After the everything that had happened during their expeditions, Darius and Calista found themselves staring at the Mediterranean with a hint of gratitude and relief. The crew, despite the terrors and troubles they had faced, they still remained loyal with their values intact.

They never hesitated to save each other nor never thought of abandoning one another. It was as if they had already treated themselves as a family.

The sound of laughter can be heard echoing the inn with music blasting and people dancing. Darius and Calista remained in their seats, clapping along with smiles on their faces.

"Cheers, to our Captain! His right hand man, Aloysius. To his wife. For saving the crew in various ventures in the waters of the Regimere and learning about the truth of what had happen to our families, our friends, that faced the wrath of the Duke." The crew cheered as one of them had given a toast to the two. Darius nods as thanks as the crew proceeds.

"And to our fallen comrades of the Angelus. May their souls rest after their courage to venture out in such expedition." They all solemnly stay quiet as a sign of respect and even the songs and dances stop as a time to mourn and grieve silently. It took minutes before Darius decided to break it.

Darius stands up, his eyes looking at his crew. "It takes a brave soul to venture out in the deep waters. But all of you had not hesitated to join me. Thank you. It has been an honor to venture out with all of you. And as for our fallen family members, friends, they too have our love and respect for their sacrifices." 

The crew gave him a nod, all respecting Darius as he spoke. It took a while before the songs and dance resumed with Arsen and Elysaria visiting to check in. The Mediterranean rested for three days before venturing out the waters and it took days before the ship was back in the embrace of Ravenbourne. 

The bustling town looked like a haven after weeks of being in the sea, the sweet feeling of home lingering in the air. The townsfolk greeted them with a mixture of relief and joy, their faces lighting up at the sight of the returning sailors. 

Children gathered around, eyes wide with wonder, eager to hear the tales of the sea. Darius and Calista obliged. They too were joyous to share it. Though, they intend to change some parts of the story to not instill too much fear for the children of Ravenbourne.

The inn became the place of storytelling, the tales of Gryndale, the living island, and the duke of stormy seas spreading like wildfire. 

And as the sun set over Ravenbourne, casting a warm glow over the town and its inhabitants, a sense of peace settled over Darius and Calista. Their journey may have been full of dangers and had challenged their fears but they realized that what had happened had also brought them closer together.

Darius stood at the helm, the wind playing with his hair as he gazed out at the endless waters of the Regimere. Next to him was Calista, who leaned against the railing with her fingers tangled with his.

He softly smiled as he pushed a strand of Calista's hair away from her face and stared at her in awe. "You're still as beautiful as the very first day I met you."   

"I can still remember how you tend to tell me you'd become a sailor of the Medusa. And here you are, the captain of it." Calista returns the gesture by kissing his cheek and closing her eyes, feeling the wind slightly blowing. "It had been a long journey for both of us, Darius." 

"Is this your way of hinting for us to settle down? If so, I can do that," he seems eager as Calista blinked and chuckled right after. 

"I'm not asking you to stop sailing. Your heart belongs to the sea—"

"And to you. You're the first one to reel my heart, Calista." 

Calista shakes her head at this as her lips were still curled into a sweet smile. "You know what I mean. I'm just saying that I don't regret it one bit, not listening to you and still insisted to go with you." 

Darius sighs. "I would've still come home, Calista." 

But Calista only stared at him, studying his features as if not wanting to forget it. The gaze made Darius' heart skip a beat as he felt her caressing his hand gently. 

"Home is not a place without you, Darius." 

Hand in hand, they walked back towards their house, the stars above guiding their way. The sounds of laughter and music drifted through the air, wrapping around them like a comforting embrace. As they stepped through the doors, the warmth and familiarity of the place had finally welcomed them back.

For the townsfolk, Ravenbourne was their home. For the Mediterranean, it was the boundless sea.

For Darius, it was his wife. Calista.