"LAND HO!" Cried a dwarf on the crow's nest.
"We're home laddies!" Announced Hood to Myga and his dwarven companions.
"We got it." Answered him Wungrim who wasn't very fond of the man's jolly attitude.
"Oh you'll love it my friend!" Replied Hood unmoved by Wungrim's coldness.
"Don't call me that." Said the halfhearted dwarf.
"Denial is a festering wound my dear! Oh, speaking of wound how is your leg?" Asked him Hood while grabbing him by the shoulders.
"Fine! Get off me!!" Wungrim freed himself from Hood's grip with a grin, limping slightly.
"Oh rude! You break my heart my friend!" Teased him Hood some more.
"Utter one more word and I'll break those shiny teeth of yours!" Threatened him the dwarf who wasn't having it.
"These?" Said Hood, and showing his golden and silver teeth he stepped back in precaution.
Wungrim walked towards him in determined steps, with a fist ready to strike the playful man but Vigo and Ubba held him.
"Let go of me!! Let me knock his teeth off maybe he will shut his annoying mouth!" Struggled Wungrim.
Hood was still smiling but Wungrim's anger made him reconsider his sense of humour.
"Don't try his nerves healer. He will break your teeth." Advised him Myga in the same jolly tone.
"Alright alright I didn't mean to piss him off this much… I apologize love!" Hood bowed slightly and fled.
"Don't pay attention to him! Everyone wants to break that guy's mouth! But he is a nice man, we also like his stupid songs." Said Brymhel who joined them.
"Oh lady Brymhel!" Myga bowed his head greeting his kin.
"He better leave me alone or I will fulfill everyone's wish then!" Wungrim snapped, freeing himself from his companions' grip and adjusting his crumpled clothes.
"You should get your belongings, you are disembarking in the ship's boats with Maruth, Hibe and the cap'n." Brymhel said.
"What about you? You're not disembarking?" Asked her Vigo.
"I will be mooring the ship with the crew. The Phoenix have sailed for long; she needs to rest." She smiled. "We'll meet later, probably for dinner." She left with a head bow.
"Be seeing ya!" Yelled Vigo smiling back.
"She a pirate brother. Don't get attached." Said Ubba jokingly.
"Shut up." His brother replied, his smile fading.
"We should get going lads." Advised them Wungrim. "Who knows what we got ourselves involved in…" He shook his head.
"READY THE SHIP'S BOATS!" they heard someone cry.
"Alright lads, you heard Brymhel. We're leaving." Hibe walked behind them. "I see you've already packed. Great. Follow me." She smiled as usual.
The captain and Maruth were already waiting for them at the right gunwale, where the jolly boat was hoisted into the water to ferry them to land.
"Can you swim?" Asked Goldeneye of the Brymhelians.
"We all can except for Myga here. He sinks like a rock... after all, he is made of it." Ubba laughed at his own joke.
"Giants can't swim captain." Whispered Maruth to Erving Goldeneye who didn't know.
"Well, that's more work for you then" Whispered back the captain. "You'll have to lift him ashore. The shallow waters here are dangerous, the waves are too strong, we will have to swim to the shore. Lily and Phay will have to row back to the ship." He added to which Maruth simply nodded.
The two women, Lily and Phay were one of the strongest rowers aboard the Phoenix. They were tall and strongly built, young and of shinning dark skin. The two were related by blood and of the same age. Lily went first and descended from the rope ladder to her boat, then followed her Goldeneye and Hibe, along with Wungrim and Vigo. Lily greeted each one of them by tipping her hat, then rowed away towards the shore. The second boat was hoisted down and Phay climbed down the ladder and waited for Maruth, and Ubba who stayed behind with Myga for they were friends and Myga was nervous. The giant came down last, smiling nervously and the boat swung at his weight and his fright grew bigger, but Maruth set her hand on Myga's giant hands that clung heavily on the boat's edge.
