Chapter 93: Forgedhuman

"Ye really don't drink, do ye?" asked Lady Darcey approaching Ned. Raising a mug of liquor.

Ned shook his head. He wanted to leave, but out of respect with the crew, he chose to stay. Or wait for their slumber.

But Ned doubted that. How could alcohol knock them, when, almost every day they drink. Ned thought and tucked-in himself in the corner.

"We have a lot to choose here, ye know," she said. Waving her hand to convince Ned. "Island Draught, made from the seeds of Whitegrain Leaf growing only in Ebshon of Titan Cay."

Still, Ned remained silent.

"No, eh?" she said. "Then, how about Seafoam Crown? sweeter and stronger than the Seafoam ale, much expensive, but with the Mana stone ye gave, I can give ye a hundred barrel or two."

Ned shook his head. Almost yanked his head back the wall. Why would I need a hundred barrel of liquor? he thought.

"Still no? Princess Peach?"

"No," Ned muttered.

Winter Blend?"

"No."

"Island Waves?"

"No."

"Then, how about this, a drink only nobles could afford, last offer lad, not even freeborn or serfs laid an eye or smelled this one. Maiden's Cocktail?"

Ned sighed. Still shaking his head. "Not really interested, Captain," he said.

These past few days, Ned was feeling down with his magic that lost its purpose. He could always conjure different elements before—back the Empire of Sskat as a clone. But now that the skill 'Prime Evolution' arose, Ned was only limited to one element. Although Fire spells are stronger, their materialization was slow compared to other elements. Water was faster and more versatile. The wind was the fastest to conjure but lacks strength. This black energy must be the reason, it clogged if not hindering my magic processes. Ned thought.

Lady Darcey gave up. She waved her hand; a round and metallic token appeared. Hued ocean blue and glossy edges with some chipped markings. She tosses it to Ned, and it flipped midair.

Catching the coin, Ned studied it. On the other side of the token was a figure of a lady covered with some linen clothing, her earrings holed differently, from top to bottom of her earlobe. Ned flipped the token on his hand. Two blades making a cross. Underneath the blades was a map of Lady Darcey's old hometown. The map of her late baron. The Time to Loot's insignia.

"Time to Loot's token," she said. Feeling proud of looking at the map. "Ye're our new member, ye should have one."

Ned waved his hand, the ocean blue token then disappeared. Another token, what am I, an arcade machine? Ned shook his head. "Thanks, but I'm leaving."

"Doesn't matter, ye help us. That's the least us can do. Also," she said pausing. She looked at Ned's finger, the one where his spatial ring was attached. "Be careful using ye spatial ring lad, it costs a fortune. And people will sure to envy ye, too much envy, they might take away ye life."

A loud bang resonated with the tavern. The crew went sideways. Some of them stood almost fighting. Lady Baba on the other hand seemed to enjoy the show.

In the middle was a long table randomly placed with food. Ned could smell roasted meat. Which he already has eaten some. And only eaten food aside from alcohol. Shells, green weeds, some of them were smoking hot. Sleek and slimy seagrasses, acts as a tea if dried but taste the sweat and bitter if eaten raw and not dried.

"Here we go again," Lady Darcey said. "Lad, try to enjoy, gonna leave ye for a while."

As always, she smelled alcohol, but she seemed to be always on control. Her delicate muscles were highlighted under the shining lamp.

"Lada! Mila!" she cried. Her voice still loud even after she walked far from Ned. "Ye two again! enough! Lady Baba! More ale!"

The last part seemed to rung on the crew's resist ears. They stood yelling and yapping, the two fighting girls laughed. Crossed their hands on each shoulder, and sung, and hummed.

They're gloom when gloom. But extremely happy when they wanted to. Ned thought. Giving a meticulous look at the crew. If only these were my crew, I would still be in Sskat.

Ned jump off the barrel. Decided to leave and let the crew enjoy the night.

It's been two days, but Yaluk was still unconscious. He seemed fresh, the blood stopped on leaking, scratches started to heal. Bruises faded. He seems to heal fast.

The crew gave up on Echo. He might jump off the Lobby, took his chances, and swum the ocean. They checked every nook of the ship. And no sign of Echo. Or Ri'iarii, or Laphokov. Different names, one body. Who are you, Echo. Ned gave a silent shrug.

