Episode 9: Calamity Sea

The echoes of the past did not forsake his dark clouded mind. The ringing of chants suffocating personal displeasure rang heavily the more Malakai continued to relive his youth. That same ringing came with the thump of someone shaking his shoulder and calling out to him. His eyes narrowly opened to the rocking of an uneasy floor.

“Malakai…?” A woman with a soft-spoken voice called out to him. The pain emitting from her grip on his shoulder announced his return to conciseness.

“Uh.” Malakai agonized raising on a small white sheeted cot. He didn’t make eye contact with the woman yet. His heart slowly beat, as he fully awoke from his slumber. “Who the – “

Malakai’s eyes pierced the woman as he laid back in a state of shock. His heart didn’t skip a beat ever unless holding his breath to fight a monster. Not like this. His wounds had been cared for and changed. Bloody bandages and towels soaked in obsidian red piled on the side of the cot. The woman remained on the side of his cot, with a small cup held to her chest. She looked to him like a sickened family member she had cared for.

Malakai shook himself upright before speaking once more. Daylight broke out with clear skies from the window. The calming seas playing like an auto-tune. His heart skipped to playing melodies as it came to him.

“This isn’t an illusion is it…?” Malakai asked.

The woman simply shook her head with a soft smile. “No, it isn’t my love.”

Malakai whiffed. He laid back into his cot with a soft grin back towards her. His hand softly touched the side of her face, underneath her long silver ponytail. “Rhea. But how did you find me?”

“That is a tale even a great Diborn like you couldn’t imagine.”

Rhea blushed. She handed Malakai the small brew concocted in the cup. He took a sip of the foul ginger-tasting medicine put inside of it. He ached at every drop that he swallowed while Rhea hopped off the bedside. She picked up all of his bloody rags from the floor and threw them into a small woven basket in the corner.

“It isn’t like you to go out and be spontaneous. So surely, it was following the republic.”

“Must you forget I am the bastard daughter of the late king? I have my resources. It only took me five years to find you since – “

Rhea hesitated. She held a silver amulet shaped like a broken heart over her white corset. Her expression fell flat into devastation. She kept herself silent for a few moments. Malakai met her eyes with a soft glare. “I still cant remember anything past the moment my father went missing. Or anything before that day. I just woke up. Nothing has changed over the years.”

“I see.” She softly panted moving to the other side of the bed.

“No matter. All that matters is we are together. The question is where now?” Malakai rose from his bedside. “I take it the sea.”

Rhea threw on a silver sleeveless fur coat and high-stocking boots to her lower thigh over her black pants. She continued to get ready to leave the room, before tossing Malakai’s patched-up jacket back to him.

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“All these questions. Haven’t seen me for five years and you just interrogate. You always were persistent. Come find me, when you put yourself back to being presentable. I will be on the main deck.” Rhea acknowledged fixing her hair and opening a door, that sent a heavens light through it.

She turned back to him and smiled once more. “It is a blessing to be with you again.”

The door closed right before Malakai could answer. He smirked shaking his head. “Hmph. Same to you.”

Malakai paused for a moment after he settled to the side of the bed. His coat resting beside him, as he saw all of his equipment on the tail end of the room. More of a closet than an actually proper quarters. Stockpiles of extra tools and sails stored behind his cot. Dozens of boxes were placed right under his sword and bag. Malakai put his hands together taking a deep breath. He stared at a blank mirror still seeing the reflection of his obsidian death eyes.

“Time to get going.” He muffled.

Malakai threw on his hunter coat he always wore for his missions with the Edindale task force. As he threw it on, he fixed himself in the mirror. Malakai holstered his sword over his back and made for the door.

…

The sun glared right as Malakai opened the door. It almost became instinctive to go back into the shadows like a vampire, but Malakai covered his eyes for a brief moment. Diborn uniquely aren’t blinded much by the sun in regular hours. Their obsidian eyes eventually block out any bright spots, similar to the sunglasses humans wear.

“Hmph. The sea it is.”

Malakai observed the massive ship he was on. A frigate ship with a crew of buccaneers working diligently to sail across the magnificent sea. About fifty crew mates were on board the main deck. Rhea was on the stairs talking to two workers who appeared to be the engineers of the ship, given their excessive tools. She continued pointing at the mast while others cleaned the main deck or cannons.

The skies were clear, and the wind softly pierced the skin of Malakai. He could feel the winds harmonizing with him at this moment. He closed his eyes and breathed a fresh bit of air, before exhaling.

“Oi, Ramirez. Make sure we have these tattered sails ready to go. Can’t afford any let up for captain!” A crew member yelled to a shipmate next to Malakai at the door.

“Aye! Aye!” He yelled right into the ear of Malakai, who in that case felt like a drum beating in his ear. He turned sharply at the young boy who noticed him.

Malakai stared deeply into the boy's soul, who fell lost and prey to the Diborn. The fear of Diborn still sunk within the child. He was no more than a young teenager settling for his dreams. Reaching for the stars, to grab hold of his hopes and dreams.

“Sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to offend you.” The boy apologized to Malakai. “Thank you for saving the Pale.”

“Don’t mention it.” Malakai nodded walking off towards Rhea.

A shirtless man with a black man bun leaned on the mast and chuckled. “So, the mighty hero of the Pale is a Diborn. Man, you guys are just something else I tell ya. Republic gives you boys a bad name.”

Malakai ignored the man. “Guess so. I am just on my path.”

The shirtless man grinned excessively. A tattoo on my right arm burned literally with a fire emblem, that caught Malakai’s eyes. Malakai began to study the man. He wore a vambrace glove on his right arm with a red cloth flowing with the winds. The emblem grew brighter on his chest.

“The Hipano clan? The clan of fire mages, from the ancient times.” Malakai questioned.

“Keen eye you have. Rhea must truly have good taste. Here I doubted her.” The man chuckled. “Names Niko Martinez. My crew here just calls me Martinez.”

“Hmph.” Malakai muffled. He turned and noticed the entire crew on edge while he continued to stand on the main deck. “Your crew? So your ship?”

“Right, you are.” Martinez applauded the Diborn. He put his arm over Malakai’s shoulder before walking to the main deck. Most of the crew as they walked past acknowledged the captain and saluted to him. The two arrived on the staircase with Rhea.

“Thank you again for letting us board, Niko.” Rhea nodded.

“Ah, no need for thanks. Always enjoy making new allies.” Martinez coughed, hugging Rhea.

“Allies?” Malakai muttered.

Martinez turned back to the Diborn. “If it wasn’t for Rhea, I'd have locked you away with the other prisoner. Count yourself lucky.”

“Wait. You are holding a prisoner? Buccaneers? Or outlaws?” Malakai questioned.

“A little bit of both. Come. Let us talk more.” Martinez waved the two towards his captain's cabin.