After glancing briefly at the ship, trying to make out if people are on it, but noticing no movement on it at all, Masa Ed turned his attention to what the pen is writing on the notebook, which is the instructions he needs going forward.

  [Coward, congratulations on crossing the bridge of Ifrit. Your next task is to board the Snake Majesty. The rules are simple: one... As you step on the deck of the ship, you must close your eyes and keep it that way till you arrive at your destination—make sure you never see a thing on the ship. Two... You must never open your mouth from the moment you step on the deck of the ship till the moment you reach your destination. Three... Never loose your lantern; its what you must protect. And lastly, never change where you sit on the ship, you are boarding for free, so be polite. That's all, coward, I wish you good luck.]

  Expressionlessly and without a comment, Masa Ed caught the pen and notebook that flew back to him.

  Having understood the instructions at a glance, Masa Ed resume walking towards the ship anchored at the shore of the moonlit ocean in front of him, but at an unhurried casual pace.

  Moments later, Masa Ed paused his steps in front of a ramp that leads to the deck of the ship and is serving as a bridge over the shallow waters of the sea. Not delaying, Masa Ed with the help of his lantern that is illuminating the surface of the ramp around him—since the mast of the colossal ship that its still strangely silhouetted is blocking the moon rays—resume his slow casual march on it, until he is about one step on the vast deck of the gigantic ship that is still strangely silhouetted despite the rays of the gigantic moon that is hovering over the sea at the other side, and that illuminated the ship except for where the mast blocks it.

  After having set his mind on a spot he will sit on on the ship deck, Masa Ed closed his eyes and tightly shut his mouth—following the instruction the white pen wrote for him on the notebook. And then he stepped on the silhouetted ship's silhouetted deck, after which he counts his steps in his mind, barely reaching the spot he chose, but nevertheless sitting down on the deck at a spot closer to it.

  'What's actually going with the ship?' Masa Ed having settled down on a spot with the lantern held tightly with his two hands wondered.

  Strictly adhering to the instructions he has been giving, he dare not open both his eyes and mouth or move from where he is seated. However, he perked up his hair, trying to pick a change in his surroundings—listening attentively.

  'I just pray there are no traps this time.' Masa Ed prayed in his mind while trying not to remember his traumatic recent pasts.

  For the next few minutes, Masa Ed expected a change which did not come until a loud blaring sound like from a giant horn scared him shitless—almost making him disobey the instructions, because he almost shouted and spring up from his sitting position on the deck in response to it.

  'They almost got me. Nice try.'

  Masa Ed relaxed. His beating heart also calmed down a moment later. Although he couldn't see, he estimates the strange ship to have set sail as he could feel its slight rocking movement and hear clearly the quiet lapping of water on its hull.

  Faithful to the instructions since he stepped feet on the ship's deck, Masa Ed did not come close to opening his eyes and mouth or standing up from where he sit, except the time when he heard the loud blaring sound. All he has been doing is hold his lantern tightly and wait patiently for the time when the ship docks probably. And whenever he feel like scratching, he will take one hand off the lantern and quickly do the scratching before returning to hold the lantern with it, fearing something might grab the lantern from him.

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  Sometimes later, Masa Ed perked his ears as he starts hearing the howls of wind in all directions around him. On careful analysis, it seems like the wind is gathering somewhere around the ship or above it, and it is likely the cause for the decrease in the temperature he is feeling, and the rocking movement of the ship that is slowly becoming bothersome.

  'Will it rain? Or what is going on?'

  Although confused by what is happening around the ship he couldn't see and therefore understand since his eyes are tightly shut, Masa Ed held on to his lantern tightly while praying what he suspects didn't happen. Even though the rocking movement of the ship is intensifying by the second and the howl of the wind is also growing a lot louder every moment, sounding like its preparing for battle.

  Amidst all the turbulence around the ship that is now threatening to tear it and him apart, moments later, Masa Ed dark field of vision that is as a result of him closing his eyes tightly somehow suddenly lit up brightly.

  And as he wondered what is going on, he suddenly heard a rapid series deafening sound of thunder like it was close to him, scaring him greatly. And in quick response, he almost open his tightly shut eyes and mouth as he almost jumped to the side in order to dodge lightnings that he instinctively felt might hit him because his field of vision that should have returned to being dark didn't, but its still instead lit up by what he is assured its a lightning series that persist. And as he expected—thunder follow lightning—in the next instant, he was drowned in an unending deafening sound of thunder that literally damaged one of his eardrums. And although he felt the pain that accompanied it, he didn't put his mind there because the intensity of the ship rocking movement has inflated greatly, grabbing his attention.

  Now... All Masa Ed could feel was the merciless force coming from the ship being thrown around, toss him up and slam him down hard on its ship deck while he sometimes roll down on the ship deck that randomly tilts in a random direction at random angles, sometimes causing him to hit his body on things he couldn't see, which compound the intense pain he is feeling all over his body, daring him to cry out loud or open his eyes in order to dodge more of it coming his way or stop everything totally, therefore giving up.

  And not all... Masa Ed body that is becoming fragile by the minutes due to the toss and slamming here and there, welcomed a very heavy painful downpour, but not of water but of hails—super cold ice balls dropping from above with force that starts battering his body like they are intending to turn it into paste—amidst the occasional lightning and literal deafening thunders.

  However, amidst all this elemental influence that are doing there best to either make him cave in, which is disobey the instructions he was given, or destroy him totally; Masa Ed remained stubborn and unyielding. He kept his mouth and eyes tightly shut, and the lantern tightly held in his hands, not letting it fall off. And despite the intense pain piling up every seconds that he could maybe prevent by maneuvering his body movements wisely, he never once moved his body position by his own will; he religiously adhere to the instructions he was given—he simply allowed the elements to do as they wish to him, using the ship as a medium, for quite a long time, bringing him unceasing pain and suffering he normally shouldn't be able to bear.

  And the moment he was slammed on the floor at one point, he was suddenly released from the influence of the elements and their violent presence that domineeringly subjugated the giant ship, which all of a sudden withdraw like they were never around to begin with.

  'What?'

  Although confused by the abrupt change in situation, Masa Ed, battered and bleeding, laid prone on the ship deck with his stretched hand still holding tightly to the lantern, looking like he might breathe his last any second. And except for holding tightly to his lantern, Masa Ed didn't do anything else, not even breathe from his mouth—though he needed it desperately—after the storm. And even if he wanted to, his partly broken body will never give him the liberty. So, all he could do was endure the pain coursing through every corner of his body and bone joints—especially his broken bones and torn muscles—while also ensuring—despite the difficulties and pain—to keep his mouth and eyes tightly shut.

  Moving on... While praying his journey on the ship and amidst the pain and suffering that will not leave him anytime soon come to an end, Masa Ed picked sounds of footsteps approaching him and stop near him, which startled him greatly because he expected no one except him to be on the ship, and for a long time now, he hasn't really met anyone. The Seba person doesn't count.