The sun peeked over the horizon, showering the crew with its rays of warm comfort. The light danced on the ocean's surface, sending reflections bouncing against the caravel’s large sailcloths. The cries of seagulls had long since faded to be replaced by roiling waters sent crashing against the ship’s hull. The crashing waves sent a cool, salty spray washing over Erend. He closed his eyes and sucked in a greedy breath of the morning air.

So, this is what adventure tastes like?

It had been hours since they’d left the fort, yet he hadn’t been able to calm down enough to sleep. Instead, he’d sat down on the bow to enjoy the clear night skies.

The stars had shone brighter than he’d ever seen. Normally they were obscured by the city lights of con magic, but out here, where it was darker than dark during the night, he could see the true splendor of the night sky. He’d seen stars the like of which he didn’t even know existed. A pink and purple dust had filled the void he’d always thought was the color of uncaring black.

Just thinking of the fact that he and his family had crossed that endless star-filled sky using a teleportation circle had left him dizzy, and perplexed. How did teleportation even work? Did it send you hurtling through space at an incomprehensible speed? Or did you just instantly move from one space to the next? He knew that he wasn’t clever enough to unravel the mysteries of space travel, yet he couldn’t help but wonder.

His father had explained that the ethereal woman, Elísitrá, was an elven goddess of dusk and that his mother had called her the inevitable. As he watched the night sky, he’d begun to understand what she meant by that.

Where there is light, there must also always be dark. If the sun is to rise, it must also fall.

The night had passed him by in what felt like a mere instant, yet he knew that he’d spent hours on that bow, enthralled by the night sky.

What spread out before them now was the open skies of a plane left unexplored and the roiling waters of the ocean. Where they would end up, they did not yet know. All they knew was that they could not return. Not for a long time.

The night before, after his wrestling match with Charles, Anya had let them pick out weapons. Erend had thought about choosing a spear, but seeing as skilled swordsmen bridged the gap that he was afforded by the weapon every time he used it, he decided to pick out a sword and looked for a shield only to find out that the stolen cargo hadn’t included any.

No worries, I’ll get one later.

Under Anya’s guidance, he’d chosen a very unassuming sword. She said it was a bastard sword and had explained that it had a hilt long enough to grip with both hands while being light enough to swing with one hand – if you needed to. He very much liked the idea of being versatile. If his dreams had taught him anything, it was that things tended to go wrong very quickly. Having a versatile weapon allowed him to adapt to any sort of sudden change.

Charles had been against the idea of practicing anything besides the bow, but when Anya pointed out the dangers of shooting a bow while on a ship Charles relented and picked out a pair of daggers. It seemed that his excursion with Johann had an impact on him. It didn’t seem weird at all; Johann was a competent and reliable man from what Erend had seen.

Today would be the first day that the two practiced with their weapons, even Thomas had said that he would practice his skills so he wouldn’t be dead weight until they managed to get him some tools and set up a smithy.

A bell cut through the ambient noise of the ocean, alerting him that it was time for breakfast, and then training. He looked forward to it.

He got up with some effort, feeling how stiff his legs had become from sitting outside all night. Although Exodus was normally warm, sailing on the open oceans had proved to be quite a bit chillier.

He stretched his arms to the sky and let out a pleased yawn. Being free like this, outside of society, felt better than he’d ever expected.

He crossed the deck. Bernard still stood at the wheel, keeping a vigilant watch. For some reason, he had picked out Mary to take the wheel when he had to rest. She stood next to Bernard, absorbing all the knowledge he was willing to impart, they were constantly bickering. But it felt like a warmer bickering than before, familial almost.

He climbed down below deck to their dining room. They’d managed to get their hands on provisions before leaving the fort. Dried meats and fruits lined the plates of the people already sitting at the table. They didn’t have an endless supply of food, but it also didn’t seem like they would run out any time soon.

“Morning,” he greeted them.

“Oh, morning Erend. Have a seat, I’ll ready a plate for you,” Peter returned with a smile. He had been put in charge of the food and logistics while aboard the ship. When they reached land again, he would share the responsibility with his wife, Mary.

Erend sat down and was served a platter of the same dried meats and fruits as the others.

“Sadly, we didn’t get our hands on any coffee,” Thomas muttered. His hair was disheveled, it didn’t look like he’d gotten enough sleep.

“You alright?”

“I’ll manage. I couldn’t sleep over all the rocking is all.”

“You won’t have to suffer through it for much longer anyway. The continent isn’t that far away according to our maps. It should only take us a couple of days,” Albert commented with his mouth full.

“Where’s Elle?” asked Erend and started digging into a dried sausage. It was good, salty. However, he knew that he’d tire of the taste before long. Nothing beats eggs and a freshly cooked piece of meat for breakfast after all.

“She rushed through breakfast with the other kids. I think they’re off playing in the sleeping hall.”

