The sea breeze felt good on Saelina's skin but she was less thrilled with the movement of the ship, underneath her. It had taken them two days to reach the coast where the nyxan ship was anchored, and now they were setting course for Islasa across the Threan Sea.

Ezeas had barely spoken to her, since the capture, except to give her orders; he had kept his people away from her and always removed the restraints when she needed to eat or relieve herself, and finally agreed to forego them entirely, when they boarded, so she supposed she was grateful for small favors. Lyari, in particular, was best kept at a distance. The nyx had taken to making disturbing comments, both in Islasan and Lissónese, mostly about the maiming and torture of the sole human among them. Naturally, these remarks were only made when Ezeas was out of earshot. The other nyxis seemed to stay out of the conflict, completely, though they would observe Saelina, suspiciously, whenever she moved. What exactly they were waiting for her to do, surrounded by people who could easily kill her, was anyone's guess.

Finding out she was going on a ship was simultaneously an exciting and a nerve wracking revelation. Now, that she was on the ship, she was leaning further towards the latter emotion. The ship, itself, was enormous; she had no trouble imagining the entire population of Mahlein fitting comfortably onboard. The crew went about their business, not much bothering with the single human brought aboard by a small group of military stealth personnel.

Saelina tried hard not to be bothered by the unnatural sensation of the ground swaying under her feet but she was starting to wonder whether the nyxis planned the voyage as a special kind of torture for everyone they captured. The ship rocked and Saelina found herself gripping the railing while cursing whichever god invented waves. She noticed one of the crew members come over.

“Not a sea-dog, huh?”

The woman gave a sympathetic smile. Her raven, wavy hair blew softly against her alabaster skin and deep blue eyes shone with merriment and confidence. She was slightly taller than Saelina, who was already the tallest woman in her town, and exuded a commanding presence. Her upper body was a patchwork of leather straps and colorful scarves covering a white, puffy shirt; her legs were covered by a pair of loose-fitting, tanned, leather pants which were stuffed into brown boots with the cuffs bent down.

“I've never been on a ship, before,” Saelina admitted, freely.

The woman laughed and her voice was surprisingly joyous; it was not mocking or derogatory, just a laugh for its own sake.

“You poor thing! No wonder you're clinging to the taffrail like a carver monkey.”

“I'm sure I'd be amused if I knew what that was.”

“They're tenacious little creatures from the jungles in Kkahlignos;” she started explaining, “we sailed up the Hailin river and had to spend hours detaching the critters, afterwards. They're incredibly fast and have powerful claws with which to dig into the wood of trees and branches they're climbing. When they get anxious, they 'lock' themselves in place and are almost impossible to move without causing severe damage to the woodwork.”

She chuckled at the memory.

“They're really soft, though.”

She looked at Saelina with a gentle smile and made a small gesture with her hand; the uneasiness began to fade from the captive's body and she relaxed her grip, a little.

“I don't like anyone being miserable on my ship.”

Saelina's eyes widened in surprise.

“You're the captain?”

“Laelith Sethaernan, at your service, Miss Saelina. Welcome to the Windrider.”

The nyx flashed a bright grin and gave her shoulder a friendly push. The smile was infectious and Saelina soon found herself returning it. Then the captain's name sunk in, properly.

“Sethaernan? You mean, like-”

“Ezeas? Yes. We're cousins, though I don't blame you for seeing no resemblance.”

Suddenly, Saelina felt on edge, again, wondering if she was being set up. She glanced around, causing Laelith to wink at her.

“Don't worry. While we are related, there is not much loyalty lost among us.”

“Do you have any idea what he wants with me?”

She shook her head.

“He's not the one who wants you, darling. The Council of Houses is very intent on reclaiming any relics from our past; they've sent parties out, East and West, to find and retrieve whatever we can.”

“Why?”

She hesitated.

“Trust me, you don't want to get mixed up in Islasa's politics. The less you know, the better.”

Saelina had a hard time arguing against that logic; even so, she was curious. The most she had heard of foreign politics had been the odd grumblings of her former betrothed, regarding possible marriage alliances and she had usually assumed that at least half the information was being used to try and hurt her. Laelith patted her on the back.

