Towards the Edge of the World

I

Nazeir woke up in bed. His head was dizzy, and when he opened his eyes a light shone right at him. He closed his eyes and slowly opened them again. Slowly he saw the light and then a cloth covering him.

He raised his hand, feeling something stick to it. He saw a nurse, fully dressed in white and wearing a mask, checking on him.

While he was writing, he accidentally glanced at Nazeir. He saw the man awake. The book along with the pencil that she was holding was dropped to the ground surprised by what she saw. The woman panicked and immediately ran outside. She shouted, but the inquisitor couldn't hear her with his muffled ears.

He stood up from his sleep and felt his body unbalanced. He felt like falling, added to the pain in his heart. However, the man kept pushing his body and getting out of the tent.

And in front of him on his way out, hundreds of soldiers holding spears were pointed at him. And far behind, Tabot saw Nazeir who was staggeringly unable to stand up straight.

"Tabot?" Nazeir said before falling back to the ground.

Before hitting the earth, people caught him and lifted him to a place. Nazeir could only wait for his dizziness to go away before trying to walk again. This time he was in bed unable to glance left and right. But he could hear the voice of someone speaking,

A few minutes passed, and two nurses arrived. They wear gloves, and they both mean different things when it comes to them. One of the nurses held Nazeir's body on the bed tightly. The other nurse was holding a syringe. Nazeir could see the shiny tip of the syringe before the nurse injected it right into his arm.

When she finished the injection, the nurse started to back away and left the other nurse holding Nazeir's body. The inquisitor could see his brows dropping as the nurse backed away. He could see the woman's mouth talking behind her mask.

Soon Nazeir felt his body change. His body seemed to be able to move again, followed by a loud ringing in his ears which then restored his hearing.

"Has he woken up again?" Nazeir heard a nurse say in the background.

"I don't know," answered the nurse in front of him.

The inquisitor stiffened his muscles, the veins in his hands could be seen enlarged. The nurse saw the inquisitor's arm, and she began to fret. Confused about what to do, her hands began to weaken to hold Nazeir. The man opened his eyes, glanced at the nurse who immediately retreated from his bed.

He saw the inquisitor get up on the bed, sitting looking at his body that had just been injected. The nurse's face might not be fully visible through the mask, but the eyes alone can't be deceiving.

The woman immediately ran out of the tent, leaving Nazeir alone. "He really has come to his senses!" she shouted.

Nazeir saw that the tent he was using was not filled with anything, except for the mattress and himself. This time, Nazeir felt his body lighter. The shoulders are twisted, the body is stretched. The man got off the bed, standing on the dry ground. Raising the soles of his feet, Nazeir saw that he was neither wearing his boots nor his armor. Only shorts that cover from the waist to the thighs.

He walked out, and turned back to face the hundreds of soldiers who were pointing their spears at the opening of the tent. Nazeir raised his hand, looking at all the soldiers who were pointing their spears. Some of them looked determined, some doubted, and some were afraid. Everything he had seen made him wonder what was going on.

"Hold!"

Jurko came from behind the soldiers while lowering their spears. He walked past the soldiers, heading towards Nazeir who was standing dumbfounded. The veteran inquisitor looked at Nazeir, then shook his hand. Her face was smiling and held joy in it.

"Why are you smiling," the old inquisitor's greeting grabbed onto the face of Nazeir who smiled as well.

"Welcome back to the realm of the living, Nazeir."

Behind, came the Tabot who pushed the soldiers out of his way. He looked at the inquisitor with great pleasure, hitting the man on the shoulder hard.

"You're alive!"

Hearing Tabot's words, the man's mouth dropped.

"Yes, I'm alive. Why is that?"

"Everything! Yet... we have a problem," Tabot spoke quietly.

As the two of them spoke, Jurko clapped his hands and all the assembled soldiers immediately scattered out of Nazeir's tent. Tabot, Jurko, and Nazeir immediately walked together towards the equipment tent. There Nazeir saw his equipment. The armor, sword, and other equipment he was holding were there.

The two of them waited for Nazeir outside the tent. When Nazeir came out, they walked back to the camp. This camp Nazeir knew was in the courtyard of the Tabot house.

"Wait, why are we here? What happened to Kuln?"

"That's already been dealt with," Tabot nodded.

"It's been a long time," added Jurko.

"What does it mean?"

