Please Note: Statements between % something in italics % are game system messages.

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Raka stopped his ship just outside the cove near the fishermen village. It was still night and he decided that entering that cove with it's parked boats would be too risky. The night also impeded his vision.

As he waited for dawn he went back to feeling depressed. Yesterday, game time, had been such a perfect day. Right till the end where he bungled it all up. He hadn't meant to fall down on Sophie. Yes, he did recognize her. The game made sure to keep your base facial features the same. Although with a bit of makeup anyone could change their appearance drastically. But still, not much had changed on Sophie's face. Except perhaps her eyes.

"Ugh! Green eyes!" Raka shivered.

Still his actions were unforgivable, even if they were unintended. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that his brain had become sloppy in her company. Otherwise how wouldn't he have noticed and stopped Nobby from singing! Normally, he would have been able to do this easily but he was, in a word, starstruck. Must be because all the blood seemed to flow away from his head. Or maybe he was just trying to act cool and dignified which led to this situation.

'Now she will never talk to me again.' Raka sighed. He felt like crying but at the same time realized that it was useless.

He still remembered those last moments clearly.

As soon as he held her hand, a kind of electricity passed through his body. A kind of excitement. He wanted to revel in this feeling for just a moment longer that he completely forgot about everything else. He only woke up when a 'Stunned' status message appeared before his eyes. But by that time it was too late.

Gravity took his leaning body guiding it straight on to Sphinx. He did not know by what math or miracle, his face touched hers. But he definitely remembered the sensation of her extremely soft lips.

Raka touched his own lips as he remembered that sensation again. It was like several sea dragons had sent lightning coursing through his body. Electrifying and yet gentle at the same time.

'Maybe increasing Sensitivity ain't a bad thing.' He realized while smiling.

And then his dream turned into a nightmare as he realized what had happened. Her expression had said it all. He was worthless. He was trash. He was garbage.

'Oh how can a girl make me feel this way!' His cheeks also remembered that burning painful sensation. 'Nope...increasing Sensitivity is definitely a bad thing.'

But most of all was the feeling of remorse. 'Why couldn't have things turned out differently?' And then he felt angry again at Nobby.

'Ah...no point getting angry at a dumb bird. In the end it was my fault!' And he got even more depressed.

People often say, not to leave a depressed person alone. Because if they are alone, they feel even more miserable like how Raka was feeling now. There was only a stupid monkey and an annoying parrot around.

Raka sighed once more.

There was a person before yesterday. And there was a person after. Maybe that's what's called growing up.

Just then Raka sat straight up. "Nobby! You can speak the island's language!" Raka shouted scaring the bird out of it's slumber. He just remembered the scene of this parrot introducing itself to Sphinx.

"You you you.....why....Oh forget it! I am too sad to be angry!" And Raka laid back down.

Staring at the moving stars, Raka didn't know when he fell asleep. When he woke up, he realized someone was shouting at him.

"Hey kid...move your damn boat! You are obstructing our way! Where did you come from anyway?!" He heard.

Raka lifted his groggy head and saw that there were a couple of boats coming near. He quickly rubbed the sleep off his eyes and replied.

"Ah hello. Sorry for blocking. Actually I wanted to sell this beast." Raka said as he pointed to the ridiculously large sea dragon. "I came from Ilmentia by the way."

The fishermen had already guessed the reason but still wanted to confirm. Also, he was blocking their way.

"Hmm.. alright then, follow us." The fishermen shouted as they turned their boats around and guided him to a place nearby.

"Thanks." Raka said as he dropped anchor in this new place.

"Jump on our boat. We will take you ashore." The fishermen nodded.

As one of the boats closed in next to his ship, Raka jumped over the side on to the boat. Well, maybe jumped would not be the correct term as the deck of his ship was not very high, so the most he did was clear the railings and step gently on the boat.

"Hi I am Asim. The other one is Dakarai." The fishermen on the boat said.

"Hi, I am Raka."

