With the cold spray of the sea in her face and the salty sea breeze in her hair, Vera finally felt that she was home. For all its opulence, the City of Golden Sun, Faell was nothing in front of Dawn. Her father's ship, or as he called it, his second wife, had been her home for as long as she could remember. It made her feel safer than any city could ever make her feel.

Her decision might be biased because of her love for the sea but she never truly felt like herself on the ground. To her, the land felt like shackles while the sea smelled of freedom.

The ship rocking under her feet felt like a lullaby; the joy of the waves was contagious. All these made her glad for Nereus' blessing she had received, signifying the Primal's approval of her love for the water. She shuddered to think if it was Herr or another Primal or spirit that had blessed her. Being bound to land or any other element all her life was not something she could imagine.

Kali's chirp from her shoulder, as if agreeing with her thoughts, made her smile. The gryphon hatchling was gifted to her by her father when she was a little girl. Her golden feathers and her soulful black eyes had made Vera fall in love with her as soon as she had hatched.

As soon as they got to the boat, the gryphon had started flying around the ship and the crew. Kali loved playing around with the crew and the crew adored her in return.

Such exotic creatures could only be found in the Land Of Beasts, where awakened hunters would sneak in to steal them. Some merchants who specially dealt with them have also taken to breeding them. But high demand meant that they weren't able to fulfil every order, making the beasts a hot commodity.

Because of this, Vera's father had reminded her to always keep Kali in her sight. She couldn't recount the number of times she felt unsavoury gazes at Kali in Faell.

The deck was being polished by Limp Lemmy. The old man had been part of her father's trade company for as long as she could remember, and it was a surprise to find that he was also an awakened. He hadn't shared his patron, as it was commonly known not to, but she assumed it to be one of the twins. Both Nereus and Boreus were Primals of chaos and freedom and she assumed that any awakened making their living at sea would have either as their patron.

"So how was Faell, little lady." The old man said.

Vera paused at that, their true purpose for coming to Faell was not known to the crew. They thought it was a normal trade cycle between Saltmarsh and Faell, where the captain, her father, would do the usual trading. Even Lemmy, the only other awakened on Dawn didn't know.

"It is beautiful, Lemmy." She replied genuinely. " The buildings are so different from back home, so colourful and vibrant. And the food, it is so full of flavour. Why do we not have these spices back home? I would love to eat food made with them every day."

"Tis too cold up there for these spices to grow, little lady. And whatever the traders are worth their weight in gold." The old man informed. Then with a twinkle in his eyes, he spoke again.

"Though if you can get your head away from the food, do visit the temples. The shrines of Nereus and Boreus are a spectacle."

Vera caught her breath.

Did Lemmy figure out our true purpose, She thought.

But hadn't they been cautious? Father had done everything so subtly, it was a surprise to her that someone caught on. If the others knew of the Heart she had chosen, it would make her predictable. Lemmy knowing didn't matter, he was a part of their family as far as she was concerned. Though if her father's rivals knew, it would make her an easy target. The earliest Traits defined all the others to come, and the Hearts offered only so many specialized ones.

Nereus' Heart at Faell was renowned for ripples while that at Silvara was for changeability. Just knowing where one awoke their first trait was enough to understand what their other traits might be.

Suddenly there was a tang of metal in the air, drawing Vera out of her fearful thoughts. She, though terrified, understood that Lemmy was showing his trustworthiness. It was an equivalent exchange, Vera understood, if the old man didn't want her to find his blessing she wouldn't be able to. A barrier was a basic trick, but she shouldn't even be able to feel its presence much the metallic tang that she felt.

Finding that Lemmy's was blessed by Maella was a surprise. The old man might have some tales to tell as Maella blessed rarely left their houses, not to say of their country like Lemmy.

"Don't be surprised lass, did you think your father would allow another Awakened on his ship without trusting them." He bellowed. " I was there when you Awakened, little lady. I know your Patron, not that it is tough to figure out, and where you went today. Now hurry along, your father is waiting for you in his cabin and asked me to bring you when you return."

Vow that she thought about it, it was indeed true. No one would allow another awakened near their family without trusting them. An awakened was a family's guardian. Even one as newly awakened as her could cause quite a lot of trouble to the unawakened, not to mention the old ones who had understood their traits.

"Then lead the way, old man."

