When morning broke over the Pacific Ocean, Luca was sitting bolt upright in bed, head pounding. He staggered on deck to find Lefn and Aiko busily working-the old, weathered, rusted wooden galleon now coming back to life.
Lefn scrubbed away at the deck with a huge brush, methodical but brisk. Thick, black streaks of the old, encrusted grime were coming off, and the rich dark wood beneath was beginning to show. Aiko worked busily, mopping the surface with a cloth soaked in a mixture of saltwater and vinegar that helped dissolve the salt and corrosion. She hummed some tune or another while she worked, her hair back in a messy bun. The sun's rays danced across the water almost serenely.
Luca's arrival did not go unobserved. Both Lefn and Aiko stopped doing what they were doing without a second's hesitation and ran to him. "Are you okay?" Lefn asked, his voice full of concern. Aiko reached out, laying her hand on Luca's forehead, frowning slightly.
"You've got a fever," she said softly but firmly. "You must be hungry. We'll talk about everything over dinner."
Lucae's stomach growled in agreement. "I am, it feels like I haven't eaten for days," he said, his voice hoarse from raspiness.
In an instant, Aiko and Lefn busied themselves in preparing their meal. They fetched from the galley such ingredients as an offering of fish, vegetables, and herbs. She skillfully filleted the fish with a sharp knife, the surety of her hands showing practice. The fish was then seasoned with salt, pepper, and a touch of lemon juice.
Lefn turned on a small stove and set it under a huge pot of water until it steamed, then chucked in the fish with vegetables and herbs. He would stir it now and again to make sure everything was just right. The fish bubbled up as it simmered in the hot broth, its smell wafting through the air-Ludmilla's traitorously tantalizing and comforting, raising copious saliva in Luca's mouth.
By sundown, dinner was prepared, and they ladled the steaming fish stew into bowls, with some crusty bread on the side. They ate quietly, with outside the sound of the ocean and soft rain backing them up with a soothing background of sound. The stew was hearty; the fish and vegetables were cooked just right; it was both soothing and satisfying.
Luca wrapped dinner, leaned back against the bundle of quilts, and asked, "Alright guys, what happened?"
Aiko leaned towards him and asked, "You remember anything?"
Luca nodded. "Perfectly well. And I know Lefn could get hurt…"
"That's right," Lefn added. His voice sounded touched with guilt. "I lied about my capabilities and got hurt."
Aiko continued, "Luca, you saved Lefn and defeated all the naxons. Then you fainted. You've been sleeping for five days."
"Five days?" Luca echoed, eyes wide in incredulity. "What about the naxons? Is anybody hurt?"
"Calm down and sit," Aiko said calmly. "Nobody got hurt. Lefn discovered that sea naxons really are afraid of fire. And so we used that as our counterattack."
"Praise God," Luca whispered, suddenly filled with relief. "Are we en route?
"Yes," said Lefn, "at this speed, it will take about 13 to 15 days before we reach our destination."
Luca nodded. "Sounds about right. We need to resupply-food is fine, but we need clean water. We can stop at some of the islands on our route."
Aiko agreed. "In the meantime, you should rest more."
Later, in private, Luca sat on his bed in the ship, his mind fuming. "Come forth, Psyros," he muttered, and Psyros' gigantic form materialized from his body.
"Psyros, you rarely ever speak with me as you used to, so I was wondering if I could ask you something?" Luca said.
"Ask me," Psyros replied.
"I blacked out again and took my symbiote form, didn't I?" Luca asked.
"Yes, you did, boy," Psyros confirmed.
"Why do you look different from the other symbiotes?" Luca asked, curiosity aroused.
Psyros' voice sounded grave. "I do not look different from the other symbiotes. I look different from that race of symbiotes. There are three races: divine symbiotes, mystic symbiotes, and nature symbiotes."
"Geez," Luca said, astonished. "So what race are you?
Psyros shook his head. "None of them. There was a fourth race, the crimson symbiotes. I'm the last of that race."
"You're the last one?" Luca asked in surprise.
"Yes," Psyros said, his voice heavy with the weight of his words. "We were once the most powerful symbiotes, but the other three races formed an alliance and destroyed us."
"How did you survive?" Luca wondered.
"I was born in this world," Psyros explained. "My spiritual body and power remain here."
Luca was in awe. "Does that mean—"
"Enough questions for today," Psyros said, cutting him off. "We'll talk more later." Psyros merged back into Luca, who was left in deep contemplation.
Just as Luca was contemplative, Leon burst into the bedroom. "I heard you woke up. How are you feeling?"
"I'm feeling good," Luca replied.
"That's good to hear," Leon said. "I need your help with something."
"Anything," Luca said.
Leon pointed out a few places on the deck where the wood had decomposed. "Could you provide the materials to repair this?"
"Sure," Luca said, snapping his fingers. Exact pieces of wood materialized in front of him, perfectly shaped. He helped Leon fix the broken areas, working together until the deck was as good as new.
When night came, Luca braved heavy rain to see the ship. He saw an island very far away and turned the ship toward the island.