The ship ride was surprisingly comfortable.
"The ship ride is rather comfortable, isn't it?" Shalap said.
I rubbed my temples. My head felt like it was going to split open. "My head hurts. I've been in the sun the whole day, you think?"
Shalap shrugged. "Well, not my fault you're standing when you can come in the shade."
"Well, I mean, you can go, Heide. Of course, that would mean giving up."
"Hell no," I snapped.
The reason we were stuck in this dumb position to begin with was because Sinus challenged me. And I really don't like getting mocked—especially not when he kept calling me names, like a damn playground bully.
Yeah... can't let that slide.
"Well, we're gonna reach Nuraf in a while," Shalap said, stretching her arms. "Bonus, honestly. Took us three days, and by evening, we'll hit the continent."
It was still afternoon, though. The sea glared under the sun like a field of molten glass.
Shalap was looking out at the water when she tilted her head. "Hey... I don't know, since I've never been to sea before, but... is that normal?"
"Hm?" I grunted and sat up. Sinus lazily followed my gaze. We both spotted a small rowboat bobbing up and down, filled with fruits and vegetables... and four fishermen waving at us.
"They're waving at us... can we even speak their language?" I asked.
"Don't know." Sinus casually pulled out a lip balm and applied it on his lips.
"Is this the time to be applying lip balm?" Shalap asked, confused.
"Well, no. That's an artifact," Sinus replied as he smacked his lips. "Lets us speak and understand different languages. They're pretty rare. But since our reputation's growing, it's good to have."
Without needing more explanation, Shalap and I applied the balm too. We watched as the fishermen drew closer. The second they got near the ship, they stuck something sharp into the hull and began climbing up using hooked weapons.
Shalap blinked. "Is that... how they sell their stuff?"
"I doubt it," I said flatly.
I placed my hand against the ship's side. I'd already analyzed the structure earlier, so it was easy to pop small pillars from the wood, knocking the climbers off balance. Every time they tried to climb, I pushed them down like it was some sort of twisted obstacle course.
This is kinda fun, actually.
"Well, hey, what's up with that? You can stop. You aren't robbing us," I called out, annoyed.
Maybe they understood me—or maybe it was the situation—but after a few more struggles, the four guys clambered back into their boat and rowed away without a word.
"Why?" Shalap asked, confused. "They gave up so soon?"
We turned—and saw why.
Sinus was standing there, pointing his gun at them without even blinking.
"Hey, hey, there, you can stop pointing it at them," I said, nudging him. "They're gone."
Sinus stared at their boat for another long moment before lowering his gun and turning away.
Anyway... back to our challenge.
Sinus turned to me, a wicked grin forming. "Anyways, let's get back at our challenge, shall we, Heide?"
We both collapsed back onto the sun-baked deck, roasting under the sky like idiots. Shalap just shook her head and watched us from the shade.
I stared up at the blinding blue, squinting against the harsh sunlight.
The sun wasn't the only thing up there.
There was something else. A dark, burning dot. A rock? It was falling straight toward us.
"That looks cool," I said.
"Yea..." Sinus muttered, equally unimpressed.
And then it hit us.
"WAIT WHAT?!" I shot up, heart hammering against my ribs.
Shalap bolted upright too, her voice cracking. "HEY HEY WHAT THE HELL, WHY IS THAT FALLING ON US?!"
"I HAVE NO IDEA!" Sinus yelled back, already fumbling around.
"STOP SCREAMING AND DO SOMETHING!" Shalap snapped.
"You're right! Let's just steer away!" Sinus shouted.
He rushed to the ship's wheel, switching to manual mode, the ship creaking as we swerved.
Problem: the meteor stayed directly above us.
"WHY IS IT STILL ABOVE US?!" I yelled, starting to panic.
"I HAVE NO IDEA!" Sinus shouted back, equally useless. In desperation, he pulled out his gun and fired at it.
The bullet passed straight through.
My breath caught. "...It's an illusion," I said, realization dawning.
"Yea..." Sinus muttered darkly.
He didn't waste time. He immediately turned and fired behind him without even aiming properly. The shot rang out—and a scream followed.
A man dropped onto the deck, clutching his side where the bullet had pierced through him. Blood seeped between his fingers.
"H-HOW DID YOU KNOW?!" he howled.
He was carrying a knife—and based on the sudden scent of artifact energy, it was clear now. His relic must have hidden his presence from all of us. Probably one of the fisherman's buddies.
"Well, answer us," I said, walking up to him. "And hand over the artifact."