"It's going to be fine. I won't let you drown, I promise." She reassured him.
Phay was less welcoming but not less kind, she was a shy woman but she rowed swiftly and surely, and followed behind Lily.
Myga's fear didn't leave him entirely but he kept a watchful eye and spied every movement. But every time the boat would bend on one side, he would feel a chill crawl from his feet to his heart. Then he saw Goldeneye and the rest of his companions jump into the waters to avoid the surface breaking waves his heart clenched and ached.
"Don't worry Myg. She'll lift you ashore." Assured him his friend.
"I am a giant. I've been wondering how is the woman able to row this boat but the sea is helping her. Who is going to help Maruth lift me up? Not the winds I suppose. I am very... heavy." Complained Myga.
"Oh yes I have heard..." replied Ubba sarcastically. "She lifted an entire ship or have you forgotten that? She will not be lifting you with her muscles my friend. Oh, dear me how can giants be wise and dumb at the same time." He said jokingly.
"Jump." Said Phay who stopped rowing.
"Not yet if you may. This sweet giant can't swim." Haruth pulled a stone from her bag. "Ubba you can swim towards the captain and your friends."
"Alright!" Ubba stood up swiftly. "Be seeing you Myg!" He cried before diving into the water.
"I am ready!" Cried Myga anxiously with his eyes closed, which amused the witch.
"I can see that. Now relax you won't feel a thing." Maruth smiled, with her magical stone in both hands she chanted calmly and quietly.
Suddenly the giant felt light and couldn't feel the bottom boards under his feet and he was scared once more, when he opened his eyes and saw that he was sixteen feet above the waters he tussled with himself which made it hard for Maruth to control him.
"Calm down! Relax or I will drop you!" She yelled at him, standing on the rocking boat, but the giant was deafened by fear and struggled more. It is true that she was using witchcraft to lift Myga but it took also physical strength and she was losing control over him. "The Phoenix was less hard! Curse his fright!" She said to Phay who grew bored.
Goldeneye who was waiting for them saw Myga and felt his fear, and without moving a finger he spoke to him in his thoughts.
"Calm down Myga." The giant heard the captain's voice say and he thought it was nothing but a memory but it worked and Myga instantly calmed down.
The sudden change on his behaviour threw Maruth on her knees but she didn't lose focus and pushed the giant towards the sandy shore and when she was certain she could let go; she dropped the giant on his feet. The embarrassment on the giant's face was clearer than the waters they sailed on and he apologised for his recklessness. Maruth came last, although she could have avoided swimming there, she still did, for she enjoyed the freshness of the waters.
Now before them stood hills of sand, and the Brymhelians thought they have landed on some deserted island, and they whispered to each other about their thoughts save for Myga who was still apologising to Maruth and walked last and behind them.
Goldeneye pressed ahead, leading them on top of the hills through stairs of stone he designed himself. When the Brymhelians came at last to the top of the steep stairs, Goldeneye said to them "Welcome, sons of Brymhel, to Numydia land of the outcast."
"So... umm your base is a jungle?" Said Ubba unimpressed.
"Let me unveil it to your foreign eyes." Goldeneye smiled.
Once again and without a word, Goldeneye stood in front of them and waved his right hand, as if to drag an invisible curtain in front of him.
When the spell that hid the land of the Vultures was broken, a city stretched and unveiled itself to the newcomers, and they were amazed.
"That is an eye-opener..." Said Wungrim in awe, clumsily reaching for his notebook.
The arched buildings were of different yet homogenous hights, with colourful tiled roofs that reflected light like fish scales. The rich flora sprouted all over the city, date palm and olive trees, argan and almond trees and much more fruity trees. The palette of the vegetation painted the scenery in front of them and spread as far as their eyes could see, embracing the city and guarding its borders.
Goldeneye walked in front of them, descending long stairs towards what looked like a gate made by poplar trees that bent from both sides of the path and rose high above the ground. The gentle winds swayed the green and white leaves and they danced under the fading lights of the day. The captain stopped and turned to his guests, asking them to follow him.
