Chapter 19

  The conversation is over. Minot and his group is tasked to appear as soon as they can at the military outpost in the capital. They will be brought back to Porto Branco via the Imperial ship Yilagh and Callan arrived in. Much to Minot's annoyance. The Cloudbreaker crew will remain on site until the salvage ships arrive.

  On their way to the Imperial vessel they approach Callan, who has finished smoking and is absentmindedly looking into the distance. He turns his head as he sees the group arrive.

  "General", he calls for Yilagh's attention and raises his hand, "may I have a few moments with them?"

  Yilagh looks down at the man a head shorter than her. She barely asks his intentions and replies with a swift: "Make it quick." She proceeds onto the ship. It's now only Callan, Minot, Iv and Velophine at the pier of the Gate.

  "Whaddya want, glasses?", Iv asks him.

  Callan clears his throat and adjusts his glasses. "I want you to meet me at my office tomorrow. Before you head out to the Capital."

  "Why?"

  "I got something to discuss with you."

  "What is it?", Minot asks.

  "You'll see tomorrow."

  Minot, noticeably peeved, asks: "Why don't ya tell us here?"

  "Shut up. This is something you'll all find interesting, so be patient", Callan replies without a change in his voice."

  "This fuckin' guy..."

  Iv lands and lies on Minot's shoulder. "Just leave it. Senhor bad hair and dirty glasses must feel soooo tired from the trip to discuss things right now."

  Callan checks his glasses for any stains or dust, until he realizes Iv is messing with him. He puts them back on, turns around and says loudly: "Get on the damn ship, and tomorrow I'll see you in the morning." As he walks he looks back. "Don't make me wait."

  The three stand dumbfounded for a few seconds. "He could at least be nicer when askin' us out for a date", Minot remarks once Callan is far enough away. Iv giggles.

  Velophine, polite as ever, nervously stands to the side while the vulgar people argue. In a friendly tone she suggests they should get on board. The three go up the stairs of the ship and enter the cabin.

  The ship's exterior betrays the pompous design of the interior. It is full of Hesforian iconography and architecture. From the inside it looks more like a noble estate rather than a pragmatic vehicle. Wooden boards with simple patterns line the floor. White walls bear green banners, all sorts of paintings, golden ornaments and even pillars. The light bulbs give off a warm glow. They expected the ship to be on a different league in terms of equipment and decoration, it being an Imperial vessel, but not this floating castle.

  A fashionably clothed worker on the ship directs the group to a passenger room for them. Yilagh and Callan are in a different room. As they enter they are hit with a sight of luxury and comfort. Green carpet flooring, green curtains framing a spotless window, a soft sofa firmly attached to the ground, a fancy wooden table constructed by a skilled artisan, a wall with shelves, one of which is actually a fridge.

  Iv immediately bolts to the sofa and jumps joyfully on the soft cushions. Minot kneels down and moves his hands quickly through the carpet. The material feels good on his skin. The two appear like cavemen encountering furniture beyond their comprehension, and they have a good time exploring what this room has to offer.

  Velophine is happy her friends are enjoying their first time inside such a luxurious vessel. She has been on ships with wide ranging levels of comfort before, but this kind of ship is almost boasting with its interior. It feels weird to be inside such a comfortable and cozy room after everything they have been through.

  At the very least she appreciates some time to calm her mind from the terrible prospects of the Atlanteans appearing and the Frontier weakening. At least for a few moments the outside is just as peaceful and happy as it is inside.

  And with that, the ship sounds its horn and departs.

  The birds chirps as they greet the new day. The sun lazily rises in the distant horizon. Upon arriving at Porto Branco the three have decided to just rest for the day and relax their tired bodies. For Minot and Iv, there is nothing like sleeping in their bed on the Fairy Feather. After a good night's sleep they prepare to set off on a presumably grand adventure to the Capital of Relva Hesfor. But first, they have to meet with Callan.

  Porto Branco has a communal bath for the sailors and workers on the second floor. Most of them have already showered a lot earlier in the morning before setting off to their tasks. The noise of a small number of showers issues in another day of hard work.

  Minot is washing himself and cleaning the dirt, soot and sweat from the previous days. This feels like the most soothing shower he has ever had. The drops hitting his skin remind him a little of the Rain from inside the storm. He wonders why he wasn't that affected by Rain Fever. Maybe I am simply too strong for the storm, he thinks, chuckling at the absurdity of the idea.

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  He finishes up and dries himself with a towel. In one swift motion he throws it around his hips and makes a towel skirt. He then proceeds to climb out of a window and land outside the bath, quickly runs through a backstreet and reaches a hidden spot where he has placed his clothes.

  One time someone got mad at him and has stolen his clothes and towel while he was showering. Having to walk all the way over to the ship in nothing but his birthday suit was not the most pleasant experience. So now he puts his clothes in a safe place and the towel is always by his side.

  This spot is on the outer parts of the second floor and features a nice open view of the sky, a few islands floating in the distance and the faintly blue Night Ocean below. Coincidentally, it also has a bird bath.

  Iv is joyfully cleaning herself and whistling as she does it. Her clothes and towel hang from a decorative spiral on the rim of the stone bowl. While she does that Minot gets his clothes and starts dressing up.

  "Hech", she turns around and smirks, "Ya sure ya're not related to fairies?"

  "Shut it", he replies. "For all you know that's the biggest one you've ever seen."

  "Sure, mate~" Iv takes the towel and dries her hair. A bird lands on the bowl and curiously looks around. "Oh, hi there! Wait up, I'm almost done."

