A ship moved with the waves, with the center of mass below water allowing the ship to stay somewhat steady.

  Yet it still moved it enough for those who are not used to it, to easily get sick and puke.

  For Jean it took 3 days of puking, falling and nausea before getting used to the overall movement, which means he was ready for training and with the time to get to the islands, with some breaks and hunts along the way would make it around two to three months.

  And as such Jean was training with one of the crew memebers who took him under his wing, but it more looked like he took him crocodile hunting using Jean as bait.

  Jean's teacher was mercenary that the Captain Astana picked up on her travels years back.

  Apparently he was one of the first crewmembers and an old friend of hers.

  He was a human, the most numerous race in Cerillia.

  His name was Edward and from the outside he looked like he was anything a mercenary, scrawny body, visible skin had no scars whatsoever and he was pretty clean for someone who is supposed to be a battle hardened warrior.

  Yet if you look a bit more closely you see something else, calluses on his hands from intensive training, muscles may not be that visible but they were tough, his lack of scars on his face and body meant he was skilled enough to avoid them or well prepared to not get them and as for his clean look. That came from personal hygiene.

  As for his look, he had short brown hair so that it wouldn't get in a way, mustache that looked like something an theater actor would wear and he always smiled, using jokes and sarcasm during training with Jean.

  His outfit was just a plain green button up with light brown pants and leather boots.

  Comparing that to an outfit that the mage visitor wore, it allowed him to move easily plus not to mention it is easier to move and hunt for big fish in it than it would in steel plate.

  Edward sparred and thought Jean every morning on how to fight, duel, use weapons and take care of quipment on board the ship, while Astana thought Jean the overall slangs, items and equipment around the ship so that if something happens he will know what to do.

  Though now Jean was busy trying to stay alive during a spar.

  "Are you not gonna attack?" Edward taunted Jean "I have been waiting for more than thirty seconds"

  Jean was sweating to the point where you could cook a bowl of pasta. "Do you have any idea how difficult it is to move here, not to mention YOU are using a rapier." he was readying his attack "while I am left with a SWORD of all things."

  "HAHAHA" laughing at Jean was his favorite pass time "Yeah because I am sure the enemy will wait until you get to land, OH AND I AM SO SURE, that they will" Edward advanced "Let" he thrusted "YOU" the rappier's movement became unnatural "CHOOSE!?" yet it missed but it allowed Edward's knee to get close and then, Jean fell.

  "HOLY FU- WHAT THE, AU, THIS GENUINELY, HOUUUU..." guess Jean became a howling dog from getting his private parts a bit hurt. "WHY... THIS IS UNFAIR" Edward simply sat down and sheathed Jean's training sword.

  "why should I waste my energy attacking you several times when one move, STRAIGHT TO THE BALLS, is enough to make you fall." Edward felt weirdly proud of himself.

  "Not one person would DO THAT" Jean still laying on the floor holding his stomach cried

  Edward smiled "that's why I did that, cause it took me less than 2 moves to make you fall, and honestly I am very proud." he looked at Jean again "tell me why did you wait for thirty seconds?"

  "I was trying to determine where you would strike" there was still some crying heard, easpecially when he was holding his stomach

  "And did you?"

  "no..."

  "That is the point of the rapier in skilled hands, it is thrusting weapon Jeany boy, and it's length combined with it's flexibility and light weight make's it deadly."

  "you didn't- agh. answer the question"

  Edward smiled "right, the rapier is made in such a way that it is difficult to determine it's trajectory until the last moment, and because it is bendable, you can do what I did to you"

  "Grreeaattt..."

  "But" Edward stood up, helping Jean to stand up as well "There are several ways to determine the trajectory, most of the times it's the eyes, since people like to see where they hit or their body where they subconsciously imgine and move back the body part that will get hurt, unskilled people would use their legs or fingers." Edward looked at Astana who observed the fight and the mage next to her. "What's the score?"

  Astana answered "14 - 0, I am impressed by Jean, I would try to escape from you if I had the chance"

  "nah I am an angel, always was and will be." Edward made a wing gesture "by the by, mage? Could you patch him up" pointing at the decaying corpse of Jean "I am gonna go and look over our supplies"

  "like hell he will" Astana reacted

  "nuh uh" Edward yelled out while escaping with Astana running right after him.

  the mage came up to Jean and pulled out a small scroll the size of a finger and unrolled it, after she covered it in what looked like green dye. "This will only get rid of the pain but not damage, note that"

  "thank y-you" the mage left after casting the spell while Jean laid there, unable to move

  The mage has become much closer with the crew, and her skills were quite valuable to everyone and the ship.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  She helped with water purification, fire starting, healing and ship fixing during thunderstorms, while also keeping it steady instead of rocking from side to side, although that happened rarely due to Edward's messed up sense of training regime.

