It was evening when they set sail. They had their meal on board, consisting of the most mediocre of dishes, hardtack with a side of salted meat of various origins, like found in the army; often why many soldiers took any opportunity to search better food when encamped.

They later walked the main deck with darkness covering the sky above them. You could feel the winds blown from the north all throughout the ship, sending chills down everyone's spine, reminding them of the fowl place that Greymeria often felt like if not covered in multiple layers of cloth or fur.
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When the third night came, things were already becoming tedious. Nothing but water dotted the landscape, and the only sight to be had was the moonlight and stars covering the water's surface like a blanket of shimmer, of glow. However, they knew those sights would only be temporary.

"Be best we sleep. The cold will eat away our skin if we stay any longer." Zoran said, packing away his journal and climbing the ladder down to the lower deck.

Valora ignored Zoran, for she was distracted by the clear waters and open sky full of wondrous stars, light covering the sea.

"Come on, let's go." Theodren said to Valora as he gently grabbed her right hand.

She continued looking at the sky with the starlight reflecting from her ice blue eyes. Theodren approached once more.

"What does it remind you of?" He looked at her, both of them with their hands on the edge of the ship on the main deck.

"This world is vast with so many mysteries that two eyes cannot comprehend. Sometimes they bring joy to an innocent child, while others bring sorrow and rejection." She let out a sigh, with her breath spewing in every direction like a cloud by the cold in each word emitted.

Theodren was confused, but tried to compensate.

"We'll never know where our path might lead us, but we can always hope it'll end with blaze and glory, regardless of the outcome." Theodren grinned back.

Just as quick as he arrived to meet her face, he was gone; returning to the bottom deck as if he released his gentle grip on her hand, not knowing where that grip could ever had led.
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On the last approach to night in reaching the coast of that northern land, two weeks; within the calm rest in the silence of the open waters came a loud set of footsteps and voices.

There, beyond those subtle realities of a swaying ship and filthy smells of every member on board, a bang shook the boat to the left and right, causing all inhabitants nearing sleep to spring out from their beds. It was from the ship's head it seemed, and there the captain came down the ladder weapons in hand, shield on his left, sword sheathed also on his left, and right gripped on a creaking ladder.

"We are under attack by sea raiders! Take cover; and to those who've been trained in arms, come with me!" He ordered.

"Sea raiders?" Sven said undeniably nervously, shock and confusion awakened on his face.

Around in the dark of the lower deck you could hear many voices becoming aware of the situation, as frightened as Sven; little children beginning to cry, though comforted by their mothers.

"Well, that means us." Zoran said to the others calmly.

"What would sea raiders want with a passenger ship?" Sven asked, beginning to panic.

"Slaves, likely. Hostages to keep their wealth running." Theodren replied just as calmly as his brother, though more focused.

A young girl approached them during their conversation, a child-like hand a gentle grip to Carrion's coat, whispering in a soft voice, "What's going to happen to us?"

Carrion smiled at her, gently putting his hands by her little shoulders, saying, "You will be fine, don't you worry."

The young girl's mother heard what he said, calling her daughter back to her. The mother seemed rather old to have such a young child, but in the dark of the room it was hard to really tell, as no more than a lantern on a barrel lit the room. She lifted the girl into her arms, holding her in a cradle, kissing her forehead and stroking her hair.

"You will return, won't you?" The mother asked.

"Hopefully." Continued Carrion, smiling back.

He turned away from her, taking his grip at the ladder and climbing up; the others already at the surface.

As soon as he reached the sky above, a whiff of smoke choked his breath, surrounding each of them from every side. They could hear screams in the near distance, no more than twenty feet in front of them. Some of agony, some of fear, and to the strangest of them all, of raiders. The screams those raiders gave were terrifying, like an animal, it growled; inhuman, but they knew of its origin.

In the sight of it all, they could hear the captain calling to them.

"What's the situation...captain?" Carrion asked with uncertainty, of worry.

"My men are fighting hard as it stands. Get suited up, quickly!" He replied, shouting to his men while swaying off nearby enemies, weapons in hand. "Back at them, boys! Teach them the hell that comes to challenging the Lorlynian fleet!"

They looked around them. Bodies laid beneath them, weapons impaled or rested beside them. They grabbed what they could, just as quickly as the smoke began to fade from the burned out fires.

After they each took their last weapon, the place became...silent.... Strange...beyond them there arrived footsteps, and they could see a figure, a raider, walking closer to them. They seemed to be surrounded by others, undetermined by the dark of night.

"On the dirt with you!" One said. "Less ye want 'em dead." The captain was right under the raider, a dagger placed beside his nervous throat.

"Ye 'ave two choices: keep ye weapons to ye feet, or die." The raider gave an almost cocky looking response, pointing his eyes in every direction back and forth.

He had a strange, foreign accent; yet almost like those from the lowest parts of the slum. His skin was red, a long hooked nose pointed down from its grotesque bridge, but with at least enough politeness to at least wear a helmet to cover his greasy hair. From ten feet away and you could still smell piss and corpses like a cloak over his skin.

The sound of steel was heard banging against the wooden deck, they all looked to Theodren. The man grinned, like holding back a psychotic laugh.

"The-" Zoran was cut off.

"Do as he says." Theodren whispered back, the terrified captain looked in relief, the raiders laughed.

