The enormous wooden ark arrived at the wharf this afternoon; we only had an hour before departure. I made the decision to bid Paraemon, a dear friend of mine who lived in a cramped cottage in Koragh, a farewell. I arrived at his cabin and rapped on the door.
Paraemon opened the door in a hurry. "What can I help you with? "He said.
"Sorry to interrupt you, Paraemon. Were you asleep when I knocked on the door? I was just about to bid you farewell before leaving in an hour, my friend.
"Ah, it's you Aston. Now, I remember it's the date for your departure to a large country across the world. Before you depart, come in and let's have a cup of tea."
"I'd enjoy a cup of tea brewed by Paraemon the Tea Barista, hahaha!"
In order to make the most of my remaining time here, I chose to spend it with Paraemon. He went to make tea for the two of us while I sat on his wooden chair. I instantly realized how much time we had left. My smile and laughter were brought on by the recollections. Paraemon observed and enquired.
"Why are you happy? Aren't you supposed to be in sorrow because you're leaving this village where you spent your 12 years living in?"
"No, Paraemon. I am in a state of joy because I have a wonderful friend and had good memories with him and my folks since the start I moved in this village after the tragedy that happened before on my homeland."
"According to rumors, the fishmen that formerly raided your hamlet have grown in number and have been spotted roving some nearby islands. You should therefore go with caution. I'm not exactly sure why their population has grown so significantly. "
"Those bastards… It reminds me of that day."
"I apologize for bringing up the subject again. I only wanted to bring out the potential risk that might be present outside. It's not like Koragh out there, so you need to exercise caution. My grandparents used to tell me tales about the outside world when I was small, but I haven't told you about them yet. One of them involves the fishmen and tales of lizardmen who are dangerous. We haven't been all that conscious of the outside world because we live on a remote island with a magical barrier that a sorcerer who once visited this island cast, but that barrier is slowly dissipating."
"You don't have to worry, Paraemon. I'll be able to arrive at my destination safely."
"Your departure is soon upon us. Aston, I need to give you something first. This is a bracelet that I constructed from hard rocks that I collected in our caves. I realize that's not much, but please keep it because it's a gift for you since we'll be separated."
"I'm grateful, Paraemon. I'll hold onto this with care; it's a beautiful present."
"Bon Voyage!"
After speaking with Paraemon, I left the cabin. I was pleased that I had the chance to bid a friend farewell. I headed directly to the docks but soon became aware that the weather had changed and was now dark, chilly, and dreary with a gray and cloudy sky. It was as if it was a warning that I shouldn't go on. Since these huge ships only berth in our area every so often, I didn't mind it too much. I was still standing in front of the ark when several of my fellow villagers entered it. I looked back at the village and thought about how much I would miss it if I left. Rain began to fall as I was contemplating, so I hurried inside the ship. The ark was eventually prepared to go. The villagers were bidding us farewell. One of the sailors then shouted, "Captain, we're ready!"
The ark began to move. We've already started to depart to Assendract; one of the largest countries in the world.