System Break

The rowers let us drift through the calm waters of the wide bay. As the city shrunk on one horizon the isle in the centre of the bay grew. Unless you own a boat it looked more like a prison than a home. In the centre a tower reached for the sky.

"What's with the tower?" I asked Kysandre who kept a hand on the tiller.

She didn't look, she didn't need to the thing was a monstrosity. "It's been there since my people arrived but now it's where adventurers go to train."

"Who built it?"

"I don't know. It's always been there."

Alejo said, "There are theories. That it was created with the island. That the gatekeepers built it. But no one knows for certain, it predates all of us including the city of Loctris - where the first landing took place."

Kysandre's father, the captain exited his cabin followed by the elders. He carried his horn in his left hand and moved to the side of the ship then he blew three long blasts across the bay. He waited a minute and then repeated the signal.

"He calls the ships," Kysandre said.

They floated in the bay, drifting with the mild current. Every now and then the captain would reposition slightly until another ship came and they tied together. Another and another came until there were nine. They were all tied together and floated like a huge platform across the bay.

The captain passed messages on and received replies before he came to speak to us.

"We will head north, and the elders will go back on separate ships. The word is already spread and short of killing us all there is nothing they can do to stop it."

"I will go back also," Alejo said. "Who should I ask for passage?"

The captain pointed. "Ask Bujones, he is my cousin and will take you."

"Are you supplied?" Alejo asked.

The captain nodded. "We are being gifted as we speak." Barrels of water and large hessian bags were brought aboard from the other ships.

The captain oversaw everything being stowed while Kysandre and Alejo said their goodbyes. I spent the time with Demon bird – his view of the world still amazed me. I could see a lot of bustle on the docks, but it was hard to work out what was happening. There were workers, guards, and a crowd milling about, but no violence. 

The majority of the fisherfolk fleet – that I knew of - was with us and only two ships remained on the docks. The bodies of the reds and protectors were taken away and more than a few workers scrubbed the decks trying to clean off the blood and guts of our enemies.

The boat lurched when we were untied, and the captain checked the wind.

"We are heavy," he said. "Can any of your people row?"

"Sure," I said. "How hard can it be?"

He smiled. "Pick two for the first shift and Addo will teach you." An old leathery sailor beckoned me.

I turned to look at my companions. "Reyas?" I asked and she nodded. Although she'd been injured recently she was naturally the strongest and the only one, other than me, with qi-stamina technique. It would also leave all the archers on deck – just in case.

We followed the leathery sailor below decks. It was like a smaller version of a galley with four rows of benches and oars out the side. The ship was narrow relative to its length and the oars were long.

"Sit behind me and watch," he said. He crossed his arms grabbing the ends of the oars then he rocked back and forth in a rhythmic motion, lifting and pushing, dropping and pulling. When he pulled the oar through the water the muscles on his back, shoulders and stomach strained. He used his whole body to do the work. Even his feet found purchase on a piece of wood.

My arms were longer, so I went to the last row. My legs were too long so I moved my footrest ahead to the last available notch. I watched the old man and fell in with this rhythm.

"Do not catch the oar," he said. "Lift it high." He stopped and turned to watch us. When he grinned his smile was missing half of its teeth. 

"You are strong," he said. "Longer, longer strokes."

I reached as far forward as I could and leaned right back when I pulled. 

"Oh good. The captain will be pleased." He watched and critiqued us for a while before fetching some water. "Drink. Do not become thirsty. If you need to pee take turns."

Reyas snorted. "And where would we pee?"

He pointed to a bucket in the corner and she wrinkled her nose.

The captain appeared on the ladder and turned his head. "It goes well. Not too fast until I signal. Addo you do not row? Just the two of them?"

Addo nodded and grinned. "The man can row alone if you want captain."

He watched for a time and nodded. "The woman can rest until we hit the high water."

"My name is Reyas," she said.

He tipped his head. "Yes miss. Reyas," then he pointed to me. "and Benzhi?"

I nodded and he smiled. He had significantly more teeth than Addo.

"Addo go up while we talk - keep an eye on our heading and my daughter."

The old leathery sailor went up the ladder as the captain hopped off. "We will head out on to the sea and then north. I've fished in the waters up there and it should only take a couple of days. Is there safe harbour near the forest, somewhere we can pull ashore?"

"There's a river from the mountains that meets the sea just north of the forest. I can scout it before we arrive."

"How? You'll be on my ship and if we land then we may as well disembark all."

"My bird flies above and I can see with his eyes."

A low whistle escaped his lips. "So this is the magic of the forestfolk. It is very handy; I wish I could command a gull to find me fish."

I laughed. "We think alike. My demon bird finds me monsters."

"We will talk more later. How long can you row for?"

I was just getting into my rhythm and quite enjoyed it. "As long as you like."

"When it is dark we navigate by the stars – we will sail all night. If the winds blow the right way on the open sea we'll not need to row. We shall see how long, but for now we need to leave the bay."

"How long is that?"

"At this rate, not long. I will come back after we feel the winds."

"Alright," I said and put my back into it. The captain scaled the ladder and went back above decks.

Reyas fed me a sip of water. "Since I don't need to row, I'll keep you company."

"You can sit on my lap if you like," I said with a chuckle.

She smiled. "No you move too much. I cannot even kiss you."

As I came forward I planted a kiss on her lips before I pulled back. She laughed. "That was a peck not a kiss. I will wait for the real thing."

My chest glistened in the fading light. "You'll be waiting a while." I said and pulled another long stroke on the oars.