As Damian and Kaelen taking in the surrounding, they were greeted by a towering figure with a friendly smile that stretched from ear to ear. The man, who introduced himself as Han, was over six feet tall with broad shoulders and a muscular build that was accentuated by the brown coat he wore that reached down to his knees. His sharp grey eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint as he spoke, and a small tuft of beard on his chin added to his rugged charm with glossy brown hair going backwards.
"Welcome to my ship," he said, his voice booming with warmth and friendliness.
"Wow, thank you so much for the honor of allowing us to board your ship," Kaelen said with exaggerated politeness, making a bow.
The tall man chuckled, a hint of sarcasm in his voice as he replied, "Oh, it's my pleasure to have such distinguished guests on board. But really, it's just business. You paid, so you get a ride. Simple as that. Now come on, let me show you around."
Meanwhile, Damian's eyes were wandering around the deck, taking in the hustle and bustle of the crew. "Hey, come on," Kaelen said with a playful nudge, pulling Damian out of his daze.
Following Han up the stairs, they were rewarded with a magnificent view of the entire deck. "Alright, boys, time to set sail!" Han's voice boomed over the commotion of the crew, and they quickly sprang into action to raise the sails.
As the ship began to move, Han strode confidently to the chair set up on the deck, motioning for Kaelen and Damian to take a seat. "Make yourselves comfortable, lads. We have a long journey ahead of us," he said with a grin.
"So, what reason would drive two young lads like you to leave a peaceful island and go to Dragonspire?" Han asked, breaking the silence .
"Well," Damian began, but Han interrupted him, "I'm not forcing you or anything, just curious why young kids like you would want to leave a peaceful island." His tone was friendly but questioning.
"I want to join the magic academy there and learn magic," Damian replied, with a hint of determination in his voice.
"Hmm, so you have awakened, not bad," Han commented. "And what will you do after becoming a full-fledged mage?"
"I don't know," Damian replied with a straight face.
Han's calm expression turned to shock . "Wait! You haven't thought about your future plans?" he exclaimed, surprised.
As Han tried to calm himself down, he took a deep breath and thought to himself, "They are just kids, they probably don't understand how dangerous it is out there. As an adult, it's my responsibility to guide them."
However, Kaelen quickly caught on to Han's concerns and reassured him, "Don't worry too much, he just wants to have some fun, nothing else."
Han looked at Damian, who was rubbing his head with a small smile, and couldn't help but chuckle at his expression of innocent excitement.
Han's face turned grave as he spoke, "Listen, I'll say this one last time. It's extremely dangerous out there, and you can't even imagine what kind of risks you'll be facing. I understand that you're young and you may want to have fun, but the place you're headed is not some playground."
Damian looked up at Han, determination in his eyes. "Thank you for your concern, but it won't change my decision," he said firmly.
Han shook his head in disbelief. "You young lads really want to die early, don't you? Well, it's your life," he said, his voice tinged with a hint of sarcasm as he stood up from his chair and started walking away.
Han stopped walking and turned towards Kaelen. "And what about you? Why are you going to Dragonspire?" he asked.
Kaelen hesitated for a moment before answering. "I'm just accompanying him," he finally said.
Han nodded slowly, his eyes scanning Kaelen's face as if trying to read his thoughts. "Well, I hope you know what you're getting yourself into," he said with a hint of warning in his voice.
As Han descended the stairs to the main deck, leaving Damian and Kaelen alone, they found themselves seated when suddenly their chairs began sliding. In the midst of this movement, several crew members shouted, "Captain, there's a storm ahead!"
Struggling to maintain their balance as the ship rocked with uneven waves, Kaelen and Damian held onto their chairs tightly. Han, observing the ominous black clouds swirling above, contemplated, "We will probably reach the storm by night," silently pondering in his mind.
"Men, prepare everything for the impending storm!" Han commanded. "Secure all goods downstairs and make all necessary preparations."
The crew swiftly followed Han's orders, diligently securing the cargo and readying themselves for the storm that lay ahead.
As Damian and Kaelen rose from their chairs, they made their way to the main deck where Han stood, gazing out at the vast ocean. Concerned, Damian spoke up, "Excuse me, is everything okay?"
Startled by the sudden interruption, Han turned to face them, a reassuring smile spreading across his face. "Don't worry," he replied confidently, "I've encountered many storms before, and this is nothing compared to those. Just relax."
Damian and Kaelen took solace in Han's calm demeanor and trusted his experience. They settled in next to him, finding comfort in his presence as they prepared to face the approaching storm together.
8 hours later ...
It's already noon and the ship is sailing at a top speed, But the sky was already dark with no sign of the sun. The waves grew increasingly violent as time passed.
Meanwhile, Damian and Kaelen followed the crew members downstairs. They navigated through narrow paths until they reached a room.
"This is your room," the crew member said, quickly leaving to prepare for the approaching storm.
Inside the room, Damian and Kaelen found small beds facing each other, separated by a small wooden table. The room was cramped, only suitable for sleeping. They unpacked their belongings.
While unpacking, Kaelen noticed Damian taking out an egg. "You brought that egg too?" Kaelen asked.
Damian placed the egg on the bed and then took out some bread. "Want to have some?" he offered, motioning his hand forward.
After giving the bread to Kaelen, Damian lied on the bed, hugging the egg and said, "I am like his father." Kaelen snickered and corrected, "It should be mother." They both laid down, munching the bread.