"So how come you are here from Ilmentia? I don't suppose you took a wrong turn and ended up here.." Asim laughed.

"Hahaha...no. Actually I was on my way here. This sea dragon attacked me on the way." Raka said.

"By the smell I can tell that you met it atleast 3 days ago." Asim said.

"Almost 5 days ago. Well it is not the meat I was concerned for but the bones." Raka said.

After all, a sea dragon was a fully certified magical creature with magical bones. Its carcass would be far more valuable than its meat.

"I hear ya. You are lucky. Or powerful. Can't decide yet." Asim said.

"Incredibly lucky by my counts. Many a unfortunate ship has been lit ablaze by this creature's lightning. Men could kill it, but without the ship they would still end up dead in the sea." Dakarai said.

"Yeah. I have heard of those tales as well." Raka nodded.

Maneuvering between the various ships, they finally reached the shore.

"Come to the chief's house. Only he can decide if you can sell it here." Asim said.

Raka nodded. He also knew selling bones was not easy. If it were the same as Ilmentia, he would need to build some trust.

The fishermen village was quite similar to the one in Ilmentia. There were just far more houses. Being a desert island, much of the food was obtained through the sea rather than agriculture. The chief's house was a bigger house and the chief a wrinkly old man with white hair and beard. He had a walking stick in his hand and he walked with his back bent.

"Welcome young man. I am Nubar. The men tell me you come to sell a sea dragon."

"I am Raka sir. I would like to sell the bones of the sea dragon. I believe as it is a magical beast, its bones would have value."

"It is true that a sea dragon's bones are considered magical and have value. But we do not trade in magical bones with strangers. You must understand that it is a business of trust. Do you have a reference who can vouch for you?" Nubar asked.

"I do not know anyone in Khardoum. But I know the fishermen in Ilmentia. Would their testimony stand?" Raka asked.

Nubar looked at the other people and then nodded.

"If you know the fishermen of Ilmentia, would you tell me some of their names?" Nubar asked.

"Um, there is Farun and Guran." Raka said.

"I know Guran. Could you tell me something about him?" Nubar asked.

"Um...middle aged guy, muscular, broad, about my height, clean shaven, strict, often drinks.." Raka started.

"Had a wife named Selena and has a daughter named Katrina who is also..." Raka continued.

"That is enough." Nubar immediately interrupted.

"I am convinced." Nubar smiled. "How do you know him?"

"Ah, I learned fishing and sailing from him so I guess he is my teacher." Raka said.

"Very well. I will allow you to trade here. Do you know how to cut up a sea dragon?" Nubar asked.

"Actually I don't. I brought the whole thing with me. I was hoping someone among you may know." Raka smiled sheepishly.

Nubar gave a look of surprise. "You brought the whole sea dragon?!"

"Ah yes. But its meat has already rot so don't expect that." Raka added.

Nubar shook his head. "Ah...you are one of the Goddess's children.."

Raka simply stayed silent.

"Asim, help him out. You will have to wait for a bit, the merchants should arrive in a few hours. You can sell the bones then. If you haven't sold magical bones before and by the looks of you, you haven't, then I would suggest not selling any cheaper than 1500 gold coins. Oh by the way, as you will be using our market, we will be charging 10 gold coins." Nubar said.

"That's alright. Here are the 10 gold coins." Raka handed out the coins.

Back at the boat, he and Asim worked together to separate the rotten flesh from the bones. Rotten fish smells bad. Cut up rotten fish smells worse. Fortunately for Raka, Asim was well prepared. He had brought nose clips and more than one!

The carcass of a 20 metre long 2-3 metre wide fish is as big. They had to make several trips just to bring those bones ashore. Raka decided to keep the bones in place on the beach, so as to give off a grand appearance. 'Sales depends on looks' someone very wise had once said.

"Hey Asim, here's a silver for helping out." Raka laughed as he popped him a coin. Asim simply gave a wide grin.

