A good portion of the next few hours was devoted to restoring the ships that were damaged; there were enough supplies between all of our vessels so that this was accomplished without diminishing them by much. While this was being done I looked over the charts, examining them closely. We had jumped quite a ways from where we were; I estimated we would probably be safe from the pirates for at least a day, since their spotter was no longer trusted.

“It's these Molten Currents that are gonna be the next big hurdle, huh?” I said aloud as I pondered the information on the chart.

“More or less,” Anna Belle told me, “But it's recounted in the journals that there are usually favorable winds that can help to make use of those currents. So long as you don't get close to the Icewall, that is.”

“What is the Thundering Icewall? And is it that thing way out on the horizon?” I asked her. She nodded at once.

“It certainly is visible from here,” the Ragamis told me.

“Wow.”

“My ancestor wasn't too sure what exactly caused it, but there's a strong sort of current and a series of prevailing winds in that area which combine very stormily along the northern edge of the Molten Currents to create it; old legends she heard tell tales of frost-giant sorcerers and such who use their magic to enforce it, but no one's ever managed to find out the truth.” Anna Belle continued.

So it's quite possibly just a place that no one can penetrate, or at least a place that requires certain conditions to be met so that you can visit it, I mused inwardly.

“And then once we're through the Outer Isles and the Molten Currents, we'll come up on the Moon Currents...” I said as I looked back at the charts. “It looks like the best thing to do is sail against them and come around from the west to the Hitherlands, or sail through them to the northeast and come at the Hitherlands from that way.”

“Good observation!” she nodded. “Either way, we want to avoid the Wreckerlies, the current between the southern two islands up there; that current is too swift and strong for any ship, and it'd dash us against Iprin or Sirna Tai before we could get ourselves out of it!”

Oh, those are two of the big islands that make up the Hitherlands. The Outer Isles, which includes Shiverang, technically, also have a small princedom called Arcana and the Vulcania Archipelago. Further north, besides the two islands Anna Belle mentioned (which are on the southeast side of the area), there's Ygrom in the southwest, Caldaros north of it, Ewar north of Sirna Tai, the bigger of the two islands in the southeast, and Geldir north of Ewar. There's a smaller isle called Ewar Minor on the east side of its parent island, situated in a bay, and there's a smaller, unnamed isle south of Sirna Tai as well. A volcano was marked upon it.

“And we want to avoid this as well,” I pointed to the center of the isles.

“Oh yes.” Anna Belle said with a serious nod.

Apparently, there's a nice little hiccup at this spot I pointed to called “The Swirls”. It was probably some sort of whirlpool or maelstrom. Whatever it was it was definitely not going to be good.

“Hmm... it'll probably be best to approach from the east, then; so we'll ride the Molten Currents until we get to this point here and then cut across the Moon Currents further north. Then we'll adjust course to come between Ewar and Sirna Tai.”

“That sounds like a plan!” the Ragamis said with a beaming smile. “Now we just have to finish our repairs and get underway again; boy, what an exciting time this has been!” she said as she practically danced out of the cabin, and I had to smile.

“Lana,” Ariana then said as she came in, “The guild leader of Crystalina's Wand sent a message; she wants to meet the expedition leaders.”

“Right,” I nodded. “That'll mean us, Jannie, Hua Ling, and Mad Dog,” I said as I got up from my seat.

“Plotting our course?” my partner asked with a smile.

“Pretty much,” I said as I cast a glance back at the map. “We'll head east by northeast once we round Covenhame, and then come at the Hitherlands from the east.”

“Gotcha.” she returned.

“But for now,” I then said, stretching my arms a bit.

“Let's go play diplomats!” Ari said with a grin, and we headed out to join the others.

We took one of the rowboats on board to head for Covenhame's port, Coelburg. There were two great buildings on either side of the city, both of them situated on hills. On the taller hill was one that Jannie referred to as the manor, where the NPC rulers lived; on the slightly less taller hill was the guildhall for Crystalina's Wand.

“Their guild leader's name is Eyra Mysti; she's a Gael sorceress, and probably one of the best in the game. No one can really say for sure, though, because they don't take part in many of the game's events,” Jannie said to us as we pulled up to a pier.

