Under the veil of the night clouds, two women stood in the middle of the central bridge that connected the two cities.
Underneath was the rift, a black pit with no end in sight.
The wind blew ferociously, swaying the empty bridge ever so slightly. Its four lanes are empty, as were the two pedestrian lanes on each side of the bridge.
An leaned on the railing, looking down at the pit. "Ah, must be so peaceful down there. How long do you think it will take for us to reach the bottom if we jumped?"
Aurelia crossed her arms, standing a bit away from the railing, but peeked over the edge. "Less than a minute. Why the sudden desire to take a leap?"
"Just an intrusive thought. It is pretty peaceful here, too."
Around her, there was no one else on the bridge. She and Aurelia were the only voices in the quiet of the night. "I think you are confusing peaceful with quiet."
A chuckle escaped An's mouth as she rested her hands on the railing, standing upright. "Once you live as long as I have, you tend to find peace in quiet."
"Well, I guess I will never know that. You've lived nearly five times the average human's lifespan."
"Time to put on our serious faces."
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
Four people approached them from both sides as Aurelia and An stood with their backs together.
The men dressed in three piece suits and trench coats stood at a distance of about ten feet from them.
One of the men raised his hand, and the sound of horse feet tapping against the stone road.
Behind them, they pulled on carriages, three to be exact, that came to a halt in front of An and Aurelia. The two women turned their heads towards the carriage and looked at one another for a moment.
Giving each other a nod, they relaxed and turned towards the carriages.
From within the middle carriage came the sound of shuffling as it swayed lightly, and the door opened.
Out came a man, lightly shorter than Aurelia, who wore an expensive suit with a black trench coat with red inner lining.
In the ring finger of his left hand was a gold ring, which he twisted with his right hand as he stood before the two women, with his head hung low.
"Do you know why you are here?"
He asked them in a calm and low voice that could be mistaken for a whisper.
"Raghav asked a man if anyone had recently bought those rocks. I take it you have some information about this, which is why you have contacted us."
Grinning, the man clasped his hands, looking up at them, his left eye scarred and white, contrasting his black right eye. "Indeed, I know who that man is, and I am willing to share that information for a price."
"How far back will that set us?" Aurelia asked, her eyes studying the man's grin.
"Oh, it won't cost you a single coin, Princess, but rather something in return. Think of it as an equivalent exchange, a deed in exchange for information."
"What form of deed do you ask of me?"
"Your silence."
Once again, that low voice, that was barely audible on the windy bridge.
"My silence?"
"Yes, your silence about what the Count of Plied is doing, let things go on as they were, and you can have the information you seek."
Her head fell as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "You are working with him? Killing countless innocents for what, money? Land?"
Cold and wet wind blew past them, swaying the man's hair.
"All you need to know is your place."
"I beg your pardon, I don't think I quite hear you."
An intervened at the man's remark, her right hand extended to the side with her fingers twirling.
"I told her to stay in her place, as politely as I could."
"How would a criminal like you know what her place is?"
In contrast with the man's low voice, An was loud enough to be heard by everyone."
"She is a Princess, she should stay in her high and mighty castle, looking down at her subjects from a distance. Look at the entire kingdom through a map and focus on the borders. There is no need for you to come down on the ground and put your nose where it does not belong."
With each sentence, his voice began to rise as did the anger in his words.
"This may be your kingdom, but this is MY city, I have built everything I have here brick by brick, and I will be damned to let you tear it down. What I have built here will not fall as long as I stand. Now, I want you to remember this very dearly. This city, this land, everyone in it, from The Count to a janitor, belongs to ME."
He took a step back, spreading his arms as he looked Aurelia up and down.
"You who have been born with everything, do not know the struggle it takes to build something of your own making. How many sacrifices one has to make, the things that are lost in the flames."
"That is the price, your silence for the information about a certain someone in this city, who bought the rocks and who happens to have been in touch with the recently deceased Prime Minister."
Aurelia's eyes opened as she finally raised her head. "You know of him?"
"Knowledge becomes a requirement in this world of mine. To survive, you must know where each potential threat is lurking, believe me, for the past few days, Mark has been making a name for himself in the underworld, just like Raghav has in the common world."
Tap.
A drop landed on the man's nose, as he gently touched it and looked up.
Another fell in his left eye, yet he did not even blink.
"If you are interested, be here at noon tomorrow, this time bring Raghav."
