I had decided to start a journal in hopes that it would alleviate my worries.

The journey of the Reconnoiter Company has not been easy.

Many have fallen on our path and we have crossed the Rubicon when we passed the Icean Spine.

Some may say that our path is restless and hopeless. I remain indifferent as we cross this endless sea.

The journey will not be easy, and I hope that many of us can see the thousand islands by the end of this journey.

…

Gabrio stared at the seas that spread endlessly. There was no salty air that could be found. On the wooden lifts on the side of the ships, the people of the fleet were drinking from the sea. It has been months since the Baron attacked the Company. The people have started to calm down. Some may think that the Baron, who had chased them for four weeks, had lost the Company Fleet, but Gabrio knew better that as long as the Son of Light was in their fleet. There was no escaping that eventual conflict.

Light and dark will collide.

He simply feared that when it does the people of the fleet will be at the center of it.

It was the Arkshelled Island that found many changes.

Aside from the folks drinking out of the sea, finding out that it was freshwater. The Tailbone Ports of Arkshelled have most of the ships who are under repair or in need of maintenance, turning into this docks where they are tied and pulled by the roots.

The Island itself was a large island with six communities, a farm, a ranch, and a place where they grow fruits. Gabrio knew that the island itself was being carried by a puppet made when their Elven-kin had taken control of it. Perlshaw, the name of the headquarters of the Company, was said to be the place where the whole island is controlled.

Most of the time Gabrio would visit his colleague in Perlshaw. Mana was always somewhat willing to invite him and let him work on the experiments that they were working on. These experiments are somewhat questionable because of the nature of some of it. Nonetheless, the communities within the back of the Arshelled Island took shape. Most of the fleet’s ships gather on the island and its people build houses from rocks with sharp ends to go against the harsh wind when the Arkshelled Island speeds up.

It was quite a view if one would view it from Elder Spring. The giant tree located in the middle of the Island where Gabrio, if he was in the Island, would spend time watching the Grand-Galleons and the Warships of the Company. They said that there were no folks who were able to go past the Icean Spine. The Fleet had done it with the help of the Son of Light.

Gabrio thought he knew the world back then. He thought that the Elven-kin were just people who isolated themselves and were no different from humans. But ever since joining this fleet he realized that there was more to the world that he could have possibly known. He felt ignorant and yet at the same time blessed by the new things that he had seen and heard.

Nonetheless, he still holds great responsibility to the people he was sworn to care for, when they are finding themselves unable to feel well. The Milostiv was his family and the fleet-family was always important to Gabrio.

With the Grand-Galleon docked on the Tailbone Port. Gabrio found himself performing a rigorous checkup on the Community of Lundy where most of the fine folks of the Grand-Galleon of Milostiv had taken time to visit while it was docked. It was a hospital built together by the Grand-Galleons for the Doctors and Surgeons of the Fleet. The reason was simply to put people who might be infectious and have bad coughs to this hospital before they could return back to their ship-home.

Gabrio mopped his face at his patient. “You will be fine, Sir. Your sickness is more because you seem to have eaten only fish in the past few weeks. It has nothing to do with any infectious disease.”

His skin was clammy. His face was sour. “Will I be really alright?”

Gabrio handed him a fruit. “Eat more fruits, good sir. Don’t just eat fish and take care of yourself as well. You have a son, yes?”

“Yes, Doctor,” he nodded and took the fruit.

“Good,” Gabrio patted the man’s shoulder before taking a look at the patients that needed consulting as the man left. He wrote on his notes. His hand moving down on the tacked board. “Wiles, can you get me some water, please?”

Wiles, who has become somewhat his apprentice, handed him a canteen of water. It was still strange to Gabrio how they could possibly drink water straight from the sea. Though the fleet usually gets their water from the Elder Spring rather than directly from the sea like most folks have started to do.

Gabrio returned to tending to his patients until the line of people was gone. After spending good time with his patients he put his tacked board away and placed the piece of paper that he had on the table next to him. Robert looked around before he slung his rifle on his left shoulder. The man carried a rifle and a bow. A quiver on the lower back of his waist and a bandolier across his shoulder. He had been assisting Gabrio to the point of familiarity now.

“Seems like that’s all, Doc.”

“Yeah. Looks like it.”

Robert was looking at Wiles before his eyes went back to Gabrio. “Everyone seems healthy, at least. Just the usual problem when eating too many sea creatures.”

“That is right. Hence it is important that there is a need for the Fleet to take control of the supply of fruits growing on the Orchard of Woodhurst.”

“Folks are going to be dissatisfied but we have to make do.”

The fruits of the Islands were the most valuable commodity to the folks here, second only to the crops that were being grown on Rostford Community.