  With a new morning on the seas, fresh smell of the sea and meal waiting for the crew it felt nice.

  But sadly Jean's body did not in fact feel good, for he laid in his bed, body screaming from yesterdays training and his mind trying it's best to put down the pain.

  Slowly he stood up, each step felt like walking on knives and muscles felt like they were full of needles.

  His body was destroyed from training, yet he walked.

  Be it out of stubbornness or out of pure desire he continued to walk through the ship, until he finally arrived to the mess hall where every one ate.

  As Jean sat down Edward passed him food and water. "Here eat, after that I will help your body recover." Edward knew what Jean was going through, that was the reason he did not judge.

  Though Edward still felt awkward considering the silence. "Hey mage, why'd you join us anyway and what's your name?" he leaned in "is perhaps a secret spell?"

  Mage was unimpressed "nothing like that, I simply value my own privacy and all I needed is to get to islands."

  "Yeah but like why, you could've taken one of those rich people ships, with sparkling wine and chandeliers hanging"

  Astana intervened "I think you should not question her anymore Ed."

  "Why? can't I be curious?"

  the mage looked at Astana "I do not mind answering" she looked at Edward "I wanted to leave my master's shadow, that's all"

  "THAT'S IT!?"

  "What exactly did you expect you fool?" Astana questioned him.

  "I don't know, I expected that she was on an epic quest to save the world" he pointed at the mage "not this"

  "I truly apologize for my crewmate he has a loose tongue"

  The mage bowed "no need to apologize at all"

  "wait you still didn't answer why you took our crew ins-"

  "Edward stop it"

  "fine, fine, I am going" he looked at Jean "come with me kiddo, time to fix you up" Jean was dragged away while clearly saying someting to Edward, both the mage and the captain were sure that they heard some slurs while he was getting dragged away.

  After closing the door and entering the physicians room Edward laid Jean on the bed by force. "kid please bite on this" Edward gave Jean a small piece of wood covered in leather "because this is gonna hurt a lot."

  Edward proceeded to give a massage that was more comparable to torture.

  He was loosing Jean's muscles while at the same time ripping them and moving them more and more.

  Jean's body was getting crushed by force, while he tried to not scream.

  Usually a person would be relaxed during this procedure but Jean was anything but that.

  Bones felt like they would break, and he was quite sure he heard some cracks as well.

  This continued for what felt like eternity, and the end would not be in sight until Edward finished his evil deeds.

  wood covered in leather fell to the ground and Jean was simply paralyzed. "God fucking damn it, I think I died"

  "stop crying, you are gonna be fine"

  "I can't move and feel anything"

  "give it 3 hours and you will feel refreshed"

  Jean used his strenght to move his head towards Edward "I do not trust you"

  "how kind"

  Jean felt genuinely like shit but something was lingering in his mind "Edward?"

  "What's up kid?"

  "That mage why were you so... curious?"

  Edward would usually not care yet he tried to get more info of her, like a hawk "Because if I am right, then we are carrying barrels of gunpowder, just waiting for spark to level an entire city from a map."

  "I ugh." Jean sat "I think you are overreacting."

  Edward looked at Jean "No, Jeany, I am not." he stood up. "trust me when I say that, if she is who I think she is, then it is only a matter of time before all of us get fucked over." Edward went towards the doors "for now you should sleep, we won't train today." with that, the door was closed, leaving Jean alone to rest.

  Leaving the physicians room, Edward went out to train on the top deck.

  He moved his body like a dancer, it was difficult to follow, let alone predict.

  Comparing his fighting style to those of soldiers or knights was useless, for they used techniques that are taught while he fought based on instinct.

  Scattered around him were all types of weapons: knives, swords, spears, javelins, hammers, maces and axes.

  He used every single one of them to fight, sparring against his own mind.

  Fighting in unpredictable patterns, where logic was left behind and only pure movement was left.

  Most people who would see this would be in awe and shock but for the crew of the ship it was the usual, they got used to his technique, movement and abilities but there was one person who could see that something was off.

  Astana, this Rabi who most would ignore knew Edward for who knows how long so she saw that something was off and approached him.

  Edward swinging his weapon seemed to be in complete focus and moved his spear like it was his second nature until the air that was being cut stopped him.

  One finger nail width away from cutting Astana's head, both were calm and fear was something they have long lost.

  "You got slow"

  "And you got careless"

  "Perhaps, but I need you in top form"

  "I know" Edward put down his spear "This is going to be the final one, won't it?"

  "Most probably."

  "..." Edward was silent

  "Be prepared." Astana left, just like that

  There was not argument, no yelling, just acceptance.

  Just Acceptance of sea's cold embrace.