FULL NOVELXO Chapter CHAPTER XXI: LEI
Three sailors in black, blue and grey clothes hung from a middle mast, using only coils of thick and rough ropes to support them. Five enormous men were lifting heavy barrels from one place to another with ease, their muscles pulling tight in their arms and shoulders. Sweats dripping from their sun-kissed skins. The person leading them barked orders as they go. There were sailors running everywhere; in the crow’s nest, the deck above the captain’s quarters, the stern. The desk loudly creaked as they marched towards their destination. Seagulls cawed as they stood on the some barrels on the side, their long wings occasionally flapped. Lei sat on a chair near the steps leading to the sleeping quarters below the main deck, her left arm on a white cast. She welcomed the salty smell of the ocean, the sun-warmed woods, and hot metal, but the smell of rotten fish occasionally makes her rub her nose.
She had never been in a boat. She had never thought of going near the sea. Her heart and home remained in the forest and the mountains. While the reality in front of her excited her as it opens her to a new adventure, a growing anxiety crept in her chest. Closing her eyes, it scared her that she couldn’t sense any plants around. Of course, you’re in the middle of the ocean, Lei! She got startled when she heard people shouting and running on the deck. Three sailors crouched on the side, their upper bodies hanging from the ship. Suddenly, she heard the turning of a pulley and the creaking and shudder of metals.
“Hey.” Lei looked up. “How are you feeling?” She gave Nate a small smile.
“Better than earlier.” She noticed fresh scratches on his face and arms. His left foot was bandaged up. He limped toward the chair beside her and took a seat.
“This is amazing,” he said while watching the vast ocean. Only a part of the sky was orange while the rest had turned into darkness. Specks of light slowly appeared.
“It is,” she answered with uncertainty, “It’s the first time I’ve seen the ocean.” Nate turned to her. He had a smile on his pale face.
“You got to see it for the first time with your friends,” he exclaimed. Lei chuckled.
“Guys!” Lei and Nate quickly turned toward the voice. Skhy was walking toward them from the opposite side of the ship. Lei helped Nate stand up.
“How are you?” Skhy immediately asked when he neared them.
“Fine.” She glanced at the direction he came from. “Do you need us?” Skhy nodded. His chestnut hair was covered with white bandages. Lei could vividly remember the moment she thought he was dead and the feeling of fear and loss. She knew that the memory would live forever in her mind.
“Captain’s office.”
“And Tessa?” It had been an hour since she left Tessa’s side because Hunter insisted to take care of her alone. It was surprising that Skhy didn’t argue or object to it.
“Faz said she woke up.” She released a sigh of relief. Tessa and Skhy were the ones who suffered most injuries and stayed unconscious for a few hours. Skhy immediately went to accomplish his tasks after he woke up to Lei’s frustration.
“Don’t you need to rest more?” she asked him, eying his head once again.
“Yeah,” Nate seconded, “It’s only been an hour since you woke up.” Skhy smiled at them.
“I’m good.” Lei sighed. “Besides, we won’t stay in the ship for long.” His statement made her remember their destination, the Shadows Islands, almost 10 hours across the sea from the port of Faymagnates.
“How long do we have?” Nate asked.
“Six hours."
Lei and Nate followed Skhy to the opposite end of the ship where the captain’s office and quarter is located. No sailor took notice of them as they walked by. Upon opening the door, the first thing Lei saw was the enormous round mahogany table in the middle of the room. She calculated that almost 15 people can sit around it. Papers were neatly piled on the centre of the table and a map lay open on the side. Lei faced a wide glass window with the magnificent view of the part of the ocean where the ship is facing.
“Aria, how’s your wound?” Nate asked after the door swung open. Lei turned toward the rest of her friends.
“Good.” Aria gained a wound on her left leg but she still insisted to wear pants.
“It’s hard to walk on these,” Clyne complained. He was walking with two crutches.
“You can crawl if you want to,” Aria proposed with a straight face. Clyne pouted at her. Lei smiled at their interaction. Their bickering was stopped by someone knocking on the door. Nate turned the knob to open it.
Lei’s eyes widen when she saw Tessa. Faz had his arm around her to help her walk.
“Tessa, you should rest.” Skhy was the first one to voice his complaint.
“I agree,” Lei added, “You just woke up.”
“Come, let’s go back,” Aria offered.
“No,” Tessa answered. Her pale face scared Lei. Her golden eyes lost its sparks.
“I’m just going to listen. I’m not going to tire myself.” Faz helped her sit on the sofa nearest to the round table.
“I’m surprise you agreed to this, Faz,” Clyne pointed out.
“No, I didn’t,” Faz answered. “She won’t drink her medicine if I won’t let her.” He lightly glared at Tessa who ignored him. One by one, the student-adventurers found their seats.
“Faz told me what happened,” Tessa said between deep breaths. I’m worried. “What now?”
“I thought you’ll silently listen,” Faz muttered. Tessa rolled her eyes.
Lei watched her friends lively interact with each other despite the fact that all of them was injured and was on the verge of death a few hours ago. She was grateful to see them in front of her like this because she was expecting the worst hours ago when she saw some of their bodies lying lifeless on the ground. For a moment, she thought she was dreaming right now and she was just imagining a what-if scenario.
Her dark thoughts were interrupted by the creaking of the door. She looked up.
“Everyone’s here.” The captain of the ship stood six feet tall with almost orange dishevelled hair. He had no beard to Lei’s disappointment. He looked young but his weary eyes showed his wisdom and age. He probably saw a lot in his voyage. When he took a step to the side, the persons behind him entered one by one. Lei stared at one of them. The woman had his black coily curly hair in a bun. Her flawless brown skin was no longer hidden behind the dark robe. Her dark blue eyes caught Lei’s stare.
The same eyes watched her struggle in the fight a few hours ago. The woman watched Lei used her last energy to bring her enemy down only to fall in the arms of the same enemy. The woman’s face was the first thing Lei saw when she returned to consciousness but she had no energy left to fight. Waiting for her death, Lei couldn’t control her tears.
“Your friends,” she remembered the woman say. Lei slowly and painfully turned her head. Only then that she noticed Skhy’s unmoving form beside her. His eyes were close. His face was pale. Her heartbeat drummed in her chest, thinking that he’s gone. She noticed another body beside Skhy. Her eyes widened.
She felt someone violently shaking her. Looking up, she saw the same dark blue eyes. She didn’t notice that she was screaming her lungs out. Her voice broke and she gasped for air.
“You’re ok,” she said. “Their ok.” She heard voices shouting in the distance so she glanced at the direction where it was coming from.
“I’ll bring this girl on board,” the woman said. Lei noticed two persons in the same robes standing beside her. Are they the enemies who defeated Skhy and Tessa???
“We’ll bring the two,” one of the men said. She couldn’t find her voice. She had no strength to move her body.
“The others?” the other man asked the woman.
“They’ll finish soon,” she replied. Where are they taking us???