Ned stopped across Anita's coffin. Hocoff stood unmoving, his eyes were dead, yet his body was warm. Anita on the other hand went inside her coffin. Saying two days ago. 'Big Brother, Ned. Anita felt tired. I need to rest.'

"Look at you two?" Ned mumbled.

"Forgehuman," old and wobbly voice echoed behind Ned.

"Lady Baba," Ned said. Turning behind and gave a simple bow to the old pirate.

"Na," Lady Baba said. Waving the ale across her face. "We don't do honors here, were a pirate lad. Nice clothes by the way."

Ned nodded, arching a part of his lips. The blue light shone across the two, iron bars cast a shadow on the wooden floor. Lady Baba took an empty barrel and gave her self time to sit.

While Ned remained standing, gazing the Forgehuman giant. "Better than the baggy one," he replied. Ned insisted to change his clothes, and with enough persuasion; the crew took some old and confiscated clothing. Ned chose to wear a brown vest, under was a tight yet comfortable black long sleeves. And black trousers almost fitted perfectly within his size. Black Hunter's shoes with a line of white and blue on the side. Ned looked matured with his new clothes. "Got a spare time, Lady Baba?"

"Just saw ye leaving the banquet," Lady Baba said. Successfully fitted her self above the empty barrel. Drunk a shot of the mug, wiped clean the remaining liquid on her mouth, and gazed the giant. "Forgehuman, forgotten Relic of the Lost Kingdom."

Ned looked at the old lady. Even though seated in a long barrel, Ned was still an inch or two higher than her. Ned even wondered if Lady Baba was some kind of a dwarf. "Lost Kingdom?" he asked. Ned was always intrigued by new information that was thrown at him. He needed information to survive the world. So whenever he felt something that could give him things to think of. He was always eager to listen.

"Aye, thousands of years ago, There was once a prosperous kingdom. Magic, economy, technology, trade, even slaves, ye name it lad. They got everything they wanted. This was the time where Elves and humans considered themselves allies. If ye wish to learn more, join an academy or a guild. I'm sure they knew a thing or two about our history. As for me, given time, I read books. That's how I knew these things. Anyway, This kingdom is said to be the strongest kingdom spanning the continents. None knew the real name of the Kingdom, so seafarers, Hunters, and Explorers named it Lost Kingdom. They said, they never lost a battle. Aye, aside from their magic proficiency, their technology is or was far from the rest. They were ahead of their time," lady Baba lectured. Drinking a mug of ale every second or so to keep her mouth wet.

Ned went silent. He wanted to learn more about their technology. Letting Lady Baba continue her drink. "What happened to them?"

"Their strength; their demise, lad," she said. Her eyes glimmered with enthusiasm. "Ye see, having too much lad will not make ye stronger, nor wealthy. Too little, ye have none. Too much ye have a lot to handle. According to what I read, Forgehuman was their greatest weapon. Mechanical, no feelings, heck, can even use spells. Yet, some Forgehuman were immune to spell. One day, this... things went out of control, in a day—but me doubt that—maybe a month or so, they destroyed the Lost Kingdom. Now, in the continent of Nussantara Tuk'a lies the remnants of the Lost Kingdom."

Nussantara Tuk'a, a continent above Cassan and Titan's Cay. That was according to Anita's map. Ned thought. Ned needed to travel and have an adventure to prove that the map Anita has drawn was the real one. But it might take some time.

"As for the Forgehuman, no one knew where they are. Some say, only a handful left out of a thousand. And these," Lady Baba wavered for a second. Looking at the giant and the coffin. "These were one of them. How ye let them listen to ye was a wonder, really lad. Forgehumans only listen to their creator. But ye?" Lady Baba shook her head with admiration.

"Maybe they weren't Forgehuman at all," Ned muttered. "Maybe they were real humans. Played with their creator. Made fun of their feelings."

Exactly, just like me. Created with different kinds of mixtures. That's why maybe I was so attached to Anita. Because I knew, how it felt to be... different.

"Me doubt that lad," Lady Baba objected Ned. "Darcey hesitated before if she would accept ye offer. She was afraid, that maybe, just one day. Your sister might go out of control and... kill our crew—again."

There's that. Even me. I will never put the lives of my crew in danger. Ned thought. He turned around and faced Lady Baba. "Lady Baba," he said. "You're not really a pirate, are you?"

"Ye, lad, that discerning eyes of ye," she said. Drinking the last of her ale. "You're exactly like him. Lady Darcey's dead but never forgotten husband. Baron Charles."