“I know things are difficult, right now. And gods be cursed, you've had some bad luck in who ended up responsible for you. But if you're ever feeling ill or those guys won't get off your back, seek me out.”

She leaned in close.

“Also, if that bitch, Lyari, starts causing trouble, don't hesitate to find either Ezeas or me. While he's not the most pleasant to work with, he will put her in her place.”

Saelina wondered how she knew, then realized that the wound on her cheek was still clearly visible; perhaps Lyari had a penchant for cutting up faces. She smiled an gave a small nod. Laelith returned it, warmly, before leaving her, again. The encounter had been a welcome break from all the suspicion and open dislike, directed at her. When the ship rocked, again, Saelina felt noticeably less affected by it. She stared out at the endless ocean, feeling very small and very lost in all the openness; the idea of a wider world beyond her town was something entirely different from seeing it with her own eyes. It was at once overwhelming and freeing.

“You're not thinking about jumping in, are you?”

Saelina wondered how often she would have to suffer Ezeas' sudden appearance without warning. Her own estimates were not kind.

“No.”

He was standing next to her, nodding towards land, still visible in the horizon.

“This coast is known for having a powerful undertow, you'd have no chance of swimming back to shore, from here.”

“Since I don't know how to swim, that really wouldn't be my first concern, if I jumped in. I'm not about to kill myself to get away from you.”

“Good to know you have some modicum of common sense.”

The temptation to roll her eyes and leave was strong but escaping someone on a ship seemed a fool's errand. Instead, she decided to put on a smile.

“Why, thank you, Essy.”

His eyes narrowed at her.

“I spoke too soon. Perhaps jumping overboard would be a kindness to both of us.”

“Oh, but you'll be terribly disappointed about not fishing me out of the water, like a drowned rat, just so you can say 'I told you so'.”

He leaned against the railing, resting his weight on one elbow, as he turned towards her.

“I'd rather you stayed out of trouble until I've delivered you to the right people. Feel free to drown on their watch.”

“Your concern is very touching. I'll keep it in mind when I finally get the chance to return the favor.”

He looked at her, clearly unimpressed with the threat.

“See that you do, whelp.”

She clenched her jaw and resisted the urge to snap something back. The new nickname was a special little present of Ezeas', after she convinced him to reveal his name. The smirk on his face let her know she had failed at hiding her distaste for the moniker. She glared at him and he simply gazed back, no doubt waiting for an outburst. She was not going to give him the satisfaction, and so they remained for several moments, neither one willing to give in or break away. Saelina knew it was only a matter of time before she pushed too far and would pay the price when Ezeas' patience ran out, yet she found herself constantly testing those limits; it was unsettling to have pushed so far, yet still felt no real repercussions. She attributed it to his reluctance to harm the essence she had ingested, in any way.

“Ezeas.”

Lyari's voice was firm but not disrespectful; they both turned to look at her and she made a quick gesture for Ezeas to follow her; Saelina was relieved to be left alone, again. She took the chance to head below deck to find somewhere to sleep, before she was forced into another confrontation.

The passageway was narrow and her unease increased, when she could no longer see the ocean. She had been given a quick tour when she first came aboard but trying to navigate the innards of the ship, alone, was more than a little daunting. The women's quarters was a big room with low ceiling, filled with hammocks hung along the walls and between the wooden girders. The hessian material was brown and coarse and appeared utterly uncomfortable for sleeping.

She decided to play it safe and headed straight for one in the very back, hoping that staying out of everyone's way would make things a little easier. When laying down, there was an eerie feeling of disassociation from everything which had taken place, as if she had seen the events transpire through someone else's eyes.

You are not worthy.

The sudden intrusion in her mind startled her.

Who are you?

Everything was silent for a few seconds.

Why were you chosen? You're weak, cowardly.

She set her jaw, firmly.

Who are you?

After a moment, she got the sense of someone sighing.

I am the full embodiment of that, which you so carelessly absorbed.

She considered the answer for a second then it dawned on her.

You're the dragon.

The one fated to suffer your feeble fumbling until you've learned to handle what I offer.

