"Raise the anchor!" yelled Iak Zan Iasen as he ran up the stairs to the helm. "Get to your positions!"

A sailor jumped up right in front of Marmorel with such force that he almost crushed her foot.

"Watch it!" she exclaimed, jumping back and grabbing onto Aran's arm for support. Just having him close by calmed her down.

The entire crew moved as one, their heavy footsteps made the wooden deck shake.

"Master, I should go and help!" Camiel said firmly, surrounded by the boys.

Hyon looked at him, squinting. "What happened to Wind of Light?"

"I can't use it," Camiel replied.

"Do you want to fight without finding harmony with the new stone? Go, have fun and get killed," Hyon barked. "May I have a stroke if Meliro's warriors will submit to a bunch of Kharzanians on the high seas. You know what a disgrace that would be for your Emperor."

"But..."

"But what? Help me with the boys instead!"

Camiel nodded, lifted Cora by the armpits and motioned for Aran to grab his feet. A moment later they were disappearing below deck, followed by Elidana and Hyon - the former jumping around and muttering incoherent phrases, the latter walking calmly and shaking his head.

Marmorel remained outside with Fez at the front of the deck, waiting for someone to tell her what to do. The Kharzanian ships advanced parallel to theirs. The screeching of the Seorite feeding them drowned out the sound of the waves crashing against the coast.

"What was that light at Hyon's place?" Fez asked her.

What had the Kharzanians said? She tried to remember, but her thoughts seemed unable to stop, just like the men on the deck. Would they make it out of this one too? Perhaps they should hide, if only her legs would stop trembling. And meanwhile the ships were getting closer, they would soon catch them...and then she realized. "Someone attacked Cora!" she exclaimed. "They wanted to capture us, defying the Duke's decision." They had to run, hide, find a refuge. She dashed towards a wooden door and pushed with all her might, but something was keeping it stuck, letting it open only a crack. "There are barrels!"

Fez caught up with her, limping, and tried to smash it down with his shoulder. In vain.

If only Aran were in his place, Marmorel thought.

The door didn't budge, and the young man winced as he massaged the spot where he had hit it. "We can't stay here," he said.

Marmorel nodded in agreement. Fez was right. She looked at the stern, where the Kharzanian ships were trailing in their wake. "They want to clash on the high seas," she said, hugging herself. "There are no rules outside the port of Amanastre." Her hair fell messy on her face. "We shouldn't have gone to Edel," she continued. "We should have stayed in Lud, with our parents."

Fez pursed his lips.

The Hozman galleon continued on toward the open sea, and the main mast's sail slipped down uncontrollably until four sailors pulled the ropes. It looked like a bat's wing soaked in blood, with the symbol of dawn on it, the same as the Iak warriors', a half sun with rays rising to the sky. While on the crow's nest, battered by the wind, flew the flag with the Empire's emblem.

Marmorel dug her fingers into Fez's plump, sweaty arm. The shining and compact profile of the Kharzanian ships made her stomach knot. Made as if they were composed of a single metal plate, tapered to a point, the ships moved ever faster toward them. As soon as they were away from the coast, black cannons emerged from the deck of each ship. One of the ships veered, accelerated, and caught up with them.

Marmorel shuddered, took a step back, and hid behind Fez's shoulders. "Aran said everything will be fine..." she said, "...it will be fine."

"We have to trust him," Fez replied.

A broadside missed, only a breath away from the side of Iak's ship. The water rose on the deck with a wave that overwhelmed men and materials. Marmorel grabbed Fez before he was sucked away and held him until she was exhausted.

One of the Hozman warriors walked past them with a bow on his shoulder. "Move!" he yelled. He ran along the galleon's railing for its entire length. It was almost as if the slippery wood were a simple lawn, given the ease with which he managed to run on it. He took a ribbon from the base of the elegant carved quiver and tied his long hair into a ponytail. He took the silver bow from his back and grasped it. He planted his feet firmly and balanced himself at the center of the stern. A blue aura enveloped him.

"What is he doing?" Fez asked.

Marmorel opened her eyes wide. "He's lighting up..."

The warrior, despite the ship's tilting caused by the waves, remained anchored to the structure as if he was on solid ground. Marmorel couldn't believe that someone had such a developed sense of balance. The Hozman archer knocked an arrow and drew the bowstring.

