Chapter 47

The pirate fleet sails on, a procession of dark sails cutting through the azure waters. Days blend into one another, the rhythm of life on the sea becoming second nature. It is not until the jagged silhouette of Ri Island appears on the horizon that the monotony is broken.

The island rises from the sea like a sentinel, its cliffs crowned with dense foliage. As the fleet draws closer, the bustling port comes into view, a haphazard sprawl of docks, ships, and ramshackle buildings. The smell of salt and sea mingles with the scent of fish and the faint tang of wood smoke.

Naci, Temej, Lanau, Kalez, and Fol stand at the bow, taking in the scene. Naci's eyes scan the harbor, noting the activity on the docks—the unloading of goods, the laughter of pirates, and the occasional brawl. The island is alive with a rough, unrestrained energy.

Once a flourishing kingdom, Ri Island's ancient grandeur is hinted at in the remnants of weathered stone walls and half-buried statues, their features smoothed by time and sea winds. The Tepr party observes the ruins with a mix of curiosity and reverence, trying to imagine the lives of those who once called this place home.

Lanau steps onto the dock first, her boots thudding on the weathered wood. The sounds and sights overwhelm her senses—a chaotic symphony of shouting vendors, squawking seagulls, and the ceaseless crash of waves. Her gaze drifts to the crumbling palace perched atop a distant hill, now overrun with creeping vines and the homes of seabirds.

Kalez walks slowly, her eyes catching glimpses of carved stone doorways now leading to nothing but overgrown paths.

As they move inland, they pass through a marketplace, a hive of activity. Stalls line the narrow streets, selling everything from exotic spices to dubious treasures. Pirates haggle with merchants, their loud voices blending with the calls of children darting through the crowds. Temej feels a sense of unease.

The history of Ri Island unfolds in the cracks and crevices of its landscape. The island was a jewel in the ocean, rich with culture and commerce. But the Moukopl invasion changed everything. The invaders swept across the land, dismantling the kingdom's legacy stone by stone.

In the centuries that followed, Ri Island became a place of decay and corruption. The once-glorious buildings fell into disrepair, and the rulers who succeeded the kingdom were unable or unwilling to restore order. Decades of mismanagement and greed turned the island into a haven for those who thrived in chaos.

From their vantage point, the tribesmen witness the scars of numerous failed attempts by the empire to reclaim the island. Each incursion left its mark—burnt-out barracks, abandoned siege engines, and rusting weapons scattered like bones. The empire's authority faltered here.

As the sun sets, casting a golden glow over the island, Shan Xi's crew gathers at a sprawling tavern near the docks. The Tepr party joins them, drawn by the promise of rest and refreshment. Inside, the air is thick with the scent of ale and the sounds of revelry. Pirates recount their exploits, their laughter booming against the wooden beams.

Naci sits with her companions, their table laden with food and drink. She observes the pirates quietly.

Lanau, amused by the commotion, leans back in her chair, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. The exotic lifestyle of the pirates fascinates her. The thought of abandoning her duties to her family and living freely with Shan Xi's crew grows more tempting by the moment.

Kalez, however, is restless. The terror of what she witnessed the other day still grips her, silencing her thoughts and voice. She sips her drink in silence, eyes darting around the room.

Temej, visibly irritated, leans forward, his voice low and tense. "Why are we wasting our time here? We need to meet the emperor in Pezijil and then return home."

Naci laughs, the sound rich and carefree. "Temej, making others wait is the mark of a leader. The emperor can wait a hundred years if necessary. I decide when we meet."

Temej's frustration boils over. "We're not making any progress. We need to focus on our mission, not get distracted by pirates."

Naci's smile fades, replaced by a steely gaze. "We are not wasting time. We are forging important alliances. How do you plan to take on the Moukopl navy without a fleet of our own?"

Temej's jaw tightens. "I'd rather build a navy from scratch than rely on pirates."

Naci slams the table, the sound echoing through the tavern. She points at Temej, her eyes blazing. "Will you shut your mouth for a minute?! I've tolerated your complaints because you're still useful, but if you keep this up, I'll slit your throat myself!"

The tavern falls silent, all eyes on their table.

