It was cold. Intensely bitter cold. A certain thrill surged through my veins that was specific and familiar. A warm voice narrated my thoughts, but it wasn't mine. I flew through thin clouds of mist that's billowing was constant. A constant bite on my skin. A constant chill in my bones. A constant whistle in the air. I saw the ground. Snow covered rocks, towered above and below. There was no bottom to them; they sunk below sight and below clouds. There was hole in the wall. I flew inside, but it wasn't my choice. It was as if I was just looking through someone else's eyes. But before long, I was also listening into their thoughts. Yet both thought and sight were strange; like a concept more than a reality. The warm voice that spoke was the same- I wasn't hearing it or thinking it, I just knew it to be there. I lured me through rock and large shining crystals of foggy blue and green. Their sharp points increased my thrill, yet I was never concerned that I would touch them. They weren't there. I wasn't there. Where was I?

The warm voice lost its hold over me, as my own thoughts began to take priority in my mind. Yes, this was my mind. Where was I? Who was I? Was I an adventurer? A pirate? No... I was just Kota.

My eyes fluttered open and I found myself staring at the ceiling. My skin prickled with a familiar sensation. Heat. Yes, I wasn't in a snowy mountain, where was I. I sat up slowly, taking in my surroundings, my mind slow and groggy like I was underwater.

The ceiling was relatively high compared to what I was used to on Earth. It was made of some kind of brown stone that was smooth like tile. I sat on a bed that wasn't mine- but it was much more comfortable than mine. I fluffed the pillow, feeling its wool like filling. My eyes scanned the rest of the unfamiliar room before landing on a chair beside my bed. That's when my memory came back to me.

Lennon had sat there last night while she prepared me for echo-walking. I wished she hadn't, echo-walking exhausted me more than giving me rest. But tonight was okay. This echo-walk was thrilling and had an odd sense of warmth to it, unlike usual. But what memory had that been? I wasn't in my own body- or any body at all. And who was that voice that spoke in my head?

I tussled my hair and stood up, walking over to a nearby mirror to make sure I looked decent enough. The full-length mirror hung but a chain from the ceiling, just inches of the floor. My hair was a mess, brown strands poking out in every direction, and my hair elastic just hanging on. My pale skin was surprisingly less burned than I had expected. I rubbed my eyes, struggling to come back to reality. Lights flickered from outside, orange and subtle.

I decided to walk over the open window, where a relatively cool breeze cut through the warm thick air. It was night outside. So where were the lights coming from. When I reached the window, I sucked in a quick breath of surprise. All along the night sky were orange lights, like glowing lanterns extending from the desert sand and high into the air. I tried to peer closer, but through the lanterns, I couldn't see any people. Who was doing this?

Just in socks and the clothes I'd bought from the market, I walked out of the room, which read 'room 22', and made my way through the halls. It was a modest building, but large, clean and cozy. The halls were lined with numbered doors. A hotel; that's right. After we'd debriefed the captain about what we'd learned while at the marketplace, we'd taken more stags and travelled to the capital city, called The Great City of K'thal. I was impressed by the high standing buildings that seemed so out of place in this large and empty desert. Right on the edge of the city, we booked into the hotel. My memory was a blur after that. I remembered trying to stay awake while Lennon prepared the materials for my echo-walking journey.

Now I padded silently through the same halls, trying to find a window. Right as I spotted a large window after a bend in the hall, I came to a sudden halt. I heard my name being spoken from one of the doors. I back tracked a few steps and strained my hearing to pick up any words.

"How long before he wakes up?" I heard the captains voice say from behind the door. My stomach twisted in anticipation.

"Forty minutes," Lennon's quiet voice said, "He's never echo-walked for less than three hours." I could hear the captain tap her finger against her desk as she seemed to have a habit of doing. "With patience, I think it will work." Lennon added.