As the sun rose up high, the merchants arrived. Lots of them. If the beach in Ilmentia was a busy fish market, this was like the opening of a superstore. The merchants were not only buying. They were selling as well. In fact the main street of the village became an impromptu festival in just a few minutes.

The fish merchants made their way to the beach. Along with many fishermen selling loads of fish, Raka stood in one corner of the beach, right next to an almost complete carcass of a sea dragon.

'It looks impressive.' Though he was more impressed with himself cause he was the one who killed it.

"Hey, what bones are these?" Someone asked.

"Look at that! A complete carcass. What animal is it from?"

"It's a sea dragon! Yes, I am right! Who is selling it? Sell it to me for 500 gold."

"Sea dragon? Really? Hey ask the chief if he is sure of that. If it is real, I will pay 600."

The price kept on increasing as the merchants pit against each other. Just as it was about to die down, Raka said.

"I am not selling any less than 2000 gold." Raka said.

"2000 is too much friend. 1000 is more than enough."

"I can go as far as 1100. No more."

"1200..." "1250" "1260"

But Raka stood stock still.

"Ok I will pay 1500, but no more." Finally someone said. Yet Raka did not move.

"Come brother. This will not do. You know we need to make profit as well. How bout you let it go for 1700. I will meet you half way." That same person added. Raka made a pose of thinking deeply. But then nodded in the negative.

"Sorry, no deal." Raka said.

The man frowned hard. But then he walked closer to look at the bones. He made a careful inspection of each and every one. He even looked closely at the small ones which Raka had laid out over a cloth on the sand. Finally he said.

"Alright. I will pay 2000. But just because the bones are too good. I wouldn't want your efforts to go to waste." He reluctantly agreed.

"Deal!" Raka smiled.

They exchanged money and the man brought his own men to collect the bones.

'Hah...miser.' Raka complained. It was the supply chain law. The old chief had said a minimum of 1500 gold. It meant that at a minimum, it would be sold at 2500 gold anywhere in the cities. At the maximum, the price could go to 5000 or more. And that was just the price of the raw materials. Once it is processed and magical things are made from them, each piece, from the smallest to the largest would have its own price in the hundreds or thousands.

'Yet this miser was making it look like he was helping me out.' Raka sighed as he thanked Neona once again in his heart. 'Seriously, I should give her a gift to show my appreciation for being the only honest merchant I met. Thanks to her, I made quite a bit of money.' Raka was happy. Yet he also understood that the sea dragon was supposedly a low level magical creature. The danger in collecting these bones was far higher than its supposed price.

'A fisherman's life is difficult.' Raka sighed.

'Time to go.' Raka decided to log off. For the first time in many real time days, he would sleep for a long time.

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Raka logged back in after a long rest. It was sundown again in the game. Raka looked at the dying sun and sighed.

'Time to move on.'

He went to the chief and bid a short farewell and asked for some information about how to get to the island of the dwarves.

"Ah you best get to Maccaba. The crossing between the island and the dwarvish lands is filled with danger. Ships often make convoys and move together. The port master should help you find a convoy." Nubar said.

"Thanks. I will do just that." And Raka left.

The city of Maccaba was three game days from the fishermen village.

They made good time following the wind. When they could see they found that the land had turned from green to grey and yellow. There was just sand as far as the eye could see and beyond.

"Wow it's hot!" Raka complained. He was sweating bucketloads. Even the sea felt hot like the desert. He gulped in some more water. "Nobby, monkey, you guys better not empty the barrel again."

Raka stuck to the coastline so that he could stop whenever he wanted. Though the view certainly left a lot to be desired. Not a bird or a creature. There was only sand. Atleast there wasn't a sea dragon chasing them this time.

On the sunrise of the third day, a large city came into view. There was a huge magnificent palace with minarets and towers which could be seen from miles away. As they reached near, the entire scale of the large city emerged. Thousands of buildings of all sorts. From the poorest shacks to the richest manors. There were also dozens of ships who were making their way into or out of the city.