“I have heard that they focus more upon discovering the secrets of this world; the lore, that is,” Hua Ling remarked.

“I think you're right,” Jannie agreed. “It's also likely that they've been waiting for an opportunity like the one Lana found so that they could further that goal.”

“You mean they might be interested in sending an envoy with us.” Mad Dog noted as we disembarked our rowboats, heading into town.

“Something like that,” the Lightbrook Brigade's leader nodded.

“This town is pretty,” Ariana said to me softly as the others continued discussing what we might be getting into with Eyra Mysti and her guild.

“It really is,” I replied. “It looks like an old Scottish town, like a really old one,” I said.

“I know what you mean; like seventeenth century or so,” my partner nodded back.

“Yeah.”

“We never quite got up there when we were moving around; we lived in London for a while, but never really went too far from it.”

“We'll have to make vacation plans; or study abroad plans... or something,” I softly smiled.

“That would mean thinking about a university,” Ari said to me with a subtle smirk.

“Ehh... the thorns on the rose, huh...” I returned, and she quietly giggled.

“Oh! There's our guide,” Jannie then said.

There was a robed player with two others beside them approaching us; each of them had a stylized wand etched onto their garments, their guild insignia. The leader had it on the right side of his chest while his two followers had it on their left shoulders, which most likely denoted their ranking in the guild. So he's an officer, I'd suppose, while these two are... lesser officers? Regular guildies? I pondered to myself as we all halted before each other.

“I am Ibazz, Eyra's second.” he said to us.

Ah-ha, second-in-command.

“With me are Lina and Rei, two of our officers. We are to escort you to Witch Haven, the manor on yonder hill.” Ibazz continued.

“Lead on,” Jannie replied, and at their leading we set off again. “Any idea what your leader wants to talk with us about?” Jannie then asked him.

“The future.” our guide replied simply, saying nothing further.

They want in on this expedition, I noted to myself at once, looking over at Jannie. The two of us exchanged a subtle nod, which I also exchanged with Ari. Both of them had reached the same conclusion. I could see Mad Dog's eyes gazing thoughtfully towards the guild hall, while Hua Ling looked passive and unperturbed. Don't bluff with her, I mused to myself with a wry grin.

We made our way through the streets of Coelburg swiftly, reaching Witch Haven about five minutes after we had gotten out of our rowboats. It had a rustic, mysterious quality to it, like an old abandoned house in a movie that had been refurbished by a new owner. Ibazz led us through a courtyard and then into the foyer of the actual building; they had two NPC guards at the main doors on the other side, who bowed their heads and opened said door for us.

In we walked, finding a great hall with a long table set up in the middle. There were eight smaller tables situated around the hall as well, four on either side of the largest one. A woman in silky garments was seated on a throne at the far end of the hall; she had copper-red hair, and she rose from her seat to come down and greet us as we were brought to meet her.

“My guests! Be seated here with me,” she said as she took the seat at the head of the great table.

Eyra Mysti, I presume, I thought as we took our seats. Jannie took the nearest seat on the left, with Hua Ling, myself, Ariana, and Mad Dog taking the next seats down (in that order) while Ibazz and the other two took the seats opposite, himself sitting on Eyra's right.

“I am Eyra Mysti, leader of Crystalina's Wand. If I understand rightly, you are on your way to the Hitherlands.”

“We are.” Jannie affirmed.

“And you are doing so at a rush,” the other said with a note of interest.

“Our friends were helping us to escape from the pirate guilds,” Jannie returned with a wry expression.

“Ah! Of course.” Eyra nodded. “They are a problem; but they generally leave us alone.”

“Why is that?” I wondered.

“Knowledge is power. And we have great stores of knowledge, Lady Windstrider,” Eyra said to me.

“Hmm.” I nodded back in understanding.

“They know more about how to use this area and its natural defenses, and morea bout how to make the most of their spells around here than the pirates do,” Mad Dog said, noting aloud what I was internalizing in my own mind.

