“It’ll take a day-long car ride or a week-long boating trip to get to Luminaria,” Elameere announced as he started the car’s engine. “It all depends on which way you want to get there. There’s the safer yet longer trek through the sea or we can quickly cut through the forests of Luxim. It’s all you, Evan.”

Evan pondered, his mind weighing each option. “It’d be nice to get there earlier but I know what’s in those woods. I vote for going through the Middle Sea.”

Elameere nodded. “I agree,” he said, “though finding a good sailor will be tough.”

Evan gazed silently out of the grimy window. Marea Port wasn’t too far from the house; he had visited it many times. He still vividly remembered the salty sea air, constantly swearing sailors, and the rather aggressive seagulls. “Maybe Captain Ashi’ll be there,” he murmured, remembering the sailor he used to adventure with.

“I’m not even sure if he’s still alive,” Elameere deadpanned. “With the amount of bad decisions he’s made in his life, I’d be genuinely surprised if he’s still breathing.”

Evan smiled, completely agreeing. “He was a terrible influence.”

Elameere rolled his eyes. “The worst of them all.”

They sat in comfortable silence for the short ride to the port. Evan watched as the green trees that zoomed past disappeared to make way for large concrete buildings and vast blue sea.

It was a busy day, many people were bustling about and vying for the best boats or the cheapest prices. The acrid smell of rotting fish that haunted the port like a ghost filled Evan’s nose and he grimaced. It was by far the second worst thing about the port.

Alas, the thing that one first place was the crowd now gathering around a ship that Evan recognized. A ship he had run around on for years. A ship that was sailed by a man that was lucky enough to have a connection with the Guild. And with him and Elameere. Especially Elameere.

Speak of the devil; Elameere groaned, hitting his face on the steering wheel’s horn and letting out a couple of loud honks.

As a lanky, dark-haired figure with a confident air about him approached the vehicle, Elameere grumbled under his breath. “Please don’t be him, please don’t be him, please don’t be him—oh, may the gods have mercy on my poor soul, it’s him.”

The figure that Evan now recognised as Captain Ashi knocked on the window, grinning. Elameere begrudgingly lowered the thick sheet of glass separating them and gave Ashi a distasteful look. “There he is!” Ashi exclaimed, his grin widening.

Evan had to smile at Elameere’s irritated face. The men had a history Evan didn’t dare ask about, but he was sure that they went way back. “Greetings, Captain Ashi, sir,” he announced, waving and giving Ashi a small smile.

“Sir?” Ashi laughed. “Since when have I been ‘sir’ to you, Evan?”

Evan shrugged. “Since you disappeared for 3 years and didn’t tell us a thing about where you were or even if you were alive.”

Elameere wrinkled his nose at the sight of the other man. “You left without telling any of us. Idiot. Thought you were dead. I wish you were dead.”

“Let’s not say anything we don’t mean, Ela,” Ashi chuckled. “I’m sure you missed me terribly.”

Elameere made a small flustered noise under his breath and unclicked his seatbelt, fuming.

Evan decided to interject before Elameere said things he would regret. He exited the car and breathed in the salty, disgusting sea air. “We need a sailor to get us to Luminaria. You up for it?” he asked the towering, raven-haired man.

Ashi looked at him, surprised. “All the way to Luminaria? What business do you have there?”

“None of yours,” Elameere snarled.

Ashi blinked. “Okay, yeah, I’ll do it,” he answered, ignoring Elameere and his rude comments.

Evan clapped his hands triumphantly. “Great.”

“Mind you, I won’t do it for free,” Ashi said.

“Name your price,” Elameere said.

Ashi smirked, leaning against the car. He gazed expectantly at Elameere, his striking blue eyes filled with something Evan didn’t expect. Something rather unfamiliar in Evan’s world. Something like… love. Weird.

Ashi leaned towards Elameere, whispering something in his ear, making him flush from the neck up. Satisfied, Ashi leaned away, grinning. “I’d also like 1,500 rilla.”

Elameere glared at Ashi. “I can do the 1,500 rilla. Moron.”

Ashi feigned disappointment. “Ah, I’m sure I can convince you sooner or later.”

“Keep telling yourself that. Let’s board the Bonavis.”

***

The Bonavis was a large, sturdy ship fit for a king. It probably was at some point, considering the moral code of these sailors. The wooden planks were gleaming in the strong afternoon sun, and a soft breeze billowed through the large masts. “Blessed be to the pirate son of a gun that let me acquire this boat from him after his… sad and unexpected passing,” Ashi said jubilantly, letting everyone board the large ship. “Alright now, the bunks are below deck, feel free to sleep ‘till your heart’s content.”

Evan nodded, but didn’t go below deck just yet. The oceanic vehicle was exceptionally familiar to him, as he had spent most of his adolescence swabbing the poop deck and helping in the nasty smelling kitchen.

“Evan, you’ll be alright navigating this ol’ girl, right?” Ashi asked, patting Evan’s back and making him stumble forward and narrowly avoid face planting into the shiny floorboards below him.

Shiny?

“Ashi, when did you get rich enough to have shiny floorboards?” Evan asked.

Ashi laughed. “Since I traveled to Napyaak and became an officially licensed sailor. They gave me my own crew and I don’t even have to pay them! They even helped me fix up the Bonavis.” He patted the rails of his precious vessel.

Evan was bewildered. “You did all that while you were gone?”

“Three years can be a long time for training. I’m still not as experienced as someone who’s spent ten years at sea, but that’s not a matter of skill. I’m really doing my best out here.”

Evan looked away, placing his hands on the rails of the ship and gazing out into the open sea. “You still have a connection with the Guild? Is the Guild even in Napyaak?”

Ashi’s expression changed. The aura around him grew significantly darker as he wrung his hands. “Yeah. I’m still with the Guild. They actually gave me this job.”

Evan turned to face the adult. “Oh. So they are in Napyaak.”

Ashi grimaced. “Evan, the Guild is everywhere. You have to understand-”

Sounds of men fighting and shattering glass broke their conversation. “You have no right to be here!” a voice shouted from the distance.

A small, tawny skinned boy rushed up to Captain Ashi, on the verge of tears. He saluted with a trembling hand. “Sir, we have a stowaway.”