She had awakened at quite a young age, according to her father and the priest. Her father didn't believe that Kali had anything to do with it, but she knew it had all begun when Kali had hatched from her egg. First, there had been dreams of sailing through the seas, riding waves and hearing water. She had enjoyed those dreams, in the beginning, water always seemed so joyful, but after she had drowned all the while smiling, she understood the nightmares for what they truly were.

Before awakening, she didn't even know of their existence, except for some folk tales of exceedingly strong knights. So she didn't understand what was happening. After the nightmares, the voice started seeping to her while awake making her question whether everything around her was real or not. There was no one to help understand what was going on, with father out on a trading voyage and mother being unawakened.

Kali was the only constant in her suffering, making the young gryphon very close to her. On his return, her father had found her hidden in a corner of her room, delirious, with only Kali for company. He quickly understood what was happening and started helping her. Guiding her into meditation to find herself and separate it from her patron's words.

To understand what each was saying and not letting the blessing control her. She had found that the trick was to find herself and find it. Listening to water, as it too was a part of her but not letting it drown her own thoughts were enough to make her hallucinations go away.

It took her many moon cycles to find herself again and separate herself from water. And she dreaded to imagine how much of the same she would have to so through, now that she had acquired a trait.

The barge wasn't large, unlike the few galleons she had seen in the ports of Faell and Saltmarsh. Dawn had a giant sail to catch the wind with the Captian's cabin at its back, opposite to where she was standing. The ship's wheel was behind the Captain's cabin, making it easier to control.

Dawn also had many oars to its side to push the bulky barge when there was no wind to do the same. Though they were rarely used, with the ship always being able to find favourable winds.

Or father able to create them, she thought.

Reaching the cabin, Lemmy knocked on the wooden door before entering. His metallic barrier dissipating was the only clue she got that she was inside her father's barrier. And that Lemmy was weaker than father.

The cabin was sparse and practical, almost screaming of her father, with most objects nailed to their resting places.

"So, did you learn a Trait this time, or do we have to go to Var Naradis next." He chuckled from his spot by the window. "I have coin, but I do not believe enough for you to search the Heart another time."

Vera blushed at his comment, it wasn't her fault that no Trait resonated with her. He had told her to never choose any which doesn't resonate and she was just following that.

"It wasn't my fault that the Saltmarsh temple didn't work." She voiced her indignation."This shrine did, though, I got a trait. It works like -"

"Are ya daft lass?!" Lemmy interrupted her, then turning to look at her father, continued."Cap'n did you not teach her anything. Little lady, never tell your trait to anyone. An awakened's traits are only for them to know. Didn't the priest tell you?"

"So, how did it go? Just tell us about everything else, not the trait." Her father asked sheepishly. And Vera started recounting her time inside the temple to them.

It didn't take long for Vera to find the Shrine of Nereus. Faell was a giant city, but being a port made the location of the Twin's shrines common knowledge. All it took was asking the natives to find out the directions. The matter of them speaking different tounges wasn't as big of a hindrance as she had thought it would be. They worshipped the same gods here, unlike what she had read about the far east Medara, so just showing the droplet of Nereus solved the issue.

The temple was in a cove, the light refracting from the blue waters playing with the aqua marble made it a breathtaking sight. She had heard from her father that the stones were a speciality brought from somewhere south of Sunmer. The open arches with a grand sculpture of Nereus in the middle of the lush gardens completed the picture. Its sister shrine of Boreus was on the other side of the waterfront, though made using the white marble of the wind Primal. The two shrines were connected to each other through several pathways and bridges, with even a ferry going between them leisurely.

The serene architecture made Vera understand why the temples were renowned even in Eterna across the sea. She made her way through the gardens to a few blue-robed figures, Kali on her shoulder looking around.

Every Primal had a colour associated with them, and their orders wore robes of the same, even the paladins' armours were coloured with them. Nereus had blue, while their twin, Boreus, was identified with white, hence their shrines were also of the same colour.

Reaching the Neriads, she was quick to bow. Not bowing would be a sign of disrespect and as she required access to the Primal Heart inside the temple, souring relations with the priests was not good.

"Blessing be with you, Neriad." She spoke in the tongue of Eterna.

"Blessings be with you, traveller. How may this humble worshipper help you, young one?" Replied a young priest.

Vera was happy that someone knew how to speak the tongue. Trying to make them understand was not a chore she was looking forward to.

Young one meant that the priest had recognised her as a newly awakened. Every new awakened was a young one to the path and all the orders called them the same.

"May this beginner look at the Lord's Heart, good priest. Your brethren at Saltmrash told me my path will be clear after looking at it."

