The Tern | Ehtrisian Sea: II

The captain wanted to be out of these waters as soon as possible, so they sailed long into the night and far into the afternoon. That's when they entered a ferocious storm. The darkness that was as dead as the night of new moons, engulfed them. Then the flashes came, one after another.

Noaki sees it then, the tremendous horrors of the sea. Great waves as tall as mountains. Belittling his existence with its ferocious raw power.

Their ship was due course to be swallowed by a wave, when an ocean of spiritual energy weighs down on them. Captain Egor leaps into the air as a luminous whirlpool of azure and seafoam energy. He slams his palms together.

The sea shudders and the wave collapses. The captain lands with a hard thud, panting.

Noaki is impressed when the captain returns to the helm, maneuvering the ship through bigger waves.

Noaki retreats to the belly of the ship in haunted fascination.

He enters the cabin where Orion had been strapped down. Moritz and Reyna are attending to him. He presses forward, into the mess room where everything had been secured. The hulking mass of Gavin is sitting in the corner looking seasick clutching a bottle of hard liquor.

"Are you alright lad?"

"Doing a lot better than yourself by the looks of it." Noaki takes a seat next to Gavin, the chairs had all been boarded up. "How long will the storm last?"

Gavin takes a swig. "We've got a good deal more to come, this one is the smallest of the storms."

Noaki's face pales when another wave of spiritual energy comes down, followed by the shuddering of the ocean.

"Will the captain be alright if he keeps this up?"

"He will have his fragments if it comes to the worst." Gavin hands the bottle to Noaki. "It'll dampen the nerves a bit. I'll be heading back up."

Noaki downs the rest of the bottle and flounders his way above deck. There was plenty to do, but it seemed the most important was to secure the sails. Quentin and Noaki are struggling with one that had gotten loose. Moir quells the wind surrounding the mast and makes it easier to secure.

"When is this storm going to let up!" Quentin calls out to his instructor.

"When it wants to! Take care of it here! I'm gonna help the captain!" Just as Moir barks those orders, their hearts were all they heard.

One wave after wave. Each larger than the last. The captain himself appears defeated.

Noaki activates his perception. In a brief flash of lightning he imagines a glimpse of a shadow within the water. The next flash reveals nothing.

Moir and the Captain share a knowing glance and begin working in tandem. Moir channels the air currents, and Egor, subduing the waters around the ship. The atmosphere between the two irradiates pulses of luminous energy.

Moir halts his movements and the pulsing energy floats into the sky. Egor leaps into the air and slams the pulsing energy between his palms.

An incredible force forces all of them onto the deck. This is followed by a deep shuddering of the ocean. The waves break apart and sent backwards in a powerful shockwave. The storm breaks into a drizzle.

Egor falls uncontrollably toward the deck, though Moir cushions his landing. Everyone gathers around the captain. His body is steaming.

Moir erupts in a relieved laughter, followed by the captain. "I'll be out for a bit. Gavin, Veynir, mind you carry me to my quarters."

Rita scurries above deck cursing Gavin for reckless behavior, though she seemed relieved the ordeal had finally been over.

Moritz emerges a few minutes later, staring at the exhausted crew slumped next to anything that would support them.

"What happened here?" He scurries to Noaki who waves him off.

Panting, Noaki answers, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

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Captain Egor indeed did take some time to convalesce before he could manage the helm. A day had passed with no serious events. Meanwhile, with Gavin's superb astronavigation and Moir's experience of the ship, they were able to sail in the correct direction long through the night. All the while Moritz, Noaki, Veynir, and Quentin were worked to the bone preparing for the next storm.

It came the next morning, another storm and they couldn't possibly hope for another of the Captain's miracles. Even now returned to the helm, their chances were grim. Noaki, and Moritz did what they could but the storm raged far into the evening. The exhaustion showed on each of their faces.

Then it happened. The storm gave way to a drizzle. Everyone collapses, attended and fed by Rita and Reyna while they still had the opportunity to rest.

Moritz and Noaki assist each other below deck. They dried and changed into a clean pair of garments, then slumber dreamlessly far into the proceeding afternoon.

Noaki is the first to rise, followed by Moritz not long after. Rita prepares them something delicious and they lunch together in the mess room.

"How much longer?" Moritz dips a piece of bread in clam chowder. "I don't know if I can handle another day."

Noaki sips on some really strong tea. "I don't know, but I don't think I can take another day either."

"We're almost done with the journey," Veynir enters the room scrounging for something to snack on. "The captain reckons we'll arrive tomorrow at noon, in the evening at the latest."

Noaki and Moritz groan. If anything they were certain of at this point, it was that a day really could feel like an eternity. They finish eating, thank Rita, and make their way above deck for a bit of fresh air.

"The weather seems nice at least. Not a cloud in the sky," Moritz shields his eyes from the sunlight.

