Cobalt waves rocked the ship beneath my withered boots. The turbulence went unnoticed by the people around me but I admired the beauty of the water painting invisible masterpieces on the sides of the magnificent ship. It brought serenity: something I had yearned for at sea my whole life.
The battling ocean fought its way onto the deck, caressing my leather boots and shyly retreating. Most people would overlook the waters of Kyras but I was not one of them. It was near impossible to avoid the enchanted beauty of the seas for someone like me, and as the old saying goes, "A pirate's life for me."
Although something about the ocean waves whispered my name that night, a louder noise caught my undivided attention. Euphoric laughter and chanting pierced the night's lulling atmosphere. Laughter and chanting drunkenly composed by the crew stowed away in the sheltered quarters. A small smile plastered my face as I found striding towards the door struggling to conceal the shanties.
Immediately after entering, the blissful air and heart-racing music pushed past me and into the once calm night. My grin quickly morphed into a wide smile as I listened to the lyrics:
As the sun sleeps behind us and we follow Achrely, / let the waves remind us of our valiant life at sea. / The winds fill the sails and our hearts shall not sway, / For these jolly chants ensure we stay upon these raging waves.
My ears caught the alteration of the shanty as the crew joyfully continued the verses. 'Achrely.' Each memorable ship possessed its own captain, chosen respectfully by vote. Ours was Captain Cerulean Achrely. Not many songs bore the short-lived name, but I believed it was only a matter of time before the world had its fair share of stories. I waved the thought away and adjusted the eye-patch hugging my left eye as I delved deeper into the merry cabin.
"Anyone care to tell me who let Oaken handle the rum again?" It took no effort to hear the smile behind the question as everybody soon became respectfully silent quicker than a wave brushing the shore. As the crew rapidly registered the voice, a path was cleared in front of me which lead directly to the table centred in the cramped room.
"In all fairness, Captain, I can be very intimidating when I try." Oaken's smug voice emerged from the mass of both drunken and sober crew members. I saw his sandy blond bun bob within the crowd and make its way closer before the tall figure emerged and leaned a steady hand on the battered polished table.
I finally reach it too and stand opposite, grinning widely at my quartermaster. "Is that what you're telling yourself?" Oaken's response was a half-sober shrug of his broad shoulders then his eyes dragged sharply to the carefully sketched map between us.
My crew formed a questionable circle around the striking illustration, admiring it for the billionth time. I ran a sun-kissed hand along the curves of sacred rivers and hovered above the fine calligraphy naming each of the nine kingdoms of Kyras: Xarianth, Myard, Cidare, Sasani, Atesia. Kataki, Brunne, Tyran, and Aridia. Names bestowed by the Lords and Ladies of forgotten centuries.
The lands and their illustrations were stunning, the endless seas even more so. Several pairs of bewildered eyes met my gaze as I heard a breathless request from a shipmate.
"Captain, please show us." An uninterrupted pause of hesitation. "Show us the magic."
It was no secret that the compass of Cassarina, Lady of the Night, possessed fantastical abilities witnessed by those who weren't opposed to magic during her lifetime. Therefore, it was no wonder that the quietest mention of the Lady's relic grasped at the attention of the entire room, the majority of which were unfortunate enough not to bear hereditary magic themselves. The hushed conversations within the compact quarters died out from curiosity.
Carefully, so careful my crimson waistcoat didn't even whisper when shifted, I reached a hand into my pocket and grasped onto the cool iron of the compass. Revealing it to my crew, the iron shimmered even in the dimmest light of the lanterns above us. The compass' shape mirrored that of a prestigious carriage wheel, its texture rough like the sand of Aridia. Though the treasure seemed like nothing more than a traveller's forgotten trinket to the untrained eye, magic had always coursed through each bump and curve. Such magic was summoned by declaring the words of Lady Cassarina's spell.
Zaadros tua Occolum.
I speak the words as fluently as possible with my thinning accent. 'Charms of Twilight' was the rough translation. Those archaic words spoken in the tongue of Lords and Ladies long before our time woke the enchantment within the compass. It was like watching a star blink awake at midnight. Even the winds outside the cabin seemed to silence as if the enchantment took all the energy of the world. I delicately placed the compass in the middle of the map and awaited the spectacle with my now-muted crew.
A moment of hushed breaths and adrenaline was enough to push me instinctively closer to the wheel, almost as if it was tugging at my puffed sleeves. Within a blink, glistening iron from the wheel's edges abruptly melted like lava from a volcano and swam across the scroll. Vines of silver liquid weaved through nameless rivers and painted planes, reminding me of raindrops scurrying down a windowpane. Gasps followed the melted iron's movements in childish wonder.
At least ten seconds passed before the trickles stopped roaming the lands and cradled the scribbled calligraphy of one of the nine kingdoms. A satisfied smirk grew on all our faces.
"I believe we have our heading, Captain." Oaken's boyish smile could be heard more prominently than his Atesian accent. I responded with my own proud expression.
"Everyone, prepare yourselves for half a week's sailing. We're headed for Sasani."
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