana continued her speech. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ?¡°The people are indeed dissatisfied, of that I agree. But it would be quite... foolish to attribute it to the past strength of your mother. I was her most proficient general; together we expanded the empire. A tool works well depending on who wields it." "What are you implying?¡±? Nisarra, tasting her banquet meal, listened attentively. ?¡°Unfortunately, this command lacks military strength, Empress. You are very naive and weak. In four years, we have made no conquests, and we have not gone to war.¡±? Advisor Ascaro, along with all the other tribal leaders and four advisors, turned around. Ascaro, before all, voiced the opinion of everyone. ?¡±How dare you speak to the Empress like that! Have you gone mad?! Show some respect!¡±? Siana quickly stood up, but with her usual elegant and orderly tone, from her chair. She had not touched her food, unlike the others. Once again, the shadow covered half of her face, but a wicked smile had possessed her. ?¡±The management of resources is going up in smoke; the people are dissatisfied. We use the people"s money for these¡­¡±? With a furious blow, she knocked the bowl containing her food to the ground. ?¡±Disgusting displays of wealth, while we neglect the glory of our empire. What shame is this?¡±? All the banquet participants watched with a strange feeling, torn between the terror of her threatening tone and face, and the fury over such rebellious behavior toward the Empress. ?¡±Our people are dissatisfied, indeed. Every one of you is aware of it, but what do you do? None of you is as close to the people as we are, who fight for them.¡±? ?¡±What are you trying to imply?" This time it was Nisarra speaking, who, at the end of that speech, could do nothing but stand as well, with frustration and offense. ?"Your empire is weak, Nisarra. You do not deserve to be Empress; your weakness rots our strength, and for this..."? A small platoon of guards, previously stationed at the doors of the hall, approached the attendees. With them, however, came a considerable number of other soldiers. Before those present at the table, including the Empress, could fully grasp the situation, all of them, including General Siana, drew their weapons¡ªaggressive spears made from the fins of Stritizoids, dangerous marine animals, but common around the islands of the empire. The first to understand the situation was Ascaro himself. ?"This is treason! Guards! Guards!"? he exclaimed, but was immediately met with two spears pointing at his face. ?"You desire to call for the guards? I¡¯m sorry, but they are under my command,"? Siana said, then once again looked at Nisarra, that same depraved smile that characterized her even stronger now rested on her face. ?"The people have spoken, Nisarra, and with them, your army as well. We repudiate you as our Empress."? Nisarra''s surprised face betrayed all her emotions. Confusion and shock kept her from speaking, but before she could do anything, one of the guards, with a well-placed blow, struck her from behind, driving the spear straight through her head, piercing it and emerging between her eyes. Immediately after the attack, Nisarra fell onto the plate she had been eating from, spilling blood all around. All the others, seated in their chairs and surrounded by spears, watched in horror, but said not a word. Their silence might have spared their lives. Among them, Ascaro stared directly at Siana''s face with a deep sense of betrayal. After a few seconds, noticing his gaze, Siana looked back at Ascaro, completing her speech. ?"And the people¡­ have chosen me."? Approaching Nisarra¡¯s corpse, she stole the mantle, worn exclusively by the Empress, and, still stained with blood, put it on. She looked at the table, taking a few steps to move away, her eyes fixed on her warriors. With a determined tone, she gave the last order of the brief evening. ?"Slaughter every one of them."? And that day, Siana became Empress. Chapter 1 - The Calm CHAPTER 1 - THE CALM
?¡°The formation of our planet is extremely interesting. In particular, it is made up mostly of the sea, which, according to scholars, covers at least 95% of the planet¡­¡±? As usual, the lesson was boring, and the fact that the first subject of the day was earth studies made it even worse. Normally, with these kinds of subjects, Natirra always had a hard time processing all the information¡ªthere was just too much of it¡ªso she preferred to spend her time playing with her hair, making strange hairstyles that she could quickly reshape at will. After all, her hair was always wet for some unknown reason, which gave her greater control over it. Her eyes were tired, weary, and utterly unmotivated, but she was sitting in the back of the auditorium, and given the size of the room and the large number of students, she could afford to ignore the lesson and mind her own business. To think that just a few years ago, she couldn''t have even imagined being stuck in a room for hours, forced to listen to endless streams of information. The professor, unstoppable, kept talking passionately about the planet Aquarus, where they all lived. ?¡°The planet¡¯s surface is full of tiny islands, spread out from one another. But the planet is incredibly vast, and we can''t even imagine what lies beyond the borders of our great empire! But one thing we can be sure of is that narwhals like us are everywhere; maybe out there, there¡¯s a totally different world¡­¡±? ?¡°What¡¯s the point of listening to this lesson? I already know enough about my planet, pfft¡­ Boring.¡±? Meanwhile, as she watched the professor¡¯s enthusiasm with annoyance, she kept playing with her long black hair, tying it into ropes and making bizarre shapes on her head. ?¡°A planet as vast as Aquarus must hide countless secrets! Our species will discover them all!¡±? ?¡°Please, shut up¡­¡±? She turned to her right, resting her head on the desk in the auditorium, covering part of her face with her arms. She slightly lifted her face toward her companion, moving her arms just a bit to see better. Then she whispered to her. ?¡°Psst¡­ Riaca¡­ Riaca!¡±? With that last exclamation, slightly louder but still within the bounds of a whisper, her companion turned around. ?¡°Let me take notes, Natirra.¡±? ?¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re actually listening.¡±? ?¡°Unlike you, some people actually care.¡±? ?¡°What¡¯s there to care about? It¡¯s our planet! I already know what¡¯s happening.¡±? Right after saying that, she got a light smack on the head. Unfortunately for Natirra, she wasn¡¯t blessed with height compared to the others, so to everyone else, it always seemed like they were scolding a little girl because of how short she was. ?¡°Don¡¯t be silly!¡±? Riaca said with a proud smile.?¡°The world we live in is so full of things. Just think of all the secrets that might be hidden in the ocean of islands we live in, not to mention how vast the sea is¡ªit¡¯s super interesting. And imagine what¡¯s beyond the empire.¡±? ?¡°Boring¡­¡±? Those words sounded familiar to her. Despite their different personalities, Riaca and Natirra had been friends since childhood. Shy Natirra and studious Riaca had gotten used to each other¡¯s presence and, as a result, had started to become more comfortable, and with that, a little more playful. At first, this seemed strange to Natirra, who had always been gentle with everyone and continued to act that way with strangers or mere acquaintances. But it burned her how much taller Riaca was compared to her, and¡­ ?¡°Okay, I admit I¡¯m not that interested in this stuff. But I¡¯d rather get through the school year without any rocky starts. So you better pay attention. And stop messing up your hair¡­¡±? Riaca quickly undid the knots Natirra had made with her hair. The advantage of her hair being constantly wet was that it would stick together, forming hair tubes that were easy to tie. ...And it burned her how much more orderly Riaca was compared to her. Her own long, messy black hair contrasted with Riaca¡¯s beautiful blonde hair, neatly tied in a long, wavy ponytail. Even Riaca¡¯s horn looked straighter and more elegant in comparison. But despite everything, at least Natirra could boast of being more muscular than her, and of knowing how to use her caudal fin much better when swimming, for that matter. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. As the two kept talking, they were suddenly interrupted by the teacher, who had finally noticed their conversation. ?¡°I see you¡¯re not interested in the vastness of our planet,¡±? he said, turning the attention of the whole class toward them. Natirra felt like sinking into the ground. ?¡°A great shame. Even though you live on this planet, you show no interest in it.¡±? Then, turning to the rest of the class, he exclaimed, grabbing everyone¡¯s attention. ?¡°If you aim to be responsible adults, you must learn. You¡¯re almost adults now, and you¡¯ll be running this island and maybe the empire. We need to maintain peace within it! Or we risk falling once again into the age of anarchy¡­¡±? ¡°Boring, boring, boring, boring¡­¡± She kept watching intently, but in her mind, she couldn¡¯t help but feel bored listening to that lecture, which had turned into a motivational speech. Natirra didn¡¯t really care about those things¡ªlearning about the planet or anything else. She turned toward the window in the room, where, in the distance, she could see the beach she loved so much¡ªperhaps the only thing she truly cared about. Meanwhile, Riaca regretted getting distracted and quickly returned to taking notes. ¡­ All the students, motivated, quickly left the auditorium. Finally, the lesson was over, and everyone could go home and do their own thing. Riaca and Natirra, who had hurriedly packed their things the moment they heard the class end, were getting ready to leave. Riaca kept her head down, slightly embarrassed by the scene she had caused earlier, which was still replaying in her mind. With her need to always be a good student, it felt like a mark that could ruin her academic career. On the other hand, Natirra didn¡¯t care much, but even she kept her head down, maybe out of respect or perhaps out of a bit of shame. After all, she didn¡¯t care about the lesson, but she didn¡¯t want to get nasty looks from the professor either. The two were the last to approach the door, but a call from the professor made them turn back. Both turned around at the same time, with the same expression of deep terror. Then, they slowly walked toward him. ?¡°I¡¯ve noticed that you don¡¯t have a particular interest in the school subjects we¡¯re covering, and it pains me greatly. For this reason, I¡¯m forced to assign you extra work to ensure that you put in the same effort as your classmates.¡±? Upon hearing this, both girls had an intensely negative reaction on the inside. Riaca felt annoyingly cheated¡ªshe had taken notes for all those lessons, and everything seemed wasted at that moment; she felt very betrayed. Natirra, on the other hand, was mainly worrying about how much work she would have to do. But as she looked into the professor¡¯s eyes, she couldn¡¯t help but feel an acute sense of terror. That¡¯s why she avoided looking him in the eyes. The professor continued assigning their work. ?¡°I expect you to be able to give me a decent research paper on our species by the next lesson.¡±? ?¡°What?¡±? Both girls couldn¡¯t help but blurt out at the same time. ?¡°You¡¯re not very interested in the planet we live on, but I expect you at least care about the species we are, don¡¯t you? I expect you to do a report on us humanoid narwhals, and I expect it to be respectable. I¡¯ll grade it based on quality, and I¡¯ll give you an oral exam afterward.¡±? Neither of them had the slightest power to rebel against this, so they both accepted that they would have to do this exhausting work, which wasn¡¯t that exhausting, but by Natirra¡¯s standards, it was. With that, the professor ordered the two narwhal girls to leave the classroom, which they did, slowly but inevitably. ¡­ Both of them left the building that made up the school, with faces that looked like they had just come from a battlefield. In an uncharacteristic gesture, Riaca undid her ponytail, letting her blonde hair blow in the wind. Natirra turned around. ?¡°What¡­ happened?¡±? ?¡°I need my hair to breathe. I''m irritated.¡±? Feeling guilty, Natirra stared at the ground in front of her. Riaca noticed, and, reaching out her arm, gave her a few typical taps on the head. ?¡°Come on, come on. I''m not mad at you.¡±? ?¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to distract you¡­¡±? With that, Riaca grabbed her by the horn and forcefully pulled her towards her, proceeding to mess up her hair with her arms, causing her a bit of pain. Riaca had never been too aggressive. But behind her serious and studious appearance hid a girl full of energy. ?¡°Stop acting like a loser. I''m not mad.¡±? After that, she let go of her horn. Natirra took a moment to recover, caressing her attached horn. Hers wasn¡¯t as sturdy as Riaca¡¯s. ?¡°Okay, okay, I got the message, but you could¡¯ve been nicer¡­¡±? ?¡°You wouldn¡¯t have understood. And I needed to vent.¡±? ?¡°So you are mad¡­¡±? The two continued walking through the small forest outside the school. A thin layer of trees surrounded the island and was just past the beach. It acted like a sort of natural wall for the village, located at the center of the beach, of course, next to the volcano that characterized it. That¡¯s how it was, Amelis Island was one of the few volcanic islands in the narwhal empire, and this made it quite unique, but maybe it would have been more recognized by the empire itself for its importance if not for the simple distance from the empire''s center. It was, after all, one of the northernmost border islands, but with recent conquests and additions of other islands, maybe that could change. ?¡°Maybe I am mad,¡±? said Riaca with a grin. ?¡°That¡¯s exactly why I demand that you help me a lot with the research!¡±? ?¡°What?! You don¡¯t actually plan on doing that assignment¡­¡±? ?¡°You heard him, right? It¡¯s graded.¡±? ?¡°But¡­¡±? ?¡°Hey, you¡¯re the one who¡­¡±? ?¡°Yeah, yeah¡­ Fine.¡±? Natirra gave in immediately. After all, it was true; it was her fault. She might as well take responsibility. And anyway, she¡¯d get a grade, too. ?¡°We only have a day, so let¡¯s meet in a few hours. We¡¯ve got all day, all forty-eight hours!¡±? ?¡°Got it, got it.¡±? The conversation quieted as they both finally reached a split in thought. One path led to the beach, the other to the village. And it was often at this point that Natirra and Riaca would part ways. The two narwhal girls said quick goodbyes, promising to meet an hour later, and walked their separate paths. Natirra, lifting her face toward the sky, still covered by the last traces of the forest that faded to make way for the sand, made her way toward the beach. Chapter 2 - Thoughts On The Sand CHAPTER 2 - THOUGHTS ON THE SAND
Natirra walked with remarkable speed. She didn¡¯t like that particular segment of the forest that made up the path to the beach, because even though she could see the beach at the end, it still took her a long time to reach it, and seeing it constantly ahead only irritated her, making her feel distant despite the proximity. As she walked, however, she had a moment of individual thought in the emptiness of her walk, and began reflecting on her day so far. She had a new task, and would be meeting Riaca to work on that very particular project, but¡­ Despite everything, she still didn¡¯t understand what was so important about studying herself. And what was so important about understanding the world we live in? This wasn¡¯t the first time she asked herself these questions. ¡°I already live on this planet, I already know the Narwhals, I know my species, I don¡¯t need to study them, it¡¯s a useless effort.¡± But those aggressive and annoying thoughts were probably caused by the environment surrounding her, because the moment she felt the sweet and warm sand around her sandals, she felt more relaxed. She lifted her head, which she always kept down to avoid looking people in the eyes, and observing the vast sea in front of her, with the sound of the waves flying into her ears, she took a deep breath, letting the sun kiss her as she stepped out from the shadow of those trees. It didn¡¯t take her long to reach the point where the salty water and sand met, and the ground became harder and cooler, as she reached the wet sand. At that time of day, few animals appeared for some reason, and they all hid within the sea, except for a few exceptions that Natirra didn¡¯t seem to notice at the time. The beach in front of her revealed itself as an endless plain of sand. That particular point was devoid of rocks. ¡°Better that there¡¯s nothing,¡± she thought, smiling, and reassured herself that she could have a moment of calm. It had been her routine ever since she had the ability to go out alone. She couldn¡¯t help but be drawn to that beach, watching the waves hypnotically, their constant sound inspiring her mind to wander through her ideas. Even the light wind that touched her face had calmed down today, disappearing altogether. It was just her, the sand, the sea, and the sun. At that moment, she remembered the professor''s words, and sitting on the sand, watching the sea, she began to reflect. ¡°I didn¡¯t think the sea was so big.¡± She knew the sea was big, of course, but like any simple mind, she couldn¡¯t imagine the true scale it could possess. She lowered her head as usual, even though she wasn¡¯t talking to anyone, and there was no reason to. But for her, it was like talking to the sea itself. ¡°And yet, I didn¡¯t know.¡± Then, once again, she observed the vastness of the ocean. ¡°Maybe I don¡¯t know everything about this world, and maybe I did deserve the scolding, but¡­ Riaca didn¡¯t, she seemed really annoyed, even though she tried to hide it¡­ What a mess.¡± But it was no use crying over spilled milk, and she knew that well, even if she couldn¡¯t avoid doing it. Then, she closed her eyes and laid her head on the sand, where the sea barely reached, only gently caressing her hair. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, I¡¯ll do my best to help her, that¡¯s all.¡± For her, the sand wasn¡¯t a problem; it didn¡¯t bother her, and it wasn¡¯t generally considered unhygienic to have some on you, at least not to her. Keeping her eyes closed, her mind wandered to distant memories. ¡­ Natirra approached the port, observing it from afar and looking for her brother. She still didn¡¯t know if he had left for his long expedition, but she hoped with all her heart that he had stayed a little longer, that he had been slightly delayed, so she could say goodbye. She had only heard that her brother intended to embark on a journey, but she hadn¡¯t had the chance to ask him, as he was already gone. The port was next to her beloved beach, but in an isolated area, far from where she usually stayed. It was probably one of the most important structures in the entire village, certainly the most used, and it was the second most important structure besides the communal center. The port wasn¡¯t very large, holding around four ships. The spaces were rented out a few days in advance, and despite what one might think, the price wasn¡¯t too steep. She was surprised, as she got closer to the port, entering and reaching the area where the ships were supposed to be docked, to find that the ship assigned to her brother (recognizable by the fact that it bore the name of Natirra¡¯s family, the Sarel family) was completely empty. Aside from, of course, the strange fact that it was even there in the first place. Natirra was grateful for that. She looked around; aside from a few guards, the place seemed eerily empty. She walked along one of the docks, particularly the one where her brother¡¯s ship was stationed, and looked around again. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ?¡°At this time, he should already be here¡­¡±? she muttered, whispering to herself. She looked around once more, keeping a distance from the edge of the creaky dock. That creaking wood didn¡¯t reassure her much, but falling into the water wasn¡¯t her main fear; it was the terror of slipping, and then a deeper fear of the sea. The ocean fascinated her, but the thought of being in a vast expanse of water, just water, frightened her. And then, there was the thought of all the things that could be hidden within it. Finally, she reached the end of the dock and couldn¡¯t help but focus on her reflection in that clear water. The bright sun made everything clear, but it was a peculiar feature that the water remained hidden, private, not revealing what lay beneath the surface. Suddenly, though, it seemed as if Natirra could, with her young child¡¯s eyes, see a silhouette approaching, hidden under the water. She brought her head closer to the water in an act of innocent curiosity, and before she could squint, two strong arms burst out of the sea, grabbing her fragile horn and pushing her entire body underwater. She fell, there was a loud splash, and she sank a few meters under the water, tumbling before regaining her bearings. Quickly, however, she took control of herself. She opened her eyes wide, her gills sprang into action, and her dolphin-like fin prepared for swimming¡ªshe couldn¡¯t afford to sink, after all. She knew how to swim. Before surfacing, she looked around to understand the cause of the attack, and suddenly saw her brother, with a playful, smiling face, swimming around her before pulling her up from the sea once again, even though she could easily have done so herself. The two of them, once they reached the surface, leaped out and landed, soaked, on the dock. Natirra, still getting used to the rapid change of environment, exclaimed as soon as she emerged, with a shrill voice: ?¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?! You scared me!¡±? The boy laughed before giving her a pat on the shoulder. ?¡°I expected that, I wanted to make an entrance.¡±? ?¡°You¡¯re not funny.¡±? ?¡°Narwhals love to swim, so I did you a favor.¡±? ?¡°You could have¡­ at least not surprised me, no?¡±? ?¡°Maybe, but it was also a punishment.¡±? Her brother stood up. Natirra remained seated, having given up on drying her hair; it would stay wet anyway. Her brother didn¡¯t care at all. ?¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know that Mom and Dad didn¡¯t give you permission.¡±? Natirra lowered her head, silently admitting that her brother wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. ?¡°I wanted to see you¡­ You¡¯re leaving soon.¡±? ?¡°Dad¡¯s going to be worried.¡±? ?¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±? ?¡°Mom¡¯s going to beat you up.?¡± ?¡°Ow¡­¡±? she thought for a moment about the countless tortures she would face, but that wasn¡¯t enough to stop her.?¡°Can I come with you?¡±? ?¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡±? ?¡°Huh?! Why not?! But¡­ there¡¯s space for me.¡±? ?¡°How do you know?¡±? ?¡°There¡¯s no cargo! Where is it?¡±? Even Natirra had stood up at that point, approaching the small ship, where she pointed out that it was completely empty. ?¡°It¡¯s not a shipment, it¡¯s my boat.¡±? ?¡°Huh?¡±? He flashed a bright, confident smile at the young girl. ?¡°I¡¯m going on a journey.¡±? ?¡°What? Journey?¡±? ?¡°It¡¯s like a shipment, but¡­ you don¡¯t reach a destination.¡±? Natirra, in a single moment of naivety, scoffed. ?¡°Then what¡¯s the point?¡±? Her brother sighed, gazing at the distant ocean. He approached the dock once again, leaving Natirra behind, who watched him curiously. ?¡°This world is really big, Natirra, and I¡¯m young. I want to explore it all. But life is short. Mom and Dad aren¡¯t exactly supportive, but it¡¯s a choice I¡¯ve made.¡±? ?¡°How long will you be gone?¡±? ?¡°I promise to come back soon, but don¡¯t count on it. I want to explore the world, all of it.¡±? ?¡°But¡­¡±? Faced with a subject larger than herself, one cannot help but reject it. So she repeated the same childish question she had asked earlier: ?"...But what''s the point? Stay here, don''t you like it here?"? ?"The world isn''t just this island, and as much as I love it, I know there are many others like it, or maybe even more beautiful. I want to see them. Like I said, I want to explore the ocean and the world."? Then, turning toward her, he finished his speech, his eyes bright in contrast to the strong sunlight. ?"This world is very big, there are many things to understand, many stories to discover."? Natirra, as if struck by a surge of inspiration, ran toward him. ?"I want to go with you! Let me come with you!"? ?"Don''t even think about it. You''re not even an adult, let alone responsible. And besides, I thought you hated the sea."? ?"Yes, but... But... But I''m not small, I''m..."? ?"Five years old. You can legally leave at eight."? ?"Who cares about legality!"? ?"You''re too small!"? Lowering himself to her height, he gave her a few pats on the head. ?"When you turn eight and become an adult, I¡¯ll think about it, but only if I''m back from the journey!"? ?"Mean!"? And with a furious headbutt, she pressed her still small horn into the boy''s stomach, causing him to lose his balance and fall into the water once again. ¡­ "Lucky him, I wonder where he is now, maybe he''s having fun." She opened her eyes after an indefinite amount of time, unsure how long she had actually let her mind drift through memories, but now she wanted to think a little about the present. Her brother had still not returned, after all this time, and there had been no news of him. When Natirra asked her parents when he would be back, they always told her he was old enough to take care of himself. The thought that he might be gone forever passed through her mind. "When he left, he was twelve, just like me. If I calculate, he should be nineteen by now." As the small, gentle waves washed over her hair, she felt more inspired. "But despite everything, you still scare me, dear sea, very much. But..." And thinking of her brother''s words, of that obvious fear she had, of that sort of limitation, she felt a disgust welling up inside. "I''m tired of being afraid of you." But before she could dwell on the thought, something interrupted her. All of a sudden, she had to look up. An unusual event seemed to be happening. A sound, one she never thought she''d hear, assaulted her ears. She jerked her sandy head up, ignoring it, and looked toward the forest in the direction of the village. A sound of bells was coming from what appeared to be the village center. "The announcement bells... Something''s happening¡­!" The announcement bells only rang for urgent messages from the island''s leader, and when they sounded, everyone had to gather in the village center. Natirra, like everyone else who heard those ominous bells ringing, quickly dropped what she was doing and headed quickly toward the forest, promising herself to finish her thoughts later. However, she didn¡¯t know that from then on, she would have many more thoughts to contend with. Chapter 3 - The Announcement CHAPTER 3 - THE ANNOUNCEMENT
Natirra quickened her pace as she reached the forest, and with the continuous and increasingly louder ringing of those bells, her worry kept growing. She walked, looking around, seeing peers she often recognized by face moving in the same direction, all with the same look, all with the same expression. Some of them, still in their work clothes, were also following the sound of the bells. Natirra, out of habit, looked at the ground as she walked. Not with her head, but with her gaze. A few drops of sweat beaded on her forehead, and she twisted her mouth into an expression resembling a pout, but less pronounced. Occasionally, she scratched her nose, her forehead, her hair, her horn, and kept moving forward. That gloomy passage surrounded by towering green trees, which seemed to touch the sky like a faint sign of terror, had always bothered her, but now things were decidedly worse. Now, she had something real to fear. She thought it might be some festival she had somehow missed, but something about that theory, which aimed to reassure her, didn¡¯t feel right. Firstly, because she would have definitely known if there was a festival coming; people would have talked about it everywhere, and surely it would have been mentioned at school. So... that theory was pretty much out. That tiny hope she constantly held in her heart flickered as she saw more people walking along the path, or rather, heading in the same direction. "It''s definitely a festival, there wouldn''t be so many people otherwise... But then... It¡¯d be really embarrassing if I forgot about one. Am I heading straight for an awkward moment?" Realizing that she wouldn''t be able to find peace in any case, she decided to discard the festival theory and told herself it was pointless to dwell on it. In that, at least, she was wise. Needless to say, she wanted to ask her fellow villagers about what was happening, but simply couldn¡¯t bring herself to meet their gaze. That deep-seated sense of shame and her inability to strike up a conversation out of nowhere kept her from discussing it with anyone. However, she reassured herself inwardly, noticing that, at first glance, everyone seemed equally confused, and none of them seemed to have any idea why they were being called in the first place. Finally, she emerged from the forest and reached the village. Upon her arrival, she saw even more villagers coming out of their homes. The bells kept ringing, echoing persistently. They would only stop when the village chief decided to revoke the right to ring them and start his speech. Another thing reassured the narwhal girl: she wasn¡¯t late. And if it truly was a festival, something she was starting to doubt, then it had to be something most people didn¡¯t know about. After a few more minutes of walking, she reached the center of the village. A small circular square, with a gray fountain in the center and a statue dedicated to the village goddess, though Natirra didn¡¯t know much about gods, so she always interpreted the monument as some sort of tribute. Needless to say, the square had never been so crowded. Natirra, turning her head, couldn¡¯t see a single empty spot. She was convinced that, at that very moment, more narwhals were gathered than she had ever seen in one place. She was also convinced that probably every narwhal from the village was present. Naturally, she recognized familiar faces, but she couldn¡¯t find Riaca¡¯s, the one person she was truly searching for, the only person she could rely on for more information about the situation, or, at the very least, some answers. She didn¡¯t have many friends; in fact, she only trusted Riaca. So, in a situation like this, without her, she didn¡¯t feel safe at all. Neither her parents were present, but that she could explain. "Why do they have to do this?" The bells stopped, just as Natirra reached the square. She had positioned herself at the back of the crowd, because she wouldn''t have been able to push her way through even if she tried. Besides, she was stuck, as more narwhals gathered behind her, squeezing her into the crowd. The square was directly adjacent to the town hall, the most important building in the village. Shortly after the bells stopped, the village chief came out. There were no celebrations or other signs of a typical announcement from the chief. No celebratory music, no singing, nothing. The people, who had been whispering frantically to each other about possible theories on the new announcement, or voicing their concerns about it, or grumbling about the sudden interruption, fell silent, their eyes fixed on the chief. After a few seconds of silence, he made the typical gesture of the island''s army. He placed one hand on the lower part of his back and the other, keeping a firm fist, on the lower part of his stomach. All the narwhals raised their heads, including Natirra, and focused on the chief. That gesture, everyone knew its meaning: it was the sign of loyalty to the Empress. But it was only used in dangerous situations, such as the start of a war or any military-related threat. The citizens'' minds raced, but the foolish thoughts vanished. Now, there was only a growing anxiety. Silence, anticipation. After a few moments, the chief dropped the pose. Sounds came from the distance, accompanied by shouts, curses, exclamations, prayers, and surprise. A number of soldiers were approaching the square. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. At the same time, the chief began his speech, confusing the citizens as they struggled to focus on both things. Natirra was still at the back of the crowd. She already had difficulty seeing the chief, who stood slightly elevated, let alone seeing what was causing all the commotion. But she reassured herself that she would find out soon. Though, saying she was "reassured" at that moment would have been wrong. Natirra''s breathing grew heavier, she felt more uncomfortable, her clothes itched. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and tried to endure, pressing her lips together against the deep knot in her throat. ?"My dear fellow citizens, inhabitants of this island, and its greatest glory."? "The praises at the start¡­ A bad sign." ?"I inform you that I am aware of your concerns, and I promise that in this brief announcement, I will address them."? The silence was broken. People exchanged theories again, but unlike everyone else, Natirra remained quiet. She wasn''t particularly interested in these issues, but if the entire village was concerned, then it had to be something important. Suddenly, Natirra felt a presence on her shoulders, and after a startled jump, she turned around. It was Riaca. ?"Riaca¡­ I was looking for you."? Natirra said, her tone slightly worried. It was clear from her slightly pouting face that she wasn¡¯t entirely comfortable. ?"So was I, but unlike you, I found you. You¡¯re easy to spot."? Riaca, on the other hand, seemed calm, with her usual playful tone that she only showed to Natirra. ?"Anyway, what¡¯s going on? I heard the bells, but I was already working on the project."? ?"Look, I wouldn¡¯t be so calm. This seems serious. The village chief is talking about some¡­ requests made by the citizens, and¡­"? Turning around, she noticed the exclamations from the villagers were getting closer to them, whatever it was, it was arriving. ?"Something seems to be coming, but I can¡¯t see it from here. And everyone seems to be reacting very strongly, so I¡¯m worried."? Meanwhile, the village chief continued speaking. ?"Recently, we have noticed a significant increase in criminal activity around the seas surrounding our island and many other unfortunate islands. Initially, we decided to turn a blind eye, trusting in the garrisons of our central government, but we can no longer ignore the terrible events these criminals have caused."? ?"I see."? Riaca said, making Natirra turn back to her. ?"Our seas, don¡¯t you know? They¡¯ve been plagued by pirates for years..."? ?"Exactly."? Said an older man next to them, who had overheard the last part and wanted to clarify the situation for the two girls. ?"The village chief has received our numerous complaints about the bandits plaguing our seas, and after a meeting with the other nobles, he has decided to gather us here to discuss a solution."? ?"We Narwhals are a proud and united people, and that means if one of us is harmed, we will come to their aid. For this reason, I want to launch a new and important mission to stop this growing threat and request aid from our glorious Empress."? Natirra, Riaca, and everyone nearby understood the reason for all the shouts and curses. The island¡¯s soldiers had retrieved several bodies of sailors who had gone on expeditions, and to emphasize the danger of this problem, the chief had decided to display them to the entire square. After Natirra and Riaca saw the bodies for a while, the soldiers moved on, heading to another area, causing further chaos. Riaca and Natirra exchanged glances for a moment and then turned their attention back to the chief. All doubts that this wasn¡¯t an important issue vanished. The crowd watched, eager and curious to hear what idea the village chief had in mind. A sense of fear and unease surrounded Natirra. ?''We therefore need warriors to organize a large-scale expedition and make our way to the central island to voice our requests. A mission will be set out for the headquarters of the Narwhal government, and we will report this issue to their barracks to ensure that the waters surrounding our island are safe once more, to eliminate the pirate threat. You have all seen!''? He raised his arms with vigor. ?¡±These pirates infect our border islands, and the government is unaware of it. We must warn them, or we risk falling under their tyranny! Have you seen what they do to our merchants and travelers? Think of how many more have been slaughtered by the pirates'' cruelty!¡±? Natirra felt a chill of terror, for the second time that day thinking of her brother. She couldn''t even imagine that those bodies could be his, that he might be dead. Just that single thought was enough to awaken the terror of pirates in her mind. She had known about their existence, but always saw them as occasional bandits she would never encounter, as she hated the sea. But now, they became a real threat, a nightmare for every narwhal. ?¡±Are you alright, Riaca?¡±? ?¡±Y-yes¡­ Yes.¡±? Her voice trembled, the leader''s speech had clearly rattled her. ?¡±This mission will be without risk. We will arm the boat with warriors ready to defend it and with important ambassadors prepared to request all the aid necessary for the village. We will show these pirates, these criminals, the strength of our village.¡±? The elderly and the very young cheered, but the youth and the adults remembered something the leader had mentioned at the beginning of his speech. ?¡±And as I said, to arm the island, we will need a large army. Therefore, I am here to announce that, by tomorrow, mandatory military draft will be opened for every narwhal between the ages of eight and twenty five!¡±? Once again, everyone, from those just a year old to the fifty-year-old elders, all those exempt from the mandatory draft, burst into cheers and celebrations, showering the village leader with praise. But those who were the target of the announcement, including Riaca and Natirra, could only maintain a mix of shock and terror on their faces. They looked at each other. ?¡±M-mandatory draft?¡±? The leader, spurred on by the compliments he received, continued with even more enthusiasm. ?''After mandatory training, the strongest narwhals of the island will be chosen and sent on the mission!''? Then, to conclude his speech, he delivered the traditional phrase used to close all village announcements, but in the gravity of the moment, it sealed what essentially felt like a sentence for Natirra. ?¡±May the Goddess Amelis bless this island! And glory to the narwhals!¡±? ?¡±Glory to the narwhals!¡±? Most of the audience shouted back. Riaca and Natirra continued to exchange looks. It was clear what was happening¡ªthey would soon be conscripted. Some villagers tried to argue against it, but the leader¡¯s motivation, the emotions he had stirred, and the deep fear he had instilled with the pirates¡¯ existence, made any dissent, voiced only by those included in the draft, futile. That terror grew stronger as the bodies of the slaughtered sailors were displayed beside the statue of Amelis, serving both as a warning and as a method of motivation. Natirra and Riaca observed the reactions of others. A mixture of excitement, a desire for justice against the pirates, and a profound sense of surprise and terror, shock, which the two narwhal girls shared. From the next day onward, they would become¡­ soldiers. Chapter 4 - Recruited CHAPTER 4 - RECRUITED
Following that announcement, everyone withdrew. But not before a great variety of celebrations, which always accompanied the island''s commander. It was unimaginable how many festivities were held upon the arrival of the Empress. However, one thing was inevitable for some of the villagers¡ªactually, for most of the villagers¡ªwhether they were conscripted or not, this was still news they had to process. Because one thing was certain: at best, someone would see a family member sent off to military training, and at worst, they would be sent themselves. From that moment, there were exactly forty-eight hours, a whole day, to process the news, and the next day, the carts would arrive to transport all those who were to begin their training. On the island, there were various reactions. There were those who were eager to go and those who claimed they wanted to seek justice. Then there were those who simply accepted that there was no way to avoid or bypass the system. And finally, there were those who had indeed found a way to bypass it, one way or another. Whether they succeeded or not was uncertain, but those who failed were still obliged to go. So, if anyone tried, they would receive nothing more than a slap on the wrist or a reprimand from the recruitment soldiers¡ªnothing serious. In the end, the lucky ones were saved, while the others boarded the carts. Among those pondering what to do or simply discussing that insane decision, were all the families or groups gathered in their homes. Even people who, in the heat of the discussion and emotions, had congratulated the leader. But as the excitement, the shouting, the joy faded, so did their conviction that this could be a good idea. And so, they found themselves in the current situation. In Natirra''s medium-sized house, those discussions bounced everywhere. But the three of them¡ªmother, father, and daughter¡ªwere arguing in a lovingly hateful way. ?¡°You didn''t come to the announcement, but you should have,¡±? argued Natirra. ?¡°You would have learned more about the situation.¡±? ?¡°I no longer trust the leader. The previous one was better, and this decision is the greatest proof!¡±? said the father harshly. ?¡°It''s a crazy idea! I won''t allow them to throw my little girl into a training camp and send her off on an expedition.¡±? The mother, in a more critical tone than the father, continued, spiraling into wild resolutions and widespread rumors. Since she was a child, Natirra had noticed that every time her mother spoke, it seemed like some furniture would shake from how loudly she yelled. ?¡°Let''s leave this island!¡±? ?¡°No¡­ That''s exactly why they¡¯ve launched this expedition. We can''t leave; there are pirates,¡±? responded Natirra, seeing it as an impossible feat. ?¡°They''re exaggerating! I''m sure of it!¡±? ?¡°There were bodies in the square! Killed by pirates!¡±? exclaimed Natirra. ?¡°Our daughter is right,¡±? affirmed the father. ?¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t bypass the system.¡±? ?¡°Absolutely,¡±? agreed the mother, upon hearing that new proposal. ?¡°I¡¯ve heard of fellow villagers who managed to get their children to safety.¡±? ?¡°Incredible,¡±? said Natirra, but most rumors are just that¡ªrumors, more like tales made up on the spot. ?¡°Did they really manage to act in just a few days?¡±? ?¡°When you''re saving your skin, you don¡¯t wait!¡±? the father remarked with a slight smile. Natirra thought deeply. ?¡°I don''t see a way to bypass it, though.¡±? Her mother gave her a playful tap on the head. ?¡°Of course, you don''t. You don¡¯t know as much as I do. When I was your age, you were just a little egg! So, I know things. Listen closely: the government requires at least one conscript. The minimum is one. We just need to find a substitute we can pass off as family.¡±? Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ?¡°Mom! That''s an horrid idea!¡±? ?¡°What? Do you prefer to go off and die?! Let¡¯s send some loudmouth from the village to see a bit of karma!¡±? ?¡°And I thought the pirates were evil,¡±? said Natirra, with an ironic tone. ?¡°I¡¯m doing what I can for you, sweetheart! We''re all thinking of a way out of this situation¡­¡±? ?¡°No, Natirra¡¯s right. We can''t do something like that,¡±? the father jumped in, coming to Natirra''s defense. The mother shot him several furious glares, but even outside of this odd context, it was a fairly normal situation. ?¡°Bypassing something like this seems really difficult, but we can¡¯t resort to putting someone else in our place, can we?¡±? ?¡°Mmh¡­¡±? They all began to think deeply. ?¡°I¡¯ll go,¡±? the father announced again. ?¡°Enough with the imagination! Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±? said the mother aggressively, while Natirra watched silently. ?¡°I don''t want my daughter to go to a place like that; I¡¯ve already said it, haven¡¯t I?!¡±? ?¡°And neither do I!¡±? ?¡°So, I¡¯ll volunteer. I¡¯ll be the one to go; it seems right that way.¡±? ?¡°No, no! Don¡¯t even think about it. They¡¯ll never take you. You¡¯re out of the age range.¡±? ?¡°The range says twenty-five years, but I¡¯m twenty-six. I¡¯ll just lie about my age, that¡¯s all. It¡¯s a drastic choice, but it¡¯s fine; I can do it.¡±? ?¡°It¡¯s still worse if you go. We''re trying to save all of us.¡±? Both of them turned to Natirra with intense looks. Natirra reacted quickly, looking at them with a mixture of fear and curiosity, wondering why they were staring at her that way. The father continued, ?¡°If it¡¯s about keeping our daughter safe, then I¡¯m here to do it.¡±? ?¡°And I¡¯m telling you no!¡±? the mother continued. ?¡°Natirra, convince him!¡±? But Natirra, still haunted by the terrible images from the square and the frightening stories she had heard, and with the general fear of being conscripted, couldn¡¯t bring herself to say yes or volunteer. That constant silence was interpreted as a yes, and so the father turned back to the mother with a slightly bitter smile. ?¡°I guess it¡¯s decided then; I¡¯ll go.¡±? With that, Natirra¡¯s chance to react and reclaim the apparent collective decision disappeared. Suddenly, as if waiting for that critical moment, there was a sound at the door. That sound, so infamous as it was, would be recognized even by the smallest of narwhals on that island: it was the sound that accompanied any military event. Often used for celebrations, this time, it announced the arrival of the recruiters. The mother, shouting aggressively, urged the father not to answer the door. But in his now complete conviction, he did. Slowly opening the door, he saw two soldiers standing in front of him, with a cart behind them that would be used to transport the conscripts. One of the soldiers, taking the lead for the announcement, gave the request to the father. The mother, at that point, tried to hide Natirra from view. The house, with only one room, didn¡¯t offer much space to hide, but she still managed to prevent the soldiers from seeing her. The father opened his mouth, beginning to speak, but at that moment, and even moments before, Natirra felt a wave of regret. She had been unable to stand up and had, in effect, approved the decision to send her father to the army in her place. Despite all the fear she had of the soldiers, the pirates, and the sea, she couldn¡¯t shake the guilt of having done something like that. She knew that if things continued, with her inevitable recruitment to follow, she would never forgive herself for it, especially considering the terrifying possibility that her father might meet the fate she so feared. So, as he began his sentence, she interrupted him. ?¡°¡­I¡¯m ready to be con-¡±? ?¡°No!¡±? Natirra exclaimed. Despite her mother, who didn¡¯t understand the purpose of her actions and assumed it was just a whim, trying to cover her mouth, she made a quick leap. She stepped in front of her father, revealing herself completely to the two soldiers. ?¡°My name is Natirra, Natirra Sarel! I¡¯m the one who should be conscripted! Not him!¡±? The father was surprised by her action, the mother stood silent, both left speechless. The soldiers glanced at each other for a moment, unsure what to do, and assuming it was either madness or some sort of enthusiasm, simply decided to take her with them. They weren¡¯t paid to ask questions, only to transport people, and so they did. One took Natirra by the arm, leading her slowly toward that ominous cart that loomed behind the two soldiers, while the other clarified a few things with the father. The father, seeing his daughter being taken away, prepared himself to go, feeling the guilt that Natirra would have felt in the opposite situation. But by then, Natirra was too far away to do anything, and the situation was already set in motion. ?¡°But¡­ Natirra¡­¡±? were the only words he could say. His daughter, who was being led away, turned back even without hearing his words. In a desperate attempt to lighten the mood, she forced a strange smile. ?¡°I promise¡­ I¡¯ll be back soon, wait for me.¡±? She quickly entered the cart, accompanied by the soldier. The Narwhals: Riaca’s Research (First Part) THE NARWHALS: RIACA''S RESEARCH (FIRST PART)