"You will have time to admire the city, first we have to rest and tend to our woes before we get to business. We have much to discuss of our plans and I would like you to be on your full strength for it." He added. "Now if you may, I will have to leave you with Hibe, she will make sure you have everything you need. Maruth and I have something else to do for now." He nodded at Hibe who nodded back in agreement, smiling as usual.
"Follow me! I know exactly what you need!" She said confidently.
"I need a new notebook." Declared Wungrim with a disappointed tone, shaking his damp and spoiled notebook.
"We can find someone who will salvage it for you." Replied Hibe smiling. "Come now."
They walked behind her, their eyes skimming through the bushes, glancing at the few scattered cabins lost in the woods.
"Maruth. I know that after all this, you still can't trust me fully, and I am not asking you to but for the sake of everyone, I hope you will try." Said Erving, still standing at the gate.
His precise observation was so unexpected it threw Maruth into a silent embarrassment. When she tried to talk her words failed her into an uncomprehensive babbling. She clenched her jaw.
"Am I that easy to read? I have been trying to keep you out of my head so hard" She huffed.
"That is why I know you can't trust me. Because I can't read your thoughts. The moment you knew who I was, you barricaded your mind and ever since never opened it." He admitted. "You have all the reasons to hate us. You of all people, know how much my kin pained yours. But like yours, my kin have the good in it. As I once told an old friend of mine, let my actions prove what my nature can't." He put his hand on her shoulder. "As long as you fear me, I won't be able to help."
"That is, if you can help. According to what you said, you're not the greatest but we are fighting one of the strongest veers out there." She objected.
"We all have our skills, mine isn't particularly a fighting skill, but it will come in handy." He replied light-heartedly. "Well now, how about we pay your father a visit?"
Maruth almost forgot that she hasn't seen her father yet. Her heart started pounding in disbelief.
"He is here, and he is innocent." Erving tried to reassure her.
"What if this was just a scheme to get to me?" She demurred in doubt.
"Yet you followed me all this time and here you are, because you know your father would never do such horrendous things." He argued.
"I could be wrong…" She said desperately hoping she wasn't.
"Trust yourself at least and follow me child." And without quarrelling any further he walked west of the gate.
Maruth stood for a moment, thinking what she should do. I just hope Haruth can handle it on his own if things go wrong. She thought before following the captain.
The two of them walked through the bushes ever westward until dusk, the woods started to darken when small poorly lit house appeared in the middle of a glade. At the front porch, sat a white-haired man staring nowhere, lost in his troubled thoughts biting at his finger nails. The cracking of dry leaves and branches beneath his visitors, snatched him from his daydream. He stood up and walked towards Erving.
"What took you so long friend? I thought the seas finally beat you. You had me worried like a mother." He hugged him.
"I had to run some errands and got caught up in some unexpected events my friend." Erving said nodding with his head towards Maruth who followed him slightly behind.
He peeked behind Erving shoulder and squinted to get a better look in the dark. His eyes widened in surprise when he recognised his daughter's face. He walked towards her in heavy yet eager steps.
"Maruth…?" His voiced cracked.
The witch froze in her place, with tears clouding her grey eyes, her heart still pounding, she was afraid she would collapse if she made a step. Whether ahead or behind, her legs would fail her.
"Sweetheart… it is you…" Zion walked hastily and grabbed her by her face gently, before embracing her and hugging her while she stood stock-still. "Avva missed you so much, I am terribly sorry…" He cried.
Maruth's disbelief washed off slowly at the sound of her father crying, she tried to keep her own tears from falling but the longer her father held her the harder it was for her.
"Avva…" She finally muttered before hugging him back and crying out loud.
Erving stood there silent watching their reunion with a heavy heart. "We only need Haruth… hurry child. The trinity should reunite to wake the slumbering erudite." He said to himself.