  The bird tuns its head quickly and hops a few times. Then it grabs Iv's towel and flies off. "Oi! That's not a worm! Give it back!" Iv gestures furiously at the escaping bird. "Ya ass with wings! I'm gonna make goulash outta you!"

  Minot laughs maliciously at Iv. She turns around with a finger pointed straight at him. "Shaddup!"

  "Here. Catch!" He tosses his towel onto the bird bath, covering it completely and creating a fairy-sized bump.

  "Uwaah!", Iv yelps as she tries to get out from under the towel.

  "Hurry up. Callan's gonna grow mold if we take to long." Minot chuckles at the thought.

  Before they go see Callan they meet Velophine who has been waiting for them by the stairs. They greet each other quickly and make their way to Callan's office. Velophine looks a lot more relaxed compared to the previous days. She has been quite on edge, especially after the Atlantean Vasso appeared. Minot felt a lot of suspicion towards her and what her goals are, but she saving his life and that of Iv and the others from the clutches of the storm has made him trust her more. Her goal is respectable, and the length she is willing to go to accomplish it. Still he would appreciate it if she was more open about what she knows.

  They reach the office which is neatly tucked in between several stores and go up the stairs. Even in Porto Branco Callan has to be above the others, Minot thinks. There can be no other reason for stairs in this place.

  Velophine politely knocks and waits for an answer. Minot doesn't and pushes the door open. The two sailors enter the office without so much as cleaning their shoes. The relationship between Minot, Iv and Callan must really be difficult at best, Velophine thinks. She expects a bell ringing as they enter, but there is no sound. She looks up to where a small bell is usually fixed, but it seems to have been removed recently.

  The office is small and cramped, but mostly because of the shelves stacked with books and artifacts. Sheets of paper are scattered around. Dust is accumulating on the less used materials. Callan really is a textbook scholar and archaeologist. Velophine has met his type before. On the large table there is something hidden under a big sheet. The curious shape catches Velophine's attention.

  "Mornin', ol' matey, ol' pal!", Minot loudly greets the scholar who's writing at his desk.

  Iv chimes in: "We hope you had a nice and relaxin' day!"

  "... Uh, morning, Mister Callan...", Velophine tries to soften the greetings.

  With a heavy sigh and a lot of labor in his movements Callan stands up and turns to face the visitors. He closes his book and approaches the table at the center of the room. Without as much of a hello he says: "Took you long enough." He looks over and sees Velophine: "Greetings, Miss Velophine."

  She is a little surprised at being greeted. But maybe his coarse attitude is reserved to Minot and Iv only. That puts her mind a little at ease.

  "Alright, four-eyes, we're here", Minot announces. "So what gives?"

  "First things first, mission report", Callan replies. He extends his hand, expecting something to be given to him.

  "Yes." Velophine pulls out a few neatly folded sheets of paper and hands it to Callan. As instructed by Minot she has ripped them out of her notebook. One page she had to rewrite because on the other side were notes unrelated to the mission. "These are sketches and notes I took while on the island."

  He swiftly looks through the pages. "Of course it was you who did this. I didn't expect these two idiots can write."

  "Oi!", Minot and Iv exclaim at the same time.

  "I will look through these later, but looks good." He puts the papers on his desk. "Give me a quick rundown on what happened on the island."

  Minot explains what has happened the same way it has been told to Imperial General Yilagh. Callan's expression visibly changes once the Atlantean, the artifact, its powers and the bird are mentioned. His sight every so often jumps over to Velophine, as if he is drawing connections inside his mind.

  "A white bird coming from this artifact", he mumbles, "magic suppression, and Miss Velophine is very knowledgeable about this. Hmm."

  Sweat beads form on her forehead. Nervously she replies: "Uh, yes! I have been researching the artifacts and the old history for a while now."

  "How old? Older than Luzre's founding?"

  "A-about that time, yes."

  Callan scratches his chin. "That indeed is very old. Not much information has survived from that time. Not even the elders of Luzre's three districts can agree on much of it." He continues thinking in silence. So much so Iv gets bored and begins playing with Velophine's hair. The blonde hair hidden beneath the black hair peeks through every so often.

  Eventually Callan finishes his contemplation and speaks again: "That should be doable." He exits his thinking pose. "This completes the mission I assigned you." He lifts an envelope from the table and holds it up. On it is a wax seal depicting the Empire's sigil and neatly written text. "Here's the pay. The Empire thanks you for your hard work", he says with little enthusiasm and more sarcasm. In one quick motion he tosses the envelope, lets it spin in the air until Minot catches it.

  Minot shakes it and hears a good amount of bills rustling inside. "Oh shit! Sounds like a lot."

  "I would've undercut you if it weren't an official mission."

  "And I would've pissed in your coffee if ya did."

  "Delectable", Callan replies nonchalantly.

  Velophine is feeling very much out of place in this environment.

  Callan grabs a piece of paper that looks very official and important. He puts in on the table but not on the sheet. "Alright, listen up. This is what I wanted to tell you. You are sent to work with the Capital, right?"

  "Conscripted, yes", Minot adds.

  "Whatever. Since you'll be visiting the Storm and have a scholar who has knowledge on things that I don't, I want to make you an offer." Callan clasps his hands together.

  Iv and Minot reply, again simultaneously: "Forget it, dipshit."

  "Tsk". Callan looks as if he has expected that reaction. "To be fair, this offer isn't really for you, but for Miss Velophine here."

  Velophine looks surprised. "Me?"

  "Yes, because I believe you can solve the riddle I have been burdened with." Callan smirks, grabs the sheet on one end and dramatically reveals what is underneath it.

  She couldn't control her reaction. Velophine beholds the Cinzite Sword, and audibly gasps.