I never really gave Kraden much thought. Even after our group and Felix's joined up, he never truly entered a position of importance. I presented my best manners around him, watching out for him while we traveled, and saw to it that his existence was comfortable. He did not even ask many favors out of me. Kraden was not a thorn in my side, but he did not force himself into my life. Now that I think about it, his role was like that of a tree, natural and always reliably there. He was gentle, never rubbing anyone the wrong way with his ideas, and answered my occasional question with a smile. Likewise, his dent in my life was small, but always present.

The rest of us regarded Kraden the same way I have; they just did not worry about his well being as I do. There were exceptions. Jenna, Sheba, and Piers gave plenty a kind word, a sweet smile. Too many times, I think, they asked him about his well-being. His age made him look frail in their eyes, except to Piers. However, Piers never was a warm character. "Like Felix," Jenna said sighed more than once, "he doesn't express himself much." Sheba had several conversations with Kraden, for their similarities and his kindness were attractive qualities. Those dimmed down afterwards into brief awkward moments between the two, so she instead turned to Jenna, her adopted sister. I know that she had no cruel intentions, but we noticed that Kraden grew more and more silent as time went on.

I finally started to really notice him after he came down with a cold, and confined himself in his room to recover. That day was not the same... His absence threw me off so much that when I glanced backward to gauge Kraden's vulnerability (he kept his distance, but was always a target), seabirds began surrounded me, attacking me; I tried fending them all off with my powers, but they found holes in my defenses. The birds were everywhere, screaming and jabbing at my body, never stopping. I felt something else too - like a sharp sting from my arm that spread throughout my entire being. The confusion further heightened my anxiety, and when I started believing that this would never end, they suddenly left me alone to the overwhelming pain. That was when everything turned dark.

The first I knew when I woke up was the pain. Each jab those birds left on my body stung sharply. That definately hurt, but... My whole body felt as if I got trampled by horses. It must have been the poison of the Man o' War. Well, knowing what did the damage did not make it less painful for me.

How long was I out this time? Minutes? Hours? I turned my stiff head around with moderate difficulty. No one else was here, but a stool stood next to the foot of my bed. The faint press of bed sheets kept me warm, but the cold North Sea air stung my face, bringing a grimace. Hello reality.

Lying there, shivering, my guilt consumed my thoughts, figuring that my overall performance on the battlefield was shameful. Even in the beginning, my attempts at battle were in need of a serious reform. I became less of a fighter than a supporter of the team later on, using my powers to scout for danger and blowing away enemies with my wind powers. I knew, despite what I was doing, my efforts were not that memorable. I even messed up trying to be useful! Everyone knows this. Isaac, Garet, and Mia were not as miffed as Felix and his friends were, for they knew me and understood. Everyone else... They brushed me aside, more than once, when a fight was brewing. I never protested against this. Not once have I told them what I truly felt about my treatment; if I were brought back into more battles, maybe even Isaac, Garet, and Mia would... And, today presented a wonderful opportunity for me, to finally be useful! It was only Felix, Garet, and me up on the deck, and if I wasn't distracted...

An onslaught of frustrated tears slipped down my nose, soaking through my pillow. They were cold tears, furthering my misery.

A soft knock on my door brought me back to my senses. Fearing that my tears will be discovered, I hurriedly wiped them away to the best of my ability; the evidence still marked itself with my puffy eyes. Traitorous tears however slipped through, and I painfully turned away from the door to hide my face. The door swung open slowly, making sure to not make any more noise than necessary. A cough was all it took for me to know who it was. That somehow made me even more uncomfortable.

"Kraden." My voice struggled to hold back the tears, and it trembled softly.

"Hello Ivan," I heard the note of concern in his quiet voice, "How are you feeling?" He was still recovering from that bothersome cold, and he came to ask how I'm feeling? With how cold today is, he should be in bed. Why is he doing this? A mixture of concern and irritation threatened more tears, and I fought back the urge to cry out loud. I could not say anything.

Kraden did not question my silence. I heard him walk towards my bed, and sit down on the convenient stool. Dully, I wondered who left it there last. As he sat down, his bones groaned in protest. He still said nothing. Another cough. He made no motion to turn me over, and confront me head-on. All he did was sit with me.

A minute passed. Still, we said nothing. I felt compelled to say something, to break up the silence. But before I could, Kraden sighed softly.

"I heard the battle up on deck. I always get nervous every time you young ones start fighting. When I heard you start screaming, that nearly knocked years off my life." He wheezed jarringly, trying to get his breathing in the right rhythm.

So it was not the birds that were screaming... And he heard the battle...

"How... How long was I...?" I managed. I truly wanted to know. My voice was barely a whisper as I ended my sentence.

He paused, probably gathering his thoughts. "Two hours."

Two hours. A strange relief washed over me. It was not as long as my other fainting spells. I still have a chance at redemption. Maybe if I go speak with Felix, and explain why I let myself get attacked like that...

I winced as I got myself to sit up. That was a bad idea. I felt so dizzy. I let myself fall back onto my pillow, closing my eyes and letting out a slightly frustrated sigh. Looks like I would not be walking around anytime soon. I welcomed the chill of the frozen tears on my pillow; it soothed my throbbing head. The crying from before left me even more exhausted. My heart pounded uncomfortably against my chest.

Kraden moved the sheets up, and the idea of taking a nap was very attractive. "Just keep resting up, son. There is no hurry." I wanted to take his advice to heart, but a dying part of me wanted to get up.

"But... gotta... tell Felix..." I mumbled. It was almost incoherent, but as far as I knew, I did not care. Before I sunk into a deep slumber, I felt a handkerchief softly wiping the tears away. "You've done more than enough."