It doesn''t often happen that a species rises above all others (much like humans) and evolves in such a way that it develops consciousness and its own ability to survive, becoming one of the most intelligent forms of life on the planet. The Humanoid Narwhals are one of the oldest species (from the earliest stages of their evolution) to have ever inhabited the planet Aquarus following its formation. With an extensive culture, art, and history, they prove to be a complex species, full of pieces yet to be discovered. Like humans, the Humanoid Narwhals possess different traits that can vary from individual to individual, such as sex, body structure, possible disabilities, or ethnicities. Nevertheless, there are still common characteristics shared by every member of the species, defining who they are: First of all, they have bodies similar to that of a human (which is why the word "Humanoid" is included in their name), though with notable variations from the usual human appearance. Chapter 5 - Monomia CHAPTER 5 - MONOMIA
The door closed, and with it, Natirra disappeared. The father turned, locking eyes with the mother. ?"What happened? How..."? ?"Until a second ago, she was on our side."? He slowly stepped away from the door, sitting down on the small table placed in the center of the main room of the house. Running his hands through his hair, he ruffled it. ?"Will she really come back?"? he asked, worried. ?"She promised, after all. It''s pointless to have these discussions. We''ll wait."? ?"Mh... And what if I hid in there? I could keep an eye on her."? ?"Are you crazy?"? ?"You''re the one who''s crazy, for not reacting."? She turned towards the window, while the father remained staring at the table. ?"This new empress, she¡¯s full of surprises."? ?"She¡¯s not that new, it¡¯s been a few years now."? ?"Give her some more time, and we''ll see another one."? ?"Maybe we¡¯ll see..."? ... After entering the cart, Natirra didn¡¯t say much. Watching the guard close the door that had been left open and connecting the cart to the outside, she sat on the first bench she saw, surveying her surroundings. In front of her was a rather bizarre scene, a group of young people sitting there, wearing the same expression she had, probably feeling the same thing she did at that moment. Each one kept to themselves, some staring fixedly at a point in the cart, others playing with whatever they could find to pass the time, like trying to tear or ruin some part of the cart¡¯s wall. Most of them, in fact, all of them, maintained a gloomy silence. In the end, they were all in the same situation as Natirra. They all looked young, probably the same age as her, and likely in the same circumstances. And because of that, she felt a little better, at least sharing her fear. From the outside, the cart appeared excessively threatening, perfectly suited to its purpose. But inside, it looked different: the cart wasn¡¯t that large, probably because it transported small platoons at a time. It was made from the wood of the island, but elegantly decorated. The walls that the young people tried to ruin were covered in artistic patterns. It felt like sitting in an elegant hall, though it screamed irony for the purpose it was meant to serve. Natirra turned to her thoughts, jumping to her theories. It couldn¡¯t have been built for military purposes. Was it possible they were even recycling civilian carts? Transporting all those people in one day certainly required a lot of resources, which explained the exterior of the cart, hastily made to appear military, like a box with the island''s flag crudely placed on top. Everything seemed to have been done in a devastating hurry, and this worried Natirra even more. She stared at the ground, like the others, wondering what would happen at the camp. But another thought suddenly snapped her out of it. Riaca... wasn¡¯t in the cart? She turned around, scanning the entire cart, looking at everyone. She met confused faces, trying to figure out if she was referring to them. Riaca didn¡¯t seem to be in the cart, but this was unusual because she lived practically next to her. Either they had taken her, or... "Actually, she¡¯s smart enough to have done it. She escaped... And she didn¡¯t even warn me! Damn it, she could have helped, no?" She sank back into her thoughts. In the end, trying to locate Riaca only made things worse. She didn¡¯t have much of a chance from this point of view; she had to suffer her thoughts. On one hand, she wanted to try starting a conversation with the others in the cart, but as had already happened before, her fear defeated her. You couldn¡¯t know how stressed people were in a similar situation, and being a nuisance would be the last straw. Everyone remained still, trapped in their heads. A thousand individual thoughts flowed through their minds, a thousand worries, a thousand faces, a thousand people like Natirra. Natirra thought and thought about her parents, about Riaca. She had managed to sacrifice herself instead of her father, and at least for that, she felt a little happier. Normally, some would pray to the goddess Amelis, protector of the village, but... She only prayed for herself, and perhaps¡­ A strange blessing came upon her. The cart stopped again, for a considerable amount of time. But Natirra, despite everything, hadn¡¯t noticed. After all, the cart was moving very slowly, not shaking much since the ground was smooth and without obstacles, and it was the soldiers pulling the cart, going calmly. What Natirra noticed was the opening of the doors, the entry of the individual in question, and the closing of the doors. Natirra hoped it was her friend Riaca, but she was disappointed to see that, at first glance, in contrast to the sunlight coming through the door, a robust man¡¯s silhouette appeared, clearly much taller than Riaca and obviously on a completely different level. Then, as the door closed, a slightly clearer view emerged. It was another young man, but he had a demeanor no one else in that cart possessed: he was totally... smiling. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. He walked cheerfully, whistling as if nothing was wrong, scanning the place with his eyes. Most people lost interest in the individual the moment he took his first steps. But Natirra, more than anyone, kept watching him, quickly turning away each time the big guy looked in her direction. "What is this? Is he crazy? Why is he so happy?" The man''s behavior intrigued Natirra, and she continued to observe his movements. Suddenly, though, she panicked when she saw the man approach her. ?"Heyo¡­ Heyo..."? Natirra quickly turned, pretending not to notice him even before he arrived, but at those words trying to get her attention, she was forced to look up. She lowered her gaze, afraid to meet his eyes, but raising her head for a second, she noticed something. His eyes... One was closed, the other... bandaged with medical gauze, on top of everything. For the first time, she was able to look directly at someone without the fear of being judged. ?"U-uh... Yes?"? The big guy flashed a friendly grin, almost as if mocking her. Natirra, seeing the act as completely contrasting with the situation and the place they were in, couldn¡¯t help but view it as a joke. ?"Mind if I sit next to you?"? He then pointed to the spot next to her, laughing, like he was explaining something to a child. ?"I could stay standing, but I think I might fall, I''m not very steady."? Natirra stared at him, amazed. "He¡¯s smiling like a kid going to a party... But he¡¯s a soldier going to war." But before she could ask anything, she gave him space, and he quickly sat down. Natirra, thinking it would end there, returned to her thoughts. Back to her father, her mother, the pirates, the corpse in the square, Riaca, the camp, the soldiers, the- ?"So, uh..."? Natirra was startled by the face of that bandaged individual, who scratched his head. His robust arms, even by Narval standards, intimidated Natirra, making her focus entirely on him, wiping away her negative thoughts once more and preventing her from finding peace. ?"So, do you know where we¡¯re going?"? ?"Don¡¯t... Don¡¯t you know?"? ?"Nah. They told me to hop in, so I did."? The two stared at each other for a second. Natirra didn¡¯t answer but had many questions. ?"You have no idea what happened yesterday?"? ?"No."? The big guy¡¯s direct answer left her speechless. With a disinterested attitude, he started picking his nose. ?"The announcement... Th-the... the pirates."? She kept her voice low, to avoid attracting attention from the others in the cart, but the big guy began shouting, as if they were having a normal conversation. ?"Uh, The pirates! Yeah, I know them, what are they up to this time?"? ?"You... You really don¡¯t know anything? Then why did you get in...?"? ?"Well, I heard it was an expedition, you see, I love adventure, so I decided to come along too!"? Natirra was about to faint; she couldn¡¯t believe she was facing someone so stupid. That explained the smile, the whistling, this guy thought he was going on an adventure! But he was going to risk his life! The boy kept staring at her. Natirra looked around, slowly turning her head and playing with her hair like she did when trying to distract herself. She had to tell him gently, delicately, that... that he was heading to a military camp, and the expedition was very risky. Natirra crossed her hands, managed to form the most serious face possible, and with a stuttering voice, as always, gave a concise explanation. ?"We are g-going... to the military... camp."? Saying her fate out loud gave her a sense of helplessness. ?"Oh boy! Fun! Are we visiting?"? At that point, Natirra was sure it was a joke, it was impossible that someone could be that stupid. ¡°He either has no idea, or he''s making fun of me. Either way, he''s getting on my nerves!¡± For the first time in her life, Natirra had felt the true feeling of annoyance. She had a tiny tick and lunged headfirst toward the boy. ?¡°Wha¡­ What! You''re crazy?! How can you react like that! You''re insane!¡±? Everyone turned, confused. Natirra covered her mouth, as if that could completely erase the whole thing. But inevitably, everyone returned to their own thoughts. ?¡±Oh shoot¡­ I didn''t know it was that serious.¡±? ?¡±Don¡¯t you see...? We''re all nervous, we''re going to a military camp, an expedition against... pirates.¡±? ?¡±Oh... Pirates pirates, fun!¡±? ?¡±Fun...?¡±? At that point, Natirra didn''t know how to react. She decided to pull herself together, and so she shut her brain down, lowered her head to her chest, placing two desperate hands over her face, and stayed there for a second, appearing desperate, ignoring the boy. The boy, after waiting a little, tapped her lightly. ?¡±Oi, you alright? You look tired.¡±? ?¡±I can''t believe it, this guy can''t be real¡­¡±? ?¡±I see.¡±? The boy threw a little smile, this time with a more serious look. ?¡±It must be something serious. Well, I still have a bone to pick with these pirates, and I love a good fight.¡±? ?¡±You¡­ You¡­¡±? Natirra grew furious hearing those words spat out like that. It was already terrible to have to leave her family, risking never seeing them again. Even worse, she had to go with a war fanatic. ?¡±Do you know what you''re talking about?! Fool! Madman!... Ah! ... You know what, it''s useless.¡±? And she returned to the same position. After a moment of awkward waiting, she decided to resume the conversation. ?¡±Maybe we started off on the wrong foot, but there''s no need to act like that!¡±? ?¡±Sh-shut up.¡±? Natirra said, her voice muffled by her hands. ?¡±I don''t know what kind of madman you are, or if you''re some sort of village jester, but I''m not going to listen to someone joking in a situation like this¡­¡±? ?¡±I understand.¡±? The boy scratched his chin, doubtful. He seemed to have no idea how to react at that moment. ?¡±It must be serious, then.¡±? ?¡±Do you live under a rock?¡±? Natirra turned toward him again. ?¡±I was fishing on the coast. I didn¡¯t hear anything, I was busy watching the sea. It¡¯s much more important than some simple announcement, so you¡¯ll have to excuse me.¡±? And for the first time, Natirra understood what he meant, and gave herself a moment of peace inside, thinking of the sea and its sweet waves. Yes, she would have stayed for the waves too, but she hadn¡¯t, and it meant something between the two of them was different. Obviously, besides the clear basic differences that persisted. She let out a deep sigh. ?¡±You¡¯ve got a lot to learn, then, I¡­ I wouldn¡¯t want to be in your place.¡±? She gave him a bit of peace, and decided that criticizing him would only draw more looks. ?¡±Well! I¡¯ll make friends.¡±? The boy said, motivated, and Natirra, watching him, thought that deep down, she had to do it sooner or later too, if Riaca had left. ?¡±Besides, you seem nice!¡±? Once again, Natirra was destabilized by that sudden statement, just when she thought she got rid of him. She turned, trying to respond, but before she could say anything, the boy''s large, strong arm wrapped around her, pulling her closer. ?¡±So now we''re best friends!¡±? The boy smiled, and Natirra didn¡¯t know how to react. She had never made friends, let alone so quickly, let alone so strangely. But she didn¡¯t feel like saying anything, despite still feeling a certain ambiguity toward the individual. ?¡±My name is Monomia! Nice to meet you! Ha!¡±? He let out a loud laugh, as if he were a pirate himself. ?¡±We¡¯re going to have so much fun! And you¡­ What¡¯s your name?!¡±? ¡±Goddess Amelis... This time, please, save me¡­¡± But she didn¡¯t dare comment further. Instead, she simply answered with her name, slipping out of Monomia¡¯s arm. ?¡°Natirra.¡±? Chapter 6 - The Military Camp CHAPTER 6 - THE MILITARY CAMP
The carriage came to a stop. The journey, in the end, hadn¡¯t lasted long at all. Natirra reacted to the sudden halt, which was announced by the entrance of one of the soldiers into the carriage, exclaiming the news. She felt an immediate tight knot in her throat, just like the one she had felt when she first entered that gloomy carriage. She would have preferred to stay there forever rather than stepping out. Everyone turned around, and in order to stand up, only a few remained seated, but eventually, everyone stood: Natirra was the last, convinced by Monomia. Yawning and cracking his knuckles, he got up quickly. ?"Wow, that was a long trip!"? Then, he turned to Natirra, who still couldn¡¯t quite manage to get up. With overwhelming force, he lifted her up, forcing her to her feet. ?"Come on, what are you sitting for? You''ll get scolded!"? The soldier holding the door open ignored these odd exchanges. Even he couldn¡¯t help but throw a puzzled glance at Monomia, as he walked out, practically dragging a gloomy-faced Natirra along, who looked so strained as if she had just come back from the expedition, not even having gone on it yet. Natirra was quickly hit by the force of the sun. She hadn¡¯t been in that carriage for more than an hour, yet it felt like she had completely lost the habit of being outdoors. Then, as her sight cleared, the situation in front of her became more evident. An uncountable number of soldiers, hundreds upon hundreds, of various ages, were neatly arranged in single file, having just exited the carriages like her. The whole scene was managed by armed soldiers. They had arrived at the far edge of the island, in a much more isolated area, where the military camps were located. Before Natirra could say anything, the soldiers who had led them out ordered her and her platoon to walk in an orderly single file. After a brief moment of hesitation, they complied; one soldier positioned himself at the front, the other at the rear, guiding that snake of Narwhals marching in the center. Despite the strange situation, Monomia didn''t shy away from starting up conversations. The sun beat down on everyone¡¯s heads, and the lack of wind, due to the strange stillness of the sea, made it impossible to enjoy even the slightest cool breeze. Natirra usually couldn¡¯t stand such weather, but her mind was occupied with other concerns. She glanced around. It was clearly meant to be a forested area, but for the purpose she knew all too well, it had been completely altered. The trees had been cleared, and the ground left bare. Walking with sandals on what was essentially bare earth, full of little rocks that made the journey unpleasant and uncertain, was not the best experience. A bad step could easily kick up a cloud of dust that would assault the lungs of poor Narwhal girl. The clear sky, devoid of clouds, kissed everyone¡¯s heads. Natirra was surprised to see lines of young people like her marching in single file as well, all headed to a common destination. Apparently, the road to reach the military camp was still a long one. Monomia, as already mentioned, couldn¡¯t keep his mouth shut. ?"I wonder what food¡¯s like there. What do you think?"? Even though Natirra wasn¡¯t keen on hearing anything, being directly addressed forced her to respond. ?"I suppose nothing good."? He treated her like they¡¯d been friends for years, while she could barely tolerate him. Not exactly a good formula for a friendship. ?"You''re such a pessimist, smile more!"? ?"You''re weird."? ?"Huh?! That''s not really a nice thing to say..."? Natirra lowered her head, continuing to walk. She and Monomia trudged along, though they were the last in line, engaged in a conversation that, truthfully, was more one-sided than mutual. Sometimes it felt like a monologue. Monomia chuckled a bit. ?"Friends don¡¯t say stuff like that."? ?"You''re strange, and besides, how are we friends? We barely know each other."? ?"Hey, I thought we were friends."? He made a slightly offended face, and Natirra regretted what she¡¯d said. Sure, he was an oddball to have around, but having a friend wouldn¡¯t be the worst thing. She quickly apologized, and Monomia laughed again. Part of Natirra regretted apologizing. ?"You all look so scared."? ?"Huh? Look who''s talking."? said Natirra, slightly offended, though she couldn¡¯t deny that she was scared, just as Monomia had claimed. ?"I know where I¡¯m headed."? ?"You do?"? ?"Exactly."? And with a gesture, he clenched his fist and flashed a fiery smile. ?"My family is full of sailors! But every sailor needs a bit of training. It¡¯s my first time, but my whole family¡¯s been through this."? That last statement piqued Natirra''s interest. She tried to extract as much reassurance from it as possible. ?"So... you know what it''s like?"? ?"Nope. But it¡¯s not as bad as they make it seem in the stories."? He smiled again, like the child Natirra now saw him as. ?"In fact, I¡¯m super excited!"? Natirra tried to calm herself, but she failed. Still, for once, she was happy to be having a conversation with him. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ?"My family¡¯s well-known!"? "Perfect... Maybe I can get some favors if I stay friendly with him." From that point on, she decided that the best strategy would be to act more amicable. However, it was undeniable that certain things about him still bothered her, especially his foolishness and exaggerated calmness. But out of some embarrassment, she couldn''t bring herself to point it out. Yet, deep down, she was glad to be distracted. That brief happiness immediately vanished when, after what seemed like endless walking, she finally saw the first glimpse of the military camps in the distance. Ahead of her, after a few more steps, it became clear: a large structure, protected by high walls made of sturdy material and a massive gate. Behind it, various buildings were visible, some connected to one another, some imposing. But everything was still unclear, and she had to get closer. Monomia, seeing them, grinned. ?"Wow, there¡¯s a lot going on here. I¡¯m excited!"? Natirra wasn¡¯t exactly thrilled, but she was somewhat impressed; they were the largest structures she had ever seen, and she hadn¡¯t even seen them fully yet, just behind the wall. Not even in the center of the village could she see buildings as massive as these. Finally, her small platoon reached the gate, and alongside them, several other young people gathered, all looking around like Natirra. At least in that, she wasn¡¯t unique. Then, after an order was given to a sentinel by the guard, the gate finally opened slowly, revealing the site where Natirra, Monomia, and many others would be living for the next month before embarking on the expedition. The small platoon, now merged with all the other small platoons, entered slowly, crossing the gate, and once everyone was inside, it closed permanently. Watching it close, Natirra felt a wave of fear; those gates wouldn¡¯t be opening again for a long time, after all. But she was quickly distracted by her surroundings. Her view was somewhat obstructed by the crowd of young people around her, right in the middle. In front of her stood several large structures, the same ones she had seen from the outside. They had different appearances: Some looked like warehouses, others like offices, and others like training grounds. There were more that Natirra couldn¡¯t figure out the purpose of, and she gave up trying to understand. There were also large tents, which most likely served as resting areas for the soldiers. This was easy to guess, as from the outside, you could see small cots inside. Natirra was grateful there was at least a place to rest. Then she continued analyzing the surroundings: there were several modest cabins, the purpose of which she couldn¡¯t figure out either, and paths that connected everything. They were different from the rough, dry, barren ground, stripped of even a hint of grass, as they were proper paths made of pebbles. Finally, she spotted the open training grounds in the distance, already occupied by senior soldiers who had been there originally. Natirra was intrigued by her observations. She seemed to have calmed down when a new surprise shook her. A familiar voice called out to her. ?"Natirra!"? She could recognize it, but it felt like she was dreaming. She turned several times, trying to spot the source of that call, and then she saw her¡ªRiaca. With admirable speed and determination, Riaca waded through the crowd of young people, reaching Natirra. ?"Look who it is."? It took Natirra a moment to process the situation. ?"R... Riaca?!"? ?"Yup, exactly her!"? ?"I... I thought you had escaped."? Riaca, hearing those words, stared at the ground. ?"I almost did."? ?¡±What?! Then why are you here?¡±? Then, she turned towards Natirra, smiling confidently, though her body language took on a more serious tone, contrasting with her playful gaze. ?¡±I figured you probably wouldn¡¯t make it out. And I didn¡¯t want to leave my best friend alone in this awful place. I¡¯ll probably regret it, but at least I found my friend. It¡¯s still better than being a fugitive, I would¡¯ve been at risk anyway, out at sea.¡±? Natirra smiled. She wanted to scold her for not doing what was best for herself, but she was grateful. Before the two could share a hug or even a simple handshake, Monomia appeared out of the crowd. Natirra widened her eyes. She had completely forgotten about him, and now that Riaca was there, she couldn¡¯t imagine how they¡¯d react. Monomia turned towards Riaca, raising his fist. ?¡±Hey! Watch out, you''re bothering my friend!¡±? ?¡±Huh?! Who the hell are you?!¡±? From the very first words, there was a furious tension between the two. Monomia and Riaca glared at each other. Monomia quickly responded. ?¡±I''m her best friend! So back off!¡±? ?¡±What?! Take those words back! I¡¯m her best friend!¡±? ?¡±Yeah, right. It¡¯s like me and her have known each other for a lifetime!¡±? ?¡±And I have known her for a lifetime, you dimwit!¡±? ?¡±Hey! I¡¯m not a dimwit!''? ?''True, you''re even worse, fish-face!¡±? ?¡±What did you just call me?!¡±? Natirra realized the situation was escalating, and this time she moved between them. ?¡±Oi, Natirra, who¡¯s this guy?! I¡¯m ready to knock him out!¡±? ?¡±Hey! Natirra! Defend your friend!¡±? Natirra mustered all her strength to try and stop it. ?¡±Guys... C-calm down! Can¡¯t we all be friends?¡±? ?¡±Mmph! Not until you tell me where you dredged up an empty head like that.¡±? ?¡±I don¡¯t even know myself¡­¡±? Natirra answered. Monomia, however, gave a different introduction. ?¡±Me and her hit it off instantly. Like brother and sister. We shared stories upon stories in the wagon!¡±? ?¡±I... don¡¯t remember it going that way.¡±? ?¡±Grr¡­¡±? Riaca crossed her arms. ?¡±Fine, I won¡¯t say anything about your friends. It¡¯s rare enough for you to even make any, Natirra.¡±? ?¡±Hey! Now I¡¯m offended.¡±? ?¡±What did you say about my best friend?!¡±? ?¡±We¡¯re not best friends, I¡¯ve known you for less than a day!¡±? ?¡±Less than a day?! How dare you defend a stranger over your number-one friend!¡±? ?¡±I am her number-one friend!¡±? ?¡±Enough!¡±? Both of them finally calmed down. Natirra took a deep breath. ?¡±Let¡¯s make peace.¡±? ?¡±Mmph. He should go first. I¡¯m not lifting a finger.¡±? Riaca said with her usual grudge-bearing tone. ?¡±I won¡¯t apologize.¡±? ?¡±Please, Monomia, at least you, apologize¡­¡±? Natirra said, with a pleading tone. At that moment, Monomia¡¯s expression changed, and he smiled. ?¡±If my dearest friend asks me, I¡¯m in!¡±? At that point, he extended his arm for a handshake. Riaca was taken aback for a moment. ?¡±You give in that easily? You¡¯re really strange.¡±? ?¡±Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡±? Natirra muttered. But after observing Monomia¡¯s playful smile for a while, even Riaca began to calm down. ?¡±Geez, what a cheery type for a military camp.¡±? Once again, Natirra muttered, ?¡±Yeah, he¡¯s a weirdo¡­¡±?, but deep down she felt a bit happier that they had calmed down. Still, it was strange for her to think that she had so casually gained another friend now, but maybe things would be a little less miserable with someone like him. Who knows? She didn¡¯t have time for theories though, as a group of soldiers arrived at the crowd, ordering them to move. Everyone, including Natirra, Monomia, and Riaca, began to march, following the armed guards. Chapter 7 - Eneas CHAPTER 7 - ENEAS
Everyone got into line. Horizontal rows of about fifty narwhals per row. Natirra, unfortunately, ended up right in the first row, unable to hide behind anyone. They were all arranged in order, standing silently without making a single move. The guards positioned themselves at the ends of the line to maintain order. None of those poor souls dared to make a move that could disturb anyone or cause any kind of trouble. But there was an air of anticipation, as if they were waiting for someone in particular, though that someone didn¡¯t seem to arrive. Natirra glanced around, of course in a moderated way to avoid drawing any glares. She looked to the sides and sometimes dared to glance behind her, but she couldn''t spot anyone. Monomia and Riaca must have been much further back. They had been brought even further into the military headquarters, now standing in front of a building that, from its position and imposing presence, seemed to represent some kind of center. Just as the village had its communal center, this was the military¡¯s. Upon arrival, they had been divided, following instructions, all to present an organized and honorable greeting for the generals who would soon arrive and take charge of training the young cadets. To do this, they had decided to divide all the narwhals into horizontal rows. Unfortunately, Natirra hadn¡¯t managed to see the exact spot where her friends had been placed, but although she was slightly worried, she wasn¡¯t actively afraid; she was confident she¡¯d find them eventually. Her anxieties were more about herself¡ªshe didn¡¯t like being alone. She glanced around once more, this time observing the faces of her peers in the front row. They all seemed regular, orderly, standing firm and steady with their gazes fixed on the doors of that building. Probably burning with that same curiosity to see who would come out of there. But one of them, or rather, one girl in the row didn¡¯t seem to sit right with Natirra¡ªit was the girl standing right next to her. Natirra turned and faced a narwhal girl who, from her stature, couldn¡¯t have been more than six years old, yet apparently, if the age division was correct, she was twelve, the same as Natirra, meaning she was an adult by narwhal standards. All of this to say, she was extremely short, so short that even Natirra¡ªwho was herself short compared to average¡ªhad to lower her gaze to see the little head of curly pink hair. But it wasn¡¯t her height that surprised Natirra the most¡ªno, it was this tiny girl''s inability to stay still. She spent the entire time trembling like a child in the cold, and beyond that, she seemed on the verge of bursting into tears at any moment. ¡°Yikes¡­¡± Natirra thought as she watched her. ¡°I may be a coward, but not to that point. She looks like she could faint any second now.¡± The childlike girl continued trembling, unable to stop. Despite how strange this seemed to Natirra, something else caught her attention. All the soldiers suddenly focused their attention on a specific place: the door of that central building. Like a band, they began playing various instruments in a full celebratory style. The guards behind them raised the army¡¯s flag, and another row of soldiers, those with the musical instruments, positioned themselves to form walls along the path for those apparent celebrities who were emerging from the center. All the soldiers, including Natirra, were curious to see who would come out from there. Suddenly, several men and women in military attire emerged from the building. Natirra fixated on their uniforms, clearly different from hers and those of the common soldiers. They were of a brighter color and adorned with medals. That, along with their hats, which were also decorated with various medals¡ªdifferent for each general¡ªinstantly signaled their high rank. After walking through the celebrations and receiving compliments from the senior soldiers, who treated them like gods, they too lined up in a horizontal row, staring directly at the cadets. Each one of them exuded a different aura, a different kind of terror, but all of their faces spoke of war. There must have been ten of them in total, so not many. They analyzed the situation, everything went silent, and the celebrations quickly ended. All the cadets fell silent. Yes, all except for that coward next to Natirra, who trembled even more, as if she had literally seen a ghost. All the soldiers then made a respectful gesture, the same one the village chief had done. A fist behind, a fist in front. Among all those strange generals, each with a particular character, one of them¡ªthe most menacing and the one with the most medals¡ªstepped forward towards the cadets. He positioned himself in the center between the two groups of cadets and generals, and began his speech. ?¡°Young Narwhals! Warriors of Amelis, Conquerors of the Oceans! This is General Rinoria speaking! The greatest military leader on Amelis Island!¡±? He started his speech, and from the word ¡®Warriors¡¯ onward, Natirra knew he was laying it on thick. ?¡°This is the beginning of your journey, a tough and fearless one, to free the island¡¯s seas and bring honor to yourselves and your families! You will be trained by the most recognized and respected lieutenants and generals in the village, including myself personally, and you will be divided by age! To ensure a minimum level of uniformity.¡±? After that, the guards began approaching the cadets, guiding them to divide them up according to age. Natirra too had to follow the orders of some soldiers, who led her into a small group in which, fortunately, she could recognize a few faces. Meanwhile, the speech continued. ?¡°During this long month, you will undergo intense and rigorous training, to determine your rank and, consequently, your value. You will need to demonstrate strength and courage, as well as patriotism for the safety of your nation.¡±? This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Despite the motivational speech, few seemed convinced, or at least that¡¯s how it appeared from Natirra¡¯s perspective. But her perception was likely colored by her own reluctance to participate. Before long, all the ages were divided into small groups, and those generals who had stood behind the main leader each took charge of a group. General Rinoria finally ended his speech with some final announcements. ?¡°You will soon be escorted to your tents, which will be your only places of rest and socialization before the journey begins, but first, allow me to go over a brief list of all the rules you will be required to follow in the camp.¡±? And from there, he began listing all sorts of rules, but Natirra promptly ignored them. Not because she planned to break them, but¡­ mainly because she would learn them anyway and most likely wouldn¡¯t remember them. Natirra turned toward the small squad of kids her age, trying to spot Monomia and Riaca among them, but before she could, the voice of the general who had taken charge of the squad rang out. ?¡°Soldiers! Young ones! Follow me!¡±? With a voice that was as hoarse as it was loud, everyone immediately turned their attention to her, beginning to follow as she marched quickly ahead. During that brief march, Natirra was lucky enough to spot both Riaca and Monomia, who were also confused, and she moved directly toward them. ?¡°Guys, I found you.¡±? ?¡°They caught us off guard.¡±? Monomia said, sounding even more cheerful than before. ?¡°Things are getting super interesting!¡±? True to his style, Monomia¡¯s voice was considerably louder than the other two, who kept their voices low out of fear of the general marching ahead of them. ?¡°Well¡­ You might say that, but these guys seem pretty scary.¡±? Riaca said. ?¡°They¡¯re generals, after all.¡±? ?¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re scared of that little blonde.¡±? Monomia stated, laughing a bit. Natirra didn¡¯t respond; that little blonde, the general, actually did frighten her a bit, and she didn¡¯t feel like mocking her, especially because she shared a deep fear with Riaca¡ªone that Monomia completely ignored¡ªthat the general might overhear them. The trio continued marching, without saying anything more. After a long walk, they approached, with their squad, a specific corner of the camp, next to some tents that, as far as Natirra could tell, were exactly where they would be resting. They lined up in a horizontal row once more. But being a relatively smaller number, there weren¡¯t many rows, and everyone was positioned and visible to the general. The general in question suddenly raised her voice, having positioned herself in front of the young cadets, visible to each of them, she looked them over, scrutinized for a moment. Then, like Chief Rinoria, she too gave a speech, but she did so in a particular way, walking down the horizontal row and locking eyes with each cadet. Fortunately, Natirra was at the end of the row and could prepare herself for her turn. But someone else wasn¡¯t so lucky. Standing next to Riaca, Monomia, and¡­ the trembling little girl who had stood beside her earlier. ¡°So, she is my age, huh?¡± The girl seemed utterly terrified. Despite wanting to calm her, Natirra couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it; she too feared the general¡¯s approach. The general herself, the blonde one, began walking, locking eyes with all the cadets, who responded with the typical respectful gesture, each with their own quick reaction. ?¡±Listen up, recruits! You¡¯ve been given a job of utmost importance, and I expect you to treat it as such! Get it through your heads that there will be a lot of hard work ahead! Today, you¡¯ll rest, but starting tomorrow, we will put you through rigorous training. You¡¯ve already been warned by the commander, but I¡¯m here to emphasize it¡ªI won¡¯t be going easy on any of you! You need to be prepared for what¡¯s coming.¡±? The blonde general quickly reached the end of the line. Riaca, Monomia, and Natirra exchanged glances. When the general reached Monomia, she fixed her gaze on him. ?¡±You... What are you smiling about?¡±? Monomia, as usual, had a grin plastered on his face. ?¡±Ah, oh... Nothing, nothing.¡±? The general moved closer to his face, exclaiming, ?¡±Tell me, cadet! Am I amusing to you? Is that why you¡¯re smiling?!¡±? ?¡±No, Captain!¡±? ?¡±What did you just call me?!¡±? ?¡±I mean, no... Ma¡¯am?¡±? ?¡±Ma¡¯am?!¡±? The general looked at him with surprise. ?¡±This ¡®ma¡¯am¡¯ could tear you to pieces! Show some respect! Immediately!¡±? After that, she threw a harsh punch straight to Monomia''s stomach. ?¡±Ow!¡±? Monomia gasped, collapsing forward and clutching the spot where he''d been hit. The general turned towards the rest of the line behind her, who had all been watching poor Monomia. ?¡±What are you all staring at?!¡±? And they quickly returned to their positions, minding their own business. Then, she gave Riaca a glance and, without any comment, moved on. Riaca let out a sigh of relief. She passed by Natirra, exchanging another glance, scrutinizing her. ?¡±Mmh...¡±? Natirra struggled, sweating, to meet her gaze, but after a few seconds¡ªlong, painful seconds¡ªthe general moved on, and Natirra also felt a deep sense of relief. Finally, it was the little girl''s turn. The general arrived, looked down, and, confused by her behavior, called her out. ?¡±You do know it¡¯s highly disrespectful not to look your superiors in the eye, right?!¡±? But the girl was trembling like a child. ?¡±I said, look me in the face!¡±? After that command, the girl raised her head. Her face was soaked with tears, snot was dripping from her nose, and her face trembled. The blonde general burst into laughter. ?¡±Are these our soldiers?! What decisions the village chief makes! What¡¯s your name, cowardly cadet?!¡±? The trembling girl struggled to spit out her name. ?¡±E... E... E... E...¡±? ?¡±Quickly! I want to hear it!¡±? ?¡±E... E... En... Enea... Eneas.¡±? ?¡±Eneas, huh?¡±? Another laugh followed. Then, after that hysterical laugh, she moved her face menacingly close to the trembling girl¡¯s. ?¡±Look at you! Are you a baby?! Look at how you¡¯re crying! At this rate, pirates will mutilate you on sight!¡±? After hearing that, the girl looked like she was about to faint, but suddenly shouted, ?¡±No! I don¡¯t want that! I don¡¯t want pirates, please!¡±? The general burst out laughing again and walked away from the line. Natirra felt a bit of pity for the girl, but she also felt better knowing she wasn¡¯t the most scared one there. The blonde general then gave one last order. ?¡±We¡¯ve got a long way to go, a very long way... Guards! Lead them to their respective tents!¡±? And with that, they were all led away. Chapter 8 - The Blind And The Genius CHAPTER 8 - THE BLIND AND THE GENIUS