Naci continues, her voice sharp and furious. "How do you plan to build a navy? With what knowledge? What materials? Do you know how long it takes to train sailors? How much it costs to build warships? No? Neither do I. That's why we need the expertise of these pirates. I don't care if you find it moral or not. You are to follow my orders, or you are a dead man. You swore to be the eyes on my back, but so far, you've been nothing but an eyesore!"

Temej, taken aback by her outburst, stares at her, his anger momentarily quelled. The tension in the tavern remains thick, the pirates watching the exchange with a mix of amusement and caution.

Naci takes a deep breath, regaining her composure. "We are here to learn and to ally. This is the path we must take, whether you like it or not."

Temej nods slowly, his shoulders slumping in reluctant acceptance. The chatter in the tavern gradually resumes, but the intensity of the moment lingers in the air. Naci's unwavering determination and fierce leadership leave no room for doubt—she is in command, and her word is law.

The tension hangs thick in the air, but it's abruptly shattered as the door of the tavern swings open with a loud crash. Shan Xi strides in. Her dramatic entrance draws every eye, the conversations at the Tepr table forgotten.

"Why is everyone staring at me?" Shan Xi demands, her voice carrying across the room. "Do you want to paint my portrait or what?"

Laughter ripples through the tavern, and one of the Blood Lotus crew members shouts, "You'd be an exquisite model, Captain!"

Another pirate chimes in, raising her mug. "A masterpiece, no less!"

The room erupts with playful banter. "Only if we can capture that eternal smirk of hers!" a pirate from a rival crew calls out, grinning widely.

Shan Xi places her hands on her hips, feigning annoyance. "And where, pray tell, would you hang such a priceless work of art? In the grand halls of the emperor's palace?"

A chorus of laughs and cheers follows. "More like the empress! Next to her bed so she can think of you every day!" someone shouts.

Across the tavern, a wiry woman with a black eyepatch, shouts, "Blood Lotus, will you ever find humility in one of your travels, or did you lose it forever during a plundering?"

The tavern roars with laughter, and Shan Xi raises an eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips. "Humility?" she scoffs, shaking her head. "I traded it for a barrel of rum and never looked back."

A burly captain with a delicate moustache near the bar shouts, "Shan Xi, when's the last time you took a sip of water instead of rum?"

Shan Xi rolls her eyes dramatically. "What's that? Is it the clear liquid we use to clean the deck?"

More laughter ensues, and Shan Xi joins in, her booming laugh filling the room. She grabs a mug from a nearby table, raising it high. "To humility, then! May we never find it!"

"To humility!" the pirates echo, raising their mugs in unison.

As the laughter dies down, the pirates return to their revelry, the tension from moments ago dissipated entirely.

Shan Xi strides over to the Tepr table. She slams her pint on the table, the force making the drinks ripple. Her laughter, still echoing from the previous banter, draws curious glances from the surrounding pirates.

"Well, Naci," Shan Xi begins, her eyes gleaming with excitement, "the Zenyu prisoners are ready for market. We've sorted these cute soldiers by age and health, so they're set for tomorrow."

Naci nods, her expression steady. "Good. Now it's time for you to hold up your end of the deal."

Shan Xi raises an eyebrow, leaning in slightly. "I get 100% of the slave market profits, right? Just making sure you're not changing your mind."

Naci meets her gaze, unwavering. "Yes. In return, you help me with my conquests. You'll receive a share of all Moukopl plunders you take part in, and your crew will be graced once I rule over the world. When your fleet isn't needed, you're free to do as you please."

Shan Xi chuckles, shaking her head. "You know, even though this bet of yours sounds crazy, it's still a pretty good deal."

Naci smirks, her eyes glinting with determination. "It's more than a deal. It's a path to greater power and wealth than you've ever known."

Shan Xi takes a swig of her drink, contemplating. "You're banking a lot on this, Naci. Conquering an empire isn't exactly a walk in the park."

"I'm aware," Naci replies calmly.

Shan Xi grins, a predatory look in her eyes. "I like your face. You won, Khan of Tepr. You've got yourself an ally, but don't disappoint me."

Naci raises her drink, locking eyes with Shan Xi. "To our alliance, then."

