Journey To Elemental Island: Book 1

By Valdeara Wallberg

As an "all-consuming darkness" threatens to swallow the planet of Everade, a group of unlikely heroes are spiritually called to embark on a journey of a lifetime, while the universe paves their paths behind the scenes with a variety of sharp-witted, fun-loving, and somewhat odd allies. Each future hero of the enchanted world must endure their own trials and hardships while traveling to the island they are destined to protect, an island that harbors a powerful secret of its own.

Share in the emotional turmoil that unfolds before your eyes. Witness the traumatic events that lead to deep insights and healing as they battle their way through the seductive and subtle lures of the dark side and some not-so-subtle attacks. Immerse yourself in a world of wonder and intrigue where the oldest war of all time still rages:

The war of light and darkness.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fulton Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jun 10, 2022
• ISBN: 9798885051163

Book preview

Journey to Elemental Island

— SCHOOL OF ZODIACS —

BOOK 1

VALDEARA WALLBERG

Copyright © 2022 Valdeara Wallberg

All rights reserved

First Edition

Fulton Books

Meadville, PA

Published by Fulton Books 2022

ISBN 979-8-88505-115-6 (paperback)

ISBN979-8-88505-116-3 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

This book is dedicated to my late father, Ronald Wallberg, whom I loved deeply.

May a smile cross his lips as he watches over me from heaven.

Thank you, Daddy, for instilling values, stubborn determination, a love for life, and most importantly, compassion within me.

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Acknowledgments

Credits

Chapter 1

Just on the outside of a small port city sat a weather-worn cabin; the boards were broken and the roof was dipped heavy with snow. Dirty, broken glass windows circled around the exterior in an uneven fashion. The front porch was broken in several spots, and the door no longer fit snugly against its frame. By most standards, the place should have been condemned, but the humans of Winter Cove thought it was perfect for the scum that lived there, a female who had bred with an elf to produce a mixed-blood; they saw her as a traitor to her own kind. The elven race had enslaved and suppressed them for thousands of years, forcing them to live on the little islands while they prospered on the mainland of Everade. While the elves thrived in the lush, fruitful lands, the humans were kept on scattered islands where things hardly grew. Every so often, the dark elves would raid their little island cities, raping and enslaving their people, yet the young woman who lived in the house had willingly slept with one of the vile elves and became with child. At first, they had thought she was just another rape victim, but when she refused to let them eliminate the child and even showed love to it while it grew in her womb, it became clear that she was no victim. She was viewed as a traitor to her own kind. It was against their laws to kill the females. These lands seemed to be cursed even for bearing young. If nothing else, they could use her at their leisure to produce human babies that would then be raised by their fathers.

When Jugal Daymarkus stepped forward and announced that he would take the woman as his wife, many thought he was a hero for doing such a kind thing for the misguided woman, while others weren’t so happy about it. Even though she was a traitor, the woman was beautiful, and they had been looking forward to having their way with her for breeding practices. He had married her quietly but with the approval of the council after he had charmed them into taking into consideration that maybe the child wasn’t of elven descent but a youthful tumble with a charming man of human lineage. They couldn’t truly be certain about it after all. A woman didn’t show signs of pregnancy for several months after conception, so no one could truly be sure how far along the woman was. Not to mention she was the daughter of a well-known pirate, so they knew she couldn’t possibly have the morals that the people held in high value. He also convinced them that killing the only daughter of Papa of Spree, a well-known pirate, would be disastrous for their small port town. It was, after all, the pirates who were fighting off the elven forces for humankind, and his ship, the Meridian, was the most untouchable ship of them all. Its captain traveled the seas, hitting the elven fleets and freeing the human slaves that were used to run them.

So do you really want to turn that sort of wrath towards us by killing his only daughter? he had boldly pressed, his tone that of a passive-aggressive threat delivered with polite wrapping. Needless to say, the man got his way on the matter and now had a wife. She delivered the child, and it appeared to be human. There really weren’t any signs that it was elven at all, but as the child grew more features that started to prove otherwise, Jugal became the laughingstock of the community, especially since he could not get her with a child. He played the suave hero as he frequented bars and listened to his friends when they began giving him ideas about how to handle his situation. The relationship soon became abusive, and he would beat his wife before raping her repeatedly; still no child came out of their unions. His thoughts then turned toward the boy; he was sure that it was his fault the gods had cursed him.

If he could get rid of the child, then maybe things would turn around. That proved to be more difficult than he thought it would be since his wife fought back when it came to the child. All he could do was beat the boy senseless to the point of death, but the little bastard just wouldn’t die. The child was four years old now, and Jugal was violently drunk more often than not and constantly searching for new ways to punish his stepson, Dragon.