Inevitably, they were all led towards the tents. From that day forward, it was likely to be a day of rest, but as everyone felt in their minds, it was nothing more than a brief, anxious calm before the storm. Each of them could only think about the grueling trials that awaited them the next day. Natirra was escorted by guards who led her to a specific area in the tent. The tents were large, very large, stretching exponentially horizontally. Inside, they were divided by curtains, each one representing what was supposed to be interpreted as a ¡°room.¡± Though Natirra wasn¡¯t entirely convinced by this arrangement, at least she had a decent place to sleep. Entering the tent, each group was separated into different sections, and fortunately (a rarity for her, as she didn¡¯t have much luck), Natirra ended up in a small room with five people, including herself, Monomia, and Riaca. She realized this as soon as she reached the area, surrounded by curtains that acted as "walls" (though they could easily be removed or torn). She moved inside under the soldiers¡¯ orders. Her brain couldn¡¯t quite register it as a home, because she could still feel the grass beneath her; after all, it was still a tent. However, the sight of her two friends, one an old companion and the other a new acquaintance, lifted her spirits. The guards left, and the curtains were closed, but Natirra noticed something. The beds in the room were more than three, which meant there were others besides her. Natirra glanced around the room before anyone spoke and saw who the newcomers were. One of them, ironically enough, was that childish girl, Eneas, who had made that bizarre scene in front of the general. The other person stayed in the corner of the room, minding his own business. "Could¡¯ve been worse," Natirra thought, and in a way, she was right. She was happy to be reunited with her friends. The two narwhals, Riaca and Monomia, weren¡¯t exactly on friendly terms, which Natirra understood; after all, they had just met. But at the sight of Natirra, both of them perked up. ?"It¡¯s a stroke of luck, really,"? Monomia said, standing up from the bed he was sitting on. The way they were positioned gave a sense of haste. They were packed together like pieces of a puzzle, but it made sense; the room was indeed quite small. This time, Monomia¡¯s usual loud voice came through normally. Since the walls were essentially non-existent, you could clearly hear the voices of everyone outside, so there was a need to speak a little louder. ?"Yeah, truly. I was afraid I¡¯d have to spend my days with this idiot,"? Riaca said, with Monomia quickly turning to respond. ?"Hey! You shouldn¡¯t say things like that."? ?"Well..."? Natirra glanced once more at the two other individuals. Eneas had curled up in a corner of the room, her hands over her face, trembling in a ball. The other guy didn¡¯t dare look at anyone and stared at the tent wall. ?"...We¡¯re not alone, you know."? ?"True,"? Monomia agreed. ?"We tried talking to them, but they don¡¯t seem in the mood..."? ?"They keep ignoring us,"? Riaca added, explaining further. ?"The girl just trembles, and that guy... Well, he stares at the tent, and frankly, it¡¯s creepy."? ?"Mmh..."? Natirra scratched her head, thinking. Meanwhile, Monomia sat back down on his bed, and Riaca remained standing, hands in her pockets. ?"But!"? Monomia exclaimed. ?"I¡¯ve got to say, these beds are pretty comfy."? ?"Only someone like you would say that. I¡¯d pay to sleep at home,"? Riaca replied. Natirra did something unusual. She approached the corner of the room, where Eneas sat trembling. Riaca and Monomia watched from a distance, not questioning her, letting her act. Eneas quickly noticed Natirra¡¯s shadow looming over her and looked up. ?"You know, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with you, but you really need to stop crying."? Natirra and Eneas stared at each other for a considerable amount of time, almost like they were challenging each other to see who would blink first. ?"Otherwise, you¡¯re just going to get yourself into more trou¡ª"? ?"Waaa!"? Eneas burst into tears, startling Natirra momentarily and catching the attention of Riaca and Monomia. Even the stoic boy turned his head. Eneas then entered a state of wild, desperate frenzy, rolling frantically on her bed like a child who didn¡¯t get the candy they wanted. ?"Waa! I don¡¯t want this! I want to go home! I¡¯m scared! I want to go home! Waaaa!"? Everyone in the tent, clueless about what to do, stood around like parents watching a baby cry non-stop. ?"Plan B,"? Monomia announced, before lunging forward to reach Eneas. Suddenly, he grabbed her by the horn, and as Eneas struggled with all her might, now even more terrified by the frightening grip, Monomia shouted into her ear. ?"Listen to me! Stop crying, or the generals will tear you apart!"? ?"Nooo! I don¡¯t want that! Nooo!"? Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ?"You¡¯re just scaring her more!"? Riaca shouted in Monomia¡¯s face. Natirra turned. The boy who had been staring at the wall got up from his bed and approached the scene. When he arrived, Monomia let go and stepped back, realizing the boy was about to do something. Eneas was still thrashing on the ground, and in a bizarre move, the boy punched her square in the face, breaking her glasses. Before anyone could say anything, Eneas stopped crying and stood up as if nothing had happened. ?"What... What the..."? Natirra couldn¡¯t explain the magic that had just unfolded before her. What on earth had happened? Had he just reset her brain? The boy turned to the confused trio. ?"I had my suspicions before, but this confirms it."? He waved two fingers in front of the childlike girl¡¯s eyes, who looked around confused. ?"Psst, Eneas. How many fingers do you see?"? ?"Uh... Uh..."? The trio gasped. ?"What the hell?! She¡¯s speaking normally! No terrified shouting!"? ?"Exactly."? The boy, with a proud smile, continued his earlier theory. ?"If she¡¯s scared of everything she sees... Without her glasses, she won¡¯t see anything!"? ?"You¡¯re a genius!!!"? The trio exclaimed enthusiastically. ?"Of course I am,"? the boy replied, pointing to his own face. ?"I¡¯m Igre, the smartest narwhal on the whole island."? ?"Quit bragging!!!"? The trio shouted, a little less enthusiastic. Eneas, now wandering around without her broken glasses, was completely blind, and with that, also completely oblivious to why she had been scared in the first place. It was as if, by removing her sight and taking away the things that frightened her, she had forgotten entirely why she had been terrified to begin with, returning to an original state of peace. That state would likely persist until her vision returned, which, with her broken glasses, seemed improbable. Riaca asked about the situation. ?"Wait a minute, but if she can¡¯t see now, isn¡¯t that technically worse?"? ?"Don¡¯t doubt my genius. I¡¯ve solved your problem. Now she won¡¯t freak out when she sees pirates! Because she won¡¯t see them!"? ?"Did someone say... P-pirates?! I hate pirates! No!"? Everyone glanced around in panic, but Eneas inevitably calmed down again. Natirra, more than anyone, had more questions. ?"So what do we do with her now? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to keep her blind forever."? ?"Maybe not for you,"? Igre announced, ?"But for me, it sounds pretty ideal."? Monomia chimed in. ?"We¡¯ll figure it out later. For now, let¡¯s just get her to calm down."? ?"Right,"? everyone agreed with a shared look. By that point, each of them had already settled into their beds. Eneas was the only one still standing, not sure what to do without being able to see. ?"Eneas,"? Monomia called out. Eneas turned in a random direction. ?"Wh-who¡¯s calling?"? ?"Are you calmer now?"? ?"I was already calm."? ?"You were crying earlier,"? Riaca said. ?"Yeah, I just hate pirates, and soldiers."? ?"And now?"? Natirra asked. ?"Now I don¡¯t see any, so I¡¯m okay."? Everyone exchanged a look of astonishment, mixed with the urge to facepalm. ?"Do you see anything?"? Igre asked, though he knew the answer. ?"No, nothing at all, but that punch really hurt."? "I¡¯m surrounded by lunatics," Natirra thought, trying to make sense of this surreal situation. How could someone so terrified just moments ago completely forget everything after losing their sight? Yet, deep down, she was slightly grateful that there had finally been a moment of calm. The day hadn''t even passed completely, and she had already experienced an enormous amount of oddities. It felt strange to think that, just the day before, none of these things had happened yet, and she had barely walked out of school peacefully. Everyone, now in a state of calm, and Eneas on the floor, returned to silence. Until Monomia, as usual, opened up the conversation again. ?"Well, now we all know each other..."? Eneas, motionless in the center of the room, sat down on the grass floor, unaware of a way to reach the bed, as she couldn''t see a thing. The action made Natirra feel pity for her, but it was still better than her constant screaming. Igre lay down on his bed. ?"Exactly. We have a whole month ahead of us."? "A month, huh..." The air became quiet and awkward, and Natirra, flattened by a sense of shame that appeared at the moment the silence hit the group, didn''t know what to say. No one dared to start any kind of conversation. She observed her group, reflecting on everything that had led her there. Finally, she had some time for herself, for her own thoughts. Eneas interrupted that moment. ?"I''m hungry, does anyone have something to eat?"? Igre chuckled a bit. ?"Well, ask the generals."? ?"Generals?! We''re in a military camp?! Why didn¡¯t you tell me?"? ?"Hey, Igre... Is that your name?"? Riaca asked. ?"Did you make her hit her head? It seems like she totally forgot where she is."? Eneas exclaimed. ?"I can hear you!"? ?"Some people are like that, I guess, a bit odd. It¡¯s not my fault."? ?"For someone who claims to be the smartest on the island, you certainly don¡¯t give good answers."? ?"Well, I keep my wit hidden!"? ?"It won¡¯t help you against the pirates..."? ?"Did someone say pirates?!"? Eneas exclaimed, and everyone rushed to reassure her. Apparently, her eyes were blind, but her hearing was not. And it was now clear that everything she heard gave her the same effect as if she had seen it. If making her blind had solved part of the problem, now they simply had to avoid bringing up topics that could scare her. Once again, several moments of silence descended upon the group. They were supposed to stay there for the entire day, in that room, doing nothing but trying to entertain each other. And this routine would be repeated for a long time; it almost sounded like torture. Natirra thought again. Recently, she had had nothing but her own mind to keep herself entertained. But with other people in the room, it became difficult to think alone. And despite every time silence fell, something always came up in the end. Igre crossed her arms, fixing her gaze on Monomia. ?"You''re way too calm. Compared to the others."? ?"This kind of stuff doesn¡¯t scare me."? Monomia responded with a sincere smile. Natirra, watching, understood what Igre meant. Everyone else had expressions that hid some sort of nervousness, and Monomia was the only one who seemed truly calm. ?"No..."? Igre kept a slight smile. ?"You¡¯re hiding something. Aren¡¯t you afraid of pirates?"? Riaca chimed in. ?"Oh, now something interesting is coming out. Go ahead, tell us."? Monomia laughed cheerfully. ?"Oh gosh! You caught me. Alright, alright. I do know a little something about pirates, after all."? ?"W-what?!"? Eneas suddenly stood up, trembling. ?"Did I hear... Pirates?! Waa-"? Before she could do anything, Riaca grabbed her and covered her ears. As if nothing had happened, Eneas returned to a sort of inner calm. ?"Uh, what¡¯s going on? Why are my ears covered?"? Everyone ignored her, and Monomia began to narrate. ?"Of course I¡¯m not afraid of pirates. I¡¯ve met them."? Natirra was surprised. ?"What?... Really?"? ?"Exactly."? Chapter 9 - Flashback - Expedition CHAPTER 9 - FLASHBACK - EXPEDITION
¡­ A few years ago¡­ ¡­ ?"Monomia! Will you hurry up or what?!"? ?"Give him a break, Kain, you''re giving him too much work."? Kain turned towards Seraniad, his face skeptical and irritated by the interruption. ?"He''ll never grow if we don''t put him to work."? ?"But too much work is still too much work, poor thing, he''s still young."? ?"He''s only a few years younger than us!"? Kain exclaimed. ?"And soon we''ll be fully grown adults!"? ?"But we are who we are."? ?"Stop with your ''buts'' Seraniad, he asked to come with us to work, so we''ll make him work."? Seraniad, reluctantly, was forced to accept Kain''s conditions. Meanwhile, a deeper voice and presence approached the two. His green, thorny eyes could be seen even in the shadows, thin lips and a sloped nose accompanied by narrow eyebrows, with long red hair and a small beard on his chin. ?"How''s the boy?"?, the two turned quickly, startled, with forced smiles, and sweat suddenly appeared on their foreheads. Kain, stammering, replied. ?"O-of course he''s fine! He''s working well and happy with his work."? ?"Don''t tell me you''re making him do your job?"? With a threatening tone, he moved closer to Kain''s face. ?"N-no no, no what are you saying, no! no! no!"? Suddenly, the threatening face of the man turned towards Seraniad. ?"Seraniad. You don''t lie, is Kain telling the truth?"? Kain hid behind the man''s figure, praying not to reveal his secrets. After assessing the situation in his mind, Seraniad replied. ?"Carpos, Kain has his method of making younger ones work, which may seem¡­ Peculiar and questionable ethically, but it''s still a method."? Carpos turned back to Kain, looked him up and down, and began to speak. ?"Check your tasks, and treat him well, Monomia is a friend, not an employee."? He walked away from them, heading back to the ship in the harbor, still tied up to prevent it from drifting away, but before leaving, he turned, with a voice filled with fury, and a few seconds before Kain and Seraniad could wipe the sweat from their brows, gave them one final order. ?"And don''t make others do your job, you lazy bum!!"? ?"I''m sorry, boss! I''m sorry!"? Kain begged, fleeing from Carpos'' fury as he chased after him, hitting him with punches. ?"Lazy, you''re nothing but a damn lazy bum!"? ?"S-s...Seraniad..."? ?"Monomia! What are you doing!?"? Monomia was carrying not just one sack but all the sacks at once, dressed in his sailor''s outfit, a mandatory uniform required by the island''s laws to identify genuine sailors on expeditions from criminal bandits. They were simple blue trousers, almost identical to the color of his body, and a white shirt. ?"I... I... I thought it would be easier if... if I carried them all..."? ?"You carried all the sacks from the warehouse by yourself?!"? Seraniad said, shocked, then continued. ?"So Carpos was right, you''re really strong!"? ?"T-thank you, but could you do me a f-favor... Could you carry with m... me the..."? ?"Of course, of course!"? Seraniad said, realizing he''d left Monomia with all the sacks without helping him at all. Monomia set the crates full of goods on the ground, and with a sigh of relief, started talking normally, without the exhaustion he''d previously felt. ?"So... Did I do a good job?"? ?"Excellent!" Seraniad affirmed. ?"Even better than I expected, but you shouldn''t be doing Kain''s job, you know that, right?"? ?"Am I doing his job?"? ?"Look."? Smiling, Seraniad pointed to the two, Kain and Carpos, running in circles, with Carpos hitting Kain on the back. Monomia was surprised and exclaimed, ?"But... what are they doing?!"? ?"I told you already, you did Kain''s work."? ?"Will he be mad at me later?"? ?"Probably." Seraniad affirmed, but immediately continued to reassure a worried Monomia. ?"But Carpos will be with you on the journey, whether Kain likes it or not, so nothing will happen to you."? ?"But that''s not really the problem, I''d prefer if he didn''t hate me."? ?"Well, there''s nothing you can do about that, we''re talking about Kain here. It''s already something if he doesn''t have someone to hate..."? ?"Mh..."? The two stood for a few seconds, watching as cat and mouse chased each other furiously. ?"What are we waiting for?" Seraniad said. ?"Let me help you with the crates, soon you''ll have your first expedition, excited?"? The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Monomia smiled, enthusiastic, ?"Of course!"? and the two got to work. ¡­ It was a serene day, eerily serene, knowing the island''s usual weather. In that sunny afternoon, the warm sun shone with a golden light, and for a moment, the world seemed peaceful. The blue sky stretched endlessly, dotted with a few white clouds dancing softly. The breeze gently caressed the leaves, playing a soothing whispered symphony. The sea was calm, the sailors weren''t stupid; they knew when to set sail, and they wouldn''t let themselves be caught by surprise on a deadly rough sea day. But even though everything was planned, it was still frightening how calm the tide was. They had now moved a bit away from the island; the exact time was uncertain, but at least an hour had passed. The ship was divided into two sections: one holding all the cargo and the other where the actual steering of the ship took place. Carpos was at the helm because he was the oldest, the wisest (with more knowledge), and therefore the automatic leader of the crew. Kain was lying on one side of the ship, resentful of how he''d been treated at the port and still furious with Carpos, while Monomia and Seraniad were sitting, talking, and entertaining themselves with a card game. Suddenly Kain sighed, ?"So how long will this trip take?"? ?"Are you asking that already? We''ve barely left the island."? Seraniad exclaimed, turning towards Kain. ?"I just asked how long it''ll take, fatso!"? ?"Watch your tone, you don''t want another beating."? Carpos said threateningly, without even looking at him. ?"You''ll see when I become stronger than you, don''t get all high and mighty just because you''re old."? ?"I may be old, but you''re a fool, and also lazy."? ?"Idiot..."? Kain muttered to himself, before lying down again. Kain turned, ?"Hey, I heard that!"? Monomia and Seraniad were sitting at a small table on the ship, installed on the floor as a permanent decoration. They were sitting playing. ?"Got the concept?"? ?"Not really..."? Monomia said, staring at the cards in his hand. ?"Then I''ll explain it again, no problem."? ?"Thanks."? Monomia said, staring at Seraniad. ?"You''re welcome, and besides, it''s better for both of us, or else I wouldn''t have anyone to play with."? ?"Hey! I''m here!"? Kain exclaimed, offended by the remark. ?"No one who sits on the cards to hide them and win more easily."? Seraniad said, turning to look Kain in the face. Then, turning back to look at Monomia, he continued. ?"The game is simple, Monomia. One of us starts by playing a card, and the other has to play a card that has at least one element from the previous card in it. For example, you play the sword, and I put the general, who has a sword!"? ?"And if I play..."? ?"And if you play a card with the number two or the number four, one of us has to draw a card. The winner is whoever runs out of cards first. It''s simple, don''t you think?"? ?"Yes... yes, I think I get it."? ?"Ready for a game?"? ?"Mh mh!"? The two started to immerse themselves in the game, fully confident, while Kain kept grumbling. ?"Where are we going, captain?"? Kain asked. ?"Why are you asking me that?"? Carpos responded, countering with more questions. ?"Just simple curiosity, nothing more."? ?"Okinara Tropics. Heard of them?"? ?"Okinara... Okinara... Oh, yes, yes! I know them, I used to live there, heh!"? ?"What''s it like?"? Seraniad asked, still focused on the game. ?"Meh... Nothing special, overrated, like every other island, and things are even worse than in Amelis!"? ?"Maybe you''re just asking for too much, Kain, ever thought of that?"? said Carpos, with a judgment-filled tone. ?"How dare you! My opinions are more than justified!"? ?"You¡¯re not going to argue again, at least don¡¯t do it on the ship..."? Monomia suddenly joined the conversation, leaving some confusion at his unexpected appearance. ?"Smart kid, he''s young but already smarter than you, Kain. You really should do better."? ?"You''re just an ugly fish, not a Narwhal, a fish!"? ?"Is that the best insult you can think of, Kain? Like I said, you really need to do better."? ?"I¡¯m doing my best, you stupid cod!"? ?"I''m not even a cod..."? ?"Well, you will be, with that brain of yours. In fact, they¡¯re probably smarter than you!"? ?"Captain."? Monomia interrupted the argument, while playing cards, seemingly intrigued by a question. ?"What''s up, Monomia?"? ?"What exactly do these people want in Okinara Tropics?"? ?"The packages we have. No?"? ?"That''s obvious, detective! I mean what''s inside them!"? Kain exclaimed, scandalized by the captain¡¯s response. ?"And I¡¯m the idiot... Pft, self-centered Narwhal."? Ignoring Kain''s insults, Carpos turned again towards Monomia. ?"Inside, we¡¯re carrying a large bundle of Loran flowers. Okinara is home to important florists, artists, sculptors, and people who generally appreciate art, and the Loran flowers are something they consider the pinnacle of elegance. Have you ever seen one, a Loran flower?"? ?"No... Never seen one."? Monomia replied, curious, imagining the various shapes this flower could take. ?"Don¡¯t be fooled, Monomia,"? said Seraniad, ?"It¡¯s nothing special. In fact, it''s pretty generic. You really have to be an art lover to spend a single Silver Coral on that stuff. Clearly, the people in Okinara aren''t quite right in the head."? ?"And since when do you know anything about art, Seraniad, huh?"? said Kain. ?"I, on the other hand, don¡¯t find them useless. I find them sublime, a pure symbol of elegance, with their soft and fragile petals of pure silver, placed on a flower with such a delicate center but a branch so firm and thorny. It¡¯s a pure representation of the human psyche, the rough exterior compared to the soft interior."? Monomia and Seraniad exchanged perplexed glances, looking at each other and, when not, at Kain. ?"Don¡¯t look at me like that! I took those poetry lessons for a reason!"? The ship continued to sail smoothly when, suddenly, something unusual happened: the ship began to drift slightly, as if pushed by the wind. Monomia¡¯s hair began to move, stirred by the wind. Carpos, too, noticing the unusual movement of his own hair, realized the breeze brushing his face and ruffling his hair. ?"Bad news, guys."? The captain¡¯s voice, Carpos'', serious in tone, began to reach everyone¡¯s ears. ?"What is it?"? said Kain, still simmering from the earlier humiliation at the port, though cooling off now. ?"Don¡¯t you feel it?"? ?"Feel what? What are we supposed to feel?"? asked Seraniad, confused. ?"The breeze. The wind is starting to pick up."? ?"Wind!?" exclaimed Monomia, snapping back from the enchanted world of cards, and began checking to see if Carpos¡¯ words were true. ?"Yes... Yes, I feel it, a bit of breeze from the East..."? ?"Exactly, it''s pushing us West."? Kain looked at Carpos, puzzled, mainly because he couldn¡¯t quite grasp what the problem was. ?"So what? You know how to steer this thing, wind or no wind."? ?"That''s not the point."? ?"Then what is? Let''s hear it."? A shadowy aura formed around the man, the topic seemed heavy. Even Kain put aside his anger, confused. ?"So..?"? ?"If the wind is pushing from the East, it means we can''t take the long route to Okinara Tropics. Do you guys know what this means?"? Seraniad stood up from the chair where he had been playing cards with Monomia, placing the cards on the table. ?"I get it..."? After a sigh, Carpos continued his explanation. ?"We¡¯ll have to take the long way and pass through the waters of Black Island, The Lawless Island."? Chapter 10 - Flashback - Algalunga: King Of The Pirates CHAPTER 10 - FLASHBACK - ALGALUNGA: KING OF THE PIRATES
The sudden wind had disrupted what had initially been a calm sea. The wind blew fiercely from the east, much stronger than before, making it almost impossible to return in the opposite direction, forcing the crew to venture into the waters of Black Island. The waves rose with fury and anger, like giants of white water towering toward the sky and then crashing down into the water with a deafening roar. The sea at that moment was nothing but a palette of blue and gray, with splashes of white as the waves broke. The wind howled through the ship''s sails and lashed the crew''s faces with saltwater. Kain stood up, clinging to a part of the ship. ?"Carpos... I¡¯m not sure we¡¯re going to make it back! Isn''t it too late to turn back... We¡¯re not that far away."? Carpos turned, keeping his composure. ?"Stay calm and hang in there, it will settle down soon, I¡¯m sure of it. How are the crates back there?"? he said, pointing towards Monomia and Seraniad, who were keeping an eye on the packages to prevent any accidents. The ship rocked up and down, swaying like an unstable cradle, causing the crew to cling to anything to avoid slipping off the ship, making it almost impossible to be saved. The air was thick with tension and adrenaline as the crew worked frantically to keep the ship on course. Monomia replied, sweat on his face. ?"Y-yes... they should be secure and glued to the floor of the ship, s-so don¡¯t worry, captain!"? ?"C-captain... are you sure the sea will calm down?"? asked Seraniad, doubtful. ?"Seraniad, I¡¯ve sailed in rough seas since I was ten years old, I¡¯ve been on expeditions for eight years, I know the wind."? ?"V...Very well, captain."? Seraniad accepted Carpos¡¯ statement, remaining with Monomia to maintain the stability of the cargo. Dark clouds gathered above them, threatening, and the sky looked like a stormy sea, with the intermittent lightning illuminating the surrounding chaos. The turbulent sea was an unpredictable force, and the crew had to be alert at all times, ready to respond to any change in conditions. Suddenly, as if by nothing, and as Carpos had predicted, the sea began to calm. Gradually, the sea started to settle down. The waves, which had previously risen threateningly, began to lose their violence. Gradually, the deafening roar of the ocean transformed into a less menacing sound, a constant murmur that restored serenity. The clouds drifted away, making way for glimpses of blue sky. The sunlight timidly reappeared, casting its rays on the now placid surface of the ocean. The ship stopped swaying so violently, and the wind began to decrease in intensity. The sails, which had previously been dangerously swollen, now opened gracefully and calmly. The tension in the air slowly dissipated as the crew could finally relax a bit after the storm. Carpos turned, smiling for a rare moment, raising his arm happily. ?"And what did I tell you?! I¡¯m a senior sailor, I know these things unlike you!"? ?"Yeah, yeah, stop bragging, Carpos. You looked nervous too."? said Kain, who had once again seated himself on the floor of the ship after it had slowly calmed down. ?"But I said it from the start, you ugly fool! So it¡¯s true that you have the intelligence of a sea creature, but are you sure you¡¯ve evolved like us?"? Kain stood up, full of fury. ?"Repeat that, pescheria?!"? Before the two could once again start a fight, they were interrupted by Seraniad. ?"Captain¡­"? Carpos turned towards Seraniad. ?"What is it?! I¡¯m busy here!"? Seraniad continued, ignoring Carpos¡¯ tone. ?"I think the wind wasn¡¯t the only problem¡­"? ?"What do you mean¡ª"? before Kain could finish his question, Monomia¡¯s screams filled the air. ?"Pirates! Pirates are coming!"? The two forgot their quarrel, terrified, and approached Monomia and Seraniad, observing what they were looking at. To their surprise and misfortune, they were right. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. A large and majestic ship in the distance was approaching directly towards their ship. ?"But where are they going?"? asked Seraniad. Kain turned towards him, furious once again. ?"Doesn''t it seem obvious to you?! Towards us!"? ?"Crew, this is the last straw, turn back! Now!"? Carpos rushed to reverse course, but at that pace, the majestic ship had come so close that its shadow now covered the entire crew. A large dark wooden ship, its main mast had a logo on a flag, a diamond in two colors, red and black, with a circle showing menacing swords. Suddenly, the ship stopped, and figures appeared from above the menacing pirate ship. A man of medium build and height, wearing a pirate hat with his crew¡¯s logo, had piercing black eyes with spiky black hair and a long beard of the same color. A couple of pirates dove into the water, then surfaced and landed on the cargo ship, directly onto the cargo ship, and the crew was now trapped, with no chance of escape. Several sailors, with sharp swords pointed at the crew, descended from the ropes, restraining everyone and taking them hostage. Suddenly, the captain of the crew, still on his ship, began to speak. ?"A cargo ship, but didn¡¯t they tell you the rules? Never pass through the waters of Black Island."? The crew dared not respond, leaving space for the mysterious pirate to continue. ?"My name is Captain Algalunga, the greatest Narwhal pirate who ever existed! And you dare to sail through my waters? Fools! Tell me, what is that cargo? Money, meat?"? With that question, it was finally Carpos¡¯ turn to speak. ?"It¡¯s flowers."? ?"Flowers?!"? replied the captain, astonished. ?"Yes, flowers. We¡¯re delivering flowers, it¡¯s nothing special, I assure you."? ?"Liar! Crew, cut open the crates! I want to see what you¡¯re hiding inside and if you¡¯re lying to me!"? Suddenly, the pirates on the boat cut open one of the crates with a single slice, from which fell kilos and kilos of flowers piled together. ?"Huh?! Flowers? Cut another one!"? Another crate was cut open, with the same result. After observing it with surprise and frustration, he turned back to the crew. ?"So you weren¡¯t lying, huh? You¡¯re honest, that¡¯s noble, but I didn¡¯t come here to go home empty-handed. If I can¡¯t take the cargo and I can¡¯t take that makeshift raft, then..."? The captain, with a threatening tone, pointed his finger directly at Kain, freezing him in place. More pirates dove in, appearing on the ship. ?"It means I¡¯ll take the entire crew!"? he burst into laughter. The crew watched anxiously. Kain turned to Carpos. ?"What do we do?! Let¡¯s fight them!"? ?"Are you crazy?! Have you seen how many there are!?"? The crew and the captain stared at each other for a few seconds, long seconds that felt like hours filled with agony. Then, Carpos stepped forward in front of the other crew members. All the pirates pointed their swords at him, but with a serious face, he looked at the pirate, responding to his threats. ?"Don¡¯t take the boy."? The crew turned towards him, Kain, scandalized, responded shouting. ?"What?!"? ?"Repeat, boy. I didn¡¯t hear you well."? ?"You can take us, we surrender, but leave the boy."? He pointed towards Monomia. ?"Surrender? You had no choice, idiot! Why should I leave the boy when I can add him to my crew, hmm?"? Carpos, thinking quickly, found a way to convince Algalunga, pulling Monomia by the front of his shirt, bringing him to his position, directly in front of Algalunga¡¯s view. ?"He will tell stories of his crew! Of their battles! Of his... Pirate honor!"? Algalunga turned his attention back to the crew, which he had lost due to the security of having captured them. ?"Continue."? Monomia turned to Carpos, whispering, ?"What are you doing?!"? ?"I¡¯m saving you, just play along."? ?"I don¡¯t want to leave, I don¡¯t want to abandon you here! The captain never abandons the crew, but the crew never abandons the captain, those are the rules, right?"? Carpos silenced him completely, looking him in the face. ?"If you stay with him, we¡¯ll never get home. If you go back home, you have a chance to save your captain and your crew. What do you think is the better choice?"? ?"So? Do you want to hurry up?"? Algalunga was growing impatient. ?"Or shall I take you to the ship to talk to me?"? ?"I..."? Monomia didn¡¯t know what to say, his mind torn over what to do, whether to abandon his crew in hope of finding and saving them, or to stay with them and live in slavery. Before he could say anything, Carpos spoke for him. ?"We¡¯ve decided. The boy will return and, as a messenger, will spread his wise figure to the entire people! Everyone will know the legend of the great Algalunga."? Monomia turned, almost furious that words he had never said were used as if he had said them himself. ?"Hmm..."? Algalunga smiled, stroking his beard and murmuring to himself. ?"Hmm... Yes... The legend of Captain Algalunga. It¡¯s decided!"? he exclaimed, then continued. ?"Let the boy go, if he survives the sea. And you, young man,"? he pointed at Monomia. ?"Tell your comrades on the island about the great Algalunga! The pirate chief!"? Kain, realizing that Monomia would stay, turned to Carpos, ?"Captain... Did you sell us to the pirates?!"? ?Sell us?! Do you think I¡¯m gaining anything here!? And you see how stupid you are?!!"? ?Rah... Calm down."? said Seraniad, who had remained silent all this time, in an attempt to calm his companions. Monomia had nothing more to say. Algalunga burst into laughter, ?"Hahahaha! I¡¯ll have a world of fun with these guys. Now, take them to the ship, and I¡¯ll make you work to repay me for the effort of reaching your useless ship."? Carpos turned to Monomia, ?"Captain, how could you do this to me?! I will never leave my comrades in the hands of a pirate!"? After a long sigh, and after realizing he wouldn¡¯t be able to convince him otherwise, he took action. With a strike, but not too severe, he hit Monomia in the throat, giving him a sense of choking and preventing him from coming, causing him to fall to the ground. Before leaving for the ship, he gave him a final order. ?"Return safely to the island, understood? And when you get back, I trust you¡¯ll find a way to save us. Forgive me for having to do this, but it was the only way."? Villain 4koma 1 - Scammed VILLAIN 4KOMA - 1 - SCAMMED
Hello... So, since Royal Road requires that you have at least 200 characters in your chapter, and this is a bonus chapter containing only a short comic, I may as well talk a bit here to fill the space. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. So, once again, bonus chapters, I hope they aren''t too annoying, you guys can always skip them at the end of the day, no? This may be confusing, but it''s just a funny scenario I thought of after the events that unfolded in the chapter, and how it may sound a bit absurd to some people that Algalunga left Monomia that easily, but well... Sometimes real life logic doesn''t work in here. Originally, Monomia was the one that invented the excuse, but I modified it to make it a bit more tragic and more fitting for the way I see his character. Anyway, I''ve talked a lot, thanks for reaching the 10th chapter, if you are here, it truly means you are getting invested, I could not be more grateful! Thanks!!! :''3 Prepare yourself from now on things get a bit more dynamic, but fear not! It just means the start of an adventure for our characters. Also, bonus chapters may not appear for a while, please forgive me... I promise I will soon deliver! See you next chapter!! :D Chapter 11 - Introductions CHAPTER 11 - INTRODUCTIONS
When Monomia finished telling his story, everyone watched him with surprised expressions. A bit of curious silence filled the room. Out of all of them, Natirra was the most surprised. However, Riaca had doubts on his face. ?"Nice story, but... What kind of name is Algalunga? That can''t be a real name. I don''t believe it, are pirates really that eccentric?"? Monomia kept a sincere smile; from the tone of his voice and the way he kept talking, it seemed clear he was telling the truth, or maybe he was just very good at lying. ?"Oh yeah, they¡¯re strange folk."? Natirra felt a little guilty, wondering how Monomia could stay so positive after all that. She had doubted him at first, but now she was completely convinced that he was a good person. ?"You¡¯ve had a stroke of luck."? Riaca declared, tying her hair up again, having left it loose all day. ?"But I suppose you¡¯ll run into them again, soon enough."? ?"Exactly."? There was confidence in that statement. Monomia clenched his fist, getting up from the bed. He positioned that same fist in front of his face, his uncovered eye shaded by his hair. ?"Actually, I¡¯ve been training. To get my friends back."? Then, releasing his fist, he flashed his smile again. ?"And this expedition is the perfect chance. From that day on, I promised... I would destroy every pirate in my way and save my friends."? ¡°He¡¯s far more motivated than me, but... I¡¯m glad he told us all this.¡± Hearing that made Natirra feel much better; she knew Monomia trusted them, and that story raised the respect she had for him, and convinced her too that even if he was such a weirdo, he wasn¡¯t a bad person. Monomia looked around, ?"So, do any of you have a story to share?"? Poor Eneas, who had been covering her ears the whole time, suddenly exclaimed, ?"Can you stop covering my ears now?"? Feeling guilty, they released her from the arms that had blocked her hearing, and the poor girl, who had just regained her hearing, took a step forward, only to fall off the bed and lay down on the floor once again. Everyone watched her with quick pity in their eyes; she seemed like a child, essentially blind. ?"Poor thing, I¡¯m sorry we took her glasses."? said Natirra. ?"It was the only way, she would¡¯ve screamed for hours."? replied Igre, a little cruelly. Eneas raised her head from the floor. ?"I can still hear you! I want to see, give me back my glasses!"? Riaca scratched her head thoughtfully. ?"We should get her glasses back as soon as possible and take her to a doctor. I¡¯m pretty sure this sudden memory loss and that punch Igre threw did more than just break her glasses."? Monomia drew everyone¡¯s attention again. ?"In the meantime, does anyone have a new story to tell?"? They all looked around, thinking. Igre smiled confidently, as if he too needed to jump in. Both I and Riaca noticed it. ?"Oh well, what can I say, I¡¯m a genius."? He also flashed a curious smirk. ?"My father is part of the island¡¯s council of intellectuals."? ?"And what¡¯s that supposed to be?"? asked Riaca, annoyed by his vanity. Igre turned, equally annoyed. ?"It¡¯s obvious you¡¯re from the lower class, you don¡¯t even know these basics..."? ?"Natirra, hold me back, I¡¯m close to killing him."? ?"Well, allow me to introduce myself."? Once again, he struck another pose. It seemed he enjoyed showing off. After licking his hand, he slicked back his hair. ?"My name is Igre, son of the inventor Igregorio, lord of the island¡¯s council of intellectuals, the congregation of the greatest inventors in Amelis."? ?"But what does your father¡¯s title have to do with you?"? asked Monomia, curious. ?"Don¡¯t you see?! His intelligence has been passed down to me, I am his disciple. After this expedition is over, you¡¯ll see, you¡¯ll see, I¡¯ve already been aiming to become his successor on the council for some time, and the cards are in my favor, but... But¡­ I kind of have to finish the starting exam, it¡¯s the rite to be admitted to the engineers¡¯ academy."? They all looked at each other, not quite sure what they were hearing. Igre laughed. ?"Ha! You plebeians... I¡¯m not surprised you don¡¯t know about such a path. But I¡¯ll make it simple for you: I have to go to school to become head of the council. The problem is, It¡¯s harder than any of you can imagine, I still have to finish the test..."? Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ?"You¡¯ll have time to think about it. You¡¯ll be here a while."? said Riaca. ?"And I hope the pirates get you."? she whispered. ?"Mh, I¡¯ll make sure to use my position to try and escape. But for now... I¡¯ll stay here. If you behave, I might even help you get a place outside!"? The idea actually intrigued Natirra a little, but the pride with which it was presented left a bitter taste. Still, she was happy that the boy had revealed himself to be just a spoiled kid and not a lunatic. At that point, it was Riaca¡¯s turn. She let out a relaxed laugh. ?"Unlike you all, I have nothing to tell, except that Natirra and I are good friends. That¡¯s about it."? Monomia protested. ?"Hey! She¡¯s my friend now too! Right, Natirra?"? Riaca narrowed her eyes and shot a suspicious glance at Natirra, hiding traces of jealousy. Natirra, lost in her thoughts, was startled by the sudden call and anxiously replied, ?"Oh, y-yes, yes... Of course!"? Riaca huffed quietly, throwing another glance at Monomia. "Mpfh... He better not think he can just steal my friend like that..." But neither Monomia nor anyone else heard anything; he kept a peaceful smile. That made Riaca even more annoyed, and she threw another confident smile. ?"If you really must know, I¡¯m not one to be underestimated. I may be a plebeian like Igre says, but I¡¯m really strong. You¡¯ll see."? Monomia turned, surprised. ?"Wow! Really?"? With an irritated look, Riaca muttered to herself, ?"Don¡¯t go playing the nice guy now, you cheeky little..."? An event of far greater importance grabbed the attention of everyone in the room¡ªor at least, those who weren¡¯t busy trying to figure out where they were due to their lack of vision. A senior soldier opened the tent, and they all realized that most of the soldiers from other sections of the tent were mobilizing outside, moved by something. The guard announced the reason: ?"You are summoned by the general, who needs you to sign some documents regarding the draft you¡¯ll be undergoing and your personal information."? Natirra, who had remained silent the longest, went unnoticed. She was sorry to be interrupted, as she too wanted to add something. But she decided that maybe she could introduce herself better later. No one asked any real questions, and they all stood up, left, and followed the guard. Before leaving, though, Natirra turned around and, seeing Eneas confused and motionless in the room, picked her up to bring her along. ?"Waaa! Let go of me! Where are you taking me?!"? ?"To sign some documents..."? ?"But I can¡¯t see! Give me back my glasses!"? Unable to tell her that they were gone, Natirra remained silent. "I¡¯ll sign them for her at this point." And, watching Igre scratching his head jokingly with Monomia ahead of her, she felt a headache coming on. "Dammit, you four-eyed narwhal. Look at what your genius is making me do." ... Inevitably, they all marched toward the designated area, accompanied by Eneas, who was carried by Natirra. They walked in silence, not exchanging a word with each other. Monomia approached Natirra. ?"Ha! You look like a mom."? ?"She doesn¡¯t seem that small, come on..."? ?"She literally reaches your leg. Have you ever asked why she¡¯s so small?"? Eneas, who had heard him, decided to answer. ?"I hatched prematurely from my egg, at least that¡¯s what my mom always tells me, so I ended up with this deformity. I¡¯m a dwarf, that¡¯s all."? Natirra was surprised; it was the first time she had heard Eneas speak coherently instead of whining like a child. ?"On top of that, I have vision problems, but... Now I can¡¯t see anything."? ?"Why are you so afraid of pirates?"? Upon hearing that, Eneas jumped, looked around, and clung to Natirra¡¯s leg. ?"Pirates?! Pirates?! Where?! Where?! Waa!!!"? After an hysterical exclamation, she let go of Natirra''s leg, running in another direction. Natirra called out, trying to stop her, while Monomia watched her go, laughing cheerfully. ?¡±Ah, she''ll get herself in trouble. But they''ll find her.¡±? ?¡±I don¡¯t understand how she works¡­¡±? ¡­ ?¡±Pirates! Pirates! Pirat-¡±? Eneas had started to sprint, keeping her alarm going. The truth was that, after losing her sight not long ago, she had relied more on her hearing, afraid of being caught by pirates due to her blindness. But at that moment, she bumped into a wall. She used the wall to guide herself and walked to its end. What Eneas didn¡¯t realize at that moment was that she had accidentally wandered into the official militia offices without knowing. She quickly walked, almost running, through the corridors. The lack of noise caused by entering the office area had confused her, but for some reason, she didn¡¯t realize she had entered a building. She calmed down, thinking she had outrun the pirates. ?¡±Sigh... Where... where am I?¡±? She walked on, using her hands to avoid bumping into walls. She went through several corridors, confused. ?¡±Damn, I must have gotten between some buildings, that''s why they can''t find me. Waaa! I want to go back to my friends! Waaa!¡±? Eneas kept walking through the corridors, going deeper. All of a sudden, without even realizing it, she reached the door of the militia captain¡¯s office, the same general who had greeted each of them a few hours before. Before she could figure out that she had suddenly bumped into a door and realized that she had entered the office area, a voice came from inside the room, which Eneas had just realized she was next to, having bumped into the handle of the door. ?¡±It''s a dangerous idea, but if the pirates demand it, then it¡¯s our duty for our safety; we must make this sacrifice.¡±? Upon hearing the word ¡®pirates,¡¯ Eneas felt an urgent instinct to run. But for the first time in her life, as if she was no longer in control of herself, her curiosity about what the militia captain was talking about took over. She understood she had mistakenly found her way into the offices and had reached his room, but in her total blindness, she remained there, listening. Chapter 12 - Return Of The Pirates CHAPTER 12 - RETURN OF THE PIRATES
