rystal walked out of the shop into the hot, humid afternoon. She was counting her remaining coins as she put them back into the purple Emu skin coin purse about her waist.
"Fifty-nine left." she muttered as she tied it close.
Suddenly the Venus Djinni, Tar, poked his head out of the satchel slung over Crystal's shoulders. "Crystal, we're hungry! When can we eat?"
"Yeah!" piped up Flame, the Mars Djinni, from within the satchel.
"Soon, be patient." Crystal replied as she pushed her long brown hair out of her face.
"Ohhh!" the other Djinn groaned in unison.
Crystal sighed. She looked around. The town of Alahfra was a mess. A tidal wave had hit a few days ago and nearly wiped out everything except for a small number of buildings. Large puddles of water dotted everywhere on the lower half of Alahfra. A large number of the townsfolk were pitching in to rebuild the town and get the large ship against the shore unstuck.
Crystal knew that because of the repairs, food was scarce. "I'm afraid it's fish again tonight."
"Not again!"
Crystal stifled a giggle at her friend's misery. "Sorry guys. I don't like this any more than you do. Hey, why don't we go see the ship?"
"Does that mean we can get out and explore it?"
"Yes." Crystal replied as she changed her course.
"Yay!"
Crystal smiled. "Perhaps we can help them unstick the ship."
When she arrived on the wharf next to the ship, Crystal removed her satchel and set it down, pulling open the flap.
The ten Djinn leapt out. The three Mercury Djinn ran to the edge and leapt off into the water while the others stayed with Crystal, who slung the empty satchel over her shoulder beside her quiver of arrows.
"Let's go explore, Crystal!" Rose said as she started towards the plank that led to the ship.
"Alright then. Come on." Crystal said as she walked after Rose.
Flame, Blaze, and Ruby hurried after her. "Wait, wait!" they called.
Crystal halted and turned to them. "What is it?"
"Can you carry us on board? I don't like the looks of that board." Flame said, eyeing the plank.
Crystal rolled her eyes, annoyed. She held her arms out to them. "Alright, fine. You're just lucky I love you guys."
The Mars Djinn leapt into her arms, squeaking their thanks. "Thanks, Crystal!"
Blaze wriggled out of her grasp and jumped up onto her head.
"Hey!"
Blaze giggled. "Sorry, Crystal. But I like it up here."
Crystal smiled and heaved a sigh. "Fine, you can stay up there. You silly little critter."
"Thank you!"
The other Djinn followed behind Crystal as she made her way up the plank.
The ship was bare except for a coil of rope and a few empty barrels. The mast was snapped in half with a large rock on the tip. There was also other debris on the mast and by the ship where it had fallen from the ship.
Crystal looked around. "Well, looks like they're going to need quite a bit of help. A lot of this debris is quite heavy."
Ruby nodded. "Looks like it."
Everyone looked at the door as it opened and two groups of people walked out.
Crystal recognized the Mayor and two of his guards. The Mayor of Madra and its town elder as well as the notorious pirate Briggs and his companions. The other group behind them she did not recognize but could tell by their dusty clothes and weapons that they were travelers.
The group halted just outside the door, looking at Crystal in surprise.
"Crystal!" the mayor of Alahfra said with a large smile. "What are you doing here?"
"I just came to examine the ship. Thought you might like some help. I also see you've captured Briggs."
The mayor turned to look at Briggs. "Yes we have."
Suddenly the elderly man of the group of travelers stepped forward. "Excuse me, miss. But are those Djinn?"
"Hm?" Crystal looked down at the Mars Djinn in her arms then looked back up at him. Yes. Yes they are. Why do you ask?"
"Because normally Adepts have Djinn. Would you happen to be one?"
"Uh…" Crystal bit her lip. "No! No."
The elder man cocked an eyebrow. "OK. Well, I am the scholar, Kraden and this is Felix, the leader of our group." He gestured to the eighteen-year-old man just behind him
The man had his long dark brown hair up in a ponytail. One stray piece of hair on the top of his head stuck up with a slight curve to the left. A green traveling cloak was strapped around his neck that splayed out over his left shoulder. He also wore a light brown long-sleeved tunic with a short sea green shirt over the first that reached just above his green belt, brown gloves and boots that reached to his knees. The pants, which were the same color as his top shirt, were tucked inside his boots. He had a sheathed sword that was strung through with a brown belt strapped diagonally from his left shoulder across his chest to his right hip.
The thing that intrigued Crystal the most were his eyes. They were the eyes of someone who was a well-seasoned fighter but still kind-hearted.
He inclined his head towards her slightly, allowing the long bangs to fall about his face.
The brown-haired girl beside Felix stepped forward. She had three stray pieces of hair sticking up from the top of her head. The two longest strands, closer to the back of her head, curved more towards to the back while the shorter one up front curved more frontward. The seventeen-year-old wore a long-sleeved pink shirt with a darker pink sleeve-less shirt over it and a brown-ish pink skirt with a lighter colored stripe running along the bottom as well as black boots. Her violet cloak was fastened just below her neck with two circular gold clasps. In her hand was a long white staff with a curved top and a gold colored crescent moon shaped band that went from the side of the left curve to the shaft of the staff.
