Don't forget:

- Text after a dash or between two dashes means somebody's talking. - text written in italic has emphasis. 'Text written like this' means the character is thinking. But when he/she quotes someone else is like the next line.

- "I don't use bold font; don't look for it, please."

Kese enjoyed the sight of the endless water, the rocking, and salty spray of sea gently coming against his face along with the never-ceasing wind. He couldn't understand why Dombi had preferred to stay inside of a narrow cabin, but it was his problem. Kese just wasn't able to sit still on his back.

Siplak was one of the several islands neighbouring the Magors', and one of the closest; but one still needed to sail for almost two days to reach it. They had spent the night after depart on board, but the next evening they reckoned they could rest in still, unmoving beds in their destination village. The victualler who had escorted Dombi and Karcsa home was the same who had sailed back with them. It was late afternoon when they arrived to the harbour, but they stayed there to help the crew loading, thanking the almost free voyage.

Although both of them were tired because of their journey, Kese wanted to take a walk in the village. A pleasant excitement came over him when they stepped on the streets. – It's been a while since I've first left our island. – he stated. – This place hasn't changed much.

Everywhere he looked he saw one or two-storied wooden or stone houses with greyish brown tiled roofs on top of them. Certainly this port was different than his home village. It was... wet. And grey. And although much more people lived there, it was less lively. When he had first arrived there, he had had déjà vu every time he had walked the streets. It's not like he felt he had been there before, but the whole concept about this village was familiar.

Although its mood was a little depressing, he was excited to be there again; mainly because he was away from his home.

- When have you been here? – Dombi asked him.

- When Csepke was born.

- Ah, I remember. You and Tas were delivering something that... what was it again?

Kese laughed, then discretely pointed in an almost random direction. – Can you see that forged sign on that inn, right above the door? That hanging curly thing.

- Yes. You two made it?

- I made it. – his proud grin was enormous. – It was my first commission.

'It looks ugly now... Damn, I was so unskilful back then', he thought listening to Dombi's congratulation. The blonde wanted to take a visit at the inn's pub, but seeing how exhausted his companion was he gave his idea up. They went to Aba*, Csík's quarter-Magor father in law who had used to house Dombi. Despite of his origin, his native language was Elemental, like everyone else's on the island.

The three were having a modest dinner, when a question was asked.

- Aba, why is everyone so low-spirited here nowadays?

The old man sighed. – This year is a lean year, Dombi. We are expecting "guests". You, on your island, as well.

Dombi wanted to ask what he had meant, but he figured it out. – Oh my god... How could I have forgotten? - Kese frowned at this, not understanding what they were talking about. Dombi's next words confused him even more. – When will they arrive?

- Probably in a few week.

The blonde's companion sighed then buried his face in his palms. Kese felt the place getting even more depressing than before. He suddenly noticed Aba had been curiously examining his expressions. – Don't you worry about them?

- He doesn't know about this, because he's never met them. – Dombi replied.

- Who?! – Kese asked at last.

- The pirates. They are expected to take their visit soon.

He was surprised he woke up softly and well rested. Their conversation last evening had made him very nervous and anxious: the pirates, who Rozi had told him about two years ago and who had killed Botond before, were about to show up again. He just couldn't believe it. 'Will they come to us again? And if they come, what would they do? Would they only take our goods, or more? And what will be after that? I know we too are having a lean year: our recent meals were less than the months before. Father's been taking care we have enough for winter, but... If they really come what would we do?' he was sitting on his bed. 'What could I do? I don't want them to take what we worked hard for. But...' Botond's death came to his mind. His expression changed to a bitter one. 'I will talk with father about this after I got home. Now, I have work to do. Dombi said he would pay me for this, and every little drop of extra money is important now.'

He quickly washed his face and got dressed. Rozi had prepared warmer clothes for him so he wore a vest and a coat too. The mornings had got colder despite of sea's heating; and the village was smothered in a slight fog. They had a slice of bread with butter for breakfast; then they walked out of Siplak's streets, into the heart of the hilly island which was only one and a half time larger than the Magors', and already inside Land of Water territory.