Eneas remained listening. Her sight did not help her, but her hearing didn¡¯t betray her. She had ended up in a strange situation, and the only thing she could do was stand still to avoid being caught and to avoid accidentally entering or touching anything. She was deep inside the main offices. She could have simply retraced her steps to leave, she knew that, it wasn¡¯t the first time she had been without her glasses. But something inside her, a visceral feeling in her chest, told her to stay and listen. Something she could even call supernatural in her head forced her to remain. She then heard the militia captain, General Rinoria, speaking with another officer. ?"Sir."? The officer protested. ?"This sounds like a questionable plan. We are still giving our soldiers to the pirates."? Hearing that, Eneas¡¯s legs straightened, but she forced them to stay where they were. ?"You¡¯re right, Lieutenant, but I think it¡¯s a fair exchange, and we aren¡¯t losing any of our own. Right?"? Listening, Eneas was desperate for some context, which she luckily received right away. ?"Captain, I don¡¯t fully understand the plan. The problem remains that we must give our young men to the pirates as a gift."? ?"It¡¯s not a gift; it would be an insult if it were..."? The captain¡¯s tone, even though Eneas couldn¡¯t see his expression, grew darker. ?"It¡¯s a necessary sacrifice for our safety. The great pirate Algalunga, head of the criminal pirate council, has been invading our seas for some time now, disrupting our expeditions. And although we¡¯ve tried to fight him, it¡¯s clear that his crew, along with the others on the council, poses a threat to our safety, outnumbering our forces. If we directly face their army, we¡¯re doomed."? Eneas reflected with her simple, frightened mind: if they were outnumbered and clearly disadvantaged, what was the point of all this? Needless to say, by now, her body instinctively trembled. Her legs had long been screaming for her to flee, but she remained in place with sheer willpower. Even though every small movement was a struggle due to the amount of shaking in her body. She continued to listen more intently. ?"But we¡¯ve fortunately managed to negotiate a much more comfortable agreement for both parties, the agreement of which you and all other officers are aware."? ?"Yes, sir."? ?"We¡¯ll find the best recruits and send them on an expedition, but we¡¯ll ensure they are ambushed, and we¡¯ll sell them in exchange for our freedom."? ?"But sir... this seems like an extremely drastic measure."? ?"I don¡¯t want any further discussion. It¡¯s for the safety of our people. These pirates have been a plague for too long, and I won¡¯t allow the empress¡¯s refusal to help us to somehow sabotage the security of our isla¡ª"? Before he could finish, a sound drew the attention of both officers: the half-closed office door was suddenly slammed shut, and, following that abrupt move, rapid footsteps could be heard fading into the background, signaling someone fleeing. The militia captain rose from the chair where he had been sitting, glaring at the door. ?"Spies! Someone overheard our conversation! Call the guards! There¡¯s a spy in this building!"? ?"Yes, sir!"? And the officer with him immediately ran towards another room to inform the guards, ordering them to find the spy as soon as possible. Eneas was running like she had never run before. Despite her inability to see, she had memorized the path, recognizing the few corridors she had accidentally taken to enter the office. She had also heard the captain¡¯s shouts and, unfortunately, was aware that someone was chasing after her. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Her legs, which had been begging her to move earlier, were now performing miracles, sprinting forward in a terrifying burst of speed, taking exaggerated strides for someone her height. As she ran, she trembled and cried, just like she used to when she had her vision, but her goal this time was to warn the only people who might listen to her. ?"Pirates! Pirates! The pirates are behind all of this! Help!"? She shouted continuously as she ran, ironically giving away her position to the authorities. Needless to say, her below-average height and her tendency to panic worked in her favor. As soon as she exited, she immediately recognized the change in air and understood she was outside. Moreover, from a distance, she could hear the soldiers marching out. She wasn¡¯t initially sure whether to trust them or not, but she heard a familiar voice from afar. Monomia raised his arms, waving them, and shouted, ?"Eneas! We¡¯re here! Can you see us?"? Natirra, next to him, gave him a light nudge. ?"She can¡¯t see, don¡¯t you remember?"? ?"That¡¯s right!"? Almost taking credit for it, Igre smiled in agreement. This slightly annoyed Natirra; she was really starting to hate Igre. Eneas recognized the voices and ran towards them. She dashed with such unnatural speed that it ended when she collided directly with Monomia¡¯s leg, falling to the ground. Everyone moved slowly, and the group of Natirra, Riaca, Monomia, and Igre stood still, observing Eneas¡¯s strange behavior, though they were somewhat used to it by now. Eneas suddenly got up, her face pale. In the background, some guards emerged from the office, confused, scanning the area, but none of them seemed to focus on the group. After all, they hadn¡¯t seen enough of Eneas to recognize her. ?"Wow, you look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost,"? Monomia commented, trying to lighten the mood. Riaca grew curious. ?"What happened? Did she hear about pirates again? We should¡¯ve watched her. I knew it wasn¡¯t a good idea to take her glasses away."? ?"Hey, what do you mean? She wouldn¡¯t have stopped whining,"? Igre replied, continuing to defend his idea. ?"Eneas, what¡¯s wrong?"? Natirra asked with genuine curiosity. Eneas turned her face towards her. Her vocal cords struggled to work, and the constant trembling of her jaw made her response almost inaudible. The terror in her eyes was real, so real it didn¡¯t seem like the usual paranoia the group had witnessed before, but as if she had seen something concrete. She tried her best to get a response out. ?"T-the... T-the... T-the..."? ?"The¡­?"? The group asked. ?"T-the pirates! The pirates! The pirates are behind all of this!"? Igre laughed with a doubtful smile. ?"Well, we knew it, it¡¯s just her usual scare."? ?"Hey, let¡¯s at least hear her out."? ?"The pirates... the pirates! It¡¯s all a pirate plan! They want to kidnap us, they want to sell us to the pirates!"? And despite her best efforts to explain things to her group, they all looked at each other with an awkward silence, and Eneas realized that none of them would believe her. But she didn¡¯t give up. She kept desperately spilling out everything she had heard, but the looks from the others, while showing genuine concern and theories that she might have gone mad, didn¡¯t reflect trust in her words. ?"It must be stress,"? Monomia commented, trying to provide some explanation. ?"Hey, maybe she¡¯s lost it,"? Igre added. ?"No, no! I swear it¡¯s true! It¡¯s all true! Listen to me!"? Riaca observed the group of soldiers. They had all moved on by now. ?"Guys, we¡¯d better follow them and head back to the tent."? Monomia grabbed Eneas by the arm, who was still in the middle of her hysterical outburst. ?"This time, I¡¯m not losing you,"? he said. They all began to walk away, but among them, Natirra noticed something. She observed the guards quickly leaving the office, securing the area, and saw one of the generals stepping out, scolding them for not having found anyone. For a moment, she grew suspicious too. And watching Eneas¡¯s distress, she concluded that, yes, she had probably overreacted, but maybe there was some truth, different perhaps from her idea of pirates, to what she was saying. To put it simply, Natirra was probably the only person who placed a shred of trust in Eneas. But if not out of genuine belief in her theories, it was also mainly out of a desire to find an escape from the situation she was in and had yet to accept. After all, she had signed the papers (and even for Eneas). Now it was just as well to return to the tent. She followed her friends, but she decided she would find some time to question Eneas. Even though the matter wasn¡¯t really that simple, as she was still unaware of the program she would have to face the next day. Nevertheless, her decision was made. She hurried to catch up with the others and returned to the tent as well. Chapter 13 - Infiltration: Discovery CHAPTER 13 - INFILTRATION: DISCOVERY
It was night now, the day had quickly dissipated. It was inevitable that all the soldiers, senior or not, had retreated to their tents and gone to sleep. Even the most anxious and frightened, like Eneas, who among all of them was perhaps the most terrified, had fought and lost the battle against sleep, which, after so many overwhelming events, had completely drained their energy. However, the simple fact remained that a secret that was supposed to stay hidden had been revealed, something that should never have gotten out was now in the mind of someone who, even if not believed by their companions, could spread the word sooner or later. Only one person, and this time it wasn¡¯t Eneas, who was busy digesting that thought in her head, had this concern in mind. General Rinoria, head of the militia, remained locked in his office, and in his mind, from the moment the guards he had sent out had reported that they had lost the target, he could do nothing but torture himself in search of a solution. ?"So... Someone has discovered the plan."? The head of the militia remained seated in his chair, staring blankly at his desk. In front of him, a figure lay hidden in the shadow. The door was locked, and the posture of the commander revealed clear signs of paranoia. This was not an event he had foreseen in his plan, and he hadn¡¯t expected it to happen. ?"It seems a spy has infiltrated. Probably a curious soldier. But the person in question, whoever they are, has fled."? responded General Rinoria, cracking his fingers, his face full of seriousness. But the individual before him seemed much less serious; on the contrary, a smile was plastered on his face. ?"Your soldiers are truly incompetent, spying on their own generals now, are they?"? Rinoria turned away, taking his gaze off the shadowy figure. The individual, however, raised his arm, revealing it to be replaced by a rough and aggressive hook. ?"Perhaps, but it doesn¡¯t matter. The damage is done, and soon the word will spread. We have to act."? ?"Unfortunately, that¡¯s not my problem. I gave you my offer, and you accepted it. Now it¡¯s up to you to deal with this matter, or else..."? After saying that, the individual hidden in the shadow stood up from his chair. Approaching the dim light placed next to the militia leader¡¯s desk, his face was revealed. A wide, malevolent grin stretched across it, and mischievous eyes adorned his wrinkled face. With his hook, Algalunga scratched his long beard, streaked with grey hairs that signaled his approaching old age. Then, he adjusted his hat, which unfortunately kept slipping, and finally replaced the typical pirate¡¯s eye patch that covered his left eye. His sudden, menacing appearance intimidated General Rinoria, who, despite the many battles he had faced, had never found himself in a situation like this. When the idea of fighting pirates was first presented to him, following yet another ruined commercial expedition, he was fully aware of the numerical disadvantage and lack of power, but his inability to outwit the pirates and the lack of support due to the island¡¯s remote location left him with no other choice. Now, faced with such an offer from the pirate Algalunga in person, nightmare of the seas and commander of the pirate council, the true antagonist of the island, to leave the western islands alone and focus on the eastern ones in exchange for a simple deal, he couldn¡¯t help but accept. But now, facing the actual deal, a thousand moral doubts plagued him. Exchanging a large number of men and women to be sold as slaves in return for protection from the threat of pirates¡ªthat was the deal. And after so much thought and meetings with other generals of his rank, the idea was accepted. But such an explicit exchange of slaves could not be carried out openly. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Thus, after a slow process, he decided that a false expedition would be the best idea. Of course, only his most trusted men were truly aware of the plan, while the others followed the propaganda put out by the village leader. Most of the generals were unaware of the plan and thought it was a legitimate mission. Only a few superiors and close friends of General Rinoria knew the truth. But despite this ongoing situation, despite the military draft now in operation, moral doubts plagued him. What he was doing wasn¡¯t right, but... it was the only way to free his island. To deal with such a man, he could kill him at that moment, or at least fight him, but the repercussions would cause disastrous consequences for his island¡ªconsequences he couldn¡¯t afford. Algalunga, then, that fearsome pirate commander of the seas, the most feared sailor of all, who had earned with his raids, his extensive crew, and his cruelty and cold-bloodedness the title of head of the pirate council¡ªa criminal gang that organized all the pirates under one group¡ªlooked around. Even for him, being spied on had disrupted his plan. Now that he had secured a great deal, he couldn¡¯t allow its ruin. ?"When you called me, saying the plan had been discovered, that we were spied on, I didn¡¯t expect it to be in such a simple way. I¡¯m confident it will be just as easy to find the responsible soldier among all your men and take care of it properly. After all, we¡¯ll be taking your cadets anyway; might as well start with one who¡¯s got great spying skills if they managed to get past your guards."? In fact, the idea that someone had managed to slip past the guards was very strange. It had to be someone with an unusual build, the only theory Rinoria could come up with. Algalunga sat back in his chair once again. ?"I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve already begun your investigations, but in case you haven¡¯t, or in the worst-case scenario of catastrophe..."? At that point, Algalunga menacingly pulled out his hook again, moving it up and down. ?"We¡¯ll take care of it. In any case, we¡¯ll get our share of slaves, and then we¡¯ll leave. Simple."? Hearing this, Rinoria felt a feeling he despised¡ªa deep sense of weakness. But despite that, he knew it was the only thing he could do to safeguard his people and rid himself of the pirates. In a firm tone, he delivered his verdict. ?"We¡¯ll find that spy as soon as possible and make sure to get rid of them, for the good of our island and to uphold the pact."? The wind, as usual, blew against the tent. Everyone was sleeping peacefully, even Natirra, who had struggled to reach that state of calm, and who, before falling asleep, couldn¡¯t help but think of her family, her friends, and all the challenges she would face the next day. But someone who had struggled even more to sleep was Eneas, who had been exposed to something truly terrible. Suddenly, struck by another nightmare, she woke up. She looked around, managing to recover her broken glasses, which Igre had left in her room, but they were broken, preventing her from seeing clearly. Clear enough not to be afraid, blind enough not to fully understand. She could still orient herself, and that was a relief. She got up from her bed, looking around anxiously and quickly, trembling as she covered her mouth, knowing she might break down uncontrollably at any moment. She had never been good at controlling her emotions, but especially in a critical situation like this, she felt as if a demon was pushing inside her, furiously trying to get out. Once again, however, her curiosity pushed her furiously. There was something she had to do; there was more she had to discover. Her companions hadn¡¯t believed her and had seen her as crazy, but if she could provide real proof, perhaps they would help her. She had already organized a full plan in her head to escape, but she needed support, or she wouldn¡¯t succeed. She got up from her bed, slowly walking. The grass tried to sabotage her escape, sending out sudden and abrupt sounds, but despite everything, she managed to slip out of the tent. The night guards, the few that were around, didn¡¯t stay inside the tent to avoid disturbing the soldiers. She walked quickly, but with a certain stealth outside the tent. It was completely dark, and the wind hit her face, but despite the terror she felt in that moment, a force within her kept pushing her, and she partly regretted it, but now that she was out of the tent, it was too late, and at this point, it was better to keep going forward. Raising her head, she mentally traced the path to follow. She would find those offices, and assuming everyone was asleep, she would find some proof. ?"If... If they don¡¯t believe me..."? she whispered to herself, as if talking to someone in front of her. ?"I-I¡¯ll prove it to them. Th-that way they¡¯ll help me escape."? Chapter 14 - Investigation CHAPTER 14 - INVESTIGATION
Night made the already difficult task of seeing during the day even harder. Eneas pushed forward, aiming for the office. She had managed to sneak in blind before; there was no doubt she could do it again, now half-blind, and even faster. But she had to be careful. Even though there were few, guards still patrolled outside the tents, watching for intruders or soldiers trying to escape. However, Eneas blended with the environment easily, and her abnormal traits finally gave her an enviable advantage. She could have dared to escape, but that was too great a risk to take alone. After all, what she was doing was for herself, she knew that well, but it didn''t matter to her in the end. At last, she reached the office, slowly opened the main door, and slipped inside the building. She took a silent but deep breath. There should be no guards inside. She didn''t remember the exact path, but her goal was General Rinoria''s office. She knew that there, she could do something. Her legs gave out for a moment; she''d pushed herself beyond limits she had never crossed before, so it was no surprise her body would succumb to the pressure. Like a faulty switch, her legs kept trembling, but she stood up right after. She wandered for what felt like hours, checking most of the rooms she came across. But this act only boosted her confidence: with all the doors locked and the silence that filled the halls, she was sure she wouldn''t run into anyone unpleasant. She knew that any contact with another person would make her explode. A few more steps, and she saw it¡ªthe office of General Rinoria. She hesitated for a moment, seeing a faint light leaking through the small gap beneath the door. There was a small but present chance someone was inside. Eneas spun around nervously, her mind reeling. But after the umpteenth hesitation, she followed that cursed instinct that had led her there, knowing it was too late to turn back empty-handed. She entered the room, and an annoying creak from the door triggered an internal alarm. She scanned the room, as much as she could with cracked lenses. It was just a simple, empty office. There didn¡¯t seem to be anyone around. The dim light illuminating the room came from nothing more than a trapped Flower Firefly in a glass cylinder. Eneas hurried to the desk, ready to search everything. A wave of delirium hit her mind, in a frighteningly wrong move. A strange chill she had never felt before filled her with a bizarre sense of euphoria. The feeling eventually stopped. When Eneas finally found something, she felt the cold touch of metal on her shoulder. She turned to see it¡ªthe feeling was caused by a hook resting on her shoulder. ... ?"Listen up, cadets! We''re barely into the first training sessions, and you''re already tired! Do you think you can face pirates with such an attitude? Move it and get to work! Go! Go!"? The dreaded training sessions Natirra feared had begun. And even though she initially felt it wouldn''t be as bad as she had imagined, it turned out to be worse than her mind could have ever conjured. Obviously, she wasn''t built for physical exercise, in fact, she tired easily. Despite her sturdy build, it was simply good genetics and the typical traits of Narwhals. Even Riaca, who seemed weaker, managed her stamina far better, and for Monomia, it was nothing but a game. At least Igre shared her exhaustion, and for once, she didn¡¯t mind having him around when they were both worn out. The training ended after a few hours. Those hours of the day that didn¡¯t consist of drills or time spent in the tent were dedicated to the cafeteria, so tired and weary, they dragged themselves to the other end of the military camp, the final cherry on top of it all. All four of them sat in the cafeteria with their meals in front of them. They spent some time in silence, which was inevitably broken by Riaca, who poked at the mushy food they had been served. ?"We were just missing terrible food to top all of this. What even is this crap?"? Igre replied, maintaining his pride despite his exhaustion. ?"It¡¯s obvious you lack humility despite your rank. This mush you call slop is extremely nutritious, packed with protein. It¡¯s fed our soldiers for years."? ?"You don¡¯t seem to be eating it, though..."? Igre and Riaca glared at each other. ?"My brain doesn¡¯t need to eat, okay¡­?"? ?"Yeah, yeah..."? Then both Igre and Riaca turned to Monomia, who had called the chef over. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Monomia raised his hand, exclaiming, ?"Can I have a fourth serving, please?!"? The chef looked at him with a mist of confusion and commotion. ?"No one has ever eaten four consecutive servings of my protein mush before..."? ?"It¡¯s really good."? At that point, the chef started crying. ?"You¡¯re the first to appreciate my cooking..."? Then he looked up and shouted to his subordinates, ?"Bring more mush for this brave hero! Immediately!"? And with that, he marched back to the kitchen. Igre was the first to ask, ?"I see you like it a lot. I wouldn¡¯t expect anything less from you, but how can you eat them consecutively?"? ?"They¡¯re good!"? Riaca didn¡¯t comment. She didn¡¯t know him well, but his carefree attitude irritated her. Ever since they met, she felt like something had changed between her and Natirra. Speaking of Natirra... Riaca turned toward her. Of all of them, she was the quietest, but not like before. She didn¡¯t seem tired or anything¡ªmore... pensive. Riaca saw this as a good chance to start a conversation between the two of them. ?"Natirra."? Riaca gave her a tap on the shoulder. It was obvious from miles away that this startled her out of a deep trance. Natirra turned, surprised. ?"W-what?"? ?"What are you thinking about?"? All attention shifted to her immediately. Even Igre decided to comment on it. ?"It¡¯s true, even during training. You seem distracted, and you did before, too. You¡¯re thinking about something, right?"? Natirra stared at her food for a moment. She hadn¡¯t touched her meal yet. ?"Maybe I¡¯m thinking about something, but you won¡¯t believe me."? Riaca became concerned and placed a hand on her shoulder. ?"Hey, we¡¯re best friends. Of course, I¡¯d believe you. Tell me everything."? After that, Natirra was slightly convinced, and with some doubt, she finally decided to answer. ?"Eneas wasn¡¯t in the tent today. I suppose you all noticed too."? Igre responded, ?"I assumed we had all decided she sneaked out or something."? Natirra refuted Igre''s theory. ?"I know, but that was a theory we quickly settled on because we didn¡¯t have time to explain. But thinking about it now... come on, do you really think it¡¯s possible?"? Igre, who hadn¡¯t given it much thought until then, reflected on it. ?"You¡¯re right. It¡¯s actually quite unlikely, for several reasons. I honestly thought she¡¯d return soon, that she¡¯d give up or just hide to try and skip training. But... she¡¯s still not here, clearly. I don¡¯t think she¡¯d really run off for good, but... it¡¯s not something she couldn¡¯t do."? Everyone had stopped listening to Igre¡¯s boring theory halfway through. Riaca gave a quick summary, much faster. ?"I don¡¯t think she managed to escape. The place is guarded during the day. And the walls aren¡¯t that easy to cross. If it¡¯s hard for us, it won¡¯t be easy for her. So then..."? ?"She escaped at night, right?"? Everyone turned to Monomia, who had finished his other portions. ?"Bravo, I was about to say that myself,"? Riaca muttered. But Natirra still wasn¡¯t satisfied. ?"That she left the tent before we woke up is clear. But... the doubt remains: did she manage to escape or not? If she failed, we¡¯d know. So, the only options are that she succeeded or did something else."? Everyone, even Monomia, pondered that for a while. Then, Igre scratched his head and, with a disinterested look, offered something. ?"Come on, who cares? She ran off after getting scared. Why think about it? It saves us trouble."? Monomia, on the other hand, had a completely different approach. ?"Hey, Igre. Not like that. Natirra¡¯s right. We didn¡¯t question anything this morning because we were in a rush to training. But that doesn¡¯t mean we should lose interest. At least, we should verify if she escaped, right?"? After a brief pause, however, he turned to Natirra. ?"But... I don¡¯t think anything else is possible besides her escape, right? Otherwise, we would have found her already."? ?"Even if we know that, deep down, it¡¯s not my main doubt."? Natirra confessed. ?"I want to know the reason that led her to do this."? ?"Isn¡¯t it obvious?"? Igre said. ?"She was scared of the lifestyle here and ran away."? ?"No, I get what you mean, Natirra."? Riaca had also been mesmerized by Natirra¡¯s speculations. She managed to connect the dots of Natirra¡¯s doubts and began to doubt as well. As usual, she loosened her ponytail. ?"Yeah, she¡¯s definitely a coward. But something scared her, way more than before. We also have to remember she was blind. And besides that, it seemed like she had a real motive. Though I... can¡¯t quite remember."? ?"Alright, alright. You want to investigate, I get that."? said Igre, annoyed by the request to focus on someone like Eneas. ?"But how on earth do you want to do that? We know nothing."? Monomia raised his hand, touching Igre''s head. The gesture quickly unsettled Igre. ?"Hey! Let go!"? Monomia ignored the request and responded with a smile. ?"I¡¯m confident Nati has a plan."? Riaca¡¯s mouth dropped open. "Eh?! Now they even have nicknames?! No... This, Natirra, I won¡¯t forgive her for this." Igre smiled. ?"Alright. I accept the challenge. It¡¯ll be a workout for my brain. I¡¯ll prove to you that Eneas ran away."? Natirra, happy to have a bit of cooperation, was grateful. ?"Alright."? Monomia exclaimed enthusiastically. ?"Wow! Adventure! Mystery!"? And Riaca, the last one left, not wanting to be excluded, crossed her arms and, now offended by Natirra, responded. ?"Fine... Might as well find her. The only one I still like at this point."? She said the last part under her breath, just to avoid causing more problems. Chapter 15 - Gaid…? Chapter 15 - Gaid...?
?"Soldiers!"? The break had long ended, and now it was time to return to the torture that was that training. Natirra didn¡¯t know how to feel about it; she had some fear but had ultimately understood what was coming. Now she simply had to endure the pain and fatigue. Fortunately, she had other friends, although it was still too early to call them that (except for Riaca), suffering alongside her. The general, who from the first moment had instilled the same fear, constantly paced, shouting orders, motivational speeches, and war stories to provoke terror between the narwhals, all mixed in a soup of screams and curses. Then she stopped, giving the closest thing to an instruction, but with her usual loud exclamation and furious expression. ?"Listen to me soldiers, I have an announcement! We have checked. Our soldiers have checked. Of course, without our superiors'' knowledge. Don¡¯t think that just because General Rinoria fought in a few more wars, I¡¯m not damn well capable of breaking your horn, understood?!"? ?"Yes, ma¡¯am!"? They all shouted, some more fearful than others, but all with that layer of fear, every soldier was confused in a way. ?"One of you... You disgusting insects, thought it was a good idea to leave. Didn¡¯t they? So what did they do, they disappeared from training."? Natirra, Riaca, Igre, and Monomia, though far apart in the line, exchanged knowing glances. One thing Natirra hadn¡¯t counted on was that, despite the large number of soldiers, someone might have noticed the missing girl. That this was the case, and so soon, no one had thought. But... It could lead to interesting developments. ?"We¡¯ve decided we¡¯ll track her down, as a result. And when we do... Yes, and when we do! You¡¯ll see what happens to deserters, let this be a clear example."? At that moment, Natirra felt slightly sorry for Eneas. In a way, she would have ran away too, given the situation. But, at this point, it was more about her own doubts and the looming mystery that surrounded this whole deal. She wanted to understand what had scared that damn girl, she had to understand why she had gotten so frightened. Because whatever had scared her had the potential to frighten her too, and... If she couldn¡¯t find out, she would always have doubts. She needed to know what had scared her, to prepare herself. She regretted not asking anything when she had the chance. If they found her, good for her, she could interrogate her. Otherwise... It would be worse, she¡¯d have to search for the reasons behind her escape. In any case, she would do something, trying to drag her companions along somehow. And maybe, she¡¯d end up running away too. Needless to say, after that brief announcement, there was nothing but narration and detailed descriptions for the next exercise. And Natirra knew full well that she would suffer greatly. The training continued, and Natirra suffered even more. The lower body exercises had never been her favorite; she was not good at all, and running was something she hated with all her heart. If it had been, I don¡¯t know, throwing or lifting something, maybe she could have done it, but this was something extremely difficult. Fortunately, she wasn¡¯t the only one suffering. After the run, she stopped, kneeling down. ?"Prepare yourselves! We¡¯ll start again soon!"? Next to her, Igre collapsed onto the ground, exhausted. ?"My... My brain... Doesn¡¯t need this..."? Natirra watched him, almost astonished. Could he brag about his intelligence even in a situation like this? She was starting to not understand him. Actually, she hadn¡¯t understood him in the first place. But the initial annoyance, like with Eneas, had quickly disappeared, and he didn¡¯t bother her as much anymore. ¡­ Even the training eventually ended, and, as scheduled, there was essentially one last break in the courtyard before returning to the tents. The whole group gathered once again, some more exhausted than others. Monomia walked up, smiling as if he¡¯d just woken up from a beauty sleep. ?"Wow, that was fun. I love running."? ?"You brutes, I don¡¯t understand you. My head hurts, this training hurts my brain, damn it..."? said Igre, holding his head. Natirra and Riaca were nearby, Natirra looked like she was about to leave her body behind, while Riaca seemed as if she¡¯d just finished a simple warm-up. The difference between the two was clear and, in some ways, quite embarrassing. Despite this, Natirra didn¡¯t mind in the end; she was used to being physically weaker than Riaca, despite the physical difference. What was peculiar was that, despite Natirra trying to start a conversation, Riaca seemed to always shut it down. Natirra knew that girl well, and seeing her like that, she clearly understood that something was bothering her. But her mind, filled with a million other worries, couldn¡¯t put all the pieces of the puzzle together and simply thought Riaca was as tired as she was. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. They stayed for a bit to rest, exchanging silly and often nonsensical conversations, typical of people who didn¡¯t have much interesting to say. Inevitably, though, an event managed to distract the whole group. Some noises could be heard, and the whole group turned. In another part of the courtyard, several people were gathered in a circle, cheering loudly. It was incredible to think that even in a situation like this, someone could still find the desire to create some form of entertainment. Riaca, curious, pointed toward the area where everything was happening. ?"Oi... What are they doing over there?"? Among everyone, only Monomia gave a reasonably sure answer. ?"I have a feeling I know what¡¯s going on, but let¡¯s go check it out."? And deep down, everyone else knew what was happening, but that curiosity to see it firsthand drove them to get up and go investigate. As they got closer, it became clear what was happening: it was a fight between two people, and that circle was nothing more than a group of spectators taking advantage of the free entertainment. A circle of people had formed around the two combatants; no one intervened. Natirra and the others joined the group, equally indifferent and with no intention of intervening, watching to see what moves the two would make. Natirra looked around to see the others¡ªsome of them were laughing, ready to tell their friends everything that would happen in the fight, some were slightly concerned about the direction the argument was taking, others slowly distanced themselves, keeping at least six meters away from the two fighters, and some, excited, watched, ready to bet on who would win and cheer them on during the fight. They lingered like snakes, smiling. Natirra noticed them and looked at them with disgust. Igre intervened, also with a slight smile. ?"Some people just wait for others to go to war, so they can watch and laugh among themselves, but this has always happened, and always will."? The two continued arguing, shouting at each other. One of the Narwhals suddenly threw down the gauntlet. ?"I heard you, idiot. You said my horn is small, didn¡¯t you?!"? ?¡±Don¡¯t play innocent, you bastard. I heard you talking behind my back. Fight me with honor!¡±? On one side was a robust soldier with short black hair and a sturdy horn. On the other was his complete opposite: a short, skinny boy with pale blue skin and a small, thick horn on his head, shorter than average for his age, much like Natirra. In all that time, she had seen so many odd people that her own quirks seemed relatively normal. One of them moved forward¡ªthe stronger one, specifically. ?¡±I¡¯m sick of your crap! Get out of my sight or I¡¯ll kill you!¡±? The shorter boy didn¡¯t waste time with words and threw an uppercut aimed at the face, but his punch was immediately blocked. ?¡±Nice try, now it¡¯s my turn.¡±? With a body shot to the liver, he dropped him to the ground. After that, the crowd slowly dispersed, most of them disappointed with how the fight ended. The group started to walk away too, except for Monomia, who quickly approached the boy who had just been defeated. Natirra felt compelled to follow, even though she wasn¡¯t that interested. The rest of the group stayed behind, not entirely convinced but still curious to see how things would play out. ?¡±We¡¯ve been here two days, and you¡¯re already starting fights?¡±? ?¡±He insulted me; I had to.¡±? the boy replied, still lying on the ground. ?¡±Ever heard of the ¡®just ignore it¡¯ rule? You shouldn¡¯t get so mad so easily, and you¡¯ll hear worse if you end up on a ship.¡±? Monomia offered him a hand, helping him up, then extended it for a shake. ?¡±Nice to meet you, I¡¯m Monomia. That¡¯s Natirra; she doesn¡¯t talk much.¡±? Natirra took offense at that last part. ?¡±That over there is Riaca, and that¡¯s Igre¡ªhe¡¯s a smart guy!¡±? The boy stood up with difficulty and stared at Monomia, who still had a cheery face, with some annoyance. ?¡±My name is Gaid.¡±? He said it without much interest, clearly wanting to leave the situation as quickly as possible. But Monomia didn¡¯t seem to notice. ?¡±So, do you need help?¡±? ?¡±No, I don¡¯t.¡±? Gaid replied, sounding irritated. That sudden response also annoyed Natirra. They were the only ones who came to check on him, and he was talking to them like that? ?¡±Are you sure?¡±? ?¡±Absolutely.¡±? He confirmed with full certainty. ?¡±But, wait,¡±? Riaca spoke for the first time. Up until then, she and Igre had been exchanging looks. ?¡±What did he say to make you start a fight?¡±? Suddenly, Gaid showed them his horn and, with complete and sudden seriousness, answered, ?¡°He said my horn was small!¡±? ¡°What?! This?! This was the big insult?! Was this really the reason he started a fight that he lost in a single punch? Seriously?!¡± Natirra thought, her mouth agape. ?¡±Seriously? That¡¯s the only problem?¡±? Monomia asked, laughing and grinning. Gaid was probably bothered by this, and after a moment, he finally responded. ?¡±What do you mean ¡®only¡¯? That¡¯s an insult no Narwhal can accept!¡±? ?¡±I think you¡¯re taking this a bit too seriously, and in any case, it¡¯s over now, so there¡¯s not much you can do about it.¡±? When Monomia spoke like that, he seemed less foolish. It was like he played dumb on purpose. ?¡±It doesn¡¯t matter. Thanks for coming, but I have other things to do.¡±? Gaid quickly got up, dusted the dirt off his uniform, and walked away from the group as they all watched him leave. ?¡±I¡¯d heard soldiers are not the most patient folks here at the camp, but this much? And here I thought Monomia was the impatient one.¡±? Igre said, adjusting his glasses. ?¡±How rude. Does he have no respect? We came to help him, and he just leaves like that. I hate people like that.¡±? Riaca added, crossing her arms. ?¡±Some people are just like that. Not everyone is as friendly as we are, right, Nati?¡±? Natirra still hadn¡¯t figured out why she was called that. Riaca, on the other hand, hearing it a second time, burned inside like molten metal. Natirra continued to watch as Gaid walked off, disappearing into the camp amid jeers and jokes. Chapter 16 - The Warning CHAPTER 16 - THE WARNING
The training day was now over, and as a result, all the narwhals returned to rest in their tents as usual. The small group of four individuals returned to their respective section of the tent. There was to be admitted, seeing Eneas¡¯ empty bed in their tent was a little strange to everyone, but the fact that all of them, if not for Riaca and Natirra, had known each other for a day or so made most of them feel better, if not for Natirra, she was worried at that point. They all sat in their respective places to rest for a while, but that did not stop them from engaging in conversation. Igre, first of all, was the happiest, and it all went back to that bet they had made long ago. ?"See? There''s no need for us to engage in useless investigations, the officers will take care of everything."? Natirra did not respond, she let others do the work, Monomia instead threw something out. ?"Hey, we can''t trust them! What if it¡¯s like Natirra said: they made her disappear or something happened, they will just tell us she disappeared without telling us the truth."? That was not in any possible sense what Natirra had theorized, but what Monomia was saying also made a modicum of sense, come to think of it, if she had discovered something big, it would make sense to get rid of her. ?¡°Don''t be an idiot, these conspiracy theories will get us nowhere.¡±? Natirra put her hands to her head, ¡°Damn it,¡± she thought, of all things, why did this have to happen to her? She was in a situation where she didn''t want to be. Yes, she had made friends, some more bizarre than others, and nice acquaintances, but she simply wished she could go home. She felt an annoying itch coming constantly from her uniform, and she struggled with the idea of sleeping with it. Then, this whole thing with Eneas... There was a part of her that told her she was going a little too deep, that she was analyzing her a little too much, that in the end it was no big deal, but there was that paranoid part of her instead, the one that kept her on the edge, the one that drove her crazy. What did Eneas see? Why was she so afraid? Even more afraid than she had always been from the first moment Natirra met her? How come she disappeared? Where did she go? Did she really run away? What could be behind all of this? These were all thoughts assailing Natirra''s mind, which did not know what to do, why did she have those strange ideas in the first place? Was her sanity falling apart? In all that, she noticed that her companions were calling her, specifically, she was being called Riaca. ?¡°Natirra, are you okay?¡±? ?"Huh? Oh, yeah, yeah, everything''s okay. I don''t like this whole thing, I think there''s something going on."? Monomia jumped into the conversation, cutting Riaca off before she could tell Natirra some sweet words of consolation. Riaca turned offended toward Monomia, and locked herself in her thoughts as well. ?"Don''t worry Natirra! It¡¯s nothing. Igre after all is right, we should not think too much about it. After all, what can we do? We wait for the authorities to give us some direction, and voila. In the meantime... I think we should sleep on it, we''re all too tired to think it through, right?"? She was right after all, and Natirra had no idea what else she could do. Their discussions from there on quickly dissipated into small talk, and inevitably everyone kept quiet, and with the tent devoid of natural light, everyone in turn was struck down by the angel of sleep. But Natirra, on that night, had nothing but nightmares, and among those, there lurked a dream that revealed itself to be very peculiar. ¡­The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡­ ¡­ A mysterious figure appeared before her. She, as if inside the sea, felt that she could swim anywhere. Nevertheless, the density of the liquid around her kept her fixed on where she was. On the one hand, she felt herself pressing down, suffocating, but she did not seem to be in the midst of death, but simply in constant discomfort. In front of her, she observed a shadow, a silhouette. It seemed to be similar to her brother''s in that remote memory, which she could not, however, fish out at that moment. She remained curious to observe, until she saw it approaching. A faceless narwhal, but with characters so familiar, so clear, that Natirra seemed to have seen her before, surrounded her like a snake surrounding its prey. The gigantic shadow stretched out like a sea serpent and squeezed her, taking her breath away. Then, she observed before her the face of that abstract snake. It had no characters in its face, no eyelashes, no nose, no lips, no eyes, but short hair and broken glasses above it. Her short, bright hair floated rapidly. She did not speak, could not speak, and could not even open her mouth. But Natirra, who was actually in the same condition, being underwater, could somehow hear her. ?¡°Natirra...¡±? Natirra could not avoid asking questions, she was confused, but felt from a certain point of view that this was something natural. Bathed in cold and warm water at the same time, she did not know how to feel. Natirra suddenly felt the sudden ability to speak. ?"W-who are you? Where am I?"? But the creature seemed to ignore her questions, and kept repeating her name. ?¡°Natirra... Natirra... Natirra... Natirra... It''s a trap... Natirra... Natirra... Natirra...¡±? ?¡°A trap?¡±? ?¡°Natirra... You believed me Natirra... Unlike the others... Save me, find me, Natirra... It''s a trap... It''s a trap... The offices... The offices... Save me...¡±? Although Natirra tried desperately to free herself and ask more questions, it was all in vain, the creature kept repeating her name incessantly, asking to be saved. But then she made a move that determined the whole thing. ?"E-... Eneas? But how on earth..."? She recognized the figure, and Eneas suddenly started to fade away. ?¡°The offices... Of the chief...¡±? Before she could say more, Natirra felt herself drowning, and her vision grew dim. ... Suddenly waking up, all sweaty, she had a moment to breath. It was daylight outside, this was normal, the days lasted exponentially longer than the night, after all there were two suns, only a small part of the day was without them, but all her companions were still sleeping, and in general it was still to be considered a period of rest. Natirra, who had just realized that what she had witnessed was a dream, was firmly convinced that it had a deeper meaning. Before she lost consciousness in the dream, she had received guidance, an outline of where to go, which had stuck in her mind, along with the entirety of the dream. She stood up suddenly, in a firm tone. Too many strange things, she needed to verify for herself. She knew that the events that were happening were not normal. There had to be something behind them. She tried to walk stealthily toward the tent exit when she heard a recognizable voice from behind. She had a shudder and turned around, seeing Monomia standing up. ?¡°It''s early, where are you going?¡±? At that point, she pondered. If she tried to explain to the others what had happened to her, they probably would not have believed it, so she refused to tell Monomia as well. But if he was awake, it meant that she had woken up when it was now late enough for everyone to wake up, and consequently it was useless to try to reach the offices, because they would be probably guarded. Besides that, it was better to do it in a group. She would have been able to persuade her comrades, but it would have been useless to do so now. From the way Natirra thought, she seemed incredibly determined, she could almost appear as if she was not in the situation she was in, but the reality was that she too found herself incredulous, and she did not know what to do. That still left the option that she had simply gone mad. That everything she was seeing was the result of her fear, that there was nothing deeper going on. But she couldn''t--she couldn''t get that thought out of her head, could she have dreamed a prophecy? Or a warning? One thing was clear, she had to find out where Eneas had gone. Today she would most likely find out from the authorities. But one thing was certain, she could not have escaped, no. Natirra turned towards Monomia. ?"Nothing, I just woke up early. What''s on the agenda today?"? ?"Oh, don''t you know? Today there is no training for the first half of the day."? Natirra was not aware of that. If there was no training, then what the hell was going on? ?¡°Well, classes start today!¡±? Monomia said in his usual enthusiastic tone. ?¡°You know, like school, but here...¡±? Natirra fell desperately to the floor of the tent. She already had to suffer being here, and now she had to go to school too! Could she get a hell of a break at some point or not? Inevitably, and most likely because of the high volume Monomia insisted on keeping in his voice while talking, everyone else woke up, Igre with an annoyed face and a tone full of lamentation, and Riaca woke up normally, but upon seeing Monomia and Natirra having an early morning argument, she turned away, with a bitter taste of jealousy in her mouth. Natirra turned away, and thought in her own head for a while. ¡°I don''t feel like saying these things early in the morning, I really don''t feel like it, but... I have to, I can''t go alone. At the end of the day, I will say everything. We just have to see if I can survive.¡± Chapter 17 - Gaid, Again… CHAPTER 17 - GAID, AGAIN...
