“I do not understand,” Zero said, tilting his head in confusion, “why is it glowing?”

  Once they had gotten the ship in the air, Sola stayed at the helm while the rest of the crew gathered on the deck. Sola didn’t have a destination in mind other than ‘away from the burning temple’ so he made his way east towards the next port town he could think of; a little refill station called Leuson. They would probably arrive sometime in the early morning, if he could stay awake that long.

  “It’s, I- have you never heard the legend?” Willow glanced from Aka to Zero, her eyes wide with wonder.

  “Oh right, something about the rod glowing for a worthy crew,” Mea snapped her fingers, “I was told that was just a myth, it’s never happened before.”

  “No one’s ever been worthy before,” Keizeron said quietly, and the rest of the crew turned to him. “But I knew it wasn’t just a legend. Can I?”

  He held a hand up to Aka, not trying to take the rod but gently asking for it. The navigator hesitated a moment before handing it over. Once it was in his grasp the rod flickered for a second but the beam remained steady, pointing out into the storm. It was warm, but not strong enough to burn him. Maybe he was imagining things, but it seemed to have a pulse, like holding onto a small animal. Keizeron could feel the immense magical energy coming from the rod, and he felt his heart pound unnaturally in his chest. He had been waiting so long for this.

  “Legend says that the rod will direct you to the rest of the pieces, and if you gather all ten pieces and reassemble them it will be strong enough to bring Aria back to life,” Keizeron recited slowly, thinking of all the times over his life he had heard the same myth as he looked at his crew. Keiz suddenly thought back to when he had first met the crew, and how quickly he had passed judgment. Too quickly it appeared, but now that he had spent a few days with them he was starting to see the potential in his crew that Aria clearly noticed before him.

  “I don’t understand, what does that even mean? I know I’m not exactly worldly, but I didn’t think that was how gods worked,” Willow asked with confusion. “I thought gods drew their power from their domains and worshipers. There’s no deity more wildly worshiped than Aria and no more present domain than light. Why would she even need the rod?”

  “I don’t think we know everything about the gods,” Aka said quietly, reaching their hand up and feeling their new scar. When they pulled their hand away there was still a bit of blood, but it quickly washed away in the rain. Their headache was already starting to lessen considerably; Willow's healing magic was incredible. “Keizeron, we are a crew of six. We have a sponsor who is supposed to send us the info of our first official job tomorrow. Are we really about to abandon that so we can chase down a legend?”

  The rod flickered again in Keiz’s hand, the beam winking out for a moment before coming back even brighter than before. “I’m not taking it back. But you’re right, if we decide to go down this path it will interfere with our ability to get paid. In fact, should we do this we’re effectively pirates ourselves.”

  “Pirates?” Mea exclaimed in surprise. “When did we decide we were pirates?”

  “I don’t think we decide when we become pirates. I think the queen does that,” Zero shook it’s head. It looked at Keizeron, it’s yellow eyes glowing with conviction. “I do not wish to be a pirate, they do bad things.”

  “I’m not going to return the rod to the unity officers,” Keizeron repeated bluntly. “I don’t trust the queen, I don’t trust them. We aren’t going to do bad things if we become pirates, it simply means we’re not sailing under the queens rules anymore. But this isn’t my decision, we are a crew and I won't run off with rod unless we agree on it. Today has been taxing to say the least, I want you all to get a good nights rest and we will have a meeting tomorrow about how we want to move forward.”

  He held the rod out to Aka while the rest of the crew watched in silence. “You want me to keep it?” Aka said in surprise.

  “You brought it on board, it’s your responsibility,” Keizeron shrugged. In truth, he knew if he held on to it he would do nothing but stare at it all night.

  “But I stole it,” Aka protested. When Keizeron didn’t respond they gingerly took the rod from his hands. The warmth comforted them, and for once Aka didn’t feel like they had done the wrong thing by taking it. They felt tears welling up, and couldn’t stop themselves from letting out a stifled cry as they held the rod to their chest.

  “Think about things tonight, we’ll reconvene in the morning,” Keiz put a hand on Aka’s shoulder in a comforting gesture. He didn't fully understand their reaction to getting the rod back, but they had put themselves in danger to protect him in the temple. The least he could do is try to help them in turn. “Sola and I will take first watch.”

  As they got to their feet the rain finally pittered out and stopped. Keizeron looked up, listening as the rest of the crew talked quietly to themselves and made their way below deck. He let out a quiet chuckle, before turning and making his way up to the helm to where Sola was still steering.

  Keizeron explained the situation to his first mate as the younger man sailed, and Sola listened in complete silence. Once he was done Sola gave him a concerned look. “You let the rest of the crew go to bed? I am so tired Keiz.”

  They stared at each other blankly. “What?” Keiz asked incredulously. “The Senka rod is real and I want to follow it, and that is the only thing you’re concerned about? Going to bed?”