And what is it you offer?

There was an instant feeling of impatience and disappointment.

Surely, you've not already forgotten?

She gasped.

The forest. That was you, you made it happen.

I shared some of my power and you made use of it.

For a long time, Saelina tried to keep her thoughts quiet, not knowing what to make of the information. She decided to change the subject.

Did you know Tahlisa?

A piercing sadness shot through her and tears welled up in her eyes and spilled over; it was such a strange and unexpected emotion that she had no recourse but to allow it to run its course, sobbing quietly in her hammock, while the feeling slowly subsided. The dragon did not speak, again.

When her tears dried up, she finally fell asleep. She opened her eyes to find herself staring into a huge blue eye, one she remembered. This time, the creature retreated, slightly, giving her a chance to see more of it. A huge, triangular head was looking down at her; as terrifying as it should have been Saelina felt no fear, just an intense sadness as well as something she could not describe, underneath the sorrow. It was warm and gentle and it was overwhelming her with its sheer profundity. She recognized that she carried no part of the feeling, it was wholly devoted to someone else, yet it caused an ache, deep within her, as if she longed to know such emotions for herself.

A deep, constant thrumming reverberated through her, seemingly combining the two emotions into an intense note, which was felt more than heard. She wanted to reach out to the dragon, wanted to connect with it but was held back; its head came down to rest in front of her and despite being so near each other, there was a distance, an anger, compounded by pain, filling the space between them.

You are not worthy.

The words echoed in her mind as she was jolted awake.

Her hammock was swinging, erratically, and she floundered to get out and find more solid footing; a crash sounded from above and the idea that the ceiling might come falling down had her jump to cower against a wooden beam. The other people in the room seemed much calmer, getting up and dressed in quick fashion, before leaving with clear purpose.

Saelina had no idea what to do, she just knew she was no longer comfortable below deck. The ship was rocking violently and she had great difficulty keeping steady as she made her way up. The deck was filled with crew members, running around, orders being barked, left and right. While the people seemed calm and determined, it was obvious that something was not right. Saelina looked around, trying to find a familiar face to figure out what was going on, but without much luck. Given that she only knew the names of three nyxis, and the faces of three more, the odds were not stacked in her favor. She decided to move towards the stern, hoping to find the captain near the quarterdeck.

A deafening boom erupted, followed by a crash and the sound of splintering wood; the galleon shook violently and she fell down, with nothing to hang onto; while she had never heard a canon being fired before, she had a hard time imagining what else it could be. But who was shooting? And why were they shooting? She lay flat until the rocking had lessened, then she tried to slowly stand up, again. A few of the nyxis had fallen overboard and there was an intense clamoring around her, as the crew tried to regroup. Another roaring noise sounded, this time from below.

Ever so carefully, she started moving forward, again, anticipating another hit at any moment; she glanced up and saw Laelith standing above everyone, yelling her orders. She looked tense but focused. Another explosion rumbled from below and it dawned on Saelina that the nyxis were firing their own canons, as well. She reached the steps to the quarterdeck, only to find half of them missing, the broken planks sticking out like jagged teeth over a gaping hole into the depths of the ship. She stepped along the edge, testing carefully where to put her feet while hoping there would not be another shot, right then; when she reached the nyx, she hesitated, worried that her presence would be an unwelcome distraction. Laelith caught sight of her and her eyes widened in alarm.

“Saelina, what are you doing here?!”

She looked around frantically, but whatever she was searching for was not within sight. Saelina stepped in closer to better be heard.

“What's going on?”

The captain pointed out towards the sea; narrowing her eyes, Saelina could make out the shape of another ship, in the darkness. There was a whistling sound, then a crash as a canon ball hit the edge of the stern. A hail of wooden splinters cascaded down as the two women ducked.

“Pirates,” Laelith yelled, "they're after the artifacts in our hold."

She rose and barked a new set of order, in Islasan, before returning to the conversation.

“They won't risk boarding, we'd easily beat them in close quarter combat, so they're staying out of range of the hook slingers and just...blowing us to pieces.”

Three explosions rung out from below deck, as the Windrider returned fire.