"That means a big one's coming!" Moir calls down from the helm. "I hope you lads are well rested, this one won't be like anything yet."

"Where's the captain?" Asks Moritz, ignoring Moirs omen.

"The captain's getting his rest while he can, for the big one." Moir grins at them chillingly.

Quentin jumps down from the crows nest. "Ah, don't pay him no mind. It doesn't do you any good to worry about it now. If we stay it'll come, if we move forward it'll come." He straightens out his wind swept hair to no avail. "Best to just enjoy this calm while we can."

"Wish we could just fly," Noaki adds.

Quentin laughs. "Hey Moir! Imagine that? An airship."

The wispy bearded man bellows a laughter. "That's a good one lad."

"You really think there'll be another?" Moritz leans against the mast.

"No doubt about it. There are more stories and legends about these waters than I'd dare count." Quentin sits cross legged on deck.

"Will you tell us one?" Noaki also sits crossed legged.

"Hey Moir! Have I got time for a story?!"

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Moir waves Quentin off.

Quentin leans into his listeners. "There's this popular one, called the Great Calm. It is said long ago, in the primordial ages, these very seas were known for their calmness. Many great explorers voyaged these waters on their journey to the rest of the unknown world.

"Of course then, only dalkarian’s dared to voyage the vast seas. The people loved these waters so much, one did not see it without feeling compelled to offer gifts. The times changed, and the people's devotion did too. The waters became polluted.

"They say Eldaeon himself came and proclaimed this calm brought him to tears. Of course that only brought more people, so next the fish had gone. Then it happened during the lunar convergence. The people asked the celestial sisters to restore the calm of ages long past.

"Sohm, Tsu, and Seli, gazed into the waters and saw the god Kulkuyule asleep in his shell. The sisters laughed and asked if the mortals were certain. They said they were, so the three sisters imbued Kulkuyule with their power.

"The sea trembled for three nights when at last Kulkuyule emerged. Enraged with the mortals for disturbing his realm he raised the sea. The people tried to flee into the highest peaks of Svernia, but it was no use. Kulkuyule raised the sea even higher. So the people of Svernia delved deep into the mountains, and there, they found their calm."

Noaki shivers. The shadow in the water, had he really imagined it? "This is only a legend isn't it?"

Quentin splays himself on deck. "I wouldn't know, this is my first time in these waters." He jumps onto his feet. "Oi Moir! Is Kulkuyule real?"

Moir scrunches his nose. "We'll find out soon enough won't we?"

Quentin waves Moir off. "That's the best we'll get out of him. You can ask the captain when he's up."

The calm had lasted into the evening and Rita deemed it safe enough to prepare another feast. The captain didn't look too bad but hadn't entirely recovered according to Reyna. Noaki noticed she'd rekindled her interest in medicine. Everyone had been enjoying themselves when Moritz brought the topic of Kulkuyule to the captain.

"Where did you hear that legend?" Gavin brings a piece of fish to his lips. "Veynir, have you been trying to scare the lads?"

Veynir laughs apologetically. "I did tell my brother, he always tells it bad though."

"Oh? And you're the silver tongue yourself?" Reyna nudges Veynir.

Veynir flushes. "If anything, I learned it from Moir when I first started out."

"Why's everyone sharing the credit? I'm the one who told them." Quentin finishes off his loaf, then dives for another.

"To answer," the captain leans in, "I don't know. There are stories outside of legend, of the divine lurking in the depths." He leans back. "These are stories from my kin. I don't know meself."

After the table had been cleared, the furniture secured, and the cookware washed, Noaki roams onto the deck to catch the last fading glimpse of dusk.

He leans against the bulwark. The seas really were calm. If not for Moir or Quentin, their vessel might've stayed in place. He keels over a bit, listening to the surf as the ship bobs and sways.

The depths. Kulkuyule.

He brings out the leather pouch. The source of all their troubles and yet desired by so many. Certainly a gift worthy of a god.

"Noaki?"

Noaki deftly catches the pouch before it sinks. He stuffs the pouch back in his pocket. "Quentin?"

"I came out to apologize if that story did frighten you. With what we’ve seen so far, I can't blame you." Quentin leans back against the bulwark, his arms dangling over the side.

"It's not just the story that frightened me. In that first storm, right before the Captain did that thing with Moir."

"You mean fuse?"

"I suppose, yeah. Well, before it happened I used my perception to look into the wave and I saw this... great shadow, serpent like." Noaki's face prickles.

"Serpent?" Quentin gazes upwards, the stars are beginning to appear. "I always imagined Kulkuyule as a jiavalr."

"A what?" Noaki breathes a little easier.

"You've never heard of a jiavalr?" Quentin looks disbelievingly. "I've seen one myself when we voyaged Kossiria. It's sort of this giant fish, as big as a small island, they're very friendly. When they're angry though, I don't want to know."