Dragon

Dragon stared out the dirty window of his tiny closet room; it was icy and foreboding on this moonless night. The ground was blanketed in thick, white snow, and large snowflakes were still falling toward the ground; it was as if the weather were mocking him. He shivered under the sheet that he had coiled around him when an icy breeze ruffled his curly, black hair. His face was red from the cold, and he was trying to warm up the best he could. An icicle broke free from one of the rafter boards and crashed to the floor next to his tiny, bug-infested bed. He wasn’t allowed to open the door and get some of the warmth from the cozy fire in the main part of the house. When he looked at the door, wondering if it would be safe enough to just open it for a little bit, he noticed the frost covering it. If it was this cold in his room, he couldn’t imagine what it was like out there with no moon to give the illusion of warmth.

He snuggled deeper in the thin sheet and wrapped his arms around his upraised knees. An icy tear escaped his deep gray eyes as he thought about his mother, who was nursing wounds inflicted by his stepfather the night before. He knew that if he opened the door even a crack and his dad found out, his mother would be brutally beaten again and so would he. So he turned his gaze back out the window and remained silent as he let himself imagine a better place for him and his mother, a place where they didn’t need to cower in fear in order to survive, a safe place where his mother could smile and laugh without fear of being hurt, a place without his stepfather. He buried his face in his arms and tried to use his breath for warmth. His stomach growled, reminding him that he had not been allowed to eat for a couple of days now. He had gotten used to the hunger pains, so it wasn’t hard to ignore. More tears silently ran down his face as he wondered what he had done to make his dad and the townspeople hate him the way they did. His mother was the only person who loved him, and she was so beaten up most of the time that she could barely move, so she wasn’t able to do things for him like other mothers did for their children; she was always being hurt because of him. If he opened the bedroom door or spoke without permission, he was forced to watch his stepfather punish his mother. If he showed any kind of emotion or fear, the man would force his mother to get naked and then do things to her in front of him.

Everything done to your mother is because of you. You better understand that, you cursed little… His step-father’s voice echoed through his thoughts. He cut off the phrase in his mind and covered his ears, trying to stop the cruel words from tormenting him further. You’re a worthless worm that forces me to punish your mother for keeping you alive to begin with. This is all because of you, boy! The words just kept coming despite his effort to block them.

No, I didn’t do anything, Dragon quietly whimpered to himself as more and more tears flooded his eyes. He was quietly repeating the phrase when the front door slammed shut, causing the gray boards of his room to shake from the force. His attention snapped up toward the door, and he quickly wiped his tears away. He couldn’t let the man see his weakness for his gentle mother’s sake. He leaped off the crate by his window and started toward his bed. Before he could reach it to pretend to be asleep, he froze in terror at the sounds of his stepfather angrily crashing through the house toward the door of his tiny room.

"No, please, don’t hurt him! He hasn’t come out of his room or done anything!" his mother frantically begged for him once again. There was a loud smack of flesh on flesh followed by the loud thud of his fragile mother hitting the wall. The man was just outside his door now, and fear took over Dragon’s actions. He looked around for a hiding place, terrified about what was about to happen.

"No!" his mother screamed. Dragon heard her desperately scrambling across the floor to intercept the angry man. In a matter of seconds, he heard a repeating thud and grunts as if his stepfather was constantly kicking his mother’s ribs. He heard his mother’s pained cough and the soft splattering of blood hitting the floor. It was times like this that he hated his heightened sense of hearing inherited from his real father. It was excruciating to hear the violence against his mother. Tormented by the sounds outside his door, he dove under his bed and curled up into a ball, covering his ears. Squeezing his eyes shut, he began to count, hoping the numbers would somehow save him from this reality. His mother had taught him this method for dealing with life. Up until now, he had to always focus his thoughts and mind on the numbers, but he knew them too well to be effective this time. His door suddenly crashed open and fell off the hinges, causing him to jump and his breath to catch in his throat.

Where are you at, you fuckin’ half-breed bastard? his stepfather growled, sounding slurred. When he didn’t respond, the man started knocking the few items he had off his broken dresser and uneven shelves. The objects clattered to the packed dirt that was his floor and rolled in random directions. Dragon curled up into a tighter ball, praying the man was too drunk to find him. He silently hoped that he would give up and go sleep it off somewhere. His racing heartbeat grew deafening as the man’s heavy footsteps strolled around the room.

Come out, you little son of a b——! his stepfather demanded in a low, menacing tone that incited more fear than Dragon ever thought possible to rush through his veins. A feeling of deadly calm began to make its way through the four-year-old Dragon, and he bravely opened his eyes. From his hiding place, he could make out the crumbled form of his mother on the hallway floor. The light of the candles illuminated her battered and broken body in an eerie way. As if sensing his gaze, she opened her swollen eyes and silently lipped something to him. His mind raced for a strategy to hurt his stepfather and get his mother to safety. He was small compared to the man, and he wouldn’t be able to help his mother that much, but surely there was something that could be done. Her gaze began to fade, and the deadly calm disappeared, returning to the fear he felt. This time, however, it was intensified by the prospect of losing his mother to the unyielding reaper of death.

Mommy… he silently cried, slightly reaching his hand out toward her. He didn’t dare extend it too much since it might alert the drunk Jugal of his hiding place.