“More or less,” Eyra returned with a sly smile. “But for all that we have been unable to launch an expedition of our own to the north. You have an ally, a quest allowing you to do so?”

“More or less,” I replied, echoing her words. “You can't get around the currents, then?”

“Or the winds.” she said with a shrug. “The exact patterns of both are something we have been trying to intuit since we arrived here, to no avail. They're too wild.”

Then how did that bygone Ragamis do it? I suddenly wondered.

“Well, our ally has what we need to get through them; if you would like to join up with our expedition you'd be welcome to do so,” Jannie told her.

“You see, Ibazz? I didn't even have to ask.” Eyra smiled, and her second shrugged. “He's always so pessimistic,” she continued as she turned back to us. “That's why he's staying here and I'll be coming along with Rei and two others. Your ships are still repairing, yes?”

“We should be finished with repairs in about four hours; you do want to come with us, then?” Jannie asked.

“Very much so. Oh, I don't care about laying claims for resources; all we want to do is to study the areas,” the other replied.

“And who says we're 'laying claim' to anything anywhere?” Mad Dog raised an eyebrow.

“No one need say it at all,” Eyra smirked. “Several of the most powerful competing guilds in Harmonia are suddenly sailing north, away from what should be the main action in the guild competition. The only probable reason for doing that would be that there's something up north which would help strengthen your advantages, either in the Outer Isles or the Hitherlands,” she remarked.

“She's got you there,” Ariana said with a grin.

“Hmph.” the werewolf guild leader nodded.

“We've got nothing to lose by including them,” I said with a shrug.

“I agree. Let us take them,” Hua Ling said in support.

“Fair enough.” Mad Dog agreed.

“Well, that out-votes me, but I was going to let them come anyway.” Jannie smiled. “To let you come, that is. We'd be happy to assist in your quest for knowledge.”

“Excellent!” Eyra clapped her hands. “Rei, fetch Carol and Enri, and tell them to be ready as soon as possible!”

“Yes, m'lady!” Rei replied, getting up from her seat and dashing off to do so.

“Lana, will you wait for them at the piers?” Jannie asked as the rest of us got to our feet.

“Hmm? Sure,” I said to her.

“Good! The rest of us will go and make sure the ships are all ready by the time we want to leave.” she said, and the other two guild leaders followed her out with Lina as an escort.

I looked around the hall with interest for a few moments; they had a lot of neat tapestries and trophies situated around the place. Around or above the throne were some that I expected were the most difficult to get, whether by the amount they would cost or the effort to make them or the difficulty of a quest they may have been rewards for. Ariana was also looking around, captivated by a sudden row of statues in the likeness small furry animals on display that she immediately hurried over to with a delighted squeal. I smiled.

It's the cat cafe all over again, I inwardly sighed, but with almost a wistful tone as opposed to an exasperated one.

“So you're the one I've heard so much about,” Eyra said as she came closer. I looked over at her; the amber eyes of the girl were locked on to me. Her silken green garments had a shimmer to them as she moved; she had no footwear, but she was adorned with gold bracelets and a silver necklace, as well as a nice collection of rings. I assumed at least two or three of them were magic rings, and that some of the other jewellery she had might also be beneficial, stat or skill-wise.

“Good things, I hope,” I lightly quipped, and she grinned.

“I'm betting it was you who found the quest. You're the one who put a stop to Djaziim, after all; a girl as sharp as you should have joined with my guild.”

“You're scouting another guild leader?” I returned with a soft laugh. “But thanks anyway; I do like your place, though,” I had to admit.

“And so does she,” Eyra smiled as she looked over towards Ariana.

“Oh def.” I nodded.

“When do you expect to make it to the Hitherlands?” she then asked me.

“I wouldn't be surprised if it took us two or three real days to get there,” I said with a shrug. “Hopefully our tag-alongs will have given up after this last incident so we can get there in peace, mostly.”

“The pirates.” Eyra said with a nod. “They would have to be desperate to pass our island; not that they couldn't give us a wide berth, but we are along the most direct route to the north, from what the maps show.”

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“I wouldn't put it past them. And there's always the chance that they might get the quest they need to go on a voyage like ours.”

