Laurencia's ship cut steadily through the open water, its hull rising and falling with the long rhythm of the ocean. The voyage continued much the same as it had in the days before, the only difference being that the atmosphere aboard the vessel had shifted in ways the older woman believed even the kids hadn't predicted.
She sneakily glanced to her right, scanning Selene's expression as she studied the map.
The girl was unnerving. Laurencia had noticed that since she first got to "know" her. She usually gave away nothing of what she was thinking, but it felt like she was aware of others' thoughts. Her eyes remained perpetually closed, and yet it felt like she had the most piercing gaze of everyone present.
"He said this route was to keep us safe," Selene said, frowning. "But from what if the only danger left is a sixth monster at the end of the path? Did he ever mention anything at any point?"
Laurencia's gaze skittered back to her front. "No, he didn't."
The pinkette's frown only deepened.
"I see."
She looked at Cisco. He had been at the same spot since the events two days ago. She had to count him out of any plans she concocted due to his unresponsiveness. Though even if he was mentally sound, she doubted he would be willing to help them.
Cisco stood by the railing, his blank eyes fixed on the horizon ahead. The ocean stretched endlessly in every direction, the same vast expanse it had always been, yet he kept staring as if something might surface from the water at any moment.
Selene massaged a growing migraine.
"Captain Laurencia," she called softly. "Can you perform magic?"
The brunette shot her a perplexed look before remembering her current circumstances and fixing her face.
"No," Laurencia said cautiously. "It would be difficult for someone like me to pick up mana arts—let alone magic."
Selene sighed. "That makes sense."
She walked to the ship's control centre and leaned on it directly in front of Laurencia.
"You can stop being so stiff," she said dryly. "I'm not the one holding you hostage."
Selene nudged her head toward the cabin, her expression notably darkening.
"Those two are."
The merchant stared blankly at the young teen. To her, there was no significant distinction between Selene and the two boys who had essentially murdered their companions. It had quickly become evident in the aftermath of that incident that the four children were never on the same page.
Cisco was the way he was now due to being riddled with guilt.
Selene had restrained herself well—better than a person her age should be able to—but she was clearly upset at the final outcomes of that day.
If Laurencia had to hazard a guess, she assumed the girl had intended to keep Reoloy as a prisoner. Graham and Hugo's actions had come as a surprise to her, too. And in some way, Selene despised being dragged down along with them in their ploy.
Yet, all the same, when the two murderers had threatened Laurencia to keep the journey going, Selene had done and said nothing. In fact, she subtly took advantage of it to influence her and keep her compliant.
The reality for the relic dealer was plain. She either dies at the hands of these strange, dangerous children or falls victim to the ocean horrors that had been on Reoloy's mind.
'He was going to give me fortune, he said,' Laurencia mused somewhat bitterly. 'I guess even know-it-alls can't see their own deaths coming...'
"I'll be candid," Selene said at last. "If there's really something worse than the monsters we've already encountered, we're all going to die."
"Isn't that inspiring..." Laurencia said.
Selene gave a curt smile.
"I said candid, not uplifting," she quipped, but it came out dry. "Losing Lohan is a massive blow by itself, but then there's also our danger detector..."
They both glanced at the rough-looking Cisco.
"...who is not reliable right now."
Laurencia swung the wheel to the left, following the lines Reoloy had sketched on her chart. A frown formed as she noticed the sky darkening on the horizon. However, she shook it off, her expression becoming unreadable as her eyes drifted along the water before she forced her attention back to the conversation.
"I get what you're saying," she started, "so what do you want to do?"
Selene erupted in airy laughter.
"Good. You are dependable," she said, wiping away tears. "You catch on quicker than I had hoped. Where did Reoloy find someone like you?"
"At a bargain bin sale stall," Laurencia actually answered. "I gave him a cursed object."
Selene's eyebrow rose, but she chose to ignore the statement. She straightened, her eyes barely opening into slits, causing the merchant to freeze at the sight.
"The first chance we get, we'll ditch the others," she said, pausing in contemplation. "Except Cisco. He could come in handy later."
The older brunette faltered, glancing away.
"And how do we do that on a ship in the middle of the ocean?"
A sudden gust of wind swept across the deck.
"I have a way," Selene said flippantly. "It will take time, but—"
The door slammed as Hugo came storming out of the cabin. He militantly scanned the deck, barely acknowledging Selene and Laurencia while scowling at the sight of Cisco. He strutted to the control centre, the air of arrogance about him eliciting a hint of murderous intent from Selene.
"How long is that idiot going to be like that?" he asked abrasively. "I would've smacked him up if it wasn't for you guys."
"What you meant to say is 'if Graham didn't tell me not to'," Selene replied calmly. "You are his dog after all."
Laurencia snorted before she could stop herself.
The sky above them remained clear, the pale blue stretching out unbroken except for a few scattered clouds drifting lazily across the distance.
Yet the wind persisted, steady and growing stronger as it carried the brief chortle across the deck.
"Maybe I should beat you up first," Hugo said through gritted teeth, glaring at Laurencia.
Selene stepped around the control panel, putting herself between them.
"Instead of threatening our defenceless benefactor," she started. "Why don't you actually face me? I'm the one that insulted you."
Her head tilted, facial expression twisting into one of blatant mockery.
"Or is the memory of what happened the last time that traumatic to you?"
Hugo's teeth ground against each other, anger briefly flashing across his face before he stepped back to the centre of the deck and backed down with a scoff.
Abruptly, darkness covered the ship as if it had spontaneously become nighttime. The three looked up, confusion marring their features.
"Rain clouds?" Laurencia muttered, already forgetting the previous tension. "That's impossible. They were still far away just a moment ago..."
A streak of blue flashed through the darkness, and then—
Boom
"It's a storm," Selene said dryly. "Are we equipped for it?"
Laurencia nodded. "There are some supplies and tools in the lower deck, but—"
Boom
They watched as the clouds directly above them twirled ominously like a whirlpool, lightning surging through them.
This wasn't a normal storm.
"That wasn't there earlier," Graham said, coming out onto the deck.
He stopped beside Hugo and squinted up at the dark covering. The clouds spanned further than his eyes could see.
The wind picked up again, stronger this time.
And the ship swung violently as the sea began to toss and roar with monstrous fury.
"You're the expert here," he said, looking at Laurencia. "Give us directions on what to do. Just make sure to get us through this."
The ship's owner hesitantly nodded and began turning the wheel, wrestling against the waves that threatened to throw them sideways.
Then rain began to fall, pelting against their bodies relentlessly.
It seemed as if things were only going to get worse as Laurencia started to bark out her orders.
As a start, she instructed them to go pick out some raincoats and bring extra supplies up to the cabin. Afterwards, she planted her feet and prepared to face the worst that was to come.
Thunder roared across the black sky while the waves continued to rise. The hectic steps of the teenagers running around as they carried boxes were completely covered in the chaos of the moment.
Meanwhile, as the others focused on what was happening above the sea, Cisco's glassy gaze drifted downward. Some life returned to his eyes as they widened slightly in a mixture of fear and awe.
"Something's coming."