"Ha! Typical sailor scum.... Too worried about death to fight back." The raider spat at the ground, the rest continued laughing.

The raider then gripped the captain's throat once more, pointing the dagger at its right side as if he was trying to hug it. The captain started to cry for mercy, moaning in fear for his life. The man soon had enough and gave up his grip to another one of his men. The man unsheathed his rusty old sword and pushed Theodren to his knees as if he was to plead for his own life.

Theodren looked to Valora, whom was terrified half to death, but mostly confused. He didn't even give a word to her, just stared, grinned, and then a wink. Before the raider even knew what happened, Valora threw a dagger through the center of his right arm.

The man cussed at Valora in much distaste. With a single bash to the head, Theodren pushed the man back so far one would think his backside would burn. At least a quarter of the ship was crossed over with him dragging on it. He, with such a weak body at that moment, head dazed, stood up with his rusty Greymerian blade in grip.

"Take em down, all 'ye! I'll handle these two." The raider commanded his crew, struggling to speak while keeping balance, holding the captain by the throat once more.

They sliced back and forth, hitting their swords together continuously, for Theodren wished to bring an end to the duel rather quickly.

"You know? Maybe we are cowards, but you're forgetting one thing about us." Theodren said while pushing the raider's back from his own, overpowering him.

"And wha' might tha' be?" The man replied, struggling to keep balance, but still with a grin showing off his crooked yellow teeth. "We've faced greater threats than you could ever dream of being." Theodren replied while forcefully pushing his foe's sword further away from them both.

The man's legs began to shake, his guard made unstable. He was terrified by what he said, though still doubtful.

He kicked Theodren on his right leg, jolting his sword towards the captain's face, hitting the man with the blunt end unintentionally, knocking him out. Theodren cut the grip of the raider's sword as he stared at the mess the man made.

"I tried to duel you fairly, but as you seem to desire using more than what's accepted, it is over." Theodren stared the man down, being much taller than him.

The raider was unable to fight. He stood, putting his hands behind his back in defeat, head looking down.

"Kill me!" The man persisted. "Slice me head from me shoulders!" He begged, resting beneath him while his knees were placed on the deck floor.

Theodren turned from him for a glance, still aiming his sword against the man's throat. He looked at his crew being slaughtered, all with looks of terror at their leader's demise.

"You lost...everything." Theodren said, looking back to the cowering man.

No more raider was left standing. Blood poured all across the deck, dripping down to the floor below them, frightening the passengers. You could hear their muffled screams, for they did not know who the victor was.

"We will take you to the nearest port in captivity. Your punishment belongs to those you've killed." Theodren stabbed his sword into the wooden deck. "Let them rest knowing they have been avenged."

"Sven!" Valora called in realization, noticing the screams from below.

She ran to the ladder to climb down, the sound of banging wood standing out from the wooden planks screeching in the waves, making all who stood hidden below to turn to her.

"Sven, I know your cries better than anyone. Come out." She said, walking further towards them all.

You could hear footsteps growing near to her in the dark, and there the young man was shaking as he approached, hugging her in safe grip.

"There there. You'll get used to the sight of death soon enough." Valora said, patting Sven's back as she held him in embrace, though wishing he'd turn away, as a crowd did seem to gather near to them to witness what was occurring.

"A bit grim, but she's not wrong." Carrion added, climbing to the bottom step of the ladder, the brothers close behind.

"Ah, right." Zoran said, looking at the crowd hidden behind crates and bedding, seemingly shaking. "Do not be afraid and continue to cower in the crates. Be free, no longer carry this burden: a burden of fear and unknowing. The fight is now over."

The passengers got up from the blankets and storage crates soon after, seeing three men and an eyru girl shadowing the little light coming from the ladder. When the appearance beamed on them, they cheered, knowing that they were once again safe. The young girl from before came out quickly to approach Carrion with open arms. She hugged him while thanking consistently for saving her.

"There's no need to thank me." Carrion said. "The others have done more than I." He smiled while standing at her level. The girl then ran to the others one by one, hugging them, and thanking them repetitively.

"Ilaria!" Her mother shouted.
"Yes, mum?" She asked, the most innocent and lightly pitched voice one could ever hear.

"Be grateful for what they've done, but don't harass them with love and affection."

"Why? They have done good things for us."

"We are adults, Ilaria. Unlike children, hugging shows you appreciate and love them. Treating them not as strangers, but as family."

"It's alright, m'lady. There is no need to worry, she has done no wrong." Carrion kneeled to the little girl's level, rubbing her soft and thin young hair with a friendly smile, returning to his feet to face her mother. "In all honesty, you should thank her for being so grateful."

"Ugh!" The woman growled, taking Ilaria by her side, and walked away.

The room grew awkward at that occurrence, though highly muffled by the other voices within the crowd, sailors on the deck above.

"I wonder what her problem is." Carrion said in a whisper, scratching his head as he spoke to Valora.

"Best you avoid worrying. Just get some rest." Valora replied back in an equally whispered voice.
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In the bustling of the Yori night, of drunkards about their tumbling walks in the crumbling snow, there a voice of a man hooded in black began humming a tune in a rather cold, slow, sadistic manner.

From here to cold waters, these fools seem to tread

A place of fowl whispers, a face of cruel dread

Looking on to the road side, they will meet the wind's gloom

And like a ghost in its chasm, they will meet their last room