I’m going to kill you, boy! Jugal roared, furious that he hadn’t revealed himself to him yet. He began to stagger around and started tearing the room up. It was only a matter of time before he found his hiding place. Even as a four-year-old who didn’t have much knowledge of the world, Dragon could discern that. Now panic began to rise in his little body. He was racing against time to find an escape or come up with some kind of plan. Unfortunately, his brain couldn’t function fast enough, and the bed was soon flipped off from over him. I found you. Jugal laughed darkly, a smile full of malice crossing his face as he lunged forward to grab Dragon out of his fetal position.

Despite trying to be strong for his mother, Dragon screamed and scrambled to his feet, trying to escape on sheer adrenaline. His mind went blank except for the desperate need to find an escape. He attempted to bolt toward the opening, where his door barely hung on its frame. He wasn’t fast enough, though. Jugal’s huge strong hands grabbed a handful of his hair, jerking him back, and threw him hard against the wall. Dazed and racked with pain, Dragon attempted to push himself off the floor. He didn’t even have time to clear the buzzing out of his ears before he was violently jerked to his feet by his upper arm and found himself struggling to keep his feet moving under him in order to keep from falling as he was rapidly dragged toward the main room.

Daddy, stop, please… he cried, not able to think of any other way to survive the situation.

"I’m not your daddy!" Jugal spat out. The malice in his words froze Dragon’s blood in his veins. There was no lessening what was going to happen this time. Suddenly, he found himself sliding across the floor from being thrown, and he accepted his fate. His back hit the brick base of the fireplace, causing him to arch his back in excruciating pain. He was jerked back to his feet once again, and he could see his stepfather’s fist rising up to strike him through his blurry, teary-eyed vision. He braced himself for the blow but was suddenly dropped to the floor once again. This time, his head bounced off the stone, and warm liquid began streaming down his forehead into his eyes. Confused, he looked up to see his mother standing over his stepfather’s body with a broken piece of wood in her hand. It didn’t take a genius to realize that his mother had struck the man over the head to save him.

Come on, baby, she panted through the pain he knew she was in as she dropped the wood onto the floor, wrapping her arm around her ribs as she extended her free hand out to him. Dragon clumsily got to his feet, reaching out for her hand. His shaking fingers barely brushed her scraped-up palm before his stepfather got to his feet and jerked her out of his reach.

"Run, Dragon!" his mother screamed and turned around to fight him. The struggle slammed into the dirty, old glass of the living room window, shattering it. His mind was foggy, and his head ached, adding to the rising confusion. Unsure of what to do now, he clambered out the window, ignoring the slim cuts he got in the process. Falling into the snow on his side, he rolled onto his hands and knees, pushing himself up as he looked back over his shoulder for his mother to follow.

"Run!" she screamed at the top of her lungs when her gaze met his. Terrified, he shook his head, warm tears mixing with the blood from his head wound. When his stepfather brutally slit her throat, his eyes widened in sheer terror and he stumbled to his bare feet, bolting into the falling snow as fast as his little legs could carry him. He had to get away no matter what. His mother had died so he could live; therefore, he had to survive.

"Don’t you ever come back!" his stepfather shouted out the window after him, too drunk to follow him across the deep snow that covered the ground, especially in the dead of the night. Dragon ran until he couldn’t run anymore then collapsed to his knees, shivering uncontrollably. Using his palms to rub away his tears, he began looking around for some kind of shelter. He noticed that he was near a cozy-looking hut; the light of a warm fire shined out through the windows. He longed to go inside, but he knew that it probably belonged to someone who hated him and would take him back to his stepfather, so he looked for other options. He had no idea where he was or why he had run in this particular direction; his feet and instincts simply carried him here.

Who be lurking around me hut? an old man demanded, coming up behind far too silently. The guy grabbed his upper arm and stood up, spinning him around to face him. He had a patch over one eye that made him scary and a bum leg that left a trail in the snow. Dragon turned his puffy eyes upward to meet the man’s gaze. Even though he was scary looking, he didn’t fear this man as much as he did his stepfather. In fact, he felt an odd sense of safety with the guy, but his mind still told him to be cautious, so he kept silent.

Papa

Papa looked down at the four-year-old boy; there were prominent bruises on his tiny frame, and the cuts in the kid’s flesh were fresh while still oozing blood. The child’s purple lips quivered as his body shook from the freezing temperatures. He was only dressed in a thin pair of pajama bottoms and nothing else. The old pirate’s heart sank at the sight, and his features softened. This kid had just gone through some kind of hell and needed a kind act. He was half-elf from the looks of it, so he could only imagine what the kid had just gone through.

Come on, lad, let’s get you warmed up and fed, he softly said, his own eyes burning with unshed tears over the obvious cruelty the child had endured.

To his surprise, the kid didn’t flinch away when he bent over and picked him up to carry him inside the warm shack. The soup he had been cooking was nearly done, and he figured it would benefit the kid. He remained silent as he carried him through the door and sat him in his chair. The chair was near the fire, and the warmth from the flames was comfortable enough. The kid watched his every move as Papa reached for a thick blanket then gently wrapped it around the kid’s bony shoulders.