In the end, despite having already been introduced to the concept beforehand, Natirra found herself once again in a classroom. The thought that just two days earlier she had still been in school felt strange, considering how little time had passed, even though it seemed like an eternity to her. The classrooms were compact, also set up inside tents. She had the privilege of glimpsing at the routine she would have to follow. It consisted of a three-day cycle. The first day was entirely dedicated to physical training, the second mixed play and physical activities, which was where she found herself now, and the third was exclusively academic. Although she hated school with all her heart, she was at least reassured by the fact that tomorrow she wouldn¡¯t have to work her muscles. Unfortunately, there were no rest days. Each tent was a different classroom, and the classes were large. Not organized, of course, like those back in the village, but full of chaos and delinquents. Naturally, since schools had only been a thing for a few years, they weren¡¯t the first choice for most people. Only the most unfortunate in one way, and fortunate in another, could afford it. However, it wasn¡¯t a privilege just for the wealthiest; it was for those who aspired to higher levels in their careers. In the end, playful education was free. Natirra didn¡¯t aim so high, but unfortunately, her parents did, and as a result, she was stuck where she was. Unlike the others, she was used to the school system, but she wasn¡¯t used to having classmates ready to cause chaos for the entire lesson. Yet this only continued until the tutor arrived. Natirra spent a while wondering who might be teaching them. She had been guided by the guards to pick her spot, sitting on the grass with notes and ink, and separated from her friends. The guards had smartly decided to rearrange the seating, separating people they knew were in the same section of their tent, thus preventing constant chatter between new friends. Although clever in some ways, it simply meant they would make new friends or, as had been happening earlier, just yell across the room. As it was, Monomia, Riaca, and Igre weren¡¯t next to her, and she had to stay by herself, unable to even distract herself with her friend. When the tutor finally entered and everyone recognized her, they knew talking was no longer an option, and the entire room fell silent. General Blondie walked in, a smile plastered on her face, but after positioning herself in front of all the soldiers, she dropped the smile, putting on her usual serious expression. ?¡±Look at you, making me play the role of a teacher. Back in my day! Before the Empress there were no schools!¡±? She then turned around, mimicking a disappointed mother. ?¡±But despite that, most of you¡­ are still dimwits!¡±? She then pulled out a menacing wooden stick, so threatening that everyone jumped in fear at the sight of it. ?¡±The rules of this classroom are different from those of the training camp. So, I might as well update you!¡±? As she said that, several guards quickly brought a chalkboard behind her. It was made of wood. From the stick held by the general, a shiny metal blade emerged, and the general began making various marks on the wooden ¡°chalkboard.¡± That¡¯s how it worked: each chalkboard was a simple piece of wood, used once and thrown away, modified for each lesson. Writing on it consisted of carving it with the blade. ?¡±The first rule is¡­ Whoever dares to speak will be slapped with the stick! Whoever looks around will be hit by the stick! Whoever doesn¡¯t study will be hit by the stick! Whoever asks me anything without permission will be hit by the stick! Whoever asks me anything in general will be hit by the stick! Whoever breathes in my presence without my permission will be hit by the stick! The stick will hit you at least once in your life, and I will personally ensure that I make up rules on the spot to make sure it happens! And¡­¡±? She took a deep breath. After all, she had been talking for quite a while without stopping, probably straining her throat from all the yelling.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ?¡±To show you that I¡¯m serious¡­ I¡¯ll hit each and every one of you once, so you¡¯ll know what to fear!¡±? And with that, swiftly, everyone¡ªincluding Natirra¡ªwas smacked in the hands. And from there, the real lesson began. It consisted of nothing but lectures on military tactics. ?¡±Pirates travel the seas, that¡¯s clear, and they take advantage of distance, disorientation on the seas, the difficulty of maneuvering a ship, and the lack of knowledge of the terrain. That¡¯s how pirates take advantage of soldiers, catching them off guard. That¡¯s why I expect you to be prepared! But just saying that doesn¡¯t mean anything, so we¡¯ll dedicate these first lessons to studying shipbuilding and its maneuvering! We¡¯ll assign the seniors the job of steering it, but in case of emergencies, a little extra experience never hurt anyone. Are we clear?¡±? ?¡±Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±? And so, as with all the catastrophic events before, Natirra found herself back where she started¡ªlistening to another lesson she couldn¡¯t care less about. ¡­ To Natirra, it felt like she had just taken a well-deserved nap. After all, it was fair to say that she hadn¡¯t slept well the previous night, even though she had managed to dream, and for that reason, she could honestly say that if she were assigned the task of steering a ship, she would sabotage the entire operation, sending all the soldiers with her to their deaths. But she was probably not the only one. After all, it didn¡¯t seem like most of the people there were driven by genuine interest, but more by the fear that the general inspired. Some had even been holding their breath. Natirra cursed the heavens quite often, more in these three days than in her entire life, and this time it was to ask why she had to endure this particular general. Why not a more benevolent one, male or female? Still, it was over. She could finally enjoy the little break she had, because there were breaks between lessons. The only constant was that the general would always be the one instructing those poor souls, and that this was merely a reprieve from the beatings from the evil stick. Natirra wanted, in that brief window of time, to head over to her group of friends, but she was interrupted by a familiar face she had encountered not long ago. He stepped in front of her, blocking her path. It was¡­ Gaid? Gaid, the boy they had met the day before, who had left quickly with the grace and anger of a rhinoceros, not even acknowledging Monomia¡¯s and the others¡¯ offer of help. Before she could ask any questions or refuse his presence, he spoke. ?¡±Listen, I know we don¡¯t know each other, but with you in particular, I need to talk, but we have to do it in private.¡±? ?¡±Huh?¡±? Even though Natirra wasn¡¯t entirely convinced¡ªin fact, she would have preferred not to be alone with someone she barely knew¡ªshe decided to move and follow Gaid anyway. With the insistence he had, and the expression on his face showing that he had something important to say, she hurried along, thinking that maybe it was something she couldn¡¯t afford to underestimate, and that it would be better not to risk missing anything. Gaid and Natirra distanced themselves to a remote spot, just outside the tent, since they were allowed to do so. Once they reached an area where no one else was around and where they could speak freely, Gaid immediately blurted out what he had to say. He scratched his hair so aggressively that it messed it up, and he looked around. ?"I know this might sound stupid to you, but please, understand me. I had a dream last night... A premonitory dream. You were there, and there was another creature surrounding you and speaking to you, while I was trapped in some kind of liquid under the sea, far away... And it seemed almost like a warning."? Natirra¡¯s eyes widened. Her, and a creature? So he had the same dream she did? Impossible. Gaid continued. ?"I came here to confirm if you had the same dream, but from your perspective, of course."? ?"How... Is that possible? We dreamt the same thing at the same time? You were in my dream, I didn¡¯t see you... You were in the background, but... That can¡¯t be... Did you read my mind?"? It felt almost surreal; it couldn¡¯t have just happened randomly. They didn¡¯t even know each other that well. At first, she had even struggled to recognize Gaid¡ªhow could she have dreamed of him? The whole thing was giving her chills. ?"Listen, I can explain, I know this might sound strange, but when I explain it better, you¡¯ll understand... I believe that both of us witnessed what is commonly called... a prophecy."? Chapter 18 - Prophecies And Spirits CHAPTER 18 - PROPHECIES AND SPIRITS
Natirra observed Gaid, confused. Their eyes met. At one point, she crossed her arms, leaning against the wall of the structure next to him. The sound of people in the background faded, and Natirra seemed to be transported to another dimension, with the same strange feeling she had in that dream. When she heard Gaid speak, she realized the situation she was in was deeper than she had expected. ?"You probably don¡¯t know what a prophecy is, right? But I assumed that."? The fact that Gaid already assumed something negative about her annoyed her. Though, in some ways, he was right: she didn¡¯t know what the hell a prophecy was. ?"Listen to me carefully. I don¡¯t know if you believe in spirituality, but regardless, since you have concrete evidence in front of you, what I¡¯m about to say will make sense."? Natirra sat down, ready to hear him out. Gaid looked up at the sky, still with his arms crossed. ?"When a soul feels a strong emotion, it¡¯s capable of picking up spiritual waves. Invisible to us."? Natirra tried to internalize this first bit. ?"Of course, it¡¯s all subjective. What is strong for me might be less for you. This is to say that every emotion, in a way, drags these waves with it, but not all of them are picked up. In fact, very few are."? After saying this, he raised his hand to the sky. ?"When a soul feels an extremely strong emotion, which is usually something out of the ordinary, the waves are picked up, and the signal in question turns into a means of communication that flies through the wind."? Everything she had heard sounded like fantasy, but Natirra was starting to get a decent idea. Under normal circumstances, she wouldn¡¯t have believed it, but the opposite had been shown to her. Natirra asked a question. ?"And what emotions can lead to this strong signal?"? ?"That¡¯s what I need to figure out. There are several cases in which this can happen, but the most common is also the most concerning. It could be that whoever sent the message is no longer alive; it all depends on what was said in the signal."? Many doubts arose in Natirra, and her need for answers grew at the same time. ?"How is it that you received it too?"? ?"If everything went the way I think it did, then we two have something special, probably. Some kind of energy that can pick up those waves."? Gaid finally took his eyes off the sky and fixed them on Natirra. ?"When we sleep, our functions don¡¯t stop. We are still alive, from that point of view. But our mind and soul are on the same spiritual plane as the spirits. That¡¯s how we pick up their prophecies, but it¡¯s normal for most people not to be able to do it or to forget by the time they wake up."? Natirra was confused, but she understood the basic message. Gaid, however, had more to explain as he moved closer to Natirra. ?"Listen, I need your help. And I suppose you need mine. You¡¯re the only one I saw in that dream. So clearly... This thing involves you too. I want to help you."? ?"How is it that... you know so much about spirits?"? Gaid turned in the opposite direction. His tone sounded hesitant, and Natirra realized she had asked a bad question. Gaid replied shortly after, with a tone of omission. ?"Personal studies."? After saying that, he turned to Natirra again. ?"The person who was in that dream. Do you know her?"? Natirra, after everything that had happened, didn¡¯t know whether to share her thoughts with someone she had genuinely only seen twice, but on the other hand, it was the only way she saw to solve the matter in a way that satisfied her. She thought for a moment; she needed to organize how she would explain the whole issue, and instead of explaining the details, she decided to be a bit more concise and summarizing.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ?"I didn¡¯t know her for long, actually; she was in our room. Yesterday morning, she disappeared."? ?"Disappeared, you say?"? ?"Yes..."? she decided to omit the pirate situation for now, wanting to remain reserved. ?"We haven¡¯t heard from her since, and everyone theorizes she ran away, but if this signal you¡¯re talking about is real..."? ?"Something happened to her. That¡¯s certain. And what¡¯s even more certain is that she didn¡¯t run away; she¡¯s still around here somewhere."? ?"Is she hiding?"? ?"That, I can¡¯t be sure of. Something might have happened to her. Listen, do you remember what she told you, in particular?"? Natirra once again put her mind to work. She tried to think, but remembering a dream was difficult, she knew that. Despite this common fact, she remembered the words she heard exactly, as if she were still in the dream. ?"She told me to leave, to save her and save myself. And... she mentioned the pirates."? Gaid turned, as if he had heard thunder. ?"Pirates, huh?"? ?"Yes, she talked about them when we met her before she disappeared."? Gaid moved closer, seeming intrigued. ?"It¡¯s common in prophecies for instructions to be given. Did you receive any kind of suggestion?"? Under that pressure, she gave in and decided it was worth revealing the little bit she had left. ?"The office, the militia chief¡¯s office. The last time we saw her, she was returning from that place, she had seen something that must have terrified her, a lot. But... we didn¡¯t believe her. Or at least, the others didn¡¯t. I had my doubts too, but... there¡¯s something more to this. I fear the pirates are involved in this."? ?"Mmmh..."? Gaid scratched his hair. ?"Your friend may be giving you instructions. Listen..."? Gaid sat down as well. ?"I¡¯ll help you with this, and find your friend. That is, if nothing has happened to her. I get more knowledge for my research, and maybe I¡¯ll find a way out of this camp. I know many things you don¡¯t know."? Natirra didn¡¯t know how to feel; after all, this was the same Gaid who had gotten into a brawl over a rather idiotic reason, and now he wanted to present himself as a master follower of prophecies? Natirra easily trusted people, and in this case, she had reasons to do so. If he was the only way she could gain more information, at least regarding Eneas¡¯s fate, then it was fine. ?"Do you... want something in return?"? She expected such a request. But Gaid frowned. ?"More information for my research is enough. You¡¯re going to the office, right? We can manage to meet, but you have to be careful. Since your friend disappeared, they¡¯ve increased security to prevent night escapes. I¡¯ll come to meet you."? From that point of view, Natirra was glad she hadn¡¯t left that morning, or she would have been caught. Suddenly, they were all called back; it was time to return to lessons. Natirra quickly explained to Gaid the location of her tent, and they both returned to their class. ... Prophecies were something new to her; she hadn¡¯t heard of them before. Such an abstract concept, allowing mental communication through the spiritual plane, which one could access during sleep. Natirra was now certain that, according to what Gaid had said, everyone was aware of the events that had taken place. But most either didn¡¯t have enough context to understand or had completely forgotten. Gaid and she were the only two people who knew what this was about, for now. But that was fine. She felt much safer knowing she could go with someone else and not be alone. Natirra wondered why Gaid knew so much about spirits, enough to give such an accurate explanation. "Strange interests..." There was definitely something behind it, but Natirra didn¡¯t want to think about it. In a way, she was placing herself in a situation above her own. In the worst case, she would take the first chance to escape. But for now, that wasn¡¯t really an option; she first needed to understand what to run from, right? After all, she was in a good place, she had support. She might as well make use of it. The class had finally ended, and Natirra felt her head was about to explode. Gaid had disappeared from her sight, and Natirra had finally reunited with her group, which had questions. ?"Where did you disappear during the break? We were going to come find you."? Monomia asked, curious. Igre, however, seemed to be fishing for a theory. ?"After a useless lesson like that, I would have tried to escape like she did."? Riaca commented. ?"Are you trying to escape?!"? Natirra brushed away those strange theories. ?"Cut it out, guys. It¡¯s nothing. I just wanted a moment to myself."? ?"Got it!"? all three said at the same time. The group of narwhals then headed towards the mess hall, following the line of other soldiers. ¡­ Gaid walked, observing the main offices. The wind pushed the trees, and while everyone was in the mess hall, he found himself outside, in the deserted training field. ?"Prophecies, huh? So they really work. I can talk to spirits."? He kept staring at that distant structure, with a fixed and threatening gaze. ?"I better find something important, to advance my project."? Chapter 19 - Flashback: Young Agnates CHAPTER 19 - FLASHBACK: YOUNG AGNATES
Gaid fell to the ground with a muffled cry, hit by a rough stick straight in the stomach. ?"Ugh... Damn it!"? he groaned, clutching his stomach as he struggled to catch his breath. ?"Haha! I won! Loser! I¡¯m the best fighter on the whole island,"? the victorious boy proudly announced, strutting above Gaid. It was clear he had used his superiority in the fight. Gaid tried to stand up, covering a part of his stomach with one hand. ?"That¡¯s not true... You cheated! No one said you could use weapons like sticks!"? he protested in a feeble voice, trying to defend himself from the defeat. The boy who had just won started laughing, clearly satisfied with his triumph. ?"Don¡¯t even try to argue, Gaid! You have to be smarter if you want to win next time,"? he said with a triumphant smirk. ?"There are no rules in war; accept that you¡¯ve been defeated and that I¡¯m better than you!"? Gaid snorted, ?"It¡¯s unfair."? He muttered to himself, ?"I fought barehanded, he used weapons. He¡¯s the coward."? The victorious boy continued celebrating happily while Gaid kept talking. ?"You¡¯re celebrating too much, Cuneo, now I¡¯m going to beat you!"? Other boys, having confirmed the end of the previous fight, were getting ready to battle against the current winner. These were the games of youth, still bright and innocent, where fighting was seen as a game, not a necessity. A girl, also among the circle of kids ready to fight, approached an angry Gaid, who was clenching his fists and gritting his teeth furiously. He stood still, almost on the verge of tears, or at least with teary eyes, unable to accept such a humiliating defeat, especially to someone who hadn¡¯t even used the same weapons as him. It was unacceptable. ?"You¡¯re right, ignore him. He¡¯s just a bully. True warriors fight without help!"? Gaid turned towards the girl, and after a moment, replied in a quick and brusque tone. ?"Leyra, true warriors win! This isn¡¯t valid! It¡¯s unfair, I should have won. I deserved it. But I didn¡¯t win, so that means I don¡¯t know how to fight."? ?"Look, you don¡¯t always get what you want. You¡¯ll win next time. Just because you lost one round doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ve lost the whole war!"? They had been playing all afternoon, and Gaid hadn¡¯t won a single battle. He walked away defeated, always facing a physically stronger opponent, and each time he suffered the humiliation of losing. ?"I¡¯ll never win any battle. They¡¯re all stronger than me, while I¡¯m just a runt, half their size. Did you see the other fights? How can you say such a thing?"? Gaid admitted, with a tone of resignation. Then, after a pause, he continued. ?"I¡¯m tired of this game, I¡¯m leaving!"? He exclaimed loudly before walking away. ?"Gaid... Gaid, where are you going?! You just have to keep trying! I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll win, I swear!"? ?"I¡¯m not listening to you, Leyra! No matter how many times you tell me! I¡¯m leaving, I don¡¯t want to play with cheaters anymore!"? said young Agnates, as he walked away from the group of boys and girls, who were still full of energy, fighting amongst themselves and playing other childish games. Leyra could only watch as Gaid left, then took a deep breath. ?"So stubborn... If only he were a bit smarter and had a little more self-esteem. And I shouldn¡¯t have to give him a pep talk every time."? Gaid moved quickly through the heart of the village, heading toward his home. The village children, carefree, played in the borderlands between "too far from the village" and "too close to the village." They couldn¡¯t afford to get too close to the center, otherwise, they would disturb the adults'' affairs. It was unusual to see a child walking through the intricate maze of village streets during the busy workday, unless they had a particular reason, which Gaid didn¡¯t.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Thus, Gaid seemed like a solitary flower blooming amidst the snow. As he walked through the winding streets, his footsteps echoed lightly, breaking the village''s peaceful silence. The children turned to look, surprised by this unusual visit to the center. Gaid, with his heart full of determination, continued his path, ignoring the curious glances of adults and the concerned stares of the elders. Every corner of the village told a different story: the wooden houses with half-closed windows, the well-kept gardens with vibrant flowers, and the small shops with their inviting scents. Gaid knew every street and every alley. ?"Kid, don¡¯t even think about playing near my carpentry shop! Or I¡¯ll chop you up!"? the carpenter shouted threateningly as Gaid approached his workshop. But Gaid, deep in thought, casually ignored the threats and harsh words thrown at him by the villagers. He was used to this treatment and accepted it as part of his daily life. All the children accepted it as part of life on the island. He quickly reached his home, a small cabin right on the shore, on the island¡¯s coastal beach. It wasn¡¯t anything too respectable, in fact, much smaller than the island''s standard, but for Gaid, it was fine, and for the Agnates family, it wasn¡¯t bothersome. They were born fishermen, and in a coastal area like this, it was a favorable spot. Gaid arrived, approaching his father, who was busy at work, fishing. Before Gaid could even announce his presence, his father had already sensed him. ?"What are you doing here, Gaid? I thought you were out with the others."? His father didn¡¯t turn his face to look at him. Gaid, on the other hand, walked over to sit next to him. They were on the edge of a rock, a good spot for fishing as it was rich in plants, ensuring a high rate of animal reproduction. ?"So?"? his father asked again, curious about his son¡¯s reasons. ?"I don¡¯t want to play with the others; they¡¯re all mean."? ?"What were you playing?"? The father turned towards him, confused and curious about what had happened to the boy. ?"We were fighting, like always. But they¡¯re cheats, they cheat and cheat."? ?"Why did you leave?"? Gaid didn¡¯t dare look at his father, keeping his gaze fixed on the sea where the fishing was happening. ?"You shouldn¡¯t have come back, you¡¯ve got nothing to do here. Go back to your friends."? ?"But they don¡¯t know how to play, and I don¡¯t want to play with people who cheat..."? ?"Instead of giving up every time things don¡¯t go your way, why don¡¯t you start enduring the losses? If you come back to me every time something bad happens, you¡¯ll never become the warrior you aim to be."? ?"But... But I¡¯ve been losing all day."? ?"So?"? ?"So it means I don¡¯t know how to fight."? ?"No, it just means you give up too easily."? ?¡°It¡¯s useless discussing this with you, or with adults in general, you don¡¯t understand me,¡±? Gaid thought to himself. He then stood up, while his father continued fishing without doing anything else. ?"Where are you going now, Gaid?"? ?"I¡¯m going back to the others..."? Gaid announced, though not entirely convinced, as he walked away from the cabin. After gaining some distance, he muttered to himself, ?"It¡¯s not fair. I¡¯m the only honest one among them. Is it really my fault? But surely, no one understands that you can¡¯t just go on forever like this."? The village was small, despite appearances, and it wasn¡¯t even the main village on the entire island, but rather just a part of it. The main village, which was more of a city, was located in the center of the island, while only smaller, nameless outposts were present on the outskirts. But it didn¡¯t matter, as everyone identified themselves under the name of the island. Not all areas of the island could actually be defined as occupied; some places remained unexplored, with no signs of humanity. Next to the village, in a sort of blind spot where a stream rustled, surrounded by tall and strong trees, a sun-kissed part of the forest, since the entire village province was encircled by a dense forest marking the natural boundaries of the area, there lay Gaid¡¯s resting place. It was where he went when he needed a personal moment, to relax, think, or calm down. Or just for a moment like now, when he felt that no one could understand what he was going through. He approached the stream, walking quickly. ?"It¡¯s not fair."? He began to talk to himself, knowing that no one could disturb him. ?"A real warrior fights on equal terms. Someone who wins like that¡­ someone who wins like that is a coward."? He stared at his reflection, clear and glossy, looking back at him. And although he was aware it was just his reflection, he couldn¡¯t help but act as if he had someone in front of him to confront. And, in a way, he did¡ªhimself, whom he wanted to confront. But of all the details in his reflection, his gaze was fixed on his horn. ?"Maybe I¡¯m just making excuses. I wasn¡¯t born to be a warrior, no matter how hard I try. They¡¯re all stronger and faster than me. What use am I in a fight?"? Tears formed on his face. He hadn¡¯t, and never had, won a single battle up to that point, and nothing assured him that he would win any in the future. Suddenly, just as he was about to continue his inner reflection, a shocking event interrupted his thoughts. He quickly turned in the direction from which it came¡ªthe road he would have taken to return to the village. A wave of sudden noises and shouts flooded the air, like thunder splitting the sky during a violent storm. It was clear that something extraordinary was happening. Gaid, driven perhaps by a combination of curiosity and, above all, fear, immediately abandoned all his previous thoughts. Without hesitation, he began running toward the direction of the sudden uproar, determined to discover the source of the unexpected and unsettling commotion. Chapter 20 - Flashback: Attack CHAPTER 20 - FLASHBACK: ATTACK
He quickly crossed the forest, the thick woods separating him from the town, and arrived frightened and running toward the village, only to witness a tragic scene unfold before him. ?¡°What the¡­¡±? the boy muttered, staring at the scene happening before his eyes. The entire village had been shaken by an unexpected and violent pirate attack, and fear was rampant everywhere. Gaid wasted no time and sprinted toward his home, aware of the urgent need to save his family from the horror that was erupting. Along the village streets, he found himself immersed in a scene of total anarchy. Brutal and furious pirates were invading the villagers'' homes, looting anything they could get their hands on or kidnapping the defenseless, including children. The streets were the stage for fierce clashes, with brave men and women trying to defend their homes and families. The air was filled with the sound of swords whistling through the air and the cries of the victims. The scene was almost apocalyptic, with black smoke rising from the burning houses and desperate screams echoing in the air. It was a living nightmare, and Gaid knew he had to act quickly to protect those he cared about most. With his heart in his throat, he fought his way through the chaos, determined to reach his family and fight for their safety amid this lawless hell. In all that chaos, young Agnates sought only the path to his home, avoiding any kind of confrontation with the pirates. In fact, pirates had never posed much of a threat to the island where he lived. The island¡¯s isolated geographic position, located at the edge of the Black Island seas, had made the region of little interest to pirates. Usually, no pirate stayed in that area for long. Instead, they preferred to venture into the heart of the seas, near places like Amelis Island and Okinara Tropics, where they hid among the intricate waters and remote islands, far from prying eyes. There were coastal guards in the area, but they essentially lived there for the pay and to provide a sense of security. The rare pirate attacks had always been something that could be easily thwarted without any real problem, effectively reducing the need for a general coastal guard in the place. But this time... This attack was different. This wasn¡¯t a small crew; it seemed like an entire army, and although they weren¡¯t aiming to conquer, they were still focused on destroying and looting the village. Gaid, constantly sprinting, finally reached the beach, only to encounter something terrible, something he could never have imagined. The Agnates family hut. Not only was it being looted, no... it was just a few meters away from the exact spot where the pirates'' ship had docked. The scene was terrifying. The once peaceful coast was now filled with the corpses of pirates and the coastal guards who were supposed to protect them. The sky darkened, or perhaps it didn¡¯t, but in Gaid¡¯s mind, everything was becoming dark, and he could no longer see clearly. Pirates were pouring out of the massive pirate ship that had docked on his island, like a parasite sucking the life from its host, behaving just as those pirates did¡ªmarching out in a line ready for battle, as if they were endless. But Gaid had one thing to do now¡ªfind out what had happened in his home. He had seen too much horror to live peacefully. With agility and carefully calculated movements to avoid being noticed, nearly making him invisible to the various pirates spreading from that ship across the village, he managed to climb up the coast and approach the hut. The screams in the village subsided. The pirates continued their assault; maybe everyone had fled, but in any case, Gaid wasn¡¯t thinking about that. Instead, he was focused on the state of the hut that, until this morning, he had called home, and was now just ruins, destroyed by the pirates. He quickly approached, first frantically knocking on the door, sweat on his brow, fear in his soul, a lump in his throat. Then, with no answer, he pounded on the door several times, until it broke, allowing him to enter the dwelling. The walls were marked by deep scratches, evidence of the sharp blades that had vandalized the house. Decorative vases were shattered into countless pieces, and the sparkling porcelain lay fragmented among the wreckage.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The furniture, once the pride of their modest home, was now completely destroyed. Every corner of the hut bore the scars of the brutal attack, and the devastation was palpable in the air. But that didn¡¯t matter to Gaid. There, lying in the midst of the disaster, was his father. He was the same man Gaid had argued with that day, the man he had shared every day of his life with. Now, his father lay lifeless and still, with a sword embedded in his back and a pool of blood slowly expanding from his body. His face was unrecognizable, obscured by suffering and the brutality of the attack. His clothes were torn and stained with blood, and his eyes were soulless, staring into the infinite. His father¡¯s body had been cruelly mutilated. Gaid was horrified by the sight. A mix of pain, anger, and despair overwhelmed him as he knelt beside his father, unable to hold back the tears in the face of such devastation. He approached the body, having cried earlier but not as much as he was crying now. Tears blurred his vision, and perhaps the worst part was the fact that there was no trace of his mother. Who knew what had happened to her? He moved closer to his father¡¯s corpse, shaking him, hitting him, even screaming at him to get up. But no matter what he did, it had no effect. No matter what he tried, his father did not rise, and this only confirmed the fact that he was truly gone. Suddenly, another event caught Gaid by surprise¡ªheavy footsteps entered the hut, and a few seconds later, poor Agnates found himself surrounded by a small group of pirates. ?¡°What are you doing, kid? Not running away?¡±? The three pirates had already understood the situation, mocking and taunting him. Gaid stood up. Of all the humiliations he had endured that dreadful day, this was the last straw. Gaid clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his skin, but he didn¡¯t utter a single word. His jaw was clenched, his teeth grinding in suppressed rage. He had one thought burning in his mind, a fiery resolve that consumed his soul: he would exact justice on these cursed pirate scum. His mind was filled with determination. He pictured himself taking on those damned pirates one by one, tearing each limb from their bodies. He imagined fighting with an unstoppable fury, determined to defeat them all, to avenge the wounds inflicted on his village, his father, his mother, and himself. But before he could launch an attack, another peculiar event colored the situation. A woman appeared among the three pirates, and they all looked at her in a strange way¡ªalmost with fear or respect¡ªit wasn¡¯t clear. The woman was unusual. She was young, with a slender, tall body, not particularly attractive. She had wavy white hair and deep blue eyes. She had long legs, and one of her hands bore a hook, a typical mark of respect among pirates. But the woman¡¯s identity was soon revealed when one of the pirates spoke her name: ?¡°Captain Roynel!¡±? ?¡°What are you doing? Didn¡¯t I tell you to go into the village?! We don¡¯t have much time. The coastal guards have already called for reinforcements. We can¡¯t waste any time.¡±? ?¡°W-we¡¯re sorry, Captain. We had visited this hut and found this kid¡ª"? a punch to the stomach silenced the pirate and scared the others. ?¡°Go do your job immediately, and we¡¯ll discuss this on the ship.¡±? ?¡°Y-yes ma¡¯am!¡±? they said in unison, heading out of the hut, leaving only the supposed captain and young Agnates behind. ?¡°And you... brat, what are you doing?¡±? ?¡°Y-you... Y-you¡­¡±? The young boy stammered, his words choking in his throat, constricted by fury. He was so overwhelmed with emotion, with anger and frustration for what they had just done to him and his family, that he couldn¡¯t express his thoughts clearly. His body trembled with suppressed rage as he stared at the scene before him. The sight of his gravely injured father and his beloved home reduced to ruins had shaken him to his core. After a few seconds, when he realized he couldn¡¯t express his feelings and understood that the captain wasn¡¯t leaving and was ready to listen to him, he lunged at her. Ready to throw a punch, he was immediately stopped, and with quick moves, he was thrown to the ground, pinned by the woman. ?¡°How pathetic, trying to attack me.¡±? Desperate, Gaid began trying to kick the captain, who was holding his head and body down. ?¡±You''re not hurting me, you know that, right? Maybe if you didn''t have such a blunt horn, you might actually manage something. And to think I believed there were warriors on this island, that no one ever attacks.''"? Gaid lay beneath the woman, humiliated, stripped of the most precious things he had. He could do nothing but cry, grit his teeth, and squirm in a desperate attempt to break free and hurt those pirates, those pirates who had destroyed his village. ?"''I suppose I¡¯ll have to take you with me. Everything is a resource, even people, right? You¡¯re such a nuisance, you¡¯re truly pathetic.''"? With a sharp, violent strike, she stomped on his head, stopping him for a moment as he tried to recover from the blow. ?"''I¡­"? he muttered, the floor around him now soaked with tears, ?¡±I¡­ I¡¯m going to kill you!"? Chapter 21 - The Offices CHAPTER 21 - THE OFFICES
The cold night air enveloped the camp and the entirety of the island. The wind blew, singing with its divine voice, accompanied the various moons, which, like sisters of different sizes and ages, playfully circled the planet. Like goddesses, guardians, they watched over the land. From a certain point of view, that¡¯s exactly what they were: guardians. They controlled natural phenomena and maintained the stability of that vast world. Yet they were distant, unknown. Nothing was yet known about them, but their greatness was recognized, and they were worshipped as goddesses on many islands, in many cultures. Under the gaze of the sister moons, the event was about to unfold. In that noisy silence, Natirra remained inside her tent, feigning sleep. She had noticed something: among all her companions, one of them woke up easily. She turned toward Monomia, sleeping. It had happened the previous morning; she had woken him up by moving. She would need to be more stealthy, even more than usual, or risk waking him again. She wasn¡¯t sure if trusting Gaid would prove to be a good idea, but when she thought about it, she saw no other solutions. In reality, if she had the privilege, she would have called on more of her friends, but she feared that might sabotage the plan. It was also odd that Gaid showed such a peculiar interest. "He wants to advance his research... But that''s not the only thing, there¡¯s something else, I¡¯m sure of it, but... I don¡¯t think I can get it out of him." Despite being overwhelmed by curiosity, she had to accept that, from a certain point of view, she couldn''t really afford to read minds. But it was understandable. Anyone would look at someone sideways after learning they study spirits. Was he aiming to become a priest or some kind of strange shaman? Natirra couldn¡¯t know; she wasn¡¯t interested in the island¡¯s religion or the goddess Amelis, the island¡¯s protector. Yet his talk of spirits, the signals from the spirits, had convinced her. "Strong emotions, fears... Eneas. Something happened to her." A heavy thought passed through her mind, suspicions about Eneas¡¯s fate. But Natirra brushed them away; she couldn¡¯t theorize before investigating. Suddenly, she raised her head, hearing a suspicious sound, and soon after, saw the tent entrance open slightly, revealing a curious eye. Fortunately, she was aware of the situation, or she might have had a heart attack. She turned toward Monomia and the others, biting her hand to cover any sound from her mouth, then slid out of bed. She was already dressed in her uniform, boots, even her helmet, because she felt deep down that there was a serious risk. She moved stealthily, reaching the edge of the tent, but heard the grass make a suspicious sound, and turned to check if anyone had woken up. Fortunately, no one had. She stepped outside and found Gaid waiting. They exchanged a nod and walked away from the tent with the sleeping quarters, finding themselves outside. The path to the offices was still far, on the opposite end of the camp, but now that they were outside, they could at least speak quietly without any risk. Natirra, in the situation she was in, was starting to feel a bit afraid, but Gaid, who unlike her was driven by the desire to understand what was happening, was ready to proceed. ?"We won¡¯t take the main path; we¡¯ll follow a route where we have less chance of being found, but you¡¯ll need to be stealthy, understood? We can¡¯t talk while we¡¯re moving."? ?"Understood..."? Natirra said, sounding a bit less confident. ?"We¡¯ll go in, look for something in the head officer¡¯s room, then we can leave as if nothing happened. If we find something important. Alright, we¡¯ve talked enough; it¡¯s time to go¡ª"? Before Gaid could finish his sentence, Natirra felt a hand on her shoulder. She jumped as she turned around, but what she saw in front of her was, unexpectedly, Monomia himself. He had a confused smile on his face.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ?"Hey, what are you doing out here? It¡¯s night."? He said, looking around, while yawning with his usual smile. ?"You made me come out at this hour, I thought it was morning."? Then, looking at Gaid¡¯s face, he recognized him. ?"Oh, hey! You¡¯re the guy from the fight, what was your name again, Gai¡ª"? With a quick move, Gaid covered his mouth. Unlike the other two, Monomia was speaking loudly, which was in no way advantageous for the duo, and sooner or later, he would have to learn to lower his voice. Gaid turned to Natirra. ?"Don¡¯t tell me you made him come out."? ?"No, no¡­ He woke up on his own."? With force and speed, Monomia pushed Gaid¡¯s hand away, and this time with a decent tone, asked, ?"Where are you going?"? ?"Oh¡­ Uh..."? Gaid tried to come up with an excuse, then turned once again to Natirra. ?"Tell him to go away."? ?"Go back to the dormitory, Monomia."? Natirra requested. Despite trying to sound like an authoritative figure, she failed in the attempt. ?"What? Impossible. I want to know what¡¯s going on. Where are you going?"? Despite Gaid continuing to throw glances of disapproval, Natirra felt compelled to explain, but omitting some parts. ?"It¡¯s about the investigation for Eneas, we¡¯re... going to the offices."? ?"Why did you tell him?"? Natirra, now realizing she had gone too far, tried to find a way to include Monomia in the group. ?"Monomia can be of help. He¡¯s really strong, and he¡¯s also part of the investigation and... and... and you owe him something, right? He came to you during the fight, didn¡¯t he?"? Gaid sighed a bit, but finally decided to let him join the group. ?"One more won¡¯t hurt. But he needs to keep his voice down, or he¡¯ll get us into trouble."? Monomia, who had only understood that he could now follow them, smiled confidently but turned his gaze toward Natirra. ?"But¡­ Why do you want to sneak into the office? Isn¡¯t it risky?"? ?"The girl will explain everything to you, all you want to know, but for now, let¡¯s go, we need to hurry, the night won¡¯t last forever."? And so the three began following Gaid, stealthily moving through the camp. As Natirra explained everything, in detail, that Gaid had explained to her, and the main reason for their infiltration, Gaid made sure there were no guards around. The path he had taken was the longest because it involved zig-zagging between the various structures. He leaned against one of the walls, watching a group of three guards move away from the area. ?"Clear. We should be there."? ?"So, spirits communicate with us through signals, and you dreamed that Eneas called you to come to the office?"? From the tone with which Monomia said it, it almost sounded like a work of fiction from some tale narrated by the elders. But it was Natirra¡¯s truth. Unexpectedly, Monomia smiled again, but it was a proud smile. ?"Of course, that¡¯s it. You¡¯re talking about a prophecy."? Even Monomia knew something about it, and Natirra was stunned. ?"If what you say is true, then your friend Gaid has opened a way for us. But... you should have told us earlier, I could have called the others, we would have had the advantage."? Gaid turned to Monomia, the group now seeing the offices from a distance. ?"We can¡¯t take the risk; I didn¡¯t plan for you to come. But so¡­ you know about prophecies."? ?"It¡¯s basic knowledge here, for the priests of Amelis, since it¡¯s a way to communicate with the goddess Amelis.¡±? Natirra was confused by such knowledge from such a guy, but she kept listening. ?¡±I¡¯m not one, but a branch of my family specializes in it. I come from a family of sailors and warriors, we all do a lot of stuff!"? That got Natirra curious about Monomia¡¯s family, but still¡­ She felt like waiting to ask. Gaid spoke, turning to Monomia, ?"When we find your friend, you¡¯ll tell me everything you know about prophecies."? Monomia looked at Gaid; his expression didn¡¯t convince him. ?"Only if you can explain the reason for such a request."? Once again, Gaid hesitated, frowning. ?"Personal research."? ?"Into the occult, huh..."? Monomia wasn¡¯t convinced and promised himself that he wouldn¡¯t explain anything until he had a valid reason. The power of spirits was something he recognized as significant. And it wasn¡¯t something light to hand over to someone who wasn¡¯t studying it for noble reasons. In the meantime, Gaid, to change the subject, told the duo, ?"Okay, enough talk, we¡¯ve finally arrived."? He stood in front of the office entrance and turned to his group. ?"Listen, we need to get inside before it¡¯s too late, understood?"? And so, the three entered, leaving the door behind. Chapter 22 - The Secret Tunnel CHAPTER 22 - THE SECRET TUNNEL