"I hope so. We can't stay in one place for long. But the mystery of the riddle is just... escaping me." Captain Talaedra sighed. I recalled that strange riddle she and Axe had discussed back on the Sea Warden. It had seemed familiar, yet far away in my memory. Like the dream from today.

"Have hope in me captain, I am confident my strategy will work. I expect results in the near future." Lennon said, confidence in her tone.

Someone cleared their throat, a voice that didn't belong to either of the women. A male voice spoke, laced with impatience. "I hope I'm not missing out on sleep to listen to you two talk about sleeping beauty."

"No, I have something important to notify you of, Noe." The captain said, her voice a strained sigh, like a weary parent breaking bad news to their teenage child. "Lennon, you're dismissed. Go pass my message on to Axe before you head to Kota's room, won't you?"

As footsteps approached the door I quickly dashed around the bend in the hallway, just in time to watch Lennon exit the room and head the opposite way. Once I was sure she was gone, I quietly dashed back to the captain's door. I wanted to be sure all talk of that strange riddle- and myself- were done, before I was satisfied.

I started listening in just in time to hear an angry "what?!" from Noe. "There's no way you think that Eastilian can compare with me!" I inwardly sighed.

"Well based on what I learned earlier tonight, this is a softer punishment than you deserve." Captain Talaedra said, her voice steady but laced with frustration.

"So, you admit it's punishment, not because he 'showed potential'" Noe hissed. "And what about Talaos? And Dune? and the Eastilian himself? They don't deserve punishment?"

"Enough!" The captain snapped. "My word is final. You will show him the ropes, then you two will work together. The venom in her voice increased as she spoke. "And I'm sure Kota will find plenty of punishment in working with you. You're dismissed."

Noe scoffed, the sound of his footsteps approaching as he spoke. "Oh, I will make sure he does." Once again, I made my way around the bend and waited. Noe exited the room, his usual green and white jacket was discarded, as well as his usual abundance of belts and necklaces. He was dressed the same as me- a black turtleneck sleeveless shirt and plain pants- which made me realise it might be the common under clothing in Azodu. When he was also out of sight, I relaxed a bit and made my way toward the large window.

There was a bench in front of it, which I sat on, and smiled a little as I saw the orange lanterns were still flying. The wonderful sight pulled my thoughts away from what I'd just overheard. Those thoughts, while being full of mystery, were also laced with disappointment. I had rather hoped after yesterday's events the tension between me and Noe would have lifted. I wasn't sure why I cared. Perhaps I just wanted to feel comfortable with these people. Like I belonged- no. That was silly. I wasn't desperate enough to seek company in pirates.

With my thoughts now pulled back to the lanterns, everything else in my mind seemed to evaporate. I could see them closer from this window. They were of all sorts of shapes, seemingly made of a thin rice-paper like material, the flame inside glowing warmly, instead of flickering like a flame. I wasn't sure how long passed before I heard footsteps behind me, then the voice of the captain.

"Beautiful aren't they." Her voice was tired but gentle. I glanced back at her and nodded in greeting, before returning my eyes to the view outside the window. She remained in her usual outfit- the loose fitted white shirt, brown leather pants and cloak, tattered high boots and the seemingly common layering of necklaces and belts. Her hair was not in its usual high, loose bun however, but had been let down, the brown ringlets bouncing around her shoulders as she walked.

I hummed in response to her statement.

"They're called fire-kites," she stated, a tenderness creeping through her tired voice. "They fly all over Azodu every night. I find myself missing them a lot." So, both her and Noe and from Azodu then.

"What are they for?" I asked, surprised when the captain chuckled lightly from behind me.

"They're animals. They hatch in the sand and fly up into space every night. Most die before the night ends." She stated. My eyebrows raised slightly, the scene more wonderous knowing they were not lanterns, but living creatures.

"Some people," she started, "believe they're trying to join their fellow lights in space. We see them as a symbol of adventure and purpose. They ever stray from their path. It takes a lifetime, but eventually, they succeed. They're like a lesson that you're reminded of every night."