Without a word, he slowly turned toward the soup pot so he didn’t startle the kid with any sudden movements. He made sure that he could see him dishing the soup into a wooden bowl. He retrieved a wooden spoon and handed them both to the child.

Here you go, kid, he softly said, giving the boy a small, sad smile. The kid must have been starving as well because he silently accepted it and started shoveling it into his mouth.

Relieved Papa laid a friendly hand on top of the kid’s head and walked past him.

You can rest here tonight, and we’ll figure out what to do in the morning, he gently stated and headed out the door to bring in more wood. By the time that he had returned, Dragon was curled up in the chair, fast asleep. He had been exhausted in every way and just couldn’t stay awake any longer.

Dragon woke up stiff and in pain only to find himself laying on a large bed made out of wood as well as fur. A thick blanket was tucked snugly around him, and a candle burned on the nightstand. The soft snores of the old man drifted in from the main area, where the fire burned happily in the hearth. Dragon slowly sat up to get a better look and noticed the man asleep in the chair near the fireplace. A string was attached to the door so that it would alert them of entry into the house.

After briefly wondering why, Dragon lay back down and snuggled under the thick blanket again. He finally felt safe; his stepfather would never make it past the scary old man holding a spiky bat in his lap. A small, sad hint of a smile toyed at the corner of his lip as the relief flooded through him. He was safe from his mother’s killer, and with that thought, sleep had returned to him. Dragon found himself staying with the man for several days, and by the end of each day, he felt more at home with the old man.

Come on, kid, up and at ’em. We’re going on an adventure, the man softly coaxed him awake one morning. After staying with the man for as long as he had been, he had begun noticing the differences in the man’s face when different emotions surfaced.

This was the first time he had ever seen the man’s worry so clearly in his eye. However, this sort of look wasn’t new to Dragon, and he didn’t panic. He had seen it often in his mother’s face before she was killed, so he didn’t waste any time in jumping off the bed. He raced around, finding whatever clothes he could find to get dressed in. The clothes that he had collected were some the old man had provided him. They were a little too big for him, but they were better than nothing, which was what he had when he arrived at the old man’s place several days ago.

Well done, the man said, patting him on the head once he pulled the clothes on in record time. Now let’s go, lad. He swooped him up into his arms.

They headed for the front door but came to a sudden stop as a group of angry villagers headed toward it on the outside. The old man narrowed his eyes and looked around the place thoughtfully as if he were trying to figure out the next best route out of the building.

Are they after me? Dragon timidly asked, his bottom lip quivering as fear of being handed over started to creep into his stomach.

No, no, not at all. The older man gave him a small smile. However, our adventure begins now, he added and rapidly hobbled toward the fireplace, tipping a statue that rested on the mantelpiece.

A low, eerie scraping sound came as the hearth slowly swung out away from the wall inch by inch, triggering the spell that would light a torch. There was a clicking sound, and then it started slowly closing once again. The man didn’t wait but a second before ducking inside with Dragon held securely to him. Once they were inside the dark tunnels they had entered, the man shifted him into one arm while he reached for the magically flickering torch straight across from them with the other hand.

Once the man had the torch securely in his grip, he quickly hobbled down the narrow tunnels at a remarkable agility given the guy’s bum leg. To Dragon’s amazement, he could barely hear the soft scraping of movement as they traveled along the stone floor. He kept his eyes fearfully glued on the darkness they were leaving behind. He was sure that the bad guys would find them, but at the same time, something told him that the old pirate would get them to safety no matter what happened. He couldn’t quite hear what the man mumbled as they came to a split in the tunnel. After a moment’s hesitation, they headed down the left tunnel, and Dragon could hear the faint dripping of water echoing from up ahead. Several minutes later, there was a very light breeze that began to ruffle his hair, causing him to look forward instead of backward.

We’re almost there, lad, the man quietly assured him as he headed down yet another tunnel splitting off from the one they were currently traveling. From this moment on, I’m your papa. Remember that. It is very important.

Dragon nodded and rested his chin on Papa’s shoulder as he wrapped his skinny little arms around his neck. After what seemed like forever to his four-year-old senses, they stepped out of the tunnel maze onto the rocky shoreline of an inlet attached to the ocean and hidden by a massive tree-covered bluff. He wondered if anyone else even knew this place existed; he highly doubted it. It seemed too big, wild, and untouched to his young eyes. He slowly looked around, remaining impassively silent. Before long, he noticed a small dingy tethered to a large boulder. Papa was heading straight toward it, a determination in his movements, a purpose in his heart and mind. Even as young as he was, Dragon could sense these things rising within his older companion.

All right, in you go, Papa quietly stated, setting him down inside the small boat before he began to untie it from the rock and push it out into the gently rolling waters.

