TRAVIS

Travis frowned as Paragon trembled. 'You're ok,' he promised as he stoked her shoulder as she watched his father. "Dad! It's ok!" Travis slowly walked around the silver sea serpent's wing, "put the axe down."

"That monster will hurt you!" The master shipwright tightened his grip on the weapon. "Get away while I have it distracted!"

The assailant's axe suddenly disappeared in a swirl of white mist. "Dylan, calm down." Light's words held power as he calmly stepped between Paragon and the shipwright like he subtly laced the calming words with suggestive magic. "Travis is safe; Paragon will not hurt him. She wouldn't purposely harm any of her crew members. They are magically bonded."

The older man stopped his charge but acted as if he didn't hear Light. "What did you do to my weapon!?" He fumed. "Give it back! And get off my island!"

"It's in your office, but you don't need it presently." Light answered.

I can't just stand here. Dad is my problem, not Light's, nor Paragon's. Travis frowned as he saw Paragon struggling to calm down. "I'll handle this." Travis gently whispered as he stroked Paragon's head, and the white-clad Stellan slowly nodded. "He is my dad." The liveship captain took a deep breath, then stepped out of Paragon's circle of protection. "Dad! Paragon is my friend! She's no threat."

"Is that what you do when you come out here?" Travis's dad spoke harshly. "You think I don't know that you sneak out here!?"

Travis frowned, then took a deep breath. "Dad, Paragon is a magic ship—well, was. She's the one that rescued me when I was shipwrecked."

"She helps people!" Myrllen stands next to Travis.

"She's helped all of us." Marin nodded as she stepped forward.

"I won't let you hurt her." Costasiella protectively expanded her horns as she joined the rest of her crew.

"Stop spouting ridiculous lies—" Dylan Woodgrain began.

"DAD!" Travis yelled, and his father looked at his son with a startled gaze. "I would have died without her! I'm not going to let you attack her!" Travis's clenched fists trembled as he took a deep breath. "This is the Paragon who saved me! "Paragon is the White Phantom's living figurehead, the last part of that mythical ship that's not beneath the ocean. And I want to go back out into the world with her and my crew!"

"Preposterous! This is a monster!" Travis's dad barked as he recovered from his shock. "You're not qualified to be a captain! You're a greenhorn! I'm not sending you out so I will never see you again! How do I know if part of what you told us last night was just a fish story!?"

"It was all true! Some of the money I brought home wasn't even modern currency!" Travis retorted. "Dad, once in your life will you listen to me! I know I'm not as strong as Samson or as smart as Reuben, but you never even gave me a chance to be my own person!" Travis panted. "And when I finally become a ship captain, more than you ever expected of me, you don't see me any different! I don't think you even value me as a living person!" I don't think you even love me. Travis at least had the courtesy to refrain from saying the last part.

The senior Woodgrain looked at Travis, shocked by the outburst.

Travis slowly recovered control over his breathing and emotions. He tried to send a calming feeling to the anxious sea serpent behind him. "And dad, given the opportunity, I would do it again. I'm Captain Travis Woodgrain of Paragon." He firmly stood in front of his parental figure.

"It's all true," Light stood behind Travis, his words tinged with magic. "All of it." Admittedly, Travis was glad the magical being was there to help convince the stubborn man Travis called his dad.

The shipbuilder stared at this son in pure shock for several moments. Eventually, Travis's father recovered. "Who do you think you are?"

"I am Light, the embodiment of Lihania and overseer of the construction of the original Paragon, though some knew her as The White Phantom." Light calmly offered a hand for the shipwright to shake.

The master shipwright's eyes reflected a grain of respect for a fellow master shipbuilder. Admittedly, Travis wasn't surprised his father listened to someone of his profession more than his son. "And my son was her captain." His stern tone was more of a probing question than a statement as he eyed the outstretched hand.

"Paragon chose him. As a magical ship, she is allowed to choose for herself." Light answered and calmly lowered his hand. "Many sailors believe ships can choose; Paragon is just more obvious in declaring her choices."

"She looks like a monster, not a ship." The stern man huffed and glared as Paragon slowly approached.

Travis frowned and put a hand on Paragon's head, which remained lowered in her defensive stance. She was still her increased size but too nervous to think about shrinking. However, she was with him, supporting her captain and crew. He paused, then smiled a bit at Paragon. "Why don't we show him what you can do?"

Paragon blinked, then slowly returned the grin and nodded. She stepped back, then began to construct her ship. A massive keel formed beneath her, spreading in both directions with planks jutting out of the sides as the ship's center structure extended. Paragon climbed the keel as the bow formed, then reclined on her favorite spot, the bowsprit, as the large white merchant vessel fully formed. The word Paragon proudly emblazoned the side of the ship in silver letters.

"Wonderful craftsmanship, Paragon." Light praised in a caring voice.

"Woah," Marin exhaled in awe while Costasiella stood in pure shock. Both looked up at the sea serpent standing on the ship's bow above their heads.

Travis smiled up to Paragon, then looked at his father. "This is Paragon's magic. She's a magic ship," Travis stared at his dad's awestruck face, "my partner, and our ship." He paused, then grinned a bit. "Would you like a tour?" A rope ladder dropped over the railing from the main deck and stopped just before it hit the sand. Travis started to climb the rope later, not caring if his parent followed or not.

"How do you plan to get this vessel off the beach?" The master shipwright called from below.

"Paragon can handle it," Travis answered as he stepped onto the deck, which was thankfully level, "this is probably the first time she has been beached, but she can use her magic to get out of it." He walked up to the forecastle deck and approached his friend. "Isn't that right?" He stroked Paragon's head.

"Easily." The sea serpent boasted.

Myrllen climbed onto the deck, amazed. "Paragon! You're amazing!"

"I agree." Travis smiled and nodded as he stroked Paragon's head while she looked a little embarrassed. She wasn't used to the praise. He didn't mind her larger size. As long as Paragon was happy, he was as well.

Both looked toward the older man as he stepped onto the deck and glanced around.

"I'll handle him," Travis promised and approached the railing. "You focus on getting into the water." As Paragon nodded, the human jumped down to the main deck and approached his parent.

"This.... Is a beautiful ship." The experienced shipwright admitted.

Travis blinked in shock as he ears waves sure around the ship and gently lifted it off the sand. Without rocking, Paragon slipped into the deeper water off the shore. Travis's dad inhaled. "I'm sorry, you've accomplished much more than I ever dreamed." He smiled softly, "how about that tour?"

"Sure, Dad." Travis smiled softly.

Author Notes!

Thank all of you for reading this far. I amorally grateful for all your nice comments.

This is the last full length chapter, but there will be one more chapter.

Thank you for so much!