?"I can''t believe it! It''s outrageous! After everything I''ve done, and she leaves me here for some guy she just met!"? Riaca continued to exclaim to herself, while Igre covered his ears, trying to sleep. ?"And now she even has the nerve to leave our tent without telling me anything about it! Damn it! I hate her!"? Igre, as if performing Herculean labors, rolled his body in an attempt to ignore the noise. Riaca, theatrically exaggerating, put her hands over her eyes, lying down but keeping her feet on the ground. ?"Maybe she doesn¡¯t want me as a friend anymore, or maybe something between us has changed? Maybe she wants to abandon me? That guy convinced her more than I did? Am I a terrible friend? Answer me, Igre!"? ?"How should I know?! Let me sleep!"? Riaca quickly approached Igre, an ominous aura surrounding her. Reaching the poor soul, she delivered a blow so forceful that it knocked any possibility of sleep out of him. ?"You better listen to me and listen clearly! I didn¡¯t come here to be repeatedly ignored by my best friend!"? ?"And how do you know she¡¯s ignoring you?"? Igre asked stupidly, and after that, a slap from the finest karate fighters knocked him flat. ?"Because she left with that guy! That... that... that damn Monomia wants to steal my best friend!"? ?"But they haven¡¯t run away!"? Igre said, Riaca looked at him confused. It was the only theory she could think of. Riaca blinked, waiting for more. ?"They woke me up, but I pretended to be asleep because I didn¡¯t want to be bothered. Actually, Monomia woke me up."? ?"And where did they go?"? ?"How should I know¡ª"? at that point, Riaca continued to hit him. ?"Useless! How the hell do you think they haven¡¯t run away if you can¡¯t tell me where they went?!"? ?"Ow! Come on! They probably went to investigate¡ªOuch! Stop hitting me!"? At that moment, Riaca stopped. ?"They went to investigate Eneas... at night."? Then, both Riaca and Igre turned around, speaking at the same time. ?"They didn¡¯t go to the office, did they?!"? ?"Damn, I¡¯m a genius!"? Riaca announced. Igre was offended. ?"I said that too..."? ?"So we have to go to the office. To find them!"? Igre lay back down, pretending to be asleep. ?"Forget it. You go ahead."? ?"..."? Riaca forcibly grabbed him and dragged him out of bed. The difference in their strength was offensively evident. ?"No! Let me go! I don¡¯t want to go to the office at night! Let me sleep!"? ?"No! We have to save my best friend!"? Finally, a voice spoke from the other rooms. ?¡±Can you guys shut the hell up?!¡±? ?¡±Yes, we want to sleep!¡±? ?¡±Damn you, you want a beating?!¡±? So they both stayed silent. ¡­ ?"I didn¡¯t find anything."? The office was a fairly large structure with several floors, but the first didn¡¯t seem to offer much, except for the chief of militia''s office, which appeared closed to the public. Gaid was thinking. ?"Have you checked all the rooms? Did you find anything? And Eneas?"? Both Natirra and Monomia answered negatively. Their actions were, from a certain point of view, extremely wrong, and if discovered, the consequences would have been terrible. For this reason, all three had a constant shiver in their bodies.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Gaid thought. "It''s useless to steal the paperwork. We won¡¯t be able to read it in time, and it will only slow us down..." ?"The upstairs has the library and the archive. But it¡¯s locked. Even the chief of the militia''s office is locked. All the other rooms are open but we checked them and aside from some strange files, there was nothing interesting."? Monomia said, with a bored tone and a subsequent loud yawn. Natirra looked around, paranoid that some guard might pop out of nowhere. ?"Hey... Are we sure there¡¯s no one here?"? ?"Don¡¯t worry."? Gaid said. ?"At this hour, no one is¡ª"? A sudden noise startled all three of them. The entrance door slowly opened, making an eerie creaking sound. Not being visible from the entrance, all three hid. Thus, they weren¡¯t even able to see the faces of the individuals who had entered the place. More footsteps could be heard simultaneously. It was a group. Gaid clenched his fist, looking at both Natirra and Monomia: Monomia was naturally ready even though sleepy. Natirra was decidedly trembling and nervous at the thought of encountering a potential enemy, unsure of how to behave in such situations. The footsteps approached closer and closer, Gaid and Monomia took up a fighting stance. And when the footsteps finally reached the end of the corridor and a foot appeared, Gaid jumped along with Monomia, capturing the two intruders, who turned out to be¡­ Igre and Riaca. ?"What are you doing here?!"? Natirra exclaimed. ?¡±What are you doing?! You left me suddenly!¡±? Exclaimed Riaca, furious. ?¡±I was forced into being here.¡±? whispered Igre still a bit sleepy ?¡±We¡­ We¡­ We wanted to¡­ How did you guys avoid the guards¡­?¡±? ?¡±You¡¯re not the one asking questions! Why are you here?!¡±? Gaid looked at both of them, surprised. ?"Do you know them?! Why did you bring people into the plan!"? Riaca, among all, was offended, and pointed at Gaid. ?"Hey! It¡¯s you! The annoying guy who rejected our help!"? Before everyone could jump to their conclusions, Monomia stepped in the middle of the situation. ?"Hey! Hey! Listen. Let¡¯s calm down."? Igre, for once agreeing with him, shared his sentiment. ?"He¡¯s right, we¡¯re not getting anywhere by shouting at each other, we might actually make the situation worse. Instead, can you explain what the hell you¡¯re doing here?"? Everyone looked at Gaid, who had already opened up too much to leave Monomia, but saw in the appearance of these two new figures no other choice. He cursed in his mind, then motivated himself knowing it was for a good cause, and raised his head. He explained the plan, and this time he also explained the thing about the signals, something he initially thought of omitting. Everyone listened. Igre, finishing the explanation, smiled. ?"Heh, really? Don¡¯t tell me you believe it. It¡¯s impossible that something like this could happen. Spirits giving signals? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s just a bad dream?"? ?"Well, it¡¯s a shared dream. Neither of them knew it was."? Natirra said in response. Riaca remained distressed. ?"It means something happened to Eneas. But why are we here? Shouldn¡¯t we be looking for her?"? ?"We are doing that."? Gaid said, ?"It¡¯s here, where I understand, that it all started, and it¡¯s from here that we need to begin our search, right?"? ?"Morally wrong, but if there¡¯s something underneath, we might as well try. The risk is high, but no guard will disturb us, they should have left the offices and gone to the entrance, they are walking in cycles."? Igre¡¯s statement, which everyone agreed with, made everyone more confident. ?"So, we have the chief of the militia''s office left ti explore. Huh?"? Monomia smiled. ?"Apparently, but getting in is impossible, and breaking the door is not an option we can afford."? ?"Clear."? The group was now in front of the chief of militia¡¯s door, Igre approached, looking at the door. ?"I don¡¯t believe in spirituality, I find it a stupid thing, but might as well try, right?"? Everyone looked at him, slightly confused, trying to understand what he was doing. After a while, finally, they all heard a click, and the door revealed itself open. ?"How did you do that?"? Natirra asked. ?¡±I¡­ It¡¯s a long story, let¡¯s say that I¡¯m a genius, so I know.¡±? It was a small office, looked cozy, and was surrounded by bookshelves. Which was peculiar because generals weren¡¯t really interested in reading, but that could be ignored. The most important thing was the small desk in the room, with paperwork on top, and who knows how many more in the drawers. They began their search, and among all of them, Monomia was the only one who showed any interest in the chief of militia¡¯s library. He flipped through various random and strange books, all covered in a gray that at the very least gave a profound sense of depression. ?"Damn, the general is really gloomy."? Monomia announced. Gaid turned to him. ?"It¡¯s useless to look at the library, I doubt you¡¯ll find anything that could help us in any way."? But before anyone could object, Monomia brushed his hand over one of the books that protruded more than the others. At that point, a quick noise, like wood moving, was heard, and Monomia stepped back. Everyone¡¯s attention was drawn, and each person watched as the previous bookshelf transformed into a passage, a door, to a... Underground. Among all, Monomia broke the silence, turning around, smiling. ?"Hey, it looks like it worked!"? Gaid approached, looking at the stairs leading down into the ground in a narrow way, so far that the darkness covered the bottom. ?"I suppose we still have more to explore."? ?"A secret passage...?"? Riaca, who had remained silent until now, had her doubts. ?"What the hell, is this normal stuff?"? Natirra, on the other hand, remained silent, trying to figure out the next course of action. It seemed that this office really hid something, and she was ambitious in trying to find Eneas, and hoped, despite having known each other for such a short time, that nothing bad had happened to her. Among all, Igre delivered the next blow. ?"I found something interesting."? Everyone turned to him. Igre pulled out a document. ?"It seems Eneas wasn¡¯t so wrong about the pirates; they really have control of the situation."? Geography! with Igre 1 - Amelis Island GEOGRAPHY! WITH IGRE 1 - AMELIS ISLAND
Hello everyone, I¡¯m the genius Igre and this¡­ Well, this is the start of the series ¡®Geography! With Igre. The only and book-worthy guide for every aspiring narwhal explorer! In this episode of ''Geography! With Igre,'' I¡¯ll be talking about the best of the islands! The motherland of a brain like mine! That¡¯s right¡­ Amelis Island. Amelis is a small volcanic island, one of the rare ones present on the planet Aquarus. Being a small island (which sums up to 70 square kilometers of land distributed in an almost oval shape. More than oval, I would define the island as an ellipsoid, since it is the same case as the planet Earth, even though it generally resembles a circle, if viewed in more detail it has various features that differentiate it from this generic category, it is mainly surrounded by the sea and by a beach territory.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. It has a port, and among the islands of the far west, it has one of the most well-known military forces! Needless to say, in this matter and speaking of pirates, they are not exactly the best, that is a character sadly shared by all of the islands in the empire¡¯s border, since they are less protected we are more vulnerable to pirates¡­ And look what happened. The volcano of Amelis, the main attraction, is right next to the village. If it were to explode, it would be a disaster, but the volcano, despite never going out, remains naturally active. The fact that it does not explode is also the origin of the main belief on the island of Amelis, that of: Amelis, the goddess who keeps the volcano dormant and saves the lives of thousands of narwhals. As a price for maintaining the volcano, prayers and animal sacrifices are made. As for me¡­ Well, I don¡¯t believe in that stuff without a scientific basis, but¡­ If it keeps the volcano dormant, let it be! Like all the other islands in the extreme western and eastern territory, the islands are a bit more blands, the influence of the empress is not displayed as much as the islands more close to the Central Island, but as I already said, it costs us the price of protection, that¡¯s why the most important thing is our military, even though right now, it¡¯s not formed by the best soldiers! Chapter 23 - The Kidnapping CHAPTER 23 - THE KIDNAPPING
The group of young narwhals made their way down those mysterious stairs. Surrounded by darkness, the pressure constantly weighed on them. They had discovered something they should not have, and were entering a world they should have left sealed. Perhaps they were making a mistake, but deep down, Natirra, among all of them, knew she had been wrong the moment she decided to go along with Gaid''s plans. She observed the surroundings with the group as they proceeded. The path was quite narrow. The ground was made of compacted, now grayish soil, and the walls were constructed from dirty pebbles, filled with mold and often covered with cracks. It was not uncommon to see insects inhabiting those cracks, using them as homes. Nor was it uncommon for at least one of the group members to get caught in a spider''s web. ¡°Whoever uses this place surely doesn¡¯t pay much attention to it.¡± The stairs had ended some time ago, and now Natirra and her group were simply walking through a narrow tunnel that seemed to stretch on for a long way. They were clearly underground, and everyone looked around, trying to reason why such a place was created. Gaid carried a torch, which he had brought as a precaution. He hadn¡¯t expected to be in such a large group, but what he hadn¡¯t expected beyond that was discovering an entire secret tunnel in the militia leader¡¯s office. Behind the group, everyone could hear Igre reading the document he had initially found in the office desk before unlocking the passage. Igre maintained a monotone voice, but mostly because he was also focused on processing what he was reading. ?¡±Dear Pirate Council.¡±? He read aloud so everyone could understand. They all continued to look ahead, ensuring they saw nothing. ?¡±We confirm your agreement. In the event of your departure from our seas, and to prevent you from interfering with our trade, we are willing to exchange our young for your disappearance, provided that, respecting this, you never return to our seas. We will conceal the operation under a false pretense, implementing the plan after a month of ¡®training¡¯.¡±? Everyone was stunned, unsure how to react to the situation they found themselves in. The first to speak was Monomia, who for once had a serious expression on his face as he contemplated the ground while walking. ?¡±So it¡¯s all a ruse. There¡¯s no military expedition, it¡¯s a farce to sell us to the pirates.¡±? Riaca was openly shocked. ?¡±But how could our village do this to us? It¡¯s immoral!¡±? Igre, on the other hand, understood and tried to provide a sensible and logical response. ?¡±We are weaker than the pirates, there is no doubt that this is the motive. They are willing to trade some of their young to stop their attacks on their commercial ships.¡±? Natirra remained silent but was equally terrified. If all of this was leading to her being captured, she was somewhat grateful to have discovered it in advance. She and Gaid remained silent. Everyone else continued. Monomia wondered, brushing his hand against the wall and attracting some dust. ?¡±I wonder where this tunnel leads, it¡¯s really long.¡±? ?¡±I¡¯d worry about something else if I were you.¡±? Everyone¡¯s attention turned to Gaid, who also looked back. Among them, Igre seemed skeptical and began to ask questions. ?¡±You, you¡¯re not being straight with me. Where are you leading us? How did you know about this secret passage? I still find it hard to believe in that spirit stuff, you know¡­¡±? Natirra defended him, mainly because she was the most convinced. ?¡±I think if we¡¯ve even discovered the pirate plan, it¡¯s thanks to him, so I wouldn¡¯t be so angry.¡±? Gaid, however, still responded. ?¡±I think we¡¯re crossing the island underground, we¡¯ll come out at one of the extremes. It¡¯s impossible that we¡¯re just crossing so many meters of tunnel for no reason.¡±? Riaca looked around, confused. ?¡±I wonder why they built such a structure. What could it be used for?¡±? ?¡±To avoid suspicion, perhaps the pirates pass through here.¡±? Hearing the mention of pirates, Natirra couldn¡¯t help but feel a shiver run down her spine. She was already in the situation she was in, but she couldn¡¯t avoid thinking that sooner or later she would actually have to face pirates. She was making a mistake, but it was better to make it with Gaid than alone. Thinking about it, she wondered what had happened to Eneas; he could have met the same fate. And Gaid¡­ She observed him closely. He hadn¡¯t yet scratched off the feeling that something wrong surrounded him, a sort of aura. He could speak with spirits, but surely what he was doing wasn¡¯t for personal study. It was useless to press him on the matter; he wouldn¡¯t tell her anything about it. Maybe they needed to bond a bit more, maybe that was it.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. The group began to advance. Their steps were the only thing breaking that constant silence, and the sound of their boots hitting the compacted soil echoed throughout the corridor; even a simple sneeze was repeated by the echo, likely audible from meters away. At some point, the group, distracted by their thoughts and questions, was struck by something strange. The first to stop was Gaid, which consequently alerted the rest of the group with his spoken words. ?¡±Found Eneas.¡±? Those two words alerted the entire group, who looked at where Gaid was shining his light. Natirra jumped back, and everyone else looked in shock as the wounded corpse of Eneas lay on the floor, being consumed by the same insects that inhabited the nearby cracks. His body was lying face down and filled with wounds; it was clear he had been dead for some time. No one in the group dared approach, and among them, the only one with a clear expression on his face was Gaid, who remained staring. Everyone else looked around. ?¡±The pirates, they must have done this! We¡¯ll die too!¡±? Riaca was losing patience but didn¡¯t dare leave the group. Igre, among them, suddenly felt weak, overwhelmed by fear. ?¡±We need to go back or we¡¯ll end up like her.¡±? ?¡±No, it¡¯s too late, we¡¯re too far in. At this point, it¡¯s better to move forward.¡±? Gaid replied, advancing. The group felt obligated to follow him. And so they did, but they couldn¡¯t avoid wanting to stay there a bit longer, because the guilt each of them felt was greater than anything else. They began to move forward. Natirra¡¯s stomach churned several times, and she felt her legs growing weaker. Pirates were capable of such cruelty. Despite being aware from her first conversation with Gaid and the explanation of the prophecies, with the dream, of Eneas¡¯ fate, seeing him evoked an even stronger wave of guilt, one that could not be wiped away. She was the only one who had believed in him, but despite that, she had done nothing to prevent this from happening. At one point, during their continued journey, she placed her hands on her hair, trying to process the news. Unlike the others, however, Monomia couldn¡¯t stand the situation; he decided to take Eneas¡¯ body gently, as if she were sleeping, which he somewhat hoped. Her body was light, making it easy to carry. He began to carry her with him, determined and inflamed by such a thing. And while Igre and Riaca remained there trembling in fear and wondering who could have done this, and Natirra felt like the worst person in the world, Monomia stood there with a determined face, clenching his fists. He now knew that Algalunga was involved in the entire plan, and just the fact that he might have allowed him and his pirate gang to kill another narwhal filled him with incredible rage. Seeing that body, he silently promised both to Eneas and to himself that he would avenge her. And so the group continued to advance, this time more shaken than before. The only one who really continued forward without any change was Gaid, who was determined to reach the end of that tunnel, which he finally did when he saw the night light kissing stairs from a distance. ?¡±The exit!¡±? Riaca and Igre, both becoming paranoid and hysterical after finding the body, rushed to reach the stairs, which they climbed immediately. Natirra and Monomia felt they should do the same but were stopped by Gaid. The three of them proceeded in a much calmer manner, Monomia, before exiting, decided to leave Eneas¡¯ body on the exit. ?¡±I will come, and I will avenge you.¡±? Promised the Narwhal, with a determined expression. But as soon as all three poked their heads out of the secret passage, finally breathing the beach air where they had appeared, which was on the opposite end of the island, they encountered three swords that surrounded their bodies. Natirra, looking around, saw a group of pirates, several ships parked on that beach, and a campfire. Gaid announced, still with an apathetic face. ?¡±We¡¯re in their camp. They¡¯ve been on our island all along; that¡¯s what the tunnel was for.¡±? Igre and Riaca were subdued and bound, and Natirra, among all, was sweating cold, realizing that this was her end. Monomia clenched his fists. ?¡±Those bastards!¡±? But Gaid stopped him as more pirates appeared on the horizon. ?¡±It¡¯s useless to fight them; there are too many.¡±? ?"Wise of your friend,"? said an unknown voice. All three turned to see him. Algalunga smiled, accompanied by a small squad of armed pirates. ?"Did you think you could escape, or were you trying to fight us?"? None of them responded. Monomia was clearly agitated. Although Algalunga didn¡¯t seem to recognize him, Monomia remembered the pirate¡¯s face from the first time he had encountered him. The swords surrounding him were the only thing keeping him from attacking directly, and indeed, he remained still, his furious expression ignored by Algalunga. ?"And you are¡­ Algalunga."? Gaid said, with a challenging tone. ?"I see you know my reputation."? The pirate boasted, scratching his beard. ?"We discovered your plan; you want to kidnap the island¡¯s soldiers, and we will stop you."? But this only made the pirate smile more. ?"How amusing! The curious are always the first to fall. You must have seen what happened to the spy who discovered our plans¡­"? And imagining Eneas, Natirra felt an even stronger shiver, almost on the verge of tears. ?"But it¡¯s too late, so I¡¯ll give you a choice, since you¡¯ve decided to entertain us in this way.¡±? The silence approached everyone in that situation, soon broken by Algalunga again. ?¡°So? Choose, your life or your freedom, which one will you give up? If you remain silent, I¡¯ll decide.¡±? None of them uttered a single word, none of them spoke, none of them knew what to say, and none of them made a sound; they were completely silent. The air was thick with death, an adventure that was supposed to go well and stop the pirates had ended with the opposite result; they were supposed to free the island, but instead, they would be captured. ?¡°Perfect, I¡¯ll choose then.¡±? The pirates smiled, and moved menacingly closer. Chapter 24 - Imprisonment… CHAPTER 24 - IMPRISONMENT...
And so it happened, the pirates forcibly took Natirra and Gaid, binding them to prevent them from swimming away or attempting to escape the ship in any way. At that moment, Natirra was separated from Monomia, Igre, and Riaca, who were taken to other ships and, probably, would never be seen again in her life. They were all separated to weaken them further and placed on ships of other pirate captains, allies of Algalunga. The pirates took Natirra and Gaid, and on that menacing pirate ship, they brought her into the dungeons located on the lower deck. She was not aware of her exact location; her mind was confused and disoriented. In the end, she was locked in a solitary and damp cell. And time passed. ¡­ Natirra stared at the floor of the room where she was supposed to remain confined all the time, and at that moment, her motivation and hope were completely gone. After a while, she examined the cell she was in, as she hadn¡¯t given it any attention and wanted at least to understand where she was. The walls seemed to close in on her, and the ceiling seemed to lower to suffocate her. She was imprisoned by her thoughts, fears, and the uncertainty and disappointment she felt. The cell was quite particular: a rough wooden floor, probably the base of the ship, and quite damp, considering it was close to the water, which made sense and worried her a little. The floors were not wooden, or at least, the outside was not. It was made of a hard, robust, and rough material that prevented any possible escape; it was only comparable perhaps to some metal with an appearance similar to common rock, but she knew it couldn¡¯t be, for several reasons. Primarily, in such a humid environment, rock would also be cold, like the cell. But the walls of the cell were warm, or at least, less cold than the ambient temperature. There was not much in the room: a small table and a chair. There wasn¡¯t even a damned bed. What state was she in? Damn it, scandalous! She didn¡¯t even know how to feel in that state. The cell door was also made of a material similar to the walls but with a different color, artificially assigned by the crew to distinguish it from the wall with paint. There was a small window next to that door to observe the person inside the cell. The lack of any single interesting object in the room forced Natirra to be trapped in her thoughts. While Gaid next to her seemed to still be unconscious, she was fully awake. She often tried to fall asleep but always failed. Natirra had a constant headache, indeed a lot of hunger and thirst, and the cell environment didn¡¯t even allow for good air to breathe, probably causing the headache. Her mind was completely outside the cell; she thought about everything, where Monomia was now, where Igre and Riaca were, how Riaca was doing, how she could get out of this situation, and how she could save her island from the pirates who would take the other soldiers. But she could do nothing, not in that damned cell; she was weak there. And until Gaid woke up, she didn¡¯t know what she could do; she had to wait, perhaps try to sleep. Outside, the end of the day was approaching, but she couldn¡¯t see it; after all, her room had no windows. At some indefinite point, Natirra fell asleep on the damp floor of the cell, but her sleep was not continuous or too long. She woke up several times, constantly opening her eyes in the dark and rough floor of the cell. She kept dreaming and, consequently, waking up suddenly. She didn¡¯t know where these continuous dreams came from, but it could have been a side effect of the exhaustion she experienced during these days. Those moments before falling back asleep were spent staring at the low and dark ceiling of the cell.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Natirra¡¯s dreams were not random; she had visions of everything that had happened to her, of everything that had led her to end up there, of her brother sailing, of the military camp, of her meeting Monomia. But all of them, that was for sure, were just dreams, a way for her mind to escape the prison she was locked in. Regret filled her every time she stopped for a second to think. But what worried her the most was that she couldn¡¯t convince her mind to stop racing, as if it had a life of its own. She tried to fall back asleep, but the feeling wasn¡¯t quite there. She was just tired; that was the only reason she could sleep a little. Suddenly, however, she heard a noise, quickly turned towards the corner of the room, and saw, in the dark, that the sleeping Gaid she had left was finally getting up. After a while, he looked around, fixing his gaze on Natirra. The two looked at each other for a while, both trying to process the situation. ?"We discovered something big."? Gaid said, ?"Gold."? Natirra looked down. ?"We shouldn¡¯t have."? ?"No, we did well. We can sabotage it from the inside before there are catastrophic consequences on the island. I didn¡¯t think our officials could be corrupted by the pirates, out of everyone¡­"? ?"..."? ?"We are close to Algalunga."? Despite what Gaid had said, Natirra was not at all hopeful. She looked at the floor, disheartened. ?"It¡¯s the end now. We¡¯re going nowhere, we¡¯re stuck, so it¡¯s useless to do anything."? Natirra said, with an almost bitter tone, in that small night. It was as if all her hope of escaping had vanished. Every single drop of hope had been consumed by her soul. Since she had been thrown into that cold and merciless cage, and since they had been surrounded by those ships, her body had been devastated by pain and sadness. A part of her wondered if that was the price of her hopes, of her determinations. Or was it karma for something she had done? Who knows? Gaid approached; Natirra didn¡¯t notice immediately, but he was completely free of the ropes binding his hands. Unlike her, he approached menacingly, and Natirra watched him, confused about what he planned to do. He turned her around, and suddenly... Zap! she felt the ropes loosen, allowing her to breathe better. She finally got up, turning to Gaid, who had managed to cut her ropes with his horn. ?"You freed me?"? She realized what he had done: the horn, he had used the horn to cut the rope. ?"Consider it a thank you for caring about me with your friend, Monomia, was it?"? Hearing that name gave her a pang in her chest, thinking that perhaps, just perhaps, she might never see him again. ?"Yes, Monomia. You have a good memory."? ?"It was only a day ago, I remind you."? She felt time passing more slowly than it should, to the point where all the time before boarding the ship seemed months ago. ?"It doesn¡¯t matter,"? she didn¡¯t want to explain her perception of time. ?"Anyway,"? Natirra began, but Gaid spoke first, cutting her off abruptly. Gaid stood up, looking at the cell door. He stroked his horn, and after a moment of contemplation, decided on whatever he was pondering. ?"Okay, no more discussions, we escape now."? ?"But it¡¯s the middle of the night!"? Natirra exclaimed, aware that if he was escaping, she would have to too, and she couldn¡¯t do that in the middle of the night; she was tired. ?"Pirates never sleep."? A few moments passed. ?"Just kidding, they do sleep, which is why we need to take advantage of it."? ?"So... you want to escape now?"? ?"Not exactly, but at least now I¡¯d like to get out of this cage."? That night was different, it was uncertain. The night was dark, full of stars. The wind blew strongly from the east, over the vast grassy plain that stretched for many leagues. It was the kind of wind that made men shiver in their beds, curled up in their blankets. The sound it made as it howled through the ship was eerie and full of despair. It was a sound she had never heard before in that place. Today, even though they had to escape, the weather seemed to want to warn them of something, of something dangerous. Chapter 25 - …And Escape CHAPTER 25 - ...AND ESCAPE
Natirra stood up, finally free from the bothersome ropes that had bound her. Her arms and legs ached from being in the same position for hours, and she still had a slight headache from waking up so many times during a single night. As soon as she got up, she turned to Gaid, who was carefully analyzing the room. ?¡°What are you doing?¡±? ?¡°What material is this?¡±? Gaid had completely avoided Natirra''s question, continuing to touch the walls of the cell from every side of the room. ?¡°I¡¯d prefer it if you explained what you¡¯re doing first.¡±? ?¡°I¡¯m planning the escape, obviously.¡±? Natirra didn¡¯t know what the hell he was thinking, but she theorized that he was probably going crazy trying to escape. In any case, she followed him since she had absolutely nothing to lose at that point. ?¡°I don¡¯t know what material the walls are made of. But they can¡¯t be made of rock.¡±? Natirra explained, sharing the same theories she had thought of when she first entered the cell. ?¡°It¡¯s warm, and given that it¡¯s freezing cold in here, the walls should be damp.¡±? Gaid looked at her, stopping his exploration of the walls. ?¡°Damp, huh? Where are we?¡±? ?¡°Where do you think we are? We¡¯re in the dungeons, right?¡±? She replied with a rhetorical question. ¡°What questions is he asking me? What does he plan to do?¡± Gaid started to think and, after a moment, asked a peculiar question. ?¡°Question, so¡­ There¡¯s water beneath us, right? After all, we¡¯re on a boat.¡±? Judging by the humidity of the floor, Natirra was certain that they had the sea right below them. ?¡°Yes, we have water beneath us. Can you explain what¡¯s the point?¡±? ?¡°Maybe you from Amelis Island don¡¯t know this because you¡¯re idiots and terrible warriors, but I know a perfect way we can use the water to get out of here.¡±? ¡°What? What is he talking about? And what does he mean by ¡®You from Amelis Island,¡¯ doesn¡¯t he come from the island too?¡± She had many questions, but despite that, she let him continue. ?¡°Go on.¡±? She asked, curious. Gaid turned, completely avoiding Natirra¡¯s gaze, with his usual thoughtful tone, and began to clarify his statement. ?¡°It¡¯s called High-Pressure Water Jet, one of the most powerful tools ever used, so much so that blacksmiths use it to cut metals.¡±? After a short pause, he began to explain in more detail. ?¡°This technique is known as water jet cutting and is often used for producing weapons or¡­ Well, simply working with materials. Water isn¡¯t intrinsically ¡®strong¡¯ when pressurized. The strength of water depends on the pressure it¡¯s subjected to and its ability to withstand this pressure. Water pressure is a measure of the force exerted by water on a surface or container. Are you following me?¡±? ?¡°Uh¡­ Yes..?"? Natirra didn¡¯t understand half of the words he said, but she wanted him to continue. If she started asking questions, they¡¯d be stuck there for days, and Natirra didn¡¯t care about that at all. Gaid continued, checking if Natirra had understood what he said. ?¡°When water is pressurized, as in a hydraulic system or a water conduit, its pressure increases. However, the force of the water depends on the applied pressure and the system¡¯s size. In short, water can become ¡®strong¡¯ when pressurized in a specific context, but its strength depends on the pressure and conditions in which it¡¯s used.¡±? ?¡°I appreciate the lesson, but¡­¡±? Natirra asked, somewhat confused. ?¡°How exactly is this supposed to help us?¡±? Gaid immediately pointed to his horn. ?¡°With this. If I can get in contact with the water, I can suck it up through my horn and then shoot it out as pressurized water to destroy every single wall that keeps us from freedom.¡±? Natirra pondered over it, and despite how absurd the plan seemed, she had no luxury of thinking of anything else. ?¡°I see¡­¡±? She said to Gaid. ?¡°So you¡¯ll puncture the floor?¡±? ?¡°What? Of course not! Have you seen my horn?! It¡¯s tiny, I wouldn¡¯t be able to break it. I¡¯ve already tried, and I assure you it doesn¡¯t work. I need a sharp one that can penetrate directly into the ground.¡±?Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Ah, so he knew he had a small horn.¡± ?¡°If you know it, why does it offend you when others say it?¡±? ?¡°I''m the only one who can say such things. If others say it, it¡¯s an offense to my honor, to my narwhal honor, it¡¯s obvious, don¡¯t you think?¡±? ?¡°But what kind of reasoning is that?¡±? ?¡°Okay, so if you don¡¯t break it, who will?¡±? ?¡°Who else is in this room?¡±? He said in an ironic tone, and after a few minutes of serious contemplation, she realized he was referring to her. ?¡°Wait, me?!¡±? ?¡°Yes, you dimwit.¡±? Gaid went on to explain. ?¡°So, I need you to puncture the floor,¡±? ¡°Perfect, my suspicions were correct. He really wants me to puncture the floor.¡± ?¡°wherever you want, so I can get in touch with the water.¡±? Natirra looked at him for a moment, trying to process the damned request he had made. ?¡°I have to do what, excuse me?¡±? ?¡°Bang your head as hard as you can on the floor, so you can puncture it. It¡¯s even soft and damp, it should be easy, right?¡±? ?¡°Easy?! Are you crazy?! Actually, no, not even crazy people would slam their heads on the floor hoping to break it! Who do you think you are to make such requests?! I refuse!¡±? She became aggressive; it wasn¡¯t really that serious, but she didn¡¯t know any sane person who would dare slam their head on the floor in hopes of breaking it. Moreover, she feared that her horn might get stuck. After all, it was something she saw as a great beauty and would never want to break. Come to think of it, she didn¡¯t know that this would be the least of her problems. ?¡°I refuse to do such a thing! Even if it means escaping from this cell.¡±? That was the only response that came to her mind at that moment. Natirra heard a sharp, hissing breath from Gaid, who had asked her the question. He was probably thinking, as she noticed he was looking at the floor. Suddenly, he lifted his eyes, meeting Natirra¡¯s gaze, and at the moment he did, Natirra immediately regretted her decision. Suddenly, he moved towards her, and before she realized it, he grabbed her head with his hands. ?¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I have no other choice, and I need to get out of here!¡±?, saying this, before she could respond, Natirra was silenced as Gaid, grabbing her head, slammed it forcefully onto the floor, embedding her horn into the damp, soft wood and piercing it. After doing so, for a few seconds, and checking that she had finally punctured the floor, he pulled her head out of the floor. Natirra fell on her back, with a strong sense of nausea. Gaid, on the other hand, approached the newly made hole, turning towards her and giving her a thumbs up. ?¡°Thanks, I appreciate your cooperation!¡±? Natirra was too nauseous to respond, but the voice, which she heard with a strong reverberation in her head, made her want to get up and smash Gaid¡¯s horn. ?¡°Perfect,¡±? he turned back to the hole. ?¡°It¡¯s time to get out of this damned prison.¡±? Quickly, he inserted his horn into the hole, and Natirra, who had just gotten up and recovered from the bad knock, could see him working hard to reach the water. ?¡°I can do this¡­¡±? He said to himself. ?¡°Just a few millimeters¡­ just a little more, and I¡¯ll reach the water¡­¡±? Natirra watched him and, rubbing the bump Gaid had given her, got a bit angrier, wanting to leave this place now more than ever, because she didn¡¯t want to think that the bump had been in vain. ?¡°I¡¯ll help you, you ugly fish!¡±? She exclaimed loudly, and a few seconds later, Natirra, who had gotten up and reached Gaid, placed her foot on Gaid¡¯s head, who was still trying to reach the water, ?¡°Hey! What the hell are you doing?!¡±? ?¡°I¡¯m returning the favor, so you learn to stick my horn into the wood without my permission.¡±? She started to stomp on his head, trying to push him further down to reach the water. Indeed, she wasn¡¯t really helping him, but it was undeniable that it was amusing, at least from Natirra¡¯s point of view. ?¡°Okay, okay, okay, stop!¡±? Gaid exclaimed, but Natirra didn¡¯t stop until he gave her a valid reason to, until he told her the news that he had finally reached his goal. ?¡°I found it! I found it! The water, I¡¯ve reached it!¡±? Natirra finally lifted her foot off his head, and he stood up shakily, immediately turning his attention to the door. ?¡°Natirra.¡±? ?¡°What do you want?¡±? Even though she had gotten her revenge, she was still annoyed. ?¡°Have you ever seen a Narwhal shoot a pressurized stream? Actually¡­¡±? He tried to rephrase the question. ?¡°Have you ever seen a pressurized stream, in general?¡±? ?¡°No, but judging by how you describe it, you have a lot of faith in it, so¡­ I guess I¡¯ll have to trust you.¡±? ?¡°Water is fascinating, Natirra, we have it all around us, and who knew it could be such a deadly weapon.¡±? At that point, Natirra grew tired of all the explanations. Sure, it was interesting, but she couldn¡¯t stay there all day. ?¡°If it¡¯s as strong as you say, why don¡¯t you hurry up and show me instead of giving me this damned lecture? You did it before too!¡±? Suddenly, a few seconds after Natirra¡¯s comment, Gaid took up a stance, preparing to strike after what seemed to be some sort of charge before the final release. Natirra could see his horn change, from being completely straight to having its lower part swollen. This strange sight didn¡¯t last long, though, because shortly after, Gaid unleashed a powerful and targeted stream of water. Natirra watched in astonishment, surprised, even though she didn¡¯t want to admit it. First, she observed the speed of the stream, so fast that it didn¡¯t even seem to be moving, and then she focused on the cell door, the primary target of the shot, which had been completely pierced. Gaid, before running out of water, traced the perimeter of a rectangle through which both he and she could pass. Immediately after finishing, the stream stopped, and he, exhausted, took a few seconds to catch his breath and calm down. The rectangle, a small piece of door, fell quickly to the ground, fortunately making little noise. After observing with amazement, Gaid looked at her. ?¡°Well, let¡¯s get out of this place.¡±? The Narwhals: Riaca’s Research (Second Part) THE NARWHALS: RIACA''S RESEARCH (SECOND PART)
Egg The first stage of the Humanoid Narwhal''s life is its birth. Before this, it exists as an egg, which fertilizes for 10 months (or more in some cases, but never less) before hatching. It¡¯s important to note that the egg fertilizes within the mother¡¯s uterus for the first few months before growing large enough to remain outside. The egg increases in size during the first 5 months, reaching a point where the body can no longer support its growth, and at the same time, the egg becomes capable of surviving outside maternal protection. Once both conditions are met, the egg is expelled through the mother''s cloaca and usually placed in a safe location, that needs to be warm and moist. The eggs, upon exiting, grow from a size of 30 centimeters to about 80 centimeters. They have an obvious oval shape, with a faded blue color. Additionally, the surface is rough, scaly, and irregular. There is often a risk of the egg toppling over for its shape, which may damage it. It¡¯s important to note that Narwhal eggs are not fragile and do not break easily by accident, though they are not indestructible, which is why they are still placed in safe spots. Inside, the fetus nourishes itself, and after 10 months, the egg hatches. Before this period, the egg cannot hatch; if it does so prematurely, it risks pathologies that are often fatal or result in extreme deformities. The egg can hatch up to 2 months late, and while this is often unusual, it should not cause extreme discomfort to the offspring, except for the possibility of some minor deformities. Infant From this point, the infant stage begins, or rather, the pre-puberty phase, as both biologically and culturally (in the majority of the narwhal empire), Narwhals are considered adults once they reach puberty. In this stage, infants mainly feed on their mother¡¯s milk, from which they separate only after 6 months. It¡¯s important to note that Narwhals live much shorter lives compared to humans, and for this reason, their bodily characteristics, changes, and the way they are perceived in society differ from ours. To put it in perspective: one Narwhal year can roughly equate to 2-3 human years, though there isn¡¯t a precise conversion. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.In this phase, Narwhals are not particularly strong or developed in any specific trait, especially not for reproduction, and they are essentially children. By this age, they should grow to reach up to 1.80 meters or more, although some cases differ from the norm. Their weight, also variable, should be proportionate to their height. At this stage, infants learn to swim, although they are naturally inclined to it. It is almost impossible for a Narwhal not to be able to swim. Needless to say, their mental and physical age increases more rapidly. Eight Narwhal years roughly equate to 14-16 human years, varying from case to case. Adulthood and Reproduction This stage is particularly characterized by the onset of puberty, starting from age eight onwards. This specific developmental phase concludes around age 15. However, during this period, the reproductive functions are not fully operational, and reproduction attempts are not recommended. Furthermore, breast formation, which is necessary to nourish offspring, does not begin until age 12. From 15 years old (equivalent to 20-25 human years) to 25 years old (30-35-40 human years), Narwhals experience their optimal phase, during which their mental and physical development is at its peak, and their horn extends and strengthens. In this phase, they may even reach the maximum possible height (around 3 meters) for a Narwhal. As previously stated, this is their optimal growth stage and the period in which they are strongest. Weight, too, is proportionate to height, with few exceptions. It¡¯s also important to note that reproduction during this optimal phase is recommended and, in most cases, free from defects (unlike other stages where deformities or offspring death are more likely). Narwhals reproduce sexually, and the birth process is described in the egg phase. Old Age and Death From 35 years onward, aging begins, accelerated by the Narwhals¡¯ shorter lifespan and rapid development. The horn shortens, the body weakens, wrinkles deepen, sexual capacity diminishes, and all the typical traits of old age¡ªcommon to humans¡ªappear, though more pronounced due to the Narwhals¡¯ fast growth. It should be noted that their swimming abilities decrease at this stage, and swimming is not recommended for Narwhals of this age. Chapter 26 - Ambush CHAPTER 26 - AMBUSH