Shan Xi clinks her pint against Naci's. "To our alliance. And to the tyrant's downfall."

As night falls, a gentle snowfall begins to blanket the island. Kalez sits alone on the deck of the ship, a flask of wine in her hand. She takes a deep drink, her thoughts drifting to her homeland, the distant mountains, and the warmth of family. The cold air bites at her skin, but it's the ache of longing that stings the most.

From somewhere below, she hears the sound of women's voices, laughing and joking. The noise is distant at first, but it gradually grows closer. She tries to ignore it, staring out at the snow-covered deck, but then she hears a voice she recognizes—Lanau's.

Kalez closes her eyes, hoping Lanau and her new friends will pass by. But the laughter stops, and Lanau's voice rises from behind her.

"What are you doing out here alone, Kalez?"

Kalez doesn't respond, instead taking another long drink from her flask. She hopes Lanau will take the hint and leave her be.

Lanau, sensing the tension, turns to the other pirates. "Can you give us a moment?"

The pirates, with knowing smiles, nod and leave the two women alone. Lanau sits beside Kalez, pulling her cloak tighter against the cold.

"What's on your mind?" Lanau asks gently.

Kalez takes a deep breath, the cold air filling her lungs. "You've changed, Lanau."

Lanau raises an eyebrow, her expression a mix of curiosity and concern. "What do you mean?"

Kalez looks at her, eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Lanau's gaze softens. "It's not that I've changed, Kalez. It's just that I've found a part of myself I didn't know existed."

Kalez looks away, staring at the falling snow. "I miss home. I thought we were on a journey to help our people, but now…I'm not sure."

Lanau squeezes Kalez's arm gently. "I understand. It's hard to be away from everything you know."

Kalez's face hardens. "You think you understand, Lanau? You don't know what it's like to miss home, to miss your family. You fit in so easily here, like you've always belonged. I can't shake the feeling of being out of place. You don't care what happens as long as you're free from your family duties. You've abandoned everything for this adventure, without a second thought. You don't care about Fol, about me, about anyone else's pain. Don't pretend you do."

Lanau stiffens, her tone growing colder. "You think I don't care? That's rich coming from someone who expects others to carry her pain. The world is harsh, Kalez. You can't project your expectations onto others and then blame them when they don't meet them. You can't blame me for not shouldering everyone's burdens."

The sting of Lanau's words hits Kalez hard, tears welling in her eyes. "You're right. I expected too much from you."

She throws her wine at Lanau, the liquid splashing across her face and clothes. Lanau recoils, trying to wipe it off, but the scent clings to her.

Lanau gasps, trying to wipe the wine off but the scent clings to her. She stares at Kalez, hurt and anger mingling in her eyes. "Apologize," she demands, her voice low and furious. "You've gone too far."

Kalez shakes her head, her voice breaking, her eyes wet with unshed tears. "I will not apologize. I thought you were my friend, but I was wrong. You never cared about me, about any of us."

Lanau takes a step back, the cold wind biting at her wet clothes. "You're projecting your pain onto me, expecting me to fill the void you feel. That's not fair."

Kalez's shoulders slump, her anger draining away, leaving only a deep sadness. "Maybe it isn't. But it's how I feel."

The snow falls softly around them, blanketing the deck in a quiet, ethereal glow. The ship rocks gently on the dark waters, the sounds of the island muted by the thickening snowfall.

Lanau, her face flushed with anger and hurt, stands firm. "Apologize, Kalez. Now."

Kalez shakes her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I won't. I can't."

Lanau's hand moves to her sword, the blade glinting in the pale light. "Then draw your sword. We'll settle this here and now."

Kalez stands, her body trembling with emotion. She pulls out her sword, the weight of it heavy in her hand. "If this is what it takes, then so be it."

They face each other, the world around them fading as their focus narrows. The snowflakes fall thicker, catching in their hair and on their lashes, creating an almost surreal battlefield.

With a cry, Lanau lunges forward, her blade slicing through the air. Kalez parries, the clash of steel ringing out in the stillness. "You think I'm heartless?" Lanau shouts, her voice a mix of rage and pain. "You think I don't care about you? I wouldn't have stopped to speak with you, if I didn't."