"You've been gone for long, that is to say. Unfortunately, you've already passed a month of your life."

"One month?"

"Only one month. I mean, it's not bad. Jurko was in a coma for maybe... six?"

"Wait a minute," Nazeir silenced the two. "I want to know what happened. Why are we here? Not only that, I want to know where Aida and the others are?"

"How about we eat first."

Jurko invited the inquisitor to sit in front of the bonfire. The three sat down together, and nurse came with a plate of food. Nazeir took it and thanked the girl.

While eating voraciously, Nazeir waited for the two to speak.

"So?"

"Where do we start?" Jurko put his hand on his chin. "We found you frozen. When I said frozen, I really said frozen."

Nazeir stopped eating his meal.

"Your body is cold, your skin is blue, your armor is pressed against your body. Thanks to your body is different from others," Tabot pointed to Jurko and Nazeir. "You two could have survived something like this. However, Nazeir took him to the more extreme and survived. Isn't that weird?"

"And even more strangely, we found you in the most unusual of places."

"Where?" Nazeir raised his head.

"In the middle of the forest, two kilometers west of Kuln," Tabot glared at Nazeir. "What do you remember?"

Nazeir put down his food and began to think deeply. His brow furrowed in deep thought.

"I don't know, Tabot," Nazeir shook his head and stared blankly.

"Surely you remember something, Nazeir. Think about it again. Starting from you attacking Kuln, and continuing with what you can tell us back."

The inquisitor closed his eyes.

"I remember that I killed a sorcerer back in the Kuln mining tunnel with a phosgene."

"Phosgene!?" Both of them panicked hearing Nazeir's story.

"Why- what happened?"

Jurko and Tabot stared at each other for a second with their eyes open widely.

"No, continue your story," ordered the scientist.

"I remember I was chasing a group of sorcerers into a big house. And I accidentally ran into the four brothers I knew," Nazeir looked up, trying to remember more.

"Fine, we already know about that," Tabot couldn't help but search for an answer. "Try to remember what happened after you stormed the fort."

"Oh, yes. Fortress. I..." Nazeir paused, trying to remember. "I don't really know what happened, but I felt something strange in my body. My whole body felt like it was going to explode, and that's when I saw... saw that sorcerer."

"Which one?"

"The one I'm after. The man in noble clothes, he... he's in Kuln. Right!" Nazeir remembers. "This sorcerer attacked your camp in Kuln, Tabot."

Tabot rubbed his chin.

"Yes. Same as report," muttered Tabot.

"What report?"

"Tabot saw you chasing a man behind a line of enemy troops who invaded the camp. And everything went by quickly, you entered a magic portal and disappeared with that person," Jurko explained.

While Jurko explaining what just happened, Nazeir was thinking to himself about what did he remember.

"Yeah... I feel it."

"Feel- what do you mean?"

"I don't remember the picture, but I know what it feels like. A chill, then I killed him. A place, north of the north. I still remember the whistling of the wind."

"North from north? You're on an icy plain?" Jurko was surprised.

"No way, the distance from the far north to here took months. And you did it in such a short time."

"Maybe there's magic?" Jurko suggested

"Magic? Whose magic? Nobody in this camp understands magic like that."

"That doesn't make sense. How did you end up in the middle of the forest if you were last at the edge of the northern world?"

Nazeir thought back, but he couldn't remember what happened to him. The scientist validates, accepts what it is. Nazeir swallowed the last food, not understanding what was happening.

"Come here," Jurko stood up inviting Nazeir to follow him.

The two inquisitors walked the busy campsite. The inquisitor rushed to a stable. Nazeir could hear the snorting of horses behind the stable, Jurko was standing beside the stable offering something inside.

Not understanding where, the inquisitor met a friend who was separated from him. Nazeir could not speak, he was filled with ecstasy. Nazeir welcomed the horse with a hug.

"Toro!" call him.

"The men found you in the woods, and right on this horse. I don't understand what's really going on with you two, but this month has been the weirdest month in our last decade."

"Everything will make sense when I-" Nazeir paused as if remembering something. "Jurko, where is that girl?"

"About that..." the old inquisitor's voice trailed off.

II

Jurko and Nazeir stood in front of the tent. The old inquisitor told him to go inside. He entered the big tent himself. Upon entering the room, a nurse came out just as Nazeir wanted to enter.

"General!" He was shocked when he hit the inquisitor's body.

