The ocean is a beautiful thing love it or hate it for whatever reason you have to honor that fact. Vast open seas with no border that stretch on for infinity offering seemingly endless adventure. A journey that many would love to have, but many are hesitant to take that first step when confronted with the ferocity of the majestic ocean. The cold blue ocean has no favorites it won't hesitate to bash a newborn child's skull across the jagged rocks of a cliff let alone a ship. The sea is wild and untamed yet many still sail through it in search of adventure, riches, or to make even the unlikeliest of dreams come true. Though as vast as the sea is it does have an end. Every river and stream will rejoin the endless ocean connecting every story no matter how small.
On the docks of a bay on a foggy night just before the crack of dawn, all kinds of men walked about. Shop owners in this area were as usual getting ready early for the morning rush. Sailors were checking their ships before settling sail and resupplied them with help from local dock hands that wake up to work at the same ungodly hour every day. Walking down the peer in this area was an old scraggly man. He had unkempt hair and wore a uniquely styled outfit.
His white wrinkled cotton button-up shirt was baggy and a bit lose. It stayed firm in place by the vest over it not giving way to the shore's breeze that made the water below the peer sway and the thick fog moved deeper inland. Suspenders helped hold his trousers up giving him a more proper look. Gear patterns were highly present in his clothing a design just like the clothes worn by many other people who live in this city and other places like it.
His light brown eyes reflected the light from the flashlight that shined brightly in the fog. That old man adjusted an old sailor's hat on top of his head with his left hand to keep it from falling off from the wind while his right held firmly onto the flashlight in the other. The color on that hat had long ago faded away, small holes along with tears that had been sewn up were visible. That hat had been through hell and back just like its owner, so the two weren't leaving each other's side that easily.
The old dock creaked with almost every step that man took. His flashlight pierced through the fog, but not as much as the light from the lighthouse off in the distance that had its form cloaked by the dense fog. Once the old sailor reached the end of the peer his flashlight illuminated the body of another old man that was too focused on reeling in his catch to notice the old sailor's approach.
The man fishing had a few black moles on his neck that were mostly covered by the collar from the brown trench coat he wore. Large dark bags were present under that man's light green eyes it looked like he hadn't slept in ages, but those bags were just his skin sagging from old age. Unprompted the old sailor kicked that man in the shin from behind and watched him tumble down.
"Awe, bloody hell what the fuck ... YOU! what are you doing Flint attacking me in my old war wound like that? If I end up disabled because of this you're taking care of me".
"War wound you haven't served a day in your life you degenerate. You got injured juggling knives trying to join the circus. Save your lies for someone who doesn't know you or the rest of the drunks at the tavern too intoxicated to tell your lying. Now get up Darrel you lazy shit".
Darrel carefully picked himself off the ground once up he stretched cracking his back. A grunt escaped his lips followed by a loud moan once he saw that his fish escaped.
"Damn, Flint you let my meal getaway. It's goanna take me forever to catch another. Is this what you wanted, to see me starve, or are you in liege with those thieving shop keepers trying to charge 3 skrill for half a dozen fish when it was two last week".
"No, I'm, wait ... did you just say 3 skrill for 6 fish you sure about that?".
"I'm as sure as my shit is brown and my pubes are grey. That means all those shopkeepers are nothing, but thieving hores sons especially all those cunts from Jimmy's Bait Shop. I know for a fact that they fish along the shore and rarely if ever sail into deep water. Yet, they seem to claim that their shop was affected by pirate raiding like everyone else".
Flint had a look of disapproval on his face as he shook his head replying, "Sounds like they're just after a nice payday".
"I know right, so much for being a loyal customer apparently it's worth fuck all anyway, so I'm catching my own meal till things simmer down. 3 skrill unbelievable you can get a handy in a back ally for 5 and if you find the right lassie she'll polish your knob for just the same".
Dairel let out his pent up anger on Flint with much passion. Flint listened to him at first then started to intervene once he noticed his friend was about to drone on about the same topic for hours.
"Ok, Dairel I understand all the shopkeepers around here are out to get you. But, tell me why aren't you in the lighthouse? Have you not noticed this fog man? It is kind of your job to manage that thing you know like mine is to manage this port".
