“I’m telling you, Roger, Isabella hasn’t been the same lately. Ever since she’s been courted by Count Fahren, she’s been holed up in her room.” Klein said, picking up the pieces of the vase that he had dropped. His hands shook as he tried to steady his eyes. He looked down and held the ceramic in his hands before glancing back up to the tall and slender Roger.

“Klein. You are nothing more than a second-rate adventurer. You sit here and tell me all these lies and dare to approach me after breaking this family heirloom that is centuries old.” He peeled off his white glove and pushed his blonde hair back before sighing. Klein watched him with interest as he raised his hand back and slapped his hand across the cheek. It resounded throughout the decorated hallway.

Klein’s mouth fell open. He put his hand to the pink of his cheek and looked back at Roger who was walking away with dignity.

“You know nothing!” Klein scrambled to his feet and jumped on Roger’s back, wrapping his arms around his neck as Roger did his best to get him off. They fell to the ground, causing Klein to cough as Roger’s body-slammed him into the ground. Klein lost control of Roger and let him out, allowing Roger to turn around and get on top of him.

He sent a punch straight to his nose, breaking it. Then another one and kept slamming his head against the ground with dull thick punches against his face. By the time Roger was done, Klein’s face was swollen, bloody, and broken. He could barely breathe. Roger then looked at his hand with the blood and bruises on it. His hand trembling, “Look what you’ve done. You trash. You second-rate trash! You try to steal my sister from me and now you want to steal my cleanliness? You will rot in hell for this, Klein.”

He rose to his feet and grabbed a curved sword from the wall holder and pointed it at Klein.

“Do you have any last words?”

~ - ~ - ~

Aldweck closed the book shut. It had been three hours since he had started reading the book again. He sighed, feeling like he didn’t truly understand. The day had turned into night and Chammie had finally composed himself enough to reside in the crow’s nest. His eyes looked out toward the setting sun, unsettled and unable to sleep after everything he had witnessed. He wondered why he had been spared. He also didn’t understand that man’s curiosity with his book. They had called him Aldweck. He seemed like the bureaucratic type. One of the big wigs working for a government, but all of them were in tattered clothes and had the stench of normal people.

Zaya and Erick had learned to cope with the existence of each other by playing one of the various board games in this world. Mitch had glanced over and found it similar to the game of checkers, but since he wasn’t fluent in board games he decided to not get involved. He had been tirelessly combing through this book for a hint at what was going on, but there was some missing link that he just wasn’t gathering.

“Shit. Guess I’m not getting to go home just yet.” He sighed. He put the book in a bag he had found off one of the corpses. Mitch was still unable to cope with what he had done and the surroundings that he was dealing with. The deck of mangled corpses was nothing easy to shy away from. Mitch was sure he would puke more if he had anything left to puke. Instead, he pinched his nose and walked over to Zaya and Erick who were barking at each other.

“I told you! Todgea does have a double-jumping rule! You lined yourself up for that. Can you really be this stupid being the national hero for the Harbright Empire? You should be ashamed for making such a fool of yourself while being glad that there’s no one but me to laugh at you!” Erick pointed at Zaya before crossing his arms with his eyes closed.

“Now listen here you little shit! I’ll have you know that double-jumping is forbidden in the higher levels of the game. You are playing boy’s Todgea! I’m far older than you--well not that much older. But still old enough to tell you that you’re the one who is wrong!” She puffed her cheeks, correcting herself as Aldweck walked over and sat criss-cross with them.

“Who won?” He asked, looking at Alex who was sleeping comfortably on Zaya’s lap. That penguin had been nothing but trouble, and as much trouble as he had caused him he had to acknowledge that he had saved Erick from Zaya. It was also a relief to be able to breathe and speak freely without the penguin mocking him for every word that came out of his mouth or for every breath he took that was too long. Alex was on another level of pestering.

“I did!” They both said in unison, before continuing to argue with each other.

Aldweck was done with this. He put his hand to his face, “Can you guys stop and tell me where we’re going? There’s no one guiding the ship.”

“Well, you see master. That was the point of the Todgea game. Zaya and I could not agree on our destination, and thus decided to pick our destination based on the winner of this game.”

“I see, and seeing as how both of you won, I’m assuming that neither of you is in agreement on where to go.”

“Precisely,” Zaya said.

“Well, let’s get off this ship and go to the nearest island for now. I’m sick of being on this damn ship.” Aldweck looked back at the mass of bodies and dried blood on the deck.

“It is a bit morbid I would say,” Erick said.

“Stop being such a wuss. In the Harbright Empire, this is a regular sight that we see through the lands we conquer. As such, we are soon to be the sole nation south of the Gimara Mountains.”

“I won’t let that happen,” Aldweck said.