?¡°But... but how did you do that? I¡¯ve never seen a move like that in my life...¡±? Those were the only words that could actually come out of Natirra¡¯s incredulous mouth at that moment. She wasn¡¯t even angry anymore, just astonished by his abilities. How in the world had he managed to create such effective damage with such a small jet of water? He had cut through that door as if it were a mere vegetable or some weak fabric. But how? Natirra was so surprised that she kept asking him the same question over and over. Finally, Gaid, who had recovered from the substantial blow, looked at her and gave a detailed answer: ?¡°I recognize that material, Colispite. It¡¯s often used for making weapons or simple tools. The peculiarity is that over time, this material weakens, losing its effectiveness. Initially it was used for weapons, but this type of Colispite... is no longer used for weapon production, except in poor areas. It¡¯s a tough material, that¡¯s true, but it quickly loses its properties¡ªthose that make it sharp¡ªin a sort of process where it essentially decays. That¡¯s why it¡¯s sold in the market for little money, either in pure extract form or as tools made from it. The tools are still sold and make up a large part of the market, mainly because they¡¯re very easy to produce and are made in bulk. On the island where I lived as a child, many people used it, and well... most people on the island are familiar with the pressurized water gun tactic, which is essentially why we¡¯re able to sell this material in such bulk. At first, I didn¡¯t recognize it, but... after careful analysis, I realized what it was. Not that it couldn¡¯t have cut through other things, but with Colispite, I was sure my plan would go smoothly.¡±? ¡°So, he¡¯s not from Amelis...¡± ?¡°You¡¯re not as dumb as you look, you know, Gaid?¡±? ?¡°Are you calling me dumb? And what makes you think that? I¡¯m the one who helped you discover all of Algalunga¡¯s plans!¡±? he said, taking offense at her words. Natirra seemed to have, in a way, figured out how he worked; he was easily offended by everything, so insulting him wouldn¡¯t be a good tactic¡ªit would only make things worse for her. With that comment, her amazement slowly dissipated, and the situation returned to its initial calm. Natirra remained silent as Gaid turned once again toward the piece of the door he had broken, touching it, as if to calm himself, while reflecting on the material. ?¡°Well... I didn¡¯t think she would stoop so low as to use this material for cell walls. She never changes.¡±? ?¡°She?¡±? Natirra asked, confused and curious. ?¡°So, do you know someone on this ship?¡±? He turned toward her, as if she had asked the obvious. ?¡°Of course I know them! But it seems like a cruel joke of fate that I ended up on this exact ship.¡±? ?¡°What exactly do you have in store with these people?¡±? ?¡°That¡¯s personal business. We¡¯ve known each other for less than three days, so I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to tell you stuff, do you? Rather... let¡¯s hurry up and get out of here.¡±? Natirra was about to protest, but she thought that, in a way, he was right. She couldn¡¯t expect to know everything so soon, so she couldn¡¯t help but agree with him, or she would seem quite insensitive. As quickly as possible, she and Gaid exited through the door. Of course, it wasn¡¯t easy. Natirra was immediately struck by the pain of the bruises from the wounds she had received in the battle the previous afternoon, before she was captured. Although they were only superficial wounds, they were still enough to be felt from a distance, making her walk more labored and slow.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Nevertheless, she managed to make it out of the cell. Once outside, she was overwhelmed by a feeling of happiness so bright that she didn¡¯t even notice she was still on the ship. Finally, after all her hopes had completely vanished, a stroke of luck like Gaid had arrived, even though, in a way, it had been Gaid who got her into this situation in the first place. Gaid, upon exiting, immediately turned toward her, this time whispering instead of speaking out loud, which made Natirra understand that she probably should also follow the implicit advice and keep quiet. ?¡°Don¡¯t make too much noise. Remember, there could be pirates around. It¡¯s already a miracle they didn¡¯t hear the door breaking. If they catch us, it¡¯s over, got it?¡±? She couldn¡¯t waste this opportunity. If she did, she trembled to imagine the consequences, which would have been the same if Gaid hadn¡¯t arrived. She would have spent the rest of her days working until death. Thinking about that, her mind couldn¡¯t help but wander to her brother¡¯s face and the idea of what he could have been doing. She wondered if he, during his grand journey, had encountered tragedies like this. Maybe he had been kidnapped too and had to escape. Or perhaps he had managed to get far enough to evade the pirates? She had expected him to return, but so many years had passed that she could no longer imagine where he might have gone. The thought that he might have met the same fate she had now consumed her soul with guilt. Even now, as she stood outside her cell, she felt that visceral anxiety, that murky sense of guilt, and the thought that she hadn¡¯t even worried about where he might be. The mere thought made her feel terrible. But she couldn¡¯t dwell on such things¡ªit was too late now. She didn¡¯t know where her brother was, but she would find him, no matter the cost. And if she didn¡¯t find him, well, that was her loss. But it didn¡¯t matter; she wouldn¡¯t give up anyway. Thinking that, Natirra felt better, not about the situation, but more because she felt she had given herself a goal. Without even waiting any longer, she observed where they were. The ship¡¯s basement was a long corridor, and from there, they should have been able to escape easily. Natirra thought, ¡°So all we need to do is walk down that long corridor, and everything will be fine. We can escape.¡± She immediately set herself into action, starting her slow, almost limping pace, but before she could move even a few meters, she was immediately stopped by Gaid. ?¡°And where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±? Gaid asked her, still in a low voice but inevitably with a scolding tone, and with a bronze gaze that pierced her soul. Natirra, confused and with the most honest answer, told him, ?¡°Getting out of here, right?¡±? ?¡°Are you crazy? Use some logic, would you?¡±? ?¡°And what problem could there be?¡±? ?¡°You can¡¯t escape now. It¡¯s dark outside, and you¡¯ll get lost in the sea if you try to swim, meaning you¡¯ll sink after losing your strength. We don¡¯t even know where we are. Also, suppose one of the crew members catches you¡ªthey¡¯ll call the others, and you¡¯ll essentially burn all our chances. Don¡¯t you think? You don¡¯t think you can fight off an entire crew by yourself, do you?¡±? Thinking about it, he was right. Maybe she was making a move a bit too hastily. And for sure, even if she encountered a single crew member, he would have been able to put her in her place anyway. So, it was pointless. Natirra stopped and stayed quiet, listening to what Gaid had to say. ?¡°We¡¯ll stay awake all night until morning to plan, clear? And when morning comes, and those filthy pirates come to check on us, give us breakfast, and assign the first tasks, we¡¯ll strike. And we¡¯ll escape from this wretched pirate ship.¡±? Natirra stood still for a moment, thinking about the plan that had just been proposed to her. ?¡°An ambush?¡±? ?¡°Exactly.¡±? ?¡°But why can¡¯t we go now? Isn¡¯t it even worse if a group comes in the morning? We¡¯ll be recognized more easily, and nothing guarantees that the escape will be simple.¡±? ?¡°You¡¯re right, but we can achieve something. We have to get rid of most of the pirates and take control of the ship. If we do it at night, as I told you, we¡¯d be at a clear disadvantage.¡±? Seeing that Natirra wasn¡¯t entirely convinced, Gaid glanced around frankly. ?¡°Listen... just follow my plan, okay? I¡¯ll use my jet, and I don¡¯t want to waste it, and then...¡±? At that point, Natirra felt that the issue was becoming a bit deeper and that Gaid wanted it to be morning for other reasons. ?¡°And then, if it¡¯s morning, I can face the captain of this ship.¡±? Natirra decided not to ask any more questions, and so both of them decided to wait for the morning to come. Chapter 27 - Sailors Don’t Cry CHAPTER 27 - SAILORS DON''T CRY
The water was calm, shiny as the clearest and brightest of skies; today was a paradisiacal day, and for some reason, the winds were blowing gently, but life went on, and the ships sailed without stopping. On an outer pirate ship, belonging to a close friend of Algalunga, a dilemma arose. A band of pirates stood before their captain, arguing, with a tied man, Monomia tied up. ?¡°You are amateurs! Are you making the prisoners do your work?¡±? the captain scolded his crew for their lazy and questionable behavior. ?¡°What kind of pirates are you?! And without even warning me! If I give you a punishment, you follow it, not make others do it.¡±? With his strong arm, he grabbed one of the sailors on board, responsible for the offense against the captain, and, taking him by the neck, pronounced his final words, not directed at him, but as if they were for all the members of the crew, and as if that poor fellow taken by the neck was just a demonstration that none of them were playing at that moment. The fearsome captain turned toward the poor pirate. ?¡°And if I catch you avoiding your work again, I¡¯ll make you take a dive in the sea, but not before I drill your tail, legs, and arms, so you can wave goodbye to the sea hunters, understood?¡±? ?¡°Y-yes Captain Polyv¨°ro!¡±? the scared pirate stammered. ?¡°Good. Now take him to a cell.¡±? ?¡°Sir, we don¡¯t have any empty cells left, we don¡¯t know where to put the boy¡­¡±? The captain turned, squinting, but he was no longer angry; he pondered what to do with such dead weight. Despite scolding his inferiors for doing it, he also wanted to take advantage of him, like the other prisoners; after all, he was determined to follow Algalunga¡¯s plan not only because they were close friends but also for the inherent and clear benefits he could gain from making such a move. The captain turned one last time to his pirates and inferiors, giving final orders. ?¡°Inferiors that you are! I couldn¡¯t care less that there¡¯s no empty cell; trash like a slave can be piled up! Throw him in the first cell you see.¡±? And so the pirates did, taking Monomia, who had stopped resisting, finding it useless, into the ship''s lower decks, where the aforementioned cages were to be placed for him to remain. Upon reaching the first cage, they opened it, and with a violent throw, they tossed Monomia inside, who gave up trying to escape or even making a simple, miserable curse at his captors, merely observing them as they left. The air began to grow heavier in that gloomy cell. It seemed to press relentlessly on his chest, and the feelings of oppression intensified, making his head spin in an unsettling way. A faint and persistent smell of copper permeated the atmosphere, but he couldn¡¯t identify it precisely. It was a smell he knew well, the distinctive odor of a prison, but at that moment he sensed it in an extraordinarily acute form. The walls, a cold and desolate gray, emitted a vague call to that scent. The floor, worn by the steps of those who had shared the same fate, and the peeling ceiling contributed to creating an environment that seemed to have decayed over time. Perhaps it was the dim and gloomy light that permeated the cell, or the faded color of the walls, but something in that place evoked in him the image of the inside of an animal stomach or even of a corpse left in a dumpster for a week. In an attempt to preserve his sanity, he tried with all his might to push away those distressing thoughts, to concentrate on anything that would distance him from the oppressive reality of his imprisonment. And to think that his companions had endured all this for more than a year; his stomach churned at the slightest thought. However, the cell, despite Monomia''s impressions, was not particularly frightening¡ªa small triangular room, with a single window in the center and a cage that kept him from exiting. Monomia quickly walked toward the bars of the cell, observing his surroundings, without even focusing on the cell. Suddenly, a familiar voice struck his ears, and Monomia turned quickly, nothing but astonishment on his face. Monomia turned in surprise, unable to believe his eyes; immediately, his mind raced to name him, but before he could do anything, the man in question began to speak. ?¡°Monomia¡­ What are you doing here? Did you get captured?¡±?If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ?¡°K-kain?!¡±? Monomia said, filled with astonishment and a slight tremor he had never shown before. ¡­ ?¡°I understand¡­¡±? said Kain, clenching his left fist. ?¡°That damned Algalunga! I won¡¯t sleep soundly until I see him burning!¡±? ?¡°Yeah¡­¡±? Monomia could do nothing but nod, looking at the floor with a sulky expression, his throat tight, as if he had a knot holding it firm. ?¡°So¡­¡±? Monomia suddenly turned back to Kain. ?¡°Where are the others?¡±? ?¡°The others?¡±? Kain asked, almost confused, as if he didn¡¯t remember who else he was talking about; then, as if it came naturally, he realized what Monomia was referring to, and an abrupt sense of realization hit him, thinking about his companion''s question. ?¡°I don¡¯t know where the others are.¡±? ?¡°What... What do you mean¡­ You don¡¯t know?¡±? Monomia¡¯s voice trembled slightly as he asked the question. He had been away for a while, indeed, not just a little, but a very long time, and he had hoped that when he reunited with the crew members, even if he hoped there were more than one, he would have all the answers he needed, or at least every member of the crew with him. The brusque and sudden answer surprised him. He had expected to receive a complete and satisfying response, but it seemed there was still much to discover, so Monomia began to ask more questions. Immediately afterward, Kain decided to put an end to any doubts Monomia might have. He began to speak rapidly, as if he had accumulated all this information while waiting for his return. He fervently recounted everything that had happened during the time Monomia had been absent. ?¡°When you left, Algalunga took us on his ship, and from that moment on, he made us work like mules the entire time we waited.¡±? He started with a bitter tone, but that wasn¡¯t all; he had to continue, as Monomia thought, and so he did, and Kain continued to describe what had happened. ?¡°But at some point, he realized that together we were a danger, and despite us working decently, he understood the risk it posed. Moreover, we began to annoy him with our constant presence and all our annoying arguments, so he made a decision: he would scatter the three of us to other friendly ships, and he would keep the hardest worker, or at least, if not the hardest, the least quarrelsome.¡±? Monomia listened, and noticing the pause, he asked one last question. ?¡°So¡­ What happened to the others? Where did they go?¡±? ?¡°Monomia, I told you I don¡¯t know anything. I was the first to leave; after annoying Algalunga once again, he negotiated with a friend of his, the captain of this crew, to bring me here to work, and I¡¯ve been here until now.¡±? ?¡°So now you don¡¯t know where they are or how they¡¯re doing?¡±? ?¡°Essentially, I¡¯m as lost as you are about everyone else, but at least there is a silver lining.¡±? Kain turned to Monomia, placing his hand on his head and smiling at him. ?¡°I found you, so I know how one of us is.¡±? Monomia, with the speed and aggression of a warrior, removed Kain¡¯s hand from his head and, with teary eyes, turned to the other side, crossing his arms. Kain, initially confused, after a few seconds began to question him again. ?¡°Monomia¡­ what¡¯s wrong?¡±? ?¡°How can you joke right now? How can you smile now? We¡¯re here on an enemy ship, and I¡¯ve barely reached one crew member, and we¡¯re both in a cage. How can you be happy? Aren¡¯t you worried about your companions?¡±? ?¡°Of course I am, Monomia, but I can¡¯t expect to find them immediately.¡±? ?¡°It¡¯s not about finding them immediately!¡±? Monomia exclaimed, turning around in tears, and after a while, he pointed a finger at him. ?¡°I was the one who was supposed to find you! Carpos gave me that task, he entrusted me with that, and I got captured, so I won¡¯t save anyone, and the freedom that Carpos guaranteed me I simply ignored. I¡¯m a disgrace as a sailor!¡±? The air was growing cold, increasingly heavy, and the wind began to make itself felt. The atmosphere was slowly transforming under the influence of the impending climate change. The air, already cool, was gradually losing its warmth, enveloping everything around it in a chilling embrace. The sky, once clear and blue, was slowly darkening, with gray, menacing clouds filling the horizon. ?¡°Not only¡­ Not only have I failed to keep the promise I made to save you. But the new friends I made¡­ They were also captured by Algalunga. And all because¡­¡±? At that point, Monomia put his hands over his face. ?¡°Because I failed to protect them from the pirates. It¡¯s all my fault!¡±? Kain didn¡¯t utter a single word, remaining silent, allowing Monomia to say everything he could. After Monomia had shed enough tears, he sat on the floor, silent, but suddenly, Kain¡¯s shadow, which had remained still, approached him, covering his body. He grabbed him by the front of his uniform, lifting him menacingly and looking directly into his tear-filled eyes, his face suddenly turned stone-cold. ?¡°Wipe your tears Monomia, sailors don¡¯t cry, they fight. And get up, I can¡¯t stand people who give up. It¡¯s never the end of the journey.¡±? ?¡°What are you talking about..?¡±? Monomia said, not moving a muscle and without a whimper. As instructed, he wiped his tears and looked at him. Kain, annoyed by his further questions, shouted at him. ?¡°Don¡¯t tell me that after all of this you are willing to give up. Now that I¡¯ve found you, we are going to escape together and find the others, it means we¡¯re getting out of here now, you idiot! We¡¯re escaping! Clear?! So get up and stop crying!¡±? Chapter 28 - The Brawl CHAPTER 28 - THE BRAWL
The morning had just arrived. The sun was rising, caressing the ocean with its rays. The waves danced in the light, and a gentle breeze brushed against the green mountains. It was the beginning of a beautiful day, the start of a new era. The wind carried the sound of the waves and the cries of seagulls. The birds flew in the clear sky, enjoying the morning just like everyone else. The scent of the salty sea and the fresh air was rejuvenating. The sound of the birds was like the song of an ancient choir performing a millennia-old melody. The sound of the wind and the waves was the perfect lullaby. It was like a song a mother sang to her child, soothing the soul and comforting the heart. A beautiful and tranquil morning, but it wouldn¡¯t remain peaceful forever. It was time to act. ?¡°Prisoners! It¡¯s time for work!¡±? shouted one of the pirates from the crew, who, having just woken up along with the rest of the gang, walked towards the cells. Upon reaching the first one, however, he made a terrible realization. ?¡°W¡­ Where the hell have the prisoners gone?¡±? At that moment, from the darkness of one of the cells, which appeared empty from the outside, a powerful jet of water shot out with the force of a thousand brutes, hitting the pirate squarely in the head. Like a thorn piercing bread, the water pierced the pirate¡¯s head, killing him instantly. As he fell to the ground, the other pirates were frozen for a second, but one of them began to speak. ?¡°It¡¯s an ambush! They¡¯re trying to escape! Don¡¯t let them get away, or the captain will kill us!¡±? With those words, drawing their swords, Natirra and Gaid appeared. Gaid smiled, ready to flee, while Natirra was less so; she covered her eyes at the sight of the body. She knew she would have to escape violently, but witnessing such a scene left her with a terrible impression; she was not yet morally prepared: she hadn¡¯t yet gone through the most important part of a soldier¡¯s training, the loss of morale. ?¡°Prisoners! We¡¯ll cut off your hands and throw you into the sea!¡±? one of them shouted. Natirra, who was more nervous than Gaid, hid behind him to avoid being noticed. Gaid, with complete confidence, stood firm, ready for battle. ?¡°We¡¯ll take this ship, and all you pirates will pay for the insult you¡¯ve caused me!¡±? With a bit of reserve water still in his horn, and before any of them could react, Gaid fired a straight and even shot at the five, now four, pirates in front of them. Three of them dodged the shot while one, positioned behind the others and unable to see the shot coming, was knocked down right in the chest, falling to the ground. The remaining three pirates approached, swords drawn, but Gaid was ready. He wasn¡¯t particularly skilled in hand-to-hand combat, but the fear that had intimidated the pirates with that initial attack was clearly visible. Gaid charged at them while Natirra remained still behind, observing without any reaction; she was clearly scared, after all. After a bloody fight, he managed to get rid of them, remaining almost completely unscathed, save for a few superficial wounds sustained by Gaid, which didn¡¯t bother him much. Natirra didn¡¯t move, so she really had nothing to worry about¡ªor at least she did, but didn¡¯t want to act because it would risk her life. Something in her prevented her from acting. They quickly moved onto the deck of the ship, knowing this wasn¡¯t the end; both Natirra and Gaid understood that this small band of pirates was nothing, merely the beginning. There had to be many more pirates out there. ?¡°This isn¡¯t a small crew.¡±? Gaid said as they walked through the corridors of the ship to get out. ?¡°I know these pirates, and they¡¯re not a trivial bunch, so don¡¯t get that idea,¡±? ¡°Even if they were few, I wouldn¡¯t exactly have gotten that idea, eh¡­¡± The thought that many more pirates were waiting for them filled Natirra with anxiety, pure anxiety, and fear, adding to the fear that was already present. But the plan was going smoothly for now, and she couldn¡¯t allow it to be ruined in any way. Finally, they made it outside the pirate ship, out of the hold, to the deck, near the main mast. For the first time, as soon as she stepped outside, Natirra could not help but (for some strange reason) enjoy the sweet smell of the sea, which emphasized in her mind just how dirty and foul-smelling those prisons had actually been. It must have been that strange metal Gaid mentioned; it had to be. For a second, before realizing the situation they were in, she gave a moment''s attention to the ocean surrounding them; just one day without seeing it, and yet she missed it so much. She looked at the waves of the sea, and the sea itself, that light blue reflecting the sun of the day, and thought that in the end, she had arrived at the sea, one way or another. The sweet water seemed bitter to her; she would drown if she lost that fight, and that was something she could not afford. But being finally in the midst of the sea, even in the situation she was in, infused her with a strange sense of courage.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Suddenly, still gazing at the sea, she felt a violent slap on her shoulder, and turning around, Gaid looked at her furiously. ?¡°What are you doing!? Does it seem like a good time to look at the sea?! Get ready! We¡¯re surrounded!¡±? ?¡°W-we¡¯re surrounded?¡±? Natirra immediately realized the circumstances they were in; as soon as they exited those corridors, they were surrounded by armed pirates. Immediately, the pirates encircling them drew their weapons, charging towards the duo, who had now mentally prepared for this battle¡ªor at least had accepted that they had to fight. Gaid was ready for the situation and ready to fight. Natirra, who was totally detached from the situation, had no idea what to do and simply remained frozen like a statue. ?¡°We¡¯ll kill you for what you did to our companions!¡±? Immediately, Gaid aimed at the pirates. ?¡°Let¡¯s see who dies first, sea bandits!¡±? The group of bandits charged at him, and he himself rushed forward. Natirra remained still, not understanding exactly what to do, watching everyone else fight. She watched him clash, bleeding, dodging lethal blows that could have killed him, she watched in terror but also surprise as Gaid, despite everything, managed to hold his own, while everyone was focused on bringing him down. Compared to that brawl, when he was focused, he seemed able to fight very easily. Suddenly, a voice warned Natirra; Gaid looked at her, frozen, even amid the battle. ?¡°Natirra! Help me!¡±? She didn¡¯t know what she could do; she was stuck, frozen, but at that moment, she thought back to what she had considered a few seconds ago. She had no weapon for herself, but that didn¡¯t matter; she should find a way to be useful, right? ?¡°Ugh!¡±? Suddenly she heard Gaid, who was knocked down to the ground by a blow to the stomach. One of the pirates, specifically the one who had knocked him down, drew his sword. ?¡°I¡¯ll skewer you like meat!¡±? Suddenly, Natirra felt a rush of pure adrenaline; that phrase seemed to release something within her, making her body move without her control. She had to help Gaid, not just for him, but for herself; she would surely die. She suddenly ran toward the pirate in question, presenting him with her horn and charging, lowering her head in a desperate attempt to avoid being hit, she stabbed him straight in the leg with speed. The pirate fell in pain, and Natirra, with her horn stuck in his leg, fell with him. They were stuck; the pirate groaned in pain, but she felt a hand gripping her head, and suddenly, she was yanked away from the pirate¡¯s leg and directed towards Gaid¡¯s face. He looked at her, grateful. ?¡°Thanks for the help, but I didn¡¯t really need it that much. You just risked getting hurt.¡±? ¡°What?! After my incredible sacrifice, you won¡¯t even thank me?¡± From a certain point of view, he had remained the same, just like back at the camp. ¡°But look at him; should I have let him have his flesh pierced by a blade?¡± Natirra touched her horn to ensure nothing was broken; it was covered in blood, but that made sense; she had pierced someone. Thinking about it, it felt strange to her; she never imagined doing something similar¡ª A direct punch to her face surprised her; another pirate had grabbed her, throwing her to the ground. ?¡°Augh!!¡±? Natirra suddenly felt that pirate grab her by the leg and, with superhuman strength, hurled her across the ship. Natirra got up, slowly but inevitably, struggling greatly as she observed the scene. Gaid had risen and returned to the fight, managing most of the pirates, who often backed away in fear. Natirra had to deal with some of them; she realized that fleeing from the confrontation was no longer an option as she saw the same pirate who had thrown her approach. She stood up, and when he got close enough, he threw a punch that Natirra managed to dodge. Natirra realized that the pirate wasn''t that fast, and so she could easily avoid him, but she couldn''t run forever. He followed her, and turning around, Natirra noticed more pirates gathering in the distance. Thinking back to what she had done, an idea struck her. Natirra rushed toward the burly pirate who was inevitably chasing her, ready to knock her down like an ant under his shoe. As he approached, he went to throw a punch, which she dodged by positioning herself beneath him. Instinctively, he went to stomp on her, but Natirra got to his foot first, piercing it yet again with her horn, causing him to fall in pain like the last pirate. He was heavy, so she was momentarily stuck too, but managed to detach the horn, though with some difficulty. She had finally found a technique she could use. She noticed, as she got back up, that she was surrounded by two more pirates, ready to kick her, which they did. Immediately, Natirra was hit continuously. She leaned weakly against the floor, covered in bruises from the constant blows she was receiving. But, fortunately, that relentless torture was interrupted as she saw, for the umpteenth time, that familiar beam of water that had already saved her once, piercing the chest of one of the pirates and frightening the other. Gaid rushed at him, and the two began to exchange blows. Natirra seized her moment to get up and, in her own way, tried to contribute to the fight, pushing and annoying. In the end, using one of the swords left by the pirates, she managed to gain the upper hand, delivering a fatal cut to his chest. Once again, Gaid looked at her. Natirra gave a weak smile and, to lighten the mood, repeated Gaid''s words. ?¡°T-thank you for the help¡­ But it¡¯s not like I needed it that much. You just risked getting¡­ hurt.¡±? Imitating his voice, just to annoy him. He ignored her. ?¡°There are still many, but we can hold on, hurry up and get up, with a little effort we can make it, I can make it!¡±? She saw his eyes light up with passion, with hope. That passion reminded her of her brother, and with all the reflections she had had about the sea, she too ended up motivating herself. ?"Yes, we can make it.¡±? Suddenly, something happened on the blood-stained surface of the sea; an entity was appearing. A specific area of the sea turned black, as if a silhouette were approaching, and from the ship, quick as lightning, something emerged, someone emerged¡­ someone. Chapter 29 - The Siren CHAPTER 29 - THE SIREN
The sailors and pirates on the ship stopped fighting, as if they had been caught in a spell that paralyzed them in anticipation of the surreal event unfolding before their eyes. It seemed as though the entire world had come to a halt, as if reality itself was suspended in time, waiting for the fate that was about to be revealed. From the water, with superhuman speed, emerged a powerful feminine figure, almost like a divine entity descended from the sky. Her presence had an aura of majesty and mystery that left everyone breathless. With a series of astounding acrobatics, she launched herself toward the center of the ship, her impressive strength causing the vessel to sway like a feather in the wind. Her descent was so remarkable that it seemed she was defying the very laws of physics. As the extraordinary event unfolded, the band of pirates instinctively aligned themselves with this enigmatic figure, clearly revealing her identity as their captain, and they seemed ready to follow her into whatever adventure presented itself. Meanwhile, Natirra barely had time to analyze this mysterious figure when a heavy, aggressive step echoed behind her. She turned and saw Gaid, fists clenched and eyes sparkling with rage. He uttered a name in a tone that immediately revealed the identity of that divine figure. ?"Roynel..."? ?¡°They call me The Siren. How many times do I have to tell you, stubby horn?¡±? Before Natirra stood that bizarre figure, which she could finally observe more clearly. A tall, slender woman of middle age, with long, wavy, and at that moment wet white hair, tied back in a ponytail. After a moment, the woman pushed her hair from her forehead, her blue eyes, like those of the sea, sparkling. One of her eyes was perpetually covered by her hair, despite her many attempts to move it. Natirra stood there, almost bewildered by this figure; it was so peculiar. She had both hands mutilated and replaced by hooks, and both legs equally mutilated and covered in bandages, holding herself up solely with the strength of her tail¡ªa rarity among them, the tail seemed to have developed a surreal strength. Indeed, ignoring the obvious differences, Natirra could understand why she was nicknamed "The Siren." ?¡°Don¡¯t call me that! So you hide in the water! You¡¯re a coward!¡±? ?¡°You have guts, such a bold face.¡±? The Siren said, then, completely ignoring her surroundings, sat down, using her tail as support for her nonexistent legs, scratching it with one of the hooks, she spoke like a grandmother lecturing her grandchildren. ?¡°First, I destroy your island and let you live, and after my generosity, you dare come back. The curious cat dies, you know?¡±? ?¡°I was alone and a child before, but now I¡¯ve changed, I¡¯m stronger. I¡¯ll make sure to kill you with my own hands!¡±? Gaid seemed filled with passion, while Natirra watched curiously; it seemed this was a rivalry that had been brewing for a long time. But she wondered where such a bizarre-looking person could have come from. Needless to say, asking would lead to trouble, but she almost hoped this encounter could bring some luck to both of them. Still, she knew from previous events that having the captain of a crew you were fighting with you never helped. ?¡°You¡¯re still two flies against a crew of pirates, but¡­¡±? She glanced at one of the pirate corpses pierced by Gaid, lying still on the floor with a hole in his chest. ?¡°You¡¯re not too bad; you don¡¯t blow bubbles like a baby anymore, huh?¡±? ?¡°I¡¯ll give you a taste if you¡¯d like.¡±? ?¡°Don¡¯t get too full of yourself, kid; I live in the water. I¡¯ve tasted pressure stronger than any miserable ray you can throw at me.¡±? The Siren, who it was now clear was the captain of the crew, turned to her own crew. ?¡°You haven¡¯t cleaned up at all, have you?¡±? She said, pointing at the pirate who, from what she understood, managed the others when the captain wasn¡¯t there. He, with a nervous look on his face, replied. ?¡°C-Captain R-Roynel... they¡¯re really strong, the sail¡ª¡±? Immediately, the body of that poor narwhal was surrounded by the Siren¡¯s tail, which she leaned against, and after some circus-like antics, she violently slammed him to the ground. ?¡°I said The Siren! The Siren! Call me The Siren! You bunch of idiots, what kind of pirates are you? Where¡¯s your honor? You¡¯re not narwhals at all! You can¡¯t even get rid of these two rascals; shame!¡±? After throwing him, he got up with terror on his face. ?"I¡¯m sorry, Siren! I¡¯m sorry! We¡¯ll make sure to get them off the ship,"? pleaded one of the sailors, trembling in his voice. The Siren, as if she were the queen of the seas, pointed her long trident¡ªthat is, her tail¡ªat the crew, her gaze filled with rage and a desire for revenge.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ?"Take and capture all those brats,"? she ordered violently, ?"and leave Stubby Horn to me! I want to have some fun with that touchy sea fish! And don¡¯t disappoint me, or I¡¯ll cut off each of your tails!"? The moment her words echoed in the salty air, the men on board the pirate ship responded in unison with a terrified sneer: ?"At your command!"? The pirates, now furious and determined to please their fearsome captain, charged toward the crew with fierce energy and in greater numbers than before. Their heavy footsteps echoed on the deck of the ship as they brandished sharp spears, ready to skewer that poor duo like shish kebabs. The air thickened with tension, and the sound of clashing blades resonated as the two groups faced off in a ruthless struggle for survival. Natirra, needless to say, was in a panic, and this time fear took precedence over any other emotion. She had no way to defend herself, and the only option left was to flee. She began to run desperately across the ship, her legs shaking as she tried to distance herself from the rapidly approaching pirates. But soon she realized that fleeing was futile. She looked back and saw those determined pirates getting closer and closer, their fury and anger fueled by the ruthless captain commanding them, not letting up in their fight. One of the pirates grabbed her by the arm, holding her tightly. Then, with a defiant look, he took her as a hostage. As the battle raged around her, Natirra found herself there, powerless and at the mercy of the pirates who had shown they were willing to do anything to get their revenge. The situation seemed hopeless; organizing an escape for two wasn¡¯t particularly helpful, and it was already surprising that the two had managed to get as far as they had. The only one not yet captured was Gaid, who, with force, was positioned in a circle of big pirates, with only The Siren sitting there as a spectator the whole time, directly observing him. Natirra realized at that moment that whatever was between the two, it needed to be resolved immediately. Or at least, The Siren demanded it be resolved immediately. Gaid stepped forward, seeing himself surrounded by pirates; he was the only one who could do something, and he realized it immediately. He turned directly toward The Siren, in the same position as before the fight, and shouted loudly. ?¡°Aren¡¯t you ever satisfied?! I¡¯ll get my revenge for this! For what you did!¡±? The Siren did not react in any way; instead, maintaining an expression somewhere between playful and formal, she replied with a big smile. ?¡°Sure, do as you wish. I have an idea; since you¡¯re so fixated on your revenge, let¡¯s make a deal?¡±? ?¡°I¡¯ll never make a deal with you! You¡¯re disgusting, a disgusting being, and I hate you with every fragment of my heart. I¡¯ll never agree with a person like you, I¡¯ll never agree with any pirate roaming the seas of Black Island!¡±? Despite the immediate refusal, The Siren continued with her idea, which she probably had in mind from the beginning of the battle. ?¡°Let¡¯s do this: since we¡¯re already in the mood for fighting, and today I¡¯ve done nothing but roam the seas, I can say I¡¯m bored. Let¡¯s fight, okay? That¡¯s what you wanted, right?¡±? Everything paused for a second, and Gaid, to his surprise, calmed down, but still maintained a rude and direct tone. ?¡°Shoot quickly; I want to know what you¡¯re planning. And don¡¯t smile at me. I¡¯ll break your teeth!¡±? ?¡°You¡¯re quite rude; I wonder why I saved you¡­ Oh well, I suppose I¡¯ll fix my mistake today. Listen to me, I offer you a challenge between the two of us, no games, no tricks, pure strength. That¡¯s what you wanted, right?¡±? After a brief pause, it became clear that Gaid had indeed accepted, even if not explicitly; he could not and did not have the chance to refuse something like that¡ªhe was forced. ?¡°If you win the challenge and kill me, my crew will have the right to take you wherever you want. If you lose the challenge, I¡¯ll cut off your arms and legs and throw you into the sea¡­¡±? The situation was deteriorating, and Natirra suddenly felt more anxious from that last threat. However, she was trapped among the pirates. The Siren smiled. Her smile was not one of joy or kindness, but rather an enigmatic one, a smile that reflected her power and dominance over that moment. It was as if The Siren was in harmony with darkness itself, as if she were its undisputed queen. Her penetrating gaze shone into the souls of all of us, even her crewmates, and as the world around her enveloped in darkness, she seemed to flourish in that unsettling context. Gaid took a few steps back, he was pondering what to do in that situation, but it was too late to give up, and he couldn¡¯t, in any case. After all, it was an opportunity he had been given, and however absurd, one that could not be let slip away. ?¡°How can I trust you? How can I trust your men? They¡¯ll surely avenge their captain; I¡¯ve seen how loyal they are to you!¡±? But something, which Natirra mainly noticed, was apparent in those pirates. For some reason¡­ they were not so convinced; some had fearful looks on their faces, for some reason, they seemed to hold an irrational fear perpetrated in them. ?¡°I¡¯ll make sure they don¡¯t do anything to you; in the meantime, if they are loyal, they will know how to follow an order, won¡¯t they? Gaid, You¡¯re afraid to fight; I see you¡¯re scared, Stubby Horn.¡±? Gaid was scared, though not exactly terrified; it was more a deep hesitation, but the words that followed seemed to awaken something in him. ?¡°You better be stronger than your father, Agnates; I expect not to be disappointed, and that¡¯s what you¡¯re doing now¡ªdisappointing me. Your father truly had more courage, or at least, he put on more of a fight. You wouldn¡¯t know that though.¡±? With an almost colossal silence, a silence so deep that not even the crew dared to utter a single word, Gaid took an audacious and determined step. His movement was more aggressive than any other step he had ever taken. With a serious and focused expression, he stared directly into The Siren''s eyes, peering deep into the abyss of her gaze. ?¡°I¡¯ll cut off your tail, Roynel, I swear on the bandana of every pirate.¡±? Chapter 30 - Gaid’s Challenge CHAPTER 30 - GAID''S REVENGE
The seas were growing increasingly agitated, the waves crashing against the boat seemed to scream their impatience. The small vessel rocked up and down, as if dancing to the rhythm of the hidden forces beneath the sea. The wind, a trusted companion of this imminent challenge, howled and hissed through the sails, eager to participate in the upcoming adventure. The sun shone high in the sky, a sphere of radiant warmth with not a single cloud to obscure its light. Its golden rays danced on the surface of the water, creating sparkling reflections that seemed to invite the grand battle about to unfold. The pirates were all positioned in a circle, holding Natirra captive. ?¡°What did you say?¡±? she asked, almost amused by Gaid''s assertion. ?¡°I said I¡¯ll cut off your tail! Let¡¯s start this damn fight!¡±? With a hint of bravado, The Siren followed Gaid''s order. ?¡°With pleasure.¡±? Finally, she stopped sitting, rising her body with her powerful tail, moving forward and plunging her sharp hooks into the wooden floor of the ship. ?¡°Do you see these? You¡¯ll feel them on your skin soon enough. The first blow goes to you, Agnates.¡±? Hearing the challenge, Gaid lunged furiously toward the immobile Siren. ?¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡±? When he arrived, he aimed with his horn, like a bull ready to pierce the Siren, who, upon his immediate arrival, finally moved, detaching her hooks from the floor with surprising speed and, belly up, showed Gaid her tail, delivering a violent slap that sent him crashing onto his back. ?¡°Is this the best you can do, Gaid?¡±? She repositioned herself in a formal pose, while Gaid, furious, got back up, ready to throw more blows. ?¡°Now it¡¯s my turn,¡±? murmured The Siren. Quickly, using only her hooks and her tail, which she used for momentum off the ground, she approached with long, wide leaps. She jumped using her tail and properly anchored herself to the ground with the strength of her hooks, rapidly reaching Gaid''s position as he prepared to counterattack. ?¡°Ready for a headbutt?!¡±? he said before loading a pressurized water blast he had saved as a final strike for The Siren, but before he could hit her or even throw the attack, he felt the touch of The Siren''s tail around his legs. ?¡°Of course, Agnates, of course.¡±? ?¡°Ugh! C-co-¡±? Before he could finish realizing the situation, The Siren tightened her tail, which had wrapped around Gaid¡¯s legs like a venomous serpent, then lifted him into the air and slammed him repeatedly onto the deck of the ship. ?¡°You need to do better than this if you plan to survive!¡±? announced The Siren, her face and tone proud and amused, a blend of complex and constant happiness mixed with bizarre sadism. After a few blows, she threw the poor narwhal away from her. Gaid, with great effort, got up once more, this time with a clear wound on his leg. ?¡°Damn you¡­ You¡¯re just lucky.¡±? ?¡°Think what you want, Agnates, but it doesn¡¯t change who of us has more luck. In any case, you¡¯re still disappointing me; it¡¯s clear you don¡¯t fight like your father.¡±? Gaid, refusing to accept such an insult repeated by the Siren to tease him, sprang toward The Siren, ready to launch another attack. The Siren positioned her tail as yet another defense, but Gaid, in an unexpected move, dodged the imminent slap, scratching The Siren¡¯s tail in the process. ?¡°Ouch! Stubby Horn¡­!¡±? ?¡°Take this, Fishmonger!¡±? Before he could celebrate, he was grabbed by The Siren''s tail, which lifted him into the air once again. ?¡°You¡¯re not the only one who knows how to scratch, Agnates.¡±? The Siren, now lying on the floor and holding Gaid in the air, swiftly thrust her two hooks through his body in one single, diagonal blow, causing a bleeding wound on him and, yet again, throwing him back to the ground. This time, Gaid remained trembling on the floor before rising once more. Natirra stood there, immobile and stunned, in front of The Siren''s incredible abilities. She was stronger than any fighter she had ever seen in my life. Her strikes were incredibly powerful, leaving her breathless. Despite her lack of arms and legs, her coordination was astounding. Her tail seemed to be a perfect instrument for delivering devastating blows, perhaps even stronger than any human fist. Moreover, that tail also served as a shield, protecting her from counterattacks. However, Natirra couldn¡¯t help but feel the visceral anxiety that engulfed her at that moment. Her only hope was that Gaid would manage to recover. They both knew that if they lost this challenge, they would be condemned to a horrible death at the bottom of the sea, devoured by the seaweed of the abyss. They could not afford to lose, and Gaid knew it well. Despite the wounds he had sustained, he covered the main injury and managed to gather his strength to utter more threats to The Siren.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ?¡°T-... this is just a warm-up. When I get my hands on you, you¡¯ll pay¡­¡±? ?¡°You have courage, Agnates. But it doesn¡¯t seem like the wind is blowing in your favor; you should reconsider your chances of victory, don¡¯t you think?¡±? The Siren continued to retort, her tone embodying certain victory and her pride in achieving it. At that point, it was no longer a fight; she was simply having fun. ?¡°I¡¯ll never surrender, not with you, Roynel. Not with you.¡±? ?¡°You still burn, don¡¯t you? I can understand, but it¡¯s not my fault; we¡¯re pirates, that¡¯s what pirates do, don¡¯t you think?¡±? ?¡°You¡¯ve taken what was most dear to me, and I won¡¯t allow such a great offense to be dealt to a member of the Agnates family; no Agnates accepts defeat, nor even insults! All your pirates share this crime! I¡¯ll kill all of you!¡±? ?¡°Clear enough, Stubby Horn. But you should accept my mercy. Are you still planning to continue fighting? Or do you want to end it, and we can move to the part where you surrender?¡±? Gaid, determined and ignoring The Siren¡¯s question, decided to make one last desperate attempt to attack her. With a determined run, he reached The Siren and prepared to fight. He launched a series of blows, primarily using his horn as a weapon. The Siren, with surprising agility, managed to dodge all his attacks, and in response, landed a direct hit to his stomach that sent the brave fighter reeling back. Despite the near-fatal injuries he had sustained, Gaid did not back down in the face of imminent defeat. This time, Gaid managed to stay on his feet, quickly recovering from the blow. But a few seconds later, he was hit by a direct slap to the nose, causing a cascade of blood to pour from his face and forcing him to kneel. The Siren was demonstrating overwhelming superiority, and hope seemed to fade slowly as Gaid struggled to remain standing. ?¡°You¡¯re pathetic,¡±? The Siren pronounced, pride oozing from her being. ?¡°No member of my crew has ever managed to defeat me, and you think you¡¯re different? I¡¯ve fought for the seas of Black Island since I was young; I swam across the entire Dull Ocean. And I even survived Black Island itself. I don¡¯t even need legs to defeat you.¡±? ?¡°It d-doesn¡¯t c-ch-¡±? ?¡°What? What would you like to tell me, Stubby Horn? Do you still have the energy to insult me after the humiliation I¡¯ve caused you?¡±? ?¡°N-no¡­¡±? Gaid stuttered from the pain, but he spat out his next statement with the utmost confidence. ?¡°It doesn¡¯t change the fact that you¡¯re just a filthy pirate, without respect or dignity!¡±? ?¡°You¡¯ve got guts, I¡¯ll admit that. But that¡¯s all you have; I don¡¯t see any strength in you, and that¡¯s fine; I see you don¡¯t give up. That¡¯s respectable, I can¡¯t deny it. I suppose I can have a little more fun before I kill you and end this party, okay?¡±? Gaid, once again, with devastating effort, got back up, ready for battle, trembling in a fighting stance. ?¡°But it¡¯s not fun to fight a corpse. So, I suppose I¡¯ll put another player in the match.¡±? Before she could continue, Gaid lunged at her in a miserable attempt to hit. ?¡°And move aside.¡±? She told him, before striking him with her tail, sending him crashing back to the ground. ?¡°I¡¯m giving you a chance to survive, and you throw it away? Stay still while I choose your snack buddy.¡±? The Siren¡¯s gaze fell on poor Natirra, who, watching the fight, had enough evidence to understand that she had made a grave mistake and that she would probably die. She felt sweat running down her forehead as she desperately tried not to let her anxiety show. The weight of responsibility that would fall on her if she were defeated would be overwhelming. If Gaid had ended up like this, it would be even worse for her. The Siren smiled sinisterly, with Gaid, her companion, behind her in terrible condition. He had been reduced to a state where he could not even get up to fight, and this sight was sad and desolate for anyone who was an outsider to the situation. Natirra, deep in her mind, tried to sort out her thoughts and fears, but it was useless; her legs felt weak already. The Siren had the power to decide who would live and who would die, and that moment of uncertainty seemed to last an eternity. She hoped that somehow fate would smile upon them and that they could escape the terrible fate looming over narwhals trapped in her jurisdiction. Suddenly, with growing terror, she saw the Siren pointing straight at her. Her mind filled with anguish, fearing that she would have to fight for her life. Deep down, she knew it would go this way. ?"Free the girl,"? she said with a malicious surprise in her voice. ?"I saw her arguing with Agnates. They must be friends, and friends help each other in battle, right?"? The announcement of her "liberation" felt like a sudden brick hit to her poor head; thus, the fate of Gaid and her truly rested on her, she thought, she could no longer afford mistakes. Today¡­ Today she could die, no¡­ Today she would probably die alongside Gaid. The pirate hesitated for a moment, unsure how to react to the Siren''s request. It was clear she was trying to exploit some possible bond between her and Agnates for her own ends. She wanted to have a bit of fun without any real risk. Still trembling with fear, she struggled to maintain a calm and composed expression. ?¡°Go on, assist your battle companion, what are you waiting for? I¡¯ll even give you a moment; thank my generosity, I don¡¯t offer it to everyone.¡±? She walked quickly toward Gaid, knowing she had nothing to do but at least try to help, and so she did. She approached his body, lying on the ground, trying to get up. ?¡°G-gaig.. Gaid!¡±? The Siren watched with sadistic pleasure the tragic scene. ?¡°Gaid¡­ Gaid, we¡¯re going to die!¡±? She said, terror in her eyes. But before she could panic, she heard him whisper something audible only to her. ?¡°L-listen to me... I have... I have a p-p-plan.¡±? ?¡°W-what plan?¡±? She was curious; this was their last chance. If Gaid had even the slightest idea for a plan, it could save them. ?¡°D..-Distract the Siren, I..-I have an idea...¡±? Chapter 31 - Gaid’s Revenge CHAPTER 31 - GAID''S REVENGE
