Certainly there was wisdom to patience. Gabrio had been watching the seas, taking care of patients, and sometimes finding time to watch the progress of the Shoulder’s of Arkshelled Island. He had been reading the tomes and the notes that he have to ensure that he doesn’t get rusty.

Lately, he had been advocating for the Grand-Galleon to be cleaned in hopes that they could avoid plague and though there are no rats aboard the vessel. The hygiene and the unsanitary appearances of the crew had been giving him a headache. He had been horrified when he came to the toiler and saw the grotesque state of the toilets that he himself demanded it to the Inquisitor.

He had also made sure that the bar inside the Grand-Galleon was up to standards. He had to remind them of the plague that almost wiped out West of the Aon and the damages that it had done. Adding to that, he made sure that they would start cleaning them. Gabrio couldn’t believe how they could live in dirt and filth. Most of the inhabitants of the Galleon cleaned themselves using the water they got from the sea. Lately, they were able to clean themselves using the spring water of Arkshelled Island and the amount of people that were trying to clean the filth off their body caused the higher-ups to consider a communal bath where they could clean themselves.

Even Inquisitor Cooper Ackie knew what it meant if they get the plague in the middle of the sea. Not even the Artes of the Elven could save them if they do get one. He wasn’t the only one who demanded this action and he was pleasantly surprised that the other Doctors had wanted this to happened as well. With the Elder Spring of the Arkshelled Island flowing back to the sea. They didn’t have much trouble in allowing the people to bathe or use the water for themselves.

As for the matter regarding Arkshelled Island’s development of the farms and the cattle farms. It had been going well and the farmers have started planting crops that are going to be in rotation. The soil that had been once dried mud had become fertile. This was done through making use of the waste of the Arkshelled beast being turned into fertilizing agents for the soil

Gabrio was rather surprised how they even decided to produce the spuds in the terrace farms. He wondered if they are going hoping to get more harvest from the crops. Other than that he received news from Robert that the distribution of the crops are managed by the Commerce Guild associated with the Merchant Union. As terrible as they are in some way, they were professionals when it comes to managing rations and crops for them to be priced. Not to mention that there were only ten acres that they could use as farmable land and the rest were for the personnel and fleet. Only a few were allowed to live on the Shoulders and they were chosen specifically because of their skills. The Island was certainly big enough to accommodate the whole fleet, but it could only act as places where they could gather and let loose. Most of the folks that come to the island were the ones who were in the normal-sized ships who could take the rolling of the ship and wanted to stand on soil.

The Tailbone Port that allowed them to dock worked differently than the usual port. They have to anchor and at the same time allow the roots of the Island to hold them so that they might not tilt to the side. Some of the ships didn’t come close to the beast while the others preferred resting on the beaches of the Arkshelled Island.

With the Island’s space the soldiers of the Grand-Galleons were able to practice their drills. Formation, commands, orders, and how to approach enemies were taught again and again to the head of the soldiers who followed what they were taught. Though they needed no teaching, they were running around the Island’s open space in batches to train themselves. Most of the drills happened from morning to early afternoon where they are allowed to take a rest. As much as the Captains like to train their aim. The Admiral did not allow any soldier to use ammunition unless it was necessary to do.

Other than making sure that their aim is true. The soldiers would practice their hand-to-hand combat and their bayonet and spear formations. Soldiers are paired and when engaging in combat they are taught to never be alone and if possible work with four soldiers. No one fights alone. They worked as a squad and unit that fights the threat. Ever since the rifle and bayonet have become popular to the forces of Aon. Soldiers have started wearing less protection other than the uniforms they wore for the reason that they have to carry ammunition and explosives as part of their kit. Not to mention that barrel part of their rifles are plated with metal so that they could use the rifle as spear if there was a need to.

When the drills are over the soldiers would return to their places. Some of the soldiers were assigned on the Island to act as a small garrison. Gabrio believed that there was at least five hundred men garrisoned in the Island and other than that. There were also the Elven-kin who were armed to the teeth, carrying cannons on their Proctors and were watching the Island without a sound or a complaint. Their towering figures, the rifle their living tree armor were holding was imposing enough. That they believed that they should be enough to handle the affairs of the Island. Not to mention that as they sailed the seas, the Admiral alerted the fleet that they might be approaching the radius of the Icean Spine.

With the whole fleet preparing for any sight of the famed Icean Spine that they have heard about in the legends. It was only right that the soldiers are in position.

*****

The silence came first. With the cold creeping into the air, most of the crew had donned their coats and people started to gather on the fire boxes located on the Galleon to heat themselves up.