The stables there weren't much larger than Dombi's, but they held more horses now with the man's own ones. There were three paddocks around it, and in one the beautiful bay stallion himself. He was so calm having his breakfast; but he only seemed calm there. A stable-boy approached him, but he gave him a chase across his paddock; then returned to his meal.

After a little introduction and chit-chat, Dombi himself tried to saddle him. The stallion let him and the blonde closer than he had let the stable-boy; the man could even touch him. Dombi was fastening the saddle, when the horse knocked him over and almost trampled him down. Fortunately Kese stepped in just in time: he jumped to them, grabbed the leading rein – the stablemen couldn't have taken it off for days, thanks to his stubbornness -, and jerked him away from his companion. The stallion struggled but the blonde managed to keep him in his grip. It took almost an hour for them to get exhausted, and the horse to calm down. His wildness had decreased to a point Kese and the others were able to tie him to the fence and saddle him.

The panting blonde sat up next to him and drank from the water the others had brought him. The stallion's nostrils widened as he snorted and still fought to free himself. He even poked Kese with his nose, trying to push him off the fence. As a response, he just patted the horse's neck.

- Hey, Dombi, why didn't you bring him with you last time? – his head turned towards the source of the sound. A stableman were speaking to said Magor. – This one is sure tougher than your boy.

Dombi blinked a few at the rudeness of that man. He let out an awkward laugh, suppressing his urge to punch him in the face. – Thanks... – and with this he left him behind and walked to Kese. He leaned against the fence and asked, pointing towards the horse. – So, what do you think?

- A little headstrong...

- I prefer awfully bull-headed. – the man laughed.

- I think... He just can't stand his freedom being torn away.

His thought made Dombi's face become straight. – Why do you think that?

- To be honest, if I were him I would do the same.

The man nodded. – Well said... Ready for round two?

- Yeah.

The rest of the day passed quickly with him trying to remain on horseback. Dombi was fed up with the horse, and he was still a little angry at him because of his son. Therefore it was up to Kese to do the dirty work. He was glad he had left his coat and vest on the fence, because he fell off multiple times into the dirtiest mud-puddles. His fuming along with his determination and strength helped him, but he got really tired by the end of the day. He was so happy when he lay down on his bed.

In his dream it was a really dark and wet night. He could see his own breath as it left his body. He was crouching on a rooftop, next to a chimney. How the hell had he got there? He didn't know.

He slowly crept towards the edge and looked down. He saw a narrow alley, and a man two stories below him. He wore a chain-mail, a helmet and white robes with – what seemed to the blonde was – a big red plus on his chest. In addition, the man had a strange red glow. Kese didn't smile nor frown; his face was emotionless. He closed his eyes and he motioned his fingers in a familiar way. He heard a quiet click from the mechanism on his left forearm as something came out of it. He clenched his fist, and could feel the cold metal at his removed ring finger. He opened his eyes, quietly leapt from the rooftop and landed right on his target in the alley. The man let out a small yell when they hit the ground and the hard metal thing on the other's left was stabbed into his neck. Kese pinned him down until his movements ceased, then raised to his feet. He looked down; and above the corpse he saw a bloody blade on his red-stained left arm. With another move of his fingers the blade was pulled back into its respectful place.

Kese was startled out of his sleep, panting and shaking in his bed. It was still night, and Dombi was snorting quietly at the other side of their room. He calmed his breathing, raised his trembling left hand and begun watching it. He examined it. Scrutinized it. He did have his ring finger after all, it wasn't cut off.

He was so relieved.

They had stayed in Siplak for a week. This time Kese and Dombi had managed to tame the stallion until it accepted and obeyed other stablemen as well. The blonde felt a little sorry for him: the prolonged suppling made the horse give up his will after freedom. The last afternoon there he was grooming the stallion next to a paddock when two stablemen came to him. One of them waved him to follow while the other continued Kese's work on the horse.

- Dombi said you were working as a blacksmith, too. – the stableman stated. Although the blonde had been there almost nonstop the past week, he didn't know the man's name. It definitely wasn't the rude one; he intentionally had been staying away from him. – You did a nice job with the jerry's sign.