“Hmm,” Eyra nodded again. “Is it likely?”

“Well they seemed pretty desperate to stop us, at least; I'd say there's a fifty-percent chance they're close to getting it, or at least that they think they're close to getting it,” I said.

“And they'll likely use their skill to make good efforts on catching up to this expedition as well, once they do find it,” Eyra mused.

“Skill?” I wondered. “Ohh, the thing they do with their ships?”

“Exactly.” she affirmed. “It's a branch of Portal Magic that crosses over with Deep Sea Arcanity; I've heard the Admiral and his officers had to go through quite the lengthy quest chains to get it.”

“Heh...?” I remarked with interest.

“You'd need a guild of his size or larger to get them done, though.” Eyra warned me.

“They are one of the larger outlaw guilds, huh?”

“We estimate them to be the seventh largest.”

“Guhyeck!?” I tensed up.

There's six guilds *larger* than them?!

“Right?” Eyra said with a bemused grin.

“My lady!” Rei called as she came back with two others behind her. “We're ready. And I have your supplies waiting as well.”

“Excellent!” Eyra clapped her hands. “Shall we?” she turned to me again.

“If we can get my partner away from the critters, even though they're just decorations,” I said with a wry grin, which she echoed.

“Well, as soon as you do, we'll be on our way!”

***

“Looks like we have even more company, huh?” Anna Belle said to me when we returned to the ship; because we had one of the smallest crews, Eyra and her followers were going to be on our ship for the voyage.

“Looks like it,” I said with a nod as they went to go and settle in. “Anna Belle? Why is it that only your ancestor managed to get a good map of the places north of us? Why did no one else before them do it, and why has no one else after them been successful in doing so?” I asked, sitting down on the deck as I posed the question to her. The little Ragamis blinked for a moment.

“What an interesting question!” she then declared. “To be quite honest, no one in Harmonia seems to have ventured north before that expedition took place; it was during the reign of Queen Concordia the Third, you see, who was the instigator of the massive exploration era when my ancestor happened to be alive. Under her reign, not only the north seas but the southern and eastern ones were ventured into, and it's said those expeditions and voyages discovered all sorts of interesting places!”

“Well that's one part of the question answered,” I said as I listened. They have some interesting back-stories in this game; I wonder if Eyra and her guild know about these sorts of things, the history or myths of this world, that is.

“To be sure!” Anna Belle nodded to me. “As to the second half of your question; my uncle probably didn't make it very clear, but the expedition our ancestor was on took at least ten years. These charts we've given you are those ten years of accumulated data, accounting for every probable and known-to-have-been-observed variance in the Molten Currents and the patterns of the wind in the places we'll be heading to. It's been a couple of years since adventurers like yourselves started showing up, but even my ancestor, one of the most astute and observant of our people, needed over a decade to work out a route through these tricky seas.” she then told me.

Gyeck!! Ten years?! I don't even remember hearing about expeditions in our *own* world lasting quite that long... at least I think... there's the Odyssey, I guess, but that's a myth. As to the exploration voyages of the fifteenth century and so on, and even old stories of voyages before then and after the Odyssey, I can't think of one lasting over a decade, I mused.

“It sounds like she was a very patient person,” I said aloud.

“Oh for certain,” Anna Belle nodded.

“And it sounds like there's a very specific route that we should take through the Molten Currents then, huh?” I noted as Ariana sat with me.

“W-e-ll,” the Ragamis began, “Now that generally depends on what time it is. And sometimes what day. The currents and winds are that tricky, even with the charts we have.”

“Right,” I said in reply. “What might be the best time to get through? Or even the best place to do so?”

“Hmm! I'll have to have another look at the charts to figure that out!” she replied to me.

“Let's do that now,” I nodded, and we got back up to head into the cabin.

“Lana!” Lysandra called to me. “I have to log out, kiddo; just got a notice from my phone that my boss wants me in for an emergency cover.”

“Gotcha,” I returned. “We'll be fine for a while; don't worry!” I smiled.

“I know! Just wanted to warn you,” she smiled back. A few seconds later she had poofed, and we returned to examining the charts.