I smiled a little at this. I didn't know pirates were so sentimental. But then, was I any better? A pirate-helping thief? The memory of hearing my gun shots followed by the screams of Kael's men flashed in my memory. No, I was kidding myself. I was a pirate-helping murderer.

~

I had looked out the window for another hour after the captain turned in for the night. I eventually gave into my tiredness and decided to head to bed myself. I wasn't used to getting much sleep. The last few years had left me with three hours or so to sleep, and before that was not much better. There was a faze, before Gran Shelly got sick, and after she convinced me to leave the Ashen's, where I couldn't stop sleeping. I remembered how I stayed in bed the whole day and got up only to watch the sun rise and set. But that luxury didn't last for long.

I had been distracted from my thoughts when I entered my room and found Lennon waiting for me. She seemed mildly surprised that I hadn't been in bed, but besides that, asked me to debrief my echo-walking journey as usual. I had attempted to put into words the strange feeling of the voice in my mind, and the sight of the snowy mountains filled with sharp crystals. I had gotten as far as mentioning "blueish green crystal things" but Lennon's eyes lit up. As soon as I finished explaining the echo-walk, she sprinted out of the room with energy I had never seen from her before.

I was then left wondering the significance of what I'd said as I drifted off to sleep.

~

I woke up as the first rays of sunlight entered my room through the window. It was warm, comfortable even. But I knew that wouldn't last. The hotel done a good job of blocking out a lot of heat, but I knew things would be different when I walked out into the unfiltered desert sun.

I climbed out of bed, slipping on my shoes and bandana and grabbing my belongings- my change of clothes that were shoved neatly into a bag.

I made my way to the living and refreshment area if the hotel, which was fairly empty, with only a handful of people scattered around the room. Most of the people present appeared to be Azodu travellers, which I identified from their cool clothing and dark skin. There were a few exceptions however, with an oddly short woman with a bob of white hair, sitting on a lounge on the far end of the room, and a man with long gold hair drinking something unidentifiable from a stool in the refreshments area. Besides these strangers, the captain, Talaos, Dune, Axe, Lennon and the twins sat in a circle, two C shaped lounges pushed close together. Their heads were close as they whispered to each other, mixtures of emotions visible on their faces. I sighed, remembering everything I'd overheard last night.

I decided to make my way to the refreshment area, which looked like a mini kitchen with stools on the outside. I ignored all the strange coloured liquids, eyeing a frosty bottle of water. I wasn't sure how this worked, did I just grab it? Did I have to pay for it?

"The server is just fetching more drinks." A voice said from beside me. I glanced over at the golden-haired man drinking a thick orange liquid from his glass. He reminded me of a golden retriever, the way that his long gold hair rested over his shoulders like two fluffy ears. His gold eyes seemed to look at me with intense interest or eagerness, like a dog looking at a ball. I decided to voice this thought, my morning voice croaking, "You look like a golden retriever", before I could stop myself. I glanced over at him again, only to see him tilt his head in question, a smile still playing his lips. He really was a golden retriever, I decided.

I sat on one of the stools and waited awkwardly for the server to return, trying to ignore the man's presence. Finally, a man in what I could only assume was this world's equivalent of a tuxedo, entered the room, walking behind the bar with more bottles of colourful liquids.

"Morning traveler" he greeted softly, his accent quite obvious to my ears. I couldn't pinpoint if it sounded more Italian, Arabic or Greek, which was an odd mixture I didn't know existed.

"Can I get a water please?" I asked, to which the man gave a curt nod and began wiping down a glass.

"Just water?" The golden-haired man asked from beside me, like I had said something strange. "You're not from around here, are you?" I internally sighed, trying to keep my expression casual and not panicked. Would asking for water really be the way I was finally discovered?

"You don't exactly look local yourself." I decided to say in a bored tone. Yes, confidence was key. Perhaps he would second guess himself.