“As you wish, master. We will go to the nearest island.”

“That would be the Cariquey Islands,” Zaya said.

“Anything to get me off this ship. I can’t imagine we will run into trouble on the Cariquey Islands. News shouldn’t spread so fast, and we need to get new clothes and put food in our bodies.” Aldweck explained.

Zaya nodded and looked to Erick to give him permission. Aldweck and Erick could see through Zaya perfectly. Her compliance was a clear sign of admission for her scheming to begin. She was going to betray them as soon as she got the chance. Considering the circumstances, Aldweck didn’t blame her. He would do the same thing and felt for once in his short period in this world that Zaya had been sane and rational.

Chammie got to his feet from the crow’s nest. “Where are we going?” He asked Erick who he felt the most trust in.

“The Cariquey Islands. Hopefully, we can get fresh supplies there and some proper rest. I’ve been on the sea long enough.” He laughed.

“C-Cariquey?” Chammie gulped.

“Yeah? You got a problem with that?”

“N-No, it’s nothing.” He smiled weakly, leaving an ominous feeling in Mitch’s stomach. The boy wasn’t telling the entire truth. He could see that clearly, but because of his desire to get off the sea, he would rather not know what was awaiting him on those islands. Ever since he had been abandoned by Earth and dropped in this fantasy orphanage, he had been on his own and won out against the impossible. He was going to trust in his gut instinct that had brought him this far. A lot of that meant relying heavily on Erick to make sure he didn’t die, which he would happily admit internally over and over again.

~ - ~ - ~

The Cariquey islands became visible in the distance, Chammie being the first to take notice of the shaping landmass that peered over the horizon.

“Look, there it is! The Cariquey Islands!” He pointed, practically falling out of the crow’s nest. Erick summoned a magic hand to pick him back up and put him back in the nest.

“Be more careful, how can you be so careless that high?” He scoffed.

Aldweck walked over to the railing of the ship and squinted off in the distance. He could see a lighthouse on the shore and a fairly dense forest. Although a great deal of the island was covered in bungalow-like homes at the bay of the island.

“That’s Jarquale, the main island. And there is Jarquale City situated on the hook of the island.” Chammie jumped up and down, excited to be recognizing the landmass so accurately. Aldweck was glad that he was able to get over the massacre, even if it was just a little. He felt bad but what could he do? He was just as sickened with himself as Chammie was. He understood how he felt, clutching the ship.

“Hey, shouldn’t we get rid of these bodies now? If we don’t dump them now, we’re going to be arrested as soon as we try to dock.” Zaya said.

“You bring up a good point, but what about the Jawsnappers?”

Chammie shook his head, “No, don’t worry. Jawsnappers don’t lurk this close to Jarquale, and if they do they’re fished for their meat. There aren’t many in this area because it’s one of the primary sources of food for the townspeople.”

“You sure know a lot about the Cariqueys. Want to tell us where you’re from?” Aldweck asked.

Chammie was hesitant, not sure what to say as Aldweck spoke. He knew that if he didn’t though, he might end up a little short of reaching port with the rest of his previous crewmates.

“I was raised in Tibania, one of the lesser Cariquey Islands. So, I know a lot about the area.”

“You might just come in handy then.”

“No, I mean. What you’re not understanding is that Cariquey is an unofficial dictatorship. All of the resources are hoarded at Jarquale and many of the lesser islands are forgotten about. I lived in poverty all my life while all the people who live in Jarquale eat until they’re full!”

“I know little about what goes on in Jarquale rather than what goes on around it. That’s what I’m saying. I only know the bad things they’ve done to us lesser islands. This is totally new for me as well.”

“Well, you’re not the only one. Everything’s a new experience for me. I know that we got off onto a rocky start, but I hope you’ll stick around and help us out.”

Chammie was unable to respond. He was without words. He tried to force a smile, “Yeah sure. I can do that.” It was clear that his voice was shaky and uncertain. He didn’t want to be around Aldweck, and that was a given. Mitch would have to regain his trust somehow if he wanted his help, but that was hard when he didn’t have much of anything to offer in exchange for what he had done.

Erick and Zaya had started to dump bodies, “Hey, if you’re going to not help dump these bodies. At least get to scrubbing the decks of the blood with some soap! You caused all this.” Zaya said.

Aldweck nodded, gladly volunteering to scrub the deck rather than touch the dead that lay all over the ship. Chammie remained up in his crow’s nest, looking at the island through his binoculars. He obviously wanted nothing to do with Aldweck.

After scrubbing a good portion of the blood and dumping all the bodies, the floor was soaked and they all smelled of blood and guts. Erick had drifted them into port, dodging a mirage of vessels that were fishing and transporting goods to and from.