"Flint there are only 30 hours in a day and I spend 20 of them in that cramped thing watching a light spin around in circles making sure sailors don't crash into the coast. I think I earned a bit of time off to sit down and just fish. Besides, it's not like I left the lighthouse unmanned, my assistant, Cornel has it all under control. It is kind of hard to botch up a job that requires you to mostly sit on your ass while staring out a window and ringing a bell when a sailor gets too close to the reef. Now get over here and spend some time with your friend".
"Oh, Darrel you know I can't I got to finish my check through before daybreak".
"I won't take no for an answer I'm old and my back hurts. Now because of you, my leg hurts as well. So, to apologize I demand you plant your wrinkled keister next to me. Your the overseer of this port anyway if you take an hour off no one is going to say shit. Come on now the fish are waiting".
Flint looked conflicted about what he should do. He turned to look back at the port then faced Darrel once again and replied, "alright a few minutes wouldn't hurt I'm 150 years old I shouldn't be working anyway".
"That right grandpa leave the leg work to the young ones".
Flint huffed then uttered, "who you calling grandpa your 15 years older than me Darrel. Compared to you I'm as spry as when I was 50".
"Yeah, I know being this old isn't easy it feels more like a dream than reality. I know that I'm never going to live to see 200, but I also never thought that I'd live this long either. That's why I don't much care about the work I do anymore. I look for moments like these and try to live in them for as long as possible. You should do the same I would appreciate the company and love not having to talk your ear off just for you to spend time with me. The fish are great listeners but after a while, they seem to scurry off whenever I open my mouth".
Flint felt a bit sad hearing how lonely his friend was to comfort him Flint placed his hand on Darrel's should and spoke gently. "I'm sorry if it felt like I've ignored you, you know I wasn't. It's just that I haven't had the luxury of free time as of late. This industrial boom has left me quite overworked. Shipments are coming through none stop and honestly, I need the extra pay for all the overtime I do. I wasn't born rich you know that I just want to leave something behind for my kids and grandkids that isn't in the form of a shit ton of debt".
"You don't have to apologize Flint you did nothing wrong I'm just a salty sailor. You on the other hand are a good man even though they no longer need you your still sacrificing for your young. Knowing this makes me mad Kids these days don't know what we've done for them, what we lost, or how good they had it. These days people have trains, cars, blimps, phones, radios, computers, freezers, even air conditioning. Back in our day when we got hot we cracked a window or stood in the rain. These guys got it easy they get everything they want they know nothing about the hardships we went through".
Flint nodded in agreement with Darrel because back in their day the most advanced pieces of technology were muskets, cannons, a specific few ships, and a few other things that were starting to become obsolete.
"Ya, things are different I don't even recognize this city anymore. You can still find older buildings scattered around Saxington, but most of them are gone. Though things are changing this is also a good thing it means the god of steam has blessed us. Stagnation will lead to our doom and discontent with followers of The Iron Ring. You got to remember the leshmen race used to struggle in the dark before fire illuminated our path, the works of iron solidified our place in the world ..."
"And the wisdom of man bought steam ushering in a new era. Don't quote the doctrine of the Iron Ring to me I wasn't questioning that. It's just that this change came so fast. One day everyone in town was riding carriages and now motorcars are everywhere I go. Ahh, You know I don't even know why I'm complaining so much. I think I just want a simpler life or maybe I just want to be young again and live a life on the edge or perhaps it's just change that I'm trying to resist".
Flint jokingly quipped, "what sitting on your ass all day drinking is proving to be to much of a challenge?".
"As a matter of fact, yes. It is there's an art to drinking and I fear I won't be able to drink myself to death as I planned".
"Things may be changing, but the industrial reform hasn't spread everywhere you can still find plenty of quiet places to keel over".
"Whatever when I do die cremate me with my medals I want everyone to know I lived a life of adventure and died a hero".
Flint gave Darrel a strange look and madly shouted, "you mean my medals you thieving bastard I've been looking for those".
Playing dumb Darrel replied, "I've no idea what you're talking about I risked my life going behind enemy lines to earn those".
"Yes, I bet it was dangerous disabling the traps in my fridge and cabinets before making your way into my bedroom. I thought a gang of Vermin got into the house how in the world did you get in?".
"I have a spare key. Made it a while ago to protect you and your family. Good thing I did too cause your security is shit".