"What's the matter with Aida?"

"You'd better see for yourself," the nurse made way for the man to enter.

"Is the Tabot there?"

"No. But we've been given the task of caring for him. We've given him general anesthesia, so the general will see him fast asleep."

The man began to feel that something was wrong. The cloth door of the tent was opened, and he walked in as the nurse was leaving the tent. There he saw five other nurses on duty in the tent. All their bodies were covered by masks, surgical aprons, until their trousers entered the boots that covered the calves, ensure that their bodies will be kept sanitized.

In the center of the tent was a large surgical table on which Aida was fast asleep. Her body was red like someone scratching his itchy body, some of which were in the form of white bumps. The woman had an air pump attached to her nostril.

The man was surprised by what he saw, he immediately walked out.

Tabot came with the nurse that Nazeir met upon entering the tent. The scientist looked at Nazeir whose face was not worried about Aida.

"Why is she like this?" he said slowly.

"My mixed phosgene. Do you remember that?"

Nazeir glanced slowly at the scientist.

"Back in Kuln, this woman rose from her slumber and chose to look for you on the battlefield," Tabot put his hands on his waist. "I don't know how she did it, but she actually managed to slip out of my guard. Groups three of the fifth company found herlying in the tunnel. They described her uncovered body as being like a rash on the skin. They could hear his breath was heavy, and he lay motionless."

Jurko faced Nazeir.

"He inhaled the chemical you used when you fought the sorcerer in Kuln. You're right Nazeir, she has potential."

"Can you make her... healthy, able to stand up straight?"

"I can help him get back on her feet. However, the percentage we have is fifty-fifty."

"But you know how to help her right?"

"The phosgene that I made permanently injures people," Nazeir who heard it became even more worried. "However," Tabot walked over to a table at the edge of the tent and leaned against it.

"Look at you, Nazeir. Phosgene has no effect on your lungs, mutation has done it all for you. inquisitors like you and Jurko have something special. And this leads to something I will share with you."

"And what is it?"

"You know the first stage of the mutation?"

"Yes I know."

"And that's exactly what I wanted to do to Aida. While the first-stage mutation is waiting for the mutagen in your body to be perfect, I'll do it to Aida only a quarter of the time. We'll see how the mutagen works with its lungs."

"We'll see!? Aren't you worried about the result?"

"She may die, maybe not. However, if you who are nearly dead can be brought back to the living realm with the mutagen, perhaps this fragile woman's body can be saved again."

"Will she become a mutant?"

"No. Actually it's not mutagens that play an active role in this stage. What's important to know is that Aida will become an ordinary human, some chemicals are just little doctors in her body. When white blood cells protect you from disease, the collection of chemicals that I use this will heal, hopefully. I say we can do this when we get to base. If she's alive, then she could be an advantage to us. If not... then we know what happened. Sounds good?"

"To be or not to be," Nazeir said resignedly. "Fine, do what you need to do."

"That's what I want to hear from you, Nazeir. Don't worry, I'm not going to sleep and I'll be draining the medical staff for her."

"Then when do we start?"

"Soon. You're awake, the ships are ready. It's just us who go back south, me and the rest of the army with her."

"Thank you, Tabot."

The inquisitor left, leaving Tabot and the nurses who had accompanied him.

Nazeir walked alone in the camp, his body weak and full of fear he did not know. As he walked alone in the crowd of soldiers passing by, in front of him he saw a familiar face. The inquisitor hurried over to familiar faces. As he approached, the person recognized the inquisitor's face as well.

"Nazer!" call the person.

"Aldi. I see you are all safe," Nazeir greeted with a smile.

"Thanks to general Jurko, we're all safe. And have jobs too."

"Say, where is Abim?"

"He volunteered in the attack on the fort."

Nazeir looked at their faces, clearly there must've been a tragedy.

"Anyway... what did he give you?" Nazeir changed the subject.

"Roy got a blacksmith job, he likes it because..." Aldi paused for a moment. "Yes.. Roy became a blacksmith. Ade and I got jobs as carpenters."

"Part carpenter?"

"Arsenal of small and large weapons," the man took a deep breath and let it out. "Perhaps this is the beginning of a new life for all of us."

"That's right. The start of a new life."

Aldi regained consciousness from his stupor who was enjoying the beginning of his new life.

