Chapter 427: Prologue – The Calm Before…
900 years ago… the Azure Realm…
Rain had fallen over the ocean for five straight days before accumulating into a raging thunderstorm that shook Yara’s small ship. Waves thirty paces high crashed into the ship, threatening to capsize it. Yara stood at the tip of the bow, hanging with one hand from a rope attached to the sail. Freezing rain pelted her face and roaring waves crashed over her, yet still, she held on. Aqila and the other children worried that the ship would break in two. Yara just laughed.
As the storm raged on, Caligo conjured grey leathery wings from his back and wrapped the other children underneath them. The small white fox, Lin Lu, burrowed underneath his shirt for shelter.
Caligo stayed awake through the night and the crashing waves. The storm didn't seem to bother the shapeshifting-child. His green eyes occasionally stared out at the water, but mostly he stared at Yara clinging to the sail line.
Somehow, despite the horrid night, the small ship made it through the storm. As the clear dawn skies rose above them the sun bore down on the ship with petty vengeance. Gone were the howling winds, not even a whisper of breeze graced the sails, leaving them drifting through the sea.
“I’m thirstyyyy,” Emma groaned.
Duncan patted his little sister’s back and smiled reassuringly, “I’ll get some water from the hold.”
“We’re out of clean water. I checked,” Aqila muttered.
Emma stared at her for a moment, blinked, and proceeded to throw herself on the deck, arms flailing about. “We’re going to die! Waaagghh!”