  “Look captain, this is my third blessing run and even though we’ve only been sailing for a few days I can say with certainty that this is the first crew I’d consider worthy. That all checks out. Besides, I don’t think this is going to be a problem for our patron either so we don’t have to worry about that. Trying to reassemble the Senka rod is absolutely the sort of wild expedition Miss Adelaida would love to fund. In fact, I bet she’ll be over the moon if we tell her- why are you looking at me like that?”

  “Miss Adelaida?” Keizeron repeated. “That’s our sponsor?”

  “You didn’t know?” Sola looked over from the helm. Now this was a first.

  “No I did not. When I was hired the guild told me my patron wanted to remain anonymous. I had assumed it was because I was on a unity watch list and no one wanted to be seen hiring me. But now I see it’s because she didn’t think I’d want to work with her,” Keizeron muttered. Lady Adelaide was infamous amongst captains for being an unpredictable source of income. She had a habit of betting on passion projects that had a low chance of success. However, her subterfuge was completely unnecessary as far as Keizeron was concerned. By the time the guild had contacted him about the job he was willing to accept almost anything, as long as it wasn’t unity work. He would have gladly worked for someone who didn’t have the most profitable business model.

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “You’re on a government watch list?” Sola asked after they stood in silence for a moment.

  “They’ll add anyone who complains enough about them,” Keiz replied. He blinked as he looked out into the darkness beyond them. “Where are we going Sola?”

  “Leuson, it was the closet port I could think of,” the first mate replied.

  “Good choice. Let me take the helm, you can go to sleep.”

  “Are you sure?” Sola asked, hesitating to relinquish the wheel to his captain. It was not a good night to be taking a watch by oneself.

  “Don’t worry about me, I just have some thinking I need to do,” Keizeron responded softly. Sola looked like he wanted to protest, but was interrupted by a yawn. He relented after that, knowing he wouldn’t be able to sail much longer. Captain Keizeron took the helm as the last of his crew mates went to sleep, sailing out into the night with only his thoughts to accompany him.

  ((How weird to have dramatic irony in the other direction,” Winter pointed out as the group took a break. “We all knew something the captain didn’t”

  “Which makes me very suspicious of this Adelaida lady,” Lucky responded, making a quick note on their character sheet. “I know we haven’t talked about it in game yet, but she sent everyone personalized letters right? I think she knows something. Oh! Look at Caine smile I'm on to something!”

  Caine hid behind his dm screen, unable to keep from laughing. He was so bad at hiding his emotions, which was awful for a dm trying to keep secrets. It was also hard for his costumer service job, but that he cared less about. “Maybe,” He said finally, failing very badly at convincing his players to drop the subject.

  “I mean, it’s not like we’re in a position right now to go knock down her doors and get her to spill her secrets,” Blair sighed, twirling their pen in their hands. “I say we put it on a back burner for now, and just talk to her when we can. Besides, I’m really curious where the first piece of the rod leads.”

  “Me too,” Caine smiled as Zenith and Ren rejoined them at the table. “Babe could you turn the sound back on? Let’s keep going.”))

  Aster looked at the wreckage of the temple with a grim expression. What a disaster this mission turned out to be. Several of her officers had been killed in the explosion, which was already bad enough, but on top of that they had yet to locate the piece of the rod they had been sent to retrieve.

  The unity captain pressed a hand to her neck and let out a shaky breath. The wound had been healed by a cleric on her team already, but she could still feel the cold piece of steel pressed there. If the rod had not already been replaced by time the pirates had attacked, her crew would have sacrificed her to protect it. Instead, they had allowed the criminals to take the fake they had left there, and it had been Keizeron of all people to save her.

  She couldn’t understand his reasons for coming back for her, they had parted on bad terms when they graduated. She had even antagonized him the first chance she got when he arrived. Aster gritted her teeth, and wondered for a moment if she would had done the same thing if their roles were reversed. She was grateful he had saved her, but hated that she owed him now.

  Besides, her survival did nothing to change the fact that the real piece of the rod was still missing. When the temple was raided the officer who was carrying the Senka rod had tried to flee, and was caught up in the untimely blast. They had recovered his body, but he must of dropped the artifact. To further complicate things, the pirates had also brought their own fake rod which had been added to the mix during the fight. It looked like everyone there had an agenda. If only it were possible to track the rod using magic, but it, along with all the other pieces of the rod, had been dark touched. A powerful enchantment that prevented scrying, and the reason only one piece had ever been recovered.

  During their search the unity officers had found the second fake, along with the first one they had brought. For a fleeting moment Aster had been hopeful it was the real piece, only for the feeling to collapse when she realized what had happened. Unable to hide her frustration, Aster had gone back outside to oversee the clean up from a distance.

