Ginah nodded to us from where she stood with one hand on the helm. The pirate Captain then turned to address the rest of her crew.
"We sail!" she bellowed, her voice resounding throughout the cavern.
I grimaced, rubbing at my ears. "She’s loud, isn’t she?"
"That’s what it takes to be a leader, I guess," Lisa said. "I’m not one, so I wouldn’t know."
"Right." I glanced one last time back at the cove as we slowly left our hideout. It was empty— the beach was completely cleared out, as if no one had ever stayed there. "I still can’t believe you convinced Ginah to escort me to Jahar’taw."
She just shrugged nonchalantly. "You did it yourself. I just gave you a tiny push."
"Right," I said, turning to meet her gaze. "Still, thank you."
"Don’t thank me just yet." The young woman shook her head. "Thank me if it works out."
"I really hope it will…" I trailed off, looking out into the dark night sky ahead. It was cloudy, but not exactly raining. However, I couldn’t ignore the possibility that it would become a violent storm later on. "It’s a smart plan though."
"Take advantage of nature— of what would normally be an impediment. That’s what us smugglers do."
I grinned and she smiled; since she could see my facial expressions, she was no longer as uncomfortable around me. Perhaps it was the fact that I was a kid that disarmed her apprehension, or maybe she was just trying to gain my trust again in a way that served to benefit her. I wasn’t sure, but I had to trust her.
I had to trust them. All of them.
Our ship exited the mouth of the cavern, entering the open air where I was met with a thin layer of chill that wrapped around the night like a cold blanket. A shiver ran up my spine, but I dismissed it as nothing more than a result of the cool winds that threatened to blow my pointed hat off, and not a premonition of what was to come.
We had just entered open waters when I caught sight of the first ship coming from our right. It was not The Lightbringer’s Vessel— it had sunk during the battle in the docks of Luke. However, I recognized the design of it as one belonging to a mana ship.
Accompanying it from behind came two smaller ships. They weren’t mana ships like the first, although they were smaller and quite evidently designed for speed over anything else. And yet, I couldn’t pay too much attention to either of those ships as it was drawn to the figure standing on the first ship.
Saintess Lilith was standing on its deck, spear in hand, and while I couldn’t quite make out her facial expression, I was pretty sure she was smiling at me. It was an ambush.
"What… how…" I stared in shock as the ships came closer and closer. But they weren’t just getting closer to us— we were getting closer to them! I whirled around and faced Lisa. "You—"
The young woman jumped out of the way as I drew my pistol as fast as I could, instantly firing multiple bolts of energy that struck the wooden bulwark of our ship. She barely dodged out of the way as Jack came charging at me from behind.
He had both his short swords already out in hand, and he easily sliced apart the mana bullets I sent at him. I barely rolled out of the way as he tried to tackle me to the ground. I brought out a hand, magic circle beginning to form in it, before I was struck across the back by Braz.
The pirate kicked me, nearly causing me to stumble, but I managed to catch myself and whirl around to face him. I sent a Force Binding out at him, however he was fast. I knew he was fast. He easily danced out of the way of the snare, closing in the distance between the both of us.
But I planned for that. The Frost Javelin was already forming above my head. Braz’s eyes widened as he saw it adjust its position mid air, its tip turning to face him—
And the icy projectile shattered as Kai blasted it with his rifle. My gaze snapped at the man as he lowered his weapon, wisps of smoke coming out of its barrel from the powerful shot. I cursed at him.
"Hey now, should a little girl like you really be saying words like that?"
I turned around to see Saintess Lilith standing on top of the wooden bulwark, staring down at me with the eyes of a hawk finally seeing its prey. Her ship was still over 30 feet away, and yet she somehow crossed the distance with a single jump, landing nimbly and quietly I hadn’t even realized she was there until she said a word.
Both my hands snapped up, spell circles quickly forming on them and in the air above me. I had never cast more than two intermediate spells at once before, but my adrenaline was pumping and I was moving without thinking. Somehow, it worked and the Explosive Orbs came into existence alongside the Stone Spear, hovering just behind me as I sent a Wind Blade and Fireball at her.
Lilith simply let the blade of wind hit her— the aura around her protecting her
