Chapter 1

Storm

I breathed in the fresh air and awed at its clarity. The wind caressed my skin and my hair flew with the wild spirit the wind had brought. My feet were surrounded by sand and the water rolled toward me. I walked close enough to feel the waves of water wet my feet.

The little island was quite charming. It was small and quaint. The only thing wrong was that if the creatures of this island think you have trespassed to long they would surely kill you. I had nowhere to go, and nothing to do. I knew not where I was, and I could not communicate with the natives who talked a strange tongue. I had never seen such exotic customs and I didn't intend to learn them. They're customs could not compare to those of our civilization. I reminisced my past for a second, and erased the thoughts for they would surely haunt me if I thought of it now.

The beat of the drums seemed distant telling me I was close to the tribal ceremonial ground. I turned away and my eyes fell upon a man. He was a mass of muscles, and seemed to be a native. I tried to run but his massive hand wrapped around my wrist. I had left my axe and shield at camp, which was quite unusual for me. I struggled for a while, and saw it was no use. I could not escape from him. I must have misjudged him for his eyes set me to ease. His face was quite rough, but his eyes seemed sad. I felt for him. Suddenly the drums became louder. I had allowed him to lead me half way, but I wasn't going to allow him to lead me any further. I knocked him out by hitting his pressure points.

"Why didn't I do that before?" I suddenly thought to myself. I crept away slowly for we were closer than I thought. This time I was more aware of my surroundings. The sun was up by the time I got back to my camp. I decided to leave that day for Qeynos. I had too many close calls and the natives had been trying to hunt me down. It would be a risk to leave the island and go out to sea. I knew one thing, if I kept going north I would reach land eventually. I Knew I would find Antonica if I went north.

I had built a raft and hoped it would survive the vast ocean that lay ahead. Since I wasn't traveling on a huge boat, and since I was my own crew, I sheathed my axe and strapped my shield to my back. I let my sail up and I was on my way. I had brought all the coconuts I could find and figured it would keep me alive for a year as long as I ate little at a time. I smiled despite the possibility I could get killed. It didn't phase me at all. I was going home, and that's all that mattered.

The sea was calm, I remember that day so clearly. You could see right through the water, all the way to the bottom. The sky was so blue and not a cloud in sight. By about noon the wind started to pick up, and dark clouds covered the sky. The sea god was angry for what reason I do not know, but a minute or so later it began to rain. The drops hurt as they landed on my skin. It felt like little pins pouring from the sky. These drops started to tear up my sail and I realized that it was not rain that was falling from the sky it was hail. I took my shield and covered myself with. I put the sail down and held on to my only source of food.

Huge waves crashed down upon my poor little raft and broke it into pieces. I fell into the water but I quickly grabbed a piece of my little raft and held on for dear life. I realized my shield had been carried off with the rest of the boat. I prayed that I would survive this storm but it seemed useless since I would die of starvation anyway. The waves crashed down harder on my poor body. I felt helpless like a turtle without it's shell and all hope seemed lost. I heard the roar of thunder and saw the lightening crash before me. Now the fear of death had kicked in. I felt the color on my face turn white. A few hours passed before the storm died down. All of those hours I spent much of my time clinging to that piece of wood. Not short after my strength gave in and I let go of the wood. I drifted down into the water feeling it surround me. I suddenly ran out of breath and passed out.

I was most surprised to awaken in a ship cabin. A man looked happily at me. His blue eyes looked into mine, and his coal black hair looked like it hadn't been brushed for quite some time.

"What's your name?" he asked me.

"Emerallass," I whispered.

"Emerallass, my name is Tibron," He smiled at me as he put a wet cloth on my forehead. "Go back to sleep you need your rest," he said to me.

"Wait where am I?"

"You are on the boat King of the Sea. Tomorrow we will arrive at Qeynos." I managed a weak smile when I heard the words we will arrive at Qeynos. Home I was finally going home.