Whisper from World's End

Asa

        Asa soon realised her sudden behaviour and bowed apologetically towards the other passengers. They only gave a hesitant sigh, seeming like it wasn’t their first experience with her.  

        “Listen, kid. I know both of us are just underpaid workers in a ship with a dying trading business, but it doesn’t mean you can just scream out of nowhere this early in the morning. You being a kid were no excuse either,” spoke the man wearing a blue coat, “Good heavens. We’re lucky this is the last time we’re meeting each other face to face before we leave this boat.”

        “Gee, Zhorkov, cut the kid some slack,” said the man with the nice hat as he walked downwards to the cabin, presumably the captain, “She did the right thing of waking /.,lazy-ass to work. Now come on! The cargo won’t lift themselves.”

        The other crewmates begrudgingly started to get up and climbed the stairs into the upper deck, which Asa wasn’t quite sure if they were already opening their eyes to face the new day. She followed after, with a wooden dull training sword in her side. From afar, she could see the WHite Sands docks filled with numerous sailors and townsfolk. The wind blew strong that morning, which accelerated the sailboat back into the shore.

        Asa and the other crews began pulling down the sails as the captain commanded, and prepared for docking. It wasn’t long until the ship reached the dock safely, and cargos of fruits, grain, and spices were being transported out of the ship. The other crew members waved at the captain, signalling that they’d be at the tavern, most seemingly to gather rations and took a rest from the sea. Not far from their ship, another ship without a sail was departing into the ocean, white clouds and smoke came out of upper pipes as it traveled with more knots than their ship can ever imagine to reach.

        The captain had a sorrowful face while gazing at the modern ship. “You know, kid,” said the captain, “Ships and boats these days no longer needed sails, do they? Those pesky outsiders kept bringing more and more weird junkies that prevented me from getting money. This might be our crew’s last trip, no more requests for this old baby to keep moving. Heck, I might even consider selling her to an antique store.”

        The old bearded man puffed the last piece of his tobacco, “I’ve got to tell the boys the bad news after this. Say, you were planning on quitting after this trip, don’tcha? Do you have anywhere to go, or any plans for the future?”

        “Well, Mainland’s military is open for new recruits so I might enlist there.”

        “That sort of explained the wooden sword. You youngsters are always going on and on about wars and combat. It’s not like you’ve ever seen one have you?” the captain scoffles.

        Asa was about to say something, but for some reason she held back from uttering any reply.

        “You do you I suppose,” the captain handed a bag filled with coins worth 50 Silver Crystals,”Your payment. Thanks for helping me with my business. If you’re looking for the recruitment office just go straight from Curd Road.”

        Asa replied with a ood, a smile, and a simple hand wave. Just after taking a few steps however, her expression was filled with both doubts and hope as she looked back towards the ocean.