Anna Belle had gone in ahead of us; she had taken out an almanac, examining it closely in tandem with the charts on the table. Her face was intent with thought as she looked from the charts to the almanac and back again several times over. Ariana and I exchanged a glance, and then my partner went to help.

“Looks like we're in a bad time of the year for the best ones,” Ari remarked. “But we could make this one here, couldn't we?” she pointed.

“We might, if we're careful not to run into the Weed Sea just below the Molten Currents there at a bad moment,” the Ragamis replied.

“I can just use my wind spell again if we get stuck. And I'm sure several other mages have something like it.” my partner asserted.

“That's all well and good, I suppose, but we have to take special note of our entry into the current itself, mind you.”

“Ohh, right!” Ari snapped her fingers, re-examining the charts. “We could just skirt the Weed Sea here and arrive a day later; that be in time for that variant, yes?” she said a moment later.

“Oooh, you're good at this!” Anna Belle smiled. “Yes! That can work!” she said with a nod.

“What's the verdict?” I wondered.

“It'll take two and a half days at best, but if we adjust our course to head for this point and enter the Molten Currents at the point beyond it,” Ariana said, indicating the places she referred to, “We should end up... around here in another half-day or so.” she pointed again, this time to a spot northeast of the current's stream.

“An all-nighter again, huh?” I said with a wry grin.

“We'll do some rotating,” she said, returning the grin back to me.

“Let's get the info out so we're all on the same page,” I then said, and she nodded.

“On it!” my partner told me, bringing up the message function to alert the others in our small fleet.

Right. I'm skipping a bit. So basically we left Covenhame just as we expected, and continued on our way north without malicious interference. I mean, there was the wind, but that's nothing we couldn't work around. We did some rotating after a few in-game hours to let us all see to our real lives, and by late evening in real-time (for ourselves at least) most of us were back online--except Lysandra, who wouldn't be back on until one in the AM most likely. Lizzy had turned up, though, and she was eager to go.

“Ugh. I wish I could have seen that thing.” she sighed as we told her about the giant kraken the enemy had summoned right before our escape.

“Ehh...” I returned bemusedly.

“Figures,” Heali remarked with a lopsided smile.

“Whaaat?” Lizzy poked her friend.

“Nooothing.” the other girl quipped back.

“Boo.” the blonde girl sighed. “Looks like I'll have to have my own fun,” she then said.

My danger radar went to condition red at once, and I slipped into the shadows just as she turned towards me. Lizzy blinked, and then frowned, squinting her eyes.

“La-na!” she called. “I wasn't particularly planning on doing anything to you, but now that you've done that, I have to -- when I find you, that is!” she said with a grin.

Oh snap. I made a bad situation worse. Ugh. Where's Cylodel already?! I frantically mused to myself. He had gone offline a while ago, and should have been back by now.

“She didn't get 'ported somewhere, did she?” Lizzy wondered.

“Cy's not back yet, so I doubt it,” Caylee shrugged.

“Hrrmmm...” our smith looked around, trying to decide where I was.

When she had her back turned again, I quickly put my footwear back into inventory and softly padded around the deck in an arc away from her and towards the cabins.

“She'll probably head for the cabins, if I know her...”

Hyeck!?! I froze, thinking quickly.

“Although she'd be just as likely to go up the rigging to the crow's nest... though we'd see that, huh...” the older girl continued musing aloud.

“Probably,” Heali sighed. “I'd just leave her be.”

“No no, I have to find her now! It'll be punishment for making assumptions!”

“Poor chick.” I heard Peaches remark. Then an idea popped into my head.

Heh. Heh-heh-heh. You've underestimated me, I quietly smirked, creeping towards the mainmast. Using a toggle-skill called Nimble Rogue, I then climbed up the mast itself like a cat. This way I won't disturb the rigging, I thought to myself cheekily.

“Hmm...” I heard Lizzy say. I dared a look below. She was still searching the deck. But now it looked like she was getting ready to set off a skill.