The man only chuckled in response- or was it a giggle? My face scrunched at the man's odd response, something between irritation, judgement and amusement. I wasn't really sure.

"Ecethian maybe?" He asked, his head tilted again, like he was trying to solve a puzzle. "You lot always have bad taste for drinks." He waved his hand quickly, as if dismissing himself, before turning to the server who was beginning to unstop the bottle of frosted water.

"Reth su'tal anda, ma'an, ve's anna fel." He said, his Azodu accent suddenly obvious. I hadn't noticed it at all when he was speaking before.

The server looked hesitantly between the two of us before he placed the bottle of water down and began unstopping a bottle containing the same thick orange liquid the man drank.

"I'm not drinking that." I said, irritation creeping into my flat tone. "Whatever you told the server you can take it back now."

Again, the man responded with a half chuckle, half giggle, as if I somehow amused him. "It isn't poisoned if that's what you're thinking. I just asked him for su'tal." When I raised an eyebrow at this statement that was somehow supposed to reassure me, he added, "It's the juice of a native sun berry. Try it."

When the server placed the cup in front of me, I swirled it, revealing its thick consistency. This disgusted me, but I had to admit, the fresh fruity smell that came from it was attractive. Wanting to escape this interaction, I mumbled a thanks to the server and slid off my stool, drink in hand, not sparing the golden-haired man a second glance.

I made my way toward couches where the Sea Warden sat, inviting myself to sit in their circle. They paused their whispering for a moment, glancing at me, as if trying to decide if I was able to know the information they were discussing.

Talaos gave a small nod in my direction, the slightest smile cracking his serious face. It seemed yesterday had at least improved someone's impression of me.

Axe cleared his throat. "We were just talking about our next destination." He whispered, breaking the silence, which I was grateful for.

"We know where to go next?" I asked, taking a sip from my glass of 'su'tal', as the man called it. The thick cold liquid slid down my throat, somewhere between the consistency of orange juice and jelly. The flavour was sweet, reminding me of a soft drink, but also extremely sour, to the point of being borderline painful. I tried not to scrunch my face as my taste buds burned in response. I threw a glance at the refreshment area, where the golden-haired man still sat. A knowing smile pulled his lips as he held up his glass of su'tal before chugging the rest of it.

With a mixture of emotions, I turned my attention back to Axe, who was responding to my question. "Thanks to you, yes." He nodded. My eyebrows raised slightly at this. "Lennon told us about your last echo-walking journey. It seems we might have a clue as to where the rid- where our next clue is."

I nodded, remembering the snowy mountain with its crystal gave. "How do you know that memory even related to the treasure?" I asked. "I'm not even sure it was a memory at all. Can't it have simply been a dream?"

Axe shook his head in response, before explaining, "Everything that happens during an echo-walk is a memory. But from what you explained to Lennon, we theorise that what you experienced was a memory of an imagination."

I frowned in question, waving my hand for the man to continue. He smiled at my impatience and confusion. "You mentioned that you were not present in your own body, and that another voice narrated your thoughts. A pleasant one." When I nodded, he continued. "We theorise have that it may be that the Sea Dragon told you a story once, which resurfaced in your echo-walk as the image that her story had conjured in your mind. It's not common that echo-walks with manifest in such a way, but it is quite possible."

I sucked at the inside of my cheek in thought. It was strange to sit by why others tried to explain to me what was happening in my own mind. I glanced up as Noe entered the room. He glanced at us, spotted me, then scowled and turned to get a drink. Whatever the captain wanted me to help him with, it clearly put him in a sour mood. Even more than usual.

"So where is this place?" I asked, my attention returning to Axe and the people sitting around us.

"Laestrithan. The dimension of my people."

-Interdimensional Pirates
-April Bluebird/@BlueWhiskers1
-16/Nov/2025
-Chapter 20: Fire-kites
-3295 words
-1.25K 👁‍🗨, 292 🌟, 395 💭