"I am Felix's sister, Jenna," she said.
"My name is Sheba. I come from the town of Lalivero," the shorter and younger girl beside Jenna said.
She was around the age of fourteen and had short dark blonde hair. She wore a short-sleeved white tunic with golden brown embroideries on the edges of her sleeves, on the middle of her dress, and on the collar, as well the bottom, which had three tassels dangling from the front. She also wore a white skirt and brown boots. On her wrists were bands. A light purple cloak was draped around her shoulders and fastened with a golden pendant with a pink dyed piece of fur. The longest strip of her cloak, which reached down past her waist and had three tassels as well, was tucked through her brown belt.
Crystal smiled. "It is nice to meet you all. I am Crystal and I come from the town of Tolbi."
"Well, if you would excuse us…" one of the guards said in a slightly tentative manner.
Crystal looked at him, puzzled. "Oh? Oh! Yes, sorry." She stepped aside.
The guard nodded. "Thank you."
As he and the others started forward, there was the sound of water splashing against the side of the oat and loud giggles. The next thing they knew, a large wave, with the Mercury Djinn riding on top, came crashing down on them, thoroughly drenching them.
The Mars Djinn began screaming, as if they were in pain. "Ahhhh! Wet, wet! Ahhhh!"
"Oh, no! Hold on guys, I'll get ya fixed up." Crystal snapped her fingers and a large fire appeared. She quickly dropped Ruby and Flame into the fire and, pulling Blaze from atop her head; thrust him into it as well.
Everyone watched as the fire hissed and sputtered from contact with the wet Djinn.
Kraden looked up at Crystal. "You are an Adept! I knew it!"
Crystal bit her lip. "Y-yeah…"
"Why didn't you tell us?" Jenna asked.
"Uh…well…"
"Because she doesn't know us and she has her own reasons. Is that correct, Crystal?" Kraden said, looking at Crystal.
"Wha? Oh! Yes! That is exactly right."
The Mars Djinn hopped out of the fire. Like a vacuum, they absorbed all the fire, leaving behind small scorch marks.
The mayor of Alahfra cleared his throat. "Ahem, well, we really should be going."
The others nodded and started walking off the boat in a single file line, expect Felix's party, who remained.
Kraden looked around then turned to Felix. "Well, Felix, looks like we have quite a bit of work ahead of us if we want to fix this boat."
Felix nodded.
Crystal cocked her head to one side. "You're fixing the ship too?"
"Why, yes. Why do you ask?"
"Because that's what I'm going to do too!"
The group looked mildly surprised.
Crystal looked from one face to the other. "Yeah, what's wrong?"
"N-nothing! Nothing!" Kraden said hastily.
Crystal smiled. "OK," She turned to her Djinn. "Ready you guys?"
They nodded and hopped up onto the railing. "Ready!"
Crystal walked up t the railing behind her Djinn. "Alright guys. Let's do it!"
The Mercury Djinn dropped down into the water.
Arrow turned to Felix's party. "Don't you worry. Crystal will get this ship all fixed! Why don't you watch?"
Curious, the group walked up to the rail beside Crystal. They watched, fascinated, as she used her Psyenergy spell Move and Carry to lift and move boxes, logs, and rocks from the mast. Down below, the Mercury Djinn were pushing the debris away from the ship.
"Wow. She's quite powerful, isn't she?" Kraden commented.
"Yes she is." Sheba said.
Jenna nodded. "I agree."
Felix merely nodded once in agreement.
When Crystal finished, she turned to the others. "That should be about it."
Sheba pointed to the large rock. "What about that? It's huge!"
Crystal giggled. "Oh really? Not for me. Just watch." She placed one hand on Rose then pointed the other at the rock; palm facing it, then closed her eyes.
As she forcefully jerked her hand down, the rock began to shake. Slowly it began to crack and sink.
Kraden chuckled as the rock completely crumbled. "Marvelous! Just marvelous!"
Crystal's eyes opened and she smiled.
The Mercury Djinn leapt up onto the railing with the help of a small wave.
"All clear!"
"No more debris!"
"Yeah, all gone!"
The other Djinn cheered. "Yay, Crystal! You're the best!"
Crystal flushed with pleasure. "Oh, it was nothing."
Kraden turned to his friends. "Well, since the boat is free we should return to Madra to see Piers. His company should prove enlightening!"
Sheba nodded. "Yes. Since he seems to be a Water Adept."
Jenna turned to Crystal, who was putting her Djinn back into her satchel. "Would you like to join us, Crystal?"
Crystal looked up at Jenna as she slung the satchel over her shoulder. She shook her head. "No thank you. I'm actually going someplace else."
"Oh. OK, then. Maybe we'll see you around sometime."
Crystal waved to the group as the walked off the ship. "Perhaps. Bye!"
After they were out of sight, Crystal left the ship using her Teleport spell.