Oh snap. Quickly, I wrapped my arms and legs around the mast tightly right as she used Thurian Stomp to try and bounce me out of the shadows. Fortunately, I was too high up to be affected directly, though the mast shuddered for a brief moment. I-if I hadn't noticed her doing that I'd be sprawled on the deck right now, I said inwardly, clinging for dear life as I tried to calm down. Once I had done so, and once I had made sure she wasn't going to do it again, I resumed scurrying up the mast.

“Come on! Where the heck did she go?! She couldn't climb the mast, could she...?”

“It's Lana, so nothing would surprise me.” I heard Derwydd say.

“But which mast? She's heard you talking about going to the crow's nest so she might not go there now!” Peaches remarked.

“Or she might be counting on a fake-out and she really did go up the mainmast.” Lizzy asserted in reply.

Hahh...

“Ahead! Ahead! The Weed Sea ahead!” a voice called.

“Already!?” Ariana remarked in amazement.

“No, that's not the Weed Sea,” I heard Anna Belle say. “But it is a sea of weeds, and we'd best be careful!”

“Right!” my partner said. A few minutes later the call had been corrected, and we passed by this much smaller sea of sea-weeds without incident. By that time I had gotten to my perch safe and sound, and out of Lizzy's sight and mind for the time being.

“Figures she was right,” a small voice remarked. Belle--Sky Belle, that is--had found me.

“Ah-heh,” I said, curling up against the mast.

“She's more focused on something else at the moment, don't worry.”

“Th-thanks.”

“Can't say I blame you after what we did earlier,” she then said, softly giggling.

“E-exactly!” I said in as loud a voice as I dared.

“Tee-hee!” Belle said, sitting herself on my knee. “So? How's school and stuff?

“I guess things are okay.”

“That good, huh? And the musical?”

“Hmm? Oh, that's going good, as far as I can tell; it's gonna get more intense in the next couple of weeks though.”

“Oh I bet!” the pixie-girl nodded. “And I'll bet you've forgotten half your lines since being here!” she added with a sly grin.

“Have not,” I confidently asserted, and she quietly chuckled.

“Teasing!” she winked. “We wouldn't blame you for taking a few days off of gaming, though, when that time does come around.”

“I might have to,” I said with a small laugh.

“Oh goodie! She accepts it without persuasion!” the older girl nodded.

“Hrrmm,” I returned as my face made an uncertain expression.

“What's that look for, La-na?” she patted my knee.

“Ehh. But anyway; how's things in your world?” I then asked her.

“Pretty good!” she smiled. “My parents met Chrissy and they love her. Neither of them saw it coming; of course, neither did I at first!” she said with a grin.

“Heh,” I said with a grin of my own.

“And uni's been going smoother since winter break for sure.”

“Well that sounds good.”

“Oh defs.” she nodded back. “Still too early for you to decide on that, huh?”

“Maybe.” I returned. “I dunno; maybe it's just... not my thing.”

“I wouldn't say that just yet, hon.” Belle said with a cautionary tone. “I didn't think so either until I had a chat with my own counselor in high school. Before that I was just planning on being a waitress for a while, maybe doing some work for my aunt's bus company; Doctor Gillam was the one who made me curious about exploring psychology and such,” she told me.

“Hmm...?” I said with interest. “That reminds me, what happened to your posting at our school?”

“It's after this spring, kiddo. You won't see me at school until the fall.” she said with a smile.

“Oh right!” I said with a soft snap of my fingers.

“Now where the heck did Belle go?” we suddenly heard Lizzy say.

“I think she went flying up the mast a few minutes ago,” Anhe said to her.

“Hmm? She's not back down yet?”

“Not that I saw.”

“Weird. She doesn't usually linger up top for long on any ship... unless she has company with her...” Lizzy remarked.

Uh-oh.

“Ahh... tee-hee!” Belle said, fluttering away to head down. “Here I am! Just wanted a clear view for a while!” she called.

“Hmm? Oh! Hi, Belle! That clear view of yours didn't happen to have a little red-haired girl in it by any chance?”

Ah, snap.

“Are you still looking for Lana?”

“Eh. Not as urgently.”