  She watched as the remaining officers sifted through the partially collapsed temple. They had sent for back up, but it could be hours before the closest unity ship arrived, time they didn’t have. So far three bodies belonging to unity guards had been found, and five belonging to the pirates. Three of the pirates were captured, in varying states of injury, including the captain Lycus. That in itself was a victory, but by time Aster had made it to the docks Keizeron’s ship, as well as the pirate ship, were both gone. If the pirates had gotten away with the real rod, well it wouldn’t be good for her continued existence.

  Rain continued to pour over the area, but the wreckage was still stubbornly smoldering. Admittedly, that was Aster’s fault. Flames conjured by elementals simply burn stronger, and by the end of the fight she was too pissed to properly control herself. It was entirely her fault and she knew it. Aster wanted to shift accountability onto Keizeron for distracting her, making her lower her guard, but ultimately the pirates got the better of her because she didn’t take them seriously. And now, she had a limited amount of time to set it right.

  Knowing their backup would be there soon, Aster commanded her remaining officers to continue looking through the debris while she made her way back to her ship. As she walked across the deck the rain finally came to a stop, one less annoyance to worry about. Aster climbed down to the lower deck, to where she had posted two guards in front of the brig. Inside the small chamber where the three surviving pirates.

  One, a nervous looking elf man, was rocking back and forth slowly and muttering to himself. Next to him was a woman who had been hurt in her own crews escape attempt. She was unconscious, and Aster was not feeling generous enough to offer her aid at the moment. She was destined for the gallows, what difference did it make if she died then or on her way there? The last, captain Lycus, looked up as she entered the room, his bullish face stony and unreadable.

  The pirate was missing part of his horn and his right hand. Unlike his underling, Aster did actually care if he died, and so she had asked the cleric to do the minimal amount of healing it took to keep him from bleeding out from his wounds. However, much to Aster's surprise the injury wasn't bleeding. The cut had been clean, and had been hot enough to cauterize the wound as it happened. It would still need to be dressed to prevent infection, but despite losing a limb the captain was still conscious and weary. Aster had never seen such a powerful burning spell, and she was a fire mage. It annoyed her, she knew Keizeron hid most of his true talents while they were in school together, but this was on another level. she wished she had been paying attention when he cast it, but she had been more concerned with her own injuries instead of his downed crew mate.

  Though not in immediate danger of dying, Lycus was still badly wounded and in shock. Between that, and the fact that his crew was mostly captured or dead, the enraged bull had finally been subdued. It had not been much of a fight to get him tied up and put in the brig, the only thing that had gone well that night. But he had caused too much damage for Aster to want to help him now.

  She regarded him coldly as she decided how to broach the conversation. “I don’t think I need to tell you whats waiting for you when we return to the capital,” Aster started, and Lycus finally looked up to acknowledge her presence. Piracy was a capital crime, and he had personally caused the death of a handful of unity officers. Execution was the only thing that awaited him and his lot, and they knew it. But with the piece of the rod still missing, Lycus might be her only hope of finding it before things got even worse. “I know what you’ve heard about the queen, and it is not true. We grant clemency to people who-”

  Aster was cut off by Lycus laughing, a short harsh sound. “I wasn’t born yesterday captain. Even if I’m not executed on the spot I’ll spend the rest of my days in the cell that has the most rats. Spare me the bullshit you lapdog, and just tell me what you want from me,” He snarled, adjusting his arm. Alright, maybe he wasn't as shocked as Aster was lead to believe.

  Fine then, now she didn't need to find a tactful way to do this. Aster snarled, grabbing the bars in front of her, “Your ship escaped. Who hired you and where are they going? Answer truthfully and I wont have to get a truth scroll to force it out of you.” She threatened, before she realized she was burning the walls of the cell. Aster pulled her hands back, it would be no good for her to damage the integrity of the brig.

  Lycus snorted at her, baring his teeth in what might have been a grin. He knew as well as she did that truth spells could be fickle. An individual with a strong will could resist the compulsion, or even outright lie under the influence. And neither of them wanted to bet on how strong his will was.

  “Without their captain those bastards could be going anywhere,” Lycus sat up straight, “they wouldn’t head back to the person we were hired by unless. Unless you lost the rod.”

  Aster tried to keep her face straight, but in not saying anything she had said too much.

  Lycus let out a delighted peel of laughter, looking gleeful despite his situation. “You did! Oh captain I would say you’re just as much for the gallows as I am without it! Looks like you and me are in the same boat now aren’t we?”

  The guards standing in front of the brig exchanged a glance as Aster’s hair began to flair again. She took a moment to let out a breath and bring the flames back down into a manageable state. This was not going the way she had hoped, and he knew it.

  “I’ll make a deal with you captain. I will lead you to the rest of my crew, no problem,” Lycus drawled, leaning his head against the bars. “But once you have what you’re looking for, I want to get back at the person who fucked this all up. I want Keizeron’s head.”