Icy waters lapped at the man’s knees as he climbed into the boat with him. Dragon watched him intently as he snatched up some oars and started rowing them further out into the vast waters. Dragon’s curious eyes shifted to the dim full moon that was tinted in blue. Lazy black clouds slowly drifted past it, and he wondered how a full moon could be so dim. A chilly breeze caused him to shiver slightly as if ghostly fingers had run up his spine. The eerie sight of the moon and dark waters left his bones chilled as he turned anxious eyes back toward Papa. The man looked like he was in deep concentration, so Dragon remained silently watching him, drawing strength from the fearless look on the man’s face. He trusted that the man knew what he was doing, so he didn’t question it.

There she is, laddie, Papa softly said, raising one hand to point into the distance. Dragon flipped around to look at the dark shape of a huge ship gently swaying in the deeper waters.

"That’s me ship! The Meridian. A grin crossed Papa’s aging face. She’ll take us to safety as soon as me crew arrives," he finished in a pleased, almost giddy tone.

They fell silent once again as their small boat glided across the water’s surface until it gently scraped against the bow of the ship. That’s when Papa stood up and quickly secured the dingy to the side of the great ship just under a dangling rope ladder that would take them topside. After he had made sure that the boat was secure, he lifted Dragon onto his back.

Hang on tight, he softly instructed then started climbing up the rope with Dragon clinging tightly to his back. Dragon squeezed his eyes shut and pushed the fear out of his thoughts until they had made it safely onboard.

All right, down you go, laddie. Papa smiled, amusement twinkling in his one good eye. Stand there and hang on to the railing while I reel the little one in.

Dragon nodded and wrapped his arms around the railing of the larger ship, while Papa began cranking up the little boat out of the water. His smooth motion had to have come from years of experience and fine-tuned skills. Once the small boat was secured on the deck of the larger one, Papa pulled a lantern that he had stored on the dingy. He used the torch to light it and then extended his free hand out for Dragon to take.

Without much thought, Dragon placed his small hand in Papa’s calloused one and let him lead the way toward the small cabin known as the captain’s quarters. Soon they were inside the wooden structure where Dragon headed toward the large wooden bed softened by multiple furs and thick blankets while Papa locked the door, stuffing a rug up against the bottom to help keep the cold out. He then turned and lit a small oil-fueled basin in the center of the room for heat. Sitting on the bed with his little legs stretched out in front of him, Dragon wondered if that was the wisest decision given they were in a wooden room that really wasn’t all that big, but he figured that Papa knew what he was doing and that he shouldn’t question it. He pushed the idea from his mind and studied his old companion, who took a seat behind a large desk covered in papers. After shuffling around the papers for a moment, Papa pulled out a leather satchel of dried meat and tossed it onto the bed next to him.

Here, eat this if you are hungry, he kindly stated before he shuffled the papers around again until he found the ones that he wanted.

Then he started marking on it using strange tools. Dragon cocked his head, slightly unsure of what the man was doing, but was quickly distracted by the growling of his stomach. He picked up the satchel lying next to him and reached inside to pull out a piece of jerky. His attention returned to watching his companion as he nibbled on the meat. His curiosity must have shown in his eyes because Papa looked up and smiled a tired, warm smile.

I’m plotting a course to a special island. He answered the boy’s unspoken question.

Why? Dragon asked, biting off a chunk of meat.

Well, it’s a secure location, Papa patiently answered.

Sucker. Dragon tried to say the word and couldn’t help but wrinkle his nose at how wrong the word sounded coming out of his own mouth.

Se-cure, Papa gently corrected. It means safe. He returned his attention to what he was doing.

Dragon nodded, pretending like he understood how to say the word; at least he knew what safe meant already. His attention span really wasn’t all that long, and he was losing interest in the conversation. He shifted and turned his attention to the oddly shaped clouds slowly moving in the sky. Papa hid his amused smile as he continued with plotting the safest course to take during this time of year. He had already sent out his signal for his crew to return, but it was going to take a few days longer before they could head out onto the open sea. It seemed like it took no time at all for Dragon to grow bored and drift off to sleep. Papa softly chuckled and moved to cover the kid up, shaking his head at how small children usually ended up sleeping with their butts in the air, which was what the boy was doing now. He tossed the blanket over him and then returned to his work.

Cute kid, he quietly relented as he retook his seat. There was no way this kid could ever have killed his mother, elven blood in his veins or not. It was most likely the drunk bastard who had been married to her that killed her.

The next morning

Dragon woke up to the sound of Papa talking to someone outside the cabin door and climbed down the bed. It was mid-morning, and his stomach was growling once again. He clumsily made his way to the door as the ship gently swayed on the waves that lapped at its belly. Once he made it to the door, he had to stand on his tiptoes to reach the latch in order to open it up. He didn’t pay much attention to the icy deck against his bare feet as he approached Papa’s side and tugged on his sleeve.

Papa, I’m hungry, he sleepily said, and Papa swooped him up into his arms.

This is my grandson, Dragon. He will be in our care from now on. Make sure everyone knows this, Papa darkly told his crewmate. Dragon was too sleepy to pick up on the hidden but deadly tone of his words.