Kalez's response is a wordless scream of anguish, her sword meeting Lanau's with fierce determination. "You don't know what it's like to miss home, to feel lost!"

Their swords dance in the falling snow, each strike echoing their inner turmoil. "You think I don't know pain?" Lanau counters, her breath visible in the cold air. "We all suffer, Kalez. But you can't expect anyone to be your savior."

Kalez's tears mix with the snow on her face, her voice breaking. "I thought you would care. I thought you could be the one with high standing ethics and empathy. You're just as bad as her!"

Lanau's blade slips past Kalez's defenses, grazing her arm. Kalez winces but doesn't back down. "Friendship isn't about shouldering all your pain. It's about standing by you, even when you're wrong."

The fight continues, their cries of frustration and hurt punctuating the night. The deck, covered in a layer of snow, becomes slick under their feet.

Kalez's swings grow more desperate, her movements fueled by raw emotion. "You don't understand, Lanau. You've never felt this scared for your own life."

Lanau parries, her expression a mixture of determination and concern. "We're all scared, Kalez. But we have to keep fighting."

Kalez's eyes flash with a mixture of anger and desperation. "I'm not just scared for myself. I'm scared of what Naci is turning into. Our Khan is devoid of humanity, using us as weapons for her own sake."

Lanau's strikes grow more measured, her voice steady. "We've always been subjects of others, Kalez. Naci is using us to save Tepr from eternal allegiance to evil men."

Kalez blocks a blow, her voice breaking. "I don't want to switch from serving an evil man to serving an evil woman, Lanau! Does the end justify the means? Is it worth losing our souls in the process?"

Lanau's eyes narrow, her voice tinged with sadness. "It's a sad truth about a sad world, but yes. Sometimes, the end does justify the means. We all have to make sacrifices."

Kalez's strikes falter, her tears mingling with the snow. "It's fundamentally wrong, Lanau."

Lanau's sword clashes with Kalez's, the sound ringing through the cold air. "We're trying to create a better future, Kalez. Sometimes, you have to get your hands dirty. We do what we must to survive. To protect those we love. Naci is our best chance to change things."

Kalez's grip weakens, her sword slipping from her grasp. She falls to her knees, sobbing. "I can't accept that. I can't accept losing my humanity."

Lanau stands over her, the fight leaving her body. She lowers her sword, her voice softening. "Then what do you propose, Kalez? How do we fight this battle without becoming monsters ourselves?"

Kalez looks up, her eyes filled with sorrow and determination. "We fight with honor. We protect the innocent. We don't become what we despise."

Lanau kneels beside her, her expression conflicted. "And if that means we lose? If it means we die?"

Kalez takes a deep breath, her voice steady. "Then at least we die with our souls intact. At least we die knowing we stayed true to ourselves."

Lanau's grip on her sword loosens as Kalez's words sink in, planting seeds of doubt and hope. She watches Kalez, crumpled and sobbing in the snow, and for a moment, she sees a different path.

Then she notices movement behind Kalez and looks up, relief washing over her tired features. "Good thing you're here," she says, a faint smile forming. "Please help me carry Kalez to her bed, Fo—"

Before she can finish, a swift sword thrusts through Kalez's back, the tip emerging from her belly. Kalez gasps, her eyes widening in shock as she watches the blade protrude from her body. Her mind races, fragments of thoughts and emotions colliding in a desperate whirl.

"Do not betray the Khan," Fol's voice is cold, devoid of the warmth it once held. He stands behind Kalez, his grip firm on the sword.

Kalez's blood pours onto the snowy deck, staining it a dark crimson. She struggles to speak, but only a gurgle escapes her lips. Her eyes meet Lanau's, a mixture of pain, sorrow, and a silent plea.

Lanau's heart wrenches as she watches Kalez collapse. "No!" she cries out, rushing forward, but it's too late. The life drains from Kalez's eyes, her body slumping into the snow, the once vibrant light extinguished.

Fol stands motionless, his eyes hard and unyielding. "The Khan's will must be upheld," he says, his voice a hollow echo.

Lanau falls to her knees beside her fallen friend, tears streaming down her face. The cold wind bites at her skin, but it is nothing compared to the ache in her chest.

Kalez has died staying true to herself.