…
The attack from the empire ended abruptly. They sailed away from the island without giving any messages. They just left off like that.
And so, the rest of the day is filled with continuous recuperations. Two-third of the island's forest was burned to bits. It will take days even months to recover it entirely, even with the help of Earth Elementalists.
Truthfully, their relation with the empire wasn't in good terms ever since their first meeting around fifteen years ago. Marco was still a baby in that time.
His father told him about the bad relationship when Marco turned eleven years old.
Marco didn't really know for sure on why his father hated the empire. He only heard his father's story that the empire was led by the dragon race, Dragonia. It is best that they don't get in contact with them. He refused to say anything on why he hated them. He only stated that they are the bad guys. Because of it, Marco shared his father's hate upon them, though his reason to hate is actually blurry.
Marco's only living relative, his uncle, is the captain of the Regate Marines. He said the same. He shared stories with his nephew that he encountered a couple of them and nearly got himself and his crew killed most of the time.
The Regate Marines arrived in the evening after their clash with Fortis and the empire. Marco wanted to meet his uncle right away, but wasn't able to get to talk to him right away because he was busy helping everyone else.
Right now… it is midnight. Marco could hardly sleep inside a tent that both he and Scias had set up earlier. Nina and Aily built their own tent beside the two.
Scias sits on the half-burned grass, staring into the night sky. The stars twinkle as it showers the quiet dark sky. Nina and Aily have fallen flat on their sleeping bags. To think that if only the dragon did not show up and suck the smoke columns on the island… it'll be impossible for anyone to see the twinkling stars of the night sky.
Despite the calm night, Marco couldn't sleep. He experiences the same 'dream' again. Except this time, he began to understand the buzzing vague voice inside his dream slowly. He gets to decrypt most of the words because he somehow retained consciousness and memory from the dream… it's strange, indeed. Oddly, the dream is triggered to happen randomly. If Marco took a nap during the day, the 'dream' will never happen.
Marco sits beside Scias, joining him into watching the twinkling stars. In Scias' mouth sticks out a toothpick. He has a hobby of biting one when there's nothing to do, although he loves doing it even when doing a job.
Marco lies down on the grass. He chats a bit with Scias until he suddenly felt a heavy weight on my eyes. It made him asleep… and once again triggering the eerie dream. However, Marco is willing to ignore it this time. He closed his very thoughts and tried his best to ignore the terrorizing dream.
Morning comes, the sun has risen again and everyone is continuing the recovery process. Marco and his friends packed up their tent and began going into town.
"Hey, Marco…" Scias called out softly. "Hm? What's up, Scias?" Marco replied casually.
"No, it's just, you don't look too… well," said Scias concerning his buddy.
"Oh, really?" Marco raised his tone a bit. "I'm pretty sure I'm in good shape, though… maybe I'm overstressing something, haha," Marco replied offhandedly.
"Eh, Marco, you don't feel healthy? My, you should've asked my sister! She'll get you healed in no time, right, sis?" Aily tried to cheer him.
"Well, well! Is that true, Marco? Let me heal you, then," Nina kindly offered.
"No-no-no-no! I'm fine, perfectly fine!" Marco denied her offer.
"Is that so? Okay, then. Do tell if you need me, hee-hee,"
"Eeeeh? Sister!" Aily scrunched her face.
"He said he's fine, don't butter up now, sis,"
"She's right, Aily. I'm fine. Thanks for your concern," Marco meekly replied.
"O-Okay... if you say so..."
Marco then asks them whether they want to go and see the Regate Marines near the collapsed port.
"That'd be a good idea," said Nina smilingly.
"Oh! It's the big ship that belonged to Marco's uncle was it?" Aily asked.
"It is." Scias replied quickly.
They went to the marine's ship by foot. It took them around twenty minutes to reach the ship. It's docked at an emergency seaport that was built last night.
The ship has three lower decks equipped with seventy cannons that can shatter any wood-based watercrafts. The exterior is built with reinforcement that blends with the red color of the ship. A sharp-big ram is fitted beneath the ship's bow. The ship has three main masts, elegant looking sails, and most importantly, a brilliant captain that leads the ship.
From the ship's upper deck, a group of personnel are going down the plank. One of them wears a different suit. Marco takes a step and hurries into that guy, leaving the party. Who else would it be? It's his uncle, the captain of the Regate Marines.
"Uncle! Uncle!" Marco shouted as he ran nearer. His uncle glanced in surprise towards him. He then suddenly rams through his own men and spurs into me.
*BRAK! BRAK! BRAK!*
He dashes through three of his men, shoving them aside. Two of them fell into the shallow waters. Marco's uncle shouts loudly, "Marco!"
Marco responds back and called him again with spirit, "Uncle!"
"MARCO!" his uncle oddly shouted calling his name. Marco thought this as a representation of his uncle's feeling of missing him, so he responded back by shouting him louder, "UUUNCLE!!!"