Aye, Cap’n. The guy Papa was talking to quietly gulped as he stretched his shirt collar away from his throat. Oi, Dragon, me name is Smiddy, he warmly introduced himself and carefully shook Dragon’s tiny hand.

Here you go, kid. He smiled a small smile as he pulled a satchel of dried fruit out of his inside pocket, giving it to him.

Thank you… Dragon quietly accepted it, remembering that his mother had always told him to use his manners when speaking to people.

Very good, Papa interjected. Make sure to get everything ready to set sail as soon as the rest arrive. He carried Dragon back into the warmth of the cabin and out of the icy chill of the morning air.

He gently sat Dragon down on the edge of the bed to pick up some shoes and a coat off a nearby stool.

From now on, while it’s this cold, I don’t want you to go out of this cabin without your shoes and coat, okay? he softly stated as he put Dragon’s shoes on him and then helped him put on a slightly oversized coat. Do you understand me? he firmly but sweetly asked the boy.

Dragon simply nodded and continued to happily stuff fruit into his mouth.

’Kay. Papa smiled, standing up, and affectionately roughed up Dragon’s black curls. He then stood up and moved over to his desk to grab the map that he had been working on all night. All right, lad, come on. Let’s go check out everything, he instructed, opening up the door wide enough for Dragon to exit in front of him.

Dragon climbed off the bed and hurried out the door, closely followed by Papa, who secured the door shut behind them. He soon found himself increasingly curious about how everything worked on the ship, so he eagerly became Papa’s shadow for the day. Like a sponge, he soaked up everything he could. More people began arriving, and the pace in which they all worked picked up amazingly fast. He couldn’t believe how easy it appeared to be while these men and women worked together to get the ship ready for sailing. By noon, he was right in the middle of it trying to help them in any way he could. The crew was very patient in teaching him how to do things, and they even let him help with some small things.

Papa

Papa watched Dragon with an endearing smile accompanied by a sense of pride. Tears burned his eyes, but he kept them at bay as his thoughts shifted to his beloved daughter. Before they had left, he had found out that she was the boy’s mother. He didn’t know anything about her having a son until he discovered who the kid was and where he had come from. Even though he wanted revenge against the drunk bastard who had killed his little girl and tried to kill her son, his priority was getting the boy to safety as far away from the village as he possibly could. Dragon’s elven features were slight and hardly noticeable. He should have been able to pass as full human fairly easily, but the stepfather had known about him. For that, the man had hated the kid. As far as Papa could discern, his daughter had married the guy in hopes of protecting the child. Whether it was a one-night stand, a short-lived romance, or rape, the kid’s father was a night elf, judging by his hair and eyes anyway.

Papa and his daughter had drifted apart, so he didn’t know anything about the conception of the boy, but if he had known about any of it, he would have taken them both to safety straight away. However, it was too late for all that. Now all he could do was try and give the boy a safe loving home, at least to the best of his abilities. He was now determined to keep the kid safe at all costs even though that meant he would have to continue on with his pirate’s life instead of retiring like he had originally planned.

There was a small island that few knew existed. It was where active pirates, assassins, merchants, and elementalists dwelled, all fighting for the good of humankind. The island itself was hidden by elemental magic. Only those with special pendants could hope to locate it. With that thought, he absently reached one hand up to touch the pendant hidden under his shirt. Looking out over his ship, he realized that his crew had shown up faster than he had expected them to.

By dusk, they were ready to set sail. With it being a new moon, it was a perfect night to slip away unnoticed by the villagers or the Dark Elven fleet that always surrounded the small chain of human-inhabited islands, a smuggler’s moon so to speak.

He made sure that Dragon was fed and fast asleep before quietly ordering his men to set sail. Given how dark it was, he couldn’t focus on navigating the ship and keeping his grandson safe at the same time, so he safely locked the kid in the cabin for the night.

Morning

Dragon woke up to the sunlight shining through the circular window of the cabin. Rubbing his eyes, he sat up and looked out of it. There were sparkling waters for as far as his eyes could see and not a hint of land in sight. Confused about where the land had gone, he slid off the bed and rushed over to Papa, who was sleeping in the chair behind his desk with nothing but a small blanket draped across him.

Papa! he called as he shook the man awake. Papa!

Papa drowsily opened his eye, and Dragon quickly darted back to the bed, climbing onto it to point out the window. Papa, look, look!

Hmm…huh? the old man tiredly mumbled as he sat up straight, still half-asleep. Wh-what is it?

The land! It’s disappeared, Dragon informed him as he motioned for Papa to come look and see.

Papa quietly chuckled as he stood up and moved toward the window to humor the child.

Well, I’ll be. He smiled, leaning down to see. Would you look at that? You’re absolutely right. He messed up Dragon’s hair, earning him the first partial expression he had seen from the boy since he had taken him in.

Well… Papa sighed dramatically, I guess we had better get our shoes and coats on so we can go investigate the mystery of the disappearing land. There was a twinkle in his aging eye as he held Dragon’s gaze. What do you say?

