Chapter 3- Displacement

A fresh day begins in Aramus. The morning sun knocks on the hundred homes that reside here. The flowers move towards the light that grows and eats away at the darkness, the church bells ring in the bright morn, and the people of the country dress their best and stand up once more.

For Danica however, the long days, and her foreign blood let her sleep even as the sun beamed through the windows. Groaning about as the sun slowly encroached her bedside, permeating through the sheets and passing through the thin curtains that cover the windows. Voices whispered beside her as the sun soon reached her eyes, turning to the side to avoid its light, only to hear a loud snap of a hinge above her head.

Suddenly, a wave of cold water dropped on the woman's body as she shot up in surprise. She opens her eyes and breaths heavily as she tries to look around. Her blurry vision compels her to rub her eyes to clear everything out; the cold water waking her up more and more as she turned her back to the wall and steadied her breaths. Regaining her focus, she saw Alexandria and Frieda with an unfamiliar face beside them cackling on the opposite bed as the two tried to compose themselves.

"What in the world was that?! These are the only clothes I have you know! Now I have nothing to…wear…" Danica exclaimed before looking down. She felt the cold water that pierced her to the core like knaves, but not a drop of water was on her. Looking at her bed, it was dry, and even looked cleaner than when she first came here.

"It was just a prank, new recruit. Here in Aramus, it's a habit of the people to wake up before the sun. A weird culture the boss is fond of." Lucas spoke, chuckling behind his breath, satisfied with what he had accomplished.

"Atleast introduce yourself before pulling pranks on the new ones. You know we don't get them that often anymore." Frieda said, pinching Lucas in the side as she herself was trembling, trying not to laugh.

"Right, right. I am Lucas Sheer. A member of the pirates of the Quillion array. Nice to meet you!" Lucas said with a smile on his face and his hand extended forward to the bewildered Danica.

Naturally, Danica had refrained from shaking his hand and simply leered at him as she tried to put together what had just happened, standing up and turning to the door before stopping and heaving a sigh, turning around again

"My name is Danica. I've scorned my last name. A new recruit of your secretive company." Danica grabs Lucas' hand and shakes it, making Lucas' face shine with a brilliance as blinding as the sun that shone behind him.

"We're having breakfast at the dining hall, please join us! I'm sure the rest of the crew would be delighted to have you." Lucas said as he grouped together with the sisters besides Danica, starting to move without waiting for an answer.

They all walk down the long halls, moving past the busy rooms cluttered with sounds and voices. Danica saw no eyes looking at her as she looked through every room with an open door, appreciating the flowers and paintings that filled the elegant walls of the halls.

Making their way to the dining room, Danica started to dribble at the smell of food that had reminded her of the food she used to stare at while she was being hauled through the streets with chains that strangled her neck and invited maggots to feast on her wrists; the scents that plagued her nose being her only respite as she dreamed of a day when she would be free.

Opening the doors, she saw a near endless dining hall filled with trays of food, people feasting on as much food as they wanted to, she was giddy as ran inside and roamed around before the three called her back to sit with them.

Sitting on the bench, she felt small over the trays of food she knew would be worth a thousand times more than she would ever be sold for. Her eyes were anxious of what would happen if she ate too much, or what would happen if she touched the food at all. She asked herself maybe this was another challenge? Another weird spell for Lucas to indulge himself in? But then Lucas noticed the thoughts that were written on Danica's face as he picked up the thongs next to his plate.

"You can eat as much as you want, you know?" Lucas said as he filled his plate with meat and vegetables that were fresh, and cooked to perfection.

Danica had tried her hardest to doubt, yet temptation had seduced her into grabbing a fresh slab of pork and a serving of rice as she drooled from the mouth with her eyes barely losing focus as she hurried to stuff her mouth without a second thought.

Tears started to run down her face as she dug in one spoonful after another until her plate was completely empty and her lap was wet with her tears. The meat that melted in her mouth and the rice that muted and pacified the strong flavors created a gentle and savory flavor in her mouth as the sun had poured down her back like warm water while her mouth was full with fluffy rice and pork that she barely had to bite, holding her stomach and retching forward because she ate too much at once.

She trembled and she cried tears of joy while the three watched her with satisfaction along with the rest who thought to look at the table causing a ruckus. She grabbed her spoon again as her hands shook and her head was almost below the long table, only for Lucas to stop her before she was able to raise the spoon.

"Maybe take it easy for a bit? The food won't go anywhere don't worry, your one of us now, you can enjoy this as much as you want." Lucas smiled as she raised her up and gave her a glass of water, grabbing a piece of cake from the tray in front of her as he comforted her.

Danica's eyes widen, flabbergasted for a moment at the fact that Lucas took the cake she was eyeing on, looking up at him with a

Danica continued to eat until she was completely full. The three had watched her till the end with a smile and took her to a large hall filled with people, taking her to the side of a stage that couldn't fail to catch your attention.

Horus had come out the stage and began to talk. He started in a language Danica didn't know, a surprising amount of people had responded to him and he continued on. As he stopped for a moment, the words that left his mouth sounded different from the previous ones, and similarly a larger than expected group had responded. Once more, his tone and lexicon changed, again, a different group of people responded. Then finally, after 30 or so minutes had passed, Horus spoke in English.

