Chapter 7

  Minot and Iv's face brighten. They are thrilled that maybe now they can get some more answers on what this weird object is. Iv jumps up and in a loud voice she asks: "So you know what this is?!" The waitress and the patrons of the restaurant sitting at the other tables look over. "Sorry", Iv apologizes and lowers herself.

  "To be perfectly honest...", Velophine begins. Minot and Iv's mood sinks again. "I don't know exactly what that is. But..." She brings out her notebook and looks through the pages. "I have found mentions of that object during my research. It was once part of a larger whole." She flips to another page. "A suit of armor or ornamented weapon from an ancient civilization that lived around the time the Frontier was created, I think. Hard to figure out what exactly."

  Minot feels a small sense of achievement having gained a little more insight on what the object could be. He closes the pouch and puts it away again. "Who made the Frontier then?", he asks. "All we know is that it's very old and holds back a storm."

  "Yeah, and why does this artifact feel like it's full of magic?", Iv adds.

  Velophine attempts to respond to their questions, but before she could get any answer out the waitress arrives with their food and drinks. "I think we'll talk later", she says to finish the history lesson before it started. "Also we'll have enough time tomorrow to discuss this."

  "Fair enough", Minot replies. He feels like he is warming up to her, but deep in his mind he is still unsure how to feel about her. She randomly appeared on their ship and gave vague answers on what she was looking for. Turns out it was the thing a bird dropped that attacked them. To him that is very unusual. He'd like to figure out more about who she is. But right now food is on his table and he is quite hungry after such a long day.

  The flavorful fragrance of the finished food fills the air around them. It's a mix of olive oil, sweet paprika and pepper spices, fried salmon and warm lemon. A small whiff alone can make one salivate. Minot's plate holds two thin slices of beef with a fried egg atop, a portion of rice, fries and salad. The sauce in which the beef was fried in was poured over the meat and rice. Simple and classic. Velophine's plate has a portion of baked cod with a layer of bread crumbs and chopped vegetables over it. The layer has gained a strong orange color after being in the oven. A small portion of rice and a salad is added to her dish. Iv receives a small plate with slices of salmon and finely cut baked potatoes. She is given small metallic rods that look like toothpicks. One has a sharp edge for cutting the food, while the other is smooth and pointy to hold it. This is what fairies usually use to eat.

  'She looks like she is holding two daggers...', Velophine thinks. It is quite an unusual sight, but Iv seems happy chopping the salmon and potatoes.

  After a nice meal with the occasional chat, even with the waitress who later joined, Minot pays for the food and gives a generous tip. They leave the "Os Quatro Ventos". It is already night. The three take a walk around the second floor for a bit to digest the food.

  While walking Minot remembers something. "Oh yeah, I wanted to ask you sumthin', Velo", he grabs her attention. She looks over, unsure what he is going to ask her. "You also do anything with magic? Being a scholar and all."

  "Oh!", she responds in a higher pitch. "I forgot to say, I am also a mage."

  "Oh cool!", Iv says. "What kinda magic?"

  "Mostly just supportive spells. The bare minimum to have a license haha." Velophine sways a little as if unsure if she can meet whatever expectations her newly gotten friends have about mages. People have magical potential inside them. Mages learn to harness and form it into spells. For that they study at an academy or with a master, do the license exam at an official institution and be a fully recognized mage. That can take up to 3 years. Practicing magic illegally is punished in several nations.

  Minot presents his injured shoulder. "Can ya do something about this?" Iv looks at him with quite the face of disappointment and betrayal.

  "Sure", she agrees happily. Velophine takes out a small object from her pocket. It looks like a stone necklace with yellow string and a decorated center piece. It is a Cinzite Nexus and acts as a catalyst for magical energy. It helps with casting spells. Only very powerful mages can use magic without one. She lifts and points it at Minot's shoulder. It starts to glow yellow and small strands of magic flow around it. They appear to come out of Velophine, swirl into the Nexus and get funneled into his wound. It feels warm and cozy, like a blanket being placed over his body during a cold stormy night.

  "Light Heal", Velophine chants. And with that, the wound is healed. Not even a scar remains, only the stitches do.

  Minot looks impressed, as does Iv, but she still feels annoyed. "Just like that, huh?", she mumbles.

  "Amazing! Imagine what I could do if I had someone that could heal me all the time." His words are very intentionally directed at Iv. She huffs and crosses her arms.

  "Am glad to help", Velophine says. Minot thanks her. Upon asking what had caused this he waves it off with a "Is a long story. Tomorrow." She understands and wishes the two a good night. They say goodbye and go into separate directions; Velophine stays on the second floor, Minot and Iv go to their ship.

  The sun rises on a new day. Orange hues and lines of silver clouds paint the dawn. Small dark specs of birds fly over Porto Branco while the Cloudbreaker crew prepares for departure. Minot arrives at the pier where the large ship is anchored, looking for his fairy companion.

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  "Mornin', Minot!", she greets him. She is sitting on a lamppost observing the workers and admiring the ship. Minot can only guess how long she has been there.

  "Mornin'. I wondered where you were."

  "Was so excited I woke up several times during the night. So I just flew over here once the sun rose."

  "Pff, you're hopeless."

  "Shut up."

  Minot looks around. Velophine seems to not be around yet. Despite the early hour the harbor is already very busy. Sailors are departing or returning, mechanics are tinkering on the equipment and the seagulls are commenting on what is happening with their loud shrieks.

  "Y'know, ya dick", Iv calls out to him. "You could be a lil nicer to Velo."

  "..." Minot doesn't want to answer, but feels like he can't let Iv be right without him defending himself.

  "Too much happened yesterday, ok?", he replies. "Dunno what to think of her."

