The enemy captain was too optimistic. “Fenghuang” didn’t have the best defense, but its speed was good enough to keep a distance from the military fleet. Shells pierced the sea, raising pillars of saltwater. Some water splashed onto the deck and crew, but nothing more. Neither the ship nor the pirates suffered any damage. And as none aboard “Fenghuang” wanted to be captured or sunk, they worked hard to avoid such a dreadful fate.

"Row, you lazy bastards! Row!" shouted the captain. Even without his curses, the men put all their strength into speeding up the ship.

The moment “Fenghuang” crossed the border of the outer sea, the water turned dark blue. Ashwin heard pirates on the upper deck gasp. 'Such a silly thing to do,' thought the teen. 'It’s not as if the sea creatures are actively waiting to ambush and assault ships.'

These thoughts brought courage to Ashwin. But he would never admit that his own gaze was observing the sea in search of potential threats. All the information he had read or heard came to mind. “The sea beasts” was the collective image of a whole bunch of different creatures. The bottomless outer sea could host animals of abnormal size, from the countless schools of fish to snake-like creatures that could reach up to 65 feet in length. Ashwin shook off all fairy tales about tentacles crashing vessels and concentrated on reports of water jets that broke ships apart like a razor blade. He looked into the dark waters in hope of spotting enormous shadows. These creatures were indifferent to humans, but their breathing patterns could easily destroy an entire fleet.

Ashwin’s observations ended when the ship turned. Its side tilted, and the teen grabbed the railing. He gritted his teeth, glaring at the direction of the wheel. However, the captain was not specifically targeting the hateful teenager. The other crew were busy saving themselves. Ashwin turned and noticed Ziana looking back. The distance between them and the military fleet had increased. They did not stop the chase, but the possibility of encountering a sea beast wavered their determination. Ashwin had forgotten all about his resentment towards the captain. Their escape was at stake, and therefore, his future.

As if sharing the same thoughts, the scarred man did not change the ship’s course. “Fenghuang” sailed at full speed towards the depths of the outer ocean. Everyone on the upper deck was fixed on the military fleet with their eyes. Little by little, the gap between the pursuers and pirates grew. Whoever was in charge of these vessels decided that the risk wasn’t worth the potential losses. As the ships gradually became dark dots on the horizon, joyous screams filled the deck. Ashwin relaxed his grip and then noticed a small shadow rapidly approaching him from behind. He turned to see a grey and yellow fur ball jump at the girl.

The honey squirrel quickly climbed up the brown trouser leg and sat on Ziana’s shoulder. She stroked the pet’s head. The squirrel chirped tenderly. Ashwin thought the sound was something between a cat’s purr and a bird’s song. Despite the pet nibbling at the girl’s cheek, she firmly said, "No, Xioshu, stay inside."

Her command made the squirrel chrip shortly. It looked displeased, but leaped toward the hatch to the lower deck, nevertheless. Ashwin followed the animal with his gaze, then looked back at the sea. The dark water below them turned almost black. “Fenghuang” was right above the endless shadow. Ashwin opened his mouth to shout, but it was too late. A spray of water like a column shot up, breaking the wooden railing and tilting the ship sideways.

“Fenghuang” shook to one side, like a large bowl, revealing the part that had always been covered by water. For a second, the vessel froze in mid-air, then returned to its original position. The crew desperately clung to the mast, wheel, or railing. Ashwin grabbed the rail with all his strength, ignoring the flying chips of the broken hull. But when the ship fell down on the water, sending up another wave, the teen was thrown overboard.

A memory from three years ago surfaced in his mind. That horrific night, apes dragged him across the waters of a border river. Living near a lake, Ashwin had learned how to stay afloat, but that humble skill did not make him a skilled swimmer. What’s worse, his handcuffs restricted his movements. He dove out of the sea. The salty water helped him to stay afloat. It would have been even better if the waves weren’t high, or if the sea beasts beneath didn’t pose any danger. The teen inhaled before another wave covered his head. That short moment was enough for him to hear Ziana’s voice.

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"I’ll get him back!"

The girl didn’t wait for a response. She jumped into the lifeboat, informing them of her intentions. It only took her a moment to wrap the rope around the ship’s side and release the holdback. As soon as the boat reached the water, she rowed towards the teen. Ashwin kept going under water and diving back, fighting the waves. He put his worries about the sea beast aside for the time being. At the very least, he hoped that such an enormous creature wouldn’t be interested in him, a tiny human.