"Oh, Nazeir! How are you? We last heard from you when you were brought in such an alarming condition. Is everything all right?"

"I'm fine. Maybe that's how I feel right now. How about you guys. Oh!" Nazeir flicked his hand remembering something. "How was your trip to from Kuln to here? Was the package safe?"

Ade gave a thumbs up. "Everything's safe. We'll come when it's over. We helped clean up the bodies in Kuln." Ade shook Roy's shoulder. "And this one turned out to be strong looking at the corpses of the soldiers."

"This one is full of surprises," said Nazeir.

"Full of surprises, of course. Made his first sword at the age of eight? Is that true?"

"That's right, Ade," replied the young man.

"Yes, eight years old! And was sold to a battalion commander of the Brindorian army. How crazy is that! You are talented, my brother!"

"And I suggest you sharpen it, Roy," Nazeir advised the young man. "We need as much power as possible here. And we are all brothers. So don't be afraid to talk to anyone," Nazeir gave Royyan a fist clapping.

"Master Tabot said we will sail south tomorrow? Is that true?" Ade looks curious.

"That's what I heard, so yes. Have you ever sailed in the Middle sea?"

"Never. That's why I'm asking you, general. Is it really-" Ade asked Nazeir to come closer to them. "Is it true that in the mid there is a creature called a... demens?"

"Of course, it's just something that the soldiers here exaggerate, De," commented Aldi.

"Some say there is such a thing as cetus and nereid. Is that true?"

"For a basic explanation, cetus is not a demens, it's a demon. And nereids? I've never seen them, and I honestly don't know if they're true or not."

The two brothers laughed happily at that.

"That's good to hear. I can't bear to go sailing tomorrow. Imagine if we ran into such things."

"I thought you didn't want that," Nazeir stifled a laugh. "But I'm glad to see that you two are excited about an adventure."

They can hear the sound of the bell ringing. All the soldiers who heard it immediately stopped playing around and immediately went back to work.

"Oh, it's our time," said Aldi. "Come on you two. Time to work."

The three of them were sitting around, immediately preparing their respective equipment.

"Nice to talk to you, boss," Aldi said before walking with his brother, blending into the crowd.

III

The spearhead soldiers began to lift their goods. The sun had not yet risen, and everyone was getting ready to set sail. The soldiers had lined up, the carts had lifted various items to be brought home. And the march of a thousand left the northern world.

Nazeir, Jurko, and Tabot sat on their respective horses. The three saw the line of soldiers walking away from the camp to the coast. Dozens of luggage carts were pulled by horses and buffalo. And when one of the wagons that passed was the one that brought Aida. Behind the wagon were rows of nurses walking in line, their white uniforms looking a little dirty as they walked on the ground.

"Tabot, where are our doctors?" Nazeir asked while looking at his soldiers who were walking in line.

"I sent them to Bukovina. Some say they found a plague, and I'm a little skeptical about that."

"Skeptic how?"

"You heard that Bukovina has had some kind of illegal trade lately?"

"Don't all the southern cities have such a thing?"

"This time it's the sorcerers who moves underground."

"You didn't say."

"I think this came from their tinkering. But the marquis still wanted me to ask for help. It's possible that if he focused on stopping the sorcerer's movements, maybe Bukovina wouldn't get the 'plague'."

"You sound sure, Tabot."

"Of course I'm sure! I go there often. Addicts on every side of the road. I can't stand the smell of the city that smells like horse dung."

Jurko patted the Tabot on his arm.

"Tabot. The convoy is all out. We'd better get straight to the ship," the veteran inquisitor pointed to the line of soldiers who had left the camp.

"Come on. I've had enough of this place. I forgot how much I hate this country I come from."

The three of them began to catch up with the line of soldiers who had walked far ahead of them. While riding on the wide streets, Jurko took out a piece of paper from his waist pocket.

"What is it, Jurko?" the inquisitor couldn't help but ask.

"A contract. I thought you wanted to come with me. You haven't hunted demens and demons in a long time, correct? You'd better stop hunting humans. If I quit, you need to do it. After all, demons and demens are our specialty. If we don't clean it..."

"You have a point. I remember when I came back from Brindorum I stopped at a small contract. When I heard the matter, it was only about a group of robbers. Sounds easy, doesn't it?"

"Indeed. Then what happened," the scientist heard Nazeir's story.

"I can feel everything dropping right after this," Jurko shook his head.

