The boat rocked gently now, the chaos from earlier giving way to silence and wide-eyed awe. Leo Geyer stood on the ruined deck, chains coiled loosely around his arms like sleeping snakes. Bits of kraken sludge dripped from his armor, and the torn red cloak on his back fluttered in the ocean breeze.
Nobody said anything at first.
Kajala was the first to break the silence. "Okay—what the heck was that?!"
Leo turned slowly, wiping something sticky off his shoulder. "That," he said in his deep, cocky voice, "was me saving your lives. You're welcome."
Rei narrowed his eyes. "You... strangled a kraken. With chains."
"Did I?" Leo said, tapping his chin with his gloved finger. "Hmm. I must've blacked out from sheer greatness."
Rika leaned toward Elrya and whispered, "He's full of himself. I like him."
Elrya, calm as ever, brushed sea salt off her cloak. "He's strong. And weird. That's two for two."
Lancer limped up from the lower deck, holding a now-empty rum bottle. "That… was the weirdest Tuesday I've ever had," he muttered, eyeing Leo with one raised brow.
Leo twirled one of his chains like a lasso, then let it hang lazily from his shoulder. "You're lucky I showed up. That thing would've turned your boat into soup. A little bird told me you were heading to Esteria. Thought I'd tag along."
Rei stepped forward. "Wait. Your The legendary beast tamer?"
Leo flashed a grin. "The one and only. The myth, the legend, the absolutely gorgeous."
"You were supposed to be dead," Kajala said. "Or, you know, fake."
"I get that a lot," Leo said, picking his teeth with the end of his chain. "But no, just sealed. Long story short, some ancient royal freak named the Lock Queen didn't like me being too awesome and slapped a curse on me. Can't use my feline beasts anymore. Pretty rude."
Rika perked up. "Wait, feline? So like cats?"
"Lions, tigers, panthers if it purrs, I own it," Leo said. "Or used to. Now they're shadows trapped in a space between places. I can still feel them, though. They're angry. Hungry. Miss me."
Kajala leaned in to Rei. "He's either really powerful or really nuts."
"Both," Rei whispered back.
Leo leaned against the rail and looked at the horizon. "You kids are headed to Esteria, huh? Bet you don't even know why."
Rei frowned. "We weren't told. Just that it's important. The Guild said we'd find out when we get there."
"Well," Leo said, spinning his chain, "I do know. Or at least, I know that Esteria's not the same as it used to be. Things have changed. Old kings disappeared, old beasts woke up. And I've got a feeling your mission... is gonna get ugly."
Lancer scratched his beard. "Could've told us that before we got on the boat."
Leo smirked. "Where's the fun in that?"
The crew gathered below deck that night, some trying to sleep, others cleaning weapons or eating. Kajala somehow managed to hang his shirt from the ceiling beam like a flag. Regulus knocked over three mugs just trying to find his own. Rika tried to teach Elrya a weird dance she made up, and Elrya participated in exactly two steps before sitting down again.
Leo sat near Rei, drinking something out of a chipped steel flask. "You're the quiet one," he said. "What's your story?"
Rei looked away. "Nothing special. No magic. Just... stubborn."
Leo raised a brow. "No magic? And you're still alive? You've either got guts or death wishes."
"Both," Rei replied dryly.
Leo laughed. "I like you."
As the night deepened, the group slowly quieted. The sea outside calmed. Leo stood again, his gaze lingering on the dark waves outside.
"You should all get some rest," he said. "Tomorrow... things get real."
The next morning, the sun peeked over the horizon, painting the sky with streaks of orange and pink. The boat creaked and groaned as it sliced through the waves, carrying the tired but hopeful crew closer to their unknown destination.
Kajala was already up, sprawled on the deck with his armor half off, trying to untangle his whip from a seagull that had gotten way too close. "Hey! Get off me, you feathered pest!" he shouted, flapping his arms.
The seagull, clearly not impressed, squawked loudly and flew off, leaving Kajala with feathers stuck in his hair. He grumbled as he yanked them out one by one.
Nearby, Regulus was having his own problems. "Why does this always happen to me?" he muttered, stepping backward only to trip over a coil of rope and faceplant right into the barrel of salted fish.
Rika burst out laughing. "Smooth, Reg! Real smooth!"
Regulus groaned but gave a weak smile. "Thanks for the support, Rika."
Elrya, standing calmly at the railing, watched the chaos unfold. "You all act like this is your first time on a boat."
Rika grinned. "Maybe it is for some of us."
Kajala sat up, glaring at the fish barrel. "At least Regulus isn't trying to wrestle birds."
Leo appeared from below deck, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Sounds like I missed the morning show."
"Just the usual madness," Kajala said, fixing his hair with a frustrated sigh. "This bird tried to make a nest on my head."
Leo laughed. "You know, I once tamed a wild cat that did the same thing. Except it left claws."
Rei, who'd been leaning quietly against the mast, finally spoke up. "So... what exactly is our mission in Esteria?"
Leo smirked. "You're going to find out soon enough. But until then, enjoy the ride."
Just then, Lancer sauntered onto the deck, shotgun slung over his shoulder, a half-empty bottle in one hand and a toothpick in his mouth. "Morning, kids," he said in his low, husky voice. "Who wants to see some real weird stuff?"
Kajala raised an eyebrow. "We're on a mission, not a circus."
Lancer grinned. "Come on. The ocean's got surprises."
Before anyone could respond, a loud splash echoed from the side of the boat. Everyone turned to see Regulus flailing in the water, his arms wildly trying to grab the edge of the boat.
"Regulus!" Rika yelled, rushing over.
Regulus finally managed to pull himself up, dripping and coughing. "I slipped! This boat's slick."
Leo chuckled. "And you thought the salted fish barrel was bad."
Kajala rolled his eyes. "Maybe stay away from the rail, fish boy."
Later that day, the group gathered around the small table below deck, sharing stories and food. Leo was retelling a wild tale about taming a giant panther, exaggerating the size so much it nearly filled the whole room.
"...and then I jumped onto its back while it was mid-leap, hanging on like my life depended on it," Leo said, throwing his hands up dramatically.
Kajala snorted. "Sounds like you're just trying to show off."
Leo winked. "Guilty as charged."
Rei shook his head but smiled a little. "I don't get why you have to make everything bigger."
"Because, little sword guy, big stories mean big respect," Leo said.
Rika grinned. "Well, I think it's fun."
Elrya, quietly sipping her tea, just smiled and said, "Maybe the truth is somewhere in the middle."
As the boat sailed on, the crew's laughter and chatter mixed with the sound of the waves. The vast ocean stretched endlessly, but the bonds between these unlikely companions grew stronger with every passing mile.
They finally docked at Esteria's busy harbor. The salty air mixed with the noise of merchants shouting, carts rolling, and ships creaking. The guild stepped off the boat, stretching their legs after the long trip.
Suddenly, from the crowd near the docks, a familiar figure stepped forward Vetra. She smiled calmly, her eyes sharp and welcoming.
Kajala's eyes went wide. "Wha w-when did you get here?" he stammered, clearly caught off guard.
Vetra just laughed softly. "I arrived a while ago. I wanted to make sure everything was ready for you."
Rei nodded, thankful to see a familiar face in this new place. "Good timing," he said.
Vetra glanced around. "The mission here is complicated. The corrupted knights, the Kalkormators, have been causing trouble. We'll need to be careful."
Kajala still looked a bit stunned but quickly recovered. "Alright then, let's get moving."
As they headed into the town, the weight of the mission settled in but at least they weren't alone.