Without waiting for a response, he climbed back inside the carriage, as the other men climbed inside the other carriages.
Rain began to pour as the carriages were about to move.
"Wait!" Aurelia called out as the door opened, and the man leaned forward in his seat.
Looking out the door.
Aurelia stared him in the eye, taking deep breaths as she stood in the rain. "Speak, I do not have the time for this."
"I want you to ask yourself. What amount of wealth and power will be enough for you? You don't need to give me an answer; just be honest with yourself."
As a parting gift, she gave him a warm smile and stepped away from the carriage. "Goodnight."
Without waiting for a response, she walked away as the carriage began moving, and he closed the door.
"Did I do well?"
An patted Aurelia's shoulders. "You did great. Now we should get going, unless you want to stay in the rain."
Aurelia spread her arms, facing up with her eyes closed as she embraced the rain. "It's not so bad, I mean, Kanah might also be in the rain right about now."
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CRACK
Lightning flew past the mast of the ship, striking the ocean.
It turned the water into steam as it flew across the ship, burning a few of the crew, causing them to let go of the ropes holding onto the sail.
Will Peler, the captain of the Wailing Maid, stood at the Ship's wheel, holding it with one hand.
"DO NOT FEAR THE STORM, WE TRAVEL TO THE HOLY LAND, EVEN DEATH WILL BE A BLESSING ON THIS PATH. KEEP THE LORD'S NAME IN YOUR HEART AND MIND AND SAIL THROUGH."
The ocean was unforgiving as it was on any normal day.
Yet today it seemed to have sprung to life, trying to swallow the ship whole, not as a byproduct of its volatile nature.
But rather by choice, the waves that clashed with the ship sent water high up in the air, falling just shy of the nest at the top.
There inside the nest stood Kanah, with his right foot on the railing, and his right elbow resting on his right thigh.
A joyful smile on his face as he welcomed the storm with excitement.
"Kanah!"
Smacking his lips, Kanah turned around and looked down at the captain. "The cold could worsen your grandfather's health. Take your family to my cabin; it will be much warmer there."
"Thank you, captain."
Kanah responded as he walked back from the railing and stumbled over the railing on the other side, falling down from the nest, catching himself on a loose sail, grabbing onto the rope as he swung around, before finally landing and giving the rope to the crewmates.
Another wave slammed into the side of the ship, shaking it, yet Kanah walked as if he were on land.
He descended into the lower levels and went to the back of the ship.
Where his family was staying in one of the cabins. "Father, Mother. The captain has asked me to move you all to his quarters. It will be better for grandfather to be there."
Peter looked over his shoulder at Kanah, giving him a nod and then turned to his wife, gesturing towards Maya. "You take her and I'll carry father."
"Okay." Mata held onto Maya's hand and walked out of the cabin, holding onto the walls for support.
Now the men were left as Peter lifted his father in his arms and marched out of the cabin.
Like father, like son, he too walked without support, unshaken, unmoved by the violent shaking of the ship.
Still, Kanah walked in close behind him, ready to step in should the moment call for it.
Steadily, they made their way to the upper deck. Kanah covered his grandfather in his cloak to guard him from the splashing water.
Once they made it to the captain's quarters, under the ship's wheel.
Kanah opened the door, and the family hurried inside.
To say it was warm and cosy would be an understatement; it was much more than that. It felt like a separate space from the rest of the cold and vast ocean; it was isolated to the point that most of the sound from the outside did not reach within the cabin.
At the back of the cabin was the captain's desk and chair, with maps laid on the table.
A small lamp hung from the ceiling, illuminating the cabin alongside the fire that burned in the hearth on the right side of the cabin. On the left were two beds, one for a full grown adult and another for what seemed like a child.
Kanah looked around the rest of the cabin, while his family laid Benjamin on the bed.
Peter sat at his father's feet, touching them as the cry and wrinkled skin moved under the touch of his hand.
His lips parted as his eyes dilated, moving between his father's feet and face.
Despite being a father of a fully grown son and an eight year daughter, he would forever remain the son of the man who lay before him.
A simple truth that would remain long after both of them were gone.
"Peter." Mata's warm voice reached him as she touched his face, and he grabbed her hand, holding onto her.
Meanwhile, Kanah stood at the table looking at the map, holding Maya's hand, keeping her beside him.
Maya did not resist her state; instead, she used her free hand to pick up the magnifying glass and looked at the maps.
"Look, Kanah, there is Rine!"
