Nyk stepped onto the ship, his eyes widening with wonder. The interiors were magnificent, and every corner was packed with fascinating curiosities. The walls were adorned with intricate carvings and detailed tapestries, while the floors were polished wood that reflected the sunlight streaming in from the windows. The open decks were vast and offered breathtaking views of the surrounding sea.

Nyk ran to the other side of the corridor and gazed in amazement at the magically controlled door. The soft wood had a warm, inviting texture, and the orange runes engraved into the surface glowed with magical energy. As he reached out to touch the intricate designs, he felt a tingle of magic in his fingertips.

"This is just incredible," he said, unable to tear his eyes away from the door.

"Oh, you're admiring the doors? How charming," said a voice behind him.

Nyk turned around to find a boy staring at him. The boy towered above him but looked young, probably around his age. He wore a long cape over his shoulders, gold runes and embroidery adorning the cuffs. The fabric shimmered in the sunlight, catching Nyk's attention. They were a big contrast to the clothes Nyk himself was wearing, a pair of short trousers and a simple white-ish shirt which, in comparison, looked poorly discolored.

"Yes! they are amazing! This ship... I've never seen anything like it! By the way, nice to meet you. I'm Nyk. What's your name?" he said, offering his hand in greeting. The boy gently pushed it away with a chuckle.

Nyk heard soft footsteps, presumably Syn catching up to him, and slightly turned to confirm. Her face was grave, her eyes meeting his.

"First time on a ship like this, I presume?" the boy asked with a weird tone.

Nyk noticed Syn's body grow rigid and replied cautiously, "Yes, I was admiring the intricate designs on the door."

The boy's expression soured. "Intricate, you say? I assume they would look so to someone of your caliber," he said with a chuckle.

Before Nyk could answer again, Syn stepped forward, fists clenched, "You got a problem?"

"I certainly don't. You two, on the contrary, are about to have several. This area is only meant for people that have paid to use the ship. Kitchen boys and other servants should be on the lower decks," he said while he adjusted a pair of purple sunglasses that sat atop his nose. "The stairs are at the end of that hallway, on the left. Now chop chop, off you go before I have to alert someone..."

Syn looked like she was ready to jump and punch the amused boy in the face.

Nyk promptly grabbed her hand before the situation could escalate. "We just boarded the ship and have paid for the trip, and we will be more than happy to enjoy it by ourselves," he replied.

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The boy lifted an eyebrow. "Oh, so you're from... here," he said with disdain. "Well, forgive my manners. I wasn't expecting someone from a village full of cave-dwelling troglodytes to be interested in boarding this ship. And what is your goal for the trip, if I may ask?"

Nyk noticed the boy's tone and demeanor, and he suddenly felt small and out of place. Syn stepped forward, locking her eyes on the boy, her voice ringing angrily as she spoke. "Our goal is..."

The door that Nyk had been admiring suddenly opened, and a group of young people similarly dressed to the boy emerged, adorned with gold runes and embroidery in their white shirts. The boy's smile widened at the sight of them.

"...none of your business!" she finished, turning her head toward the newcomers when she noticed the boy's growing smirk.

The air thickened, and the children stared at each other.

The group consisted of a boy and two girls. Among them was a brown-skinned boy who appeared to lead the group, his chestnut-colored eyes narrowing while his broad chest breathed calmly. His arms were thick for his age. Nyk was somewhat reminded of the sailors at the village, his muscles seemed to be built through effort. As he quickly assessed the situation, his mouth twisted down on each end, looking disapprovingly at the trio.

On his left stood a tall girl with beautiful golden hair that quickly looked away, breaking eye contact, while on his right stood another girl with a dark pixie cut and a magical-looking bracelet on her right arm. When the girl tilted her head, observing the scene, her hair seemed to transform, shades of blue exploding as the sun hit it.

A fourth head peeked from behind the golden-haired girl, who stepped aside. The newcomer's hair was peculiar, almost like a mixture of the girls'. It had the same golden color as the girl standing behind him but was cut short identically to the other one, and also seemed to hint at dashes of blue color whenever the sun touched it. Unlike the brown-skinned boy, his arms were thin and agile, and he wore a magical bracelet that matched the one the pixie-cut girl had.

"What is happening here?" asked the muscular boy with a severe face.

"That, I wonder myself," answered the still-grinning and amused boy standing before Nyk and Syn. "I was just in the process of learning who these two are."

Nyk noticed Syn's face tightening, clearly offended by the boy's insinuation that they did not belong on the ship, and Nyk could feel her anger boiling under the surface. Still, surprisingly, her mouth remained shut as she slowed her breathing, calming down.

"Is that what you were trying to do?" she said politely, "it sounded more like you were trying to flash your money in front of us." She said, pointing at his rich clothes.

Nyk saw the newcomers wearing the same clothes as the boy in front of them, bar the rich cape. He looked at the group, not knowing what to say, "M-my name is Nyk. Nice to meet you." The girls stared, amused, at Nyk while the tall, muscular boy's eyes narrowed even further, his mouth returning to a straight line.

Footsteps sounded in the corridor, and Zosimos appeared from behind Nyk and Syn, standing between the group of kids. "There you are. I have been looking all over for you." He turned his back to Nyk and Syn and politely addressed the group of richly dressed younglings. "Young masters, if you'll excuse us, I have something urgent I need to discuss with these kids." He bowed to them.

The brown-skinned boy bowed in return, and Zosimos swiftly turned to place a hand on Syn's and Nyk's shoulders, guiding them across the corridor outside. Nyk noticed Syn's face boiling with rage and surprise as they were carried away. As they walked through the door frame, Nyk turned around for one last glance at the purple-glassed boy, who was huffing with a smirk.

The salty sea air hit their faces as they stepped onto the front deck. Nyk and Syn exchanged a nervous glance, unsure of what was happening. Zosimos motioned for them to sit at a nearby table, and they obliged, uncertain.