That night Noaki dreams of the calm sea, swimming alongside the jiavalr, Moritz, and Quentin. Gavin, the captain and rest of the crew are on the shore waving at them, laughing. When suddenly he's lifted out of the water on the jiavalr, he laughs delightedly and waves back at everyone when all that was on the shore to wave back to were Jason, and Justin.

Moritz and Quentin were floating face down. Noaki tries to swim for them but the jiavalr carries him to shore.

That's when a flying serpent appears, followed by a terrifying storm. Justin, Jason, and the jiavalr try pulling him onto shore but he couldn't leave them. Gavin, Moir, Veynir, Egor, Rita, Reyna. One by one they were engulfed by monstrous waves.

Noaki springs up from sleep. Woken by the violent rocking of the ship. He dresses as best as he can and scurries above deck to see everyone equally dismayed. Noaki activates his perception to better accustom himself with everyone's position. The waves hadn't risen like the first time, but that could always change.

Securing the sails well beforehand, everyone waits for the big one.

Then it begins, the ship catches in an enormous whirlpool. Noaki couldn't imagine how the captain would get them out of this one, and he definitely didn't look up to fusing.

Captain Egor guides the ship with the momentum of the whirlpool. The ship keeles on its side, giving Noaki a frightening view of what awaited him. That's when he sees Moritz sliding across the deck. Noaki reaches out and clasps him by the forearms.

Moritz has a haunted look about him. It truly would turn out like his dream. "Hold on tight you lug!" Noaki hoists him up with all his strength when a wave swallows them both into the turbulent sea.

The currents thrusts them about and into calmer waters. Noaki's perception shows him Moritz drifting away.

Useless, useless, useless.

"So long as one's lau'khet is not entirely depleted, the adaptation surge will allow the body to physically adapt into any environment with no ill effects to the user."

"The one in your possession illuminates that which is unknown."

On the verge of his last breath, Noaki reaches into his pocket for the pouch. He can't hold his breath any longer. He retrieves the shard, but it's too late, his lungs demand air.

His perception explodes.

A bubble forms around his luminous body. He spits out a copious amount of sea water and wastes no time. His perception slows his perspective of time as searches for Moritz who is still drifting in endless darkness.

He catches sight of him and grabs him. He swims easily through the water and quickly grabs Moritz. Hugging him close to his chest he kicks his legs upward, his body surging with intense energy.

They break the surface and Moritz vomits onto Noaki's chest. Moritz takes one glance at his radiant savior and spontaneously embraces him in an unrelenting grip.

"Moritz?" Noaki looks down at Moritz. "I love you too, but we've got bigger fish to fry."

Moritz turns around and gawks at the blazing white inferno of energy fending off a titanic sapphire serpent. Like the Nagari it levitates but with rotating metal rings.

Noaki extends his perception to scope out the scene. The crew had somehow managed to subdue the whirlpool, though with the captain passed out on deck, Noaki had a pretty good idea how. As for Moir and Gavin, they are in a duel with the serpent.

With the opal still in hand, Noaki slows his perspective further and uses this new energy to move quickly in this altered time. He slips out of and back into Moritz's tight grip, his arms now draped around his neck.

"Noaki? Now this is just too much," Moritz says over his shoulder.

"We can talk about it later, I need you to hold the shard against me." He passes the dazzling opal into Moritz's palm. "Whatever happens, don't let go."

Moritz presses the stone to his flesh, and Noaki feels another, incredible surge of energy.

"Hold your breath and hang on tight!" Noaki dives into the water, his perception guiding him and his movements with ease. Moritz would not be able to breathe underwater so he has to dive up every now and again for him to catch his breath.

Within just a few minutes Noaki reaches the ship. Someone had tossed down a rope ladder. Noaki, without ever realizing it, climbs onto deck with Moritz still hanging from his shoulders.

Veynir fills them in. "When you two were swept away, the captain used everything he had to calm the sea thinking it would be the best way for you two to make it. After that, things calmed down for a second when that leviathan came out of the water."

Moritz hands the shard back to Noaki. That floating white inferno spews out streams of fire, no doubting it was Gavin.

Noaki sprints to his room and returns, his bow ready. His perception erupts in an enormous sphere that extends hundreds of kilometers. He adds tension to the string and an obsidian arrow exuding a violet hue appears. A little more tension and energy swirls at the tip. Just a little more and violet streams of energy whirls around him. He narrows his perception on the leviathan and releases.

The arrow explodes on impact, engulfing the serpent in thick chunks of ice. The serpent collides into the sea with an enormous splash that sends the ship floating in the opposite direction.

Gavin returns to the deck looking towards Noaki with admiration and pride.

As for Noaki, the world blinks out of existence.