Okay. Dragon nodded with the smallest hint of excitement. Papa noticed the kid showed very little emotions, and he blamed that on what the lad had been through. While he helped Dragon put on his shoes, his heart was heavy. The boy would probably never show his emotions, at least not without much difficulty, due to the trauma his stepfather had inflicted on him. Even if he was able to forget it, the deep-rooted scars would forever be a part of him. With that realization, Papa decided that he would do his best to make sure that the boy was never traumatized like that again, but even he couldn’t promise that, not with the life of a pirate.

There we go, he said, giving Dragon a small smile as he took the boy by the hand and led him out of the cabin. They headed straight toward the platform where the wheel was.

Hmm… He pretended to be thinking as they looked around. Do you think the rope could be responsible for the land’s disappearance? he asked Dragon.

The boy looked at the coil of rope on the deck, his index finger pressed against the side of his lips in deep contemplation. After several minutes of his face being scrunched up in thought, Dragon shook his head and looked up at Papa.

Ropes hold things, he informed Papa.

Good point, Papa said in agreement, but maybe it knows something. Let’s go see. He headed toward the coiled rope. Dragon quickly followed him without hesitation.

Papa crouched down and gave the rope a serious and almost scary look. Rope! Do you know what happened to the land? he sternly asked.

Due to his serious tone, he drew a quiet yet short laugh out of the boy standing next to him. Well, I don’t think the rope knows. How about you? he added after a few minutes of silence.

Uh-uh. Dragon shook his head.

Hmm…this is going to be tough, Papa said, standing back up as he thoughtfully rubbed his chin.

Let’s ask the post, Papa suggested and gently led Dragon toward the main mass pole. He waited a couple of minutes and then scratched the side of his head. So uh…post, did you make the land disappear?

Posts don’t talk, Dragon quietly stated, looking at Papa as if he was weird.

Oh…yeah, that could explain it. Papa slowly nodded, unfazed by the look on the boy’s face. I thought it was just ignoring me. Papa looked around and then pointed out some crates. What about those wooden boxes? Do you think the land could be hiding in them?

Dragon shrugged while innocently holding up his free hand.

Well, let’s go check. Papa smiled, leading him toward the cargo crates. He needed to inspect them anyway.

Let’s open one up, he stated as they came to a stop. He let go of Dragon’s hand and picked up a crowbar to open one. Nope, just supplies.

He took on another thoughtful look for Dragon’s sake. Hmm…where could that land have gone?

About that time, the wind picked up and caused the sails to start flapping. The sudden sound drew both of their attention toward it.

Oh, that explains it. Papa nodded and then looked back down at Dragon. The sail says it’s playing a game with the wind and we’ll see land again in fourteen days.

Huh? Dragon scratched his head. He hadn’t heard the sail speak.

You don’t believe me? Papa said, sticking out his bottom lip in a pout.

No, Dragon flatly stated.

I’ll tell you what. We’ll draw fourteen boxes on the cabin wall, and every day you can cross one out. If we don’t see land on the day that you cross out the last box, then I’ll let you steer me ship. How’s ’bout that? Papa bargained, and then Dragon gave him a firm nod of agreement. Good, let’s go draw those boxes. He led Dragon back into the cabin. This little wager would help the kid learn to count and maybe even help him learn some math equations.

Papa counted out the boxes as he drew them onto the wall of the cabin then spent the better part of two hours teaching Dragon how to count them. The kid learned exceptionally fast, and he soon found himself teaching him how to read a map while plotting out courses. Due to Dragon being completely focused on his learning, Papa was able to find time to tend to his duties as captain of the ship. Even though the plotting of courses proved to challenge Dragon, the boy wouldn’t give up and would become frustrated. So he convinced him to start learning the alphabet instead. Once again, Dragon grew focused and rarely got fidgety, which was not like normal children his age. He seemed happy enough while learning new things. Occasionally, the kid would ask for help and then go right back to learning. Papa found it amusing at how educational things seemed to capture and hold Dragon’s attention when nothing else seemed to hold it for longer than a few minutes.

Huh… he quietly mused. When his daughter was that age, she would never sit still. That girl was always on the go. It was strange just how different Dragon was from his mother, but he was probably a lot like his biological father in that sense. Every day like clockwork, Dragon would cross off a box and even learned some subtraction in the process. He had his alphabet memorized and was learning to write by the end of the fourteen days.

Land ho! someone called out, causing Dragon to rush outside the cabin on that fourteenth day. Sure enough, he could see land on the horizon. Awestruck, he raced across the deck and up the stairs to where Papa stood at the helm of the ship.

Look, the wind didn’t lie. He excitedly tugged on the sleeve of Papa’s coat as he pointed at the land they were sailing toward.

Well, I’ll be. Papa played along, a smile crossing his mouth. I guess ships, sails, and the wind can be trustworthy after all.

Dragon gave a nod and then rushed down to tell the rest of the crew that the land had reappeared like the wind promised. The crew laughed and cheered in order to humor him, then they returned to their work with big smiles on their faces. They have all already grown very fond of the boy and would often play along with whatever idea the kid had. Papa could already see the potential blossoming inside Dragon. The boy raced by and climbed up into the crow’s nest. He wasn’t even tall enough to see over the railing, but he didn’t let that stop him. He stood up on his tiptoes and managed to barely peek over the top so he could see the land more clearly.