Robert covered his face from the sunlight bouncing off the sea. Wiles checked on the crate and started examining the medicine inside of it. Gabrio leaned on his wooden chair for a moment before resting his elbows on his thighs.

“Looks like they are making it a priority to make this island more of a fortress than a community.”

“It already is a fortress, Doc,” Robert said. “Difference is that we still haven’t erected the walls around the Island. Doubt we could since it isn’t exactly optimal for us to do so without them falling over when there is greater movement.”

There are times the Island would make sharp turns or sudden movements. The worst thing that the Island does was this release of gasses that create this rumbling sound whenever it needs to release gas from its anus.

Gabrio found it funny however that such a thing happens. Robert took out his telescope and looked around the island. He had this habit of looking over the Horizon, which Gabrio had observed from him.

“No Ebony fleet on sight.”

“Which is good.”

Gabrio nodded along with Wiles. It has been months since they last saw the Ebony Fleet. Time had passed so easily that even some of the folks had forgotten about the fleet and it’s Baron.

Those who knew better however kept reminding themselves that there was still a greater enemy tracking them down across this freshwater sea. “Been months since we last saw them.”

“Yeah, we got to be ready.”

Robert glared at the horizon. Gabrio found Robert’s attitude towards the enemy always so steely. Which wasn’t bad knowing that it was out of caution.

“Let’s pack up for now.”

Gabrio decided. He started packing his tools while Robert and Wiles took care of the medicine. After the two finished packing they carried their essentials back to Milostiv's dormitory on Lundy, near the Tailbone Port.

It was a large dormitory where people from the Milostiv gathered to sit around a campfire. Houses were being made. Gabrio dodged the kids running around while greeting the folks who recognized him.

Gabrio found their lodging. Robert and Wiles carried the medicine inside the lodging and then went outside. Alone inside the lodgings, Gabrio took time to relax for a moment before finding himself sauntering outside of the lodging. Joining the crew, he listened to their stories and chatter while bathing himself in the warmth of the campfire.

A stew was prepared by the designated cook of the lodgings. Chopped up meat, fish, and some vegetables which filled Gabrio’s empty stomach after such a long day of work. He didn’t have much to say in the Campfire other than a few questions and a bit of remarks to the folk who are taking their health lightly. When night fell on the Island, he walked back to his lodgings where he took time to write on his experiences before taking out the book he carried with him to check up on his studies once more.

As he read his book he heard footsteps approaching from behind. He looked behind him and found Zyra entering the lodging with her things. ‘Zyra, you took your time.”

“I did. Took time since Caldor and the others wouldn’t stop their training. How are the patients, Gab?”

“Fine. Most of them are suffering from scurvy. The rest hurt themselves from building houses across the Island.”

“I see.”

She sat not far from Gabrio.

“Looks like there isn’t a day where you aren’t busy.

“You could say that again,” Gabrio smiled wearily. “But without anything to do, I would find myself bored.”

“Indeed. There isn’t much to do after all. Though that might change in the long while.”

“How so?”

“Just a feeling since it seems like it.”

Gabrio flipped to the next page of his book. Zyra placed her eyes on him before asking, “Where’s Mana by the way?”

“Oh, she is helping in the clinic for a while.”

“I see. She’s becoming more part of the fleet-family than ever.”

“Guess so.”

“The Elven-kin usually doesn’t talk too much to folks like us so it’s strange seeing Mana being so friendly. That accident really did change you two.”

Gabrio nodded silently. Mana has become quite friendly compared to before. Not to mention that it was easy for her to charm the fine folk of the Milostiv and at the same time convince them that she was part of them. There were some disagreements, but most of the time the fleet-family knew that she was a friend of Milostiv and was always welcome.

“Been quite something. These days.”

“No doubt about that. Still, it’d be best if we still keep on doing what we can. No rest for the wicked.”

“Oh, that reminds me, it seems like we are approaching a new part of the sea.”

“Really? Then is there going to be danger?”

“There might be since we don’t know what creature we may find. So far it’s been peaceful so our arrival to this part of the sea is going to need some preparation.”

The Great Seas were famous for its mystery. Even during the Golden Ages of the Elven-kin according to Mana, there were only a few who were able to cross the Great Seas without finding themselves in trouble.

The White Sails Fleet was a legend among the sailors of the Old Continent of Aon. And even in the legends they were gone from the face of the world the moment they entered the Great Seas.

And now the greatest fleet that the old continent had created, the fleet that broke the back of the Icean Spine was now approaching the same part of the sea where the famed fleet of the Elven-kin vanished.

To fade away or survive.

From the start there was nothing to consider.

It was already too late to go back.