Ferdinand and Peroy rowed their fishing boat over the quiet waters of the sea. They had just left the Potamian docks that morning, having heard rumors about a school of whiting running off the shore of Cho Nisi.

“I told you before, Peroy, those are dangerous waters,” Ferdinand mumbled, pulling hard on the oars. He was a well-built middle-aged man, his bare chest a journal for the life at sea he lived, and the hard work he completed, having once sailed with King Tobias’ navy, now taking a well-earned retreat from battle. He wore his work pants and a belt with two daggers sheathed to it. His short hair curled around his ears and over his forehead. He didn’t wear a hat like Peroy. He liked to see all around him, the sky, the waters. Hats got in the way. If Peroy didn’t wear a hat, he’d be burned to a crisp, fair-skinned and all. Peroy, three years older than Ferdinand, lived on the coast town of Melrose, province of Prasa Potama. Ferdinand was married to Peroy’s sister.

Peroy squinted, looking at the dark clouds that hung over the island. “If a squall arises, we’ll just beach at Northport. We’re safe.” He took his hat off and wiped his brow. “Can’t really give up an opportunity to catch some whiting, Ferdinand. What with the economy like it is right now in Prasa Potama, the prince being gone and everyone all panicky about those winged beasts coming from the mountain, our families could use a little bounty, don’t you think?”

“Hear tell the skura are stealing fish from the fishers,” Ferdinand complained. “Be just my ill fortune if they stole from us before we ever get back to the mainland.”

“Anything else you want to fret over?”

“Sometimes worry does a man right. I’ve heard many a tale come true in these waters.”

“Let’s just catch us some fish and forget about gossip today,”

They neared the shoreline of the island cautiously. Despite speculations, they both knew the Cho Nisi could cast spells and sink ships a hundred times larger than their dory. It’s one reason King Tobias never thought to conquer the island.

“We’re just a couple of lowly fisher people,” Ferdinand whispered. “Not meaning any harm.”

“Who you talking to?”

“Those natives. They say if you talk to them, they won’t curse you.” Peroy snickered and tossed floats into the water. Ferdinand lay down his oars and kept a leery eye on the sky.

They hadn’t released half their nets when they heard a deafening scream up on the hills of the island. They looked wide-eyed at each other.

“Let’s get out of here,” Peroy said, pulling back the nets.

“Sounds like someone up there’s in trouble.”

“What does it matter. That’s their affair.”

“You pull the nets in, then. I’m swimming ashore to see who needs help.”

“You’re a fool.”

“A fool raised as a soldier. If you’re any kind of man, you don’t run from danger, you run to it, Peroy.”

Ferdinand jumped in the water and swam whole-heartedly toward the beach, while Peroy pulled in the nets.

The bank towered high above, and only a small portion of sand made up a beach, but enough to wrap around the cliffs in and out of coves and finally come out at Northport. Ferdinand hurried up the shoreline, and when he rounded the last bend, he stopped and gasped at what he saw. Hundreds of skura dove from the sky, sweeping toward the ground like a tornado where a lone man with a sword fought them. His blade flashed in the sunlight, cutting at the beasts one at a time. When he fell, Ferdinand panicked for the beast covered him with their wings. If Ferdinand had a sword on him, he’d run to help, but with a small dagger, what could he do? Before he decided, he heard drums beating and suddenly the wind picked up. The skura could not fight the gusts of wind and so were blown high into the sky. There they rotated as a thick black cloud.

A group of natives bent over the man who’d been fighting. Natives dressed in colorful garb lifted the swordsman onto a horse. One of them rode another mount and led the wounded man’s horse away.

Ferdinand watched, mesmerized by what he saw. He’d been rowing all day and he was tired, but this could not be a hallucination. Ferdinand ran back the way he came, waded out to the boat, and joined Peroy.

“You won’t believe what I saw. Let’s get some fish and go home.”

“What’d you see?”

“Skura, Peroy. Hundreds of them. Closer to home than they’d ever been. King Tobias needs to hear about this.”