. . .
Ten cycles passed like dying stars beneath masks of skies, brief flashes of war, peace, and silence crowd the clouds with ash.
Below, an ocean so vast bellows in jealousy of having to stare at the stars which raised far past it.
An azure ocean, once clouded by unseen stars of night, dreaming of nothing but conquest.
Far from the coalition, or any realm for that matter.
Time is told by waves, not a clock.
Where a dark beach is eons away, the stars are all to look up to.
Malik stood near the bow, one hand lightly resting on the cold steel rail.
Never knowing the grasp of land, solely the wave of a ship that has fought over a hundred forgotten battles.
He's now seventeen with no goal in sight, no cherished memories, only pondering staring at the reflection of the ocean.
I'm missing something.
Something that made me.
A voice ruptured his thought.
"Hey Malik, new recruit on board today, be wary while I interview em'."
Rumbled Captain Cyrus, strolling heavily across the ship with such trust that he sees the ship as home.
His rough voice displays the years of calling orders to having casual conversation with a boy he treasures.
Cyrus slightly flinches when the boy makes a slow-turn like a gear to face him.
Malik only gives a swift but respectful nod as he truly ponders if there is more past this seemingly infinite sea.
This steel military ship, it's all he knows, but what is it now that makes him want to think about life on deck?
He has never found it daunting or even questionable until now.
He snaps out of it, because he knows this is all he has, he can't let it go.
In a lower deck, the rough captain stares with sea-like eyes at the recruit for the marines.
He opens his crusted lips on top tawny skin with a stubbled silver beard and a long scar passing vertically past his left eye.
A faintly bronze-colored young girl, possibly a year older than Malik with short jet-black hair, slowly raises her head to face the captain. She stares with her dark eyes, ominously reading anybody.
"Name?" Captain Cyrus asked.
"Kaya, sir!" she answered steadily but firmly.
The inside of the room was detailed with a long table almost reaching both ends of the room, an immeasurable stack of paper on both sides of the desk, and a form with the resume of Kaya and all her qualifications.
It states that she is eighteen years of age.
The cold air condition fills the room as the captain takes a slight glance at the resume and gives a shivering stare to Kaya again, and asks:
"Before we begin, do you have any questions?"
"Yes!" Kaya responds quickly with compassion.
"I've got a question: Who's the guy behind you?"
The captain's expression becomes staggered as he takes a slow turn behind him to reveal from the back of the room his co-captain and nephew, Lieutenant Samir.
Samir has a tough-gruff like appearance with a more youthful appearance than Cyrus, but the similarities are apparent.
His low haircut with dark hair, and dark skin contrasted with his large brown eyes and strong but gentle posture emulate how well the captain has nurtured him to be an exceptional marine.
"That is my nephew, Lieutenant Samir. He will take after me once I retire by summer."
This girl, this girl . . . my nephew was almost unsensible, yet she was able to see him as clear as day, even I had trouble sensing him, yet she does it effortlessly.
Kaya interrupts the captain's train of thought by asserting:
"My second question: Who are the crew members on this ship?"
Before answering her question, he takes one last quick glance at her resume.
Skimming through the long lines of high school accomplishments and connections, one piece of information caught his eye.
It read: "Trial Status: Success from Harmony."
A trial's existence is normally locked to public awareness, however, of the millions of applicants to the Marines, there has yet to be a successful trial status in years.
"I'll show you the crew members momentarily; however, there's something I'm more interested in about you."
Kaya leaned in, attentive to listen to the old captain's words.
The Captain holds the paper firmly and reads it before making his remark.
"You're from the people of Ishkana—the realm of Harmony?"
"Yeah . . ."
Cyrus peered closely at her, ". . . Interesting."
He cleared his throat, "On your application, it states that you have a successful trial. Not many people are capable of attaining this, even hearing about this concept is alien to the masses because it is confidential by military personnel."
The Captain coldly adds to his statement.
"I've heard that those that have completed such trials in success cross a deep path that is beyond comprehension to my memory. If you have any of those, please demonstrate them to me."
Kaya tenses up and asks the captain after a second of thought.
