An unoccupied Breeze Haven traveled through the dense fog while Cira lounged in the air next to her flagship, chatting with the others as a crystal orb floated before her.

“You know, this is quite difficult to read in the mist.” Cira summoned Prismagora, “There. Much better.”

It always knew which way the sun lay and could easily take up the role in its absence. Thus, the solar compass could point true without Cira worrying about weather conditions.

“Aren’t we just gonna end up back at Lost Cloud—I mean Acher?” Dutchy complained. “We’ll be right back where we started.”

“Perhaps… But I will never know where to start looking if I don’t retrace this Captain Cloud’s last steps.” Cira twirled the orb around and watched the stream of light shift around to stay on course. She did this periodically to make sure the results were accurate. “I intend to discover his point of failure and continue from there.”

The legends of an island made of solid gold with one spring for water and another for the sky’s finest ale were certainly far-fetched, but Cira was surprised to find an actual compass that supposedly led some centuries-dead pirate captain on such a wild goose chase.

Somehow, I doubt there’s an island of gold with two springs at the end… Even considering there to be an actual spring which spewed beer was outrageous at best. Springs exist by manifesting elements from the aether, so what does that make this Paradise’s second spring? Is pirate magic real?

“Do you think… you can really do it?” Dutchy asked, but everyone else seemed to be interested too.

“Don’t misunderstand me.” Cira replied curtly, “I have my doubts that Paradise even exists. But if it does, and it’s not too far away, I will certainly find it.”

I don’t have time to dawdle. I want to conclude my business with the Third Order before that darn Council of Sorcerer’s bothers me again. The supposed Sky Warden is coming to Breeze Haven to pick me up in, what, hardly two months at this point? Yeah, let’s finish this up and be on my way.

After all, I still need time to climb the Noose for my vacation in solitude then reach Porta Bora for my vacation in the city once all this nonsense is through. Only then will I be able to follow that stupid compass my dad left.

Cira was neglecting to look under his pillow because she knew she would only become more irritated when she inevitably found a compass that had been sitting there for years as he promised she would. On one hand, it was infuriating that he could still play games with her from beyond the grave, but on the other, she felt a degree of gratitude that he expended so much effort to be present even in death.

Feeling his long-lost light in her dream, a certain warmth and comfort flooded her when she thought about it.

“I’m sorry, Cirrus, but we really are short on time. What little remains of me is nearly expended…” The fragment he left behind said toward the end of her dream. She hated hearing her full name but could never complain in moments when he actually used it. Gazen bore a full, untroubled smile, “My only child. I’ve no doubt you will continue to pass your trials. After all, you’re my daughter, aren’t you? You may defy the sky on occasion, but that demon who claimed to be your father aims to bring it to ruin.”

“Dad…” She was fully engrossed in the memory of her recent dream as the high skies brushed a gentle wind through her hair. “I don’t want to see that monster again…” She couldn’t get the desolate gaze of the victim from her dream out of her mind. “I don’t want to… bring such misery. Why did he make me do those things?”

Cira remembered having grown at least a little by the time Gazen showed up compared to her memories of that night. For some reason, her recollection seemed to stop then and resume when she was rescued. Still, up to that moment she wrought pain and abject misery upon so many… so, so many. For the life of her, she could not recall a single reason why except for that feeling when he praised me… why did I relish it so? It makes my skin crawl.

“Cira, dear… It brings me great joy that I was able to raise you properly, but that demon took you from those who could be called your true parents. You were separated from the two responsible for your birth at such a young age that you could only know what he told you to believe. Do you not follow the sorcerer’s code?”

“I… Of course I do!” She was taken off guard by the sudden question. “Who do you think I am, Dad?”

“Then how could you feel any guilt?” His words were casual, yet somehow brooked no doubt. As if it were such a small matter that its nature could not be misconstrued. “I have taught you the skills to walk your own path and seen into your budding heart along the way. You wield the privilege of sorcery better than any practitioner I’ve ever met, mistakes or not. Having forgotten the sins you were manipulated to foster, you never failed to do what’s right in the end, even at your own expense. Haven’t you realized, dear daughter of mine?”

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

That so-called demon referred to her as something similar, but even his insidious words fell away as her father spoke. She was alone for, according to him, at least six whole years, but to hear him call her his dear daughter again was a comfort she thought would never again come to be.

It had been a couple minutes, and Cira realized he was simply catering to her needy nature as he still gave her the occasional head pat. “Re… realized what?” she spoke pensively, as his voice had grown even weaker. The sea of light she lingered in the depths of started to fade, not to shadow, but to something soft as the sky.

“All this time. Do you not remember how adamant you were on your sorcerous path? I sealed away any influence of your past, and your truest heart wished for nothing more than to help those less capable than yourself.” Her dad’s hand came to rest on her head and there was a brief moment where the world of light returned in full force. It was as if he stood behind her fully resurrected. Of course, she was too scared to turn around.

