Chapter 8: Cloudy day

Sun was visible on horizon. Both Nemma and Sion were still sleeping. Sky was clear and sea was calm.

" Huh-... " Sion opened his eyes slowly. Nemma was lying on opposite side of the boat, a meter and half away from Sion. It was a small fishing boat made of wooden planks.

Sion stretched a bit and suddenly he panicked-.. he had to take a leak.

" Oh crap.. " he looked around, if maybe there is an island where they can stop for a minute. But no such thing was visible. He looked an Nemma and saw her sleeping tightly, now was his chance. He turned around and did what had to be done. Another thought crossed his mind, what will happen when Nemma wakes up, she won't be in such a position as Sion was!

Sion sat back down, took a paddle and started rowing fast. With each row, boat would move several feet. His strength and speed of rowing made the boat glide on water. It was do or die at this point, he has to reach a coast before Nemma wakes up. He rowed and rowed, for half an hour now. He was too focused on that to notice the sky. Clouds gathered above them, some of them were dark and stormy. Sion then slowed down.. Far ahead, he saw a land, not just a small island, but a coast with a harbor. Sion was glad.

[ SPLASH ]

A wave hit the boat, it was a smaller wave but still noticeable. Nemma woke up. She stretched as well and ran her fingers through her hair. Afterwards, the tried to take her glasses, but they were nowhere to be seen, she lost them when boat flipped over yesterday. She looked at Sion then.

" Good morning " she said. Sion was already looking at her " G-good morning... ". He remembered of the incident that happened last night and immediately blushed and looked down.

" I had a strange dram last night.. " she told him. Could she not remember? She thought it was a dream?

[ Runes voice: She went to sleep right after you flipped the boat yesterday right? You should use this opportunity to talk to her-.. ]

" You stay quiet! " he yelled. Nemma was looking at him with confused expression. Sion realised she couldn't hear Rune, it was just him, " Ehm, I'm-... not talking to you, it's a voice inside my head-... " Sion realised he just made himself sound like an insane person. Nemma stared even more confusedly... and then she laughed. She started laughing hard. Sion sat awkwardly. Her soft voice echoed over the sea.

[ Runes voice: My advice is, don't talk to me when people are around. ] Rune giggled.

Sion scratched his head, he was waiting for her to calm down. After some time, she wiped her eyes and sat straight up with a smile on her face.

" Are you... In possession of a Rune maybe? " she asked

Sion looked at her not knowing how to react. A hand touched his shoulder and pulled him into the sea.

[ WOOSH ]

Sion stood in Rune's world.

" I'll be simple. We Runes aren't top secret items, we are well known among the government and people. But civilians in general don't know us as Runes. We are generally referred among them as Possession Crystals. She knowing the expression Rune means she is either from a high Class family or is involved with government. It isn't a reason to kill her, but be careful. " Sion said calmly.

" Y-yeah, okay... " Sion nodded.

[ SWOOOOSH ]

Sion was in the boat again. He thought about his next line. He opened his mouth to say something and-..

" I know-... you might be suspicious of me... but I need you to trust me Sion.. p-please.. " she said quietly. Sion was sitting with his mouth half open, not saying anything. " Back in the East, I've read many books. I've had... teachers, if I can call them that way.. they thought me many things... the secrets of this world-.. " Nemma swirled her hair around her fingers. That meant she was certainly involved with either government or high Classes. Sion closed his mouth and nodded his head in confirmation. " Nemma.. I won't question your past as long as I can find you trustworthy.. And I DO trust you.. " Sion said calmly.

Sion might've been naive at this moment, but she was in same position as he was in Ravensborrow; starved, mocked and locked in a cell. So far Sion saw no reason for him to doubt her or vice versa.

[ SPLASH ]

Another wave hit the boat. Sion looked back and noticed a larger wave incoming. Rain drop fell on his hand as he turned around back to Nemma. She had a rain drop on her nose.

" Hold on " he said calmly.

[ SPLASH ]

Wave hit the boat and it moved the boat several meters along. As that wave passed by, Sion looked back again. A massive, tens of meters large wave was incoming, it would sink the boat for sure. Sion looked back at Nemma again and spread his arms, as if waiting for her to jump in his hug. Rain was falling seriously, sky was full of stormy clouds and thunderbolts were visible everywhere. Nemma looked at the wave and then looked back at him. Wave was just few meters away from hitting the boat when Nemma jumped to Sion. Both of her arms and her head were on his chest, she closed her eyes. Sion hugged her tightly, he then strengthened his aura and it coated both of them.

[ SPLASH, CRASH ]

Boat was completely torn. Planks crashed along each other. Sion and Nemma were meters deep underwater. Sion was still coating both of them, it caused the planks to not pierce them, they just bounced of them. In few moments, they were on the surface. Both took several deep breaths.

Sion knew how to swim, he just wasn't best at it. He was forced to work on the boats in the harbor many times, sometimes he would power them with energy, other times he would be cleaning them. After he was done, crew members would pick him up and throw him down in the sea, he had to swim to coast to not drown.

Another large wave was incoming. Sion hugged Nemma with one arm and used the other arm to propel himself by releasing the energy from his palm, just like he did on accident last night.

[ SPLASH ]

He propelled himself by just few inches.

[ SPLAAASH ]

Giant wave hit them. Sion was protecting them again, they weren't hurt. They swam back up.

He tried again. He raised his hand and focused. He felt energy inside of him and led it all in his palm.

[ WOOSH, SPLASH ]

They were moving towards the coast. Sions energy was rapidly falling, but it didn't matter as he had tons of it. Waves couldn't reach them anymore.

[ Several moments later ]

They found themselves on the coast. Both were soaking wet and tired. They were lying on the coast on their backs looking at the clouds and the rain. Sion was thinking about his energy, it had many more uses than just combat and killing people. He looked at his left while lying, Nemma was there. She was already looking at him. Both of them started laughing.

Sion stood up after several seconds and gave Nemma a hand to help her. They headed for the harbor, it was about a hundred meters away. Rain and storm worsened so they ran on the beach. He reached his hand back to Nemma as she was slower than him. She grabbed and smiled.

They entered the harbour and ran through the streets. They were looking for a Inn to cover and sleep in.

' Two Happy Dragons ' was now visible. It was a large Inn. They entered inside and Nemma gasped. It was filled with people wearing armours and.. strange black coats, they had a mark of a skull on their shouldes.

" Hunters! " she whispered to him.

Sion felt his heart skip a beat.