A large, beautiful ship sailed across the vastness of the deep. The sun’s blinding rays bounced off the polished deck, stealing a grimace from Micheal's face. He stopped scrubbing for a moment and sat behind a barrel to block the glaring sun.

  It had been nothing but clear skies today, which was quite strange considering the Knuckleback was currently sailing the tumultuous Tempest Sea. But then, the weather here was extremely unpredictable. It could go from raging thunderstorms to beaming sunlight in a moment's notice.

  Micheal could never get used to the sudden switches. Luckily, the captain, as well as his mates, were somehow able to read the subtle changes in the weather and respond timely to its strange whims.

  As Micheal took the moment to catch his breath, he couldn't help but reminisce about the past month. After years of being a street rat in the capital of Oralio, he finally decided to leave the kingdom in pursuit of a better life.

  And so he journeyed to Harrows Port, randomly boarded a ship with all the money he had left on him, and eventually found himself on the Island of opportunities— Valkara. Valkara city was one of the islands—the largest even—constituting the Sans Archipelago, which sat in the very center of the world map.

  The island was a major trade hub in the Archipelago, thus, merchants from all over the world scoured this place to exchange rare materials, magical items, as well as all sorts of day-to-day goods. If a young boy was searching for change, Valkara was definitely the place to be.

  Furthermore, that very night, Micheal had been approached by a somewhat infamous figure around these parts. The man had introduced himself as Eye of Despair Odirov, the Second-mate of the famed Knuckleback.

  Micheal had no idea what a Knuckleback was, nor who the hell the man was, but he decided on a whim to follow. It was not until after a few days that he learnt the Knuckleback was actually an Adventurer’s ship; one of the most powerful ones across the five seas. Not only was the captain of the ship a Luminary, but the First-mate was also a Paragon.

  An actual Paragon! A symbol of power no matter the land— an entity fit to rule any kingdom!

  Micheal had been shocked to the bone when he realized that the humorous and indolent man whom he often played Hundred Hands with nestled just beneath the authority of a Demigod.

  Not only that, but Micheal also discovered that the strange and somewhat detached boy on the ship was actually a prince. Not just any prince, but the prince of the entire Human race. If he guessed correctly, then the heir to the throne was on the same ship as he was!

  How exactly had he stumbled upon a strange, yet utterly powerful bunch? What sort of fantastical tale had he been thrust into?

  The scale was simply unimaginable, almost driving Micheal insane for the first two weeks of being on the Knuckleback.

  Still, this was what he had always wanted. A chance to change his life for the better, and he was on the path to doing just that.

  Things are finally looking up. It's just… I still can't shake the feeling that I'm forgetting something important…

  Seated on the deck, Micheal wiped the sweat from his forehead and frowned. He stared at his palm for a moment, searching through his head for any important detail he'd missed.

  Every time he looked at the young prince—Esau—his heart ached, for reasons he did not understand.

  Perhaps he was still mourning the loss of his parents. Perhaps he was in dire need of a family. He was still quite young after all, and shouldn't have had to go through all that alone.

  There was a void in his chest, one he desperately sought to fill up.

  At that moment, a figure appeared next to him, drawing him out of his thoughts.

  Micheal used his hand to block the sun as he looked up.

  “First mate…”

  Odin, wearing loose pantaloons, stretched and said, “Beautiful day, isn't it.”

  Micheal didn't share his sentiments. He wore a scowl and complained, “The sun is way too bright. I can hardly work.”

  Odin glanced at the sparkling wooden floor of the deck and frowned.

  “What more scrubbing does the Knuckleback need? This is the cleanest I've seen her! Seriously, you should ask the captain for a raise.”

  Micheal's eyes lit up.

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  “You really think I should? It's only been a month…”

  “Of course! Ah, try not to let him know that I planted the idea in your head, though.”

  Micheal and Odin both laughed. Then, the boy glanced up once more and said, “It's rare to see you out of your room. Is there something?”