She tried not to focus on the energy she felt flowing her way, but suddenly a myriad of lights shined through from the sky beyond. Even when she closed her eyes, they broke effortlessly through the barrier which separated her consciousness from the real world. One appeared to be the sun, while others, perhaps distant stars. Like someone had flicked a paintbrush against a canvas, they were countless and vibrant.

“If you’re going to talk nonsense…” Cira played at her innocence which had flown off somewhere six years ago, “Shouldn’t we spend these last moments talking about things that don’t matter? Do you remember… that time I healed all those people while you purified their lands? You know, I made a much larger array that I think even you would be proud of.”

Cira chuckled recalling the three pillars of light.

“I saw it, Cira. And I was proud. All these years… I’ve seen it all.” He continued patting her head. “Your work on Fount Salt was particularly impressive, but I’ll be disappointed if you don’t learn a few lessons from it. Still, I couldn’t be happier to see the sorcerer you’ve become.”

They were both quiet for a moment, but Cira could feel him fading.

The stars beyond pulsed with mana. Cira recognized their placement. The constellations. Somehow, she could see them from the bottom of a mountain and deep within her sea of consciousness. Cira was slightly familiar with cosmic sorcery, but never had she perceived the stars with such sensitivity. Her mind was racing as she tried not to choke up, feeling her father’s fading light trickle into what would surely become her aura when she awoke.

“Dad…”

“I’m sorry… I really do have to go now, Cira dear. Promise me you’ll try not to be so careless, alright?” He laughed one last time and Cira felt him pull away. When she turned around to grab for his hand, there wasn’t anything there. But she could still feel his warmth. “Until next time, my daughter.”

Cira clenched her fist, “Dammit! Until next time, my ass.” I can’t even be mad that I get to see him, but if it’s just another projection like in the archive, I’m going to be upset.

“Uh, you alright?” Tawny asked, startling her. A few of the others were staring at her too.

“Always.” She deflected, “You guys ever seen demons around these skies?”

“Demons…?” Jimbo asked. “Where’s this coming from?”

“One of the few races not allowed in the Gandeux Skies.” James said. “People say they have cursed blood. Remnants of their ancestors—Monsters born at the dawn of time said to wield lost magics. It’s all a bunch of mumbo jumbo if you ask me. Someone probably just had a grudge against them centuries ago ‘cause some of them look scary.”

“Yikes.” I wouldn’t be entirely sure though… Was my false father one of those who received the blood of a monster…? Or was he one of those born at the dawn of time? Could that be why I can cast primordial curses?

Cira could do it ever since she remembered. That said, she was quite little, and there was no memory of having actually learned how. The Auld Sprig had always been there.

“I wouldn’t worry about it too much. Either way, those same legends say the ancient monsters are all extinct. The Gandeux and even Nightwing Isles acknowledge it.”

“Let’s hope they’re right.” Cira replied, a little anxious for the future.

“Captain!” Shores shouted, “We’ve been going straight for a while. Are you sure we’re going the right way still?”

They were fully within the mist so there was no way to tell which way they were going, though he probably had an idea how to retrace his steps to Acher.

“That’s my bad,” Cira held the solar compass out for all to see. “I’ve been controlling the wind around us and rotating the ship accordingly. You can take a break if you want.”

Cira was actually learning a little bit about sailing through this experience, albeit more from the wind and sails’ perspective rather than the sailor’s.

“You… what?” He let go of the wheel and deflated.

“I can stay on course within a fraction of a degree of accuracy this way. I don’t want to make any mistakes as my predecessor before me may have. The don’t call me the eternal pirate empress for nothin’” Cira said, lounging with her hands behind her head in the air next to her flagship. “I feel like we should have made it to Lost Cl—to Acher by now though, right?”

“I was just thinking the same thing…” Shores replied, ever the diligent captain. “But if you say we’re still on course, then…”

“Cloud was wrong?!” Jimbo shouted. “I’ll drink to—wait…”

“No, you won’t.” Cira laughed as he reached for an empty pocket and the flask appeared out of her ring with a discharge of black lightning. “For any who want to know, Captain Sticks’ flask holds roughly two standard barrels-worth.”

“You liar!” Tawny shouted, tugging at his hair ruthlessly. “You said it was two bottles!”

Woops. Cira suddenly became worried about hygiene as her third glug went down smoother. Has this flask… ever been cleaned? There could be a decade of backwash in here like some sick sourdough starter, passed down through generations or countless nights and refills…

“Land Ho!” Cira heard from the crow’s next far above.

“I don’t believe it…” Shores shouted with his spyglass extended. “It’s… it’s Green Pit!”