The port city of Maccaba was a major stop for all trade between the island of the dwarves and the four human islands. Kinda like Singapore, it was the one place where anything could be found, bought or sold. It was also the trade routes, which made it rich beyond anything. Many people of all sorts came here looking for a better life.

Raka approached the busy port and saw a man waving at him.

"Monkey! Take the sails down!"

He himself took out the drive paddle and started to slowly maneuver the ship towards that man. As he reached the jetty, he threw out the mooring ropes and the man tied it off to a jetty arm. Raka manipulated the power of the drive paddle to stop the boat.

'My control is improving.' Raka observed. There was one aspect of improving control by increasing Mana. But there was also another aspect of improving control of the magic itself. Like the difference between a barbarian wielding a club and a warrior with a sword, good control of magic allowed far more variation.

"Hello, I am Roman. I work for the port master of Maccaba. May I know for what purpose have you come?" The man said.

"Hello. I am Raka. Are you Ilmentian by any chance?" Raka said.

"Yes, sir. I am originally from Ilmentia." Roman smiled.

"Ah! I am interested in joining a convoy headed to the island of the dwarves. I was led to believe the port master would help with that?" Raka asked.

"If it is just a convoy you wish to join, then I can point you to the guild office. They are the ones who deal with it." Roman said.

"That would be wonderful. But I would like to meet the port master for a different purpose. If you could arrange that. Oh and for your good service.." Raka gave a silver coin.

"Thank you sir. I will go ask the port master if he has time. How long would you be staying in the city?" Roman smiled some more.

"That depends. I wish to join the earliest convoy." Raka said.

"Yes sir. I will inform the port master." Roman nodded.

"That would be good. Oh I haven't asked about the charges for this jetty." Raka suddenly remembered.

"Yes sir. That would be 15 silvers a day. We allow docking for three days. After that you will have to find a nearby beach. But if you need to load or unload, I believe it will cost you a lot more. You would have to ask the dockmaster for that." Roman explained.

"That's all right. Well then, could you point me to the guild office?"

The docks were busy as hell. There were noises, shouting and shrieking of all kinds emanating from all places. Large amounts of cargo were being loaded onto or unloaded from large merchant ships. To the side there were some jetties having large ships which seemed like they were always moored there.

'Either they are owned by really important people or they are warships.' Raka guessed.

Raka found the guild office quite easily. Apparently, it was also the busiest office on the port. There was a crowd lining up to enter. All sorts of merchant talk was being exchanged along the line. Raka lined up also.

"Tonight I am going to enjoy Lily. She is the hottest thing in the Blue Lantern. Oh what wouldn't I do for her smile. Her voice is like a nightingale and her songs make my heart flutter so..."

"Hahaha...I warn you. She is not so easily taken. You have many contenders."

"*Sigh. Oh well, she will always remain in my dreams."

"Hahahah....yes that she will."

"Sugar is getting expensive."

"The trouble between the two kingdoms is already causing prices to rise."

"What is it this time?"

"Dunno. But the word along the grapevine is that it has to do something with the Ilmentia Queen's visit. Apparently she is only visiting the south kingdom."

"Why does the north care anyway. They have ignored it before."

"Yeah. Only this time it seems to be something special. Why would the north care otherwise."

"Seems the Pink Mistress is losing money."

"Yes all because of Lily. People call her the Diva. She is so beautiful...the girl of my dreams."

".............."

Raka stood quietly listening to all the chatter. Some of them did bring a smile. The crowd of people kept moving and after a while Raka entered the office. There were many staff handling people.

"Please come this way." A clerk asked him to his counter. "Please state your business."

"I would like to join a convoy to the dwarvish lands." Raka said.

The man stared at him.

"Sir, usually people tell me which port they need a convoy to." He said.

"Ah..well, actually any convoy heading for any port of Mar'han'bi will do. The earliest would be good." Raka smiled sheepishly.

The clerk stared at him for a moment more and then asked.

"Could you tell me the place of your origin and your ship registration? Are you part of any guild?"