Another cannon shot hit one of the rigging lines and the rope, like a whip, snapped two fingers away from the warrior's head. He didn't move a muscle, at least until the arrow was covered in Seorite energy.

The Hozman woman that Fez and Marmorel had seen in the Duke's chambers emerged from the other side of the ship and reached her companion. She too blazed with light.

"Do they want to attack?" Fez asked.

Marmorel shrugged. "They don't stand a chance."

The archer released the glowing spark. A single flicker that was difficult to follow with the eye pierced through one of the Kharzanian cannons. The resulting explosion took almost a quarter of the metal deck with it. The other enemy vessel aimed its artillery towards the two warriors.

"They're going to die... damn!" Marmorel shouted. A roar, a cannon shot towards the only defense aft. But the sword-armed warrior leaped into the air and sliced the incoming shot in two. The fragments flew uncontrollably behind her, destroying some barrels and part of the hull.

A new wave was about to overwhelm their sailboat. Marmorel hugged a crate to avoid being swept away. The water flooded the deck and slid down with the rest of the debris.

Even with full sails, the Hozman ship seemed unable to gain an advantage over its pursuers. One of them accelerated and, cutting through the foam, managed to flank it; a monster made of steel that seemed to have risen from the depths and ready to devour them.

Marmorel stumbled, and fell to her knees.

Finally, she saw him, on the deck of the enemy ship: Captain Nelson Vega, drunk with satisfaction.

"May you rot!" the girl yelled, but the thunderous sound of a thunderbolt drowned out the threat.

She had never thought she could hate someone so intensely but, according to Aran, the officer who was watching with gritted teeth was the man who wanted to capture them. And he was present during the fire in Lud. He was evil, she knew it without needing tangible proof. An expression so insane for a mission as unjust as hunting down five innocent boys.

Vega watched the assault phases and aimed at Meliro's vessel without batting an eyelid.

Marmorel stepped on a grating and noticed that a light was coming from it. Under her feet, she glimpsed the hold: Aran, Elidana, Camiel, and Hyon were inside, surrounding Cora, covered in a luminous sphere. The wood all around began to crack, and water started to fill the lower part of the ship. But it wasn't the Kharzanians' fault. Something down there was about to make them sink.

Fez grabbed Marmorel's arm and pulled her to the ground. A moment later, a large shard lodged itself into the wall where her head had been.

The ship rolled, causing Fez to fall forward and slide a few meters until he hit the railing. Marmorel instinctively reached out, but it was too late.

Fez's body spun in the air, making two complete turns before landing in the water with a loud splash and sinking beneath the waves. "FEZ!" she screamed.

Another cannon shot opened a gaping hole in the ship's side, causing Marmorel to fly backwards and hit a pile of stacked sacks with her back.

"Fez, no, no!" she cried. She tried to get up with her hands, but she fell again before managing to stand. She lunged towards the edge of the ship.

Where was he? She couldn't see him. But he would resurface soon, and she had to be ready to help him. "FEEEEZ!" she yelled again, a cry that was lost under the stormy sky.

Aran... he would know what to do. All she had to do was reach him... no, she would lose too much time. It would be the end for Fez.

She took a deep breath, and slowly the courage came to her. She held onto the railing and dragged herself towards the stern; that's where she would see him resurface, she was sure of it. She reached the two Hozmans; one of them staggered and almost fell on her. A moment later, the warrior was back on his feet, bow drawn, and Marmorel continued her advance.

"FEZ FELL IN THE WATER!" she shouted. She shouted it again and again, but they didn't even seem to hear her.

"Was it regenerated?" the warrior asked. She looked at the hilt of her sword with wide eyes; she had abandoned the defense of the ship and was feeling the Seorite on the weapon. The archer hesitated for a moment too. From the Kharzanian ships came a roar, a brief column of smoke rose, interrupted by the rain. The screeching decreased in intensity.

"Help..." Fez yelled.

Marmorel leaned over and scanned the waves until she found him. "Hang on!" she yelled with all the voice she had in her body. She grabbed a rope and secured it to a piece of wood. "Stay up!" she continued. She threw the improvised stirrup in Fez's direction, but the rope was too short, and he couldn't grab it. A moment later, he was back under the water. And the Kharzanian ship was getting closer.

Marmorel's heart was racing. The rain pushed her hair in her eyes, mixing with her tears. She clenched her fists. "I have to do it," she said to the wind. "For once... I have to do it!" She climbed over the railing and took a deep breath. She pushed with her arms...