Chapter 278: Prince Aesril: Journey, IV

"I can't help it," said Prince Aesril after he was surrounded by the crew. "But don't blame me if this ship sinks together with the items inside the locked doors."

"That should be it," Captain Creft said. "I am aware of the outcome, young Ely. But Dacota is all I've got. It was already fortunate that we escaped storms from the last three days. Let us handle things from here on."

Gelethorn raised an eyebrow. Calling the prince young seemed to tick something inside him.

It should be. Prince Aesril was generations older in terms of human to elven age ratio. Since elves don't age faster than humans did, Prince Aesril was looking young, perhaps 18 or 19 in human's age of preference.

Prince Aesril tagged Gele's broad shoulders.

Gele looked over his shoulder and nodded.

No matter what attitude the humans show to them, they were there to travel to O'rriadt with fewer delays if possible.

The prince frowned. If the ship was destroyed, they might reach O'rriadt much longer than the two months he had expected. They must do something about this.

Captain Creft raised a hand, signaling the crew behind him to leave. And so they did, that also includes Edok. The ashen grey-haired man left the group with a grin as he proceeds to the end of the ship where a crowd started to gather.

All that was left were Prince Aesril, Gele, Captain Creft, and merchant Jack. They all stood near the edge of the ship, along the iron railings. Behind the captain was the crew trying to rush things as they sail to outspeed the magical beasts Zealot. Behind the prince was the ocean in a blurring motion, the ship has started to gain its speed. Dacota racked as though fighting with waves.

"How long till the storm hits us?" Captain Creft asked while Jack stood with his arms crossing.

Although pale, Gele was holding his balance fairly well as the ship racks back and forth.

"Four."

"Days?"

"Hours."

Jack cocked a shoulder hearing how confident Prince Aesril was with his declaration. "You can predict that close?"

Prince Aesril nodded without a second delay, showing how valid his so-called prediction was.

"The air is getting warmer and heavy," Prince Aesril explained. "Normally, the air was cool above the ocean. But there were times that acute changes occur when a storm was coming. Mostly it happens when a storm is two to four hours close."

Except for Prince Aesril and Gele, all eyes were over the horizon, bewildered. The sky was blue; just how it should be, clear of any dark clouds. The sun was up; warm. Except for one thing, no flying creatures. Aside from the roaring crews bellow deck, and the crew gathering behind the ship, the ocean was closest to quiet.

"You could tell all these, how?"

No matter how Captain Creft views the horizon, there were no indications of an upcoming storm.

"There were things that lose value once uncovered of the hidden truth." Prince Aesril looked to his right (where the crew was gathering), from there, he could feel a good amount of mana in a tight spot.

Captain Creft and Jack looked at each other and nodded. Even if they do not speak, Prince Aesril knew that they have agreed not to press him any further.

"I'll believe you," Jack said as he approached Prince Aesril.

All that Gele cared about was the safety of Prince Aesril. So much, that anyone wanted to get closer to the prince he moved swiftly as though his body was wired to do only one thing: be a shield for the Prince.

But Prince Aesril held Gele's arm as he was about to block the merchant.

Nothing could be done since all that Gele cared about was his prince and his words. But even though he was standing beside the prince, his awareness was always on the double.

"If you're right," Jack said as though whispering. "There's nothing to worry about. I and the Captain have been together for a long time, and we knew how well Dacota could handle storms. But if you insist to stop the ship. Then, I and the Captain will have no other choice but to put you back scrubbing the deck. I like you—I do, it saved me tons of gold. Since for the last three days, we did not encounter any storms—might be you; might be luck—but I hoped it's really you. But if you send your thick-headed complex brother next time to tell us to stop the ship, I might change my mind and the Captain's mind to throw you together with the Zealots."

Under the prince's gaze was Gele's hands in a tight fist. Blood lost its way to his fist that it turned pale. But he also knew that the prince doesn't want to cause too much attention, so he instead tried to keep himself calm.

Merchant Jack whispered but it was deliberately loud that the Captain heard it, yet did nothing. Not even changes on his eyes, perhaps a move to at least stop Jack. None.

From these, Prince Aesril knew who the real Captain of the ship was.

Before Prince Aesril reacts, he ran scenarios in his head:

First: they lack the proper knowledge in terms of sailing the high seas. It's not that elves do not know how to sail or be one with the ocean. But because, after the Great Race War, elves were sent to a faraway land that there were no seas, not even rivers, they could see. Surrounding the Great Tree of Pin'tu was an infinite fog of darkness that even High Elves were unable to measure how far the fog of darkness stretches.

Second: they do not have the map of the Seven Seas nor the ship to travel it. Even if Prince Aesril asked Gele to eliminate humans and any other witnesses, what now? Prince Aesril read books, a lot of them, but none of them were of travels at the sea. And even if they have a map, they would be lacking manpower to sail the ship. He could use Wind magic to push the ship. But he wasn't the Maker; his mana was deep but finite.

Third: The red dust behind the locked door, in the second level, reminds him of S'tor: a powdery thing Elder Calanye was studying as it pushes the limits of any subjects who were taking it. But in return, S'tor depletes the mana of the subject, and once depleted they collapse. Others were even comatose after taking in S'tor in a massive amount.

And if Prince Aesril was right, S'tor could be used to him. Once used, he was unable to control his mana and it might disrupt the flow to the Mask of Caree—revealing who they were.

It seemed that they boarded the wrong ship this time.

"I get it," Prince Aesril said in a voice so stern Jack took a step back as though he was talking to a different person. "This is your ship"—eyes gazing at Captain Creft—"we ought to follow the rules you were implying. Right, Captain Creft?"

Jack nodded but not to the Prince but Captain Creft. After which, the Captain started to move as though given an order and went above the railings to his steering wheel. From there, he issued commands to secure the safety of his ship—if it was his after all.

"Good thing we're on the same boat here." He winked. "Don't worry, accommodations, foods, and anything you needed will be given for your kind service, and if there was indeed a storm in the next four hours, you might get something more in return."

Not that he wanted any other things, but Prince Aesril took it that he might be given the chance to check what was behind the locked door.

"I will be waiting for that."

Jack left and went above the captain's cabin where Captain Creft was maneuvering the wheel with pride.

Prince Aesril focused and the mana around him move to his own accord then formed another barrier. To be safe, he added an extra layer if someone was using spying magic to spy on them. There was none, but this doesn't put Prince Aesril at ease. They were a race hunted and turned to slaves after all.

"Gelethorn," he said after he checked the surrounding.

From what Gelethorn could hear from the prince's voice, he was about to issue an order. That was why he conjured invisible barriers to distort their voices.

"My Prince," Gele said. His hands were crossed behind his waist. The snappiness of his voice and movement were achievable only with many years of training under his own Father, The Elven General.

"Tú blask na bjo," Prince Aesril said.

Even if high-tier spying magic could penetrate the barrier Prince Aesril conjured, they needed a hundred more years to understand their language.

"What is the task, my Prince?"

"We'll make use of Caree. Check what is inside the locked room. Get samples. If danger arises, flee immediately," he ordered. "But you are not allowed to kill anyone—for now."

"What about you, my Prince?" Gelethorn said after he confirmed the task with a nod.

"It's been days since I never held a bow." Prince Aesril waved a hand and the invisible barrier vanished along with his commanding aura and was swapped with a smile.

He then walked going to the end of the ship where a dozen of the crew in bows were shooting at the Zealots that were trying to climb the ship via the rope attached to the edge.

Judging from the emerging Zealots, and the silhouette under the sea, there were at least a couple of hundreds.