"Present your tribute to the Lord, young one, and I will bring you to the Heart." The same priest translated the lead Neriad's words.

A haughty old man, the Neriad looked like just talking to her brought down his station.

The priests were as bad as the merchants, and she was a daughter of one so she understood the game the priest was playing. The Hearts were the only way to get Traits and the temples, the only places in the western continent to get them. This meant there were only two methods to access them, either pay tribute every time one wishes to see them or join the orders.

With the choice between money and servitude, those who were able to, always chose to give a tribute. She lamented about the commoners who awaken, they had no choice but to give themselves to servitude.

Being a foreigner to Sunmer, Vera had no doubt that she would be fleeced for every bit of gold that she'd brought. Giving the coin filled pouch to one of the acolytes present, she motioned the Neriad to lead. With a quick nod from the acolyte he compiled.

The Head Neriad and the young translator led her through the winding garden paths towards the domed amphitheatre tucked near the water's edge. The grand building was different from its brethren in Saltmarsh. Where the Heart's Chamber there had been underground and far away from water, this one was more open, showing Sunmer's more open disposition towards awakened.

Though both were heavily defended with paladins with a concept guarding it and, no doubt, numerous enchantments and charms protecting it as well.

Delicious, Vera thought looking at the paladins of Nereus when the priests stopped beside the giant blue gates.

Her father had taught her that the orders had three arms of power, the priests were the worshippers, paladins the guardians and the cardinals, the leaders. The most exceptional and of the respective orders were chosen as the paladins. While the most influential of priests and paladins became the cardinals.

Using their blessings the neriads opened the enchantment and allowed her to go in. She had dreaded leaving Kali outside of her vision, but as the old man didn't stop the young gryphon from entering, Vera didn't raise the issue.

Unlike Saltmarsh, the Head Neriad didn't come with her to the chamber, rather sending the young translator as an escort, clearly thinking it to be beneath him.

Even though she had been to a heart chamber before, it still took her breath away. The great hall was lit in the soft blue light of the heart crystal giving everything a blue tint. The murals on the wall were lit up by formations, breathing a liveliness to the still paintings. The drawings depicted the Primal's domain, some showing a calm sea, others a raging ocean, others yet had grand markets on them.

On the floor were small canals with silvery moon fishes swimming without a care of the world.

At the centre of it all was the Heart, its size showing its age. It was quite a bit bigger than the one at Saltmarsh. It was said that the larger a heart was, the more traits it carried and mostly older hearts were the largest.

"Beautiful isn't it." The priest's sudden words startled her out of her thoughts. Mesmerised by the Heart, she had forgotten he was still present.

"Yes, it truly is. May I continue forward?"

The priest nodded. "You may, but please give your gryphon to me, a being as young as it shouldn't go near the heart. Just go as near to the Heart as you can, no need to go farther. If you don't understand any of the traits present, no need to force yourself. There are other temples with different traits."

Kali, the traitor, was quick to jump on the priest's shoulder and started pecking the food on his raised hands. Which of he had procured from one of his hidden pockets. Why he carried such food on him was something she would ask him about later.

With a small sigh, Vera stepped forward. With each step, she saw new facets of the Primal, sometimes smelling seawater, or hearing children splashing water at each other. Then she heard the markets, the clinking of coins as they changed hands, and after a few more steps, the raging storm was heard. She hadn't even covered a fourth of the distance but already found herself being lost in all the vague concepts she encountered.

Awakening was a gift from the Primals, as the scriptures said, and the hearts carried the traits of them. Mortals first had to awaken, then search the hearts or the world to understand the traits that resonate with them. Then came concepts, and after that aspects. There were more steps along the path, but they weren't known to her. What she knew was that no trait resonated with her in Saltmarsh as she wasn't able to understand them.

Relaxing her body and freeing her mind, just as her father had told her to, she stood at the edge of herself and the Primal. Allowing every trait and feeling to touch her mind.

Touching. Accepting. Letting go.

The cycle went.

Her understanding of herself increasing as much as her understanding of her patron's blessing. She found change but let go, she couldn't understand it, next came acceptance which also suffered from the same fate.

Movement; patience; flow. All and many more touched her mind, but none resonated. Would she not find any trait that resonated again? Would she have to settle with some other trait that felt foreign to her?

Vera cleansed her mind of these questions; she still had a lot of traits to touch. And the Hearts weren't the only ways to find the traits, just the fastest. She could get a glimpse of the trait that she understands while just studying the world.