"Finally, today we are to greet a new member. She is young, and her soul is strong. Guide her as you have guided each other once before, and let her grow into someone you can rely on, and not someone who will be a detriment to us in the future. Come up here, Danica." Horus looked down at Danica with his arm raised forward, the morning sun beaming down on him as the flowers behind him made his stern image look soft. His eyes were colored an enchanting red that drew her in, walking up the steps before she could even think.

"Norris, And Vanier you will be accompanying her to the west to convene with the white crows. There is a ship at the dock with all the items you'll be handing over to their people. The white crows serve the goddess that control the volcanoes of their archipelago; I'm sure you're already familiar with her condition… You'll be staying for around 2 weeks so stay safe. A group of ships shall join you after a week to bring more supplies, if things go awry, you know what to do. The captains are capable men, so simply relay the conditions of the archipelago once they are there and they will follow your orders. I will consider the mission a failure if you are not to return here in the next 3 months."

Horus looks around the halls filled with men and women standing with perfect posture, lining the large place from one end to another. Not a breath louder than the birds that flapped their wings above them as the sun's rays came in through the panels on the roof made of glass.

"That will be all. Your tasks for the day are long ones, do your best." Horus says as he walks off the stage and looks at Lucas and the sisters with Danica walking behind him

"Lucas, accompany Gabriel and Ethan. Your joint training is starting in 5 minutes at the opposite wing." Horus says as he walks off.

"Yes sir!" Lucas responds as his eyes are steadfast as they look forward into nothing. His hand on his brow while the other behind his back.

Danica looks at him strangely as he stands at ease after Horus walks away.

"I'm sorry lady, I'm afraid it's my time to move. Till the next time then" Lucas says smiling with his teeth out as he crouches to Danica's level and walks out the door in a hurry.

"Danica, let's head back to our room. You should check the details of your mission. Trust your company once you convene." Frieda says as she puts her hand on Danica's forehead.

"No need to worry about getting lost now." Frieda states as she takes her hands off her and walks out the door with her sister.

As Danica walks back into the room, she sees that the sisters had already left. Their things gone and their beds fixed. Danica walks to her bed to see a crow sleeping next to a scroll of papyrus and a backpack filled with items.

Opening the scroll, clean lettering and concise and simple language had accompanied every sentence as she read it from start to finish oddly.

"Long mission."

"You shall voyage to the western archipelago of Navaricht Frieden with a crew of 25 good men. The voyage shall take 2 weeks and you shall be transporting 30 crates of seed, cloth, and rations for the people of the archipelago. Once landed you are to convene with the White crows at the center of the village and closely check on the condition of the archipelago. If fighting is to commence on a large scale, do not be afraid to fight; your enemies will be able to withstand your force." The first paragraph read.

"Solo exploration is encouraged. Leave once the sun is completely gone, and return before the sun rises at all costs. Personal supplies during the voyage shall be placed in your cabin as well as a way to keep yourself clean. Follow your seniors and return immediately." The note ended there.

Two tall men stood near the entrance waiting for her. Their faces were pleasant as they talked to each other, and as Danica intervened their pleasant mood was not bothered. As if they had already accepted her as their own. They took a carriage to the dock and found the ship they were assigned to.

The crew that was supposed to accompany them were already cleaning up the deck waiting for them. Vanier took to the wheel with a compass in his hand and started to give orders to the crew. His tone was intimidating as he spoke and the aura around him was commanding.

"Raise the anchors and lower the masts! We'll be setting sail before stowaways manage to latch on to the side of our ship!" Vanier spoke as the men started to run around to their posts. Noise filled the working ship and not long after the ship was already far from the dock.

"8:05 am, Our voyage has started. Raise the colors!" Norris said as he climbed up the ropes to see the morning sun behind them.

Danica enters the cabin to see a large bed at the center of the room along with a bag with her name embroidered on the side. It was filled with equipment and extra supplies along with clothes and a communication device. She was given clothes to change into almost identical to what she was wearing, along with fashionable clothing while exploring the island during the day, and a discreet outfit meant for when she ventures out to scout the island in the moonlight.

Next to her luggage, she saw two similar bags for her companions and in front was a door. Looking inside, the interior was completely impossible. It was a giant room with a toilet, a bath and knobs that sprayed warm water down like rain. She could barely find the words in her head as she looked out a window inside the room to see grass and a field of flowers.

Baffled by what she saw, she walks out the door to meet Norris on the bed, writing something down on a diary with a crow next to him. He takes notice to Danica who had come out the door and stands up, placing his notebook inside a drawer and walking past Danica.

A few moments pass as Danica continues to look around the room. Though it seemed like a simple ship on the outside the inside felt impossibly large, as if space itself stretched and contracted with each door she opened. The large room that barely felt the rocking waves out the door and the strange items that were provided at an unbelievable pace.

