Augur Storm was never the type that liked to be delayed. Once nature gives the sign she needs to proceed or what to do next, she swings into action immediately. But now, she has no choice. She saw no sign to tell her the next line of action, no pattern to follow.
She was stuck in the inn on the shore with this foul-smelling captain who wasn't ready to move.
She searched amongst the crowds, looking for a pattern amidst the drunk sailors and those who were still sober at the same time. Yet, she found nothing. It was like nature was against her at this moment.
Sighing in frustration, she turned to the sailor who was no longer giving her attention, "I need a ride, and I'd pay you handsomely."
She needs the ride urgently because every moment spent here is giving her target time to escape. She needs a boat desperately.
"To where?" Came a man's voice behind her.
She slowly turned to give him attention, and he was a short man with a big belly, probably gotten from too much drinking.
'Where?' the question rang in her head again. That was when she realized that she didn't know where to go exactly. The sign she had read before coming here had pointed her directly to this place, telling her to journey across the sea as that was where her target went, but where exactly?
The question 'where' was simple, and it should have been followed with an immediate answer, but Storm found herself stammering. Her speech box deserted her.
The man came closer, eyeing her from head to toe before asking again, "And where are you going? I have a boat if you can pay."
She stammered, "I…don't…k…know."
The man looked surprised for a moment and then burst into a mocking laugh, which earned the attention of the first man.
"Seriously, you don't know, and you need a boat?" It was the first Sailor's voice taunting her now.
"Stupid girl." The second sailor laughed,
"Perhaps she's lost. And she may make a good thing for the evening." The first sailor jokes.
The words drew more attention, and everyone who heard the joke laughed.
At that moment, Augur Storm wants nothing more than to slit their throat. She could feel her hand involuntarily reaching for the throwing pin on her waist, and it took a lot of effort to stop herself from reacting.
Why? Because she saw no sign of death or battle yet. That means fate didn't want them dead, at least not yet. It means they may still have a greater purpose to serve. But what Storm couldn't understand was, 'What purpose was left for these men to serve?' If it were left to her, she'd kill them before they blinked, but that was going against nature's order since no sign had been given yet.
And if there's any lesson she had learned so far ever since she was young, it was that going against nature is a great sin.
The priests at her temple taught her enough about going against nature, not to mention those that she had witnessed.
They were bred to serve nature's purpose, to create balance and restore order. Acting against nature's order is a death penalty, or worse… Storm didn't want to think of the second option, and she didn't want to be a scapegoat.
Because of this, she relaxed her muscles and did one thing: walking towards the exit of the inn. She'd rather wait until nature tells her what to do next than go against nature.
Though she may look weird to others, and that's how it should be. An augur should be different from other humans. It shows that they were well-trained and following the order of nature.
Augur Storm stepped out of the inn, and the evening sun shone directly into her eyes. She inhaled the cool sea breeze, staring directly at the vast water that spread ahead of her.
Somewhere on the sea, she was sure that her prey was, but where exactly? The last sign she read had led her here, and it had never given her the wrong direction or order before, even in the weirdest situation.
Maybe it's not time for her to move yet, Storm concluded, walking to the edge of the sand, where the restless sea meets the endless sky.
She is draped in a flowing white stola, its fabric rippling gently in the salt-laden wind, catching the soft light of the setting sun. Her tunic, worn beneath, is simple yet sacred, a garment worn by those who walk between the realms of the living and the divine. Over her shoulders, a delicate palla flutters like a veil, the edges kissed by the breeze as she gazes out over the horizon.
Her hair, dark and untamed, cascades around her shoulders, partly held back by a wreath of laurel—a symbol of divine favor and foresight. Her eyes, deep and knowing, reflect the shifting waters before her as if she were attuned to their ancient rhythm, listening to the whispers of the waves and the murmurs of the winds for signs and what to do next.
She stood there for several minutes, unmoved, unshaken, and hardly blinking.
All around her, the screaming of sailors, merchants, traders, and others filled the air.
Some were shouting, some were busy drinking, and some were doing one thing or the other.
When she saw nothing out of the ordinary, she turned around with the thought of returning to the inn to spend the night when her eyes glimpsed something on the horizon.
She turned back sharply, watching as the thing approached the bay of the sea. At first, it looks like a small cartoon floating in a bucket of water. But as it approached, it started growing bigger and then turned out to be a ship.
Maybe this is my sign, Augur Storm thought, focusing all her attention on the approaching ship and watching keenly for nature to tell her what to do.
After what seemed like an eternity, the ship dropped anchor before finally stopping next to a small boat with three merchants and one sailor.
A tall, huge, shirtless man with a broad chest came down from the ship with a triumphant look on his face. His crew, perhaps twelve in number, followed, all of them looking excited and smiling as if nature had blessed them.
What could have happened? Storm thought, getting close to having a proper understanding of what's happening.
"Aye!" The captain called out, "Poseidon has blessed us!" He becomes the center of attention, and everyone looks eager to hear what he is about to say.
"Salazar, what happened out there?" A man called out, pushing away a small carton that was probably filled with net. "You looked happy this evening."
"We came across fortunes near the beach of the Seven Isles."
"Fortune?" Another repeated.
"Yes, fortune!" One of Captain Salazar's Crew shouted. "An empire shipwrecked on the Bay of the Seven Isles. There are fortunes. Gold, armory, noble dresses, and many invaluable items. We took what we could, and there are still more of them left."
"An empire shipwrecked, how?" Another man gasped.
"Who cares?" Salazar shrugged. "Perhaps the sailor was drunk. Or perhaps he underestimated the jagged rocks of the Seven Isles."
The rest laughed, and Storm could see them working on their ship or boats. Obviously, they were going to take a look.
"Greedy men," Storm hissed, walking closer quickly. She needed no one to tell her that it was the sign she needed. "Take me to the Seven Isles." It's a direct statement to Captain Salazar, not caring about his height, muscles, or stern look. Storm wasn't bothered.
He looked down on her and scowled. "A greedy girl?" Storm didn't bother. All she wants right now is to get to the so-called Seven Isles, and nothing can stop her: not this Salazar man, not his crew, not the rest of the sailors, and not even one of the men around.
Storm wasn't surprised to see that Salazar won't budge. That's normal, and it's also a normal thing to apply force. She will make him take her to the seven isles.
"Hey girl, get your ass outta my way!" One yelled out, reaching out to push her aside.
But Storm was faster. She easily shifted her body out of the way, stretching her leg forward, making the man trip. He fell with a thud, drawing attention.
Storm didn't want that now, but it was too late. She already saw the air shifting in front of her, forming a skull, and painting it red. Death.
Almost everyone on the shore would die.
At that moment, the sound of weapons drawing from their scabbards filled the air, but it was too late. Augur Storm had already acted the moment she saw the death pattern, and by the time anyone could make a move to attack her, three men were dead already, blood split out of their mouths with their eyes bulging in shock. It was a swift attack, so they didn't feel the pain.