Erick wrapped the rope around the pole and Zaya dumped the anchor into the ocean. Aldweck had tried to lift the anchor, but it was too heavy for him. After scoffing, Zaya pushed him aside and rolled her eyes.

“You must have gotten lucky earlier, are you seriously this weak? Your strength comes and goes in waves Aldweck, I don’t know what to think about you anymore. You’re...mysterious.”

Rose-uniformed men approached the dock and looked at all of them. One of the men with long black hair and a hideous scar that went horizontally across his nose, smelled the area.

“Smells like blood and looks like blood.”

“Ah we gutted some fish,” Erick said, chuckling nervously.

“This is an awfully small number of sailors for a ship this large. I can’t help but think that something I should know isn’t being said.”

“We are here on business from the Harbright Empire. I am Zaya. Please watch your tongue.”

The man turned to look at Zaya and his eyes widened before he got down onto the ground and put his head to the dock, “I apologize great knight! I didn’t mean any offense. Of course, you are. Welcome to Jarsquale, the capital city of the United Islands of Cariquey. We welcome you with open arms. Unfortunately, Lord Warner was in a serious boating accident on the Glowing Mariot and we are unsure of his status. If you are here to see him, I cannot guarantee that you would get an audience with his lordship.”

“That is fine. For now, I want accommodation for myself. I also want you to arrest these criminals.” She pointed at Aldweck and the others, holding Alex in her arms.

“Criminals? Why are you with criminals?”

“It is a story too long to explain. They are wanted for conspiracy against Lord Warner himself. I guarantee this on my honor.”

Without raising to full length, the soldier paused, “As you wish Knight Zaya. We will arrest these--”

Aldweck kicked the man in the head before darting off the ship and down the dock. Erick followed behind and Chammie felt forced to comply since he had been labeled as a criminal. Gunshots followed their paths as they screamed.

“This is all your fault! I have had nothing but trouble since I met you!” Chammie said, hyperventilating as he ran.

“Don’t worry, I will cover our backs.” He cast a magic shield behind them to stop the bullets from chasing through their bodies. The bullets exploded into dust as they made contact with his magic wall that was slowly cracking on the dock. They were beginning to arouse the attention of the other soldiers placed on the docks. Which caused them to start chasing after them as they ran.

“Stop running! You are under arrest!”

The group dashed through the alley and onto another busy street. Aldweck turned his head left and right, “This way!” He pulled onto Chammie and pulled him forward. They ran into a house with a bunch of plants and pots. Erick crashed into one of them and then rolled under a table inside. Aldweck shut the door behind them as Chammie settled in beside Erick.

Aldweck scrambled to the window blinds and peered through the window looking at the men running through the street for them.

“Find them! They are somewhere around here. They couldn’t have gone far.”

“Oh shit. I think we actually lost them.” Aldweck said, sighing as he slipped down beside the window and opened his eyes.

An elderly woman with a cane and an apron came out of one of the other rooms.

“Is that you Velis?” Her voice was shaky. She looked at Aldweck straight in the eyes, “You’re home early from work.”

Aldweck took some time to adjust, thinking he had been caught. He looked back at her and her eyes were void of any expression. They were dull and had nothing to say.

“She’s…” his voice wandered off.

“Velis?” She asked again.

“Uh, yeah! That’s me. They let me off early today. Not much going on?”

“Oh...I see.” She smiled, but then thought of something and her disposition changed.

“Could you water my Lupilia's? They are drying out, just looking at the frail way these leaves are beginning to fall apart.” She rubbed the leaves of the plant between her fingers before looking back toward Aldweck.

“Could you do that for me, Velis?”

“Yeah, yeah I can do that,” Aldweck said, catching his voice in his throat before grabbing the watering can and taking it to the kitchen. He looked around. Everything here was well organized, but it was clear to Mitch that the woman was blind. Velis must be the one taking care of the place, he figured there was no way that a blind woman could make the house this tidy herself. What were the odds of them running into a blind woman’s home to escape authorities? It was unreal, but a lucky break at the same time.

Aldweck was furious at Zaya, but he couldn’t help but thank her at the same time. He had gotten rid of her and the penguin in the same span of time! Being on the run from authorities couldn’t be any worse than being controlled by Alex, an evil penguin determined to make his life a living hell.

He sighed in relief, turning the faucet on and filling the watering can with water. His eyes turned to Chammie and Erick who remained under the table. Struggling to be quiet and not make any noise for the woman who was still standing there at the entrance of the house.

Erick accidentally hit the table leg with his foot and made some sudden noise. The woman turned to that general direction, her face looking more stressed than before.

“Damn rats in this house. I thought you called the exterminator to handle that?” She asked.

“I did. I guess they didn’t do a good enough job. You know how those rats like to breed.”

Aldweck came back in with the watering can and started pouring the water into the plant she had been holding.