Whoa… Dragon breathed as they neared a port city. It was so full of life and various ships of different styles. Coooool!

Hang on tight, me boy, Papa called, a warning to him and the crow in the nest. Dragon thought it was strange that the guy that was in the crow’s nest was referred to as the crow when he was obviously human, but he had grown used to the concept and often found himself referring to the guy in the same manner.

Ease her against Pier 16! There be an empty spot there to dock. Papa called out orders to the rest of the crew.

Aye, aye, Cap’n. First Mate Smiddy saluted and then rushed about to relay the message.

Dragon, come on down here, boy. I don’t want ye flipp’n over that there railing if we be scraping, he called up to the boy once they came closer to the pier.

Dragon groaned and reluctantly obeyed. The sailor who was in the crow’s nest with him grinned, messing up his hair as he started down the ladder. Annoyed, he stopped his descent long enough to scowl at the man for messing up his hair.

You will be able to stay up here in due time, kid. The guy chuckled. Dragon shot him a dirty look and then continued down the ladder to the deck.

Come on, you can stand with me. Papa motioned him over. Dragon jogged over to stand next to him. He remained silent, closely watching the activity.

They slowly approached the pier and ended up scraping slightly, causing the ship to jostle a little bit. Dragon’s balance wasn’t affected by it, though, which was impressive by itself.

Already got yer sea legs, I see. Papa smiled down at him.

No, I didn’t switch legs. These are the legs I have always had, Dragon flatly said, smacking his palms against his legs.

Papa chuckled, humored by how literally Dragon had taken the comment.

Sea legs are another concept of balance—it’s not actually different legs, Papa mused.

My balance is good, Dragon blankly confirmed.

I see, Papa sighed, laying a hand on his head affectionately.

You’re messing up my hair. Dragon glared, pushing the old man’s hand off his head.

So sorry. Papa laughed then turned to his crew. Tie her off, drop the anchor, and secure the ramp.

Are we going off the ship? Dragon calmly asked, looking at Papa.

Yes, we need to purchase you some proper clothing and get supplies. Since you and I will be living on the ship for now, Papa explained casually. He tried to make it as simple as he could for the boy’s four-year-old concept of things. In a few months, he would be five years old and would begin to develop a better understanding of how things worked, but for now, it was best to keep things simple.

Do I get to pick the clothes? Dragon asked in a flat tone.

Uh…sure, kid, Papa awkwardly agreed, but only within limits. He rubbed the back of his head with thoughts of what kind of ridiculous outfits that a four-year-old would pick.

Fine, let’s go. Dragon shrugged, grabbing his hand to pull him toward the ramp.

Aye…what did I just get myself into? Papa whispered to himself but let the boy pull him along anyway. Well, the kid was determined to say the least.

It wasn’t long before they were walking down the street of the port city side by side. Dragon stayed close to the old man, his eyes roaming analytically over the surrounding scenes. He was calculating escape routes should the need to run arise. Papa quietly sighed, noticing Dragon’s wiry actions. It seemed like the kid didn’t trust anything and was actively strategizing any potential counterattack.

The clothing store is just up here, Papa casually stated.

Dragon nodded but kept his narrowed gaze roaming. Papa realized the boy wasn’t going to relax, so he let it go and didn’t say anything about it. Instead, he guided him into the clothing store and secured the door behind them.

All right, kid, go get your clothes, he said, letting go of Dragon. It was a small shop, so it wasn’t too hard to see everything in there from his position by the door. Due to that little fact, he wasn’t all that concerned about turning the kid loose as he leaned against the wall. He reached down and picked up the local news letter to skim over it while he waited. It wouldn’t hurt to have some idea of what may or may not be happening in this area. Having that knowledge would help him to better protect Dragon from potential dangers lurking in the shadows.

He hadn’t noticed how much time they were there until Dragon approached him with an armload of clothing. There were at least five outfits there, and all of them were blues, blacks, grays, and browns.

Oi.’ Papa facepalmed. The boy lacked any flair. His muted preference in colors greatly signified the lack of emotion that the kid currently possessed.

Sighing, he shook his head and paid for the clothing. He had never seen such a preppy style on a pirate before, let alone a four-year-old boy. He was going to accept it and let the boy develop his own individual style; maybe it would help him come out of his shell in the long run.

Let’s go see about some supper, Papa suggested. He picked up the bags of clothing with one hand and then took hold of Dragon’s hand with the other. Clothes shopping had taken much longer then he had originally anticipated, so he figured they could get supplies later, most likely the next day at this rate. It didn’t take them long to spot a pub down the street. Deciding that was as good a place as any, he led Dragon toward it. Entering the establishment, they looked around. It was a lively place full of music and conversations.

There were mostly drunk adults just having a good time, but there were also a few children scattered around of various ages. Dragon