“But we're going to be fine, right? I mean, we're shooting back,” Saelina said.

The Captain's expression was grim as she surveyed the damage on deck.

“Our canons don't have the range to reach them. As things stand, right now, the can just keep chipping away at us, from a distance.”

Saelina's stomach dropped.

“What do we do? Can we outrun them?”

Captain Sethaernan shook her head.

“Their frigate is lighter and faster. Even with favorable winds and an empty hold against a tired crew with heavy loot, we'd be hard pressed.”

The finality of the captain's statement caused tendrils of dread, slithering through Saelina's mind at the possibility of being thrown into the water, only to drown. She looked around the ship for something to distract her, even for a moment. The sight of several nyxis who stood at the starboard side, a dark glow surrounding them, spiked her interest.

“What are they doing?”

“We're doing what we can to protect the ship with magic. Those guys aren't novices, but it seems our enemy has countermeasures. They know exactly who they're up against.”

There was an almost imperceptible growl underlying Laelith's words, an inhuman noise, emanating from her chest.

“If they sink us, won't they lose the loot, as well?” Saelina wondered.

“In theory, yes. I'm guessing their mages have a solution for that, as well. Either that or...”

Laelith trailed off, obviously conflicted about how much to tell a complete outsider; however, Saelina knew where she was going.

“They don't care about the loot. They just don't want it to reach Islasa.”

It was not hard to see where things were headed: these pirates were not there to conquer, they came to destroy; there would be no prisoners. Two shots hit, sending violent shocks through the entire ship; Saelina dropped to the ground to avoid being thrown into the air by the rocking.

“Laelith!”

Ezeas landed next to his cousin, though where he came from she could not guess. He started talking rapidly with the Captain in Islasan, both of them clearly distressed by the situation. While she could not follow the exact words, the tone was unmistakable; they were discussing their defeat and how to survive it. He noticed Saelina on the ground and his eyes widened.

“What are you doing up here? Get back below!”

She stood up as he stomped towards her, until Laelith grabbed him by the shoulder.

“Ezeas, in five minutes it won't matter where she is!”

A loud whistle drowned out his answer, then a crack broke through the night, followed by silence. After a few seconds, the sounds of wood tearing apart became noticeable as it built, louder and louder. Saelina looked up to see the main mast swaying, slowly. It started tilting towards the quarterdeck, where the three of them stood, gaining momentum by the second.

“Get out of the way!” Ezeas yelled at her, and she quickly jumped back as the mighty wooden beam came crashing down.

The planks under her shuddered and cracked from the impact and she grabbed on to what little was left of the railing. She looked down to see several nyxis who had fallen overboard; some of them quietly sank below the surface, while others were swimming frantically, for something to cling to. She wondered how much longer before before she was thrown in the waves and left to sink to the bottom.

So this is how I die.

Do you wish to die?

As bleak as the question was, she felt comforted by the dragon's presence in her final moments.

No, I want to live.

And how far are you willing to go, to survive?

She did not pause before answering.

As far as it takes.

What I offer comes with a price.

She smiled, despite the gravity of the situation.

What do you offer?

She felt the rumbling of another hit, but paid it no mind.

Power.

And the price?

A promise.

She waited for the voice to continue, observing the chaos around her with a strange sense of clarity; her fear had faded when she remembered that she would not be alone, come what may.

A time will come when I'll need your unwavering dedication, your lifelong oath.

I accept.

A note of satisfaction and relief entered the dragon's voice.

Then rise!

A warmth spread from her chest, filling her entire body until it felt like she was bursting with light and heat. She stood up but her feet barely touched the planks beneath her; rather, she seemed to float with each step as she walked down from the quarterdeck. The hole in the stairs no longer concerned her, she gracefully jumped over it and continued forward; the heat in her chest swelled with her every move. Somewhere, she could hear the yells and screams of the other passengers but it seemed far removed from her.

A cannonball flew towards her. She reached out a hand, sensing the projectile as a small tickle along her palm; she abruptly threw her hand to the side and the ball sharply changed its trajectory, shooting past the ship.