This time it was not sickly fog that came to them. But a cold one that frost their breathes and made them seek for warmth. Gabrio stayed in the clinic for most time, but decided to climb topside. He stationed himself to the same room, armed. Robert joined him while he let Wiles watch the clinic and have the shelves and instruments inside the clinic strapped tightly by the leather bindings.

Robert held on to his rifle cautiously while watching the fog. The fleet were flying blind and only because of the signalman, the colored smokes, and the flags they carry on the crow’s nest that they were able to navigate without bumping to one another. It also helped that there was a giant tree light up that have become the front and center of the formation. All Gabrio could hear was the hulls clashing against the waves and along the way he would hear the sailors screaming at the sight of the giant blocks of ice that were the size of small hills blocking their way. Most of the icebergs were being destroyed by Arkshelled Island, and the smaller ones were meeting icebreakers installed on the bow of the Great-Galleons.

“Looks like we’re approaching the Icean Spine,” Robert said with flat tone of voice.

“Hmm, the ice fog should continue for minutes. It won’t be long until we see the ‘spine of the world’.”

“Doc, what do you think?”

“I have no idea other than see it. I get that most of you are worried about how it would go. Would we meet enemies that will threaten us? Or will we see an empty land? I want to see the Icean Spine for myself. I mean it’s one of the legends that we’ve been told as a kid. Of mountains that resembles the spine of a human that spans for miles and are wider than islands. All we can do now is ready our minds and prepare our fingers to fight whatever it is that is coming our way.”

Robert seme like he wanted to say more, but agreed with a nod. He turned his attention to the glass panel where they could take a glance of the sailors and the soldiers who have stationed themselves in positions where they can act immediately.

The icy fog that covered the fleet slowly started to thin. The cold that crept on their skin was no replaced with warmth as the sun’s light breaks through the clouds and painted the deck with the sunshine.

Robert went out of the hatchway, and followed by Gabrio who readied his spyglass in hopes he could catch a glimpse of the Icean Spine himself. The icy fog remained and around the fleet were a few floating icebergs that were broken up to pieces.

Gabrio froze as he looked forward.

There it was, the first objective of the Reconnoiter Company's Grand Fleet.

The Spine of the World itself was in front of Gabrio.

It was a large land that consisted of narrow peaks of mountain that stretches over the horizon. The spinal mountain looked like it was endless that he wondered if there was even an end to the mountains.

The land itself was covered in both snow and patches of green. On the far left of the Spinal Mountains were crags covered in what seems to be blue grasses. The enormous size of the spinal mountains reminded him of the mountain ranges in the West of Liba County back in Aon.

But what shook him the most was the enormous banded gneiss rocks that were barring most of the coastline with only a few landing beaches they could settle on. There were also fold structures around some of the high cliffs that are coupled with the sills and sedimentary rocks.

Raising his spyglasses, he saw what seems to be structures around the spinal mountains. Were they habitats? Gabrio didn’t know and the cold silence of a frosty wind whispering on his ears made all the hair on his arms stand.

The fleet slowed down its pace as it spotted spine of the world. Everyone could only gasp at the sight of the legendary place that they’ve been told ever since they were kids.

Right now, they were the only ones who were here, and yet as the gaze at the awe of the structures that is the Spine of the World. They heard the cry of the spotter above the crow’s nest.

“Someone is coming!”

Gabrio flinched and he immediately went for cover while trying to find the one that the Spotter saw.

A figure that was riding on what seems to be a vessel in black. Gabrio spied with his spyglasses and it was then he saw the familiar spots of light that seems to wrap this figure riding the vessel.

Then a gust of wind formed around the Grand-Galleon as Gabrio saw Lady Eletha of Roan ride the wind, her figure lifted by the gleeful spirits who were eager to fly. Lady Eletha of Roan raised her hand and conversed in what seems to be same language they use to cast their Artes.

Silence yet again descended as the Lady and this figure chatted among themselves.

One of the Commanding Officers told the soldiers to take a position. One of the Marksmen were aiming their sights at the figure that were riding the vessels.

A booming voice called.

“Captain Malfor, I need you.”

Her voice was ethereal and it didn’t take long for Captain Malfor to appear in front of the bow of the Galleon.

The figure that appeared before them was that of a woman with long ears, white hair that reached up her knees and eyes so cold that one would freeze when meeting it.

“She is Frigus, of the Tribe of Gelum. Captain, it looks like we have to fight if we want to passed through the spine of the world.”