“Oh Lizzy! I wanted to tell you something,” Belle then remarked, the conversation drifting out of my hearing after that. I sighed with relief, settling in again atop the mast.

By the time Cylodel returned, we had reached the edge of the actual Weed Sea. He had gotten tied up with a call, it seemed, but it was now over and he was decidedly free again. I was still hiding atop the mast, gazing out over the horizon with interest.

The Thundering Icewall was closer yet still far away; the shimmer of lightning and ice made a pretty scene in the distance, though I imagined it would be terrifying once you got close. Directly north of us I could see Arcana, and off to the right I saw smoke rising from the Vulcania Archipelago. From what I remembered, the route we were trying to take would lead us almost dead-center between them. And we'd have to go single-file.

A horn sounded from one of the other ships; that was the signal to start getting in formation so we could go through. Even Hua Ling's sea-dragon ally would have to follow us through on the same path through the current, while Dracuoatlax and Guntaru would be on a similar course above us.

“There's nothing on them we won't find in the Hitherlands,” Anna Belle asserted for the benefit of the others below. “Arcana has a claim on it anyway; they use rocs to fly there in the spring and fall for mining operations.”

“Cool!” I heard Caylee exclaim.

A few minutes later our ships were all lined up like ducks in a row and ready to enter the current. When Anna Belle judged that the right time had arrived, our own ship, which was in the lead, rang its bell, and we started off through the current with the other ships just behind us. As I cautiously peered below (so as not to draw aggro from Lizzy), I observed that the water of the Molten Current was a warmer sort of blue-green than the rest of the ocean. I wonder why it does that, I wondered with interest.

“They say it's affected by some sort of super-volcano northwest of the Crags of Ordnon.” I heard Eyra say as someone echoed my question aloud.

“Oh wow,” Healina said. “But wouldn't that put it under the ocean?”

“That's right,” Eyra replied. “It's not extinct, but it has been passive during the last few eras of Panarena history. And it apparently affects the ocean this way, hence the 'Molten Current' moniker.”

“Cool,” Ariana remarked.

“Keep sharp!” Anna Belle said. “We don't want to drift off course!”

“Right!” I heard Cloveroak say.

For the next three in-world hours, I watched idly as we made our way through. Every now and again I turned back to check on the other ships; all of them were following without fail. Not perfectly, mind you, but no one was getting majorly off-course.

East of us, I could see smoke over the archipelago in the distance. One of its volcanoes was getting ready to do something, I supposed. I turned to my left, gazing westward; over Arcana, I could see giant birds flying around. Are those the rocs Anna Belle mentioned? I wondered to myself. There were also hints of glimmering spires around the island that I could just barely see.

Then I saw a massive shape rising up out of the ocean. As its full bulk emerged from below the surface, I stood to my feet in amazement. It was a whale! It seemed much bigger than real whales, but that only made it a more incredible sight. I could hear exclamations of amazement below as others caught sight of it.

That thing is even bigger than Shuĭyŭ, and that sea-dragon is slightly bigger than Dracuoatlax, I thought to myself in amazement. Waaaiiit a se-cond... if it's bigger than a dragon and it's jumping out of the water, what happens when it comes splashing back down...? I then wondered, watching as it lazily fell back into the water with a large splash. A wave started coming towards us; it wasn't huge, but there was a decent chance it could knock a few of us off our course. Then it began dissipating. We were further away from the creature than I had thought, and I sighed in relief.

Then again, how much bigger does that actually make it? I bemusedly wondered a moment later.

“It's rare to see one of those alone,” I heard Eyra remark. “They usually travel in pods of up to twenty members at least.”

“That'd be cool to see!” Ariana remarked.

“Not so cool if they all make a splash at the same time,” I heard Enri, one of the mages Eyra had brought, reply to her. “Then we really would get knocked off... course...” he trailed off.

I myself was fixated on the sight of more whales that I could now see following after the first one. Stay below, would you? All of you? Please? I quietly pleaded.

Whether they heard me or not, they did not breach the surface the way the first one had. A relieved sigh left my lips again. It looked like we would make it through this part of our voyage without any interference at all.