Gabrio can’t understand the feeling of being the one who’d blind the world. He was a Doctor who stood with a few people instead of everyone. The world was so adamantly hoping that Terin Gaspar would save them.

The Long Strait’s Campaign had been straightforward with everyone. The greatest argument that the Reconnoiter Company could muster was the strength of Terin Gaspar.

A banner of light followed with a power that could break armies in two. The goal of the ‘alliance’ that they have made in the past few days was to destroy areas of interest while they move. It was interesting to Gabrio for the sole reason that many culture and beliefs seem to link to the arrival of a blinder of light.

It was somewhat fascinating to hear the different versions that had been written about Terin Gaspar. Gabrio had visited these people and exchanged some thoughts with them.

Different people have a different set of beliefs, ideals, and reasoning. Gabrio, specifically, visited those who are considered healers and hoped he could learn from them.

Like how one of the beliefs of the men who can heal was that they must operate without their manhood so that they could resist the temptation when they see a woman’s body during treatment. They considered it a sacrifice and a dedication to their profession to which Gabrio could not agree for obvious reasons.

Some of the races he met had inferior medical technology. But some of them have cures for diseases that they themselves have not figured out. One of those men even share similarities to the secluded Doctors that lived in the valleys and mountains middle-east of Aon.

They have mastered the arts of creating pills. Medicines that they have tested throughout years that relieves and cures. He had tasted one of them and from the looks of it. Their medicine was able to cure infections and relieve one of infectious diseases that causes a strong man to cough blood and become weak as time passes on.

The other healers that Gabrio took time to meet are secretive. To deal with them he had to bring Mana and allow them to speak to her. Some of them are reliant on their belief in their own people. It seemed like the long-eared ones are quite popular for their technology and their natural affinity towards nature. They were people blessed by the Light and Mother Nature. Not to mention that according to these men he had spoken with.

What the Elven-kin could do was superior to what they could do. And in a way they were right because of how their powers could even heal wounds and relieve anyone.

There were others who were rather curious about exchanging pointers. The Long Strait was a melting pot and it was the best time to improve their skills and exchange knowledge through supplies. Some of them were only eager to speak when offered food and medicine. The rest were intellectually obligated to better themselves and learn new methods that would make their healing easier.

Traditionalists were around as well. Men and women who refused to better themselves and had argued that theirs was better. Gabrio didn’t argue with them nor prove that his methods were superior. What he wanted from them was their knowledge and their techniques. To argue with them would be useless. And he had seen how they operate and was rather impressed by their practical and pragmatic way to surgery.

Their tools were the same. Their techniques can be rather accurate than even the surgeons of Aon. Gabrio had spent three days persuading a man to exchange knowledge with him and only through persistent persuasion, exchange of supplies and food, that he was able to have a copy of their teachings.

Some of them didn’t bring their books. So he had to be taught for a week to get an idea of how their methods are performed. His patients were not in any danger when they were marooned to the bay of the Long Strait, so he didn’t have to check on them as much as he does when they’re on high seas.

Not to mention that the group that had agreed to fight with the blinder of light were people who had the skills to do their dangerous raids. Fighting men and women who could do precision strikes against the enemies. So he didn’t have to worry about casualties on their side.

Other than learning from others. Gabrio had noticed that most of the craftsmen of the Reconnoiter Company had desires to learn from others. Some of the people who had come to this strait didn’t have the help of the elven-kin. They rely on their machines powered by a collection of orbs that have a luminous discharge of fire that boils the water that revolves around this machine. That boils the water and creates this pushing force that pushes their ships forward.

It was similar to what their fleet had implemented to improve upon. If anything these ships were isolated and out of men so these engineers bargained to be part of the company in exchange that they would share this technology and become part of the fleet.

Staying here in the Long Strait was impossible. It was asking for death to stay in this place. Not only that, there were signs of space quakes around the area. There were signs of monsters from the interstice appearing, and prowling in the dark.

Not to mention that the current Strait couldn’t produce food for everyone. They were barely feeding everyone and were holding on to the bounties that were given by the Elven-kin who were blessing the land and accelerating the growth of food.