  First-mate Odin suddenly wore an excited grin. He pointed ahead.

  “We're almost at the Archipelago.”

  After drifting at sea for weeks, the Knuckleback was finally returning home. The journey had been nothing short of amazing, and terrifying. In those weeks, Micheal had experienced storms capable of leaving one scarred for a lifetime. The Knuckleback had also sailed across the Moon Sea, and so, Micheal had the rare chance to spot Mermaids.

  Their beauty had left him enthralled for days.

  Still, Micheal couldn't understand the First-mate's excitement.

  Odin’s smile widened. He rubbed his palms and said, “Micheal, you really don't know?”

  “Know what?”

  “It's the month of Virella! It's the month of passion! It's the time to let our desires run wild!”

  Micheal's puzzled look slowly vanished, and his face soon flushed with embarrassment.

  “Ah— that, well…”

  Odin laughed and patted the boy's hair. “Come on, don't get all bashful on me now. You're old enough to know about these things. Tell me, have you experienced the ladies on the island? Ah, they're simply to die for!”

  Micheal's face turned even more red. He shook his head repeatedly, saying, “I'm actually still too young! Too young!”

  Odin scratched his hair and muttered, “Really? Ah, forget it then. Anyway, once we've docked, you'll see the sailors rushing into the city like starved dogs.”

  Aren't you one yourself? Micheal didn't dare voice his thoughts. He let out a soft exhale and looked ahead.

  ..

  Time quickly passed, and soon enough, the outline of the frontal Islands of the Archipelago became more pronounced. The Knuckleback pulled closer to the main island’s port and was carefully moored by the docks. Valkara's port was surrounded by jagged cliffs that enclosed the harbor in a half-circle. It seemed like nature's own attempt to protect the island from the unpredictable storms of the Tempest Sea.

  The gangway was lowered, and just like First-mate Odin had said, the sailors didn't waste any time rushing into the city. Micheal shook his head in amusement as he stood by the starboard, gazing into the distance.

  The smell of fish and other seafood delicacies bombarded his senses, making him subconsciously smack his lips. His gaze went from the traders bothering travelers, to the other behemoths lining the docks.

  His gaze fell on a particularly eye-catching ship. It was twice the size of the Knuckleback and had cannons aiming from every angle, almost as if preparing for battle. There were also countless spikes shooting from the edges, slicing through air and water.

  The ship seemed both crude and magnificent. Like it belonged to a barbarian with manners.

  If that makes any sense… Micheal shook the thought and raised his gaze to stare at the flag on the mast. It bore the image of a dented skull wearing a crown of varying gems. The eye sockets of the skull contained hands that seemed to reach out from the flag.

  It was quite a disturbing image, so Micheal turned his gaze away.

  Just then, he heard a commotion behind him, of what seemed to be the chef chastising the First-mate.

  Maddy held Odin’s shirt as she yelled, “Do what I tell ya, yer turd!”

  “I really do not have the time! Why me? Ask the others!” Odin groaned in protest and tried to wrestle himself free.

  “The lot’a them been workin’ hard this past month. What‘ave yer done, eh? Nothing! Now have this list and fetch me some good wares!”

  Odin gritted his teeth. His eyes caught sight of Micheal, and he quickly said with newfound hope, “Why not ask the kids? I'm sure they'll be willing to run whatever errands you have.”

  This— He's dodging work again! Micheal's eyes flashed with a hint of contempt.

  Luckily, Maddy seemed hell bent on having Odin handle this particular errand.

  “Ya really askin’ for a beating.”

  Odin was about to wriggle himself free when the captain's voice boomed from the upper deck, “Odin. Do what she tells you, no?”

  “Captain!”

  Captain Bjorn merely shrugged.

  “There'll be time for your… business later.”

  Odin’s expression sank. He glared at Maddy who puffed her chest in triumph, then asked, “Can I at least take the kids?”