  "Maybe think about being less of a dick?"

  "Noted." Iv's right. When the opportunity comes he will try to talk with Velophine in private.

  Just as they were talking about her Velophine comes rushing out of Rosavento. Once she arrives she nearly collapses and is out of breath. She balances herself with her arms on her knees.

  "Good... huff morning", she huffs and puffs. "I am not late, am I?"

  Iv and Minot greet her. The fairy comes flying down quickly to join her new friend. The three chat for a short while before getting the signal from Schalk to enter the ship. He opens a hatch on the side of the hull that leads inside. Iv can't hold her excitement and rushes in with incredible speeds. "Yahoooo!", she yells. Minot and Velophine look at each other, both feeling flustered about the energetic fairy.

  They make their way towards the entrance. Schalk stops them to give them a few words of advice: "The Cap'n wants us on deck after departure in 10. Also," he looks inside where Iv is joyfully zipping around, "don't wanna say put her on a leash, but..."

  "I get it," Minot replies. He expected this and will deal with her if she acts inappropriately.

  The Cloudbreaker already looks grand on the outside, but the inside completes the picture. The interior design combines mechanical efficiency with simple elegance. The wooden floor is polished to a shine, grey metallic walls feature pipes and cables tightly packed and straight running across it, the lamps lining the ceiling are bright but don't hurt the eyes. The smooth surfaces are periodically broken up by edges and bolts where the panels and boards are connected together. On the walls hang all sorts of posters. Some with instructions, others very artsy with upcoming events and dates, and some cartoonish with the occasional humor. Minot and Velophine walk across the hallway. Iv is rubbing her face against the wall while making unintelligible noises.

  "That's it, you freak", Minot speaks authoritatively and grabs Iv. She protests shortly, then gives up and is carried peacefully in his hands.

  A bell's toll rings throughout the vessel. If the echo doesn't carry it everywhere, then mechanical speakers that carry sound through pipes will. It is 8 AM and the Cloudbreaker begins moving. The anchor is lifted, the metal frame is removed from the ship and it exits the port. Slowly the ship gains altitude. The engine roars in the lower compartments, but the sound insulation is good enough to only allow a small hum to pass. It turns to face southwest. After reaching the right orientation the Cloudbreaker sets sail, accelerating and leaving Porto Branco. The rather large island grows smaller and smaller, until the building on it can be covered by a single finger.

  10 minutes pass. The crew assembles on deck where the captain is waiting. Among them Schalk and Hagen. Minot and Velophine join them. In his hand Minot holds a bird cage with a disgruntled looking Iv inside, grabbing the bars and cursing him under her breath. On the cage a small sticky note is placed with the text "I have been bad".

  "Sailors! Members of the Cloudbreaker! And passengers!", Captain Loi Temperal announces. Everyone stands at attention. He continues: "Today we have an important mission, with highest authority from the Empire of Relva Hesfor!" The sailors exchange many different looks. Intrigue, confusion and excitement. The last high profile Hesforian mission must have been years ago. "Our task is simple, but dangerous! We'll travel to Frontier Gate 5, pass the giant wall of clouds and make our way to a small island inside the storm. It'll take us 3 hours to get there after entering the storm, so I expect y'all to be 100% focused and follow protocol. Understood?"

  "Aye!"

  "We have three passengers today. They are designated as the research team by the Mission who will do their work on the island." He looks over to Schalk. "Sailor Schalk, you're gonna educate them on how to act inside the storm. Got it?"

  "Aye, Cap'n!", Schalk confirms.

  "Good. We'll arrive at Gate 5 at around 1012. End of briefing. Sailors! Get back to work, ya dogs!"

  "Aye, Cap'n", they all shout. Once Captain Loi is finished all the sailors rush around to get to their positions. They move so quickly Minot and Velophine almost get knocked over. Iv's bird cage shakes around making her dizzy. As quickly as it began it ends just as fast. Everyone is back at their tasks. Only the captain and Schalk remain.

  "Aight, guys, follow me", Schalk commands in a friendly voice. They go back inside, down a few stairs and across a similar looking hallway from when they entered. Schalk points at a leisure room and tells the others to enter.

  "So", he says while closing the door behind him, "we'll stay here most of the trip. Make yourselves at home." The place looks like a living room with a large table, several comfy looking seats and even a fridge. It is decorated a lot more homely than the hallway despite the floor and walls being the same. There are more posters on the walls, a shelf with books of different topics and a dart board. Three arrows are still stuck on it, and on low point areas.

  "Ya ain't gonna educate us on procedure, sailor Schalk?", Minot asks sarcastically. He puts down Iv's cage on the table.

  Schalk gets two bottles of Fisherman's Rum out. "Nah", he replies. "We'll have enough time for that later. Let's chill for a bit." He looks at Velophine. "Rum?"

  "No thanks", she politely declines.

  "Can I take hers?", Iv asks.

  Minot sits down next to Iv. "No way, you can't hold your booze", he says. "I don't wanna deal with a drunk fairy again. Especially not one obsessed with boats inside this one."

  Schalk laughs and gets two small cups from the cupboard. Velophine offers to bring the items to the table while he takes a water bottle, soda can and more cups out.

  "You're only allowed to move freely inside this room, Iv", Minot lectures her. "Can't have you start licking the walls, doors and people."

  "C'mon!", she protests. "I just wanna look around, especially in the engine room! Don't be a such a mackerel!" She pulls on the bars and shakes the cage around angrily. Minot sighs and let's her out. She stretches her limbs and wings.

  "Just so y'know", she comments with crossed arms, "I could've gotten out whenever I wanted. I was just being polite!"

  Schalk and Velophine laugh at the scene. They all sit down and prepare for a long journey ahead.