Even the Elven-kin of Arkshelled made a trip to do so for the sake of those who might become their allies. As much as Gabrio wanted to believe that their cooperation with the others was good. There were groups who felt dissatisfied by the way they were being treated by the new arrivals.

If the fleet was smaller in size. Gabrio was sure that there would be raids against them to steal their food. It was also because of this that the ships of the company that were marooned in the bay were always on their toes.

Days can easily blur and weeks can pass without them noticing. Terin Gaspar and the raids were getting harder. Gabrio had somewhat returned to the Milostive after learning that there might be dangers for them.

He was always in the grand-galleon or in the Arkshelled Island with Mana. They said that it was natural for a person to seek adventures. To gain experiences and be thrilled. Gabrio had noticed that a lot of people in the Grand-Galleon originally came here to seek adventures.

Saving the world? Helping the Blinder of Light? That was secondary. They wanted to see new places, meet new people, and visit foreign lands. But reality was cruel and what they saw instead was a sea of monsters, corpses, and civilizations that had drowned.

They fought hard. Experienced so many things that made them realize that this wasn’t a grand adventure. Nonetheless, despite that reality, they were surviving, and even the grand-galleon had become a small town for them. It was their home. It was the only place that they could call one now that they have somewhat learned that even their home in Aon wouldn’t be there anymore.

But these people were inherently brave. From the start the voyage itself didn’t have a promise that they would survive. There were many warnings and even threats about this Voyage.

They wouldn’t have come if they weren’t courageous. Of course, there are some who are rather afraid. There were others who were forced to lay down their privileges and help instead of just getting their rations. These people were noble-blooded. They were smart enough to understand that if they become a liability, the crew and its people were not going to hesitate to throw them out of the Galleon.

He was quite impressed how they adapted to this ‘hierarchy’ created in the grand-galleon. Most of them became Officers, but were careful not to show their pride too much since the number of people that were common outnumbered them.

Gabrio did think that they wouldn’t be so careless. The people of Aon had the blood of rebels, the blood of people who didn’t want to be ruled by a Tyrant. Do you think such people would be so stupid and arrogant enough to engage them?

No one was born to be evil. They were decent people who simply had different beliefs and upbringing and prejudices in life. Even these stubborn people have to accept that they need to communicate with the people of the fleet to prosper.

But a few months in open seas and sharing the same danger made it easy for them to be part of the crew truly. Other than that, they treated outsiders differently.

Arkshelled Island was full of people when the ships weren't sailing. The only way people could go to the island was unless they came through the boats and arrived with others.

Outsiders were not allowed on the Island. Even their new allies were not allowed such privilege to visit the island unless they started sailing again. It was an agreement that they made.

Gabrio was taking a break for once. He sat cross-legged on one of the roots while gazing at the end of the horizon line. The flat roofs. The stair-like form of the bay’s city made it somewhat relaxing to look at, especially when the lights bounce on them.

When night came it was a different view. He was about to take a nap when he heard footsteps coming his way. Mana walked around with her coat on. She wore strange clothes compared to her fellow Elven-kin who prefer looser clothing.

“Actually resting for once. All those lessons must have taken a toll.”

“I do get tired nowadays. It’s been non-stop work for days on end.”

“Who asked you to be so hardworking? Some of the doctors and surgeons of our fleet doesn't work as hard as you do,” she laughed.

She sat next to him while holding on to this ball of light. Although the giant tree in the middle of the Arkshelled Island has orbs of light lighting up the Elder Spring, the shadows cast by it made the base dark.

“I’m not really that smart so I have to work hard.”

“So humble, it’s kind of arrogant?”

“It’s the truth though. I’m not particularly good and all that I have learned is through spending time with people who were forceful enough to teach me well.”

“She leaned forward. Don’t worry, you’ll have a lot of time to spend.”

Gabrio laughed. “That’s if we survived this.”

Mana poked his cheek. “Come on, Doctor. Pessimism isn’t right for you. And I know what your true face is.”

