Bile oozed out of Kyle's throat in rhythm with the rocking of the boat. It has been nearly a month since he first boarded this vessel. He couldn't remember what it was called; not that he cared.

The journey so far had been horribly dull, with nothing to do but read the same fantasy novel over and over again, or throw up your breakfast into the ocean in hope you appease some sort of God by doing so.

Kyle so far has made it his mission to avoid interacting with the sailors on this ship. These muscular hairy men spitting everywhere and using curse words Kyle had never heard before made him think that they might not match personality wise. He gazed at the blue liquid that surrounded his whole world. He had never liked the sea, too big, too...unknown. There's no telling what could be hiding underneath that sapphire sheet, and that thought terrifies poor Kyle.

Unable to bear the weight of the ocean's gaze any more, Kyle heads back to his cabin. His mind trailed off to thoughts about his destination. The captain had told him that they are heading to a country called Pakao. Using the collective information from the captain and his geography lessons, it's a small, relatively poor country, whom's main export is fish and berries. Also, apparently mages are a lot rarer there than back in Potenceps. There is also more crime and seems to be some sort of civil war rising throughout the land.

It sounds like the perfect place to have an adventure!

* * * * *

Another two weeks has passed and it seems another will have to before they reach land. If they had a wind or water mage on board, the journey could take less than a month, maybe even a week - depending on the mage's ability. Sadly a mage doesn't give out their services for free, only the ships owned by the extremely wealthy (or a mage) would hire one for a voyage. Kyle couldn't complain though, normally it would take this ship six months to reach where they are now but thanks to good wind, strong current and whatever God(s) these people pray to, this wasn't the case.

Kyle has been lazily idling on the deck for the past several hours, occasionally watching the sailors work.

"Boy if you've got time to watch, you've got time to mop." Said one sailor to Kyle, apparently tired of him moping around.

"Why should I? I'm not a sailor and I paid good money to be on here, you should be thanking me."

"Bah! You noble kids be all the same, throw some coin around an' you think it makes you betta than the rest of us. Lousy kid hasn't worked in day in his life I bet."

Kyle's cheeks flushed red at the audacity of this sailor. He almost demanded the man be thrown overboard but quickly realised all that would do is make his journey a lot more uncomfortable. Instead, he stormed off to his cabin of solitude. He could hear a mix of laughing and disapproving grunts from behind as he walked.

You won't be laughing when I throw mana bolts at all of your ugly faces!

Kyle knew deep down this was an empty threat. Mana bolts were horribly ineffective for combat due to the amount of effort needed to control them and their low damaged output. They were only really taught so a mage could increase their skill in manipulating their mana.

Kyle also imagined he wouldn't get very far after throwing the first bolt, it would be him against at least twenty burly men armed with daggers, hatchets, harpoons and swords. Also, he decided earlier on in the voyage that he would keep him being a mage a secret until he found a way to learn combat spells.

* * * * *

Another week has passed and what was once boredom would be now more akin to insanity. Kyle neared the end of his rope   He has read that book of his so many times he could almost recite it word for word. He even attempted to do a pushup, he was that bored!

In his stupor he once tried to engage a sailor in conversation, only to be brushed of by incoherent grumbling. He now occupied most of his time doing mana exercises in his room.

Might as well do something productive I guess. Either that or throw myself overboard and see if mermaids are actually real.

* * * * *

Eight days later...

"LAND HOOOOOOOOOOE!"

Kyle was suddenly awoken by the sound of someone shouting. He wasn't able to make out the words since he was asleep so he grew a little concerned. Deciding to investigate, he put on his trousers and headed up deck.

He was greeted to the sight of the men frantically manoeuvring around the ship with excited smiles on their faces.

"What's going on captain?" Kyle asked as he approached the man holding the wheel.

"What ya think it be boy? It be land."

"Land?" Kyle said as his eyes followed the direction of the captain's.

In the distance a shipping dock could be seen and behind it, land, land and more land.

"Fucking hell yes!" Kyle shouted while jumping in the air with his fist held high.

He rushed back to his cabin so he could gather his belongings. He packed everything he had taken out back into their original bags. He then placed his satchel over his shoulder, his overflowing backpack on his back and grabbed his other two bags with each hand.

* * * * *

As soon as the ship was docked and the captain gave the okay to leave, well, Kyle did just that. He scrabbled off the dock, rocking backwards and forwards  as he walked due to the excessive amount of weight he was carrying.

He gazed in wonder and awe as all of these unfamiliar sites were absorbed into his eyes. He noticed that the people of Pakao had a darker skin colour than the people of Potenceps. His social anxiety temporally forgotten, Kyle decided to approach one of the good people of Pakao. His chosen target was young woman with light brown skin and thick black hair.

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

"Hello!" Kyle almost yelled with a beaming smile.