She reached the starboard and gazed at the enemy ship, a strange anticipation building along with the heat. Two more cannons were fired and she reached out, again, smiling as their path became tangible to her; with similar movements she sent the shots away from the Windrider.

They need to pay!

Saelina agreed and reached inward, knowing the power in her body had reached it peak; she spread her arms out to the side, gathering everything she had. The air in front of her rippled and shimmered, until it ignited into a massive sphere of fire. Her smile widened and she reached out a hand, touching the flames; they licked harmlessly against her finger, winding themselves up her arm for just a moment before retreating back to their source.

The power was exhilarating, she knew how to bend it to her will, what to do to cause total devastation. The lives of everyone on the Windrider and on the pirate ship were in her hands. She relished the feeling of being in control, only regretting that it had taken so long to finally know it.

Let them feel our power, human!

She grinned as she built up her energy and pushed it towards the other ship; the flaming ball went flying, while she stood and watched. She had no doubt it would find its target. When it hit, rather than explode, it spread; long flame tendrils wrapped themselves around the frigate, setting it ablaze. It was quiet, deadly and horrifying. Several pirates could be seen throw themselves off the ship to escape the fire. Screams filled the night air as the ship burned, casting its ominous orange glow against the black sky. Eventually, the screams stopped, and silence settled in their wake.

The energy which had sustained Saelina seemed to pull out of her, against her will. Her limbs became heavy and started aching; as the last of the power left her, she heard the dragon sigh, tiredly.

We are bound.

She swayed in place, fighting to stay upright. The sounds from her surroundings returned; there was a general bustle of bodies moving around but no one seemed to say anything. She was not surprised, unsure whether there was even anything to say; the quiet seemed so natural that she jolted when she heard a voice in her ear.

“Captain's quarters. Now!”

Ezeas held onto her arm and dragged her off; she was too tired to resist and simply followed, obediently as he led her past the fallen mast, through a door, under the quarterdeck; the internal damage was far less severe than she expected. She was led into a room at the end of a short passageway, with doors on each side. The interior was not overly luxurious but a great deal fancier than the hammocks below deck.

A bed was built into the port wall, dressed with expensive looking sheets. A big desk was placed on the opposite side, littered with maps and books, as well as some equipment Saelina had never seen before. Tall windows, consisting of several small squares, granted a view of the dark waters, outside, though several of them had been shattered in the battle. Ezeas gestured, and there was a shine where the glass had broken, maybe a barrier, to keep the wind out, then he went straight to the desk and moved it aside, with one hand, as if it weighed nothing; he sat her down in the captain's chair and proceeded to turn on the oil lamps with another wave.

Saelina tried to focus on him but her mind had a hard time connecting with the reality in front of her and everything seemed to possess a dreamlike quality.

“I can't decide if you got a death wish or you're just far more crafty than I originally thought,” he said, eyeing her, skeptically.

She just nodded, unsure what to say in response. The lights were too bright, it was hurting her eyes.

“It seems you have far better control of the essence than you let on. Though, I should warn you, nyxis won't hesitate to destroy what they deem too dangerous.”

She shook her head, this time, trying to remember how a tongue worked. Why was it so dry? He watched her intently for a few moments.

“It seems you've burned yourself out. Good. Then you won't be causing trouble while we sort out this mess.”

“Can I sleep?”

That was far from all she wanted to say but getting words out of her mouth took too much effort to be more articulate. For a moment she wondered why the light was out, only to find her eyes were closed. She forced them open and looked at Ezeas, attempting to make sense of the movements his mouth made. Was he talking? He noticed her puzzled expression and paused before shaking his head and coming to stand in front of her. Without talking, he grabbed her shoulders and pulled her up, standing; she wondered whether she should be surprised by his strength but could not remember whether she already knew about it or not.

He moved her over to the bed and sat her down, before kneeling in front of her, his expression stern.

“Listen!”

She perked up a bit and looked at him, pulling herself together enough to make out the words he spoke.

“You'll stay here for the remainder of the journey. We'll be locking the door, mostly to keep the crew calm. Someone will come by with food and water. Do you understand?”

She nodded and he returned the gesture before standing; she took it as a signal he was done and lied down. The bed was soft.