“Are there any others you would like me to water?” Aldweck asked before a knock at the door came. It was one of the soldiers.

“Can you get that for me, honey?” She smiled, turning to Aldweck’s general direction.

“Y-Yeah I can.”

Aldweck opened the door, “Yes, can I help you?”

“What the hell are you doing in here?” He pushed Aldweck inside and shut the door behind him.

He immediately saw the boys under the table and turned back to Aldweck, “You are the wanted people.”

“N-No I think you’ve got it wrong. I’m Velis.”

The soldier grabbed his shirt and pulled him forward, “Yeah real funny guy! If you’re Velis then who am I? Do you think my own grandma doesn’t know her own son’s voice? She’s practically trembling. Look at her! She’s known the whole time. You’re coming with me.”

“Oh! I’m so glad you made it Velis. I knew as soon as he watered Lupilia’s that it wasn’t you! Any grandson of mine knows that Lupilia’s are a plant that can’t be watered twice a year without killing the thing.” She clutched her chest and started walking out of the entrance in a hurry.

“Don’t worry grandma, I’m here now. I’m going to take care of these scum.”

“Wait! Velis!” Aldweck grabbed hold of his arm and made him turn back around.

“Don’t turn us in! We’re innocent. Please hear me out. If you have any compassion you would hear us out. Please!” Aldweck clenched his eyes shut.

Velis hesitated, “You think just because I love my grandma and take care of her that I have the ability to break the law and make an exception for you?” He turned his head and gritted his teeth before looking back at Aldweck, “Lord Warner and his three governors would have my head rolled down the streets if I even considered disobeying the crown!”

He started dragging Aldweck further, “Not only that, they would kill Grandma Reylis. She raised me when I had no one else. I’m not going to put that at risk.”

Aldweck interjected before Velis went to call out for the other soldiers, “So, you’re willing to save your own life and your grandmothers, even if it means that these kids have to die?” Aldweck pointed at Mitch and especially Chammie.

“W-What?!” His head turned to the boys who looked back at him in fear.

“Can you seriously say you’re a child murderer? That you would help in the murder of someone not even old enough to be considered having lived?”

“N-No--I mean, of course not. But, I’m just doing my job.” He took his black hat off and threw it to the ground. “I’m not a murderer, I’m doing my job. Isn’t that enough to arrest you?”

“I can guarantee you, if we’re turned into the authorities, all of us will be executed or worse.”

“Or worse?”

“Who knows what that could be?” Aldweck closed his eyes.

“But! If you know so well that you would be punished so harshly, then wouldn’t it come to the reason that you are deserving of the crime? That you are a sinner?”

“Trust me, that’s a reasonable observation. But, can that always hold true if the authorities are as strict and biased as they are? You said it yourself. Helping a criminal could have you and your family’s heads rolling. Where is the justice in that? Especially if those criminals were never criminals, to begin with. Falsely accused of something they never did.”

Velis clenched his hat and looked down. Struggling to decide on what to do now. Aldweck’s words had made an impact on his decision, being a man of many emotions.

“D-Don’t listen to them Velis. They are criminals! They are trespassing. I want them taken to the authorities.” Grandma Reylis said, coming out with a frying pan.

Velis let go of Aldweck and grabbed the pan, “Please grandma, don’t resort to violence. You know the Spirit of Auda wouldn’t approve of this. We go to such lengths to protect what we believe in even here in the Cariqueys. Let’s not abandon the faith that led us here.”

Reylis sighed, letting go of the pan. “You’re right, Velis. The Spirit of Auda wouldn’t let someone go punished without at first at least explaining themselves. I want to pass onto the land of spirits and not have to worry with a guilty conscience that these people were actually innocent. The tone in his voice is finally an honest one.” She rested against the doorframe.

“I’m not saying you folks are innocent yet, but I will allow you to explain yourselves before Velis arrests you. This is my home, and Velis will respect my rules.”

“Thank you, grandma. No, of course, I will.” Velis nodded, before looking back at the group.

“Well, come to the living room. Be quick to explain yourselves, everyone is searching for you. If I’m gone for too long Commander Orfind will become suspicious.” He held his hand out as a guide of direction for the rest of the group to follow.

Aldweck looked back at Erick and Chammie who were still under the table. Aldweck nodded at them and they started to get out from underneath the table. He looked back at Velis, “Thanks for giving us this opportunity to explain ourselves. I promise you we will do our best to convince you we are good people.” Aldweck gave Velis a solemn look.

Mitch’s heart had been pounding. In his plea for mercy, he had actually found it for once. He could only hope that the mercy he had been given would last and that Velis would be a man of morals rather than that of the laws of Cariquey. This conversation could very well be one of Aldweck’s last, and that was a scary thought to Mitch.