After many traits she found ripple. Just about to let go, she paused. A ripple, when increased in size, became a wave, driving a ship forward in the sea. Wasn't a change of coin in the market nought but a cause of ripples? The world opened in front of her mind's eye and she found that she understood Nereus a bit more. The Primal may have major domains over trade and water, but as everything had ripples in them the Primal's power seeped in everything.

She felt her blessing grow stronger as she gained more understanding of it through the trait. A feeling of joy and dread rang out inside of her. Now the voices would grow stronger again. The same cycle would continue until she created a concept out of the traits she would understand.

Making her way back was easier than reaching the spot had been. Now she didn't need to anchor herself with every step, it seems that understanding the trait had increased her understanding of her own self. Helping her in battling the waves of traits that would sweep her and make her get lost in them.

The neriad stood at his position, with Kali still on his shoulder. In his hand was a vial with blue liquid inside it.

"Drink this, it would keep the voices numb till you reach a safe place." He spoke while handing it out to her.

Her father had told her about this, so she wasn't surprised. Taking the vial, she downed it and thanked the priest, while handing it back.

Kali hopped from his shoulders back to hers all the while chirping. As if telling Vera about her time away from her.

With a nod at the gryphon, the priest led them out of the chamber. Following the winding paths, they were back to the central statue, where Vera gave her gratitude to the Primal.

Then it was just following their earlier footsteps in reverse to get back to Dawn.

While recounting her tale, the lookout's shout drew the attention of her father.

"It seems your mother has sent a letter. She has sent A'den, so the matter must be of great import."

A'den was a wyvern that her father had raised, not unlike Kali. The creature had been bred to be small and fast to cover large distances as fast as possible. The silvery wyvern had been born with a blessing from Maella, being able to spit embers of flames. And so, her father in all his creativity named him A'den, meaning little flame in some foreign tongue.

Her mother would never send the creature if the matter was not of import. He served as a guardian when her father was away.

Her father got out of the cabin to get the letter tied to A'den's leg. Even smaller than others of the same kind, the wyvern was still too large to get inside the cabin. With his work done, the lazy wyvern flew to the lookout's roost to take a nap.

Or he would have if Kali was not here. The little gryphon flew out of the cabin to play with the wyvern. In a few moments, two splotches of silver and gold could be seen flying around in the sky.

Vera looked at her father while he read the letter. With every moment his face darkened even more. When he finished his reading, he put down the letter and started pacing the cabin.

While Lemmy closed the door, Vera leaned forward to take the letter. What it contained shook her.

"Did you read it?"

"Yes, Father. Why would Archduke Sena take out holdings? I am sure no war warrants taking the merchants money. Is the archduchy's treasury so empty? This is terrible."

"This is not due to the Archduke. Your awakening is an open secret. With two awakened in the family, we could compete with larger merchant companies which those companies do not want. They think it is better to remove the competition in the bud and the war provided them with a good opportunity. The merchant council is using Lord Sena's hand to clean us out."

Vera felt her stomach drop. Everything her father had built in Saltmarsh was lost and her mother was on the run, just because she had awakened. Now, when they returned back to the city, both her father and herself would be conscripted for the war. Even Dawn would be appropriated.

"We cannot go to Saltmarsh, Cap'n," Lemmy spoke. "The council will make you two into traitors."

"Vealla is preparing to leave the city, Lemmy. We have to go to some other port to meet with her. But fast, for if she is caught, they would hang her under the pretence of disobeying the archduke's commands."

Both her father and Lemmy started looking at the nautical map on the captain's wall. Trying to find a port near enough that Dawn could reach Eterna as soon as possible.

Despairing at the situation would do no good, Vera told herself. And started to think of anything to assist the two men.

Looking at the map, she started reading the port names, trying to remember if there were any routes between them and Faell. Suddenly she stopped at Seacliff, a small port town near the Bay of Sorrows. There was some talk in the port of a new route between Faell and Seacliff. Getting her father's attention she told him the same.

"Yes, yes, there was some talk about it. The route moves through the Bay of Sorrows though," Lemmy agreed. "Cap'n I'll go to the port to hire a guide."

Their plan decided, she said her own piece.

"Then I'll send A'den with the message to mother. He would be able to deliver it in time. I just hope that mother would make it to Seacliff safe."

"No need to despair, Vera," Her father said with a solemn yet determined smile. "Vealla has more steel in her than she lets on. She would reach there before the council even knows she is not in Saltmarsh."