"Oh, it is Maya. You are so smart."
Ahmm
A whimper was heard from the corner of the room as Kanah turned around, and from behind the cabinet, he could see strands of hair peeking out.
Not to alarm the figure, Kanah slowly walked towards the cabinet, pushing Maya in front of him.
"Hello there. I am Kanah, and this is Maya. What is your name?"
The figure peeked out, revealing her face, pale skin and long brown hair.
Maybe a five year old, standing shorter than Maya.
"I am Anela." A voice that was weak and scared, Kanah chuckled and moved Maya forward, slowly getting closer to Anela.
"It is nice to meet you, Anela. I believe this is the first time I have seen you on this ship."
Kanah squatted down behind Maya, talking to the young girl who still held on to the cabinet.
"I do not go out of the cabin."
"Why? Are you ill?"
Anela slowly nodded, pulled up the sleeve on her right hand, and showed it to Kanah.
Coarse and scale like patches formed on her skin, with pus leaking from the cracks that stretched up her arm.
Kanah reached forward towards her hand, but she pulled back. "Don't you will get it too."
"I won't."
He smiled at her as he reached forward once more, taking her hand in his as a white glow emanated from his hand and spread across her.
She closed her eyes, turning her head away.
"Look at it now."
Trusting in his words, she opened her eyes and slowly turned her head, looking at her hand.
Healed as if nothing had happened to it.
Her eyes opened wide as a smile grew on her face, before she looked at Kanah and jumped at him.
Wrapping her arms around him, squishing Maya between the two of them. "Thank you." "It's okay."
Maya patted her brother on the chest. "Move! I am dying here."
Laughing Kanah put Anela down on her feet and patted bother Maya and Anela on the head. "Alright, there. Are you two happy?"
Maya puffed her cheeks and turned away with her arms crossed while Anela nodded with a smile on her face.
"Mister Kanah!"
This time her voice carried more strength than before. "Yes, Anela?"
"I was told my illness had no cure. How did you do that?"
"There is nothing I cannot do. Today, I am here for you, so tell me, what more can I do for you?"
"You can do anything?"
An innocent question filled with no ulterior motive.
Hmmm.
"Can you clear the storm? It scares me."
Chuckling, he lifted Anela and sat her down on his shoulders, heading towards the door.
Anela gulped as she held tightly onto Kanah.
Maya ran forward, opening the door and holding it open for Kanah.
"Watch your head."
Kanah told Anela as he bent down, and she put her hands on top of her head.
The wind blew strongly, and the ship swayed heavily due to the violent storm.
"Ready?"
She nodded, holding onto Kanah's head, just above his ears.
Upon her affirmation, he began moving towards the ship's wheel.
Anela flinched as the water from a wave splashed onto the ship, yet when she opened her eyes, she saw she was completely dry and laughed. "I am not wet."
"Anela? Kanah, why did you bring her here?"
"She wanted me to clear the storm, and I wanted her to see it."
Will frowned upon his words, but his attention was immediately directed ahead as his eyes widened.
"EXTEND THE SAILS TO THE FULL!" He beckoned his men.
In the distance, he could see the water bulging out of the ocean, dwarfing the ship at a height of four hundred meters and still growing, a mountain of water.
"WE NEED TO SAIL THROUGH BEFORE IT COLLAPSES."
As they sailed closer, the bulge grew rapidly, as if the ocean moved, intending to sink them.
After reaching a height of six hundred meters, it collapsed upon itself and came crashing down.
Ready to push the ship down to the ocean bed at a depth of a hundred kilometres.
"You have been patient for so long, wait a little while more."
Kanah called out to the ocean as he moved his hands forward, splitting the wave in two and pushing them apart, letting the ship sail through.
Will was left stunned as he looked at Kanah, as Anela clapped on top of his shoulders.
Without waiting, Kanah raised his hands as Anela followed them, and the clouds began to drift apart as he separated his hands.
The violent winds slowed down, returning to a normal state.
In a sudden motion, he brought his hands down to the sides, and the clouds were blown away, clearing the night sky.
The crescent moon was visible in the sky, lighting up the night sky.
Around it, an ocean of stars, not taking away but rather adding to the moon's beauty.
Anela was mesmerised by the sky as she reached out for the stars. "So…so beautiful."
Everyone else on the ship was also looking at the stars, except for Kanah, as his eyes were fixed on the islands in the distance.
With bright yellow lights flickering on the port, welcoming them.