The wisps of anger inside Flint didn't last long his grumpy expression contorted to hold back a laugh that burst out like a damn. It wasn't long before Darrel joined him in this show of affection. These two geezers laughs traveled through the port the sound of their laughter was like an ominous ghastly howl through the depths of the fog for those unaware of what they were listening to.
"Darrel your unbelievable sometimes you know that. Your a terrible person, but I still love you we're like our moon Enroth and our own planet Korroth. Two different bodies with practically nothing in common, but inseparable from each other nonetheless. Though this is true I'll still shoot you if I ever see you in my house without my permission".
"That will be kind of hard since your bullets were one of the first things I took".
"You son of a bitch come here!".
Flint put Darrel in a chokehold from behind and began to wrestle with Darrel. Darrel grabbed Flint's arm and struggled in his grasp. Flint playfully remarked stating, "what's wrong from all those medals you earned I expected you to easily be able to get out of a simple chokehold?".
Darrel in desperation leaned backward putting all of his weight on Flint who because of actual old war wounds couldn't handle what he use to and tumbled over. Both men laid sprawled on the ground smiling looking up at the night sky.
The moon Enroth was clearly visible it looked like a gas giant though it actually wasn't. Vibrant colors like orange and brown swirled around in pockets of storms that have ragged on for who knows how many years. Darrel looked at this which put him into deep thought.
"Flint I think your right we are like Enroth and Korroth. Your Enroth by the way".
"Why am I Enroth? That place looks like an inhospitable wasteland trapped in a perpetual storm".
"Open your eyes you fool what I'm saying is a compliment. Enroth my look unappealing and have all kinds of problems but it's worked through that and found balance. Korroth on the other hand is the physical definition of chaos. You can't tell me you don't agree".
Flint steadily shook his head and replied, "ya, your right through its rare your right".
In silence those two gazed at the celestial bodies in the sky. The fog made the wooden peer wet which dampened their clothes. Neither of them cared they were both happy to be next to the other and wanted the time they spent together to last a little bit longer.
The two laid in that spot for so long droplets of dew formed on their eyebrows and scraggly facial hair. Their peaceful state was only halted when a loud ringing of a bell ran through the fog. Darrel knew the sound of that bell well and he would have ignored it if it weren't for the unsettling sound of grinding metal.
Flint heard the sound too it was as clear as day but the source of the sound was obscured by the dense fog. Flint and Darrel got up from the ground to looked into the fog in hopes of spotting what hid inside. Though their vision was obscured they did hear strange sounds. A loud moan like a whale's, metal clashing against metal, and crashing water.
These sounds were distinctive of a ship the two old seamen identified that easily, but the sounds made them feel uneasy because they were close too close. In front of their eyes, the fog began to darken the two men took a step back to turn around which quickly turned into a full sprint down the peer. Neither person was all that fast, but they found the motivation to run like a cheetah when the massive body of a ship crashed into the peer.
The old pier broke apart like a dry twig wooden boards and logs snapped apart into the rough water below. Flint and Darrel felt death following them closely their legs almost gave way to it's might, but they each had their hands on the other's back pushing each other to move forward.
The old men breathed haggard breathes their hearts beat like a drum and their legs quickly became sore. As they ran the end of the pier came into sight on the final stretch the wooden floorboards gave way. Not willing to succumb to death that easily both men jumped at the very end barely making it to shore.
The out-of-control ship only a few meters behind them continued on its rampage destroying the last bits of the pier then crashed into the stone platform onshore. A cloud of dust mixed in with the fog getting into the old men's eyes which only made Darrel madder and curse the name of the captain of that ship, along with his mother, the rest of his bloodline as well as everyone else aboard that ship with him.
After Darrel finished slandering everyone on that ship he started coughing because of the dirt still in the air. Pushing through the discomfort he continued to say, "where is that bastard captain that dares to steer his ship drunk through a fog? I'll kill him I swear when I see him I'll do it".
Flint was equally flustered but less murderous than Darrel. He took out his flashlight to inspect the ship. The light illuminated the hull of the ship which made Flint start to feel grief instead of anger. Turning around Flint snapped at Darrel, "shut it you oaf, now put your feelings aside and pay your respects".
Once Darrel got closer and saw what Flint did he weakly dropped to his knees put his hand on his heart and said solemnly, "may the god of steam have mercy on these poor souls".