"All three of us will be sharing this room by the way." Norris states closing the door behind him

"I don't mind." Danica says looking to the door leading out the cabin

"Good. Once we arrive at the island, you only need to follow along while we speak to the white crows. Their Goddess' psyche is slowly degrading, and we need to help the people get to safety if the white crows can't find anything to do about her." Norris says as he picks his notebook from the drawer and continues to write down notes.

"What… What happened to the Goddess? Aren't beings like them supposed to be immortal?" Danica asked as she raised her knee on to the bed

Norris stops for a second and heaves a breath. "Their Goddess was a very war hungry woman. She fought over a thousand battles just in the past century. But once humanity slowly ushered an age of peace, the Goddess, who initially accepted it with open arms, started to deteriorate mentally. She herself tired of war and strife, thus for the first few years, she was happy. However, ghosts of her battles, memories of her vassals, of her closest compatriots, haunted her, kept her on the edge. And then a civil war began."

Danica turned towards Norris on the opposite side of the large bed and leaned forward,

"What happened then?" She asked, her voice was unsure and awkward.

"She had overdone it. The entire island was wiped off the map and it rained on the island for a week straight, and flooded many villages near the shore." Norris stands up and opens a drawer to get a canteen of water for Danica and himself.

"The hunger she once had was fed once more, was fed too little at that, and she started to crave for war once again… Yet she wanted to embrace peace as well. Once she caught herself craving for war, she was terrified and cut herself out. She fought her own bloodlust that slowly grew more and more every day, never given rest by the souls that haunted her… Now her will is hanging on threads and Captain Horus has taken notice to this."

Danica leaned closer, "What does Captain Horus have to do with this?"

"Aramus' king wishes to make his kingdom bigger, thus he and the captain made an accord. We, the Quillion Array would create housing large enough to give the poor proper homes, as well as enough homes to grow the populous via large scale immigration."

"You mean… we're forcing the natives into our nation?" Danica asked perplexed

"No, we're giving people who lost their homeland a place to migrate and survive... I know you're not naïve to not understand why we're thinking like this." Norris says as he finishes his notes with a confident signature on the bottom of the page and putting the notebook back into his pocket before walking towards the door.

"We'll be having dinner with the crew tonight. It won't be something you would cry over, but you should meet the people you'll be with for the extent of our mission."

Danica spent the rest of her day in the Cabin cleaning her equipment and processing what Norris had said. She looked at the blade that Horus had given her, this time, she looked at it in detail. The engravings were etched lightly on the blade that was coated in oil, making the words and runes shimmer faintly only when light bounces off of it. She observed the gun that was inside her bag. As soon as she held it, it glowed blue and a blaze of fire bursts from the side of the barrel, making Danica drop it on the ground.

Picking it up again, she saw her name burned deep into the gun, filled in with a strange wax like solid colored a deep blue. Almost instinctively, she looked through the iron sight with an indistinguishable confidence and hands as steady as stone. And then she hears the roaring of men from outside the cabin.

Without noticing, night had already fallen and she carefully walked out the door to see the crew dancing and singing with bottles of rum and hard liquor in their hands. A man with grey hair noticed Danica walking out the door and took her by the hand and dragged her to the center of the Deck.

The man finishes the bottle of liquor in his hands before placing it on the pole. Then under the festive glow of the lamps and soft moonlight, the man's hair turns a deep and beautiful black as he lets go and reassures Danica before taking a deep breath.

"My comrades may I have your attention!" The man yells with a noticeable British accent

"What the hell do you want Jackson!?" Another man in the crowd yells before the whole crew laughs

"Let me introduce you scurvy ridden harlots to the freshest member of our little troupe!" Jackson says in a loud voice as he steps forward and steps back again to face Danica

"Danica, is it? Danica…" Danica stops him before he spoke any further after noticing what he was doing.

"I would like you to leave my last name out of my introduction mister Jackson."

"HAHAAHA! Boys, how about a toast to our newest member?" Jackson raises his hand towards Norris at the top deck. Norris throws Jackson a cold bottle of rum before getting a bottle or himself

"To Danica!" Jackson says after opening the bottle with a ring on his finger and raising it to the sky.

Everyone raises the liquor in their hand and drinks it all at once as they make the toast.

The moon watched with the stars as they had sung and danced the night away in merriment, rocking the ship as they played and told stories of their past voyages. Jackson in particular recalled many epic tales that you would only ever hear in novels. Jackson spoke of his encounters with Celestial figures that split islands in two with a single glance and monsters and villages he had met.

Danica went through a roller coaster of emotions as she listened closely to Jackson's tales. Her hairs stood up with how he would describe the legendary beasts he would face with head-to-head, and her reactions were priceless when the others who gathered around to listen pulled pranks on her immersed self.

Her eyes glimmered and shone like she had heard something as pretty as the Auroras of the north. Her heart went through a rollercoaster as Jackson talked about his fallen comrades, laughed with the ones who lived, and teased the crowd with suspense and fed them euphoria at the climax of his stories.

Before she knew it, the sun had stung her eyes and woke her while she laid in bed like a child huddled up around herself underneath the blanket before opening her eyes to the pretty roof that was above her. Sitting up to the sound of working men outside her door while she gathered herself before heading towards the bathroom to wash up.