She grinned. Gabrio looked flustered as he thought of how Mana actually saw his efforts back then. It didn’t feel good and he felt somewhat guilty for what he did. Mana however had used this to tease him.

“Look at you,” she shrugged and looked at the distance. “Another battle. Another land to cross.”

“Good thing that I don’t plan to go out there. Even the Captain told me that I shouldn’t go there now.”

“With our accident? It’s quite understandable why he would say that. Still, I don’t want you to get hurt. Don’t go, okay?”

Gabrio raised his hands. “I won’t. I’m not a fighter. Why would I?”

“You fought well despite being afflicted.”

“I wanted to survive. Being able to fight and survive is different. I did abuse a drug to keep up.”

Mana ran her fingers around Gabrio’s face. “You don’t seem to experience the withdrawal symptoms.”

“Thankfully.”

Mana rested her hand on Gabrio’s face, then moved it on his beating. Gabrio raised a brow and joked. “What? You want your life back? I don’t mind.”

“Silly fool,” Mana pushed his forehead and sat down. “You can keep it. Who wants to live so long anyway?”

“You’d be surprised how many want to.”

Mana looked up. “Yes. Some don't deserve it. And there are those who simply refused it. You’ll do fine, Gabrio. If anything, I think that you’d just lose track of time trying to be such a good doctor.”

“I might not stay one in the future. That’s a lot of time to spend. I don’t know how to spend some of that lifetime if we somehow manage to survive these trying times.”

Mana leaned a forearm on his shoulder. “Now you know the pain of us who live long. It’s hard to say, but you might actually become a half-blood in the future. Mother nature was somewhat fond of us to appear in front of us. You don’t see well, but many of the wisp and sprites are quite fond of you.”

“Do you think this will end well?”

“Who knows? There is no rule that the blinder must always win. And if the chronicles of others are true. Then there might be a problem.”

There was another retelling in those chronicles. That in the the time the blinder appears, the forces of the interstice will come for him.

Terin is the sunlight, the Baron of the Interstice is the moonlight.

Both fights for one side and there were retellings that said of a being who has two souls bringing light or darkness.

What this being’s role is to this is still unknown. Though from how the chronicles are arguing about it. They seem to disregard it as irrelevant to their current situation.

But nonetheless it was hard to think about those two. Depending which side you want to be. You’d think of one as the savior and the villain. In his case, he was rooting for Terin to win and blind the world.

“I was hoping that life would be simpler,” Gabrio said sincerely.

Mana caught something in his eyes and nodded. She inched closer and drew the spirits close to him and let it float.

“Well, it’s still simple enough. We leave the fighting to the fighters and the healing to the healers. We play our roles and live our lives.”

He takes a glance at her. “If you didn’t have long ears. I might have thought you were human, Miss Mana.”

“It must be the people that I’ve been spending time with. They are quite influential. One is a human I respect well and the other is a human that I gave half of my life to.”

“When you say it like that. It makes me feel like I did something wrong.”

“Who knows? You humans can change in a heartbeat. But I can’t speak for the future. All I know is that I gave half of my life to the man who saved me. That’s enough to pay my debt back.”

“You didn’t have to, really.”

Mana takes something out and takes off the cork. Gabrio took a sniff of the bottle and nodded to himself. He recognizes the smell. It was served to him by one of the healers who lectured him. They call it split wine.

An icy wind came and from a distance they could see a banner made of light appearing, then a lance made of the sun’s light pierced through this shadowy figure.

Being a bystander in a time where the fate of a world was rather strange. It was hard to cope with the idea of their fate being bound with a singular person. And yet the strength that Terin Gaspar releases was beyond comprehension sometimes.

Please do your best, hero of ours.

Gabrio said inwardly with the utmost sincerity.

The battle continued from a distance and as his light broke the dark clouds. Gabrio saw light piercing the clouds and clearing the area. When the split wine was finished. Gabrio and Mana found themselves raising the bottle together to cheer for the blinder who was doing his best.

Bystanders and spectators.

It was a world that they couldn’t stand on.

The world of those who were strong enough to decide the fate of the world.