His uncle's face is now in clear sight, he looked extremely pissed and he suddenly shrieks: "HOY, DUMBASS MARCO! STEP AWAY!" Marco finally noticed five metal barrels rolling into him fast. His uncle reflectively tackled Marco, shoving him from the incoming barrels.
. . .
"Phew, that was close," said his uncle gladly. He wiped his forehead in relief. But in the next moment, he blasted his emotion sky high.
"HEY, ASSHOLES! Don't roll this 'boombasters' in here! What if it blows up in somebody's face?! I bet you retards wouldn't want to be responsible for such actions!" He shouted angrily at his crew members on the ship. The metal barrels that were rolled were filled with gunpowder.
"Y-Y-Yes, sir! M-My bad," said his crew apologizing.
He stands up and pats his light armor. "You okay?" he asked. Marco then inspects himself with ease, "Hm-hm, I guess I'm good,"
"Good!" his uncle replied kindly. In an instant, his face melts into raging fury. He rapidly grunts as he speaks.
"Now how many DAMN times do I have to tell you to watch your damned surroundings, ah? What if you died foolishly? I bet even the mother nature will laugh the loudest at you if that happen!"
"Yikes! Here comes his seven minute lecture. Aaargh..." so said Marco in his mind.
After getting scolded for literal seven minutes straight, his uncle lowers his anger and thus Marco's friends joined their conversation.
"You got it, now, ah, airhead?" asked his uncle irritatingly.
"Yes, I get it… sorry, hehe," said Marco while rubbing the back of his head.
"Hah! Don't HEHE me like that, it's for your own good, ya rascal," his uncle replied roughly.
Marco's uncle eyed on the two young ladies that approached them, "Hm?" He glanced long at Nina and Aily.
"W-Whoa! Such elegant beauties! My apologies… for I have such uncaring eyes to miss sights of such elegant creatures!" He bowed down flamboyantly, warmly welcoming the twin sisters.
"May I know your name, mademoiselle?" He zooms in and holds Nina's hand all of sudden. "Get off her, *SLAP* freak!" Aily whacked him hard.
"My, my, such harmful attitude, but your appearances share the same beauty and soothing-yet-warming aura that rinses my eyes..." Marco's uncle swished his hair instead of his hand-marked face.
"Uuurrgh..." Aily disgustedly grumbled, Nina giggles behind her. "Tee-hee, my, Aily, please don't be so rude to him," said Nina calming her sister down.
"Ahahahah, please forgive him. He has some serious issues when seeing 'beautiful' women. Either young or old," Marco shamelessly said about his uncle.
"Wuaahaat? Come on, come on, I'm just trying to be NICE here!" Marco's uncle refuted quickly. "For I, Drugo Alabasta, shall not do anything bad to women, you're just mean, Marco!"
Drugo Alabasta. That's his name, alright. Unlike Marco, who has black hair, he has an alabaster-white long hair all the way to his scapula. But like Marco, he has blue eyes. Most of the time, he wears his unique set of blue and white clothing, with a light armor covering some parts of his body. He has a natural built face that looked like a never-ending youth.
In Marco's mind flies a rapid thinking, "Don't be fooled Nina, Aily, his appearance may share the looks of a young man, but he's actually 38 years old! An old freaking bastard, that's what he is. And yes, he is unmarried because he had a hard time resisting himself from sweet-talking to ladies."
"So, this tough-guy… ah! I remember you. Scias, is it?" He said in remembrance.
"U-Uh," Scias nodded awkwardly. "Aha! My memory still serves me right..." Drugo tried to stay cool in front of Nina and Aily. He couldn't stand silent-charade person like Scias.
"Marco, you said he's your uncle? Ew... he doesn't retain anything like how you told us!" Aily stated as she depicts her disgust. "Aily, that's very impolite of you to say," Nina said disappointedly.
"But sis'! He just came in and took your hand like a low-freak!" Aily disputed.
"EERGH! Low... freak...?" Drugo said stunningly. He turned around and began to find a corner to cry into. Marco managed to stop him from further causing anymore nuisance.
"Aily, you can't call a person that you just met a 'freak'. Apologize, now." Nina persuaded her younger sister to say sorry. Oddly, Aily didn't remember that she's been on Drugo's ship during her first visit to this island. She also didn't remember that she had met Drugo a year ago.
Aily felt reluctant at first to bring up her apology to Drugo, but at least she did manage to do it. Drugo got himself a massive stroke in the heart as this is the first time in the last ten years he experienced a woman calling him a low-freak.
"A-Anyway... AHEM! Erm... ahh... I've heard everything, Marco," He changed topic instantly. What an eccentric man, so Marco thinks about him.
He then explains about the empire's naval forces. He was on his way back after he intercepted a strange communication spell around the coastline of the mainland. He decided to set sail and return back to Areda Island, knowing that the spell he intercepted was a threatening thing that would fall on Areda.
