SIA:

2 months later, we were in sight of our destination.

The Middle Island of the Middle Seas.

It was the most chaotic and the most peaceful place in all of Protos.

Set exactly in the middle of the Middle Seas, it was known as the Blessed Land.

Here, the numbers of gold-ranks and weaponmasters were apparently much higher than anywhere in Protos.

This was thought to be because of the gathering power of the warforce, which had led to many speculating that our bloodline was not the only thing powering our warforce.

The Middle Island did not belong to any one power. Rather, it was a free island that everyone coveted, and yet none could conquer.

To conquer it would require a fleet the likes that has never been seen before in Protos.

And so the Middle Island thrived and every Kingdom and Empire worth its salt had its bases here.

Which meant that we had to tread carefully.

But why were we here?

It’s because we could find anything and everything there.

Our goals were simple.

One was to get the pirate crew a small ship using our wealth, letting them return to their home.

The other was to get new crew members to replace the pirate crew, and they had to be the best of the best.

Toward this, Captain Saylor had already set up a recruitment booth near the busiest tavern on the dockside.

Another goal was to get supplies and stock up as much as possible since we had a surplus of finite rings at the moment.

But the most important goal to me was to find another doctor to heal Faust, or at least potions that could do the same.

I desperately wanted to go search for the same, but Sir Galen and Teacher refused me with firm shakes of their heads and promised me that they would do the tasks themselves as fast as they could.

Still, my pleading had an effect as they allowed Ares to tag along as a runner so that he could pass on the message to bring Faust - should they find a healer.

Idly standing on the railings of the beached ship, I viewed the magnificent surroundings of the Middle Island.

In the far off distance, a castle stood resplendent against the bright sun that hung lazily in the air, and in front of the castle were four smaller areas that could be called as cities in their own right.

As I looked at the areas with interest, I heard footsteps and, looking back; I saw Damon walk up and lean beside me on the railings.

Turning back, I noticed his gaze was on one of the smaller areas.

Gazing at him with a questioning look, I prodded him before he grunted and said in a low voice, “That’s Leon’s base in the middle Island.”

Gaze sharpening, I raised my brows.

Sighing, he said, “There shouldn’t be any trouble. There’s four bases, right? Well, one of them is our-... Leon’s, one is Gonzalo's, one is the Merchari Empire, and the last is of course our dear friends - The Hagarians.”

Chewing my lip, I asked, “So why isn’t it a problem?”

Jerking his head at the castle, Damon growled out, “That’s because they exist. The Locke Kingdom. No enemies anywhere thanks to their terrain and ample access to the Middle Sea. They were one of the first ones to find the Middle Island and their control over it is rock solid.”

“Locke Kingdom,” I mused before asking again, “Isn’t it a Kingdom? Why is it so powerful?”

“That’s because they are seafarers in the most literal manner. Like I said, they had access to the Middle Island first, and they developed their navy before their army. If a Locke ship comes across you, you better close the distance fast or you’ll drown before you can even spit at them.”

I was about to ask him more when I saw Ares come running back.

Excitedly, I vaulted over the railings and onto the ground before rushing up and asking him, “Did they find a doctor?”

Waving his hands, Ares squeezed out, “No doctor. But we have trouble coming.”

Frowning, I had a bad feeling creep up upon me. “Spit it out,” I grumbled.

Looking around furtively, Ares quietly said, “Sir Galen went to the auction house. Got a lot of good stuff, but he caught the eye of some noble here. Sir Galen is now on his way back, but he fears things might go wrong soon. So we have to leave.”

Grounding my teeth, I asked, “The potion?”

“No potions came up for sale. Only weapons, armor, and metals. Oh, and one weird artifact that no one bought.”

Bemused, I blinked my eyes and repeated, “Weird artifact?”

Nodding, Ares said, “Yeah, a golden colored artifact. Nobody knew what they could use it for, but Sir Galen bid like he was possessed. That’s also the main reason for our trouble.”

Then, patting me on the shoulder, Ares began jogging to the dockside tavern where Captain Saylor was, while shouting behind his back, “Get ready! We’ll be leaving in a few hours at most.”