"You ruined the plot twist, Jurko. But he's right. I didn't find the robber. Just a woman. Pale skin, hollow body and long hair."

"Nonsense," Jurko couldn't believe it. "You, met the puntianak? In Brindorum?"

"Right on the border of Brindorum, Brestk. Close to Kwalai. She's strong, there's a splinter of wood piercing this armor," Nazeir pointed to where the wood pierced his body and armor.

"Did you really kill it."

"One nail to the head," Nazeir snapped his fingers. "Immediately dead. The contract is pretty clean, and it would be cleaner if that person told me the truth. How about you, Jurko? What have you been up to lately?"

"Not so much fun. Cyclops over there, Chimaera of pig-deer or lion-goat. Mutant things we see a lot."

"What about the Basilisk?" The inquisitor glanced at the scientist. "Tabot, you've tried making a Basilisk haven't you?"

"I don't do it anymore, Nazeir. Those days are the past," replied the scientist.

"All I can tell you, Nazeir. The contract is on our way. We're going to Hukoleen, want to come? Think of it as a refresher."

"You go, Nazeir. The nurses will look after Aida," said Tabot.

Nazeir shrug.

"Sure, if you say so, Tabot."

The scientist nodded.

The three rode for an hour later, and came to a shore. Hundreds of ships docked on the shore. Soldiers pushed to lift their goods into the ship. The inquisitor was amazed at how large the ship he had.

"Since when do we have this many ships?"

"Remember my contract to hunt the sirens? Raja Djaya gave me a favor for his contract. Then I can get these ships. Even though it's hard to ask for it, speaking nicely while making him feel like a friend can make the impossible happen."

"Are we going to meet him?"

"No, it's his daughter. And she sounds too careful with this contract," Jurko's voice trailed off.

"Did she tell you anything about this contract?"

"No. She just asked me to help her with a 'terrible' thing. However, she did tell me to get back to Hukoleen quickly. Made me wonder what she meant. We're a month too late for this."

"Is she hiding something from us? Or from someone else."

"There's only one way to find out. We're going to go out there and find out what happened."

The two inquisitors waited for the other ships to fill up, leaving them with one filled with both of them. Jurko and Nazeir saw Tabot on the side of a ship, giving a wave. The ships parted ways when the two inquisitors left for an island nation in the Mid Sea, Tabot and all his soldiers sailed back south.

Jurko was at the steering wheel, Nazeir sat on the shore looking out at the calm sea. All he saw was water and water, and all he heard was water and water.

IV

The man sat on the nose of the boat, took a beerdand drink it.

"How much longer?"

"Two days. We have plenty of time. Tell me about your trip in Brindorum. Two years, two years you didn't come back. Some gossip back in hiding says you left us or worse... dead."

"Want to hear me tell you about this trip? I don't want to tire you out from this long lecture."

"You're rarely home, Nazeir. An inquisitor's life is full of adventure. They exchange stories, share experiences. That's why we inquisitors are the best warriors. I dare say we are the most perfect. If those sorcerers doesn't come and ruin everything."

"After what happened in Kuln and Grobern. Would it be possible for the sorcerer to know that we attacked? Or worse, they knew we live."

"We've been flying low for hundreds of years, Nazeir. I doubt the sorcerers know what's going on. They'll think Brindorum sent the expedition, not us. We are hiding in plain sight, and they won't know what's coming. " Jurko removed his hand from the ship's wheel and sat down beside Nazeir. "They're afraid of nothing, for now. Tomorrow? They know they're afraid of the unknown. Human psychology can help an irregular battle. Make enemies that are large in numbers fear their small number of enemies that can be counted with fingers so they can be crushed. Fear is a weapon, knowledge is a weapon. That's why we will always win in the end. Even in death," Jurko took a glass of beer. "Could you bring the kege here?"

Nazeir carried a small keg of beer and gave it to the old inquisitor. The barrel's tap was opened, water flows out. Jurko fetched another glass for Nazeir, the two of them were drinking in the middle of the sea.

"So, do you want to start the story about Brindorum?"

"Okay, I'll tell you."

The inquisitor gulped down the wooden glass.

"I'm looking for a sorcerer friend."

"What are you thinking, Nazeir!?" Jurko who leaned his body immediately sat up straight. His face was disgusted with the inquisitor.