The teen’s efforts paid off - the lifeboat steadily approached them.

"Grab my hand," commanded Ziana, with a voice devoid of any fear or anxiety, or even worry. But Ashwin’s situation was far from being able to pay attention to the girl’s rudeness. He did as she said, hurried to get out of the water. The teen leaned over the board, spit the sea water out, yet his mouth still tasted salty. Ashwin raised his head. He wanted to ask for something to drink to get rid of the unpleasant taste. However, another question left his lips.

"Was the ship that far?"

Ashwin wiped the water off his forehead. Drops kept trickling down, just trying to get into his eyes. But one glance at the girl was enough to clear the situation up. Ziana quickly pulled on the rope that connected the boat to “Fenghuang”, only to find it had been cut. She stood abruptly, causing the lifeboat to sway. Ashwin grabbed hold of the side of the board. He wasn’t eager to tempt fate again. Even as Ziana erupted in swearing, the teen didn’t let go.

"That stupid bastard! He doesn’t know who he’s messing with! I’ll rip his guts out, gouge his eyes and feed them to the two-headed sea snakes!"

Ashwin felt the salt water running down his skin and hair. The girl’s cursing made him look at her silently. That was a mistake. Ziana, still enraged, glared at the teen.

"What?!"

"Nothing," Ashwin instantly blurted out. "Surely you won’t do that."

"Wanna bet?"

This time, he decided to keep quiet. Following the leaving “Fenghuang” with his gaze, Ashwin’s head was surprisingly empty. Like the endless sea around them, one moment seething, and the next calm.

***

Left behind by the ships and the water creatures, the lifeboat swung on the waves. A blue sky with few fluffy clouds and a light breeze made the day perfect, but if only there was a shore at such a peaceful scene. Ashwin covered his eyes with his hands, trying to see a glimpse of land, or at least a vessel. It also distracted him from the girl’s grumbling.

She started to check the lifeboat for anything useful. It had a small supply of water, crackers, and dried fruit, but it was enough to last for a week at most. They could not sail all the way from the open sea to the continent in such a humble vessel. Ashwin’s only good luck was that Ziana had the key to his handcuffs. Finally, his hands were free. 'Such a good luck,' the teen thought bitterly, as he was immediately ordered to row.

"Why didn’t you hold the rails properly?" the girl complained. "If you didn’t fall, we wouldn’t be stuck here. And you have nothing useful at all."

"I would have had something useful if you guys hadn’t taken everything from me," snapped back Ashwin.

The moment he got caught, the contents of his bag were thoroughly robbed. He doubted that metal nuts and bolts would help him much in the middle of the ocean. However, just to mock him, the pirates allowed him to keep the paw with claws. The weird trophy that Ngu-Gu had given him was still on his belt. Remembering the Odd ape, Ashwin lowered his head. His time in the troop was a dark chapter of his past that he wished never to remember again. Yet he couldn’t help but thought, 'Scarface was nasty sometimes. But he never left me to danger just to save himself...'

As if his thoughts were written all over his face, Ziana said, "Come on, monkey boy, stop slacking off and row."

Ashwin glared at the girl. Her saber was still with her. Even with his hands free, the chances of defeating her were questionable. Then again, what was the point of fighting when they were sitting in a boat in the vast ocean? The teen began to row in the indicated direction.

"You should say ‘aye captain,‘ despite his obedience," stated the girl.

"You are not a captain," snorted Ashwin, "and if we’re on the subject, why do you have a name from Vardana, anyway? Obviously you’re from Kean."

She gave him a lenient look. The teen gritted his teeth. Ziana always gave this kind of look to him, full of scorn and condescension, when she believed he was acting like a noble. In her eyes, that was synonymous with a gullible fool. "It’s an alias. Everyone on the ship has one. Half of the crew doesn’t even know the captain’s name."

"So, what’s your real name?" insisted Ashwin. This kind of information could be useful when they reached civilization. He decided this outcome was just a matter of time.

The girl grinned. His grandiose scheme didn’t stand a chance against her criminal savvy.

"You are really so foolish. Do you honestly think I would tell you my real name? Now focus on rowing. If we’re lucky, we might make it to the islands before we run out of water."