Kicking a pebble, I despondently returned to the hold where Faust lay and whispered guiltily, “I’m sorry, Faust, we didn’t get anything here. But we will soon, and then you’ll be back... right?”

I was about to sit down when I heard shouting outside.

Going out, I saw that a swarm of burly men and women, bare-chested mostly, or scantily clad, were walking in our direction.

Running back down, I grabbed my weapons and went back to the deck, ready for what was coming.

Then I saw Captain Saylor, or rather heard him...as his curses rose above the giant people’s heads.

“What am I supposed to do with you lot, if you’re so tall? The top deck it is for you! Bal, this day keeps getting better and better. Oy, you - shut the Bal up, I heard what you said, and that’s a day's pay from you.” Captain Saylor shouted out.

Grumbling, a particularly tall monster of a sailor threw up his hands in frustration before haggling with the Captain.

Then the Captain noticed me and, jerking his head at the milling newcomers, said, “Our replacement crew. The Mercharis captured them near their border and they seem to be half-bloods,”

A low growl rose at the last words of the Captain and he raised his hands and said, “Mixed blood, I’m sorry.”

The growl died down, and I looked puzzled at the newcomers before Damon elbowed me and said, “half orc, half human.”

Nodding, I understood what he meant. But I was shocked too, for the orcs were supposed to be on the other side of the continent.

Voicing out my doubt, one of the mixed bloods turned to me and said in a rumbling voice, “We are the descendants of the explorers of the orcs. Our parents were adventurers, but the Merchari captured us while we were at sea. Your leader ransomed us, for which we are grateful but do not call us half-bloods again or you will know the wrath of the Orcani.”

Nodding rapidly, I introduced myself to the Orcani, as they called themselves, and then we heard a merry tune being whistled and looking. We saw Sir Galen striding over with his arms thrown over a disgruntled teacher.

Climbing aboard, still whistling the same tune, Sir Galen walked over to Captain Saylor and inspected the newcomers before his whistle grew louder and he said, “Orcani?”

“Aye, Orcani they are.”

admiringly looking at Captain Saylor, Sir Galen said, “Seems I’m not the only one with a good haul,”

“You’re the ONLY one with a good haul,” Grumbled Teacher as he hoisted himself aboard.

“Don’t be like that! At least you got another sheath to replace the one you said you gave to the lad.” Sir Galen said with a grin.

"Yes, but I would have gotten more if you hadn't pissed that noble off by buying everything like a man who has too much gold and doesn't know what to do with it," replied teacher morosely.

"It's not that bad. I mean, we can leave slowly. They won't do anything to us while we are here."

"No? I think otherwise," Teacher said while glaring at Sir Galen.

Changing the topic swiftly, Sir Galen turned around to look at me as he asked, "Speaking of which, how's the lad doing?"

I was about to reply when suddenly; the ship shook where it was beached.

Frowning, I looked around, but everything was the same.

Then the ship shook again.

Looking at Sir Galen, I noticed he was slack jawed and mouthing something while looking at the air.

Confused, I looked up and my jaw fell as I saw a funnel being created above our heads with a violent wind picking up pace as I stared.

“You got to be Baling kidding me,” Groaned out Sir Galen before he bellowed, “All hands, make ready to sail! Get everyone back aboard, Hurry!”

Captain Saylor, after a second, roared out, “Belay that! First find out why the Baling ship is shaking like a damsel in the sea and then we get ready to sail,”

At that moment, I ran down to the hold and then, as fast as I ran down, I ran back up and screamed out, “It’s Faust. He’s doing that thing again.”

Looking at each other, Sir Leonidas and Sir Galen fell silent for a long moment, stupefied. Then, as Captain Saylor bellowed out orders, both of them cursed simultaneously and turned to look at the path to our ship.

Lo-and-behold. On came the curious, the malicious, and the stupid.

Curious to find out what was happening, with malicious intent to appropriate said happenings for themselves, and stupid because we are no fish on the chopping block.

We are Draykes.

So we did what Draykes do.

We took flight.

Literally.

We launched as soon as everybody was aboard and with a roar; the rowers pulled back on their oars and we shot forward out of the bay and into the Middle Sea again.