- Thank you. But I'm still learning it. – Kese replied. – Why did you call me?

- We are very thankful for your help, so we agreed to give you something we have... found the other day. – he entered a hut and came back with something in his hands. It looked like a rock and it was slightly larger than a new-born.

- Is it some kind of rare metal? – he asked, examining the familiar material.

- Our blacksmith said the same.

- Why didn't you give it to him then?

- He is an asshole and would only waste this thing... Listen, we do not need it, so if you would accept it...

- I will. Thank you. – they smiled, shook hands and the man handed it over to him. Kese take a closer look upon it.

- Do you already know what you might forge out of it?

The blonde really wanted to say no. But he didn't. Unconsciously he had already decided its fate. – Yes.

- Could you show us the result? – he asked, smiling curiously.

Kese thought about the thing he had wanted to use it for and a chill came over him. It was that blade from his dreams; which had been hidden under his forearm. He didn't know why, but he felt he had to do it. – If I don't forget it... – he lied. Of course he didn't want to show them the finished blade in the future. They would think he was a little weird – or just an innovator blacksmith?

With another handshake they parted. Kese went back to the stallion and bid his farewell to him and to the other stablemen as well. He was about to leave the island the next day, leaving Dombi behind. He wanted to wait for a trader who had used to deliver Emese voles as preys for her falcons; and he still had his own horses on the island.

The blonde persuaded him to have a drink at the inn's pub as his farewell to the village.

- I'm so proud of you, boy – a tipsy Dombi patted him on his shoulder after three cups of red wine. Kese was in a good mood as well, though he had drunk less. The barkeeper let him drink because he looked like he was in his early twenties. He hadn't shaven since he left home and in the past few days circles appeared under his eyes thanks to his lack of sleep.

Dombi started to murmur something to him about how he missed his dogs he had left home, but Kese couldn't understand anything from it. This went on for a few more minutes, when he suddenly heard foreign talk behind him, in the thick cloud of Elemental. He found it strange: no one came in or left, and two men started talking in another language, all of a sudden. Why?

He didn't know how, but fortunately he knew that language too, so he listened.

- So, what's up with them?

- They spent the thirteenth on ground again, fearing of sailing on a day with ominous number. They are still as foolish and superstitious as they have ever been, especially their captain. - Kese frowned, drinking from his cup, pretending he was paying attention to the man sitting next to him. – He's always had a screw loose, just like his brothers.

- Yes, yes, but they pay us well.

- They would be damned bastards if they didn't pay us well. They steal a lot from the people, all around the world. Even the richest of 'em steals, but his ways are different. They can be very tricky, my friend.

- And what about this treasure you mentioned earlier? I thought it is only a myth.

- It is a myth. They found a piece of carved stone which was about this and made them crazy. So myth or not; they still believe they could find it. They want to find it. Why else would they harass those poor Magors? - Kese froze hearing the word 'Magor'. The man took a little pause, probably drinking. – The captain thinks they have it, but they don't. He could do anything to get that treasure for them. This is why he comes always back, and always to find nothing. This makes him angry and he has his crew rob the entire village; just because he can't stand being turned down.

By this point Kese had already known who they were talking about. He was excited, angry and worried at the same time, but he perked up his ears to hear more. He was afraid to turn back and take a look at them.

- And what is this treasure? Money? Gold? Gems?

- No, they could have 'em anytime in every possible amount. It's something different, something ancient and special. It might have such value and prize we couldn't even imagine. You are new; you have never been told about this, have ya? – Kese couldn't see them, but knew the other nodded. – Anyway, what matters is that they will be here in five days. We load their ship; then they sail to north-east.

- To the Mag-... the Silent Island.

Kese felt his world and himself getting dizzy; he didn't know whether it was because of the wine or the two man's conversation. He just couldn't hear more; he needed to go outside and away, but most important: he needed to go home. He had to go home to warn his village about the pirates' arrival.

- Are you okay, Kese? – Dombi asked seeing his shaky hands and worrisome look.

- We should go. Now.

- Okay... – Dombi didn't understand his strange voice, so he just paid and left the pub with an unusually behaving blonde.

*Pronounciation
Aba: [ aba ]