Chapter Text
Chapter 1: Prologue
Chapter Text
Open your eyes. It's easy to see if you just know where to look my dear.
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Talia woke up with a start, drenched in sweat with lingering reminder of fear deeper than anything she'd ever experienced in her life. Eyes darting from one corner of the ceiling of her hut to the other, taking calming breaths while following the path of deep roots sprouting out from various places across the room. Soothing. Ever present. Brimming with life that took core deeper than time itself - or so she told herself. This was not the first time she awoke with such dread seeping through her bones, caution dripping from the tips of her eyelashes, fleeting, unseen and always to be forgotten. She new. Oh, she new something was coming. The gut feeling she had from the time she was but a child started stirring in her gut like never before. Talia looked at the greatsword nestled neatly at far end of her room - something apart from the roots that grounded her, that spoke of her honed skill, her strength. With that she finally calmed down, stood up, fastened her armour and strolled out of her hut. As if nothing was amiss. As if this fit was nothing. As if taking that sword and training was everything but a way to forget something that may come to pass. Worse yet? She had no idea what it might be.
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The tides and waves were unrelenting. De Sardet swayed with the ship - ahem BOAT - trying not to be beaten by the nauseating feeling and emptying his stomach to the Ocean. Nice cruise my arse. Half a year of never ending struggle, that's what it ended up to be. Damned boat. Nevermind what Vasco says. This whole ordeal sucks so bad he'd even take a risk to call it a raft just to see and experience some other feeling than pure boredom slash sickness slash growing dread of impending doom with each passing day. Something was calling to him and he was not entirely sure if it was only the bucket in the corner of the cargo hold. Or maybe, JUST maybe it had something do with New Serene getting more real by the minute. He knew his cousin was excited. He saw Kurt being awfully quiet after De Sardet helped him with additional cargo being placed on the ship, much to Captain's distaste. Well he kinda let it slide and even helped just a tiny bit after they have scratched his back by making a young Naut boy reappear and lose his tag of a "missing crew member". While contemplating 'what if's’ and ‘what not’s’ a strong voice cut through his thoughts, full of promise, wonder and excitement...
“LAND AHOY!” shouted no other than captain Vasco himself. Everyone, including our dear De Srdet, run to have a first look of what they believed was to become their salvation