He then continues, "But, you know what? Let's get our arses off the hook for now," Drugo coughs awkwardly, he sounds a bit hoarse.
"Ahum! Ahum! Arrgh! Hoam! Uh... anyway, Marco, within one month, I will be heading towards the Kingdom of Napre,"
"Oh, great, really great, uncle," Marco sounded disappointed, "We're amidst of recovery and you're going out again?" I said in a grunt.
"You retard, do you think stockpiles come out of tree?" He coldly asked.
Marco thoughts to himself, "Okay, he's got a point. There's nothing here that can be used as a source of resources for everyone to survive anymore. Monsters had disappeared, the forest had burned down, and the plains were nothing but burnt meadows…
…boy… this is bad,"
Drugo then adds, "That's why, I want you and your friends to stay alive while your good ol' uncle went out for supplies. I guess I can hardly able to do some 'exploring' again, huh?"
"Exploring, huh?" said Marco softly.
*DING* All of sudden and out of nowhere, a flicker hits in his guts. Something triggered his inner senses.
Marco then asks slowly, "Uncle Drugo, is it OK if I... erm... go along with ya?"
Silence…
Drugo then burst out chuckling and speaks out loud, "Bwahahah—wuaahat? Are you kidding me, Marco?" He didn't believe him.
"Yes" Marco meekly replied.
Drugo quickly shatters the atmosphere, "Oi! I know what you're thinking, Marco. You wanna spur off and go 'exploring' again, aren't you?"
"Oh, you know it, right!" Marco thumbed up. "Goddamned retard, have you forgotten about the pact that was signed a year ago?!" he asked irritatingly. "I know… I know very well that low-level and young explorers were pulled back into the island to maintain safety in Areda because of the calamity that happened…" said Marco in realization.
"Good gracious, thought you've forgotten it," said Drugo as he wiped his forehead again. "BUT! It's fridging unfair! The elderly ones can go out and have fun exploring. It's not a fair choice for me, you know?" Marco retorted causing Drugo to went silent for a couple seconds.
"Freaking RETARD! Bah! I know it'll come to this! Your papa's blood flows greatly within his own son: A rebellious attitude. Always wanted to do the way they wanted it to be!" Drugo grumbled within his words.
Marco and his friends felt a bit downed after hearing the captain's words.
"…but… hah… damned retards…" Drugo sighs heavily, "IF you're truly gonna go, I actually have no rights to stop you. You're looking pretty strong now, if I measure based on mana energy, that is," Drugo reluctantly said.
"Really?! Thanks, uncle! Oh, I'll bring Scias, Nina, and Aily along, too, OK?" Marco spiritedly asked.
"Ngaah… Scias would be a good choice, but these two girls...? Nah," said Drugo.
"W-Wha—NO FAIR! Sir Drugo, you GOTTA let us go with you, too!" Aily proposed harshly.
"What are you intending, Miss Salt-mouthed?" Drugo offhandedly asked. Aily bursts into typhoon of anger and slapped him again.
Marco comes close to his uncle's ears, "Don't bad-mouth her, you'll regret it," he whispered.
"So, is this the definition of 'womens are scary', huh?" He said it while rubbing his hand-marked face in pain.
"Ahem! I mean, we're going through the Sea of Carba. It's not a safe place for a lovely person like you," Drugo flattered.
"Well, well! Is that so? Are you underestimating us?" Nina strides near him.
"Oh, are you challenging me?!" Drugo replied in a higher tone. "S-Sorry, didn't mean to be rude, but I have my own concern to follow. Marco and Scias would be fine, but you two? Phew, I cannot allow thee," Drugo crossed his hands and shaked his head twice.
"So you ARE underestimating us!" Aily shouted angrily. Drugo didn't respond to her and begins to step away. Marco who was beside him finally gets it. THAT'S why he's being left out by many girls in this world.
"Then all we have to do is to PROVE ourself, right, Mr. Drugo?" Nina stated boldly.
Drugo turned around and swiped the sand beneath his boots, hearing Nina's statement made him stumbled. "You serious?" he asked funnily.
"That's right! I'll give you a fail-proof that I and my sister are the best duo in the world!" Aily cheerfully bragged.
"Psst, Marco…" he whisperingly called his nephew. "Yeah, what?"
"Your friends are mentally ill, aren't they?" he asked silently. Marco proceeded to elbow his waist in reply.
"Gah…! If you're dead serious about this, you can only do one thing to prove your 'sea-worthiness' young ladies! And that is…" He pauses and shifts his motion. Nina and Aily watched closely at Drugo's dramatic pose, they've put their ears on to absorb 100% of what Drugo shall say next.
"Fight me in a duel. You win, you're allowed to go. Lose, kiss me your goodbye." He said full of pride. His old self reappears again, so Marco and Scias thought. He would use the authority of LET'S FIGHT OVER THIS type of thing to finish off rock-headed people.