ASH and Kay sat side by side, quietly observing the adults' conversation. Mute and Glit were busy with the new girl, trying to lift her spirits. Mute sketched shapes in the dirt while Glit made funny noises. The girl's face brightened a bit, but an undercurrent of fear lingered.
"I can't even imagine her pain," Kay remarked, tossing a stone into the sand. "It only took a tree vine to make me give up on my so-called higher calling," he added with a chuckle.
"Higher calling? Give me a break," Ash replied. "If we make it off this island, you'll probably end up as an innkeeper or something." He smiled, but his eyes were serious. "But how are we going to survive?"
"By giving it our all. Don't give up. Keep trying. And if you believe in any god, pray to them," Kay said, standing up with a smile. "Come on, let's see if we have a plan." He nodded towards Rowan, the bearded man, and the captain, who were huddled together. Just as they moved to join them, Azim wandered over as well.
"Why can't we stay here tonight?" Rowan asked. "This is supposed to be a safe zone. There's nothing here trying to kill us, so why not stay?"
The bearded man shot Rowan a grim look. "Last time we gathered in a safe zone on the east side, three of us were torn apart. We don't know what did it or how. One of us was a Cryptid, meant to protect us, and he was split in half," he said, shaking his head. "There's a predator that hunts here at night. If we're not on the move, it'll slaughter us all."
"Did you learn anything tangible, I mean you seemed to be coming from deep within the forest and yet you made it here before everyone died, how? We barely survived two seconds within the forest," Felis deduced.
The man sat down, a serious expression on his face. "I've been researching this phenomenon for three years, and thanks to the pirates, I finally figured it out," he began, glancing up. "The forest, the trees in these death zones, act like they're sentient because they are. Spirits reside within them. This island, for instance, houses two kinds of spirits: the Óró and another I haven't identified. The Óró are invisible, extremely territorial forest spirits. I don't have complete knowledge of them yet, but ancient texts from the old world describe them as fiercely protective of their domains."
Rowan turned to Felis, disbelief evident. "Spirits? I thought you were a scientist," the one-eyed pirate said, shaking his head.
"I'm a researcher," the man countered. "And I'm not the kind to let superstition blind me to the truths right before my eyes."
Felis grunted, uninterested in arguing. "Can they be killed?" the captain asked..
The man nodded. "I believe so. We managed to fend one off when our Cryptid burned the area."
"So fire?" Felis guessed.
"No... Cryptid ability," the man clarified. "The reason we classify these entities as spirits is because they resonate on a different frequency. A Cryptid's power also taps into that frequency. So any offensive ability from a Cryptid would harm them."
Felis smiled and turned sharply. "Rowan, get your daggers and activate them. We leave now. We have a chance if we keep moving. Your priority is the kids. I'll protect the researcher." He glanced at the others. "You are not a priority," he said coldly, marching away.
"That's a harsh thing to say," the bearded man shouted. "Azim is my son. I'd gladly give my life for him."
"Does Azim know about the Óró?" Felis asked.
"No, but—" the man began, but then noticed the smile on Felis's lips. Rowan burst into laughter. "A joke? At a time like this? Are you guys insane?"
"No, at least not the Cap'n. I tread the ropes of insanity every day," Rowan admitted with a grin. "But it's customary for Irontides to crack a joke before diving into a grim situation. Eases the anxiety." He clapped the man on the shoulder. "Gather your son and the crew. We leave in ten minutes."
Ash and Kay exchanged glances and nodded. "We have a chance," Kay said, striding over to the captain. "Can I use my abilities?" he asked Felis, who was crouched, sorting out supplies.
"No. Our priority is to protect you. I won't have you charging headfirst into danger," Felis replied firmly.
"Come on, man. I've been training. Let me give my friends a fighting chance in case things go haywire," Kay insisted.
"No…" he started to aay but Rowan cut the captain short.
"Let him take a potion," Rowan interjected. "We've never fought an Óró before. An extra pair of hands won't hurt. I'll keep an eye on him."
The captain considered them both for a moment before nodding. Kay grinned as he rummaged through a box, extracting a potion with colors that seemed to shift and swirl within it.
"What potion is that?" Ash asked, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. He dreamed of the day he could harness the powers their captain claimed to possess.
"The Sapphire," Kay explained. "It grants the ability to control natural things—soil, fire, sunlight, even your own biology. It's pretty cool, though it affects everyone differently. People develop a unique array of abilities from it."
"Is that the same potion Helios used?" Ash asked, recalling the Narvach's ability to shift from a very fat man to one of fine features and manipulate the tides.
"Yes," Kay confirmed. "Helios could reshape his body and control the tides thanks to the Sapphire. Hopefully, it'll give me something useful too." he downed the potion. He gritted his teeth for a while, grunting in pain for a few seconds before he then breathed in a relieved manner.
"So cool," Ash commented. Kay tipped an imaginary hat at him with a grin.
They quickly gathered the essential supplies, then joined the others at the center. Rowan handed Usain, the bearded man, a ring dagger. The group was ready to leave, the sun having completely set, and night now cloaking the island.
Rowan and Usain each held lanterns, their light cutting through the darkness. "Let's move!" Captain Felis ordered, and the group stepped forward into the shadowy depths of the forest.