  The captain shrugged once more.

  Odin chuckled and smoothened his tunic. Then, he turned to look at Micheal and said, “Get Esau. We're going into the city.”

  …

  In a beautifully furnished cabin on the ship, a young boy with soft blue eyes had his gray hair tied to the back of his head. He sat behind a table, carefully dipping a quill in ink and writing on a leather parchment. Despite the ordinary clothes he wore, he exuded an air of elegance— a certain poise that could only be attributed to someone of status.

  The boy was none other than the Dreamless Prince; Esau Avidius Goldheart.

  Esau’s hand hung in the air when he heard a knock. He took a brief glance at the door, then said, “Come in.”

  The door to the cabin opened with a creak, and Micheal slowly walked in.

  “Hey,”

  Esau regarded him with a nod. “Is there something?”

  Michael didn't respond for a moment. He seemed to once again be captivated by the strangeness of the young prince. At first, Micheal had simply thought the boy to be a spoiled brat. But after spending some time together, Micheal realized that the boy was simply odd.

  He wasn't arrogant. He simply did not like conversing. Not with youngsters, at least. He seemed perfectly capable of holding lengthy and engaging conversations with the captain, as well as the first and second mates.

  Another odd thing Micheal noticed was how the boy would suddenly turn adrift from time to time. He would spend a great deal of time standing by the starboard and simply gazing in the same direction. South.

  There was also how eerily intelligent the boy was. The way he spoke, the things he did, it all seemed so far beyond his age. Even at that very moment, Esau was currently completing his daily, masterfully written account of the phenomena at sea.

  If Micheal was to describe Esau with a sentence, he would say; An adult stuck in a child's body.

  That seemed to be the only explanation. Why else would a thirteen year old boy act in such a manner?

  The only consolation was that the boy would at least burn with excitement when witnessing spectacular phenomena. During moments like that, his childish nature would surface, albeit for a brief moment.

  After a brief pause, Micheal nodded and said, “Yes. We're going with Odin into the city.”

  When Micheal left, Esau glanced at a corner of the room. On a wooden surface sat a squiggly creature. Its large, rotund eyes were glossy and had a childlike innocence to them.

  The Orbulus parted its mouth to let out a popping sound.

  …

  City of Opportunities, Valkara.

  Odin, Micheal and Esau made their way through the lower ring of the city. Valkara was built along the slope of the giant hill on the island, so the entire place looked like one huge vertical clutter. On the lower ring—which was closer to the port—shops made from scrapped metal were stacked atop one another, their iron-sheet roofing looming over the edges. Taverns, inns, as well as brothels lined the street, forming a densely packed network of structures.

  Behind alleys were narrow, zig-zagged staircases that led to the middle ring. The middle ring was mostly populated by the more wealthy merchants, and so, the streets were less clustered. Terrace houses lined the hillside, with some boasting beautiful gardens and statues.

  As for the upper ring, there was only a single structure occupying the land. It was a giant tower that served as a citadel for the “Six of Swords”— a council formed by elite Luminaries who oversaw the Archipelago's affairs and kept both pirates and adventurers in check.

  From a distance, Valkara looked like a crude, mechanical mimic of a turtle’s shell.

  After walking for a while, Odin paused in his tracks. He spun around and flashed the two boys a sheepish grin.

  “You lot are smart enough to get these items, aren't you?”

  As he spoke, he procured the list handed to him by Maddy.

  Micheal and Esau exchanged looks. The former pinched his forehead in resignation, while the latter slowly nodded.

  “Good, good!” Odin beamed. He pushed the parchment into Micheal's hands, along with a coin pouch, then said, “That should be more than enough to get what she needs. Whatever remains, you can keep for yourself. Also, remember to haggle.”

  Micheal's lips quivered a few times. He eventually asked, even though he clearly knew the answer, “And where are you headed?”

  Odin’s smile widened. He responded with a deep inhale, “The Silk Cloud.”