Chapter 152: Calming Waves

"Otto," Toni said breaking in a whisper. I'm coming, hold on and wait for me. Her thoughts broke after a man, hooded in black, walked passed behind her.

It has been four months after they left O'rriadt, or forced to leave. Cramped inside Antito's merchant ship, Toni and the rest did nothing but to wait for the waves and wind to carry them over the seas of Scattered Bay.

Four months and Toni could almost memorize the ship's crew and passengers. Granny Lola and Lady Zoreena took care of the orphan kids. Sasani, with the lingering Coco, took part as scouts for the captain. With her taming skills, she could use it to capture the flying creature's senses to see the vast ocean ahead. With this, she became well known with the crew that almost all of them recognized her.

Thanks to some of the passengers, most of the citizens from O'rriadt had forgotten what had happened back in their homes. Passengers like Okkil their jester, son of a fisherman from Dragonshore, and Okkir—his twin brother, helped Lady Zoreena to take care of the orphans and share stories of wits. After they deliberately made themselves clowns, the two then proceeds to help Xi to fish. In a hurry to leave the chaos in O'rriadt, or to survive, the crew had managed to haul a small amount of supply.

Antito, the owner of Antita merchant ship, was passing by O'rriadt. He decided to dock for a night to enjoy the island's freedom and a mixture of races, boozes, perhaps to crack some teacup when the Gate broke and was caught in the middle of it.

Furious, he's got no choice but to run along the waves together with the fleeing citizens of O'rriadt.

Together with some Handlers and Antita's crew, Xi took the liberty to join them to fish. Once or twice depending on the waves and the weather, the merchant ship stopped sailing and let the crew go underwater to hunt for fish to complement their lack of resources and food.

Xi was amazed by the crew's resilience to go underwater without having to breathe for almost ten to fifteen minutes. Aside from their captain and his second in command, the rest of the crew were Hollows. Aging from nineteen and thirty being the oldest. Antito's crew were Adjao, an ethnic race far the edges of Scattered Bay and Titan's Cay—they live by fishing. Adjao's training at a young age made them go underwater for a long time.

Toni looked blanked. She turned, almost jumping, after the hooded man passed behind her.

The ship was busy, crews running here and there. Passengers or citizens of O'rriadt helped by scrubbing the deck, as they were forced to do so. If not, Antito would charge them and if passengers couldn't pay, they will be abandoned to the first island they saw. But no—no island for almost four months. There was once or twice, but empty. No trees and food, so the ship sailed forward.

What would happen if Adjao's were Magic Capable. Toni shook her head. Four months and this was her routine. Think of what if's of different scenarios running in her mind. What would happen if the ship decided to pass the Under Current and be hit by storms? Again, Toni shook her head. It was decided, by the three bigshot running the ship—for now, that passing Under Current will destroy their ship. As Antita wasn't made to pass a strong current like the Under Current. Which made their travel far slower.

Antito the owner and Sedas, the man in Toni's eye was the busy one and the anxious of them all, the captain of the Handlers. Toni rarely talked with them, the Handlers, since they find them unapproachable. Toni talked to Sedas one time after they ran out of food almost a month ago, together with Xi, they decided to help the crew and the ship.

It was high noon, and during this time of an hour, Sedas liked to talk with the rest of the Handlers. Eight including Sedas was left of the Handlers. Dark and thick eyebrow, heavy jaw, and wide shoulder, Sedas became the respected man second to the Captain of the ship.

Captain Bajo, the captain of the Antita merchant ship. Toni concealed her curiosity in front of the others. But she was curious about the Adjao sea tribe. With enough Picas and food, they were like slaves that would follow their master's command. It's just that, they weren't slaves, but their master was Antito. This must be the reason why the merchant specifically chose Adjao's to be his shipping crew.

After losing nearly half of his crew from the mindless beasts, Captain Bajo rarely went out of his captain cabin. Yet, he handled Antita with care. Afraid that he might lose the remaining of the crew and passengers. Although sturdy, Antita ship was made of hardwood, with a double mast and an old rook's nest. The sail was tattered and Toni wondered how did Antito keep sailing with the situation of his ship. This must be taxing on Captain Bajo's part.

"They'll be fine, young lady," it was Granny Lola, she's frailing and old. This must be why she walked like sneaking, Toni hadn't realized that old Granny was on her side squinting her thin and sagging eyes. A thick book embossed inside an old bag hanging securely on her shoulder.

"I... I was," Toni said, looking at her fidgeting fingers. After the event of O'rriadt and the apprehension of her missing brother deep-rooted into her mind. Toni was having a repeated nightmare of her parents the day they were separated. And it was then that her stuttering started to occur frequently. "B... B-but how will they leave the island?"

"You worry too much," Granny said, moving to the other side of Toni. Her right hand, with sagging skin, leaned the wooden railings of the ship. "Will was a hunter. Well... Former hunter he was. Before I met him, that guy was so reserve—he barely talks. He doesn't have someone to rely on. Until one day, he came to my shack carrying a child like a cub. That fool—he doesn't want to take Ned."