A Finally Goodbye to Aveos

[Pegleg_Bob 1107]

 

Spoiler

 

 

My hand rests upon the helm of my prized ship, crafted by my father as a gift for my late brother. My eyes, one still hidden beneath an eyepatch, wander across the main deck. A faint smile spreads across my face as I take in the sight of the friends and family who will join me on this voyage. A laugh escapes my throat, and with it, the smile I had long lost returns to me once more.

Yet I soon feel a gaze fixed upon me, as though urging me to remember my duty at the helm. The laugh dies in my throat, and I straighten once more. My voice rings out as I bark orders across the deck, calling men and women to their tasks. The anchors rise, chains clattering, and the sails unfurl to catch the wind. From ship to ship, calls echo across the harbor as the fleet slips from the port of Earosgrad.

Most sail beneath the banners of the Isles, bearing the colors of burgundy and black, though I know vessels from every corner of the empire are among them. For now, they all move as one, under the command of the army. I pray to the Exalted that the Lord Marshal proves more capable than the last.

I chuckle once more as the wind begins to rise, carrying us farther from the shores of Aveos. A tune hums at the back of my throat, and I let it spill free with a wider smile. Then, without warning, a thunderous explosion shakes the air. The others pause, turning their eyes toward the sound, yet I continue humming, the melody steady against the chaos.

Behind us, the Salt Stone Bastion erupts in fire, and soon all of Earosgrad blazes with it. It is the final order I gave alongside the Duke of Krukiv, Earoslav, to ensure that when the Daemon Orsathiael awakens, he cannot use our lands or our infrastructure against us. A few among the crew cast uneasy glances in my direction, but most can only stare at the inferno consuming the city.

I can only imagine what the other ships must be thinking, though I did warn the Lord Marshal and the others of this beforehand. Most have likely told their crews, but I do enjoy a good joke. I hope the others will understand later. Ark might, she’s always a good sport about these sorts of things, right? I think to myself, though that is a matter for another time. For now, I simply keep sailing, guiding us across the Lamar and into the old channels of Lurin.

I know from experience that the channels can be treacherous if not handled properly, but after a while, and with a few close calls, the fleet finds its rhythm and manages to press on.  I watch as we leave the channels and make our way to the open sea. I let out a long sigh as I looked at the clear sky, the curse of the storm long past now. I hope in these new lands, my family and friends shall find peace.