The Dream, II

Tei'hi sailed west. The dead-silence of the calm night ocean only broken by the blowing of the western wind and the crackling of their torches. Making them as if stars upon the night sea. He sat down on the back-end of his ship, overlooking the sleeping crew, as well as the ones in charge of handling the ship for the night.

A figure went up to him silently and sat next to him, Lui-eya. The assistant of his former logistics commander, and is the one in charge of granary production, as well as co-ruler, should they establish a colony on the land.

"What brings you here?" Tei'hi asks, with a slight growl in his voice.

"Ah well, just wanted to check up on ya." Lui-eya replied with somewhat dead energy, "I noticed how rough you took it when you left while they're asleep."

"I'm alright, of course. They are only minor setbacks." He replied with a bit of crack in his voice.

"You lost twenty thousand men in 1400 knots of traveling, Tei'hi. Those are not minor setbacks." She looked him in the eyes.

"Aye, they were having fun. Perhaps the most they've gotten in the decades serving me. What was I supposed to do?"

"I understand," she sighed, "We are truly only limited in our mortal selves."

"You speak as if you are a God," Tei'hi replied.

"Aye, but not yet." Her eyes lit up,

"What devilish thoughts do you have in you, woman?" Tei'hi answered back, slowly moving away from her.

"Not devilish. Ambitious, to become as Gods!" She stood up triumphantly, "And reach the stars!" She held her hand up in the air as if trying to reach the stars.

"You truly are an ambitious woman." He said.

"Aye, can you help me achieve it?" She replied, not looking back at him as she focused on the stars.

"I am but a brutish general. I cannot promise it to you." He sadly replied.

"And a brutish general is what I do need." She looks back at him, "We will become as Gods in that land, Tei'hi. You and I. And we will conquer the stars."

Tei'hi smiled, "For a grain teacher, you sure give a good speech, much better than I." he chuckles, "perhaps I can humor you then,"

"That's the spirit!"

"I, Tei'hi, shall promise to aid this ambitious woman in her awful ambition to become as gods and reach the stars." He said, arms over his heart as if taking an oath.

Lui-eya smiled, "Perfection," she yawned, "Enough talk then, I hear we reach land tomorrow. So I better prepare." She starts leaving.

"Then I shall later," Tei'hi replied.

She leaves.

Tei'hi thought about his situation. Would he really spend and risk his life over the ambitions of a mad-woman? To become something as absurd as a 'god'? He snapped back at it as he realizes that her ambitions match with hers. That is, to become the rulers of Arcadia.

But something still bothers him.

Walking down towards the bow of the ship, he comes across Astrian, his navigator. A man that is well known for spending his time with the stars. He uses it to navigate after all. But he believes in other things besides the navigational capability of the stars. He believes it holds the answer to everything. From life to the universe itself.

It was to him that Tei'hi talked to. By the barrels, they sat down as Astrian peered through the stars. "Do you believe that man is capable of being a god, boy?" Tei'hi asked.

Astrian looked at him with a slight hint of shock, but he quickly calmed himself down, "Of course, general! Humans can do anything. Even reach the stars."

"How would we? For not even the highest mountains of Nydorekith could approach the stars."

"But that is nature, general. Man's hope in their ambition, as I would believe it, can soar higher than the highest mountains and reach the stars above. And become as one with the gods."

"Hope in our ambition huh. I'm afraid I can not rely on my selfish ambitions boy. Nor does the other woman, should she realize it."

"Why not, general?" Astrian looked at him, confused.

"A man's ambition should not outweigh the needs of others."

"Ah," Astrian chuckled, looking towards the night sky yet again, "That is where you're wrong. General."

"Huh?"

"The man you chose. They know are loyal to you, general. When we boarded this ship and left that island we knew that we may never go back home. That is why we treated YOU like home. That wherever you decide to take us, we are safe. We will fight for your ambition general. Because we believe that it will benefit us as well."

"And what if it doesn't?"

"We know your ambition, general. Why you decided to go to Arcadia, and although none of us would admit. We know that we will follow you to heaven, hell, and everything in between to achieve it."

Tei'hi smiled, "Thank you, boy. I will not let you down in our path to glory."

"No, general, thank you for trusting me."

Tei'hi stood up and left, preparing for the long journey starting tomorrow.