"At first it was just an ordinary contract from Uthgaard. Kill a lieutenant who defected and come back again. But throughout the contract, I met someone. A soldier."

"Who's he?"

"You know the Ulán?"

"The horsemen of Eleantér? No, Zumakh. Why are they there?"

"He's looking for someone. A sorcerer to be precise, and he's the one to be hunted. An elf, this elf is wanted because Zumakh wants to use his skills."

"What kind of skills? Zumakh already have a lot of sorcerers there."

"No, because this one is the one summoned as a navigator. Sound familiar? A mage who can teleport. Not from place to place, but from dimension to dimension, world to world."

"Did you find out who this elf was? Or his name?"

"You know him, Jurko. And you almost killed him if it weren't for me. Aedrinn, he's a navigator."

"Him? In the south?"

"I don't know either. I'll try to find him. Even if it has to make me walk towards the edge of the world. Maybe when all this is over, I'll walk back to my origin."

"Maybe. Maybe you don't have to look for it."

"Why not?" Nazeir's low voice began to amplify. "You know what he did to me."

"Hey, listen up, Nazeir-" the old inquisitor tried to calm his pupil down.

"He left me to die under the rubble of that tower! He was the start of this. Then you came approaching me. Brought a supposedly dead man to Tabot's lab, turned him into a mutant. I have no regrets for this, but anger for the elf."

"You're going to find him and kill him?"

In the middle of his rant, Nazeir suddenly softened.

"I don't know," he shrugged. "Maybe so, maybe not. Only the gods know."

"You and your gods. You talk like an outsider, Nazeir. Even though you are an outsider, it still sounds like nonsense," Jurko giggled. "This god, that god. Prayers here, prayers there. There's no point in you doing that, Nazeir. If these 'gods' really help and shelter us, maybe the inquisitors are still around and safe."

"Come on, Jurko. Have a little tolerance for me."

"I tolerate you, of course! One hundred percent I support your choice, but..." Jurko silently thought of the right words to say. "If these gods want to help even though I don't think they will, then why don't they give a sign that's really… how should I explain it. Something big, of course, is fully visible in their existence.

These gods if they really exist, I think they have abandoned us, Nazeir. It's as if he's sick of our work on earth. He's given up and left us and took care of other things."

"Of course you're not like that, Jurko. You're wiser than me, you're older than me."

"Sorry, Nazeir. But that's what I saw. I'd really like to hope that they really exist, but..." Jurko sighed. "I have my doubts about all this. I think the norm has more than this."

Nazeir put his drink on the floor.

"You know... I once read a book from the shelf of the Tabot. An ancient scientist once said that 'life in the world is to entertain the gods'. I don't know with you, but I believe that we haven't put on a good show for him."

"Let's leave the talk of the gods and the past behind. Let the past float away. Think about the future, Nazeir. You can change what's to come," Jurko pushed the conversation elsewhere.

"I hope that's true, Jurko. However, the curiosity to meet this elf is still in my head."

"And why do you feel that way. Want to know why he left you?"

"No," Nazeir glanced at Jurko. "I want to go back home."

V

The sunset looks beautiful. The sun's reflection could be seen disappearing into the sea, sinking into the deep water. The silence was replaced by blazing scream.

"You are an inquisitor! There is no going back to the past. Period. From now onwards, the inquisitor is only focused on what he needs to do. Slaying demons and demens, skinning sorcerers, and guarding the south."

"That's what you describe, Jurko. Unlike you, my childhood was different. You were born to be an inquisitor and from a tube. Unlike me, I have a family."

"We are your family. Tabot, all the soldiers! So is Aida. You made her join the spearhead. We disagreed, and you begged her to come in. Why did you do that? To let her become a murderer like us?"

"So that she doesn't."

The old inquisitor growled.

"You are the inquisitor," he shouted. Jurko calmed himself, heaving a sigh of anger. "We were made to kill. The old Nazeir has died under the rubble, you are a different person now. Everything is different when you enter the inquisition. Hope you know that we won't be talking like this again in the future, understand?" The old inquisitor spoke politely.

The inquisitor was silent and lowered his gaze. When he lifted it back up, Jurko's semi-furious face was clearly visible.

"Understand."

"Good, Nazeir. Good. Now we just have to wait for this ship to take us to Hukoleen."

"The sea looks quiet, usually it acts a lot."

"This year onwards will be a lot different from the others, Nazeir. I can feel it."