Yaima and Nahuel were handcuffed and taken to a galleon. It was big and luxurious. It looked like the ship of a king. But apparently, it belonged to the cyborg-man, whom the other soldiers called 'Captain Jaex'.
Their Treasures were also taken from them. Obviously. According to Nahuel, those gems were the source of their power, so they had to take them off if they wanted to keep them imprisoned.
There was a cell in the lower part of the galleon. There they locked Yaima and his new friend? ally?
"I'm... I'm... sorry," the girl shot back after they were locked in.
"Don't worry," Nahuel tried to brush it off, although there was a combination of sadness and anger in her eyes. She wailed inside. She could have avoided capture, but she didn't. She was a coward, as she had always been.
She remembered that night… the fire… and her parents screaming for help.
Yaima shook her head.
She and Nahuel were locked up for a whole day, until a soldier came for them and led them, still handcuffed, to Captain Jaex's cabin.
The cyborg-man had Yaima's Treasure between his fingers.
"Incredible that this small thing has caused us so much trouble," he said, "How close does it have to be for you guys to use your powers?"
Nahuel did not reply.
"I guess you have to touch it," said the captain, looking at Nahuel, "otherwise, you would have already used your powers. Or am I wrong?"
Unanswered.
Yaima was not very sure either. It's not like she can feel the power. In fact, she felt empty. The man approached Yaima and placed her Treasure close to her, a few inches from her nose.
"Let's see, try using your powers," Jaex challenged her.
"Do it," Nahuel said, looking at his sideways.
She swallowed hard. She did not know what to do. The captain drew a crooked smile on his face and said:
"Repeat after me: I accept the power of the eon."
Yaima opened her mouth, but she didn't say a word.
"Why don't you speak?" asked the captain, tilting his head, "are you mute?"
Nahuel tried to get Jaex's attention.
"Why don't you try it with me?" The boy challenged him, "Bring my treasure and let's see if I can summon my powers or not."
"My, my, but we don't need to do that," refuted the captain, "I know who you are. I know you're good at fighting. You've been giving my soldiers trouble for days. I don't need to test you."
"So you only bother her," Nahuel pointed at Yaima with his chin, "you bother her because you know she is…"
"She is what?"
"She…"
'Say it, say I'm weak.'
"I think your friend thinks you're useless," the captain scoffed.
"Stop," Nahuel ordered.
Jaex brought the Treasure closer to Yaima again.
"Let's say it."
She closed her eyes and screwed up her face.
"Say it!" The captain pressed her.
"A…ok…," Yaima stammered, "ok…I…"
So, Jaex got it.
"Oh honey, you're an imbecile."
"Don't call her that!" Nahuel roared.
"Ha, ha, ha, ha," the captain let out a laugh, "and I wanted to put you to the test. Your friend was right about you, you are useless."
"I never said that," the boy protested.
"You didn't have to," Jaex replied, "it was implied," the captain turned and looked out to sea beyond his cabin window, "you know? We will leave for Kamsara, and there you will be tried and executed."
"Why?" Nahuel whispered.
The captain turned around.
"Why?"
"Why do they hate us so much?" The boy questioned, "What did we do that they hate us so much?"
"What was... what... let's see... You really don't know?"
Nahuel shook his head.
"Please explain to us."
"You marked ones," the captain explained, "are the worst thing that has ever happened to humanity. You are our natural enemies."
"And for that, they must kill us?"
"Yes! Because you endanger our lives."
"I don't want to hurt anyone," Nahuel refuted, "I just want to fulfill my mission. That's it."
"And what do you think will happen if you fulfill your mission?" the captain asked.
Nathan shrugged.
Jaex unsheathed one of his swords.
"I should kill you right now."
Fush! In a blink, the blade of the sword was a few centimeters from Yaima's neck.
"Don't!" Nahuel yelled.
Yaima let out tears.
"Why wait for a trial?" Said the captain, hate in his voice, "You don't deserve that. You deserve to die here and now."
"Don't hurt her!" Nahuel wanted to throw himself at Jaex, but the guards held him down.
The blade of the sword touched Yaima's neck, just a slice, and she... would bleed out in seconds.
"Yaima!" Nahuel did not stop screaming.
Jaex's eyes were filled with anger. His hand was trembling as if debating whether to slice her throat or not.
"I… I… accept…"
The captain raised an eyebrow.
"What did you say?"
"I accept the… power of the eon."
Yaima's eyes glowed with an intense blue light, just like the Treasure in Jaex's hand.
The ship tilted, the captain lost his balance and slid to one side. The waves of the sea stirred violently. The cabin was filled with a blinding blue glow.
Outside, whirlwinds of water rose like columns and then whipped down on the galleon, shattering it into hundreds of pieces.