"što?" Replied the woman.

"Huh, what?" Kyle said, now confused.

"Ne razumijem te."

And with that  reply finally word from the woman, Kyle had an epiphany.

By the veil how could I be so stupid?! Of course she doesn't speak Potences, it's like a thousand miles away! Damn me, why did it never occur to me that people in a different country would speak a different language? How am I suppose to communicate with these people..? Calm down Kyle, you're a genius mage remember, you'll just have to learn the language, shouldn't be too hard. And I'm sure there the people here who can speak Potences. Extravagant inns will have people who can since it will help doing business with tourists. All right, I guess first thing to do is find a fancy inn to stay and also learn about this damn country.

Somewhere in the midst of Kyle's thoughts, the Pakao woman had left, probably got uncomfortable with a weird foreign boy staring at her and speaking in a funny language.

Kyle did not care she left, his only focus now was to find an inn to stay in. The best inns are normally at the centre of a city as that's the place with the most people and shops. All he has to do then is keep walking into the thicket of the buildings until he reaches the centre.

* * * * *

Twenty minutes into his adventure, he is stopped by a muscular youth about several years older than him. The youth approaches Kyle with a wide friendly smile... it seems he wants Kyle to talk first.

"Errm... Hello?" Kyle says, unable to ignore this man for any longer.

"Hello!" The youth said with a thick accent.

"You speak Potences?" Said the incredulous Kyle.

"A little... You lost?"

"Kind of. I'm trying to find an inn to stay in."

The smile on the youths face widened. "I know inn. I can take you to!"

"Great! Is the inn, errmmm... good... big?"

"Yes, very big very rich. I take you."

"Great! Thank you!"

And with that, the youth started walking while Kyle trailed behind.

As they walked, Kyle thought he would be polite and engage in the conversation with the friendly stranger.

"So, how do you know Potences?"

"… My father teach me."

"Oh, is he from Potenceps?"

"… Yes."

"Oh..."

"Mmm..."

It seemed the longer they walked, the less the youth spoke, he is most likely struggling to speak Potences.

As time passed and the youth now seemed to be rendered mute, Kyle started to take in the scenery around him. The building were smaller and made of a rougher stone than the ones in Potenceps and the further he walked, the more they seemed to decline in quality. The grime and trash seems to have grown in great quantity and potency since the outskirts of the city. The amount of people walking around seems to have decreased as well.

After another five minutes of silence, Kyle decides to talk to the youth again.

"Errm... Are you sure this is right way?"

"Yes."

"Oh, how long until we get there?"

"Not long, soon there."

"Oh, good-good..."

* * * * *

The light underneath Kyle's feet was suddenly devoured by shadows of ill intent. Four men had surrounded him and look upon him with eyes of predators.

A biological phenomenon was beginning to occur in Kyle's body, he turned to the youth he has been following...

"Erm.. Do you know them?"

The youths beaming smile that has never once left his face the entire journey now stretched further, covering his face in wrinkles, cracks and pink flesh.

"Sorry friend, it bad for you, give stuff and you no die." Said the youth, still in his friendly voice.

As the final word was said, all of the men revealed their hands - brandishing a weapon. A knife, a machete, an iron rod, a thick metal chain, and another knife, held by our benevolent tourist helper.

The youths' Potences skills were so poor, in a normal situation his threat would sound harmless, maybe even cute. However, thanks to the youths smile and his friends, only Kyle wasn't the one smiling.

"Please don't take my belongings, please! They're all I have!" He pleaded.

The iron rod was swung sideways and found its way into Kyle's stomach. Kyle keeled over as air and mucus flew out of his body.

"Give stuff. Now." Said the youth with a smile that somehow had grew in size even further.

"P-please..." Wheezed Kyle.

*Whack!"

The man with the iron chain swung it down like a horse whip on Kyle's back. He felt the skin tear of his back and his spine creak & shudder.

"Give us stuff please."

One would have to wonder, why does the youth still ask for Kyle's belongings when the boy is now laid upon the ground, barely conscious?

The youth stomped on Kyle's head, clearly not happy with Kyle ignoring him.

"Why... you... ask... just... take..." Coughed the lifeless lad on the ground.

"We take?" Said the youth while tilting his head slightly.

"Yes, take.... just.... just please spare me..." He wept.

"Okay friend we take, thank you friend."

Kyle bit down on his tongue to prevent himself from saying anything that might enrage the youth or his friend's further. He laid defenceless as he felt several rough hands searching and snatching everything he owns... Owned.

Rain began to cascade down upon the land. It felt oddly pleasant on Kyle's body. The cooling sensation rocked him into a slow slumber.

I'm a mage, a Hensworth... I've been here less than a day. Fuck Pakao... It wasn't suppose to be like this...

This was Kyle's last thought as felt his shoes being pulled from his corpse...