?"W-what..? What do you mean by¡­ distract her..?"? ?"It means you fight, we fight, but I need you to distract her for a few minutes. You can do that, right?"? Natirra was not capable of doing that at all, and Gaid knew it well, that she wouldn¡¯t be able to fend her off in any way, and she trembled at the thought of facing someone who had, with no effort at all, torn Gaid to pieces. Even though Natirra wasn¡¯t too surprised by Gaid¡¯s skills as a fighter, she knew that he was a thousand times stronger than her, and that at that moment, he was standing only through sheer determination. The responsibility, that crushing bastard, pressed down on her relentlessly, weighing on her like a boulder and even making it hard for her to breathe. In that moment, she had to stand her ground for the lives of two people, and not just that, now she was no longer a spectator¡ªshe was the main attraction. ?"Look, Gaid..."? she stammered, her voice full of despair. ?"I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be able to stop her. I don¡¯t think I have the strength to do it. I don¡¯t think I can keep her away, not even for a single minute."? The words came out as an admission, as if she wanted to free herself from the weight of that confession. She whispered it, deep down ashamed of this weakness, but she was afraid, and she couldn¡¯t deny it. ?"Are you done with your little break, lovebirds?"? announced The Siren in a shrill voice, sitting in the same position she had been before the duel: back when the pirates were still fighting. Gaid, realizing there was no more time for discussion, responded quickly and bluntly. He placed both hands on my shoulders and, with firm resolve, told me what he thought. ?"This is the only chance we have to stay alive, so you¡¯d better take it."? he said, with a resolute tone. But despite that, from the look on his face, I could see he wasn¡¯t too convinced either. ?"For once, be a soldier, and not a coward."? Those last words hit her harder than they should have. Gaid¡¯s tone was filled with disappointment and frustration, but at the same time, carried with it a sense of urgency. It was as if he was trying to ignite a spark within her, but at the same time, it was clear that he was scolding her. ¡°Coward?¡± She felt a hole in her chest in that moment, ¡°Me? A coward?¡± It wasn¡¯t so much the situation she was in now that troubled her, but those last words. Deep down, she knew she was that, a coward, but she didn¡¯t like hearing it said aloud¡ªit irritated her, incredibly so. She didn¡¯t quite understand why that irritation came suddenly, or from where, but looking around, she realized it was perhaps because, in that moment, she wasn¡¯t the only person who would suffer because of her fear. The Siren watched them closely, and the confrontation had become more than just a physical battle; it had become a challenge of determination and the ability to overcome her fears. It was, to some extent, necessary, given the tight situation, the only way forward. Gaid stared into her eyes, looking at her for what she was¡ªa hope for his plan. She didn¡¯t know what Gaid¡¯s plan was, but it was necessary for her to be part of it to try to win, to try to survive. At least now, with no other option, she had to do it, she had to try. She sighed and, with surprising confidence, removed Gaid¡¯s hands from her shoulders. Gaid too looked at her, puzzled. Natirra then pointed her fist towards The Siren, who finally could have some fun, and with the greatest confidence in the world, she shouted loudly and with a courage never seen before: ?"I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll hang your tail on the wall!"? A few seconds later, when Natirra saw The Siren smile maliciously and pin the hooks to the ground, just as she had done with Gaid at the start of his duel, she realized she had made the biggest mistake of her life. She had the feeling her fate was sealed, that she was about to be roasted or thrown into the deepest depths of the sea. But it was too late to turn back; there was no going back. Even though she was already sweating from anxiety before the fight had even begun, she remained firmly anchored to the idea that she had been forced into this challenge. Besides, a part of her felt indebted to Gaid, who had done so much for her, even helping her escape and discover the truth. She had to prove she wasn¡¯t the coward she¡¯d been called, and this challenge was her chance to do it. It was strange to think that just a few days ago, she couldn¡¯t have imagined being in a situation like this. And that Natirra had been living her simple life on the island of Amelis, like a typical narwhal of her age. But that time was gone, perhaps it was fate, perhaps it was the sea calling her. But it was undeniable that now, she was here. ?"I¡¯ll let you have the first move. You¡¯re on my ship; it would be a shame if I didn¡¯t give you a bit of a welcome."? Natirra closed her eyes.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°One attempt, right?¡± She remembered the words the Siren she had said to Gaid at that moment. ¡°You¡¯ve got guts, quite a bold face.¡± Said The Siren, then, completely ignoring the surrounding environment, she sat down, using her tail as support for her nonexistent legs, while scratching it with one of the hooks, like a grandmother lecturing her grandchildren, as if she were giving a scolding. ¡°First I destroy your island, and leave you alive, and after my generosity, you dare to return. Curious cats die, you know?¡± She had destroyed the village, or at least, seemed to have caused some damage to hia personal life, and she couldn¡¯t allow it to continue. She would have to help Gaid¡­ She didn¡¯t really know how to organize her thoughts¡ªat that moment her brain was a confused jumble of troubling thoughts and equal anxieties, but she understood one thing¡ªit was time to defeat her, she had to try. She turned towards Gaid and¡­ he was no longer there. She realized he had suddenly disappeared. At first, Natirra thought he might have fled, but¡­ it was impossible. It didn¡¯t make sense. It had to be part of his plan, but that didn¡¯t reassure Natirra at all. ¡°Damn, it doesn¡¯t change the inevitable, which is that I¡¯m alone, damn it¡­ Well, not that he would have been much help in the state he was in.¡± ?"Such a coward, aren¡¯t you in a hurry?"? The Siren was there, provoking her. It was her moment, and with a precise and determined lunge, Natirra rushed toward her, ready to throw a punch or just any kind of blow, but before the punch could land, she blocked the arm she was throwing it with one of her hooks. ?"You¡¯re slow, and it wouldn¡¯t have hurt anyway, but it¡¯s a decent attempt."? She lifted her by that single arm until every part of Natirra¡¯s body was off the ground. Then, with incredible violence, she slammed her into the ground. But she wasn¡¯t finished yet¡ªshe flipped her onto her back and used her two hooks as rear supports, then with her tail, struck her from behind, sending her rolling like a barrel for several meters. ?"This time, I won¡¯t spare you like I did with Stumpy Horn. He and I have unfinished business. You, to me, are dead meat, and you even made me wait."? There wasn¡¯t even time to recover before she was already rushing at Natirra with devastating speed, and before she could make any desperate reaction, with her left hook she carved a long gash along one of the poor girl¡¯s legs, wounding her. Then, just like before, she kicked her again, and as light as a feather, she was sent flying meters away. This time, The Siren was merciful, giving her time to recover, which Natirra inevitably did. But she knew it wouldn¡¯t last, and despite her already low expectations at the start of the fight, things were even worse than she thought. She was already in terrible shape, and the fight had just begun. Unarmed, with a gash on her leg that essentially made her less effective, and already short of breath, she could only hope that whatever plan Gaid had come up with would take effect immediately, because at this rate, she didn¡¯t know how much longer she could hold out before losing her feathers¡ªfor real this time. She couldn¡¯t give up, she didn¡¯t know what was happening inside her, but she felt a flame ignite in her heart, she felt as though a part of her soul was lighting up. Despite being infected with fear, something inside her refused to let her give up, something kept her heart alive and her body standing, but she couldn''t understand what it was. Something tugged at her brain, like some kind of sense of justice, a strange moral feeling. ¡°Am I really going to die soon?¡± At least not without an attempt. How many hits had she actually landed¡­ Not even one. She couldn¡¯t allow that, she made one last dash, with unusual speed, ready to charge at the Siren once more with her terrifying surge of adrenaline. This time, she aimed with her horn, but before she could deal any real damage, she suddenly felt blocked by something. With a quick glance upwards, she realized that the Siren''s tail had partially wrapped around her own, before further coiling around her body and neck. At first, her mind couldn¡¯t fully grasp the situation, but then the harsh reality hit her as the young girl felt the tail tightening relentlessly around her neck. Panic began to rise inside her as she realized what was happening. She was being strangled by the Siren. In a fit of desperation, she tried to grab the tail that was squeezing her neck, but it was slippery and unyielding. The Siren, with a strength that seemed inhuman, lifted her body off the ground, making her feel completely powerless. Her body screamed out for air, and as she fought to survive, the adrenaline coursed wildly through her system. All of her remaining strength was funneled into a desperate attempt to pry the Siren¡¯s tail from her neck, but it seemed her grip was indestructible. ?¡®You sailors are all so predictable, it¡¯s almost funny, oh! Watching you charge at me, it almost looked like you could do something. But... No, it¡¯s no fun anymore, it¡¯s too easy.¡¯? She grabbed her and, for the umpteenth time, slammed her back onto the ground, repeating the process about four times, picking her up from the floor and smashing her down with force, leaving her helpless on the ground, vision blurred, breath all but gone. She knew she was dangerously close to her end, and that all her efforts had truly been in vain. This time, the Siren prepared for a final blow, to finish off Natirra after her mediocre performance. She positioned herself belly up, as if lying down but not completely, lifting herself a few meters off the ground. She was ready, her expression determined, as she raised her massive tail, aiming it directly at her head, now laying on the ground and totally vulnerable. She looked up, staring at that threatening tail that loomed towards the sky. It was a terrifying sight, and knowing that tail would likely crush her head, she was aware she wouldn¡¯t meet a pleasant end. Her body trembled in terror as she mentally braced for the impact. Every second felt like an eternity, and the shadow of the Siren¡¯s tail grew longer and longer above her. There was no more time to think of an escape, she had to do something quickly to save myself from this impending threat. But suddenly, something stopped that act. Gaid, as if he had materialized out of nowhere, reappeared, this time less fatigued than before. Natirra didn¡¯t know exactly where he had been, she hadn¡¯t fully grasped it, but she understood one thing: it wasn¡¯t her end yet, and she still had something resembling a chance, that she might survive. Gaid screamed with all his might: ?¡®Roynel, this time... this time you¡¯re truly dead!¡¯? Geography! With Igre 2 - The Pirate Council GEOGRAPHY! WITH IGRE 2 - THE PIRATE COUNCIL
Greetings everyone! In this episode of ''Geography! With Igre,'' I will tell you about the dreaded plague surrounding our far western islands, The Pirate Council! The Pirate Council was founded after the union of criminal pirate crews who, under their own agreement, decided to operate without disturbing each other. Of course, wars between aggressive pirates still happen, but that doesn¡¯t change the fact that, in case of emergency, all the pirates might come together.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. The Pirate Council is a criminal organization that operates in the seas at the borders of the empire, in areas that are less controlled. Needless to say, they pose a danger to the empire and certainly to the small islands that lie on the empire''s borders. Pirates are an incredible threat to the outer islands, as they plunder most of their possessions, ruining expeditions and commercial voyages. The most distant islands like, in this example, the far western islands, are harder for the empire to control, making it extremely difficult to eradicate them. It was founded some time before the establishment of the Narwhal Empire and is led by the pirate crew that manages to demonstrate the most power over time, in this case, the feared Algalunga. That crew will be able to command all the other pirate crews. Their operative base is hidden in the mysterious Black Island, also known as the Island With No Law or the Bandit¡¯s Island, but their domain extends to the borders of the empire as their threat is to be recognized! Will our heroes defeat the menacing pirates? Will they destroy the council? The road seems very far from achieving that¡­ But now more than ever, they have a reason to do so! That¡¯s all for now from Igre. Pirates may be menacing, but I¡¯m confident that we will get rid of them soon! Chapter 32 - Captain Gaid! CHAPTER 32 - CAPTAIN GAID!
?"''I suppose I¡¯ll have to take you with me. Everything is a resource, even people, right? You¡¯re such a nuisance, you¡¯re truly pathetic.''"? With a sharp, violent strike, she stomped on his head, stopping him for a moment as he tried to recover from the blow. ?"''I¡­"? he muttered, the floor around him now soaked with tears, ?¡±I¡­"? "I¡¯m going to kill you!" Gaid shouted aloud, his voice shaking with emotion as tears streamed down his face. Fueled by rage, he unleashed a fast and powerful jet of water, more intense and violent than the previous ones, rushing rapidly toward its target. The Siren, caught off guard by the situation, lifted her tail in a desperate attempt to block or at least deflect the devastating blow. However, Natirra didn¡¯t miss the opportunity, and with the little strength she had left, she lunged at the Siren, further confusing her. The Siren turned towards Natirra, distractedly raising her tail. But due to this sudden action, fate had a cruel surprise in store for her: Gaid¡¯s water blast pierced through her, sending a small spray of blood from where it hit, rendering her tail useless as it was severed clean off. The Siren let out a scream of agony as red liquid splattered across the wooden deck of the ship. Gaid stood firm in his resolve, showing no sign of remorse. Of all the things that could have happened, this was the most extreme. But Gaid did not respond, his face dark, almost surrounded by a strange and aggressive aura. After realizing that the blow had severed the tail, he immediately swung his head horizontally, slicing off her arms as well. The pirates watched in shock, utterly stunned to see their captain defeated in such a manner. Natirra didn''t know how to react and let go of the Siren she had been holding onto. She crawled back a few steps to distance herself, positioning herself to get a clear view of the situation. For a moment, she could see the life fading from the Siren''s eyes, perhaps caused by the immense amount of pain she had suffered in such a short time. But soon, the Siren gathered herself¡ªthough ¡°gathering¡± was an exaggeration for what she had just gone through¡ªand began writhing on the floor. In that moment, when Natirra realized that Gaid had practically won the entire battle with that extraordinary move, she let her body fall, lying on the floor and taking a deep breath. It was a mix of contrasting emotions that washed over her. She had successfully distracted the Siren, but the sense of victory clashed with a deep humiliation. She had endured a series of blows for at least ten long, agonizing minutes. Her wounds were visible, and the exhaustion weighed heavily on her, worsening her injuries. If not for that final attempt, she struggled to imagine the fate she would have met. She breathed deeply, trying to summon the strength to stand again, aware that the battle might not be over yet. She had to gather all her remaining energy and determination, for both her pride and the sake of their cause. Meanwhile, as she recovered, the situation continued to unfold. Gaid approached the Siren, who was now in a miserable state, lying on the floor, groaning in pain, with every possible limb missing. She was nothing but pitiful. ?"H-how could you... You¡­!"? the Siren cried out, her voice laden with emotion, as she lay on the ground, watching in horror as Gaid¡¯s shadow loomed over her. Gaid clenched his fist, his eyes sharp with determination as he began to speak. Despite her outburst of defiance, almost an insult directed at Gaid, after some time, as the pain became unbearable, part of her began to plead for mercy. Yet, on her face remained a clear look of realization. ?"P-please, Agnates... Don¡¯t... don¡¯t kill me."? It might have sounded ironic at that moment, but the tone in which she spoke was a true plea. Gaid looked at her, but without a trace of emotion on his face. Instead, a vision of his father flashed before his eyes.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ?"Rather than giving up every time things don¡¯t go your way, why don¡¯t you start enduring your losses? If you come to me every time something bad happens, you¡¯ll never become the warrior you so desperately aim to be."? ?"You took the thing I cared about most, my family. And I have rewarded you by taking away what you cared about most."? Before continuing the next part of his speech, Gaid threateningly aimed his horn at the Siren, who, now immobile and unable to move, had no chance of avoiding the impending strike. The air seemed almost tangible, thick with tension. As Gaid prepared to deliver the final blow, the Siren, vulnerable and terrified, realized her fate was inevitable. Her voice was choked with fear and regret, while her heart raced in the face of her imminent end. The scene unfolded in eerie silence, broken only by the sound of the surrounding sea, which seemed to have calmed in anticipation of what was to come. Gaid was poised to carry out the act he had sworn to perform, and the Siren¡¯s fate hung by a thread. ?"But now I have only made you pay for what you did to me. The price for what you did to my village remains unpaid. So..."? The next part he shouted, his voice painted with fiery emotions, clenching both fists, as if on the verge of tears. ?"So die, disappear from the face of this planet, Roynel! And all the disgusting scum like you!"? With that proclamation, and before the Siren could respond in any way, a jet of pressurized water shot from Gaid¡¯s horn. Aimed directly at Roynel¡¯s head, it pierced through with frightening ease, sending a small spurt of blood from her skull. In just a few seconds, she fell to the ground with a loud thud, motionless. That was the moment when Natirra realized the Siren was truly dead, lying in a pool of blood, and that Gaid, with a proud expression, had finally killed her. There was a pause, and the ship fell into an eerie silence. Natirra and Gaid stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. They didn¡¯t know what to do next, but something completely unexpected would soon direct them to their next course of action. Suddenly, as if the ship had burst into an absurd explosion of joy, it transformed into a place of perpetual celebration. Every single pirate on board began jumping and dancing with joy, their faces radiating happiness and smiles. Natirra and Gaid watched in amazement and confusion, unable to understand what on earth was happening. The two bewildered narwhals exchanged perplexed glances, trying to determine if this transformation was real or some kind of trick. It was a surreal sight, seeing their enemies suddenly turn into wild partygoers. The confusion grew as they tried to discern if there was a reason behind this sudden celebration or if it was the result of some incomprehensible spell or mystery. The pirates sang together as they approached Gaid, who had remained frozen by the scene along with Natirra. ?"Oh Gaid! That¡¯s your name, right?"? Gaid didn¡¯t know how to respond, but he nodded. One of the pirates took it upon himself to explain the reason behind this strange festivity. ?"You¡¯ve saved us, Gaid! You and your strange friend!"? Natirra felt insulted; she was not strange. Gaid looked at him, confused. ?"Why are you celebrating? I defeated your captain."? Then, the pirate turned to all the others who were celebrating. ?"No, you¡¯ve freed us."? He then began to explain. ?"You see... we, too, like you, come from a village that was attacked by her original crew. We were kidnapped and forced to be her slaves. After all, you saw for yourself the terrifying strength she possessed..."? Everyone, who had stopped celebrating to listen to the story, nodded. ?"Haven''t you ever rebelled?"? Natirra asked, confused. ?"No... We tried a few times, but every time the leaders of the rebellion were brutally defeated. They were killed right in front of us, and we understood that we would never be able to defeat her. Even when her original crew died, we knew that even alone, the Siren was unbeatable."? Another pirate from the back of the crowd continued, ?"We followed her orders because we knew that failure would mean our death! She would dispose of us without hesitation, but you saved us! Hail to you! Gaid and his strange friend! You are our true captains!"? ?"Hail to Gaid and his strange friend!"? ?"I¡¯m not strange!"? Natirra exclaimed, jumping up and down, but feeling the weight of her injuries, she fell to the ground. Gaid, seeing this, was also losing his strength. He watched the crew celebrating and decided to assert his position as captain. ?"We need to heal ourselves."? All the pirates looked at each other, confused. After their silent exchange, they turned back to Gaid. ?"We don¡¯t have any! Usually, when one of us was mortally wounded, the Siren simply threw them into the sea."? Gaid took a moment to reflect. ?"Where exactly are we?"? he asked, scanning the waters. One of the pirates quickly replied, ?"In the waters off Okinara Island, Captain."? Holding his hand over the wound on his chest, he spoke in an authoritative tone. ?"Let¡¯s head straight for that island; we need medical attention."? And so, all the pirates looked at each other, exclaiming, ?"Follow the captain''s orders!"? Chapter 33 - Sailor Duo CHAPTER 33 - SAILOR DUO
The prisons were silent, Polyvoro¡¯s ship at times seemed entirely devoid of any possible sound, but in that moment of said tranquility, in which pirates could enjoy a moment of peace, the unexpected happened: from Kain and Monomia¡¯s cell came a loud thud, and suddenly, all the bars that had kept them inside the cell were destroyed, leaving a cloud of dust that menacingly revealed the two Narwhals, ready to escape. ?"Ready to leave?"? Kain announced with motivation, looking at Monomia. ?"Yes, sir."? ?"I tried to escape several times before you arrived, but I never succeeded. I¡¯m confident that as a team we can handle these pirates, then we¡¯ll deal with the big boss, understood?"? Monomia turned toward him, and with an approving look and a quick smile, agreed to Kain''s plan. ?"Sure."? Suddenly, from the surface, a huge platoon of pirates started to march down to investigate the source of the strange noise. ?"What the hell... Prisoners! They¡¯re escaping!"? one of the pirates shouted as he saw Kain and Monomia outside their cell. The two turned toward the group of pirates who had by then drawn their swords, ready to deal with the rebels. ?"We won¡¯t get out of here without a bit of blood, you know that, right?"? Monomia said, locking eyes on the pirates, with Kain beside him. ?"Of course, I know, idiot! I noticed, I¡¯ve been on this ship longer than you... So don¡¯t act all smart. Now, enough talk and useless discussions, let¡¯s have some fun."? ?"Kill the prisoners! Don¡¯t let them escape!"? The horde of pirates rushed at the two, who were prepared for the response. Kain made the second move, charging a punch, he threw himself into the horde coming at him like a train. ?"This time, I¡¯m getting out of here, you damn pirates!"? With a well-charged punch, he hit all the pirates heading toward him, knocking them in the opposite direction from where they were aiming to go. Then, immediately after, he set to work dealing with them manually. Monomia, behind him, also took care of the pirates. ?"Ugh!"? he grunted automatically, dodging a pirate¡¯s sword, and with a quick move, tripped him, making him fall to the ground and, with sudden force and aggression, striking the poor pirate¡¯s face with his knee. ?"There are too many of them, Kain."? ?"Doesn¡¯t matter, are you hurt?"? Kain asked, in the middle of the fight, dodging around four swords clashing with each other as they tried to skewer the fugitive prisoner. ?"No... not yet, but they keep showing up, how many of them are there?!"? ?"Must be the whole crew..."? After uttering those words, he dodged two swords that simultaneously lunged at him, ducking, and taking advantage of the confusion of the two pirates around him at that moment, with a well-aimed blow to their two nether regions, he knocked them both down. Immediately after, he grabbed one of the pirates'' swords, tossing the other toward Monomia, who caught it quickly before returning to a personal duel with one of the pirates. The pirate delivered a strong blow that Monomia blocked with the sword he had just gained, then, after locking the swordsman in place, he landed a hook to his liver, dropping him to the floor in pain. After a few minutes of battle, not many pirates remained, but they fought on fiercely and without surrender, hoping to stop the prisoners. That mass of pirates had been torn apart; no longer fighting as a horde, but each like a lone knight trying to kill a target, often hitting themselves. Despite the chaos, Kain and Monomia seemed quite organized, and they didn¡¯t let themselves get distracted or quickly worn out, despite the large number of warriors trying to assault them. Finally, with everyone knocked to the ground, the two could take a moment of rest. With a deep breath, Kain could finally continue. ?"Damn... There were really a lot of them, huh?"? ?"We handled them well. Are you ready to escape?"? Monomia was scarily motivated, completely different from before. What Kain had said to him echoed in his mind... ¡°Wipe your tears Monomia, sailors don¡¯t cry, they fight. And get up, I can¡¯t stand people who give up. It¡¯s never the end of the journey.¡± It was never the end of the journey, no matter the situation, no matter the obstacles they would have to face, no matter the circumstances, one should never give up on their journey. Suddenly, before Kain could give further instructions, they noticed something. ?"D-damned sailors... we¡¯ll k-kill both of you!"? Slowly but inevitably, all the pirates who had been knocked down were getting back up, ready for battle. ?"Kain... Th-they¡¯re... they¡¯re getting back up."? Kain suddenly stepped back, until he had all the pirates, now ready to rise again, in front of him. A sort of dark aura seemed to surround Kain¡¯s figure at that moment, and with a face full of serious determination, he began to speak to Monomia, who was confused by Kain¡¯s actions.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ?"Monomia, I¡¯ll handle them now."? ?"Wh-what are you planning to do?!"? ?"There¡¯s a reason I always say I could beat Carpos. That bastard doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m stronger than him, or at least, that I know tactics that would destroy him, I¡¯m just physically weaker."? Monomia watched him, even more confused. ?"What are you rambling about?!"? ?"Monomia! Do you think Carpos is stronger than me?!"? ?"What the... what kind of question is that? This is not the time for such things!"? ¡°Shut up and answer!¡± Kain exclaimed, now in position. ?"C-Carpos, I think... but... why?!"?, refusing to continue explaining the reasons for his questions, Kain decided to move directly to action. ?"Monomia, move aside! I¡¯m going to take care of all of them at once, now that they¡¯re on the ground, move, quickly!"? Monomia, following Kain¡¯s orders, stepped behind him, curious to see what he could do. The pirates, meanwhile, had finally risen, recovering from the beatings they had received, ready to fight again. They picked up their weapons, but before they could take a step, Kain unleashed his final attack. ?¡°Monomia! Behold what I¡¯ve learned during my time in this prison! And then you tell me if that sardine Carpos is stronger than me! I¡¯ve been preparing for this moment for a long time!¡±? Suddenly, now in position and ready to strike, Kain¡¯s cheeks swelled, as did his horn, his nose, and his mouth. Despite his mouth being full of water or whatever substance had just filled his face, he managed to mutter one final sentence to the poor pirates, moments before their tragic fate. ?¡°Die, Fishmongers!¡±? Uttering those fateful words, like a tsunami, Kain sprayed an immense amount of pressurized water toward the sailors. From every pore on his face, the horn, the mouth, the nostrils, and even the gills, streams of water shot out and merged into a huge wave that blasted directly at the pirates, flooding the entire prison area and hitting every single pirate in front of them, who, upon impact with the water, could do nothing but groan in pain. Monomia watched in astonishment at that pure display of skill, something he had never seen before, and after a few seconds, he could see the results. When the wave ended, Kain dropped to his knees to recover, coughing heavily from the exhausting attack. Monomia looked at the bodies of the pirates, now completely shredded by the water, as if the water had a thousand blades or tons of sharks ready to devour them. Their bodies lay on the ground, lifeless, full of cuts. After recovering, Kain got up with difficulty. ?"How the hell did you do that...?"? Monomia asked in surprise. ?"Water Blast Range. It¡¯s a technique I learned when I was younger, they used it in a different way to cut metal. But I never practiced it until I had time here. Since I didn¡¯t know what else to do, I set my mind to learning it, thinking it would help me get out of here. All this time I¡¯ve been practicing it on a small scale, spraying like a little fountain in my cell. But..."? Monomia shifted his gaze to the bodies of the pirates. ?"It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve tried it on such a... large scale."? ?"You caused a huge mess... and you killed them all, but... it was a really cool move!"? Monomia was excited. ?"You have to teach it to me. Absolutely! Carpos never told me anything about this, you have to tell me! How do you do it?! Come on!"? A blow to the head hit Monomia, as Kain, in a rage, turned to him. ?"Focus on escaping from here first! Got it?! And don¡¯t make too many requests, you sound like a child!"? The two, now together and finally free from the number of pirates they had to face, began making their way through the ship''s lower chambers until they inevitably reached the surface of the ship, emerging directly under the shadow of the main mast. Finally, after so much time, they could see the light again. The sun shone intensely in the sky, its brilliant light kissing the earth with heat and intensity. There wasn¡¯t a single cloud to obscure its power. Shadows were sharp and precise, cast with clarity by every object, while the ground warmed under its embrace. The air vibrated with heat, making the landscape ripple with an atmosphere of calm and serenity. The objects on the ground seemed to dance under its burning majesty, as nature bowed to its greatness. But it wasn¡¯t the time to get caught up in the strength of the sun, and despite it being a strange experience to suddenly observe it again, especially for Kain, who had been left in those cold cells for months, there was no time to linger¡ªthey needed to escape. ?"Kain..."? Monomia said to Kain, who was busy staring at the sky. ?"The pirates... they¡¯re not here."? Kain quickly turned after hearing what Monomia had said. ?"You... you¡¯re right!"? The ship was completely empty, devoid of any crew members. The two of them, thinking it over, arrived at one conclusion. ?"That¡¯s why there were so many pirates down there. It was the entire crew."? ?"So all that¡¯s left is... the capt-"? Before Monomia could finish his sentence, a mysterious figure appeared behind them, ready to introduce himself. ?"Captain Polyvoro. Yes, it¡¯s me. The captain of this crew, the crew of Polyvoro. Though I should call it a crew of losers, apparently."? The two turned around and quickly stepped back, so as not to be too close to the captain. ?"Polyvoro..."? Kain said, his voice full of hatred. ?"Kain, damn you. I knew I should have put you down. I can¡¯t believe they gave you a cellmate. What idiots, what were they thinking?"? ?"It doesn¡¯t matter about the others, your entire crew is dead, all of them!"? ?"Hah! Do you think that intimidates me, Kain? I already know, I expected those amateurs to die like that. Fighting a prisoner, what a disappointment. I needed a stronger crew."? Monomia, despite them talking about their enemies, couldn¡¯t help but feel offended. ?"A stronger crew?! You don¡¯t care about your crew?! What kind of person are you?!"? ?"Don¡¯t give me a lecture, kid. I know what I¡¯m doing, so don¡¯t try to judge me, understood? Now, let¡¯s move on to the more important things at this moment¡ªdo you really think I¡¯m going to let you escape from this ship? After all the trouble you¡¯ve caused me? Especially you, Kain¡ªdo you think I¡¯m going to let you go?"? ?"We didn¡¯t come out expecting you wouldn¡¯t try to stop us, so trust me, we¡¯re ready to beat you down."? Polyvoro, hearing what Kain said, broke into a smile. ?"What are you smiling at?"? Kain said, furious. ?"I¡¯m certainly not going to let you fight me first. I want to give you a bit of happiness before I crush you like insects. You haven¡¯t killed all of my crew, after all. I¡¯ve got one last warrior to throw at you, so you can show me what you¡¯re really capable of."? Chapter 34 - Momonkey CHAPTER 34 - MOMONKEY
Monomia and Kain remained still, but on guard. They were ready to face any enemy that would stand before them. The plan was clear: after defeating Polyvoro, they would escape using the ship to the nearest island, and they were only a few steps away from making it happen. ?"What do you have to send us, Polyvoro? Are you too cowardly to face us personally? Or are you scared of how we¡¯ve decimated your crew? You''re such a coward!"? Kain said, with a tone and expression almost vain. Monomia turned towards him, despite being in the middle of the fight, with a look that screamed ?"Don¡¯t brag too much."? Sure, he was impressed, but now it was time to be serious. ?"Kain... How dare you..."? Polyvoro exploded with fury on his face. ?"Out of everyone, you are the biggest coward, and also a nuisance. I still don''t understand how I''ve had you around for so long, but now it''s over, I assure you... Once this is over, you will beg for my forgiveness. I will kill you, and your death will mean nothing! You¡¯re nothing but a miserable slave!"? Polyvoro laughed, trying to mask his annoyance at what had happened and the disrespect he was enduring. But he remained calm. Monomia couldn¡¯t bear anyone talking to his companion like that, a companion with whom he had built trust for so long, and who, even in a situation like this, had helped him escape. Sure, the two didn¡¯t always get along, but between friends, between comrades, you laugh together, you cry together, and you fight together. Monomia felt a shiver of anger run down his spine as the enemy¡¯s contemptuous words echoed in the air. Words had the power to wound deeply, but Monomia''s determination was even stronger. He turned towards Kain, his adventure companion, with a look of solidarity and encouragement. They had been through so many challenges together, sharing moments of joy and sadness, and no insult could ever undermine their deep friendship. Monomia suddenly walked forward, approaching the captain with determined steps, closing the distance between them to just a few meters. His face was twisted with anger, and he clenched his fist with firm resolve as he spoke to the captain with fiery words. ?"You''re a disgrace of a captain!"? Monomia shouted with a voice filled with indignation. ?"A true captain, a real sailor, understands that insults to their comrades cannot be tolerated. And I will never accept the insult you¡¯ve thrown at my crewmate! Pirate scum like you could never understand!"? Monomia''s words echoed in the air, vibrating with resolve. The captain, caught off guard by his fierce reaction, was left speechless, though his expression betrayed some disturbance. Monomia raised his fist, displaying it as a sign of challenge and threat. ?"I will personally kill you!"? he declared firmly, announcing his intention to defend his companion¡¯s honor at all costs and to put an end to the insult inflicted by the captain. Polyvoro, realizing it was time to act, pulled out his last card. ?"Go, Momonkey!"? The sound of a sword being drawn could be heard in the distance, briefly distracting both warriors. In front of them appeared the figure they would have to fight. Before them stood a small boy, seemingly short, fragile, and thin, but nothing particularly special. What was truly remarkable at that moment was the strange peculiarity of this individual. It was clear that he could be nothing more than a child, yet his entire face was covered by a mask that gave the appearance of an unknown animal, one neither of them had ever seen before. The only thing visible was his thick and long purple hair. Without uttering a word, Momonkey pointed his sword towards the two warriors. The blade of the sword glittered in the sunlight, menacing and ready for action. Kain, seeing Momonkey''s sword pointed at them, almost burst out laughing. He couldn¡¯t help but use this moment to mock Polyvoro. With a sarcastic smile, he shot sharp words at the enemy: ?"I see you use kids to fight, I thought you''d be better than that. And¡­ Momonkey?! What kind of name is that? Hahaha!"?This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ?"When you see the state he¡¯ll leave you in, you will bitterly regret what you just said to me."? Ordered the captain, and his orders were followed. That so-called kid, Momonkey, unleashed himself with surprising speed. With his sword pointed forward, he lunged at Kain with the intent to strike him down. Kain, however, proved to be just as quick and skilled. With a swift move, he gracefully dodged Momonkey''s blow, making his sword''s blade embed itself in the floor with a dull thud. ?"Monomia, you should be able to handle him. I¡¯ll distract him, you grab him."? ?"I¡¯m not sure, Kain¡­"? Monomia showed some hesitation, he wasn¡¯t going to go ahead so easily and quickly explained his reasons. ?"Look at him¡­ He¡¯s just a kid!"? Kain, who previously hadn¡¯t paid much attention to Momonkey¡¯s appearance, responded swiftly. ?"Actually¡­"? After a pause, and when Momonkey was ready to fight again, Kain gave a quick response to convince Monomia. ?"Don¡¯t worry, let¡¯s knock him out and take care of Polyvoro, then we¡¯ll see what to do."? ?"Alright!"? Monomia replied, fortunately convinced. Momonkey, once again, charged at them, this time attempting to strike Kain again, who, fortunately, was able to dodge his blow once more. ?"Damn¡­ why are you only aiming at me?!"? Momonkey didn¡¯t reply, continuing to relentlessly attack Kain while he dodged each and every blow. Monomia, who had been inactive before, now joined the attack. ?"Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll help you!"? Quickly, dashing towards Momonkey, he surprised him from behind, and with a swift, calculated leg sweep, made him fall to the ground. However, Momonkey quickly and skillfully got back up, performing a somersault and kicking Monomia straight in the face, causing him to stumble a few meters back. ?"Damn, for a kid, he¡¯s really agile!"? ?"Enough¡­ We¡¯re not here to play with kids!"? Kain, furious at the sight of Momonkey even posing a slight obstacle to their escape, started fighting seriously, this time genuinely aiming to strike the boy. Momonkey, who was now ready to attack Monomia, who was distracted by the hit he had just taken, raised his sword. But in a quick move, Kain disarmed him with a harsh blow, making the sword fall to the ground and then tossing it away. ?"Perfect, now what will you do?"? Kain said with a proud smirk, mocking the boy. Suddenly, Momonkey returned to the attack, sword or no sword, he would continue fighting against them. He started throwing everything he had at Kain¡ªpunches, slaps, kicks¡ªall of which were blocked or dodged by Kain. ?"You might be threatening, but I assure you, you''re nothing special. Now¡­ Get out of my sight!"? With a direct hit to the chest, Kain surprised Momonkey, who froze for a second. It was time to end this annoying fight. Kain, with an agile kick aimed straight at his face, knocked off Momonkey¡¯s mask, making it fall to the ground, and essentially throwing him down as well. Monomia quickly picked up the mask, analyzing it for a second. The two had calmed down; after all, it hadn¡¯t been too difficult a fight, but this wasn¡¯t the fight that mattered¡ªPolyvoro was still there, watching the two warriors, and Kain and Monomia couldn¡¯t afford to be distracted. They were one step away from escaping that cursed ship. Polyvoro, however, watching the two defeat Momonkey with ease, couldn¡¯t control himself; this time, he was truly furious. They had ruined his crew, and they were close to ruining him as well. ?"W-what¡­?! You defeated him! In such a short time! It''s impossible, he¡¯s one of my best fighters!"? ?"A kid¡­? Ha!"? ?"This mask is really bizarre..."? Monomia muttered, observing the mask and analyzing it more closely. It was a brown mask, though it probably wasn¡¯t originally brown, as it seemed hastily and poorly painted. The wood was rotten, who knows how long it had been worn, plus, it had two small holes for the eyes and creepy teeth painted in. While Monomia was examining the mask, Kain was walking closer to Polyvoro, mocking him even further for the mere thought that such a warrior could defeat them. ?"Did you really think sending some kid would be enough to defeat us, Polyvoro? You underestimate us. But now it¡¯s over, we¡¯re getting out of here."? Momonkey, who had regained his senses, stood up, quickly realizing the loss of his mask, and looking at Monomia holding the mask fully. Now his face was more visible, his eyes so long they covered his eyes, and a button nose. It was even clearer how young he was, but that wasn¡¯t important. Small teardrops began to form on the boy¡¯s face as he ran towards Monomia, and finally, he began to speak. ?"Hey! My mask! Give me back my mask!"? The boy exclaimed, as he was blocked by Monomia''s hand, keeping him away and preventing him from retrieving the mask. ?"Interesting mask, kid, where''s it from?"? There was a hint of teasing in his tone, but genuine curiosity as well¡ªwhy would a boy walk around wearing an animal mask? ?"Give it back! Give it back!"? The boy kept whining, as Monomia raised the mask to a height the boy could never reach, not even by jumping, in a mocking gesture. ?"Sure, so you can punch me again? Forget it."? ?"I told you to give me my damn mask!"? ?"Why should I?! You tried to kill us!"? The two quickly shifted from a battle to something more akin to a childish argument. Kain and Polyvoro, who had been exchanging words earlier, started watching the scene, looking on in pity at what was happening. ?"Even your ally isn¡¯t that strong, Kain."? ?"If only he weren¡¯t such an idiot¡­"? Kain, seeing the scene drag on, decided to end it. ?"Monomia! Damn it! Will you shut up so we can get out of here?!"? Immediately after the scolding, both of the bickering parties fell silent.