Ashes on the Tide

Hana's words hung heavy in the quiet room.

"…Who are you? And what did you do with Kazuki?"

Kael held her gaze, but no answer came.

The silence stretched — then the sound of cicadas outside blurred, fading, as though the world itself was pulling away.

And when the haze cleared…

The scratching of a quill replaced it.

The leather notebook felt stiff and new in Kazuki's hands. Its cover caught the soft glow of Zephyr's firefly light spell, the tiny orbs hovering gently in the corner of the tent. He traced the spine with his thumb before pressing the quill to paper.

Numeria – Entry 3

A few days have passed since the decision, he wrote. Our supplies are packed—food, equipment. Most of it prepared not for the road here, but for what lies beyond. The Demon Lands. They say nothing there can be eaten—not the plants, not the animals. So the king ensured we carry enough to survive, even if it slows us down. Until then, we'll eat from taverns along the way, or hunt for fresh game where we can.

His quill paused. A memory tugged at him, unbidden.

The night before our ceremonial departure, His Majesty came to me in private. I thought he had more orders… but instead, the King knelt before me.

Kazuki closed his eyes, recalling the weight of those words.

"Please… bring Zephyr back safe. She is my world."

Even now, he could feel the shock in his chest—the sight of a king lowering himself to him. He had begged the man not to bow, promising instead with all the strength he could muster: I will do whatever I can.

At dawn, the send-off was held. The city gathered before the palace gates, their cheers heavy with both hope and fear. His Majesty gave a speech, his voice steady, then offered a prayer for our safe travel. When he embraced his daughter, I felt the silence in the crowd—every heart beat with his. And then… we departed.

This is my first time traveling. After my father's passing, we never really went anywhere. I feel a little uncomfortable… and excited at the same time.

Kazuki let the ink dry, then closed the leather-bound notebook with a soft thump. The glow of Zephyr's firefly spell faded as he slipped it aside, and he pushed out through the flap of the tent.

Outside, the night carried the crackle of firewood and the scent of roasting meat. The campfire was their gathering point: Alvis sat puffing calmly on his wooden pipe, smoke curling upward like ghostly ribbons; Ardent and Gorran were deep in discussion while Gorran stirred the pot over the flames; and a little way off, the girls — Vada, Verena, Maeryn, and Zephyr — whispered and laughed quietly among themselves, their voices soft against the hum of the night.

Kazuki walked over to Alvis, who exhaled a stream of smoke before glancing at him with those ever-sharp eyes.

"Master Alvis, can you tell me about the journey ahead? Where are we going?"

Alvis tapped the pipe against his palm, considering.

"Our path is simple… at least on parchment," he said with a dry half-smile. "First, we ride to the Weeping Coast, a harbor town at the edge of Numeria. There, we'll take ship and set sail across the Sea of Mourning — and pray its waters remain calm.

Once we reach the western shores, we press into the Verdant Shroud, a jungle vast and ancient, where the air itself colludes to swallow men whole. And beyond that… lies the Wastes of Agartha. A land of ash and shadow. There, the final test will begin."

The pipe's glow flared as he drew in another breath, before adding dryly:

"As easy as that."

Gorran let out a booming laugh, the kind that shook his broad shoulders and seemed to scatter the gloom. He stirred the pot one last time and jabbed the ladle in Kazuki's direction with a grin.

Kazuki scratched his head. "Why do they call it the Weeping Coast?"

Verena, who had been listening quietly until now, spoke softly. "Because the sea it touches is unkind. Every time someone sails into it, there's a high chance they never return. Whenever you go there, you'll find someone crying for a loved one lost to its waters. That's why it's called the Weeping Coast."

Alvis exhaled a curl of smoke from his pipe, his voice grave. "The locals whisper of a monster in that sea. A thing with a hunger that never ends."

Maeryn stirred the fire with a stick, her expression grim. "Once, it was a thriving harbor. Fishermen, pearl divers… the place was alive. But these days, it's almost barren. Most have fled."

Kazuki frowned. "If it's that serious, why hasn't anyone tried to fix it?"

Zephyr's eyes dropped. "We tried. The king sent two groups, on different occasions. Neither returned."

Kazuki gave a half-smile that held no humor. "Great. And now we're heading straight into the same sea." He glanced toward the twins. "So how did you get across when you traveled to those lands before?"

Vada folded her arms, her tone clipped but steady. "We didn't sail. The king's convoy was made up of wind-affinity users. We flew over the waters."

"Don't let this doom-saying scare you, lad," Gorran rumbled. "Danger waits, sure enough — but you won't be walking into it alone. You've got all of us at your back. Ashen Vow doesn't break so easily."

Sat close to the fire, warmth seeping into his hands as the meal was passed around. He glanced at Gorran, who was handing out bowls of stew.

"Hey, Gorran," Kazuki asked, "were you the leader of Ashen Vow?"

The big man let out a hearty chuckle, shaking his head. "Me? No. That was Kael. He was sharper than any of us when it came to strategy and planning."

Ardent, sitting across the fire, leaned in. "He had the mind for it. Kael grew up on the streets for a time. To survive, he had to outthink men twice his size—take down the strong who preyed on the weak.

Kazuki fell quiet, chewing as he tried to picture himself in Kael's shadow.

The fire crackled, the meal warmed them, and for a while conversation drifted to lighter things. But then Gorran set down his bowl with a heavy thump.

"Alright," he said with a grin, glancing between Kazuki and Zephyr. "Are we going to talk about the mammoth in the room, or are we all going to pretend we didn't hear it?"

Kazuki blinked. "Hear what?"

Gorran arched an eyebrow. "Back in the throne room. When Zephyr said—" he put on a mock-serious voice— "'the man I'm going to marry.'"

Kazuki nearly choked on his stew. He didn't expect anyone to bring it up so soon, let alone Gorran.

"Marriage?" Gorran's booming laugh shook the night air. "I nearly dropped my sword when I heard Zephyr say it. What in the Gods names was that about?"

Zephyr's cheeks flushed, but her chin lifted proudly. "It wasn't a whim, my father asked for what Kazuki desired and he wished for my hand. I just wanted to make it clear to everyone — I chose him as well."

Kazuki blinked, half embarrassed, half stunned at how calmly she said it in front of everyone.

Gorran clapped him on the back so hard Kazuki nearly fell. "Well then! Congratulations, lad!"

Ardent gave a small smirk, raising his cup. "Hmph. You've got more courage than most seasoned warriors, Kazuki."

Zephyr shot him a glare, but Maeryn chuckled, shaking her head. She leaned closer to Zephyr, voice warm but sly. "You've got much to learn, dear. I've been married to Gorran for years, and trust me — men are simple, but never easy. I'll teach you a few things along the way."

Zephyr's blush deepened, though a smile tugged at her lips.

One of the twins, Verena, leaned forward, her voice soft. "Congratulations. Truly."

But Vada abruptly stood. Without a word, she turned and walked into the shadows.

Verena rose quickly, bowing her head to the group. "Please forgive her. She's… still struggling with Kael not being here."

Kazuki shook his head gently. "It's alright. I understand."

The fire crackled, filling the silence left by her absence.

When the warmth of the fire was gone, the road ahead stretched into a ruined harbor. Burned houses leaned like broken bones against the gray sky. People lingered in the streets with hollow eyes, their clothes ragged. The air was thick with despair.

And at the docks — nothing. No sails, no crews, no ships waiting. Only blackened wood and shattered piers where proud vessels once moored.

Kazuki stopped in his tracks, a heavy weight pressing into his chest. This was the Weeping Coast.

And it was weeping still.