“It really is nice that they are of similar age. I don’t think we’ve had the chance to formally make acquaintance yet, I’m Yvonne, Johanns wife,” the middle-aged woman from yesterday said with a warm smile. How she’d managed to sneak through the fort with them, all the while ferrying her kids along, was a mystery to Erend, and it spoke deals of her capabilities.

“A pleasure,” Erend smiled back.

“Are you ready for a rematch today? Don’t think I’ve forgiven you for nearly choking me out,” Charles growled at him.

He’ll come around.

“Ready when you are,” Erend replied with a smug sneer, making sure to lock eyes with his friend.

“Oh, you’re getting it alright!” Charles said and threw a piece of sausage at Erend, he deftly dodged the incoming projectile.

“Hey! Stop that! That’s good food you’re wasting,” Albert hissed, moving to pick the piece up.

“What are you, a dog?” Erend asked still sitting atop his proverbial high horse.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

“Calm down now. You wouldn’t want to fight the both of them at the same time, would you?” Anya asked as she entered the room. “Finish up breakfast, let’s get started with the training.”

“Sure. Where’s Cordelia?” Charles wondered.

“She’s already up on deck. She’ll be joining us for practice. Climb up when you’re ready.”

Erend, Charles, and Thomas quickly finished off their breakfast and climbed up on deck again. The sky was clear, not a cloud in sight. The day would be a hot one.

Anya stood by the wheel. She spoke to Bernard and Mary, then she turned to the group and announced, “Alright. Let’s get this going. Erend, you’ll be training with me since you’re using a sword. Charles, you go with Johann. Thomas, I heard you’d like to use a hammer?”

“Yes, it’s what I’m most comfortable with,” Thomas responded confidently.

“A smith down to your bone... We don’t have anyone on board who’s adept at using a hammer, so you’ll have to make do with Albert. Is that alright with you?”

Thomas nodded in affirmation and picked out a large Warhammer. It had a mean-looking spike protruding from one end, the shaft was so long that he had to grip it with both hands. The hammer fit his barbarian-esque look, it made him look even more menacing.

The three split up. Erend saw Cordelia a way off, over by the bow. She was speaking with Jack, seemingly engrossed in discussion. It kind of made sense, he was a cleric after all. How different could miracles be from casting? They both used source as fuel anyway, so it couldn’t be that different.

Erend was ready for practice, the bastard sword hung snugly against his hip, secured by a leather belt and a brown sheathe. The sword itself had a black handle and a robust round pommel. It had a simple metallic cross guard with no bend. The blade itself had a clean shine, but he’d spent enough time in his father’s smithy to know that it was just plain old steel.

Despite its bland look he quite liked it. It fit well in his hands, the hilt was comfortably wrapped in soft leather, and the pommel felt sturdy, it would keep the blade from slipping. It was a little on the long side for someone of his height, but it would serve him well until his father could custom-make him a new one.

“First lesson. A sword is a weapon made for what?”

“Killing?”

“Not the answer I was looking for, but yes. What I wanted you to say, however, is that a sword is made for cutting and thrusting. Some are specially made for one or the other, but the bastard sword is versatile and good for both.”

Erend nodded along, he’d already known that, but he didn’t want to risk angering his new teacher.

“Since the edges and the tip are sharp, hitting hard things will blunt them, making your sword nothing more than a heavy metal rod. Thus, we aim for weak points and avoid needlessly smashing it into armor. Watch closely, this is an overhead slash,” she said and showed him the movement slowly, “Now you.”

Erend copied the movement in what he felt was an impressive first try.

“No. Not like that. Activate your wrists as well. Pull the sword as you swing it to create the cutting motion. Again.”

He swung again.

“You step in too far. Relax your shoulders and don’t lean forward. Again.”

Like that, the morning continued until the blazing sun hung high above them, Anya didn’t relent and continued to nitpick on his technique.

Erend had removed his shirt in an attempt to survive the harsh lesson under the sun, but it hadn’t helped much. He was drenched in sweat. All the others had climbed below deck already, leaving him alone with Anya. The only other one nearby was Mary who was concentrating on sailing the ship alone for the first time.

Erend swung his sword for what felt like the thousandth time today.

“Better,” Anya commented while leisurely peeling an orange. She sat in the shadow cast by the largest sail, enjoying her time it seemed.

“The others went below deck hours ago. When will I get to rest?” he groaned between breaths.

“The others aren’t budding sorcerers. You will face difficulties on a whole other level. Best prepare you for it.”

“Okay, I understand what you’re saying, but training two-handed swings like this feels like a waste of time. Especially if I’m just going to use a shield as soon as we get to land.”

“Why would you ever use a shield?”

“What do you mean?” Erend challenged with a perplexed look plastered on his face.

Anya’s mouth slackened, she scratched her jaw and shook her head, “Sometimes I wonder if you’re stupid or just dumb. Maybe it’s because you’re green still.”