"Well, Captain, think of anything, and I mean anything. I'll read your mind."
She adjusts herself back in her chair.
Captain Cyrus scoffs.
Hah, this little girl won't ever guess that I'm thinking of my favorite sport, Tagline.
Kaya giggles to herself, composes, glances upward with bright amber eyes, and asks:
"So who's your favorite Tagline team?"
He cackles as he could not believe what he has just heard at this moment.
Noticing his cup of coffee on the table he hadn't finished, he decided to drink it as he grins to himself, whilst closing his eyes.
He takes a second, reaches out his hand that has faced war.
"Welcome aboard, Private Kaya."
He smiles at her with an endearing grin.
Lieutenant Samir puts his hand on Captain Cyrus's shoulder and comments:
"Looks like we found another member for our crew."
Samir pats his uncle's back then gets back to his duties as a lieutenant.
Captain Cyrus nods with a smile at his nephew and gets back to his business as Captain.
"Now, it's about time you meet the crew."
Slowly standing up from his chair, the captain points to the door to assist Kaya on where to go.
Kaya swiftly strides to the door as she waits for hiss next instructions.
"Now Kaya, I'm just an old man, I think it's helpful that I get my young son to tour you across the ship."
The captain adjusts his posture and prepares to yell Malik's name but is stunned to see Malik right in front of him in a flash.
"Can I help you guys?"
Malik states with energy in his voice as if he could run a marathon and back.
"Ahh Malik, yes . . . please tour this new recruit across the ship, she's one of us now ya know."
The captain mumbles as he slurs his words that were barely understandable.
His eyes quickly widened in ambivalence at his son who had grown . . . different.
Malik instantly straightens himself and gives Kaya a nodding grin with shut eyes as he puts his hand out for a handshake.
"I'm Malik, nice to meet you."
Kaya gives back a grin and shakes Malik's hand firmly with respect as she responds:
"Hey hey hey! My name's Kaya, also nice to meet you!"
"So uhm . . . oh yeah, let's explore the ship, rookie!"
Malik asserts but playfully.
Kaya giggles and punches his shoulder.
"Oh, we'll see who the real rookie is once I kick your ass, Ha!"
Malik gives a wholesome smile as he points to the metal door leading to the main deck.
The door is a shiny sea-like metal, with a staircase leading to two floors with rooms with wooden framing down to the main hall inside the ship with crimson-black tiled floorboards.
High-rise wooden tables along with padded maroon chairs all around the hall will make one think it is the bar of a cruise more than a marine ferry.
Ethereal chandeliers that consist of radiant lemon with a slight cerulean incandescence illuminate the room for rows on end.
The room emits a welcoming presence.
"Well, this is the main hall. Looks like a ballroom, right? I think Kamil is here."
Malik affirms his point and dominantly steps into the room.
He then sits on the handrail and strides down the stairs like a skater to the bottom.
"You coming?"
Kaya confirms as she steps back and makes a huge leap of faith in the air to land right next to Malik.
Malik widens his eyes.
The two of them step into the middle of the large hall.
"This is where the crew's rooms are. However, there are ten rooms, but there's an eleventh room that the captain strictly forbids us from ever entering." Malik adds.
Kaya looks around the room and sees the wooden floorboards on the second floor above them and the intricate detailing on the handrails with zig-zag brandings.
He points to the eerie room that looks as if it were formed by the most adept constructors with reinforced steel bars and a huge lock on it that requires a code of a specific audio message to unlock it.
The door leaks a maroon aura.
Kaya feels intimidated by the room, then stares at Malik with her piercing large brown eyes.
Malik stares deeply at the room as if he were born in it.
Something is not right with that room . . . and he knows too.
He notices her long stare and the both of them make strong eye contact.
Kaya's eyes glimmered amber-gold as she reached out into the abyss—using her mind-reading ability on Malik, as she still locks eyes with him.
Maybe in his mind, he knows. Have I trusted him too easily?
Stunned, Kaya can't find one coherent thought in his mind.
What? I can't read him. It's like there's an infinite number of thoughts fogging his head.
His mind is similar to a waterfall.
Elegant, yet ubiquitous.
What is he?