Erend clenched his jaw but didn’t respond.

“How long will it take you to come to terms with the fact that you’re a damn sorcerer? A SORCERER! Why would you ever choose to occupy both hands with something? Do you not want to cast?”

Erend was speechless.

How could I ever fail to see something so obvious?

“No... I mean I do want to cast. I guess I just haven’t caught on yet,” Erend said with a sigh. He tensed, with renewed determination and swung his sword once again.

“As long as you know...” Anya absentmindedly responded and popped an orange wedge into her mouth. “Can you do anything other than throw rocks?”

Erend bit the inside of his cheek. Is there any point in keeping it to myself?

He nodded to himself and made up his mind.

“I can.”

“Oho... Show me.”

Since practicing with the grey elf, he knew he’d gotten better at pocket. It didn’t take him more than a few seconds to will the ripple into existence.

“It’s called pocket. It can store things,” he said and tossed his sword inside before canceling the spell.

“Uhuh. How big is it?”

“I don’t know, but I don’t think it’s big at all, not yet,” he activated the spell again, shoved his arm inside, and willed for the sword to appear in his hand before pulling it out.

“Anything else? Something you can use for combat?”

“No, those are the only spells I know. And I suppose Stone Shot won’t be much use without any solid ground.”

“Sounds about right. Let’s take a break here. Go cool down and eat something. I’ll come get you when it’s time to train again.”

Erend nodded graciously and hurried below deck, he didn’t want to give Anya a chance to go back on her words.

As he cooled down, he feasted on some more dried meats and fruits. He didn’t remember them being so delicious when he first ate them for breakfast. Then he rested, he even managed to have a quick nap before it was time to practice again.

In the evening Anya did some light sparring with him. It was very informative seeing one as skilled with a blade as Anya, but it still hurt every time she smacked him with the side of her blade. When the sparring was over, he was full of bruises. He headed below deck once again to have supper, and then he went to bed, he fell asleep the second his head hit his pillow.

For the first time in years, he slept through the night without having an odd dream. When he woke up the next day, he felt that it was slightly discomforting – not having the dreams. He’d grown used to them. Even the thought of never getting to channel with the grey elf again made him anxious. But he couldn’t deny that he felt more rested than he’d been in a very, very long time.

“Morning,” Erend greeted everyone at the breakfast table and gobbled up his food in revelry.

The sun wasn’t nearly as intense this time around. It made for some less strenuous training, but he was still left thoroughly soaked after the first hour of swinging his sword.

“You’re getting better. If you keep up like this then maybe you can even land a hit on me in twenty or so years.”

Anya’s taunts hit Erend deeper than he would have expected. He’d never seen himself as someone prideful, but ever since awakening, something had begun to change him. He decided that he’d ask his father about it when things had calmed down.

During the evening spar, Erend was left just as bruised and battered as the day before. He didn’t manage to land a hit on Anya this time either.

Once again, he fell fast asleep the second he laid his head on his pillow.

Days passed, one turned to two, and two turned to three. They still had no land in sight, and they hadn’t seen a bird since they left Exodus.

Erend arrived last at the breakfast table, “Morning, everyone,” he greeted.

The others eyed him and exchanged pleasantries. The atmosphere felt more strained than usual.

“I’m beginning to suspect that the maps the soldiers have on their ships aren’t as accurate as they’d hoped,” Bernard revealed as he climbed below deck. “If they were, we should have sighted land by now. I wouldn’t worry too much about it. I remember my old colleagues speaking of there being land in this direction, so even if we haven’t sighted anything-”

Mary stormed down the stairs, tackling poor old Bernard on the shoulder, “We have a problem!” she shouted, “There’s a ship approaching!”

Everyone stopped their eating and hurried up on deck.

On the horizon, they could see a large ship approaching. Erend knew very little of the southern continents, but he knew enough to understand that the ship approaching them, wasn’t one of theirs.

“What do we do?” he asked.

“Nothing. We have no cannons. Fighters stay on deck; the rest go down below. Make sure to hide your weapons nearby should you need them,” Anya ordered.

“Maybe we can bargain with them?” Bernard suggested.

Anya raised an eyebrow at that, “Do you speak their tongue?”

“I speak a little of some tongue. Won’t know until they’re close if it’s the correct one.”

“Does anyone else have a better idea?” Anya asked.

The group stayed silent. The approaching ship had plenty more sails, there was no possibility of them managing to outrun it.

“Do we have any nets?” Erend asked.

Mary perked up at that, “I think I saw some down below!”

“We could use them to pretend we’re out fishing. Running into foreign fishermen shouldn’t be that unusual. It would explain why we can’t speak their language if Bernard doesn’t happen to know it.”

“Clever. Let’s do it. Mary, bring Carl to fetch the nets. The rest of you... Just act natural,” Anya said with a strained smile.

Before long, the large ship was upon them.